Irregularity

'Please be my tutor'

This really came to me as a surprise. I did not expect to see her hang around in the same place where she nearly got harmed. I can’t tell if she’s plain foolish or brave at all.

I sat on the seat right across from her and looked at her. Our gazes met but for some reason, she quickly averted her gaze from mine. It caught me off guard. A few moments ago, she had no problem locking eyes with me. Did I do something wrong perhaps?

“Hello, we meet again,” I said, greeting her with a smile like I usually do.

When I did, she turned to look at me again. This time, she did not avert her gaze away and greeted me back.

“W-We meet again. How are you?”

It just came to me at that moment. The reason why she averted her gaze from mine earlier might be because of the band aids. She must have felt responsible for what happened to me and could not help but turn away in guilt.

I quickly tried to remove the band aids from my face, but she immediately threw me a remark, stopping me from removing them off.

“Were those the injuries you sustained after diverting their attention to you?” she inquired with a worried look on her face.

Just by looking at her expression, I can tell how worried she is about me. Although we don’t really know each other, humans are compassionate creatures. At least from what I have experienced and seen so far. After all, I also feel the same sometimes.

“Oh, these? Ha ha, I tripped myself. Don’t worry about me.” I told her.

But that excuse wasn’t going to fly. Her worried and stern expression was proof of that.

“Please don’t lie to me. As someone indebted to you, I’m hoping to pay you back. I tried looking you up on social media for that same purpose last night but for some reason, I can’t seem to find you on any platform. That’s why I came here hoping that you will come to work, and you did.”

She flashed me a gentle smile. It made me wonder why she would go through such lengths just to pay me back. Even coming to the place where her life was threatened just for the sake of meeting me again.

Aside from that, she is clearly living in a different world than mine. So why? Is this something that the rich do once they feel indebted? As for me, I just did what any normal human would do, help someone in need. There was no need to pay me back for someone I voluntarily did.

“Uh- may I ask you a question?” I scratched my head, “Why go through such lengths just to pay me back? You even came to my part-time job, the place where you got in trouble. Staying safe and not coming back for the sake of your safety could be something that I would be glad you have done, so why?”

She looked at me and tilted her head, wearing a confused look on her face.

“Compared to yesterday. Right now, I’m with someone who could protect me if such things happen again. And it’s highly unlikely that it will happen again. You see, my father was able to track one of my attackers last night and they caught the rest of them. That’s why I came here with no qualms about coming here whatsoever.”

What? They caught those guys that fast? How vast is her father’s network to achieve such things so easily? Just thinking about that made me realize what I’ve gotten myself into.

But since she told me the update about those guys, I guess it was needless worry on my part.

“I apologize. I was just worried is all. Thankfully, they were apprehended. So next time, please be mindful of what you do.”

After hearing that, I felt somewhat relieved. If she came here like nothing happened the next day, I should have figured that she would have done something that allows her to come to this place without any regard for her safety. Rich people are really different.

“Since my shift should be up soon, I will have to excuse myself.” I told her.

“T-There’s another purpose for my visit.”

She reached into her bag that’s been sitting on top of the table the entire time. I thought she was going to hand me something like payment for what I have done, but I was wrong. It was the notebook that I lost last night. It contained important notes from class. It’s highly valuable to me.

“My notebook. I thought it was lost for good. Thank you for picking it up for me.” I said, reaching out to receive it.

As soon as I tried to pull it away from her grasp, I felt a subtle resistance coming from her.

“I’m sorry. I went through your notes while I was trying to find out about your identity. I was surprised by the level of your notes. Although I don’t understand some of the words since they’re written in a rather strange manner, I can tell that you’ve put a lot of effort into writing them.”

I don’t know if I should be embarrassed or pleased. My handwriting is not the best thing in the world and I have tried to change myself ever since, but it became a bad habit that it’s hard to get rid of.

She glanced at me briefly. Just then her cheeks turned red like a tomato.

“I know you don’t want me to repay you for your kindness, and I understand your wishes. It’s just that I can’t let this debt go unpaid. So I figured that I just have to give you an offer that’s more acceptable,” she said

Offer that’s more acceptable? She says some interesting things. Well, no matter. Let’s just hear her out for now and decide things later.

“I don’t really understand why you’re so hung up on it. But, okay. I’ll listen to your offer.” I told her.

When I did, her face suddenly looked relieved. I turned around to look for Mr. Kim, and saw him looking at me. He slightly nodded his head with a gentle smile on his face. It was about time for my shift and yet he is not saying anything. 

The longer I drag this, the more it seems like I’m taking advantage of his generosity.

“I saw your notes and I was impressed. I can tell that you’re an honor student in your school. That’s why I came to the conclusion on the offer that I want to give you. Please be my tutor. I will make sure to repay you for your service. That way, you will not see it as me paying for what you’ve done for me last night but for your time tutoring me, right?”

“.....Ah?”

I’m speechless. She wants me to be her tutor? She arrived at that conclusion just after looking at my notes? 

“Is that not a good offer, after all?” She asked, trying to read my expression.

“Not at all. I think that’s a good offer even for me. It’s just that I already have made a contract to be someone else’s tutor. And it’s rather important to me, so I’m afraid I have to decline your offer,” I told her.

She instantly looked downright frustrated and fixed her gaze on the floor. I didn’t want to hurt her after everything she had done just to meet me, but that’s just how I do things.

