Chapter 236 - 24
The dinner lasted for some time, with the two of them enjoying a very peaceful time over the meal.
Once they were done, Seijirou offered to wash the dishes despite Touka’s insistence to do it herself, but under Seijirou’s persuasion, she can only nod and just went to take a bath.
Once she was done, Seijirou followed after, while Touka sat down on the sofa to watch some movies.
A few minutes later, Seijirou walked out of the bathroom, the steam from the hot shower still clinging to his skin like a spectral shroud.
He had finished taking a bath and was now wearing a simple white tank top that hugged his lean, muscular frame, paired with comfortable gray joggers.
He moved with a relaxed, feline grace, using a plush towel to slowly wipe the dampness from his ash-blond hair.
The penthouse was quiet, the beautiful rays of the neon lights outside the floor-to-ceiling windows providing a soft, ambient glow that reflected off the polished marble floors.
As he entered the living area, he saw Touka.
After she had finished taking a bath, Seijirou had offered her to wear a silk nightgown that belonged to his mother—a deep emerald green garment that contrasted beautifully with her fair skin.
She looked soft, almost ethereal, sitting on the sprawling leather sofa while watching what seemed to be a high-budget zombie movie.
The flickering light of the screen danced across her features, highlighting the focused, analytical expression she wore even in her downtime.
He went to the kitchen and found a bag of chips tucked away in one of the designer cabinets.
Once he was done, he returned and sat down next to her, the cushion dipping under his weight.
"Didn’t know you were a fan of zombie movies," he remarked, his voice low and teasing.
Touka didn’t look up, her eyes glued to a scene where a survivor was frantically trying to hotwire an old sedan.
"I am not," she replied matter-of-factly. "But I like to point out how unrealistic these things are. It’s a fascinating exercise in identifying logical fallacies."
"Oh?" Seijirou opened the bag of chips with a sharp crinkle. "Like what?"
He took out one, a golden, salted slice, and held it up to her lips, feeding it to her.
Touka opened her mouth naturally, accepting the chip and chewed slowly before answering, her mind clearly already running through a list of grievances. "Aside from the biological impossibility of how zombies themselves would rot and decompose in a matter of weeks? There’s the mechanical aspect. Like how, despite a few years having supposedly passed since the collapse, cars are still functioning? Gasoline has a shelf life, Seijirou-kun. It degrades and gums up the fuel lines. That doesn’t make sense. And don’t even get me started on the battery life or the tire rot."
"Hm." Seijirou nodded, taking a chip for himself as he leaned back, stretching his legs out. "Well, say, if a zombie apocalypse does actually happen, what are some terrifying things that people usually don’t talk about? Since you’ve clearly given the infrastructure some thought."
He handed another chip toward her and she ate it, her gaze finally drifting away from the screen as she pondered the question for a moment, her expression grew serious, the analytical part of her brain taking over.
"Hmm, maybe hygiene? Yes, definitely that." Touka turned slightly toward him, her voice dropping into that rhythmic, focused tone he found so charming. "I mean, water is scarce, so bathing and brushing your teeth shouldn’t be a top priority... until you have an abscess, or pneumonia, or a staph infection. These are things that most people don’t bother to remember because we live in this modern society where clean water and soap are basic necessities. A simple toothache would become a death sentence without antibiotics."
"That’s true," Seijirou nodded, genuinely impressed. "The small things would become the big things."
"And also," Touka added, her eyes narrowing as a particularly chilling thought occurred to her as she turned fully toward him now, the movie forgotten. "Mosquitoes can carry the virus. Think about it. If the infection is blood-borne, every summer would be a nightmare of airborne transmission. You can hide from a slow-moving corpse, but you can’t hide from a swarm of insects."
Seijirou paused mid-chew as he stared at her, the mental image of a mosquito-borne plague settling in. "...Damn. I never thought of that. That’s actually terrifying."
With that, the two of them continued to watch the movie, but the focus shifted from the screen to each other.
