Riel looked at Kieran for a few seconds longer. That sentence made the corner of Riel’s jaw tighten slightly. He did not make a scene. He did not raise his hand or his voice.But he did not completely hide his emotions either, which were clearly visible in his gaze that had begun to turn cold.“You’d better not be playing around,” Riel said quietly. His tone was low, but there was a faint pressure woven into it.Several people in the room unconsciously held their breath. A tone like that was not something to be taken lightly.However, Kieran did not react as they expected. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, looked at Riel calmly, and asked back, “Didn’t you come here for something else?”“As far as I know, you were sent by your master to pick something up. So… what does that have to do with me?”His tone was flat, but sharp. Kieran’s gaze did not shift even slightly.“Unless…” he continued slowly, the corner of his lips lifting faintly, “you came here specifically for me.”The sent

Kieran set the last box down on the floor of their new rented house. The room was already clean, more spacious, and far tidier than their old place. Some of the belongings had already been arranged by his mother yesterday.He glanced around, then moved to pick up another box.“Enough,” Irene’s voice stopped him. “You should get going. School will start soon.”“I can help—”“No need.” Irene shook her head, her tone firm but not harsh. “Just focus on school. I can handle the rest, and besides, I don’t have anything to do for now.”Kieran looked at her for a moment, then nodded. He didn’t insist. After all, his mother did need something to occupy herself so she wouldn’t keep thinking about work for the time being.After a brief farewell, he left the house and started walking along a street he still wasn’t very familiar with.He hadn’t gone far when he noticed someone was already waiting for him.Ron stood by the roadside, looking awkward. The moment he saw Kieran, he immediately walked o

Kieran’s footsteps sounded soft yet steady even as he was flanked by two people on his right and left. The two walked with an affected casualness, occasionally glancing at other students who immediately moved out of their way.No one dared to look too long or try to interfere, even if they knew those two would most likely bully another student.Even so, a few students secretly followed at a safe distance, their teenage curiosity outweighing their fear.Ron was among them. He walked a few steps behind, hesitant, but still followed.Meanwhile, Kieran didn’t look to the right or left. He acted completely calm and indifferent, which made some onlookers feel a mix of admiration and ridicule.They exited the main building, crossed the field, then headed toward the old building at the back of the school, a place rarely used, with peeling paint, broken windows, and a desolate atmosphere.The door was pushed open, letting out a piercing creak. The air inside felt stifling.As soon as Kieran st

Class had already been in session for quite some time, so there were hardly any students wandering in the hallway. Kieran’s steps remained calm, while Ron walked slightly behind him, still carrying unease that hadn’t faded.As soon as the classroom door was pushed open, the atmosphere changed instantly. The teacher’s explanation stopped, and dozens of eyes turned toward them at once.Kieran stood at the doorway, his expression as flat as ever, as if nothing had happened.But the reaction inside the classroom was clearly different. Chairs scraped loudly as Sunny suddenly stood up. Her eyes widened, her face full of shock that she didn’t even bother to hide when she saw Kieran.“You… how can you…”The words stopped in her throat, as if her mind couldn’t form the rest of the sentence.Kieran glanced at her briefly, then the corner of his lips lifted slightly into a crooked, irritating smile.“Why?” he asked casually. “What were you expecting to happen to me?”His tone was light, but the

The sky was starting to darken as Kieran and Ron walked home. Their steps were neither hurried nor relaxed. The street that evening was fairly busy, the sounds of vehicles and people’s conversations forming a faint background.They walked in silence for a while. Until finally, before their paths split, Kieran stopped.Ron stopped as well, looking at him with slight confusion.Kieran’s gaze shifted to him, more serious now, carrying a subtle warning.“Watch your mouth.”His tone was flat, without excess emotion.Fortunately, Ron immediately understood that Kieran was talking about the base and what had happened there earlier.“Yeah… I understand,” Ron replied quickly, nodding earnestly. “I won’t say anything. Not a single word.”Kieran looked at him for a few seconds to make sure. He knew Ron was telling the truth, but whether he could keep it in the future was not something he was willing to bet on. Still, for now, he wouldn’t be too harsh.After a moment, he added in a tone that wasn