After that afternoon when Kiomi talked to Zein, everything seemed to get better. Zein appeared willing to speak with the others after the recent events. For various reasons, Miguel didn’t want to talk to him, Alexander didn’t think he was the best option, and Sora and the girls even less so. In the end, it was up to me to talk to him after Kiomi.

  The next day, I decided it would be best to bring him something to eat. A small snack, since he hadn’t eaten in a while. As I climbed the stairs, the air felt heavy, almost suffocating, but not to the point of being unbearable. The atmosphere was dense, as if an invisible pressure was trying to crush me, yet at the same time, it flowed, as if it were attempting to trap me without success. It was a strange contrast, and yet it made me feel that I shouldn’t give up.

  When I reached Zein’s door, I saw that his room was lit. The curtains were open, allowing the golden morning sunlight to stream in. That sunlight cleansed the air’s oppression, almost like a blessing clearing the atmosphere, giving everything around us a moment to breathe.

  Upon entering, there he was. Zein was sitting on the bed, staring at the sky through the window. Thanks to the building’s location, the sun shone directly into his room without skyscrapers blocking it. The light illuminated his face, yet even so, I could see that his body bore the marks of malnutrition. He hadn’t eaten in days. His condition wasn’t as severe as Kiomi had described when she found him, but still, seeing him like this worried me. At the very least, I was relieved that he looked better than he had when they first found him.

  When he noticed my presence, his face lit up with a smile, but it seemed to take great effort. The smile was weak, struggling to take form, and seeing it made my heart clench. I returned the gesture with a faint smile of my own, one that took all my strength to muster. Seeing him in this state hurt more than I could express.

  I sat beside him in silence. I didn’t know what to say. I had agreed to come talk to him, yet I found myself drowning in uncertainty. What could I say to him? I couldn’t fully understand what he was feeling, but I knew that, somehow, I could at least try to help. The sadness in his eyes ran deep, but something inside me told me that hope still remained.

  I’ve lost many people throughout my life, my parents when I was little, my grandmother a few years ago. People who were very important to me. But him… he had lost so much more. I didn’t feel like the right person to give him advice. I wasn’t someone who could tell him how to move forward. But in that moment, more than anything, I wished I had the strength to support him in the best way possible.

  —You know…— His voice came out low, as if each word cost him more than he wanted to admit. —I... I don’t know what to do now. With Lyra in that state…—

  —I don’t think all is lost— I replied, almost without thinking. My voice carried a positivity that even I didn’t know where it came from. —There’s a way to wake her up, isn’t there?—

  —Yes, but…— Zein said, his voice barely a whisper, laden with uncertainty.

  —Then we just have to make it happen —I answered with a smile that came from the depths of my heart—. I’ll be there for you, always by your side. I can assure you that Kiomi will be too, just like Miguel and Alexander. We’ll all be with you. You’re not alone.

  After those words, an expression I had never seen before appeared on his face. It was a mixture of sadness and, at the same time, a spark of joy struggling to surface. Tears slipped down his cheeks, but he didn’t stop them. Instead, he held onto a faint smile—one that broke my heart to see, yet filled me with hope.

  —Thank you —he murmured, his voice trembling but filled with a gratitude that touched something deep within me.

  Without thinking, I hugged him. I hugged him with all the strength I had, just as he had hugged me in my worst moments. Just as my grandmother had held me when the pain was too great to bear alone, just as my parents had embraced me when I felt like my world was falling apart. But this hug… this hug was different. I wasn’t just holding him to comfort him—I was telling him that he wasn’t alone, that he never would be.

  And in that moment, I felt something in my chest, something warm wrapping around me, a strange mix of happiness and guilt. A sensation that made me feel uneasy, yet grateful at the same time. Because, in the end, I knew he was exactly where he needed to be in that moment. And I needed him too, more than I wanted to admit.

  I felt guilty for these feelings that were beginning to stir inside me, but I also felt happy, because in his pain, I had been able to offer him some comfort. I knew I couldn’t leave him alone—that, somehow, we would always be there for each other. In the end, we were friends, teacher and student, but perhaps… something more. My heart pounded at the thought, but I quickly pushed it aside, afraid of what it truly meant.

  After a while, Zein finally accepted the food I had brought him. It took some effort, but at least he ate. Seeing him eat, even just a little, made me happy. And that smile, the one that was beginning to appear more and more on his face… it made me think that, little by little, he was recovering more than just his strength. He was regaining his light.

  We remained in silence, enjoying the soft music playing in the background. Time seemed to stop, and for a moment, I felt like everything was okay. I wished those moments could last forever—him, with a genuine smile, and me, leaning on his shoulder, finally feeling at peace.

  But, like all good things, the moment had to end. Zein decided it was time to go out, to see the others, to face everything he had left behind. He knew he couldn’t stay locked away any longer, that he had things to set right. And although I felt a small pang in my heart, his decision filled me with a mix of pride and concern.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  As we stepped out of the room, I saw Miguel coming up the stairs. Their eyes met, and both of them stood there, staring at each other in tense silence. I decided to step aside, thinking it was time for them to work things out. However, in the end, I was forced to stay, as Miguel was blocking the way.

  I didn’t know what they were thinking, but as I looked at Miguel, I noticed something unusual. His face, always so calm, now carried a serious, almost hardened expression, as if he was struggling with something he couldn’t quite grasp. Zein, on the other hand, had a look of regret on his face, something that made him seem vulnerable. I could imagine what he was feeling—the weight of everything he had said to Miguel when all he had been trying to do was help.

  —Miguel, I…— Zein began, his voice hesitant, as if the words were harder to say than he had expected.

