Chapter Seven

I woke up slowly. I hadn't slept well the previous night, and my dreams were troubled and dark, as usual. The zombie apocalypse certainly wasn't helping. I scratched the back of my head while yawning and looked around blearily. Sadly, the warmth I had felt the previous night was gone. I wondered where Saya had gone. However, my confusion increased when I noticed multiple sets of eyes watching me. The owners of those eyes were practically drooling, the glasses-girl being the most obvious offender. What the hell? This was obviously something I'd never woken up to, I didn't quite know how to react. I shifted uncomfortably under the burn of all those stares.

"What the hell are you staring at?" I muttered, my cheeks feeling hot all of the sudden.

As I peered closer, I noticed that the curvaceous, orange-haired Yuuki Miku was nowhere in sight. Did I really want to know what she was up to? Probably not. I felt somewhat sad that Shizuka was ignoring me, but I remembered our conversation from the night before. It was arrogant of me to think she'd let it go so easily. After all, I had promised to stay away from her. As I stretched with a tired and weary yawn, the group of girls around me took a sharp breath, Taniuchi audibly gasping. Wait a moment, why was she staring so pointedly between my legs? I noticed that all of them were doing the same…

"Oh, oh God," Saya whispered, covering her mouth with her hand, her cheeks a bright crimson color.

"I wonder why we're looking," Taniuchi giggled in a teasing tone, her gaze practically hungry, predatory. I blinked, looking down. My eyes widened, my cock was straining hungrily against the cloth of my uniform pants, stretching upward. My face turned red. I covered my crotch with my hands and looked away, trying to figure out how to talk my way out of this.

"You were so cute when you slept," Misuzu said, "We didn't wake you up for a second watch because you looked so cute…"

I missed second watch with Saya?! They were interfering with my business, now I started to get annoyed. "I-It's morning wood, a natural function. Grow up," I chastised them cooly, before quickly trying to escape. I practically dove out of the bus in a desperate need to get to the bathroom and relieve myself. God, these girls were going to be the death of me.

I was aroused by what happened and embarrassed at the same time. I didn't know what was happening; I was never embarrassed before this. Just having so many girls looking at me like that... I immediately headed to the bathroom once I got inside the minimart, ripping the door open. With my other hand I started unbuttoning my dark uniform pants.

I froze, as did the girl who was already in the restroom. She was gazing in the mirror, with her back turned to me, washing her hands. I couldn't help but take in her figure, noticing all her curves and sensual features that were disgustingly captivating. Yuuki Miku. The gyaru narrowed her golden eyes, curling her lips into a lecherous smirk as she ran her fingers through loose orange waves. She met my eyes in the reflection of the mirror. Yuuki sighed gently and then slid her usual headband into place before turning to face me.

"Good morning," She greeted in a pleasant enough voice. "It's rude not to knock first, y'know."

I nodded at her, horribly embarrassed and still clutching my crotch. The unfamiliar shame and overwhelming excitement were truly new to me, as was the weird feeling I got as this delinquent stared at me with her all-knowing amber gaze. Red-faced, I murmured, "Sorry, I just... really need..."

I trailed off. Yuuki's amber gaze shot down to the tent in my pants. She kneeled, "I can see the need, that's for sure. Good morning to you as well," Yuuki cooed as she placed a cool hand on the aching, throbbing region between my legs.

"Now's not a good time, we need to leave soon," I groaned, swallowing as I forced her hand away. It was scary how much willpower that took.

Yuuki pouted. "Leaving can wait~" She stood between me and the exit and shut the bathroom door behind her. "Come on, don't rush us~ That's not very sexy. Let's have some fun, Saeko-chan, who knows when we'll get the chance next? I really need it."

Yuuki locked the door, then walked over, and pressed herself close to me. Our soft breasts meshed together. I should've pushed her away, but I wanted her to touch me at the same time as I didn't. She was right. Who knew when we'd get time away from everyone, or a safe moment again once we were in the city? Yet at the same time she was a troublemaker, and more than that we had places we needed to go. A hook-up seemed inappropriate.

"This little guy is in serious need of assistance," Yuuki cooed as she worked her hand up and down my cloth-clad crotch, stroking every inch of the bulge she could. I felt myself get backed into the wall. "Don't neglect the needs of your body. You can't let your little beast get this hard and painful. I'll help you~" Despite being taller and stronger, I felt intimidated. Yuuki ran a soothing hand along my cheek and gazed into my eyes. Then, she wrapped her fingers around the collar of my uniform, forcing me close and crushing her ridiculously stacked body against mine. It was so hard to resist when that chest was melting into mine…

Her mouth brushed mine, leaving eager little kisses. "Mm," she ground against me, panting, "Saeko...kiss me back," she whispered, before her mouth met mine again. Why not, I decided, as I pressed my lips back against hers.

