Chapter Eight
A few hours into traveling with these girls, I wanted to be somewhere far away. They were all annoying, even my new biggest fan, Kaori. The lanky, freckled girl clung to my arm like a tick whenever one of Them wasn't around. Normally, a woman touching me would be something I craved, but I didn't want to be touched right now, at least not by her.
There was something about Kaori's constant, lingering stare that disturbed me. I had no doubt she truly felt like she'd been "transferred" to me when I saved her from death. When I stared into her open, honest face, I knew the girl would willingly die for me. Perhaps it would have been best to leave her with that boyfriend she'd left behind, after all. Her invasive gaze, combined with the mere presence of Rei Miyamoto and Shizuka's utter rejection of me, was driving me crazy.
Thinking about Rei was like torture, yet she refused to leave my mind when we weren't fighting. We had only met a day ago, yet she had shown so many conflicting sides of herself and all of them were infuriating and fascinating. I wished I could stop thinking about her angry looks, her challenges and accusations. Rei thought I was the kind of person to break in on someone in the bathroom and to take my violence out on others. She thought I was another Mr. Shido - or at least a part of her did. In my eyes, she was a far too seductive bitch, hellbent on being a thorn in my side, and worse, one who wouldn't mind her own business.
She was right that I would not be satisfied with just one girl standing by my side — If I had my way, there would be many , but… there were no bad intentions on my part. I would earn their hearts and bodies with my blade, as was my right. It was like ancient times once more. In this new world order, I was the samurai leaving his castle town to protect the peasants, who were helpless without me. Perhaps some I helped for free, perhaps from others I coveted more. Either way, I'll have earned my rewards by whatever means necessary. That was the difference between me and Shido, there was no shadowy manipulation or cruelty required on my part. I could just win what I wanted.
Rei had a pure heart - a boldness I didn't see in any of the others. She was willing to admit what others wouldn't, that Shido deserved an execution not an exile , and recognized the type of man he was. From that alone, I had no choice but to begrudgingly respect her. Rei made things difficult. She would not just let me take what I pleased. When she challenged me, it was exciting. She made my body come alive. I was usually the one in control, but she disrupted that. She was dangerous, in the most delicious way. But the way she'd touched me earlier today was undeniable, the way she'd looked at me. Rei seemed to want me, crave me, the same way I did her, but she was smart enough to recognize the darkness in me.
If just hating her was an option, I'd have preferred that, but we fought our way through the city streets side by side. We dealt with Them while Misuzu and Kaori cowered behind us, reliant on our wit and martial talent. It was rare that I met someone who was an athletic equal, but the captain of the Spear Martial Arts club was truly something else. While Rei struggled to kill them in a single blow, something I was adept at, her distance provided her with a better view of things; range allowed her to play more of a supplementary role. She supported me, kept me safe while I bloodied myself ruthlessly. The blissful, private bloodshed I'd felt while carving my path to the infirmary a day ago was entirely different from this. While I protected the others, what Miyamoto and I had was more like a reluctant partnership.
We hadn't encountered anyone for at least ten minutes, not even live ones. Even though Rei wasn't talking to me, I still felt like she was whispering about me, probably saying something like, "What's up with her? Busujima-senpai acts like she owns us, she acts like she's better than us. We should do something about her."
Or maybe that was just paranoia talking. What were her motivations? She had walked after me at Takagi's bidding, but did she truly want me gone? Yuuki hadn't told her the whole story, but she'd been more than eager to be rid of me. God, I just wanted their talking to stop, that constant buzz at my peripheral-
"Could you all please just be quiet?" I muttered, unable to hold back a scowl.
"What exactly is your problem?" Rei questioned, raising an eyebrow. She sounded unimpressed. "You have the worst attitude right now; we're being quiet and careful. Why-"
"I'm trying to concentrate on keeping us alive," I sighed, "any slight sound could bring Them, right?"
"Bullshit. You're just upset that Misuzu and I are making friends. That she's depending on me just as much as she is you. She doesn't need you if she's relying on me, does she? I'm holding my own, how about you focus on yourself?" She tapped her makeshift spear against her shoulder. Once more our hot gazes swept against one another, and she smiled when I scowled, unable to maintain eye contact with those crimson suns of hers.
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say." Annoyed, I walked a few strides ahead of the group by myself. Kaori hurried to catch up to me. I hesitated before giving her a kind smile. Why not play nice? It was probably better than being alone, even if that thousand-mile stare of hers freaked me out. The bashful, freckled teen offered me her hand. I was taken aback by the forward gesture. It was unexpected from a girl like her, but sweet compared to what Rei was giving me.
