What the hell is going on here?! — Takagi mentally exclaimed, struggling to grasp how her ordinary morning had transformed into a nightmare. Just a few hours ago, everything was as usual: she had arrived at school in the family car before anyone else to avoid unnecessary attention. Her family, one of the most influential in the city, always attracted notice, and Saya preferred not to draw even more attention to herself.
In the silence of the empty corridors, lost in her thoughts, she wandered while waiting for classes to begin. And so, on one of these days, she once again stumbled upon Takashi…
Doesn't that idiot understand anything?! — Saya thought with irritation. She had caught him again, watching Rei Miyamoto and Hisashi Igou standing together in the schoolyard. Takashi was silent, but his face betrayed everything: longing, pain, indecision. Saya knew about their complicated love triangle, had seen how Takashi was tormented, unable to let go of Rei. It infuriated her!
Why can't he just forget her and move on?! — she fumed, clenching her fists.
"Komuro, here again?" she snapped, approaching him with her usual haughtiness.
"Oh, hi, Saya! Haha, sorry, I didn't notice you right away," Takashi smiled, looking at her with his usual simplicity.
Her gaze turned icy.
Didn't notice?!
She mentally exploded, scoffed, and turned away. As she left, she left Takashi bewildered, his confused:
What did I do wrong?
Saya leaned against the wall in an empty corridor, slid down to a crouch, and covered her face with her hands. Treacherous tears burst from her eyes, she sniffled, whispering:
"Idiot… idiot… idiot…"
How many times had Saya watched this? How many hints had she given Takashi? But he, like a cold, unfeeling stone, didn't notice her. Perhaps only a direct confession could somehow affect him. Saya nervously bit her lip, frowned, and sighed irritably. Even if she confessed to him… and that wouldn't be easy, given her bitchy and rude nature… Saya knew her flaws and tried to correct them… at least partially.
She was getting better, and besides, she had nothing to do with it; it was all her father's fault!
Saya loved him, but sometimes his work… She tried not to think about it; now was not the time. She was doing everything possible to get Takashi to notice her, even once. But why?
Why was his gaze always fixed on Rei and Hisashi? Why couldn't he come to terms with it, let them go, and start living again? Saya didn't understand it. Every time she witnessed this scene, her mood deteriorated rapidly.
But this morning turned out to be worse than any of her past experiences. The world around her collapsed in an instant. The school corridors, recently filled with laughter and conversation, were now permeated with the smell of blood and death. Students, driven mad, devoured each other, their cries and groans tearing through the air:
"Aaa! Help!"
Blood flooded the floors, the walls were covered in crimson streaks. Saya froze in mute shock, her brilliant mind refusing to process this nightmare.
How? Why?
Suddenly, a cold hand grabbed her ankle. Saya screamed:
"Agh!"
In shock, she saw the hand of a dead student. A chunk of his throat had been torn out; he clearly couldn't survive. Saya stared into his dead eyes, pale, exuding the smell of death and blood. She couldn't come to her senses. This creature wasn't thinking; it was acting.
It was going to bite her!
Saya squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the pain, but suddenly there was a crunch. She opened her eyes and saw… not Takashi!
The fat Kouta towered before her, his massive body blocking her view.
Saya saw the dead student's body and Kouta, nervously sweating, striking the zombie right in the eye with a mop handle in his trembling hand.
Now he was definitely dead.
Kouta breathed heavily, adjusting his glasses with a shaky hand. Saya wanted to snap, to tell him everything that had built up inside, but suddenly felt a lump in her throat. Words treacherously wouldn't come, she looked at Kouta's broad back, at how he had saved her… Saya's heart fluttered slightly, but she immediately brushed off the feeling, attributing it all to adrenaline and nerves.
What am I even thinking? Pfft! How can that fatty be cool?
Saya, trembling, stood up, leaning on a desk. Kouta noticed her state:
"Hey, Saya! Do you need help?" he asked, moving closer.
She sharply pushed his hand away:
"What do you mean, 'Hey, Saya'? Are we friends? It's Takagi to you, got it?" Her voice was full of her usual haughtiness. She proudly straightened, tossed back her pink hair, and, scoffing, walked away.
