Jerk-y

I was sitting on a double bed, the Scar-H disassembled in front of me on a towel. The blade unsheathed next to it.

"Hmm, I don't think I missed any part..." I whisper as I fold my arms. Glancing at the blue jeans and white shirt I was wearing.

"What? Excuse me but I did not hear you very well." The radio, which was also on the bed responds. A calm voice talking.

"Uhh, I was just talking to myself." I answer as I pick the radio up.

"Oh, I did not mean to disturb your concentration." The voice responds.

"Don't worry Saeko, not a lot to disturb. I'm just watching paint dry. Or more like, water dry..." I chuckle.

"I see. So the gun is fine even after getting dipped in water?" Saeko asks.

"Ya. So I'm more worried about the blade. What exactly should I do? Just leave it as is?..." I ask as I tilt my head.

"Yes, if you made sure you cleaned it as I instructed you, just leave it." Saeko awnsers.

"Aight..." I answer back.

And then, silence. And after a few seconds...

(Awkward...)

"Uhh By the way Saeko..." I speak up.

"You ain't going to try and sneak out the airport the moment Saya takes back the radio, are you?" I ask.

"Hmm? You made it pretty clear that you don't want me to do anything reckless like that." Saeko answers.

"Yes, and you instantly agreed, which makes it kinda hard to believe..." I retort.

"Should I not? I have full faith in your choices." Saeko answers again.

"Not that I do not want to rush outside and look for you. But I know that it would be a foolish decision. Considering how far you probably are." She continues.

"Yea, and walking my way back. It does not sound very fun..." I sigh as I lean on the bed with one hand, then turn to look out the window, the blown-up bridge slightly visible from here, along with a huge amount of corpses that mindlessly kept walking off the now blown bridge and into the river.

"Saya is talking with her father about that matter right now." Saeko responds.

"Hopefully they will be able to get an extraction to come soon too, spending a night in an unbarricaded house surrounded by corpses is not very high on my wish list..." I answer with a slight sigh.

"Hmm? But did we not stay in a house like that? Just the two of us?" Saeko asks back.

"Yea, but. Well, I feel safer with you around." I answer as I keep staring at the blade.

"O, a, ahh, hehe. Umm, it would seem that your compliments still manage to catch me off guard..." Saeko lets out a small chuckle as she answers.

(Should I tell her that it's a fact and not a compliment though? Nahh...)

And after a few more seconds of silence...

"By the way, Naier. Thank you." Saeko speaks up.

"Huh? What for?" I ask back.

"For informing me." She answers.

"You're, welcome?" I respond, Saeko just giggled back at me.

"By the way, does Shizuka know about this?" I ask right after.

"Shizuka?" Saeko asks back.

"Yea, isn't Rika really close with her?" I respond.

"Oh, you are right. But, no, I do not think Saya has informed anybody else." Saeko answers.

"I see, well. Big chance ism, Shizuka will hog the radio for herself if she finds out..." I trail off as I fold my arms with a slight smile.

"That, could be a problem. Though leaving her to worry, is not something I would like to do." Saeko responds.

"Yea, I'll go speak with Rika, she probably knows better than any of us what to with Shizuka." I continue as I nod to the radio.

"Agreed. Tell me if I should bring the radio to her." Saeko replies.

With that, I get off the bed and turn to exit the room, leaving the radio next to the disassembled gun.

After that, I find myself in a small hallway, a door in front of me. To my left, a window. To my right, the hallway ended to another open door. Before turning to the left and disappearing behind the wall.

(Rika was supposed to take a bath, but the door to the bathroom is open, So...)

I walk up to the door in front of me and knock on the door.

"It's open~" Rika responds from inside. And so, I open the door. Finding Rika staring at her outfit, which was on the chair, in front of her...

In other words, she was in her underwear, with a towel on her head.

