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A week has passed since Minho returned to the Glade. Of course, everyone felt happy because there was no need to overthink every night how the man was doing because of the guilt they really felt after knowing what really happened. Someone also come to them, his name is Enrique. He only arrived yesterday, but he adapted quickly inside the Glade.

Within a week, Minho hadn't been able to run inside the Maze again because Alby had banned him from running for a month. Surprisingly, the former Keeper did not complain, and he himself said that he would let Ben be the Keeper of the Runners first. This count will only start once he's out of the Slammers.

Alby also told him that Minho will stay for three weeks inside the Slammers. He was going to complain, but the leader said that he didn't follow through on their talk or deal, so he needs to be punished, twice. The young man just let it go and agreed. He knows Alby, he might spend more time in jail like.

If you ask him about that specific person, he has never talked to her since he came back. He wanted to believe that she was always waiting for him to come back, but from what he could see right now, it seemed very impossible.

Since he's at the Slammers every day, he can see where the Armoury and Reign are. As much as possible, when the Keeper of the Defense is there, Minho just closes his eyes, don't want to caught him staring at her. Or maybe he's just fooling himself because there's a time he's surprised to himself that he's been staring at the girl for a long time.

He is at the Slammers right now—he's still not allowed to go out as punishment—with his back against the wall. The lunch is done; that's why he saw Zelia again, teaching. It's obvious from her face that she loves what she's doing because Minho can see how she smiles every few minutes. Her hair was braided so the young man could see the girl's face. He admitted it that she's beautiful.

"You're staring."

Minho jolted, snapping his eyes away from Zelia’s direction. He saw Newt sitting in front of him while grinning at him.

"Bloody hell, Minho," Newt said, his grin only widening as Minho tried to recover. "I thought you were supposed to be the best at hiding your tracks. Guess not when it comes to Zelia."

"Slim it," Minho muttered, trying his best to act natural. "I wasn't staring. I was...listening to her. You know...trying to learn too."

Newt raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Uh-huh, right. If you really listening to her, what she says about the crossbow?"

Minho shot him a look, though it lacked its usual bite. The man couldn't speak so the second-in-command just shook his head and laughed softly.

"Can't say anything because I'm right," Newt said with a mix of teasing in his voice.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"Visiting you."

"Thanks," Minho said in a sarcastic way.

Newt laughed softly and looked at the place where Zelia was. Newt seemed to think of a good idea and immediately turned his gaze back to the former Keeper, who now had his eyes closed while leaning his head against the wall.

"Did you hear about the rumours?" Newt asked, and Minho noticed in his voice that what he was going to say to him was not a good idea.

"What rumours?" He asked back while his eyes were still closed. Even though he's been here for a few days, he's not deaf enough to not hear what's being talked about inside the Glade right now.

"About Zel and Gally." When Minho heard the girl's name, he unconsciously opened his eyes and unintentionally looked up at the new Keeper.

Zelia is now busy teaching how to hold a knife. He didn't know why he was relieved to notice that the man he and Newt were talking about right now wasn't there.

"Apparently, some Gladers think there's something going on between them. They've been spending more time together, and Gally was the first to volunteer to teach him once Alby made it official about this job."

Minho is trying his best to act natural, again; he doesn't want what Newt thinks about him if he tries to show any other emotions in his face or voice. He knows this guy; he will make fun of him because the older Keeper shows something new emotion other than being sassy, mean, and serious.

"So? What do you want me to do with that kind of information?" Newt noticed that there was something different in his friend's voice, so he secretly grinned, wanting to see more.

"I'm just saying, maybe you don't know about the new rumour yet. The rumour about Zelia and Kendrix has been proven to be false," Newt said while still looking at Minho. Even if he didn't follow the man's gaze, he knew where he was looking. "Who knows, this time, the rumour is true. I mean, they look good to each other, right?"

It feels like Newt pushed his button; that's why when he noticed Minho's eyes, he saw a different emotion, but the man immediately removed that emotion from his eyes when he noticed that Newt was looking at him.

