Later it was night and both Tetsuya and Saeko stopped inside a shrine. Tetsuya placed a piece of wood on the door locking it. He then lit a candle as Saeko sat in the middle

Tetsuya – travelling around at night would be dangerous with what supplies we have now. We'll stay here until morning

Saeko – yeah..

Tetsuya then walked up to the altar and grabbed the samurai sword there. He opened the sheath and saw the blade

Tetsuya – hey, this is a real sword. Saeko, you can use this instead of your wooden sword. Its much sharper. Your uniform's dry too

Tetsuya placed her uniform on the mat Saeko was sitting on and the sword next to it. He then walked at the curtains at the sides

Tetsuya – I'll be here so go change up. Don't worry, I wont peak

Tetsuya walked behind the curtains

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Minutes later Saeko was done changing

Saeko – I'm done changing

Tetsuya walked out of the curtain

Tetsuya – I found something in the bag Saeko

Saeko – what is it?

Tetsuya sat down and handed Saeko something. He then whispered to her

Tetsuya – its some kind of portable toilet

Saeko then laughed about it

Tetsuya – hey don't laugh, this way we wont have to worry about-

Saeko – yeah I know, I'm happy. Thank you

Tetsuya – so Saeko.. what's up back there? Is there a reason why you froze like that

Saeko remained silent. Saeko then then faced Tetsuya

Saeko – it might not be much, but can you hear me out?

Tetsuya – I'm all ears

Saeko – I recalled when I was last so.. afraid

Tetsuya – was it because they were children?

Saeko – it was troubling but no, that wasn't it. When we were by the river bank, you asked if there was a man who I liked

Tetsuya – oh yeah, uhh..

Saeko – don't worry. I'm a woman after all. There is a man who I liked. But I haven't got a chance to tell him how I feel. I didn't believe that I should be allowed to do so

Tetsuya – but why? I mean, no matter what kind of guy-

Saeko – do you think he would've accepted me if I had committed murder?

With this Tetsuya gasped

Tetsuya – huh?

Saeko – four years ago, a man attacked me at night. I had my wooden sword with me, so naturally I was able to fend him off. I broke his shoulder blade and femur. The police understood the situation and took me home in a patrol car.

Tetsuya – then they might have thought it was an excessive way to defend yourself

Saeko – that's not what held me back at the fountain. To tell you the truth.. I enjoyed it.. It made me feel good to make him suffer! After realizing I had the overwhelming upper hand with my wooden sword I pretended to be afraid and lured him, and attacked him without hesitation! I enjoyed it! I truly, truly enjoyed it! That's me, me! That true nature of Saeko Bushijima! Do you really believe that I, drunk and turned on by my own power, should be allowed something pure like love!?

Tetsuya – but ever since this all happened I felt the same way too!

Saeko – you changed after all this. I have been like this since before it all began

Tetsuya – Saeko..

Saeko – as we stood in front of the fountain, I can to realize that I haven't changed. On the contrary, I find myself becoming even crueller

Tetsuya – Saeko.. you're not the only one who committed a murder..

Saeko widened her eyes and turned to Tetsuya. He had a very sad face

Tetsuya – it was on the news.. about two years ago I think. You remember how the building at downtown?

Saeko – that building that had multiple burnt victims?

Tetsuya – yes.. I was the one who did that..

Saeko widened her eyes

Tetsuya – this is the real reason why I was kicked out of the house. Long ago I was like you, I enjoyed violence. Whoever I came across that I never liked, I beat them up until they couldn't stand. All my childhood to my teenage years I was like that, a thug beating up other thugs. A street rat. Three years ago a gang heard about me and asked me to join them. The idiot that I was back then accepted their requested and became a member. Me along with the gang left a trail of chaos across the city. Fighting other gangs, destroying public properties, and shit like that.

Saeko listened carefully to Tetsuya

Tetsuya – I became good friends with the gang's leader. His name was Shin. He was the best friend I could ever hope for. Well.. I thought he was my best friend

Saeko – what happened?

Tetsuya – I fell in love with a girl, her name was Aya Mishima. I was deeply in love with her and I was even willing to throw my life just for her. She was like Aphrodite to me. She was very rich and I was just a street rat but she never mind. She was always afraid with delinquents like me but she accepted me, for that I was very happy. She loved me and I loved her. We spent a whole year together, and we even agreed to get married when the time was right. We were happy, until that certain event

Saeko – what event?

