Chapter 122 - 118. Homecoming
"Welcome home, hotshot,"
The barista on the morning shift gave her a greeting to Zein when he was ordering his morning coffee--black with one cube of sugar this time, since Radia told him to cut on his sugar consumption.
Also, because he overslept.
When he came out of the tower, the sun was already about to set, even though he felt like he only talked with the deity for a bit.
While he was still trying to adjust to the disparity of time, countless camera flashes started to flood him. It was only thanks to Jock and Lex’s immediate rescue, as well as the administrator’s stern warning to let the Lord’s guest go through, that Zein could reach the car without the hassle of an interview.
When his back touched the leather seat of the helicopter, and he knew he was flying home, Zein finally felt the adrenaline wane and his energy left him. Just like all those times, communicating with the fragment made him feel like experiencing burnout. It sapped his physical as well as mental energy worse than out-of-control Bassena.
He didn’t even remember to ask about how Bassena was faring in the trial.
It was late at night when the helicopter landed on the compound, and Zein walked to the dorm feeling like a zombie. He couldn’t even recall entering his bedroom, and the next moment he came to, he was on his bed, still with the clothes he wore yesterday, and the sky was already bright.
So now, forgoing breakfast, he stood in front of the coffee shop’s counter, waiting for caffeine intake.
"Why are you acting like I was gone for a month or something?" Zein stared at the barista unamused. "It’s just the weekend."
"Yeah, but you’re usually here even on the weekend, so it feels like you’re going away for long," the barista replied.