Hello there
Chapter 9 is here
Sorry for the wait and hope y'll enjoy
Chapter 9: Schism
Perhaps this was the actual first time that they could take it easy since all the chaos started.
At this point they already had spent almost an entire day at the Takagi's Household after being saved by them yesterday, and it had all been decently smooth since then.
Few minutes later after it, bodyguards, or more like soldiers from the Takagi's came to pick them up in vehicles to take them to the estate. Although he was a bit bummed since his lap-pillow session with Saeko was coming to an end, they ended up side by side on the same vehicle again and she offered to continue it, an offer he gladly accepted of course.
After arriving in the estate, it all went down pretty quickly and everyone was out cold sleeping not so long later; after all, they had just survived that.
When it came to him personally, the wound on his temple was treated pretty quickly then after eating and drinking supplies offered by their hosts, he took a long nap in the guest room that was offered to him.
He slept – for real this time – like a baby; easily the best sleep that he's had since it all started. While the one he had back at the Humvee wasn't bad, this one, in an actual bed, knowing he and his group were out of danger, allowed him to simply have a good well deserved rest.
He didn't check for how long he had slept but he did notice that the sun had barely just risen. Once fully awake, he did some push-ups and sit-ups before quickly going for a shower.
After that, he simply wandered around until he was informed by one of the staff that the Humvee was successfully retrieved from the spot they had left it, which were honestly the greatest news. He didn't hesitate to immediately go to the garage they were keeping it and check on the it, and was gladly welcomed by the surprise of meeting Matsudo, a mechanic the had been working for the Takagi's for years and he had met when he was a child back on one of his visits to the household alongside his mother. After also catching up with him and given the keys to the Humvee, he opened it and retrieved some stuff, including the bag with his clothes and a few cans of Gut's food. He didn't bother retrieving their food since it was most likely going to be okay, since they made sure to only take long lasting supplies. He quickly changed his clothes to a black tank top and white jogger pants, finally getting out of his dirty, bloodied outfit from the day before; he also remembered Yuriko offering them to bring their clothes from the day before to the laundry so they could get cleaned and taken care of, which he right after did, and after arriving to the laundry, a member of the staff took his dirty clothes and told him he could retrieve them back once they were dry, in a couple of hours. Good.
He started looking for Guts, who was probably wandering around the large garden, and as he walked around he noticed not only the large number of guards, but also people that the Takagi's had saved and were providing shelter to; him and his group weren't the only ones; not only that but he noticed the number of vehicles and even a bus; seems like they were preparing for something big. Along the way he found Shizuka, whom he had a quick chat with, mostly with her still concerned about the bump he took yesterday, and after giving her the keys to the Humvee, since she was the designated driver after all, he finally found Guts who was playing on a spot in the garden, alongside little Alice and Zeke, while Hideo watched from a close distance. Which lead him to his current situation.
After greeting the father daughter duo, feeding Guts and also saving a little bit for Zeke, he decided to join in with Hideo and just watch the child happily playing with the two dogs. While Guts was huge, he was trained properly and Ren wasn't too concerned about him playing too rough with the much smaller other two.
And he watched in silence for several minutes with a small smile on his features. You could say it was truly cleansing for the soul; after all the blood and guts, stress and just chaos he lived through just yesterday, a scene like this was much needed for him, or anyone.
Inevitably memories from the day before started taking over, and he couldn't help but to bring his fingers to graze the Band-Aid currently on his temple. Once again, it had been really close; if it wasn't for Yuriko and her group, who knows what would had happened.
"Umm…".
Ren was brought out of his deep thinking once he heard the voice of Hideo.
"Hmm?" he looked at the adult, who was currently looking at him.
"Is everything good?" the man asked. "I-I mean… are you okay?"
He really hadn't had the opportunity to talk with Hideo, nor to anybody else from his group, minus Shizuka, once they arrived. Everyone was probably way too exhausted both physically and mentally. Ren noticed that Hideo especially looked a bit bummed despite it and tried talking to him a couple of times once he arrived a few minutes ago.
"Uh, yeah, sure" he responded in a light tone. "Oh… you talking about this?" he said while pointing at the Band-Aid on his temple. "It was nothing, will probably be gone by tomorrow if anything".
"I see…" the man muttered, although he could tell he still wanted to get something off his chest.
They sat in silence looking at the little girl and the canines for a few more seconds before Hideo broke the silence once again.
"Sorry…"
Ren raised an eyebrow at this.
"About…?"
"I… I couldn't do anything but watch as you and the rest fought for your… for our lives. I tried helping but ended up doing nothing, and in the end you ended up saving us once again… despite me being the oldest there, I just couldn't help and watch how a group of younglings were far more braver than me… and-".
"That's enough sir" he cut him off. "In the end, what matters is that we're all here, fine… your daughter is fine, and in high spirits" he said while taking that moment to once again look back at Alice who was still happily playing around with the dogs. "And honestly, that means a lot to me".
"But-"
"The moment you built the courage to come out of the Humvee and join us, despite not being experienced in fighting them, at least as much as us and while your daughter while still inside the vehicle, told me everything I needed to know about the kind of man you're; and you ended up securing Shizuka, Saya and your daughter's safety in the end as well".
He was being as sincere as he possibly could at the moment. Hideo didn't need to feel all bummed out about it; not only him, but also the rest of the group didn't really pay no mind nor were protesting about it. The man's priority was his daughter, understandably so; who knows how much thought he gave to it at the moment, to leave his daughter behind to help a group of teenagers he had just met yesterday, knowing very well he was inexperienced in combat and it could lead to his possible dead, right in front of the innocent eyes of his little girl.
"You are a good man Hideo-san, and a great father, don't ever forget that" he commented with a smile.
Hideo simply looked at him before lowering his gaze; Ren could tell the man was getting emotional.
The man simply bit his lip before looking back at Rentaro.
"Thanks Rentaro-kun…" the man said. "Everything you have done for us… I don't think I'll ever be able to repay it. Even your entire group seems to look up to you… you're a great leader and honestly, just a good person… I'm glad we met you and your group".
Said words gained an honest a bit taken aback expression from Ren, he simply diverted his gaze while sighing with a half-smile.
"I'm not all that really…" he muttered before tapping the man on the shoulder before standing up. "But thanks!"
The atmosphere was getting way too emotional. Hideo looked very sensitive at the moment; he was not going to cry was he? He didn't really feel like getting caught in the moment and crying as well while hugging the man; how would he explain it if somebody witnessed it? How would they explain it to Alice? They didn't really need that, did they?
"I'll catch to you guys later" he waved them off. "Take care of Guts, he's well behaved but he can be a little jerk sometimes, so tell me if he pulls anything funny".
"Bye-Bye Onii-chan!" Alice happily waved him off as he walked away, while the dogs barked, probably saying goodbye as well. Hideo bid farewell to him in silence.
