“Good night.”
Not long after dinner, Yuki Asahi hurriedly entered his bedroom and bid Jiang Jian Yue good night.
Jiang Jian Yue sat alone in the empty living room, so quiet she could only hear the echo of her own heartbeat.
After a moment, she stood up and returned to her room, wrapping herself tightly in her blanket, pressing the fabric against her skin as if trying to enclose the cold in her heart.
“Tomorrow…”
She murmured, trying to grasp the direction of the future—Doomsday was approaching, there was too much to think about, and the past shouldn’t be abandoned.
The thought had barely formed when the backlash hit her, swift and unguarded.
Wuwu, my computer…
Wuwu, my support group friends…
Wuwu, my young lady life…
Wuwu, my CS Account…
Oh, that one was banned ages ago.
Within just a few minutes, Jiang Jian Yue returned to normal from her sorrow.
She began to clearly plan tomorrow’s route:
Set out early, rush back to the Fengdao District apartment at dawn to check if the computer mainframe was still usable by some stroke of luck.
Then head to the Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu in Chiyoda District to see if any superpower items had been left behind.
She also needed to observe the spreading fires; if Tokyo truly became uninhabitable, leaving would be the last option.
As for things further ahead… leave them for later.
***
Diary:
Doomsday DAY2, moved the computer back from the apartment, found nothing useful after scouting Tokushu Jishou Taiou Honbu. Yuki Asahi got hit by falling bricks.
Doomsday DAY3, found a Generator, spent half a day learning how to use it, didn’t figure it out. Yuki Asahi lay dead at home.
Doomsday DAY4, didn’t go out due to rain, successfully started the Generator, but it was too loud. Yuki Asahi got hit by wood.
Doomsday DAY5, computer wouldn’t turn on, damn AMD! Played board games with the lifeless Yuki Asahi.
Doomsday DAY6, rainy, some of the small fires in the city were under control.
By the way, does it usually rain this much in winter? Played board games with Yuki Asahi.
***
On the morning of the seventh day, Jiang Jian Yue woke up in the cold, sticky air.
No light could penetrate the window, thick with grime that even the rain couldn’t wash away.
With air quality like this, one breath probably contains half the periodic table, right?
Tokyo was likely no longer suitable for living, so heading towards the Kanto Mountains seemed the only option.
She struggled up and went to the bathroom.
In the mirror, her gray hair was a wild mess, her face pale, and the dark circles under her eyes too deep to fade.
Cold water splashed on her face, the icy sting finally sobering her up a little.
She tied her hair into a high ponytail, washed up, and left the bathroom.
The next room was silent.
Jiang Jian Yue gently pushed open the door.
Yuki Asahi was still buried in a thin blanket, brows tightly knit, exhaustion heavy even in his sleep.
After seven days, the boy’s once-healthy face had grown much thinner, revealing an overdrawn weariness.
He didn’t do much physical work, but his bad luck was off the charts—injured twice in seven days, each time by deadly falling objects.
Luckily, his constitution was comparable to an athlete; a day of rest at home and he was fine.
The room reeked of sweat.
To save precious bottled water, they’d tried to bathe as little as possible.
As for rainwater, yesterday Yuki Asahi had wanted to shower outside, but she’d stopped him—who knew if the rain was clean anymore.
She walked over and skillfully pulled back the thin blanket covering him.
The smell grew stronger.
Without hesitation, her cold fingertips hooked under the boy’s T-shirt hem, carefully and efficiently rolling it upward.
Even in sleep, Yuki Asahi only mumbled unconsciously, “Nn… senpai…”
He turned, exposing his smooth back and thin waist.
Off went the T-shirt, then the loose sweatpants, and finally the close-fitting underwear.
Throughout, Jiang Jian Yue’s heartbeat remained abnormally steady, as if she wasn’t stripping the last layer from a young member of the opposite sex.
But when her fingers inevitably brushed warm skin, a subtle heat—not just from body temperature—made her pause for an instant.
She glanced quickly at the boy’s sleeping side profile, then, face expressionless, gathered all the discarded clothes into her arms like completing a necessary task.
She carried the clothes back to the center of the living room.
A large plastic basin was already prepared, filled with clean water and a thin layer of detergent, with her own clothes from last night floating on the surface.
She stuffed Yuki Asahi’s clothes in as well, rolled up her sleeves, and began scrubbing and pressing forcefully.
A washing machine would waste water, and besides, doing housework helped keep her spirits up.
They’d focused on collecting supplies before, assuming there would be plenty of time to get more clothes in the future… never expected the rain would last for days.
Jiang Jian Yue actually liked rainy days—the sense of peace from being able to stay indoors.
As long as she could stay indoors.
She hung the last wrung-out piece on the makeshift drying line in the living room.
Behind her, footsteps deliberately soft echoed.
Yuki Asahi, now in a clean set of old sportswear, stood at the bedroom door, rubbing his messy bangs, face still dazed from sleep.
“Senpai, yesterday…”
He started to explain out of habit, but his gaze locked onto the drying line—especially the intimate garment hanging next to his T-shirt.
His cheeks instantly flushed, the red spreading down his neck and to his ears.
He looked away in embarrassment, but couldn’t help glancing back.
“What’s wrong?”
Jiang Jian Yue opened a bottle of mineral water, gulped a few mouthfuls, and asked, glancing sideways.
“N-no, it’s nothing… I’ll wash my own clothes from now on.”
Yuki Asahi suggested softly.
Thinking of how he’d woken up completely naked, his mouth felt dry, and he licked his lips uneasily.
Why was washing underwear so embarrassing?
Little Chunan really…
Seeing his bashful expression, Jiang Jian Yue’s playful side flared up.
She tugged her shirt hem down, letting the thin fabric outline the curve of her body, and asked with lowered eyes, “Do you like it?”
“Senpai… don’t do that.”
Yuki Asahi felt dizzy, instinctively resisting.
But as soon as he spoke, he regretted it—why resist at a time like this!
He clenched his fists, then, gathering his courage, opened his arms to embrace Jiang Jian Yue—only for her to easily dodge.
Can’t hold back anymore?
Jiang Jian Yue felt a mischievous joy at her successful prank, a faint smile on her lips.
But when she saw Yuki Asahi standing frozen, golden eyes flickering with insecure self-doubt, her panic rose.
Hey! It’s just teasing, no need to overreact!
Jiang Jian Yue hated seeing that pained expression on him, especially when it was her fault.
Had she gone too far?
Guilt flooded her, making her feel like a villain tricking a child.
Fine, fine, you can hug me, alright?
Jiang Jian Yue pressed her lips together, stepped forward, and wrapped her arms around him, gently stroking the boy’s back.
Then, a voice not belonging to either of them exploded by her ear—
“Let her go!”
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