"How did you manage to take a bath here, the water was freezing, and the pressure was too low. Ughh, I feel spoiled with how I got used to the warm baths in the airport." Rika grumbles as she casually glances at me...

"...Can you, at least 'wear' a towel?" I ask as I glance at Rika, folding my arms.

"Hmmm? Why? Feel like you'll lose control and attack me?~" Rika chuckles as she turns to face me.

"Considering I have two girls worrying about me, and one was literally crying. That would be a real dick move. So no." I answer as I shrug my shoulders.

"Hmm, good answer." Rika responds as she stretches, then turns to look at her outfit again.

"Great, now people are testing my morality..." I sigh as I shake my head.

"Hey, I was young and pure once. And let me tell you, getting heartbroken from your shining knight because he could not keep it in his pants, is no fun. And these two are living in their own fairy tale right now. Granted it's a fairytale in the middle of the apocalypse, but hey, fairytale nonetheless. " Rika chuckles again as she grabs her clothes.

"Uhh, still too moist." She grumbles.

"That was, oddly specific..." I answer as I lean on the doorframe.

"You're imagining things." Rika shrugs.

"But, did you come here to stare at me? Not that I mind." Rika laughs through her nose as she glances at me.

"Right, we were wondering if we should let Shizuka know about our situation." I ask as I ignore Rika's little remark.

"Hmm, we?" Rika asks back.

"Me and Saeko." I respond flatly.

"Oh. Well, hmm. Knowing her, it's better to tell her. If she finds it by herself she will probably become hysterical until she can make sure I'm fine." Rika folds her arms as she turns to look at me.

"Aight, I'll bring the radio." I answer as I turn to leave.

"Aii~" Rika casually waves at me as she sits on the bed in her room.

(First you test me to make sure I won't mistreat Saya and Saeko, then you casually mention that you don't mind me staring at you while you're half-naked. Double standards much?..)

And so, I went back to my room, took the radio, and informed Saeko about Shizuka. After that, I left the radio with Rika and went to the lower floor...

The bottom floor of the house had a kitchen, a living room, and two more rooms. The living room being where the stairs from the upper floor led, along with it being the 'main hub' or so to speak.

I then head to a full-sized window and open it. The silence instantly getting drawn out by groans, a lot of groans...

(Nope...)

I close the window again. And the noise disappeared.

(Still passing huh...)

I glance outside the full-body window that overlooked the front yard of the house. While I could not see past the closed front yard door. Or the concrete fence wall. There was a horde passing by the house, for quite some time too...

I casually head to the kitchen, and open one of the drawers, picking a closed package of jerky.

"We should check what the fridge has..." I nonchalantly whisper as I open the package and start munching on a string of dried meat.

"Though it should be right before we leave. Both me and Rika agreed that since electricity has been out for some time now, most of the insides of the fridge should probably be spoiled by now. Aka smell like shit..." I turn to the living room, then take a seat on the sofa.

"Uhhh, you know, we were really lucky these corpses are as stupid as they come for zombie types. Can't run, can't see, and can be baited relatively easy. Who knows how many times I'd have died if they were the sprinting lunatic type ones. Even without any crazy mutations, things would have been really bad if these things could see, run and climb..." I whisper as I take another bite out of my jerky.

"Honestly though, I'm more worried about Saeko and Saya right now..." I take a deep breath as I close my eyes.

And with that, I focused on the silence, a silence that tricked you into thinking that there was not a damn horde outside. Though if you focused, you could just make out, the march of the dead...

-Sometime later-

"They're still coming huh? We must be here for more than an hour, yet they are still going strong. Now I really want to know how the bigwigs are trying to deal with these things..." I groan as I open my eyes and stretch.

"They have already sent a couple of helicopter airstrikes in some congregated areas. But you can guess how well that worked. " A female voice speaks up from behind me. Turning to look over my shoulder, I find Rika in black pants, and a baggy white shirt, her hair up in a ponytail.

