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!"
I glance at him, pursing my lips as I mull over the offer.
Master Morita's Top Secret List is a book that he keeps with the top five hottest girls (in his and his friends' opinion) that go to our school. It's not that important though, and could probably pass as totally worthless more than anything, but I like hearing what crazy scenarios they come with, even if most of them are perverted and impossible.
"Some things were changed," he says, knowing that'd do the trick. "You'll never guess what~"
"Fine," I grumble, defeated.
He pulls out a small, brown notebook and flips it open to the middle. Below the old list of five girls is a dark line, probably from a Sharpie, with a new list in red pen.
∙ Saeko Busujima—nothing but an apron and thong
∙ Yuki Hatsune—only in an oversized t-shirt
∙ Saya Takagi—tank top and underwear
∙ Rei Miyamoto—maid costume
∙ Shizuka Marikawa—nothing
"What're the comments supposed to mean? Is that what you want to see them dressed in?" I wonder, reading the chicken scratch under each name. "Doctor Marikawa? In nothing?"
"Have ya seen her? I'd give anythin' to see her stripped down."
I roll my eyes. "Careful, Morita, you're perversion is showing."
He smirks. "Always, babe, always."
I chuckle. "Nice list. I notice that there're a lot of new people, although Takagi's still on it."
"Just waitin' for her to yes," he says, eyes bright with determination. "Maybe when I get my band together, she'll see how much I'm worth."
"You can do so much better than her, though," I reprimand. "And why are Rei and I on it? You shouldn't fantasize about other people's girlfriends."
"You're both hot," he replies easily, but the blush creeping on his face gives him away. "Ishii's the one who wanted Rei, and Okada's the one who nominated ya for number two, FYI. Pretty sure he has a thing for ya."
I raise an eyebrow, but decide to laugh it off instead. "I think you guys are losing your eyesight, but thanks nonetheless, I guess."
"Any time, Yuki." He grins, holding that adorable, boyish look. "Don't let your hopes down, 'kay? I'm sure Takashi'll get over Rei in no time and realize you're there with him."
I smile a little as I glance out the window, watching the sakura petals fall. "Yeah, of course."
"I'm goin' to hide in the dorms for a while," he says, patting my shoulder. "Go to the roof and get some sleep; I'm sure you'll feel better after a nap."
"Actually, I think I will," I say. "See you later."
"See ya~"
I wander the hall, not bothering to shut the window. The school's feeling stuffy anyway—someone will thank me for it later. I can still smell the cherry blossoms in the hallway and it makes me smile, lifting my spirits.
My flats click against the tiled floors as I step out a glass door and on the stairwell outside, the air warming my skin and giving me light goose bumps.
"Ugh, that's so stupid!" a familiar voice sneers.
Saya Takagi.
I look up and see Takashi and Takagi at the top of the flight of stairs. Takashi, who has a tired, solemn look on his face, is leaning against the wall behind him, one hand on the railing. His dark brown hair is blowing in the light wind, ruffling it, but he pays it no mind, face blank as he stares at Takagi. He may not have any expression on his face, but I can see the flash of hurt in his brown eyes.
He and Rei must have gotten into it.
Takagi is standing in front of him with her hands on her hips. Her pink hair is pulled into the usual pigtails, and her eyes are permanently narrowed with irritation, face scrunched and everything.
"What do you want?" Takashi asks, bored. Neither of them has noticed me yet.
"Every time you have to face something you don't like, you always come to this stupid staircase. It's like your own little pity corner. Look at you!" She scoffs in disgust, ignoring his question and bending down as if she has to get on his level. "Good God! The first semester has just started; how are you ever going to make it through the year?"
Takashi glances at her chest before avoiding her all together, looking out to the courtyard over the railing. "I could say the same to you. The fifth period isn't even over yet."
She straightens up. "It's okay because I'm a genius," she says, flipping her hair behind her. "Unlike you, who got into this school by dumb luck."
"Those are pretty harsh words," I say casually, strolling beside Takashi. "Maybe you'd like to rephrase them?"
They both look at me with surprise, but I see fear flash in Takagi's eyes before she has time to cover it up.
"Hatsune," she greets curtly.
