Chapter 39

"You shouldn’t have come, sir," the secretary, said to Zayne as the young man was carefully tending to his wounds. Zayne focused on his task, his hands glowing faintly as he healed the deep cuts and bruises. "If I hadn’t come, you would’ve been in grave danger," Zayne replied, finishing the healing process.

Mr. Karon, feeling the pain dissipate, tried to bow deeply in gratitude, but Zayne, flustered, quickly stopped him. "You don’t need to do that," Zayne said, waving his hand dismissively. "My mother hurt you... thanking me feels wrong.

Mr. Karon met his gaze with a weary smile. "I’m the one who should apologize," he said quietly.

Zayne raised an eyebrow, confused. "Apologize for what?"

"You had already escaped your mother’s grip, but because of me, you came back here." Mr. Karon's voice cracked with guilt. His hands trembled as he continued, "I shouldn’t have called you that night."

Zayne softened, offering the old man a kind smile. "I would’ve come back eventually," he said, a trace of sadness in his voice. He pulled out a piece of paper and wrote something down, then handed it to Mr. Karon. "This is the medicine you’ll need to heal properly. Make sure to get it."

Mr. Karon hesitated, his hand lingering over the paper. "You’ve already done so much for me, Mr. Zayne. I shouldn’t have dragged you back into this mess."

Zayne sighed, running a hand through his hair. "But my mother would’ve forced your hand regardless," he replied, his voice tinged with disappointment. "Things could’ve been much worse if you hadn’t called me."

Mr. Karon looked down, clutching the paper tightly, the guilt still evident in his eyes. He knew Zayne was right, but the weight of his actions still lingered.

Zayne watched Mr. Karon struggle with his words. The old secretary, now sitting on the couch with a worn expression, muttered, "I should have done more... this old man."

Zayne’s eyes softened as he stepped closer. "You shouldn’t be pushing yourself, Mr. Karon," he said, his tone gentle but firm.

Flashback

Zayne was seated at his desk, his thoughts lingering on the papers Lanaya had left for him earlier when his phone rang. The number flashing on the screen was familiar, and he answered without hesitation.

"Mr. Zayne," came the voice of Secretary Karon on the other line, calm but carrying a subtle weight of concern.

Zayne smiled slightly, "Secretary Karon, how are you doing?"

"I'm good, sir. And you? How have you been?" Karon's tone was measured, but there was an unspoken caution beneath his words.

"I’m doing well, thank you," Zayne responded, though he could sense something off in the conversation. "What’s the reason for your call?"

There was a pause, and Zayne could hear the faint sound of Karon clearing his throat. "Your mother, sir... she’s been asking about you. She... wants you to come back, at any cost."

Zayne's expression darkened slightly, but his voice remained calm and respectful. "I see. I had a feeling this conversation might come up again."

Karon’s voice concern, but he maintained his professionalism. "I just wanted to give you a heads-up, sir. Things might... escalate if you don’t comply."

Zayne was silent for a moment, his hand gripping the paper on his desk. "Secretary Karon, I can handle it. If my mother insists, I can go back and—"

"No, sir," Karon interrupted, his voice firm but filled with unspoken emotion. "You shouldn’t. You’ve worked hard to distance yourself from all of this. You’ve built a life on your own terms. I’ve seen it."

Zayne smiled faintly, appreciating Karon’s concern, though he knew the secretary would never explicitly speak against his mother. "I know you're looking out for me, Karon, and I’m grateful for that. But... she is still my mother and I know what she can do to you. I can’t just ignore her."

"You’ve done enough, sir," Karon said quietly, his voice softening. "I think that’s all anyone could ask for. You deserve to live your life... not go back to being manipulated."

The call ended.

End of Flashback

“Oh, by the way, how is your daughter?" Zayne asked, gently changing the topic as he noticed the tension in Mr. Karon's face.

The old man smiled faintly, though there was a sadness in his eyes. "She always visits me in my dreams, sir. But... after you gave me advice on what to do for her grave, it seemed to lift a weight off her. The day you left, and when I did as you suggested... she seemed happier, finally at peace."

Zayne nodded thoughtfully, but his gaze shifted to the corner of the room, where the ghostly figure of Mr. Karon's daughter stood, her transparent form watching her father with tear-filled eyes. She hovered close, clearly distressed by his injuries.

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"She will be at peace," Zayne said softly, eyes flicking back to the old man. "But you need to take care of yourself, too."

Mr. Karon chuckled weakly. "You should take your own advice, sir, especially with the possibility of your return." His expression grew more serious. "I know things will get messy."

Zayne sighed, the weight of his responsibilities hanging heavily in the air. "My mother and father love me so much that they can't seem to let me go," he said, his voice filled with conflicted emotion. "I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse... this life."

Mr. Karon looked at him with understanding. "I know it’s hard on you, sir. But... you once told me about that recurring dream of a woman. Maybe, if she ever comes into your life, you’ll find true happiness."

Zayne smiled faintly, a glimmer of something unspoken crossing his face. "I’ve already found her."

The old man’s eyebrows rose in surprise. "Oh? That’s good news—well, perhaps not at the moment," he said, letting out a chuckle, though his voice was tinged with fatigue.

Zayne’s smile remained, but his eyes softened. "I’m content with my life, Secretary Karon. I feel lucky, really. It’s just... the people around me seem to have the worst luck."

Mr. Karon shook his head firmly. "You shouldn't say that, sir. You’re a good person, and good people attract goodness, even if it takes time."

