Yuki woke up from her deep sleep. Her eyes were red and shiny like water.

"Ahhhh~"

She feels pain.

The girl in the pajama took the bottle of mineral water on the table beside her. Thirst made her throat like a hot, barren desert.

Water ran down the girl's throat. As soon as the liquid arrived in the stomach, Yuki felt more relieved and went back to sleep.

"Ugh, what time is it?"

The girl who had fallen asleep last night now felt better. Although the pain in the head is still there, it is not as bad as the previous time.

Yuki's left hand reached into her lower body. Near the hips, she could feel a hard object being crushed against. That's her cell phone.

The cellphone was taken, Yuki pressed the small button. The screen that was once black reflecting shadows is now emitting a beam of light.

"It's time... Huh?"

Yuki looked at the gadget that was showing the current time. What Yuki saw was 2:50 PM. That means it's almost afternoon.

"Tanaka?"

Yuki called out Tanaka's name in hopes that the man would answer.

"Tanaka?"

Yuki called out once again. She started to panic because the first call was completely unanswered.

Yuki remembered that this morning Tanaka had said that he would be out for a while. In the morning, she also heard something like an explosion and other suspicious noises.

"Tanaka?"

Yuki called out for the third time. Now the girl is sure that Tanaka is not in the boarding house anymore.

"Tanaka!"

Yuki's thoughts were all over the place.

Could the explosion this morning have something to do with Tanaka?

Could the strange sound this morning be because of Tanaka?

Could other bad things happen to Tanaka?

Yuki tried to get out of bed. Even though her body felt better, she still felt very dizzy when she tried to stand up.

The girl fell and sat back down on the bed. The dizziness she felt was very different between sleeping, sitting and when she stood up.

Bottled mineral water taken. Yuki took a sip of the water in the bottle rather roughly. In the mouth, Yuki left the water collected.

Immediately Yuki peeled off one medicinal pill that was on the table. With the help of water in the mouth, Yuki can swallow the medicine more easily.

Yuki waited for a few minutes for her body to get used to the sitting position. While slightly stepping on the cold floor, Yuki sighed.

"I don't care about this pain anymore... I have to find Tanaka!"

Yuki stood up. While holding onto the wall of the room, Yuki tried to take a step.

The first step is hard. The second step feels more ordinary. The third step is now getting used to it too.

Starting from the fourth step, Yuki again felt the imbalance of the body. She fell on the fifth step. Fainted at the door of the room.

Yuki fell unconscious at 3:07 PM.

...

Tanaka walks past some zombies. He hit him as if the zombie was a walking bag he could punch at any moment.

Zombies are beaten to the ground.

"These guys are completely ignoring me now."

Tanaka muttered. Carrying two bags on his back, Tanaka walked through the sidelines of the house called a small alley.

The area is part of the housing that is in front of the boarding house or the east direction. Tanaka was now sure he was going west with the sun as a benchmark.

"Hmm, no zombies,"

Tanaka commented while traveling in an area that was already quite close to his base. The man who loved to kill zombies did not meet the zombies around him.

To him, that was great news.

"Maybe because of the sound of my battle earlier,"

Tanaka tried to guess what it was that made them disappear from the area. The clearest and most likely speculation is the sound of Tanaka's fight against the Mutant Tank.

Tanaka climbed up a wall. Now he could see the roof of his boarding house.

Soon Tanaka walked faster. He couldn't wait to tell his story to Yuki who was probably healed by now.

Tanaka opened the gate, entered and closed the gate. It was a new gate which could fit a truck in. It was installed by Tanaka at the same time as the construction of the front wall.

The sound of sandals stomping came from the stairs. The man who that day defeated the giant monster has now arrived at the door of his neighbor's room. Door to room number five, Yuki's room.

"I'm home Yuki. Look what I brought... Yuki!"

Tanaka slowly opened the door while saying something with the aim of informing the occupants of the room what he got. However, Tanaka was surprised by Yuki's body lying on the floor right in front of him.

Immediately, Tanaka put the bag down to spare his hands from the thing being carried. Tanaka carried Yuki's hot body.

"This girl!"

Tanaka wanted to be angry that Yuki didn't take good care of himself. However, he realized that he had no right to do that since he had also left the girl for too long.

Slowly, feeling the warmth of something, Yuki woke up.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Tanaka... thank goodness you're back!"

Yuki's voice was muffled with hot breaths.

"Why are you forcing yourself. I told you to rest, didn't I!"