Tetsuya hesitated and told Saeko

Tetsuya – Aya being very rich has a very prideful attitude. And that pride led to our separation. She wanted me to leave my life to join hers. Leave the gang and my family and live with her. You may think she wanted me to live with her at her home but its not. She wanted me to completely abandoned my whole family and friends, to be a total stranger to them. I thought Aya was different from her family but I was wrong..

Tetsuya was shaking and his bangs were covering his eyes

Saeko – Tetsuya.. you don't need to continue if you don't want to

Tetsuya – no.. I'll tell you. We started to argue about it. I don't want to abandon my friends and my family. My family see me as shit but I still love them nonetheless. And eventually she threatened me to sleep with another man if I don't agree to her demands. I was too shocked to know that the sweet and loving girl that I loved would go such lengths to do this. I really don't want to abandon the people I care about so I disagreed to her demands. And then.. she asked Shin to sleep with her

Saeko widened her eyes in shock

Tetsuya – I was there.. when Aya invited Shin to our house. I was there.. when Shin arrived at my home. I was there when Aya led Shin to our bedroom.

Saeko could clearly see tears falling down on Tetsuya's cheeks

Tetsuya – and.. I was there when Aya asked Shin to sleep with her which he joyfully accepted.

Saeko couldn't believe how much that Aya girl hurt Tetsuya. And this made her very angry

Tetsuya – I heard everything Saeko.. I heard our bed shaking, their moaning and cries of ecstasy.. I heard everything and couldn't do anything. I was outside the door when this all happened, helpless. I can do something if she was being forced by Shin but.. she was the one who requested it. They kept at it for a full hour with me listening the whole time. It was a nightmare to me. When Shin walked out of the room still naked he gave me a grin. A grin that showed no sympathy for me. A grin that showed that I was never his best friend. I then saw Aya on our bed with her eyes telling my that this was all my fault. Shin mercilessly mocked me after deliberately hurting me. And after that..

Saeko – you attacked him?

Tetsuya – I punched him, kicked him, smashed his face on the wall, hit him with the chairs, threw him on the table, slammed him on the floor, broke his arm, broke his jaw, and threw him out the window. I beat him over and over again until he was at the verge of death. I turned to Aya on the bed. Instead of her apologizing to me she blamed me for everything. She blamed me told me its over and she doesn't want to see me again

Saeko – what!? After what she did to you she still has the nerve to do that!?

Tetsuya – that's what I said. But she said that it was my fault for so called forcing her to sleep with Shin. She broke my heart Saeko.. she grabbed my loyalty, my trust, and my love and crushed it to the ground and blamed me that it was my fault..

Saeko – that bitch..! Tetsuya I'm.. I'm sorry..

Tetsuya – with all that done, I left my home forever and stayed at the bar where my friend let me stay out of friendship. Days later Shin told the gang that I attacked him and treated me like a betrayer. The whole gang went on a hunt for my head for weeks and it all ended up in a warehouse. I was surrounded by everyone. The ones that I trusted, the ones I treated as my friends, the ones I fought with, and the ones I would've put my life on the line to protect them. They all gave me looks of anger and they all told me that I wasn't their friend anymore and I was just a betrayer.

Tetsuya was sobbing now

Tetsuya – betrayer huh.. I was the one who was betrayed. It sure does feel like shit that the people you care about and stayed with until the end all just abandoned you like that. They all attacked me and I was forced to fight back in defence. I was beaten by the people that I cared about. And I saw Shin.. with the same grin he gave me after fucking my own girlfriend in my own house. With that.. I snapped. I fought back not out of self defence but out of murderous intent. I showed no mercy to anyone. The ones who saved my life when I was about to die, I just returned the favor by busting their faces. I broke open the nearby pipes and let the gas flow out. Then sealed the door and threw my lighter inside. With that they all burned inside.. all of them.

And the worst part is, I never hesitated. I never hesitated to beat them up and threw the lighter. In fact.. I wanted to do it. I cried as I heard their cries for help and cries of anger towards me. That night.. I killed them all

Saeko was speechless on Tetsuya's story

Tetsuya – luckily the case was considered an accident but my father didn't consider this as an accident. He blamed me for everything. I know that I was the one who did it and he wasn't even sure that I really did it but blamed me either way

Saeko – does Komuro know this?

Tetsuya – I told him everything and to my surprise he understood me and told me that it wasn't my fault. That's the reason why I told you that he was the only one who understands me and no one else. He even helped me protect myself from the gang

Tetsuya used his sleeve to clean of his tears and looked at Saeko

Tetsuya – so Saeko.. I'll ask you a question. Do you think that all of what happened was my fault? Don't hesitate to answer what you really feel. I can understand if you hate me..

