Roni was all smiles when Ren opened the door. But the twitching of his hands and the sheen of sweat on his face told Ren that he was going to ask for something.
Was it money again?
Ren was ready to rebuke Roni but was surprised when it wasn’t money that left his mouth. It was COVENANT.
“Ren, by any chance . . . Do you have a pod? I heard from my classmates that they once saw you in the game.”
Ren didn’t question about the classmates who saw him. It was inevitable that someone would recognize him in the game so no use in asking who saw him and how. Besides that, he wasn’t interested.
He was more surprised at how Roni was quick to ask of his pod. He knew that he was merely guessing but now that he would move out of the place and informed his parents about his plans, he didn’t care about the guy anymore.
Ren crossed his hands and cocked his head to the side. “What of it?”
A glint of envy crossed Roni’s eyes before he forced a smile. “Actually, have you heard of people becoming millionaires overnight because of COVENANT? I tried to enter the game, but the cafes are so full that renting a pod is impossible, even if I wait until tomorrow. So I was thinking . . . can you lend me your pod?”
He then clasped his hands in prayer like he was begging. “Even for just an hour?”
Ren was really surprised, amazed and amused. He had underestimated Roni’s thick skin time and time again. The guy didn’t even ask where and how he got his pod. He just went straight to the point.
“Tell me why I should lend you my pod again. We’re not even close.”
Roni was startled at the coldness in Ren’s voice that he couldn’t speak for a moment before he hid his embarrassment under the guise of his laughter.
“Come on, Ren . . . we’re long-time neighbors! We have known each other since young.”
“We might know each other, but our relationship is only good as that . . . neighbors.”
“. . .”
Roni realized that he couldn’t get Ren to agree with him even after he lowered his head and pleaded. His smile disappeared, and his face twisted into a scowl.
“Ren, don’t get cocky. Does your parent know that you have a pod? How did you even get it in the first place? Would you like it if I told auntie about it? Those pods don’t come cheap, you know. Did you use your tuition money to buy it?”
“. . .”
When Ren didn’t reply, Roni’s grin widened, but his smile fell right off his face when Ren smirked.
“If you want to tell my parents. Go ahead. In fact, I’ll give you their number if you want.”
“. . .” Roni couldn’t say anything and had no comeback to what Ren said, so he only left with a threat. “Don’t be so arrogant, Ren. No matter how high and mighty you act, you’re still just a rat in the slums.”
Ren stifled a laugh while Roni returned to his room with heavy steps and piercing glares.
Ren didn’t let Roni get to him and ruined his night. He erased the guy in his mind before he decided to wait for Leonel in the lobby.
That night Ren and Leonel went to many restaurants to order all the expensive food and drinks they could buy like it was their last night. They even played games and did karaoke while having a few drinks together.
They didn’t even know how they got home to their respective dorms. And when Leonel called to confirm that he had made it home, that was when Ren lost consciousness.
—–
The following day, the Broker sent Ren the papers he needed to sign, and after he made the deposit, he was free to move into the unit anytime he wanted.
Ren was planning to move in the weekends after he bought tickets for his parents to come over at that exact days.
After waking up with a slight hangover, Ren was still in an excellent mood. He was just an occasional drinker, so after drinking four bottles of different cocktails and wine last night, he got a headache. A good thing that he didn’t get a stomach-ache from all the food they consumed last night.
Ren brushed it off with a shower and medicine before he left early and had breakfast at the nearest café in their School. He had the money to pay for expensive food, so why not enjoy it?
He was enjoying his rice, slices of bacon, and poached egg with orange juice when he noticed that some students in the café were pointing at him while whispering with each other.
He didn’t know them, so he got curious. He was definitely the one they were talking about because he even heard his name from one of the student’s lips.
Ren immediately checked the School’s forums but found nothing of concern there. He then went to their School’s social page and was surprised at what he saw.
His picture was plastered among the many men, and he was labeled as one of the handsome man among first-year students.
Ren didn’t even know where the photo came from since School only started yesterday. He didn’t even remember something like this in the past, or was he too busy to notice?
Looking at his close-up picture in the front view, his eyes were slightly closed, giving way to thick lashes, and he seemed to be looking at the ground. And based on the background and how his hair fluttered with the winds, it was taken when he was walking along the long pathway leading to his department.
The picture looked good, but Ren only thought that it was a crime to take and post photos of students without their consent.
Scrolling through the comment section, Ren didn’t know what was worse. Having only one heart or the fact that some anonymous commenter commented on his picture that he was dirt poor and living like a rat in the slums.
Ren knew who that comment belonged to, and he could only shake his head when the time of events seemed to accelerate.
Maybe that comment was the reason why he only got a single heart. After all, money was more important than a pretty face. Ren stifled a laugh.
And maybe it was also the reason why the other students were pointing and whispering at him since he heard them talking.
“What good is his face if he is so poor?”
Can’t you see what I’m eating? Ren mused to himself before he shrugged. It looked like everyone would rather believe an anonymous comment than the actual fact they saw. It was because the drama was in the rumours, and the facts were boring.
Ren finished his food and went out of the café.
Funny how when he had no money, he was easily hurt by gossip and whispers about him. But now that he had millions under his name, all of it seemed irreverent.
But of course, his desire for revenge would never cease until all who owed him was reduced to nothing but a memory.