She could read my mood apparently. I took her hand in mine, squeezing it gently. A blush scattered across her cheeks. Suddenly, Kaori's arms were around my arm, the one that didn't terminate in my sword hand, and her tits were soon squeezed up against me. For such a slim girl, Kaori had a pretty nice pair. My mind started to roam other places.
"Sooo, you're running ahead… You plan on leading us?" Rei questioned, she and Misuzu kept pace with us. "Because I distinctly remember you saying you didn't know where the police station was."
Kaori squeezed my hand. "Don't worry about it. I know where it is," She explained softly, glancing back. "Why don't you worry about yourself?"
Realizing she was being imitated and mocked, Rei scowled. But she didn't say anything back, just rolled her eyes and muttered something to Misuzu, who seemed vaguely amused. Kaori didn't stop staring back at her as we walked along, though. There was a strange expression on her freckled face, like she wanted to do something to Rei, something bad. Her short black hair blew slightly in the breeze as she peered at Rei with a strange, almost predatory smile, yet Kaori somehow seemed strangely innocent…
It was a disturbing contrast. I slid my hand from Kaori's, housed it in my uniform pocket, and went completely silent. I didn't want conversation, I didn't want someone to touch me. My mind was starting to go to dark places.
Misuzu and Rei started to talk again, Kaori watched me like her eyes were laser beams, a stupidly happy expression on her face, the undead, terrified civilians stalking the streets. All these things swirled around me. I was going to be sick...
Suddenly, I was swaying. I stumbled to a halt, pressing my palms on a nearby brick wall, panting heavily.
"B-Busujima-senpai?" Rei was beside me in an instant, as was Kaori, Misuzu observing with a worried expression from a distance. The Miyamoto girl touched my face with her soft, cold hands, and held her forehead against mine. "W-Wow! You're burning up. Are you okay?" She murmured, staring into my eyes. It felt good when she touched me, when she stared at me with her big eyes all worried like that.
"I'm alright. Just... tired. I think." I held my head in one hand.
Rei pulled away, peering up and down my frame. "We're not even halfway there. Can you make it the rest of the way?"
"I can try."
"No," She offered me her shoulder. There was a gentle look in her eyes. "It's getting dark. How about we find somewhere to rest for the night?"
"How?" Misuzu interjected, "I know some people in the city but they're probably way too far away to help us. Where are we going to stay without those things breaking in?"
"How about we ask someone if we can stay in their house?" Kaori asked softly, blushing as she glanced at us. Rei waved her suggestion away.
"Nope. The News said it loud and clear, and people are going to follow directions. 'Don't let anyone in, stay isolated.' There's no way we're making friends with strangers."
"It was just an idea," Kaori scowled, "What's your bright idea Miyamoto-san?" That was the first time I'd heard her speak so venomously.
"I doubt we'll find a way into someone's home, so we need to find a path already open to us. We find a place that's already been taken over, we clear it out. We stay there for the night. That's my idea."
Misuzu hugged herself, seeming anxious. "... What if someone tries to attack us? N-Not one of Them. A human?"
"We don't have to worry about that. If anyone breaks in, I'll whoop em, alright?" Rei assured her, and Misuzu seemed instantly relieved. Kaori's gaze threatened to burn Rei alive as she turned back to me and ran her hands down my sword arm. Her jealousy seemed to simmer in the air, like she didn't think Rei deserved to be touching me. "Can you fight a little more? Then you can rest, I promise."
She was using such a motherly tone. I managed to force a nod and a smile. "I can do it. Thank you, Miyamoto-san."
Finding a place to sleep was easier than I thought it'd. We committed to Rei's idea. We roamed from place to place, until we finally found a small house. The doors were open but not broken down, and just from looking in one could tell They were there. Their silhouettes cast shadows against the curtained windows, at least three or four zombies were inside. Rei and I went in together, clearing the small place out room by room. A whole family had died here, thankfully no kids. We dumped the bodies outside, locked the door shut. I doubted any humans would screw with us; the front of the house was practically covered in blood.
We couldn't risk showers, but we could at least afford washing up with the sink. We took turns, Kaori and Misuzu first, then me. I was rinsing my face when I glanced up and saw Rei. She was standing in the doorway. She'd already changed for bedtime, wearing nothing but her uniform skirt and a bra. She closed the door behind her, leaned against the sink as she started talking to me.