He walked aimlessly for a couple of minutes after leaving, and he started wondering when he was going to run with someone else from the group. So far he had only seen Shizuka, Hideo and Alice; although it was no wonder considering the Takagi Estate was so big, who knows where the rest could be.
In the end, he ended floating back to his room. He saw his bokken resting near a wall and decided to clean it a bit more with a white cloth that was laying around. The bokken was returned by Saeko shortly after they arrived to the estate, after he had given it to her back when they were in the middle of fighting them, right after she had lost hers. The bowie knife was also resting in a table nearby his bed; the rest of the guns, including the handguns were given to Kohta who said he was going to clean and take care of them. Boy really loved his guns.
He sat in there then, in silence, thinking about all the stuff that had happened so far. It had just been a couple of days, but already had been quite the journey. He wondered how Rika was doing right now as well; now save and tranquil, it was probably a good time to call her… if only he had his phone. He ended up realizing not so long after they left Rika's house that he had forgotten his phone charging in his own room, they were in a bit of a rush after all. Still, just something in him knew she was fine, not only guided by emotions, but because he knew what Rika was capable of, and the number of times he got his ass handed to him during self-defense and sparring sessions were a testament to that; although he was catching up to her really fast during the past couple of months; it could be said that he simply just had a knack when it came to hand-to-hand combat; his trainers had even recommended kickboxing or mixed martial arts after all, although he never pursued it, despite giving it some thought from time to time; though the training was for sure paying off right now, including the several years of kendo training before highschool.
Before he had realized, he had started pacing back and forth in his room and simply decided to go out again. After so many days of crazy activity, it felt weird getting stationary, maybe he should go for a jog like he used to?
As he was nearing the stairs to go to the first floor, he noticed Takashi making his way up the stairs. They both noticed each other and waved before finally getting face to face, but before they could say anything…
"I get it already! You're always right, mama!"
The unmistakable shouting of Takagi Saya reached their ears from nearby. They both turned around to look at the direction from where it came, to realize that Saya was actually walking towards their way from the opposite directions in the hallways.
In the middle of her apparent rage, she managed to notice them as her eyes landed on the two, but still didn't say nothing, as she headed downstairs.
"Takagi…" but Takashi tried to call her name.
Ren put a hand on his best friend's chest but it was already too late to stop him anyway.
"I told you to call me by my first name!" the pink-haired shouted angrily while turning around to face them, specifically face Takashi.
"Ah, uh, sorry…" he said while scratching the back of his head and lowering his gaze.
"Don't lower your head to me like any other guy would!" she continued.
This time Takashi was at loss for words, knowing that probably anything he could say was going to be useless.
Saya huffed in annoyance and then turned to look at Rentaro, who simply had a blank neutral expression on, clearly not looking for any trouble. She huffed again before turning to walk down the stairs nearby.
"Whatever! Why would now be any different? I thought at least you would…" she muttered to herself before darting down the stairs. "I can't take this anymore!"
The two simply watched as she disappeared from their sight before looking at each other; Rentaro still as calm as ever while Takashi looked as confused as always.
"You gotta really learn how to read the mood pal" Ren muttered to his friend.
Takashi simply continued scratching the back of his head in confusion.
"Sorry, that was my doing" they both turned to look around at the source of the new voice joining the conversation, and noticed that this time it was Takagi Yuriko walking up to them wearing a long dress this time, although unlike her daughter, she was sporting her usual calm and mature demeanor alongside a polite gentle smile.
"I really upset her" she said in a gentle tone.
"Please, don't worry about it Aunt Yuriko" Ren replied politely, returning the smile.
"Yeah, I should have known better" Takashi said with a bit of shame in his tone.
"Have you seen this side of her before?" she asked. "You two have been friends with her since kindergarten after all".
The two teenagers looked at each other before facing the woman again.
"Uh… a bit" Takashi replied.
"Very often" Rentaro replied.
Yuriko chuckled at this a little.
"Anyway, this is really amazing" Takashi began, changing the subject. "I knew your house was big, but this is just… wow. Makes Ren's house look average".
"The last part was unnecessary" Ren commented. "But true…"
"Unlike Rentaro-kun, you never came over to visit, have you?" Yuriko asked.
"Well, I guess not…" the teenager replied.
"I'd guess you'd find the house of the leader of an ultra-nationalist group a bit frightening" she said in a light tone.
"Uhhh, a little… sorry" Takashi replied.
"I always thought it was pretty neat" Ren commented.
Yuriko smiled at them. "I like boys who are honest".
Takashi simply chuckled nervously at this.
"We're not overstating our visit or anything are we?" Ren asked politely.
"Sorry for all the trouble" Takashi added.
"Not at all, no worries…" she replied although her expression turned quite serious shortly after, which Ren knew it meant she meant business. "Although, right now, much like with its water, Tokonosu is getting its electricity from the dam up north at Okunako. But…"
Ren knew what she was referring to; yes, they were safe inside the walls of this estate, but the current water and even electricity wasn't an eternal guarantee for them to feel tranquil about it. Maintenance was a thing, and they were everywhere now.
"When the undead began attacking, the commander sent the Self-Defense Force to protect the hydro and energy plants. I guess he couldn't just wait for the orders of that foolish prime minister" she commented.
"Ah, in that case, what about the maintenance?" Takashi asked.
"It's not like they can continue working forever, right?" Ren replied.
"Indeed" Yuriko agreed. "They have families too, and it's not like their families are there at the power plant with them".
"Then that bus…" Ren muttered.
"Yes, we will take full responsibility" she said in a serious tone. "But we'll only take along those of us who have the will to survive. And I have no doubt that you all have a great will to survive. You've done well to make it as long as you have".
The two teenagers simply stood silence in place, taking it in.
Yuriko smiled at them once again.
"I know Saya is smart enough to know what is happening, but I need her to understand what will happen…" she muttered. "I want her to understand, but she doesn't agree with anything I say. Perhaps would it be too much from me to expect a favor from you?" she finished while glancing at Takashi.
The teenager looked taken aback by this while looking back and forth between Yuriko and Rentaro.
"Uh me…?" he questioned.
Yuriko simply continued to smile at this.
"Unlike Ren, I haven't even won a single debate against Takagi since kindergarten…" he said while scratching the back of his head. "I'd say he's the better suited".
"You overestimate me" Ren said while raising his hands in a nonchalant way. "Or more like, you're underestimating yourself and your position".
Takashi even looked more confused at this while he kept looking back and forth between the two individuals now in front of him.
"Takashi-" all three heard the now fourth person joining then and turned to look at Rei who was now walking up to them, although she seemed to realize mid-way that Yuriko was also among them and stopped in her tracks before bowing politely.
Yuriko chuckled at this before bowing herself while still smiling politely.