Kouta, stunned, froze.
What did I do wrong? — he thought, but, snapping out of it, shouted:
"Wait, Takagi!" and ran after her, panting from the rapid pace.
Saya, lost in thought, suddenly stopped. Kouta, unable to brake in time, crashed to his knees, propped his hands on the floor, and was covered with sweat. Saya looked down at him, arms crossed.
And this guy was brave a minute ago?
She scoffed and turned away. Kouta, bewildered, watched her go, not understanding what had caused her coldness.
Saya remained lost in thought, but she didn't forget to be aware of her surroundings. Every now and then, she saw corpses passing by, and for a moment, her heart would freeze in nervous shock, so that only the sound of her heartbeat echoed in her consciousness.
As she watched another corpse about to pass by, she suddenly heard footsteps. Turning around sharply, she saw a panting Kouta, who was clearly about to say something, but Saya reacted with lightning speed and abruptly covered his mouth with her hand.
The boy's eyes immediately widened, and Takagi sharply touched her index finger to her lips, as if saying:
Quiet, idiot!
Kouta understood and nodded nervously. When the passing corpse disappeared from view, Saya exhaled freely, and her shoulders relaxed slightly, but she gave Kouta a reproachful look and shook her head, which once again made him wonder. He didn't understand what he had done wrong.
They moved on, cautiously making their way through the corridors until they reached a spacious, empty room - the teachers' lounge, with scattered papers, overturned chairs, and a broken coffee machine in the corner.
Saya and Kouta began to barricade the door, dragging tables and chairs to catch their breath. But then they heard new footsteps, heavy and fast. Kouta instantly tensed, clutching his makeshift "gun" - a nail gun he had fashioned from improvised materials. Saya grabbed a broken mop handle. They froze in tense anticipation, but when they saw who was coming toward them, they relaxed slightly.
Around the corner appeared long, straight, shiny purple hair with triangular bangs that barely touched the bridge of her nose. Blue eyes and a large bust revealed the stranger to be Saeko Busujima.
Who at Fujimi Academy didn't know the famous swordswoman, the star of the kendo club, the repeated winner of tournaments? Drops of blood stained her uniform, and she held a wooden sword - a bokken - in her hand. Her serious face involuntarily made Saya shiver.
Why am I reacting like this? — she mentally chided herself, shaking her head.
Following Saeko was their… school nurse, Shizuka Marikawa. Sweaty and panting, she struggled to keep up with Saeko. Beads of sweat streamed down her forehead, and wet strands of hair kept treacherously falling into her face, forcing Shizuka to constantly adjust them.
Their gazes suddenly met. Saya squinted, trying to make them out through the haze of dryness caused by her contact lenses. The eye drops were gone, and she hastily removed her lenses and took out the glasses she had managed to grab as she ran from the classroom.
How smart am I!
Putting on her glasses, Saya glanced around the room. Kouta was still nervously looking around. Saeko watched them silently, and Shizuka was breathing heavily.
Takagi was about to speak when footsteps were heard again. In the doorway appeared Takashi Komuro and Rei Miyamoto, whose uniform was covered in dried blood.
Komuro's gaze was sharp and tense as he scanned the room. Saya couldn't help but notice that he looked surprisingly manly at that moment.
Suddenly, Saya slapped herself on the cheeks, attracting everyone's attention. Takashi and Rei, noticing the others, sighed in relief.
"Well, are you coming in or are you going to stand there until they come?" Saya said haughtily, scoffing and tossing her hair.
Saeko's eyes narrowed, but she nodded, turned to Takashi and Rei, who understood without a word, and followed her inside.
Takashi closed the door, and the group was in relative safety. An awkward silence settled in the room. Everyone looked at each other, not knowing where to start. Saya felt annoyed:
Why should I start first?
Her gaze fell on Takashi, and she frowned even more, noticing how Rei was clinging to his arm, grasping it with her own. Rei's smile was smug, almost complacent. She was clearly enjoying the moment. Takashi was trying not to notice, but Saya could see that he was happy too.
Where is Hisashi?
Saya knew about their unsuccessful love triangle, which could be turned into a square with her input, but now was not the time for that!
