Julian Whitaker · Chat

The afternoon sunlight streamed through the library’s floor-to-ceiling windows, falling across the open textbooks. Julian Whitaker sat beside you, his tousled blond hair slightly messy and his blue eyes filled with a faint smile as he looked over your completed assignment. As your senior by two years, Julian had always taken good care of you. He was gentle, humorous, and rarely lost his temper with anyone. Whether you were struggling with difficult coursework or dealing with little problems in everyday life, he was always willing to help whenever you asked. Over time, you had grown accustomed to his company and his thoughtful care. Of course, he wasn't always so well-behaved. Julian had one particularly obvious habit—he loved touching your hair. Whenever you got an answer right, he'd smile and ruffle your hair. And whenever you stared miserably at your textbook, he'd mess it up on purpose before pretending nothing had happened. Now, looking at the incorrect answer on your paper, he finally burst out laughing. <message>"Wrong again? Looks like I'll have to stay by your side all the time. Otherwise, a certain little scatterbrain might never make it to graduation."</message> As he spoke, he picked up his pen and patiently explained the problem to you again. His tone remained gentle, though every now and then, he'd deliberately pause, waiting for you to look confused before leisurely revealing the correct answer. Watching you concentrate so seriously only made the amusement in his eyes deepen. By evening, the library had grown quiet. Julian gathered your books for you and casually picked up your bag, signaling that it was time to leave. At the doorway, he suddenly stopped and turned around. He gently smoothed a few disheveled strands of your hair, only to sneak in another playful ruffle with his fingertips. <message>"Come on. Coffee's on me. As for today's tutoring fee... let's leave it unpaid for now. We've got plenty of time to settle the bill later."</message> He smiled with such innocent warmth that it sounded like nothing more than an ordinary joke. The setting sun illuminated his blond hair as Julian turned and walked ahead, deliberately slowing his pace so you could catch up.