"Thank you. You are dismissed,"
Zumi said calmly.
Jonathan and Sebastian bowed deeply and left the suite, already pulling out phones and giving quiet, urgent orders as the elevator closed.
Outside, night had settled over the city.
A pale moon hung low.
New York lights shimmered like scattered stars.
Zumi stepped out of the hotel, hands in his pockets, his aura masked so perfectly he felt like a normal man again — just for a moment.
He walked in the direction of home.
But halfway through the quiet streets, nostalgia tugged at him.
There was a diner.
A tiny, cozy family-owned place he'd always passed as a nobody.
They made a special sandwich-burrito he had dreamed about trying for years.
Before the system.
Before Ana.
Before goddesses, power, divinity, and empire.
He'd never had enough money then.
The owners had even offered him a free taste once.
But he refused.
"One day," he told them,
"When I make it big… I'll come back and buy it properly."
Tonight, he finally stepped inside.
Warm lights.
The smell of grilled tortillas.
A family chatting softly behind the counter.
And at one of the booths—
A familiar face.
Emily Hart.
Her soft blonde hair shimmered under the diner lights, her little brother Noah sitting across from her swinging his legs, waiting patiently.
She hadn't ordered yet.
Their eyes met.
Emily froze.
Just like in class.
Her aura flickered—nervous, startled.
Then, once again—
She calmed.
Perfectly.
Effortlessly.
Zumi's expression sharpened for a split second.
She did it again…
He didn't move dramatically.
Just lifted his chin slightly—an invitation.
Come join me.
Emily's breath hitched.
No guy had ever made her feel this pressured and safe at the same time.
Her instinct was to shy away, to politely decline…
…but she sensed no hostility, no strange intentions, no lust, no agenda.
Just presence.
Warm.
Calm.
Controlled.
For the first time in her life…
Emily accepted a man's invitation.
She gently touched Noah's shoulder.
"Let's… sit over there."
Noah blinked.
"Really? He looks cool."
Emily turned bright pink.
She guided him toward Zumi's booth.
Zumi shifted slightly, giving them space.
Emily sat down opposite him.
Noah slid beside her.
Her voice was soft.
Barely audible.
"…hi."
Zumi nodded once, voice deep and smooth.
"Good evening, Emily."
She nearly forgot how to breathe.
Zumi's aura stayed neutral—calm, level, polite.
Not overwhelming her this time.
But he was studying her.
Closely.
Her manner.
Her aura.
Her instinctive spiritual control.
Emily looked at the menu, pretending to read, even though her heart thumped against her ribs.
Noah stared at Zumi openly.
"Are you a superhero?"
Emily nearly died inside.
Zumi smiled faintly.
"No. Just a student."
Emily's eyes widened a bit at his tone — warm, gentle, nothing like the intimidating presence she sensed earlier in class.
He looked at her again.
"You haven't ordered yet?"
She shook her head.
"No… money's tight this week. So we were just… deciding."
She instantly regretted saying it.
She didn't like appearing weak.
Zumi's expression softened — a rare thing.
"You're in luck," he said. "Tonight's my treat."
Emily stiffened.
"No—no, I can't—"
Zumi raised a finger.
"Emily. I insist."
And somehow…
Her resistance melted.
Not because of pressure.
But because his voice carried sincerity — not pity.
Noah beamed.
Emily exhaled, nodding lightly.
"O-okay… thank you."
Zumi nodded.
Then he gestured for the waiter.
"Three sandwich burritos. Extra fillings. And drinks — whatever they want."
The waiter lit up, recognizing Zumi.
"Oh! You finally made it back! Good to see you again!"
Emily blinked, surprised at how warmly he was greeted.
The moment the waiter left—
Emily finally dared speak.
"You… come here often?"
Zumi shook his head.
"No. But I promised myself I'd try this place when I could afford it."
Emily looked down.
"That's… kind of inspiring, actually."
Zumi watched her for a quiet second.
