Chapter 12 - To the Meeting Room

“Let’s go.”

With that, Ryuu stood up.

In that posture, there was no trace of the hatred or anger he had felt earlier toward the person he had just now killed.

No, surely he had unconsciously hidden those feelings somewhere even from himself.

Otherwise, the sensitive heart of a young person would shatter in an instant.

And once broken, it could never be restored.

“Yeah. We better get going quickly.”

In Rei’s words, there was less a true conviction to hurry than a kind of fear — if he didn’t keep moving, thoughts about the person he had killed would catch up with him.

Ryuu noticed this but said nothing.

It was something not to be touched.

Together, the two stepped out into the hallway in front of the cooking practice room.

The hallway wasn’t very long.

Precisely because of that, even though there weren’t many zombies there, it gave the impression that the hallway was completely covered by them.

“If this was a shopping mall before Christmas, maybe it wouldn’t feel so grim,” Ryuu muttered under his breath.

“Absolutely,” Rei agreed.

Resolved, the two prepared to cross the hallway.

Just then, a girl’s voice called out:

“You okay?”

Almost reflexively, they turned toward the voice.

From behind them appeared a lively-looking girl and a gloomy boy.

They didn’t know what kind of pair they made, but if they were survivors, they were probably heading to the meeting room after hearing that broadcast.

There was no way they could leave them behind.

Perhaps this action carried a sense of atonement.

With gestures, Ryuu conveyed that he wasn’t infected.

They seemed to notice and nodded in return.

The two returned briefly to the cooking practice room and invited the newcomers inside.

“We finally met a living person.”

The girl sat down on a chair and said,

“My name is Sayo Haiga. I’m in Class 3-4. And this is Jun Haiga. He’s in the same class as me.”

The boy bowed politely.

Jun—the boycalled by that name—did not introduce himself.

Perhaps sensing the change in their expressions, the girl opened her mouth awkwardly.

“…Jun can’t speak. Please forgive him.”

I see. That explains it.

Ryuu nodded deeply in understanding.

Silence.

After a while, Rei, unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, asked a question.

“You two share the same last name, Haiga… Are you siblings? Though, you don’t look very alike… Haha.”

The moment he asked, Sayo’s face stiffened.

It was as if he had touched on something forbidden.

“…….”

Again, the room was filled with uncomfortable silence.

“Ah, sorry.”

Rei apologized quickly but felt uneasy.

Seeing this, Ryuu spoke cheerfully to lighten the mood.

“W-well then, shall we head to the meeting room?”

The smile on his face looked a bit strained.

“……Yeah. Let’s go.”

After a short pause, she replied.

That alone brought a genuine smile to Ryuu’s face.

He must have felt a deep sense of relief.

If they had stayed in that silence any longer, his spirit would surely have broken.

“Watch your step, okay?”

Saying so, he opened the door to the cooking practice room.

The hallway looked much the same as before.

Making a circle with his hand, Ryuu gestured for Sayo and Jun to follow, then he and Rei started walking ahead.

The hallway was narrow—just wide enough for three people to walk side by side—so no matter how close to the wall they stayed, the gap between them and the zombies remained small.

In other words, if they were spotted, they would be attacked instantly.

They couldn’t let their guard down.

From head to toe, they strained every nerve and moved quietly, making no sound.

(Don’t rush… don’t rush…)

Rei repeated that to himself as he walked slowly.

Eventually, after passing through the hallway, the three of them slowly exhaled.

You might wonder about the “three,” but it is indeed the case.

Jun walked calmly as if he were just strolling down the hallway as usual.

It was as if he wasn’t afraid of the zombies at all.

Why are zombies scary?

Because they directly threaten one’s life.

A predator right in front of you. A natural enemy.

Strictly speaking, humans aren’t afraid of zombies themselves, but of the death that zombies bring.

If that’s true—

Ryuu looked at Jun.

Humans are indifferent to things they have no interest in.

In other words, Jun is indifferent to death.

(Could it be…?)

Is there really a person who isn’t afraid of death?

It’s often said that soldiers in war zones, after repeated battles, come to find meaning only within the fight itself.

But that is merely pushing the existence of death somewhere deep inside their minds.

Or their hearts become so broken that they feel nothing at all.

But does such a deeply broken person really exist here, in peaceful Japan?

If they do, why has their heart become so shattered?

Perhaps the answer to that earlier question will solve this mystery.

Jun stood there expressionless.

As if it were someone else’s problem.

Ryuu felt a slight fear toward that somehow lifeless attitude.