A residence? If it were just an ordinary residence, there were plenty of places here.
Yukino thought for a moment, then realized what kind of residence Haizaki needed.
"The Yukinoshita family villa would be suitable. It has an independent solar power system and emergency generators. If they aren't damaged, we could have electricity…"
In modern society, electricity was still the most important resource. With electricity, countless human devices could function.
"Too far."
Haizaki rejected the idea. How could he dare let Yukino go to her family villa? If that place didn't exist in this world, his lie would be exposed.
For now, Haizaki tried to avoid letting Yukino come into contact with anything related to her family—unless he could confirm its existence.
"Eh…"
Yukino froze, then realized that Haizaki knowing the location of "her" family villa in this world was normal.
"In this area, I don't really know of any suitable places to live."
As long as there was no electricity, residences weren't much different.
"Let's look around. Sunset is still eight or nine hours away. We have time."
The crystallization virus was everywhere in the air. Worrying about it was useless. For now, he could only avoid direct contact with crystallized statues, staying away from possible infection sources.
Aside from the virus, there were also wild animals roaming outside. This time it had been a bear. Next time it could be a tiger, lion, or chimpanzee.
Chiba Zoo had plenty of animals. Perhaps the entire city of Chiba had become an animal kingdom.
If a crocodile suddenly appeared, Haizaki wouldn't be surprised.
But for Haizaki, armed with a gun, even highly aggressive animals weren't much of a threat. Firearms ensured humans remained at the top of the food chain.
Seeing Yukino ask no further questions, Haizaki pulled out his notebook and began writing. He needed to think about whether his earlier words had any loopholes, and how to patch or avoid them.
Sitting opposite him, Yukino noticed his actions. Not wanting to disturb him, she stayed quiet.
Silence spread. For Yukino, the atmosphere felt heavy. She wasn't used to it, but had no choice. She couldn't find a suitable topic.
Five years later, in a world destroyed by the crystallization virus, the first person she met was a familiar classmate—her back-row seatmate, Haizaki.
Was it coincidence, or something else? She didn't know.
But the one thing Yukino was certain of was that, after accepting Haizaki's invitation, she would live together with him.
Living together? Probably.
Whether there was a way back to her own world, Yukino didn't know. She hoped so, but had no clues. If she knew how she had come here, she might find a way back. But now, with no knowledge at all, she could only focus on survival.
Ten minutes later, Haizaki glanced at his wristwatch. Time was about right.
He lifted his head, looking at Yukino opposite him.
But Yukino… She wasn't staring at him. She was lost in thought.
Haizaki gave a self-deprecating smile. He wasn't much to look at anyway. Yukino wasn't looking at him.
He wasn't handsome, nor a man of striking presence. And Yukino wasn't the type of girl swayed by appearances.
"Yukinoshita-san…" Haizaki spoke softly.
But the girl didn't respond. She seemed completely absorbed.
Could she really be spacing out this much? Haizaki couldn't help but wonder.
Focusing on her, Haizaki examined her clothing. A man's jacket and trousers—clearly clothes she had put on after arriving in this world, still covered in thick dust.
And underneath… Pajamas. Her own pajamas, most likely.
"What are you looking at…"
Her cold voice pierced Haizaki's ears.
He froze, then felt awkward. Being caught staring at a girl's chest—even he couldn't avoid embarrassment. If she misunderstood his intentions, that would be bad.
If she had already recovered, she should have spoken sooner, Haizaki thought helplessly.
"You."
His blunt answer surprised Yukino, and a faint blush crossed her face. But her expression remained cold, as if unaffected by his words.
"What's there to look at?" she replied calmly.
"Just seeing my old front-desk classmate again… it feels nostalgic."
Haizaki sighed, his tone softening. He was trying his best to play the role. Even if they had once been hostile, meeting again in a desolate world after three years brought more nostalgia than resentment.
"Is that so?"
Hearing Haizaki mention "her," Yukino couldn't suppress her curiosity. She asked, "Were you very familiar with her?"
The question left Haizaki unsure how best to answer.
"Not really. After all, we sat front and back. I knew her somewhat."
Seeing Yukino's concern about "her," Haizaki quickly came up with a reason.
"But don't worry. You're not her. Even if you look identical and your personalities are similar, you're not her. I won't confuse you."
No one wanted to be mistaken for someone else. At least Haizaki didn't. If he met a parallel version of himself, he would still see them as separate individuals.
"Mm."
She wasn't a substitute for the Yukino Haizaki had known, the one who had died. Her existence was acknowledged by Haizaki.
That should have been a good thing. But why did she feel a strange irritation inside? She didn't understand.
Haizaki couldn't see her inner turmoil just from her cold exterior. He continued, "Life ahead may be harsh. You may never again have the peace of the old world. I hope you're mentally prepared."
Haizaki had confidence in Yukino. Many women might struggle to face reality, but not her. Independent and strong, she would surely strive to prove her worth.
"I know. Don't worry."
Yukino's tone was firm. She would adapt to the environment and fight to survive.
Though she admitted to herself that her mindset hadn't fully shifted from peaceful society to apocalyptic survival, she would work hard to adjust quickly. She would try not to cause Haizaki unnecessary trouble.
