A youth story of a passerby at the end of the world

"Hahaha, is that so?" Uesugi Genshin laughed heartily, then downed the remaining half-glass of red wine in one gulp. "Would you like to try this?"

“Okay, let’s give it a try.” Miura Yumiko nodded.

"Eh? I want one too." Yui Yuigahama was equally curious, which could be seen from her wise eyes.

"Then I'll go get the glass." Drinking this kind of wine always requires a certain sense of ritual, which enhances the sensory experience.

While Uesugi Genshin went to the supermarket shelf to look for a cup, the two ate their meal quietly again.

"Yumiko, are you alright? Was what happened just now disgusting?" She also noticed something was off.

“Don’t worry.” Miura Yumiko waved her hand. “It’s about Hayato.”

"Ah, about Hayato-kun." I used to think they were a perfect match, like a golden couple in ancient times.

But now things seem a little different; it seems like some changes have occurred that she hasn't noticed.

She flattered him as usual, saying, "It'll definitely be fine with Yumiko, after all, you're so beautiful."

But Yumiko kept repeating, "A vase?"

"Huh? Did I say something weird?"

"No, Yui, it's my own problem." Miura Yumiko looked at the wheat juice on the table, took another sip, and tasted the same bitterness in her heart.

Uesugi Genshin had already come over with the glasses, rinsed the stemmed glasses under the tap, dried them with kitchen paper, and placed them in front of them.

Looking at the red liquid clinging to the glass, Yui Yuigahama asked, "Xuan, do you like this kind of drink?"

"No, I don't like it because it's not easy to get drunk. My stomach starts to feel uncomfortable first. It's just that I feel it goes well with shrimp."

"Wow, that sounds like something a drunkard would say," Yui Yuigahama clicked her tongue.

"I don't admit to being an alcoholic."

He placed two glasses of red wine, which had already been poured, in front of the two women and gestured with his hand to indicate "please".

"Let me try it." Yui Yuigahama picked up the glass with great interest, took a sip, and said, "Hmm~, surprisingly good."

"Really...?" He didn't believe it.

Yumiko Miura first took a small sip, paused, and then drank it all in one gulp, the red liquid flowing continuously down her swan-like neck into her body.

"Ah... Yumiko!"

"It doesn't taste good." After finishing her drink, she slammed the bottom of the glass onto the table.

"Hahaha, I think grape juice tastes better." Uesugi Genshin laughed.

"Do you have grape juice?" Yui Yuigahama asked with delight, clearly not wanting to continue drinking, as if grape juice could be a substitute for red wine.

"I'll go get it." Miura Yumiko stood up and walked out of the room.

"..."

“…Don’t waste it.” Uesugi Genshin said, looking at her cup, which was almost empty but still half full.

Seeing her frowning in distress, looking like she was trying to hold back her emotions, Uesugi Genshin reluctantly took his cup from her.

"!" Yui Yuigahama instantly understood his intention, and then obediently poured her own drink over, leaving only enough for a small sip.

"How despicable!"

"Ah~~" She cunningly pretended not to hear, a privilege reserved for girls.

Miura Yumiko hadn't returned yet, and they had already finished their lobster sandwiches and were completely full.

By the time she returned with drinks, her expression blank, grape juice could only be served as an after-dinner beverage.

"Are we just going to wait here?" Miura Yumiko asked after the meal, actually because her phone had run out of battery.

"Hmm." Uesugi Genshin's phone battery was less than half full, because he hadn't had time to take it out to play with it along the way.

"..." Miura Yumiko felt even more depressed, and then bluntly said, "My phone is dead, and I'm so bored."

"Go look down there, it's a supermarket," Uesugi Genshin replied, somewhat puzzled.

“Yes! Let’s go out and take a look.” Yui Yuigahama clapped her hands enthusiastically and suggested.

"What are you going to do this afternoon?" Miura Yumiko was somewhat intrigued, but still asked him.

"..." Uesugi Genshin didn't know why he felt that she wanted to say something, but kept going in circles. "I also need to find something, let's go together."

"Ah! Let's do it together then." Yui Yuigahama's interest was further piqued.

“That’s true.” Miura Yumiko’s fingers tossed the curls on the side of her hair.

The supermarket isn't large, but it's well-stocked, offering several times more variety than convenience stores, including daily necessities.

Uesugi Genshin took two backpacks from the shelf, then went to the liquor section and filled them up.

"Ah~, Xiao Xuan, you..." Yui Yuigahama bent down beside him, watching him carefully select drinks, and didn't know how to complain.

"You can take some too, take as much as you want, it's free anyway."

"Isn't this a bit inappropriate?" She was still a little reserved, even concerned about the heinous nature of such robbery.

"The owner of this shop is most likely dead. Even if he is not dead, the chance of him returning here is practically zero. The items here are now unclaimed and will eventually be looted by other scavengers. So it's best to grab some high-value items as soon as possible."

"I see." Unlike Yui, Miura Yumiko didn't hold back and directly grabbed her hand, running to the backpack shelf where they had been, and each of them took one.

Uesugi Genshin couldn't distinguish between good and bad sake because he didn't recognize any of them, and he was too old to drink them back in his hometown, so he could only choose based on price and portability.

Whiskey bottles are indeed small and made of thick glass, making them much sturdier than wine bottles.

Beer is completely unnecessary; its alcohol content is practically zero, and you really need to drink a lot to get drunk, which is also inconvenient to carry around.

This place also has the water of life; the number 96 is reassuring to look at, so taking two bottles is only right.

What should we take?

"That woman, Miura Yumiko, is back again," he asked, somewhat bewildered.

"First of all, let's talk about toilet paper." People can't get around without paper; it's practically one of the most important commodities in modern times.

