Chapter 28 - Hope and Despair…

"How's the situation looking outside?"

Flipping the pages of the notebook that she's writing, Yuuri asked the person standing in front of the window.

"It is not looking good, seemingly. Their numbers are larger than yesterday," said Shuuya, his hands leaning on the only outlook they have towards the outside world.

Supporting her chin with her hands, the brown-haired girl responded. "That is bad. Although this shelter is well protected, with their numbers increasing by the day, there's no telling what will happen if this continued."

Shuuya moved away from the window and took a seat across Yuuri. "That is correct. The fact that they suddenly appear near us at this time couldn't be a coincidence," the boy closed his eyes, breathing slowly. "We shouldn't let our guard down, lest we are unprepared for the unexpected."

"But what can we do?" Brushing the lock of hair above her right ear, Yuuri stared at the table. "It would be inescapably hard to move to another place, If there is any left, what's more with Yuki-chan's condition," she lifted her face and gazed at Shuuya. "Do you have any ideas, Shuuya-kun?"

Tapping the table surface with his fingers, the redhead replied weakly. "There's nothing we can do, but observe the situation, wait and hope for the worse to go away," he sighed heavily.

"Come now, Shuuya-kun, think some more," encouraged Yuuri. "There must still be something we can do in this situation. I refuse to just sit around without any information." The girl's face lot up for a moment as she thought of something. "What about your previous shelter? The one you and Ryuuko-chan and Maki-chan stayed before meeting us. May I ask what happened there?"

Shuuya's body tensed at the mention of the place. His eyes glanced anywhere but Yuuri's face as sweat flowed on his face. "I-I don't want to recall anything that happened there, Yuuri-san. The memory is… unpleasant."

"Oh, my! Did something terrible happened there?" The club president gasped and spoke worriedly at him. "I'm sorry if it's a sensitive question, I didn't know that you're so opposed to it. Of that is the matter, then I apologize," she bowed her head slightly.

Seeing Yuuri being very concerned about him, Shuuya panicked and waved his hands. "I-It's not like that, Yuuri-san. There's nothing bad that happened there, and no one was ever hurt badly, so everything is fine." His companion breathed a sigh of relief at the reply. "It's just that, the situation was as hell for me."

"What do you mean?"

Straightening his back, Shuuya gave his excuse. "We were living normally at the shelter. Since it's just us three, there was no fighting for space and the supplies were enough to last us for a long while. Everything was safe, normal and peaceful… except for one thing. My body."

Yuuri was very confused at the answer. "Your body?"

Again, Shuuya sighed and explained. "You know… my… my… lust…"

Hearing those words, Yuuri's face visibly turned red and steam rise from her head. "O-O-Ooohhh! I-I-I'm sorry."

"No need to mind it, I'm used to that reaction from Ryuuko," the redhead boy said in exasperation. "Anyhow, my lust was the problem. In the beginning, the overwhelming stress and trauma from the sudden change in the world caused me to momentarily forget about it, but… everything settled down in the shelter, it rose again. There were not many… ahem, side dishes that I could use when in confinement, so the need bubbled without any satisfying release. What's more, being in a closed space with two young females, it was torture."

Her eyes widening in understanding, the hearing girl questioned accusingly. "Shuuya-kun, you… you didn't-"

"I didn't, but I came close to," raising a hand, Shuuya tried to calm Yuuri down. "One day, after yet another frustrating session, I looked at Ryuuko and, somehow… my mind cracked under the pressure. My face must've looked awful since Maki-san recalled the memory with disgust, hand clasped, he lowered his head. "That night, I silently crept into the two's room. Their bodies just several distances from me, and no one would know, or so I reasoned, but… everything went to literal chaos after."

"What happened?"

"The shelter exploded," Yuuri looked on in surprise. "Well, it didn't explode completely, but a section of the shelter exploded. Maki-san speculated that it was the work of lightning but the night was cloudless and no rain was pouring for several days. But that's what happened, and the impact woke me up from my crazed state, alongside Ryuuko and Maki-san. Fortunately, they were too surprised by the explosion to wonder why I was in their room, we quickly went out into the hallway to observe the situation. We wished we didn't."

"The undeads…" Yuuri spoke. "They came in, didn't they?"

"Yes, that is what happened," nodding, Shuuya continued. "The undeads entered through the hole from the explosion, and even though it was night, there was still a sizable number that poured in. Ryuuko was scared, Maki-san was terrified, and I was in a state of panic at the suddenness of the situation. The only thing I could say was to order them to quickly gather their belongings and as many supplies as they can, while I shakily kept the undeads at bay. My strength wasn't enough, and with my state of mind still haven't recovered, I resorted to just burning the place to the ground. I led the other two safely out from the shelter and we all watched as the building was scorched down and the undeads turned to ashes. We walked some more and stayed temporarily in an abandoned but safe building until the three of us met all of you," he smiled, pointing at Yuuri.

