"Hey, Yuki. You're curious about the outside world right now aren't you?"

"Yeah, but I'm too scared, Tanaka!"

"Don't worry, I'm right beside you. So all you need to do is try to get out and feel the world outside!"

"... Okay!"

That's roughly the conversation that was felt by Yuki. Originally, Tanaka didn't put it that way. It's just that Yuki's mixed thoughts cause her to feel confused which then has an impact on how her brain memory works.

Actually, this is how the conversation happened.

"Hey Yuki, are you curious about the current conditions outside?"

Tanaka asked. He is currently tidying things up with Yuki.

"Hmm, I guess I'm a little curious,"

Yuki replied. She was behind Tanaka at the time.

"Would you like to try coming with me after this? I mean, that's if you want to,"

Tanaka continued his words. To be honest, Tanaka herself was confused about how to convey. Basically, Tanaka wanted to get Yuki to try to go around to see how he was.

Obviously it was a bad choice because Tanaka knew that the conditions outside were very bad.

Zombie corpses on the streets that Tanaka hasn't cleaned up. Body parts scattered in various corners of the place. Bones which previously belonged to a human were lying in various places.

Zombies roaming around and possible mutants. The whereabouts of the criminals are unknown.

It was a bad choice to take someone who wasn't used to going around in a place like that. However, Tanaka was still considering other things.

That is the basic aspect of being a survivor in the apocalypse.

Survivors can at least adapt to the new environment. Yuki, based on her confession during a conversation with Tanaka, admitted that she couldn't stand such a sight.

Yuki doesn't have that aspect.

Survivors should also be able to loot useful items around. It was an aspect that Yuki didn't have yet. She was too scared to go out. She even had to think long enough to get out of her room.

"... Alright, I also want to see the surroundings!"

Yuki answered, accepting Tanaka's request.

"Okay. I'll be around to protect you. So, all you need to do is go with me and take a look around this town. Let me just tell you, conditions are pretty bad. So be prepared!"

Tanaka told. Yuki understood the information. The girl then went upstairs to change clothes.

Yuki changed into a set that was easier to move around in. Simply put, Yuki is wearing her old school sports clothes.

Tanaka who saw Yuki coming out of the bedroom door was surprised. It was Yuki, a high school girl in the clothes which could be said to be a bit tight and made her body curve stand out even more.

That's a criterion that predators and bad guys alike target, thought Tanaka. However, since most people were already zombies, Tanaka didn't really mind that.

On the contrary, he took issue with himself who actually felt in the position of the predator.

"Are you ready?"

Ask Tanaka to make sure.

"Humu!"

Yuki replied in the affirmative. The two of them then got into the truck and headed off to a place where Tanaka could say it is safe.

Building materials store.

......

...

At 07:02 AM, Tanaka and Yuki arrived inside the building's shop yard area.

There, they were greeted by thirteen zombies who were suddenly there. Previously, Tanaka had not seen any of them around.

"Are you okay, Yuki?"

Tanaka asked. Yuki who was beside him is currently using a racket as a grip as well as a blunt weapon.

"I'm fine. Are you sure you want to go out alone?"

asked a worried Yuki. She actually already knew about Tanaka's abilities. However, she still feels worried if something unexpected happens.

"I'll be fine. I didn't think there would be thirteen zombies coming in here. I'll take care of them first. During that time, don't get out of here okay!"

Yuki nodded in response to Tanaka's words. She agrees to stay in the truck while Tanaka takes out the zombies outside.

Yuki see it. Just like before when Tanaka killed the zombies in the boarding house. Tanaka took out a lot of zombies around.

An unfamiliar sight in Yuki's eyes. It almost made her feel nauseous from seeing the contents of they head and blood spurting everywhere.

Tanaka had already finished off thirteen zombies. The man who had just finished off the nearby zombies waved at Yuki indicating that it is now safe for the girl to get out of the truck.

"Tanaka-san, you're so great!"

Yuki praised for seeing Tanaka's actions earlier. Even though it was actually a one-sided massacre from Tanaka. However, the ones slaughtered by Tanaka were zombies, so there was no moral issue for them.

"Hehe, it's all thanks to my abilities. By the way, do you want to try to do some work here?"

Tanaka asked. He wanted to have someone to work with him.

"Of course. That's why I'm here, isn't it!"

Yuki agreed.

Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

After that, the two people moved the required building materials into the box-truck. Just a monotonous activity that doesn't need to be mentioned.