"Mm. Mentality comes first. Only by adapting quickly to this apocalyptic environment can you survive better."
Haizaki paused for a moment, his tone heavy as he spoke: "Perhaps I'm overthinking, but I still have to explain this to you."
Hearing this, Yukino's expression grew serious.
"You might still have thoughts, believing you can return to the world in your memory. I understand that, but I hope such thoughts won't affect your daily life."
Haizaki couldn't tell Yukino that surviving 270 days would allow her to return. That would easily cause a series of problems. He could only make her firmly resolve to live, to endure until the end.
"Even if you want to go back, you need to live well. Stay alive until that day."
"Mm."
She didn't say much, only nodded in acceptance. As long as she could live, Yukino would not give up hope. Only by living could she possibly see her parents and sister again, and return to the world she longed for.
But as she met Haizaki's gaze, another thought surfaced. If she returned… then what about the Haizaki of this world?
Yet she quickly realized such a thought was meaningless. Even her own return was uncertain. She had no reason to worry about Haizaki.
"This bear attack shows this place isn't safe. For your safety, I'll give you a handgun. You can use it for self-defense."
Giving Yukino a weapon was inevitable. If she truly wanted to harm him, she could do so even without a gun. Handing her a gun was more about gaining her trust.
"I've never handled firearms."
A weapon meant for killing—something that had always felt distant—was now within reach.
"I'll teach you. You don't need precision. Just learn how to release the safety, hold the gun, and fire. That's enough."
Gunshots alone were enough to alert wild animals. At close range, pulling the trigger at them would suffice. Besides, he was there.
"Mm."
Seeing Haizaki explain, Yukino said nothing more. From the fact that he gave her a weapon for protection, she realized Haizaki seemed… to trust her. He wasn't worried she might harm him.
And another point—Haizaki had no ulterior motives toward her. If he did, he would never hand her a gun that could threaten his life.
He was… a good person, someone worthy of trust.
Yukino labeled Haizaki as a "good man." Meanwhile, Haizaki had no idea the girl opposite him had just handed him a "good person card."
"Let's go. We'll check the clothing stores nearby. You need proper clothes and shoes."
Her current shoes were clearly men's, the wrong size. No wonder she had tripped.
Luckily, she hadn't sprained anything. Otherwise, an injured girl would have been a burden.
"Thank you…"
The two went downstairs, standing on the desolate street. The cracked road was scattered with weeds. Billboards on both sides of the street were dim, stripped of their former brilliance.
The silent street had lost the prosperity of civilization, leaving only oppressive reality.
Compared to the "Solitary Apocalypse," where humanity had only just disappeared, the "Crystallization Mutation" world was closer to the true meaning of "apocalypse."
After less than ten minutes of walking, Haizaki finally saw a clothing store.
"A sportswear shop. Next to it is an underwear store. Go check them out…"
Haizaki pointed at the two shops not far away.
"I'll wait outside. Ten minutes."
"I understand. I'll be quick, don't worry."
She nodded politely, put on a mask, and entered the clothing store.
The rows of clothes didn't catch her attention. She searched and found unopened packages, checked the sizes, and picked out pants and jackets.
Considering the need for changes, Yukino chose two more sets.
After solving the outerwear issue, she went to the underwear store next door. She didn't care about style. She found unopened packages of underwear.
Compared to the heavy smell of dust, the industrial plastic scent of unopened clothes was easier to accept.
She entered the fitting room, took off her jacket and her pajamas.
When the jacket and pajamas fell to the floor, the fitting room held only the graceful figure of a young woman.
Yukino looked into the mirror. Despite the dust, the full-length mirror still reflected her beauty.
She had confidence in her appearance. Her experiences since childhood told her she had a cute face that attracted men. Otherwise, she wouldn't have often felt the burning, lustful gazes of men in daily life.
In this apocalyptic world, stripped of law and morality, Yukino had once considered the worst possibility about Haizaki. If he tried to do something to her, what would she do?
Endure silently, survive, and hope to one day return to the comforting world with her family? Or choose death?
She had been confused, even fearful. But when Haizaki told her he would give her a gun, instead of reassurance, she felt guilt.
Guilt toward Haizaki.
He had no malice or desire toward her. He was thinking of her safety and future. Yet she had doubted whether he might harm her.
"I'm sorry…"
Yukino knew she couldn't admit such dark thoughts to Haizaki. Even if she did, his answer would likely be something simple like, "I understand. I don't mind."
But she still wanted to apologize. Perhaps it would ease her guilt.
Shaking her head, Yukino stopped thinking and focused on dressing. She tore open the underwear packaging and put them on.
But then, something unexpected happened.
"Yukinoshita-san, something's happening. Hurry out…"
Haizaki's urgent shout reached her.
Halfway through changing, Yukino froze. Then, realizing something, she ignored whether her clothes were properly worn, shoved her feet into shoes, grabbed her clothes, and ran to Haizaki.
Hearing footsteps from the shop, Haizaki glanced sideways. He saw Yukino hadn't finished dressing, her pale skin exposed.
Haizaki only glanced once before turning his focus to the end of the street. That was where the real threat lay.
The sound… chaotic.
Fast, urgent sprinting. Heavy. It must be…
In that instant, Haizaki realized whoever it was had terrible luck. They had run into it again.
…