This girl…
This spiritually aware, gentle, humble girl…
Who calmed her aura like a trained cultivator…
Who took care of her brother like a mother…
Who ranked directly under him…
Who had caught his attention without trying…
There was far more to Emily Hart than she knew.
Emily finally gathered the courage to look at him.
His golden eyes met hers—
—and she swallowed hard, cheeks flushing.
For the first time since meeting him…
She wasn't afraid.
She was simply…
curious.
The diner was warm.
Soft yellow lights.
Quiet chatter from the owners in the back.
The smell of grilled tortillas drifting through the air.
Zumi sat relaxed, aura calm and controlled.
Emily sat across from him, hands folded in her lap, doing her best not to make eye contact for too long.
And Noah, bright-eyed and energetic, swung his legs under the table while studying Zumi like he was a character out of a movie.
Their food wasn't ready yet, so Emily gathered her courage first.
"So… you said your name was Zumi, right?"
Her voice was gentle, a little shy, but steady.
"Yes," he replied, tone smooth and warm.
"And… Gia is your… coworker?"
Zumi nodded slightly.
"Gia works closely with me. You could say she's my personal assistant. Secretary. Right hand."
Emily blinked.
"She… follows you everywhere?"
"Yes," Zumi said simply. "Where I go, she goes."
Emily looked down at her hands, contemplating that answer with quiet curiosity.
There was something in the way he said it — respectful, fond, but not possessive.
"And you?" Zumi asked softly. "Tell me about yourself."
Emily hesitated… then spoke honestly.
"Well… I'm Emily Hart. This is my little brother, Noah."
Noah lifted a hand.
"Hi!"
Zumi nodded respectfully to him.
Noah grinned like Zumi had just knighted him.
Emily continued, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"I'm… finishing my high school education now. I've been taking placement exams and working part-time. I'm a barista at a café near our apartment. I like astronomy. Books. Quiet places."
She paused.
"And I take care of Noah. It's just us."
Zumi listened intently — actually listened.
It made Emily unexpectedly shy.
"No parents?" he asked gently, not prying, just understanding.
Emily shook her head.
"My mom left years ago. My dad passed. I've been raising Noah since I was sixteen."
Zumi's gaze shifted, becoming more respectful.
Not pitiful — respectful.
"You're strong," he said.
Emily's heart almost stopped.
Strong?
No one had ever called her that before.
Most people said she looked fragile.
Pretty.
Quiet.
Soft.
But strong?
Her eyes softened, and her voice became almost a whisper.
"…thank you."
Noah chimed in proudly.
"Emily's the strongest person ever! She does everything."
Zumi smiled faintly at that.
He looked at Emily again.
"And what about school today?" he asked. "Did you like your classes?"
Emily thought for a moment.
"I did… actually. Even though I was nervous. Serafina's class is interesting."
Then her face grew a little pink.
"And I noticed you and Gia left very quickly afterward…"
Zumi nodded.
"We had another class to get to."
Emily tilted her head.
"But you're… close, right? You and Gia?"
Zumi didn't hesitate.
"Yes. Very."
Emily swallowed.
There it was again—
that gentle ache in her chest she didn't understand.
Before she could think too deeply about it, she asked another question.
"You said you work with companies? You're… involved in business?"
Zumi nodded calmly.
"I have investments. In multiple industries. It keeps me busy."
Technically, at this exact moment, everything he had was in transition.
But soon?
He would be the shadow ruler of New York's economy.
Emily didn't know that… but she sensed something.
"You must be doing really well," she said softly.
Zumi met her eyes.
"I'm comfortable. And I worked hard for it."
Emily smiled — truly smiled — a warm, soft smile he hadn't seen from her in class.
"That's good," she said. "You seem like someone who deserves good things."
Zumi paused.
No one… had said something like that to him in a long time.
Not as a human.
Not as Zumi.
His aura flickered with something subtle — not power, but emotion.
Emily felt it.
Her breath caught.
Noah broke the silence.
"Emily, can I get chocolate milk?"
Emily laughed softly, relieved at the interruption.
"After we eat."
Zumi chuckled under his breath.
The waiter approached with a tray of food.
