Villainous Me: Help! The heroines are yanderes!
Chapter 45: That Can’t Be...![GTG]

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: That Can’t Be...![GTG]

Ryan sprawled back in his chair, clutching his fruit drink like a lifeline as he plowed through his third plate of food, completely unbothered by the stares around him. Courtesy? Manners? What were those, anyway? He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten with any semblance of restraint. Maybe they’d invented forks and knives for civilized folk, but Ryan was far from interested in that.

"Whoa, easy there, buddy," Luke laughed, barely hiding a wince. "No one’s swiping your food... at least not while you’re watching."

Ignoring Luke’s quip, Ryan picked up a tender drumstick, glancing at it as though it was the only thing keeping him alive. Then, abandoning it, he turned to the bowl of noodles, its steam curling upwards like an invitation. Without a second thought, he tilted the bowl straight toward his face, slurping down the noodles like they held the answers to life’s mysteries.

A sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips as he leaned back, the remnants of the feast littered around him. Finally, he noticed where he was—a sprawling, modern cafeteria, built like a palace of glass and steel. The setting sun drenched everything in hues of amber and crimson, a display of nature’s artistry that somehow felt like freedom itself.

A sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips as he leaned back, the remnants of the feast littered around him. Finally, he noticed where he was—a sprawling, modern cafeteria, built like a palace of glass and steel. The setting sun drenched everything in hues of amber and crimson, a display of nature’s artistry that somehow felt like freedom itself.

"Oh, I see you’ve finally calmed down," Luke remarked, watching him with an amused smile.

"Hey, don’t judge. You have no idea how hungry I was," Ryan shrugged, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Yeah, yeah. Keep telling yourself that. Maybe you’ll believe it by the time you graduate." Luke rolled his eyes, pushing his plate aside.

Ryan’s gaze drifted through the cafeteria, finally settling on a figure who seemed to devour food with a sort of violent abandon. He was massive, his body straining against the confines of a white shirt, with a blazer carelessly draped over the back of his chair. His bald head gleamed under the cafeteria lights, and his arms—tree trunks rather than limbs—moved with calculated efficiency as he devoured his meal. But what truly irked Ryan was the mountain of food in front of him.

"Why does that guy get five times the food I do?" he muttered, his tone edging on annoyance.

"Shh! Are you crazy?" Luke hissed, practically leaping forward to clamp a hand over Ryan’s mouth. "Don’t even think about it. That guy... he’s in a league of his own."

Ryan shot him a skeptical look. "What, does he have some freakish ability to glare people to death?"

Luke shook his head, eyes wide. "Worse. That’s Tyler Aaron, also known as ’The Strangler.’ He has a... particular approach to settling disputes. Anyone who dares challenge him ends up... well, let’s just say not in one piece."

"Wait—are you saying he literally strangles people?"

"Yep," Luke whispered, casting a quick glance at Tyler as if the mere mention might summon him. "For some reason, his idea of a final move is squeezing the life out of his opponents. Rumor has it no one leaves the ring against him without nightmares that last a lifetime."

Ryan leaned back, his appetite fading a bit. "And that’s why he gets to hoard all the food?"

Luke snorted. "Nah, he’s a high ranker. People like him? They get treated like royalty around here."

As Ryan scanned the room, he saw it was more than just Tyler getting the royal treatment. Groups of students surrounded the high-rankers, catering to their every whim. Some were practically begging, hoping to curry favor, while others looked on enviously, resigned to their fate. Ryan even noticed a few students "donating" their meals to stronger students, either out of fear or sheer desperation for approval.

But amidst the bustling crowd, something—or rather, someone—caught his eye. Across the room sat a girl with curly blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders, her sky-blue eyes bright and focused as she laughed with friends. Just for a moment, she seemed to catch his gaze, her lips curving into a smile before she turned back to her meal.

Ryan blinked, wondering if he’d imagined it. No, that was real, wasn’t it? He shook his head, brushing off the thought. With a deep breath, he returned his attention to Luke.

"Still, it’s insane. Can’t someone just stand up for us low-rankers? I mean, sure, we’re not at the top, but we’re still students. Shouldn’t that count for something?"

Luke raised an eyebrow, glancing pointedly over Ryan’s shoulder. "Well, why don’t you start by challenging one of them?"

Ryan followed his gaze, which, unsurprisingly, landed on Tyler, whose muscles seemed to ripple even at rest. Ryan shuddered, feeling his courage deflate. "Yeah, no thanks. I’m not a martyr."

"Thought so," Luke chuckled, smirking.

For a moment, silence hung between them as they both scanned the room. Then Ryan stiffened, his gaze snapping to a figure at the far end of the cafeteria. He squinted, certain his mind was playing tricks. But no—the figure was still there.

It couldn’t be... but it was. The familiar shock of dark hair, that unmistakable grin. Ryan’s blood ran cold as memories flooded back. He’d seen this person in a place far from this cafeteria, in another world entirely—a person who had tried to kill him.

"Impossible," Ryan whispered, heart pounding.

But there he was, grinning like a demon, blissfully unaware that Ryan was watching. It was him—Jayden.

.....

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Check out auxiliary chaps if you still don’t understand the plot.

I tagged this book, come and support me with a thumbs up!

Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!