"Is that so? I… kind of see now why you don't have a good experience at that previous shelter," the brown-haired girl spoke, though she was fidgeting embarrassingly at the information she was just presented with. Even with all the happenings between them, she was still disturbed by this side of him.

"Yes, I'm terrible, aren't I?" Said Shuuya in such a depressing tone that Yuuri was surprised. "This lust, caused by the traumatic stress of being with Yuuta, almost made me cause a crime and a taboo. I'm really such a terrible person," he sinker lower and lower in his seat. "The facade of being a perfect guy, a gentleman, an athletic person, a kind human, all of it is a lie!" Shuuya was holding his head tightly, his mind a mess. "I tried to assault my little sister and her friend, and it took a divine intervention to stop me. A weak creature like me doesn't even deserve to live normally in this world anymore."

Suddenly, the boy felt something touched his hands and lifted his head up. "Listen up, Shuuya-kun. Do not talk like that to yourself," spoke Yuuri with a serious expression. "It is true that you almost did something irreversible, and to throw away that memory would be a mistake itself. However, the fact that you know of your wrongdoings and admitted it shows that you very much regret what almost happened, and for that proves that you're still not beyond saving," the girl lowered her eyes to Shuuya's line of sight. "And so, do not look to down on yourself, for there are other peoples that you could still help to remedy your past sins, and who in turn could help you in your problems, so don't keep it all inside. We and I are all ready to help you."

"Then, Yuuri-san, could you… help me with my problems?" Shuuya giggled in an innocent manner. "After all, it is fine, isn't it?" He shortened the distance between their faces.

However, Yuuri panicked and let go of the boy's hands, and he crashed onto the table surface. "I-I'm sorry, Shuuya-kun, but we can't do it, not right now," exclaimed the girl. "It's just that, with Yuki-chan's condition, Yuuta-kun's ambiguous state and their separation… I… I can't. To pursue my own desires while they're still separated is…"

"I understand perfectly, Yuuri-san," Shuuya rubbed his face and answered. I too felt reluctant to pursue my own happiness while my best friend is still in an unknown situation. It doesn't feel fair."

Staring at each other, the two people who had feelings for the other party giggled lightly and sighed. "Both of us really care for our friends, huh?"

"I suppose that is true. Well, it is still morning so perhaps we could take a walk somewhere in the base while waiting for lunch?" Shuuya proposed.

"That is a fine idea, but I have to visit Yuki-chan first to see how she's faring in her last month of pregnancy. I'm just glad that she didn't make any unreasonable request, at least not more than her usual self," said Yuuri.

"True, though… perhaps Yuki-san was holding it in to not burden us?"

"While that is a possibility, I don't think she is pretending about her desires in this period. If anything, she seemed to only care about herself and the child inside her, only giving any of us the minimum amount of attention. That is what I'm more worried about, besides the state of her body," expressed the club president.

Standing up, Shuuya walked to the door and held a hand towards Yuuri. "Well then, let's meet Kurumi-san and Miki-san to check her condition for today, shall we?"

As Yuuri grasped the hand joined Shuuya in exiting the room, neither of them realized the storm brewing outside the window.


"Sup, Yuki!" Raising a hand, Kurumi greeted the resident of the room who's currently lying down on the futon. "How're you doing today?"

Yuki, woken at the loud voice, lifted her upper body up, in her arms clutching the sword Tamashiha. "Ah, Kurumi-chan. What do you want? I'm still sleepy."

"Just~ visiting to check on you," the purple haired girl replied cheerily. Walking forward, she crouched down and sat beside Yuki, supporting her back. "Careful now, ya don't have to sit up if you can't. Just lay down if you're comfortable with that."

"I'm still fine enough to sit, Kurumi-chan. You worry too much," the pink haired girl smiled slightly.

Stroking the shovel in her hands, Kurumi spoke. "I'm just worried about you after all. All you do every day is eat a little, sleep most of the time and talk to yourself. What's more, your body…"

"I'm okay, and the baby's okay too," Yuki laughed and touched her grown belly. "I will protect this child until Yuu-kun returned. I promise that to him, and I believe in him and 'her'.

"There you go again, saying something like that about Yuuta, and you still don't tell us who's 'her' anyway?" Said Kurumi exasperatedly. "Do you still believe he will return?"

Suddenly, the door of the room opened with a loud bang and in came Miki, her sword in hand. "Kurumi-senpai, I've told you not to say something like that in front of Yuki-senpai again!" She scolded the older girl.

"It's fine, Mii-kun, you don't have to get so mad," Yuri said gently, while Kurumi huffed as her response.

Sighing, Miki entered and took her seat beside Yuki opposite from Kurumi. "Are you feeling alright today, senpai?"

"Yeah, thanks for bringing my breakfast here, Mii-kun," Miki looked at the empty tray behind the futon. "Ri-san's food is always delicious."

"I'm glad you're still having an appetite, but you can call any of us if it's too much for you," the white-haired girl said.

"It's Yuki, I bet she just inhaled the food in a second," Kurumi smirked at the joke.

