Jobless Man’s Zombie Survival Life - Chapter 87: The Psycho Stepfather

Chapter 87: The Psycho Stepfather

“So, you’re searching for missing people…”

Takanotsume Kaori-san hands me a steaming cup of tea.

We’re in the reception room of the Takanotsume residence, where she invited us.

…What a grand house.

Not gaudy nouveau riche vibes, but calm and refined.

The furnishings, subtly placed, scream high-end.

The sofa’s plush as hell.

…Kinda makes me restless.

“Right, that’s the deal… Thanks for the tea.”

I take a sip.

…Holy crap, this is good.

What is this?

No clue, but it’s miles above the instant barley tea packs I usually drink.

Not that those aren’t tasty, but still.

“This is amazing! Never had tea like this before!”

“Yeah, real good stuff. Reminds me of your dad, Kaori-chan. He used to brew this for me…”

“I’m glad you like it. It’s been a while since I’ve talked to anyone like this… Oh, it’s well water, so drink as much as you want, okay?”

Kaori-san presses her cheeks, smiling shyly.

She’s got this gentle, airy vibe.

…Between that bow earlier and her poise now, she’s like a true Yamato Nadeshiko.

…Wait.

Does that make Misa-neesan, with her naginata, one too…?

…Let’s not go there.

Well water, huh.

Wells are king in this mess.

Mountain springs, like at Occhan’s place, are solid too.

We’re pretty blessed with water…

“So, back to the topic…”

After savoring the tea, I dive in.

Why I’m here.

The request from her stepfather.

I explain, pointing to the file’s relevant section.

That’s half the job done.

The rest is up to her…

※

“I’m not going to Yurei. I don’t want to see that man.”

Kaori-san’s tone shifts, cold as ice, spitting the words out.

…That man, huh.

Sounds like there’s a story.

“Got it. I’ll pass that to the client through the police.”

She looks at me, surprised.

Huh? Why?

“Um… Is that okay?”

“Of course. Meeting him or not is your choice. My job’s just to find you.”

Ooki-kun’s case taught me that.

It’s all about respecting the person’s free will.

“…That’s a relief. I thought you’d try to force me to meet him…”

“No way, that’s too much hassle. This search is just to keep the heat off me anyway…”

I give a wry smile, laying it bare to put her at ease.

If she’s not going to Yurei, it’s safe to say.

“The shelter’s that tense…?”

Kaori-san stiffens, looking scared.

Oh, crap, didn’t mean to spook her…

“Nah, nah, it’s not like that. See, this Bouzu wasn’t doing this kinda work at first.”

Occhan cuts in, chuckling.

“He saved my grandkid while out scouting, then tracked down my daughter and her husband ‘cause he knew ‘em.”

“Wow, that’s impressive, Tanakano-san…!”

“Bouzu planned to stop there, but folks got jealous of his results…”

…He just said everything I was gonna say.

“I was just helping friends, but after that, people started asking me to search for others. Kept turning ‘em down, and the vibe got kinda sour.”

I give a sheepish grin, playing it off.

Kaori-san giggles.

“Fufu… You’re kind of a bad guy, Tanakano-san.”

“These scars suit me, don’t they?”

The mood blooms like a flower.

Yup, a smile’s the best thing on a person.

“Back then, my grandkid and daughter were still at Yurei, so I didn’t want any trouble. That’s why he started this gig… Right, Bouzu?”

Occhan knows me too well.

Probably got it from Misa-neesan.

Hope she didn’t exaggerate…

“Yeah, yeah, so this is kinda a front. If you want, we can just say we didn’t find you.”

No regular person’s trekking out here without a car, so no one’ll question my report.

If this mess ever calms down, maybe we can say, “Oh, she was out~” and cover for her.

“By the way, Kaori-chan, I’m with Bouzu—you don’t have to meet him. But… what’s the deal with your stepdad?”

Occhan dives in.

Whoa, going there?

I was fine letting it slide…

“Um, well…”

“Nah, you don’t have to talk if you don’t want. You’re Daisuke’s little girl, so if that stepdad jerk did something…”

Occhan grips his bokken’s hilt, creaking.

A flash of killing intent gives me goosebumps.

Scary!

…Daisuke’s her late dad, huh.

Occhan must’ve really cared for him.

“…Yeah, maybe I do want to talk.”

Clasping her hands on her lap, Kaori-san starts, bit by bit.

“To him, it’s probably no big deal…”

※

“…What a bastard! I’ll kill him!”

Occhan’s terrifying.

Not yelling makes it scarier.

Is that killing intent physically pressing down?

“Occhan, easy, easy. Calm down.”

“What, Bouzu? You heard that and you’re not pissed?”

