The soft hum of machines filled the air, accompanied by a slow, rhythmic beep… beep… beep that echoed nearby.
Zemin's eyes fluttered open. For a brief moment, all he could see was a blinding, sterile white. The sharp scent of antiseptic stung his nostrils. As his vision adjusted, he began to understand his surroundings.
He was in the medical bay.
Bandages were wrapped around nearly every inch of his body. His chest, his arms, even his head he looked more like a mummy than a fighter. The last thing he remembered was Kiichi's voice… and an overwhelming wave of pain. Endless, crushing pain.
Then, nothing.
He attempted to sit up slowly, groaning as his muscles protested. His hand instinctively moved to his ribs, but to his surprise, there was no pain. None at all.
"What…?" he whispered, his voice coming out dry and raspy.
He carefully peeled back a section of the bandage on his arm. The skin beneath was flawless. Not a bruise but some scars but they are not that much of them,
His heart raced. That's impossible.
Then, a flash of memory struck him. The burning sensation from that night, the moment he fell into that old well, teetering on the edge of death after being publicly burned alive.
He froze.
It's the same feeling. Just like when I was about to die from the flames.
As he was pondering this the door of the medical bay opens. It's Taura and Shuren. Taura is holding a tray with food and a drink, while Shuren is smoking her cigarette.
"Looks like our rookie sleeping beauty has finally awoken." Shuren said.
Zemin looks at the both of them with confused glazes, still trying to understand what the hell is going on? But he had to act normal he can't let them see him as suspicious. He had to maintain the original Zemin attitude.
"Oh hey you two."
"Your looking good already did ya sleep well." Taura said.
"Yea I did thank you."
Shuren takes a chair and sits down crossed legged next to Zemin's bed still smoking as usual.
She is never gonna let go of that cig isn't she.
Zemin is eating the food that Taura gave him slowly he still wants to act like he is injured so that it does not bring unnecessary attention to him.
"Taura can you leave the room for a minute I wanna talk with Zeii alone." Shuren said.
"Yea sure thing hope you get better Zeii."
Taura leaves the room with a wave of goodbye and closes the door. Zemin gives the same see ya later wave back, but one thing confuses him.
When did they give me that nickname Zeii sounds kinda weird.
"Now then Zeii you can stop pretending."
Zemin froze.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Don't act so dumb I know your wounds are already healed you are just pretending, at first I actually believed you when you were acting but then you slipped up when you took the food of from Taura."
Zemin had no words he knew that he was busted, there was nothing he could do. Lying was useless as Shuren's eyes already show that she is telling the truth, not a single lie on sight.
Zemin felt his mind go blank for a moment, his fingers twitching slightly as they still gripped the spoon. She noticed it too.
Shuren let out a puff of smoke, the white haze curling up like a ghost hovering between them. "Relax," she said. "If I wanted to report you, I would've done it already. But I'm curious."
Zemin narrowed his eyes. "Curious about what?"
Shuren leaned back in her chair, flicking ash into a small tray. "How the hell you're still alive."
Her words struck him like a knife to the chest.
Zemin fell silent. Every part of him screamed to deny it, to laugh it off, but there was something in her tone… she wasn't just bluffing. She knew something.
She smirked when he didn't respond. "Don't give me that look. I checked your medical chart myself. Second-degree burns, fractured ribs, punctured lung any normal person would be in a coma, not sitting up and eating porridge."
Zemin glanced down at his hands, then clenched them tightly under the blanket. "So what are you saying?"
"I'm saying…" Shuren's eyes locked onto his, sharp and unwavering. "...you're not normal. Are you?"
Silence enveloped them. The steady beep… beep… of the heart monitor suddenly felt overwhelming.
Zemin managed a faint smirk. "Normal's overrated."
Shuren chuckled softly. "Yeah… that's what they all say before things start burning again."
Zemin's expression turned serious. "What do you mean by that?"
She stood up, stretching her arms before making her way to the door. Her cigarette burned low, leaving wisps of smoke trailing in the air.
"You'll find out soon enough, Zeii. This place has a way of revealing people's true selves."
Shuren starts walking to the door and opens it as she attempts to exit
"Shuren."
She halted mid-step, her hand resting on the door handle.
Zemin's voice was steady, almost unnervingly so. "How can I prove myself?"
Shuren turned slightly, one eyebrow arched in surprise. "Prove yourself?"
"Everything Kiichi said was spot on," Zemin pressed on, his gaze locked onto hers. "I was reckless, but I'm not useless. If you really think I'm worth keeping around… just tell me when I can get my first mission."
The air between them thickened. Shuren scrutinized him, her cigarette burning low between her fingers. The smoke curled in the air like a barrier between two predators.
Finally, she sighed, flicking the cigarette into a nearby tray. "You don't waste any time, do you?"
Zemin remained silent, his silver eyes unwavering.
Shuren approached him again, her boots clicking against the tile floor. She leaned in close, her expression icy and unreadable. "Listen, Zeii. You might've survived something that should've taken you out but that doesn't make you special. It makes you a threat."
She straightened, crossing her arms. "Stay put for two days. No training, no wandering. Let your body rest, even if you feel fine. After that…" she paused, her eyes narrowing slightly, "…I'll fill you in. You'll get your mission."
Zemin nodded faintly. "Understood."
"Good." She turned to leave again, pausing just once more at the door. "Oh—and Zeii?"
"Yeah?"
"Next time you pull a stunt like that… I won't cover for you."
The door slid shut behind her.
Zemin leaned back against the pillow, staring up at the ceiling, a slow grin spreading across his face.
A mission. Finally.
He could feel the heat beneath his skin again subtle, pulsing, alive.Whatever was happening to him… it was growing stronger.