I do not own highschool of the dead. This is a fan fiction that is freely distributed.

After the Rain

chapter 1

"For every option in life there is that moment that we make a choice. For example we can choses to go through a door, or we can choses to not to. One option could lead to a fulfilling life, the other to your demises." This was their instructions, as Takashi and Saeko stood before Peter. " I will grant you this one chance. I gift this to you because of the devotion you have shown to each other. It is so rare to see that and I believe you are deserving of another chance on."

Saeko thought hard then asked the saint the one question that is on both of their minds "But will we remember each other? It took us so long to have our peace and."

"Yes and No. This will all seem like a dream to you and like all dreams it will fade into nothing. Like I said the options are yours to choose and for you to follow with your hearts or minds free will is something we cannot interfere with."

Takashi had said nothing he just stood listening. He had died two years ago in an accident and he felt it was a wasted life. But he had Saeko now and what about Rei? What the saint was saying is all of this would go back to a time that she was in his life before he found Saeko. "Can we have some time to discuss this between us?" he final managed to ask.

"Yes but time is short so pleases do not take too long."

Turning to Saeko he grasped her hands in his. It was not a choice to be taken lightly. It would involve both of them and it could lead them to never meet… Forever to be lost to each other. "What do you want?"

Breathing deeply she fixed her gaze at his as she fought for an answer. Her mind knew deep down that he was pissed off at his accident. But selfishly she wanted him now… she needed him now.

She had fought too hard, for too long to be at his side. Then again to have a second chance to fall in love again that gave her an excitement she only felt when welding her blade. Reluctantly she gave her answer. "We should… You said you will love me for eternity and I believe that. So if it means that we can have a life together at last, then we should. But… But I don't want to lose you again."

Listening attentively to her he pulled her in close to him. "Then we will. My mind is made up, it is worth the risk." After he spoke he placed a hand behind her neck pulling her into a kiss as a bright light engulf them both.

0000

Her eyes fluttered open removing the effects of sleep form her mind. Sitting upright the girl stretched and yawned embracing the new day. That was until she realised she had done it again, that same curse that had plagued her almost every morning of her life. Squinting her eyes and cursing to herself as she stairs defiantly at the small puddle next to her pillow. "How anyone can so disciplined? Still drool as much as I do?"

It was also at this moment that she vaguely remembers a dream she was having about a boy that she had seen around school last year. "What was his name again?" She mumbled as she tried in vain to recollect what the dream was about, something on a bridge and holding hands. "Hmmmm love not that I am deserving of it." Shaking the thoughts from her mind she decided that it was time to start her day going through her morning routine.

Getting out of bed she turned and re-fluffing the pillows, tidying the sheets and mopping up the wetness on the bed from the drool.

She then changing into her practice dress, and mentally prepared for her morning exercise. Busujima Saeko walked to the dojo briefly stopping to look at the first flowers to bloom in the cold spring morning. The difference to today's training is that she would be practicing alone. Her father Master Busujima Ryuu , had left early that morning to oversee the opening of a dojo in the UK, expanding the family art and bring the sport of Kendo to Scotland. That and to visit his third love after his daughter and kendo, Whisky distilleries.

It is not that Master Ryuu is a drunk. He was in fact far from it, but he loved whisky and nobody in the world can make anything that can surpass a good Scottish single malt whiskey.

Supressing the laughter as she crossed her garden to the dojo, Saeko remembered the conversation last night and the excitement in his voice, the twinkle in his eyes, as he listed off the places he would visit over the next month, from Tobermory to Speyside. Honestly she thought the excuses to open a dojo there, was so he could go to these places and knowing her father, it was more than likely the case.

In the Dojo Saeko knelt before the shrine of her Ancestors and Masters, that was in the centre of the dojo, offering a silent prayer before beginning her routine of exercises and katas. Grasping her now well-seasoned and ageing cherry wood Bokkan, she knew she should replace it, but it had saved her before and she could not bring herself to part with it. Saeko felt for the hilt, its well-used grip biting into the calloused points on her hand, from years of practice getting up she bowed to the shrine then began.

