Leave Me Alone, Big Brothers! [BL]-Chapter 86: Another Day in the Cafeteria

The phone rang three times before a voice answered.

"Alexander," Adam Leinster said, his voice a deep, resonant rumble. "I just read a message from your assistant. What’s going on? Is there something I’m unaware of?"

Alexander leaned back in his leather chair, staring at his laptop. "Nothing so dramatic, Mr. Leinster. My younger brother, Nathan, has informed me that he’s been invited to your estate for a study session. I just want to make sure he’s telling the truth."

There was a pause on the other end. "Ah... yes. Yes... Zane mentioned it. I’ve already vetted the tutor again to ensure he can handle two students. And he actually can. So, you don’t need to worry."

"Zane... yes, right." Alexander immediately remembered the name Nathan had mentioned last night. "Well, I’ll be sending him with a security detail. One of my bodyguards will drive him and will wait at the gates," Alexander said.

"Yes, I will inform my men at home not to worry," Adam replied.

For a moment, the two most powerful men in the city sounded like two exhausted fathers arranging a playdate.

"I’m happy Zane has your brother. He needs a friend. You know, I’m not really good at arranging playdates for him."

"I was a bit worried he might make it up. But if it’s your son, I feel relieved. Thank you for your time, Mr. Leinster."

After the line went dead, Adam Leinster sat in his office. He looked at a silver-framed photograph on his desk. It was Zane at ten years old, his face dirty with paint, smiling in front of an oil painting he’d eventually stopped doing.

Adam realized with a sharp, sudden pang of guilt that he hadn’t spoken to his son about anything other than grades or the law in years. He’d forgotten the boy behind the "Leinster" name. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

He even forgot when the last time was that he had accompanied the boy on his birthday. He sighed. He had been too busy and...

Adam held his temples. He always had an excuse not to go home.

"What have I been doing?" Adam whispered to the empty room.

"How old is that boy?"

***

The next day, when Zane handed him a sandwich again, Nathan held his hand.

Zane froze, surprised.

"We eat in the cafeteria," Nathan said.

Zane was silent, too shocked by Nathan’s movement, and then he pulled his hand away.

"Why? I don’t want to see a lot of people."

"But they have good food for us. We try it? I just went there once. And I made a scene," Nathan said, chuckling at the incident on his first day.

Zane insisted he wasn’t interested.

"Oh, come on! I don’t like people either. We’ll just get food, find an empty place, and eat. How about it?" Nathan continued trying to persuade him.

He remembered Serene saying that the food at school was nutritious, better than sandwiches. Zane definitely needed it too. And he was curious about why the boy always kept to himself.

Zane shook his head. "No. Just go by yourself."

The boy walked away.

Nathan clicked his tongue, immediately stood up to chase after him, and grabbed Zane’s hand. "I insist. You have to accompany me. I don’t want to be awkward alone."

Zane was surprised, but his body was dragged toward the cafeteria. Nathan was very determined. He simply sulked along the corridor.

When they entered the X Starling cafeteria area, for the first time in the school’s history, the high-frequency hum of elite gossip didn’t just dip—it died.

They didn’t pay much attention to anyone as they came in, but when one of the kids quietly pointed, everyone fell silent.

Zane Leinster, who was never seen in the cafeteria, even at some events, had shown up this time. They had to blink several times to be sure they were really seeing Zane.

Seeing him in the communal dining hall was like seeing a unicorn walk into a garden heaven.

And he wasn’t alone. He was walking half a step behind Nathan Salazar, the boy who had gotten into trouble with David Leinster and never showed up again.

It was truly a day full of gossip. They looked at each other, the scene too beautiful to pass up.

The girls giggled bashfully at the two of them without needing any explanation, their universal language was clear.

"Keep walking," Nathan muttered out of the side of his mouth. "If you stop now, it just makes them stare harder."

Zane looked physically pained. His jaw was so tight it looked like it would snap, and his hands were shoved deep into his blazer pockets.

"I hate this."

"Oh, it’s not that bad. We’ll go to that table."

The murmurs followed them until they sat down.

And it seemed like no one dared to approach that table, whoever had claimed it before.

Zane looked like he wanted to dissolve into the floor. He sat stiffly, looking out the window, while Nathan sat opposite him, trying to feel comfortable.

"Wait here. I’ll get you a tray," Nathan said.

Zane looked at Nathan, he didn’t want to be served. He immediately stood up.

But at that moment, Eli suddenly appeared. The boy was so surprised that he stood there staring at the two of them for quite a while.

"I didn’t know you guys were here," he said.

Nathan smiled. "We can’t make the class smell like pasta again."

Eli smiled broadly. "Sit down! I’ll bring you the tray."

Nathan grabbed Eli’s hand. "No, I can do it myself."

Eli refused. "I insist. You pay me for nothing. Please sit down!"

Before Nathan could answer, the boy was already walking quickly toward the food stand.

