As the clock ticked on, the atmosphere thickened with unease, punctuated by the distant, eerie moans of the undead. After half an hour of waiting in trepidation, two figures emerged from the depths of the shadows, their silhouettes gradually sharpening into clarity under the faint streetlights.
It was Shiro and Eiji, two familiar faces from Sobu's student council, moving cautiously through the dimly lit streets. The tension in the air was thick and oppressive, forcing them to steal anxious glances at their surroundings as they approached the clothes shop from earlier.
Upon spotting them, Meguri exhaled with relief from where she was perched, lowering her bow, which had been taut and ready. "It's you two," she said, her voice carrying a mixture of surprise and ease. "Did you manage to find shelter?"
"Y-yeah, we did. Well, Seitokaichō did," Shiro replied, a hint of uncertainty in his voice as he quickly relayed the address of their safe haven. "She also sent us to help you all out," he added, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow as he stepped closer to the group.
Hayato crossed his arms as he responded, "What? But we're fine with these numbers."
Eiji, gripping his baseball bat with both hands as he chimed in, "Yeah, but if we go back without pitching in, we'll never hear the end of it." There was an intensity in his eyes, reflecting a determination fueled by a sense of obligation. "Besides, I was part of the baseball club back in middle school, so I'm confident I can help."
Shiro, attempting to mask his nerves with a smile, added, "And while I didn't join any clubs, I've got some skills in Muay Thai. Please count on us, Hayama-san."
Hayato turned his gaze to Yamato, seeking his opinion. Yamato nodded, a silent affirmation that was reciprocated by the rest of their small band. Feeling a surge of responsibility, Hayato took a deep breath and declared, "Okay. Let me fill you in on our plan then."
As the seven of them huddled together, the next ten minutes were spent fervently discussing their strategy. Hayato's experience as captain of the soccer team gave him a distinct advantage; he deftly integrated Shiro and Eiji into the fold while ensuring the group stayed unified and focused.
"Unfortunately, while you all were gone," Saika interjected, his tone nervous, "four more of those things showed up." He gestured outside, where the neon sign of the nearby 7/11 cast a glow over the large numbers of the undead stumbling around.
"Tch. There's just no end to them." Maki said.
Yamato's expression hardened. "That just means we have to hurry before more of those bastards show up."
"The faster we attack, the faster we'll get out of here with some food," Oka said.
"You're right," Hayato agreed. He turned to face his improvised team, eyeing each member intently. "Is everyone ready?" He scanned their faces, noting the quiet resolve in their expressions as they all nodded in affirmation.
With a reassuring grin, he said, "Good, then let's move."
x x x
"Move that over there," Yukino instructed, her voice steady as she navigated the moderately sized room that had once thrived as a maid café.
Despite the destruction and death looming outside, there was no sign that any of it had affected the café during the initial outbreak; it remained eerily pristine with the exception of a few knocked-over chairs and tables. In the end, that didn't matter as Yukino had ordered all the furniture to be moved in front of every possible entrance or access point of the café.
While water and coffee supplies were plentiful in the kitchen area, the food inventory was alarmingly low. This café had never prided itself on being a full-service establishment, focusing primarily on coffee. Nonetheless, within these walls, they would find a measure of safety for the night.
"Hey, you! Be careful!" Yumiko called out, her tone sharp as she and Hina strategically placed several chairs against the large windows lining the café's front. She glared at Yoshiteru, who stood hesitantly, a box filled to the brim with bottled water in his precarious grip.
"Y-yes! I'm sorry!" he stammered, immediately tightening his hold on the box and forcing his voice to lower, mindful of the possible repercussions of making too much noise.
Yukino moved methodically around the room like a general surveying her troops, instructing everyone on the best ways to barricade the doors and windows. Some had voiced their opinions that barricading the entire room wasn't necessary, considering it was on the second floor and hard to access.
But for Yukino, the risk of a breach was not something she was willing to risk. As such, she used her icy glare to quickly shut down any detractors. Which mainly came from those in Kaihin's student council. This instinctive leadership role suited her well, a skill refined from her previous experiences organizing the Cultural Festival, where she had effortlessly rallied her peers.
Tamanawa, on the other hand, had attempted to take charge as well, but Yukino's commanding presence quickly silenced him. Unsure of how to assert himself against her keen authority and sharp commands, he settled for being an extra set of hands.
As he walked away, a sense of defeat washed over him, amplified by the curious and pitying gazes of his fellow student council members, particularly Kaori, whose sympathetic look only deepened his humiliation. With a hidden scowl, he withdrew into his tasks, the sting of inadequacy nagging at him.
"Yukinon is really pushing herself," Yui observed quietly, glancing at Iroha as they sifted through the kitchen in search of any edible supplies they could salvage. They rummaged through cabinets and shelves to reveal some non-perishables and bottled waters.
