ConnectDEAD

I woke slowly, my mind drifting up from the depths of sleep. For a moment, I just lay there, savoring the quiet stillness, the peace of the morning. Saeko was curled against my side, her head on my chest, her arm draped across my waist. I could feel the steady rise and fall of her breathing, the warmth of her skin against mine. 

As if sensing my wakefulness, Saeko stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked up at me, a soft smile on her lips, a tenderness in her usually fierce gaze that made my heart skip a beat.

"Good morning," she murmured.

I smiled back, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "Morning. Sleep well?"

She nodded, her fingers tracing idle patterns on my chest. "Better than I have in a long time. I think I'm starting to understand the appeal of a teddy bear."

I chuckled, pulling her closer. "Happy to be of service."

We lay like that for a while, just holding each other, letting the world outside fade away. But eventually, Saeko spoke, her tone turning serious.

"Kai, there's something I need to tell you. About last night, in the bath..."

"Should I be worried? Did you girls have too much fun without me?"

Saeko swatted my chest. "Nothing like that, pervert. But... we did talk about you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

She nodded, her expression turning thoughtful. "Shizuka was tipsy, giggling about how brave and strong you are. How lucky we are to have you as our leader."

I felt a flush of warmth at the praise, but also a twinge of discomfort. I didn't want to be a leader, it just sort of happened.

Saeko continued, her voice softening. "And Saya... she admitted that she's attracted to you. That seeing you in action, seeing the way you care for us... it's stirred feelings in her she didn't expect."

"Even Rei," Saeko said, her eyes distant. "She was quiet, but... she said you make her feel safe. That when you're around, she feels like maybe, just maybe, we'll make it through this."

Saeko looked at me, her gaze intense, searching. "I know it's a lot to take in. And I know the old rules, the old expectations... they don't really apply anymore. But Kai, I want you to know... I understand. And I don't mind sharing you."

My eyes widened, my heart hammering in my chest. "Saeko, I..."

She silenced me with a finger to my lips, a gentle smile on her face. "In this world, we need to hold on to what matters. The connections we share, the strength we draw from each other... that's what will keep us alive. Keep us human."

I stared at her, awed by her compassion, her understanding. Slowly, I reached up, cupping her face in my hands. I kissed her, deep and slow, trying to pour every ounce of gratitude, of affection into the press of my lips against hers.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathless, our eyes shining. Saeko grinned at me, a spark of mischief in her gaze. "Come on, lover boy. Let's go see what trouble the others have gotten into."

She slipped out of bed, pulling on a short nightgown that barely skimmed her thighs. I took a moment to admire the view, the play of muscles under smooth skin, before hauling myself up to follow her.

We found Saya in the living room, perched on the edge of the couch, her eyes glued to the TV. She was so engrossed in the news report that she didn't even notice our approach, not until I cleared my throat and offered a casual "Morning, Saya."

She turned, ready to return the greeting, but the words seemed to die on her lips as she took in the sight of me. I realized that I was still shirtless, my hair mussed from sleep.

Saya stared, her cheeks flushing pink, her mouth slightly agape. For a moment, she seemed at a loss for words, a rare occurrence for the usually articulate genius.

Saeko, clearly amused by Saya's reaction, draped herself over my shoulder, her lips brushing my ear as she whispered, "I think you broke her."

That seemed to snap Saya out of her daze. She blinked, shaking her head as if to clear it. "I... sorry, I was just... the news..."

She gestured vaguely at the TV, flustered. I bit back a grin, finding her uncharacteristic fluster oddly endearing.

But as I turned my attention to the broadcast, my amusement quickly faded, replaced by a growing sense of dread. I sat down on the couch next to Saya and Saeko.

The reporter, a middle-aged man with a haggard face and haunted eyes, was speaking rapidly, his voice tight with barely suppressed panic.

"...cases popping up in towns and villages across the country. Emergency services are overwhelmed, hospitals overflowing with the infected. The government has declared a state of national emergency, but it's clear they're struggling to contain the spread..."

On the screen, images flashed by, each more horrifying than the last. City streets choked with shambling corpses, rural homes burning, military blockades swarmed by hordes of the undead.

Saya, her embarrassment forgotten, turned to us with a grim expression. "It's not just here anymore. This... this is global."

All this time, we'd been focused on our own survival, on the nightmare unfolding in our city. But this... this was so much bigger than us, than anything we could have imagined.

Saeko's hand found mine, her fingers lacing through my own, anchoring me. I clung to her, to the solid reality of her presence, like a lifeline in a stormy sea.

On the TV, the reporter was still talking, his voice rising with each new horror. "...estimates of infected in the millions, and rising every hour. Martial law has been declared in major cities around the world, but enforcement is spotty at best. In many areas, the military has simply been overwhelmed, abandoning their posts in the face of the onslaught..."

