With a swift, unapologetic kick, Daniel pushed open the classroom door, making it slam against the wall with a loud BANG. The room, which was moments ago buzzing with students chatting and minding their own business, fell into a stunned silence. Dozens of eyes turned toward him, their conversations freezing mid-sentence.
"Shit... there I go again," Daniel cursed in his mind. "I forgot this isn't my old school anymore."
He took a breath, trying to suppress the familiar habit of making dramatic entrances. But then again, this wasn't completely out of character. The old Daniel—the one who used to exist in this world—wasn't all that different. So what if he acted the same way? It only made things easier.
"Whatever. What's done is done."
With both hands stuffed casually in his pockets, he walked forward with a cool, unaffected air, heading toward the back of the classroom. He had no intention of mingling. His eyes subtly scanned the faces in the room.
Even though most of them were unfamiliar, Daniel immediately recognized the key figures—the main cast from his favorite novel.
His gaze first landed on the protagonist—Justin. Deep navy-blue hair, piercing sapphire eyes, and a face that screamed 'main character energy.' The kind of guy who didn't even have to try to look perfect. Just standing there made him radiate charisma. Just looking at him stirred something in Daniel.
"Tch. So this is what jealousy feels like..."
Next to Justin sat a girl with soft black hair and gentle, light blue eyes—Alia, the main heroine. Kind-hearted, clumsy, always smiling. Her presence alone could make a room feel warmer. Behind her, sitting upright with arms crossed and a bored expression, was another familiar figure—Petra Johnson, Daniel's own cousin and someone he didn't get along with at all.
Fiery red hair. Crimson eyes. And a temper that could scare the crap out of anyone—including the protagonist. Unlike Alia, Petra didn't do "subtle." If she was angry, you knew. And if you got in her way... God help you.
Seated beside Justin, with a stern expression and a posture too perfect to be casual, was Peter Johnson, Petra's twin brother. Equally powerful, equally dangerous. The Johnson siblings were children of one of the academy's most elite families. Peter, unlike Petra, had a more calculated temperament. He could control his emotions—when he wanted to. He also happened to be Justin's rival.
In the novel, their first encounter began with a fierce duel, sparked by rumors that Justin wasn't afraid of the Johnsons. Peter tested him. Justin didn't back down. The result? A friendship forged through battle.
Behind them, quietly observing with eyes like storm clouds, sat Venessa—long black hair with a hint of violet, and dark purple eyes. A beauty with a mysterious aura. She was once part of Justin's circle… until her fall. The day she turned to the demon side, everything changed. Daniel always had a soft spot for her. She didn't deserve what she went through.
So this is the main cast. And by the looks of it… Justin and Peter already had their duel. The friendship flag has been triggered.
Alia was already talking to Justin, which meant that storyline was also in motion. Daniel didn't care. He just kept walking.
Despite his own good looks, Daniel's physical charm was buried under the weight he'd gained over time. Back when he was still part of the Johnson legacy, his flaming red hair and glowing red eyes were a family trademark. But after the element reset, everything had changed. His eyes were now a dark shade of black, and his hair had dulled to match—though, if you looked closely under the right light, the faintest hints of red still remained.
A fading ember from a past that had nearly been erased.
Everyone stared at him as he passed.
Some whispered.
> "Tch… that bastard, Why is he here again?…"
> "I thought he died falling into the ocean."
> "He's still got the guts to show his face here?"
Daniel heard them all. Even whithout his enhanced hearing can hear all of it. Every sneer, every whisper, every half-spoken insult—they reached him loud and clear.
But he didn't flinch. He didn't slow down.
"They are Talking about previous Third rate Villain."He smirked trying to calm hismself, his pace unchanging as he moved to the last bench.
No one dared confront him directly.
They never did.
Daniel reached the last row and slumped into the only empty bench. He let out a quiet breath, not from exhaustion but from the tension of re-entering a world that once thought he was dead.
Just as he was about to rest his head back, he heard footsteps approaching. Three boys stood beside his desk. For a second, he blinked in confusion, unsure of who they were. But then, memories—not his, but Daniel's—flickered like static in his mind.
Ren, Rey, and Rex.
Three side characters.
Three loyal lackeys.
Three walking clichés.
"Seriously? The author didn't even try with their names." Daniel thought, mentally facepalming.
But still… there was something strangely comforting about seeing them.
"I doubt they even want to talk to me now, though," he thought.
And then—
A familiar hand clapped on his shoulder.
"Yo! Den, man! You just gonna ignore us now?" said Ren, the tallest of the three, with a sharp jawline and unruly black hair tied in a lazy ponytail.
"Yeah, dude. No 'hi,' no 'hello'—you okay or what?" added Rex, the blond one, shorter than Ren but with an energy that screamed 'impulsive sidekick.'
Ren leaned in, smirking. "By the way, how the hell did you lose weight so fast, man? You look like a whole new version of yourself."
Before Daniel could respond, Rey, the quietest one with glasses and a soft expression, finally spoke, "Guys, stop bothering him. Den, what happened to you?"
That name again—Den.
They kept calling him Den. Not Daniel. Just Den.
"Huh... so Daniel had nicknames too," he mused silently. "Guess these guys were really close to him."
Trying to stay in character, Daniel leaned back and gave a lazy shrug. "Sorry, guys. The accident... gave me amnesia."
The silence that followed was thick and stunned.
All three of them stared at him as if he'd just grown horns.
"Wait—" Ren blinked, "you seriously don't remember us?"
Daniel rubbed the back of his neck. "I only remember your names. That's it."
Ren took a step back, visibly rattled. "You're telling me you only remember our names? Nothing else?"
Daniel gave a sheepish half-smile. "Pretty much. Sorry, man."
The three of them exchanged glances, disbelief painting their faces.
"So the rumors were true," Rey murmured, half to himself.
"Damn... he really did fall off that bridge," Rex muttered, his eyes wide. "And he lived to tell the tale…"
Ren, still in shock, sat down next to Daniel and grinned. "Well, welcome back from the dead, Den. Whether you remember us or not, we've got your back. Just like old times."
Daniel looked at them. For a moment, something warm and unfamiliar stirred in his chest. These weren't just background NPCs. At least… not to him anymore.
"Maybe the old Daniel was lucky," he thought. "These guys… they actually cared."
For the first time since stepping into this world, he didn't feel so alone.