“What’s wrong?”
“Well, it’s just that…”
Derek kept fidgeting and hesitating, so Jeremy helpfully stepped in from the sidelines.
“Hahah. That boy’s been wound tighter than a fiddle string since you vanished. Soon as we got here, he was dead set on runnin’ back after you. Took near all I had to talk him down.”
“Really?”
Derek gave a small nod.
I hadn’t meant to vanish so dramatically, but seeing his worried little face still made me feel kind of guilty.
“Thanks. I’m okay.”
“I’m so glad.”
His voice came out soft and emotional.
I reached out and gently ruffled his curly brown hair with two fingers.
“Well, I reckon none of us’ll be sleepin’ much tonight,” Jeremy said. “What say we sit a spell and jaw for a bit?”
“Sure!” Bliss exclaimed. “I’ll go make something for us to drink.”
“Much obliged, lass.”
So Jeremy’s comment turned into an impromptu living room gathering.
Bliss brought out warm tea for everyone. I nibbled on a bit of jerky—more like dessert than dinner, but I made do.
At first, we all just sipped in silence, too tired to chat.
But once our bodies relaxed a bit, the conversation started to flow.
Most of it was about today’s battle. Apparently, Yoan and I weren’t the only ones with a brush or three with death.
“That boy’s shootin’ was downright amazin’,” Jeremy said, full of marvel. “Didn’t miss a single one. Quick as a whip, too.”
“It’s only because you made me such a light, good bow, sir.”
“Hah! You sure know how to butter a fella up, you little rascal! And that Kira boy… Whew, didn’t expect his gizmos to pack such a wallop!”
“You appreciate the true value of my work! Weren’t they beautiful fireworks?”
“Beautiful, huh? Eh, I dunno ’bout all that. But one tiny boom blew a whole mess of ’em sky-high.”
“Ehehe, next time I’ll make something even more spectacular! I’ll show you what real art looks like!”
Kira’s eyes gleamed with that subtle brand of madness he carried around, though he suddenly looked embarrassed.
“Actually, I never thought I’d be much help. Back in the village, everyone just treated me like a weirdo.”
“Why?”
“Just... ever since I was little, my interests were a bit different. When I got obsessed with something, I’d focus on it completely. All by myself. We never really clicked, so I just kind of... drifted away.”
Kira’s expression turned quiet and a little lonely.
I hadn’t known much about him—he barely showed up in the original story—but it sounded like he’d had a rough time of it.
“I mean, who’s going to welcome someone who holes up in his house making bombs all creepy-like? I’d probably hate me too.”
“How’d you start… bombs?”
“You mean how I started making them?”
“Mhm.”
“When I was little, I saw fireworks at a festival with my parents. They were so pretty.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep. Watching them made me dream of creating beautiful fireworks with my own hands.”
I had no idea how somebody goes from festival fireworks to tactical explosives, but hey—if he’d found his calling, good for him.
His skills had totally saved the day. We were going to need him going forward.
“Kira helps.”
“R-really?”
“Obviously. You’re skilled. Need you.”
“Sasha’s right, y’know,” Jeremy chipped in. “Leave the past where it belongs. What matters is the here and now.”
“Yeah.”
“Thank you so much for saying that…”
With Jeremy backing me up, Kira looked genuinely moved.
Just then, the firmly shut door creaked open and in walked two familiar figures.
Yoan chuckled when he spotted the huddle of us still in the living room.
“What’s this? Nobody sleeping?”
“Hard night to drift off easy,” Jeremy replied, rubbing his scratchy chin.
“True enough. But you should all try to get some rest anyway. Tomorrow’s waiting.”
“Reckon it’s time we turned in, then. Oof… Y’all sleep tight now, we’ll see each other come mornin’.”
Jeremy was the first to get up, waving lazily as he disappeared into his room. Kira bowed politely and followed him out.
Rob, who’d been standing behind Yoan with his arms crossed, gestured to Derek.