The girl in question pouted and puffed her cheeks. "How rude Kurumi-chan. A mature and elegant woman such as myself would, of course, eat my meals with manners."

"Gah, mature? You?" The older of the two coughed and pointed at her. "Don't get cocky just cause your breasts are bigger than me now. You're still nowhere near Ri-san's size."

The youngest of the three, Miki, laughed somewhat nervously and spoke. "Y-Yeah, Yuuri-senpai's breasts s-sure are large, right?"

Kurumi nodded at the statement. "Yes, yes. Those udders are really large. I bet she and Shuuya-san use it at night and do 'this' and 'that' to each other-"

"What kind of 'this' and 'that' would that be hmm~?" The dangerously sweet voice of Yuuri reached the ears of Kurumi, who froze at the moment. Turning around, she saw Yuuri's figure shaking with barely restrained anger. "Would you like to repeat that statement again, Kurumi?"

"O-O-Of course not, Ri-san! I-I didn't say anything, right?" She glanced at Miki and Yuki, asking for help, but the two predictably averted their gazes from her. 'Help me out here!'

Sighing heavily, the brown haired girl stepped into the room and sat beside Yuki, Kurumi scuttling away speedily. Placing a hand on the girl's forehead, she said with a gentle voice. "You seem well today too, Yuki-chan. However, you're welcome to ask any of us for anything that you want," she placed her hands on her lap. "I am sorry that we can't provide you with a more accurate check-up for your condition. But, if you feel something wrong with your body then immediately inform us, okay?"

"Thanks for the offer Ri-san, but I'm really alright. Honestly, I'm thankful for everything that you've all done to take care of me. It makes me very happy," the growing girl smiled.

The other three followed smiling at the statement. "Aww, you're making me blush, you know," Kurumi scratched her cheek in slight embarrassment and slung one arm over Yuki's shoulder. "Of course we're taking care of you. That's what friends are for."

"That's right, senpai," voiced Miki, who moved to hug the pink haired girl. "We'll protect you until Yuuta-senpai returns, I believe in you and him."

"He he, thank you two," Yuki giggled at the attention, though her face dropped down a moment later. "I just hope, that I'll get to see Yuu-kun before the child is born," she stroked her stomach.

Seeing this, Yuuri placed a hand on Yuki's. "I'm sure he'll arrive soon, you don't have to worry about that, Yuki-chan." The girl's face brightens up slightly at the comfort but still looked sad. "Oh yeah, you've thought up of a name for the child, right?" Yuuri asked, bringing up a subject that hopefully will cheer her up.

"Yeah, of course!" Yuki exclaimed cheerily, eyes gleaming. "It's my duty to name him since Yuu-kun gave me the privilege. I've thought long and hard about it, and I finally settled on a good name for him."

"Hhee, what's the name that you chose in the end, senpai?" Asked Miki.

"Well, the name that I decided on is-"

Yuki didn't get a chance to finish the sentence when, out of nowhere, a loud noise, akin to an explosion, was heard in the building. The sound was followed by a shockwave that coursed through the walls, reaching to the very depths of the structure.

Once the feeling of shock and surprise had wittle down, Kurumi was the one to spoke first. "What the heck was that!?"

"Could there be an explosion in the power room? No, if that is the case then the lights should be off right now and replaced by the emergency power. Maybe it's from the kitchen?" Miki wondered aloud.

Standing up, Yuuri reached for the door. "I'll go look what happened. Kurumi, Miki-san, you two stay here and look after Yuki-chan." Said the girl as she opened the door and stepped outside… only to see a panicked Shuuya running towards them. "Shuuya-kun, what happened?"

Bending down to catch his breath, the redhead suddenly grabbed Yuuri's shoulder and stared straight at her. "We… we… we have to get out of here… fast!"

"Whoa whoa, what's with you, Shuuya-san? There's nothing bad happening, is it?" Kurumi approached the two.

"It's … the worst possible scenario…" spoke Shuuya, his voice ragged. "The undeads… the undeads… they've breached into this building!"

"What did you say!?" Screamed Kurumi. "How did that even happen!?"

"I… I was sitting on the roof a moment ago," Shuuya told. "The air was windy, and there were black clouds looming in the distance, but I figured that I can get back inside before they arrive. However, the surrounding wind suddenly turned very vicious that it became very hard to stand still. Just when I was struggling to enter the building, I saw with my own eyes a flash of lightning striking one side of the shelter, and then the wall could be heard exploding from the impact. Then, when I went back inside to inspect, there were already sounds of the undeads coming in from the hole. And so, I ran here to inform you all," finishing his explanation, he again grabbed Yuuri's shoulder and spoke. "That's why we have to leave this place fast!"

Hearing what was told to them, the girls couldn't believe it. 'All the peaceful times, threatened in just a moment?' Miki thought.

