Volume 1 - Chapter 16

Indecent Stress Relief

After returning from the trip to Kanonji for supplies, we all took a much-needed break.

Ryotaro fell asleep almost immediately, and we let him get his beauty rest.

Aiko, Chiemi, and I all sat in silence for a while, just relaxing. Then, with Mio and Yuki's help, we started unloading the stuff.

Between each trip to the vans and the house, we talked about what happened in the city.

Aiko told them about our failed attempt to get in the Onohara Police Station.

"There was a locked room," she said. "We couldn't find a key anywhere."

Mio's eyes widened in surprise. "Did you try breaking it down?"

I shook my head. "No, we didn't want to make too much noise and attract more zombies. But Ryotaro was able to get in after we found a drill at the hardware store."

Chiemi said, “we found some guns that belonged to the riot team."

Mio nodded. "We could hear you shooting with them. That makes sense."

“Used at least a quarter of the ammo,” Chiemi said, shaking her head.

I described the encounter with the zombie in the hardware store, and Mio laughed. "You killed it with a sledgehammer?"

I nodded, feeling some pride. "It was either that or become zombie food," I said, leaving out the part about messing up with the crowbar.

Yuki looked up at me, her eyes filled with fear. "I don't know if I could do that, but I know I don't want to stay here alone again."

Chiemi comforted the woman. It was clear she was still struggling with our new reality.

Aiko described our successful trip to Halows Supermarket, and Mio's eyes lit up at the mention of the food. "Did you find any tea?"

I nodded. "We found a whole section of tea. Grabbed as much as we could carry."

Mio clapped her hands together in delight. "I can't wait. Thank you so much!"

Once we had everything inside, Aiko, Chiemi, myself, Mio, and Yuki started organizing it while we continued talking. It didn't take long to stack the bulk food items by case, and then the conversation died down again.

Aiko picked up one of the waters and a towel, and said, "I'm going to clean myself up. Killing zombies is tough work, and I feel gross."

Chiemi, Yuki, and Mio nodded, and Aiko walked by me on her way across the house. She winked at me as she did this.

In my head I usually thought too much and right then I didn't feel like it was the right time to ask her about that promise she made me. She probably wanted some quiet time alone and she was just teasing me again.

If I was being honest I felt a little disappointed. I was enjoying our conversation and the camaraderie of the group and I didn't want her to leave.

However, I understood she needed to rest, and I couldn't deny the morning had been exhausting.

I watched as Aiko disappeared down the hallway, and then I exhaled, relaxing. Chiemi, Mio, and Yuki were still organizing the supplies, and I was minding my own business.

Mio broke the silence after a moment.

"So, Hachiro," she said, looking over at me with a smile. "What do you think of Aiko?"

I felt my cheeks flush at the question. I wasn't sure how to respond. I stammered, "she's...uh... she's great."

Mio giggled and said, "I can tell you have a crush on her."

I felt my face getting hot and decided to lie for some reason. "I do not."

Chiemi chuckled. "It's okay, Hachiro, we can see the way you look at her."

This bothered me too. I didn't know why they seemed to think it was funny. Getting defensive, I tried to convince them I was not in love with Aiko.

"I don't look at her like that."

I knew I was lying. I knew I loved Aiko and I looked at her way too often, but they had caught me off guard and I didn't know what else to say. The pressure of three women giggling at me had me shook and defensive.

Chiemi said, "you get a hard-on every time you look at her."

Mio and Yuki busted out laughing. I felt embarrassed even if that part was only half-true.

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I decided it was pointless to argue with them. When women teamed up together they were the strongest force in reality.

I wasn't angry about this, but I knew I couldn't win. I had no chance at convincing them otherwise.

Also, I knew they were right. I needed to shut up before I dug myself in deeper, and I needed to stop thinking with that part of me since it appeared to be so obvious.

I sighed and gave up trying to deny it. "Okay, fine. I do have a crush on her. But it's not like anything is going to happen."

Mio and Chiemi exchanged a knowing look. I watched as their faces twisted up in confusion and they glared at me again.

"You know she wants you, right?" Chiemi asked. "Like. She was trying to get you to follow her down the hallway without directly telling you to follow her."

Looking down the hall, I stammered just thinking about Aiko wanting me as much as I wanted her. I had no idea what to say or how to act. I had never had a woman be so blunt with me about something sexual.

“I…"

"Silly little boy," Mio giggled. "Can't read a neon-bright sign, can you? We all know. We're adults here, so it’s okay. If you want to spend time with Aiko, just go do it."

I felt embarrassed again, and I just shook my head.

My mind drifted back to Aiko even though I was trying to avoid it. I imagined what she was doing in her room right then.

I figured she was cleaning the sweat and grime from her body, and I started visualizing it like a damn pervert.

I felt that stirring in my pants as blood rushed south, and the whole thing made me uncomfortable while I was in their presence.

I was in the living space with the other women I wasn't attracted to. It was not the time to prove them right. I wouldn't let them think they knew me like that.

