There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 186 - 180. The Red of Reminiscence

Chapter 186: Chapter 180. The Red of Reminiscence

"How are we going inside without being recognized?"

Zein peered out of the car window, to the entrance of the movie theater which was packed with people. Some were there to watch movies, but there were also those who were just waiting for someone else, so the crowd would never thin, considering it was a Saturday night.

"You don’t think I’d take you here without any precaution, don’t you?" Bassena grinned. He drove the car to the underground parking lot, and proceed to park the car in a secluded spot that seemed to be reserved for special guests. "We’ll enter from different doors."

Ah, so there really was a way for high-profile people to enjoy mundane things without the fear of attracting attention--Zein thought as he came out of the car. He never went to a movie theater before, obviously, but he knew it would be dark inside, so that was a good place to hide.

He really didn’t want to deal with people right now.

Zein hadn’t been really comfortable meeting with people since he found out the truth about the incident. Pretending to be busy, or looking for something to keep his schedule packed, he had been avoiding interaction with others. But for things that he had been promised to people--lunch meetings, guiding--he couldn’t help but fulfill them.

Including this ’date’.

"Hey,"

A hand grabbed his shoulder and Zein flinched. Not much, but enough for an esper’s eyes to notice. There were two seconds of pause before the esper smiled, pretending that nothing happened.

Just how he had been these past few days.

"Let’s go?" Bassena said casually, pointing to a rather inconspicuous door with a guard waiting on the outside. The guard let them in and guided them to their designated theater.

Zein, who felt quite guilty for the awkward silence between them, managed to ask when he could see another door at the end of the hall. "What kind of movie is it?"

"Hmm...I don’t know," Bassena shrugged. When Zein gave him an unamused look, he added with a soft laugh. "I have no idea. Reina bought the ticket for us, and I only knew it was romance something. She said it’s a premier too, so she also has no idea what the full story is."

"Romance, really?" Zein raised his brow.

"Fitting isn’t, it?" Bassena grinned.

"For?"

"A date," the esper laughed for the last time, since they had arrived at the theater’s back door.

Zein would have scoffed and laughed if he was his usual self. But he wasn’t really in that vibe, although he managed to force out a chuckle. And then they had to be silent because the movie was about to play. It was also probably why Zein went through with this date even though his head was such a mess right now--because they didn’t have to talk and face each other for two hours or however long this movie would be.

The attendant, who was clearly almost hyperventilating despite managing to keep her professionalism, lead them to their seat. It was a private viewing box with a velvet couch enough for two, and a small table already filled with refreshments. The box was separated from the general seat with a railing--so much for experiencing mundane stuff--but it helped for keeping things private.

"Oh, we’re on time," Bassena whispered as they took a seat, as the opening logo of the movie’s production house appeared on the screen.

Zein had to admit though, as much as he hesitated going out today, the moment the movie was playing, he was absorbed. Not necessarily because of the story, which seemed to be following a plot of romance between an esper and a guide.

Ah...was that why Reina recommended this movie? Once they understood the plot, they glanced at each other and Zein actually let out a genuine, subdued chuckle. Of course, the story was nowhere near what happened between them, but they got the message.

After his own laughter had died, however, a sigh involuntarily came out. Zein leaned back on the couch and propped his head on the armrest. The massage wasn’t for Bassena, but for him; because it was him that had put a line on their relationship.

Well...who knows, perhaps watching the movie would shed some light on his muddle-up head.

What got him absorbed was the experience, and then...memories. Zein had never watched movies on a big screen like this. Movies, like any other luxury, could only be enjoyed by the elite member of the red-zone. He recalled a viewing room in Umbra’s headquarters, and if someone like him would like to watch a movie or something, they had to pay. Zein barely had enough money to eat, so there was no way he would waste it on two hours of motion pictures.

Fortunately, Scarlet Moon was one of the ’privileges’ in the red-zone, and they had televisions and other electronics. Sometimes, Alma or Zach would ask him to join them, and sometimes Zein would bring along the twins.

