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

"Someone is banging on the main gate and shouting for help."

"and then?"

"Then there was no sound." Yui looked very uneasy. They had rushed up immediately after hearing the noise, without making any decisions on their own.

I didn't have the courage, or rather, I was self-aware enough not to go and look out the window.

Uesugi Genshin put down the sword in his hand and then walked out the door.

"What do you think? Do you want it or not?" Yumiko Miura asked anxiously as she waited outside the door.

"You're too kind." He had a completely different opinion of Miura Yumiko; his usual demeanor had become hesitant in this situation.

"But!" She understood the implication in his words and felt somewhat uncomfortable.

“Let’s go take a look on the roof,” he suggested, and then ran over.

As they reached the top of the supermarket, the evening breeze caressed their cheeks—a warm and gentle breeze—and, combined with the setting sun on the distant horizon, created an unexpectedly peaceful scene.

When I walked to the edge and looked down, I realized that the world hadn't changed at all. The buildings were as dense as anthills, packed together in the open space in front of the supermarket.

One spot was particularly conspicuous, where hordes of zombies huddled together, seemingly gnawing on something, and the same sight stretched further into the distance, all the way to the road.

"Ah..." Miura Yumiko sighed silently.

“The outcome was already sealed from the moment he frantically cried for help.” Uesugi Genshin said nothing more, and began walking along the edge. After circling around, he found nothing else unusual.

“That’s too much.” Miura Yumiko wasn’t referring to him, but to them.

If so many zombies hadn't been attracted, there might still be a chance to save them, but there's no point in talking about it now.

"Don't worry about it. We need to live well." Uesugi Genshin turned and walked downstairs. Dinner wasn't finished yet.

Yumiko Miura stood on the rooftop for a while, looking at the horde of corpses in the distance, and the fleeing people who stood up again after they dispersed.

“Yumiko…” Yui Yuigahama took her cold right hand in her hands from behind.

"Let's go down too, Yui." She shook her head and pulled Yui's hand back.

When I returned to the lounge, dinner was already prepared.

We hadn't finished all the seafood yet. The crab roe steamed egg served in the crab shell itself, and the garlic sauce was his own creation. There was also grilled squid—no, it would be more accurate to say pan-fried squid.

I made crispy pork strips and fried pork belly, and braised beef brisket with tomatoes. I even dug out a jar of tomato paste to make the flavor stronger.

"Wow~, it's all meat again." Yui Yuigahama exclaimed happily at first, then complained.

"Isn't this a dish?" Uesugi Genshin picked up the salad, which was made with a special vinaigrette seasoned with olive oil as the base.

"Isn't this the only dish?" Without any hesitation, he pulled out a stool, sat down, picked up his chopsticks, said "I'm starting to eat," and then placed a piece of tender braised beef brisket on his rice.

"Eat more meat." This is a wise saying.

"Hehe, don't you like eating meat?" Miura Yumiko joked, just like she would when talking to a friend at school.

"Of course I like it, especially meat." The crispy pork sprinkled with cumin looked very appetizing.

But upon closer inspection, the steamed egg was overcooked, the oysters had shrunk, the squid was a bit too cold and its natural flavor was too prominent, the crispy pork wasn't particularly oily, but thankfully the cumin balanced it out, and the beef brisket was acceptable, although the broth had been reduced a bit.

"..."

So this is what happens when you operate on multiple fronts.

It was too much for one person, but I didn't want to waste ingredients. I tried cooking several pots, but then I couldn't manage it all.

The person across from them was enjoying their meal immensely, completely unaware of the chef's discerning palate and sensitive reaction.

"Delicious!" Yui Yuigahama exclaimed.

"Ah, you'll definitely find a wife in the future, just based on this trick." Miura Yumiko praised him generously.

"I don't think I'll be unable to find a wife in the future at all."

"Hmph, with your gloomy look right now, how will you ever find a girlfriend?"

"No, no, no, I already have a close female friend, and she definitely likes me."

"Really?! Who is it?" Yui Yuigahama's bright eyes widened, her expression like that of a high school girl gossiping about love.

"Hey~, that's unexpected. There's actually someone in school who likes you."

"No, it's not from our school."

"Oh, that's not surprising, that's not surprising."

"who is it?"

Uesugi Genshin took out his phone, scrolled through it, and then handed it to them, saying, "The author of this novel."

"Love Metronome? Never heard of it."

"Ah! I've read this book, it's pretty good. Both girls are very cute, and the male protagonist's hesitation is quite agonizing."

"Hey~" Miura Yumiko instantly knew that this book must be a love story about a love triangle, which was indeed the type of book that Yui liked to read.

"So this is Xiao Xuan's girlfriend. That's amazing."

"No... she's not my girlfriend yet."

"Eh~" Miura Yumiko's subtle tone was infuriating, "Isn't that the end of it?"

"Don't worry, there won't be any problem. What's wrong with it being a little slow to warm up?"

"She's a slow starter..." Yumiko Miura hadn't yet realized the trouble this topic was getting into.

"Yes, because I'm very clear that she does like me, there's no doubt about that. So it's not a bad thing to wait a little longer."

"..." Someone's defenses were broken.

Chapter 53: Helicopter

"Thank you so much, Hiratsuka-sensei." Tamahane, the student council president of Seaside High School, went straight to Hiratsuka Shizuka, who had just gotten off the bus, after getting off.

"You're welcome." Hiratsuka Shizuka laughed as casually as ever.

If something happens on the road, then it's a completely different story.

"And you too, young man." Not knowing what to call him, he simply addressed him as Hachiman Hikigaya, who was standing to the side staring blankly at the Special Building.

