Morning light seeped through the cracks in the curtains, painting faint lines across Zen's sheets.
He sat up, quiet, arms on his knees, eyes lost somewhere in the sterile stillness of the hospital room. The hum of machines beside him, the faint tap of footsteps down the corridor—it all felt distant.
He was still trying to process everything. The weapon. Ashen. The resonance. The fact that his dad—a Pillar himself, had a look of worry in his face.
When Zen thought that day would change his life, he didn't expect it to flip the whole damn board.
Knock knock
He blinked. The door creaked open.
Striding in with that same laid-back swagger and long lush ponytail was the woman from that day—the Exterminator wielding the twin revolvers.
Vivian walked in behind her, arms folded, eyes trying real hard to look bored but failing to hide the worry underneath. She looked at Zen, then quickly looked away like she didn't care—but he caught it.
The woman gave Zen a nod, tossing a folder onto the side table.
"Rise and shine, kid. Time to go."
Zen blinked.
"Wait, hold on. Where?"
"To the Academy," she said.
"Order's facility just outside the capital. Your father's orders. And you have me, Rei, as your personal escort"
Zen raised a brow.
"My mother, did she..."
Rei grinned.
"Already taken care of. Somehow, someway, your old man pulled off a miracle. She's convinced you're being relocated to a 'safe learning sanctuary' till things cool down."
Zen narrowed his eyes.
"Wait, seriously? just like that?"
"Do I look like I'm joking?" she said, adjusting the strap of her sidearm.
"Took us like five different fake documents and a video message, but hey—she bought it."
Vivian rolled her eyes. "Barely."
Zen leaned back, groaning. "Of course she did…"
The Exterminator stepped further in, giving him a once-over.
"Get dressed. You'll be moving in under watch."
Zen paused. "So I'm being babysat...by you.... again... "
"Pretty much," she shrugged.
"You got a lot of unwanted attention. That kind of thing don't just go unnoticed. You're on the radar now kid. either you like it or not"
Zen muttered, "Lucky me."
Vivian tilted her head. "Hey, could've been worse."
Zen looked at her. "How?"
"You could've died."
He sighed. "Thanks, Viv. Real comforting."
Rei smirked. "Ten minutes, Encrest. Then we roll."
She stepped back out, leaving Zen and Vivian alone in the room.
Rei stepped back into the hallway, Vivian lingered a moment, then followed—leaving Zen to sigh and slowly swing his legs over the side of the bed.
Standing up while he assessed the situation, his gaze drifted back into Ashen, who was now strapped around his wrist. His thoughts were disrupted as the door swung open again, and in popped Rei's head with a smirk way too smug for this early in the morning.
"Oh, and by the way," she said, pointing a lazy finger at Zen.
"while we're getting there, maybe don't try to hold onto me this time, you're real clingy when unconscious, you're not a kid anymore you know?"
Zen blinked. "Huh?"
She walked back in, arms crossed. "Yup. yesterday, you somehow had your face pressed right up into my chest the whole way back from the fight."
Zen froze, face twitching. "...You're joking."
Vivian, who'd just walked back into the room with a water bottle, instantly stopped mid-sip and nearly choked.
"Wait, he what?!"
Rei threw her hands up, feigning innocence.
"Hey, he's the one who passed out on me Vivi. I was just doing my job. But man, you were out cold—mumbling stuff too."
Zen's soul visibly left his body. "Please stop."
"Nah," she grinned.
"It was kind of cute. You even muttered something about pillows.
Vivian turned redder than a flare. "Z-Zen!"
"I WAS UNCONSCIOUS!" Zen barked, slamming his palm to his face.
Rei laughed, heading toward the door again.
Vivian shot her sister a death glare as she vanished again down the hallway. Zen just buried himself under the covers like it could erase the past 60 seconds.
"…Kill me now," he groaned from beneath the blanket.
Vivian muttered, crossing her arms and turning away. "Idiot…"
The room was calm now. A faint breeze from the slightly open window danced with the curtain, carrying the clean scent of disinfectant and warm sunlight. Rei's voice could be heard faintly outside, talking logistics with the nurses, her boots echoing on the tile.
Zen sat on the edge of his bed, hoodie halfway zipped, absently adjusting the strap of his bag. Vivian stood by the window, arms crossed, glancing at him.
"So…" she started, her voice casual but with that usual edge, "looks like we're gonna be seeing each other a lot more from now on."
Zen raised a brow. "What, you mean—?"
She nodded. "I live at the Academy full-time remember? Perks of having a high-ranking sister and decent marks on the field. You? You're getting thrown into the same place. Different dorm wings, sure—but still walking distance."
