High School of the Dead + One

「One Dead」

This is the way the world ends,

                  Not with a bang but a whimper.

                                                                         — T. S. Eliot

The night before all the madness started, I had stayed up late. Hisashi, my roommate and best friend, had fallen asleep on our couch a couple hours into our anime marathon, but I couldn't sleep. Even after the four-hour rerun of Dragon Ball had ended, I couldn't get my mind to shut down, so I spent most of the night listening to music. It never occurred to me that the very next day, my life would change entirely.

–xxx– 

Hallway on the Second Floor, Fujimi High School

Z-Day 11:33am

–xxx– 

With a long yawn, I stretch out my arms, trying to wake up. When I go to lean against the ledge, I catch a glimpse of myself in the window, reflection looking pretty rough. The bags under my light eyes are dark, bringing out the green more than I want, and my white hair is a mess of frizz. I groan inwardly and throw it up into a ponytail in hopes of taming it, being sure to ignore the glass as I lean back against the window paneling. The breeze is warm, mid-spring air ruffling my bangs, and I take a deep breath, inhaling the scent of cherry blossoms.

"'Ey, Yuki," someone says, surprising me, "Skippin' again?"

I look over at Morita, a second year. All of his blond hair is smoothed back, except for the spiked front. His green eyes are wide and bright, full of too much enthusiasm for only eleven in the morning. His black uniform jacket is opened, showing a green-checkered shirt.

"You too, Morita?" I ask half-heartedly. Even before I transferred here, Morita and I would skip class together, hanging out on the rooftop with Takashi and Imamura, so it's not surprising that he's wandering the halls during fifth period.

He grins, rubbing his head. "Ah, ya know me. Classrooms ain't my thing when it's this close to the end of the week. What 'bout you?"

I smile a little, turning back to the warm air outside. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

He chuckles. "Hisashi keep ya up all night?"

"You know he's dating Rei," I say, making a face, "Besides, I don't like Hisashi like that. It would be like kissing my brother."

"'Course it would." He smirks. "Besides, he can't compare to Takashi, can he?"

My face burns, eyes narrowing. "What are you trying to say?"

"Just been thinkin' lately that you're a little close with Takashi," he teases, the smile on his face amused. "Do ya happen to like him?"

"As if!" I scoff, cursing the red staining my pale face. Even in the reflection, I can tell it's giving me away. "He's like a brother to me too."

"Uh-huh." He doesn't make an effort to sound like he believes me. "Is that why you're as red as a tomato?"

"Shut up," I hiss, "If you say anything to anyone, I swear I'll kill you."

It's not a chuckle this time. Instead, he doubles over in laughter, eyes watering as he tries to compose himself. "This is great. I mean, Takashi of all people."

"God, I hate you so much," I grumble, resting my arm on the paneling.

"Don't be like that, Yuk," he says, laughter still fresh in his voice even as he tries to coax me using the nickname Hisashi came up with. "If it makes ya feel any better, I was comin' to show ya Master Morita's Top Secret List of Fujimi Academy's Triple-A Grade Hot Girls!"