"But, we can't really leave this place, right?" Kurumi exclaimed confidently. "This is where we live now, who knows when or where we'll find another peaceful and safe place to stay? And with Yuki's condition, we can't exactly move fast without endangering her. After all, there's no telling we'll manage to reach the caravan in this situation," the purple haired girl give her thoughts. "I say, we fight them with all we have until their numbers dwindle, while the ones who can't fight take cover in someplace safe and unreachable. How's my plan?"

Puffing her chest for the speech, Miki only had one word for the plan. "You're crazy, senpai."

"But what Kurumi said is correct, unexpectedly, Yuki was the one to support the idea. "It will be dangerous fighting, but staying outside without any shelter is more dangerous, right?"

"Both Kurumi and Yuki-chan are correct," spoke Yuuri. "As much as I don't want to say this, we have to stay together in a sheltered place where there is still a semblance of protection, as opposed to just drifting in the road where we might get attacked at the slightest moment of carelessness. But because of that, I'm afraid I have to ask you three to fight, Kurumi, Shuuya-kun, and Miki-san."

Shuuya looked down dejectedly and smiled. "Is that so? I panicked and gave in to my inner cowardliness, that I forgot about my promise with Yuuta. You're right Yuki-san, a place that can protect ourselves is better than none. I'll do my best to protect everyone, even if I'm the one in danger."

"If everyone is saying that," Miki stood up. "Then I'll fight too! I won't let anyone left behind this time!" She said with energy.

With the course of action determined, Yuuri clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright then! Shuuya-kun, Kurumi and Miki-san, you three will be our front line and defend our position from the undeads, but make sure to not let yourself go too far from each other, give support when one is in trouble and don't charge in alone. Yuki-chan, I'll help you get to a safer place, preferably somewhere high where they can't reach."

Yuki nodded, and Yuuri moved in to help her stand up. Shuuya approached them and grabbed the sword Tamashiha on the floor. "Yuki-san, may I have your permission in using this for fighting this time?" He asked, face determined. "I promise you I will use it for a great purpose and to return it to you."

One could see Yuki's expression was conflicted at the choice but ultimately decided to let the only current source of comfort for her see more practical use. "I allow you to, Shuuya-kun. Make sure you don't damage it."

Smiling in thanks, Shuuya joined Kurumi and Miki, each with their own weapons, standing outside the room. At the back, Yuki was staggering to her feet walking with Yuuri's help.

Grinning, Kurumi took one step forward with shovel swinging. "Let's go bash some undeads and protect this place!"


Outside a big cube-shaped structure, a large horde of undead was waiting to swarm into the building, their rotting flesh moving nearer to the concrete walls.

"YAAAHH!"

But their advance was stopped by a piece of metal to the head, courtesy of Kurumi swinging her shovel with much energy. Standing before the wide, gaping hole on one side of the building, she stood on her position while attacking any undead that came near.

"HHIIYAAA!"

Miki yelled as she sliced another undead clean from its head. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, the young girl slashed her sword another time at the next threat.

"ORAORA!"

Stabbing a close opponent, Shuuya kicked the undead in the abdomen and focused on another that came from his side. The three have finished clearing the inside of the building from any invading undeads, thankfully low in number thanks to their slow speed, and was just now reaching the outside walls and defending the place from being overrun again.

"Tch, there's more of these creatures than I thought," said Kurumi, extracting the shovel head from an undead's chest. "Perhaps it's a bad idea to fight them in the open like this."

"You can't say that after all this time, senpai," Miki spoke. "If we leave them to be right now, they will enter the shelter again and we'll have to eliminate them again from the inside. And then they'll just keep on coming until we found a way to halt their movement or fix the opening. What we can do right now is reduce their numbers and hope there will be no more of them to come," the girl swung at her opponent's leg and knocked them down.

"We must protect Yuuri-san and Yuki-san, for that alone is what we should do, until a suitable time to rest is acquired," Shuuya exclaimed in a rather flowery way.

Sticking her shovel to the ground, Kurumi sighed. "So, we have to keep fighting and defending, huh? Oh well, might as well do our best while we're at it, even if it may be futile."

And so, the three fighters continue their struggle against the undeads, swinging their weapons left and right, up and down, without a pause, relentlessly and tiredly trying to cut down the number of undead swarming into their shelter continuously, their movements still flow but their amount unchanging, always replacing the fallen and attacking with the same lethargic instinct, in their pursuit of the living's flesh.

And thus, it is how, after an hour of battling in the late afternoon sun, Miki found herself moving back and stumbling to the ground. "I… I can't anymore. Sorry, Kurumi-senpai, Shuuya-senpai…" the girl leaned onto her sword as she breathed in and out to reduce her fatigue.

"Oi, Miki! It's dangerous to sit there! If you can't fight anymore, then move inside and meet with Ri-san and Yuki. We'll take care of things here until we're done trying," Kurumi ordered.

"I'm afraid I have almost reached the limit of my strength too, Kurumi-san," spoke Shuuya, using the Tamashiha's blade as a cane. "We'll have to retreat for today, and regain our energy, lest we get caught in fatigue."