Zen leaned back, groaning just a little. "Great. So I can't even catch a break from you at school now?"
Vivian scoffed. "Please. I'm the one that should be worried. You're the trouble magnet. I'm just trying to live."
Zen chuckled under his breath, shaking his head. "Guess this really is my life now… getting dragged into some secret organization, and being neighbors with the girl who slapped me in front of my friends."
"You deserved that."
"Still stings."
They shared a short silence. Not awkward—just… heavy with change.
Vivian looked at him again, softer this time. "You'll be alright. It's weird at first, but… you get used to it."
Zen looked over, meeting her eyes. "Did you?"
She paused, then gave a light nod. "Took me a while. But yeah."
Another beat passed before Rei's voice called from the hall.
"You two lovebirds done bonding in there? The car's waitin'."
Zen groaned. "Looks like we're heading out early…"
Vivian smirked. "Welcome to the Order."
Minutes passed and Zen changes into more suitable clothes, carrying the strap of his backpack in his shoulder as he made his way towards the door.
He stopped briefly to glance behind his back, a soft smile in his face as he takes one final look at the hospital room.
Making his way through the halls, he eventually made it to the lobby where his mother had been waiting for him beside the entrance.
"Zen, are you really leaving?" his mother said to him, a concerned look in her face.
He sighed in response and averted his gaze briefly before looking back at her.
"I know this is all too sudden, but since Dad saw me in such a state. I feel like this might be the best course of action. I'll be safer that way right?."
He said those words yet he knows they ring hollow, he could not stand lying to her but it took him every ounce of his will to face her.
He was aware, that he meant the opposite of what he said, that he wasn't backing out of this situation anytime soon, the only way was forward and there is no turning back.
"Don't forget to call me then once in a while okay?" Her mother says, her expression now slightly at ease.
"Will do." Zen nods.
After that, they share one last hug before Zen departs, bidding farewell to each other.
"Love you mom"
"Love you too Zen"
Stepping out of the hospital doors along with his mother, a black vehicle stops in front of them, Vivian stepped out of the car door looking over to Zen.
"You ready to go?"
"Yeah"
Vivian's gaze drifts to Zen's mother which she had just noticed.
"A-ah... Miss Encrest. It's— been a long time hasn't it?"
Zen's mother felt amused by Vivian's reaction, bringing her hands to her lips to hide a soft laugh.
"It has been quite a while, even now you two seem inseparable"
Vivian averted her eyes, a bit flustered, normally she'd be sputtering insults if Zen were to ever say that to her face, guess the special treatment doesn't apply to anyone besides him.
Zen's mother patted her shoulder and looked at her
"I trust that you'll keep Zen safe from trouble while he's away"
Vivian nodded even if she knew that had always been her life's mission, to smack some sense into him.
Entering the car, Zen waved goodbye from her mother outside before the windows had shut.
He looks over to Vivian by her side. "It's going to be a long day huh?"
Vivian leaned back in her seat. "Yeah, you'll be fine though, you'll handle it. I know you're strong"
Zen smirked. "Wow, well if that isn't the nicest thing you've said to me this morning"
"Well yeah, don't push your luck. I'm just in a good mood today" Vivian laughed, though she was clearly smirking herself.
Zen kept on teasing. "Well, that's a first"
"Oh shut up." Vivian rolled her eyes but she couldn't quite hide the smile that crept up her face.
The car rolled down the street, smooth and quiet. Zen leaned back, arms behind his head, glancing over at Vivian.
"So… this Order Academy. Gonna be all drills and lectures?"
Vivian shrugged. "That, and maybe a few bruises. They don't go easy on anyone."
Zen groaned. "Sounds like a blast."
She smirked. "Hey, you got yourself into this."
He side-eyed her. "Lucky me, signing up for all time bone-breaking sessions ."
Vivian gave a short laugh, then looked out the window. "You'll be fine. Just… keep your head down. The Order's not just interested in training you. They're watching."
Zen's expression shifted. "Because of Ashen."
She raised a brow. "You mean, the blade? You're quick to give out names aren't you? But the point is, some people are going to be after you and it's better we understand the situation sooner."
He looked forward, the city slowly giving way to the looming silhouette of the Academy up ahead.
"Guess there's no turning back now."
Vivian bumped his shoulder lightly. "You'll handle it. I've seen you do worse."
Zen smirked. "With you around, maybe."
"Don't get mushy. It's annoying."
He chuckled. "Wouldn't dream of it."
The car kept moving, and neither of them said anything else. They didn't need to.