Human Nature Is A Complicated Thing

"Aunt, you must be tired, let me take the wheel."

"Eh? But you don't have a license, right?"

"It's fine, not like a license would mean anything at this point."

"Ahhhaha, I guess you're right."

Seeing Aunt Amelie sighing, I offered to take the wheel. That's right, she's been driving for over 30 minutes.

A few minutes after we got out of the mansion, we luckily spotted a four-seater car after walking for nearly a kilometer. It didn't have a key but fortunately, Aunt knew how to hotwire one and got it running.

She's been driving straight to our planned destination but there's still the gas problem so we'd have to make a detour on the way.

Our target was another supermarket, it wasn't the one that was near the mansion since that whole area was already infested by an overwhelming number of undead. So we planned to go to another one that is just outside the city.

There might be other survivors who were present in that area but I could only hope that they managed to hide and escape too.

Seeing the barren and empty road, I asked.

"Is this the correct route, Aunt?"

"Yes, this one should be clear since it's directly the opposite of the main road. I could only imagine the clutter there."

"You're right, there's barely any vehicles, let alone undead."

Well, there are also barely any houses. I didn't know there was a road that was next to a forest just near the city.

Driving for a bit longer before the gas station, the two didn't speak. It seems that they still have thoughts about the mansion and the people there. I'm the same though so I didn't attempt to break the solemn atmosphere.

Ultimately, it was decided that we should leave the area immediately. When I saw their look at that time, I knew that they were also as worried as me, more specifically about Maria, so I agreed to the suggestion.

After all, we would only be disregarding their sacrifice if we risked our lives there any longer.

"That's the gas station!"

I was thinking too deeply about the situation, but Claire's voice brought me back as she pointed at our detour point. It was an old gas station that looked deserted.

Well, there's barely anyone who uses these roads so I guess even before the outbreak, this is already like this. With that in mind, I cautiously parked the car near one of the tanks and made it easier to flee in case something happened before speaking.

"Don't let your guard down, Claire and I will go out, Aunt should stay here in the driver's seat in case anything unexpected happens. If something bad did happen, living or dead regardless, push the horn. The sound wouldn't matter since we can run back fast enough."

"Got it."

The two nodded at my words. But thinking about how I completely acted like the leader made me a bit awkward, especially when I remembered what Claire at that night.

The person herself noticed it and nudged me in my side. I simply glared at her before doing what I had to do. Thankfully, the tank's mechanism was still working so I was able to refuel the car.

Meanwhile, Claire found two gas canisters lying around and filled them with gas. As she finished filling them, she carried the two canisters and placed them on the car's trunk.

She's... strong. But that might just be from my perspective. But even though she already finished those, the hose was still running. Is this malfunctioning?

"Aunt, the hose doesn't seem to be functioning perfectly, can you watch it if it overflows? Claire and I will just check the mini-mart. You can just check it from the side mirror." 

"Alright, be careful."

Entrusting the car to Aunt, Claire and I walked towards the mini-mart and drew our pistols, however, there didn't seem to be anything when we opened it. Since it's still late morning, the sun brightens the place.

Claire brought a rifle strapped in her shoulder while I left mine at the car. After scanning her condition, I told her my piece.

"Get the ones we don't have, or at least, the ones that aren't broken yet. No, maybe you should take more food and water too, as long as we can carry them since we have a car."

"Acknowledged."

I laughed inwardly as Claire replied in a monotone, almost robotic voice as if to make a joke.

We picked up a basket and searched through different spots. The atmosphere wasn't all that bad since it seemed like we were just doing our jobs. Though I say that, I can't even find anything I could take.

But a moment of silence, especially when I'm with Claire is weird at best. That's the kind of relationship we have after all, our inexhaustible banter kept us together even back in the past.

Then, as if to break the silence, Claire asked.

"Hey, Leon."

"What?"

"You were still thinking about what I said that night, right?"

"...Uh, yeah, I guess?"

She quickly got to the point huh? Hearing my reluctant reply, Claire continued.

"You don't have to worry about it too much... I mean, it's not like what I said was wrong but the only reason I said that was to cheer you up at that time."

"But you weren't wrong, I got too ahead of myself."

"Ugh! You know, you can be hardheaded sometimes."

"I'm just a man of resolve."

When I said that, Claire puffed up her cheeks cutely. That's cute and all but if you think I'll be swayed by just that, then you underestimate me. I thought of that as I smirked at her.

Then, as if she understood what I meant, she sighed before speaking again.

"You know... Sometimes, I also want to be treated like a normal woman, do things like how a normal woman would, and also experience things like a normal woman."

" There's too much normal there... but that aside, you don't have to keep up with the others' definition of normal, you yourself are unique, and so are everyone else. That's the only thing that matters."

"...I- that was unexpectedly deep, but I wouldn't go that far! What I meant was, being protected by a man... by the man I love wouldn't be too bad."

"Urghh!?"

Critical hit! Claire's unexpectedly wholesome words pierced me right in the chest. I raised my hand towards her, with the other covering my nose.

"Alright, I get it already! You don't have to say anything more!"

"Fufu, you are sooo weak."

As if that wasn't enough, Claire began to caress my cheek and it only made me feel even worse.

However, whilst we were acting like a stupid couple, a rustle in the staff room's door alerted us. Come to think of it, I forgot to check that one!

But hold on a damn minute, what's with me and the convenience stores' staff rooms!? Is this a trigger for a forced event or something!?

Now that I remember, I found a storeroom full of food supplies in the second one. Well, that place is already infested so there's no point in even remembering it.

