Zeno didn’t waste any time.
The moment the realization hit him, he pulled out his phone and called Moby.
“Hey,” Zeno started off. “Can I get Ari’s number?”
There was a long pause on the other end. He was probably wondering why Zeno was asking for such.
“Do you like her?” Moby asked, sounding highly suspicious.
“No.”
“Are you dating?”
“No,” Zeno replied flatly. “I just need her contact details for the script.”
“Oh,” Moby chimed. “I see. You must have liked it. Do you want me to tell Bobby so he can contact her?”
“No,” Zeno said right away. “Just send it to me.”
With that, he ended the call. A second later, the message finally came through.
Zeno stared at the digits for a moment, then hovered his thumb over the call button. He didn’t know why he was hesitating.
In all his years on Earth, in all his missions, he had never come across another Rennis.
Well, that wasn’t exactly surprising. According to the registry, there were only a few hundred of them scattered around the planet, and the Earth’s population was in the billions.
Humans were prolific, after all—obsessed with survival and legacy and love. Their population boom was one of the first things Zeno had to memorize before his integration. Now, though, the birthrate had slowed. Thank goodness.
Still, the odds of meeting another Rennis were minuscule. The expectation for a typical Rennis was to arrive, adapt, and do your work.
And if you were lucky enough to return, you would meet the others. You share stories.
In those reunions, everyone was assigned to different countries.
Trust him. Zeno knew about this.
So, why did his instincts scream that Ari was one of them?
He tapped the screen and called.
It rang up to ten times before it went to voicemail.
Zeno frowned and lowered his phone.
He opened Sigmoid. If she was unavailable, maybe she had posted something. Sure enough, her latest post was last night.
BaeAri: “will be MIA for a while. Working on something important. xx”
Zeno stared at the post, his frown deepening.
– girl what abt MY needs
– YOU CANT JUST LEAVE
– nooo my soulmate my wife my queen
– unfollowed. but followed again bc ily
– working on something important?? like falling in love with ME???
Zeno exhaled through his nose.
If she was a Rennis, she was doing a damn good job of blending in.
He scrolled past another hundred or so comments, most of them equally dramatic, and leaned back against the wall. He stared at his phone.
He was almost sure. Not one hundred percent. But still.
She knew things. Now that Zeno thought about it, she had a certain look in her eyes. It as the specific type of detachment that only Rennis developed after years of pretending to be human.
But the bigger question was did she know he was a Rennis, too?
Zeno tilted his head back against the wall, letting the silence settle over him.
He needed to know the answer very very soon.
***
Well, that soon didn’t come long enough. A week had passed, and Zeno was now on his way to a new set—the secret project that Bobby presented to him.
A popular article has also been posted about the issue.
[ARTICLE]
Genius Variety Show Producer Gene PD and Award-Winning Director Bacon PD Join Forces for Mystery Project This November!
In an unprecedented collaboration shaking up the entertainment industry, iconic variety show producer Gene PD and acclaimed film director Bacon PD have officially announced a joint project, set to premiere this November!
Fans of both creators are already buzzing with anticipation. Gene PD, best known for pushing the boundaries of unscripted reality formats, and Bacon PD, who won multiple Best Director awards for his emotionally riveting dramas and movies, are already legends in their own way—but the idea of the two working together? That’s a combination no one saw coming!
According to the official press release, filming for the project begins the first week of October. However, no details about the format, genre, or cast have been disclosed. The only clue given was: “Expect the unexpected.”
– wait wait wait… gene pd and bacon pd in ONE SHOW?? how’s that even gonna work? this is nuts.
– is it a variety or a drama or a dramedy or a survival dating docu??? i’m STRESSED
– the cast better be insane to match the PDs. I need Zeno, Risa, maybe June? pls not just talentless ppl.
– why do i feel like even the cast doesn’t know what’s going on lmao
– gene pd: ’expect the unexpected’ / me: okay now i’m scared
Zeno leaned against the car window, drifting in and out of sleep as the road hummed beneath them. Moby was at the wheel, focused, singing lightly under his breath. Zeno stirred when he noticed the signs start to change.
“Busan?” he muttered, blinking his eyes awake. He sat up, rubbing his face. “We’re in Busan?”
Moby smiled and nodded. “Yep.”
He clicked his tongue. So, they were in his hometown?
The sky was blue and wide above them. It was the first day of October now. It was just cool enough to wear jackets, but it was still warm in the sun.
They passed a few houses nestled in between hills until Moby slowed to a stop in front of an arched iron gate. Beyond it, a long driveway sloped down toward what looked like a beach house—if you could even call it that.
It wasn’t ordinary. It was private and secluded, the kind of property you’d only find in magazines. High fences, tall trees lining the perimeter, and not a soul in sight except for two stern-looking men in black standing just beyond the gate.
Zeno stepped out, cautiously. “Around here, huh?” he said, scanning the place.
“Unfortunately, I can’t come with you inside.”
“What?” Zeno muttered. Now, it was getting even weirder.
Before Moby could respond, one of the guards approached him.
“Zeno Han?” the man asked.
Zeno nodded.
“Please come with me.”
The second guard appeared behind him, holding a black blindfold.
“Standard protocol,” the first guard said. “All actors must be blindfolded until arrival.”