Saturdays were usually meant for healthy things. Jogging. Gardening. Aerobics. Maybe a peaceful morning bike ride along the harbor.
Unfortunately for Julius, this Saturday involved getting beaten into the dirt by his own son.
*Clack! Pukk!!
The sharp crack of wood echoed behind a small harbor-side shop with a fading sign that read: Julius Photocopy.
Inside the narrow backyard garden, Julius staggered back while gripping a wooden stick with trembling hands. Sweat poured down his face. Across from him stood Zeyn, calm and focused despite the intense exchange.
"Your dodging's getting really good," Julius said between breaths. "Again!"
"Yes, sir."
Zeyn lowered his stance and closed his eyes. He didn't need vision, tot when he could feel.
He had learned how to sense the flow of aura around him. Julius' presence shifted unpredictably, rough and messy like an animal charging through tall grass.
Right. Then left.
*Whoosh—
Zeyn tilted his body just enough for the strike to miss his face. Another attack came immediately from the side. He blocked Julius' wrist with a sharp motion before retreating a single step.
*Thud!
Julius pressed harder this time. Swings. Thrusts. Feints.
The wooden stick moved wildly from every angle as if he were wielding a real blade. There was no rhythm to it. No structure either. Just relentless pressure.
But Zeyn adapted instantly.
Every attack barely missed him. Sometimes he slipped away by inches. Other times he jumped back with frightening speed, his body moving with the fluid reflexes of a close-range fighter trained far beyond his age.
Finally, Zeyn's elbow slammed directly into his chest.
*THUD—
"Uagh-!"
Julius rolled across the soil coughing violently, spitting dirt out of his mouth while groaning in pain.
Zeyn immediately stepped closer. "Are you okay?"
"Haha... yeah..." Julius wheezed. "You really went serious on me there."
"You attacked seriously too."
"Well, yeah. That's training." Julius laughed while rubbing his chest. "Still, I'm not going to fall."
Zeyn hesitated for a moment before replying, "I… didn't expect you to almost catch me earlier."
"Really?" Julius blinked. "My movements are actually that good? Heh- I can't even fight properly like you."
"Uhh... honestly?" Zeyn answered flatly. "Your movements are terrible, Dad."
Silence.
Julius looked genuinely devastated.
"...Then that 'you almost had me' thing was a lie?"
Zeyn glanced down at Julius' legs thoughtfully.
"Not really. You're fast." His expression stayed completely serious. "Somehow your movements are so random they become jumpscares."
Julius stared at him, "Was... that a compliment?"
"Kinda."
"Hm." He crossed his arms proudly despite the dirt stuck to his face. "Then you still need to be careful. Maybe next time I'll win."
Zeyn actually nodded.
Julius almost burst out laughing. He knew perfectly well how skilled this child truly was. Especially with that strange martial art Zeyn had learned long ago, Silat.
Julius could never match that level. Still, that was never really his role. He wasn't trying to become Zeyn's master.
He just wanted to be his father.
"Listen, son." Julius folded his arms, his tone softening slightly. "No matter how strong you become, strength itself isn't what makes someone great."
Zeyn quietly listened.
"Real greatness comes from knowing when to use that strength... and using it humbly. Protect what you believe is right."
"…I understand."
Julius looked directly at him. "You're not a monster. I believe that."
The words made Zeyn fall silent. His gaze lowered slightly, distant memories flickering behind his eyes.
"We've come this far already, right?" Julius smiled.
For a brief moment, Zeyn looked strangely vulnerable.
"…Yes, sir."
"Heh... back then, we really had no direction, huh?" he looked at Zeyn with quiet pride. "But now? Look at you. Tall, brave, already got into college."
The praise sounded cool for about three seconds before Julius suddenly grabbed his lower back with a pained groan.
"Hah... if my joints didn't scream like cursed spirits every morning, maybe I'd still have a physique like yours."
Zeyn tilted his head. "Didn't you say you exercised a lot when you were younger?"
"I did. Well... for like one week."
Zeyn blinked.
"Turns out maintaining a good body is annoying," Julius admitted shamelessly. "Especially when sweet food exists."
Honestly, he had tried before. Multiple times, even. Morning jogs, push-ups, diet plans. All of them had eventually lost to donuts.
"By the way..." Julius' tone softened slightly. "About yesterday. I was too harsh on you. I shouldn't have scolded you in front of everyone."
Zeyn immediately shook his head.
"It's okay, sir. I understand you were worried about me." He lowered his gaze slightly. "Actually... I should be the one apologizing."
Julius smiled faintly and rubbed his hair.
"Frustrating, isn't it?" he said quietly. "Having strange abilities but being told not to use them. Feels like a waste."
