The Emperor's Strange Wife ✔

22

The next day Zima had school again, and it seems like Kaito, Hino, and Ren were tagging along as well. 

"Wow." Shea said at the breakfast table. "This went from me dropping Zima off at school to me dropping off a whole pack of children at school. Since when were morning this packed?"

"Oh shut up," Hino started. "I don't even understand why you have to take us." Hino said in a harsh tone.

"Gotta make sure no one try's to hurt you guys when on your way to school." Shea said winking at him. 

"Man do classes really start this early, I should being sleeping right now." Kaito said coming in with groggy eyes, and morning bed hair. He sat down next to Hino, and took a piece of bread.

"Well good morning to you too," said Shea. "And yes class starts this early."

Ren came downstairs and sat at the table. 

"Your going to school too?" Zima asked.

"Yah," Ren replied shyly. "Its not ninja school though I have to go back to high school and finish some stuff there."

Zima nodded and handed her a plate of breakfast. Ren was insanely nervous about going back to school. When she was in school before running away from the village things were awful and she hated it. She couldn't make friends and would get bullied a lot. That's how she found being harsh to others as a way to defend herself.

Aki later came downstairs when the whole group was just about done eating breakfast. Zima went over and kissed his cheek. 

"Mornings look insanely crowded now," he said scanning the scene. 

"That's what I said!" Shea added getting up to allow Aki sit. He thanked her and Umi came over and gave him a plate of food. Everyone else was ready to leave. He said one more thing before they went, "Guys make sure to come back in the afternoon, I will be making an announcement to the public about the missing stone. Be there on time please."

"Whoa so this will be your first ever public speech as emperor," Kaito added. "Where is it gonna be?" he asked.

"The central garden its been scheduled, and the council will be there." He said picking up a newspaper next to him. "Now go on and don't cause trouble," Aki said sternly, and the group left, and Zima gave him one last kiss on the cheek before leaving. 

The group left the house. While Kaito, Hino, and Shea were having a conversation while walking Zima noticed how quiet Ren was. 

"Hey," she said grabbing Ren's attention. Ren looked up and smiled at here giving her a weary "Hey," back. 

"You seem a little down," Zima said. 

"I'm just insanely nervous about school, before I left things were in a really bad place." Ren told her with a worried expression on her face. 

Zima looked at her sympathetically. "I wish I could understand. Back at my village I never went to school, so I'm not sure what advice I can give you on that, but I know someone who did." 

Ren raised her eyebrow. 

"What don't you ask your brother Hin-" before Zima could finish Ren stopped her. 

"Absolutely not." She said shaking her head and crossing her arms. 

"You two sure are hard-headed." Zima added.

"Who's hard-headed," Hino asked jumping into the conversation. 

"None of your business," Ren hissed at him and walked up faster away from Zima and Hino.