Days Survived: One

"Haaa, we finally can rest."

"Hmm~" I hummed a song I quite liked. We are currently settled inside an apartment which was owned by Marikawa-sensei's friend. Currently, the girls were in the bath while we are busy loading rounds on the clips and magazines we found inside an encrypted locker we had to forcefully open.

*Clik* *Clik*

"Have you done this before?" Komuro asked Hirano who was used to loading clips and magz.

"Of course, with real guns..." Kohta replied with a smile. Then turned toward me who was also loading the clips without a problem. "I was with Tenjou-senpai when I took lessons."

"That's right, it has been a year or so if I remember," I nodded. It was a coincidence we met at that time but it's a good chance.

"Heeh~ So that's why you two are so fast at loading these things," Komuro said.

I nodded before continuing to load up the rounds. Honestly, I want to split up with the group for some time after this. I need to get some things back at our home, the Busujima Dojo/Home. The journey would probably take a day or two depending on the number of zombies in the area, the weather, or if someone or something obstructs me on my way.

But I won't go just yet, we still need to leave this place tomorrow and go to Takagi's house. That place should be safe for some time, enough for me to come back from my journey.

How can I be so sure? Well, her father should be the Don of that group. He is an accomplished swordsman taught by Busujima Ojisan. I can leave Saeko there temporarily and it should be safe.

I can't take her with me since it'll be faster if I move alone and...it's dangerous. I can't risk her life since it's my agenda, not hers or the group's.

"Haaa," I released a tired sigh. Even if I trained my body for years, half a day of running around still took a toll on me. I can still go on for hours but my body won't work at full capacity.

"Hm? Soft..." I was suddenly brought out of my thought as I felt something soft behind my neck.

"Hmm...Hajime-chan..." I heard a voice behind me as a hand slowly slid down aiming at my crotch.

I grabbed the hand lightly and turned to see a slightly dazed Marikawa-sensei wrapped in only a towel. Her figure wasn't completely blocked by the towel and it emphasized her figure greatly. Have they already finished bathing?

"Hirano, Komuro, can I leave you for night watch, first? I'll bring sensei downstairs first, I'll also see what food for tonight."

They nodded and I carried Marikawa-sensei who was drunk.

'Sigh...Unfortunately, no matter how beautiful Marikawa-sensei is, this is no time to enjoy this magnificent sight...' I glanced at the beautiful woman in my arms and sighed.

I then walked downstairs and placed her on a couch. I also saw Takagi sleeping on another couch. But where's Saeko? In the kitchen, maybe?

'Haa, I want a drink, I wonder if there's beer in the fridge?' I walked toward the kitchen, who knows maybe I'll find beer in the fridge. After getting there, I opened the fridge and found a canned beer.

I got one and popped one open and took a sip. "Haa, that's refreshing."

"Hajime? Our late-night snack will soon be ready. It will be our lunch for tomorrow as well."

I suddenly heard a voice near and when I turned around, I saw Saeko wearing nothing but an apron with a black thong and had her hair up in a single ponytail.

"*Cough* *Cough*" I involuntarily coughed out my drink. This caught me off, guard.

"What's the matter?"

"That..." I pointed at her, or more specifically her clothes.

"Oh, you mean this? I couldn't find any clothes that could fit me. So I decided to wear this cloth until the laundry is finished." Saeko blushed slightly, "I suppose, it's a bit revealing. Sorry..."

"Ah, No no, it's okay. To be honest, you look good in that outfit." I complimented her and it's the truth. Saeko has always been a beautiful girl but you would rarely see her in girlish outfits much less this.

"Thank you..." Her face reddened like a tomato. Wow, a blushing Saeko? That's a rare sight, I've only seen that for the third time from when we first met till now.

.....

After the slightly awkward event earlier, I and Saeko were now talking happily.

"Haaa, I needed this..." I muttered then drink a few gulps of the beer.

"...Finally relaxed?" Saeko asked as she watched me drinking beer.

"Haha, so you noticed..." I smiled wryly at her question. "As expected, you noticed my facade."

None of the others noticed my tiredness since I purposely kept a strong front. I also kept my breathing stable by following a breathing technique I learned from Ojisan. It's nothing magical but it can help during times like this or even in combat.

"...Hajime"

"Hm?" I turned to face Saeko, she was looking at me with hesitation. "You can tell me if there's any problem."

"...Do you remember that incident four years ago?"

"...Of course," I replied to her. How could I forget that incident when it was a pivotal point in my life. It was during our third year in middle school, I was on the way home with Saeko when suddenly a man appeared and tried assaulting her.

We fought back, of course, and Saeko managed to push the man away with her bokuto. But that didn't faze him and he still rushed in, I fought back using a pen and I managed to kill him with it.

Later, the police got involved but I was not charged since I'm a minor and also because of my father's influence. But after the incident, we had to move to a different city. I also transferred schools until I got back here at Tokonosu just last month.

"So, what about it? If you are still blaming yourself because of that then–"

"It's not that," She said.

"Then what...?"

"You know while watching you stab that man multiple times back then, I felt something different inside me. I felt..." She paused before continuing, "–excited, that's right, I felt excited seeing you stab him multiple times in the neck and chest until he died. Seeing him so helpless had me excited–!"

She got quiet for a few seconds after that, and I waited.

"....That was when I realized, that's the real Busujima Saeko. Though I have to wonder if you can look past that. I pretend to have the heart and soul of a young girl but...I'm that way."

I waited and when she didn't have more to say, I chuckled. "Is that what you're worried about? I don't care about that at all, in fact, it's a somewhat good mindset in these times."

"...Huh?" Saeko looked at me in surprise. "Yo-you don't think I'm tainted or such?"

"Haha, no matter how tainted you are, you will always be Saeko to me. That crybaby when we were young, the young master swordswoman, and–" I smiled, "–the YOU that you just revealed to me. Nothing would change in my view, it's just Busujima Saeko. So be your true self with all your faults, no need to worry about other people's opinions, follow your heart."

I then stood up and walked over to the fridge before getting a few more cans of beer. I then glanced back at her, "I'll be going up first, rest well."

.....

Third Person PoV~

Saeko was dazed after hearing what Hajine said to her that she didn't even notice he already went up. His words echoed inside her head until she finally got out and noticed he was gone.

"...be my true self, huh." A smile blossomed on her face along with a red tint. "I'll consent to that, Hajime."

That night, she swore a silent oath for herself. What that oath is, only the future will tell.