Chapter 30: Zein and Ace
Zein's Point of View....
I still can't erase Matt's face from my mind when I just passed him by with a glance. He seems confused at the same time is hurt.
My chest tightened again as I saw others crying. Others were staring blankly, as if they had lost their minds.
"Last day," I said to myself.
The person who will kill me crossed my mind. Why is she so quiet? She should have done something to save herself. But, why so quiet?
I don't know, but the silence creeps me out even more
"You are still not safe," Supremo said.
"I will never be safe in this hell."
"There is a place where you will be safe." He said again, which made me frown.
I was behind him so I couldn't see his expression. There is no safe place in this hell. I've accepted that for a long time, but what is Supremo saying? Does he know a safe place in this hell?
"Supremo!"
We stopped walking when Lyka, sobbing heavily, knelt in front of Supremo. What is she crying about? Did something happen? Why did she come to Supremo?
"H-Help me, I beg you, Supremo. Save my Mama."
Seeing this innocent girl seeking for help and sympathy is wrecking my heart and I can literally feel the pain she is feeling.
Supremo remained calm and serious, just staring at her. I waited for Supremo to answer, even though it was unlikely he would help this poor girl begging to save her mother.
Mama?
"Lyka!"
I turned to the old woman rushing towards our direction. As she got closer to us, I understood everything more. Everything that happened in the classroom yesterday, my suspicion was correct.
"G-Get up from there." Teacher Aya forced Lyka, who was still sobbing, to stand up. Shit!
I knew it! These two have a relationship. It just tightens my chest that they are mother and daughter.
"Ma! I can't do it!"
She hugged her mother, whose tears were slowly flowing down her face. My heart felt squeezed by the scene I was witnessing. My knees felt weak and Supremo seemed to feel that, so he held my arm.
He shook his head at me as if saying he couldn't do anything about this situation.
"S-Supremo. P-Please take me away from here." I begged Supremo because I felt like my knees would really give out if I stayed in front of the mother and daughter.
"Kill me now," Teacher Aya told Lyka, which stopped my heart from beating.
I felt deaf. Like—Shit! I don't want this. I don't want to witness this. I am weak at this.
"Are you alright?" I heard Supremo ask me, clearly worried.
I couldn't answer or even look at him. My warm eyes remained on the mother and daughter shouting at each other.
"I can't do it! Ma, I will die if you leave me!"
"Please, my child. Mama is begging you, kill me now, save yourself. We are running out of time."
"No! Ma, please! You are all I have left. If you leave, what will be left of me? Ma, please don't be like this."
Supremo hugged me when my tears really fell. I don't want to witness this. I want to save them.
A weak sob escaped my lips when I saw Teacher Aya take out a knife and force it into Lyka's hand.
Fuck! I'm going to die from the pain!
"S-Supremo, do something to save the both of them." Almost no voice came out of my mouth. "Just this time, please." I pleaded.
"Z-Zein."
I squeezed my eyes shut tight when Lyka held the knife, her hand trembling, and it could fall to the ground at any second.
"J-Just this one." I said again.
Supremo released me from his hug and held my face. Using his thumb, he wiped the tears from my eyes.
"Your wish is my command." He whisper.
He approached Lyka and Teacher Aya. Supremo took the knife from Lyka's hand and threw it far away. Supremo said something to them that caused their crying to become louder. I smiled when the mother and daughter hugged each other.
Thank you, Supremo.
"A-Are they safe?" I asked. I wiped my eyes and calmed down a bit.
"Not yet unless you accompany me to the Headmistress'."
"I will." I quickly replied.
He just nodded and walked again. I briefly glanced at the mother and daughter who were still hugging each other before following Supremo.
"This is the last time I will do it. I just don't wanna see you trembling and almost freak out seeing them in that state. You must not act the same way again. You are being vulnerable."
I felt ashamed in front of him. I remembered the hug earlier, my begging to Supremo. Only one thing entered my mind. He is right, this is not me. What is happening to me?
Celine's last words to me suddenly crossed my mind. I felt fear and anxiety. Weakness is prevailing in me more. I'm becoming weak. Shit.
"Remember that weaks has no place in this hell. You will be just a trash in this place."
That hits me. "Why are you saying this?" I asked out of nowhere.
"I just wanna see Zein Shion. That badass girl."
"I am Zein Shion."
"Not a while ago. That was not the Zein I saw earlier. You ignored him. You just passed him by with a glance. That was not Zein. That was not my secretary."
He said calmly but seriously. "I met Zein because of her love for her friends. And... that's what I admired most about her." He added.
I fell silent. What is happening to me anyway?
Upon our arrival at the Headmistress' Office, we found that she was also talking with Francisco.
"What brought you here, President?" Madame asked with a grin, her gaze shifting between Supremo and me.
Francisco leaned back in the swivel chair and smirked at us. His smirk implied something I couldn't pinpoint. It seemed they were happy to see us together, Supremo and I?
I raised an eyebrow at Francisco when his gaze landed on Hoy (the cat). My grip on the cat I was carrying tightened because I felt like this monster wanted to eat him.
