Chapter 54

Raising an eyebrow at Kai, Kaori has a can of beans in her hands. She says with a tinge of concern, "We could only survive on these supplies for so long, huh."

Kai laughs sarcastically, his own hands busy swinging his staff. With a playful tone, he remarks, "If you weren't such a big eater, we would've lasted longer."

With a note of anger in her voice, Kaori scowls. She complains, her irritated eyes flashing, "I don't eat that much!"

Kai responds, grinning, his face lighthearted, "Yeah, right. We'll be out in the streets looking for food every three days if you continue to eat this way."

Despite herself, Kaori rolls her eyes and smiles with her lips. She says, "Oh, shut up," in a lighthearted tone.

Kai smiles more broadly. "Hey, if the shoe fits," he remarks, a trace of humor in his voice.

*****************************************

The clang of metal hitting metal pierces the quiet, waking Ryu and Kaida from their sleep with a sharp, jangling alarm.

Before he realizes where the sound is coming from, Ryu is already reaching for his weapon and is bolting upright. Still partly sleeping, Kaida mumbles a protest as she digs her head deeper into the cushion.

Maria stands in the doorway, her hand raised over a stainless steel plate. She exclaims, "Rise and shine, sleepyheads," in a happy drawl. "It's time to work."

Ryu, his face a picture of irritation, glares at Maria. "What the hell is this all about?" he demands, his voice still rough with sleep.

Maria responds by banging the plate again, the sound even louder than before. Kaida joins in, her voice rising in protest. "Stop it, Maria! You're going to wake up the whole place!"

Finally, Maria relents, the sound of the plate fading away. She grins, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "We're going somewhere," she says, her voice playful.

Kaida and Ryu, still groggy and grumbling, begin to rise from their beds.

Maria stands in the doorway, tapping her foot impatiently. "Five minutes," she says, her voice firm. "That's all you get."

Ryu lets out a sigh, his shoulders slumping in resignation. "Fine," he says, throwing off the blankets and beginning to dress.

Kaida, for her part, takes a little longer, shooting Maria a look of annoyance as she pulls on her clothes. "Where exactly are we going, anyway?"

Maria's grin only widens.

Maria flashes a mischievous smile, her eyes dancing with excitement. "Oh, you'll see," she says, her voice a sing-song tease. "It's a surprise."

Kaida groans, her patience wearing thin. "Come on, Maria," she says, pulling on her boots with a frustrated tug. "This better be worth it."

Ryu, already dressed, rolls his eyes at the two women. "Can we just get going? I'd like to be back as soon as possible so I can continue my sleep."

Maria nods, turning on her heel and heading for the door.

*****************************************

The store that the two stumble upon serves as a somber reminder of the mayhem and devastation that have overtaken the planet.

However, Kai and Kaori approach the building with careful purpose, their eyes alert and focused. With a questioning expression in her eyes, Kaori points to a space between the broken windows.

Kai nods, a somber expression on his face. "It's worth a try," he murmurs quietly. "If we're lucky, there might be something left."

With cautious movements, the two make their way through the opening and start to navigate the debris.

The store is a maze of destruction, a twisted landscape of fallen shelves and shattered displays.

Kai and Kaori step carefully over the debris, their eyes scanning the aisles for any sign of untouched supplies.

Kaori freezes suddenly, her hand gripping Kai's arm. "Did you hear that?" she whispers, her voice barely audible.

Kai strains his ears, he turns to Kaori, his expression a mix of annoyance and concern. "Stop messing around, Kaori," he hisses, his voice low and urgent. "The only thing I hear is the growling of your stomach."

Kaori shoots him a glare, her brows furrowed in irritation. "I'm serious, Kai," she says, her voice trembling slightly. "There's something out there."

Kai takes a deep breath, trying to quiet his own nerves as he peers down the aisle. "If there is, we'll deal with it," he says, his voice steady.

The buzz of flies is a constant, sickening drone as Kai and Kaori make their way through the store. The smell of rotting fruit mixes with the lingering stench of the yomigaeri, creating a heady, stomach-churning odor.

But the pair are no strangers to such smells, their noses long since dulled to the horrors of the apocalypse. Kai covers his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, his eyes scanning the aisles for any sign of a storage room.

Kaori pauses by the fruit counter, her eyes taking in the liquefied remains of what were once apples and oranges. "I wish these were okay," she says, her voice wistful. "I miss fresh fruit."

Kai glances over his shoulder, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I think it's a good thing they're not," he says, his voice teasing. "Otherwise, we'd be here all day while you tried to eat your weight in fruit."

Kaori shoots him a playful glare, a hint of a smile on her lips.

Kaori's eyes catch a glimpse of a sign in the distance, the words "Store" barely visible through the wreckage. She nudges Kai with her elbow, her eyes fixed on the sign.

Kai turns, following the direction of her gaze. "You think that's a storeroom?" he asks, his voice low and speculative.

Kaori nods, excitement flaring in her eyes. "It's worth a shot," she says, her tone eager.

The two begin to make their way towards the sign, careful to avoid any stray pieces of glass or debris that might give away their presence.

A figure, perched on the open ceiling, watching Kai and Kaori with a smile that doesn't quite reach their eyes. "This is going to be fun," the figure whispers, their voice low and sinister.

Kai and Kaori, unaware of their audience, move deeper into the store, their footsteps echoing in the emptiness.