Chapter 5: Sly Kouhai

The day has passed. Beneath the starry night sky, I walk with sweat. Each step of mine is taken in between harsh breaths.

Neither am I alone. Despite my objections, another person has chosen to accompany me.

"Haaah, senpai. We should take a break. Haaaah." Iroha says between deep breaths, no doubt exhausted from having to constantly keep up with me.

For some hour now, I've been doing nothing but run, or walk when tired. Luckily, I know my way around Chiba, so reaching home without a map isn't really an issue.

It's the distance that poses a problem. The longer I take in finding Komachi, the less a chance there is of me finding her alive. Also, the zombies we must constantly watch out for are not helping either. Our speed is halved due to us being forced to constantly sneak around them.

"Following me, haah, was your own damn choice. If you want to rest, then rest. I'll keep going."

"Mouuu! Senpai you're a real slave driver!"

Despite the situation, I allow myself to smirk.

"Heh, that goes for you as well. What made you chase after me in the first place?"

Hearing the footsteps behind me come to a halt, I realize that Iroha has stopped walking. I don't like it, but I allow myself to stop for a second as well, before turning to face her.

"Iroha?" what? It's the apocalypse, why bother addressing others with honorifics? Their surnames will have to suffice. And besides, I'm in a hurry!

Seeing the confusion on my face, Iroha stumbles for an answer, playing with her fingers. Eventually, she locks her eyes with mine.

There's a powerful glint in those eyes. Although I had to save her before, that frail little girl that needed help is no longer there. Now, there stands a girl who knows what she wants, or at the very least has caught a glimmer of that light.

"I guess... it's because I don't want to have any regrets. And I owe you one for before too, senpai."

The pain of regret, huh. I understand her actions much better now. If she had not followed me, there's a great chance that we would never have met again. She feels that she owes me for saving her life and is determined to repay that debt in full.

"I see."

Perhaps she has many regrets in her life and does not wish to add more to that plate. I too hold many regrets, wearing a certain crown comes to mind. I understand her stance all too well.

However, there is one thing she is mistaken about. I did not save her for the sake of saving her. Rather, I did it to protect my own conscience.

I was just being selfish. Saving her had just been the result of that choice.

"Senpai probably thinks it's silly, huh?"

Contrary to her expectations, my answer is the opposite.

"No. The pain of regret... I understand it all too well. It's just that you're mistaken. My actions at that time were an act of pure selfishness, saving you was just the result of that choice. You don't owe me anything."

"Senpai... even if that's true, you still saved me. Even if it was for selfish reasons, right now I am alive because of you."

She's a stubborn one, I'll give her that.

"You might die doing this, you know?"

At that, she responds with a cheeky grin. What is this? Her cuteness is approaching dangerous levels. However, Komachi's cuteness remains unsurpassed!

"No, I won't. Silly senpai, you're sailing a sinking ship. Once a girl makes up her mind, you can't change it!"

"Sigh. Quite the metaphor you've got there. Alright, I understand. Just don't blame me if you end up dying."

"Sure wont!"

I am relieved.

We've found ourselves a bunch of bicycles parked beside a small grocery store. There are around five of them.

"Oi, Iroha. With this we can say our walking days goodbye. Quickly take one and let's go."

Iroha turns to look at me, an exasperated sigh leaves her lips. Why does she look at me as though I've missed something very important and obvious?

"Senpai... there's a grocery store right next to the bicycles. Shouldn't we get some food first? I haven't eaten for several hours now!"

Going quiet, I turn to look at the store for a good minute or so, and then back at her.

(...Right.)

In all my haste in getting to Komachi, I've completely disregarded my stomach. Now that food has been brought up, I can't help but feel hungry.

If I get something for Komachi, surely this will be a worthwhile detour.

"Fine. Let's make it quick."

With that, we move towards the store. Of course, on our way to this point, we each picked up a weapon for ourselves. Without those I would not even consider stepping into that store, hunger be damned.

In my case, it's a machete. As for Iroha, she's handling an axe.

"Stay behind me."

"I'm not an idiot, senpai! Of course, I will hide behind you. You're my shield!"

"Haaah? What happened to you repaying your debt to me? You can't exactly do that if I'm dead, you know."

"Senpai is strong, it will be fine. If something happens, I will assist you, you knooow?"