"Hmm." Hachiman Hikigaya replied casually, not intending to get to know the student council president.

He and Hiratsuka-sensei did everything along the way, including acting as bait to lure away the zombies, which he did all by himself.

Even if they didn't cause any trouble, they didn't serve any purpose, so there's not much he needs to say about that.

In short, they're not partners; let's just throw them into the Snow Kingdom for some voluntary labor.

He glanced at the stacks of tables piled up at the school gate. The work team had done a good job today, moving the unused tables and chairs outside to build a wall. However, the streets were not very safe, so further action was temporarily put on hold.

He and Ye Shan were the only two unofficial members of the "outreach team," so naturally they didn't have to do these chores. Which was easier, fighting zombies or cleaning toilets? Even he was a little confused. It was all that guy's fault; there was someone else who could have gone out with him...

"Huh? Hachiman?"

The unexpected sound stirred up his memories, those dark, unpleasant memories of his high school years when he didn't want to see anything.

"Hey~, I miss it so much, I never thought it was you."

A beautiful young woman walked over, with shoulder-length brown hair and matching eyes. She wore a dark blue seaside high school uniform jacket with a light blue lining and a red tie.

"Ah, um."

"Wow~, I had no idea. Hachiman, you were unexpectedly brave." The straightforward praise made Tamaki raise an uneasy brow.

"So, Orimoto-kun and this person know each other." Yu Sheng looked at the person's dead fish eyes again, confirming with her eyes that he was the person who was suspected to be a love rival.

But Hachiman Hikigaya completely disregarded the praise. He had already graduated from failure; it was just one of the many tricks girls use, and like Sugoiichi, it had no real meaning.

However... Orimoto Kaori, the only girl in junior high who would talk to him, was the girl he once confessed to.

Then the next day, the whole class was buzzing with the news that Hachiman had confessed to Orimoto, and that Orimoto was so pitiful. Ugh... just thinking about it now makes my heart ache, even though it's a wound that's already healed.

In other words, the girl in front of him was someone who had hurt him in the past.

"Yes, I know him. He was my classmate in middle school."

Childhood sweethearts?! The word "enemy" suddenly popped into Yu Sheng's mind.

"Oh~, Hikigaya even confessed to me." She said it without any hesitation, as if she didn't care about it at all.

But the words she spoke once again stung someone.

He knew, he had known all along! She was the type to speak her mind without holding back, which some guys might see as being outspoken and talkative.

but......

Yu Sheng looked at him with eyes full of relief and sympathy, and breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't expected that this person was not an enemy.

Hey! Don't look this way.

"However, it's really great to have Hachiman here. To be honest, I was very uneasy before. When Hachiman came, I thought: Wow, I'm so lucky. Thanks to Hachiman."

Yu Sheng's gaze shifted again, looking at him with a scrutinizing look.

This made him click his tongue in amazement. "No... it's nothing."

"Hey, Komachi's worried about you." Kawasaki Saki's voice came from the side, which was a great help.

Kawasaki Saki walked over and spoke to Hikigaya Hachiman, as if she had come specifically to deliver a message, but she stood beside him.

"Huh? Girlfriend?" Orimoto Kaori tilted her head.

The two people opposite answered simultaneously: "No."

"Ah, I thought so too. How could Hachiman possibly have a girlfriend? That's hilarious." She burst into laughter as if telling a joke.

"Well......"

"Who are you?" Kawasaki Saki asked Orimoto Kaori angrily.

"I am Kaori Orimoto, and I am Hikigaya's junior high school classmate."

"I see. I am Kawasaki Saki, the woman this man saved. Is this how you treat your savior?"

"Huh? Ah..." Orimoto Kaori, who had never been verbally abused before, was stunned.

"He's far more outstanding than you know. What's so funny about laughing at him like that? Can you stop judging him based on appearances alone?" Kawasaki Saki said, hands on her hips, pointing at Hachiman Hikigaya.

"Compared to you bunch of spineless cowards who don't know what to do, he's the one who truly saved you. Can't you have even the most basic respect? If you can't even do that, then leave. You're not welcome here."

"You're not the student council president here, are you?" Yu Sheng was a little frightened when he heard this. He looked worriedly at Hiratsuka Shizuka, who was quietly smoking. However, her silence made him even more uneasy.

Their voices had already been noticed by those around them, and even when Kawasaki Saki uttered those words, everyone began to whisper among themselves.

As for what they were talking about...

"No."

Yu Sheng visibly breathed a sigh of relief, then tried to smooth things over by saying, "We didn't mean that."

As he spoke, he also made hand gestures, moving them left and right as if he were turning a wheel.

"I'm fine," Hachiman Hikigaya said.

"Let's go." He turned and walked towards the special building.

"Hmph." Kawasaki Saki glared at them disdainfully, then left with the person in charge. In the end, she was just passing on a message to Komachi.

Komachi was really worried when she found out her brother and teacher Hiratsuka went out together. Sending a message afterwards as if it's all over is ridiculous! He should talk to his sister face-to-face about important things!

Hachiman Hikigaya vaguely guessed Komachi's feelings, after all, they were siblings who grew up together, but he was worried about Hiratsuka-sensei.

"That's it."

Standing still, Kaori Orimoto watched Hachiman Hikigaya's departing figure, standing silently until finally giving a bitter smile of relief.

"You're the student council president of Seaside High School?" The real student council president, Yukino Yukinoshita, has arrived.

"Yes." This made Yu Sheng, who was feeling a little embarrassed, instantly breathe a sigh of relief.

"Since you're staying here with us, then you'll obey our student council's orders, is that alright? This isn't something to be discussed."

"Okay, okay." Having just escaped one disaster, Yu Sheng encountered a lioness again.