Hell University-Chapter 31 - 30: Zein and Ace

Zein’s Point of View

I still couldn’t erase Matt’s face from my mind when I had just looked past him. He seemed confused, yet hurt at the same time.

My chest tightened again as I watched others crying. Some stared blankly, as if their minds had completely shut down.

"Last day," I muttered absentmindedly.

The thought of the person who could kill me crossed my mind. Why was he so quiet? He should be doing something to save himself. But... why the silence?

I didn’t know, but the quiet unnerved me even more.

"You are still not safe," Supremo said.

"I will never be safe in this hell," I muttered.

"There is a place where you will be safe," he repeated, his words making me frown.

He was behind me, so I couldn’t see his expression. There is no safe place in this hell. I had accepted that long ago, but what was Supremo talking about? Did he know of a place in this hell that was truly safe?

"Supremo!" 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

We stopped walking as Lyka fell to her knees in front of Supremo, sobbing uncontrollably. Why was she crying? What had happened? And why was she running to Supremo?

"P-Please... help me! I’m begging you, Supremo. Save my mother!"

Seeing this innocent girl pleading for help and sympathy tore at my heart. I could literally feel the pain she was experiencing.

Supremo remained calm and serious, staring at her without a word. I waited for him to respond, even though it seemed unlikely he would help this poor girl, so desperate to save her mother.

Mother?

"Lyka!"

I turned toward the elderly woman staggering in our direction. As she drew closer, everything began to make sense. Everything that had happened in the classroom yesterday, my suspicions were right.

"St-stand up," Teacher Aya tried to get Lyka to rise, but the girl continued to sob uncontrollably. Shit!

I knew it! There was a connection between them. The tightness in my chest... it hit me, mother and daughter.

"Mom! I can’t do this!"

Lyka clung to her mother, who slowly began to shed tears. Watching the scene felt like my heart was being squeezed. My knees went weak, and Supremo seemed to sense it, as he gently took hold of my arm.

He shook his head at me, as if to say there was nothing he could do about the situation.

"S‑Supremo... p‑please get me out of here," I pleaded, because I knew my knees would give out if I stayed any longer in front of the mother and daughter.

"Kill me now," Teacher Aya said to Lyka, words that brought my heartbeat to a sudden halt.

It was as if I had gone deaf. I don’t want this. I don’t want to witness something like this. I am weak when it comes to moments like these.

"Are you alright?" I heard Supremo ask, his voice unmistakably laced with concern.

I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at him. My burning eyes remained fixed on the mother and daughter screaming at each other.

"I can’t do this! Mom, I’ll die if I lose you!

"Please, my child," her mother begged. "Your mother is pleading with you. Kill me now, save yourself. We are running out of time."

"No! Mom, please! You’re the only one I have left. If you’re gone, what will remain of me? Mom, please don’t do this."

Supremo pulled me into an embrace as my tears finally fell. I didn’t want to witness something like this. I wanted to save them.

A soft sob escaped my lips when I saw Teacher Aya draw out a blade and force it into Lyka’s trembling hands.

Fuck. This pain is killing me.

"S‑Supremo, do something. Save them, both of them," I pleaded, my voice barely audible. "Just this once. Please."

"Z‑Zein."

I squeezed my eyes shut as Lyka’s trembling hands closed around the blade, her body so unsteady it looked as though she might collapse at any second.

"J‑Just this one," I whispered again.

Supremo released me from his embrace and cupped my face, gently wiping the tears from my eyes with his thumb.

"Your wish is my command." He whispered.

He approached Lyka and Teacher Aya, took the blade from Lyka’s trembling hand, and threw it far away. Supremo said something to them, something that made their sobs grow louder, yet different this time. Softer. Relieved.

I smiled faintly when mother and daughter embraced each other tightly.

Thank you, Supremo.

"A‑Are they safe now?" I asked, wiping my eyes as my breathing finally steadied.

"Not yet, unless you come with me to the Headmistress."

"I will," I replied without hesitation.

He simply nodded and resumed walking. I cast one last glance at the mother and daughter, still clinging to each other, before following Supremo.

"This is the last time I will do this," he said calmly. "I just don’t want to see you trembling, on the verge of losing control, after witnessing them in that state. You must not react the same way again. You were being vulnerable."

Shame settled heavily in my chest. The memory of his embrace earlier resurfaced, along with my desperate pleas. Only one thought echoed in my mind.

He was right. This wasn’t me.

What is happening to me?

Celine’s final words suddenly resurfaced in my mind. A wave of dread and fear washed over me, and weakness began to take hold. I was becoming fragile, too fragile. Shit.

"Remember this: weakness has no place in this hell. You will be nothing but trash here."

The words struck hard.

"Why are you saying this?" I asked, my voice slipping out before I could stop it.

"I just want to see Zein Shion," he replied. "That brave girl."

I lifted my chin.

"I am Zein Shion."

"Not a while ago... the Zein I saw earlier wasn’t the real Zein," he said calmly but with unmistakable seriousness. "You ignored him. You just looked past him. That wasn’t Zein. That wasn’t my secretary."

"I know Zein because of the love she has for her friends. And... that is what I deeply admire about her," he added.

I fell silent. What exactly is happening to me?

When we arrived at the Headmistress’s office, we found her talking with Francisco.

"What brings you here, President?" Madame asked with a smile, her gaze shifting between Supremo and me.

Francisco leaned back in the swivel chair and smiled at us. There was something in that smile I couldn’t quite read, almost as if they were pleased to see Supremo and me together.