"Uh… well, I'll check on Rei and see what she wants…" Takashi said while scratching his cheek slightly, clearly looking out of the conversation. Probably was feeling slightly overwhelmed suddenly.
"Yeah, sure" Ren replied instantly.
"See you, Komuro-kun" Yuriko replied in her usual polite way.
Takashi bowed to Yuriko before walking towards Rei, who bowed one last time at her direction before walking downstairs with Takashi.
Once they were out of sight, Ren sighed at them before turning to look at Yuriko with a smile.
"You'll have to excuse them-… no, us" Ren began. "After everything we've been through, we really wouldn't like to be treated like kids anymore, especially your daughter I'd say… but at the end, despite everything, we're still teenagers. We can act a bit arrogant and stuff, but deep down we're glad that we're safe and surrounded by more reliable people now like yourself, or your husband".
"Thanks for the kind words" she replied. "I heard from Saya a lot from you and how reliable you've been to her and the rest of the group since they appeared. Thanks for protecting her".
"It's hard to imagine her giving me any sort of praise nowadays…" Ren muttered, to which Yuriko slightly giggled. "And, no problem, although it's been mostly a collective effort. If anything, Hirano Kohta was the one that did most of the work regarding your daughter's safety".
And those were just pure facts. He was the one that among the chaos back at the school joined Saya and protected her until everyone else reunited.
"Yes, I heard about him from her too".
"When it comes to me, It's been mostly courage mixed with a bit of luck and that's why I'm still here".
Yuriko chuckled a bit at his words. "You've become a fine young man Rentaro-kun; I know Sayaka would be proud".
Hearing the name of his mother brought a nostalgic smile to his features.
"Thanks" he responded.
They stood in silence for a couple of seconds.
"Well, if you don't mind Aunt Yuriko, I'll take a stroll around" he said while bowing his head slightly, looking to turn around and head downstairs.
"Rentaro-kun".
He stopped in his tracks once he heard her.
"Yes?" he replied while turning around.
"From your experience, and everything you've heard from me, do you have any thoughts or opinions on the matter?" Yuriko asked.
Ren brought his hand to rub the back of his neck a bit taken aback by the question. "Honestly, I think the better person to ask this is your daughter, she's highly intelligent after all… and I don't just say that about anyone".
Yuriko smiled at this. "I'm well aware of how capable my daughter is… but sometimes, the opinion of someone that is smart in different areas perhaps, it's whats needed...".
"Am not really that smart…".
"But you're clever".
Rentaro finally gave up and sighed, while bringing a hand to his chin in a pensive manner and after a couple of seconds, he spoke up.
"Well… of course this is all just my opinion, but... situations like this are were true leaders rise up and show their worth. For large groups of people, a strong leader is a must, I was lucky my group was small" he commented, remembering how downright frustrating it was dealing with Tsunoda's half of the group back at the school bus. "But, with your husband here it definitely seems you have this part covered, and you seem to have a plan already, at least for a short-while. The important bit would be executing that plan successfully then. We know energy and water are important, but so are all sorts of supplies and well, the mental state of the group. A group of people need to share a goal in common to function better together, and survival is definitely the first candidate for that, though things normally aren't that simple, especially knowing how complicated and selfish people can be. I don't know about what the rest of the civilians here in the estate have been through, but as long as everyone knows and is aware of the danger they represent, what they actually are, and the situation we're actually in, sharing a common goal and being united will be more achievable. People a lot of times don't want to believe what they don't like, but understanding that right now, we're dealing against the dead rising is important and there's no going back".
Yuriko simply continued to look at him in a pensive manner and he saw this as a chance to keep talking.
"With a small group it was easy, like mine, especially since we all kind of knew each other and got along well enough, but in larger groups this becomes more difficult. Stuff like food and others can still be accessible by raiding… or more like retrieving those stuff from supermarkets, and bringing them back to a 'base'. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if a group somewhere around Japan or the world would be using a supermarket as a forte, or perhaps something even bigger, like a…- "
"Mall?" she said.
"Yes, a mall" he confirmed.
…
"What would you say that your experience was when it came to dealing with them exactly?" she asked.
"A nightmare?" he responded immediately, earning a concerned grimace from Yuriko. "Well… at least when they're in large groups. If you put one, two or even three in front of me right now I'd hardly panic, as long as they don't catch me off guard and I'm armed".
"So dealing with them… it's not that difficult you say?"
"By themselves or in small groups at least. I mean, they're undead, they don't sleep nor rest or grow tired from what I've seen, while we do, and in large numbers they're pretty much a walking wall or wave of dead, but, besides that and their crazy strength, that's all they have going on. They're comedically slow and barely move well, plus, rely only on their hearing to hunt us. But in small groups, once you're aware of all of this, anyone well-armed and capable enough, aware that they must be hit in the head, can take them out or avoid them as long as they are not severely outnumbered and cornered. Not to be cocky or anything, but I've personally taken care of dozens of them at this point, and am just an 18 year-old that knows some self-defense and kendo".
Which was perhaps a little bit of an understatement, but still managed to prove his point.
"If they were like the movies, we would actually most likely be doomed" he said while raising his hands slightly, in a joking manner.
Yuriko tilted her head at this, Ren noticed, to which he crossed his arms and proceeded to explain.
"In some movies about the dead rising that I've watched, they are not only just strong, but also fast and even intelligent at times. Ours, although strong, are slow and dumb, so in a weird way, we should be glad".
Not to mention that, the disease seems to spread only by bite-wounds. In some movies, they actually rose from their graves, meaning more numbers.
Yuriko crossed her own arms below her chest and seemed pensive again now.
"Plus, ours solely rely on their sensitivity to sound. Once you know that, it is possible to come up with possible multiple plans to avoid them, even makes you think that dragging all of them into one spot with a loud enough sound to not directly deal with them, then bombing them to bits isn't that radical of an idea… with the proper equipment of course".
That last bit was a bit of a fantasy he's had, but still.
"Uh but well, these are just my crazy thoughts, perhaps a bit too optimistic or out of the box…" he said while rubbing his neck once again, only to notice that Yuriko still seemed pensive.
"Aunt Yuriko?"
"Hmm… oh, yes, sorry" she muttered while bringing the hand that was on her chin down. "I was just thinking about some of the things you said, that's all".
"Oh".
"You've really grown to become quite the interesting young man Rentaro-kun, you remind me a lot of my husband's younger-self".
Ok?
"I'll take that as a compliment" Ren said. And he did, while he wasn't exactly close with Saya's dad or anything, at least not as much as he was with Yuriko, whom he basically saw as his aunt and was his mother's best friend before her demise; he had met Saya's dad before, and respected him as a person, even though he was never interested in political stuff; although, he also definitely respected him as a kendoka; him and Rentaro's sensei were both trained together under Saeko's father tutelage, and his sensei, who wasn't really known for praising other people, besides Busujima-sensei himself, had nothing but praise and good things to say about Saya's father, Souichiro.
