"So what are we doing out here, anyway?" I asked Emi.

"Just wanted to show you something kinda cool," she says, smiling. "C'mon."

I sigh as I follow her up the dirt path behind Yamaku, leading up into the woods. Students like to use this as a hiking trail, and I can see why: it's a pleasant summer day, with the sound of cicadas and the singing of birds giving the entire place a warm, pleasant feel.

"Well, here we are," Emi says, stretching out. "Isn't this a nice place?"

I look around and have to admit she's right. "Yeah, this isn't bad," I agree.

And it is pretty nice. A small glade leading off from the hiking trail, with a few trees scattered here and there. I look around with my hands in my pockets, just drinking in the pleasant, rustic nature of our surroundings.

A flash of color catches my eye, and I raise an eyebrow as I look closer at the branches of one of the trees. "Are those apples?" I ask.

"Yeah," Emi says. "Want one?"

"I don't know if even I could reach any of those," I point out. "And you certainly can't. I guess we could climb, but I don't know if you can. . ."

"Well, why don't you let me climb on your shoulders, then?" my running partner asks. "I think there are a couple that we could reach."

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I'm not Rin," Emi says, grinning mischievously. "I don't believe underpants are a girl's soul, so I won't mind you peeking."

"I wasn't going to," I sigh.

Getting her up on my shoulders takes a couple of tries: we finally manage it by having me kneel down while she climbs up on top of me, then I carefully get to my feet, using the tree for balance.

"I see one over there!" she shouts. "Move to your left a bit!"

"Don't stretch so far, I'll fall over!" I shout. I carefully take a couple of steps to my left.

Emi reaches up for the fruit, causing her crotch to rub against the back of my neck. I gulp nervously at the feel of her warm, soft flesh against my skin. A couple of swipes, and she's managed to grab the fruit, plucking it from the tree branch.

"Hang on, there's one more," Emi says. "Let's get that one too."

I take a couple more steps to my left, then Emi grabs another apple and plucks one for me.

I let her down off my shoulders and sigh, rubbing my aching joints. Emi polishes both apples with her skirt and hands me one.

We sit down on the grass in the sunlight and take a bite together.

"It's kinda sour," I admit.

"Yeah," Emi sighs. "But it's tasty."

We enjoy our snack together as the birds sing and the cicadas cry.

-----

Tank Edit:

A few minutes later, Shion and Mion emerged from their mansion and caught the two interlopers eating from the family tree. They caught Hinamizawa syndrome, went crazy, and murdered the other students at Yamaku.

THE END