"Helicopter strikes? When they have jets? Why? They scared they might topple a building or something?" I chuckle as Rika walks up to me, then sits on the armrest of the sofa.

"More or less. Remember that the enemy is squatting right into 'our' city. Tossing a couple of napalms into it would ruin the place we aim to return to, while still not making it a hundred percent sure that we clear everything out. And I'm not even going to mention conventional explosives, they ready tried them, best they managed to do was turn walking dead meat into crawling dead meat." Rika hands me the radio as she speaks.

"So, they're just shooting holes into the water..." I sigh.

"You have a better idea?" Rika asks back.

"Dig a giant hole, fill it with gasoline, and light em on fire." I respond as I shrug.

"Because they would just walk into the hole." Rika answers.

"Put some giant ass woofers on a helicopter and play Ride of the Valkyries at full volume over the hole. Use other choppers to lead hordes to the hole" I shrug again.

"...You, that, actually could work. If we had a big enough hole. Which is the next problem, that being that in order to dig that hole you will need industrial equipment, and most of them are fried. And if not, they would be way, and I mean way too loud..." Rika streches as she sighs.

"Diggy diggy hole..." I whisper.

"Don't you need to be a dwarf to do that?" Rika asks with a slight chuckle. I, just turn to stare at her...

"What? Surprised that I know the song?" She asks again with a slight smirk.

"Uhh it's a song about fantasy dwarfs so, yea?..." I shrug.

"Oh, you would be surprised." Rika laughs as she gets up.

"To think I also just upgraded my computer before the outbreak, yet I didn't even manage to use it before the E.M.P. Talk about wasted potential." She adds as she walks up to the kitchen, opening the same drawer I did, and picking a jerky herself.

(Ok, the universe is trolling me now...)

"Did you talk with Shizuka?" I ask as I turn to look out the window.

"Mhm..." Rika responds as she stuffs her mouth.

"Oooh God, this is goooood~" She then almost moans as she closes her eyes. Causing me to turn towards her with an arched eyebrow.

"What? You can't even imagine how it is to eat rations day in day out." Rika shrugs as she turns around to open the drawer again.

"So don't mind me, I'ma pig the hell out now~" She chimes as she takes the whole package.

"I see..." I respond as I turn to look at the radio.

"So now we wait for Saya to come with news?" I ask as I tilt my head.

"Yep~" Rik casually answers as she sits on the armrest again...

"By the way, that demo team. It wasn't returning to the airport was it?" I ask as I lean on the sofa.

"Highly doubt it, they left via boat, the airport is too far." Rika casually answers.

"I see." I nod slightly as I fold my arms.

"Something on your mind?" Rika asks. I glance at my radio, then shake my head.

"No, not really." I shrug, Rika just lets out a 'Hummmm' before returning to stuffing her face.

"Anyway, think I'll go assemble my gun." I get up as I speak, then stretch slightly.

"Okii~" Rika chimes as she lets herself fall on the coutch, still munching her jerky.

And so, I head back up the stairs.

"Saeko? You here?" I speak up as I enter the room, the radio responding with a questioning 'yes'

"Now that Shizuka knows, I'll take it the whole group knows?" I ask as I head to the bed and start putting my Scar back together.

"It was only her in the room, I think." Saeko responds.

"But you take Shizuka is a person who'll stay quiet?" I ask again.

"Ahh, I, guess not." Saeko answers.

"And Khota?" I ask again.

"He is in his room with Asami. They removed the bullet, he is resting now." She responds.

"I see, at least he's out of the woods." I nod slightly as I finish putting the gun together.

"To be honest, I am a bit jealous of him. Or, jealous of Asami to be more precise." Saeko sighs slightly as she speaks.

"Jealous? Why? Because they'll be stuck in his room all day now?" I ask back with a slight chuckle.

"Yes." Saeko retorts with an almost pouty tone.

