Chapter 31: Chapter 30: Zein and Ace
Zein’s Point of View
I still couldn’t erase Matt’s face from my mind when I had just looked past him. He seed confused, yet hurt at the sa ti.
My chest tightened again as I watched others crying. So stared blankly, as if their minds had completely shut down.
"Last day," I muttered absentmindedly.
The thought of the person who could kill
crossed my mind. Why was he so quiet? He should be doing sothing to save himself. But... why the silence?
I didn’t know, but the quiet unnerved
even more.
"You are still not safe," Supremo said.
"I will never be safe in this hell," I muttered.
"There is a place where you will be safe," he repeated, his words making
frown.
He was behind , so I couldn’t see his expression. There is no safe place in this hell. I had accepted that long ago, but what was Supremo talking about? Did he know of a place in this hell that was truly safe?
"Supremo!"
We stopped walking as Lyka fell to her knees in front of Supremo, sobbing uncontrollably. Why was she crying? What had happened? And why was she running to Supremo?
"P-Please... help ! I’m begging you, Supremo. Save my mother!"
Seeing this innocent girl pleading for help and sympathy tore at my heart. I could literally feel the pain she was experiencing.
Supremo remained calm and serious, staring at her without a word. I waited for him to respond, even though it seed unlikely he would help this poor girl, so desperate to save her mother.
Mother?
"Lyka!"
I turned toward the elderly woman staggering in our direction. As she drew closer, everything began to make sense. Everything that had happened in the classroom yesterday, my suspicions were right.
"St-stand up," Teacher Aya tried to get Lyka to rise, but the girl continued to sob uncontrollably. Shit!
I knew it! There was a connection between them. The tightness in my chest... it hit , mother and daughter.
"Mom! I can’t do this!"
Lyka clung to her mother, who slowly began to shed tears. Watching the scene felt like my heart was being squeezed. My knees went weak, and Supremo seed to sense it, as he gently took hold of my arm.
He shook his head at , as if to say there was nothing he could do about the situation.
"S??Supremo... p??please get
out of here," I pleaded, because I knew my knees would give out if I stayed any longer in front of the mother and daughter.
"Kill
now," Teacher Aya said to Lyka, words that brought my heartbeat to a sudden halt.
It was as if I had gone deaf. I don’t want this. I don’t want to witness sothing like this. I am weak when it cos to monts like these.
"Are you alright?" I heard Supremo ask, his voice unmistakably laced with concern.
I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at him. My burning eyes remained fixed on the mother and daughter screaming at each other.
"I can’t do this! Mom, I’ll die if I lose you!
"Please, my child," her mother begged. "Your mother is pleading with you. Kill
now, save yourself. We are running out of ti."
"No! Mom, please! You’re the only one I have left. If you’re gone, what will remain of ? Mom, please don’t do this."
Supremo pulled
into an embrace as my tears finally fell. I didn’t want to witness sothing like this. I wanted to save them.
A soft sob escaped my lips when I saw Teacher Aya draw out a blade and force it into Lyka’s trembling hands.
Fuck. This pain is killing .
"S??Supremo, do sothing. Save them, both of them," I pleaded, my voice barely audible. "Just this once. Please."
"Z??Zein."
I squeezed my eyes shut as Lyka’s trembling hands closed around the blade, her body so unsteady it looked as though she might collapse at any second.
"J??Just this one," I whispered again.
Supremo released
from his embrace and cupped my face, gently wiping the tears from my eyes with his thumb.
"Your wish is my command." He whispered.
He approached Lyka and Teacher Aya, took the blade from Lyka’s trembling hand, and threw it far away. Supremo said sothing to them, sothing that made their sobs grow louder, yet different this ti. Softer. Relieved.
I smiled faintly when mother and daughter embraced each other tightly.
Thank you, Supremo.
"A??Are they safe now?" I asked, wiping my eyes as my breathing finally steadied.
"Not yet, unless you co with
to the Headmistress."
"I will," I replied without hesitation.
He simply nodded and resud walking. I cast one last glance at the mother and daughter, still clinging to each other, before following Supremo.
"This is the last ti I will do this," he said calmly. "I just don’t want to see you trembling, on the verge of losing control, after witnessing them in that state. You must not react the sa way again. You were being vulnerable."
Sha settled heavily in my chest. The mory of his embrace earlier resurfaced, along with my desperate pleas. Only one thought echoed in my mind.
He was right. This wasn’t .
What is happening to ?
Celine’s final words suddenly resurfaced in my mind. A wave of dread and fear washed over , and weakness began to take hold. I was becoming fragile, too fragile. Shit.
"Rember this: weakness has no place in this hell. You will be nothing but trash here."
The words struck hard.
"Why are you saying this?" I asked, my voice slipping out before I could stop it.
"I just want to see Zein Shion," he replied. "That brave girl."
I lifted my chin.
"I am Zein Shion."
"Not a while ago... the Zein I saw earlier wasn’t the real Zein," he said calmly but with unmistakable seriousness. "You ignored him. You just looked past him. That wasn’t Zein. That wasn’t my secretary."
"I know Zein because of the love she has for her friends. And... that is what I deeply admire about her," he added.
I fell silent. What exactly is happening to ?
When we arrived at the Headmistress’s office, we found her talking with Francisco.
"What brings you here, President?" Mada asked with a smile, her gaze shifting between Supremo and .
Francisco leaned back in the swivel chair and smiled at us. There was sothing in that smile I couldn’t quite read, almost as if they were pleased to see Supremo and
together.
