Morning arrived with a quiet stillness. Akira woke up early, leaving a sleeping Naea behind. It seemed Akira's presence had effectively reset Naea's sleeping schedule, giving her the deep rest she truly needed. After a quick shower and changing into casual wear, Akira didn't head for the kitchen. Instead, she slipped away into the basement.
Moving to a secluded corner, she took a specialized tool and loosened a hidden screw in the flooring. Surprisingly, the floorboards shifted to reveal a passage to a second, deeper basement—a secret vault known only to her. This was where the "Agent" lived; the place where she kept the dangerous details of her work .
The air below was cool and dim until Akira flicked a switch. The walls were covered in photographs of various targets. Some were marked as "Demon" and others as "Angel." Akira stepped toward the wall, her eyes scanning the faces, but before she could dive into her work, her phone vibrated.
It was Aunt Zhi.
Remembering the message she had sent last night—instructing Aunt Zhi to call instead of ringing the doorbell to avoid waking Naea—Akira moved quickly. she secured the hidden entrance, locked the upper basement, and hurried to the main door.
When she swung the door open, she found Aunt Zhi standing there, but she wasn't alone. Standing beside her, looking both nervous and resentful, was her daughter, Zheng Zhi.
Aunt Zhi looked sternly at her daughter, nudging her forward. "Zheng..."
Zheng kept her gaze fixed on the floor, avoiding Akira's eyes. Her voice was small and tight with genuine regret. "I'm sorry, Miss Akira... for yesterday. I didn't realize you were both just trying to calm Wang down. It wasn't until we got home and he finally settled that he told me what really happened. I am truly sorry."
Akira looked at her with a calm, neutral expression. Her lip was still slightly tender, but she didn't let her face betray any emotion. "Don't say sorry to me," Akira said smoothly. "Naea is the one you should be apologizing to."
She then turned her attention to Aunt Zhi. "Naea is still sleeping, so please, try to keep the noise to a minimum while you work today."
"Of course, Akira," Aunt Zhi replied with a relieved smile, grateful that her employer wasn't holding a grudge against her family.
Akira turned back to Zheng, who was still standing awkwardly on the doorstep, looking like she wanted to disappear into the ground. "Well? Do you want to come inside?"
Zheng hesitated, lowering her head even further, unsure if she was truly welcome after the way she had behaved. Seeing her discomfort, Akira reached out and placed a hand on Zheng's head—not in a threatening way, but with a rough, friendly gesture that pulled her toward the doorway.
"Let it be in the past," Akira said firmly, guiding her in and closing the door behind them. "Come in."
As everyone headed inside, Aunt Zhi immediately went to the kitchen to start on breakfast. Akira had directed Zheng to sit in the dining area, and the girl sat there quietly, still feeling the weight of yesterday's mistake.
Akira headed back toward the master bedroom to check on Naea, but the room was empty. However, the rhythmic sound of water droplets hitting the floor came from the bathroom—Naea was already in the shower. Knowing her wife was starting her day, Akira headed back to the kitchen area to prepare coffee for everyone.
While the aroma of fresh coffee began to fill the room, Akira looked over at Aunt Zhi. "Aunt Zhi, will Zheng have some coffee?"
Aunt Zhi smiled weakly, glancing at her daughter. "It depends on her mood, really... but please, don't trouble yourself, Akira."
Akira didn't step back. Instead, she leaned against the counter and raised her voice just enough to reach the dining area. "Hey, Boxer... you want some coffee?"
Zheng looked up, startled by the nickname. A small, shy nod was her only response, but the tension in her shoulders finally began to melt away. Akira's wit had managed to do what a thousand apologies couldn't—it made her feel like part of the house rather than an intruder.
The sound of a phone ringing echoed from the bedroom. Akira, noticing no response from the shower, stepped away from the kitchen to check it. It was Naea's phone, and the caller was Yumi.
Akira picked up. "Good morning, darling!" Yumi's cheerful voice chirped from the other end.
"Your 'darling' is currently in the shower," Akira replied coolly.
Yumi cleared her throat, her tone shifting slightly. "Oh, Akira... right. Well, I just wanted to let her know that we're heading out for Japan now. Tell Naea I'm sending her all my love."
"I'll tell her," Akira said. "But make sure you let us know the moment you land."
"Will do, 'Darling love '!" Yumi teased back. Akira just smirked and ended the call, heading back to the main area where the morning was in full swing.
Breakfast was ready, filling the house with a delicious aroma. Just then, Naea stepped out of the room, looking radiant in a beautiful blue outfit. She greeted Aunt Zhi and Akira with a warm "Good morning," but then her gaze landed on Zheng, who was sitting there looking deeply embarrassed.
Instead of being cold, Naea gave her a bright, genuine smile. "Good morning, Zheng," she said, her voice filled with kindness.
Zheng, caught off guard by such grace, felt a wave of shyness wash over her. "Good morning, Miss Naea," she managed to reply, looking down. Up until this moment, Zheng hadn't really looked at Naea closely. But as Naea sat down in the chair next to Akira, Zheng found herself staring in awe. To her, Naea looked like a picture of elegance and loveliness—the kind of person you couldn't help but admire.
As Aunt Zhi moved to serve the food, Naea immediately stood back up. "Auntie, please, sit down. Everyone can help themselves to what they want. You've worked enoug ."
