“W-wha— Luna?!”

My jaw dropped, and my face instantly grew bright red, staring at Luna’s body. She was completely bare skinned from her head to her toes with not a single thread of clothing in sight. Her angel-like figure emitted a radiant, healthy glow, complementing a perfectly shaped physique.

“W-what’s going on, Luna—”

I was interrupted when Luna dashed forward, appearing in front of me in what seemed like less than a second. Her hand went over my mouth and she pushed against it firmly, silencing me mid-sentence. My heart skipped a beat at how close she was and how good she looked. I felt myself getting light-headed as crazy thoughts bounced around in my mind. What the hell was going on? Why was she naked? Why does she look so good? Did she even care that I was looking? Did she wanted to sleep together? Oh god, what are you thinking, Ryo?!

Luna raised a finger to her lips, breaking my thoughts and motioned for me to be quiet. She had on a serious look, her eyes staring at the door behind me. Oh, so someone was outside?

“I can sense an Ashen near us, Ryo.” Luna whispered. She was still slightly wet from the shower, and a waterdrop dripped from her neck, trickling down slowly between her breasts. My face grew hotter, staring at it. “They have their synthesis on…” Luna continued, her words coming in quiet breaths.

I nodded stiffly, trying to glance away from Luna’s body. I was too distracted by her nakedness to concentrate on what Luna was saying. It was the first time I had ever seen a girl’s body without clothes on in real life, and it certainly didn’t help that Luna looked like she could be a model. I could feel the after-warmth of the shower radiating off Luna’s skin and onto mine.

“Listen, Ryo,” Luna mouthed, her soft lips looked enticing, “they’re walking up the stairs now.”

I couldn’t hear what she was talking about. There was nothing except for the sound of the clock ticking, the birds chirping outside, the traffic on the streets, and…

Suddenly, I heard what Luna was saying. Quiet, almost imperceptible footsteps stepping off the stairs, now turning, and walking through the open verandah. They were walking to our apartment! Did they know we were here?

The footsteps stopped at the first apartment they reached, pausing momentarily. A feeling of relief washed over me, until I heard them proceeding forward, walking to the next apartment and doing the same thing. Crap, they were going to get to our apartment soon and Luna was completely naked with nothing to defend herself. Mayu was probably still unconscious in the bathroom, and I obviously couldn’t do anything to fend off an Ashen. I glanced at Luna anxiously, hoping for her to tell me a plan, but she was silent, staring fixedly at the door.

The footsteps finally reached our door, and I held my breath as they stopped. They turned to face our apartment and I felt their looming presence behind the door, a menacing aura emitting from them. I was completely still, except for the rapid beating of my heart which I could not help. Please move forward, please move forward, please move forward. I repeated the thoughts in my head, praying for them to continue onwards.

The footsteps turned away from the door, and moved to the next apartment. Relief fell over me again, and I sighed feeling partially relaxed.

We waited, unmoving in our positions, until the footsteps eventually left the apartment building, the sound of their steps disappearing from our ears.

“T-thank god…” I sighed, slumping against the door, then I glanced up at Luna, feeling my face flushing again. She was still naked and she didn’t even seem to care.

“Lucky they didn’t just go through every door,” Luna said. She lifted a hand to her face and brushed her fringe back, her fingers gliding through the silk-like smoothness of her hair, “that’s what I would’ve done anyway.”

“Uh, what if you went to the wrong door?” I asked.

Luna stopped, then glanced at me with a weird look for a few seconds. “Nothing.” She said, smiling, then she turned around, heading back to the bathroom. Something told me she wouldn’t have done nothing.

I watched as she left, staring at her body. Mesmerized by her beauty, I sat motionlessly for a while even after when she disappeared into the bathroom. Catching myself in my thoughts, I shook my head, hitting myself in the face lightly.

“What are you doing, Ryo?” I groaned, then leaned away from the door. The thoughts flashed again in my mind, and I rubbed my hands against my head, flustered. “Why am I having these thoughts?! Argh…”

I went to preoccupy myself with the television while waiting for Luna to finish with the shower. Flicking to the news channel, I watched reports about strange killings happening around the city.

“…a 48-year-old security guard named Isao Himuski was found brutally murdered while patrolling an abandoned parking lot near Hibiya High School. Police do not have leads on the perpetrators involved…”

“Ah,” I sighed, shaking my head. That was the security guard that Luna killed after the fight with Kaori. It was a weird feeling watching the event being discussed on television.