She was alarmed by the fact that Rei didn't seem worried about her "ex" at all, and that Takashi didn't show the slightest hint of guilt.
Dark pictures began to form in Takagi's head. She didn't know exactly what had happened, but nothing prevented her from making guesses and piecing together bits of information. She felt sick at these thoughts.
She felt heavy and disgusted by what had happened to the school, by the death of the students, and by the hypocrisy of this "couple."
It infuriated her!
She glared angrily at Takashi and Rei, which caused their bewilderment. Takashi looked at her uncomprehendingly, not knowing what he had done wrong.
Rei, catching Saya's gaze, clung to Takashi even more, casting a smug look at Takagi, as if saying:
He's mine.
Saya raised an eyebrow:
Seriously?
Kouta, not understanding what was happening, exchanged glances with Takashi. Their eyes met, and without a word, they nodded to each other, as if confirming a silent brotherhood.
Saeko, with her arms crossed, watched this scene. She didn't understand what was going on, but couldn't help but notice that some people clearly had their own "story."
And only Shizuka seemed to be bothered by nothing. Suddenly, she blurted out:
"Oh! My nail broke!" She stared sadly at her finger, her face expressing genuine grief.
All eyes turned to Shizuka, who was looking sadly at her broken nail.
There was so much grief on her face that Saya's lips involuntarily twitched.
She adjusted her glasses, the lenses of which gleamed slightly in the light.
Takashi and Kouta involuntarily smiled, and Saeko just sighed heavily and decided to take the initiative.
"Saeko Busujima," she introduced herself formally, "senior member of the kendo club. I hope we can work together to survive."
She looked at the others, waiting for their introductions. Takashi, scratching the back of his head, stepped forward:
"Takashi Komuro, just a schoolboy. I'll do everything I can to protect everyone."
Rei, still holding his hand, added:
"Rei Miyamoto, from the spear club."
Kouta, adjusting his glasses, coughed nervously:
"Kouta Hirano, uh… I like technology, and I'll try to be helpful."
Shizuka, blinking, smiled:
"Shizuka Marikawa, the school nurse! I can treat you if someone gets hurt… probably."
All eyes turned to Saya. She, with her arms crossed, scoffed, but still introduced herself, her voice imbued with her usual haughtiness:
"Saya Takagi, daughter of a family whose name speaks for itself. My intelligence is your only chance of salvation, so heed my every word, and perhaps death will pass you by."
Saya's introduction caused surprise, reflected in the raised eyebrows of those present, but no one dared to break the ensuing silence.
***
Saya Takagi wearily slumped onto a chair in the teachers' lounge, deciding that the introduction had gone "more or less okay." Her sharp mind demanded rest to preserve its stamina—after all, she, as the genius, had to pull this motley group out of the nightmare.
My brains are their only chance.
Saeko leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, clearly intending to rest. Takashi only now noticed Rei clinging to him, making him uncomfortable. Rei noticed too, and although she didn't want to let go of him, she reluctantly pulled away when there were so many strangers nearby, continuing to cast distrustful glances at Saya. Takagi merely smirked maliciously, which only further provoked Rei.
To defuse the tension, Takashi approached Kouta, the only other guy among the women. They began an awkward conversation about how to strengthen the barricade, but their voices sounded hesitant.
Shizuka, sitting in the corner, mournfully examined her broken nail, muttering,
"What a disaster… the polish was so pretty…"
Her melancholy tone caused slight annoyance in everyone, but no one dared to interrupt her.
The group, though not unified, decided to take a break, gather their thoughts, and ponder what was happening. Saya, ignoring the "stupid girl" Rei, focused on the main thing: how to survive and escape.
Why do I have to do everything?
Takagi was angry, but she immediately reminded herself:
Because I am Saya Takagi, a genius!
Of course, because Saya Takagi, as a genius and clearly the most intelligent in "this" group, was taking the initiative to think everything through and analyze their chances of survival. And as a genius, she would do it!
Saya cleared her throat to draw attention to herself, and she succeeded.
"Well, there's no need to explain what happened to us, right?" she began, her voice firm but with a note of arrogance. Everyone nodded in agreement. "Since we all understand, I'll say that this incident is unusual… one could say, specific…"
"Unusual? Saya, they're eating people, and you call that 'specific'?" Takashi interrupted, his eyebrows raised in bewilderment.
