Out of all people, why am I the ntred protagonist

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"Been good… just barely surviving." I exhale, still feeling the burn from my workout.

Max lets out a hearty laugh. "From the looks of it, you really mean that."

I chuckle weakly. He's not wrong.

His grin softens into something more concerned. "Anyway, did you have breakfast?"

I pause.

Max narrows his eyes. "…You didn't, did you?"

I awkwardly scratch the back of my head. "Kinda… forgot. And, uh, I'm a little broke right now."

His expression instantly deadpans. "And you're working out on an empty stomach?"

I look away, avoiding his judgmental gaze. Oh boy, here comes the lecture…

Instead, he just sighs and shakes his head. "Come on. We're getting breakfast—my treat."

---

Colby's Diner

A short walk later, we arrive at a cozy little diner sitting on the corner of the street. A classic spot, nothing fancy, but the smell of sizzling bacon and brewed coffee instantly makes my stomach growl.

We step inside and find an empty booth. Max plops down across from me, stretching his arms over the seat.

He doesn't waste time, waving over a nearby waiter. "Hey, over here!"

A young waiter approaches with a polite smile. "Good morning, sir. What can I get for you?"

Max doesn't even glance at the menu. "Two plates of sunny-side-up eggs, bacon, and rice. That good with you?" he asks, looking at me.

I nod quickly. "Yeah, that's perfect."

"Alright, two of those, then."

The waiter jots down our order, still smiling. "Sounds good. Anything else?"

Max shakes his head. "That'll do."

"Coming right up." The waiter walks off, leaving us in comfortable silence.

I lean back against the booth, finally relaxing. A warm meal and good company. Maybe today won't be so bad after all.

"Let's wait for the food before we talk," Max said, leaning back in his chair with an easygoing smile.

I nodded, though my focus was entirely on the smell of sizzling bacon and buttery eggs wafting through the air. My stomach grumbled in anticipation.

A few minutes later, the waiter returned, setting down two plates piled high with food. "Here you go, sirs. Enjoy."

The moment the plate hit the table, I didn't waste a second. I dug in, shoveling food into my mouth like a starved animal. Every bite was pure bliss, a much-needed reward after my morning torture session.

Max watched, clearly amused. "Whoa, slow down. You're eating like you haven't had a meal in days."

I barely spared him a glance, grabbing my glass of water and gulping it down to wash away the overwhelming flavors. "Thanks for the meal, Max. That hit the spot."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "You're welcome, Luke."

It felt weird hearing my name from him like that. Not many people called me Luke—only Max and my girlfriend did.

His smirk widened as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "So, tell me—how'd you go broke?"

I froze mid-bite.

He held up a hand. "Wait, no—let me guess…" He tapped his chin, pretending to be deep in thought before snapping his fingers. "You blew all your savings on one successful date, didn't you?"

My silence was all the confirmation he needed.

Max let out a deep, hearty laugh, shaking his head in amusement. "Damn, man. You never learn."

I groaned, rubbing the back of my neck. "How the hell did you know?"

"Because it's you." His expression softened slightly. "Listen, Luke, I get that you've got a big heart, but you need to take care of yourself first. Otherwise, you're the one who's gonna end up hurt in the end."

I forced a smile. I know that… but this will only happen once.

Waving him off, I tried to keep my voice light. "Don't worry. I've got everything under control."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah? With that scrawny figure?" He smirked. "One good punch and you'd be airborne."

I groaned. "Alright, alright, no need to rub it in."

But then, his expression changed. His usual teasing grin was replaced by something… different. His eyes lit up with excitement, and before I could react, he grabbed my shoulder.

"I knew it! My flame has been reignited! This is the day you will change!"

I blinked. "Huh?"

"You were working out at the park earlier, weren't you? And you were actually giving it your all!"

I didn't like where this was going. "…So what?"

His grip tightened. "So you—my dear friend—are going to be my new gym buddy."

I nearly choked. "Wait, hold on—"

"I've been looking for one for a month! This is fate, Luke. You can't escape it."

I hesitated. Working out with Max sounded like pure suffering, but… I was trying to get stronger.

I sighed, realizing I had no excuse. "…Fine."

Max grinned, practically radiating joy. "Hell yeah! Tomorrow morning—no backing out!"

I nodded, silently dreading what I just agreed to.

Ding!

My phone buzzed on the table, the vibration rattling against the wood.

I blinked, then glanced at the screen.

1 New Message from Baby Liz.

A small smile crept onto my face before I could stop it. I quickly wiped it away. Damn it, Lukas, keep it together.

I picked up the phone and tapped the notification.

—

[Baby Liz]: Good morning~ ☀️

[Baby Luke]: Good morning

[Baby Liz]: How's your day so far?

[Baby Luke]: Nothing much. Just the usual.

[Baby Liz]: I wish I could be with you today, but I'll be super busy. Something came up.

[Baby Luke]: Oh? What happened?

[Baby Liz]: Some reckless teenager jumped into a dungeon—witnesses say he had no gear. And after the incident? Gone. Completely vanished.

—

I stopped breathing.

A cold chill ran down my spine as I read her words again.

That "reckless teenager" was me.

I tightened my grip on the phone, my mind racing. Did they have any leads? Any footage? Any proof?

No—there was no way. If they knew anything, she wouldn't be texting me so casually.

I forced my fingers to move.

—

[Baby Luke]: Yikes. Hope you catch that troublemaker. Sounds like a real handful.

[Baby Liz]: Ugh, tell me about it. And the paperwork? Brutal. Anyway, I gotta go. Goodbye, babe.

[Baby Luke]: Goodbye. Love you.

—

I exhaled, locking my phone.

Crisis averted. For now.

But before I could relax—

"You two lovebirds are at it again first thing in the morning, huh?"

I flinched.

A deep chuckle came from behind me, rich and amused.

Turning around, I found myself face-to-face with Max Carter—six feet of muscle, jet-black hair, and an annoyingly knowing smirk.

His arms were crossed, and he was leaning forward slightly, peering over my shoulder like a nosy older brother.

Caught red-handed.

"Shush it," I muttered, annoyed, slipping my phone into my pocket.

Max just grinned wider. "Alright, alright, I won't pry any longer. But don't forget—tomorrow morning. If you're not outside your apartment by five, I will break down your door."

I groaned. "Yeah, yeah"

"Five sharp. No excuses. See you soon." He turned on his heel, walking away with that same bright, confident energy, like a man who had his whole life figured out.

I slumped back in my chair, rubbing my temples. "First the system, now Max… tomorrow's going to be hell."

A sigh escaped me, but before I could dwell on it too long—

"Oi, System."

[System]: Yeah?

"Is there any way for me to make money?"

[System]: Sure. Aside from getting a normal job or diving into dungeons legally, you can convert shop points into real-world currency.

I froze.

"You… motherfucker."

[System]: ???

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS EARLIER?!"

[System]: You didn't ask.

I clenched my fists. Deep breaths, Lukas. Deep breaths.

"One day… one day… I swear, I'm gonna punch you right in your nonexistent face."

[System]: I'll be waiting for that glorious day to come. ಡ⁠ ͜⁠ ʖ⁠ ͡⁠ ಡ

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Yo author here shamelessly asking for spare power stones if you have... Anyways thanks for reading

Author here peace out