“…and in another case, a person was found dead tonight in what appeared to be another gruesome murder from what police believe to be the same serial killer that has slain dozens over the recent week. Officials are still investigating the circumstances behind the murders and have declined to reveal further information…”

“W-what?” I perked up from my seat. This wasn’t Luna’s work. Could it had been Azumi? Didn’t she say that she killed dozens on the way here? But…

I continued watching the news report as a map of the killings were shown on the screen. None of them were on the amusement park that Azumi had said she killed people. I didn’t recognise the locations that were shown, but from the date and timing, they seemed to be heading towards… Hibiya High. Our school!

“Crap…” I muttered, staring intently at the television screen. I should probably tell Luna about this.

Just at that moment, the door to the bathroom opened, and I turned my head towards it. For a split second, my heart stopped thinking Luna was going to walk out naked again, but this time she came out wearing a set of sleeping clothes. I felt a faint sadness washing over me. What the heck? Was I disappointed?

Luna glanced at me, catching me staring at her. “What, Ryo?” She asked, then smiled. “Did you wanted me to walk out naked again?”

It felt like she had read my mind. My cheeks grew hot, and I shook my head. “W-what?! No.” I said, then I tried to be serious. “Anyways, I’m watching the news at the moment and they are talking about this serial killer that’s been popping up recently.”

“Uh huh.” Luna walked up closer to the television, staring at the screen. “Seems like another Ashen, right?”

“Yeah…” I said solemnly. “They just keep on coming.”

The memories of all the Ashens that we have faced so far popped up in my mind causing me to grimace. First, it was Ichiro, the guy that welded the reverberating katana. The ringing of his blade was still firmly embedded in my head, how it got louder the longer the fight dragged on. We still had no idea where he had disappeared to after the fight with Mayu.

Second, it was Mayu. She was now on our side, but as an enemy she was frightening to face against. Her poisoned dagger would paralyse people from the smallest cut, and a full blown cut would kill in minutes. Not to mention, her unbelievable speed and agility. Then, it was Kaori whose preferred method of killing was to crush the skulls of her prey with a metal rod. Luna had killed her in a gruesome fashion, that it still made my stomach sick thinking about it.

Finally, our most recent opponent was Azumi. She used a curved blade, and it seemed her specialty was the awkward angles at which she threw her attacks. Even in the fight against Luna, I could remember Luna struggling to fend off against Azumi’s attacks. Was it the right decision for me to save Azumi? The truth was I wasn’t entirely sure, but I sure as hell didn’t want to see what happened with Kaori to happen again right in front of me.

Thinking back to all these memories, I felt hopeless, as though we were being slowly squeezed to death. Could we really defend ourselves against what was to come next?

“Things are going to get fun, isn’t it, Ryo?” Luna said, breaking my thoughts. She smiled at me, and for some reason that I didn’t understand, the feeling of despair left my mind seeing the carefree look on her face.

“Y-yeah…” I stammered, my face was getting hot again, but this time it wasn’t because I was thinking about Luna being naked. It was because of the genuine smile on Luna’s face, it wasn’t often that she smiled like that. Despite the context of what was being said, her smile made me feel warm inside. What was this feeling? Was I falling for her again? Hang on. Didn’t she just say that it was going to be fun to kill people, and I was falling for her? This didn’t make any sense.

“Ryo?” Luna studied my face, leaning closer. “Are you okay? Your face is red.”

“It’s nothing!” I said quickly, staggering away from her closeness. Her face was getting way too close. “I’m fine, really!”

“Are you sure, Ryo?” Luna asked, she gave me a disbelieving look.

“I’m fine!” I insisted, trying to end her inquisition. “Honestly.”

“Hmm…” Luna stared at me, thinking. “You’re not…” She paused. “Still thinking about when I was naked, right?”

“What?! No!” I said.

“Well, cause if you are, you just have to ask, Ryo.” Luna smiled playfully. “I can go naked for you a-ny-time.” She said, emphasising the last word.

“No, that’s not it!” I cried, but Luna just giggled.

“I mean it. You can do more than just looking if you want."

I groaned. She was playing with my feelings. “I’m going to shower.” I said dejectedly, waving my hand as I headed for the bathroom.

Luna laughed at my reaction, watching me for a few seconds. Then she seemed to have remembered something, and her face went anxious. “W-wait, Ryo!” She called out to me, but it was too late. I walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind me, sighing as I did so.

