By morning, the rain had stopped. Though dark clouds still churned over the ocean, the skies were montarily calm.
Sunlight filtered through the slit in the curtains, casting a soft glow on the floor. Judging by the brightness, it was probably around six or seven in the morning.
Sosuke Kitahara rubbed his eyes and sat up in bed.
After last night's intense emotional release, sleep eventually overtook him. At so point, Utaha Kasumigaoka had slipped out of his arms. That was probably for the best. If either of the Yukinoshita sisters saw her walking out of his room, it would have been incredibly awkward.
Sosuke couldn't quite explain why it would be so awkward, but one thing he did know for sure despite the "battle" that lasted deep into the night, he didn't feel drained at all. On the contrary, his mind was clear, and his body was full of strength.
"Could Utaha's body be naturally suited for… dual cultivation?"
He chuckled at the ridiculous thought, shook his head, then glanced at the tightly closed cabin door. After a mont of hesitation, he decided to let the girls sleep a little longer.
Of course, part of that was selfish. Utaha's physique couldn't compare to his own. After what happened last night the pain, the tears, the bleeding she would need ti to rest and recover.
He thought he'd be the first one up, but as soon as he stepped out onto the deck, he spotted Haruno Yukinoshita already standing there.
Fully dressed, Haruno stood with her back to the sea breeze. Her hair danced in the cool morning wind as she turned and smiled. "Morning, Kitahara."
"Why not sleep a little longer?" Sosuke asked with a smile.
"I wish I could," Haruno replied with a sigh. "Once I open my eyes, it's hard to fall back asleep. My internal clock's been like this since I was a kid. Hard habit to break."
Sosuke stood beside her, subtly positioning himself to block the wind from her. These small, thoughtful gestures had a way of winning over girls' hearts.
"What about you, Kitahara? You sure you didn't need a little more rest?" Haruno asked playfully. "These yacht rooms… honestly, which idiot designed them with the headboards right against the wall?"
"…Ah."
Sosuke froze for a second. He had been mindful at first, but once things got… intense… he hadn't thought much about it. Now that Haruno had brought it up, he had no idea how to respond. So, he just gave an awkward chuckle and stayed silent.
Haruno snorted softly through her nose. She wasn't irritated for her own sake, but for her sister Yukino's. From the way Yukino looked at Sosuke, it was clear she had budding feelings for him. They weren't strong yet, but feelings like seedlings start small before they take root.
Maybe it was ti for a proper conversation with her little sister.
Haruno frowned slightly but decided to set the matter aside for now.
The sea was still shrouded in a thin mist. As the breeze blew, the fog began to lift, revealing the faint outline of a city in the distance.
That must be Chiba. Amid the skyline, one could faintly make out tallic cranes likely the container towers at the docks.
Located on the western coast of Chiba Prefecture, the Chiba Port faced Tokyo Bay to the west, directly across from Tokyo Harbor.
"The fog's clearing."
After a while, Sosuke broke the silence. "Haruno-senpai, your house is it in the city?"
"No, it's out in the suburbs," she replied, turning to head back. "Actually, it's not far from the coast. If we drive normally, we should be able to get there in about an hour."
"Then we'd better get moving. Let's cover as much distance as we can," Sosuke said, turning to follow her.
Haruno grabbed the railing and started toward the bridge. As she went, she added, "Chiba Port might not be in any better shape than Tokyo. As Japan's largest industrial port, it's probably even more chaotic. If the roads are blocked like the last docks we passed, we'll be forced to fight our way through zombies and the ones in construction helts are a real pain. The risk is high."
"Got a better idea?" Sosuke asked.
"Well, I'm thinking this: my goal is to get ho. How we land is up to us. We don't have to dock at the port. There's a rubber lifeboat on the yacht we could look for a more open, quieter landing spot and row ourselves ashore," Haruno explained.
Sosuke considered it, then nodded. "That makes sense. I'm not familiar with Chiba, so I'll follow your lead."
"Then it's settled," Haruno smiled, reaching to start the yacht's engine.
But just then, a loud roar echoed from above.
Startled, both of them rushed back to the deck.
Haruno's eyes widened. "A helicopter! Look over there! It's coming from Chiba City!"
Sosuke raised his binoculars. Sure enough, three camouflaged military helicopters were soaring through the sky. Judging from their size, they were likely transport-class as well.
People began to pour out of nearby boats as the roar of rotors intensified. So had still been asleep, but now the decks bustled with life.
Soone shouted, "The JSDF is launching a counterattack! We're going ho!"
Excitent swept across the sea. Cheers erupted from every direction. So even grabbed spray cans, scribbling words onto the deck in hopes the helicopters would notice.
On a nearby yacht, a guy stripped off his clothes and climbed to the rooftop, swinging his jacket wildly. Others joined in, waving shirts and jackets with desperate enthusiasm.
But the helicopters didn't approach.
Instead, they hovered at a distance, swaying slightly in place almost as if they were looking for sothing.
"What's going on out there?"
The commotion drew gumi and Yukino Yukinoshita from below deck. Both were dressed and rushed to the railing.
gumi's eyes darted away nervously, her face tinged pink. Sosuke gave her a small nod, then quickly turned his focus back to the sky.
"Let's get closer and check it out."
Sosuke glanced at Haruno, who nodded and started up the yacht again.
Other ships had the sa idea. Countless boats began moving toward the helicopters. For survivors drifting at sea for days, nothing sounded sweeter than the word "ho."
They'd all heard the sa broadcast telling citizens to stay inside as the JSDF began clearing Tokyo of the infected.
No one expected it to happen so soon.
Ships surged toward the helicopters. So even collided lightly during the rush, but it couldn't dampen anyone's spirits. People pulled out phones and caras, hoping to capture this historic mont.
"Head to the outer edge," Sosuke said, leaning into the bridge. "Those bigger ships are blocking our view."
Yukino quickly grabbed a pair of binoculars and scanned the sky, her voice suddenly sharp with alarm. "Wait! They're gaining altitude… the doors are opening… they're dropping sothing…"
Her voice turned pale.
"…They're going to blow up the bridge!"
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