Bread Shuttle

Athan scrutinized everyone in front of him. If any normal student saw this assembly of people gathered at the back of the school, they would only think that this place was a gathering spot for those they should avoid if they wanted a peaceful and quiet life.

He analyzed his situation carefully. He didn't know the names of the people standing before him, and he certainly didn't want to raise suspicion by forgetting them. For a moment, he tried to think of a complex way out of this predicament, but then he chuckled internally. He was overcomplicating things.

From what he could tell, these people feared him. He seemed to have some status he wasn't currently aware of, judging by their reactions. The items he carried suggested he had important or powerful connections, and his past reputation—whatever it was—seemed to be full of eventful details that needed to be studied.

In short, maybe he could navigate this situation by simply being nonchalant and leveraging his apparent notoriety.

Athan smirked at the realization. Perhaps his notorious reputation was a blessing in disguise. While he remained in the dark about many things concerning himself, he could at least act like the person they expected him to be—without causing any unnecessary damage. He could use these people as stepping stones, ensuring he wouldn't be dragged into unexpected situations.

His mind worked nonstop until he formulated a plan to smoothly handle this encounter.

Athan stood up, his hands casually in his pockets. He tried to appear as imposing as possible. Slowly, he looked at each person in front of him, one by one, deliberately taking his time. He wasn't in a hurry. Instead, he let the atmosphere grow heavier, keeping a lazy yet intimidating gaze fixed on them. Finally, he spoke in a deep, measured voice.

"From now on, stop any orders I gave before. Even actions you take on your own volition—stop them. No one is to do anything in this school without my consent first."

He tried his best to sound as intimidating as possible, drawing inspiration from the TV shows and movies he had seen in his past life.

"If I hear that someone disobeys…" He slowly touched his wristwatch, his fingers brushing against the cool metal. Then, he looked at them with lethargic eyes.

"Don't say I didn't warn you."

Athan slipped one hand back into his pocket and walked forward at a relaxed pace. As he passed by a blonde-haired boy with tattooed sleeves, he paused. Reaching into his wallet, he pulled out a bill with the number 10,000 printed on it and handed it to him.

"Grab me something to eat and bring it to my classroom," he ordered.

He still didn't know the value of money here, so he simply chose the largest amount he had.

Without another word, he retraced his steps back to the classroom. From what he had observed earlier, the school was enormous. If he didn't follow his original path, he would undoubtedly get lost.

Athan only felt relief when he was finally back in his seat. He let out a quiet sigh and turned his gaze to the window, watching the blue sky outside.

If he hadn't felt the texture of the desk beneath his fingers, heard the chatter of his classmates, or smelled the fresh air drifting in through the window, he might have thought this was all just a dream.

He closed his eyes, letting his thoughts settle. Ever since he found himself in this unfamiliar situation, he had been overwhelmed. Anyone would feel uneasy in his position. He took a deep breath in, then exhaled slowly to calm his chaotic mind.

Ever since childhood, he couldn't forget the words of one of the nuns who had taken care of him at the orphanage.

"Athan, if you ever feel lost or don't know what to do, what will you do?" she had asked.

At the time, young Athan thought she was just giving another one of her usual sermons, so he answered without much thought. "Pray, Sister?"

"Good, Athan. It's good to pray." She had ruffled his hair fondly. "But also know that sometimes, you just need to face things on your own." She gazed longingly at the horizon before continuing. "It's important to ask for God's help, but in the end, the only one who can truly help us overcome any situation is ourselves. Prayers are meaningless if we can't even help ourselves."

Those words remained clear in his memory, reinforcing his stubborn and prideful nature. They had become a mantra he lived by. Remembering them now, he couldn't help but chuckle subconsciously. Perhaps that was also why he had remained single until his death in the accident.

His thoughts were interrupted when the person he had sent to get food entered the room.

The moment the blonde-haired boy stepped inside, the other students seemed to shrink back, avoiding eye contact. Even the girl at the back of the room curled up further into her seat, as if trying to disappear.

"Boss, here's your food." The blonde boy spoke respectfully as he carefully handed over a plastic bag. Athan noticed his hands trembling slightly.

Athan, however, was too preoccupied with the food to notice the change in the classroom's atmosphere. He opened the bag and found that the food was neatly packed and looked quite delicious. The first thing he checked was the price.

Seeing that everything together hadn't even reached 20, he gained a better understanding of the currency's value. Just as he had suspected, the blonde boy handed him the change.

Athan stared at the outstretched hand holding the money for a moment before focusing back on the food. As he unwrapped a piece of bread, he casually said, "Keep it. Buy me food from now on. You can go."

The blonde boy seemed to understand immediately. He kept the change, then bowed deeply like a Yakuza before speaking. "Understood, boss. If you have any other requests, just call me. I'll take care of it."

Athan cringed internally at the way he spoke. He waved a dismissive hand, motioning for the boy to leave before his fingers curled in secondhand embarrassment.

Taking a bite, he noted that the bread was soft and delicious. From the taste alone, he could tell this wasn't just ordinary bread. He quickly finished a piece, then a sandwich and a drink. Yet, the plastic bag still contained two more pieces of bread and another sandwich.

Athan frowned. Why had the blonde boy bought so much?

Knowing he wouldn't be able to finish them, he considered just putting the leftovers back in the bag. But something stopped him. Would that be unbecoming of the persona he was supposed to maintain?

His eyes wandered across the room, landing on the new transfer student. She was sitting silently at her desk, her eyes still glued to her notebook despite it being break time. From what he could tell, she hadn't eaten anything since the period started.

Thinking for a moment, he called out to her.

"Hey! Eat this. Then throw the garbage out."

The girl hesitated, but when she saw the domineering look in his eyes, she carefully reached out and took the food. She cant refuse with that gaze on her.