After a long, long, REALLY LONG time of voting, it's finally over and as promised, here is one of the two winning stories.
For those of you who read the draft, you won't have many surprises in this chapter, just a couple of cleanup on different mistakes and that's it. You'll see something really new in the next chapter, although to be honest, it's been a year since the draft was published, so you'll probably have to read this prologue one more time so you don't miss it.
If you have read it recently, or have a golden memory then you can go straight to the next chapter.
Before I begin, I would like to make a few clarifications about this story.
The first point I would like to make clear, is that the plot will take place several months before what would be the infection. That will make that different events that are not shown or that directly were not worked appear here. What I will work more on will be the development of Takashi and the other characters that will accompany him in the crossroads. I suppose that the main character will be the one that will have the most changes, since personally I think he is a very good character, but there is something I never liked about him, and that was that he has a before and after very forced in my opinion. Personally, I don't think that any "normal" person, even with problems like Takeshi had, becomes a tremendous Badass when the apocalypse arrives. Maybe I'm the only one who thinks so, but let's see how it works.
The next point is that when the whole rampage starts, I'll go a little differently than the cannon from the start. The destinations might be mostly the same, but I plan to do quite different trajectories to get to that point. I plan on fragmenting the plot so that it follows through different points of view throughout the story, this happens mainly because the main group will be split up many times.
The next point, and perhaps one of the most important, the main pairing will be TakashixSaeko, then I plan to handle different pairings with the other women. As some suspect, Rei will be sort of the main villain. Hirano might have quite a bit of luck in this fanfic with women, though that would be in an advanced trajectory of the story.
There will be some OC characters, some more important than others. I also plan to throw in different clues as to how the infection outbreak started throughout the chapters.
As a last thing, I will say that there will be quite a few lemons once Takashi and Saeko are together. Personally I like the slow pairing, so you will most likely have to wait a bit for that. That doesn't mean that the rating will be "relaxed" until that time, as there will be quite a few racy scenes. So, I should start with the more mature grading even from now on.
With all that said, I think you can get an idea of how this story will unfold.
Without further ado, I leave you here with this prologue.
Enjoy!
PROLOGUE: THE COLLAPSED PROMISE.
Tokonosu City was a very important place in Japan.
It was not only due to the great talents with Olympic potential that graduated from the different academies, but it also had really important subjects. They even had a large station that was considered to be the most important laboratory in Japan, it might even be the most important in the world.
For that very reason, in a city where there was so much exitism, and failure was strongly frowned upon.
Or rather, all those who considered them to be failures.
It was probably the only negative point of that city, although this side was not present in the dealings between adults, but in adolescents.
This was due to the fact that the education in that city always showed a certain favoritism to those who had a great future ahead of them. Therefore, it was natural for students' egos to go to their heads when they only receive compliments from all sides, and if we add the mediocre family education, that makes bullying and harassment at the highest points for all those who did not excel in anything.
Takashi Komuro was one of those "normal" people, bordering on mediocre. And if that wasn't pitiful enough, the young man trailed behind his two childhood friends all these years without excelling at anything except baseball. Although he didn't stand out enough to have eyes on him either.
As if that wasn't enough, the poor guy had enrolled in the Fujimi Academy to continue alongside his two friends.
But what was wrong with this academy?
The small problem was that it was the most prestigious high school in the city. Something really significant in a place like this.
Here there were only "future diamonds", that was what the principal called them.
In this place people stood out for their athletic abilities, for their tactical skills, for their intellectual abilities, or they were simply brimming with great beauty.
That translated into future professional athletes, future strategists or generals of the Japanese military, future scientists of high standing, or future top modelers.
So why in all the holy places of education, did Takashi have to enter just this one?
"When we grow up, let's get married!"
Well, that was something that had already been explained...
The first year was hard.
Really hard...
High school had also been hard for chasing his two friends all this time, where they barely remembered his existence. The reality is that he would have left that cold relationship a long time ago, but he couldn't do it...
