Chapter 187: TAKE YOUR TIME

Chapter 187: 187: TAKE YOUR TIME

Ken smiled as soon as he saw June and his friends standing in his shop. He didn’t hesitate before walking up to them, with Mr Yen following behind him.

"What are you guys doing here?" Ken smiled. "With important Espers and Guides coming here for me, I hope I’m safe," he teased.

But June smiled with both arms folded. "No, you’re not safe at all. Rather, you’re under arrest."

Ken shook his head. "Is that so? I wonder what I did this time?"

June looked around the shop. "Well, you’ll have to get us a seat and offer us drinks for us to tell you in detail. Won’t you?"

Ken smiled as he looked around. "Well, I guess I’ll have to do that."

---

Ken offered them seats in a different corner, further away from the other customers. Once the four of them were seated, he brought them drinks.

"On the house," Ken said with a smile as he delivered the drinks to them.

Mr Yen stood there with his arms folded, watching them. "I wonder what you rascals are doing here when you should be at the academy." He stared at June. "If I remember correctly, you’re already back at the academy."

"Can’t we be here to visit you two?" June smiled.

Ken smiled as he added, "We’ve also been seeing the news. Congratulations on that."

June and Ryan nodded with a smile. "Thanks."

Just then, Mr Ethan stepped out to make a coffee delivery as well. He was also surprised to see them there, just as they were surprised to see him working there.

Ryan tilted his head. "Aren’t you two supposed to be at the academy? What are you doing here working part-time?" He stared at Mr Yen and Mr Ethan.

Ken smiled and shook his head. "I told them to stay at the academy, but they keep coming here. Not my fault."

Mr Yen insisted, "You can’t do it all alone. We have to help."

Mr Ethan nodded. "Yes, we have to."

"I can hire..." Ken tried to say.

"Not when we’re here," Mr Ethan insisted.

Ryan shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a public display of love..." He looked around the shop. "I guess this is where you came after leaving the academy..."

Ken nodded with a smile. "Yes. Pretty much. And it’s actually more peaceful than the academy." He joked.

Mr Ethan stared at them. "But what are you kids doing here?"

June smiled. "Well, I guess I have to get straight to the point."

He stared at Ken. "I’m sure you know the situation right now. Mr Kevin has been taken down and everything, and the academy is going through some changes..."

He hesitated before continuing. "And that’s why I’m here to invite you back to the academy."

There was silence as Ken stared at them for a while with a smile.

Ryan and the others now understood why June had come here.

"You don’t have to answer immediately..." June said. "You can give it as much thought as you want. You’re free to."

He added, "But I’ve already spoken to the Minister about it as well, and he approves of you returning. He also agrees to giving you a promotion and everything, so you don’t have to worry about your status anymore."

June smiled. "But overall, you can do what you like without worrying about anything now. I’d really want to have someone like you at the academy, at least. It gives some hope..."

Ryan slowly nodded as he added, "Yes. The academy certainly needs more teachers like you."

As they spoke, Ken stood there quietly, staring at them in thought.

Mr Yen turned to him. "You should listen to them. We really need you back at the academy."

Mr Ethan nodded. "Yes... you should come back."

After thinking for a while, Ken smiled and looked around the shop. "I’ve already started this shop, and some people already love it here... It’d be a shame if it closed down like that..."

"It doesn’t have to," Mr Yen explained. "You can hire people to work here while you work at the academy."

June nodded. "Yes. Besides, with your new status, you can choose not to come to the academy on certain days and be here instead. It’s up to you."

Mr Yen nodded as he approached Ken, taking his hand while staring into his eyes.

"This is something you like, and you don’t have to pretend that you don’t. It makes you happy... so you should consider going back."

There was silence as Ken stood there, deep in thought.

After a while, he smiled and casually said, "Then... I guess I’ll have to think about it..."

June and Ryan exchanged glances before looking back at Ken.

"Like I said, you don’t have to answer now. Take your time and think about it. We won’t force you... We just want you to know that we’d love to have you back."

Ken smiled and nodded. "Thanks. I’ll certainly think about it."

---

After June and the rest were done spending time at the shop, they made their way back to the academy.

On their way, they couldn’t help but discuss the possibility of Mr Ken returning to the academy. But in the end, they decided to remain hopeful that he would come back.

June and the rest arrived at the academy and got down from the car. Just when they had entered the academy grounds, they noticed a commotion.

Something was happening near one of the buildings, with several students gathered around the entrance to witness something.

"What’s that?" Ryan asked, confused, as they stared into the distance, trying to see what was happening. But they couldn’t get a clear view from where they stood.

"I guess we’ll have to get closer to see what it is," Nyx explained.

They made their way closer to the crowd, trying to see what had everyone’s attention.

And as they arrived, they were rather confused and surprised by what they saw before them.