"If it comes to it, just smother me like before," Hayashi Shuichi sighed. "If it's just you, you'll last longer."
"Are you serious?" Sharon Vineyard bit her lip, as if steeling herself. "Then go ahead and die!"
With that, she pressed down hard on Hayashi Shuichi's head.
…
Back in the village where the film crew was based, not long after Hayashi Shuichi and Sharon Vineyard left, Fukuda Hidekazu managed to start the old Toyota.
The engine's low rumble brought a moment of relief, and he was about to go find Yabuuchi Hiromi when the ground beneath him shook.
An earthquake?
Fukuda's heart skipped a beat. Years of experience kicked in, and he quickly moved to an open area.
By the time the tremors reached the village, they'd weakened significantly. The houses were mostly unscathed, though some older windows rattled with creaking protests, as if recounting the brief scare.
When Fukuda entered Fujimine Yukiko's dorm, the two girls were picking up scattered items dislodged by the quake.
The room was a bit messy, with odds and ends strewn across the floor, but both girls seemed unfazed.
"Hidekazu? Weren't you taking Hayashi-kun to the station?" Yabuuchi Hiromi asked.
"Where's Shuichi?" Fujimine Yukiko peered behind him, a flicker of unease rising in her chest when she didn't see him.
"The car wouldn't start, so Hayashi-kun caught a ride with that American celebrity," Fukuda explained.
"Shuichi's gone?" Yukiko's voice carried a hint of disappointment.
"Is Hayashi-kun close with that annoying woman?" Hiromi asked, surprised. "She actually let him hitch a ride?"
"Didn't I tell you? Back at Mihua City Hall, Shuichi helped her out," Yukiko said, her worry creeping in. "I hope the earthquake didn't affect them."
"Don't worry, Hayashi-kun's not that unlucky," Hiromi said, draping an arm around her friend's shoulder. "As long as they didn't hit a landslide, they'll be fine."
"You don't know Shuichi. Trouble follows him everywhere," Yukiko said, her brow furrowing. "Wherever he goes, something goes wrong."
The downpour, fierce as it was, passed quickly. After half an hour, the rain stopped.
Though the sky remained overcast, sunlight began to pierce through the clouds.
Hiromi stayed another hour, but as a truant herself, she knew it was time to go. She bid Yukiko farewell.
Yukiko stood at the village entrance, waving them off, her heart heavy with an unshakable sense of foreboding, as if something was about to go wrong.
As the old Toyota left the village, Hiromi initially thought the earthquake hadn't been too severe.
But soon, the sight of cracked roads chilled her to the core.
"I didn't realize the quake was this bad. We barely felt it in the village," she said.
"The epicenter was probably in the mountains," Fukuda said, carefully steering around the fissures.
Before long, the car couldn't go any farther.
A landslide had buried the road ahead under a mass of earth and stone.
Fukuda and Hiromi got out to assess the situation. "Looks like we'll have to turn back and take a detour to Takasaki," Fukuda said with a sigh.
Hiromi nodded, about to return to the car, when something glinted below, catching her eye.
"What's that?" Fukuda noticed her pause.
"There's something down there," Hiromi said, climbing over the guardrail to investigate.
"Be careful!" Fukuda called, hurrying after her.
Hiromi picked up the object that had flashed in her eyes and froze.
"It's… a car's side mirror?"
"Silver… Could it be from that Ferrari?" Fukuda said, stunned.
The couple exchanged a horrified glance. Hiromi's face paled. "Did I jinx it? Did Hayashi-kun actually get caught in a landslide? H-How am I supposed to tell Yukiko…?"
"We need to get back to the village and find help!" Fukuda said decisively. "If they're buried, we can't save them on our own."
…
Inside the silver Ferrari, Sharon released Hayashi Shuichi's head after barely three seconds.
"You said it yourself—having someone to talk to in this situation is better than being alone," she said, exasperated. "If I'm left by myself, I'll probably die even faster."
As she spoke, she felt him still nestled in her "valley." With a mix of annoyance and amusement, she tugged at his ear. "Get up and talk to me!"
"I'm starting to think getting smothered wouldn't be so bad," Hayashi Shuichi said reluctantly, lifting his head.
"You little pervert!" Sharon rolled her eyes. "Did you insist on riding with me because of that glasses-wearing girl?"
"No, Eri knows I went to drop off Yukiko. I'm rushing back because of my little cousin at home."
"Heh, another girl pops up. You've got quite the charm with women, don't you?"
"I mean, even in death, I'm stuck with a gorgeous blonde like you, Miss Vineyard."
…
Time ticked by as Hayashi Shuichi and Sharon Vineyard kept talking, their conversation filling the tense, delicate atmosphere, like a taut string ready to snap.
"It's been over an hour, hasn't it?" Sharon asked wearily, a trace of anxiety in her voice. "Is the oxygen running low?"
"Not yet," Hayashi Shuichi said with a light chuckle. "It's probably only been half an hour. Don't worry, help's coming soon."
In desperate situations, mental resilience could matter more than physical strength.
To keep each other from giving up, they racked their brains for things to talk about.
But talking so much left their throats parched.
Hayashi Shuichi instinctively licked his lips, forgetting how close they were. His tongue brushed against the lace edge of her bra.
Sharon noticed immediately. "Thirsty?"
(Chapter End)
-------------------------
Thank you for following my story. If you want to read it first, please visit my Patreon — there are about 30-40 chapters waiting there. Your support really motivates me to continue to release more stories!
👉[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]