He was still in love with Rei Miyamoto, his childhood friend who had promised to marry him in the future. She always gave all her attention to Hisashi Igo, his other best friend.
He knew that Rei would not break her promise, which is why he stopped bothering her when one day in junior high school she practically made a fool of him in front of the whole class for bringing up the subject.
Something deep inside his heart told him that this was not so, that she now only had eyes for the one who was once his best friend.
But he refused to believe it, he knew she was going to keep that promise...
...
...
...
...
...
Right?
It was with that mentality that he would start his first year at Fujimi Academy, and it was because of that mentality that everything would end so fucking badly.
Takashi was never someone who excelled in his studies, but he always passed. The bad thing about it was that he didn't excel at anything else either, and the time he spent on baseball had been considerably reduced by chasing after those two people who had clearly stopped being his friends a long time ago.
For this reason, Takashi was gaining a not so good reputation in the Academy, and would begin to be called as "Hisashi's lapdog", who, unlike him, Hisashi was a freshman student well known for his good rankings and for being the third most valuable student within the high school, having a great mastery with his katana, being chosen as the future captain in the kendo club despite his young age.
Luckily for Takashi, there was a chubby boy with a reputation much worse than his, since in the first month he had proposed to one of the Mitakashi sisters. To say that his humiliation in front of everyone was criminal was really an understatement. After all, those sisters were full-fledged motherfuckers.
Still, the cute-faced fatty couldn't distract everyone else's attention for long...
So it was that in the middle of the year he suffered an event that would rank among the worst of his short life.
It was so humiliating and painful that he can barely remember the events...
His vision was blurred and he simply wanted to vanish from the crowd laughing at him as he was covered in milk and flour. His numb vision could pick up some words written with condoms stuck inside his locker.
"Lapdog-Kun!"
At that moment he could hear how the Mitakashi sisters mocked in his face and boasted about the prank they had made thanks to the help of one of the " bullies" who always protected them. He was an oxygenated blond who kept saying that he had put on those condoms before hanging them there.
As such a wealthy family, the sisters and the others always got off scot-free because of the greedy principal who only cared about money and prestige, just like the vast majority of the teachers. Therefore, it was more than obvious that these types of mistreatment never came to light.
As if that wasn't enough, his parents were always on the outside working. Yes, they loved him, but the reality was that he didn't really have the support of anyone.
He was all alone...
After that, the bullying continued for all the damn days, as the sisters were in the same grade as him, unfortunately.
Still, the man would find strength from who knows where to continue all this shit, until finally the end of the year came.
After that, he started second year...
He had managed to approve to the limit, but in second year?
By sophomore year everything had gone downhill...
Could anyone guess what his grade point average was?
It was impossible, because there was no such average...
That's right, Takashi Komuro had done absolutely nothing in these 3 months of studies he had spent. He simply stood at one of the academy's railings facing the outside while staring into nothingness with his lost eyes.
Every day it was exactly the same.
That made his nickname change again.
He was no longer known as "the lapdog", now he was " the useless guy". A nickname that was clearly much worse than the previous one.
In fact, it looked like he was going to overcome the fatty's unpopularity in no time.
But that didn't matter to Takashi.
In fact, he didn't care at all anymore.
But...
What was the reason for such a drastic change?
It all started on the last day of school. There they had a recess and an hour of review before the final act that would be the farewell to the school and the beginning of the vacations.
That day...
That moment...
That was definitely the worst damn day of his life, and by far.
The funny thing is, that day had started like any other: some teasing on the blackboard led by the two sisters and the oxygenated blond, Hisashi ignoring him for the whole first hour, and I could go on.
But, the next thing is that it made all the difference...
Rei and Hisashi were muttering something to each other being very close to each other, much closer than it was really necessary, according to Takashi's point of view who was sitting right next to them, although they both seemed to ignore his existence.
The speakers announced the end of recess, causing Rei to blush slightly as she handed Hisashi a smile.
"I don't think..." She whispered quietly, though it was loud enough for Takashi to hear, so he couldn't help but look at her curiously.
