ZARIA

Chapter 1

Kei

Kei yawned, scratching his head as he sat up in bed, groaning once his eyes fell on the clock on the bedside table to see that it was already half past 10.

Kei fell back into the pillows, running a hand across his face as sighed; he was late for work again, but still, Kei couldn't find it in himself to care much.

He dragged his body out of the bed, quickly pulling on the suit Betty had left for him the previous evening before he stepped out of the room and went downstairs.

As soon as he reached the ground floor, he was met with shouts of anger and exasperation coming from the living room, making him roll his eyes.

Here we go again.

"Mr. Daigo! Mr. Daigo, I cannot take this anymore!" a blond, middle-aged woman exclaimed as she rushed over, her face red, cheeks puffy, and eyes wide in anger.

"He is impossible! I'm sorry, but I resign!"

"Let's not be too hasty. Why don't you join me in my office? We can sit and talk about this." Kei said, trying to calm the woman down, though he already knew it was pointless. Even if he made her stay today, she would quit tomorrow or the day after, as they all eventually did.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Daigo, but I've had enough. I'm an educated woman with a degree in child development and care, who is used to dealing with naughty children, but that, that over there is not a child!" she exclaimed, pointing her finger toward the living room, "He's an antichrist!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, his face turned thunderous, the polite, though slightly forced smile that was up until that point firmly planted on lips slipping away, in its place an angry frown. His eyes pierced her; his bushy brows hooded as he stepped closer, making her step back.

"Yes, I think you're right. That is quite enough."

"I... I didn't..." she stuttered before thinking better of it, smartly shutting her mouth and looking away.

"I will have your check ready in a moment. Excuse me." Kei said shortly before turning around and leaving her to stand there alone.

He started walking toward his office, but at the last moment, changed his mind and took a detour towards the living room.  

As soon as he stepped in, his eyes fell on the small figure sitting on the floor beside a coffee table.

The boy was leaning against the foot of the sofa, his knees bent, holding up a book he was avidly reading. Kei was sure the boy would be done with it by tomorrow, and another book would be in its place, ready to be devoured.

His son was barely four when it became obvious that he was different than other kids his age, although Kei had suspected it long before.

Ren was one year old when he started talking; by age two, he could make conversation like an adult, and by the time he hit four, he was already reading and writing.

By age five, he could do first-grade math, and now, at the age of 10, he was already in middle school, soon to finish the 8th grade, meaning that he would be starting high school just in time for his eleventh birthday.

A child genius, people called him. He was a brilliant, once-in-a-generation mind, but to Kei, he was just Ren, his son, his little boy.

"Is she gone?" Ren asked, not taking his eyes off the book.

"Yup."

A small smile crossed his son's face at the words so quickly that if you had blinked, you'd miss it before his face smoothed over, making Kei sigh while shaking his head in exasperation.