"Hah, you know I could lose an arm, and they would 'still' send me out right?" I chuckled.

"So, this is what it means to be a victim of your own success?" Saeko asks back as some 'noise' started to become audible.

"Hmm? I'm getting some weird static." I arch an eyebrow as I tilt my head, then tap the radio.

"Oh? Sorry, that was probably me, I just laid down and placed the radio next to me." Saeko answers.

"For a sec I thought I was running out of battery..." I add with a slight sigh.

"Are you?" Saeko asks back.

"Nope. It's still full, and I think these things can last up to ten hours before needing a recharge." I answer.

"So, a day..." Saeko whispers.

"If we use it nonstop all day. Then yes." I respond.

"And, you can not recharge it?" She asks yet again.

"Electricity is out, I got no charger, and all the equipment we had is still on the roof..." I sigh as I turn to look out the window.

"So we need to be frugal with it." Saeko responds.

"Pretty much..." I add.

"Nothing, can ever be ea, oh?..." Saeko begins to speak, only to stop mid sentence.

"Ah, Saya?" she adds right after.

"How did it go?" She continues.

And after a few seconds.

"What do you mean nothing?" Saeko asks again.

"They're a bunch of fucking assholes! All of them!" The radio then shouts with a distant voice.

(...Oh boi, that can't be good...)

I take a deep breath and get off the bed, then start heading down the stairs as the two girls started to speak, and, I think Saeko must have muffled the radio, as I could not make out what they were really saying...

"Rika." I call out to her as I reach the bottom floor.

"Hmm? What's up?" Rika lifts her hand from behind the couch.

(...And she's as chill as ever.)

"Are you ready for some bad news?" I ask, Rika then lifting her head to look at me.

"...I half expected an outcome we would not like, but, hell. Can I say no?" She 'asks' as she frowns.

"Don't think so." I respond. Rika just sighs.

"Alright you two, I've already figured that I'm not going to get good news. So I'm listening, how bad is it?" I then speak to my radio.

"...Well, it, is not good. They...Hmm? You want to tell him? Very well." Saeko responds. And right after.

"...Naier?" Saya's voice replaces Saeko's.

"Saya." I answer.

"I'm, sorry. I, they refused to send a helicopter this far away for 'two people'..." Saya adds in a low tone.

"As expendable as it gets huh..." I sigh.

"It's all that fat ass general's fault! He was even grinning at me as he refused to help!" Saya then shouts back.

(...Huh, the ugly fat bastard was grinning at the pretty schoolgirl as he isolated her. As a man of culture, I am way more worried about this as I should be...)

"So, we go on foot huh..." I whisper.

"While I understand why the general does not want to use resources for a bunch of grunts, this is, just, great.." Rika adds with a sarcastic tone as she lets herself fall on the couch again.

"I'm sorry..." Saya adds with an apologetic tone.

"Not much you could do, the helicopters 'are' all under the army's control." I answer.

"Now, call me crazy, but can you do me a favor?" I ask back. Saya just let's out a sad 'hum?'

"Can you stay with Saeko?" I ask again.

"What, do you mean?" Saya asks back.

"Stay in the same room at night, don't trail off on your own." I add.

"Uhh, why?" Saya asks again.

"A hunch. So, can you?" I respond.

"...Yea, fine ok..." Saya answers with the same sad tone.

"And, can you give me Saeko for a bit?" I ask again. And after a few seconds...

"Naier?" Saeko speaks up.

"You heard what I said to Saya?" I ask.

"About her staying with me?" She asks back.

"Yea." I answer flatly.

"Yes, though I do feel like you might be overreacting a bit." Saeko responds.

"Between Shido, Shimada, and trio with Hitomi. I don't think overreacting is the correct word." I retort.

"I, understand. Do not worry about us. I will make sure nothing happens." Saeko answers.

"But, if you can not help it. Then just come back to us as soon as you can." She continues.