Hisashi seemed to mumble a couple of things to her before she finally nodded.
They both got up, ready to go to their respective classrooms apparently.
Takashi got up to follow them, but Rei placed one of her hands on his chest, blocking his way.
For the first time in some time she seemed to be giving him some of her attention, so he couldn't help but feel a little pleased.
"Takashi, don't follow us." Rei commented matter-of-factly while her faint blush was still in effect.
"Why?" Takashi couldn't help but frown, but he couldn't even finish speaking as he was interrupted by his best friend.
"Don't worry, we'll catch up with you in a moment." Hisashi stated with his typical kind smile.
Takashi found it all very suspicious, but he didn't want to make them more uncomfortable, so he agreed without much trouble.
Minutes passed, and the algebra review class was really getting annoying. He wasn't even paying attention to it, just staring at the empty chair next to him which is where Hisashi should be.
"He said he'd catch up with me soon, but it's been like 15 minutes already..." He would think, then shake his head to run those thoughts away.
"I guess I'll go to the bathroom." The man stood up, the teacher not even glancing at him, as there was really no need to ask permission to leave the classroom.
The responsibility lay solely and exclusively with the student. Results were also handled that way.
It could be said that Fujimi Academy was on the level of a university.
"I shouldn't have drunk that juice, now I'm pissing myself..." Takashi thought to himself as he walked up the stairs, until he finally reached the men's restroom.
When he opened the door, he couldn't help but hold his nose at the truly lewd smell that hung over the place.
That smell was accompanied by other senses as he could hear the sound of skin clashing with regular light splashes. He should also add the constant moaning of a woman who seemed to be trying to make as little noise as possible.
Wait a minute...
The world around Takashi could go completely black as his eyes widened to unthinkable points.
Wasn't that Rei's voice?
Cold sweat began to break out all over his face as his pale hue became more and more present.
That couldn't be true...
Takashi began to slowly move towards the bathroom where the moaning could be heard, seeing how there were two feet from the other side of the closed door with pants all the way down, while a skirt was lying on the side.
For sure he was making a mistake...
Takashi rested a hand on the door as his whole body trembled.
She would never break the promise...
His mind was doing its best not to break, but when he opened the door, that resistance shattered into a thousand pieces.
His eyes widened even more, something that already seemed impossible.
In front of him was his best friend and the one he loved having sex on the toilet seat.
She lay with her legs raised and spread, so it was quite easy as well as painful to watch Hisashi's penis thrust one last time inside her, all the way in. Causing another great moan of pleasure that had been drastically changed by the fact that someone had discovered them.
Hisashi also noticed this, so he quickly abandoned his posture to turn around. The surprise and fear on his face was visibly reduced when he saw that it was his friend. Rei didn't have the same reaction as her friend, as she instantly covered her bare breasts with her hands while closing her legs so that nothing could be seen.
"I told you this wasn't a good idea!" Rei roared in great annoyance, her embarrassed blush bursting out almost as loudly as her words.
"Calm down, at least it's Takashi." The man pulled on his pants as best he could, then looked at the protagonist. "Thank heavens it was you..." Hisashi put one of his hands on Takashi's shoulder, who was completely paralyzed. "Could you keep this little secret?" He asked him, sketching a small smile.
Takashi didn't hear any of his words.
He could only stare at Rei as he continued to be completely paralyzed.
The image he witnessed a moment ago replayed over and over again in his mind.
Rei's image began to move strangely as his mind began to churn as if he was really dizzy.
Everything around Rei went dark, and then it happened.
Takashi put a hand to his mouth as he felt like he was about to vomit from the huge emptiness he felt in the pit of his stomach.
"Are you alright?" Hisashi couldn't help but look a little worried when he saw Takashi's completely pale expression. "You look really sick..."
Takashi said absolutely nothing, he just ran off, to both of their surprise.
He ran faster than ever...
He ran and ran...
Until he finally reached that railing he was currently frequenting. The fresh air made his thoughts rearrange a little more, but the nausea didn't go away.
