Chapter 07

Mentari Jingga followed the orders of Senja Alexandro who told her to wait at the mini market in front of the school.

She waited for Senja's arrival and his best friend named Awan while playing with her cellphone, then checking her writings that she posted on a writing platform. Quite a lot of feedback that came in and was positive, made her feel so happy that she subconsciously smiled. At that time, Mentari did not realize that several boys in the same high school uniform as her, but from different schools, approached her.

"Hello," one of the boys greeted with a seductive smile. Mentari lifted her face from the cellphone in her hand, then gave a flat and disapproving look at the boys. "Are you alone? You need to be accompanied by us, don't you? Let's go for a walk, shall we? We'll pay for it."

Mentari sighed heavily and shook her head while massaging the bridge of her nose. Mentari really hates this sort of people. Seduces the opposite sex at will and says he will buy them anything. In fact, the money they use is definitely not their own money, but their parents' money.

"No, thank you," said Mentari, trying to remain polite. In fact, in her heart, Mentari was very fed up and wanted to beat them. But, it's impossible, right, if Mentari suddenly punched someone else for no reason? As long as they don't do anything inappropriate, Mentari won't attack them either.

"You're so proud of yourself. What do you think you are, huh? Do you think you are so beautiful?" sneered the boy while grabbing Mentari's white arm.

This is makes Mentari more inflamed. Just now she was trying to be patient, warning herself not to start a fuss as long as they weren't making a fuss, but, it wasn't until a split second that she did that to herself, those damn boys play with her temper.

"Let go of my hand." Mentari said in a cold and sharp tone, as cold and sharp as her gaze at this moment. She had to admit, the boy's grip was really strong and quite painful. In fact, visible red marks is start to appear on her arms.

"What if I don't want to?" teased the boy while laughing with his friends. They looked at each other and looked back at Mentari who couldn't hold back her emotions anymore. One of her hands was already clenched into a fist, preparing to reward the bastard in front of her with a death fist, when someone's voice, which sounded very cold and sharp, and she had memorized it by heart, heard. The girl blinked and turned around, along with the damn boys in front of her.

Senja Alexandro.

"Hey! Let go of my student's hands right now!" he exclaimed. He walked with wide and long steps, then jerked the high school boy's hand from Mentari's arms and take Mentari behind his back. His eyes gleamed coldly, making the high school boys freeze and gulp. "You brats. How dare you bother a girl? Which school are you from? Let me come to your school and I will tell you to the teachers there so that you get punished!"

The boys immediately left from in front of Mentari and Senja, making Mentari take a deep breath and cross her arms. She could feel the presence of someone beside her and as soon as she turned her head, the figure of Awan was beside her. The man grinned amusedly as he put his hands in his pants pockets and whistled softly.

"Their behavior reminds me of my own behavior when I was in high school," said Awan with an amused tone.

"You've never been right in the past, Wan," Senja grumbled. He snorted and looked at Mentari. "Are you all right, Mentari?"

Mentari shrugged. "As you can see, I'm fine. Besides, you know my secret. You know what my real behavior is like. So, you don't have to worry. Stupid boys like that, just like the tips of my nails. They are nothing."

While Awan blinked and looked alternately at Senja and Mentari, asking implicitly to tell him the meaning of what Mentari had just said, Senja just sighed and flicked Mentari's forehead, causing her to groan and hastily rubbed her sore forehead. Her eyes wide open, staring at Senja with an annoyed gaze.

"Why did you hit my forehead, Sir?!"

"I only flicked, Mentari, not hit your forehead. You're too hyperbole." Senja cross his arms.

"But—"

"Mentari," Senja interrupted immediately. "Even though I know you are a brave girl and they are no match for you, it is still my duty to protect you as a teacher. Do you think I will close my eyes and let you be bullied and harassed by those delinquents, especially since it happened right in front of my own eyes? Do not be stupid." The man then ruffled Mentari's hair, making Mentari gape in her place because of her teacher's unusual treatment. Where did the annoying attitude of Senja Alexandro go? Was it because of the cockroach's incident, that Senja's attitude had changed drastically?

Mentari just stared at the departure of Senja who pointed at Awan's car with a frown on his forehead. She pursed her lips, then took a deep breath. Senja's attitude is not bad, according to Mentari. And she had to admit, she liked Senja's attitude like before, rather than his attitude that likes to be angry, likes to say sarcastic words for her and so on.

"He's not so bad, is he?"

The question made Mentari turn around. Just remembered that Awan was still with her. The man then lowered his head so he could look at Mentari and winked.

"Well, a little. If he just kept acting like he was just now, plus a little smile, he definitely wouldn't be a super annoying human." Mentari then blinked when she saw Awan bent down so they could be level with each other. Moreover, when Awan moved his face forward, Mentari reflexively turned her head back. "Uncle, what do you want?" she asked in a sharp tone.

"Don't call me Uncle, okay? Call me Awan. Or, you can call me brother too. One thing for sure, please don't call uncle." Awan chuckled, feeling amused and touched Mentari's nose until Mentari gaped. Never before had she been treated like this by a man. Truly insolent!

"Uncle, don't—"

Mentari's words stopped when suddenly someone grabbed her hand and brought her body behind him. She blinked and turned. Senja appeared while looking annoyed at Awan who was now straightening his body again while putting his hands in his pants pockets—again. Senja's protective attitude towards her made Mentari really think that Senja wasn't that bad.

"The hell, Wan?" Senja frowned disapprovingly. His hand was still holding Mentari's wrist very protectively. It was as if, ,Mentari would disappear because she was kidnapped by Awan. "How dare you want to kidnap my student? Are you crazy? You predators! You are really dangerous, Awan Nugraha!"

"Hey!" Awan laughed. "I only talked to Mentari for a while. You acted just like I will doing some bad things to her."

Because Senja was still glaring at her, Awan raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. I was wrong. I'm sorry, okay? How about we go home right now before it's too late?" Awan grinned and winked, then whistled as he walked to his car. Over his shoulder, he peeked at Senja and Mentari. The two of them argued again. But this time, neither of them realized that Senja was still holding Mentari's wrist.

"This is really interesting," Awan muttered. In his head, millions of ideas to get the two of them together had piled up.