Leave Me Alone, Big Brothers! [BL]-Chapter 55: I’m Hiring You

Huan walked toward Alexander as soon as the meeting ended.

"What is it?" Alexander asked, noticing that Huan had been restless, as if he wanted to get rid of the shareholders as quickly as possible. At the beginning of the year like this, he was already busy with various meetings.

Alexander headed toward his office, and Huan immediately fell into step beside him. "Lucas called me. He asked me to tell you to call him."

Alexander frowned, sat down in his chair, and took out his phone. "What is it?"

"Well, he said it’s about Nathan."

"Nathan? Why?" Alexander looked worried.

"Lucas said Nathan got into a fight in the cafeteria. He might have been bullied," Huan said, not knowing the full situation himself.

Alexander frowned. Who would dare bully his little brother? He immediately called Lucas.

X Starling University had different buildings, but news spread quickly, especially when it involved the upper echelons of society. And the Salazars were part of that world. Lucas didn’t need to ask questions; he already had all the information.

Lucas’s voice came through the other end of the line.

"Hello, Lucas. Why did you call me? What happened?" Alexander asked.

Lucas sighed. "Nathan bullied Leinster’s kid."

Alexander frowned, trying to process it. Maybe he had heard wrong. "Nathan was bullied by Leinster?"

"No. He bullied Leinster’s kid. He threw a tray of food at him. Everyone is talking about it," Lucas said.

Alexander was silent for a long moment. That wasn’t what he had imagined.

"Is he okay?" Alexander asked.

"Of course. Fortunately, no one was hurt."

"Then there’s no need to worry."

"But I called you because his father might contact you later."

Alexander nodded, even though Lucas couldn’t see him. "Don’t worry. It’s a kids’ issue. As long as Nathan is safe, I won’t interfere."

Adam Leinster was the state police chief, a respected and feared man. His relationship with the Salazars was good, especially since Antonio had supported him in securing the position. Alexander was confident this minor incident wouldn’t prompt Adam to contact him.

Alexander ended the call.

Huan immediately asked, curiosity evident. "What happened?"

"Kids fighting."

Huan was stunned. "That’s quite a commotion for his first day. But he’s okay?"

Alexander chuckled. "You won’t believe it. He was the one bullying the other kid."

Huan wasn’t surprised, though he hadn’t expected it either, considering Nathan’s rough temperament.

***

After school.

Nathan stared at Zane, the boy everyone was worried about. He had embarrassed his brother, and Nathan was curious about what he would do.

But Zane seemed calm, as if nothing bothered him. He ignored Nathan completely.

The boy walked right past him. The scent of cinnamon brushed Nathan’s cold face, a smell he didn’t expect from someone so cold and rude.

Nathan looked around the now-empty classroom. He wasn’t used to it yet. At his old school, students lingered to chat, but here, the room emptied as soon as the bell rang.

He adjusted his scarf, his breath puffing out in white clouds. He needed to hurry. Louis had texted him, saying he’d pick him up. He was probably already waiting outside.

As Nathan walked down the hallway, he heard someone call out.

"Nathan! Wait!"

He stopped, his hand freezing on the strap of his bag, and turned to see Elijah running toward him. The smaller boy wore a coat far too thin for the weather, his nose red from the cold.

Nathan waited as Elijah caught up, panting.

"What’s wrong?" Nathan asked.

Elijah slowed his breathing before speaking. "About earlier—"

Nathan cut him off immediately. "I don’t want to talk about it."

Elijah fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve, still short of breath. "I... I wanted to say thank you. For standing up to David."

"Don’t worry about it," Nathan said. "I just hate seeing people waste good food." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

Elijah fell silent, looking at Nathan with something like longing.

Nathan frowned slightly. "Why did you just accept it? Did you think you deserved it?"

Elijah looked down at his worn sneakers, shifting in the slush. "No, of course not. I know you were trying to help. And I know it looked bad. But... I need the money."

"And you let them treat you like a servant?" Nathan asked, his voice sharpening. "You’re fine with having sausage thrown at you?"

Elijah shifted uncomfortably. "Trust me, it’s not that bad. What you saw earlier has never happened before."

"Oh yeah?"

Elijah lowered his gaze. Usually, they didn’t yell. They didn’t mock him openly. And they never hurt him physically.

The silence that followed was heavier than the falling snow.

Elijah finally looked up, eyes watery but determined. "My mom... she has a chronic lung condition. The medication isn’t fully covered by insurance. I just need more money to cover our daily needs."

Nathan’s irritation vanished instantly, replaced by a cold, familiar hollowness in his chest. He knew that feeling, helplessness, vulnerability.

"The scholarship covers tuition and books," Elijah continued, his voice trembling slightly. "But I have to pay for everything else. Even this uniform. I work too, but it’s still not enough."

He hesitated, then added, "Nael and his friends... they tip well. Even David. They all pay."

Nathan stared at him. The desperation in Elijah’s eyes was unmistakable, the look of someone counting every cent. Swallowing pride because pride didn’t pay rent or buy medicine.

Nathan remembered skipping meals to save money, working humiliating jobs before his shifts at the café with Daniel.

"Still," Nathan said quietly, "you shouldn’t let them treat you like that."

"I know," Elijah replied with a weak, sad smile. "You’re rich. You see dignity as something you can protect. For me... dignity is a luxury I can’t afford right now."

The words struck Nathan hard.

You’re rich.

If only Elijah knew. Just months ago, Nathan had skipped meals to afford books. But he said nothing.

Nathan looked at the shivering boy. He couldn’t let him continue being treated like a doormat by people like David Leinster. But he also knew that simple charity would only wound Elijah’s pride.

Nathan stepped closer. "How much?"

Elijah blinked. "What?"

"How much do you make in a week? Running errands. Being their waiter."

"I... I don’t know. Maybe two hundred. On a good week."

Nathan nodded. Alexander had given him a black card "for emergencies." This felt like one. And technically, he had the right to use it.

"I’m hiring you," Nathan said firmly.