"I don't know. I'm not her father or anything just to stop what she wants to do. I also don't need to give an opinion about them whether they are suitable or not."

Even though Minho is only showing a natural face right now, Newt feels that there is an emphasis on every word he says. I guess I really pushed his button. This is the first time I saw him like this.

Minho didn't care if the rumour was true. As if she needs his permission to go on a date with that guy. They are not that close to telling him what her plan is.

Instead of being afraid of Minho, Newt just shrugged and gave the man a smile before speaking.

"Sorry about that, and I just hope that the rumour is not true. See you in 2 weeks, Minho." He didn't wait for the man to speak any more, and he left.

The former Keeper just shook his head and tried to go to sleep to somehow lose his conversation with Newt for a few hours. But who is he fooling?

-----

"You don't need to take me to my own room," Zelia said when she and Gally arrived outside her door. They just finished eating dinner because the man invited her, and she couldn't refuse. Well, her friends also agree, and they let her eat with Gally.

"There is no problem with me. I just wanted to thank you because you still agreed to eat with me even though you eat with your friends every day." The girl smiled at what the young man said.

"I enjoy your company though; don't worry." The man laughed softly.

"Good night, Zel."

"Good night, Gal."

Gally waited for Zelia to come inside before going to her own room to sleep.

The girl lay down on her bed and looked at the ceiling. She wouldn't deny being happy with the Keeper of the Builders. They had been talking for a few days, and just now Gally invited him to eat with her. They just talk about random topics.

She is aware that she is hearing another rumour about her and Gally, but her answer is always 'We are just friends'. Almost everyone doesn't want to believe her because they see how they talk to them every day.

She unconsciously grabbed the necklace she was wearing. It was always hidden in her clothes, so no one tried to ask where the necklace she was wearing came from. She also doesn't want to tell stories or explain, so it's better that she doesn't show it.

"Since he came back, I have never spoken to him. As much as possible, I just let the two Med-jacks treat his wound. Am I doing something wrong?" Zelia said as if she was talking to someone even though she was alone in her own room.

"He doesn't talk to me either. I mean, why did I expect us to talk? It's like we didn't talk just now. I'm used to it for months, before we had a conversation with each other." She took a deep breath and tried to sleep.

But several hours have passed, and the girl is still wide awake. She has tried to lean over, fall down, exercise, and think about something, but her body still doesn't want to sleep.

Frustrated, she got out of bed and went out to get some air. Zelia saw that the sky was still dark. Well, I didn't sleep, so it was expected that the sun hadn't risen yet.

She just let her body go where it wanted to go, but she seemed to regret going out. She didn't notice that she already had a lighted lamp with her and was now on her way to where the Slammers were.

Oh, no, Zelia. Please, you can go back to your room, though. You might just disturb him because, for sure, he's already asleep. Or don't want to talk to you.

"Who's there?" She was about to let go of the lamp she was holding when she heard a voice a few feet away from the Slammer.

"It's me, Zelia," the girl said and got closer to where Minho was. She sat in front of the man, and now she saw that he was leaning against the wall. She didn't know if he woke up when she approached him or if he had been awake for a while.

"Why are you still awake?"

"Can't sleep." Zelia answered briefly, and they were surrounded by silence, obviously not knowing how to start a conversation. This is the first time they will talk after he comes back. "I'm sorry if I woke you up."

Minho just looked at the girl because of what she said. He hesitated whether to tell the truth. She's a doctor; probably she will help him. He took a deep breath before he rubbed the back of his neck.

"It's okay, you didn't wake me up." He paused for a moment, and he blinks his eyes twice before continuing. "It's just that I can't really sleep properly since I arrived here."

Zelia didn't expect it because of what she heard from Minho. What does he mean he hasn't slept well yet? Why?

The man noticed that she didn't speak, so he looked at the girl and saw that she was frowning. He continued what he had to say. He also didn't know why he couldn't lie to Zelia and let himself tell to her what's going on him.

"Everytime I close my eyes, all I see is the Maze and the Grievers, heard them as if they're just in front of me," Minho admits.

