It had been two long, grueling days since the Kaihin students had turned against them.
For forty-eight endless hours, the air within the building they had sought refuge in was thick with apprehension and fear. Each creak of the structure made the most frightened flinch. Each hollow moan or groan that could be heard from beyond the walls was a constant reminder of the hordes of the undead prowling outside and their precarious situation.
They were all too aware that one loud noise could draw the attention of the ravenous creatures lurking just outside the walls around them, so they stifled even the slightest murmur, communicating only in hushed whispers.
They were trapped.
And they had no food or water.
Everyone's stomachs churned with hunger. Thirst clawed at their throats; each dry swallow was a harsh reminder of how long it had been since anyone had taken a sip of water.
"We can't continue like this," Yukino said, her voice softer than ever, standing in the middle of a large room that had once been used for company meetings. Everyone in the group had gathered together for the impromptu meeting, their expressions tired from sleepless nights, their stomachs growling in hunger. "We need to find food and water. Otherwise, we make it."
"There are too many of those things out there," Yamato said weakly, a piece of cloth tied around his injured arm. "We can't sneak around like before."
"But if we don't eat anything soon, we'll run out of energy, and we'll be too tired to do anything," Iroha argued. "There has to be something we can do. Maybe… some of us can go out and look for food? Like before, we could form a small team."
"Maybe, but that was before we knew those four-legged... monsters were out there too," Hayato replied, the memory of the Lockers still fresh in his mind, as it was for everyone else. "Sneaking around the infected is already dangerous. Add on those monsters, and traveling through the city becomes a suicide mission."
"Shizuka, how many more bullets do you have?" Haruno asked.
"Seven rounds," Shizuka said after counting her remaining bullets. "Unlike the undead, I have a feeling I'll need more than seven bullets to put down one of those ugly bastards."
"They were so fast," Yui said, visibly distraught. "Do you remember how far they can jump? And those claws…"
"It ripped the head off one of those Kaihin bastards in one swipe. Tch! Serves him and those other two right. It's their fault we're in this situation in the first place!" Oka, someone who had always been calm and easygoing, hissed, filled with anger and hunger. He glared at Maki and Kaori.
"What?" Maki shot back. "Got something to say?"
Kaori said nothing. She sat alone, burying her face in her knees, crying silently. No one moved to comfort her.
"Yeah! Your classmates would have just left us with nothing if those explosions hadn't gone off, isn't that right?!" Oka continued, his voice rising slightly, but he was careful not to shout.
"E-enough already!" Yoshiteru stood up, holding his hands up defensively. "M-Maki-san was the one who alerted us to what was going on. She was trying to help!"
"Oh, yeah? What about her?" Oka pointed angrily at Kaori, who whimpered in fear as everyone turned to her with varying negative reactions from where she sat alone, far from everyone. "She was with them! She was going to leave us to starve! The only reason she's even here is that they abandoned her!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Kaori whispered. Her desperate state only fueled Oka's anger.
"You're… sorry? You think that makes it okay? I say we throw her outside and let the infected tear her apart!" Oka said, but quickly realized what he had said. Regret flickered in his eyes, but he refused to take back what he said.
"No! Please! I don't want to die! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!" Kaori begged, panic in her eyes. She sat up and bowed deeply, her forehead touching the floor as her body trembled violently. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry." Despite what she had almost done, Meguri walked up to Kaori and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"That's enough, Oka-kun. Leave her alone," Meguri said firmly.
"But—"
"Stop bickering like children," Haruno interjected firmly, her voice cutting through the tension in the room. She stood by the window, eyes fixed on the chaotic scene unfolding outside. The streets teemed with a grotesque array of undead, their lifeless forms shambling aimlessly. Among them, a slow but steady increase of undead dogs prowled.
Haruno took a deep breath, steadying herself as the sight of the relentless horde sent a chill down her spine. "There's no point in dwelling on the past. We need to focus on what we can do now to survive."
"Haruno is right. Crying over spilt milk is useless. We need to look ahead and keep moving forward. Now then, everyone, let's think this through. How do we get everyone out of here safely?" Shizuka said as she began to pace.
"How about we try jumping across the rooftops?" Saika suggested. "That way, we can avoid the infected completely!"
"That's not a bad idea, but not all of us can make those kinds of leaps," Yukino said, glancing over at Maki, who still couldn't walk, and the inconsolable Kaori. "Also, while most of Chiba's buildings are built close to one another, the gaps between rooftops will get to the point where jumping will be impossible."
"Then… should we fight our way out?" Eiji asked.
"We can't. Their numbers are too large. If we mess up even once, it's all over. One yell from an infected is all it takes for them to swarm us," Shizuka replied, nervously chewing on her thumbnail. "Dammit! What are we supposed to do?!"
"I wish Hikki were here," Yui said from where she sat, hugging her knees. Bags clung to her eyes. "I'm sure he would know what to do."
"Yui," Yumiko whispered, placing a comforting hand on her friend's back, followed by Hina. "I'm… I'm sure Hikio is fine. He may be a bit creepy, but he's pretty reliable." She remembered how effective Hachiman had been when she had asked for help with determining Hayato's career path.