"It might be because she's worried about Senpai," Iroha replied softly, tugging a box of coffee beans from its resting place. "Honestly, I'm worried too. It's just him and Kawasaki-senpai out there. Not to mention, they have to take care of Kawasaki-senpai's little sister, too."
At the mention of Hachiman, Yui frowned momentarily, only to shake it off with a determined smile. "I'm sure Hikky is fine! He's reliable when he wants to be! Everything will be okay, and he'll find Komachi-chan in no time!"
Iroha attempted to mirror Yui's optimism and offered a faint smile. "Yes, you're right. Senpai does have a knack for surprising us, even in tough situations. I'm probably worrying over nothing."
"Both of you, enough with the chatter. Focus on your tasks," Yukino interjected as she walked past them, her tone leaving no room for debate.
"Yes!" they replied in unison, redirecting their focus as they resumed their efforts, hastily gathering what little supplies they could find.
As the tension filled the air, Haruno watched the scene unfold around her, letting out a small sigh as she approached the one door they hadn't reinforced yet. Her heart raced with a mix of anticipation and dread as she prepared to open it at the first sign of Hayato and the others returning.
Everyone, good luck. She thought, sending out a mental plea for their safe return.
x x x
Hayato had spent his entire life striving to meet the numerous expectations placed upon him.
From a young age, he diligently worked to become the person his parents envisioned—someone who excelled in academics, followed the rules, and made them proud. His classmates also had their own set of expectations; they looked to him as a model of what a student should be: responsible, high-achieving, and socially adept. Hayato devoted himself to meeting these demands, often prioritizing others' happiness over his own desires and ambitions.
However, as the world around him collapsed in the wake of a terrifying apocalypse, those once-pressing expectations lost their significance. The overwhelming reality of survival forced Hayato to confront a stark truth: he could no longer afford to be the person everyone else wanted him to be. The weight of their expectations was nothing compared to the urgency of staying alive and protecting those he cared about.
In this violent new world, Hayato realized he needed to transform into someone entirely different. The familiar comforts of his previous life were stripped away, replaced by the harsh demands of survival.
The turning point came when he lost Tobe. That loss ignited something deep within him—a fiery resolve. He would not allow another person to die. Not if he could help it.
Gripping his weapon, Hayato continued forward across the dark street, his heart beating loudly in his chest as he carefully followed one of the undead. It was a man. Or what used to be a man. He was missing the flesh off his back while his jaw hung off severed muscle.
Now in position behind the infected, Hayato looked out and saw Yamato, Oka, Saika, Eiji, Maki, and Shiro all ready behind their respective targets. Off to the side of the street, Meguri took a deep breath to calm her nerves and drew back her bow. Once her aim was steady, she released the arrow.
The arrow whizzed through the air and sank deeply into the lone infected in the center of the road in front of the 7/11. Its corpse fell forward, causing a loud bang as its body struck an abandoned car. Immediately, all the infected turned in that direction.
Now! Hayato thought and rose to his full height, his arm pulled back. With a powerful swing, he brought down his bat and cracked open the infected skull, sending brain matter and blood into the ground.
At the same time, everyone else brought down their weapons over their targets' heads. Like a domino effect, several undead bodies dropped at the same time. But one strike hadn't been a success.
"Shit!" Oka cursed as his target turned to him, its milky white eyes glaring down at him with hunger as blood flowed from its cracked skull.
Before the infected could growl and alert every nearby undead to their location, Meguri spun on her heel and released the arrow she had drawn. The arrow sliced through the air and skewered itself into the infected's skull, killing it.
Not willing to wait any longer, Hayato and Yamato charged at the two remaining infected. Their movements were fast and frantic, but their attacks landed with solid force.
With the last of the undead creatures nearby, Saika joined the fray. He was desperate to help everyone and to be useful.
"I can do this. I have to be helpful!" Saika muttered to himself as he struck the infected in the back of its leg, causing it to topple to the ground. Raising his metal bat, Saika hesitated for a moment, allowing doubt to creep in. However, he quickly regained his resolve and brought the bat down. The first strike didn't seem sufficient, so he reared back and hit the creature again, and again, and again.
"That's enough, Totsuka-kun," Hayato said, grabbing Saika's left arm. "You got it."
"Huh? Oh, right." Saika muttered, finally snapping out of his daze. He looked down and saw a pile of gore where the infected's head used to be. Blood and brain matter were strewn on the ground and staining his tennis shoes. "I… I…"
"It's okay, I get it," Hayato said and pulled Saika along. With the area now clear for the moment, the group walked up into the 7/11. "Let's hurry and grab some supplies. I bet you're hungry."
"Yeah… okay. Thank you, Hayama-San."
"Don't mention it."
The group moved quickly and quietly, each member focused on the task at hand as they gathered as much food as their arms could carry. After efficiently filling several plastic bags with an assortment of supplies—canned goods, bentos, and snacks—they gathered around Hayato and Yamato. The two had volunteered to take on the responsibility of guarding the group, their eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of danger while the others handled the precious cargo.