Supremo ntioned our intention to save the mother and daughter earlier, which seed to widen their grins. Creepy.
I raised an eyebrow at Francisco as his gaze landed on Hoy. I tightened my hold on the cat, feeling as though this monster might devour him in an instant.
"I know you understand the cost of saving them, Supremo. You must not forget the one rule of your position," Mada said with a smile.
What requirents are they talking about?
"You must not involve yourself with anyone. You are not allowed to have friends. Never let emotion hinder your path. Because of what you’re doing, you might jeopardize everything," Francisco warned.
I couldn’t rid the frown from my forehead. Was there more I needed to know about Supremo? Why did it feel like all of this was sohow my fault?
"I am aware of that," Supremo replied curtly. From the tone of his voice, it was clear he didn’t care about their threats.
I didn’t know why, but I was the one feeling afraid.
"Good. Okay, we will make an exception for them. They are safe." Mada Violet looked at , her brow furrowed. "And you... how co you were saved?" she asked, clearly puzzled.
I was confused by her words as well. How co I’m safe? I haven’t even found the person who’s trying to kill
yet.
"Perhaps soone helped you, that’s why you were saved," Francisco added. "Do you know who he is?" he asked.
Mada’s gaze landed on the cat I was holding. She and Francisco exchanged a long look before returning their attention to .
"Where did you get that cat?" Mada asked, clearly puzzled.
Supremo took my arm. "Let’s go," he whispered.
"Answer !" I was startled by Mada’s shout, and Supremo quickly pulled
away from the area.
I was confused. Why had they reacted that way when they saw the cat? Mada had even shouted, completely shocked. That was... strange.
"Don’t mind them," Supremo said, noticing my distracted gaze.
"ow."
I jumped slightly as the cat leapt to Supremo’s feet, as if a child demanding to be lifted by his father. I couldn’t read the expression on Supremo’s face; he remained motionless, unreadable.
"Daddy Ace, Baby Hoy wants to be lifted," I teased, earning a frown from Supremo.
He furrowed his brows, as if questioning .
"Just kidding," I quickly said, pulling away.
So dramatic!
"L??Leave ," Supremo stamred to Hoy, earning a frown from .
His face went pale as Hoy sank his tiny claws into his pants. "Fuck, dammit! Ms. Shion, get this thing off !" he shouted hysterically.
"Are you afraid of cats?" I asked, frowning.
He glared at . Confird!
Supremo, Ace Craige. The Supre Student Governnt President. Second in command. A man unafraid of death. Soone you would never want to cross.
And he’s... afraid of a cat.
I quickly covered my mouth, shocked that the words had slipped out.
"I’m not afraid! It’s just... I hate cats," he snapped defensively.
"Because you’re afraid of them."
"Ms. Shion! Get Hoy off !" Supremo shouted.
"Just admit it first, you’re afraid of him," I teased.
He glared at . Those innocent yet wicked eyes... he was showing the devil within him again. Strangely, I was no longer afraid.
"ow."
Supremo squinted in irritation as the hem of his pants was shredded. Seeing him close his eyes in frustration made him look unexpectedly cool, and gave
the urge to push him a little further.
How long will you last, Supremo?
"Okay, I get it. You’re not afraid of cats. Right?" I asked, and he nodded innocently. I couldn’t hide the smirk forming on my face.
"I am Ace! I am not afraid of a-anyone. Even a c-cat," he stamred.
I nodded subtly before stepping closer. He frowned at , but remained frozen in place, as if too scared to move.
"W-What will y- Ouch!"
"Ouch?" I teased, pinching his cheek again.
I was enjoying this.
"Stop pinching- damn, Zein! It hurts!" he hissed.
I couldn’t help but laugh softly at how red his cheeks had beco. My gaze landed on his hair, and I smiled.
"What the fuck?!"
I ruffled the hair he had just brushed. It was soft, he must have washed it, though maybe he just wasn’t the type to comb it regularly.
I rested my chin on my hand, studying Supremo’s face, cheeks flushed bright red, hair ssy, lips puffed out, clearly holding back his irritation.
"Just a little more, huh?" I teased, giving his hair another playful ruffle.
"You know, Supremo," I added, smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes, "it’s not bad to smile."
His pout deepened at my words, clearly teasing
back by refusing to smile. I grinned.
"You are not worth smiling for," he said.
"Because I am worth more than you could imagine," I replied.
I glanced at Hoy, who seed to be enjoying tugging at Supremo’s pants.
"Smile!" I commanded, attempting to intimidate him.
"No," he refused.
"You won’t?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Didn’t you-" He froze as I pinched his cheek, stretching it to make it look like a smile.
I couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. I was genuinely grateful to Hoy for coming into my life, because of him, I could tease Supremo like this.
It was exhilarating.
I finally stopped once I felt satisfied. I stepped back slightly and took in his entire appearance.
From the tugged-at pants to his flushed cheeks, the pout on his lips, and the ss of his hair, he looked... infuriatingly adorable.
"Are you satisfied now?" he asked, annoyance evident in his voice.
I nodded, then glanced at Hoy as he ran off. My jaw dropped, and my heart pounded in my chest.
Slowly, my gaze lifted to Supremo. The pout that had adorned his lips earlier was now replaced with a wide, mischievous grin.
I’m dead.
"I will count," he warned.
My feet instinctively stepped back, nerves tightening in my chest.
"1..."
"Sorry already!" I blurted.
"2..."
"I was just kidding-"
"3..."
"Ahhh!" I scread.
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