While pointing our pistols forward, Claire and I slowly approached the door. The rustle only intensified and as the doorknob turned, I became even more tense.

When the door opened, an old man and a few other men came out. They're all men. Hmm...!?

Accompanied by the door's opening, a foul stench also surged from the room prompting the two of us to cover our noses.

It should've been normal, after all, if they were cooped up inside for who knows how long, then something like that isn't that strange, but that smell is different. I only guessed from intuition but Claire seemed to have realized what was going on as well.

Before we could do anything, however, the men looked up at us and smiled despite our guns pointing at them.

"Are you the police!? Or perhaps, soldiers!? Please help us, we were stuck here for so long!"

"Yeah, please help us!"

"Do you two have any food!? Water!?"

They hurled a barrage of questions at us. My expression quickly turned sour when I saw some of the men looking at Claire in a depraved way. Some of them are even reaching their hand to her.

But that's not the worst thing I'm worrying about, I thought of that as I sharpened my eyes and threatened the men.

"Don't move or I'll shoot. Put your hands behind your head and kneel."

"Hiii!!!"

When I said that coldly, the men became rather terrified and obliged. Then, I turned to Claire and said.

"Can you check what's inside? I'll cover you."

"...I got it."

"...Ah, wait!!!"

As I told Claire to check the room, the old man tried to stop her but I aimed at him, making him kneel back down. It's too late anyway, Claire already crossed the door.

A few seconds have passed before Claire came back. The room didn't have any lights so I wasn't able to see anything but it seems like she brought a flashlight.

Looking at Claire, her expression from earlier has worsened, and... Ah, she's pissed, super pissed. Then, she turned to me, sending a chill down my body for some reason.

"...Leon, can you get some food and water for these people... You can take your time."

"...Huh? Oh, okay."

Now she was giving me orders, I didn't want to leave her because the people there were already bad news to me but seeing her expression, I couldn't reply with anything but acceptance. Right, Claire isn't that weak, she must have a plan.

Walking back to the car, the vicinity was still silent. I walked straight to the car's trunk and took out a few cans and bottled water. When Aunt saw me from the side mirror, she peeked over and asked me.

"Where's Claire?"

"We found some people inside, she asked me to take some supplies for them."

"...Are they good people?"

"To be honest, I don't think so... But Claire told me to get out so she must have a plan or something...!?"

"!?"

Whilst I was talking to Aunt, I heard a scream from one of the men that was immediately cut off. The scream was pretty loud because we heard it even from here.

Tch, if she plans to kill them then why did she tell me to go out...! Thinking of that, I dashed back inside the store.

"Leon! Wait!"

Aunt seemed to have said something but I ignored her and continued. Who knows why she tried to stop me as she also didn't make an effort to move out of the car.

However, when I got near the glass door, I instinctively knew the reason why.

"Pathetic... You can rob easily others of their lives but when your turn comes, you'll just cower like an idiot!? Haha, you should've just killed yourselves then!!!"

"P- please... don't- Ahhhhh!!!"

"You think I didn't know what you're planning to do!? I wouldn't care about myself... But if I get hurt then Leon would be sad, do you understand? You just tried to hurt Leon's heart right in front of ME!?"

"W- we have no such...!? No!!! Please-"

"You're just a bunch of assholes! Oh? You also want to hide!? Too bad! I only liked playing hide-and-seek with Leon!"

I thought I saw a demon but it seemed like it was just Claire. With the pistol on her left hand and a knife on her right, she's slaughtering those men we met earlier.

The ones who tried to grab her were all stabbed either in the neck or straight to the head with the knife, while the ones who tried to run away were shot.

Someone also tried to hide in the room and closed the door. But Claire kicked the door with one foot, opening it easily and seemingly sending the man flying as Claire aimed her gun inside and fired.

If I didn't hear wrong, she said some stuff about hurting my heart or something. No, that aside, why did Claire send me away? I thought of that as I opened the door.

The men were already annihilated and blood was all over the place. I was about to call out on her but Claire saw me first and froze. She looked like a child who was caught red-handed doing something you told her not to.

"L- Leon... how long have been there..."

"...Eh... since the beginning of the slaughter fest?"

Good work me, slaughter fest!? The heck is that!? No, I doubt that's the best way to describe the situation. However, when Claire heard that, she casted her gaze down with an expression that I couldn't see before muttering.

"I see... so this is it, huh."

"...Hmm? What do you mean?"

"...Nothing! These people are pretty bad so I just killed them, there's dead women inside who seemed to have been assaulted by them. They're also..."

"Also?"

"Well, I guess it's fine for you to know now, some of their body parts were missing. I also saw several bites in their bodies..."

"I see, I get the gist of it."

Well, in this kind of world, there would indeed be people like that. Now that I can kill, I should be able to fend them off. Avoiding them would only mean that others would become the victim.

I have no desire to play hero, but I'd rather not have people like that living in the same world as me.

But Claire, why does your voice sound like you're about to cry? I thought of that as I looked at her, I couldn't voice it out because I had a feeling that she was suffering from a problem that I had no idea about.

At worst, I could only add more to it. So instead of pursuing the matter, I'll just watch for now and find an opening that will let me settle whatever this is.

"Claire? Let's go, those shouts might attract the undead, also... you should clean yourself as well."

"...Alright, after you."

I told her that we should go, to which she obliged, her sad expression never changing. Seeing her like that hurts my chest for some reason.

When we got back to the car, Aunt looked at us worriedly but only told us to clean up. 

Seeing a few undead coming from the way we came from, we immediately set out on the road again, this time Aunt drove.