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Kenji was genuinely surprised to find that his relationship with Zhu Yuan had deepened so rapidly on a personal level. Was it trust, or something else entirely? Her willingness to vent about everyday family problems meant he was no longer an outsider. At the very least, he'd moved from the "colleague" circle to the "inner confidant" circle. This progress delighted him. He never would have thought that the Rider System, usually reserved for fighting for his life, could be used for social engineering.
If I could pull 02 from a blind box every day, Kenji thought, I'd be married with a mortgage before the end of the year.
His wild thoughts carried him through the rest of the shift. When there were no Hollow missions, the Special Task Force was remarkably idle. Aside from accompanying Zhu Yuan to the occasional briefing, there was basically nothing to do. The PSB leadership knew that when the STF did work, they were literally risking their souls in the void, so they didn't push unnecessary paperwork on them.
The Security Bureau's tradition of "no overtime" was a thing of beauty. As soon as the clock hit five, the building emptied at an astonishing speed. From clock-out to total desertion, it took less than three minutes; they were practically an Olympic retreat team.
Kenji wasn't in a hurry. He usually sat in the reception area, waiting for the swarm to clear before heading out. Zhu Yuan also avoided overtime unless it was a crisis, but she was always the last one to leave the office, maintaining her image as a diligent leader.
'Ding-a-ling~'
The familiar ringtone echoed through the hall. Kenji looked over at Zhu Yuan as she answered the call. Her expression shifted—a rare look of troubled frustration that he almost never saw on the face of the STF ace.
"Captain? What happened?"
"Sigh... I mentioned my dad sprained his ankle, right? Well, it turns out all the furniture he ordered online arrived today. They're all massive items." She looked at her phone, exasperated. "My mom wants me to find someone to help move them upstairs. Where am I going to find a laborer at this hour?"
"I mean, you yourself could probably—"
Kenji wanted to point out that Zhu Yuan was stronger than him. With her combat-honed physique and stable lower body, moving a few sofas would be child's play for her. But in that moment, he had a localized hallucination: a translucent, neon-green shadow of Zero-Two flashed before his eyes and delivered a metaphysical slap to his face.
"One person definitely can't do it alone," Kenji corrected himself instantly, rubbing his eyes. He wondered if transforming so often was finally giving him brain damage. "Do you need a strong, young man to assist?"
"Pfft! You're certainly strong and young," Zhu Yuan laughed, her serious expression breaking. She didn't refuse immediately; instead, she showed a flicker of concern. "But it's after work. Don't you want to go home?"
"I'm happy to help the Captain. Besides, you helped me with my training today. Consider this my way of paying you back," Kenji said.
"Hmm... okay, I accept. But I won't let you work for nothing. I'm heading back to make dinner tonight anyway, so you're joining us. Otherwise, it would be too awkward."
Kenji was stunned for a second. He hadn't expected the "payoff" to be a home-cooked meal at the Captain's house. It was a perfectly ordinary Tuesday, yet 02 Dad had made it extraordinary. I'm definitely burning incense for that belt when I get home, he thought.
"You didn't drive today?" Zhu Yuan asked as they reached the parking lot and his motorcycle was nowhere to be seen.
"I... took the morning run approach," Kenji said without blinking. He had run there—just at a speed that would have made him the New Eridu Flash if he'd been caught on camera.
"Then I'll drive you back to Sixth Street after dinner," Zhu Yuan smiled. It was a perfect coincidence. He didn't have to follow her car; he could just sit in her passenger seat.
As they pulled out of the lot, Kenji realized the gravity of the situation. This was a "meeting the parents" scenario. His heart began to pound like a drum. He had never even considered this possibility.
"Are you carsick? You look pale," Zhu Yuan noted, glancing at his suddenly rigid posture. He looked like he was prepping for a drop into a Great Hollow.
"No, I'm just... thinking about meeting your parents. It's my first time visiting a friend's home. Should I have bought a gift? Is there a 24-hour fruit stand nearby?"
"Relax, Kenji. My parents aren't Ethereals; they're just an ordinary middle-aged couple. You don't get nervous facing a Durahan, so why are you afraid of my dad?"
Zhu Yuan burst into laughter, but hearing him admit his lack of experience with "home visits" made her feel a bit sorry for him. He seemed like a man who had been solitary since childhood, yet his social skills were surprisingly decent.
They drove into an older residential neighborhood. The buildings here were modest, rarely exceeding five stories—dwarfs compared to the neon skyscrapers of the commercial districts. Zhu Yuan parked the car, and Kenji immediately spotted a woman standing downstairs.
He recognized her instantly: Aunt Zhu. She had light orange hair and, despite the passage of time, her youthful beauty was evident. Zhu Yuan had clearly inherited her looks from her mother, right down to the orange tint. Following the logic, Kenji inferred that the father must have black hair.
"Zhu Yuan, you're back! Hurry up and help me move these," Aunt Zhu called out, waving. Beside her was a mountain of packages—flat-packed furniture, heavy flower pots, and various household supplies.
"Mom!" Zhu Yuan called back, stepping out of the car. She moved to introduce Kenji, but her mother was in "logistics mode."
"Don't dawdle! These have been sitting on the sidewalk for an hour..." Aunt Zhu urged, but then she paused, noticing the extra person emerging from the car. Given that he was wearing a PSB uniform that matched her daughter's, he was clearly more than a bystander.
"Oh? Who is this young man?"
"This is my colleague, Kenji. You asked me to find a man to help, right? Well, here he is," Zhu Yuan said, patting Kenji's shoulder with a look of "mission accomplished."
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