Tetsuya was fully prepared that Saeko will hate him now. If Saeko will hate him he'll accept it. But for what she said next surprised him like what Takashi did

Saeko – how can I hate you?

Tetsuya widened his eyes in shock

Saeko – it wasn't your fault. I don't hate you

Tetsuya didn't know but his tears ran down his cheeks again and he smiled. He felt his own heart warmed up. He thought this was the same feeling of thankfulness that he felt when Takashi accepted him but it wasn't. There was a part of him that want Saeko, he cant help but ask himself. Am I falling for Saeko?

Tetsuya – thank you Saeko.. thank you..

Saeko – Tetsuya

Saeko wrapped her arms around Tetsuya and let him cry on her

Saeko – why are you crying? Did I said something you didn't like?

Tetsuya – you're the second person whoever understood me..

Saeko – what about your friend at the bar you were staying?

Tetsuya – I never told him.. I was afraid that he might hate me

Saeko – so me and Komuro are the only ones who know huh?

Tetsuya – yeah..

Saeko wiped away Tetsuya's tears

Saeko – listen to me Tetsuya, it wasn't your fault. How can anyone blame you for what happened?

Tetsuya – I killed them all..

Saeko – out of self defence. Tetsuya, it wasn't your fault

Tetsuya then smiled.

Tetsuya – Saeko.. thank you so much..

The two of them faced each other and then shared a passionate kiss. After a few seconds Tetsuya and Saeko pulled back to get some air. A trail of saliva was seen between their lips

Tetsuya – Saeko.. I think, I think I love you..

Saeko – I.. I love you too Tetsuya..

They leaned forward and shared another kiss. Tetsuya slowly leaned forward and Saeko leaned backwards and one thing led to another

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The next day it was dawn and Tetsuya was putting on his clothes as Saeko was sleeping naked on the mat. Tetsuya then walked over to Saeko and shook her

Tetsuya – hey Saeko, wake up. We need to go to Takagi's house

Saeko then woke up and smiled at Tetsuya

Saeko – good morning Tetsuya..

Tetsuya returned the smile

Tetsuya – good morning

Saeko dressed herself up too and they were about to leave the shrine

Tetsuya – Saeko, can keep my story to yourself. Only you and Takashi know about it. Can I trust you to keep it a secret?

Saeko – of course

Tetsuya – thank you

Tetsuya and Saeko walked outside the shrine. Tetsuya was holding his machete as Saeko was holding the katana from the shrine. To their surprise group of zombies were approaching the shrine. Tetsuya looked over to Saeko who was shaking in fear

Tetsuya – Saeko!

Tetsuya grabbed her shoulders and she looked at him in shock

Saeko – Tetsuya?

Tetsuya – if you need a reason, I'll give you one! Both our hands are dirty Saeko but you looked up to me and understood me. That's why I will understand you too! I'll look up to you, I think you're the coolest girl I've ever met. So don't die! Keep living for me sake! Live as yourself and bear your sins!

Saeko then smiled at him

Saeko – thank you, I'm okay now

Saeko walked forward and faced Tetsuya

Saeko – I'm glad Tetsuya

Saeko then faced the zombie and draw out the katana. She charged at them and started to slash them. She slashed two zombies and blood spilled out of their chests.

Saeko thoughts – this!

Saeko kicked down the zombie and stomped on it

Saeko thoughts – this is it!

Saeko then stabbed the zombie below her feet. She then turned around and slashed another zombie. She charged at the others and took them out

Saeko thoughts – this is irresistible!

Tetsuya was smiling at where he was

Tetsuya – Saeko.. you finally overcame your fears

Saeko then slashed the heads of the zombies around her

Saeko thoughts – YES!

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Later they were running towards the street. They were getting closer to Takagi's house

Saeko – Tetsuya!

They stopped and Saeko grabbed Tetsuya's hand. He looked at her and she was smiling with a slight blush

Saeko – I can understand that you don't want to be in a relationship but.. you will take responsibility, right?

Tetsuya blushed but smiled at her

Tetsuya – guess I have no choice, huh? Hahahahaha!

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Later they were walking towards the gate at the back of Takagi's house. Hirano and Alice were at the second floor terrace watching the back gate

Alice – why the back?

Hirano – because if they want to slip in they would go from the back.

Inside Takashi and Takagi looked through the window

Takashi – they're back!

Takagi – open the gate!

Outside the gate was open and both Zeke and Alice were running towards them to greet

Alice – Tetsuya, Saeko!

