1. Apocalypse Begins.

"Hmm… looks like it'll be raining today," muttered a voice, accompanied by a shake of the head. "One should never trust these weather forecasts. Well, that's why they call it 'forecasting,' they're never sure."

"Kael, how many times do I have to remind you to pay attention in class, instead of daydreaming outside?"

"Hey, dead face, Miss Nanami is shouting at you again," said a guy sitting beside Kael.

Kael fixed his gaze on Miss Nanami and calmly stated, "Teacher, I completed the entire syllabus a month ago, and I'm not causing any disturbances. Is there a particular reason you keep singling me out for scolding? Perhaps it's because you want to have a chat, hmm... hmm... hmm?"

The entire class erupted in laughter, and Miss Nanami's face turned beet red with embarrassment. She threw a piece of chalk toward Kael and retorted, "Who wants to talk to you, hmph?" With that, she resumed her teaching.

"Hey, dead face," the guy seated right next to Kael leaned in and whispered, "Can you show me your homework from yesterday? Tomorrow's the last day to submit it."

Kael chuckled and responded, "Nope, sorry, my homework's having a spa day at the 'Lazy Assignment Retreat.'"

Kael earned the nickname "Dead Face" in school because nothing seemed to ruffle his calm demeanor. He was the type of guy who remained unflustered no matter the situation, whether it was a nuclear threat, an impending black hole, or even getting hit by a vehicle. 

Even when his girlfriend cheated on him and publicly announced it, Kael's reaction was far from the typical heartbroken protagonist. He simply responded with an indifferent "okay." Seeing him completely unfazed by the situation, his girlfriend grew frustrated and ended up breaking up with the other guy, which led to Kael earning the nickname "Dead Face."

The class ended, and it was time to leave. Everyone began packing their bags, while Kael did the same. Miss Nanami called out, "Kael, come meet me in the staff room."

Kael entered the staff room, finding it empty except for Miss Nanami. It was late, and all the other teachers had already left. He approached her and asked, "Miss Nanami, why did you call me?"

Miss Nanami addressed Kael with concern in her voice, "Kael, you're an excellent student with a very promising future, but you haven't paid your school fees for almost five months. I don't know the reasons behind this, but I've been able to persuade the principal until now. However, it seems I won't be able to do so any longer. I hope you can find a way to pay the school fees soon."

Kael let out a sigh and spoke with a tinge of sadness, "Don't worry about that. I was planning to quit school anyway."

Miss Nanami's response was filled with genuine concern as she inquired, "What? But why? Do your parents not support your education? Your dedication could pave the way for acceptance into prestigious universities. If you wish, I can have a conversation with them about this."

Kael opened up, explaining, "Well, it's not that they're not supportive, but my mother is the sole breadwinner in our household. My father doesn't work; he spends all the money on gambling and drinking. Seeing my mother's condition, I thought I should help by working a part-time job and contribute. Honestly, I've grown tired of the academic path, and I've been studying mainly for my mother's sake. I'll talk to her about my decision; I believe she'll understand."

Upon hearing Kael's explanation, Miss Nanami's expression turned somber, and she said, "If you'd like, I can cover your school fees."

Kael smiled and replied, "No, Miss Nanami, as I mentioned earlier, I'm not interested in continuing my studies. I simply want to live a normal life. Nonetheless, I truly appreciate your willingness to help," he added, his cheeks flushing with mild embarrassment.

"But I ca—" As Nanami was saying this, Kael cut her off.

"Miss, it's time to head home. Since our homes are on the same route, would you like to walk together?" Kael proposed politely.

Nanami sighed and replied, "Well, if you don't want to, I shouldn't force it. Let's go."

As they reached the school, an unexpected downpour began. Kael looked up at the rain and said, "Oh no, I thought the rain would come later."

While Kael gazed at the sky, Miss Nanami opened her umbrella and said, "I only have one umbrella, so you'll have to share it with me."

"As expected of my teacher, you're always prepared for anything, aren't you?" Kael said with a proud and playful expression on his face.

"Sh-Shut up," Nanami stammered playfully, and they both started walking.

"Miss, why don't you let me hold the umbrella? I'm taller than you, so it would be better for both of us." Kael suggested.

Kael grabbed the umbrella, and they continued their walk. "Isn't the road strangely quiet compared to how crowded it usually is? It's also strange that there are no cars on the road," Kael observed with growing unease, his eyes darting to the deserted streets outside.

While passing through an alley, Kael's attention was drawn to a red-colored liquid flowing from it.

"Huh? What's this?" Kael said, clearly confused.

"What?" Miss Nanami asked, equally puzzled.

"This red liquid is coming from the alley, and it's flowing continuously despite the rain washing it away. I think we should investigate," Kael suggested.

"I think we should leave; it's coming from an alley, which is very suspicious," Miss Nanami said, her expression filled with nervousness and caution.

"What if someone's in trouble there? We can check it out and run if there's any danger."

They both entered the alley cautiously, their steps nervous. As they proceeded deeper, their eyes widened in shock. They discovered a lifeless body lying on the ground, and beside it sat a figure drenched in blood, hungrily consuming it. The gruesome scene sent shivers down their spines. 

Kael and Miss Nanami, their voices shaky, nervously asked, "W-Who are you?" They were horrified as the figure slowly turned toward them.

The figure's face was a nightmare. His nose looked like it had been torn off, showing raw bone. One of his eyes dangled strangely from its socket, and he was covered in blood.