  Without another word, Miguel’s face shifted into his usual smile—that warm smile he always had at the most unexpected moments. And without a second thought, he stepped forward and pulled Zein into a tight embrace, as if they were reuniting after a long time apart.

  —I’m really glad you finally came out of that room —Miguel said, his voice full of sincerity, his tone soft yet firm, like a friend who was always there to help.

  Zein remained silent for a moment, looking at Miguel, as if the words were too difficult to say. Finally, he spoke, but his voice trembled slightly, carrying the fragility he still held within.

  —I… really…

  —Don’t apologize, Zein —Miguel interrupted quickly, tightening the hug just a little more—. You’ve been going through something really tough. I understand.

  It was a sincere embrace, acknowledging all of Zein’s pain without the need for words. They held onto each other like two lifelong friends, as if time had never passed, as if they had always been there for one another, no matter the distance or the suffering.

  After a while, Miguel and I accompanied Zein downstairs. The fresh air drifting in through the windows gently swayed the curtains as we made our way to the common area, where the café had remained closed today so they could be there for Zein, just like they always were.

  When we reached the bottom of the stairs, I saw Alexander and Kiomi waiting for us. Alexander’s first reaction was a silent, intense gaze, filled with a mix of sadness and relief. But as he saw Zein standing before him, that sadness shifted into a soft smile, full of hope and warmth. Kiomi, on the other hand, looked relieved, as if seeing Zein meant she could finally breathe easy for the first time in days.

  Alexander was the first to step forward, his voice warm and full of kindness.

  —Are you feeling better, Zein? —he asked, visible concern on his face, as if he needed to be sure Zein was truly okay.

  Zein nodded slowly, though he couldn’t ignore the seriousness in Alexander’s gaze. He knew those words weren’t just casual small talk. Alexander, with his straightforward nature, had witnessed Zein’s inner struggles, and now, seeing his face, he could tell Zein was taking real steps toward recovery.

  —Yeah… better. Much better —Zein said, forcing a small smile, but at the same time, his voice carried a vulnerability he wasn’t trying to hide.

  With a soft chuckle, Alexander gestured toward one of the seats.

  —Sit down —he said, with that warmth only he knew how to convey. It was as if, somehow, just his presence alone could lighten any burden. Alexander, though he always kept his own emotions to himself, had a way of making others feel at ease, of making everything seem just a little easier—even when it wasn’t.

  Judas, who didn’t seem to have work that day, showed up with one of Zein’s favorite drinks, something that pleasantly surprised me. It was clear that Zein wasn’t just anyone to them. There was a deep connection—one that transcended any circumstance.

  We were all there to support him, and though Zein resisted at first, little by little, he started to open up. His words came more easily, his movements were less tense, and he slowly allowed everyone’s support to surround him. We all cared about him deeply, and even though he didn’t say it out loud, we could see that he appreciated every moment of companionship.

  The person he spent the most time with was Alexander. The two of them sat in a quiet corner, where the sunlight streamed softly through the window, casting a warm glow over the wooden chairs. They started talking, and as they did, Zein seemed to relax more, as if every word Alexander spoke carried a healing effect. They talked about Thailon, about the little adventures they had shared—those moments that now, in hindsight, felt so distant yet so meaningful.

  Alexander told him stories about the hard times, like when Meliora was separated from Thailon, leaving him and Kiomi alone, vulnerable to the forces of the Kirche. But despite those dark moments, the stories he shared with Zein seemed to hold a healing power, as if every shared laugh, every anecdote from those past days, could lift some of the lingering sorrow weighing him down. Zein listened intently, and in his eyes, there was a new glimmer, as if, in some way, he was slowly rebuilding himself, piece by piece.

  The atmosphere between them was different—something had changed. It was no longer just a conversation between two people sharing the same space; there was a deeper connection, a mutual understanding. Zein, who had seemed so lost in his own world before, began to find comfort in Alexander’s stories, and Alexander, in his usual quiet nature, started to open up more as he saw the impact his words had on Zein.

  Alexander didn’t need to say much for his support to be felt. Just his presence, his sincerity, was enough to make Zein start believing that the pieces of his life, shattered by so much pain, could fit back together again.

  By the end of the day, a conversation arose within the group—one we initially thought would be best to keep from Zein, but in reality, there was no point in hiding it.

  It was about the government's plans: they intended to launch a direct attack on the EDI using the ship they had arrived on, which remained hidden on the dark side of the moon. Their strategy was to reach a key location in the area where we were and strike a devastating blow—while also supporting other civilizations in the process.

  To our surprise, Zein took it quite well. In fact, he asked for our help in carrying out the plan, and of course, we all agreed without hesitation.

  As we organized the preparations for the journey, I noticed Judas and Alexander talking in a corner. My curiosity got the better of me, so I tried to listen without being noticed. I only managed to catch a few sentences, but what little I heard was enough to unsettle me. Judas was proposing that Alexander join the mission and help Zein and the others. After all, conquering an entire planet as a strategic foothold was no simple task.

  At that moment, something about their conversation seemed suspicious. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something didn’t add up. Still, I told myself it was probably just an unfounded gut feeling.

  On the other hand, Zein seemed more determined than ever. There was fire in his eyes, a determination we hadn’t seen before.

  —I already know what I’m going to do from now on, — he said firmly, his expression reflecting an unshakable resolve. —I’m going straight to the EDI’s capital to eliminate the Führer. I will make Lyra wake up. —

  As reckless as his plan sounded, none of us thought it was impossible. After everything we had been through, after everything we had seen—we believed in Zein.

  So, without hesitation, we all ended up supporting his decision.