Jobless Man’s Zombie Survival Life - Chapter 57: The Matter of Trust

Chapter 57: The Matter of Trust

“An unfamiliar ceiling… but I probably know it…”

When I open my eyes, it’s dim.

The sinking sunset filters through the curtains.

This must be a hospital room.

The moment I try to sit up, a dull pain shoots through my left shoulder.

It’s fixed with some kind of sling.

I remember botching the escape from the city hall and passing out.

Man… I thought I’d grab that tree branch all cool like in a movie.

Now that I think about it, no way I could grip a branch properly with my left arm useless! HAHAHA!!

…Self-loathing’s kicking in.

To think I made that big speech to Kanzaki-san and ended up like this…

※

“…I don’t have the face to show anyone…”

“Is that so.”

(。´・ω・) Huh?

There’s a beauty who looks a lot like Kanzaki-san at the room’s entrance…

Wow, to think there’s more than one stunner like that.

And she’s wearing an SDF uniform.

Yup!! That’s definitely her!!

“Umm… mnya mnya…”

“You seem pretty lively.”

I try to pull the covers over my head and fake sleep-talk to dodge this, but no dice.

It’s super awkward, but I guess I’ll just talk…

I lower the blanket, and there’s Kanzaki-san, sitting on a chair by the bed!!

So fast!! A ninja!!

She closed the distance in no time!?

I’m done for!!!!

“…Uh, how long was I out?”

“About four hours, I’d say.”

“…How’d I get here?”

“We brought you in.”

“…The treatment?”

“Our medical team handled it.”

“…”

“…”

The silence is scary.

The air is scary.

The pressure is scary.

But a man’s gotta fight sometimes, no matter what!!

“…Are you, uh, mad at me?”

“Yes, very.”

Kanzaki-san flashes a toothy smile.

Smiles are originally for intimidation… what’s that from again?

Yup, terrifying.

Here’s this beauty smiling right in my face, but instead of my cheeks heating up, my body temperature’s plummeting.

Weird, isn’t it almost rainy season…?

“Uh… um, in that situation, that was the best option, you know…”

“…”

“I wanted you to… help the evacuees…”

“…”

“And, well, I did survive, so…”

“…”

Kanzaki-san listens, head bowed, trembling slightly.

Oh, crap, I’m about to get punched.

“Uh… well… s-sorry…”

I’m out of things to say.

Cold sweat’s pouring out endlessly.

…Please don’t make it hurt too much…

“Why…”

Kanzaki-san’s voice comes out like a squeeze.

“Why won’t you rely on me more!!”

She shouts, grabbing my collar with both hands while I’m still in bed.

Owowowow!! My shoulder’s gonna pop out again!

I think about cracking a joke, but I stop when I see her face.

Not because I’m scared.

Because Kanzaki-san’s crying her eyes out.

“Always! Always!! You try to do everything alone, Tanakano-san… rushing off by yourself…!!”

“…”

“Why!? Am I that unreliable!?”

“…”

“When you jumped off that bridge… I was so worried, so worried…!!”

Clutching my collar, she presses her face into my chest.

She’s trying to say something, but all that comes out are sobs, no clear words.

What’s this?

Kanzaki-san, always strong, a bit mysterious.

Perfect in everything she does, but now she looks like an ordinary woman her age.

I move my uninjured right arm, forcing her head into a hug.

She flinches a bit, then relaxes, letting herself go.

I stroke her head and speak.

“…I’m the same way.”

“…Huh?”

“I’m worried about you, Kanzaki-san.”

“Me?”

“Well, about everyone I’m close to…”

“…!”

Wait, is that a murderous vibe I’m sensing…?

“I don’t want anyone close to me dying because of me.”

“…”

“So… if I mess up alone, I’m the only one who dies. That’s easier on me.”

Living alone, exploring alone.

Not staying at the shelter.

Sure, part of it’s because I like being alone…

But the bigger reason is probably that I don’t want to be responsible for others’ lives or deaths.

I’ve never put it into words before, but it feels right.

Take this time, for example: “Kanzaki-san dies trying to save me, and I survive.”

That’s the worst outcome for me.

“Sorry… I didn’t know you felt that way… but I do trust you, Kanzaki-san.”

“…Really?”

“With Miku-chan, the civic center, the construction company… even if I screw up and die, I knew you’d handle it.”

“…!”

“This time too. I wouldn’t trust just anyone with my back.”

