Falling for them (love and deepspace X OC )

Countdown

There are less than 36 hours remaining until the press conference for The Fountain of Atei.Before returning to the sanatorium to stop it, Zayne and I quickly come up with a plan.I need to approach Ms. Karin again to figure out a surefire way.Meanwhile, Zayne, who already has connected with the core researchers, will cover for me.
Whether it's diseases, Wanderers, or the Alterum...They all stem from humanity's instinctive fear of things beyond their control.
The deeper this fear takes root, the more likely people are to mistake absurdity for miracles.And when EVER appears as a savior, they will a congregation of devoted followers.

"Zayne, the energy source I detected wasn't my imagination.I'm still not confident in utilizing the Spatium Core, but another visit might  help us discover something new."

"All right."Zayne nods. I was prepared for a lecture about not abusing my power, but he says nothing.

"Here. Put it on."To ensure the mission runs smoothly, l've borrowed cutting-edge equipment from the Association.The state-of-the-art invisible earpiece, modified by engineering prodigy Simone, is now no bigger than a grain of rice.I also have a small energy firearm. It's capable of bypassing most detection systems currently in use.I place the earpiece in my ear and gesture for him to come closer. Zayne obliges and leans down. "One cough to turn the mic on, two coughs to turn it off, and tap to adjust the volume."

"Thank you."

"I'm not sure why you're being so polite, but..."

As soon as the comms channel opens, deafening audio feedback blasts my eardrums. I clutch my ears in pain.I stagger back. And just before Shiqi's mischievous attempt to trip me succeeds, Zayne catches me by the waist.He can't help but laugh. This is the first time in days that l've seen genuine joy in Zayne's expression.

"You-"

I frantically clamp my hand over his mouth. "Wait until I adjust the volume before you speak!"I can feel his smile widening beneath my fingers as l use my other hand to adjust the earpiece. "Sound check. Zayne, say something."

"You've never asked about the reason... for why I picked that as my research topic back in medical school."He remains close to me, his breath warm against my ear. It's almost like I can hear his heartbeat.

"The path of medicine is a noble pursuit.Dr. Zayne, you strive for academic excellence. You also want to find a meaningful purpose in life."

"It's a good guess."

"Back then, when you decided to destroy what could've been a world-changing discovery, you didn't hesitate?"

"Correct."It's the kind of honor most people would cherish for a lifetime, yet he seems genuinely unbothered by it. Zayne must have chosen to stop the experiment because he foresaw the consequences of its potential misuse. "I had considered including your name in the acknowledgments of my paper

I nod as I secure my firearm to the holster strapped to my thigh. Then I double-check my equipment."You only thought about it? You didn't actually do it?"

"It wouldn't have been right for our names to appear on the same piece of paper without your permission."

Before I can process the meaning behind his words, a rustling sound suddenly comes from the window.A piece of bean-shaped ruby chocolate falls.Clattering, it rolls to my feet.I look up to see that the last pack of chocolate snacks from the cabinet has been taken down and torn open on the floor.Shiqi lifts his face from the snack
package-which is bigger than his head-and licks the chocolate residue off his nose.

"Wait, what did you eat?"My body moves before my mind can catch up. I quickly pick up Shiqi and check the empty package. "You ate all the chocolate? You... Animals aren't supposed to eat that!"