Looking at her two companions, Kurumi clicked her tongue irritatingly. "Damn, as much as I don't want to admit it, I'm nearing my limit too," the girl swung her shovel at another approaching undead, though not with the same energy as an hour before. "Khh, how are they still coming here, and why aren't they at least seem to go somewhere else that's not here? It seems like they're specifically targeting this building, with is just happen to be here."

"What if you're right, Kurumi-senpai, that they're not targeting us?" Miki, standing up and dodging a lunging undead before slicing it down. "That their real target is something in this building, like what we saw at the plague source facility."

"You mean that there's a chance that they're being led here by something that they need to protect, or in this case… destroy?" Questioned Shuuya.

Kurumi kicked an undead away from her face and smashed its head. "But what if it's not merely something, but rather, someone?" Kurumi added. "Someone like…"

"Yuki-senpai…" finished Miki, before dodging a striking undead again. "B-But, that's impossible, they can't be really targeting her, I mean… perhaps it's because she's pregnant and about to give birth?"

"Ya mean the undeads now know how to detect not just living life but also a life that has not been born?" Kurumi shouted. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"We've got to get back to Yuki-san and Yuuri-san!" Shuuya shouted in panic. "If they reached those two, I… I'll never forgive myself."

Crouching down for a second, Kurumi finally showed signs of fatigue. "R… Relax, Shuuya-san, they're safe, remember? T… They're in the uppermost room with the door sealed tight from the inside. Even if the undeads managed to reach the door, after several stairs, they won't be able to open it… unless they use brute force. A large amount of brute force," the purple haired girl breathed hard as she collapsed on the ground, sweat pouring from her skin.

"Kurumi-senpai… watch out!" Miki shouted and jumped towards her senior, pushing her sideways and barely managing to avoid an undead sinking their teeth to the both of them. "Be more careful, senpai. We can't let our guard down."

Seeing the danger that staying further in this situation could bring to them, Shuuya spoke. "Miki-san, let's retreat for now and regroup with the other two! We can't fight anymore in this condition," the redhead yelled, kicking another threatening undead in the stomach. Then, he dashed to Kurumi's and Miki's position, helping the former stand up. "Come on, we'll support each other."

"Thanks, Miki, Shuuya-san…" Kurumi voiced, weakly and unmotivated. "Can't believe I get tired this much after just a few months of not practising," she laughed slowly.

"Don't worry about it," Shuuya said. "Let's get inside before we're trapped by them.

The three of them, Miki, Kurumi and Shuuya, shoulder-to-shoulder walked towards the large gaping hole in the building's side wall but halted when the undeads came in from their sides, seemingly trying to prevent them from escaping. Still low in energy, Shuuya and Miki had no choice but to brandish their sword in one hand with the other supporting Kurumi.

Rushing slowly forward, they tried to push through the wall of undeads blocking their way, but they knew, that the opening between the undeads was gradually decreasing in size and with many more moving in, it would be very hard to break through, what's more with their exhausted state.

Thus, it was no surprise that the three was surrounded by the undeads, taking their time approaching their living body. Swinging their weapons wildly, it was all that Shuuya and Miki could do to protect themselves and Kurumi, and leaving her behind was definitely not an option that they would choose. However, if nothing is to be done fast, then they would surely be at the mercy(or lack of) from the undeads.

In the distance, a lone person could be seen riding a strange-looking motorcycle through the empty roads. Being almost completely enveloped with glass that seems to be absorbing the sunlight, the bike carries on across under the ever-present orange sky, the rider has his eyes straight front, looking at the horde of undeads surrounding a cube-shaped building with a visible hole at one wall.

"That seems to be the place I'm searching for, at least if the information he gave me is correct," the single passenger talks to himself. 'Though I don't see why there would be any reason for him to lie to me, considering that he made a promise to me. That means that is the right place, and considering the unusually high amount of undeads, are they in danger? If that's so, then I can't carry on like this right now," opening a small panel on the bike handle, he pressed the red button on it. "It's time to test that booster. In other words," the exhaust pipes on the back that previously didn't emit anything suddenly lit up and a jet of fire shoots out from it. "It's time to go turbo!"

Back to Kurumi and co's situation, the circular distance between them and the undeads are getting closer by the second, centimetres and centimetres they inch further in, with Miki and Shuuya losing the strength to swing their blades. In the dreariness of that moment, Kurumi lifted her shovel up, intending to not go down without a fight, even if it's only for a moment.

As the limbs of the undeads creep closer, a loud noise reverberated in the clearing, catching the attention of the three living humans who immediately turned their heads. What they saw was the silhouette of a large bike soaring through the air, flames shooting from behind it, and the late afternoon sunlight reflecting from the shiny surface… before it came crashing down atop several of the undeads, cushioning its fall. And, from the inside of the vehicle, a lone person came out and removed their helmet, someone whom they knew very much.

"It seems you guys are a little… preoccupied, aren't you?"

