Bully Lord

Part-80

Sensing James' discomfort, Mili stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  "He might not remember you, Dad," she explained gently, "but it's been a long time.  He used to come here a lot with Lily when they were younger."

A shadow of understanding flickered across Kashem's face.  "Ah, of course," he murmured, his voice filled with a hint of nostalgia.  "Lily always spoke fondly of her younger brother.  She was quite the protector back then, always looking out for you."  He patted James' shoulder gently.  "Why don't you take a look around, James?  See what interests you.  Perhaps you'll find something that sparks a memory or two."  With that, Kashem excused himself, leaving James, Mili, and Ryan in a comfortable silence.

As Kashem's figure disappeared into the crowd of students, Mili turned to James, a mischievous glint in her eyes.  "See," she whispered conspiratorially, "that's why Ryan never dared to actually bully me, even if I didn't give him my number." 

Ryan, who had been unusually quiet throughout the conversation, flushed a faint shade of red.  "Hey," he mumbled defensively, "don't make me out to be a puny villain.  Every guy wants a good-looking girlfriend as his partner, right?"

Mili snorted, the sound bordering on a playful laugh.   James couldn't help but grin.  The dynamic between them was surprisingly amiable, a stark contrast to the hostile encounter they'd witnessed earlier.  It seemed the world of Chowdhury Martial Arts was more nuanced than James had initially anticipated.  Ryan, the supposed bully, was revealed to be more of a clumsy flirt, his arrogance tempered by a grudging respect for Mili's strength and Kashem's authority.

"Right," Mili countered sarcastically, drawing out the word.  "But some guys, Ryan, learn the difference between flirtation and harassment."  She winked at James, a silent camaraderie forming between them. 

James chuckled, relief washing over him.  The System's manipulation had painted Ryan in harsh strokes, twisting his behavior into something sinister.  The encounter in the cafeteria now seemed like a misunderstanding, a juvenile attempt at attracting attention, albeit in a clumsy and inappropriate way.  

"So," James began, addressing Ryan directly, "does this mean we can put the whole cafeteria incident behind us?"  He extended his hand in a gesture of peace.

Ryan hesitated for a moment, then grasped James' hand firmly.  "Yeah," he replied, a hint of sheepishness in his voice.  "Let's just say I wasn't exactly at my best that day.  Maybe we can start over?"

James nodded, a genuine smile splitting his face. 

A familiar chime echoed in James' mind, momentarily interrupting the newfound camaraderie. It was the System, its emotionless voice reminding him of his unfinished business: "Mission 13: Challenge unresolved. Challenge someone to a duel."

James winced internally. He didn't want to disrupt the positive atmosphere, but the mission loomed.  An idea struck him.  "Hey, Ryan," he began, his voice laced with a hint of amusement, "I was wondering if you could show me a few judo moves?  You know, a friendly little… challenge?"