"It was, trust me" she replied.
Well, if there's anything he could remember that his mother told him about Aunt Yuriko, is that she was deeply in love, respected and looked up to her husband. So her comparing him to Mr. Takagi, was probably the ultimate praise in Yuriko's book.
Cool.
"Well, I won't be taking more of your time, although perhaps we can continue this conversation later, perhaps with my husband present next time" she said in her usual polite way.
"Of course" he said while bowing his head down, before turning to walk down the stairs, not before raising one hand, signaling goodbye to Yuriko, to which she did the same with a smile.
Ren walked downstairs, although his mind never left the previous conversation while on his way down; it had gotten his brain going.
A Zombiepocalypse was a tad more complicated than just surviving by trying to not get bitten. Society had essentially fallen, and balance was gone, to survive now not only they had to deal with them, but also slowly but surely pick themselves back up from the remnants that were left, and for that, humanity, or at least Japan, thinking on a much smaller scale first, needed something perhaps bigger than a settlement or a forte.
Which made him wonder… were they actually in every corner of the world? Even with how bad the situation was, even that seemed a bit pessimistic. Yes, all the big cities, and big countries were doomed; the U.S, Russia, China, most of Eurasia overall, that's what they heard in the news back at the school, and no doubt the situation was worse now, with those giants gone, the world was never going to be the same. But, what about countries and places with low population density? He wondered; or places surrounded mostly by bodies of water. Yes, Japan was a giant Archipelago, and its biggest cities had fallen, but besides its bigger ones, what about the other numerous, hundreds of islands and places? Did the 'virus' actually reach each and every place without fail? Or were there actually places in where the spread never got there or somehow, someway, due to the population density, weather, landscape and other numerous factors they actually managed to stop and control the spread?
"If there were… if there are still safe places where the surviving population could settle, at least in Japan…"
Without realizing, he had already reached downstairs and was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of something hitting the ground. He raised his gaze to meet two adults – employees of the Takagi's – carrying between the two a large box, and they were not being very successful at it.
"You idiot, you tried to carry it too far too fast!"
"Agh!"
Not feeling like watching them struggle and bicker, Ren walked up to help them carry the object back into a better balanced position.
"Oh, thanks!" one of them said.
"No problem" he said. "So, where to?"
"Na, it's okay we got it" the other said. "That's enough kiddo".
"It's no problem really" Ren said while smiling politely.
"Don't worry about it, this is an adult's job!" one of them commented.
"You kids just kick back!" the other said. "We got it!"
Ren just raised an eyebrow before taking a few step backs, giving them space.
"Okay then…?"
And the proceeded to walk away while carrying the large object, still very sloppily…
"No, you guys don't have it at all…" Ren muttered.
But good for them?
"I guess not only teenagers, but adults also had a sort of pride going on" and although he didn't exactly like being called kiddo or anything, what was he supposed to do, cry about it?
"Ren?"
He couldn't help to stop his heart to skip a beat once he heard the melodious voice of Saeko behind him. Ren turned around to meet face to face with the purple-haired, and instantly had to gulp down some saliva, while his heart once again skipped.
Since Busujima Saeko was wearing a dark blue yukata right in front of him.
To think he'd be able to enjoy such a sight after all they've been through… though, with Saeko around that was a constant experience anyway.
Should he thank Aunt Yuriko later? Probably.
"What's wrong?" she asked innocently. He had been staring in silence for a few seconds after all.
"Uh… nothing" he said while massaging the back of his neck. "You just look… breathtaking, that's all…"
Perhaps a little too blunt or direct? I mean, she did take his breath away so there was no lie…
Ren, who had diverted his gaze sideways, looked at Saeko once again… and was gladly welcomed by the sight of her deeply blushing.
"Sorry if that was too awkward too say" he muttered.
"Ahh, don't worry about it" she said while bringing both of her hands up. "I'm glad you think so…"
An awkward silence filled the atmosphere, before both crossed eyes again, only to smile warmly right after.
"Is your wound ok?" she said while raising her hand, looking to touch the spot he had the Band-Aid on his temple, but stopped right before touching it.
Rentaro noticed this, and grabbed her hand with his own. He noticed Saeko tensing a little bit at his touch and had to hold back a smirk.
"Yeah, it's fine…" he muttered. "In big part thanks to you".
Saeko raised an eyebrow at this, although clearly amused by the sudden atmosphere between them now. "And why's that?"
"The lap-pillow definitely helped" Ren said in a joking manner. It was half a joke though, because it definitely did wonders to calm his nerves and headache down.
Saeko seemed a bit taken aback by this but quickly recomposed, and giggled, as elegant and mature as always.
"Well, if I knew I had that hidden talent before, I would have gladly helped more people out with their wounds" she said in a joking manner as well, her smile as innocent as ever.
She liked playing like that huh?
"I thought you were just returning the favor?" he muttered with a raised eyebrow.
"I was…" she muttered back as she looked at him intently, the hold he had on her hand still present. "You are the first man I've given that kind of… help".
Ren couldn't help but smirk at that, pride in his chest. "Glad to hear that".
Sadly, he couldn't say the same, since Rika and Shizuka had invaded his personal space numerous times in the past before the Zombiepocalypse. He obviously omitted this part of course.
Hehe.
"Also…" she muttered.
"Also?" he muttered back.
He then noticed her eyes landing on his lips, clearly thinking back at their encounter back at Rika's kitchen, he figured. Which meant he was her first kiss right? He at least got to share with her that; as invasive as both Shizuka and Rika were, they never tried to assault him like that at least.
Which were amazing news for him.
She kept on looking at him, a slight blush in her cheeks, while her eyes carried a peculiar glow.
Just one more push and he was dragging her to the nearest corner and claiming her lips again, he swore.
"Onii-chan!"
Of course…
Both separated their hands and distance as quickly as they could and turned their heads to meet gazes with little Alice, who was making her way towards them while Zeke ran right beside her.
Despite being interrupted, they still smiled at the presence of the little ray of sunshine that was the little pink-haired girl.
Both then heard a big woof, and noticed that Guts was following closely from behind… only to then a second later run pass Alice, making his way towards Ren at full speed.
"Oh no…"
Ren took a defensive stance and prepared himself.
Guts jumped at Ren happily, while the latter somehow managed to get a hold of the giant dog and lift him off the ground, although with some struggle, since Guts size was no joke.
"You're not a baby anymore buddy!" he muttered, while the dog happily licked him on the cheek and got himself comfortable in his arms.
While Guts was well behaved and quite smart, he sometimes, like any other dog, got overexcited. For example, he had pulled the same stunt once Ren arrived to their house alongside the group, after escaping the school. Gutsy probably had felt pretty lonely and desperate after all that time.
Ren nonetheless chuckled while carrying the massive dog.