"Yuuta!" Yuuta!" Yuuta-senpai!" The three exclaimed in joy at the sight of their long-missing friend. "Where have you been all this time!?"

"I'll answer your question a while later, Kurumi. For now, let's go down to business… to defeat the undeads!" Glancing to the side, he spoke to Shuuya and tossed two pieces of object at him. "Here, thanks for borrowing them to me!"

Before he even caught those things, Shuuya holds the sword Tamashiha with its sheath and threw it at Yuuta. "Right back at you! Catch!" He said and then held his hands high, grasping back the two brass knuckle that he had thought lost.

Jumping high, the black haired boy caught the sword and unsheathed the blade in the air, before landing on the ground with a pose, weapon held horizontally straight. Right after that, he immediately pushed, that is, slashed her way through the undeads to reach his friends. No problem, for he still has the energy, the opponent moved too slow to oppose him.

He reached Miki first, who hugged him tightly. "Welcome back, senpai. We really miss you," she said with tears in her eyes.

Patting the white-haired girl with a gentle smile, Yuuta's gaze went back to the army of undead surrounding the four and blocking their way from entering the shelter. Cutting through them alone on his own would be possible, but there's a chance that the others would be in danger if he's too far ahead of them. Thus, recalling one option in his mind, he readies Tamashiha, blade placed in front of him. 'It's time to show off what I've been able to learn from him.'

Standing perfectly still on the ground, Yuuta cleared his mind of anything unnecessary, dark thoughts and bad personalities. "He's basically purifying his soul, to the extent of reaching the level of saints or even prophets in just several seconds, his mind as clear as the light of goodness in humanity's heart.

With two fingers running through the sword's glinting blade, the blue eyes boy chanted. "O restless souls that wander on this land, trapped in the hollow form of your life. Realize the truth in your hearts, and be free from your worldly confines. With this strike, I shall dispel the corruption of your souls, and return you to the cycle of reincarnation!" The sword glowed with a strong white hue, blinding the still living with its light. "Break through the shackles in your heart, and cease to trouble those still in this world! Tamashiha!"

Shouting the name of his sword, Yuuta swung the blade in a full-circle slash, where a bright arc of light shoots outward, passing through his companions and the undeads surrounding them, expanding further until the light dissipates behind the wall of undeads.

Silently, Yuuta sheathes back his sword with a click. "Rest in peace, and may we meet again in your next life."

As soon as he said those words, without any warning, the horde of undeads, began to collapse as if they were puppets whose strings were cut, one by one, layer by layer, until the very last one at the back fell, all showing no more signs of movement.

"And thus it has ended, for this place," the black haired boy spoke solemnly. "Man, that was cool, wasn't it!?" And then immediately changed back to a more cheerful persona. "I'm not confident with this technique at first, but looks like I really can do it if I try. Who'd have thought it'd be this effective, huh?"

Standing at the sides, Miki, Kurumi and Shuuya stared with mouth wide open at Yuuta, who just immobilized a whole army of undeads with just one attack, never mind that the technique seemed too magical for the setting. Then again, they've seen what he was able to do while connecting to the dark side of his personality, so it doesn't completely surprise them that he can also do the same when connecting to his light side.

"What the hell just happened!?" But nevertheless, it was still something shocking to see how he can do something that borders… no, crosses the line to the fantastic realm, in a world where magic shouldn't be known to exist. "How did you manage to do that!?" And so it is, that Kurumi shouted incredulously at the impossibility of the scene.

"Are the three of you fine?" Yuuta asked calmly, almost as if nothing had happened, while the area is still covered with the corpses of the unmoving dead.

Kurumi answered this with a punch to the face, which the boy received with a dopey look. "Of course we're not fine! You've been gone for how long and presumed dead and now you just returned and acted like nothing big has happened! I might be low on energy but even I can punch you senseless for… hey, how am I still having this much energy? It's like the tiredness has been pushed out of me."

"You're right, senpai. I feel more energetic too after… that light passed through me," voiced Miki. Shuuya also nodded in confirmation while punching the air.

"Well, what happened just now doesn't matter, right?" Kurumi was about to plant her fist on Yuuta's face again for that comment before the boy suddenly grabbed her shoulder tightly, his blue eyes staring straight at her. "More importantly, where's Yuki?"


Inside a small and closed room, two girls sat together in silence beside one another, doing nothing but staring at the opposite wall and the only door that allowed admittance to the room. Of course, the room is not necessarily dark, since even without turning in the lights, the room was well lit from the sunlight that shines in through a big hole on the ceiling, which was present before the group found the building.

As the time passed without any change or anyone entering the room, the girls predictably grew restless. The light of the afternoon sun lit up their faces, and the pink haired one talked to the other.

"Hey, Ri-san… do you everything is okay outside?" Spoke Yuki, her voice soft and uneasy in the silent room. "There's been no change since Mii-kun, Kurumi-chan and Shuuya-kun left us to fight. Do you think they are alright?"

