Chapter 15
The people around immediately turned their attention to the couple, wearing puzzled expressions. Ray's kneeling posture was far from inconspicuous, with the sound of his clothes and knees echoing in the enclosed gymnasium.
"W-what are you doing?" the girl hurriedly exclaimed, clearly caught off guard.
Ray could only gaze up at her from below, his expression earnest.
"Will you..."
...
Silence filled the air, and the group of people anxiously waited.
...
Still, silence prevailed.
"What?" the girl grew impatient, breaking the silence.
The group of people exchanged awkward glances before turning their attention back to Ray, curious about his intentions.
...
Before the girl could ask again, Ray finally spoke up.
"Forgive me?" Ray uttered, his words tinged with nonsense.
Following that statement, the gymnasium descended into silence once again, resembling a cemetery filled with curious ghosts.
Witnessing the success of his joke in rendering the group speechless, Ray felt satisfied. He was prepared to rise and tease the girl further.
However, before he could do so, a crisp sound filled the air.
"Kaboom!"
The girl's punch landed squarely on Ray's jaw, sending him tumbling to the ground without delay.
...
"Are you alright?" the girl asked with a hint of concern, observing the boy as he applied ice to his jaw.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just slipped earlier..." Ray casually replied, as if it were nothing.
Hearing his response, the girl rolled her eyes disdainfully, having no intention of pursuing the matter further.
"Why does this boy have such a terrible sense of humor? I can't fathom where the cuteness lies in his previous actions," she thought to herself, her face contorted.
Observing the girl's reaction, Ray couldn't help but shamelessly smile.
The girl standing before Ray was the president of the martial arts organization. She possessed a well-trained, muscular physique that still maintained a feminine appearance. With slightly black eyes, yellowish-white skin, and her hair pulled back into a ponytail, she bore a resemblance to an East Asian from Ray's previous life.
In Ray's memory, her name was Hou Yunfei.
While she was attractive , she did not possess the kind of breathtaking beauty that would make people swoon and obey her every command.
The reason this organization was relatively empty was due to the perceived impracticality of its focus. The organization simply referred to itself as a martial arts organization, specializing in hand-to-hand combat training, which many people found uninteresting.
"Hey, what are you staring at?" Hou Yunfei snorted, breaking Ray's train of thought.
"Ehhh, I'm just astonished by the beauty of nature up close," Ray playfully replied.
Seeing this, Hou Yunfei couldn't help but roll her eyes and snort dismissively.
"Alright, alright. I genuinely want to apologize for yesterday's incident," Ray said earnestly.
Though Hou Yunfei snorted again upon hearing this, she forgave Ray in her heart, even if she didn't voice it.
Observing the girl's silence, Ray decided not to continue teasing her. He took out a 250 ml jar filled with honey and a sculptural rabbit attached to a keyring and offered them to her.
At first, Hou Yunfei refused, but under Ray's insistence, she reluctantly accepted. The two exchanged pleasantries before Ray bid farewell and left.
"Hey, aren't you coming to practice?" Hou Yunfei asked.
"No, I still have other activities. Maybe next time," Ray casually replied, as if he didn't belong to any organization. However, Hou Yunfei didn't mind too much, considering their organization was on the brink of extinction and lacked young members. Thus, she let Ray go without further persuasion.
Staring at the departing boy's back, Hou Yunfei couldn't help but mutter involuntarily, "Has he changed?"
In Hou Yunfei's opinion, Ray had been repulsive before. His eyes were filled with puppy-like desire and infatuation, which made Hou Yunfei uncomfortable, especially coupled with his shameless behavior. It had been unbearable!
But now, although Ray's shamelessness had only escalated, Hou Yunfei didn't feel as disgusted as before. She felt like she was dealing with a different person. This thought annoyed her.
"Why am I even thinking about that ridiculous kid? He's still shameless no matter what!" Hou Yunfei grumbled.
If Ray had heard Hou Yunfei's thoughts, he might have been horrified because she had already sensed the change in his demeanor. Women's instincts were indeed formidable!
...
When Ray arrived home, he comforted the two young boys before finally finding some peace in his room. Since it was still early, and Ray was currently unemployed, he started packing and then poked at the ceiling in his room.
After a while, a small ladder descended slowly, revealing a dusty attic. Without hesitation, Ray ascended and began cleaning.
After an hour of diligent work in the dusty room, Ray nodded satisfactorily as he surveyed his surroundings. The house where Ray and his family lived wasn't small, and the attic had initially been filled with random useless items, which weren't too abundant.
But now, after tidying up, the loft appeared more spacious and vibrant. It was then that Ray made up his mind to transform this attic into his workshop and headquarters. What had initially been a fleeting idea was now a firm decision.
Why should Ray let such a good space go to waste?
Three-quarters of the attic's area could accommodate 400 students studying together, while the remaining one-fourth consisted of open space with a balcony that was never used for drying clothes.
Since Ray was already in the attic, he didn't want to waste any more time. He took out the logs he had collected from the forest outside the town earlier and carefully removed the outer bark. Then, Ray started cutting the logs into long pieces, which he assembled into a rectangular frame measuring one and a half meters wide and two meters high.
But Ray didn't stop there. He also created a smaller frame, measuring one meter by one meter, which he covered with gauze and tightly nailed to block any gaps in the middle.
Satisfied with his work, Ray began gathering the leftover carpentry scraps and stored them in his storage ring.
After taking a shower and having dinner with his new family, Ray, who was currently unemployed, decided to return to the poorly lit attic. He placed some candles to provide light in the space.
Ray intended to practice his martial arts before going to sleep, as he had reached the maximum capacity for breathing exercises. He retrieved a strand of hair from his storage ring and burst into laughter while muttering a few words.
"Hahahah, who needs to painstakingly practice martial arts when I have this!" Ray exclaimed.
The combination of the dim candlelight and Ray's slightly eerie laughter gave the otherwise empty attic a somewhat eerie atmosphere. If people from his previous life were to witness Ray's current appearance, they would likely label him as a cult sorcerer!
Who would laugh in dim lighting while holding a girl's hair? It might be mistaken for practicing "santet".
(Note: "Santet" is a term frequently used in Indonesian culture to describe spiritual or witchcraft practices that are intended to harm someone. Witchcraft practices involve employing specific spells, rituals, or objects with the belief that negative energy can be directed toward a target, resulting in physical, emotional, or financial harm.)