"Stop!" A high-pitched voice interrupted Asher in the hallway.
'This annoying girl again,' he sighed inwardly. She was one of the few people at school he preferred to avoid.
It wasn't that she was unattractive; in fact, it was quite the opposite.
Elaine had an oval face with round eyes that highlighted her beauty. Dressed in a miniskirt beneath her uniform, she emphasized her long, soft-looking legs.
Her black hair and brown eyes also enhanced her charm, making her appear look pleasing to the eye.
She fit into two categories. With her stunning looks, she was popular, and her top-notch grades showed she was academically gifted.
On top of that, her family owned a convenience store, placing her among the better-off students at their school.
"What is it?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent.
"What you did back then... it was too much," she scolded, her eyes filled with disgust.
"He punched me first. I was just defending myself," he explained, his tone showed no care to whether she believed him or not.
"I..." she hesitated, realizing he spoke some truth. She remembered the incident, but he had humiliated the boy first.
"But you were still wrong for going too far!"
"Save your breath for someone else," he replied dismissively, and walked away.
There was no point in discussing it with someone from a different social status.
They saw things differently, and he couldn't grasp her thoughts any more than she could understand him.
What mattered most to him right now was surviving. He didn't have the luxury to think about mundane things.
***
***
***
Within a clubroom filled with comic book shelves and a gaming console, three individuals faced one another.
This space, originally belonging to the Gamer Club, had been taken over by the bullies who dominated the school.
"You did a great job teaching that brat a lesson. Here's your share for this month's collections," a red-haired student said with a chuckle, his voice dripping with satisfaction as he passed an envelope brimming with cash.
Asher remained silent, and just accepted the money from James
"Keep terrorizing those losers so they don't forget to pay us," James added, a cold grin spreading across his face.
As the notorious boss of 15th Springs High, he was a senior with immense influence.
"Sure," Asher replied without enthusiasm, showing no interest in building a friendship. His only focus was on getting his money.
"You're still no fun, dude," James said, pretending to be hurt.
But they both understood it was merely a facade to keep their delicate partnership intact.
Asher chose to ignore him, turning away as their conversation ended. With the cash in hand, he felt no inclination to stay and quickly left the room.
"That kid is just too full of himself," a bulky boy grumbled.
"Can you take him on?" James asked, raising an eyebrow.
The bulky boy fell silent, recalling what happened to him before.
Initially, he thought that Asher was just as a pretty boy who kept to himself.
But that view shifted drastically when the bulky boy was publicly humiliated. Despite his larger body, he was thoroughly beaten, not managing to land even one hit.
He despised him but couldn't ignore the reality: Asher was really strong.
"Let it go. He's doing his part of the deal, and all we have to do is pay him. There's no need to mess with someone like that." James instructed .
"Boss, do you think he's stronger than you?"
"Are you doubting me?" His voice turned cold.
"No, no. I definitely know you're the strongest," the bulky boy corrected himself, afraid of incurring his boss's anger.
Unlike Asher, his boss lacked restraint; he was the kind of guy who would continue to hit someone who was already down.
"Good. Just remember that. No one here is stronger than me." James smirked, satisfied with the response.
The bulky boy nodded quickly. "Yeah, of course, boss. I won't forget it."