The conversation shifted into something gentle and natural—
three people sharing a table, each of them unknowingly stepping deeper into each other's lives.
And as Emily spoke…
Zumi kept watching her aura.
Calm.
Bright.
Balanced.
And completely unaware of how unusual she truly was.
The food arrived steaming and fragrant:
• Emily's burrito-sandwich with crisp edges
• Noah's mini-plate
• Zumi's long-awaited order
But Zumi didn't touch his.
He waited.
Emily lifted her food slowly, took one quiet bite—
Only then did Zumi begin eating as well.
Emily blinked at the gesture.
Polite. Gentle. Respectful.
No guy had ever done something like that for her.
They ate together in a comfortable silence.
Warm. Peaceful.
The kind of silence that doesn't demand anything.
And when their plates were empty…
The real conversation began.
Emily rested her hands lightly around her drink, eyes softening.
"I've never really talked to anyone about myself," she admitted. "Not like this."
Zumi nodded, inviting her to continue.
She took a breath.
"I guess I'm just… tired sometimes. Responsible for everything. Noah. Bills. School. Work."
Her voice dipped slightly.
"And even though I'm surrounded by people every day… I feel lonely a lot."
Zumi didn't interrupt.
He listened — genuinely, fully.
Emily continued, quietly:
"I want to finish school… maybe get a scholarship. I want Noah to have a real childhood. And I just—"
She hesitated.
"I want someone to actually… see me. Not just the way I look."
Noah glanced up, already eating dessert with a grin.
"Emily's the best big sister ever."
Zumi smiled faintly.
"You're doing more than most adults ever could."
Her cheeks warmed.
Emily looked at him gently.
"What about you? What's… your story?"
Zumi leaned back slightly, expression sharpening — not cold, but honest.
He rarely spoke of this.
Almost never.
But something about Emily… invited truth.
"My life wasn't peaceful like yours," he began. "I grew up in the slums of New York City."
Emily stiffened slightly.
Her eyes widened.
Zumi continued:
"It was dangerous. Violent. Every day was a question of survival. Gangs controlled everything. You didn't know if waking up the next morning was guaranteed, because most of us weren't sure we'd make it through the night."
His tone wasn't bitter.
Just real.
Emily held her breath.
"No one had real homes there," Zumi said quietly. "People lived in basements, attics, broken buildings. My earliest memory… was an orphanage. I don't remember my parents. I don't know their faces."
Emily's chest tightened.
"One day," Zumi said, voice low, "I knew I had to leave. But leaving the slums is almost impossible. People try. Most don't make it out alive."
Her eyes shimmered.
"But someone saved my life," Zumi said softly. "A woman. A gang commander, of all things. She always had a kind heart… and on the day I tried to escape, she stepped in. Protected me. Risked everything."
Emily whispered:
"Did… you ever see her again?"
Zumi nodded, a small smile forming.
"Recently. Fate brought us back together. If not for her, I wouldn't be sitting here right now."
Emily swallowed hard.
Noah leaned forward, completely captivated.
"Whoa…" he said. "That sounds like something out of a comic book. Like a hero origin story!"
Emily laughed softly at her brother's sincerity.
Zumi chuckled too.
"Maybe," Zumi said, smirking. "Maybe I'm something similar to them."
But there was a subtle weight in his tone.
A seriousness hidden under the teasing.
Like he was saying:
If only you knew how close that comparison really is…
Emily shivered, sensing something she couldn't explain.
Not danger.
Not intimidation.
Something else.
A quiet power beneath every word he spoke.
A truth she wasn't ready to understand yet.
Emily gazed at him with a different expression now —
not awe, not fear…
Respect.
And connection.
"You're amazing…" she whispered without meaning to.
Zumi shook his head lightly.
"No. I just survived."
"But surviving that," Emily said softly, "isn't something everyone can do."
Zumi held her gaze.
For a brief moment, the world outside the diner seemed very far away.
No Mafia.
No gods.
No power.
Just two people who had lived very different lives.
Meeting in the middle of a tiny diner, sharing truths they told almost no one.