"That looks like fun!" Alice exclaimed excitedly.
"Wanna try?" Ren asked as he put Guts down.
Alice's only response was to raise her hands in his direction and run up to him.
This time, with less struggle compared to Guts, Ren picked Alice up and spun her around, while the child giggled happily before putting her down.
"Zeke too!" Alice said, and funnily enough, her statement was followed by a couple of barks from the little pupper.
"Alright" Ren muttered before picking the small Zeke with both hands and lifting him to the height of his face, to which Zeke didn't hesitate and immediately started licking him in the face.
Ren chuckled at this, before bringing the little dog close to his chest and petting him on the head. While at it, he took the moment to look at Saeko, who had been watching the whole thing with a smile herself.
Ren smiled mischievously for a bit. "Want a ride too?" he asked sarcastically.
"Oh, eh?" Saeko seemed to finally break from her trance, and blushed slightly.
"It's fun onee-chan, try it!" Alice said while now looking at Saeko, who was caught off guard by the whole thing.
The purple-haired teenager brought both of her hands up while giggling nervously. "No, I…-"
"Maybe later Alice-chan… my arms are a little tired now" he responded himself, not feeling like pulling Saeko into deeper waters.
"Well, ok…" Alice didn't seem too pleased with that but accepted it nonetheless.
Ren chuckled at her innocent reaction before putting Zeke down by handing him to Alice, who gladly took him in her arms.
"Where's your dad, little one?" Ren asked in a light manner.
"Daddy went to rest in the room that was given to us!" the girl responded cheerfully. "I was not tired so I stayed out, so he told me to look for you guys!"
"I see…" Ren muttered. "How did Guts behave?"
"Yes!" she responded in her usual cheerful manner. "Guts is a gentleman! Even when Zeke plays a little too rough with him and bites, he doesn't mind".
"Good boy" Ren muttered before petting Guts. "And you little pup" he said while turning to look at Zeke who was still as calm as ever in Alice's arms. "Like playing rough?" he said before petting the little puppy, who gladly welcomed it and even tried to lick him back.
"And you, having fun?" he said, now referring to Alice.
"Mhm!" she responded with a smile.
Ren smiled warmly at her before placing a hand on top of her head in an affectionate way.
He would be lying if he said that he didn't adore Alice already, despite only knowing her for a couple of days. The little girl had been the ray of sunshine that the group needed.
One thing he definitely wasn't, was a hero. He was selfish, and not too caring, at least with the people outside of his group. The sentiment of indifference about the unknown destination or well-being of Tsunoda's group still was present in him. Looking back at it, the fact that the whole world was in such deep shit and millions were dying, while he was safe as of now, having fun conversations with Saeko or little Alice, had him unshaken.
He never really considered himself to be a good person, he reckoned. His twisted sense of justice that he called, that led him to stand up for others and fight back bullies, was pretty much just sadism and a liking for violence. He was even having fun at times in the middle of this situation, while killing zombies that used to be people just like him and never wanted to become something like that; would he still feel the same if one of the zombies had the face of one of his close friends? He tried to ignore such thoughts, just to keep going. Even ending Morita's life before he turned or leaving Shido to die on purpose, are supposed to be stuff that should keep him up at night, alongside the recent dead of his close friend Hisashi. While he convinced himself that is was all to help and for the better, so he should just focus on moving on… were those really experiences and actions an 18-year-old was supposed to be carrying out without hesitating? Maybe he was just a little too mature for his age or simply was mentally strong. Perhaps he had grown accustomed to this new world a bit too fast, and whether if it was a good or bad thing, only when reality hit him as hard as it could, like in dire situations like yesterday, despite feeling stupid or like an idiot at times like that, it still left him unbothered. He had never once felt like changing his ways so far.
But saving Alice, is at least what confirmed to him that he wasn't too far gone, and it was something that he was going to keep close to his heart forever, no matter how things turn out in the future.
But now, there was a big chance he had to part ways with Alice and Hideo as well. Just as he had mentioned it back at their first conversation in the Humvee after saving them, they could stick together with the group, although he warned them that it was not going to be a safe journey, if they found a settlement or a group of people that they could join and could keep them safe along the way, good. And they had done just that…
The Takagi group was much bigger and stronger than his group, much well equipped and led by reliable people like Yuriko, a genius in her own right just like her daughter, and Souichiro, a charismatic strong-willed leader.
But Takashi and Rei's parents were still missing, and they had to find them.
Perhaps that's what had Saya more on the edge than ever right now.
Members of the group would have to make a tough decision soon… would they stay behind, protected by the larger and more prepared group? Or join the rest of their friends in their dangerous journey to find their parents? Of course, each group had its clear and easy to see pros and cons, but the better option was easy to see.
They were going to find out soon, and everyone probably had it present, but nobody dared to mention it… yet.
Ren looked around the room to confirm the whole band was back together. Shortly after their reunion with Alice, Takashi Rei joined them in for a little chat followed by Saya and Kohta, and the pink-haired had been the one that suggested that they all needed to talk.
And now they were currently all, minus Hideo, in-
"Why in my room?" Rei asked.
"Yours is the nearest one to the stairs" Ren replied quickly.
Rei simply huffed in annoyance at this.
"So…?" Shizuka hummed as tranquil as ever as she sat in chair, while peeling a banana.
"What did you want to talk about?" Ren asked. A question to get the conversation going more than out of curiosity, since he already knew where this was heading.
"The next time you set out, I'm not sure I should accompany your little band of companions…" Saya said, as nonchalantly as she could while staring to the outside through a window.
"Companions…?" Rei asked, in confusion.
"As blunt as ever…" Ren muttered.
"Of course" Saeko joined in. "Now we've banded together, with a bigger, stronger group, in other words…"
"Yes, there's two choices" Saya replied and added. "Can you understand?"
This question was more directed towards Takashi in specific, who finally seemed to realize everything.
"Split up…?" Takashi muttered.
"But why?" Shizuka asked, in concern.
Without saying a word, Saya opened the doors towards the balcony and walked out near the edge before signaling to the outsides.
"Maybe you should look around and see for yourself!" Saya announced.
Ren and the rest of the group stepped out to the balcony, minus Alice who Ren signaled to stay inside and look after Guts Zeke.
The view spoke for itself. While they were save inside the estate, dozens of them still walked the streets around. It didn't take a genius to see what was happening. The situation just kept getting worse.
"Is there really a point in separating though?" Takashi asked. "It's gotten worse out there, but your dad is really handling this well, especially for being just a right-wing elite".
"You still don't get it" Ren muttered to himself.
"Your mom is amazing too…" Takashi continued.
"Yeah, they're amazing! They have a lot to be proud of!" Saya began, in a clear sarcastic tone. "Even now, they're always away, dealing with this…"
Everyone's gaze was now on the clearly irritated Saya.
"But, if they can do that much, then…" she muttered while gritting her teeth.