This kiss was harsh and hungry; we tore at each other's lips with both teeth and tongue. Her hands slid over my shoulders, before she settled them on my back. I gripped her by the hair and pulled her slightly away from me, turning us around and pinning her against the wall instead of me.

"Mm," Yuuki whispered, "good girl."

The praise felt good for some reason. I hastily moved my mouth to her neck, sucking and licking, flicking my tongue across the flesh. Then I nibbled, tasting her. I wanted to leave my mark. Yuuki moaned with pleasure at just this contact, burying her fingers into my hair in an encouraging manner as I slathered her skin with my saliva, painting myself onto her.

"S-Saeko-chan, if you don't stop, you'll make a mess of my skin. They'll know what we were doing in here~" she whispered harshly, with an overly-familiar, shameless tone. I continued to suck and tease the porcelain skin of her neck, grinding my crotch against her thigh. Yuuki made the sexiest noises, and that was all I cared about. She was right about that. I thrust against her hip like a desperate dog, my swollen cock aching for release after this morning. My cloth-clad erection wanted to taste flesh, Yuuki's thick thighs felt way too good even through layers.

"You're such a naughty girl, like an animal... that's why I have to teach you a lesson~ next time I come on to you don't try to run away." Yuuki suddenly pushed me back against the door, forcing her body away from mine. Before I could even make sense of what was happening, she turned, unlocked the door, and stepped out… laughing all the while. I was left standing there, raging hard, my eyes wide. What? What just happened!? Did she just tease me and then leave me here? I expected Yuuki to come waltzing back in, that smug expression plastered across her face. Instead, the door stayed firmly shut. First, I was confused. Then, slowly but surely, anger began to find its way into my veins. My teeth pressed together hard, so hard I thought they might break. I wanted to go after her.

I desperately wished to come, but I realized I couldn't afford to waste any more time here. "Fucking Yuuki." I tucked myself back in, buttoned up my pants, took a deep breath, exhaled, and opened the door. I was turned on and angry, but I set my sexual desires aside for the moment.

When I stepped onto the bus, I met Yuuki's gaze with anger, and she nearly burst into laughter before whispering something to Rei. The two of them started talking quietly, and I couldn't help but wonder what they were saying. Yuuki whispered something in the Miyamoto girl's ear, and the brunette gave me a harsh look and Shizuka shook her head. I wondered what was going on, there was a distinct atmosphere of tension on the school vehicle. Glancing around, I realized something was wrong. Saya had a weird look on her face, so did Shizuka.

I decided to just sit down and relax by myself.

A tentative voice murmured, "You can sit with me if you want, Saeko." I was surprised to see Kaori, the freckled girl whose boyfriend had asked me to save her, waving me over with a tiny smile on her face. It was really nice to see her smiling again. I nodded and stood, slipping into the seat next to the awkward, lanky girl.

"Thanks. I'm surprised you want to sit next to me; I assumed you didn't like me much after dragging you away from your dying boyfriend thing," I said, running my fingers through my dark hair.

"No, I understand why you did what you did. We've already talked about it a little," she gave me a pretty, serene smile. Up close, I noticed she was pretty cute, with black hair falling across her big, brown eyes. Kaori was seemingly the type of girl that always looked like she was seconds away from bursting into tears. It made me want to tease her. My eyes widened at how pretty she was when she was smiling, and I felt a tingly sensation in my stomach. My excitement from earlier lingered, and I wondered what her soft, pathetic little voice might sound like lost in the depths of pleasure.

"You act as if I did it of my own free will, Kaori. I did it because your boyfriend asked me to," I murmured.

"He gave me to you," the black-haired girl replied, sounding oddly dreamy as she said it. She smiled at me, her dark eyes burning. "You saved me. I won't forget that. I'm yours now, the same way I was his. It's what he wanted. That's why I can forgive you for ripping us apart. That's why if you asked me to do anything I'd do it. Anything at all…" Her gaze dropped down to my crotch, "even that stuff. "

At that moment, there was a series of light thumping noises as Takashi and Kohta, the last to be ready, stepped onto the bus with a couple more bags of food which they set down in the front seats. I stood up, using this opportunity to escape Kaori's terrifyingly intense gaze. All that warmth, hope, and desperation leaked out through her irises.