“Good night, sis. See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Sleep well.”
I could feel his reluctance as he trailed after Rob.
Bliss left too, which left just me and Yoan.
I pointed at my neck as a silent question. Yoan shook his head solemnly.
“H-hurts?”
“Well, you were so intense, if you—”
“Stop!”
“Why won’t you let me finish?”
“Talking nonsense.”
As if I were about to put up with his silly antics…
I gave him a withering look while he snickered like it was the funniest thing he’d heard all day.
I stood up with a huff.
“Rest well now.”
“Yeah. You too,” he replied. “See you tomorrow.”
We exchanged our goodnights and went to our separate rooms.
Mine smelled faintly musty, like it had belonged to a child.
The bed was just a bit too small for an adult, and the decorations were all cutesy and sweet. A rabbit plushie sat forgotten on the shelf.
I picked it up, gave it a quick dusting, and hugged it to my chest as I sat on the bed.
I wondered if the kid who used to live here made it out safely.
I really, really hoped so.
Quiet moments like this always had a way of stirring up the emotions I’d pushed aside during the chaos.
The room felt stuffy all of a sudden, so I decided to step out for some air.
I slipped out of the house with the rabbit plushie still in my arms and spotted a figure sitting on the tree swing in the garden.
Yoan.
As I crossed the dew-damp grass, he opened his eyes like he’d sensed me coming.
“No sleep?”
Instead of answering, he patted the empty space beside him.
I sat down, and he—who’d been still the whole time—gave the swing a gentle push with his feet.
The wooden swing, clearly built with care for someone very loved, swayed back and forth in the moonlight.
“Long day. The journey ahead’ll probably be even longer. And more dangerous.”
His voice held a strange mix of weariness and resolve. I’d always seen him as unshakable, always calm no matter what.
But now...
I hugged the rabbit plushie tighter.
I wanted to say something comforting, but I was never great with words, and I still couldn’t get the words out quite right. So I hesitated.
Yoan didn’t say anything else either.
The swing creaked softly as we swayed under the night sky. The stars sparkled above like distant lanterns, their quiet light offering something like hope.
“It’s all gonna… be okay.”
After a long silence, that was all I managed to say. It was for him—but it was for me, too.
I leaned my head gently against his shoulder and repeated the words again, like a prayer.
“All gonna… be okay.”
Yoan, who’d been silent all this time, finally echoed me in a calm voice.
“Right. It’s going to be okay.”
***
Rob came out stretching and yawning.
“You’re up early, Sasha. Sleep well?”
He rarely greeted me in the morning, so it was pretty surprising.
I’d told him at least five times that I didn’t sleep, but clearly he’d forgotten again.
The others started trickling into the living room after that.
Everyone looked tired, but their faces seemed a little brighter today.
“Good morning, sis.”
“Mhm. Sleep well?”
“No way. That old guy snored like a dying bear all night. I tossed and turned forever. I want a room change.”
Derek launched into his complaints like he’d been saving them just for this moment.
“Little brat’s awfully sensitive.”
“And you’re blissfully oblivious, aren’t you?”
“Ugh, this kid’s attitude is exactly like the lord’s when he was little—oh! My lord, good morning.”
“Good? I’m dead tired.”
“Huh? You didn’t sleep well? That bed was super comfy.”
Rob tilted his head, clearly baffled.
Yoan ignored him and got down to business.
We’d taken out a good number of zombies in the area yesterday.
When we’d gone looking for Jeremy and Kira, we’d also left instructions for the scattered survivors.
If everything kept going smoothly, it was only a matter of time before we cleared a safe path.
“The situation should be better than yesterday, but nobody gets careless until we reach the second base.”
“Yes, my lord!”
“All right then, let’s move out.”
We left the temporary shelter where we’d spent the night and set off again.
The rabbit plushie ears poking out of my small bag bounced cheerfully with each step.