"Yeah..." Zeyn smiled a little. "You're right."
"Same advice as always." Julius folded his arms. "Be smart with your power. Use it only when necessary. Alright?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good." Julius nodded. "I trust you."
He understood that he had been too emotional before. After calming down and talking with Mr. Hendri, he realized something important.
Zeyn was growing up.
He couldn't keep treating him like a child who simply obeyed every order.
"Thank you, sir," Zeyn said quietly.
Julius only waved a hand dismissively as he walked back toward the house, acting as if the issue had already been forgotten.
And somehow, that simple gesture lifted the remaining weight from Zeyn's chest.
* *
Silence settled over the backyard afterward.
Morning dew glimmered across the grass beneath the warm sunlight. Zeyn sat cross-legged in the middle of the garden, absentmindedly pulling a blade of grass from the soil.
"College..." he muttered to himself. "It's not as interesting as I thought."
He blew the grass lightly into the air.
*SLAM!
The back door suddenly burst open. Julius came marching out again, now wearing fresh clothes with a towel hanging around his neck.
"BUT STILL!" he shouted dramatically.
Zeyn flinched. "W-What now?"
His dad pointed at him accusingly. "Just because I trust you doesn't mean the world will!"
Silence.
"Okay, Dad. I get it. Chill out," Zeyn replied flatly.
Julius ignored the reaction completely.
"You should keep hiding it. You never know if there's another person like you out there doing something insane."
"Insane? Like what?" Zeyn asked.
"I don't know!" Julius threw both hands up. "Yesterday morning some weird guy suddenly knocked on my door after apparently losing all his memories."
"Lost his memories?"
"Yeah. No clue what happened." Julius crossed his arms. "But trust me, it's better to stay hidden than end up becoming some conspiracy theory online."
"…That just sounds like a drunk person."
"Eh? Uhh..." Julius immediately avoided the question. "Just promise me you'll keep the teleportation thing secret unless absolutely necessary!"
"It's fine," Zeyn replied calmly. "I only use it when nobody's looking anyway."
"Well... good enough. As long as you understand my point."
The truth was, Julius had already exhausted himself trying to constantly restrain the boy. At some point, trust simply became easier than fear.
"Alright, son. Enough drama. Let's talk money." His tone became strangely serious. "I haven't given you your allowance yet, right?"
"Oh... right."
Julius pulled out his old leather wallet and handed over a small stack of bills.
"Not much, but enough to survive for a week or two. Budget wisely."
Zeyn reached out. Then froze. His body stiffened instantly.
"What?" Julius frowned. "Just take it."
Cold sweat slowly formed on Zeyn's back. Only now did he realize something terrifying: He couldn't remember the last time he had seen his wallet.
"…I'm giving you money. Why are you staring at it like that?" Julius narrowed his eyes. "Is it not enough?"
"My wallet…"
"Hah?!"
Zeyn immediately straightened up. "N-No, uh... nothing. Thank you, sir."
Trying to hide his panic, he quickly took the money and shoved it into his pocket.
But Julius had lived with him long enough to notice even the smallest weird behavior.
"By the way..." his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How was your spending last month? You saved some money, right?"
"Uh... yeah. No worries."
"How much?"
Zeyn immediately looked away. "…I forgot."
"Forgot?"
"I mean, why do you even want to know how much money I have left?" he tried to sound casual. "I'm already seventeen. Almost eighteen, even."
"Hm." Julius nodded slowly. "I just wanted to help you manage your budget. But if you think you're independent already, fine. Though you are pretty forgetful."
Zeyn nodded. Far too stiffly.
"You know..." Julius continued while observing him carefully. "It'd be pretty easy for you to forget where you put your money. Or… where you put your wallet."
The pressure instantly doubled.
"A-Anyway!" Zeyn abruptly turned around. "I have to go out for a bit."
"Huh? What's with the hurry?"
"College assignment," he started walking toward the house unusually fast. "I forgot it needs to be submitted soon. See you later."
"Really?" Julius raised an eyebrow higher. "Hmm. Sounds suspicious."
Zeyn ignored him completely and rushed inside the house. His mind was already spiraling elsewhere.
Losing a wallet wasn't some small mistake. The worst part was his personal data. ID card, student card, bank card. Everything.
In this era, personal information was practically an asset. If it fell into the wrong hands, countless things could go wrong.
"Damn it..." Zeyn muttered under his breath while searching frantically.
Then suddenly, he stopped.
"…My house."
Maybe he had left it back there in Dewi Ijo Village.
Without wasting another second, he immediately ran outside again.
"…Might as well use my power."
*BZZTTH—WHUNG!
His figure vanished instantly.
* * * *