Chapter 3: The Secret That Didn't Kill Her
They didn't stop running.
Not once.
For nearly two hours, their feet kept hitting cracked pavement and broken roads, breath tearing in and out of their lungs as the city slowly gave way to quieter streets. The noise of the infected faded behind them, replaced by the distant groan of wind through abandoned buildings.
By the time the school came into view, the sky had already begun to dim.
Late afternoon. Almost evening.
Nezuko stumbled the moment they crossed the rusted school gate, catching herself on her knees before Tokita could reach her. She stayed there for a few seconds, breathing hard, shoulders shaking.
Tokita stood a short distance away, hands relaxed at his sides.
"You okay?" he asked calmly.
Nezuko nodded, still gasping. "Y-Yeah… just… need a second."
Tokita glanced around the school compound. The place was eerily quiet. Too quiet. No infected. No people. Just silence, broken only by Nezuko's breathing and the faint rustle of trees beyond the fence.
He wasn't even tired.
That bothered him more than it should've.
After a moment, Nezuko stood up and brushed dirt off her knees. She studied Tokita closely, like she was trying to figure out what kind of person could run that long and still look untouched.
"…Are you some kind of athlete?" she asked weakly.
Tokita gave a small smile. "Nah. Just… used to moving."
She frowned. Then, after hesitating, she spoke again—her voice quieter this time.
"Tokita… you're a good guy, right?"
He blinked. "Huh?"
"I mean," she said, nervously rubbing her arm, "you helped me. You didn't leave me. But… I just want to know."
Tokita looked away toward the school building.
"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I guess… I try to be kind."
Nezuko swallowed.
"…Can you keep a secret?"
That made him turn back to her.
"Depends."
She hesitated for a long moment. Then, slowly, she reached behind her neck and pulled her hair aside.
Tokita moved back instantly—three steps, no hesitation. His body reacted before his mind did.
Right there, just below her hairline, was a bite mark.
Small. Healed. Old.
The world went quiet.
"…How long?" Tokita asked