[PoruShark Writer's Note: Just a reminder, at this point in the story, Rika's partner, Tajima, was still alive, and the missile that caused the EMP explosion hasn't been fired yet. That's all—enjoy reading.]
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Atop the main building of the Off-shore Airport, Rika and Tajima continue with their duty of monitoring the movement of the undead lurking around the airport grounds.
"Aren't you feeling cold like that?" Tajima said, taking his eyes off his binoculars to look at Rika sitting beside him.
It wasn't the cold spring breeze of the night that made him ask, but Rika's attire, which he could clearly see with their surroundings illuminated by a small electric lantern.
"What? You don't like the view?" Rika murmured, keeping her cigar between her lips.
With Rika's jacket unzipped, hanging down over her elbows, exposing her tanned skin, tempting neck, shoulders, cleavage, and her white camisole bra over her ample breasts, there's no way Tajima wouldn't enjoy the view as he switched from looking at the undead to Rika, then back and forth.
And there's no way he wouldn't want more.
"What I mean is, I could give you a hug or more if you're feeling cold," he said, partly teasing but more serious about what he meant.
"Maybe some other time," Rika replied, shutting down Tajima's attempt without even looking at him, unknowingly hurting Tajima's feelings as he shifted his gaze back to the undead.
It wasn't because she wasn't interested or not in the mood for his jokes, but because her desire and mind were currently being overwhelmed by her worries.
"She won't pick up no matter how many times I call."
She had been calling Shizuka's phone since morning from time to time. Even now, she kept trying again and again, refusing to accept what she feared.
"I don't think someone as spacey as her has much of a chance, but still..."
As she was about to give up, stopping her finger from pressing the dial button, an unknown number appeared on her phone screen.
Curious as she was, Rika answered the call.
"Hello?"
[Ahhh, Rikaaa? You're alive! Me too, but we've been through an awful lot.]
"Where are you now?! My place?!"
The cigar slipped from her lips as she exclaimed in excitement. Still, she managed to catch it with her left hand and heave a heavy sigh of relief upon hearing Shizuka's voice before putting the cigar back between her lips.
[We're here, we're here. Oh, Nach said that we're gonna borrow some of your weapons and things if that's alright.]
"That's fine. Are you with someone? How many are you there?"
Shizuka told Rika everything that happened so far—though in a bit of a summary—how Nach saved her from the undead at the nurse's office, that she forgot to tell Nach to get her phone when he came down to the faculty office with Kyoko, and heard them getting intimate that night at the school;
That Nach lured the undead so the remaining teachers and students could board the buses and escape toward the Takagi estate, how she feels guilty for not stopping the bus and opening the door for Nach, and how Naxh had been taking good care of the students and of her—which included the fondling, groping, embraces, and kisses, of course.
Rika just silently listened to Shizuka, waiting for the opportunity to ask who the fuc' was the pervert named Nach was, until—Beep!—Shizuka's phone alarmed that it was running out of battery.
"Listen to me, Shizuka!" Rika shouted in panic, knowing the call would be cut any moment and assuming she wouldn't be able to call her again.
"Try to call me again when you arrive at the Takagi estate! I'll find a way to get to you as soon as I can!"
[Mhm! I'll wait for you, Rika. Ah, right. Nach told me to say something to you.]
"To me?" Rika said, wondering what a total stranger would want to say to her.
Is it about the guns and supplies? The Humvee? Don't tell me that pervert wants to ask if he could be Shizuka's lover? Rika thought. But to her surprise, what Shizuka said was something unexpected.
[He said that you should always look after your partner—Beep!]
"Tajima?" Rika murmured as the call was cut off.
"Me?" Tajima said, admitting he had been eavesdropping on the conversation.
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Going back to Shizuka's side…
While Nach was in the middle of trash-talking Hisashi, still pretending to look at the bridge with the binoculars, Shizuka approached him from behind and tugged at his clothes to get his attention.
"Were you able to contact your friend, Shizuka?" Nach said, looking at her and seeing the phone in her hand, pressed over her large breasts.
"Mhm, but it already ran out of battery... Sorry, you won't be able to call your family now."
Not that he would be able to call them outside the world of Highschool of the Dead. Or so Nach thought.
"You don't have to apologize for that."
Nach's words reminded Shizuka of her desire to properly apologize to him, and his touch as he patted her head gave her the courage to.
"Can I talk to you for a bit, Nach?" she said, holding onto Nach's hand over her head with both hands.
Obviously, Nach would say no to Shizuka's invitation.
Nach gave the binoculars back to Kohta, then followed behind Shizuka as she guided him while still holding his hand, passing Saya and Saeko—who were sleeping soundly on the bed—and into the small hallway on the second floor.
"Are you worried about something, Shizuka?" Nach said as soon as he closed the door of the front bedroom.
"Umm... I'm sorry, Nach..." Shizuka murmured, looking down at the floor to avoid his gaze.
"Like I said, you don't have to worry about the phone—"
"It's not about that!" Shizuka shouted, cutting off Nach.
"I'm sorry that I didn't stop the bus and open the door for you..."
Seeing her eyes tearing up and her voice trembling as if she was about to cry, Nach finally realized how guilty Shizuka felt for something that hadn't even crossed his mind.
Of course he wouldn't think about it, nor was he blaming Shizuka. It was all Shido's fault for stopping her from opening the door of the bus and scaring her into thinking he was already bitten by the undead.
Nach didn't give it much thought, but knowing Shizuka had felt guilty and burdened by it since their escape from the school this morning, Nach couldn't wait to kill Shido for it.
He embraced Shizuka, caressing her back and patting her head to ease her worries, letting her know that he wasn't concerned about it. But before he could put his thoughts into words, Shizuka spoke first.
"If there's something you want me to do so you can forgive me, just say it, Nach."
Nach tightened his embrace, wrapping his left hand around Shizuka's waist to pull her closer and pressing his massive erection against her belly, letting her know what he—or any man—would ask from her upon hearing her say those words.
"You know what it means to say those words, right, Shizuka?
With his right hand, Nach gently grabbed her chin and lifted her face up to look at him. Then he leaned down, bringing his lips right over hers—not to kiss Shizuka, but to wait for her answer.
And her answer didn't need to be in words, as Shizuka responded with a kiss.