Riku was the one leading them to the stairs with his Glock 17 trained in front and then sweeping as they arrived by floors. There were a lot of tenants living in this complex but seemingly, they were all out when the outbreak happened. Possibly they were in their workplace or somewhere, which made it easy for him to navigate the apartment.
Three minutes later, they arrived at the eighth floor and made their way to room 815, where Riku lives.
"Okay, here it is," Riku said, panting.
"Hayashi-san, I'm sorry for having to carry me all this way," Suzune said softly, her voice laced with guilt. "Ever since the school… you've been the one doing everything, and I just—" she looked away, embarrassed. "I feel like I'm only slowing you down."
Riku glanced at her, surprised by the sudden apology.
He shook his head as he unlocked the door and pushed it open. "You're not slowing me down."
"But I—"
"You're light," he said flatly, glancing at her over his shoulder. "Like… really light. It's not a problem at all."
Suzune blinked, caught off guard. Then her eyes widened a little, realizing the implication. "W-What are you saying…?"
Riku turned away quickly, scratching his cheek. "I mean… I didn't mean it like that. I mean, I did mean it, but—not in a weird way. Just… never mind."
Miko giggled from behind, the tension easing just a bit. Even Ichika smirked.
"Moah…" Suzune pouted.
"Now, the moment of truth. Hana, I hope you are here," Riku said before knocking on the door.
Riku raised his knuckles to the door and knocked firmly.
For a moment, there was only silence.
Then, shuffling.
Riku's hand instinctively went to his Glock, finger resting on the frame. His eyes narrowed, focused.
Another pause.
Then.
"Who's there?" a small voice called out from behind the door, muffled but cautious.
Riku's eyes widened in recognition. That voice—
"Hana?" he called, stepping closer to the door. "It's me. It's Riku—your brother."
There was a sharp gasp from the other side, followed by hurried footsteps and the sound of a chair or small object being dragged aside.
"Riku-nii?!" the voice squeaked again, this time higher, more excited.
The lock clicked.
The door creaked open.
Standing there was a tiny girl—no taller than 110 centimeters—with short, jet-black hair that barely touched her shoulders and soft bangs that framed her round, cherubic face. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw him. Dressed in an oversized yellow T-shirt and pajama shorts, she looked like she hadn't left the apartment all day.
"Riku-nii!" she cried, launching forward and hugging him around the waist.
"Hana," Riku breathed out, dropping to one knee and pulling her close. "Thank God…"
Her small arms clung to him tightly, and for the first time in hours, Riku felt a bit of the weight on his shoulders ease.
"Onichan… I'm scared," Hana whimpered, her little voice trembling against his chest.
And then the dam broke.
She burst into tears.
Sobs wracked her small frame as she clung even tighter to Riku, burying her face into his shirt. Her tiny fists clenched the fabric like she was afraid he might disappear if she let go.
"It's fine now. I'm here. You are not alone anymore."
Her sobs continued for a few more seconds, muffled against him, before slowly quieting. Her breathing became more steady, though her face remained pressed to his chest, refusing to move.
Behind them, the three girls silently watched. Even Ichika, who had remained composed throughout their ordeal, softened at the sight.
Suzune placed a hand on her heart. "She must've been terrified all alone."
Miko's eyes shimmered. "Poor thing…"
Riku rubbed Hana's back gently one last time before pulling away slightly so he could look at her.
"I brought some people with me," he said gently. "They're my friends. They're nice. And they're going to stay with us for a while."
Hana sniffled and finally peeked up from behind his arm. Her eyes, still red and watery, slowly traveled toward the three girls standing near the door.
The moment her gaze met theirs, she blinked in surprise.
"W-Wow…" she said, voice still hoarse from crying. "Are they… pretty ladies?"
Ichika chuckled, tilting her head slightly. "That's very sweet of you."
"Hello," Miko waved gently. "You're Hana, right?"
Suzune smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you."
Hana wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve and blinked again, suddenly looking a little shy.
They entered, and Riku gently placed Suzune down on the couch, adjusting a small pillow behind her back so she could sit more comfortably.
"Thanks…" Suzune said softly, still a bit flustered, but grateful.
"You're welcome," Riku replied briefly, then turned and made his way toward the kitchen.
The apartment wasn't big—modest, two bedrooms, one bathroom, a small kitchen with a breakfast counter, and a living area that doubled as a study space. But it was clean, quiet, and still had running electricity. For now.
Riku stepped into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. The cold air greeted him like a long-lost friend. Bottles of water, a carton of milk, some leftover rice, and packaged food stared back at him. He reached for a bottle of mineral water, cracked the seal, and drank deeply.
The cool liquid was a relief.
After a few gulps, he let out a breath and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
Then he grabbed three glasses from the cupboard, filled each with water, and carried them carefully back to the living room.
The three girls had made themselves comfortable—Suzune still on the couch, Ichika sitting cross-legged on the floor nearby, and Miko looking curiously around the apartment, occasionally glancing toward the toy-strewn corner where Hana was now rummaging through a small box of crayons.
"Here," Riku said, offering each of them a glass. "Drink. You need it."
"Thanks," Ichika replied, accepting hers with both hands.
Miko nodded politely. "Thank you."
Suzune smiled tiredly.
"I'm going to the bedroom and get something. If you need anything, just ask my little sister here."
"We will, thank you, Hayashi-san," Suzune said with a smile.
"No need to be formal, you can call me by my first name. In fact, I want you three to call me Riku. Anyways…I'm heading now."
The three girls simply smiled and watched as Riku went to his bedroom.
Inside, Riku sighed, knowing that they arrived in his apartment safely, and confirmed the safety of his little sister. Now, there's one more thing left to do.
"Status open," Riku said and the system interface appeared.