Tanaka tried to scold Yuki a bit. Yuki's hot breath continued to blow.

Tanaka put Yuki's body back on the bed. A blanket is draped over the sick girl's body.

"Here drink it!"

Tanaka held out the bottle of drink that was on the table. Yuki drank it while Tanaka lifted her head slightly.

The girl is now fully laid. Pillows are arranged and dolls on the side accompany her.

Tanaka picked up the two bags he had dropped earlier. Tanaka put the two bags in a more correct place than in front of the door of the room.

Yuki, with eyes that felt hot, saw Tanaka moving to and fro cleaning up various things. She is now very relieved to be able to see Tanaka back safely.

"So, why are you on the floor, Yuki?"

Tanaka, whom Yuki thought was still cleaning, is actually sitting right beside her.

Tanaka's period of scolding Yuki begins.

"I-I was worried about you not coming home,"

Yuki somewhat nervously answered. The answer that Tanaka had expected.

"Hahh... I told you not that I would return. Here, this is your punishment..."

"Awww!"

Tanaka sighed and shifted place on top of Yuki. Tanaka flick his finger on Yuki's forehead.

The girl could only react modestly.

Tanaka who was on top of Yuki looked at the girl's gaze which closed in one of her eyes. Watery eyes.

"But well, thanks for worrying about me. Here's your gift..."

Tanaka brought his face closer to Yuki. He kissed Yuki's forehead at the same spot where Tanaka had flicked his fingers.

Yuki's face reddened. She is now having hallucinations. The hallucinations weren't because of pain, but because her mind was confused about how to respond to what Tanaka was doing right now.

Tanaka moved from his position. He fixed the bed once more and patted the thigh of the girl lying on the bed.

"Get some more rest, okay!"

Tanaka reminded. Yuki answered with a nod.

At the same time, Yuki noticed that Tanaka's hands and other body parts had some kind of bruises. Some parts of his clothes are also torn or have holes.

"Tanaka, are you all right?"

Yuki asked. Since she felt that the wound had something to do with the reason why Tanaka didn't come home, Yuki tried to get the man to say it.

"Ahh-emmm. I ran into some trouble earlier!"

Yuki who heard such an ambiguous answer sharpened her brows. She gets some whispers that bother her. However, she tried to pressure Tanaka even further.

"What's the matter that makes the strong Tanaka bruised and come home so long!"

Yuki urged. Tanaka who just realized the condition of the wound on his body could only smile resignedly.

"A-Ahh... Well , please don't be surprised. I fought the Tank Mutant just now!"

Tanaka somewhat hesitantly answered. Yuki who heard it clearly couldn't help but be surprised.

"Huh?"

Yuki replied with a serious face. Her head felt dizzy, but she kind of ignored it for now.

"Yuki, let's talk about this when you're healed. I don't want to make you worry more. The point is that I'm back and safe, okay!"

Tanaka stroked Yuki's forehead. The girl who was currently experiencing chills all over her body nodded following Tanaka's request.

As the compressor was applied, Tanaka prepared the same food he had made this morning. Porridge from instant packs.

"I'll feed you again, Yuki!"

Tanaka had finished making the porridge. He is now feeding Yuki spoonfuls until the porridge runs out. There was no important conversation going on between the two of them. However, it was certain that the two of them were currently feeling extremely happy in such a bad time.

...

"Huff,"

Tanaka sighed. He was currently cleaning his dirty body after he fought the mutant monster.

"I didn't expect that there would be such a creature around here!"

Tanaka muttered to remind him of what had happened earlier.

Mutants are usually found in areas guarded by the military. A remote area like the town that Tanaka inhabits should be a place where mutants are rare.

Or so that is what the information is.

Tanaka also thought that such information was rather amusing since the evidence presented was only a certainty that the mutant troupe had appeared in the military guard area.

There is no evidence to confirm that mutants do not exist in remote areas.

"Where did they come from anyways?"

Tanaka asked. He still didn't know for sure why there were zombies and mutants that came together.

Tanaka can only speculate that the zombies are creatures that will later become mutants. However, their body shape is very similar to that of humans with just a few additions.

"The important thing is, I have to prepare a plan to deal with each kind of mutant!"

Tanaka shouted. He decided to come up with various well-thought-out plans to deal with many types of mutants.

Zombies are the main problem. The mutants themselves would most likely be able to deal with Tanaka on his own, except for giant types like the Rhino Mutant. However, no matter what kind of mutant it is, zombies are still the most dangerous thing according to him.