"I need some fresh air," I said, standing up.

Chiemi rolled her eyes. No one said anything as I grabbed a baseball bat and walked outside, but I figured they were probably giggling up a storm.

The warm afternoon air hit me when I step out. It was a beautiful day in the mountains. From the front porch I didn't see or hear zombies anywhere, just nature and a distant car radio.

The sun filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Birds were singing in the distance, and a gentle breeze glided by. I took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of pine and fresh earth.

I needed to get away for a minute and stop fantasizing about this woman I loved. Chiemi, Mio, and Yuki were right, but I wouldn't admit it to them or prove them right.

I was too shy and awkward to act on Aiko's obvious desires. I wondered why I was like that.

I needed to clear my mind, so I walked towards the edge of the clearing where the trees were thicker. Leaning against a sturdy trunk, I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths.

After a minute or two I walked along a stone wall that meandered a path near the road, and realized I was out of eyesight from the house.

There was a cute shed there at the end of the yard near the woods and the stone wall. The little storage building was painted like the house.

Just to the side of the shed I realized no one could see me. I was some distance from Aiko's home and I hadn't heard any signs of danger.

I leaned the bat against the stone wall and tried to focus on the sounds of nature around me. All I could imagine in my head was Aiko.

The woman had teased me all morning, and yet I was too shy to simply follow the woman to her bedroom.

"Damn," I whispered to the wind. “Why am I too damn shy to just go and be with her?”

I shook my head, trying to clear the image of her away.

I knew I needed to focus on survival, and not on my crush. But it was hard when she was always around, always teasing me and making me feel important.

The urge was becoming too much. I had been so focused on staying alive and protecting the others with no time to myself, and it seemed like this might be my only chance before something bad prevented me from ever enjoying the moment again.

I closed my eyes after looking one more time, confident no one else was around. I felt a sense of calm wash over me, and I was just about to unzip my pants.

Leaning on the stone wall, I started to visualize what I thought Aiko was doing right then in her bedroom.

"Hachiro?" Aiko said.

Her voice startled me. For a split second I didn't realize the sound was real, and then I knew she was nearby.

I didn't know how to respond.

"What?" I said loudly, trying to turn away from the direction she approached.

The world returned to reality.

I tried acting casual. Thankfully she hadn't caught me doing anything lewd. I was just a dude leaning against the stone wall.

Aiko appeared from around the hill several yards away. She had a knowing smirk on her face as she walked towards me.

I knew my face was red with embarrassment.

She asked, "what are you doing out here?"

I felt like she already knew the answer to that, but I couldn't admit she almost caught me jerking off.

I felt a mix of embarrassment and shame.

If she knew, she wasn't angry and she didn't laugh. It wasn't what I expected. Aiko pressed me against the stone wall and stared into my eyes with playful desire.

"Hachiro. You know you don't need to do this alone," she whispered in my ear, her warm breath sending shivers down my spine.

I gulped, still struggling to comprehend the situation. It was clear that Aiko knew, and yet she wasn't laughing at me.

I wondered if this was really happening or if I was dreaming. Either way, the moment was too good for me pass up.

I had been an idiot for not having the courage to do what was so obvious, but it didn't matter now. Aiko was there because she desired me.

Feeling wanted like this was a new experience for me. I had always been the unwanted child that grew up as an awkward loner.

Aiko kissed my cheek before giving me a hug.

It took every bit of willpower I had not to get too excited.

"You are not like other guys…" she whispered.

"No," I answered, keeping my eyes on her face.

“You're not very good at reading hints, are you?"

I shook my head. I wanted to explain more about how I didn't have much social experience with flirtation, but instead I just said, "no."

Those other guys she complained about just wanted to sleep with her. I wanted more than sex. I wanted Aiko to be my everything.

Her beautiful eyes never left mine.

Aiko kissed me on the lips and I finally didn't let the opportunity go to waste. I kissed her back with a passion I didn't think she expected.

She smiled. "Well. Now that the message is clear, I want you to sleep in my room tonight, with me."

I was left almost speechless. Somehow I managed to get out, “okay."

Aiko giggled. She turned to lean against the stone wall, so I did the same. I just wanted to keep kissing her, but I also wanted things to remain cool between us. Getting too excited might ruin the moment.

Together we looked into the woods and down the road that lead away from her home. A gentle breeze felt nice in the afternoon sun. It was quiet for a while, and I knew we'd both started thinking about this odd reality.

Aiko asked, "Do you think we really died when the blue meteorites hit us?"

I shrugged. I didn't know she was experiencing doubt regarding our deaths. She had seemed so confident about it before when explaining it to me.

"Mine felt like a dream," I said. "No pain. I just simply died and then when I woke up, it was this place with the zombies and the weird vibes and the numbers up there."

Aiko looked up at them but said nothing for a while.

"Do have this weird feeling like nothing is real anymore?" I asked.

She looked at me. "Something's not right, huh? And that number. What do you think it means?"

I shrugged, still not having any good answers to those questions.