They continued their breakfast in a comfortable silence until Aunt Zhi spoke up, her voice slightly hesitant. "Miss Naea... I wanted to ask—"
Naea interrupted her with a gentle look. "Auntie, please. Just 'Naea'."
Aunt Zhi managed a small smile. "Naea... the truth is, Zheng is in high school now, but she struggles quite a bit with her studies. Her exams are next month. I was wondering... if it isn't too much trouble... if you could spare some time to help her?"
Naea leaned back slightly, her expression thoughtful. "Auntie, not every child is meant to be a scholar. But that doesn't mean they aren't brilliant in other ways. Everyone has a unique talent that sets them apart. As for Zheng... after seeing that punch yesterday, I have a feeling she has the heart of a boxer."
Aunt Zhi sighed, nodding slowly. But then Akira chimed in, her voice calm as she sipped her coffee. "Well, I was the one who actually took that punch," she said, a faint, impressed smirk on her lips. "And I can tell you, she has the raw strength and the reflexes. With the right training, she'd be perfect for the ring."
Zheng looked back and forth between Naea and Akira, her eyes shimmering with a mix of surprise and deep affection. She had expected judgment for her behavior, but instead, they were seeing her strength.
"As for the studying," Naea continued, looking directly at Zheng. "I won't say no. I'll help you. But in return, Zheng, you have to give me your full focus. No distractions. Deal?"
Before Aunt Zhi could even say a word, Zheng sat up straight, her voice clear and determined. "Yes, Miss Naea! I promise I will study with everything I have!"
Akira leaned forward slightly, her sharp eyes fixed on Zheng. "So, where did you get your training?" she asked, genuinely curious about the source of that power.
Zheng's shoulders slumped a little as she looked at her hands. "I trained at a local gym until a year ago. But my grades were slipping, and my response to my studies was getting worse. When my dad saw the report card, he pulled me out. He said I didn't deserve to train if I couldn't pass a simple test."
Naea turned to Aunt Zhi, her brow furrowed in disagreement. "Auntie, I don't think that was the right way to handle it. Just because a child isn't scoring high marks doesn't mean you should strip away their passion. Often, it's that very passion that gives them the discipline to eventually do better in school."
Aunt Zhi sighed, her face weary with the memory of the family arguments. "It wasn't just 'low marks,' Naea. She wasn't even passing. She was failing her subjects completely. Her father couldn't stand the idea of her wasting time at a gym when she couldn't even manage the basics of her education. He saw it as a distraction, not a discipline."
The room went quiet for a moment. Zheng looked devastated, the pain of being separated from the ring still clearly visible in her eyes. It was clear that her lashing out at the park wasn't just about her brother—it was the pent-up energy of a fighter who had been told she could no longer fight.
Naea turned her focus back to the young girl, her voice encouraging. "Zheng, tell me—which subjects do you find the most difficult? Which ones are giving you a hard time?"
Zheng bit her lip, looking slightly embarrassed. "Math, English, and Science," she admitted quietly.
Akira, sipping her coffee, gave a small, knowing nod. "That's common. Those are the 'big three' that trip up most students. It's more about the way they are taught than the student's ability."
Aunt Zhi sighed, her voice carrying the weight of family expectations. "The problem is, all of Zheng's cousins are brilliant in their studies. One or two of them are even top of their class. It's hard not to look at them and then look at her grades..."
"Auntie, with all due respect, comparing her like that is wrong," Akira interrupted, her voice firm and authoritative. "You should never compare a child—or anyone, for that matter—to someone else. Comparison only breeds resentment. A person only truly changes when they notice the need for it themselves; that's when they find their own internal competition."
Akira leaned back, her gaze becoming more intense. "In most cases, when the youth fall into depression, it's because of peer pressure, being constantly compared to others, or having their dreams and passions stripped away. You took away the one thing she was good at—boxing—and expected her to suddenly be good at the things she hates. That's not how growth works."
The room fell into a heavy silence. Aunt Zhi looked stunned, realization slowly dawning on her face. Zheng looked at Akira with wide eyes, feeling for the first time like someone truly understood the "why" behind her failure.
Aunt Zhi looked directly at Akira, her expression softening as the truth of his words sank in. "You're right, Akira. You're absolutely right. I never asked her to be a topper; I just wanted her to get decent marks. But when she couldn't even pass, I panicked. I thought taking away the gym was the only way to make her focus."
Naea reached across the table and placed a reassuring hand on Aunt Zhi's arm. "Auntie, please don't worry anymore. I will give it my all to help Zheng turn her weaknesses into strengths. We'll find a way to make it click for her."
Aunt Zhi looked at Naea with immense gratitude. "Thank you, Naea. Truly." She then turned her gaze toward her daughter, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. "Zheng, you know why we moved here to Taipei, don't you? It was to give you a fresh start, so you could study and grow into a fine person. That's all I've ever wanted for you."
Zheng's eyes welled up with tears. Looking at her mother, she whispered, "I'm sorry, Mom. I'll try my absolute best this time. I promise."
Seeing her daughter's sincerity, Aunt Zhi made a bold decision. "Then listen to me, Zheng. If you pass your exams this time—if you show us that you can handle your responsibilities—I will personally talk to your father and put you back into boxing training."
Zheng's face lit up instantly, her eyes sparkling with a joy they hadn't seen since the incident at the park. "Really?! Oh, thank you, Mom! Thank you, Miss Naea, Miss Akira!" She gave them all a radiant, wide smile, the heavy burden of her frustration finally lifted.