Shadow

Komuro Takashi and Miyamoto Rei searched for quite a while before finally finding a pair of handcuffs, a stun baton, and... an old-model compact revolver on a dead patrol officer!

Searching a dead person was indeed a little disgusting, but finding such unexpectedly useful equipment was truly something to celebrate.

Having a firearm would definitely increase their chances of escape, and even the few bullets they had could surely prove useful in ways they did not expect!

"Do you know how to use it?" Standing beneath a streetlamp, Miyamoto Rei was not particularly interested in those things... Even if her father was a police officer, that did not mean she knew how to shoot a handgun!

How could Komuro Takashi, who had grown up in an ordinary family during peaceful times, know how to use one? Though Japan had adopted Western ways across the board, it was nothing like Western countries where guns were everywhere!

He was not entirely sure. "I remember that other than when firing, you're not supposed to put your finger on the trigger."

He picked up the small revolver nervously, his movements exceptionally careful. Hirono Toda, standing behind him, saw this and could not help feeling his palms itch.

Having trained at Blackwater, he could handle most firearms with ease. He might have been a shut-in geek, but he was also a military geek!

Hirono Toda felt that if anyone in this group was the best at using a handgun, it was definitely him. But his naturally introverted personality made him too embarrassed to speak up.

After all, it was a weapon that could save their lives. If he had one, he would not hand it over easily either... even to friends, right? As for Miyamoto and Komuro... aren't they a couple? If someday Saya and I could also... Hehehe...

Seeing Hirono Toda beside her lost in fantasy with that lecherous look on his face, Takagi Saya stepped back several paces in disgust. The favorability she had just gained toward him had probably dropped by more than half in one go. If Hirono knew, he would definitely cry.

"What's wrong?" Miyamoto Rei, sensitive as she was, immediately noticed that something was off with Komuro Takashi.

"Nothing... It just feels pretty heavy." Komuro Takashi looked grave, and a little sweat had appeared on his forehead... Holding a real gun was even more thrilling to him than smashing in the heads of the dead with a baseball bat.

"Of course it is. This is the real thing." Miyamoto Rei had seen real guns plenty of times, so she seemed especially calm now. Yet she wanted to laugh a little at Komuro Takashi's reaction. Seeing him look so serious was really... kind of cute.

After fiddling with it for a while, he finally flipped open the revolver's cylinder. It was fully loaded, but Komuro Takashi still looked disappointed. "Only five rounds."

"Takashi, here." Hearing Miyamoto Rei's voice, he reflexively turned and held out his hand, catching what she placed in it... Four intact bullets. The traces of blood on them seemed to explain something...

He looked in surprise at Miyamoto Rei, who was holding a handkerchief and wiping the blood from her hands. Her expression was so calm, as though she were merely doing something trivial. "They're from the other patrol officer. The part where he held the gun was broken, but the bullets seemed fine."

"You're amazing..." Komuro Takashi looked at the unfamiliar Miyamoto Rei before him, unable to understand why she had become like this... Then he suddenly remembered Hisashi. Perhaps what happened that afternoon had dealt her too great a blow.

"My dad showed me his before. Besides, do you think I'd still be shocked just because I got a little blood on me?" After wiping the blood from her hands, she folded the handkerchief and put it into her skirt pocket, her face as still as a pool of stagnant water.

She tucked the other handgun into her waistband, then turned back to Komuro Takashi. "Let's go. There's nothing left worth staying here for."

Meanwhile, Takagi Saya and the others had already returned to the school bus. When they saw Kurumi smile faintly at them, they were still utterly dazzled despite having seen it many times. Yet the resentment in their hearts only grew, and they vented it all on Hirono Toda beside them...

The chubby geek wore an expression that was both pained and blissful, making Busujima Saeko's eyelids twitch beside Kurumi... She had never encountered anything called S&M.

She felt good when inflicting violence on others... that was the pleasure that came from conquest. But she truly could not imagine what was going on if someone could wear that expression while being abused...

Miyamoto Rei looked at the bloodstained baseball bat in her hand. "Are we keeping this? Should we throw it away?"

"Keep it. I've never practiced with a gun. I won't be able to hit anything."

"But having a gun should make you feel a little more secure, right?" Seeing Miyamoto Rei smile again, though there was a hint of teasing in it, Komuro Takashi made a thoroughly deflated expression. He ignored her and climbed directly onto the school bus.

The school bus engine started up again and headed toward the gas station. After what had just happened, Komuro Takashi and the others were somewhat disappointed, but they still accepted reality and became more mature at heart... Sure enough, it was safer to rely on themselves for everything.

At the place where they had stopped earlier, one of the dead emerged soundlessly from a roadside shop. It stood in the middle of the road, staring at the departing taillights as though pondering something...

The vehicle drove into the gas station. As expected, there was no one there. Everything was silent as far as the eye could see, except for tiny insects flitting around the lights overhead. There was not another living creature in sight.

"Will there still be any gas left here?"

"Every gas station keeps enough fuel in its storage tanks to fill thousands of cars. It'll be fine."

Just as Komuro Takashi was about to step forward, he saw the words written on the pump... "Cash."

"Tch!" He turned away in annoyance. "This gas station is self-service. If we don't insert a card or put in money, no gas will come out."

"Then put in money." Miyamoto Rei did not understand.

Komuro Takashi looked a little embarrassed and scratched the back of his head. "I bought juice at noon. I only have thirty yen on me now."

"Ugh~ You're so useless!"

Looking at the angry Miyamoto Rei, Komuro Takashi felt a nameless rage rise in his heart. He shouted at her, "Seriously, I can't compare to Hisashi at all, can I?!"

"When did I ever compare you to Hisashi?!"

"Didn't you say I was useless? That means there's someone better, right? Who else could it be but Hisashi!" His embarrassment and anger were written all over his face, making Miyamoto Rei want to punch him. "You really are... completely useless!"

Among the group behind them, the airheaded Shizuka Marikawa became anxious and hurriedly ran between the two of them to mediate... The bouncing in front of her nearly blinded Kurumi!

"D-Don't fight anymore! I have a gas card here, so take it and use it!" Her hands kept rummaging through the pockets of her clothes... As everyone's eyes focused on her, she grew more and more anxious, yet still could not find the card.

Suddenly, Shizuka Marikawa seemed to remember something. She struck her left palm with her right fist and said happily, "I remember now! The gas card and my wallet are both in my bag in the infirmary!"

Then, seeing everyone looking at her as though she were a helpless idiot, she flushed bright red and ran back again. Komuro Takashi looked at Kurumi and the others. "What about you? Did any of you bring money?"

They all shook their heads in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized. Komuro Takashi was left speechless. Then again, it made sense. They had all fled for their lives; who would have thought about something as extraneous as money?

With a sigh, Komuro Takashi decided to check the gas station shop. It would be best if he could find some money.

After discussing it, Kurumi and Komuro Takashi ultimately went inside together, leaving Miyamoto Rei and the others behind to guard the school bus.

With Busujima Saeko there, they were not afraid of anything unexpected happening... But he remembered that something had indeed happened at the gas station in the Original Work... What was it?

Unable to remember clearly, Kurumi shook her little twin-tailed head in frustration, lightly patted her fair cheeks, and stopped thinking about it. Together with Komuro Takashi, she carefully stepped into the pitch-black shop...

Outside the shop, Miyamoto Rei had separated from the group and stood alone beside the gas pump. Behind her... there seemed to be a tall shadow...