Zayne’s expression faltered for a brief moment, but he quickly composed himself. "If I’m a good person, then why do—" He stopped mid-sentence, catching himself. A silence settled between them.

"Sir?" Mr. Karon asked softly, sensing something heavy left unsaid.

Zayne smiled again, though it didn’t reach his eyes. "It’s nothing. It's late, Mr. Karon. You should go back to your room. I can’t let one of my patients exhaust themselves because of me."

Mr. Karon nodded slowly, "Of course, sir. But... take care of yourself, too."

Zayne watched him leave.

On the other side . The next day.

"That's not how it's done, you idiot!" La-La snapped at Axel as they were in the middle of teaching Yuna how to hunt more effectively.

"Idiot? Who, me?" Axel responded, clearly in disbelief.

"Of course, I'm talking about you!" La-La retorted, rolling her eyes. "We should go higher up to get a better view of people. What do you mean, stay in the crowd? Are you a love hunter or something? No, you're a grim reaper! As Love Hunters- Being in the crowd just makes our eyes more exhausted, and it’s harder to spot soulmates!"

Yuna, trying to mediate, chimed in hesitantly, "I think Senior La-La is right, Mr. Axel. The high ground does sound better for us."

La-La's Point of View:

I can't believe this guy. Why is he even bothering to join us if he's just going to argue all the time?

"Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be working?" I asked Axel, annoyed.

"I’ve already finished my job," he replied casually, shrugging.

"Then why are you here, in Denmart City of all places? It’s far from the main city," I pointed out, still frustrated by his sudden presence.

"What do you mean? I also live here now," he said nonchalantly.

Wait... what?

"What?" I asked, thoroughly confused.

"I’ve been living here, same as Yuna," he explained, glancing at Yuna, who looked slightly guilty.

"Didn't I already inform you, Senior?" Yuna asked, her tone apologetic.

No, you didn’t!

Axel raised an eyebrow at me and added, "Did you really think I’ve been traveling all the way from the main city just to visit you? Why would I waste that much time?"

"So you asked to be relocated here, too?" I asked, trying to make sense of it.

"Yes, of course," Axel confirmed, his voice steady.

I frowned, still in disbelief. How did I not know about this?

"Did you lose your brain in that accident?" Axel teased, a smirk forming on his lips, which only made me feel more insulted.

Ugh! This guy!

“You know what, let me just grab some coffee,” I said, standing up from the table. Axel immediately stood up as well.

What now?

“I’ll come with you,” he said, his voice casual but insistent.

This dude and his overprotective nature.

“No, I’ll get it myself,” I replied, waving him off.

“I’ll come with you,” he repeated firmly, not budging an inch. Ugh, my head was already starting to hurt. The whole reason I wanted coffee was to get away from him for at least a minute, just to clear my thoughts.

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to mask my frustration. “No. Tell me your order,” I said in a firm tone, my eyes glaring at him.

Axel raised an eyebrow but relented. “I’ll have an Americano.”

“Yeah, okay,” I replied, turning to Yuna. “You, Yuna?”

“Just a latte,” she answered sweetly.

“Got it,” I said and quickly walked away before Axel could follow me again.

This is the third day I’ve been teaching Yuna my ways of hunting, trying to help her at least improve. Axel had been tagging along, claiming he wanted to teach her some of the things I apparently do without realizing it while hunting. I rolled my eyes at the thought of him critiquing my methods.

At the Counter

I approached the cashier, taking a deep breath, finally enjoying a small moment of quiet.

“Hi, what can I get for you today?” the barista asked, smiling.

“Yeah, I’ll have one Americano, one latte, and a cappuccino for myself,” I said, tapping my card on the counter absentmindedly.

“Got it! Anything else?”

“That’ll be it,” I said, waiting as they prepared the drinks.

As I waited, I couldn’t help but think about Axel. Why was he always hovering around me this past view days I even feel like a CCTV was around me or something? Did he think I couldn’t handle myself or something? Sure, I’ve had a few close calls, but still ... I shook my head, pushing the thought away.

When the drinks were ready, I grabbed them carefully, balancing all three cups in my hands.

On My Way Back

As I turned to head back to the table, I suddenly collided with someone, nearly spilling the coffee all over my shirt.

“Oh, sorry!” I exclaimed, stepping back quickly.

“No, it's my fault—Ms. Lanaya?”

I blinked, looking up to see Zayne standing in front of me. His familiar face caught me off guard, and for a moment, I just stood there, frozen. I shouldn’t be meeting him like this.

“Zayne? What are you doing here?” I asked, forcing a smile as I held onto the coffee cups.

“I could ask you the same thing,” Zayne replied, his smile warm and inviting. “I was just passing through. Didn’t expect to run into you.”

“Yeah, what a coincidence,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “You came all the way from the Main City?”

He nodded, but then his expression shifted slightly. “How are you, Ms. Lanaya?” he suddenly asked, concern evident in his tone.

We stood in the middle of the coffee shop, making way for other customers, and I could feel the eyes on us. I glanced around, uncomfortable under their scrutiny.

“Why don’t we take a seat?” Zayne suggested, a glint of hope in his eyes.

I needed to get away from him. I had done too much to avoid him after running away with just a letter.

“No, I have company,” I said, crafting an excuse. The moment fell silent between us, tension thickening the air.

“Are you running away from me again?” he asked, his tone a mix of disbelief and disappointment.