I closed my eyes, trying to process the magnitude of what we were hearing. The world as we knew it was crumbling, the foundations of society cracking under the strain of this new reality.

I was just about to make a plan when the sound of raised voices from upstairs shattered the moment. I sighed, recognizing the angry tones of Takashi and Rei's argument. It had become a familiar refrain now, their unresolved tension boiling over at the slightest provocation.

Saeko shot me a knowing look, her eyebrow raised. "Duty calls, oh fearless leader."

I grimaced, but pushed myself up from the couch nonetheless. As much as I wanted to stay here, wrapped in the comfort of Saeko's presence, I knew I couldn't let this fester. We needed unity now more than ever, and that meant nipping these disputes in the bud.

I found them on the balcony, Rei's face streaked with tears, Takashi pacing like a caged tiger. They both fell silent as I stepped outside, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

"Hey," I said softly, trying to keep my tone neutral. "Everything okay out here?"

Rei sniffled, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. Takashi just scowled, his jaw clenched tight.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Takashi, why don't you come with me? Let's go grab a drink, get some air."

For a moment, I thought he might refuse. But then, with a jerky nod, he stalked past me, heading for the stairs. I shot Rei a reassuring smile before following him, hoping I could talk some sense into him before this rift grew any wider.

In the kitchen, I grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge, tossing one to Takashi as we stepped out into the backyard. The sun was high in the sky at this point, with the wind causing the cherry blossoms to flow. It would have been beautiful, if not for the distant sound of sirens, the ever-present reminder of the chaos beyond these walls.

We sat in silence for a while, sipping our drinks, the tension slowly easing from Takashi's shoulders. I didn't push, didn't pry. I knew he'd talk when he was ready.

Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, his eyes fixed on some point in the distance. "You know, Rei and I... we've got history."

I nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"We grew up together, been friends since we were kids. And I always thought... I always assumed we'd end up together, you know? Like it was just a matter of time."

He took a long pull from his beer, his face twisting into a bitter smile. "I was an idiot. Too shy, too scared to tell her how I felt. And then, in high school... she got tired of waiting."

Yeah, I could see her getting tired of waiting for Takashi to make a move.

"She started dating Hisashi. My best friend." Takashi's voice was rough, raw with old pain. "And I just... I stepped back. Played the supportive pal, even though it was killing me inside."

He fell silent for a moment, his fingers picking at the label on his bottle. I didn't interrupt, sensing he wasn't done.

"And then... then this fucking nightmare started. And Hisashi..." He swallowed hard, his eyes squeezing shut. "I had to kill him, Kai. My best friend, the guy who was like a brother to me... I had to put him down as he turned."

I couldn't imagine the weight of that, the guilt and grief tangled up with the brutal necessity of this new world.

"I thought... some stupid, selfish part of me thought maybe this was my second chance, you know? With Hisashi gone, maybe Rei and I could... could finally..."

He trailed off, shaking his head. "But then you came along. And suddenly, it's like I'm invisible all over again. She's always comparing me to you, to Hisashi. Talking about how sensitive he was, how brave you are..."

There was a bitterness in his voice, an edge of jealousy that made me shift uncomfortably. I hadn't asked for Rei's admiration, hadn't tried to step on Takashi's toes. But I could understand how it must feel, to always be second best in the eyes of the girl you loved.

"And then, with the bus... the way you made that call, left Shido and his crew behind..." Takashi's hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white. "I don't know if I could have done that. Made that choice."

He looked at me then, and beneath the anger, beneath the frustration... I saw the uncertainty, the self-doubt. "Maybe Rei's right," he said quietly. "Maybe you are the better leader. The stronger one."

I reached out, gripping his shoulder, forcing him to meet my gaze.

"Takashi, listen to me. You can't keep comparing yourself to others, to some idealized version of who you think you should be. Trust me, I'm not half the leader you seem to think I am. I'm just a guy trying his best, same as you."

He opened his mouth to protest, but I cut him off with a shake of my head. "And Rei... she's grieving, man. She's lost so much, so fast. It's not about you, or me, or Hisashi. It's about her trying to make sense of this fucked up world, trying to find something solid to hold onto."

I squeezed his shoulder, holding his gaze steady. "She needs you, Takashi. Not the you that you think you should be, but the real you. The guy who's been by her side since you were kids, the one who knows her better than anyone."

He stared at me for a long moment, a flicker of hope coming to life in his eyes. Then, slowly, he nodded.

"You're right," he said, his voice rough but resolute. "I've been so caught up in my own bullshit, I forgot what really matters. Rei... she's what matters. And I'm not going to let my own insecurities fuck that up."

He stood up, a new strength in the set of his shoulders. "Thanks, Kai. For listening, for... for everything."

I waved him off, a small smile on my lips. "Anytime, man. That's what friends are for."