Zein's Point of View
I still couldn't shake the image of Matt's face from my mind when I just looked right past him. He looked confused and hurt at the same time. Was he trying to approach me? Did he notice I was treating him differently now?
I stayed right behind Supremo, who was walking at a steady pace amid the incredibly heavy atmosphere. There were people running around with blood on their hands. Some were crying, others staring into space, and some screaming for help. "Last day," I muttered to myself, lost in thought. I thought about the person who ended up with my name. Why were they so quiet? Shouldn't they be doing something by now to save themselves?
"You're still not safe," Supremo said.
"I don't think there's such a thing as a safe place in this hell."
"There actually is one..."
I just looked down at Hoy in my arms. Of course no one would dare threaten this cat's life. But that wasn't how it worked for the rest of us. For those of us whose lives didn't mean anything here, no one was safe.
"Supreme!"
We stopped in our tracks when my classmate, Lyka, suddenly knelt in front of Supremo. She looked up at him, her face soaked with tears. "H-help me. I'm begging you, Supremo. Save Mama." It felt like my chest was being crushed hearing her say that. I tried to step forward, but Supremo immediately grabbed my arm. I couldn't do anything but watch Lyka. "I'm begging you, Supremo. I... I can't lose Mama."
I turned to Supremo. He didn't have a single reaction while looking at Lyka, who was practically kissing his feet. I waited for him to say something, hoping there was even a tiny bit of mercy left inside him. Wait... Mama?
"Lyka!" I looked at an older woman rushing toward us. As she got closer, everything started to make sense. Looks like my hunch was right. "Get up from there!" Teacher Aya said, forcing Lyka to stand. "What are you doing? Get up!"
They're related. Lyka is Teacher Aya's daughter.
"Ma! I can't do it!"
"You have to, my child. Please."
"I don't want to. I won't!"
Teacher Aya wrapped her arms around Lyka, her tears falling. She held her so tight, as if she knew it was the last time she'd ever get to do it. The sight before me gripped my heart, and my knees went weak. Supremo tightened his grip on my arm. I looked at Supremo with weary eyes. He just shook his head, as if saying there was nothing we could do. Then again, it wasn't that we couldn't do anything. We weren't trying. Like Dave said, if I couldn't handle it, it was better if I just didn't look.
"S-Supremo. Get me out of here," I pleaded, my knees threatening to give way if I stayed any longer.
"Kill me now," Teacher Aya told Lyka. My heart skipped a beat, and a ringing in my ears drowned out the noise. I didn't want any more of this. I didn't want to witness this. I wasn't brave enough.
"Are you okay?" Supremo asked, sounding almost worried. I couldn't answer or even look at him. My stinging eyes remained fixed on Teacher Aya and Lyka screaming at each other.
"I can't! Ma, I'll die if I lose you!"
"Please, baby. Mama's begging you. Just kill me. Save yourself. We're running out of time."
"No! Ma, come on! You're all I have left. If you're gone, what's left for me? Ma, please don't do this."
A small sob escaped my lips when Teacher Aya pulled out a blade and tried to force it into Lyka's hand. Fuck! This hurts so much! I feel like I'm dying! Supremo turned me away from them, pulling me into his arms. Hoy slipped from my grasp.
"Supremo, can you do something to save them?" My voice was barely a whisper. "Just this time, can we try? Please?"
"Z-Zein."
"J-just this once."
Supremo let go of the hug and cupped my face, brushing away my tears with his thumb. There was hesitation in his eyes. After a few seconds, he sighed and gave a small nod. "I will let you have this one," he whispered.
When we turned back to them, Lyka was already holding the knife, the blade pointing at her mother's chest. Teacher Aya held Lyka's hand, guiding her. Her mother smiled. "I'm so proud of you, Lyka." Lyka sobbed.
Supremo walked over to them, took the blade from Lyka's hand, and tossed it aside. He muttered something to them that made them cry even harder. I smiled as I watched the two of them hug. Thank you, Supremo.
"A-are they safe now?" I asked when Supremo came back, wiping the tears from my eyes. Finally, I could breathe a little easier.
"Not yet, unless you come with me to Headmistress."
"I will!"
He nodded and started walking again. I took one last look at the mother-and-daughter pair still holding each other before picking up Hoy and following Supremo. "This is the last time I'm doing this," he lectured. "I don't want to see you trembling and nearly losing control after seeing anyone in that state. You must not act like that again. You're being vulnerable."
I felt a bit embarrassed, thinking back on his embrace and my desperate begging. "Remember that weakness has no place in this hell. Show it, and you'll be treated like trash."
I looked at Hoy, who seemed to have fallen asleep in my arms. "If your idea of strength requires a heartless soul," I said, turning to him, "then I'd rather be weak... because I refuse to lose my heart." No. I will never become a monster like them.
"That's not what I see."
"What?"
"You've changed," he remarked, clearly disappointed. "Where is the Zein Shion I once knew? The one who caught my attention?"
"That's still me. I am Zein Shion."
"Not a while ago. That wasn't the Zein I saw earlier. You ignored him. You walked right past him. That wasn't Zein. That was not my secretary," he replied calmly but seriously. "I knew Zein for how much she loved her friends, and that's what I admired most about her."
When we got to the headmistress's office, we found her talking to Francisco. "What a rare occurrence. What brought you here, my dear president?" Madame asked, smiling as her gaze shifted between me and Supremo. Francisco leaned back in his swivel chair and smirked. There was something about that smile I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was like they enjoyed seeing us together.