"Trust me, I got no intention of taking longer than nessesery." I answer.

"Good, because. I might have gotten a bit too used at not sleeping alone..." She replies.

"But you won't be sleeping alone, Saya, remember?" I answer as I chuckle.

"How can you even make jokes right now..." I hear Saya's whiny voice through the radio.

"Beats drowning in despair." I respond.

"Ok, so. We need to figure our next step." I add.

"Any ideas?" Saeko asks back.

"Uhh, what would be the second-best place to be now that the airport is out.?" I ask as I tilt my head.

"An outpost." Rika then speaks up as she lifts her hands, pointing her finger towards the ceiling.

"...Hmm, that demo team with the boat went downstream. So..." I fold my arms and tap the radio on my arm.

" Saya, can you get a map of the outposts near us?" I add.

"Uhhh, where are you though?" Saya asks back.

"Hmm, good question. I can't really check outside right now. But, uhh your father should know where the grain facility was at. From there, we should be next to a stream. So just check for outposts around the facility." I answer.

"Yea, ok. I'll do that." Saya responds.

"And. Please be careful." She adds before turning silent.

"You want me to do something too?" Saeko asks after a few seconds.

"Just make sure that I won't have to burn anybody alive after I come back..." I respond with a casual tone.

"Hummm. I think I can manage that." Saeko answers with a slight chuckle.

"Ok, so. I'll check in again and an hour, going to close the radio to save battery." I add.

"Very well." Saeko replies and...

"Oh! One more thing." Speaks up again. And before I could react.

"I love you." She quickly adds before the radio turns silent.

"Dawww, so sweet. I think my sugar levels just toped up~" Rika chuckles.

"Oh zip it." I roll my eyes as I close the radio.

"Still, ain't you being overprotective?" Rika asks as she lifts herself to look at me as she folds her arms over the sofa's back, then leans her head on her arms.

"Not the first time Saya told me capiten fat ass was staring at her. And as I said, last thing I need is returning back to the airport and find out that I need to gut a pig in a suit as it screams." I answer flatly.

"Oh my~ But I thought you said you'd burn em alive." Rika just, chuckled.

"I'm always open for some variety." I answer as I shrug.

"Hah. Well yea, ok. I don't blame you, if I had girls that good-looking, I'd be worried too. Plus mister General had already made himself a name for being a little pervert. He got caught 'wandering' near the female baths one too many times." Rika chuckles.

"Just great. Saya is being targeted by a known fat pervert. Was this supposed to calm me down?" I ask as I fold my arms.

"Relax, it's not like he can really do anything, especially since your little girlfriend is not just a random civilian." Rika shrugs as she lies back down on the sofa, disappearing from view.

(Wishful thinking...)

"So if she was a random civilian the story would be different?" I ask back.

"Hmm, well, just think of it like that. He won't probably creep in anybody's room. But how many girls stuck in these dirty camps would accept 'bending over' in hopes to get better treatment?" Rika asks back.

"Oh, so the guy is a passive-aggressive abuser in a spot of power." I groan.

"I'd be more worried about your purple-haired friend if I was you." Rika casually lifts her hands and flicks her wrist as she responds.

"...Do I want to know why?" I ask.

"Well, I might be talking out of my ass here, but that guy your group? What was his name again? Takisho?" Rika keeps wiggling her finger as she speaks.

"Takashi." I correct her.

"Yea that. The dude must have taken the saltiest expression I've ever seen when our late machinegun friend started hitting on your little purple haired friend. Almost as if 'he' was her boyfriend. For a minute I honestly thought he was going to pick a fight" Rika lifts her head to glance at me before disappearing back behind the sofa's backrest.

"...That guy just don't wanna quit does he..." I groan as I let out a sigh.

"Ohhh, sound like I just hit juicy history~" Rika quickly appears from behind the sofa's backrest again, this time staring at me with a grin.

"Come on, spill it~" She adds as she narrows her eyes, still grinding at me.