"L-Let's get going, Miss Marikawa," I called out to our driver, walking to the front of the bus. The blonde gave me a simple nod, turned the key, and began to drive. It was good to be on the move again.

I sat back down and stared outside the busses windows at the sights flickering by. As time ticked by, the sky slowly grew brighter as dawn faded and day arrived. One of the awful things about this situation was that it happened during such a great, warm time of the year - when the trees were in full bloom and the sun shone bright in the sky.

I desperately wanted to know why this had happened. I craved an explanation. What had humanity messed up this time? Was it a bioweapon, a scientific experiment gone wrong, or a failed test? And how had it escalated so quickly? One zombie was easy to handle, so why had the situation spiraled out of control? It was all too much to process.

"It's the city!" Taniuchi exclaimed as towering buildings and apartments came into view around the corner of the road. Below the road, the ocean glistened brightly as the sunlight bounced off of it.

Kaori whispered, "It's horrible." She sounded like she was in pain. I turned to see what she was looking at and was struck by the devastation. There were few cars, and it was clear that the destruction was everywhere. Plumes of smoke rose from rooftops, and carcasses littered the streets. Alarms blared in the distance. Life was a mockery of what it once was.

Taniuchi adjusted her glasses, and then stared in horror at the condition of the city. When she started to shake, I saw Takashi reach out and put a comforting hand on her arm. The glasses-wearing girl buried her face in her hands. It was obvious she couldn't believe what she was seeing. Naively, we'd all been hoping the city would somehow be a different story from what we came from. Instead, it was far worse.

I put a hand on Kaori's head, forcing a smile. "Don't cry, alright? I'll keep you safe."

Just like with Saya, the black-haired girl seemed to glow after I said those words to her. They were true words. Even with just a bokken, I could defend them all against what we were about to face. Kaori had intense emotions, and I couldn't resist her crying face.

""Do you promise me?" Kaori asked, cocking her head and grabbing my hand in both of hers.

Her stare was intense, but I held her strong gaze and nodded. "Yes, I promise."

Rei suddenly interjected in a disgusted tone, "Is there any girl you aren't going to try to put under you?"

I almost laughed at the jealousy written all over her face. Rei probably didn't realize yet that seeing Kaori and me together was what really pissed her off. "Put under me? I'm just extending her the same courtesy I'd give any cute classmate."

The pink-haired Saya glowered at me, pouting. "You can't properly protect me if you're focused on all these girls…" She said it so quietly I almost wasn't sure I heard it.

Rei grinned. "You know... you're a lot like that perverted teacher, Shido. With the way you act, you're really not much better than him." Rei's tone suggested she was trying to provoke me, and it worked. I had helped get him off the bus, partly to please her. Although she had seemed grateful at the time, I guess that didn't mean much anymore.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. "Miyamoto-san, I understand your concerns. But I'm not trying to control anyone, and I'm nothing like Shido. Is it so bad that I want to protect all of you?" I glanced at each person in turn. Not everyone was worried about my behavior, but Takashi was giving me a disapproving look.

"Are you genuinely trying to protect us or just use us?" Rei questioned. I decided to ignore her, but when she moved down the line of the bus to stand beside me, I realized she wasn't going to let the conversation drop.

"You look at us the same way he did, that nasty look in your eyes," Rei murmured, "you're a pervert, Busujima-san~" Rei's comment struck a nerve. I didn't want to be compared to that perverted teacher, but I also didn't want them to think that I was trying to control them. I just wanted to make sure they were safe in this chaotic world.

"I'm not trying to control anyone," I insisted, my voice starting to waver. "Shido is a terrible person, but I'm not like him. I just want to keep all of you safe, and I'll do whatever it takes."

Rei rolled her eyes. "Words, words, more words. Actions speak louder. The way you punched Takashi, and the way you "accidentally" walked in on Yuuki in the bathroom..." The way she trailed off was highly suspect, the others looked at me strangely. The ginger-haired gyaru had a mischievous look on her face. I knew that she was aware my mistake was exactly that, but did Rei?

"W-Walked in on her!? You make it sound like I did that on purpose! That was an accident," I protested, my anger rising. Saya seemed almost afraid of me as I met her eyes. What was Rei's goal here? When I looked in her eyes, I saw a miasma of emotions flickering back. What was her motivation?

"Are you actually just a pervert, Busujima-senpai?"

Standing up straight, I put my face right in hers. "What do you want from me, you manipulative little bitch?" I glanced back and forth between her and Yuuki, then focused entirely on Rei. You and I- I thought we reached an agreement."

I was referring to our "playtime" in the convenience store.

Rei hesitated for just a moment. "I want you to admit you're like a dog marking its territory on every girl you can find."