The routine started as it always did in pursuit of the perfect strike. With 200 over head strikes 100 draw strikes then in to her kata routine, combining acrobatic moves and various vertical, horizontal and cross over slashes, as she diligently practiced over and over. If a bystander was to pass by and watch they would think she was ether some gymnast or dancer as the air around her flashed with the cherry wood of her bokken and the contrast of her violet hair in its high pony tail

After training Saeko took a shower, to clean herself before the school day. Relaxing as the water washed over her long violet hair, closing her eyes to cherish the relaxing water cascading on her reminding her of the rain. It was then that her mind flashed to a nightmarish scene. She was kneeling in a construction yard it was raining hard and her clothes were covered in mud and blood. Looking down she noticed a boy in her lap. The pain in her chest as she looked down at the sleeping figure and the feeling of Dread that took over her, watching as someone died in her arms. Almost silently she spoke. "I'll remember you when it rains."

Stumbling she fell backwards out of the shower on to her backside and as she regained her composure she gasped out

"Takashi."

0000

Across the city for it seventh time on snooze an alarm chimed out. The lump on the bed that was covered by a quilt, started to move and with a long groan a male voice cried out. "Ok ok I'm up just shut up will you." as a pillow flew away from the lump on the bed towards the offensive noise, hitting the alarm however this still did not stop its persistence.

Grumbling now against the noises Takashi slowly pulled himself from his bed shouting loudly. "Mondays are just so evil!" As he realised he was in his dorm and back at school to start a new term. His reasoning to staying in the dorms was to have more time in bed and not have to commute for an hour each morning and evening, letting school take more of his time from him, that and it was closer to the city centre.

Looking at his clock it was 7:30 an hour before the first day of term will start. Reluctantly Takashi rolled out of bed grabbing his towel and wash bag to make his way to the bathroom.

As he walked along the corridor he day dreamed remembering a rather nice dream of holding a girl in his arms, she was sitting in front of him, the warmth of her body all to vivid. "That could have been one sweet dream if I had not woken up." He chuckled to himself, thinking what could happen next and knowing his imagination as he did in these matters, something very nice. He began to blush at the thought of the potential encounter.

Takashi rounded a corner and went into the bathroom bumping into Morita knocking him out of his daze. "Hay man what's happening?" his friend asked him curiously.

Fist bumping his friend Takashi excitedly replied after he forgot that he was to go round to his dorm last night "Nothing just the first day… You know all that introduction crap and all."

"I know what you mean it's going to be another sucky year bro, even more that Rei is in our class n…" realising the mistake at the mention of her name Morita almost apologised to Takashi

"It's ok." Takashi explained. "It's not like… well you know what happened." Takashi had seen Rei and his best friend Hisashi kissing. This genuinely made him feel betrayed and more than a little depressed, as he struggled to understand why. She had been acting funny with him the last few months and no matter what he did to try and find out, the answer was always the same. "You would not understand." The irony is how can he not… if he did not know what it was. Then that day he spotted them across the railway lines his heart shaterd. "Any way. What about you? What are you going to do this year?"

"Ahh the same as every year man. I'm going to get my band sorted and ask Saya out again." he grind, reviling his master plan. That he had been working on for the last few years.

"Saya!... common man she has blown you off twice now and I know she is not interested in dating right now."

"Yes… but this time… I can get you to put in a word from me. You two are very close unless you are trying to tap that first."

Takashi took a step back taken completely by surprises by that comment stuttering out in a bit of anger "W..What? No… I have known her to long… It would be like dating my sister if I had one or something like that."

A larger smile creped across Morita's faces "So I can count on you then?"

"Well your persistent I'll give you that but you know it will be a no. any way I need to wash up I'll catch you up in class."

As Morita left to get changed Takashi entered the shower to get clean for the day. He was alone in the washroom, he preferred it that way. Last in to get some quiet time and brood so he could focus his mind, it was worth the rule of last in cleans up.

The water cascaded over him as he focused his mind. Then out of nowhere a piercing pain in his abdomen caught his breath and a flash of images assaulted him. It was the same girl from his dream that night. He was looking up at her. He could see the worry in her Sapphire eyes, smell the scent of her hair and sweat. Looking around it was raining he was lying down in some cold slimy mud he mouthed the words. "I will meet you at the bridge."

Nauseated he Stumbling out of the shower and over to a basin, washing his face with cold water and as his senses came back to him with confusion he questioningly said one thing.

"Saeko?"

Thank you to all those that have left review, ether by pm or the review option and encouraged me to continue this.

Rain was never meant to be more than a three shot so I kind of don't know where I am going to go with this. I may not update very regular at first, whilst I build up a few buffer chapters and pen out the ideas I have for it and work out my story bored. After all kicking out a 3-5 thousand word chapter per-week is not easy when you have family and work as well. So it may take a month before I start regular posts.

Rain will be considered a prologue for this.

Please leave a review. I do try to write back to each one.