Alice leaped to them and hugged them both. That moment Tetsuya came to terms with Saeko's darkness. Hell.. He came to terms with everything that the end threw at him. It goes without saying that he had to in order to live

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Days later Tetsuya and Saeko were welcomed into Takagi's house. Inside a room Takashi ran out of the door and Tetsuya was there

Tetsuya – hey, you okay?

Takashi – you don't even want to know what's going on in there

Tetsuya – alright, if you say so

They walked down the stairs and saw two men carrying the box

Man 1 – it fell cause you were walking so fast

Tetsuya and Takashi walked up to them

Takashi – let us help

Man 2 – its okay, let the adults handle this

Takashi – adults?

Man 1 – you kids can sit back and relax!

Takashi – they think we're too young for work?

Tetsuya – they wont think that way after I'm done with them!

Tetsuya was about to run at to them but Takashi stopped him

Takashi – don't bro, we shouldn't cause a scene here

Tetsuya – but they treated us like kids! I bet they didn't even experience the hell out there unlike we did

Saeko – don't be so concerned

Both of them turned to Saeko and saw her wearing a kimono

Saeko – is there something wrong?

Takashi – ah, no

Tetsuya – you look good in that

Saeko – thank you

Alice then came

Alice – what's going on? Why are you guys in a good mood?

Takashi – we were telling each other how nice it is to see you happy, Alice

Alice – yeah I'm happy!

Takashi patted her head

Takashi – hang in there, okay?

Alice happily nodded

Takagi – yeah I know! You're ALWAYS right!

Tetsuya – who was that?

Takashi – Takagi?

Nearby Takagi was angrily walking through the halls. Takashi and Tetsuya walked up the stairs and found her

Takashi – Takagi?

Takagi – didn't I tell you to use my first name?

Takashi – oh yeah, sorry

Takagi – don't lower your head all the time! You're a guy!

Takashi – sorry

Takagi – well whatever, you're fine. Just you

Takagi walked down the stairs

Takashi – Taka- Say-

Takagi – enough!

Tetsuya – looks like she's pissed

Yuriko – she's troubling you isn't she?

The two of them turned to their right to see Takagi's mother Yuriko dressed in a red dress and a fancy light pink cloth around her arms, walking towards them

Takashi – oh no she's fine

Yuriko – you've gotten used to her. You have been friends since kindergarten

Takashi – nah, uh.. anyway, cool place you got here

Tetsuya – yeah, I always knew the Takagi family's house was nice but not this nice

Yuriko – oh, you two never been here before, have you?

Takashi – ah well..

Tetsuya – no ma'am

Yuriko – you were afraid weren't you?

Takashi – well its.. sorry

Yuriko – I like honest men

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At the garage Hirano was inspecting his guns

Hirano – here's the carrier, spring, ejector

Hirano then grinned like a psycho again

Takagi – sounds like you're enjoying yourself

Hirano turned around to see Takagi

Takagi – better enjoy you while you still can. Its not like we can stay here forever

Hirano – why not Takagi? If we stay here in a stronghold of a mansion

Takagi – you didn't think about how difficult it is to secure water and electricity?

Hirano – so basically..

Takagi – in order to keep that huge network running you need a well-organized and countless number of specialists who feel safe and can work with ease

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Back in the mansion where Takashi, Tetsuya, and Yuriko were at

Yuriko – when the dead began attacking, the commander sent the SDF to the power plants on his own. He couldn't wait for the foolish prime ministers to move

Takashi – but in that case, maintaining them..

Yuriko – I wonder how long those operators can continue maintaining the plants? They have families too. And their families aren't there with them at the power plants

Takashi – yes

Tetsuya – so you're going to use those buses?

Yuriko – yes. Only those who we are responsible.. no, we will bring only those who are prepared to survive

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Back at the garage Hirano was still inspecting the guns

Matsudo – woah..

Hirano turned to him

Matsudo – hey there little buddy. Isn't that real? That's not something a kid should be playing with

Takagi – is that all Mr Matsudo?

Matsudo – oh, milady Saya. Uh, no. I came to tell you that I'm done fixing up that car you came here in

Takagi – I see, thank you

Matsudo then walked away

Hirano – you really are from a good family! Pretty cool!

Takagi – I don't want to hear you say that. Anyway, you better do something about that!

Hirano – but why?

Takagi – you didn't understand his reaction just now? The majority here is the adults. What do we mean to them?

Hirano – oh

Takagi – I think we should discuss this with the rest of the gang

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