Episode 85: Mr. Sakaeda

I was sound asleep, as sluggish as mud, when I was awakened by a knock.

"Hey! 'Guriguri Glasses'! You there?!"

Responding to Mr. Sakaeda's call, I slowly got to my feet.

"Huh...?"

As I opened the door, I saw

"U... uh...?"

Mr. Sakaeda's frozen expression.

"W-wait! I-I'm sorry! I must've knocked on the wrong room!"

Flustered, he tried to slam the door shut.

Cutting through it,

"Wha... Sakaeda-san?"

Realizing the oddity in his own voice.

It was... high-pitched.

Like it wasn't a man's voice anymore.

Gingerly, he looked down at his body.

Breasts. Breasts.

And Sakaeda's strained, frozen expression.

"U-ghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

In the suggestive scene, I slammed the door shut, letting out a muffled, vague cry—almost as if the girl character weren't even there.

From outside,

"Wait... but this room, it really is... huh, what's going on here?"

A voice saying that.

I quickly grip the "Walking Cat's Cane" and mentally chant, "Become a man!"

After confirming the change in his body, he tossed the tattered jacket into the trash can.

Hey!

Smiling, I appear once again.

Sakata pressed his hand against his forehead.

"……So it's really true you can change your appearance with magic?"

He made a strained expression.

"Ah, did someone tell you that?"

"Oda told me. 'Don't be fooled by appearances.'"

"Ahh..."

The blond-haired boy scratched his head vigorously.

"Damn it. Feels like everything's going off track."

"Is there something you need?"

"Aah, no. Um... right. Here."

He was handed a shirt meant for adult men.

"I thought it was necessary."

"Ah, thank you."

I really appreciated it. I was about to end up walking around half-naked, after all.

"Also... um... how about lunch? I was thinking... maybe we could go together?"

Sakada turned completely red as he said it.

Checking the clock, it was already past eleven.

I didn’t even realize it, but somehow it had gotten this late.

"I-I mean, if you’re not interested or anything, that’s fine too..."

Where has the bold and lively Sakaeda from yesterday gone?

Perhaps it was indeed a mistake to have our true identities exposed.

"Yes, gladly."

"R-really?...Ah, no, don't push yourself too hard, okay? Seriously."

There's no doubt he's clearly aware of it.

We were finally starting to become friends, which is a bit disappointing.

He changes into a fresh shirt and leaves the room.

Walking side by side, he seemed finally to have regained his composure.

"Oh, by the way, I've got my job here settled. I'm in charge of taking care of everyone's clothes and stuff like that."

"Clothes?"

"Well, I used to be a cleaner, you know....Nowadays, it's not much use to anyone, I guess."

"That's not true at all. That's a perfectly respectable job, isn't it?"

"Really?"

"Clothes must be worn fresh from the wash. There was a time when I went for a while without changing, but I swear I was constantly scratching my body back then."

"Yeah, I know."

With a perfect, hundred-point smile, Sakaeda chuckled.

"Coming to think of it now, I realized I actually kind of liked that job."

"That's the best thing of all."

"By the way... what happened to your glasses?"

"I lost them."

"Then I can't call you 'Guriguri Glasses' anymore... How should I address you instead?"

"Please, feel free to call me whatever you like."

"Come to think of it, I don't even know your name. What's your real name?"

I looked away slightly,

"...Kenpei."

"Liar. You're not actually a guy, are you..."

"Well, does it really matter?"

"Why not? Just tell me already."

Hmm.

I'm not really fond of my own name, to be honest.

Please continue to call me "Guriguri Megane."

So, I'll just make it up.

"Well, if that's the case, then that's fine I guess."

Sakata lets out a sigh, puckering her lips.

Now that you mention it, what are you doing next?

I'll stop by the aviation park for a bit... then head home.

"Go back where?"

"A place like home?"

What immediately came to mind was, of course, "Sakagata High School."

"Ah, I see..."

Sakada said, sounding slightly disappointed.

"My cellphone's stopped working, so I guess we won't be able to contact each other for a while."

"Well, I'll come back again."

It would be irresponsible to just leave things like this and not follow up.

"Oh, really? Then make sure you let me know when you do!"

"Yeah..."

In the future, we should be able to exchange supplies and personnel between here, the Air Park, and the people Ayaka-chan helped.

If we all work together, I think we might be able to plan a counteroffensive against those zombies.

Staying holed up inside won't last forever—we can already see we'll eventually run out of resources.

It's about time we started striking back.

Yeah, yeah.

If we keep this up, the dream of a life filled with games won't be far off.

Lost in such thoughts, Sakaeda quietly muttered something under his breath.

"...Huh? Did you say something just now?"

"Huh? No, I didn't say anything?"

Well, that's fine.

...Wait—didn't I just hear him say, "Come to think of it, this little guy's kinda cute" (gulp)?

I could've sworn I heard something suspicious like that.

Must be my imagination, yeah.