"Don't tell me you haven't slept well for a week." Zelia saw how he slowly nodded his head.

"I guess I'm still human after all. I could also be afraid and feel the fear. Or maybe I'm just used to running after my life and realized when I lay down on the ground just to take a breath, the sky is bright." The girl noticed that it was obvious to the young man that he wanted to sleep but he was afraid.

Before she could stop herself, Zelia opened the door where Minho is, and she went inside. The interior of the Slammers is a bit big, so it still fits the two.

It was as if Minho only now came to his senses when he felt that Zelia was by his side. He looked at her with a look of surprise on his face.

"What are you doing?" He asked while he frowned.

"I'm sleeping here." She simply said.

"What? No. You have your own room for reasons."

"I know, but I have a patient who needs to sleep, so let me do my job."

"And what exactly is that?"

Zelia didn't answer him and patted her lap for Minho to lay his head there. The man couldn't believe what was happening. He feels like this is the dumbest excuse just to talk to each other.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"When did I not take my patients seriously?" She said while looking on his eyes.

"What if Alby finds out that you're here?"

"And? I have my reason why I'm here."

Minho can't help himself not to buried his face on his palm as if he couldn't handle Zelia right now. He didn't know what was going through her mind and why she had to do this for him. I really shouldn't have told her the truth. This is not a good idea, especially since this is the first conversation we have after a week.

"No. Go back to your room." He heard her scoffed.

"No. You need to sleep." Minho glared at Zelia in her eyes, but the girl also did the same.

"Are you high or something? As far as I know, Zelia won't do this."

"Well, if you come back like what you told Alby, maybe we can get to know each other properly."

Minho look away from her eyes. "You are also stubborn."

"And you're still the same." Minho took a deep breath and tried to shake his head. He's trying his best not to shout or yell at her,

"Just go. Leave me here and do your own business. I'm fine." Zelia also took a deep breath to calm herself down. She didn't want anyone to wake up because of the two of them.

"You're totally not fine, Minho. That's not healthy for you. You admit it that you're scared, and I just wanted to help you overcome that fear." He took a sighed before he shook his head. Again.

"Go back to your room. I'm really fine. It will also disappear in a few days," Minho said and leaned his head against the wall.

He was about to close his eyes when he felt Zelia's hands on his both cheeks to make him look into the girl's eyes.

"No, Minho. I'm the doctor here, and I'm not leaving until you get the proper sleep that you deserve."

Their faces were only a few inches apart from each other. No one wants to look away. The young man seemed to be drowning in the girl's eyes. Something was on her eyes, making him take a rest on everything for awhile.

"You're not really going to change your mind?" Minho asked that the two of them were still in the same place, in the same position.

"Nope. Now, lay down your head on my lap, close your eyes, and try to focus on my voice, only my voice, so you can fall asleep." The young man stared at Zelia before slowly nodding, and he quietly obliged. Obviously, don't want to argue anymore. He let himself rest his head on her lap, and shockingly, he found it comfortable.

"Are you sure about this?" Minho asked as he lay on the girl's lap. Zelia gave him a short smile.

"Yeah. Is there anything you want to request? You want me to hum a random song? I mean, don't expect too much since, you know, no memories from the past."

"I don't know that you can sing." She rolled her eyes, and she heard that he let out a soft chuckle.

"Just tell me what you want me to do."

"Caress my hair while humming a random song."

Minho's words to Zelia didn't seem to sink in. She knows that he doesn't want to touch anyone's his hair. Newt said they knew how many minutes it took Minho just to do his hair every morning before he entered the Maze, so she didn't really expect what she heard.

"Okay, sure. Just trust me on this; don't ever think about anything. Focus on your sleep." The man smiled before closing his eyes.

At first, Zelia noticed how he slightly jolted his shoulder when he closed his eyes, but when she started caressing his hair, Minho gradually calmed down, so she started to hum. She doesn't know what she's humming, but they both don't mind.

Oh, well, let's see what they say. I also can't let Minho not sleep properly.