"I know you know the consequence of wanting to save the two, Supremo. You must not forget the only rule of your position," Madame said with a grin.
What requirement are they talking about?
What requirement are they talking about?
"You must not involve in anyone. You are not allowed to have friends. Never let emotion hinder your way. Perhaps because of what you're doing, you will fail."
Francisco's Warning.
I couldn't get rid of the frown on my forehead. Is there anything else I need to know about Supremo? Why do I feel like all of this is my fault?
"I am aware of that." Supremo's short answer. Based on the tone of his speech, he didn't care about the two's threats.
I don't know, but I'm the one who's scared.
"Good. Okay, We will make an exception for them. They are safe." Madame Violet looked at me with a frown. "You were also saved. How come?" Madame Violet asked me in confusion.
Even I was confused by what she said. How come I'm safe now? I haven't even found the person who will kill me yet.
"Maybe someone helps you that's why you were saved." Francisco added. "Do you know who is him?" He asked.
Madame's eyes landed on the cat I was holding. She and Francisco exchanged glances before returning their gaze to me.
"Where did you get that cat?" Madame asked me in confusion.
Supremo held my arm.
"Let's go." He whispered to me.
"Answer me!" I was surprised when Madame shouted, so Supremo quickly pulled me away from that place.
I am confused. Why did they react that way after seeing the cat I was holding? Madame even shouted as if she was very surprised. That was weird.
"Don't mind them." Supremo said when he noticed that I was out of my senses.
"Meow,"
I was surprised when it jumped and went to Supremo's feet, like a child asking to be carried by his father. I couldn't describe Supremo's face, who couldn't move from where he stood.
"Daddy Ace, Baby Hoy is asking to be carried," I joked, which made Supremo frown.
He frowned at me as if asking a question. "Just kidding! This one." I retracted.
The arte! Hmp!
"L-Leave me." Supremo said stutteringly to Hoy, which made me frown.
Supremo turned pale when Hoy gnawed at his pants.
"Fuck dammit! Ms. Shion, get this shit out of me!" He said hysterically.
"Are you afraid of cat?" I asked with a frown. He glared at me. Confirmed!
Supremo, Ace Craige. The Supreme Student Government President. The second in the highest rank.
The man who is not afraid to die. The person you wouldn't want to mess with. "He's afraid of cats." I just covered my mouth when I said the last word.
"I am not afraid! It's just... just I hate cats."
"Because you are afraid of them."
"Ms. Shion! Get Hoy out of me!"
"Just admit first that you are afraid of him."
He glared at me. Those innocent evil eyes. He is showing the devil inside of him and I don't know but I am no longer afraid.
"Meow."
Supremo closed his eyes in annoyance when the hem of his pants was torn. Seeing him closing his eyes in anger makes him cool and it is giving me a hint to do more.
How long will you last, Supremo?
"Okay. I get it, you are not afraid of cats. Right?" I asked and he nodded innocently. I can't hide the smirk forming inside of me.
"I am Ace! I am not afraid of a-anyone. Even a c-cat."
I nodded before coming closer to him. He frowned at me but remained statuesque as if afraid to move.
"W-What will y-Ouch!"
"Ouch?" I teased while pinching his cheek again.
I am enjoying this.
"Stop pinching-Damn Zein! It hurts!" He hissed.
I laughed softly when his cheek was very red. My gaze landed on his hair before I smirked.
"What the fuck?!"
I messed up his hair which he had combed. He must have taken a shower because his hair is soft, he just probably doesn't like to comb but he combed his hair.
I held my chin and observed Supremo's face which was very red, his hair messed up and his cheeks puffed out and he was clearly holding back his annoyance.
"A little more, okay?" I excused myself before messing up his hair a little more.
"You know, Supremo?" I fixed his wrinkled clothes.
"It's not bad to smile." I added.
His snout got longer because of what I said and he was clearly teasing me because he was not smiling. I grimaced.
"You are not worth smiling for."
"Because I am worth more than you could imagine." I answered back.
I glanced at Hoy who was enjoying gnawing at Supremo's pants.
"Smile!" I threatened him.
"I don't want to!"
"You don't want to?"
"Aren't you listeni-" He stopped when I pinched his cheek and stretched it to pretend he was smiling.
I really laughed at his appearance. I am so thankful to Hoy for coming into my life. Because of him, I was able to prank Supremo.
So happy!
I stopped when I was satisfied. I moved a little away from him and observed his whole body and face.
From his gnawed pants, his very red cheeks, his pouted lips, his messy hair.
"Are you satisfied?" He asked me in annoyance.
I nodded before glancing at Hoy who had run away. My mouth dropped open and I felt my heart pound in my chest.
Slowly, my gaze lifted to Supremo. His pouted lips earlier were replaced by a wide grin.
Oh no.
"I will count,"
My foot stepped back in nervousness.
"1"
"I'm sorry already!"
"2"
"I was just kidding a-"
"Ahhh!"