Look Me in the Eyes (and tell me that it's me) [Zhongchili]

Chapter 8 - Defender of Childhood Dreams

A past life...

Is it possible that he had a past life?

If he did, then what does that mean for him now? What does that mean for him and Zhongli?

What does that imply about Zhongli?

"Ajax!"

Under the desk, Yoimiya's heel connects with his shin and he lets out a yelp. "Ow! What was that for?"

"Oops, sorry! But we were in the middle of our conversation and then you just kind of...zoned out. Something on your mind?"

Ajax stares down at the page where his pen nib is slowly boring a hole through his paper. "Yeah, just thinking about the weekend still. Hard to get a day like that off your mind."

It's not a lie. He is thinking about what happened at the weekend, technically, and the rest of the week since.

Yoimiya giggles. "Honestly, after the past few years, I didn't have you down for the romantic type. I'm happy for you."

"I can be very romantic, I'll have you know!"

"I see that now, silly. You should introduce me to your man sometime and we could all hang out together—it'd be fun!"

Yoimiya and Zhongli meeting. Now that'd be a treat.

Ajax nods. "Sounds like a plan. Once exams are over, we'll all catch up. Me, you, and Zhongli. If you get a job in the city close enough to us, we can all meet up after work whenever we want."

"Sure, of course we can." Yoimiya tightens her grip around her pen and she looks away, suddenly distracted by a painting on the far wall.

As paintings go, Ajax has seen far more interesting pieces—not that that's difficult when the artwork itself is a plain blue canvas ("modern art" is quite the conundrum)—and the air shifts, a curtain of gloom hanging between them.

"Hey." He nudges her with his elbow. "You good?"

"Huh?" Yoimiya blinks, as though waking from a long nap, then smiles as she always does. "Oh, me? I'm fine, don't you worry! I guess we're both a bit distracted today. How about we call it a day, go and grab a coffee, then head home early?"

Ajax checks the time. Quarter past two. Not quite a full day's study, but close enough. School will be out soon, and Teucer won't say no to some extra time playing "Big Bad Geovishaps" together if he heads back now.

"All right. Let's do it."

They grab their coffee to-go, drinking and chatting as they walk back to the corner where their paths diverge. Then, as always, they part ways, wishing each other a good evening and heading home.

By the time Ajax reaches his neighbourhood, school is very much out. Lines of teenagers fill the streets in groups of three to four, claiming the pavement as their own, spreading out with a youthful level of regard for anyone else attempting to use it. Groups of students bump against him, their whoops and shrieks piercing straight through his skull, a jumbled cacophony of voices, each impossible to distinguish from another.

His height carving him a natural pathway, Ajax weaves his way through the youngsters, but as he approaches the alleyway where he found the two students the month before, he slows. He strains his ears, listening out for any sound coming from within, but there's nothing distinguishable apart from the high pitched squeal of a schoolgirl laughing behind him.

Good. He can't be dealing with this anyway. He has more important things to be doing, like conducting the Great Geovishap Kitchen Invasion with Teucer. Very important business.