"Takagi…" Takashi muttered.
"Call me by my first name!" she shouted back in anger.
"You shouldn't think badly of your parents" Takashi continued. "Especially considering how things are right now. It's rough for everyone…"
"That sounds like something my mom would say" Saya replied, frustrated, before looking at the sky for a brief moment.
"I know, I know, my parents are the best, they're the greatest" she began shouting again. "Even when something unexpected happened they took action right away and protected the mansion and staff!"
"That's…" Takashi muttered.
"Of course! It's not like they forgot about their daughter!" she continued. "She's the apple of their eyes!"
Rentaro squinted his eyes at this. "Saya…" he muttered, but loud enough so she could hear him. The pink-haired stopped for a moment to look at him. "Do you actually realize what you're trying to say? or actually understand everyone's situation, how they feel?" he asked, while crossing his arms, seriousness in his tone.
Saya looked at him for a few seconds before gritting her teeth again.
"Stop acting like you're a big brother or something, or treating me like a child, you've always been like that!" she began once again. "Of course you're on her side… like you would know how it feels! Your mother was a sweetheart! Do you think she would had done the same?! If anything, I wish mine was a tiny bit like yours!"
Ren felt his eye twitching a bit and his eyes darkened while at it, but he simply raised his hands, in a surrendering manner. If there was something he knew, it was that anything he could say would make matters worse. And he didn't feel like snapping at Saya, as much as right now it was probably necessary for someone to.
"My amazing parents forgot about me!" Saya continued while bringing a hand to her chest, with a sarcastic smile and tears in her eyes. "Ahh, I shouldn't expect any less from my Papa and Mama!"
He was trying to not snap at Saya, but she was making it really difficult right now. He could only ball his fist while taking a deep breath.
"They didn't think I survived so they gave up immediately!"
"Cut the shit already Saya!"
To everyone's surprise, including Rentaro, Takashi was the one who snapped at last, as he darted towards Saya and grabbed her by her shirt, lifting her from the ground.
Everyone witnessed this in shock and widened eyes, Kohta even seemed angered by this. Rentaro sighed while rubbing his temple with one hand, specifically around the area around his wound, who had started twitching recently.
"Ah… that was pretty sudden, but it took you long enough" Saya muttered while still being lifted by Takashi, clearly still in shock at this.
"It's just not you!" Takashi shouted in anger himself this time, while even shaking Saya a little bit. "We're all having a rough time… all of us, each and every single one of us!"
An awkward silence followed through, with everyone now looking dejected.
"No actually…" Takashi muttered this time, while still eyeing Saya directly. "You know your parents are okay, so you're even better off…"
"Okay, I get it…" Saya whispered.
"Takashi…" Ren muttered to his friend, and the teenager quickly got the message as he returned Saya back to her feet.
"Sorry…" Takashi muttered while taking a few steps back.
"Yeah, you should, but it's fine…" she muttered while fixing her glasses, and even managed to slightly smile. "Well then, it's about time to go to the matter at hand…"
But before any of them could continue, they all collectively heard the sound of vehicles… numerous engines getting closer and closer. All of them together turned their heads to notice the small caravan of vehicles making their way towards the gates of the estate.
"Talk about an entrance…" Ren muttered.
"Is that-?" Kohta began.
"Yes, it is!" Saya cut him off, responding immediately. "The Don of the prefecture's ultra-nationalist organization! He alone determines what's right and what's wrong!"
Everyone at the balcony watched in silence how numerous guards stepped out of the vehicles, but everyone's eyes were on the notorious presence of one man and one man only, while all the other guards bowed around him out of respect.
"My papa!"
Takagi Souichiro was here.
The most influential and powerful person in all of Tokonosu.
And without a doubt, if it wasn't for the Zombiepocalypse, he would have eventually become one of, if not, Japan's top persona.
Rentaro thought so; while he wasn't into politics or stuff like that, he knew Takagi Souichiro was quite the special individual.
Minutes passed, with little movement, and people started gathering around the area. Finally, they all noticed a forklift carrying what seemed to be a cage.
"Actually…?" Ren thought to himself.
And he was spot on… the cage was carrying one of them inside.
"This man is Doitetsu Tarou!" the distinguishable strong voice of Souichiro echoed around clearly, even to the balcony Ren and his group were at. "He has been a friend to me for the last 25 years! In attempting to help rescue a junior officer… he was bitten!"
Whispering and shock could be heard from the crowd.
"It was an act of self-sacrifice! This the most noble thing a person could hope to do!" Souichiro continued. "However… he is no longer human. His life ended when he turned into this abominable thing!"
After said words, the man began unsheathing the katana he was currently holding around his waist.
"And now so…" the cage suddenly opened, with the zombie coming out, looking to attack Souichiro who was right in front of it. "I will demonstrate my friendship!"
As said words left his mouth, Souichiro didn't hesitate and sliced the head of the zombie, who used to be his friend, clean off.
The only sound that could be heard then was the sound of the head hitting the ground…
Everyone, from the crowd of civilians to his group reacted in horror and shock, some even looked away. Saya seemed especially shaken by this, since she probably knew the man personally, Ren figured.
Only ones that seemed unbothered by this were Souichiro himself, Yuriko who wasn't far away, the guards and both Ren as well as Saeko, who just witnessed it in silence, with the former raising both eyebrows, a tad impressed by the man's raw demonstration.
Takagi Souichiro was truly all business.
"I don't know about what the rest of the civilian here in the estate have been through, but as long as everyone knows and is aware of the danger they represent, what they actually are, and the situation we're actually in, sharing a common goal and being united will be more achievable".
He remembered telling Yuriko.
And Souichiro himself was clearly looking to prove that very same point.
Even though he didn't exactly know if a direct 'no beating around the bush' show like this, was the best option.
"Farewell… dear friend!" Souichiro muttered, before stomping the head of the undead he just beheaded, which earned a shocked reaction from everyone present. "This is the kind of thing, that makes up our here and now!"
He announced to the still in shock crowd.
"Great friends, beloved family and lovers are all becoming these things!" he continued. "For our own sake, we must destroy them! If you wish to survive… FIGHT!"
Just silence followed through, everyone still looking either in awe or shock at the man.
Souichiro on the other hand, simply walked off the scene towards where his wife was.
It was Kohta who broke the ice.
"Katanas aren't efficient enough…"
"What are you saying Hirano?" Takashi questioned while looking at his friend. "You good?"
"Japanese swords' blade dulls if it hits bone and after three or four people the blade's through!"
"What is he on about now?" Ren thought.
Of course, said comments were not flying through with Busujima Saeko herself present.
"You're exaggerating Hirano-kun" she said, gathering everyone's attention, although her tone still gentle and elegant. "Listen, following the way of the sword results in a number of things… a warrior's skill and ability, the grade of the blade and finally… focus. If these three things are taken to a high enough level, then one can behead any number of people without losing any combat strength".