He couldn't hold back the vomiting as he threw it down, then bent down and gripped the bars tightly. His uncontrolled crying was not long in coming, although no scream came from his lips.
Only tears came out.
Tears that never seemed to end...
From that day on, that promise no longer meant anything.
The hope he had placed in her for all these years had meant nothing.
"But it was to be expected, this isn't a damn fairy tale, idiot." Takashi muttered to himself, snapping back to the present day.
His gaze continued to stare into nothingness itself, though he had felt someone alight behind him.
"What are you mumbling about, you idiot?" The teenage girl of below average height with long pink ponytailed hair asked him.
Her fierce, discriminating orange eyes never hit Takashi's as he seemed to ignore her completely.
"That's not your problem, Saya." He had enough problems with himself, he wasn't going to listen to a spoiled brat.
Saya seemed to be annoyed at the sheer indifference he delivered, but she would still find enough patience to keep talking to him. A very strange thing for her to do, as she was someone really temperamental.
"Are you going to keep staring at nothing for the whole year?" She would reproach him, earning a glare from Takashi.
The young man would look at her for a second, then turn his gaze back to the front.
"That doesn't matter to you." Was the teenager's blunt reply.
Although he was right, Saya couldn't help but be annoyed.
And boy had she been annoyed.
All the patience she had collected for this moment didn't even last more than 10 seconds.
"Fine, do whatever you want!" She exclaimed with a snort, turning away. "If you want to be a big, fat useless bum throughout your whole life, then that'll be your problem!" Takashi didn't even answer her, just continued with that melancholy face admiring the sky.
Saya would start to walk away after her words. Her furious look would quickly change to one of worry and anguish.
"Seriously, you're a complete idiot..." She whispered to herself as she walked towards the living room.
Saya gave a short glance to the woman considerably taller than her who walked past her. The most distinguishable thing about her figure was her long purple hair, her slender and well-crafted body, as well as her violet eyes, which denoted a rather serious atmosphere around her. Another thing that stood out was the badge on her left breast, which indicated her membership in the third and final year of the academy.
Saya seemed curious to see her outside of class, especially since everyone knew quite well who she was. She downplayed it instantly, continuing on her way with a somewhat dejected and annoyed expression.
The pretty purple-haired teenager continued to move through the halls as she took a drink of water. She stopped dead in her tracks when she caught the presence of someone standing at the railings leading outside.
Thanks to the fully opened door, she could make out the man's features quite easily, and she could immediately tell who it was.
Takashi was quite famous at the academy, although that fame could be somewhat controversial.
The young woman's lips left the bottle, widening her eyes a bit at the burst of growing curiosity.
"It's the useless..." She said aloud, and couldn't help but startle a little at Takashi's sidelong glance at her, indicating that he had heard her.
Still, the young man wouldn't show any kind of interest in her, it was something he made quite clear when he turned his gaze once again.
The teenager continued to look at him with even more curiosity after seeing the melancholy expression that surrounded Takashi's features as the wind ruffled his hair. What would catch her attention the most were his brown eyes.
She slowly approached, stepping to the side of the railing as she watched him. Takashi glanced sideways at her again, but again looked straight ahead once more.
Another thing that made her quite curious was that everyone was very nervous or introverted when she approached them, but Takashi seemed to ignore her existence completely.
Her violet eyes returned again to the man's brown eyes.
Silence ensued between the two for a good while, until Saeko decided to speak.
"What are you thinking about so much?" That question seemed to surprise Takashi a bit, who showed it with his first change of expression so far this day.
Odd, since no one had noticed that he always found he was always thinking.
No one, until now.
Takashi's gaze seemed to return to his typical melancholy expression as he rested his chin underneath his hand.
"I just think about all the mistakes I've made..." Was the teenager's dry reply, managing to shock her a little.
"So, you always skip all your classes to come here and think about the past?" The woman would ask, mimicking the young man's posture. "Stirring up the past doesn't do any good."
