Just Press Ctrl Z

Chapter 15.1

Stepping into Raine's room, Zen scanned her surroundings with curiosity. She had expected the room to be like a typical boy's space, filled with posters of sports heroes or action figures. However, what she found totally contradicted from her thoughts. The room was simple and plain, yet it exuded a certain charm. The walls were painted in a calming shade of grey, and there were no posters in sight. Instead, a few art prints hung neatly on the walls.

The room was surprisingly spacious, allowing for easy movement. A neatly made bed occupied one corner, its sheets pulled tight, hinting at a certain orderliness that caught Zen off-guard. She had never pegged Raine for such a neat freak. But what truly grabbed her attention was the study table placed strategically near a wide window. Sunlight streamed generously through the window, painting the room in warm hues, and the view outside showcased the flourishing garden, creating a perfect atmosphere for thinking and studying.

Zen wasted no time, settling in at the study table with Raine, and their interaction flowed naturally. She watched as Raine's brow furrowed in concentration, his fingers deftly working through the equations she had placed before him.

An hour later...

Raine glanced up at Zen, his face a mix of apprehension and defeat.

"You can't solve this one too, can you?" Zen said. Raine shook his head.

Irritation seeped into her voice as Zen replied, "Lagrange's theorem is the most basic one yet. You just have to learn what's written in front of you and solve the problems accordingly."

Raine lowered his gaze, fumbling with his math book. "I just don't get this stuff."

Zen tried to maintain her composure. "We won't know until we try. Let's start again with something simple, like these basic equations."

Raine's eyes scanned the equations as if they were written in an alien language. "Simple? Seriously? This is like trying to decipher hieroglyphics."

Zen could feel her patience wearing thin. "I'm trying to make it easier for you to understand!" she yelled.

Raine rolled his eyes. "Well, it's clearly not working," he scoffed.

"I've explained this to you five times!" Zen exclaimed, jabbing her pen repeatedly against the textbook to emphasize her irritation.

"It hasn't made a difference."

"Clearly, not my fault. It's like you're physically present here but your brain has already taken a vacation to the Bahamas."

"Maybe, it's because you're just a terrible teacher!" Raine shot back, his voice trembling with frustration.

"It's because you're too much of an idiot. You don't understand such simple terms!"

"Then teach me in a sense that will help me understand."

"I'm trying." Their exchange grew increasingly heated, with both of them growing more exasperated by the minute. Zen couldn't contain her frustration any longer. "Maybe you simply don't want to learn!"

"I'm trying my best, and all you do is scold me!" Raine exclaimed, his emotions overflowing uncontrollably, the outburst shocking even himself.

Raine would never admit out loud but Zen was truly intimidating when she was angry, enough to make a grown man like him feel a subtle tightness in his chest. Somehow, he didn't want Zen to show this side of hers to him, ever. It took a while for him to come to terms with it, but he could no longer deny that Zen's influence had indeed changed him, softening his character in ways he had never expected.

"It's just... I've never been good at this, and when people yell at me, it makes me feel even dumber," Raine added.

It was as if Raine's puppy-dog eyes had guilt-tripped her into yielding. And Zen was hit with a wave of guilt, realizing that her approach had been overly harsh.