Sunlight crept through the windows of Thorian's small apartment, Painting stripes across the cluttered desk where an empty wrap of chocolate bar laid.
He had barely slept, all because of the system.
He sat up on the bed and grabbed his phone, deciding to order takeout. By the time he showered, brushed his teeth and got dressed, his take out had arrived.
He took his time while eating, savouring the flavour of each bite. This wasn't something he got to eat everyday, but he was sure this won't be the last time he would eat this.
As he was almost done eating, he brought out his phone to check his balance. $76,560.90.
Thorian blinked...."This is insane".
This was the first time he had this much money in his account. And it was still rising. The system has told him his account was safe and the money going in was thorough legal means.
He had a 10AM class today so he packed his bag and headed straight to school. Yes he might not be broke anymore but that didn't mean he could skip class anyhow.
The automatic doors of the business building slide open as Thorian stepped inside, the cool air of the air-conditioned breeze brushing past him. Students streamed through the hallway. Some rushing, Others dragging their feet with a cup of coffee in hand.
Thorian slipped into his Economics lecture hall, a large tiered room with rows of sleek desks and a massive smart board glowing at the front. The low murmur of voices echoed off the walls.
He scanned the room once before he noticed someone waving at him.
There.
Rafe was seated near the middle, showing a goofy smile as he continued waving.
Thorian approached, dropping his bag beside him.
"Morning."
Rafe eyed him and broke into a grin. "Look who finally decided to join the land of the living."
Thorian slid into the chair. "It's called being on time."
Rafe snorted. "Bro… on time for you means something completely different for the rest of us."
Thorian smirked, leaning back in his seat. "Believe what you want."
Rafe leaned forward conspiratorially. "Anyway, listen—there's a party tonight. Off-campus, at Kaleb's place."
Thorian blinked. "Kaleb? The guy who nearly burnt down his kitchen trying to microwave eggs?"
"Yeah, that one," Rafe said proudly. "Which means the party is either going to be legendary… or a complete disaster. Win-win."
Thorian raised a brow. "And why exactly should I go?"
"Because," Rafe said, counting on his fingers, "one: you haven't gone to a single party this semester; two: you always say you're broke; and three: you need to relax before you turn into a stressed old man."
Thorian hid a smile.
If only you knew, Rafe… I'm not broke anymore.
But he played along. "Relaxation costs money."
"Not this time," Rafe said quickly.
"It's free. Drinks, music, everything. Kaleb's rich cousin is sponsoring. Apparently."
Thorian raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh."
Rafe leaned closer. "Come on, man. You can't keep dodging fun just because your wallet hates you."
Thorian chuckled under his breath. "My wallet doesn't hate me anymore."
Rafe blinked. "What?"
"Nothing."
Before Rafe could question him, the lights dimmed slightly. The smart board flickered, and their professor walked in, syncing her tablet to the display.
"All right, everyone. Settle down."
Rafe whispered, "So? You coming?"
Thorian stared ahead for a moment, then nodded slowly.
"…Yeah. I'll come."
Rafe grinned like he'd won the lottery. "LET'S GO!"
Thorian shook his head, amused.
He wasn't broke.
He wasn't stressed.
He wasn't the same guy he used to be.
But Rafe didn't know that.
Not yet. But soon.
~Time skip~
The late afternoon sun grazed the storefront windows as Thorian stepped into UrbanLine, one of the trendier clothing shops near campus. The place smelled faintly of new fabric and cologne, racks neatly arranged under warm lighting.
The store was sleek—polished floors, curated lighting, racks spaced perfectly apart. The kind of place he used to avoid because even the mannequins looked expensive.
He headed toward the men's section.
A saleslady nearby glanced up. Her eyes instantly narrowed.
His faded jeans and old hoodie clearly didn't fit her idea of "customer."
"Yes?" she asked, voice clipped.
"I need outfits. Something casual and something for a party," Thorian said plainly.
She gave a tight, incredulous laugh. "Right… well, our items aren't exactly… student-budget friendly. Maybe try the clearance area in the back?"
Her tone made it clear she didn't think he belonged there.
Thorian didn't frown. Didn't argue. He just looked at her with a calm, unreadable expression—a look that said she wasn't worth the energy.
"I'll look around," he said simply.
He turned away, not giving her the satisfaction of seeing irritation.
The saleslady rolled her eyes and wandered off.
A few moments later, as he browsed through shirts, another voice approached...gentler, genuine.
"Hi there! I noticed you looked a little lost. Need help finding anything?"
A second saleslady had stepped up on her own. She looked friendly, about mid-twenties, and actually interested in her job.
Thorian nodded. "Yeah. I need two sets of clothes. Something nice for class… and something for a party."
"Perfect," she said with an easy smile. "I'm Jenna. Come with me."
No judgment. No hesitation.
Jenna began picking out clothes—clean, sharp, modern. She held shirts up to his shoulders, checked colors against his skin tone, even asked, "Do you prefer fitted or relaxed?"
Within minutes, she'd curated a small collection that looked far better than anything Thorian had ever worn.
At the counter, Jenna rang everything up.
The rude saleslady passed by, stopping mid-step when she saw the total on the screen...$2,345.87 far higher than she ever expected someone in a worn-out hoodie to afford. Her mouth parted slightly in shock.
Thorian didn't even look her way.
He inserted his card, tapped the pin, and took the neatly packed bags.
"Thanks," he said to Jenna.
She beamed. "Anytime. And enjoy your party!"
Thorian walked out of the store lighter, not because of the money he spent, but because it felt like one more step into the life he was building...one purchase at a time.