After a full charge, the two of them returned to the boarding house which is the headquarters where the Fire-Nebula Camp located. The base that will be given a stronger defense.

Yuki got off the truck. She was breathing very deeply from exhaustion.

"... This is so tiring... I wonder how you can go all day doing something like this, Tanaka-san!"

"Ah, I forgot to tell you that my body also becomes stronger along with the abilities I receive. So, I can just be strong enough to do something like this!"

Yuki gave an impression and Tanaka replied. They had small talk for a few minutes.

Tanaka realized that Yuki was exhausted. It's normal to feel exhausted after lifting kilos of building materials onto trucks.

"Well, if you're tired you can rest first, Yuki!"

Tanaka's suggestion for Yuki.

"No, I'm still going with you Tanaka. We still have to get the sand, don't we!"

Yuki replied rejecting Tanaka's suggestion.

The girl feel very confused now. She wanted to try to feel what it was like to be Tanaka in order to overcome her jealousy. She also wants to experience what it's like to work and contribute to others.

She wanted to help Tanaka with his work.

Or so she felt for the moment.

Tanaka, who saw Yuki like that, was now confused. After much deliberation, Tanaka decided to let Yuki come along again.

"Okay. But you need to rest first... Let me do the work for now!"

Yuki replied with a nod to Tanaka's words.

Now Tanaka is moving the materials to the boarding house. Drop off luggage.

......

...

Tanaka and Yuki returned to the materials shop.

"Still reappearing!"

Said Tanaka in response to the three zombies approaching the truck. They entered the building shop area without Tanaka's knowledge.

"Remember Yuki, don't go out just yet, okay!"

Yuki nodded. As before, Tanaka came out to take care of the three approaching zombies.

At that time, Yuki was in an unstable state.

What the girl saw was not Tanaka who was dealing with the three zombies, but Tanaka who told Yuki to come out to help.

"Hey, Yuki. Try to get out and kill these one zombie!"

"W-What do you mean, Tanaka-san! I'm too scared!"

"It's okay, I've already crippled them!"

Yuki got out of the truck. She then went towards one of the nearby zombies for her to beat.

Hit, hit, hit and hit until she had enough.

Yuki hit the zombie lying down using the racket that Tanaka had given him a few days ago.

Yuki fell. She 'killed' the zombie below earlier and now couldn't stand the sight.

Tanaka approached the poor girl and held out her hand.

"Good job, Yuki!"

Yuki grabbed the man's hand. She felt happy when she received a 'praise' from Tanaka at that time.

"Humu, I'm fine!"

Yuki answered. Tanaka then lifted Yuki back to her seat in the truck.

