I am not a hero... (I'm sorry)

"Hey, do you think Zoan's acting weird?" Jovi whispered, leaning toward Jiho. Her gaze flicked to Zoan, who sat across the table, face buried in a book.

Jiho glanced at Zoan, then back at Jovi. "Weird? No. But she did seem flustered earlier. Maybe she's sick," she murmured, her tone tinged with concern. Zoan had been pushing herself too hard lately—always studying, always reading. She never seemed to take a break.

Jiho frowned, her worry deepening. "I think she's overworking herself," she whispered. Jovi tapped her chin thoughtfully, nodding in agreement. Zoan's routine was predictable: study, read, sleep through breaks, and skip meals. She was the epitome of a bookworm—a brilliant but uptight one.

"Should we tell her to take it easy?" Jovi suggested, scratching her head awkwardly.

Jiho nodded, setting her pencil down and lightly tapping the table. "Zoan," she called softly.

There was no response. Zoan didn't even lower her book.

Jovi raised a brow, exchanging a look with Jiho. "Maybe she's just busy. Do you guys have a test coming up?" she asked.

Jiho shook her head. "No, it's a slow day."

That was strange. On slower days, Zoan usually opted to nap rather than bury herself in a book. Jiho tried again, raising her voice slightly. "Zoan."

This time, Zoan lowered the book just enough for her eyes to peek over the edge. She stared at them, her expression unreadable.

Jovi tilted her head, scrutinizing her friend. Zoan didn't look sick. If anything, she looked… embarrassed?

Jiho didn't seem to notice. "Are you okay? You've been so quiet. We're worried you're pushing yourself too hard," she said gently, her hands clasped in front of her like a concerned parent.

Zoan lowered her book completely, clearing her throat. "I—I'm fine," she stammered, her voice cracking. She quickly looked away. "You three were shopping yesterday, weren't you?" she asked, her tone measured.

Jiho blinked, confused. "Did Mr. Thead tell you? We ran into him at the mall," she said casually.

Zoan's face reddened, and she dragged a hand down her face in exasperation. "Yes, he told me. Now I'm just wondering…" She hesitated, avoiding their eyes. "Why didn't you guys invite me?"

Understanding dawned on Jovi and Jiho simultaneously. Jovi smirked. "Wait… are you jealous we didn't include you?" she teased.

Zoan scoffed, crossing her arms like a petulant child. "No, I'm not. I'm just curious why you didn't ask me."

Jiho chuckled. "We didn't want to bother you. You always seem so tired."

Jovi nodded in agreement, snapping her fingers. "That's right! You barely eat—you just sleep during breaks. We thought you'd prefer some rest."

Zoan opened her mouth to reply, but Jovi cut her off, jumping up from her seat. "Besides, we got you something!" She darted to the battered locker in the corner and pulled out a paper bag.

Zoan watched with mild interest as Jovi tipped the bag, spilling out an assortment of school supplies—pens, highlighters, and notebooks.

"What… is this?" Zoan asked, picking up a pen adorned with a silicone pig charm.

Jiho grinned. "I picked that one. Cute, right?"

Zoan rolled her eyes, but a small laugh escaped her. "So is this your way of making up for ditching me?"

"No!" Jovi and Jiho exclaimed in unison, their protests earning another amused chuckle from Zoan.

"Relax, I'm kidding," Zoan said, reaching under her chair to pull out a paper bag of her own. "I actually got something for you guys too… and Ving."

Jovi squealed, snatching the bag and pulling out two cardigans. "Oh my God! These are perfect! This pink one is totally my vibe."

Jiho held up her cardigan, which was slightly oversized. "It's so comfy. Thanks, Zoan."

Zoan shrugged, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I guessed the sizes. Looks like I got yours wrong, though," she said, eyeing Jiho's loose fit.

Jovi, now rummaging through the bag, pulled out a pair of blue socks. "Oh! I saw stuff like this at the mall with Mr. Thead yesterday," she said offhandedly.

Zoan froze. Jiho's cheeks flushed, and she smiled softly. "He looked so cool, didn't he? Kind of young, too…"

Jovi noticed Jiho's expression and smirked. "Look at you, crushing on someone older!"

"What?!" Zoan blurted, her head snapping up.

Jovi and Jiho turned to her, startled.

"C–C–Crush?!" Zoan stammered, standing abruptly and slamming her hands on the table.

Jiho flinched. "Whoa, just because he's your dad's secretary doesn't mean we can't have our little fantasies," Jovi teased, grinning.

Zoan stumbled back, her face pale. Her stomach churned. They're crushing on… me. Me in my normal clothes. Can't they tell I'm a woman?

God, why did Jiho have to dig my grave so deep? Zoan thought miserably as she sank back into her chair. She buried her face in her arms, wishing she could disappear. Meanwhile, Jiho and Jovi picked up their conversation as if nothing had happened, blissfully unaware of the storm swirling inside Zoan's head.

Jovi leaned over with a mischievous grin. "Aiya, don't tell me you have the hots for your dad's secretary too," she teased, prodding Zoan's cheek.

Zoan slowly lifted her head, her glare weak but pointed. "Do I look like I care about men?" she deadpanned, her voice flat with exhaustion.

"I don't like men. I'm gay," Zoan muttered, punctuating her words with a frustrated fist on the desk before storming out of the room.