I cannot just cancel my previous deal just because another one just came up. My deal with the Exterminator company head weighs heavy since I’m offered a scholarship and the payment for my tutoring sessions is good too. I may be able to take her offer for tutoring her, but that will surely take up most of my time.

 I can’t do so many things at once. I’m just a normal human, after all. If only my power is something useful that will help me take on multiple jobs at the same time, I’ll gladly take the offer. But as a human, I am bound with limits.

“I’m rather grateful to you for considering such things for me, a nobody, when you have so many things to think about on your own. But that’s just how things are, I apologize,”

I bowed my head. Someone as rich as her making time for someone like me is something that will most likely not happen again in the future. I’m grateful to have such an experience. This will surely be one of the things that I will not forget in my entire life.

“No. I should be the one to apologize. It was terrible of me to put you in such a situation. I should have been more considerate and considered that you already have previous engagement. I apologize,” 

She also bowed her head to apologize. And I immediately told her off since it might cause a scene. She did mention that she came with someone, and if that certain someone were to see her doing such a thing, it could spell trouble for this place. I don’t want to lose my part-time job just yet.

Thankfully she listened to my request and stopped bowing her head. But still, the sad look on her face remained.

“Since you're not accepting anything from me as payment. I will leave this to you. Call me whenever you need help. I will be sure to help you to the best of my abilities,” She said with a smile as if she was reinvigorated by something.

She handed me her calling card. It’s quite fancy compared to the calling cards I saw in the teachers’ lounge the other day. Just thinking how much it must have caused her to make a single calling card scares me.

“Ceri?” I said right after I noticed her name.

She looked at me shyly, “Pleased to meet you. My name is Ceri and I just moved here recently,” she said.

Huh? Does someone act like that when their first names are called? I called Herta and Ema by their first names, but they don’t act like her at all. By any chance?

As if she understood what I was about to ask her. Ceri immediately distanced herself away from me.

“It’s time for me to leave. I can’t be hogging the table to myself longer than I have to. Please call me when you need something or nothing at all!”

Before leaving, she thanked Mr. Kim for indulging in her selfish request. And left just like that.

“What a strange young woman. I never thought that there’d come a day I’d see someone like her in my entire life,” Mr. Kim said, touching his mostly shaved beard.

“Strange, huh? Is that how rich people are?” I asked him.

He just looked at me like I’m some sort of detestable being and frustratingly shook his head. 

My shift went by like a flash and now, and now I’m on my way to my next stop. But before that, I need to return home to eat dinner first. The leftovers Mr. Kim gave me a lot today like always. I’m sure my parents would like them.

After eating dinner and preparing myself for my next stop. I told my parents that I would come back late for some business. Usually they wouldn't allow me in the past but since I’ve grown up and was about to turn 18, I was granted a little bit of freedom.

But of course, that freedom still has its limits. I’m not someone who would abuse the freedom that’s given to me. And before I knew it, I was standing in front of the place I will be going today.

There are more guards compared to my last visit. It must be because of the incident the other day. I deliberately rushed here and let Ceri take refuge, after all. 

One of the guards noticed me and spoke to his radio. And briefly after that, he opened the door for me. Something that really caught my attention.

“They’re waiting for you inside, Mr. Ren,” he said, in a rather respectful tone compared to my last visit.

I immediately have a bad feeling about this all of a sudden. I can’t put my head into it, but my guts are telling me that something is wrong.

“Thank you,” I thanked him. I was caught off guard by his sudden change.

And as if my gut was telling the truth, I saw some familiar faces standing right behind the door. The Exterminator company head and his butler, Steppen, was one thing. Aside from them, there’s also a familiar face that I’ve met just recently.

“...Ren?”

“Ceri?.....”

We both muttered each other’s names at the same time. And I can tell that we’re both shocked by the sudden development that none of us have expected to happen.

“You both know each other?” The Exterminator company head asked, and as if struck by lightning, he turned to me and asked, “Wait, don’t tell me you’re the one who helped my daughter the other night?”

There it is. I knew my gut was telling me something was up.

Ceri, who was utterly shocked by the confusing situation just nodded her head, giving her father the answer he was looking for.

In response, the Exterminator company head lets out a chuckle and soon after bursts out in laughter.

“Ha ha ha ha ha ha! I never expected something like this to happen. To think that you’re the one who helped my daughter. You’re surprising me, Ren Shury. I was surprised when I saw how sad she was earlier when she got back, did she perhaps ask you to be her tutor?”

Wow, he managed to crack it all down just by looking at her daughter. Wait, does that mean my parents have that kind of ability too? Parents are scary!

“I wasn’t expecting her to offer me something like that and since I already have made an agreement with you, I turned her offer down,”

I did not expect Ceri to be the company head’s daughter. I was not expecting that at all. That must also be the reason why she chose to run towards this street that night, I really am an idiot. It all makes sense now.

“Well, since it’s come to this. We will have to postpone your tutoring sessions for today and do some celebration. You will join, right, Ren?”

I don’t think I have a choice in the matter, so I just nodded my head. For the entire duration of my supposedly tutoring session, I was offered extravagant dishes that I could only taste in my dreams. I was asked a lot of questions, and I forced myself to answer all of them.

Surprisingly enough, throughout the entire night, Ceri was silent. And as the time for my tutoring session was coming to an end, Mr. Lucius, the company owner, offered me a ride home along with the gifts and all kinds of food that he wanted me to bring home.

It will definitely not fit our fridge so I had to wake Ivan and Ema up just so that the food doesn't go bad. And we ended up staying late at night because of it.