Yuki fell asleep.

~~~

"What really happened?"

Tanaka asked. He was currently in the building shop, collecting as much sand as possible using a pusher.

"Why did Yuki suddenly become like that?"

Tanaka continued. He was still confused about something.

He recalled the previous incident.

At that time, Tanaka was beating three zombies. One zombie near the truck had been beaten to death and didn't move. Or at least the blow had crushed the zombie's head.

After that, Tanaka continued to take care of the other two zombies. He stepped forward and didn't pay attention to Yuki who had quietly left the truck.

It was only after he finished two zombies that Tanaka realized that Yuki came out and beat the zombie corpse lying on the ground. Tanaka approached Yuki who fell down.

With a confused look, Tanaka held out his hand to Yuki.

"Are you okay, Yuki?"

Tanaka was worried about Yuki who had fallen. The girl turned her face to Tanaka who was in front of her.

"I'm fine!"

With a smile, Yuki replied to Tanaka.

'This girl is not normal!'

Tanaka thought for a moment after seeing the incident. Not long after, Yuki fainted or rather fell asleep so suddenly.

Tanaka carried Yuki into the truck and put her to sleep. Tanaka is now back at work collecting sand. Need more of this material to make wall dough.

"I don't think she's stable yet!"

Tanaka muttered. He was still wondering what caused Yuki to suddenly become weird. He then decided that Yuki for now is still not ready to see the outside world. In addition, this incident has something to do with mental.

Or so that's what Tanaka thought.

"I think this is a bad idea,"

said Tanaka in response to what he was doing. It was him who invited Yuki to go out.

After that, Tanaka decided that Yuki shouldn't go out until she was ready. To him, going out is still too dangerous for Yuki who might have a mental breakdown.

"Shit, what the hell happened in her past!"

Wonder Tanaka. He still doesn't know in detail what happened to Yuki in the past.

That morning, the sun rise from Tanaka's right side which was facing North.

"I will protect you Yuki. So you just need to be in a safe place!"

Tanaka decided. He didn't want to lose the only person he met after ten minutes of meeting in the apocalypse.

It took a while for Tanaka to move the sand. This material is the most difficult to move because it is too easy to slide. Not like brick, concrete or cement sacks.

Around 09:46 AM, Tanaka gets back into the truck and Yuki wakes up. It was the time when Tanaka was about to return to base.

"Hello, how are you Yuki?"

Tanaka asked. He wanted to try to confirm how the condition of Yuki who he suspected had mental problems.

"I'm still strong Tanaka. Good job, we've collected a lot of sand. It's time for us to build a base together!"

Based on Yuki's words, Tanaka was now convinced.

'This girl probably has an imaginary thought!'

Tanaka thought without speaking it. Yuki is a girl with imaginary memories which often appear or are created by themselves. This is Tanaka's conclusion for now.

"Yeah, good job Yuki. Later is the time to build a big wall. So prepare your strength, okay!"

Tanaka's reply which ended the conversation.

Fourteen minutes. It was the time that Tanaka and Yuki needed to arrive to move from the building shop back to their base, the boarding house.

"Yuki, you go back to your room to rest. In the afternoon we will do the work!"

Said Tanaka towards Yuki who went to the stairs. Yuki really wanted to go to the room to rest.

"Humu, until we meet again, Tanaka-san,"

Yuki replied. She proceeded to go into her room and then closed the door.

'Perhaps, this is for the best!'

Tanaka exclaimed reassuringly. He now decided not to let Yuki go out with her unstable condition.

"I'll protect her. So she doesn't need to go out. After all, I'm the one who got this mysterious power. It's normal for me to help those who need help, right?"

Tanaka was silent for a moment.

"With great power, there is also great responsibility, eh?"

Tanaka remembered someone's words. He was Tanaka's first friend.

......

...

The cart moves. The box truck fell silent.

Currently Tanaka is at the mini market where he usually picks up food.

"Go to your realm, you undead!"

Tanaka hit a nearby zombie. He did this to secure the area around the boarding house from zombies.

"Damn it, the blood splash is still pointing at me!"

Tanaka responded to the blood splatter from the zombie he hit. The former hikikomori man had run out of clothes to wear.

"Do I have to go to the clothing store tomorrow?"

Tanaka asked. He is trying to arrange a task for the next day.

On second thought, he decided to try going there tomorrow. The set of clothes he currently has is extremely limited.

At the convenience store where he usually shopped, Tanaka thought of many things to do. Tomorrow he has to find clothes, fuel for the truck, medical from the local pharmacy and of course build a wall.

~~~

"I didn't do anything, did I?"

Said a girl who currently in her room. She leaned against the door which had the key of a rope.

[Hahaha, that's right, that's right. You just troubled that guy and-]

"Shut up!"

The others mocked and cut off Yuki. She is currently in memory of uncertainty.

Yuki remembered two things at the same time. The memory of when she was working with Tanaka and the memory of when she was just lying in the truck while peeking at Tanaka who was working.

"This must be your doing isn't it, damn it!"

Yuki said. It refers directly to something that is within her.

[Pfftt, it's because of you, idiot! Why do you think at that time I could unite with your thoughts. It's because you can't stand the sight. That bastard just let you see something you couldn't stand to see yourself… You were begging for strength and I came to your aid!]

Yuki shook her head in between the words the other said.

"I didn't do that. I just wanted to help Tanaka!"

Yuki replied rejecting the other's statement.

[Hahaha, you're not helping, Yuki dear... You're just a burden to that boy of yours!]

"Then, what should I do!?"

Yuki asked resignedly. She could only accept the fact that she was indeed a burden to Tanaka. Or so that what she think now.

[Entertain your man. Use your body. You're feeling it too, aren't you? Your passion whenever you are around your favorite boy!]

"I-I don't want to do that. If I did it, wouldn't that make me look like a cheap slut!"

Yuki refused.

[Oh-oh, apparently my dear Yuki doesn't know huh. Right now you want to become a real slut by depending on Tanaka completely without giving him anything in return. Don't you notice, dear Yuki?]

What the other said was true. That's what Yuki thought.

"You are right,"

Yuki said in a resigned tone like someone who realized their mistake.

[Then do this...]