Jovi blinked. "Did I… go too far?"

Jiho shrugged, equally baffled. "Maybe."

—

Zoan leaned against the stairwell wall, dragging a hand down her face. Embarrassment burned in her chest. Why didn't I correct them? she thought miserably. "God, just pretend it didn't happen until it blows over…"

As she turned to head back to class, a familiar voice stopped her. "Well, if it isn't Vin Noi," someone sneered.

Zoan froze. Down the hall stood Aliani, flanked by Lorelai and Saige. At their feet knelt a first-year—Vin. Her uniform was filthy, her nose bloodied, and her lips split. 

"You've got to be kidding me," Zoan muttered darkly. She stepped into view, crossing her arms. "Picking on a first-year now, Aliani? Really scraping the bottom of the barrel, huh?"

Aliani turned, her sneer morphing into a delighted grin. "Zoan! Long time no see."

Vin flinched under Aliani's grip, her wide eyes locking onto Zoan. She looked terrified.

"Let her go," Zoan ordered, her voice low and firm.

Aliani's grin widened. "Why? Do you know her?" She yanked Vin's hair, eliciting a whimper.

Zoan's fists clenched. "Aliani, I swear—"

"Zoan, don't!" Vin interrupted, her voice shaky. "It's not worth it."

Aliani's eyes gleamed with amusement. "Oh, so you do know her," she purred, shoving Vin toward Zoan.

Zoan caught her as she stumbled, steadying her on her feet. She glanced at Vin's bruised face and sighed. "Asshole," she muttered, glaring at Aliani.

Aliani smirked, brushing past Zoan. "Careful, Vinnie. Don't forget who you're dealing with." Her lackeys followed, Lorelai shooting a smug look over her shoulder.

Vin collapsed against the wall, trembling. "You shouldn't have done that," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

Zoan crouched beside her. "And let them keep hitting you? Not a chance."

"You don't understand," Vin said, shaking her head.

Zoan's jaw tightened. "Then help me understand."

But Vin only lowered her head, her sobs echoing softly in the empty hallway.

—

Sol watched Zoan with growing concern as the girl unleashed powerful kicks on the punching bag, each strike reverberating through the apartment. The sheer force of her blows made Sol wonder if the bag would rip off its hook and bring the ceiling down with it.

"Zoan, is something wrong?" Sol asked, her voice soft but edged with worry. She absently wiped down a vase, her eyes never leaving Zoan. "You seem… distracted."

Zoan didn't respond, instead spinning mid-air and landing another brutal kick. The sound of impact echoed sharply, forcing Sol to flinch. After a few more punishing strikes, Zoan finally stopped, bending over with her hands on her knees as she gasped for air. 

She'd been at it for hours—training non-stop from the moment she got home at 3 PM, and now it was well past 7 PM. No breaks. No water. Just relentless, punishing repetition. 

Sol grabbed a face towel from the side and walked over, her worry deepening. She knew Zoan was resilient—Qian had trained her to be nothing short of a machine. 

Sol had witnessed firsthand how brutal the methods were: blindfolded sparring, grueling endurance drills, and endless combat scenarios. Zoan had grown strong—formidable, even. But there were moments like this, moments where Zoan pushed herself too far, that made Sol uneasy.

"Hey," Sol said gently, holding out the towel. 

"Huh?" Zoan mumbled, blinking as if just noticing her. She took the towel and began wiping the sweat from her face, neck, and arms. Then, grabbing the collar of her shirt, she flapped it uselessly in an attempt to cool herself down.

"Are you okay? Drink some water, will you?" Sol said, picking up a water bottle and tossing it to Zoan.

Zoan caught it effortlessly, twisting the cap off and downing the entire bottle in one go. She wiped her mouth with her arm and let out a long, tired sigh.

"Fine," Zoan muttered, her voice low and heavy. "Just needed an outlet for all this anger I'm feeling."

They fell into silence. Sol watched her intently, her concern evident, while Zoan stared off into nothing, her breathing gradually slowing as she recovered. After a moment, Zoan broke the quiet.

"Do you know Mei Lee?" she asked, her tone flat but laced with something darker.

Sol tilted her head. "The girl who was hospitalized? She's your friend, right?"

Zoan nodded, her gaze hardening. "She was bullied. They hurt her, ridiculed her… and worse—they blackmailed her into doing something she didn't want to do."

Sol's blood ran cold. "Zoan…" she began, her voice rising in alarm. "Are you experiencing something like that right now?"

Zoan shook her head quickly, cutting off Sol's panic. "No—not me," she murmured, her voice tired and distant. "Someone else."

Relief washed over Sol, but it was short-lived. She bit her lip, stepping closer. "Are you… are you going to do something about it?" she asked cautiously.

Zoan let out a bitter laugh, collapsing onto her bed with a groan. She draped an arm over her face, hiding her expression. 

Zoan slowly lowered her arm to her chest. "I made a promise…" she murmured, her voice trailing off, eyes fixed on the ceiling. 

"From your father," Sol finished for her, earning a silent nod from Zoan. 

"Zoan, I don't agree with your father," Sol said gently. "But it's better not to get involved in this kind of mess. I want you to have a good life—a peaceful one." 

Zoan sighed, her eyes falling shut.