The house was big and had many rooms. I could smell the scent of floral and citrus, which probably came from the candles and scented oils.
There were also a lot of pictures hanging on the wall, most of which were of Rika and Shizuka. It seemed like they had a lot of good memories together.
We sat down on the couch, and Rika joined us.
"So, what do you want to know about guns, kid?" She asked, taking off her sunglasses. Her brown eyes looked straight at me with a judging gaze.
As expected of a sniper, her gaze was sharp, but it didn't faze me at all. After all, I had experienced much more intense gazes from Saeko when she was angry.
"Well, first of all, I just want to know more about guns in general and how to handle them. If possible, I would like to get a license too." I explained.
"Hmmm, interesting. What is your reason for wanting a license?" She asked, leaning forward. Her eyes were twinkling in excitement. She loved talking about guns, I was sure.
I chuckled and answered, "I'm not sure. I think I just like the idea of having more experience to protect myself in case of an emergency. Who knows if a zombie apocalypse will happen? Being prepared is important, you know."
Rika nodded her head, understanding what I meant. She then said, "I like that answer. I will teach you the basics, so pay attention."
"Thank you very much, miss."
And so, we started a lecture. Rika taught me how to operate guns and boring stuff I already knew. Then, she taught me about her favorite rifle and the difference between the ones in Japan and overseas.
I already knew most of them, so I joined the conversation in excitement. I shared my knowledge with her, making her eyes twinkle like a kid in a candy shop.
"Wow, your knowledge about firearms is very vast, Daiki. I didn't expect you to be this knowledgeable about rifles and handguns.." Rika complimented me with sparkling eyes.
"Indeed. I'm surprised too." Shizuka said, smiling.
It seemed like I went too far. As an avid gun lover in my past life, talking with Miss Rika seemed to excite me to the point of revealing too many things.
'Let's change the topic. I don't want to get any suspicion.'
So I smiled sheepishly and said, "I read a lot about guns, so I guess it stuck with me. By the way, where do you usually practice your shooting, Miss Rika?"
"Some ranges." She said, "In fact, I will hit the range tomorrow. You see, I always go on weekends to keep my skills sharp. If you want, I can bring you with me."
"Sure. Can I?" I asked, smiling. "I would like to try shooting a gun someday."
"Of course." She laughed and turned to Shizuka, "Hey, Shizuka. The kid you bring is interesting. I didn't expect to meet someone who has such an interest in firearms. I'm glad to have him here."
"Really? That's great! I'm happy that I introduced him to you." She smiled at Rika and patted my head, "You did well, Daiki. I'm proud of you."
Following that, we talked for a bit more until the sun started to set. I checked my watch and saw it was time for me to leave. I needed to go home soon or Saeko would be mad.
So, I stood up and said, "Well, I think it's time for me to go now. Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Rika. See you tomorrow."
"Sure." She nodded her head, "I will pick you up tomorrow. Let's exchange phone numbers."
"Yes, thank you very much." I replied.
After exchanging phone numbers with her, I left her house and returned home alone. Miss Rika didn't want Shizuka to leave just yet, so she asked her to stay.
When I arrived home, I found Saeko in the garden, practicing her swordsmanship. She was wearing her gi and hakama, and her face was full of sweat.
"Sorry, I'm late. I was at my friend's house."
Saeko turned to me and sighed. Her face was red and her chest was heaving up and down. Sweat was dripping from her forehead, and her eyes were tired.
"Really? You must have a good reason to skip training." She said, her voice low.
"I do have a good reason." I replied, smiling. "I will tell you after our training session. Can we start?"
She nodded and grabbed her shinai. I followed suit, and we began our practice.
After doing it for a while, I had gotten used to her style and movements. I was able to land a few hits on her, which was a great improvement. But...
I got hit by her again, making my stomach ache. She was still better than me.
'Damn, I need to train more.'
In the end, I only managed to win once in our three rounds spar.
"You've improved a lot." She complimented me while breathing heavily.
"Thanks, sis. You too." I replied, giving her a thumbs-up.
Having been able to fight Saeko on almost even ground, I was confident I would survive against the zombie.
After showering and changing our clothes, Saeko slept almost immediately while I looked at the calendar. I had no chance to explain stuff to her.
If my guess was right, then the zombie apocalypse should happen soon.
And I was surprised by how soon that was.
Rika: Sorry, but I can't hit the range today because I have a sudden call from my higher-up. Be a good boy and read this for now, okay?
Early in the morning, I got a message from Miss Rika and frowned. A sudden call from her higher-up, which meant she would be away from the city.
A curse escaped my lips at the realization that the time had arrived.
Miyamoto Rei had dated Hisashi and Rika went away because of duty. Connecting both dots together, it was clear that the zombie apocalypse would start in two days, on Monday morning.
'...Crap, crap, crap!'
Breathe! I had to calm down!
Should I tell Saeko about this?
No, she would think I was crazy. And even if I told her, what would I say? I had no evidence, no proof that a zombie outbreak would happen. I could only trust my memories.
Just like always, when I was confused and it was time to make a choice, the system appeared.
The reward was small, and the choice was ridiculous. I didn't know if I should laugh or cry. Only the third and the most dangerous choice had the best reward.
And I had no choice but to pick it.
'There are too many characters I need to gather to survive in the apocalypse. A doctor, a sharpshooter, and the others.'
I needed a team to survive. And I had to eliminate some people that could become trouble in the future in the middle of confusion. So I had to head to school anyway.
As for telling Saeko… I could do that without the reward. Which means I can only do that after the third choice reward was given to me.
‘But that doesn’t mean I can’t hint to her about anything. She’s smart, so she will notice it.’
With that in mind, I headed to the bathroom to wash my face, and then made breakfast. Today was Saturday, so we didn't have school. We could train in the dojo all day if we wanted.
"Good morning, brother."
Saeko stirred awake and greeted me, her hair disheveled and her eyes half-closed.
"Good morning, sis." I replied, smiling. "Breakfast is ready."
"Mm, I'll wash my face first."
She went to the bathroom to wash her face, and when she came back, we ate together. According to our routine, we would train after this.
However, I had a different plan.
"Hey, Saeko, how about we go to the mall today?" I suggested.
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