"Mhm! I'm sure Hikitani-kun is okay, Yui-chan," Hina said with a smile, though she couldn't shake her own doubts.
Hayato's brow furrowed in concern as he cast a glance at Yukino at the mention of Hachiman. Haruno turned to look at her sister's reaction as well.
Yukino's features were tense, her delicate fingers gripping her wrist in a tight, anxious hold. With a weighted sigh, she moved toward the window, her heart pounding in her chest as she peered down at the streets below.
The sight below was nothing short of horrific—a mass of undead humans and animals shuffling through the streets, their limbs jerking in disjointed movements.
Yukino's breath hitched as her gaze caught on one particular figure among the throng. Clad in a tattered Sobu high uniform, he stood out with disheveled black hair, an ahoge defiantly sprouting from the top of his head. His milky white eyes, devoid of life and sharp as shards of ice, stared blankly ahead. They held an unsettling resemblance to those of a lifeless fish, and Yukino's stomach twisted at the sight, amplifying her sense of dread.
H-Hikigaya-kun?!
Yukino gasped, her heart racing as she instinctively took a step back, feeling the chill of the air seep into her skin. With trembling hands, she pressed her palms against the cold glass, her breath fogging the surface as panic bubbled within her. She quickly turned her gaze back to the spot where she had last seen that young man.
But as her eyes adjusted, relief washed over her. The figure she believed was Hachiman had only been a completely different undead—a stranger. Yukino let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding and pressed her forehead against the glass, her pulse gradually calming as she reassured herself that what she saw was only a trick her mind had played.
He's okay! He has to be okay! I'm sure of it! Yukino thought and jumped when a hand fell on her shoulder.
"Yukino," Hayato said firmly, his voice low and steady, cutting through the rising tension in the air. "I need you to focus. We're in a tough spot, and we need your help to think strategically to find our way out. Remember, he's not here right now. We can't help him from here. So if you want to see him again, we have to get out of here."
Yukino took a moment to blink as she absorbed his words, glancing around the dimly lit room filled with anxious faces. The worried expressions of her fellow classmates weighed heavily on her heart. She noticed her sister and Shizuka huddled together, their voices murmuring urgently as they brainstormed alternative strategies, while Meguri was gently tugging at Kaori's sleeve, trying to coax her away from the floor where she was bowing deeply, lost in her own worries. Meanwhile, Yoshiteru was seated next to Maki, his brow furrowed in concern as he asked about her injured ankle, trying to keep her spirits up.
Yukino locked eyes with Yui across the room. Yui's typically bright eyes mirrored the anxiety they all felt, but despite this, she managed to muster a warm, encouraging smile. It was a small gesture, yet it radiated reassurance, as if to say that Yukino's strength was enough to carry them all through this. With that unspoken support, Yukino felt a spark of determination igniting within her once more.
What am I doing? Yukino thought. I can't give in to despair. I need to focus on helping Yuigahama-san and the group. Wherever Hikigaya-kun is, I'm sure he's fine and doing everything he can to help Komachi-san. So, I have to do my best as well.
"Yes, you're right," Yukino replied, her voice steady yet filled with determination as she gently brushed Hayato's hand off her shoulder. "Let's find a way out of this situation."
A smile crept across Hayato's face, a mix of relief and encouragement, and he nodded in agreement. Yukino inhaled deeply, her lungs filling with air as she steeled herself for the next step. She turned and walked purposefully toward Haruno and Shizuka, her posture exuding confidence despite the uncertainty that lay ahead. Motivated by her resolve, Hayato quickly fell in line behind her, eager to contribute to the conversation.
From her vantage point beside Yui, Yumiko observed the interaction closely, her brow furrowing with concern.
She couldn't help but notice how close Hayato and Yukino stood together, their bodies almost brushing against one another. The sight stirred an uneasy flutter in her chest, and a small, worried frown formed on her face.
x x x
I landed on the soft grass of a small backyard. After setting Rumi down, I looked up at the two-story house with a frown. According to my student information, this was my house, but oddly enough, I felt no attachment to it.
With Rumi close behind me, I slid open the glass door and stepped inside. Everything seemed in order, and there were no signs that the infected had breached the house.
"Okay, it's clear," I said to Rumi. "Still, stay close to me."
She nodded and grabbed the back of my leather jacket as we walked through the kitchen and into the living room. As I looked over to the couch, I froze at the sight of a small cat. Before I knew it, I was kneeling in front of it. The cat lifted its head weakly and meowed at the sight of me.
"…Kamakura," I said as I held up its name tag. "You're alive."
A wave of memories washed over me. The smell of the adoption center filled my nose, and the sound of a young Komachi giggling echoed in my ears as she held up a small gray kitten. Quickly, that small kitten grew into a full-grown cat before my eyes in a wave of images. I remembered that Kamakura often ignored me in favor of my sister.
