After spending about ten minutes inside his bedroom, Riku finally exited.
"Onichan! What were you doing inside? I thought you were going to grab something?"
The three girls trained their eyes on him, curious on why he cooped himself up in the bedroom.
"Well, I did but you are going to see them tomorrow. Now…" he paused, looking at the clock mounted on the wall. "It's ten-thirty in the evening. Why don't we get some rest?"
Before the three girls could react, Riku spoke first.
"I know you guys are eager to get back to your family, but it's already late. It's dangerous to go outside at this hour."
"I understand," Suzune was the first to reply.
Miko and Ichika nodded as well, but their facial expressions betrayed what they were feeling inwardly. They are concerned, scared, and worried about their families, and are eager to see them safe. However, they understood the dangers outside, and there's no way they would survive the new reality without Riku, who had been fighting the zombies and protecting them.
"Thank you for your understanding. I will take a bath for now, and you can take it too. I'm sure my mother's clothes would fit all of you."
Riku exhaled softly, his body already starting to feel the weight of the day. Blood, sweat, grime—he hadn't realized how much of it had clung to him until now. He turned and pointed to the hallway.
"The bathroom's at the end. I'll go first, just a quick one," he said. "Hot water's still running, and we still have pressure—lucky us."
He didn't wait for a reply and headed down the hall.
Inside the bathroom, Riku peeled off his sticky clothes, every movement reminding him of the scratches, the dried blood on his arms, the dull bruises forming under his shirt. He turned the faucet and let the water run for a few seconds before stepping in. Warm water poured over him like salvation.
He closed his eyes, letting the steam rise and the water cascade down his neck and shoulders.
After a few more minutes, he scrubbed quickly and rinsed off.
He stepped out and grabbed a towel, quickly drying his hair and wrapping it loosely around his waist. His body was still damp, and faint wisps of steam clung to his skin in the cooler air of the hallway.
Thinking the girls were still chatting in the living room or maybe waiting their turn near his parent's room, Riku stepped out of the bathroom without a second thought.
But the moment he turned the corner.
"Ah—!"
He froze.
All three girls were standing—Suzune holding folded towels, Miko with a clean change of clothes in her arms, and Ichika just behind them with a surprised blink.
Their eyes locked onto him.
Riku stood shirtless, bare from the waist up, revealing a lean, toned body. His abdominal muscles were well-defined, his shoulders broad, and droplets of water still trailed along his collarbone and arms.
For a split second, no one spoke.
Then.
Mikos eyes widened as she quickly turned her head to the side, her cheeks coloring pink. "S-Sorry! We didn't mean to—!"
Suzune coughed and looked away, but not before sneaking a second glance. "You could've at least warned us you were coming out like that…"
Ichika, the boldest of the three, stared for a moment longer than necessary before blinking rapidly and clearing her throat.
"Well… guess all that zombie fighting is working out for you."
Riku's brain finally caught up with the situation.
"Ack—! Sorry! I didn't know you were right outside!" he blurted, spinning on his heel and practically sprinting back into his bedroom, towel flapping behind him.
He slammed the door shut, his face burning. "Damn it…"
***
An hour later, they all finished taking a bath.
Riku, now fully dressed in a fresh black shirt and sweatpants, stepped out of his room as the girls emerged one by one from the hallway in clean clothes borrowed from his mother's wardrobe.
Suzune wore a long white blouse that reached her thighs, paired with pajama shorts. Miko had on a navy t-shirt and some cotton capris, while Ichika sported a light gray tank top and sweatpants that she rolled up at the ankles. Each of them looked cleaner, more relaxed—but there was still a weight in their eyes.
Riku ran a hand through his slightly damp hair and cleared his throat. "Alright. I think that's it for today. Let's get some sleep."
He gestured toward the left hallway. "You can sleep in my parents' room. It's pretty big—queen-sized bed, thick blankets, and enough pillows for all of you. Hana's already in there. She's fast asleep."
Suzune blinked. "All of us? Are you sure?"
"Yeah. It's a big room, and honestly, you all need the rest more than I do," Riku said with a small smile. "I'll be in my room, so you won't have to worry about space."