What a sly kouhai I've got. Well, it's not as though I was seriously expecting her to go first. If a zombie suddenly attacks, I am much better suited physically to handle such a thing than she is.

"Then, let's go. Keep quiet though, if the coast is clear, let's quietly gather the food and leave. Take only as much as you can carry. We'll each take a bag from the store, and no more. Though if you find any backpacks, we'll take those as well."

"Hai, hai!" she salutes me with exaggerated movements, and readies her axe.

With that, we enter the store.

It's dark, the lights are off. And the quiet you would never expect of a store is all that receives us.

(No zombies in sight. Good.)

I check around, and find nothing. Relief floods my mind, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding until now.

I turn to Iroha, she nods in understanding.

We begin to gather the food.

"—!?"

It would've gone perfectly, but Iroha just had to accidentally drop a can of cola. The noise isn't loud, but it does get the attention of one unwelcome guest.

"Gruaah!"

(Shit!)

The one place I hadn't checked! Behind the counter, the zombified form of what once was a cashier crawls out.

"Ah-mmmm!?" before Iroha gets to scream in fear, I shut her mouth with my hand.

"Keep quiet. Don't attract even more zombies." I whisper in her ear, my own heart pounding like a speeding truck.

She calms down, and nods. Slowly, I release my hand.

She doesn't scream. Good.

The zombie groans as it approaches us. It does not take long for it to reach us.

As I am about to deliver a deadly blow to its head with my machete, an idea pops up, and I halt my hand.

Iroha looks questioningly at me, but I shrug her off. I signal for her to step back, and she complies without much protest. That is good, everything is going as planned.

"Now then... time to test things out."

I pick up a pack of flour, and throw it – albeit, with some hesitation – at the wall near the zombie.

(Let's test out its senses. Can it see? Can it hear? What about taste? I need to know these things if I want to survive in this world.)

The better one's understanding of their foe is, the greater their chances at victory. And I intend to use this golden opportunity to gain all the understanding I can.

Why did I throw a pack of flour, you ask? Simple, I had hoped that it would make less noise. I have no intentions of attracting even more zombies to this place.

The sound is there, and the zombie reacts. It reaches for the wall, but does not stop even when it comes its way. The zombie just keeps beating against the wall, seeking its prey.

I understand now. Just one throw, and I have all the information I need.

I have no more need of this zombie, and so slash at its head with my machete.

"Sooo?"

Iroha questions, with an exaggerated pose.

"What?" I shrug in response.

"What do you mean "what"? Why did you do that back there?"

"Haa. I wanted to gather some information about the zombies."

Had she not understood my intentions earlier? It would seem so, judging how she relaxes upon hearing my explanation.

"And?" Iroha questions once more.

"Aaand... I found out that they are blind, but can still hear. Do their sense of taste and smell work? I have no idea."

"Wow, as expected of senpai! You sure move quick."

"Well, trying to understand your enemy is only natural. If I want to protect Komachi, I need to know as much as possible."

"About that... Senpai, you do have your phone with you, right?"

"Hm? What brings that question up?" where is she going with this?

"Ah, it's just that we've been under a ton of stress, right? I was wondering if you called your sister. You know, to confirm if she's safe and where she's at before blindly running to find her."

"I see. No, I don't have my phone with me. I must've dropped it back at school when this whole thing started."

Wow. What a reaction. I didn't know a human could open their eyes as wide as she does right now.

"Wha, what do you mean you don't have your phone? How do we know where to find her then!?"

"Oi, don't start yelling now. I may not have my phone on me, but I do know where to find her. Let me finish speaking next time."

She finally relaxes.

"Ah, now I see. So you are absolutely sure you know where she is?"

"Yeah. She didn't go to school due to catching a cold, so she stayed at home. She won't be going anywhere in that condition."

"So we're going to your house, huh?"

"That's the plan. It shouldn't be too far a ride with these bicycles. Maybe two or three more hours? If there are no zombies, that is."

"As expected of senpai, you've got it all figured out." are those stars in your eyes I see, dear kouhai? I admit, your praises are ticklish for the ear, but they come nowhere near Komachi's!

"Senpai."

"Yes, kouhai?"

"I don't know why. But I feel like you just thought something creepy."

Damn it! Is she an esper or something!?

"...Let's just get going already. Put the food in these." saying so, I present to Iroha two brown backpacks I found inside the store earlier.

After a minute or two, we have finished our preparations. With nothing else holding us back now, we move forward.