I took a step back, trying to control my breathing. "... This is the last thing I'll say on this subject. Don't get in my way and mind your own business." My voice was low and dangerous, and I knew that my threat had hit home.

'Unstoppable force, immovable object...'

"Or what?" Rei smirked.

"Let's all just focus on surviving and getting to Takagi's," Kohta said softly, trying to redirect the conversation. The tension in the air was palpable, but I hoped that my words would help ease it. "Okay?"

However, the situation was not straightforward. Rei appeared unwilling to let go of her negative feelings towards me, likely fueled by Yuuki's instigating. Perhaps the troublemaker truly believed that I had intentionally walked in on her, but then why did she tease me? These two girls, with their strong personalities, left me feeling uncertain of how to react. As a person used to controlling all of my emotions, I found myself acting irrationally.

Suddenly, the bus shrieked to a stop. I was started by it. Right in the middle of the city all movement was halted. At the front of the bus, Shizuka was unstrapping her seatbelt. "Stop arguing! I really can't concentrate with all of you talking and yelling!"

Yet, that still wasn't enough for Rei to drop it. "You asked me what I want… well, I'll tell you. I want you, Shido, all the other people like you…" Her voice dropped low. "I want you to leave."

"R-Rei," Saya gasped in shock, "what are you saying?"

"Well, why not?" Takashi asked. "Rei's right, about everything. Isn't she?"

"Saeko-chan saved my life," Misuzu snapped, "Sure, she's handsy, but I've never told her no. What about you, Saya?"

The pink-haired genius shook her head. "She's… forward. But she hasn't done anything forceful, and she doesn't creep me out. I trust Busujima-senpai." That made me feel beyond good. The Takagi girl and I shared a special smile, and I could see that she had cast aside a lot of her doubts about me just then.

"Sensei?" Rei asked, turning to the school nurse.

I'd saved Shizuka just like the rest of them, but I had also done other things to her. I'd bullied her, murdered Ishii Kazu— she knew the extent of my ruthlessness, and even now the shirt she wore was stained red with the blood that I'd smeared there, thrusting my dirtied bokken between her tits. She had no real reason to trust me… There was no way for Shizuka Marikawa to know the extent of how much I felt for her, or how far I'd be willing to go to protect the woman I loved.

I loved her, and yet…

"I think," Shizuka whispered slowly, "that… it's best if Saeko… if Saeko leaves."

"Why!?" Misuzu snapped. "She's the only reason you're alive, you bimbo!"

"It doesn't matter why. We should just put it to a vote," Takashi mused.

"This is ridiculous," Saya whispered, and then louder, "This is ridiculous! Saeko, don't go!"

"I thought we agreed we were screwed without her," Kohta murmured, seeming very nervous as I passed him. I stopped at the entrance of the bus, turning to glance at Shizuka.

"Shizu-chan. Is this actually what you want?"

That was all that mattered to me. I was fond of Saya, Rei, the rest of them already — but if Shizuka didn't want me here then none of that mattered. As I waited for Shizuka's response, I couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal. After everything we'd been through together, how could she just cast me aside like this? But as she hesitated, I knew that there was still a chance for her to change her mind. I held my breath, waiting for her answer. But she didn't say anything at all.

"Alright," I smiled, "whatever you want."

The school nurse flinched, staring at me in despair. She finally replied. "You're just… scary . I'm sorry, Saeko, but I don't… I don't trust you."

"T-Then I'm going, too," Misuzu decided, grabbing her makeshift broom and joining me at the bus entrance. "You'd saved my butt more than once, I'd rather throw my lot in with the swordswoman."

"… Me too," Kaori whispered, standing as well. "My boyfriend trusted you with my life. I trust his judgment."

Rei looked like she was already regretting this. She hadn't expected the group to split over me. As I walked off the bus with Misuzu and Kaori at my side, I heard Saya say, "You better go after her, Miyamoto!" Half a minute later, Rei came running down the steps of the bus with a panicked look on her face.

"B-Busujima-senpai, wait!" Rei called out. I kept walking. Rei quickly caught up to us. We were only a few strides away, walking down the sidewalk of the massive city. "Come on, don't be like that."

"What do you mean ' be like that '?" I replied. "If you, Takashi, and I are going to clash in this way, there's no need for me to be here. Besides, Shizuka is the one I care about most. If she doesn't trust me, if she wants me gone..."

Rei grabbed my wrist. "You're being dramatic! Get back on the bus. I was being a bitch, Yuuki didn't properly explain what happened between you two. I made assumptions."

