There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Chapter 38. Where Something’s Changed

"Hey, Anise," Han Shin pulled on the researcher's sleeve. He lowered his voice to a whisper as his eyes squinted at the view a few meters in front of them. "Something's happened isn't it?"

"Something...like what, Sir?"

"I don't know. I mean, look at them..." he twisted his lips, fingers stroking his chin like an avid observer. "They're getting chummier every day,"

Anise followed Han Shin's gaze, although she already knew what the healer talked about. The object of their conversation, once again, seemed to be in their own world. Even inside the camp, they tended to sit a little further away from the others, and then absorbed in conversation that involved no one but themselves.

Even while they were still walking along the ruin, they'd converse with each other, a lot. And touchy. So touchy that Han Shin could no longer just ignore it.

"But, Sir, I thought we all already knew that Sir Vaski is pursuing Mister Zen?" Anise tilted her head. Honestly, she didn't think she was a very good partner for this kind of conversation, since she had no interest in the romantic or sexual aspects of a human relationship.

But she still at least understood that Bassena Vaski was openly insinuating his interest in the beautiful guide, and had been persistent in making his advances.

"I know that," Han Shin scoffed. "He's so forward it was starting to look pathetic before."

"Before?"

Han Shin crossed his arms and twisted his lips. "It's one thing for Bas to chase Zein and flirt his way, but..." he narrowed his eyes as Bassena unwrapped something that looked like candy and wiggled it in front of their guide.

If it was a week ago, Zein would either ignore the esper or just snatch the candy with a deadpan expression, and Han Shin would have a field day teasing Bassena about it. But now—now Han Shin witnessed Zein roll his eyes but opened his mouth without hesitation, and Bassena put the candy in the guide's mouth with a soft smile that made Han Shin have goosebumps.

It was worse than a horror movie.

"Our guide seems to be too accommodating after we enter this ruin..." he mumbled in suspicion.

The two of them had vanished together for a while, only to come back later; a bit disheveled and suspicious. Although, he supposed it was because Zein was just dropping into another hole. The group proceed to descend into the ruin through the tower ruin, and they managed to navigate the underground cityscape that felt like a labyrinth.

Since Han Shin inherently never needed to fight, he had a lot of time and leeway to make observations. Like how Bassena was in a totally good mood throughout. He was so affable, so full of little smiles, and even thanked Balduz for the drink and little snack they consumed during the exploration.

He was practically beaming, looking like the Bassena Vaski in those advertisements that fooled and charmed poor civilians and disillusioned people into thinking that he was some kind of prince charming. Only, this time, it was genuine. It was even more so when they reached a certain point where the labyrinth's perplexity was no longer manageable and the beast started using illusion to confuse them, and they had to finally rely on Zein's instinct and had him walking in the front, with Bassena. The man was practically wearing his smile all the time.

"What do you mean 'our' guide, Sir Han?" Han Shin almost jumped out when the scout sneakily whispered from behind. "Zen is still the Unit's guide."

"Ah, geez, don't surprise me like that!" Han Shin patted his chest, shooting his nerves. "And he's our guide as long as the contract said so," he added with a pout.

He was about to sulk, but when he looked at Ron, it suddenly occurred to him that the scout was the one who spent the most time with Zein and thus, would probably know him the most. So he swallowed his annoyance and pulled Ron closer, so the three of them seemed to huddle together in some conspirational talk.

"Anyway, Ron, what do you think about them?" he whispered, again, like some kind of gossip girl.

Ron almost couldn't hold his laugh, glancing at the young man who was more than a decade younger than him, before focusing his eyes on their topic of conversation. "What kind of thought do you want me to divulge?"

"Hmm..." Han Shin rubbed his chin again in contemplation. "Bas being clingy and flirty is weird enough," he knew that Bassena was in the business of making himself look cool and charming for the general public, but none of it involved being flirty and clingy, because that wasn't cool nor charming at all. "But I guess it's because he's the one who gets interested and does the courting."

"Understandable," Ron smirked. He also knew that behind the cool and charming act, Bassena Vaski was ruthless and borderline arrogant. The fact that his skill owned up to that arrogance made people hate him more. And he responded to that hatred by putting them down even more. And the circle continued.

And within that repertoire of reputation, none of it would describe Bassena Vaski as a clingy lover who spoke gentle words and smiled like a love-stricken gentleman.

But then again, he did try to win Zein's over. Ron had thought it was a ruse to get Zein to come to Trinity at first, and that was why he was so adamant about reminding Zein of the borderline's contract.

But after a week of observation, he could tell that Bassena was quite genuine. And it was clear that the two had some kind of history before—and he thought he might know what it was.

Han Shin looked at the scout, and leaned closer while glancing at the esper-guide pair at the edge of the camp. "Right, I can understand Bas at least. But what about Zein? Was he always that accommodating to people who flirt with him?"

Ron suddenly burst out laughing. "Zen? Accommodating?" he grinned while shaking his head. "Sir Han, do you know why Zen always wears his mask?"

"Huh? Isn't it because the air is harsh for non-esper?" Han Shin tilted his head.

"That's one of the reasons," Ron nodded, "but he also wears them inside the building, even while he's sleeping. Even during this expedition, at the start, he always wore his mask, right? Even inside the artificial safe zone."

"Oh, right!" Han Shin clapped his hand. "But I thought he was just being wary since the device was still experimental. So there's some kind of special reason?"

Ron smiled, but his eyes looked rather cold, like there was a hidden fury brewing beneath his regular calmness. "It's because he's pretty."

"...huh?"

"He's so pretty that there's always people who harbored malicious thoughts toward him. Espers bothered him enough just by getting his guiding, and with a face like that, he's just become a sure target for sexual harassment and assault."

Han Shin and Anise blinked in surprise. Both of them were a member of respected society in the safest settlement zone. There was an era where guides were treated dishonorably, like tools, but it had been long since laws were erected to protect their rights. In the minds of those two, such barbaric action was unthinkable. Of course, even places like green-zones had their share of mud, but these two sheltered citizens wouldn't know a thing about it.