Brushing the bundle of hair at her cheek, Yuuri honestly doesn't know what to answer since she is also uncertain of what was happening outdoors. However, to comfort Yuki she had to give a reply confidently. "Yes, I'm sure they're alright. They won't leave us here alone without coming back after all. They'll come back, I'm certain of it," Yuuri's words, though an answer to Yuki, was more directed at herself than the other girl. "Let's trust them and hope that they'll finish their business soon enough and join us, okay?" She stroked Yuki's hair.

"Alright," the girl nodded, though one could see that she was not completely convinced by the reply, after all, she's grown more mature to know of these kinds of things in the past few months. However, she still appreciates the gesture from her friend. "Thanks, Ri-san, for being with me here."

Taken slightly aback by the girl's words, Yuuri smiled back and hugged Yuki. "It's alright, Yuki-chan. Everything will be alright, there's nothing for you to worry about. Before long, Kurumi-san will come through the door laughing and say how she managed to defeat a lot of enemies, Miki-san will go back to taking care of you and Shuuya-kun will collapse on the floor and leaned on the wall to sleep," she smiled at her own words. "And perhaps, just perhaps, Yuuta-kun will also arrive and leap onto you seconds after entering, and you'll cry at how long you've missed him."

"Ahaha… you got me, Ri-san. I would definitely do that if Yuu-kun comes through the door right now," Yuki giggled at the statement. "But, though it's just a thought, it's still a happy one and one that I won't deny wanting," Yuuri rubbed her head, impressed at how her friend had matured these past months.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

Suddenly, the sound of metal colliding with something hard resounded throughout the room. The two girls turned their heads and hear that the noise was coming from the door, which vibrated slightly whenever it is knocked. No voice came from the outside, and so the girls couldn't ascertain who, or what, was it that stands at the other side of the door.

"R-R-Ri-san… who's that!?" Yuki asked in fear. The room was locked from the inside as a safety measure, and the girls should only unlock it when the other fighting group returned.

"I-I don't know, Yuki-chan," Yuuri also trembled slightly at the repeated pounding of the metallic door, her arms subconsciously wrapping around her friend.

Hugging each other for safety and comfort, Yuki and Yuuri watched as the door separating them and the outside world was beaten hard in an attempt to enter the room. They did not realize a certain wetness flowing from Yuki's thighs.

And then, with one giant push, the door that had so stubbornly defended the room was knocked forwards, tearing off from its doorframe. The two girls inside shook greatly at the intrusion, as smoke mysteriously entered the room, concealing the invader's form.

"Phew, they really build doors though these days," the person spoke, the voice familiar to their ears although it has been a long time since they heard it. With the smoke dissipating, the identity of the figure was revealed.

"Yuu-kun…" muttered Yuki, her eyes wide in surprise at her husband's presence after a long period of absence, whereas other people believed he was dead, she still hoped for his return.

"Yuki…" the man, Yuuta, opened his mouth in surprise at seeing his wife, after not seeing her for several months. The surprise reaction was replaced by a look of gratitude, relief and unmasked happiness as he rushed forward to his life partner.

"YUKI!"

"YUU-KUN!"

The two lovers embraced each other tightly, though Yuki could only kneel down and so Yuuta lowered his body to hers. Their physical bond tight, the two then kissed each other on the lips, tears present in their eyes, happiness, thankfulness and lovingness transmitted between them.

"How savage could ya be, Yuuta?" Entering the room a moment later was Kurumi and the rest. "We know you're dying to see Yuki again but do you really need to rush and broke the damned door?"

"Let's give them some space, Kurumi-senpai. This is their lovely reunion after all," Miki said with a smile on her face.

"To think that Yuuta really is still alive, I don't believe it," uttered Shuuya, one hand covering his face. "I honestly don't how to react but, I have no doubt that him being here is the best for everyone, especially Yuki-san," Yuuri approached him, standing beside and watching the scene with a gentle smile.

After almost a minute of embracing arch other, Yuuta retracted his arms and noticed there was some liquid stuck to them. 'What the…" looking downwards, past Yuki's bloated stomach, he could see that the floor was also wet. After several seconds of thinking, he finally found the answer. "Yuki, you're… your water's breaking."

At Yuuta's words, the Yuki also looked down and realized the wetness, and the other four gathered around her.

"We don't know for certain if it's really the time, but we have to prepare for this immediately!" Shouted Yuuri and she began issuing orders to the others. "Miki, bring me a tub full of clean water! "Kurumi, grab some more washed towels from the laundry room! Shuuya-kun, ready the futon! As for you, Yuuta-kun," she turned towards Yuuta. "Please give her your encouragements and support."

"Right!" The others went to complete their assigned task, with Yuuri staying in the room and guiding Yuki to the spread out futon. Laying down on her back, the pink haired girl spread open her legs as Yuuri took the role of a midwife with Yuuta sitting at her side, clasping Yuki's hand tightly.

Placing the basin of water from Miki at her side, Yuuri took the blankets fetched by Kurumi and covered the lower half of Yuki's body and the underside. Giving her friend encouragements to push, the young soon-to-be-mother pushed with all her might the child residing in her womb, ready to be born.