"Okay. Let's move," Hayato instructed, gripping his bat tightly, the dull thud of its weight a reassuring presence in his hands. Yamato fell in line at the rear of the group, his demeanor calm yet alert, ready to react to any threats as they navigated through the desolate streets toward the maid café.
The journey back was fraught with tension, each step echoing like a heartbeat in the stillness around them. With only two people keeping watch for any infected while everyone else struggled to balance their bags, the risk of danger loomed heavily over them. The gravity of their situation was clear: if a large group of infected cornered them, they might have to sacrifice the food they had worked so hard to gather for their escape.
As they moved through the empty alleyways and tall buildings, every distant sound of the undead sent a jolt of anxiety through them. The sharp crunch of broken glass under their feet echoed loudly in their ears, making some of them flinch in fear of accidentally gaining the attention of any nearby infected.
"We're almost there. Just around that corner," Shiro said, looking down the long road, his arms were shaking from all the bags he was carrying.
"Okay, let's-"
Two bone-chilling growls sliced through the darkness, igniting a primal fear that coursed through everyone's veins. Maki and Oka whipped around just in time to catch sight of two large black dogs slinking out from behind a van. But these were no ordinary canines. Their flesh was torn and hanging loosely, revealing raw muscle beneath, and their eyes burned a hellish red that pierced the night. The sheer size and unnatural bulk of their bodies created a nightmarish silhouette against the dim glow of the streetlights.
"Those… aren't like any dogs I've ever seen," Eiji whispered, the words escaping his lips like a frightened breath. His heart raced as the dogs growled, the sound reverberating in the depths of his chest.
"Hayato," Oka muttered, his voice barely more than a breath. "I think they're… eyeing us. I think they can see."
"They're infected," Hayato hissed, raw panic flooding his voice. "Run!"
After dropping the bags of food, everyone sprinted down the street, adrenaline pumping, but the infected dogs were a blur, an embodiment of terror. In an instant, one of the monsters closed the distance, its gaze locked on the slowest runner: Maki.
"Stay away!" Maki shrieked, swinging her bat behind her. But the dog lunged, its snarl a horrific mix of hunger and rage. With terrifying ease, it bit down on the bat, splintering the wood into deadly shards that rained down around her.
If those things catch any of us, it's over! Hayato thought as he witnessed the dog's bite force. If nothing was done, those dogs would catch up to Maki and kill her. Gritting his teeth, he stopped running and braced himself for a fight.
"Hayato?! What are you doing?!" Yamato yelled, seeing his friend stop.
"Run! Hurry!" Hayato yelled, his bat ready.
Maki's eyes widened in horror as the creature snarled, saliva dribbling from its jaws. "No! Get away!" she cried, panic clawing at her throat as she pushed herself to run faster.
A shadowy figure in black and white burst from the corner, running down the road to stand beside Hayato. Recognizing the figure, Hayato, Yamato, and Oka were left in shock.
"Hiratsuka-sensei?!" they exclaimed, disbelief etched on their faces.
But Shizuka paid no heed to their shock. After taking a calming breath, she raised her pistol high. "Get down!" Maki, instinctively obeying, dropped to the ground in a roll, heart racing.
Then came the thunder of gunfire—six deafening shots echoed through the streets. The air crackled with tension as four bullets whizzed by, but two found their mark, striking down the first infected dog with deadly precision, the force of the blow sending it sprawling lifelessly onto the pavement.
Before Maki could fully register what was happening, the other infected dog lunged toward her, a feral snarl escaping its jaws. Shizuka discarded her spent firearm and drew a second gleaming S&W M360J "Sakura" from her waist. Time seemed to stretch as she fired again—four shots rang out. The second dog crumpled under the onslaught, the echo of the gunfire bouncing off the buildings.
"Phew… that was close," Shizuka remarked, a hint of adrenaline in her voice as she surveyed her students. She deftly reached into the bloodied, torn fabric of her white coat, flipping the cylinder of her weapon open before reloading it. With a sharp glance, she retrieved her other gun and performed the same fluid motion, leaving those around her in stunned awe.
After securing her revolvers, Shizuka focused on her students. "Is anyone hurt?"
"I think I sprained my ankle," Maki said as Oka and Meguri helped her up.
"Other than that, I don't think anyone's injured. No, wait, that's not important. Sensei, how did you get here?!" Hayato asked, still surprised to see his homeroom teacher arrive at the last moment to save them.
"No time for explaining," Shizuka replied as she walked over to help Maki. "Go grab that food. We need to get off these streets now. Those gunshots are going to attract a whole lot more infected. So we have to go. Now!"
"R-right," Yamato stammered, shaking his head. Off in the distance, howls and growls of the undead could be heard. "Follow us."