The twins like them so much; movies. It was filled with a beautiful world of bright blue sky and colorful scenery. Zein didn’t like it--he didn’t want to give the twins longing and hope for something that he might never be able to fulfill.

And in the end, he truly couldn’t fulfill it.

He couldn’t help but sigh as he watched the couple on the screen, in the bright world filled with soft colors as the scene was leading to a moment when they would finally confess their feelings for each other after many silly misunderstandings. They were running toward each other, when suddenly, in a dramatic turn of events, the world turned to red.

And Zein froze, hardened eyes watching as the screen was filled with the scream of the civilians. As the sky turned red and the road splattered in blood. A bright red rupture tore the space apart in the distance, corrupted beasts spilled into the ground, vehicles upturned and fire blazing between smoke and miasma.

Zein didn’t remember much, other than he found himself already in the parking lot, panting, shaking, crouching near the exit door. He vaguely heard Bassena saying something, and then he was already in the car. Things seemed like a blur, and only after he emptied two bottles of mineral water that he could breathe normally again.

"I’m sorry," he heard Bassena say. "I’m so sorry, I have no idea. I should have checked for it beforehand, I’m sorry."

Zein threw his head back to let the cool air enter his lung. But it still felt like they were on fire

"Gods--so stupid!" Bassena hissed under his breath. "At this time too..."

Zein wanted to laugh, but he knew he would just choke if he did, so he just kept on breathing.

So he knew, Zein chuckled inwardly. He knew Araka’s dungeon break happened around thistime.

"Let’s just go," Zein said, sounding too much like he was choking. It was worse than the reaction he had when he was looking at his parent’s wedding picture.

Bassena wordlessly nodded and started the car. Only after they were outside, on the road, that he finally asked. "My place is nearer if you want to have a quick rest. Or do you want to just go back to the dorm?"

Zein paused for a while before responding. "Do you have a drink?" he asked, "...of alcohol."

Bassena looked at the guide’s closed eyes and furrowed brows, and then replied hesitatingly. "Yeah, a few."

Bassena didn’t like to drink much, although he enjoyed some really excellent ones--like the mana-infused liquor that Radia let them taste during Shin’s birthday. But he did keep some gifts from his connections in his shelf, along with some light wines.

Honestly, Bassena didn’t like the notion of Zein wanting to deal with his turmoil with alcohol. But he was afraid if he just sent Zein to the dorm, the guide would go and have some drinks in some place he didn’t know. So he rather brought Zein to his place so he could at least watch the guide and made sure Zein drank in moderation. Just enough to calm that distraught mind.

The rest of the journey to the esper’s apartment was filled with silence. Zein didn’t want to talk, and it was a tense territory that Bassena knew he could not invade. Not until the guide wanted to confide by his own volition.

This clearly wasn’t what he envision the night would be. Sure, they ended up heading to his place like Bassena had wanted to since before the movie. But he had planned for a nice dinner and a silly conversation about the movie they had watched.

Not...this.

Bassena had wanted to tell Zein to take a seat as he fetched some drink, but the guide already walked toward his liquor shelf and wine cellar, as if he couldn’t wait for it. Zein stood in front of the self, staring at the label on each bottle.

"Wait a bit," Bassena went ahead and walked toward the section where he put some exquisite drink with ’safe’ alcohol content. He took a bottle that had a dry and sweet aftertaste which he thought Zein would like and turned back to give it to the guide.

But Zein had already grabbed something, wrenched the cap open, and swallowed the content. All sixty percent of alcohol.

There was a few seconds where Bassena was too stunned to move, but when the liquid started to trickle down the guide’s neck, he grabbed the bottle and yanked it off Zein’s hand.

"What the hell, Zein?"

The guide stood there, blinking, as if in a daze, and Bassena’s short yell died down. He immediately put the bottle away and closed the shelf, before grabbing the guide’s face and stroking the slightly flushed cheek.

"Are you alright? Are you dizzy?" he asked worriedly. "How do you fee--"

Before he could speak further, Zein suddenly grabbed his face back and kissed him hard, slamming him to the shelf and making it rattle. The guide pulled away slightly after two confusing seconds and whisper against his lips.

"Hey, let’s fuck."