"Yuki-chan, just a little more!" Said the club president.

"You can do it, Yuki!" Encouraged Yuuta.

"Yuki-senpai, don't give up!" Miki yelled.

"Yuki, you better do your best now!" Kurumi shouted.

Please, do not lose your will to fight, Yuki-san," Shuuya spike solemnly.

After an hour, or perhaps it's two? Anyway, after a long period of time, Yuki gave a loud yell and with a final push, the baby was born.

"WAAAHH!"

Yuuri caught the newborn in her hands and after slightly washing the fluids and blood covering the child until it could be called clean enough, wrapped them in a piece of cloth.

Yuki, breathing hard and very, very tired as well as terribly in pain not to mention the stress of the ordeal, lay weakly on the futon, Yuuta still grasping her hand. "You did well, Yuki! It's… it's over now, so you can rest a bit." The girl didn't respond to the words.

"Yuuta-kun, Yuki-chan. Congratulations! It's a boy child," Yuuri exclaimed, tears in her eyes, in her arms the newborn bundle and handed him over to the new father.

Yuuta accepted the bundle and stared at the child in his arms, a small human being so little he wants to protect him, eyes still closed and on her head a small tuft of pink hair, quite a difference from his own. Gently touching the child's fingers with his own, he watched in amusement as he clasped it tightly in his hands.

"Look, Yuki! It's our child!" Yuuta exclaimed in happiness that he ne'er felt in his current life. "A child… of ours…" several tears drip from his eyes.

"Yeah… that's great, isn't it?" Yuki replied weakly.

Happily staring at their child, Yuuta turned to her wife. "What name have you chose for him?" He asked.

"Hehe… you remembered," the girl smiled slightly at the question, in which Yuuta nodded. "Natsu," she spoke a single word.

"Natsu, the summer, huh?" Yuuta muttered.

"Yes, it's for the season that we met each other last year," Yuki explained. "I hope he will be a cheerful and bright person like the summer sun."

Yuuta chuckled. "I just hope he won't be a hot-blooded person, though," he joked, but Yuki doesn't laugh. In fact, she doesn't seem to respond anymore. "Yuki?"

"Yuu-kun…" the pink haired girl said slowly. "I'm… I'm tired now. I… I just want to close my eyes and sleep…"

Yuuta was confused at her sentence until Yuuri crouched and tapped his shoulder. "Yuuta-kun, I… I should tell you something," Yuuta turned to face her. "Yuki-chan… she… she may not survive this act."

"Eh?" The black haired boy stared blankly, unable to process what was being said to him. "W-What… what do you mean she may not survive?"

Yuuri swallowed hard and began explaining. "You know that Yuki-chan, for all her energy and cheerfulness, has a weak body, right?" Yuuta nodded since he does have a feeling that was the reason since she never was particularly strong in anything physical unless motivated. "That weak body, Miki-san had theorized that due to it, the strain of childbirth may be too much for her and she may…" she does not speak further, though Yuuta knew what the next word going to be. "However, Yuki-chan insisted that, despite the risk, she will make sure that Natsu-chan is born, no matter the outcome to her. She was stubborn, and all we could do was hope for the best in the future, but it seems… our fear may be realized."

"No. No. No, no, No, NO!" The blue eyes boy shouted and thrust his newborn child into Yuuri's arms. Turning back to the lying Yuki, he tightly grasped her hands and moved closer. "Yuki, you… you must live, okay!?" Yuuta almost desperately said.

Yuki opened her eyes a little and curved her lips upward, fingers only moving slightly. "What do you mean, Yuu-kun? I'll always be with you." Though she said that, her eyelids are wavering and eyes unfocused in its gaze.

Tears flowed harder from Yuuta's eyes. "That's… that's a promise, right? You'll never leave me, and I'll never leave you alone. I promise I won't go far away ever again, so, please… don't go…"

A weak giggle escaped Yuki's mouth. "Yuu-kun… can you really do that?" Her lips almost formed a smirk, though her hands have become limp already.

"I… I'll do anything, so, please… don't leave me, Yuki!" Yuuta screamed while the other four stood at the back, to occupied with their own grief to interrupt the couple. Kurumi rubbed her eyes, unable to stop the flowing tears while Miki openly cried, unfitting of her serious image while Shuuya comforted a tearful Yuuri, her own cheeks wet with tears.

"Perhaps… it was just not meant to be, Yuu-kun, for me to continue to be by your side," muttered Yuki. "Take care of Natsu-chan for me, alright? And, please don't regret meeting me. I've had a lot of fun being with you and the others, discovering feelings that I never knew and doing things that I never dreamt to do. So Yuu-kun," she opened her eyes wide with a tearful expression, along with a picturesque smile. "Please, live on okay?"

"I love you…"

And with those final words, Yuki closed her eyes and her hand fell, her body lifeless.


The beginning is near.