Zen let out a small laugh, the thought of his grandfather’s rare, booming laughter amusing him. He’d never seen the old man laugh so freely before, especially when talking about Hera. It made him seem more human, more approachable—and sohow, it had made it easier for Zen to connect with him.
Hera smiled at Zen, unsure if he was being sincere or just trying to lighten the mood—but either way, having more allies felt better than carrying everything on her own. And as if he could read her thoughts, Zen quickly pulled out his phone and texted his grandfather:
[Zen: Grandpa, my sister Hera asked if you’d be willing to support Young Minister Dave in his fight against the mafia syndicates. They’ve gotten so bold that they’re causing chaos out in the open now. But she said it would have to be done covertly—Dave can’t deploy the military directly without tipping off the enemy, which could provoke them into retaliating and dragging civilians into the conflict.]
[Zen: Of course, the final decision is yours. But just so you know—if you don’t help, others might. I an, Hera is beautiful. I just can’t guarantee they won’t have... other motives.]
[Victor: You little brat! How could you let your sister suffer at the hands of scumbags?! Of course I’ll help! I’m sending our militia—just give that brat Dave’s contact and I’ll handle the negotiations myself!]
[Zen: Grandpa, I never said I let anyone hurt my sister. Why are you acting like I stood by and watched? Did you swallow a firecracker this morning or sothing?]
[Victor: Are you calling hot-tempered now?! You brat!]
[Victor: Do you want a beating?!]
[Zen: I never said that—you’re the one jumping to conclusions. But maybe if the shoe fits...? Anyway, if you hit , I’ll tell Hera. And with filming starting next week, any bruises will show up on cara. Even if I don’t say anything, she’ll see them and I’ll cry in front of her and tell her everything. So... your move.]
[Zen: ( ͡°)]
[Victor: You... You...]
[Victor: Hmph!!!]
Zen chuckled as he exchanged ssages with his grandfather. When he noticed Hera watching him curiously, he slipped his phone into his pocket and grinned.
"My little sister Hera," he said playfully, "I just texted Grandpa, and as expected, he replied instantly. He told to send over Young Minister Dave’s contact, and he’ll handle the negotiations himself. He probably won’t send the military, but he will deploy our private militia, which is just as capable."
"And since they’re not officially tied to the governnt, it’ll be more covert. Even mafia syndicates sotis have connections within the military or police, so a large-scale movent might tip them off. Using a private force like ours keeps things quiet and clean."
Hera blinked in surprise, impressed by his awareness. It was clear no one needed to explain things to him—his grandfather had raised him well and taught him everything he needed to know.
After all, no matter how strict the screening process or how well-disciplined the military and police were, there would always be a risk—so people could still be bought or bribed. What Zen said made perfect sense. Even with the highest level of secrecy, a military operation could be leaked, and the mafia syndicate might catch wind of it.
They could either flee before a raid or, worse, set an ambush in advance. Given how bold they had beco, it wouldn’t be surprising if they dared to turn the tables on the authorities.
Hera nodded in agreent, pulled out her phone, and sent Dave’s number to Zen. He forwarded the contact to his grandfather without delay and slipped his phone back into his pocket.
With that settled, the two chatted casually about the characters they were about to play in the upcoming film. Ti passed quickly, and soon it was ti for departure. Hera, along with Athena, Liz, and Minerva, made their way to the boarding gate.
"Athena, take care," Zen suddenly said, his voice soft but laced with a hint of bashfulness. His face turned a shade of pink as if it took him all his courage just to call out to her. It was so unlike his usual confident and easy-going self. He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly, unable to et Athena’s gaze when she looked at him.
Hera and Liz exchanged knowing glances, their eyes narrowing suspiciously as they watched the scene unfold. A quiet snicker escaped them as they noticed the way the two seed to squirm like shy teenagers.
anwhile, Minerva, who was oblivious to the tension, blinked in confusion. She looked between Hera and Liz, clearly curious about what was going on. With a mischievous glint in their eyes, Hera and Liz simply pulled Minerva along to watch the sweet, awkward romance playing out before them, promising to fill her in on the details later.
Athena, sensing Zen’s nervousness, couldn’t help but feel a little shy herself. She bit her inner lip, trying to steady her nerves. "Um... A-Are you going to pick us up when we land back here?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly.
No matter how much dating experience she had in her past life, it seed useless now, as her mind went completely blank.
Maybe it was the mory of what had happened between them—what Zen had overheard her talking about with her friends—that made her feel so flustered. Or maybe it was the undeniable spark that seed to flare up every ti their eyes t, a tension in the air that she couldn’t quite explain. Was it just lust, she wondered, or sothing more?
She couldn’t help but fidget, feeling a mixture of emotions she couldn’t quite pin down.
"Um, I’ll pick you guys up when you get back," Zen replied almost imdiately. His hand moved instinctively to ruffle Athena’s hair, but by the ti he realized what he was doing, it was already too late. Both their faces instantly flushed, and Zen quickly pulled his hand back.
But before he could retreat completely, Athena caught his hand and held it in place, a playful yet shy glint in her eyes. With a teasing little smile, she made a subtle gesture, encouraging him to pat her head.
Despite her face turning as red as a tomato, she looked almost too innocent, so different from her usual bold, no-filter attitude like so sex guru when she spoke to Hera, almost like a completely different person.
Hera, watching the scene unfold, couldn’t help but chuckle to herself. ’So, Athena also has this mont of innocence in her, huh?’ she mused. In that mont, she found herself wanting to grab so popcorn, as if she were watching a sweet high school romance. The sight was oddly endearing, and she couldn’t help but feel fully invested in it.
After Athena reluctantly let go of Zen’s hand, Zen stood there, staring absentmindedly at her retreating figure. Athena, flustered beyond belief, quickly turned away and yanked Hera along with her. Liz, who had snapped out of her daze, grabbed Minerva’s arm and pulled her along too. Hera’s bodyguards, always polite, gave Zen a curt nod before following Hera to the boarding gate.
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