18 Again

Chapter 6

The next day, back in class, Nathan focused on his studies despite the wealth he now possessed. He reminded himself of the promise he had made—to live this second chance to the fullest, correcting the mistakes of his past life. He wouldn’t waste this opportunity. Every day in class was a reminder of how much had changed. Though he was wealthy beyond imagination, Nathan knew he needed to finish his education, with great achievements this time.

As he sat in the classroom, listening to the lecture, he could feel eyes on him. He glanced around briefly, catching Rose Paloma staring at him. She quickly looked away, but there was a hint of amazement in her expression. After his impressive explanation during the previous lecture, Nathan had caught the attention of more than just Rose.

Some of his other female classmates had begun to notice him too, especially since his newfound confidence seemed to make him more intriguing. One girl in particular, Mia, a classmate who never interacted with him in his past life, approached him during a break between classes.

"Nathan," she said with a smile, her voice soft but friendly. "Are you free during break time? I was thinking... maybe we could have lunch together?"

Nathan blinked, surprised by the invitation. Mia was one of the more attractive girls in class, and in his previous life, she had never given him a second glance. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

"Yeah, s-sure," Nathan finally said, managing a smile.

Though Mia didn’t interact with him much in his past life, the attention felt nice. However, something tugged at his conscience as he remembered that, mentally, he was still a 30-year-old man. The thought of spending time with girls who were technically half his age felt... inappropriate. The age gap, though not apparent to others, loomed large in his mind.

As Mia walked away, excited about their upcoming lunch, Nathan found himself conflicted. He couldn't deny the excitement, but deep down, he knew he had to be cautious. Despite being physically 15 again, his mind was older, wiser—he couldn't allow himself to fall into the same mistakes, even if the circumstances felt different. He had to keep his focus on what really mattered: building his future, protecting his family, and becoming the best version of himself.

As Nathan watched Mia walk away, a strange feeling settled over him. He had never expected this kind of attention, especially not in his previous life. But now, things were different, and people seemed to notice him in a way they hadn’t before.

Across the classroom, Rose sat quietly at her desk, her gaze fixed on Nathan. She had witnessed the exchange between him and Mia, and a subtle darkness clouded her expression. Something about Nathan was different—his confidence, the way he handled himself. He wasn’t the same shy boy she had broken up with all those years ago. And yet, seeing him now, interacting so casually with another girl, stirred something inside her that she hadn’t felt before.

Rose couldn't deny the nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had moved on from Nathan, or so she thought. But watching him now, it felt as if she had let something slip away. Her pride and expectations had led her to dismiss him as just an ordinary boy with no future. Now, she wasn’t so sure.

The look on her face darkened further as she thought back to their brief relationship. Nathan had never been this confident, never this assertive. He had always been the quiet, reserved boy, cutting classes and keeping to himself. But now… now there was something about him that was different, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Her friends chatted around her, oblivious to her inner turmoil. Rose, however, found herself unable to shake the feeling. She turned her gaze back to Nathan, who was now lost in his own thoughts. It was clear he had changed, and it bothered her more than she wanted to admit.

Raul noticed the darkened expression on Rose's face and felt a sting in his heart. Sensing an opportunity, he approached her with a charming smile. "Rose, would you like to have lunch with me?" he asked, his voice smooth and confident.

Raul wasn’t just another student—his family background was prestigious. His father owned a 5-star luxury hotel in Riverside City, and his mother was a high-ranking government official. For Raul, inviting someone like Rose to an extravagant lunch was just another chance to flaunt his wealth and status.

Rose glanced at Nathan, who had just accepted Mia's invitation. A flash of frustration crossed her face. She felt like Nathan was rubbing it in, showing off by agreeing to lunch with another girl right in front of her. Without thinking too much, she turned to Raul and said, "Sure." She gave Nathan one last quick glance, hoping he would notice.

Raul beamed with satisfaction, leading Rose to his family’s high-end 5-star hotel. He had already reserved a VIP table for them, eager to impress her. The restaurant’s opulence was obvious—crystal chandeliers, polished marble floors, and finely dressed staff attending to every guest’s need.

As they settled into their luxurious seats, Raul couldn't help but notice Nathan and Mia entering the hotel. He smirked, not believing for a second that Nathan could afford even a regular meal in such a place.

"Let's see him embarrass himself," Raul thought, leaning back in his chair, fully expecting to witness Nathan's humiliation.

“Sir, how can I help you?”

After Nathan and Mia walked through the door, a tall and fair attendant approached them.

“We're here to eat,” Nathan answered.

“May I know how many of you are there?” The attendant asked politely.

"Just for two person."

“Please come with me, Ma'am/sir.” The attendant gestured to Nathan and Mia.

Nathan thought the attendant would take them to the restaurant, but he did not think the attendant would take him to the front desk.

“Sir, do you have a member card?” The receptionist at the front desk asked.

There were a few of them behind the front desk. The receptionists looked like air stewardesses. They were about 170 centimeters and above, and they all had fair skin and long legs.

“No, We don’t,” Nathan answered

"“Sir, I’m sorry, if you'd like to dine here, you’ll need to deposit for a membership card. As the top luxury hotel in Riverside City, we ensure that our food is of the highest quality, prepared by world-class chefs, that’s why the price of our food will be much higher than the food outside."

Nathan nodded. “How can I get a membership card?”

"For VIP 1, the deposit is $1 million. For VIP 5, it’s $5 million," the receptionist explained.

"I'll have one then"

“Sir, may I know how much you want to deposit?”

Raul, overhearing from his table, was ready to watch Nathan squirm. He exchanged a smug glance with Rose, anticipating the moment Nathan would be forced to leave.

But Nathan didn’t hesitate. “Why don’t I top up 100 million first?” he said nonchalantly.

“Sir, I beg your pardon? I didn’t hear you clearly just now,” the receptionist asked with a slight stammer.

“I said top up 100 million for me.”

“Sir, are you sure?”

"Yes," Nathan confirmed, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Sir, please wait a moment, may I know which bank you will be paying with?” The beautiful receptionist started to operate the computer at the front desk as she asked.

“Whichever is fine.”

“How are you going to pay?”

Nathan nodded. "I’ll use my fingerprint."

“Alright, sir, please confirm whether the amount is correct. Then, click confirm and place your finger here.”

Mia, standing beside him, was visibly nervous. She knew Nathan’s background—or at least, she thought she did. "N-Nathan... y-you..." she stammered, unable to complete her sentence as the magnitude of what was happening dawned on her.

The beautiful receptionist turned the computer to Nathan to let him look at the amount.

Nathan looked at it and confirmed that it was $100 million. Then, he clicked confirm and placed his finger on the scanner

Three seconds later…

A machine at the front desk rang.

“Payment successful…

“Successfully received 100 million dollars.”

In that second, the beautiful receptionists took in sharp breaths.

Mia nearly collapsed from the shock. She had no idea Nathan had this kind of wealth. "He must come from a wealthy family," she thought, suddenly seeing him in a completely different light of admiration. "Maybe he just didn’t want anyone to know."