“Oh, I’m pissed enough to march to Yurei and crack his skull open!!”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“It’s not okay! We’re in her house! If we’re gonna rage, let’s do it outside! Wanna go beat him up now!?”

“Sounds fun… Let’s do it.”

“Um, please, both of you, calm down! I’m okay now…”

Tearful Kaori-san frantically tries to soothe us.

Her story about her stepfather?

It was enough to make me and Occhan see red.

※

When her mom remarried, Kaori-san was in college, far away.

She didn’t object—her mom’s choice, after all.

But she refused adoption to keep her late dad’s surname.

The marriage was between her mom and the guy, and her mom was fine with it.

Her stepfather, though? Not so much.

Two years ago, Kaori-san, fresh out of college and working at a foreign company, came home for a rare break.

Busy every day, it was her first decent vacation in her second year.

But the moment she got home, she noticed something wrong.

Her late father’s belongings were gone.

His portrait and altar were still there, but his clothes, kyudo gear, watch, and valuables? Vanished.

Her room’s keepsakes—her dad’s old bow, the hakama he bought her, photos from her tournament wins—gone.

All carefully stored, yet nowhere to be found.

She asked her mom, who said the stepfather had stored them in a warehouse.

“Seeing your ex’s things is hard,” he’d claimed.

He even lied, saying he’d gotten permission for her stuff.

They confronted him, demanding the warehouse location, but he dodged.

After she begged repeatedly, he finally gave in and said:

“I threw it all out.”

Stunned, she got another line:

“We’re family now, so you don’t need that stuff. I’m your dad now, right?”

He said it with a smile, like it was nothing.

It was terrifying, infuriating, and she told her mom.

Her mom protested—he’d thrown out her ex’s things—but he just repeated himself.

“You’re my wife now, so you need to forget him.”

No matter her protests, he wouldn’t budge.

After several talks, her mom decided on divorce.

She kicked him out to his parents’ place, and mediation started, but he stalled endlessly.

No cheating, no gambling, no financial abuse—just a “perfect” guy otherwise.

On the belongings, his silver tongue swayed the mediators.

Exhausted by the drawn-out talks, they were about to lawyer up for court when the zombie outbreak hit, right as Kaori-san returned home after her company went bust.

That’s her story.

※

“That’s infuriating! What a stepfather! Take a page from Gojirou-san’s book, you small-minded scum!!”

“Right? I’ll stand in for Daisuke and…”

“It’s okay! I’m okay now!”

Kaori-san’s desperate.

We’re kinda desperate too.

After raging, Occhan and I chug the still-hot tea and sigh.

Still fuming, I get Kaori-san’s okay to smoke in the yard, finally calming down.

Occhan tags along, even though he doesn’t smoke.

Guess he needed to cool off.

“…Sorry for the trouble…”

“Sorry, Kaori-chan…”

We bow deeply and sit back on the sofa.

Embarrassing—two grown men throwing a tantrum…

I wanna crawl into a hole…

“It’s okay… Honestly, I’m glad you got mad.”

Kaori-san smiles sadly.

“His ‘I didn’t do anything wrong’ attitude was so hateful… He said it so casually, I started thinking maybe I was the weird one…”

…What a guy.

I wouldn’t put him at the top or bottom of manhood’s ladder!

“That’s not true, Kaori-chan. You’re not wrong—not at all.”

Occhan’s gentle words make her eyes glisten.

What a cruel thing to do to a daughter mourning her dad.

Dammit! If that jerk wasn’t at Yurei…!

If he was out in some city, I could sneak up from behind…

“Bouzu, I’m with you, but it’s all over your face.”

Crap, my bad.

Time to execute that mask plan…?

“Anyway, Kaori-san, I get your feelings. So, what should I tell that scum… er, client? We could just ignore him…”

If he knows she’s alive, it could get messy.

“Hey, your tact’s slipping, Bouzu.”

“Tact’s too much effort!”

As I bicker with Occhan, Kaori-san gives a small smile.

“Tell him exactly that. I’m not his daughter—not legally, not by blood. My father’s been, and always will be, one man.”

…What a strong woman.

Got a steel core, that’s for sure.

“…Got it. I’ll pass that to the police, along with everything else.”

I won’t show that scum anything, but for the police, I’ll take Kaori-san’s photo as proof.

And a video message saying she “absolutely won’t meet him.”

Miyata-san’ll get it.

“By the way, Kaori-chan, you eating okay?”

Occhan asks, worried.

Her cheeks are sunken.

Well water’s fine, but…

“Um… No, my emergency food ran out a week ago. There are zombies out there, so I didn’t know what to do…”

Knew it—she hasn’t eaten in a week.

Damn, my backpack’s got emergency crackers… Oh!