I shoved her hand away, disgusted. "You're bad at apologies. The sad truth is I don't need any of you except Shizuka," I glowered at her. " You need me, and yet it seems you want to dictate what I do, who I touch, and why."

"Get back on the bus," Rei repeated, firmer this time. "I'm not asking, pervert ."

I turned to Rei, my expression ice cold. Yet she met it with her own blazing red. "You want me to stay, then you need to learn to control that mouth of yours." My attention drifted away to where a large bus appeared down the road. Though it was far away, I had a very bad feeling. The headlights at its front seemed like angry eyes as the vehicle plunged down the road. It all happened so fast - the bus hit a car and flipped through the air, heading right towards us. I heard Saya scream at Shizuka to drive.

Then my body was moving, struck into action by crisis the way it always was. "Run, now! Down the tunnel," I shouted.

Rei, Misuzu, Kaori, and I made our escape down the nearby road tunnel, our feet slapping against the pavement. We moved just in time to avoid the giant vehicle colliding with us. It hit the ground directly in front of the tunnel, and it would have hit us if we had stayed where we were. It also blocked off the exit of the tunnel we'd run through. To make matters worse, it erupted into flames, licking angrily at the sky.

"Busujima-senpai, are you alright?" I heard Takashi yell from the other side of the barrier of flames. I felt relieved that they were okay.

"Yeah, we're all fine!" Maybe I spoke too soon. My eyes widened when figures began to rise from the flames towards us. They didn't scream or yell like normal burning humans would, I knew it was Them. They only managed to stumble a few feet before they collapsed and didn't get back up. Perhaps the fire had reached their brains. I turned my attention back to the brunette boy across the wall of flames.

"Let's meet up at the police station at midnight. If we can't make it, then noon the next day. If we go three days without seeing each other, then head to the Takagi Estate."

"Sounds good! Take care of Rei, okay?" Takashi called out. "And take care of yourself."

That was when I smelled something strange. Suddenly, I realized something: bus equals gas tank, gas tank plus flame equals...

" OH NO , run!" I yelled as I raced down the tunnel. Why hadn't I thought of that? Misuzu, Kaori, and Rei dashed after me. My timing was good because just as we escaped, flames erupted in an explosion, shooting down the tunnel. We all made it out before the flames consumed us.

I collapsed, panting hard, slick with sweat. For a moment, we all sat there. I panted, wiping the sweat from my eyes as I took in the situation. We had to move. I started to get to my feet.

"Saeko," Misuzu gasped, "there's a-"

Just as I turned to the source of her panic, it felt as if two cinder blocks slammed into my chest. There was a loud clicking noise coming from the zombie's helmet. Its teeth were trying to reach me. My bokken lay useless beside me. The zombie's hands were on my chest, gripping too hard. I struggled, panting and trying to push him off of me.

I was going to die. The fully grown man, a biker in full leather attire, was too heavy for me. His head was hidden behind his helmet, and his teeth were about to reach me. "Fuck," I whispered. Just as I was about to give up, there was a loud thud, and a big cement block crashed into the man's helmeted skull.

Rei had saved my life. She dropped the giant, blood-stained block on the ground as the man collapsed, now completely dead. I had felt the kiss of death, goosebumps rising all over my skin. I had never been so close to death, let alone twice in a row. In some way, the argument with Rei had led me to this bad position, but now she stood above me as my savior. If she had actually hated me or thought I was a pervert, she probably would have let me die. But she hadn't. I was alive because of her, and in a way, all of us were alive because I had realized the incoming dangers. Rei may not believe it yet, but we made a pretty good team.

"Sorry to rush you, but we should get going," Rei murmured as she offered me her hand and helped me up.

"Umm, Komuro-san, he said midnight, right?" The black-haired girl glowered at Rei. "That's in a few hours. What should we do, Busujima-senpai?"

"Just call me Saeko. And it's pretty clear what we should do. We'll head to the police station, exactly as we agreed." Kaori and Misuzu seemed frightened, so I reassured them by ruffling their hair. "We'll be alright."

"It's just so far," Misuzu said quietly, falling into a moody silence.

"Maybe it'll be fun," Rei smiled, but her optimism just irritated me. I think it irritated all of us. After all, she was the one who had put us in this position. I wished I could smack her, but I resisted the urge, just barely. As we began to travel through the brightly lit, smoking city, I was aware of her gaze burning into me like twin suns. She was still angry and distrustful of me, the same way I was of her. Likely, she saw this as my fault in the same way I saw this as hers.

Eventually, we were going to have to learn to put our differences and mistrust aside.