Josh, one of Mike's friends and a part of the "popular kids" circle scratched his head while asking the two.

"Why do you even bother to defend that guy? You do know that almost the whole school hates him, right?"

Mira, one of Catherine's 'girlfriends' nodded.

"Yeah, I also wonder that."

This "popular kids" group was currently sitting around one table in the canteen. Mike and Catherine looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

Catherine frowned and tried to answer whatever pops out of her head.

"I don't know, I feel like that guy's dangerous."

"That's what I think too!"

Mike jerked and pointed at Catherine. He then continued.

"It's like he will kill someone if he's agitated."

However, the rest of their friends only waited for the non-existing punchline. Realizing the two were serious, they could only frown.

"I don't feel that though. I feel like that type of guy gets beaten up and cries himself to sleep."

The gal who had makeup named Eline harshly and straightforwardly commented, inciting laughter from her friends.

Hearing this, Mike looked around nervously while Catherine sweated. Both wishing that the guy in question does not hear this.

The group saw this and thought that these two were not joking and were serious.

"What? Did you see him kill someone?" Mira rolled her eyes.

But Mike and Catherine could only shake their heads. They have no idea why do they feel this, much less give any proof.

"Seriously, what got into you, guys." Josh just laughed it off.

But once the subject changed, Mike and Catherine turned back to their normal self. This was easily observed by their friends.

They wonder, did this Teren Hark do something to these two? They want to know.

Meanwhile, Nick followed Teren as if ready to serve him.

"Here's the sandwich, Teren." Nick nervously handed the extra sandwich in his other arm.

His right arm was still in the process of recovery. Good news though, he was no longer in pain that much.

Just like Mike and Catherine, he feels scared around Teren but a sense of ease fills him up whenever he does something for the quiet guy.

As for Lina, the class president, her two friends were asking her too about Teren Hark. The difference was that she knew the reasons for her actions but just zipped her lips.

Among them, it was Iesa who was not bothered by it… on the surface that is. She acts like nothing was happening but inwardly, she hates herself for not being able to do anything.

'If only I know why others hate him, I could do something about it without him knowing… However, mysteriously enough, others don't know why they hate him either.'

A glint of helplessness flashed by her eyes as she ate her snacks in the classroom. Besides her were Teren. in his seat and Nick, standing between them.

Not wanting to be awkward, Nick kept talking about things. Oftentimes, Teren would answer that is why Iesa kept her ears open.

But Nick was just talking nonsense so she didn't get any useful information. Furthermore, she becomes shy at the thought of being satisfied by just hearing his voice.

That was not all…

At the end of the class, the four; Mike, Catherine, Lina, and Nick seemingly form a shield to let Teren walk, shocking everyone who saw this. Of course, they didn't make it look obvious to those who don't know the story behind it.

Iesa secretly followed behind as if she just happened to walk in the same direction.

In the end, their friends took them away, making Nick the only "protector" It was a harsh job, truly. Everyone seemed to be enemies for some inexplicable reason. Since Nick was just another nobody who's injured, soon enough as expected, they encountered trouble.

Iesa hid behind a corner. At the turn behind her, the group of boys, that was always bugging Teren since yesterday, surrounded the two.

"What do you want?"

Being in a tough position, Nick's previous viciousness slightly returned.s

"Dude, why are you with this loser?"

The leader of the group came forward and looked down on Nick, yet, failed. Nick is a tall guy. Only because of his injury and the new behavior that made him look weak now.

He could only look down on Nick figuratively.

"Loser?" Nick's face twitched in annoyance.

"Yes, this guy's a loser." the leader looked around as he said that, making the others laughed.

Meanwhile, Iesa who was listening was frozen when she saw a group of middle-aged men. She froze because not only do they seem dangerous, she heard their menacing thoughts as well while they walked past her as if she did not exist.

"Why is he a loser?"

Nick asked, part of the question rhetoric and another part; he actually wants to know.

Faced with this question, the boys have no idea. Teren is just a sore for their eyes. They really don't know the reason too but whatever it is, they have the urge to beat this quiet guy up.

Nick was about to rebuke when he saw their silence but a hand grabbed his shoulder from behind. This gave a cold shiver all over Nick's body before he heard a voice.

"Nick, don't meddle. Coincidentally, I want to release some stress."

Nick turned around and saw a terrifying demon. He didn't spare any second thought to obey his words.

Strangely enough, Nick was the only one who saw Teren this way. That is why the others just thought that Nick is a naive underling of this sore for the eyes.

"Release some stress? How about you help us release some of ours first?" one of them mocked and incited another bout of smirks and complacent smiles.

Teren didn't reply and only sighed. He walked forward without any fear but before he raised his fist, a rough voice stopped him.

"Oh? We can't bother the boss for that, why don't we help you instead?"

The group of boys was too focused on Teren and Nick that they didn't know middle-aged men entered the alley from both entrances, locking them in

Nick saw the man who spoke and felt small.

"Uncle Jo?"