“Here, take these. Got plenty.”

Forgot about the chocolate bars stuffed in my vest.

Still good, should be fine.

“Eh… Is that okay!?”

“Totally. Here, here!”

I stack six in front of her.

Got tons more.

Fishing vests are the best—pockets galore!

“S-Sorry, then…”

Hesitantly, Kaori-san grabs one, tears up, and starts scarfing it down.

Hunger’s the worst.

Good thing we came today.

Occhan’s got a solemn look.

“…Kaori-chan, come to my place.”

After she finishes, Occhan speaks.

Knew he’d say that.

He’s got a big heart.

“Eh… That’s too much, Ojichan.”

“No, it’s fine. Daisuke’s daughter’s like family.”

“Um, well…”

“Staying here’ll just wear you down. Plus, my wife’ll kill me if I don’t bring you.”

Obachan knows her too, huh? Makes sense.

“I could point you to other shelters, but Occhan’s place is big and lively.”

“Bouzu’s right. No need to hold back.”

If Occhan’s cool with it, I won’t meddle.

Convinced, Kaori-san decides to move.

She packs essentials—clothes and her bow and arrows.

Those are her old keepsakes, safe from the jerk stepdad.

In this mess, weapons are key, and her long-range skills are gold.

We escort Kaori-san, out for the first time since the outbreak.

No zombies here anymore, but better safe than sorry.

Hoping for a smooth trip back to the truck… but, of course, zombies are near it.

Why?

The ones we scared off earlier?

Kaori-san, seeing zombies up close for the first time, goes pale.

We calm her down and head over.

Two of ‘em.

We move quietly, then strike fast.

“Hff!!”

“Tch!!”

I crack one’s skull; Occhan stabs one’s neck.

Nice—they were facing away, so it was easy.

We’re good to go.

Occhan drives; I sit in the truck bed.

Kaori-san’d probably feel awkward cooped up with a guy she just met.

I glance over—she’s chatting happily.

…Man, I wanna see Sakura and the gang.

※

“Ojii-chan! Oji-san! Welcome back!”

“Hyann! Hyann!!”

Back at the Nakamura house, Miku-chan and Sakura come flying out.

Oh, she’s using the leash I gave her.

“Hey, Miku-chan! Sakura!!”

“Ehh!?”

Miku-chan’s startled as I hop off the truck bed, but Sakura rockets toward me like a missile.

“There, there, good girl~ Did the big sisters spoil you? Were you good—abababababa!”

I scoop her up, pet her head, and she licks my face like crazy.

Missed me, huh?

“I’m back, Miku. Brought a guest.”

“Hello…”

Occhan and Kaori-san step out.

Kaori-san’s sneaking glances my way.

…Ha, bet she’s a dog lover.

Hope I’m not wrong.

“Welcome back, Ojii-chan! …Hello, Onee-san! I’m Sakurai Miku!”

“Hello… I’m Takanotsume Kaori. Um, from now on…”

“C’mon, everyone inside. Let’s talk properly.”

And so we do.

With Sakura’s tail spinning like a propeller, I tuck her under my arm and head in.

※

“…What a horrible man! Poor Kaori-chan… You’re okay now, alright? Stay here as long as you need…”

“Obachan… Th-Thank you…! Sob…”

“It’s okay, it was tough… Daisuke-kun’s daughter’s like my own grandkid…”

Obachan, teary, hugs Kaori-san, who’s sobbing into her chest.

They’ve finished explaining the situation.

Knew Obachan wouldn’t say no—glad it worked out.

The story’s too heavy for kids, so I was out in the yard with Miku-chan and Sakura, playing ball.

Sakura loves balls but goes wild for tug-of-war ropes.

Played a ton—her jaw’s so strong, she might grow into a real bear dog.

Miku-chan adores Sakura, and Sakura loves her back. So heartwarming.

Gotta bring her here regularly. Yup, that’s the plan.

Everyone else heard the story and is quietly furious.

Yukiko-chan and Hina-chan are bawling.

Atsushi-san and Misa-neesan, especially, seem to see Miku-chan in Kaori-san’s story… Their anger’s palpable.

…Is the space around Atsushi-san warping a bit??

Miku-chan and Sakura are kinda spooked.

“Hey, Bouzu, I’m going to Yurei.”

Occhan’s tone is casual, but his killing intent’s unreal.

He’s raring to go.

If I don’t stop him, he might bash that jerk on the spot.

…Can I even stop him?

“What a… what a vile person, Tanakano-san.”

Kanzaki-san’s eyes are sharp as hell. Scary.

She’s pissed too.

Well, so am I.

Guess it’s time to head to Yurei with Occhan.

That damn jerk… What’s the plan?