Supremo mentioned our intention to save the mother and daughter earlier, which seemed to widen their grins. Creepy.

I raised an eyebrow at Francisco as his gaze landed on Hoy. I tightened my hold on the cat, feeling as though this monster might devour him in an instant.

"I know you understand the cost of saving them, Supremo. You must not forget the one rule of your position," Madame said with a smile.

What requirements are they talking about?

"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 jeopardize everything," Francisco warned.

I couldn’t rid the frown from my forehead. Was there more I needed to know about Supremo? Why did it feel like all of this was somehow my fault?

"I am aware of that," Supremo replied curtly. From the tone of his voice, it was clear he didn’t care about their threats.

I didn’t know why, but I was the one feeling afraid.

"Good. Okay, we will make an exception for them. They are safe." Madame Violet looked at me, her brow furrowed. "And you... how come you were saved?" she asked, clearly puzzled.

I was confused by her words as well. How come I’m safe? I haven’t even found the person who’s trying to kill me yet.

"Perhaps someone helped you, that’s why you were saved," Francisco added. "Do you know who he is?" he asked.

Madame’s gaze landed on the cat I was holding. She and Francisco exchanged a long look before returning their attention to me.

"Where did you get that cat?" Madame asked, clearly puzzled.

Supremo took my arm. "Let’s go," he whispered.

"Answer me!" I was startled by Madame’s shout, and Supremo quickly pulled me away from the area.

I was confused. Why had they reacted that way when they saw the cat? Madame had even shouted, completely shocked. That was... strange.

"Don’t mind them," Supremo said, noticing my distracted gaze.

"Meow."

I jumped slightly as the cat leapt to Supremo’s feet, as if a child demanding to be lifted by his father. I couldn’t read the expression on Supremo’s face; he remained motionless, unreadable.

"Daddy Ace, Baby Hoy wants to be lifted," I teased, earning a frown from Supremo.

He furrowed his brows, as if questioning me.

"Just kidding," I quickly said, pulling away.

So dramatic!

"L‑Leave me," Supremo stammered to Hoy, earning a frown from me.

His face went pale as Hoy sank his tiny claws into his pants. "Fuck, dammit! Ms. Shion, get this thing off me!" he shouted hysterically.

"Are you afraid of cats?" I asked, frowning.

He glared at me. Confirmed!

Supremo, Ace Craige. The Supreme Student Government President. Second in command. A man unafraid of death. Someone you would never want to cross.

And he’s... afraid of a cat.

I quickly covered my mouth, shocked that the words had slipped out.

"I’m not afraid! It’s just... I hate cats," he snapped defensively.

"Because you’re afraid of them."

"Ms. Shion! Get Hoy off me!" Supremo shouted.

"Just admit it first, you’re afraid of him," I teased.

He glared at me. Those innocent yet wicked eyes... he was showing the devil within him again. Strangely, I was no longer afraid.

"Meow."

Supremo squinted in irritation as the hem of his pants was shredded. Seeing him close his eyes in frustration made him look unexpectedly cool, and gave me the urge to push him a little further.

How long will you last, Supremo?

"Okay, I get it. You’re not afraid of cats. Right?" I asked, and he nodded innocently. I couldn’t hide the smirk forming on my face.

"I am Ace! I am not afraid of a-anyone. Even a c-cat," he stammered.

I nodded subtly before stepping closer. He frowned at me, but remained frozen in place, as if too scared to move.

"W-What will y- Ouch!"

"Ouch?" I teased, pinching his cheek again.

I was enjoying this.

"Stop pinching- damn, Zein! It hurts!" he hissed.

I couldn’t help but laugh softly at how red his cheeks had become. My gaze landed on his hair, and I smiled.

"What the fuck?!"

I ruffled the hair he had just brushed. It was soft, he must have washed it, though maybe he just wasn’t the type to comb it regularly.

I rested my chin on my hand, studying Supremo’s face, cheeks flushed bright red, hair messy, lips puffed out, clearly holding back his irritation.

"Just a little more, huh?" I teased, giving his hair another playful ruffle.

"You know, Supremo," I added, smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes, "it’s not bad to smile."

His pout deepened at my words, clearly teasing me back by refusing to smile. I grinned.

"You are not worth smiling for," he said.

"Because I am worth more than you could imagine," I replied.

I glanced at Hoy, who seemed to be enjoying tugging at Supremo’s pants.

"Smile!" I commanded, attempting to intimidate him.

"No," he refused.

"You won’t?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Didn’t you-" He froze as I pinched his cheek, stretching it to make it look like a smile.

I couldn’t help but laugh at his expression. I was genuinely grateful to Hoy for coming into my life, because of him, I could tease Supremo like this.

It was exhilarating.

I finally stopped once I felt satisfied. I stepped back slightly and took in his entire appearance.

From the tugged-at pants to his flushed cheeks, the pout on his lips, and the mess of his hair, he looked... infuriatingly adorable.

"Are you satisfied now?" he asked, annoyance evident in his voice.

I nodded, then glanced at Hoy as he ran off. My jaw dropped, and my heart pounded in my chest.

Slowly, my gaze lifted to Supremo. The pout that had adorned his lips earlier was now replaced with a wide, mischievous grin.

I’m dead.

"I will count," he warned.

My feet instinctively stepped back, nerves tightening in my chest.

"1..."

"Sorry already!" I blurted.

"2..."

"I was just kidding-"

"3..."

"Ahhh!" I screamed.