Miko tilted her head. "What about you?"
"I'm fine here," Riku shrugged. "My bed's good enough. Plus, it's better if we spread out a bit instead of cramming in one spot."
"Okay…"
The three girls exchanged glances, then bowed their heads slightly.
"Thank you," Suzune said softly.
"Really, thank you, Riku," Miko echoed.
"Thank you," Ichika said.
"No problem. Goodnight everyone."
The girls turned and headed down the hallway toward the master bedroom.
The door shut gently behind them.
"Time to sleep."
***
Two hours had passed since Riku said goodnight. And he was sleeping soundly on his bed.
Then, he felt something soft and subtle. The mattress shifted behind him. Like someone was slowly scooting over the edge, trying not to make a sound.
His eyes snapped open.
He didn't move right away. He waited, listening.
There it was again—a faint creak of the bedspring. Then warmth… body heat. Something—or someone—was now right behind him.
Without thinking, Riku spun around and shoved the figure down, his instincts firing on all cylinders. His hand gripped a slender wrist, the other pressed down on a shoulder. His legs pinned the smaller body beneath him.
A soft gasp escaped the figure's lips.
Riku's heart pounded. "Who—?"
Moonlight spilled through the gap in the curtains, illuminating the familiar face beneath him.
"Miko?"
The girl blinked up at him, startled—eyes wide, her lips parted in shock.
Riku's breath caught in his throat as the realization sank in. He was straddling her. His hand was pinning her left wrist to the mattress. Her chest rose and fell beneath the blanket, and her long pink hair spilled across his pillow.
For a second, neither of them moved.
"Miku, what the hell…?"
"I-I'm sorry!" she whispered quickly, her cheeks flushed. "I just can't sleep. I'm scared that zombies might come here."
"There's no way they'll get in here. The door is locked," Riku whispered back.
"Still…I'm scared…" Miko said softly.
They both stared at each other in the eyes, and Riku felt something stirring within him. Her arms are too delicate, her skin was silky and soft, her face was charming, and she smelled like lavender.
Of course, any man being on top of a beautiful woman would feel the same way as him, and Miko seemed to have noticed it—but she didn't move.
Her cheeks were red, but her eyes didn't look away. Her lips parted just slightly, her breath soft against his chin.
Riku's heart thudded in his chest like a war drum. He knew he should move. He knew he should pull away, apologize again, and put space between them. But for a few seconds longer, he just stayed there, like in any moment, he would eat her.
"Riku..?" Miko said softly, trying to get his attention.
"Ah—!" Riku flinched and quickly let go, scrambling back until his back hit the wall. "S-Sorry! I-I didn't mean to—!"
Miko sat up slowly, brushing her bangs aside, her face still flushed but calm.
"…It's okay. You were just surprised."
She pulled the blanket over her lap and looked down, fingers toying with the edge of it.
"I'm sorry I snuck in," she added. "I am just scared of everything. But when you are next to me…I feel at ease. I thought maybe if I just laid beside you, I could rest too."
Riku let out a slow, shaky breath. "Well… when someone crawls into your bed in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, instincts kinda take over."
Miko gave a small smile, glancing up at him with softened eyes. "But… would you have reacted the same if it was Ichika? Or Suzune?"
"…Don't ask questions like that," Riku muttered, rubbing his face. "I'm trying not to think too hard about what just happened."
A long pause settled between them. The sound of the wind outside gently rustling the curtains filled the silence.
Then, Miko's voice broke through again, quieter this time.
"Can I… stay here? Just for tonight?"
Riku looked at her.
She wasn't teasing anymore. Her voice wasn't flirty or playful. She was afraid. Not just of the zombies outside, but of being alone. Of waking up and finding the world changed again.
"…Yeah," he said at last, nodding. "You can stay."
Miko gave a small, grateful smile and pulled the blanket up to her chest. She slid back under the covers, this time staying on her side of the bed.
Riku lay back down too, facing away from her now.
"Thank you," she whispered after a moment.
"…Get some rest," he replied.