I Became a Hero in a Pandemic

Chapter 32: Pinky ring

“……Hot”

I wake up from my slumber.

I don’t know what day it is because I haven’t looked at the calendar for a long time, but it’s probably the end of March……?

A cold wind is still blowing through March and it becomes troublesome to get out of the futon in the morning. The cause of waking up in spite of the heat must be my daughter, who sleeps while holding me.

Aya-chan’s forelock, that sticks to her forehead, is filled with sweat over night, and while it is so hot I wish to sleep somewhere else……I can’t do so. That’s fine, because it’d be hot anywhere else anyways. Besides, Aya-chan is cute and cuteness is justice.

Nonetheless, it’s still hot. Should the futon be pulled off or……while I think and look at Aya-chan’s angel-like sleeping face, a humble knock is heard.

It is five o’clock in the morning when I check the clock on the wall. It is a little early for breakfast.

“Please”

When I allowed the person, who knocked, entry with a faint voice, the door opened immediately.

“Kurumi-chan……what do you need this early in the morning?”

Kurumi-chan opened her mouth to my question, but she caught a glimpse of Aya and closed her mouth slightly. Is it hard to say in this occasion?

……Ah, by the way, today is that day――――the fifth day since Kurumi-chan was bitten by a zombie. It is the promised day.

“Wait a minute. I’ll get up soon, so please wait in the living room”

“Ah, no……as it is, it’s okay……”

That said, Kurumi-chan was stumped again.

Is it something that is hard to say? If so, is she begging to die? No, she doesn’t have such a desperate atmosphere. It is an expression that feels like an apology before asking for something troublesome.

Without waiting for me who strokes Aya-chan’s head, Kurumi-chan finally began talking about the reason why she came here this early in the morning.

“Today……is my sister’s birthday. So……I’m going to find a birthday present, and I want your help”

When she said that much, she looked at the floor and stopped moving. No, she is moving restlessly because of that.

I guess, she would have invited me without any problem if it was five days ago. I’m sorry to think so and found out why Kurumi-chan was stuck with the number of days.

She said that she didn’t want to be a zombie, so she also wouldn’t want to die. But she is gradually eroded by fear and the very first Kurumi-chan said that day she was bitten by a zombie, “Please don’t tell my sister. At least for five days……”

She gave priority to her sister’s birthday rather than her own death.

“……Haa”

With a big sigh, Kurumi-chan’s body trembled.

She was like Honjo-san, but I am weak to such a story. My heart tightened to the feeling that we thought of others like that.

“For Kurumi-chan, I’m just a devil guy right now, but you don’t have to go, don’t you? Rather, hurry up and tell me about the present”

“……He? Ah, yes. I’m sor…ry?”

It is embarrassing to say that it is somewhat shameful, but why has it become a content that I blame Kurumi-chan.

More so…..I thought that I would like to be a good looking old man.

“So, do you have a gift for your birthday present?”

Although it is a dialogue far from a cool-looking guy, Kurumi-chan shook her head slightly against that question.

“Here……”

Kurumi-chan´s aim is here……a jewelery shop. The signboard says『3℃』.It’s a very cold name, but I know it’s a brand shop that didn’t have any edge in this place. I don’t know how to read that signboard.

“Ah, it’s a surprise”

The shutter was broken, and after entering from the cracked entrance, the inside was cleaner than I thought. Besides, the goods are left untouched. From the messy appearance, I was wondering if the valuables were deprived during the confusion of the pandemic, but it seems that there is no need to be such a greedy person.

The entrance is destroyed, and it might be correct to say that someone fled here.

“Kurumi-chan stop stop. I can’t back you up when we go”

There is no sign of a person and no sound is heard, but I can’t be careless. Five days ago one slipped through my view.

However, contrary to such a thought, Kurumi-chan laughs with a self-mocking feeling.

“What do you need to be afraid of? ……It’s already too late”

Kurumi said so and advanced again.

I know what Kurumi-chan wants to say, but I don’t say it. I sigh so as not to be noticed, before I rushed and took Kurumi-chan’s hand.

“You can’t get eaten and killed before you celebrate your birthday. You may not have to be afraid of being bitten, but you can’t die right now……or am I wrong?”

It might be a little sneaky. However, Kurumi-chan wouldn’t be convinced if I don’t say it like this. Adults are cunning.

“No, you’re not……”

Despite a dull look, Kurumi didn’t deny my point. She understood the feelings of a father who has a daughter that is in the rebellious period. Of course the relation and situation aren’t such a funny thing.

“There are no zombies in the office, but be careful. I’m on the way to the entrance to see if there are any zombies there as well”

Once we confirm our safety, we head toward the entrance. The reason is that it’s game over as long as there are multiple zombies gathered in the doorway.

“Ah, that’s fine. I found what I wanted”

We quickly found things for us and it seems to go smoothly. Although she was a junior high school student, it was a relief as there’s the image that women’s shopping was long.

“Hee……by the way, which one? The diamond necklace?”

Kurumi pointed at a pair of small rings in the glass case and laughs at me who says diamond necklace.

Two rings with a big, upside down heart are lined up in front of us. One of the hearts was a faintly pale blue jewel, while the other was a glittering diamond-like jewel.

“Pinky Ring. The left is aquamarine and the right is a diamond”

“Huuh”

I could only say it was pretty good. It is certainly pretty and beautiful even if I am the one saying so, but I’m not really interested, and there is no way of saying so.

“Ah, I don’t know. March’s birthstone is aquamarine? By the way I was born in April and the birthstone in April is diamond”

Kurumi who explains so is like the Kurumi from five days ago.

“I, I see”

But even though I am glad, I am not interested in jewelry or accessories, so there is no word to return from me.

Just a little bit, my heart ached as I sensed Kurumi-chan’s mind, while choosing a ring as a birthday present.

Just a little more… today I will convince Kurumi……it’s a bit funny to persuade her, but if she can endure the fear of becoming a zombie for a few more days, I could tell her the truth.

At that time I will tell everything to Shizuyo-chan. Even if she can’t believe my words, the reality of not being a zombie doesn’t change. The result is a testament to my words.

Treatment with semen is a ridiculous story, but the existence of zombies itself is strange too. It might not be permitted by Kurumi-chan initially, but the day she will be convinced will come.

Dreaming about that day, I took out the hammer and broke the glass case.

(ED note: Kneel before the might of my proofreading, for it is I, Kage, that has allowed you to read this in it’s glorious splendor~
…
Okay, nothing has changed from my first note in chapter 29. I’m just a fellow leecher, like all you blokes in the comments, that decided to give a helping hand. Hope it made a difference, since I made it a point to keep Parthios’ original translation as best as I could while still making the necessary changes for better reading in english. Do let me know if I just suck and should get a life, or if I did something positive for once in my miserable excuse of an existence. I technically haven’t signed on as an official editor, this is just a one-time thing at this current point in time, but I just might change that depending on the response. Toodles~)