Before they could react, the figure lunged at them with a growl. In panic, Kael used the umbrella to push him away. It was the first time in Kael's life that he was very scared and nervous.

Seizing the moment, they sprinted away from the horrifying scene as fast as their legs could carry them. As they ran they saw that the entire area was filled with people who looked just like that grotesque figure.

"Miss Nanami, why are these people everywhere? What's happening?" Kael panted as they continued to run. There was no sign of any other normal people around.

As they fled, all the nightmarish figures chased them relentlessly, closing in with menacing intent, ready to attack. Kael and Miss Nanami's hearts raced as they desperately sought a way to escape the encroaching horrors.

"Miss Nanami, my house is closest. We should quickly head there," Kael advised as they ran, trying to outrun the pursuing figures.

While they were running, a large truck careened towards them, appearing to be out of control. They swiftly moved out of the truck's path, and it collided with the pursuing figures, causing a massive explosion. This provided Kael and Nanami with a chance to escape without anyone chasing them.

They both reached Kael's house. He hurriedly knocked on the door, his body trembling with nervousness. "Mom, open the door quickly!" he exclaimed, his voice quivering.

The door opened, and they both swiftly entered. Kael's mom promptly locked the door.

"Mom, what's going on outside? What the heck happened? Everything was perfectly normal this morning!" Kael asked.

"Shh, keep your voice down. Help me slide the table against the door," Kael's mom whispered urgently.

"What? What are you doing?"

"Don't ask more questions, just do what I say silently," Kael's mom insisted.

Kael and his mother hastily placed multiple tables against the door, creating a makeshift barricade.

Kael, asked once more, "Can you now please explain to me what's going on?"

"Speak softly, and let's go to the second floor, to your room," Kael's mother instructed in a hushed tone.

When Kael entered the house, he saw that all the windows were fully covered with curtains, and they had placed different things in front of them to block them off. It made him feel uneasy, and he knew something was seriously wrong.

As Kael entered his room, he spotted his father huddled in a corner, clearly terrified. Before he could say anything, his mother began to explain what was happening.

Kael's mother began to explain in a hushed and detailed manner, "Kael, something truly dreadful has occurred. Earlier today, we watched a news report. There was an accident at a high-security laboratory where scientists were experimenting with a classified virus. Unfortunately, it got accidentally mixed with a highly toxic chemical and leaked into the environment. It had the potential for medical breakthroughs but was also incredibly dangerous. The government tried to keep it a secret, but it spread uncontrollably before they could contain it."

Kael's eyes widened with horror as she continued, "Now, this virus is spreading at an alarming rate worldwide. It mutates people into those zombies you saw outside – aggressive and horrifying. Entire cities are in chaos. That's why we've barricaded the windows and doors, to protect ourselves. We have to remain silent and hidden until we can figure out a safe plan."

Miss Nanami and Kael were both utterly shocked by the sudden outbreak of the virus.

Instead of being scared and wasting time thinking how this all happened Kael understood the situation quickly and said, "How long can we stay hidden like this? I've read in manga and novels that our first priority should be collecting food and other essential supplies before they run out in situations like this. Our house is in a very exposed location, and we'll only be safe for a limited time before the virus spreads throughout the entire area."

Nanami chimed in with a suggestion, ''Why don't we consider relocating to my apartment? My room is on the 6th floor, and each floor only has two rooms. Fortunately, the other room is vacant, and there are only two or three residents living there. The way to my building is from an alley which is in between various buildings and is hard to find and the stairs are currently under repair. The sole way to reach the sixth floor is through the elevator, which makes it a much safer option than staying here.''

"It does sound safer we should move there as soon as possible. I know the virus won't take much time before spreading. What do you think, Mom?"

"Hmm, yes, I think that's a good option. We should move tonight since it'll be darker, and the zombies' vision will be less effective."

"I still can't believe this is happening in reality," Kael sighed, "Mom, is there anything I can eat right now? I'm so hungry." 

"We should save our food supplies. You'll just have to make do with this remaining chips."

As Kael reached for the chip packet, his father, sitting in the corner, abruptly snatched it from his hands with a selfish grin. "I'm really hungry, and I need this more than you," he said, showing little concern for his son's hunger.

Seeing his selfish father snatching the chip packet made Kael seethe with anger. He couldn't believe that even in this dire situation, his father's selfishness remained unchanged. Kael, however, chose to stay silent, mindful of the overall situation. He had learned to keep his distance from his father, and their interactions were infrequent.

In frustration, Kael left the room, his mother and Miss Nanami following closely behind, leaving his father alone, his actions having driven a deeper wedge within their already strained relationship.

"Please don't get angry, Kael. I think there are some leftovers from last night in the refrigerator. Let me bring them for you."

Kael sighed and said, "Mother, I still can't believe you're still with this guy. If I were working, I would've taken you away from him."

Kael's mom didn't say anything and went to the kitchen with a heavy heart. Recognizing that it was a sensitive family matter, Nanami remained silent, choosing not to interfere.

After Kael finished eating, he suggested, "Mother, Miss Nanami, it's better if we take a nap before continuing. Resting will help us conserve our energy.". 

As they gathered in the drawing room, Kael voiced his concerns, "Mother, bring all the remaining food into this room. We can't trust that guy."

After ensuring that everything was secure, they settled on the sofa, covering themselves with blankets, and drifted off to sleep.