Kohta seemed taken aback by Saeko's response, but insisted.
"B-But you get blood and grease on it!"
"It's the same as cooking" Saeko calmly responded. "A good cook will never leave unnecessary grease on a good kitchen knife… that applies to swords as well".
"B-But-" Kohta desperately looked around for support and his eyes finally landed on Rentaro, who raised an eyebrow at this.
"You're looking at the worst person if you want help bud, I had a pretty unforgettable sword-nut, samurai loving phase back in my early teenage years" he thought.
Ren nonetheless sighed before crossing his arms.
"You already should know this…" Ren began. "But such as there's more than just pointing and shooting when it comes to gunsplay, there's more than just swinging around a blade to cut stuff when it comes to swordplay. The way of the sword it's not only an art, but a lifestyle, that is deeply carved into Japanese culture and its history, that's still relevant and respected to this day. While not as skilled as you or Saeko in each respective area, as someone that has experience in both realms… I'd say you shouldn't comment on things you don't know about, Kohta".
The chubby teenager stood there in silence for a couple of seconds, although still seemingly frustrated.
"B-But I…"
"Hey Hirano, it's ok-" Takashi muttered to his friend while trying to reach a hand to touch his shoulder.
But Kohta slapped it away.
"Don't touch me!" the teenager shouted. "Don't butt in! You can't even fire a gun properly!"
"Hirano!" Saya snapped this time. "You need to chill out!"
The chubby teenager seemed even more hurt at Saya snapping at him, and before anyone else could say anything, he took off running.
Ren sighed slightly at the whole thing before taking a few steps back, resting his back on a nearby wall, while rubbing his temples with one hand.
Everyone was seriously on the edge right now, and sadly, he wasn't immune to it.
He could feel Saeko's gaze on him but chose to ignore it.
"What's his problem?!" Takashi questioned.
"You should understand" Saeko responded, still as calmly as ever. "You and Hirano-kun are both boys after all…"
"I know that already…"
"Or I guess… you're opposite sides of the same coin" Saeko muttered, before walking away.
Saya, who stood in place for a while, huffed before walking away as well not before sighing loudly, on purpose.
"What's with everyone…?" Takashi muttered, before glancing at Rei, who also didn't seem to be in a good mood as well and simply diverted her gaze away from him.
Takashi huffed in frustration before walking away himself, and it didn't take long before Rei followed this as well.
Only left at the balcony were him and Shizuka.
Ren brought his index finger to the space between his eyes before taking a deep breath. After being done, he looked at Shizuka, who looked bummed out about the whole thing.
Even the always cheerful and bubbly Shizuka wasn't immune to the negative emotions everyone was going through.
Did he ever take a moment to stop and think how she felt or just relied on her being bubbly and her usual carefree self all the time? Shizuka was a nurse after all, how did she felt while abandoning numerous lives while following the group or feeling powerless for not being able to save anyone? Did she feel unreliable? How did she feel right now? Torn apart between abandoning a group of people that could use her help yet again? Of course, such idealism, to think one could help everyone and anyone was nothing but impossible to accomplish, but, she wasn't like himself, selfish and even indifferent. Shizuka was a gentle soul, and he had made a silent vow to protect her, and that included her mental health.
"Shizuka…" he muttered before resting a hand on her shoulder. The moment she looked at him, he smiled, reassuring her one thing. "It will all be ok… we will reunite with Rika soon; I know it".
Shizuka stood in there for a couple of seconds, before nodding and smiling.
"What do you think I-… we should do?" he asked.
"Well…" she muttered before bringing an index finger to her chin in a pensive manner. "It'd be nice if everyone started getting along again, and we were all on good terms… even if we were to split".
Ren smiled at this.
As innocent and simply pure of an answer as he expected.
But also the best one possible.
Ren walked around the Estate with Guts by his side, with one goal in mind.
Find Hirano Kohta.
The least he could do was have a nice talk with him and apologize if necessary. Perhaps he was too blunt and cold earlier? Maybe.
Then the rest of the group; he was no therapist or anything, but the least he could do was try and bring the group together with one simple logic.
Fighting bad, get along good.
Sometimes simplicity was the best answer… although the situation was clearly more complicated than just teenagers being emotional. It sucked that he couldn't read everyone's mind.
At least, if he had to guess, he knew Kohta would be where the guns were.
If only he knew where he was keeping the guns…
"Stop being a little brat and just hand them over!"
Said words he heard from afar made Rentaro stop dead in his tracks. He opened the Japanese sliding doors that lead to the source, which was outside the house, in the garden.
"No!"
The unmistakable voice of Kohta reached his ears then, and there was no doubt about it.
And once he reached the destination, he groaned in annoyance at the view in front of him.
Kohta was currently on his knees, hugging all the guns that belonged to the group… while surrounded by numerous guards of the Takagis'. Around 5 of them to be exact.
First thing that went through Ren's mind was violence, but he'd had to be a fool to think he could take on 5, most-likely trained adults at the same time… not to mention, brawling the staff of the man that was providing shelter to you wasn't the answer at all, and he wasn't some brute. And while Kohta was on his knees, clearly nervous, it didn't seem like they had physically attacked him… yet.
Talk it is.
Ren heard Guts growl and immediately petted the dog, calming him down.
"It's ok boy, stay right here ok?"
Guts simply looked at him before giving a quiet woof.
"Umm…" he muttered, gathering everyone's attention, before walking right next to Kohta. "What seems to be the problem?"
"R-Ren…" the chubby teenager muttered.
"You ok?" he muttered to his friend, who just nervously nodded.
"And who are you?" one of the guards asked.
"Sakata Rentaro…" he answered before putting a hand on Kohta's trembling shoulder. "This guy's friend".
"Well then, tell your friend to hand over those guns"
"And why should he do that?"
The guard actually chuckled at his question.
"Are you for real? Those weapons aren't for kids to play around with, hand them to us so we can actually put them to good use".
Rentaro cleared his throat, his face still neutral but serious.
"These guns, we, meaning us and the rest of our group, got them from a relative of mine" Rentaro began. "We got a hold of them after given permission by said relative and we are using them to defend ourselves, so currently you could say I'm taking care of them now before we eventually return them… so we can't just hand them over".
The guards actually began chuckling among themselves; Ren simply sighed.
"What will a group of kids know about how guns are actually used? Just-"
"We have already used them, and took several of those things down before arriving here" Ren continued, which actually earned a reaction from the guards. "Especially, this guy right here…" he pointed at Kohta. "He was trained by professionals in America and is nothing short of an expert when it comes to handling guns and knowledge about them. His name is Hirano Kohta".
The guards stood in silence for a couple of seconds, seemingly processing the information.
At least until who seemed to be the leader of the group of guards, sighed.