Saya shot him an incinerating look, and the lenses of her glasses gleamed ominously in the dim light. Saeko cast a cold glance at Takashi, forcing him to back down. Rei, unable to contain herself, jumped to his defense:
"What are you even talking about, Saya? Who appointed you as the leader?" Her voice trembled with irritation.
"Just shut up, all of you!" Saya roared, her eyes blazing with rage. "Do you think I like this? I'm the only one here who's thinking!"
Rei choked, her face reddening with anger.
"You conceited upstart…!"
But her stream of angry words was interrupted by Saeko's commanding and clear voice:
"Enough!"
Everyone involuntarily flinched at her words. The swordswoman turned her gaze to the pink-haired girl and gave a barely perceptible nod, earning a fleeting grateful smile from Takagi.
Saya, inwardly noting this, cleared her throat and continued,
"These creatures seem to react to sound. Their stamina is not limited, like humans. If a person gets tired, their muscles ache, but they… have no limit. They will chase until they lose sight of you or receive a blow to the head."
Saeko nodded, adding, "The head is their weak point. A blow to the heart doesn't work."
Rei reluctantly interjected, "I noticed that when… " She broke off, her gaze darkening, "In short, the heart is useless."
Shizuka, shaking her head, said thoughtfully, "It definitely can't be cured with pills or injections. And also… don't let them bite you! Their blood is dangerous. We need to disinfect if we come into contact."
Her words caused everyone's lips to twitch slightly.
Really? Antiseptic? Good joke, Nurse Shizuka!
The conversation, though awkward, helped the group bond a little. The tension that had been hanging in the air after the introductions eased slightly.
They turned on the television in the teachers' lounge, but the news only confirmed the worst: chaos had engulfed the entire world. Communication was down, phones were silent. Everyone began to talk about their loved ones. Saya suggested heading to her manor—it was closer and better protected. Rei, clearly displeased, wanted to look for her family, but even she admitted that sticking together was more logical. Her parents, who worked in the police force, were probably already in the thick of it, and finding them would be more difficult.
However, Rei knew from her father that the Takagi family was best avoided. Rumors of their dark dealings had reached her, and although there was no direct evidence, she felt a dislike for Saya.
Push her towards a zombie? Hmm… A dark thought flickered.
Her conscience whispered that it was cruel, but looking at the arrogant Saya, Rei grew angrier and angrier. The darkness in her heart grew, and the idea no longer seemed so terrible.
Shizuka, rummaging through a desk drawer, found a set of keys to the school bus. She waved them, smiling. "Well? Is it time to leave this place? The smell here… isn't very nice."
Her words lifted the group's spirits, and they began to move towards the exit. Making their way through the corridors of the second floor, they remained alert, avoiding zombies and listening to every rustle.
They were close to the exit when suddenly there was a deafening explosion:
BOOM!
The shockwave threw them back, a cloud of dust filled the corridor. Everyone coughed, stunned, trying to get up. Saya, frantically rising, felt goosebumps on her skin. Her instincts screamed: Run!
But her legs were numb, refusing to obey. Through the dust, she noticed a pair of glowing orange eyes, shimmering like embers.
What is that?
A gust of wind shattered the remaining windows, glass raining down onto the floor with a crash.
"Aaa-ee!" Rei's piercing scream rent the air, betraying her panic.
Saya squeezed her eyes shut, but managed to make out the figure of a woman in a chic black dress that accentuated her curves. Long black hair flowed down her back, individual strands tinged with orange like her eyes. The woman moved with the grace of a predator, and Saya froze, unable to utter a word.
"Saekochii! I've come for you!" The stranger purred in a voice laced with playful lust.
Before Saya could blink, the woman flashed toward Saeko like lightning. The latter, stunned, didn't have time to react and was knocked off her feet. The stranger, giggling, buried her face in Saeko's ample chest, hugging her.
Saeko froze in shock, her eyes widening. Saya, watching this scene, felt her mind slowly shutting down.
What the hell is going on here?!
Her glasses nearly fell off her nose in astonishment.