Chapter 7: Pants off

The truck fell silent once more. The only sound was May’s quiet, restrained sobbing.

For a group of rough men who spent their days wading through blood and fighting monsters, seeing a helpless woman looking so heartbreakingly vulnerable was practically a nuclear-level attack on their defenses.

Jack anxiously scratched at his head.

Mitch irritably kicked a pebble near his foot.

Theo and Ace remained silent, neither offering an opinion.

In the end, Ray made the final decision.

He rose to his feet, his towering shadow completely enveloping May.

"All right. Stop crying." His voice remained cold, but there was an unmistakable finality to it. "From today onward, you’re part of our team."

May jerked her head up. Tears still clung to her lashes, and disbelief flashed across her face.

"From now on, you stay with us. As long as we have food, you won’t go hungry."

His words were sharp and somewhat cold, but they carried the most primitive kind of security.

The tightly wound string inside May’s heart finally loosened. She nodded vigorously, her voice thick with tears as she called out with heartfelt sincerity,

"Thank you so much! You are my heroes!"

That sweet, soft cry of "heroes" hit the six men like a bullet wrapped in honey.

Even Mitch, who always seemed to have a permanent scowl, couldn’t quite stop the corner of his mouth from twitching upward.

Seizing the opportunity, May looked at Ray with clear, curious eyes, her lips pouting.

"Mister Ray, then... where are we going next?"

Ray pulled a crumpled map from his pocket and spread it across the hood of the truck. His rough fingertip traced the map before finally coming to rest on a coastal marker.

"We’re going east. Someone said there are islands in the eastern sea. Supposedly, they’re humanity’s last hope."

His voice carried clearly through the ruined streets, steady and unwavering.

"We’re going there to investigate." His gaze hardened. "And we’re going to make it there alive, no matter what."

Alive...

May hadn’t even had time to process everything that had happened to her, but that word snapped her back to reality. Regardless of the setting of this ridiculous novel, she was surrounded by danger, and she needed others to stay alive.

"If she wants to stay alive, we need to deal with that leg first."

Theo crouched beside her, his attention settling on her bloodied calf.

"Clean the wound, stitch it, disinfect it, and replace the dressing. It needs to be done immediately."

He retrieved a pair of forceps and a bottle of clear solution from the medical kit, then glanced around.

"The fabric is stuck to the wound. Her pants have to come off, and the previous dressing needs to be replaced."

Pants... Come off?

The moment those words were spoken, the heroic atmosphere that had just begun to build inside the truck instantly transformed into something far more awkward.

May’s face flushed crimson.

Her pants had already been shredded by the creature’s claws and broken glass. Torn red fabric mixed with dried blood clung tightly to her skin, leaving her in a thoroughly miserable and embarrassing state.

Having to remove them in front of six men was almost more dreadful than facing another monster.

"I... I’ll do it."

Jack was the first to stammer out an offer.

His honest, rugged face turned bright red, but he stubbornly stared at his own toes instead of looking at May.

"My hands are big, but I can be careful. I can rip them off fast, I won’t touch the wound."

"You?"

Mitch snorted. He unfolded his arms and stepped forward, wearing his usual irritating expression.

"With hands the size of bear paws, I’m afraid you will just snap her leg in half."

He took another step and jerked his chin toward May, though the tips of his ears had quietly turned red.

"I’ll do it. I have a steady hand."

"Oh, Mitch, is that what you’re planning to use those steady hands for?"

Alex cheerfully squeezed his way forward, bumping Mitch aside. He flashed May an innocent puppy-eyed smile.

"Don’t be scared, little May. I’m the most careful with my hands. I promise I’ll be gentle."

Oh God... Now they’re gonna argue who gets to take off my pants?

As Alex spoke, he reached toward the waistband of May’s pants.

"Everyone, get the hell out of the way."

Ray’s deep command exploded through the truck. His towering frame stepped between May and the others like an impenetrable wall.

Without sparing his brothers a glance, he looked directly at May.

"Turn around. Lie down. I’m going to..." He paused. "...apply the medicine."

May’s heart gave a nervous little jump, but she obediently followed his instructions.

She lay face down on the cold metal truck bed, burying her face in the crook of her arms. She was so tense that even her toes curled involuntarily.

Behind her came the reluctant footsteps of the others retreating. Then a large body radiating intense heat lowered beside her.

Ray’s strong masculine scent, mixed with smoke and sweat, immediately surrounded her.

"It might hurt a little. Bear with it."

His rough voice came from close beside her.

May felt his calloused hand carefully lift the torn fabric stuck to her skin. Then came the cold touch of medical scissors against the outside of her thigh.

Snip.

The sound of fabric being cut echoed sharply through the silent truck. Ray moved slowly and carefully, though his breathing gradually grew heavier.

He genuinely tried not to look. His eyes remained fixed on the scissors, but as the fabric was gradually cut away, the pale skin beneath inevitably entered his peripheral vision.

From her slender ankle, up the graceful line of her calf, and farther upward...

Ray’s throat tightened. He swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly dry.

Damn it. What the fuck is wrong with me?

He forced himself to focus.

"Relax." His voice had gone noticeably hoarse. "If you keep your muscles this tight, the fabric will cling to your skin. It will be harder to... the scissors won’t go up."

He then slid his big hand upward, gently rubbing the muscles as if to help them relax. May froze.

Am I being affected by the setting of the novel? Why does this feel so damn... enticing?

She didn’t dare move. She simply buried her face deeper into her arms, feeling as though the bizarre atmosphere around her might actually set her on fire.

A sheen of sweat appeared at Ray’s temple.

To get a better view of the injury, he leaned closer, his warm breath passing near her back.

His left hand held the torn fabric steady, his fingertips unavoidably resting against the sensitive skin along the inside of her leg.

Her skin was smooth and warm. He couldn’t focus at all.

And at some point, the others who had supposedly withdrawn had all quietly returned.

Jack stared with wide eyes, his mouth slightly open as he forgot to breathe.

Mitch leaned against the side of the truck, his Adam’s apple moving as his expression darkened.

Ace was still smiling, but there wasn’t the slightest trace of amusement left in his peach-shaped eyes.

Theo adjusted his glasses, a cold glint flashing behind the lenses.

Alex simply licked his lips, his expression openly amused and jealous at the same time.

Every man’s attention had converged on Ray’s rough hand as it carefully worked around May’s pale skin.

With each movement of the scissors, more of the damaged fabric was removed, revealing the extent of the injury.

Ray could feel his patience wearing thinner by the second.

He wanted to finish the treatment as quickly as possible and escape the suffocating atmosphere.

His hands consequently moved a little faster. Then, at that exact moment, something unexpected happened.

The ground beneath the parked truck wasn’t completely level. The vehicle suddenly shifted with a small but unmistakable jolt.

But that tiny jolt was all it took.

Ray’s hand slipped, and the cold metal of the scissors struck the most tender skin right beside May’s wound.

"Ahhh!"

Her sharp cry tore through the night.