There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)-Chapter 435 - 428. Bucket List (1)

"Oh, it’s done!"

Bassena looked at the building at the end of the street. It was easily the biggest compound in the whole town; bigger than the residential housing or the Landlord’s place, even.

It wasn’t the size that garnered attention, though; it was the pristine condition. Unlike the other building, this one looked new. And it wasn’t just new; it was clearly made with better materials than the ones used by the other buildings in the town. The color was bright, as if challenging the murky air and the dry soil.

As if inviting the brightness in those children’s faces. They ran around the yard and the new playing ground right across the building, the sight brought a smile to Bassena’s masked face.

"Hmm...this feels rather weird," he scratched on the mask, something he had never worn before.

"You don’t have to wear it," Zein shrugged. "We’ve arrived anyway."

Honestly, it felt weird for him too, after months of not wearing one. Rather than to filter the air, however, their mask was used more to disguise themselves. They even wore lower-quality clothes, covering their whole body tightly just like the locals.

Well, Zein was a local.

While people in the red-zone wouldn’t flock to them or anything, Zein still preferred to avoid any attention during their visit. Sure, people might look at them dubiously the moment they knew the two strangers were going to the big new building at the edge of the residential area, but otherwise...

"It’s fine, I’ll wear it since we matched," the esper said cheekily.

Zein snorted and wondered what was that business about being ’older’ than him even meant. He shook his head and brushed the platinum fringe falling over the amber eyes beneath the hood. "Hmm...I kind of like this look," he said with a hidden smirk beneath the mask. "It makes your eye color pop, reminding me of that day in the cave."

Bassena gasped. "You’re flirting in front of children, now?"

The brush ended up as a flick, eliciting crisp laughter from the esper that garnered the attention of the playing children, as well as the staff. One of them was Old Man Dan’s daughter who spearheaded the project. She gasped and ran toward the two guests--or rather, the owner?

"Oh, you’re here!" her bright smile could be seen clearly even inside the stuffy air.

It was the first time Zein came to visit after the orphanage officially operated. She wasn’t disappointed or anything; she knew enough from the news how busy the guide was. But she couldn’t help but worry that the one who built this place wouldn’t be able to see it before he marched to the Deathzone.

It felt like the place was incomplete before the founder personally checked on it.

"I don’t know you’d be managing this too," Zein greeted her. He did receive the report that the building had been completed, and the Scarlet Moon had helped with relocating not just the orphan, but all the children of Araka there. He did not, however, check the details on the management team.

Aida Lin smiled, gesturing to them to move inside. "There’s already a trusted management--you can have faith in them, Sir; they have been doing social work for more than a decade. But I decided to stay here until everything ran smoothly," she explained. "After all, I had an experience of living in the red-zone--albeit only a few years in my childhood."

Zein raised his brow. "Have you told your father?"

"He’ll understand."

"Are you sure?"

She laughed and glanced back at the pair of concerned blue eyes. "I can handle him," she said. "I want to do this because I know how difficult it is for children to live in this kind of place. He should be able to understand that."

Zein stared at the stubbornness that he knew for sure came from her father. "If you say so," he chuckled and continued to follow the laughing lady. She brought them to the square where they could see the layout of the building clearly.

There were three halls in total; one for the dormitory, one for classes, and one for management. All of them stood individually, but were also connected by corridors and bridges. The land between the buildings was used to set up physical training equipment and more playgrounds.

"The names of the halls sound familiar," Bassena commented with a smile. Aiden Hall, Hayden Hall, and Lucia Hall. "Wouldn’t your father feel jealous?"

"He never lived in the red-zone," Zein shrugged casually, eliciting a laugh from the esper.

"It’s always nice here, lots of laughter."

A loud, heavy, familiar voice greeted them from behind. Zein knew that voice even without the need to turn around. "You’re here Miss Patron?"

"Patron my ass," Alma scoffed and hugged Zein tightly. "Call me a Guardian Goddess or something."

"Fine, Goddess..." Zein rolled his eyes, but Bassena noticed the brighter tone in his voice. "Thanks, anyway."

Again, the berserker just scoffed. "Something decent finally happening in this place--do you think I’ll let some fucktards mess with it?"