As Supremo explained our presence, Madame Violet watched with clear interest. There was a certain spark in her gaze. "Of course. Of course, Supremo," Madame Violet said with a laugh. "I just can't believe it. This is the first time you've ever asked me for a favor."
I looked at Supremo. What? Did I break something?
"Who am I to turn down a favor from the Supreme Student Government president?" I glanced at Francisco, who was staring at Hoy. I hugged the cat tighter because I felt like this monster wanted to eat him.
"But I hope you're not crossing the line, Mr. Craige. Do I need to remind you of the only rule tied to your position?" Francisco suddenly asked.
"Come on, Francisco. I'm sure our Supremo is still in his right mind," Madame Violet answered, laughing.
Supremo just stood still, unfazed by whatever threat Madame Violet was hinting at. "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 be the one to bring this whole thing down," Francisco warned.
I gripped Hoy even tighter. I had no idea his position came with a rule like that. Was that why he was always alone? That no matter how hard we tried to get close, he'd push us away? I didn't expect to feel sad for him. Not pity, just sadness. His position must be so lonely. Even at the top, he was alone.
"You don't have to worry about me. I know what I'm doing," Supremo replied, not showing any fear at all.
"I really hope so..." Francisco muttered.
"Okay, then. We'll make an exception for those two. You can tell them they can breathe easy now." Madame Violet looked at me. "You as well."
"Me?" I asked, pointing to myself.
"The person who got your name is already dead."
I couldn't understand what she meant. How was I safe if I hadn't found the person who was supposed to kill me? "Maybe someone intervened," Francisco said, clearly unsure himself. "We simply don't know who."
Madame's eyes landed on the cat I was holding. She looked confused and bewildered. "Where did you get that cat?"
"Let's go," Supremo whispered to me, grabbing my arm.
"Answer me!"
I flinched at her loud voice, and Supremo wasted no time getting me out of there. I was so confused. Why did they react like that after seeing the cat? Madame Violet even screamed in shock. That was weird. "Don't mind them," Supremo said, noticing that I was deep in thought.
"Meow."
I was surprised when Hoy suddenly jumped and clung to Supremo's leg, like a kid wanting his dad to pick him up. Supremo's face was priceless—he just stood there, totally frozen. "Daddy Ace, Baby Hoy wants to be carried," I joked, making Supremo frown. "Just kidding, okay?" What a drama king! Hmp!
"L-leave me," Supremo demanded, the stutter breaking his words as he spoke to the cat.
"Don't be harsh! Hoy just wants to get to know you!"
Supremo turned pale when Hoy started nibbling on his pants. "Fuck, dammit!" he said, sounding hysterical. "Ms. Shion, get this shit off me!"
"Are you afraid of cats?" I asked, eyebrows raised. He glared as a response. No way!
Supremo. Ace Craige. The Supreme Student Government president. The second in Highest 10. The guy who wasn't afraid to die. The guy anyone would never want to mess with... "...is afraid of cats." I had to cover my mouth as soon as the words slipped out.
"I am not afraid! It's just... I just hate cats."
"Because you're afraid of them."
"Ms. Shion. Get Hoy off me!"
"Admit it first. You're afraid of him."
He tried to intimidate me with a dark glare, but it didn't work. The situation was just too ridiculous for me to take him seriously. Seriously, Supremo? Cats are your weakness?
"Meow."
Supremo closed his eyes in frustration when the hem of his pants got torn. The way he closed his eyes in anger made him look oddly cool, which only tempted me to tease him more. Let's see how long you can last, Supremo.
"Okay, I get it. You're not afraid of cats, right?" I asked, and he nodded innocently. I couldn't help but smile. "I am Ace! I am not afraid of a-anyone. Even a c-cat."
I nodded along before stepping closer to him. He frowned at me but stayed as still as a statue, like he was too scared to move. "What are you—ouch," he complained when I pinched his cheek. "Ouch?" I teased, pinching him again. I am enjoying this. "Stop pinching—damn, Zein! It hurts!"
I couldn't wipe the huge grin off my face. His cheeks were bright red. Then my eyes drifted to his hair. "What the fuck?!" he protested when I messed up his neatly combed hair. The softness of his hair suggested he did, in fact, take showers. Maybe he just didn't like combing it. I wonder what got into him to suddenly comb it today?
I rested my chin on my hand and just stared at him: bright red face, messy hair, and his cheeks puffed out. He was clearly trying to hold back his annoyance. "Just a little more, okay?" I said before messing up his hair a bit more. He couldn't do anything but stare at me.
"You know, Supremo?" I fixed his wrinkled shirt. "It wouldn't hurt to smile." His pout got even deeper at my remark, obviously annoyed because I wanted him to smile. "Smile!" I insisted.
"You are not worth smiling for."
"Because I am worth more than you could imagine." Then I glanced at Hoy happily chewing on Supremo's pants. "Now. Smile!" I threatened.
"No!"
"You won't?"
"Didn't you hear—"
I cut him off, pinching his cheeks and pulling them wide into a forced smile. His whole face made me burst out laughing. Glad that Hoy came into my life because I finally got to mess with Supremo. Nice! Satisfied, I moved a bit farther from him and studied his body and face. From the chewed-up pants to his bright red cheeks, pouting lips, and hair I'd turned back into a mess.
"Are you happy now?" he asked, irritated.
I froze when Hoy suddenly ran off. My heart started pounding. Slowly, I looked up at Supremo. That pouty face was gone, replaced by a wide, mischievous grin. Oh shit. I'm dead.
"I'm going to count..."
I took a nervous step back.
"One..."
"S-sorry!"
"Two..."
"I was just kidding—"
"Three..."
"Ahhh!"