From the beginning of the apocalypse, the thing that terrorized the survivors the most was the crowd of zombies. They are often referred to as hordes.

This Horde could not form by itself. They need a leader.

As in the case of Tanaka's battle earlier, the leader of the zombies is the Mutant Tank.

The zombies within the horde itself weren't a threat. The real threat is the high probability of getting caught and bitten.

Even for Tanaka who can beat zombies with ease, he will still have trouble if he has to overcome hundreds of zombies while fighting a mutant.

Or so that what Tanaka had in mind.

"Shit, times I used are too much. I feel so bad for Yuki,"

Tanaka looked at his cell phone. It was 15:42 PM which meant it was already afternoon. Leave in the morning and return in the afternoon. Obviously the word 'a moment' was not appropriate for Tanaka to say if he knew the duration it take would be that long.

The man in his daily clothes packed a few things. He had some sort of business out there after this.

"Ahhh, now I feel even more guilty to Yuki,"

Tanaka complained for a reason.

The man with a bag full of things came out of his room. In the late afternoon, the atmosphere at that time was cold and at the same time amazing.

The sky is reddish orange. A breezy wind blew away clothes and other objects that were hit.

"I hope she's okay,"

Tanaka spoke. His voice that was muffled by the wind was heard by himself. He hoped that the woman he had saved in the building earlier is still okay.

Earlier, Tanaka had come across a woman who was in a very dire condition. Tanaka saved the person, but he still couldn't completely save her.

The reason was because Tanaka didn't bring any food at that time. Tanaka could only give the woman what was left in the few houses around. There wasn't much food that was still worth eating as he searched.

The more important reason was because the woman's hands were chained so horribly. An iron chain is tied to both hands to form the number '8'. That alone was actually enough to make it difficult for people to move.

However, in this case, the attached chains are also welded or spliced. Tanaka could even see the burn marks on the woman's wrist.

Tanaka entered Yuki's room. There were a few things that Tanaka needed when he arrived at the poor woman's place.

Yuki woke up hearing the sound of the door opening. She saw Tanaka passing by her side.

The high school girl knew that Tanaka was packing something else again. Yuki felt suspicious about what Tanaka is doing right now.

"Do you want to go out again?"

Tanaka who didn't know that Yuki was still awake is slightly surprised. He turned around.

"Yup, I have some unfinished business outside. It's harmless this time. So don't push yourself, okay, Yuki?"

Tanaka explained. He wanted to make sure that Yuki didn't have to feel worried this time.

Yuki looked at Tanaka's face. She is now sure that the man was hiding something from her.

However, since Yuki knew that there were things he shouldn't know sometimes, he wouldn't ask any further.

"Okay. By the way, what time will you be home?"

Now Yuki asked about a definite thing. Tanaka who had been guessing about the time was ready to answer this question.

"It won't be later than twelve o'clock. At least nine o'clock."

Tanaka answered. Yuki nodded indicating she had received the information.

"Then I'm out... Get some rest Yuki,"

Tanaka came closer to Yuki and kissed her forehead. The man with the bag full of things went out.

[He met another girl!]

Suddenly the other one from inside Yuki appeared.

"Shut up. I already know!"

Yuki answered. She wasn't actually one hundred percent sure. However, the evidence that Tanaka had the smell of a other woman's sweat is a proof that he met another woman outside.

[He will leave you,]

It was Yuki who also thought of that possibility. The bad possibility of Tanaka abandoning or disposing of her. She iss afraid of it.

Yuki couldn't answer the other one. She couldn't say that she rejected such a thought. Quite the contrary, Yuki also had such thoughts.

~~~

Tanaka walked through the late afternoon. He headed in a direction he was quite familiar with.

"I can memorize this in just one pass!"

Tanaka noticed it. It was the first time he had used this route. However, in that one try, he had managed to memorize the instructions quickly.

"Maybe because it's close"

said Tanaka. He started to turn on his flashlight because it is getting a bit dark.

...

It didn't take long for Tanaka to reach the building where he met the poor woman he had saved. Tanaka went to the area behind the building.

"Taki, are you okay?"

Tanaka asked someone who was chained to a power pole. She is wearing a shabby-looking shirt and pants.

"I'm here, Tanaka-san!"

Replied the woman who had called Tanaka by the name of Taki. She is Taki Shirokami.

A former policewoman.