Chapter 21

I had finished my meal a bit earlier and turned my gaze to Kaede, who was crying and eating at the same time.

"Uu, it's delicious..."

In these past ten minutes or so, I've heard the same line countless times. She's just eating rice with sardine cans, but it must feel like a grand feast after a long time without proper meals. I was also very satisfied with my first meal in this world in three years.

"Alright, either talk, cry, or eat. Pick one."

"Hic, s-sorry... uh!"

When I spoke to her with a somewhat exasperated look, Kaede seemed to have choked on the rice, and started pounding her chest. I hurriedly opened the cap of the water bottle that was nearby and offered it to her. After gulping it down vigorously, Kaede let out a sigh of relief and apologized to me again.

"I'm sorry, I opened a new water bottle..."

"There are plenty more downstairs, so don't worry and drink as much as you like."

Seeing this rather childish side of Kaede, I smiled wryly. Though I have no experience with children, if I had one, it might be something like this.

"Itadakimasu."

After finishing her meal, Kaede placed her chopsticks neatly on the stainless steel container, clasped her hands, closed her eyes, and said it as if savoring the words.

"There's a little left... I cooked too much..."

"We can eat it later. Maybe for lunch."

I showed her a bag I had taken from the pile of belongings I had gathered near the wall.

"Chazuke! That's great!"

Wiping her red, swollen eyes, Kaede beamed with a full smile.

Kaede is still young, and despite going through such a difficult time, she can still smile. Is it because she's strong, or is she trying hard to forget what happened?

I hope that one day her smile will come from the heart.

"Alright, you've been up all night. Take the nutrient supplement and go to sleep."

"...Are you going to sleep too, Azami-san? Are you going somewhere?"

"...Yeah, I'll rest today too."

Seeing Kaede's worried gaze, I tried to ease her concerns with an unfamiliar smile.

This world must have been lonely and hard for her. I thought it would be better to form connections with others.

I need to get Kaede to the city hall or police station. Of course, I could easily carry her and run there, but that would be too conspicuous. I need to think of a way.

+++++

I entered the men's changing room and lay down on the floor. I suggested that we didn't need to share a room with a girl her age, and Kaede had said it was fine.

I looked up at the ceiling, thinking. This was my first moment of leisure since returning from the other world.

Still, I never expected this world to be in such a state. The video Kaede mentioned, and the address in the email from my junior, must refer to the same thing. If the hacker story on the internet is true, then this chaos is undoubtedly the cause.

However, the panic Kaede described happening just a few days after the video was released seems a bit too quick. According to Kaede, similar phenomena occurred in various countries within a few days of her fleeing here.

To me, and probably to anyone from the other world, the idea that a mere zombie outbreak could spread so quickly worldwide is questionable.

Certainly, there are fast modes of transportation like airplanes, but even if someone who was injured and cursed before becoming a zombie had boarded one, would it really spread throughout the world?

Of course, it's a question without an answer, but the many inexplicable aspects make me feel uneasy.

As I closed my eyes and thought about this, I sensed a movement from Kaede in the staff room. It seemed she had left the room.

Knock knock

Kaede stood in front of the men's changing room door for a while, and after a moment, I heard a knock.

"Are you awake, Azami-san?"

I got up and opened the door. Perhaps because I hadn't answered, Kaede flinched and pouted.

"At least answer... And by the way, that's careless!"

Was this in retaliation for our earlier conversation? Kaede said it as if she had just remembered.

"I'm fine."

"What do you mean by that..."

Kaede pouted, clearly dissatisfied. Since I knew her presence through my perception, I wasn't being careless, but I couldn't explain that, so I decided to apologize sincerely.

"Sorry, sorry. So, is there something you need?"

"It's fine... but, can we really not sleep in the same room?"

I saw that Kaede was holding a blanket. She blushed slightly and asked me, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Ah, sure... okay."

If she insists, I can't really refuse. Normally, I would have insisted otherwise, but she must be scared of being alone right now.

"Yay!"

Seeing the girl genuinely happy about sleeping in the same room with an old man like me, I could only smile wryly.