"When was the last time you've eaten?" I whispered as I allowed my body to lead me into the kitchen pantry. Once inside, I spotted several cans of cat food. After grabbing a small bowl, I poured a small amount of wet food and added some water to help rehydrate Kamakura.
I placed the bowl in front of Kamakura, who looked at it and meowed softly. Even with food right in front of him, Kamakura was too weak to move.
"He needs help," Rumi said, slowly approaching to feed Kamakura by hand. "He doesn't look so good, Hachiman."
"It must have been days since he was last fed," I replied as I gently stroked his fur. "I'm sorry."
Kamakura offered a weak meow but thankfully began to eat, much to Rumi and my own relief. I sighed deeply and rose to my feet. There was nothing more I could do for Kamakura. All I could do was let Rumi continue to feed him and hope he would pull through.
"I'm going to look through the rest of the house. Stay here," I told Rumi.
"Okay," she replied, gently petting Kamakura's head.
I walked up the stairs, checking to ensure there were no uninvited guests inside. The coast was clear. I returned and stopped in front of one of the bedrooms. Stepping inside, I found a bright and colorful room adorned with pink and girlish decorations.
Several pictures adorned the walls and the work desk, many of which showcased Komachi with what I assumed were her friends. Others featured her and me throughout the years. Lifting a picture frame from her desk, I smiled slightly at the image of Komachi holding my arm while we were both dressed in yukatas as fireworks lit up the night sky.
After placing the picture down, I noticed another frame on the desk. It was of Komachi and me as toddlers. Standing beside us, smiling slightly, were two strangers: a man with a tired smile and a woman with the same eyes as mine. It didn't take a genius to dig who they were.
"Okaasan... Otousan," I whispered, imprinting the image in my memory. "Please be okay."
After that, I scanned the room for any useful information, but there was nothing to find. Then again, it isn't often that a normal person leaves behind notes detailing their entire daily schedule for anyone to stumble upon.
Having closed the door to Komachi's room, I was about to rejoin Rumi but stopped in front of another bedroom. Stepping inside, a wave of familiarity washed over me.
This was my bedroom.
I rummaged through everything, hoping to find clues about where Komachi might be. In the end, I found nothing. Just a bunch of books and games. With one last drawer left to check, I slid it open and sifted through the paperwork. Just as I was about to close the drawer, something caught my eye—a picture.
Pulling out the well-hidden photo, I saw that it featured Yui and me.
I wore an awkward expression while Yui smiled brightly, gripping my arm tightly to her chest as she held the camera out of frame. The sprawling landscape of Kyoto is visible in the background.
"Yui," I muttered, trying to recall our relationship, but my memories refused to cooperate. I sighed and slid the picture into one of my jacket pockets.
Back downstairs, I smiled at the sight of Kamakura drinking water on his own. Rumi sat beside the cat, petting him slowly with a smile. Although he still seemed weak, I had no doubt that Kamakura would pull through—he was a tough cat.
"Did you find anything?" Rumi asked.
"No, nothing," I replied, sitting beside her. "We're back to square one."
"Maybe... maybe the military saved Komachi-san and your club mates?" Rumi suggested. "I remember Satoshi-san mentioning he saw several large military trucks driving through the streets. So maybe the army rescued them?"
"The military... the JSDF," I said. "But even after traveling for several hours through the city, I don't remember seeing any military vehicles or soldiers. Why aren't they doing anything in this situation?"
"Satoshi-san said they're not interested in saving us; that the government is using the military to protect themselves and their families," Rumi said sadly. "That can't be true, right?"
"I don't know, but looking for them is worth a shot," I replied. "Once Kamakura is strong enough, we'll go look for the military. Hopefully, they'll have some answers for us."
Rumi nodded as she stroked Kamakura's head. She had a small smile as she pet Kamakura. It seemed that the cat helped ease her anxiety and fears. I smiled at the sight and lifted my hand to brush her hair, a familiar action that I no doubt did for Komachi throughout the years.
But my hand stopped before I could touch her.
You're not human.
Slowly, I brought my hand back to my side and looked away from Rumi. I looked down at my torso, where a large, bloody hole once was. Now, there was nothing. No signs of injury or even a scar. It was as if I had never been through hell in the first place. And my clothes.
I focused slightly and saw my hoodie and leather jacket move.
As if they were alive.
What I wore over me was no longer regular clothes.
It was as if my flesh or biomatter had shifted, transformed to imitate what I once wore earlier today.
I looked away. I didn't want to think about it any longer. I didn't want to think about what I was.
I was brought back as Kamakura slowly walked over to my lap. He meowed slightly and smelled me for a moment. After a few seconds of thinking, the cat sat down on my lap and began to purr.
My scent... He remembers me. I brought my hand over him, and after hesitating, I finally pet his back gently, careful to control my strength.
From beside me, Rumi smiled at Kamakura and me. She yawned tiredly and leaned against my arm. Reaching out, she grabbed my hoodie and held it as if it wasn't made out of my own biomatter. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep.
I may not be human any longer, but I'm still myself.
I have to be.
I'm still Hachiman Hikigaya.
For now, that has to be enough.