High School of the Dead + One

「Eight Dead」

 "Come on, Yuki," Hisashi urged, "Stop being such a baby."

He had been trying to get Yuki to meet Rei and Takashi for weeks now. If she was going to be tagging along with him more often now that she was planning on moving in, then it was essential to get her and his friends on talking grounds. Plus, he felt like it would be good for her if she got to know more people, explored. She was terrible at making friends because she refused to make the first move, though, so he was making it for her.

Yuki glared at him, refusing to stop struggling against his grip on her wrist. "No! I don't want to!"

He sighed. "You're acting like a kid."

"I'm thirteen, Hisashi," she snapped. "I am a kid."

"You'll like them, Yuk. I promise," he assured her for the third time. Why wouldn't she just give in already?

"I'm not worried about me liking them," she mumbled. It was so quiet, he was sure she wasn't talking to him.

He stopped, turning to her. Of course she didn't; that's not what mattered. How could he be so stupid to forget that this was the girl who had tried to melt into the dollhouse walls when he first met her? How could he forget that when he picked her up at school one day in the seventh grade, she had shied away from anyone that tried to talk to her? How could he forget that it wasn't because she didn't want to make friends; it was because she was afraid they wouldn't be able to handle what she'd been through?

"They'll like you," he promised, tugging her wrist. "Now, come on."

She sighed, giving up, and let him pull her towards the school gate.

"Honestly! I don't understand why you can't pay attention in class. It wouldn't kill you, you know!" a fifteen-year-old Rei growled, glaring at Takashi with hard eyes.

All he did was look away, though, lost in thought.

Rei huffed, agitated, and crossed her arms, leaning against the iron gate.

Thankfully, in the distance she saw Hisashi. Beside him, though, was what looked like another girl.

She squinted her eyes, trying to get a better look.

Sure enough, Hisashi was dragging a girl behind him. The girl, whoever she was, didn't look much older than Rei, but she was pretty. Her green eyes were bright, but indifferent, like she didn't know whether she cared or not, and her face was set in the same tone—it reminded her of Takashi, who's expression matched the girl's perfectly. Long, white hair fell to the middle of the girl's back, framing her pretty face with white bangs. She was in street clothes instead of a school uniform: jeans and a purple long-sleeve.

What aggravated her more than anything, though, was the way Hisashi kept looking back at her, smiling and laughing, like she was his somehow.

"Hey, Rei!" Hisashi shouted as they got closer, not noticing her jealous gaze. "I want you and Takashi to meet a friend of mine."

Friend? Rei thought, scoffing. Not likely.

Takashi turned from his perch against the wall, looking in the direction Rei was. He saw the strange girl, but simply raised an eyebrow.

"This is Yuki," Hisashi said, pulling the girl in front of him. "She's going to our high school in two years."