They spent the next hour talking and laughing, Touka dismantling every scene with her ruthless logic while Seijirou added his own sharp-witted insights.
The atmosphere grew increasingly intimate, the distance between them on the sofa slowly evaporating until their shoulders were brushing.
Seijirou noticed the way the silk of her gown shimmered whenever she moved, and the soft, floral scent of the shampoo she had used lingered in the air.
He found himself watching her lips move more than the subtitles on the TV.
The horror on the screen was nothing compared to the warmth radiating from the girl beside him.
He reached out, his hand resting on the back of the sofa, his fingers occasionally grazing the silk of her nightgown.
Touka, usually so guarded, leaned into his touch, her laughter becoming softer, more melodic.
Until eventually, Touka let out a long, tired yawn as the adrenaline of the tax debate and the "zombie survival" lecture was finally wearing off, replaced by a heavy, comfortable lethargy.
Seijirou looked up at the digital clock on the wall and saw that it was already 11 PM, so he turned toward Touka, his gaze softening. "It’s already late. Let’s get some rest. You’ve had a more exhausting day than most."
Touka nodded.
With that, he helped her stand up, his hand lingering on her waist for a second to steady her.
He turned off the TV, plunging the living room into a soft, moonlit darkness, and led her toward one of the extra guest rooms down the hall.
"Here." Seijirou turned on the lights as he led her inside.
The room was just as luxurious as the rest of the penthouse, with a king-sized bed and a view of the sleeping city.
"Just call me if you need anything. I’ll be in the room just across the hall."
Just as he was about to turn around and leave, feeling the weight of the day’s events pressing on him, Touka suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand, her grip was tight, her fingers trembling slightly.
Seijirou turned around, confused. "Touka?"
"Seijirou-kun... can you... can you stay with me?" she whispered.
Her voice was small, vulnerable, stripped of the academic armor she had worn all evening.
Seijirou’s eyes widened for a moment, his heart skipping a beat.
The request was unexpected, yet it resonated deeply within him as he searched her eyes, finding a mix of longing and a lingering fear of the dark.
"I mean, I don’t mind," he said, smiling gently. "But are you sure?"
Touka nodded, her head lowered as a deep flush crept up her neck and colored her ears.
Then, as if suddenly feeling like she had been way too straightforward and bold, she panicked and just shook her head frantically, her hair swaying. "O-On second thought—, I’m sorry, I was just—, I didn’t mean to—"
Seijirou didn’t let her finish her frantic backtracking as he stepped forward and pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her in a firm, protective embrace.
Touka froze for a split second, her breath hitching, but slowly, she began to relax as she leaned her head against his chest, closing her eyes and listening to the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat.
It was a sound that made her feel more alive and safe than any logic or tax code ever could.
The scent of him, clean skin and the faint trace of soap and shampoo, surrounded her.
"Seijirou-kun..." She looked up, her face flushed and her ears turning a brilliant red, but she didn’t look away this time.
The shyness was still there, but it was being eclipsed by a raw, honest affection.
"I... I really..." She bit her lips, as if trying to force the words to come out her mouth.
"Touka..." Seijirou whispered, his voice thick with emotion as he reached out, his thumb gently grabbing her chin and tilting her face up, forcing her to stare straight into his eyes.
The hazel light in his pupils was soft, like moonlight on water, making Touka feel as if butterflies were flattering on her stomach.
"Can I..."
Touka didn’t need him to finish the question as she simply smiled—a soft, radiant expression that signaled her absolute trust.
She the closed her eyes, her long lashes resting against her cheeks, as if allowing him to do whatever he pleased with her.
At that moment, Seijirou lowered his head and brought his lips to hers.
The kiss was slow and tender at first, full of tenderness and care, as if they were trying to savor this moment.
It tasted of salt and sweetness, a brief moment of perfect harmony in the heart of a chaotic city.
Touka’s hands reached up, clutching the fabric of his tank top, as they stood together in the quiet luxury of the penthouse, the world outside finally fading into nothingness.