HOTD! Busujima’s Step Brother

The sun hovered over the horizon.

I stood on the balcony on the top floor of the hangar, looking out towards the ocean. From this height, the whole airport area looked rather large, stretching outwards endlessly into a vast expanse beyond imagination.

Waves crashed against shorelines rhythmically creating soothing melodies that reverberated throughout air.

Beyond blue waters lay a seemingly endless field of nothingness extending further away than the eye could perceive.

Beautiful sight indeed but also somewhat frightening if I might add because nothing was visible aside from water itself. Not even the faintest outline of the landmass could be seen anywhere nearby.

And it reminded me once again about the current situation happening everywhere else across the globe.

Zombies, attracted by loud waves, stumbled into the sea one after another. They were the reason why I didn't act immediately and instead decided to rest for the day and let them kill themselves.

I waited patiently while watching countless figures wandering aimlessly within proximity of the shoreline.

"What are you doing?"

Saya called out from behind me causing me to turn around, slightly startled by her sudden presence behind me. She approached silently until standing beside me wearing a similar easy-to-move outfit like Saeko with a harness around her chest, emphasizing her boobs nicely.

Noticing my gaze, she narrowed her eyes and hid her bountiful chest, "What are you looking at?"

I smiled at her, "I just never expected to see you in that bodysuit-like clothes. It looks good on you."

She grumbled under her breath before sighing, "Just tell me already... What do you intend to do?"

"For now? Rest?" I answered and leaned against the railing, "Next? I wanted to get some boats from around that area."

I pointed toward the west side of Tokonosu City's coast which extended further outward compared to the east side of the city which was more developed.

"I see," Saya crossed her arms beneath her bosoms. Her eyes trailed upward and downwards slowly examining the entire figure of mine thoroughly before settling upon my face.

"What?"

This time, I imitated her with narrowing eyes.

Irritated, Saya stomped her foot angrily. Her cheeks flushed red from embarrassment.

"N-Nothing!" she snapped back at me. Then muttered softly afterward, "...you've changed somehow..."

"Really? How?" I asked curiously.

"W-Well... Y-You know... You seem different lately... Like y-you became manlier or something... No... That doesn't make sense..." Saya stuttered awkwardly, unable to express her thoughts clearly.

"You mean appearance-wise?"

"Hmmm..." After hearing my reply, Saya furrowed her brow trying hard to find a proper word describing changes occurring within myself.

We only knew each other for 2 weeks, including school days, yet she noticed something about me?

'Oh... Right.'

The power of sex could change someone drastically. This might be a bit weird but it was undeniable. She must have felt it when I ravished her yesterday.

'Was I too rough?' I chuckled internally thinking of the possibility that a young innocent schoolgirl such as herself ended up enjoying intense sexual activity without realizing the consequences involved.

It wasn't me who changed, but her perspective.

"If you can't put it into words, then don't force yourself. I understand your feelings." I replied nonchalantly.

"Tch, of course, you do..." Saya scoffed, rolling her eyes sarcastically. "But yeah.... Never mind... I just wanted to ask about your next plan, that's all!"

With a huff, she turned and walked away leaving me alone on the rooftop balcony overlooking the vast ocean beyond the horizon.

A moment later however she stopped halfway through the door leading inside the hangar building behind us.

"Oh right, I forgot to tell you something important," Saya added while turning around, "Senior Saeko told me to call you downstairs later."

"My sister?" I tilted my head sideways. What did she need?

"I dunno... Anyway, it's probably urgent," Saya shrugged casually.

'Hmm~ I wonder if she needs something from me.'

Well, I would know if I met her. She should be maintaining our swords on the humvee. I went down to meet her.

Just as expected, she sat on the humvee's hood, polishing my katana carefully with smooth circular motions. Upon seeing my arrival, Saeko put the weapon down slowly before giving me a soft smile.

"Sorry for interrupting you when you're resting."

"That's alright." I shrugged and waved my hand dismissively. "Did you need me for something?"

"Ahh..." Saeko lowered her eyelids briefly and looked elsewhere uncomfortably. Seemingly struggling whether or not to continue speaking further or not. "I just wanted to ask where we are going to go. I know that we're going overseas but you haven't specified our destination yet."

"Ah..." I nodded knowingly and sat across her, "We're heading to the US. Miss Shizuka's friend, whose house had weapons we currently use, is in the US. Not to mention, father and mother are also there, so..." 

I paused for a moment, thinking deeply. "...We can go there. Or so I thought." 

I concluded and leaned backward.

"...I see." Saeko replied flatly.

It felt weird. She seemed tenser compared usual self. Did she want to stay here instead? Perhaps she had another idea in her mind regarding future actions?

Seeing no reaction from her, I scratched my cheek and continued talking, "You know, I had a plan to rebuild the society before this disaster happened. I planned to make a name for myself and prove my worth."

"Hehe, is that so?" Saeko chuckled quietly. "You were talking as if it's a past tense. Did you find a new goal? Or did you realize something?"

"Something alongside the latter."

No normalcy would return in the end.

Normal society wouldn't return unless T-Virus disappeared completely. I wasn't a specialist. Only a miracle worker could fix everything to its original state.

"But, well, at least we're all alive." I said, "And I will make sure we will only die of old age."

"Die? Old Age? That sounds ridiculous." Saeko grinned broadly, shaking her head gently back forth.

"What's so funny?!" I questioned exasperatedly. "Don't laugh like that!"

"I'm sorry. But you know better than anyone else that we aren't immortal. We all will die eventually. There's nothing funny about it really. I think I've come to realize certain truths since the apocalypse started." Saeko giggled lightly to herself as if reminiscing past memories fondly.

"It feels like ages ago... When we woke up side by side and went to school together." She added softly after taking a deep breath.

Her words hit home instantly, reminding me of the reality I lived in everyday before this.

A normal life full of peace and freedom unlike what existed nowadays.

People became comfortable with the word apocalypse in my modern world. There were many media: novels, movies, or even comics depicting it. Still, none depicted how it truly was, the fear and desperation, how chaotic and confusing the situation could be.

Nothing came close enough except actual experience itself.

The sight that I saw in the convenience store earlier was one of them. A person could become so cruel that they would cut another person's limbs and leave them in a storage room along with a chained zombie.

Giving that person a quick death might be a mercy, but I didn't want to risk myself by going inside or shoot that person. That convenience store was silent, so even my suppressed gun would be loud enough to draw zombies' attention.

Risking my companion over giving a stranger a quick mercy? I didn't think that's worth it.

'He would also die in a few minutes anyway. Whether I killed him or not.'

I glanced back toward Saeko once again, noticing that she polished the sword again. She assembled the katana once more and handed it to me, "Here, it's yours."

I took the sword and examined it closely.

Perfect. Even sharper than before.

'Even without maintenance oil, the result is excellent. I should buy the oil from my shop when we are out in the sea.'

We would move in the morning after resting. No love making session tonight.

***

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