"Then there are high-calorie or long-lasting snacks like cookies, chocolate, and some canned goods. I saw vitamins on the medicine shelf over there. Since we might not be able to eat fruits and vegetables anymore, we can take some dried fruit or dried vegetables as a necessary supplement."

"Also, you can take some clothes, like underwear, if you can't go home, you should take a few sets to change into."

Uesugi Genshin glanced at their bare legs exposed under their short skirts, and could see glimpses of their underwear as he crouched down.

"Ha... skirts are nicer, but they're not very protective. They'll get scratched if you grab them even slightly. You should switch to pants made of better material."

He turned around and temporarily zipped up his backpack, laid a layer of toilet paper at the bottom, then filled about half of the backpack with alcohol, leaving the rest for some food.

One bag is mainly for food, and the other is for small items, including some food, since you can't put all your eggs in one basket.

"Finally, when it comes to cosmetics and such, take only what you can afford. Carefully consider which items are necessary and which are not." He added at the end.

He was really afraid that they would unconsciously take a bunch of skincare or makeup products, while he would at most take a face wash or something similar.

“I know without you saying it,” Miura Yumiko said arrogantly, her arms crossed over her chest once again.

Chapter 52: It's Too Late Today

"How's this outfit?" Yumiko Miura asked Yui for her opinion.

Blue jeans, an orange jacket, a black knit sweater underneath, and brown leather shoes.

"Yes, this outfit looks great too, Yumiko. You look beautiful no matter what you wear."

Yui Yuigahama praised her, saying that she was wearing a pink jacket over a white T-shirt and black sweatpants.

"Pay attention to the size of your jeans. Choose jeans that allow you to squat easily without restricting your movements. Also, make sure your ankles are exposed. Be careful when choosing your shoes as well."

Uesugi Genshin peeked out from next door, his face mostly hidden by his hair. He didn't show his speechlessness, given that he had been trying for two hours.

"Ah, Xiao Xuan, is everything ready?"

She complained again when she saw that he was still wearing the school uniform of Zongwu High School.

"Isn't this exactly the same thing, without any replacement?"

"No, I've already got it. Just a few T-shirts and casual pants, no problem. I'm cooking now, I'm just passing by to grab a pot." As he spoke, he held up a pressure cooker in his hand.

"Hey~, that's too easy."

"No, aren't you all making things too complicated?"

"But it's not easy to take things freely now."

“I didn’t say there was anything wrong with it.”

The T-shirts he carries are all priced starting at 20,000 yen. They are lightweight and feel so comfortable that it's like you're not wearing anything at all. They are breathable but not lacking in warmth, making them suitable for spring and autumn.

"Remember to eat later." He turned and left.

"What...?" Miura Yumiko said, hands on her hips in dissatisfaction.

Seeing this, Yui Yuigahama joked, "Hahaha, Xiao Xuan's cooking skills are already maxed out."

"Hmm... never mind, Yui, let's grab a few more pieces and go check out the lingerie section."

"Ah, yes."

Previously, I would have seen a high-end piece of lingerie that cost 3 to 4 yuan, and I wouldn't have been able to afford it. Now, I don't have to worry about the price anymore.

-----------------

"If you don't come, then I won't do your part." Uesugi Genshin tilted his head and held his phone between his shoulder and shoulder.

"I'm sorry." Hachiman's hoarse voice came from the other end of the phone, heavy with guilt.

"It's nothing, it's just a matter of staying a little longer. It's safe here, and we have plenty of supplies."

"That's really great." Although she said that, she still felt guilty.

The five children in front of the tram and the one child in front of it all had to go and save the five children first. The child's feelings were very complicated.

"It's nothing. I was just thinking that if the timing was right, we could have dinner together."

He heard the helicopter sound from the ear that wasn't blocked by his phone. He turned his head slightly and tilted his ear toward the window, so the sound entered his ear more clearly.

He shrugged, not paying any more attention, and continued cooking.

"I can hear the sound of helicopters from my end."

"Ah, we saw it during the day too. It looked like a military helicopter flying west."

West? Isn't that in the direction of Tokyo?

"Anyway, it has nothing to do with us."

"Yukinoshita said that after the army restored order, it was prioritized to the power plant and waterworks. It seems that there are no rescue arrangements yet. Well, I think things are getting worse."

"It all depends on the extent of the damage. After all, there are over 1 million people here, which is twice the population of Britain and France. Given Tokyo's population density, this should be a disaster area."

"And then you just leave us here?"

"Heh, I don't think an army that can't recruit enough people every year and even puts up anime posters to promote recruitment has much fighting power left."

"Well..." Hachiman couldn't say anything confident. To be honest, whether the Prime Minister was still in Tokyo was a question, and whether he was even alive was an even bigger question!

"That's all for my end. When can you expect to arrive?"

"Tomorrow might be a bit difficult, but the day after tomorrow should be fine." To be honest, he really wanted to pick up this guy first and then work together, but Yukinoshita was urging him on the phone.

In some places, zombies were even clinging to the doors from the outside, making it impossible to tell how dangerous it was. In a few other places, they found that there were no survivors left.

Everyone's phones gradually ran out of battery, and we couldn't get through on the phone. We didn't know what was going on, so we needed to check on-site.

The most relaxed place is probably Xuanxin's, with water, food, safety, and complete facilities.

"Okay." Uesugi Genshin was actually quite happy to have some free time; there was nothing wrong with spending some time at the supermarket for a while.

He could run back by himself, but leaving the two of them here...

"Xiao Xuan, someone's here!" The door suddenly opened, and Yui Yuigahama leaned in, holding the doorknob.

"I'm hanging up." He said simply into the phone, freeing one hand to hang up. "What?"