QUARTET ALLIANCE: LEND A HAND (Wild Duty & Judgement)

Chapter 23: Blague

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1:24 P.M

-J.I MUSEUM-

"W-What a joke," Zen scoffed, "Tell me you're joking,"

"I'm serious,"

"When?" Zen's words seemed to be controlled, contrasting his breaking composure and slightly teary eyes.

"Yesterday," Rehan started, "His parents insisted on his departure," He continued.

Zen ran his hand through this hair, forcefully looking away with a tight expression on his face. He gulped down the burning sensation in throat. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe any of what was happening.

"I need a moment. Tell Kazuo and Jiryu I left for a walk," Zen implored, his hands squeezed into fists as he refused to meet Rehan's eyes.

Rehan watched him leave until the only thing he could hear was Zen's fading footsteps.

The red head didn't know if he was overreacting when he felt his eyes sting, begging to let out their tears. Zen refused to cry, not until he knew everything. He would never cry, specially not for Cicero. That huge idiot. He furiously blinked away his tears as he neared a tree and stood next to it before pulling out his phone and scrolling through his contacts, he pressed on the screen with a trembling thumb and thumping heart. 

It was the longest ringing moment he had waited for in his life and every time his phone rang, it would make his stomach knot tighter. His heart stopped for a moment when he heard Cicero's voice.

"Hello?"

He hastily moved the phone to his ears, "Hey."

"Zen? I can't believe it. Is it really you?" Cicero immediately recognized him. Zen wasn't in the mood to make a snarky remark or joke around, specially when he was about to break down any moment.

"You-" Zen inwardly cursed himself for breathing out a whimper and choking on his tears. He sniffed and swallowed all his cries as his face crumpled, his eyes looked bigger than usual as the sun shone directly at them, making his tears twinkle midst his light ruby orbs. A few tears escaped and he was quick to wipe them with the back of his hand, "You left," he ended with a withhold of his coming tears.

"Sorry,"

"Sorry? Is that all you have to say? Did you not think about how hurt I'll be? Or just even try to go against your parents, Cicero?" Zen assailed the green head continuously with questions.

"I had no other choice and it's a weigh down for you to think I didn't consider all of what you mentioned, Zeno. I don't want to be here. It's not my choice and I never wanted to come here," Cicero explained, "Are you crying? Please don't cry," He continued after hearing Zen's sniffles.

"Why did you have to go?" Zen pondered sadly, "For studies?"

"I don't know. I keep asking my parents, but they never give me a suitable answer. They're acting weird ever since that day, not like themselves. It worries me," Cicero told him.

"They were found? Your parents?" Zen asked after realizing he didn't get to be with Cicero after he lost his parents.

"More like they found me. I was going on a walk with Rehan and they pulled up in a car and said dumb stuff like you were a bad influence and I should not stay in Japan because of the explosions."