"Even you have limits, you know. You really pushed it today. If I didn't notice..." She came across like a chastising mother instead of the total bitch she was acting like earlier. She twirled one of her hair antennae with her hand, as if anxious about this conversation. We were on even terms then, for once.
"I'm sorry," I relented immediately, weak to her gentle tone and warm red gaze. Bashful, I could not meet her face. "This tiredness is unusual for me. I'm at kendo and the dojo for hours everyday, such exhaustion is unfamiliar." I traced my wet fingers through my long, dark hair, sighing as the cool liquid seeped against my scalp. Then again, on those days I didn't get rejected by Shizuka Marikawa. The nurse had completely forsaken me. I felt drained by her rejection and couldn't understand it. I'd led Miss Marikawa to salvation, and yet she wanted me to leave.
I stared at my hands now, the cool water streaming down between my fingers and swirling down the sink. Rei's voice filtered in through the bleak, gray thoughts.
"About earlier... Yuuki left a lot out... I made a lot of assumptions. Senpai, I truly hope my feelings about you weren't right."
"Your feelings? Which ones?" I turned to her, unable to keep my tone from turning bitter. "The feelings that drove you to suck me off, or the feelings that made you kick me off the bus? You should make up your mind about me."
"I will, but I'm not ready to decide anything about you yet." Rei crossed her arms on her buxom chest, and I blushed. In that tank-top there was little left to the imagination. "Other than that you're crazy."
That made me laugh. "We're not so different, you and I. You enjoy killing Them, I see it in your eyes."
Rei dismissed that with ease, smirking, "I'm different from you. Of that, I'm sure."
I smiled wryly. I couldn't deny that. Rei leaned across the sink and cupped my cheek, turning my face to hers. Her expression was intense. "Don't push it again like today. I won't always be there to look out for you."
I turned the sink off, finished washing off, and pulled myself away from her touch, even though I didn't want to. When Rei touched me, it felt like I was being warmed from the inside. It almost made me forget about how horrible Shizuka's distant golden eyes had been. Like I was nothing but dirt. My usual confidence was gone in the face of this exhaustion. I needed a real rest.
Kaori and Misuzu were in one of the three rooms, talking quietly. Kaori looked up, her entire face seeming to glow when she saw me, then her expression darkened when she saw the look on my face, glancing angrily toward the bathroom where Rei was cleaning up. I was too exhausted to think about her jealousy.
"I'm taking the small room. Goodnight," I said, before walking toward my place for the night. Kaori trailed after me, clutching at my arm.
"I- U-Um... could I... could I join you tonight, Saeko-chan?"
I couldn't find it in me to say no. I wanted a night of solitude, but if I rejected Kaori I had a feeling it would hurt her feelings. I didn't want to do that. As long as I got to sleep, it didn't matter who it was with or where. When we reached the bedroom, I stripped down to my boxer briefs and bra, unhooking that and placing it down on the bedside table. Kaori stood, just watching me for a moment, her head slightly cocked. Then, much to my shock, she suddenly approached me and placed her hands on my naked breasts. She lifted them in her hands, squeezed softly, and smiled up at me.
"You're so pretty, senpai. Your body is amazing... not like mine. I never understood why he dated me in the first place."
"You're a cute girl," I replied, "that's why." Despite my exhaustion, her ministrations were starting to turn me on. I didn't expect to get groped like this, least of all by Kaori. I bit back a gasp as she toyed with my nipples.
"Really? Yet you don't look at me like you do Rei."
"I don't look at anyone like I look at Rei," I muttered back, "she pisses me off."
"No. It's not anger."
"Kaori-chan-"
"You should go to bed, Saeko-chan. I'll stay up. I'll watch over you. You can sleep safely next to me. I'll protect you... just like you protected me."' Her words were spoken softly, so sweetly, and yet I didn't feel comforted. She let my chest go, and I retreated back into the bed, too tired to continue this strange conversation. The second my head hit the pillow I sighed with relief. Sleeping on a bus was not something I'd recommend to anyone.
This time I had relatively peaceful dreams of Shizuka's breasts, Misuzu's pretty eyes, and Rei with her mouth on my member. She gazed up at me, holding me by my base and taking me in her throat slowly, just like that first time. Then, she hollowed her cheeks and took me down to the base as far as her fist would let her. The last part felt so real, like there was really a hot and moist mouth. My eyes shot wide open. Outside the bedroom window, the sky was black. What the Hell was happening? I attempted to move but my wrists and ankles were bound by sheets, and I was gagged. Panic made me struggle. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness of the room, I could just make out Kaori's dark-haired head, her face buried between my legs, licking softly at my unwilling erection.