I couldn’t make sense of my feelings for Luna. Did I really like her for who she was? Or did I like her because of her looks? Did I even know who she really was? There seemed to be two different Luna’s that I knew. One was beautiful and somewhat normal in behaviour despite her overwhelming love for me. The second was a deranged switchblade-welder that chopped people to pieces for fun. Who was the real Luna? Argh…

As I thought about my feelings, I undressed to my boxers in a zoned out state. Just as I was about to take my boxers off, I froze in my place. Hang on... There was someone lying in the bathtub. Light blue hair… it was Mayu, and she was completely naked, half her body was submerged in water.

She groaned, raising a hand to her head and opened her eyes slowly. “W-who is it—”

Her eyes went wide open when saw me in my boxers, with my hands looking as though I was about to pull them off. This definitely didn’t look good.

“W-what are you doing?!” Mayu yelped, her face bright red. Her hands went to her chest, touching skin. Then she froze, looking down slowly.

“Uh…” I tried to think of something. “This isn’t what it looks like…”

Mayu’s face went even redder upon realizing that she wasn’t wearing any clothes. Then she glanced back up at me, and we were both silent.

Suddenly and without warning, Mayu started screaming at the top of her lungs, splashing water everywhere as her legs scrambled frantically to get up from the slippery surface of the bathtub.

“I’m sorry!” I yelled back against her screams, pulling as hard as I could at the bathroom door, but failing to open it due to my rushing. “I didn’t know you were here! I swear!”

At that moment, the door flung open from the other side, sending me backwards and falling right into the bathtub with Mayu. I landed on top of Mayu, pushing her down into the bathtub with a splash. I felt her breast between us, squeezing against my body, and my mind went dizzy, spinning in chaos. Mayu pushed me back up with both hands, still screaming as she tried to get me off her.

“Ryo!” Luna cried, as she grabbed onto me from behind, pulling me out of the bathtub. “A-are you okay? I kicked the door too hard!”

I was dragged out of the bathtub by Luna’s strength, my body half soaked in water. I felt like I was almost dying, my mind blank and my body refusing to move as Luna pulled me around like a ragdoll.

“Get out!” Mayu yelled, her face was now completely red. “Now!”

“Okay, okay… Jeez…” Luna pouted, dragging me to the kotatsu table and laying me down on the side. “She’s acting like she’s the one that should be upset.”

I heard the door to the bathroom slamming shut with a loud thud, and I groaned, breathing out as I raised a hand to cover my eyes. Luna patted me on the head, laughing light-heartedly. “It’s okay, Ryo. It was my fault.” She said, trying to cheer me up.

The next day, I woke up in my bed and my eyes were greeted by the view of the ceiling. It was a weekend so there was no school today, thank god. I thought to myself. I sure as hell didn’t feel like going to school today. Especially after the big day yesterday. I rolled to my side, and came face to face with Luna’s sleeping face.

“Ah!” I jolted backwards, surprised, and Luna stirred, waking up from the movement.

“Ryo?” Luna rose up from the bed, a hand rubbing her eye. “What’s wrong?”

Memories of last night came to my head, and I remembered that Luna had gone to bed with me, despite my insistence that Mayu and her should share the bed while I slept on the kotatsu table. In the end, Luna got her way because Mayu was still upset by what had happened in the bathroom, thus she chose to sleep on the kotatsu table alone.

“Nothing…” I replied. I noticed Luna’s shirt was a bit too loose, revealing a cleavage. I glanced away, feeling uneasy.

Luna stretched her arms in the air, yawning. “You’re such a loud sleeper, Ryo.”

“Really?” I asked, surprised. I didn’t know I snored in my sleep. Probably because I didn’t have anyone to tell me since I never slept with another person… until Luna came into my life.

Luna smiled at me. “No, it’s fine.” She said. “Besides, I don’t care as long as I get to sleep with you, Ryo.”

I rubbed the back of my head awkwardly. Luna was always saying things like that. It sort of made me happy inside, but it also made me confused about my feelings for her.

“Anyways, I have a plan for today.” Luna said, jumping out of the bed. “I know a way we can find the Ashen we saw on television last night, before they find us.”

“Ah…” I watched Luna as she jumped out of the bed. She was always so full of energy, it made me wonder if she was ever tired. I guess not, being an Ashen and all. “Do you think that was the same Ashen that came to the apartment?” I asked, remembering the footsteps yesterday.

“No.” Luna replied quickly without thinking. “The one on television was still searching outside of this area, the one that came to the apartment last night almost pinpointed our exact location.”

“That makes sense.” I said, nodding. Luna was right. From the map of the killings that were shown on the television, the Ashen that was going around killing people were still finding their way towards Hibiya High. “So what’s the plan?” I asked.

“We find the Ashen, then we kill them.”