"I had to count everyone in this house twice," Ken boasted proudly. He popped his collar with his free hand. "I used advanced shadow clone jutsu math just to make sure I did not miss a single person. I counted Naomi. I counted Laxmi. I counted Ira, Sayma, Risa, and Luna. And I absolutely counted you. If I forgot you, I would be in massive financial debt to the Vice-Captain. I would have to wash dishes for a year to pay it off."
Ken held the chocolate ice cream cone a little closer to her. He smiled his big, goofy, entirely warm smile.
"I definitely remembered you, Zinia," Ken promised casually. "You are way too important to forget. Now, please take this cone before it melts all over my hand. Sticky fingers are the absolute worst."
Zinia looked at the chocolate ice cream. She looked at Ken's goofy grin.
She saw right through his ridiculous joke. She knew Sayma did not care about the ice cream budget. She knew Ken did not actually use shadow clone math. He just used the silly story to make her laugh. He used his lazy persona to hide a gesture of incredible, profound kindness.
He counted her. He saw her. She was not invisible to him.
A massive, overwhelming wave of pure warmth flooded Zinia's chest. The cold, heavy isolation completely melted away. The old, painful memories vanished entirely into thin air. She felt truly, genuinely seen for the very first time in her entire life.
Zinia reached out with her strong, calloused hands. Her fingers trembled just a tiny bit. She gently took the large chocolate ice cream cone from his grasp.
She looked down at the sweet dessert. She looked back up at the messy, untucked boy in the navy blue suit. A massive, incredibly bright, totally genuine smile spread all the way across her tough face. Her eyes shined with absolute, undeniable gratitude.
"Thank you, Ken," Zinia said softly. Her deep voice was full of immense appreciation.
"You are welcome," Ken yawned loudly. He stretched his arms high above his head. His back popped quietly. "Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go sit on the sofa before my legs completely fall off. Carrying that cooler box burned a ridiculous amount of calories."
Ken spun around. He shuffled down the hallway. He dragged his shoes on the floorboards. Scuff. Scuff. Scuff. He walked into the living room to find a comfortable spot to rest.
Zinia stood in the quiet hallway. She took a bite of the chocolate ice cream. It was incredibly cold and perfectly sweet. It was the absolute best thing she had ever tasted. She smiled a happy smile. The strong earth mage finally knew she was an irreplaceable, unforgettable part of the 13th Unit family.
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The magical television screen glowed very brightly in the center of the living room. The screen displayed a massive news broadcast. The usual cheerful morning cartoons were completely gone. The news anchors looked incredibly serious.
Bob the anchor wore a plain black suit. He did not smile. He held a stack of papers. His hands shook slightly. Sarah the anchor sat next to him. She wore a dark gray blazer. She looked very pale.
"Citizens of the Belmontia Empire," Bob announced loudly. His voice echoed from the television speakers. "We have a massive update regarding the Solurious incident. The destruction of the Bluemoon Kingdom has shocked the entire world. The global community is demanding answers."
Sarah looked directly into the camera lens. "The Emperor has taken immediate action. He has officially called for a massive international summit. The greatest leaders from across the entire continent are traveling to our capital city right now."
Ken Eliot lay flat on the large, comfortable sofa.
He wore his usual navy blue suit pants. His white dress shirt hung completely untucked over his belt. He did not wear a tie. His black hair stuck out in wild, messy spikes. He slouched his shoulders deep into the soft cushions. He looked perfectly relaxed.
He held a giant bag of sour cream and onion potato chips on his stomach. He reached his right hand into the bag. He pulled out a large, salty chip. He tossed the chip high into the air. He opened his mouth. He caught the chip perfectly on his tongue.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
He chewed the chip loudly. He let out a long, dramatic yawn.
"This is incredibly disappointing," Ken complained lazily. He pointed a finger at the television screen. "The news is ruining my morning schedule. The main character of my favorite anime was just about to use his ultimate attack. He charged his energy beam for three entire episodes. It was a massive cliffhanger. Now I have to watch boring politicians."
Naomi sat on the sofa right next to him. She wore comfortable gray sweatpants and a simple black shirt. Her bright red hair was tied back in a neat ponytail.
She did not scowl at him. She did not yell at him for his untucked shirt. Her attitude toward him had changed completely over the last few weeks. She smiled a very warm, fond smile. She leaned closer and playfully bumped her shoulder against his arm.
"Stop complaining, Ken," Naomi teased softly. Her green eyes sparkled with genuine affection. "This is a very important news broadcast. The whole world is reacting to the explosion. We need to pay attention."
Naomi reached her hand out. She dipped her fingers into his bag of potato chips. She pulled out a chip. She popped it into her mouth. She chewed it happily.
Ken gave her a goofy, lazy grin. "You are stealing my brain fuel, Naomi. These chips are vital for my survival. They provide my highly advanced tactical genius. I need them to endure this boring political update."
"You have plenty of chips," Naomi chuckled warmly. She patted his knee gently. "Share with your vanguard leader."
The rest of the 13th Unit gathered around the cozy living room. The atmosphere was very focused. They all watched the television closely.
Sayma sat at the long wooden dining table. The intelligent Vice-Captain pushed her thick glasses up the bridge of her nose. She held a neat notebook. She clicked her pen. She wrote down the information from the broadcast.
"An international summit is a massive event," Sayma stated politely. She looked at her notes. "The Emperor is gathering the most powerful people on the planet. This is a highly significant diplomatic maneuver. He wants to control the global narrative."
Laxmi sat cross-legged on the large rug. The fire user tossed a tiny orange spark of fire between her fingers. The spark danced in the air. She grinned a wild, excited grin.
"I want to go to the summit!" Laxmi cheered loudly. She punched her open palm. "I want to see all the foreign kings. I bet they have huge guards. I want to see if their guards are strong. I am totally ready to punch someone from another country!"
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