When she felt my movement, she looked up and gave a wild smile. This could not be happening. I snarled against my gag, and she slithered up my form. Mouth soft and warm, she kissed my throat almost lovingly.
"Don't be upset with me, Saeko-chan, please. I just love you so much and I wanted to thank you for saving me. This is why you saved me... right? That's why you kept me on the bus. I want to show you how much better I am than the other girls," she whispered in a hot, sensual tone. "I'll prove you don't need any of them. Just me."
I hadn't let her stay so I could fuck her, I'd saved her because dying for the love of some high school boyfriend seemed ridiculous, but I regretted that decision immensely. Kaori's hand lovingly stroked my lower stomach, and her tongue snaked across her lips, coating her mouth in a thin glaze of spit as she pressed it up and down my cheek and neck, sucking the skin she found there. I tried to get out of my bindings again, but no luck.
"Stop struggling. You wouldn't let me die before…. and this is my payment." The freckled girl trailed off and pulled away for a moment to peer into my face with her dark-moon eyes. Her cute face was like a haunted imitation of its usual self. "I really wanted to die with him. I loved him, more than anything… and yet he turned me away. He gave me to you," Her eyes squeezed shut, her pain mixing with something else. She was coming unraveled before me, and there was nothing I could say or do to help balance her mind. I was stuck beneath her on this dark night. "But I suppose it was for the best. It's what he wanted. Yet… I hear his voice, hear his screams of pain as they tore him apart every second of the day… except when you look at me. So why won't you look at me?"
Was this girl crazier than me? Her voice was dull and serene, as if she weren't fully there. I sure as Hell was looking at her!
"Yes, Saeko-chan, just like that. Burn me alive with your eyes… It helps me forget the pain! Please, I'm yours now, so stop struggling." Her crotch rubbed into mine, and despite hating this I was starting to get hard as I bucked beneath her, doing anything to try to escape my binds. Her fingers stroked up the bare expanse of my belly, then along my breasts before she squeezed them painfully hard, twisting my nipples. I winced at the sharp pinches of pain, jerking away from her violent, rough touch. I didn't want to be with anyone like this - I wanted her off me, I wanted freedom, I wanted to speak!
Kaori tsked as my struggle began anew and shook her head, leaning against me with her fragile, thin frame. I wanted to break her body in half. I glared at her; teeth gnashed together around my gag. "I love it when you look at me like that, Saeko-chan, like you hate this. You might hate it, but that part of you - that part of you that's so much like him, it loves me. This part." She reached down and pulled my underclothes down my legs, my hard cock revealing itself. She moaned when she saw it, like a Jesuit finding salvation.
I groaned in blissful agony as Kaori sat back down in my lap, rolling her hips, moving her ass against my erection in just the right way. She pushed her panties to the side. As her body lowered down I was suddenly hyper aware of everything. Of her hot gaze, and the heat of the night, of the sirens in the distance, the cries of those dying and ripped apart in the deadly night, of- Reality settled in quietly, quickly. I was about to be raped. I should have let this girl die. I squeezed my eyes shut. Kaori was so close now; I could practically feel her wetness and heat. A huge part of me hated it, but the smaller part was ready, willing. I had been planning to fuck her, under my conditions, with her under me. Not like this. Never like this.
Never again would my freedom be stolen away...least of all by a pathetic girl like this, desperate for my attention and unworthy of it. Kaori was not like that woman . I had promised myself after her that I'd never let anyone take me like this again. Never. A wave of anger and frustration washed over me. This was not how things were supposed to be. I had saved Kaori's life, not offered myself up as a sacrifice. And yet, here she was, using my act of kindness as an excuse to take advantage of me. The more I fought, the tighter the ropes became, cutting into my skin and leaving angry red welts.
Kaori looked down at me, her eyes full of blind desperation as she smiled. When she looked at me she didn't see me, she saw the boy she left behind. Never before had I been so disturbed, it was like staring into the face of a ghost. A ghost that started to rub her wet, slick folds against my erection and moan. "Please, Saeko-chan," she whispered as her sticky heat embraced me, "I need you. I love you. Don't you see that?"
But I didn't see it. All I saw was a girl who had lost her mind, who was using me to fill the void left by someone else.