Inside the silver Ferrari, the air grew thinner, each breath a heavy, labored struggle.
"Kid, it's been over two hours, hasn't it?"
Sharon Vineyard's chest heaved with effort, every gasp seeming to drain her strength. "Don't try to sugarcoat it. I can barely breathe—the oxygen's almost gone."
Her eyes betrayed a flicker of fear.
"Hold on a bit longer. Don't breathe too fast," Hayashi Shuichi urged, trying to stay calm, though his trembling voice revealed his own fear. "The longer we hold out, the better our chances."
"Kid…"
Sharon suddenly pressed her face against his, her cheek brushing his as she spoke in a tone laced with self-mockery and resignation. "I'm starting to think dying with you wouldn't be so bad. Better than going out at the hands of my own people or the FBI."
Hayashi Shuichi barely registered her slip about her identity, quickly pressing on. "We're not going to die…"
But despair could crush even the strongest will, and it wasn't easily shaken off.
"Kid," Sharon said abruptly, "judging by your reaction earlier, you're still a virgin, aren't you?"
"…Cough, cough!" Hayashi Shuichi nearly choked, his face flushing red. "Why the hell are you asking that now?"
"You really want to die a virgin?" Sharon purred, her voice dripping with seductive mischief. "Since we're probably done for, why don't big sis help you out before the end…?"
Her fingers trailed lightly across his chest.
This woman's going to be the death of me…
Hayashi Shuichi could guess her intentions—she thought they were doomed and wanted to go out with a bang.
But in a place like this? No way that was happening.
Before he could protest, he felt his belt loosen, and his pants were tugged down.
Sharon caressed his face, her lips brushing his in soft kisses.
"Stop…"
Hayashi Shuichi's words were cut off by a sudden thud from above the car's roof.
Sharon, caught in a haze of passion, snapped back to reality, her voice trembling. "What was that?"
"Shh…" Hayashi Shuichi signaled for silence, straining to listen.
Faint sounds of digging reached them from above.
"It's the rescue team! They've reached the car—we're getting out soon!" Hayashi Shuichi said, elated.
"Really…?"
Sharon's relief was tinged with a hint of disappointment, her eyes flickering with regret. Hayashi Shuichi faintly caught her muttering, "Would've been better if they'd come later."
This siren…
Hayashi Shuichi shook his head helplessly, though a wave of relief washed over him.
Without that interruption, he wasn't sure he could've held out in that situation.
About half an hour after the first sounds, the earth and stones covering the Ferrari were finally cleared.
"We did it! We reached the car!"
A triumphant shout came from above.
Hayashi Shuichi looked up and saw a small opening where the windshield had been, previously buried under dirt and rocks.
Fujimine Yukiko peered through, her face etched with anxiety and worry.
When she saw Hayashi Shuichi, her expression lit up, tears of joy shimmering in her eyes. "It's Shuichi! He's alive—"
Before she could finish, someone pulled her back.
A chubby face Hayashi Shuichi didn't recognize appeared at the gap, urgently asking, "Miss Vineyard? Is she alive? Miss Vineyard…"
"We're both alive," Hayashi Shuichi replied.
Below him, Sharon called out, "I'm fine."
"Good, good…"
The chubby face peered closer, barely making out a figure beneath Hayashi Shuichi.
He tried to get a better look, but Yukiko, irritated, shoved him aside. Hayashi Shuichi faintly heard the man grumble, "I'm the director, you know."
Yukiko leaned into the gap, her voice frantic. "Shuichi, are you hurt? Are you…"
"Don't worry, Yukiko. I'm okay," Hayashi Shuichi said with a reassuring smile.
The people outside urged Yukiko to step back, and she reluctantly retreated.
The villagers continued carefully clearing the debris around the Ferrari.
Soon, the dirt covering the windshield was completely removed.
The glass, cracked into a web of fractures from the earlier pressure, held up thanks to the buffering soil. Without it, even the toughest glass would've shattered.
The rescuers removed the broken windshield and prepared to pull Hayashi Shuichi out first.
He started to climb out but suddenly felt a draft below.
In the rush of rescue, he'd forgotten—his pants were still down, courtesy of the blonde below. He was bare-assed!
"Wait, wait!" Hayashi Shuichi grabbed the car's frame, refusing to move.
Sharon, catching on, smirked mischievously. She gave his backside a playful pat before pulling his pants back up.
"What's wrong, Shuichi?" Yukiko, standing nearby, thought something was amiss and hurried over, only to see the American actress helping Hayashi Shuichi with his pants. "This… you two…"
She froze, her eyes wide with shock and confusion.
Hiromi, clueless about the situation, asked, "What's going on?"
The others looked at Yukiko, puzzled.
Sharon finished buckling Hayashi Shuichi's belt.
Fearing Yukiko might say something awkward, Hayashi Shuichi scrambled out, quickly explaining, "It's nothing. She was probably startled by the injuries on my back."
Yukiko had a million questions—like why were your pants down if you were just trapped?—but when she saw the blood-soaked cloth wrapped around Hayashi Shuichi's back, her doubts vanished, replaced by overwhelming worry.
"Shuichi, your back's covered in blood…"
"It's just some scratches," Hayashi Shuichi said, then noticed Yukiko's hands, torn and bloodied, her nails caked with dirt.
His heart ached as he took her hands gently. "How'd you let yourself get like this? Even if you were desperate to save me, you should've protected yourself. Wear gloves!"
"When she heard you were in trouble, Yukiko lost it. She didn't care about anything else," Hiromi explained. "I've known her for years, and I've never seen her care about someone this much…"
Yukiko's cheeks flushed, her head dipping as her long lashes trembled. Her voice was soft but resolute. "As long as you're okay."
Hayashi Shuichi's heart skipped a beat, warmth flooding him. He opened his arms and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry…"
(Chapter End)
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