We have a staring contest. Her eyes narrow more, if that's possible, probably weighing the chances of me doing something while dead tired, before she scans my body. I try not to show her how uncomfortable I am under her scrutinizing gaze, face remaining cold and blank, but it's hard to ignore the irrational fear that she can somehow see through the fabric of my uniform, to the dark scars scattered along my arms and legs.
Something sparks in her eyes, and it's like my lungs have dropped to my stomach as I follow her gaze. My legging is ripped just below my skirt, the thin gap revealing a thick, long scar running down my thigh.
Why didn't Morita tell me that my leggings were cut? It obviously happened during my disagreement with Tsunoda (I use the word "disagreement" very lightly), so it would've been like that when we ran into each other, but I mentally smack my head, because, no matter how big of a pervert he makes himself out to be, he has respect for girls in his own way and never looks past the belt.
"Get into another fight, Yuki?" she sneers, thinking she'd won. "By the looks of your leg, you can't afford any more."
Takashi furrows his brows, confused, and scans my leg, eyes landing on my exposed thigh. "What the hell is that?" he gapes.
"You have no right to say anything about that," I growl, stepping towards her.
Panic flashes in her eyes and she takes a step back, trying to straighten herself up in an attempt to seem stronger than she is. "Whatever," she says, acting bored, "You're even more stupid than him."
I glare at her retreating form, aggravated. Half of my mind tells me to run after her, throw a kick or two for pointing out the scars in front of Takashi, but the other half is telling me to let it go and pass out on the stairs—this is the third day in a row that I haven't slept, and after the altercation with Tsunoda, I'm drained.
"Hey, Yuki, your leg..." Takashi trails off, not sure how to ask.
I take a silent breath and turn to him with the best smile I can muster, hoping he doesn't notice my hands shaking. "I tripped and fell into my dad's knife collection when I was younger, so don't worry about it," I lie, hopelessly trying to fix the fabric. "You know me, always running into things and falling down."
He smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "You never change."
I laugh uneasily, rubbing the back of my head.
Suddenly, I hear something bump into metal. My head snaps up, looking across the courtyard to the gate surrounding the school. A man is banging his entire body against the gate doors, arms stretched out in front of him, like he's blind and trying to find an access point inside.
"Who's that?" Takashi asks softly, mostly to himself. "A trespasser?"
I shrug and lean over the railing, trying to get a better look.
Mr. Teshima, the school's main Phys. Ed teacher, along with Ms. Hayashi, the Ping-Pong advisor, old man Shuu, the Home Economics instructor, and the principal walk over to the strange man. They start talking to him, but it doesn't look as if he's saying much because Mr. Teshima, being the hard-ass he is, grabs hold of the guy's suit, pulling him roughly against the gate. There's a short pause before the man grabs Mr. Teshima's wrist and digs his teeth into his arm.
"Oh my God," I breathe, gravitating towards Takashi unconsciously as Mr. Teshima falls backwards with a painful scream.
Takashi is perpetually still, watching the madness with wide, disbelieving eyes.
Teshima rolls back and forth, screams of agony echoing all around us. It doesn't take long for the painful cries to turn into groans before he's silent all together.
The other teachers stare at the body, no one moving.
Then, Ms. Hayashi kneels over him, what seems like relief on her face.
It's quickly gone as what used to be Teshima grips her shirt, popping the top buttons on her blouse to reveal her bra, and takes a chunk out of her neck like it's a taco from Taco Bell.
"What the hell?" Takashi murmurs.
My eyes are just as wide as his as I back away from the railing, trying to process what happened. The only thing that's running through my mind, though, is an intense urge to get as far away from those teachers as fast as possible.
Before I can say or do anything, Takashi grabs my hand. "Come on, Yuki. We need to get the hell outta here."
I nod, agreeing wholeheartedly, and try to keep up as he bolts up the stairs and into the hallway on the third floor.
–xxx–
AN: Well, this has been rewritten and then edited because I just can't even... So, yeah, for the new readers, welcome! This story is a little mix of the anime, manga, and my own twists because that's what makes fanfiction exciting, right?(; Also, you can read this on FanFiction.net (in the external link). There, the chapters are much longer (with each chapter as one episode).
Disclaimer: I don't own HOTD manga or anime (if I did, I would have spelled high school correct)–I only own Yuki Hatsune and the changes she makes~