"There's nothing to spill. Saeko's an amazing person and he probably fell for her." I shrug.

"And you are fine with that? You don't seem worried in the least." Rika tilts her head as she speaks.

"If I was worried about every single guy drooling over her I would probably stop sleeping at night, as I said, she's a pretty amazing person. I just trust that she won't go stabbing me in the back while I'm not looking." I respond as I fold my arms.

"And besides, if she does. Saya's also there, and I get the feeling she would not miss a beat to snitch her out if she finds out." I continue.

"Ohh? How so?" Rika asks as she tilts her head.

"Just because they agreed to put up with each other, does not mean they ain't gonna try to make their position better. I'm, honestly not even sure 'why' these two agreed to share. It's not like they're passive as a person..." I answer.

"Ehh, no idea. Never been part of a triangle, especially one where all members are aware of it." Rika chuckles as she shrugs.

"Well, me neither." I chuckle back as I also shrug.

"Ohh, going for broke eh? How come you decided to stop at two then?" Rika laughs.

"Come on now. Even though I managed to somehow prove to them that I care about them both. I am pretty damn sure that if I start fucking around, no amount of proving will be enough. And you know, don't bite off more than can chew. I'm already chewing a whole damn watermelon here." I answer.

"Hah, these must be some big watermelons~ But you said it yourself, neither of them seem to be passive. I mean hell, both of them are from well-known families. Seeing how their parents seem to be among the top dogs in our current merry band of suits." Rika tilts her head as she speaks.

"Hmm? You know about Saeko's father?" I ask as I arch an eyebrow.

"You kidding me? They cleared half the airport for his arrival. Not even the general gets that kind of treatment." Rika scoffs.

"And I don't have to even mention out the Pinkettes parents do I? Half the camp essentially answers to them." She continues.

"Yea, too bad that that half of the camp does not have a single damn shooter to its name..." I chuckle.

"Well, if you want it that bad you can ask the pinkette to ask the general really nicely. Maybe with a maid costume." Rika shrugs.

"We'll walk." I retort instantly, Rika just let out a single giggle out of her nose.

"Shame the new ranked officers from the carrier are from the navy. Means that they can't just take over, since the army stationed in the airport is essentially a mix of ground forces and unlucky conscripts. So we're stuck with what we have." She adds.

"What's worse, that asses inside the walls? Or the asses outside the walls?" I sigh as I point towards the closed window.

"Point. But it does not make it better." Rika answers.

"Soooo, back to the important point. What do we do?" She asks right after.

"Why you're asking me?" I ask back.

"You have been out here without support longer than me. And you reacted faster than me. And while I still think I have your ass beat in a shoot-out. I'm not going to kid myself with thinking that I survived by my own quick thinking." Rika responds as she leans her chin on the sofa's backrest.

"Plus, where you not acting as the leader when it was just you and the other two?" She asks.

"I'm going to be giving orders to a cop. This day just keeps getting weirder." I blink as I shake my head.

"Not just a cop. Chief of the first squadron in the prefecture police mind you, plus, 'the' best sniper in the Special assault team that got sent to clear the airport thank you very much." Rika lifts her finger as she speaks.

"Wait, if you were the chief then you shou..."

"Blablabla I can't hear you~ You lead. Boss~" Rika cuts me off as she smirks.

"...Really now?" I ask back.

"You seem to fail to understand. So let me make it clear." She sighs as she gets up from the sofa and walks up to me.

"As a chief, I failed. When our team's leader failed to react, I didn't do anything, and we got ripped apart. And even before that, I lost my own partner." She presses her finger against my chest as she speaks.

"And before you say that you didn't do anything either. We're both standing here because of you. You saved my life. I saved none. So yes, I think we're better off with you at the helm." She adds as she takes a step back and folds her arms.

"Fine." I sigh as I lift both arms slightly, then turn to head towards the kitchen.