At that, Kanzaki-san buries her face harder into my chest.

Kinda like Miku-chan.

But when a grown beauty does it, it’s dangerous in all sorts of ways, so please stop.

“…Then, promise me one thing.”

“Huh?”

It’s ticklish when she talks like this.

This is a very bad visual.

“This situation’s dangerous, so I won’t say don’t do risky things…”

“Uh-huh…”

“But when it’s just us, let me rush in with you.”

“…Uh, that’s…”

“If you refuse, I’ll choke you out with your collar until you sleep. I’ll keep doing it until you agree.”

That’s terrifying!

It’s basically no choice at all!!

“…Fine, fine, I get it.”

I sigh.

I lose, I lose, my loss.

I can’t beat a crying beauty… or a kid?

“…But if things get bad, I’m protecting you first, Kanzaki-san.”

“Then I’ll protect you first, Tanakano-san.”

“Haha…”

“Hehehe…”

Kanzaki-san finally looks up at me.

…Wow, even with her face a tear-streaked mess, she’s gorgeous…

“…I’ll let it slide this time.”

She smiles brightly.

Seeing that, I roughly wipe her tears with my finger.

“Jeez, crying so much… ruining a beauty… but nah, you’re still stunning. Beauties are something else, so strong.”

“Nyu… what’s that?”

She makes a weird sound as my hand brushes her cheek.

Oh, that’s cute.

Her cheeks are so soft, I wanna poke them.

This mood might let me get away with it…!

I give a poke.

“Muyu.”

Ooh, so squishy.

I’ll try it on Miku-chan later.

One more…

“I’ll bite it off.”

“SORRY!”

We lock eyes for a bit, then laugh again.

※

“Go, go! Tongue, Ichirouta… put the tongue in…!”

A shady voice from the room’s locker snaps me back to reality.

OI!! What the hell are you doing!?

“M-Misa-neesan, how long have you been there…?”

“…Meow, meow.”

“No use, I clearly heard your creepy voice.”

“Of course, since before Rin-chan came in. …Man, youth! Reminds me of my newlywed days~!”

Hearing that, Kanzaki-san’s face goes beet red, and she chokes my collar with ten times her usual strength.

Ack, my shirt’s strangling my airway…

Yup, second blackout of the day, coming right up.

In my fading consciousness, I think I hear, “Rin-chan! Rin-chan, calm down! Stay! House!! Help me!! Leave me alone!!!” but it’s probably my imagination.

※

“…A ceiling I know.”

When I wake next, it’s night.

Even with the blackouts, I slept well, so I feel great.

My left shoulder aches dully when I move, though.

…How long does a dislocation take to heal?

The time… past 3 a.m., according to the bedside digital clock.

Woke up at a weird hour…

I’m thinking of sleeping more when I sense something off.

Someone’s in the next bed.

…A ghost?

With zombies eating people everywhere, vengeful spirits seem likely.

I squint nervously and see… Kanzaki-san.

For some reason, there’s a liquor bottle and Misa-neesan curled up with a blanket on the floor.

…What’s this situation?

Did they have a drinking party with me as the snack?

Kanzaki-san’s facing me, breathing softly, sleeping soundly.

Like before, she looks so young like this.

I never expected her to cry.

She trusts me more than I thought.

I’d be lying if I said that didn’t make me happy.

I mean, not being hated by a beauty like her is… well… really nice.

“…If I were still in high school, I’d be in trouble. I’d have proposed on the spot, misunderstanding her feelings.”

Yeah, Kanzaki-san’s feelings are LIKE, not LOVE.

Obviously—she’s almost ten years younger than me.

How many times in my life have I nearly died thinking, “Oh, this girl likes me”?

Heh, that experience makes me an expert on this… wait, that’s super depressing.

I’m gonna cry.

Time to sleep… I’ll deal with today’s stuff when I wake up.

Still, she probably sees me as a comrade, at least.

“…Even asleep, she’s gorgeous. Does Kanzaki-san know how beautiful she is…? My heart’s racing so much, I might get an arrhythmia.”

I mutter, staring at her sleeping face, and close my eyes.

“Tomorrow’s gonna be an even better day, right, Taro…”

Good night.

Exhaustion pulls me under quickly…

・

・

・

“~~~~!! ~~~~~~!!”

“Mnya… what’s up, Rin-chan? Imitating a tuna getting reeled in?”