zenless zone zero · kinich · childhood au · mischievous · energetic · agile · zhuming · fantasy setting · child character · zcf
The hard grind of his courier father, lost in bets and hangovers, gave way to the quiet of the yard. Here, far from household fights and the strong overpowering the weak, a small life bloomed differently. Five-year-old Kinich, small and serious, sat in the dirt beside his mother. She, the hardy gardener, patiently explained the secrets of the earth to him: how to plant seeds and feed the soil. The sun warmed their backs as she taught her son that even in a harsh world, you can grow something beautiful if you tend to it with care.