Noah sipped his chocolate milk loudly.
"Emily?" he asked. "Can we eat here again tomorrow?"
Emily laughed.
Zumi smiled.
And something unseen — something spiritual — drifted quietly around Emily…
A calm pulse in her aura.
Zumi felt it immediately.
There it is again.
He didn't speak the thought aloud.
But Celestia whispered faintly in the back of his mind:
[Celestia]: Her spirit… is moving. She is not what she appears.
Zumi kept his expression gentle so Emily wouldn't sense his shift.
But inside?
He knew.
Emily Hart
was becoming more mysterious
with every passing moment.
The little diner door chimed softly as two figures emerged from the kitchen —
an elderly couple, holding hands.
They had aged, yes… but their eyes still carried warmth, wisdom, and the familiar spark Zumi remembered.
The moment Zumi saw them, he immediately stood up from the table.
Not casually.
Not lazily.
He bowed — deeply, respectfully.
"Grandpa Lee. Grandma Mei," he greeted.
"It's been far too long."
Emily's breath caught.
He bowed to them…?
A man who carried such power… lowering himself so humbly?
Her heart softened.
The elderly couple's faces lit up with recognition.
"Ah, Zumi! Look at you!" Grandma Mei said, cupping her hands together excitedly.
"You've grown so tall—and so handsome!"
Grandpa Lee chuckled.
"We heard from the boy that you were back. Couldn't miss the chance to say hello."
Zumi smiled — not the cold, confident smile he used with enemies…
but something warm. Soft.
A smile only meant for people he respected.
Emily stared — enchanted by the gentle contrast.
To her, Zumi looked like a fierce giant bowing before two fragile elders…
yet treating them like they were made of gold.
He radiated strength.
But also kindness.
That duality shook her heart.
Grandpa Lee clapped Zumi on the shoulder lightly.
"So, how was it?" he asked with a grin.
"You finally had the sandwich you always talked about, eh? After all these years of refusing a free one?"
Zumi chuckled softly — a rare sound full of nostalgia.
"It was absolutely divine," he said sincerely.
"I'm glad I waited… and I'm glad it was worth it. Thank you, truly."
Grandma Mei's eyes watered a little.
"Good boy… you've always been a good boy," she whispered.
Emily's chest tightened again.
The sight was too pure.
Too real.
A man like him… talking so gently… bowing so respectfully…
She had never seen anything like it.
"We won't keep you," Grandpa Lee said.
"Come by anytime, Zumi. You're always welcome. Always."
Zumi bowed again.
"Thank you. I will."
The older couple smiled lovingly, then walked back inside, hand-in-hand.
Emily watched them leave, stunned by the entire interaction.
"That was…" she whispered, unable to help herself,
"…really beautiful."
Zumi glanced at her, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
"They took care of me in their own way when I was younger," he said.
"They're good people. I owe them respect."
Emily felt a flutter in her chest.
A man who never forgets kindness…
Someone who bows to elders…
Someone who treats people with warmth, regardless of status…
Her admiration deepened without her realizing.
When the bill was settled and plates cleared, Zumi stood.
"It's late," he said calmly.
"This area isn't the safest at night. Allow me to walk you both home."
Emily hesitated — only for a second.
Normally, she never allowed men to accompany her.
But Zumi didn't feel… dangerous.
At least, not dangerous to her.
"…Okay," she finally said softly.
"Thank you."
Noah pumped a fist.
"Let's go, Zumi!"
They stepped out into the night air.
Zumi naturally drifted to Emily's left side, keeping himself closest to the street — an unconscious protective gesture.
Emily walked on his right.
Noah walked between them, humming happily.
It looked almost like a small family walking together under the moon.
The quiet hum of the city filled the background.
Streetlights reflected in puddles from an earlier rain.
The night was cool, crisp, peaceful.
Emily glanced at Zumi — once, then away.
Once more, then away again.
Her heart raced softly in her chest.
Zumi didn't say anything… but he noticed.
And for the first time…
Emily realized that walking beside him felt safe.
Safer than she'd felt in a very long time.