Nathan stared at Eli, who had already blended in with the students queuing up. "That boy is really stubborn."

Nathan’s eyes drifted to a table across the hall. Nael was sitting there, the same table, but he looked like a ghost, avoiding eye contact. Nick and Jonas were flanking him, laughing loudly at something, while a boy who looked like a first grader was busy placing trays in front of them.

Nathan frowned. "They have a new servant?"

Eli arrived a moment later, staggering under a tray of hot food. He practically slammed it down. "Here! Chicken stew, steamed broccoli, and the good rolls. I know you’ll like them."

Zane frowned at the broccoli. He held his breath while looking at it.

Eli noticed. "You don’t like broccoli? I won’t take it for you then."

The boy quickly left again.

After they got their trays, Nathan asked, "Do they have a new servant?"

"Yes. They have a new one to serve them. It’s impossible to make them stop as long as they have money and poor people like me exist," Eli whispered, noticing Nathan’s gaze.

Nathan’s grip on his fork tightened. He watched the way Nael stared at his plate, refusing to look up. Nathan felt a surge of cold, hidden anger.

Nathan ate in a dark, brooding silence.

"Why are you angry? They do what they can do. You can’t stop the stupid system," Zane said quietly, observing the way Nathan’s jaw was set.

Before Nathan could answer, the table became even more crowded. Gabriel Perlich and two of his friends arrived. Two of them looked like they wanted to run for their lives the moment they saw Zane, but Gabriel simply pulled out a chair and sat down.

Zane’s aura turned into a block of ice. He glared at Gabriel with visceral, deep-seated hatred. Nathan realized in that moment that this wasn’t just school rivalry, it was a fundamental clash of blood.

And it seemed Gabriel now had a new hobby: irritating Zane.

"Can’t you find another table?" Zane said, his voice a razor blade.

"Looks like there’s space for me," Gabriel countered, though he kept a respectful distance from Nathan.

"Gab, can’t we just move?" one of his friends whispered.

Gabriel shook his head. "I want to eat with my friend," he said, looking at Nathan.

His two friends sighed uncomfortably, but they queued for food.

Zane didn’t hide his annoyance. Meanwhile, Gabriel seemed unfazed. Eli looked at Nathan anxiously.

Gabriel got up to get a drink from the vending machine and returned with two cans of Coke. He gave one to Nathan.

Nathan looked up at Gabriel.

Zane stared at Gabriel. But instead of saying anything, he grabbed the can and drank it.

Gabriel’s mouth hung open. Nathan and Eli were even more shocked because they never expected Zane to do that.

Gabriel was still frozen.

Zane finished the drink before crushing the can.

Nathan swallowed hard, thinking that bloodshed was about to happen.

"You—" Gabriel glared.

Zane stared back at Gabriel. "What? I’m thirsty."

His gaze was threatening.

Gabriel chuckled menacingly, his hands already clenched into fists.

Nathan stood up before they could start arguing. "Thank you for the drink, Gabriel. Can you sit down? Finish your food, okay?"

Gabriel felt his breathing become irregular. Smoke billowed from his head. But he looked at Nathan, who looked worried, and immediately took a breath.

"Did I scare you?" Gabriel asked, his voice softening, though it was still thunderous.

Then he asked one of his friends to buy another drink for Nathan.

"No, I don’t need a drink. We can get water," Nathan refused. But one of Gabriel’s friends had already left.

Zane and Gabriel exchanged deadly glares while eating.

Eli felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Zane’s eyes suddenly shifted past Gabriel toward another table. His gaze landed on David, his brother. David was surrounded by the school’s "elite", the junior council. David caught Zane’s eye and offered a slow, condescending smirk before turning away.

Zane’s face went from irritated to angry. Nathan followed Zane’s gaze. David, that boy. But he wondered why Zane was looking at his brother with such hostility. He thought David was his beloved brother.

But it seemed he was wrong.

Nathan stood up, grabbing his empty tray.

"I’m done," he said. He saw that everyone at his table had finished eating. They stood up as well.

As they walked toward the disposal area, Nathan deliberately took the long route, straight past Nael’s table. The chatter there died down as he approached. Nick and Jonas puffed out their chests, trying to look intimidating.

Nathan stopped right behind Nael. He didn’t look at his twin. He looked directly at Nick and Jonas, his eyes flat and terrifyingly calm.

"I thought the school had a pest control problem," Nathan said, his voice loud enough for the neighboring tables to hear.

Nick frowned, his face reddening. "What are you talking about, Salazar?"

Nathan leaned down, his shadow falling over their lunch. "You still keep those cockroaches at your table, Nael? How stupid you are."

Nael’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with shock. Nick and Jonas turned a violent shade of crimson, their mouths hanging open as the entire cafeteria fell into a deathly silence. Everyone was looking at them now.

Nathan didn’t wait for an answer. He walked away.