“What happened?” Doha asked, running to Zeno’s unit with Eli.
“Oh, it’s just Maxie,” he said when he saw the source of Zeno’s demise.
Zeno was on the bed, standing on the very corner as the brown creature continued barking at him. However, with Eli’s arrival, the creature started wagging its tail and sticking out its tongue.
Doha and Minji cooed at it, too, and it seemed to be enjoying the attention.
“Remove it,” Zeno said, causing the three to look at him.
“It’s a her,” Minji exclaimed. “And she’s Maxie! Your dog.”
“That’s not a damn dog,” Zeno said. “That’s a demon.”
“Hey,” Minji said, cradling the she-demon. “She’s just a little old.”
Zeno narrowed his eyes. “How old exactly?”
“14,” Doha responded.
Zeno shook his head. “Exactly,” he said. “No dog lives that long. It must be a demon.”
Eli clicked his tongue. “Somehow, I already miss the silent Zeno.”
Doha chuckled as he continued petting the creature. “Don’t say that about Maxie. She’s been your dog since we were teens. Although, she really loved you back then. I don’t know why she’s acting hostile now.”
“It must be because she hasn’t seen Zeno in a long time,” Minji chimed.
Zeno cleared his throat. “Well, take her away. I’m going to sleep.”
“She sleeps here,” Doha chuckled. “We’re all heading to bed since tomorrow is Monday, so see you!”
With that, the three of them said their goodbyes to the demon dog and left Zeno all alone.
“Wait!” Zeno exclaimed, but they ignored his call.
When they were gone, Maxie turned to Zeno and began growling once again. Zeno sighed and shook his head.
“Ah, whatever,” he said. “It’s not like I’ll be seeing you for a long time. Enjoy your time with me, demon. I’ll be having a long rest soon.”
With Maxie still growling, Zeno finally went to sleep, already thinking about his 10-year-long rest.
***
Zeno woke up to the sound of soft snoring. He snuggled closer to the warm object next to him.
However, his eyes quickly widened when he felt a wet lick on his cheek.
He immediately sat up and saw Maxie on his bed.
“What the heck?” he exclaimed.
As soon as those words left his mouth, Maxie jumped out of bed and narrowed his eyes at him.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Zeno deadpanned. “You were the one who jumped on my bed.”
Maxie went back to her own bed and didn’t bother looking at Zeno. He shook his head.
“Even dogs on Earth are strange,” he muttered before going to the bathroom to freshen up.
He removed his clothes, and only then did he notice how his body truly looked.
“Not bad,” he said. Well, this guy had just been discharged from the military, so some muscle definition was expected. His face, on the other hand, was exactly as Man-shik PD had described it.
He would not stand out on the streets, but he wasn’t considered ugly either. Just… ordinary.
Perfect!
After taking a shower, he quickly changed. As he opened the closet, he quickly realized that this guy thrived on nothing but white shirts and sweatpants. He shrugged and put on the one that looked the newest.
Then, he went outside and saw Minji coming out of her unit.
“Oh, there you are!” she exclaimed as soon as she saw Zeno. “We’re all eating breakfast. I was just about to call you.”
Zeno nodded and followed after her. As he went inside, he saw the three of them wearing drastically different outfits.
Doha had a full 90s workout gear on—a bright orange tank top and a matching headband along with cyan leggings and a dark blue Speedo over it.
On the other hand, Eli was wearing a smart casual outfit with a lab gown and a name plate.
Then, Minji had a white blouse and a gray pencil skirt.
“How’s your Zumba classes going, Doha?” Minji asked as she prepared a plate for Zeno.
“Well, it’s slow. Most of the people who come are the old people in the neighborhood. However, I just love to see them all dance, so it’s worth it!” he exclaimed.
“Do you even earn enough to rent out that gym?” Eli asked.
“Money should never be talked about on the dining table,” Doha merely said.
“And you?” Minji asked Eli. “Has your tuition fee been paid this semester?”
Eli pursed his lips. “Money should never be talked about on the dining table,” he repeated.
Just then, Minji received a text. She brought out her phone and read it, her face dropping instantly.
Doha looked at her with wide eyes. “Is that your mom asking for money again?”
Minji cleared her throat and sat on the table. “Money should never be talked about on the dining table,” she repeated the third time.
With that, they all turned to Zeno, who was eating his breakfast like a disciplined military man.
“What about you, Zeno?” Minji asked. “Where are you off to today? The doctor said you should get some rest.”
Zeno placed his utensils down and grabbed a napkin, dabbing his lips like the real gentleman that he was.
“Me?”
“I’m going to look for a job.”
A very normal, mundane job that would let him finish his mission faster!