"Besides, I thought guys liked being on top." She adds with a rather, provocative tone.

"Until they realize that also means they'll have to do all the work. No thanks." I respond without turning, heading to where the cupboard that the jerky was at.

"Ahh? A straight casual answer? How lame, ain't boys your age supposed to get all embarrassed at moments like these? Plus, you just sounded like an old man..." Rika sighs in dissapointemt.

(Because if we add my old life plus this one, I'm probably older than your ass Rika.)

"Sorry to disappoint, if you want embarrassed schoolboys, go get Takashi." I answer as I open the cupboard...

(Huh, wait a minute...)

"Hmm? Why not the chubby one?" Rika asks as she starts nibbling another jerky.

"Because Asami will probably chew him out, and he will just get depressed. And where the hell did the peanut butter jar go?" I ask as I turn to Rika.

"Hmm, true, guess the chubby one is a bit 'too' easy of a target." Rika answers as she glances away, still nibbling at the jerky.

"...You didn't answer my question." I retort.

"What question?" Rika asks back as she tilts her head.

" Jar of peanut butter? Next to the jerky pack?" I ask again.

"Ohhh." Rika's eyes go wide as she opens her mouth.

"I ate it." She casually continues as she turns to head to the sofa, then plops on it.

"The jar was still sealed." I slightly tilt my head in disbelief.

"And it tasted great~ Too bad we run out of crackers while I was eating, that combination was to die for." Rika casually remarks as she lifts her hand, pointing towards the ceiling.

"You ait all the crackers too..." I respond as I drop my shoulders.

"Hey, don't sound so depressed, I left some stuff in there for you." Rika continues.

"The only thing left here is dried fruit rolls." I retort as I fold my arms.

"They're good for you." Rika casually remarks.

(Ohh you're asking for it.)

Instead of answering, I silently walk up to Rika from behind the sofa.

"Besides, we can't take all that stuff with us an..." Before Rika could finish, I snatch the bag of jerky from her hands.

"Oi? What gives?" Rika lifts herself to stare at me with a frown as I take a few steps back away from her reach...

"Eat the dried fruits, you'll get fat if you keep eating this shit." I answer as I grab a strip of jerky.

"I don't like dried fruits. And I'll lose the calories anyway." Rika responds as she keeps frowning at me.

"It's good for you." I answer as I turn to head back upstairs...

Rika didn't respond. Or, well, I thought she didn't. A few seconds later I found myself staggering forwards, a heavyweight on my back.

"Ohh no you don't~ This is mine~" Rika giggles as she tries to grab the package while essentially trying to piggyback ride me. Though all it took for me was to extend my arm to keep it away from her.

"Ughhh! You damn foreigners and your long arms..." Rika groaned as I started going up the stairs with her still on my back.

"Hearing that from a person that looks less Japanese than me is all levels of weird." I respond as I take a single jerky and stuff all of it in my mouth.

"Oh bite me. And stop eating my jerky!" Rika answers as she starts pulling my cheek.

"Quith southin, you'll get the horth on us." I 'retort'...

"Then give me my jerky you jerky thief." Rika grumbles back as she quickly tries to get the pack, to no avail again.

"Ok, fine" I sigh as I finally go up the stairs. Then quickly grab the remaining three strips, shove them all in my mouth and hand the annoyed sniper the empty bag.

"Ohhhh~ Ah? Ohhh you littleeee..." Rika finally gets off me, only to turn me around, and grab one of the strips that I had not managed to fully stuff in my mouth with her fingers...

And then pulls it out.

"...You know that was in my mouth a second ago right? You're not going to..." Before I could even finish, Rika was munching on the jerky.

"Eat that..." As I finish, Rika rike jerks her shoulders with a slight smirk, then turns to head back down the stairs, nonchalantly tossing the emty bag aside.

(...Does this count as cheating now?)

After blinking a few times, I head back into my room...