A Cop's Wavering Resolve
As the sun sets in a single apartment, Officer Zhu Yuan is tending her tomato plant as she reminisces over the events that transpired a few weeks ago. The person she once called her hero, who many called the hollow hero, turned out to be involved with the vision case and put almost the lives of many in danger. She had begun to have suspicions about Bringer. Still, something inside her wanted those thoughts to be false, not wanting to face the reality that her hero fell from grace and turned himself into an ethereal who could have destroyed New Eridu if it wasn't for Section 6 and all the others.
Zhu Yuan: Finishes watering her tomato plant and exalts. These past weeks have been something, haven't they? From discovering that PUBSEC always had the choice to go after Perlman to finding out that Bringer was involved with the enemy, he transformed into an ethereal, which led to his death. This couple of weeks have been nothing but chaos. Is that right plant?
She continues to linger on her thoughts, but one keeps returning up front: the siblings. Discovering that the siblings were proxies, but not just any, they were the legendary Phaeton. When they first captured who they believed to be Phaeton, she should have thought that it wasn't true that Phaeton outed himself in daylight, but capturing such a legendary person erased those thoughts.
She felt disappointed in herself when it was revealed to her after saving their lives. Not only that, she feels disappointed that Wise, a person to whom she started to feel more comfortable, a person to whom she believed that she could vent everything, a person who she did not expect to be anything more than a video store manager, turned out to have kept this secret from her.
Zhu Yuan: Why did you hide it from me, Wise? Why? Did you think I would have arrested you and your sister when you told me? Would I have told the higher-ups about you two? Did you not trust me enough? Has everything up to this moment been nothing but a facade? A way to have someone on the side of the police for a crucial moment to clear you both? Why?
Before she could continue to question herself even more, she heard a knock on her door. Startled because she wasn't expecting anyone, she opened the door to find her colleague/friend Qingyi outside.
Qingyi: Good evening, Zhu Yuan. May I come in?
Zhu Yuan: Oh, Qingyi!? I didn't expect you here. Sure, come in, I'll prepare some tea for you.
Qingyi: Thank you, Zhu. (Qingyi enters and sits down on the sofa)
Zhu Yuan: So what brings you here, Qingyi? You didn't tell me you would be coming.
Qingyi: Well, I wanted to come and check up on you, Zhu. Something has been on your mind these past few weeks. You aren't the type to linger on something for so long.
Zhu Yuan: HUH!?? I have been fine, thank you very much. I assure you there has been nothing weird about me these weeks! (She says in an offended tone )
Qingyi: Zhu, you have been leaving some documents unfinished, been late to meetings, and have been less wary of many situations, almost to the point of getting injured if it wasn't for Seth or me jumping in to help. Something has been on your mind, but you're tenacious in not saying is almost costing us some missions. So, I came here to talk to you about your problems and find a way to fix them before they worsen.
Zhu Yuan: Have I been that easy to read? (she says in a sad/defeated tone) Well, yes, there have been quite a few things on my mind these past weeks.
Qingyi: Alright then. Could you tell me about them?
Zhu Yuan: Sure, just let me get the tea, and then we can talk.
As Zhu Yuan says, she goes over the kettle and pours the tea into two cups. She then returns to where Qingyi is sitting and hands her one, and they both drink their respective teas.
Qingyi: There, do you feel ready now, Zhu Yuan?
Zhu Yuan: Yeah, I feel ready to talk.
Qingyi: Alright then, if my assumption is correct, the reason why have you acted strange these past weeks is due to the whole Bringer incident?
Zhu Yuan flinches at the question.
Qingyi: (Sees Zhu Yuan flinch) So I take it as a yes?
Zhu Yuan: Yes, you are correct. One of the reasons why I acted out of character was that incident. I didn't have the time to process anything that went on that day. Even after it all calmed down and everyone else acted as if nothing happened, I felt like I was out of touch or had no one to talk to because I believed no one wanted to talk about it. I'm sorry if that affected our work. I'll make it up somehow.
Qingyi: Don't make promises like that, or else I might take advantage and use it for my benefit. But I can see why you feel like that. After all, Bringer was the person who saved you at a young age, so I expected that this upbringing would make you feel uncomfortable, seeing as it was your hero who turned out to be responsible for a lot of stuff.
Zhu Yuan: Yeah, although I had already begun to suspect that he was acting differently, I didn't expect this to be the reason why. I knew he changed after that incident, but I wanted to hold on to hope that he wasn't concerned about this. But when it finally became clear that he was part of this ordeal, it was like the world shattered for me. My hero, the person and reason I joined PUBSEC, was a major antagonist who wanted to destroy New Eridu. I felt so stupid falling into his hands and oblivious to all this. Although I talked with Miyabi afterward, and she told me it was not my fault, I still felt responsible for not acting sooner. It almost took her life if it weren't for the managers.
Qingyi: I see then, but you said that was "one" of the reasons, right? Is there another?
Zhu Yuan: Well, yes, the other thing is the managers.
Qingyi: Oh, because they were proxies? Or because of the bet we made?
Zhu Yuan: It's both. First, why did you have to do that to me if YOU KNEW ALREADY!? You made me look ridiculous right there.
Qingyi: Sorry about that, but there wasn't a way to reveal that without you believing it was false or immediately reporting it to the higher-ups.
Zhu Yuan: It doesn't matter; a bet is a bet, and I continued with it. Also, I'm not THAT devoted that I would immediately report to the higher-ups. But now Miyabi is already going to cover for them, so there is no way they can be touched by the law (Which is another thing that I will have to talk to Miyabi about). But the other thing is that they are proxies and didn't tell me.
Qingyi: Oh?
Zhu Yuan: I know they had their reason for hiding it, but I still don't feel right about that, especially with Wise. All that friendship and bond I made with him was a way for him to get leverage in PUBSEC without worrying about their activities. Sure, they are the legendary Phaethon, but even then, they have worked under the law and have not broken any rules. I feel disappointed that he didn't tell me about it, and I had to discover it that way. I don't know what to think of him anymore.
Qingyi: Oh… sounds like you wanted something more from him. (She says as she does her smug face )
Zhu Yuan: (Blushing ) Hey! Knock it off, will you? I'm not talking about THAT, and our relationship is not the same because he hid such a big thing from me. Does he not trust me anymore? Does he think I can't keep a secret?
Qingyi: Alright then. I can see where you are going with this. You are in a dilemma because you don't know how to handle it right now. If you want my suggestion, you can arrange a meeting with Wise to discuss things because he also needs to discuss his problems.
Zhu Yuan: What are you talking about?
Before Qingyi can say it, the phone goes off, and Qingyi takes it. She sees Nicole calling and looks at Zhu Yuan for confirmation before answering. She gives the go-ahead response and hangs up after talking for a bit.
Zhu Yuan: So what was it?
Qingyi: The Cunning Hares want to throw a party for the proxies. They want everyone to meet on the Outer Ring to discuss this plan more.
Zhu Yuan: Really? Well, we know where we are going then.
Qingyi: Alright, see ya, Zhu Yuan. Have a restful night.
Zhu Yuan: Night Qingyi. Be careful on the way back.
Qingyi: Noted.
As Qingyi leaves Zhu Yuan's apartment, she grabs her phone and messages Jane Doe. Telling her that she wants to raise her bet on their deal. She smiles, puts her phone away, and walks back home. Meanwhile, Zhu Yuan thinks about Qingyi's idea, feeling determined to confront Wise and discuss things.