The statement was uttered with conviction that invite confidence. It wasn’t without backup, though. After all, who would dare mess with a place that was put under the protection of the Landlord’s older sister?

Alma sighed as she looked around with a bitter smile. "I just wish something like this was here when you were a kid."

"Well, there wasn’t something like this," Zein smiled as he looked at the grumbling berserker. "But I have you."

Alma raised her brow and grimaced slightly.

"It’s because you helped me that I survived, and think about how nice it would be if there were more people who would protect the other children."

People like her and the Grandma next door, who kept Zein’s mind intact, and didn’t turn him into someone who completely loathe the world. People like her, who shared a bit of warmth and sweetness, while teaching him how to protect himself from the harsh, cruel world.

"Fuck--is living in the green-zone makes you sappy and cringy?"

"Pfft--anyway, thanks. Protect this until I come back--don’t get dethroned or anything."

"Don’t jinx it, idiot!" she clicked her tongue. "But don’t worry about it, we’ll reign until I’m old even if I had to whip my brother."

Bassena let out a snort, clearly sounding delighted. Again, Zein had no idea where the supposed increase in maturity for those three years had gone.

"Well, well--you bring one hell of a bodyguard this time," Alma smirked. "What’s the occasion, by the way? Checking your project before heading to another?"

"Actually..." Zein chuckled. "It’s a date."

* * *

The first date was actually crossing off Bassena’s list rather than Zein’s. He had been whining about seeing the place where Zein grew up ever since the guide showed him the recording made during Zein’s last visit.

It was an eventful time where Zein could watch Bassena grimace as the esper tried the food sold in the grocery store. He had no idea whether the amber eyes were glazing from sadness toward Zein’s childhood or disgust toward the food.

Probably both.

They didn’t stay long, however. Right after the horrible taste tasting that forcefully washed down with the guild’s canned rations--which still tasted so much better than whatever it was the people cooking there--they left the red-zone.

Not to return to Althrea, though. Their storage ring had been filled with five years’ worth of logistics, because they wouldn’t be coming back again until they finished their mission.

They had started their ten days of vacation, and Bassena determined to fill it with the dates they couldn’t do all this time.

The second one, of course, was the aquarium date they had talked about since before they were officially dating. After teleporting, riding the helicopter, using a portal, and teleporting again, they managed to reach the aquarium in Rexon before the sky turned dark.

It was two hours before closing, and the visitors had dwindled significantly. A perfect timing for a couple who easily garnered attention. They changed their clothes and their masks to look as inconspicuous as possible--however impossible it was.

"I kind of feel sad," Bassena said as they walked through a tunnel, staring at the fish swimming above their head.

Zein tilted his head to decipher the source of this sudden melancholy. "Are you talking about my fish?"

Yesterday, they moved Zein’s fish tank to Ishtera’s townhouse so they could be cared for while the owner was away. Of course, the current residents of the tank would be gone by the time Zein could see it again.

"I had used to them, you know..." Bassena muttered in a nostalgic tone. "It’s nice just sitting there looking at them swimming around, making me calm and think how nice it is to just move around without thinking anything--rather therapeutic, I must say."

"You’re getting more attached than me," Zein chuckled. The esper had even diligently fed them and cleaned the tank without calling the professional. "As for me...I’m more sad about the plants."

Ideally, he would like for both the fish tank and the many potted plants Bassena bought him to be moved to the lakehouse. But it was too far, and living beings couldn’t be stuffed inside the storage ring. Rather than tormenting them with the long distance, it was more practical and merciful to relocate them to the townhouse.

Perhaps because the place was quiet and dim, it was prone to bring out the melancholy in someone. For a while, they just walked through the shielded water in silence, drowning in their own thought.

"Well," Zein chuckled as they stopped in front of a gigantic tank, taking the esper’s hand. "We should finish things quickly so we can go back to them as soon as possible."

"Quite right," Bassena nodded.

Again, they stood in front of the deep blue in silence. But the forlorn mood had been replaced by serenity, and they basked in the quietness until they were greeted by a huge whale residing inside the tank.

"Alright," Bassena stretched his back and looked at Zein with a wide smile. "Where are we going next?"