Just as he had said, adults also had their little pride going on…
"C'mon, you know these are tough times… you kids don't need to fight anymore, just leave it to us".
Rentaro crossed eyes with this guard, both staring coldly at each other.
"Hand them over to us…"
"As I said-"
Both were interrupted by the trembling voice of Kohta.
"A-As he said, w-we're borrowing these from his relative, besides…" he muttered, although loud enough so everyone present could hear. "There's no one here who can use them as well as I can…"
"You little brat, Yoshioka-san asked you nicely so stop being so selfish!" one of the other guards snapped.
"We only want them to protect everyone here!" another one added.
Kohta responded by hugging the guns even tighter.
One of the guards clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"He doesn't care" he muttered.
"Whatever-" one of the guards muttered while he started to walk towards Kohta.
But stopped once he noticed Rentaro taking a step forward, putting himself between Kohta and him.
"What are you doing kiddo?" the guard asked, clearly angered now.
"I think we already gave you guys enough explanations" Ren muttered. "We can't hand them over"
"Hey brat, if you don't move and tell your buddy there to hand them… we'll be forced to get physical!"
Rentaro simply raised an eyebrow at the guard that said this.
"I don't think that's a good idea…"
"What are you trying to say?!" the guard snapped.
Rentaro just looked over the guard's shoulder, at the individual that was currently making his way towards them.
"What is all this commotion about?!"
Takagi Souichiro had arrived.
All the guards, even the most relaxed of the bunch immediately tensed at the presence of the man.
"D-Don!"
"T-This punk kid and his friend thinks those guns are their own toys!"
Souichiro took a moment to look at Kohta, before his eyes landed on Rentaro. Yuriko, who was right behind him, walked next to him to whisper something, but he stopped her by raising his hand.
"I know" he muttered to his wife before looking directly at him. "You're Sakata Rentaro, Sayaka's only son, right?"
"Yes sir" Ren responded while returning the look. While he had to admit the man had a truly intimidating aura, Ren was familiar with those stuff. His kendo sensei used to have a very similar feel to him… or when Rika got mad. This was also probably the first time they actually conversed face to face, without counting the casual and innocent greetings they had when he was a toddler.
"I remember you running around these very same gardens when you were little" Souichiro commented, with the usual authority and strength in his voice. "Yuriko has also told me a lot about you through the years… so had Takeo…"
The name of his sensei coming out of Souichiro's mouth, while it wasn't that much of a surprise, it did catch him off guard by a bit, as he raised his eyebrows a little, but quickly recomposed. Rentaro stood his ground as Souichiro slowly walked towards him; even Yuriko seemed slightly nervous.
Both the man and young man looked at each other for a few seconds, and even though Souichiro was almost a full head taller than Rentaro – surprisingly since he was quite tall himself – the latter didn't hesitate to look at the man directly in the eyes.
For a split second Rentaro thought he heard a throaty sound coming from the man, similar to a chuckle and he was pretty sure he almost saw him smirk a bit.
"Good eyes, not bad" the man said.
"Thanks... sir".
Both looked at each other for a couple more seconds until Ren noticed a gesture from him, which he quickly understood. So he stepped aside, so the man could face Kohta now.
Souichiro crossed his arms, while looking at Kohta, who had turned into a trembling mess at that point.
"Tell me your name boy!" the man demanded with authority. "I am Takagi Souichiro, Don of our patriotic organization!"
Despite Kohta's trembling and clear nervousness, he still brought himself to talk.
"Hi-Hirano Kohta, Fujimi Highschool Second Year, Class B, Attendance Number 32!"
"There's some enthusiasm in your voice indeed and I can tell you've been through a lot to get here, but do not speak so boldly Hirano-kun!" the man responded. "That I myself had to come here is proof that you have caused a good deal of trouble!"
"Dear, this boy is…" Yuriko began as he approached her husband, but once again was cut off.
"I know; he is from her class…"
"Well then" Yuriko said pleased, while clapping her hands together.
Once again, Souichiro looked at Kohta. "So, you will not hand over the guns?"
"No… No!" Kohta began while sobbing. "Without guns I… I'll go back to what I was! I'm done with the old me! I thought I'd finally found something I was good at!"
"Such as?" the man questioned.
Rentaro, who had been watching in silence, felt a little bad for his friend, who looked as nervous as ever. It seemed like Souichiro wanted to test him a bit, and Ren knew he couldn't talk for him in a situation like this, the poor boy couldn't handle the cheer intimidation the man's presence gave away. He put his hand on his friend's shoulder, looking to calm him down, before looking back at Souichiro, ready to speak up.
"Such as-"
"Such as protecting your daughter!"
All individuals present turned to look at the source of the new voice joining in.
Komuro Takashi made his way towards them and stood right next to Kohta and Rentaro.
"Couldn't have said it any better myself, Takashi" Ren said while smirking.
"Ko-Komuro…" Kohta muttered.
Souichiro stared at him for a few seconds.
"Komuro… Takashi… I see" the man said. "I've heard your name. You've known Saya for a long time".
"Yes sir, but since all this started Saya's been…" Takashi continued. "Your daughter's been under the protection of Hirano here!"
Souichiro simply stood in place, silent, although Ren noticed him not being a all mad or uncomfortable, while Yuriko on the other hand was smiling at the scene, while.
"Kohta-chan!" a new voice, now from Alice who was accompanied by her father and Zeke, joined the scene.
"Even I've seen how much courage he has" Hideo commented, standing next to them.
Soon Rei, Shizuka and Saeko also joined in.
"I've personally been a witness of his bravery as well" Saeko added.
"And I can too, papa!" everyone present heard the distinguished voice of Saya, as she walked towards them, to stand beside Kohta and his group. "He may be a freak and a worthless gun otaku…!" she began. "But it's because of him that I'm here! He's one of my companions! And he's the one that's been protecting me instead of you, papa!"
Rentaro couldn't help but smile a bit as everyone stood up for Kohta. Even Guts had gotten overexcited and joined in despite Ren telling him previously to stay at the sidelines.
He took a moment to look at his chubby teenager of a friend, who was a sobbing mess now, for all the good reasons. He was deeply moved by everyone sticking up for him.
As he had said, sharing one thing in common brings a group together, and they'd be damned if they let anyone trample over someone of their group. Yes, they were not in their best mood, tough decisions had to be made, they could argue and fight between each other, but they would always have each other's back.
No matter how much they could argue.
No matter the decisions that would be made in the future.
No matter what.
They would always be companions.
XXX
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Hello there!
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.
I just can't seem to be able to write under 10k words nowadays…
A mild chapter with mostly a ton of dialogue but hope you liked Ren's inner monologues and analysis, plus, his interactions with Saeko and the rest.
Next chapter will be cool to say the least, so stay tuned.
Once again thanks for your reading and hope you enjoyed.
Reviews are well welcomed.
Have a nice day!