"You talk about wasting time..." Takashi commented, giving her a full look for the first time. "You're not the one to talk about that." Takashi's insinuation was more than clear, managing to draw a chuckle from the woman.
"I just went to the bathroom and saw you on my way back." Was her reply, managing to make Takashi look again into nothingness itself.
She looked at him again, remembering how Takashi had become so famous.
"Are you a friend of Hisashi's?" She inquired, watching as Takashi bowed his shoulders slightly.
"We were." Was the young man's curt reply.
"I see..." She would comment, remembering how she had met the aforementioned. "Hisashi became a big star as soon as he came to the kendo club, he even became our new captain at such a young age. I remember at those times I had some interest in him, as I had never been in a relationship before." That made Takashi scoff, catching her attention.
"I regret to inform you that Rei is his girlfriend." He commented, the cutting tone coming even louder than before.
"I figured as much, you're not the only one who was always following him around..." She would reply, then look up at the clouds. Her eyes softened at what she was about to say. "Besides, it's not currently a kind of feeling I deserve to have..."
Her tone of voice would have come across exactly the same to anyone else, but Takashi could tell she was hiding quite a bit of sadness and guilt behind her words.
That simple fact made Takashi soften a bit, managing to break the tense atmosphere he had been generating all along.
"Who would have thought that the great Saeko Busujima would have such deep problems?" The now recognized as Saeko could notice a bit of sarcasm behind Takashi's words, though she could also tell that he actually found it unbelievable that she could have problems.
Though what she found the most curious was something else.
"Wow!" She exclaimed, unable to help but smile. "Apparently, you do know who I am."
"My goodness, who wouldn't know?" Takashi abandoned his usual posture to look at her. "You are the daughter of Ryoma Busujima, the winner of 5 consecutive gold medals, Japan's biggest star who has been the absolute king in fencing these past 20 years." Takashi rested his hand on his chin again, though he continued to look at her now. "If Hisashi is the new kendo captain, it is only because you have not wanted to take that position. Your great talent has been known since you were a child and it is believed that you could surpass your own father when you come of age." That answer made Saeko chuckle slightly.
"That's not true." The answer made Takashi look surprised.
Saeko turned her gaze to the sky again, her beautiful violet eyes focused on the clouds.
"Even if I manage to get 10 gold medals, my father will always remain the best." Her eyes narrowed slightly, denoting a look coated with affection. "At least, he will be to me..."
For the first time in a long time, Takashi could say he was impressed.
In fact, to just say he was impressed was an understatement.
He may not show it on the outside, but in his mind he was swearing that he had discovered something that seemed to be impossible to find.
"I'm sorry." Takashi apologized, turning his gaze skyward.
Saeko looked at him visibly confused.
"Why are you apologizing?" She couldn't understand those words.
Yes, he had behaved a bit rude at first, but she didn't think it was serious enough to apologize either.
"Sorry for thinking you were like the others." He answered her, fixing his gaze on her, and that was the first time his dull brown eyes met those beautiful violet eyes. "Without a doubt, you are much better than those scumbags who call themselves 'diamonds'. You are a true diamond, and the only one that exists in this place." He replied, his sincerity in the words was so high that it made Saeko's eyes sparkle. "I wish you the best of luck when you graduate." He concluded.
That connection she was enjoying would be nipped in the bud when Takashi's eyes looked skyward again.
That made her remember something.
"I've been gone too long already." She commented, then started to leave.
Just before she left, she delivered one last glance to the brown, to that boy who had ignited her curiosity to levels it had never reached before.
"I'll see you later."
"Yeah..." Takashi answered her as he waved his hand in farewell.
It took a couple of seconds, but it finally dawned on him.
Takashi would widen his eyes a bit and look at Saeko's now non-existent presence.
"Wait a minute, what did she mean she'd see me later?"
Just like that, time passed.
The sound of the break was heard through the speakers, managing to snap Takashi out of his thoughts. The boy only gave a sigh, then started to climb the stairs to go to the highest point of the building.
Takashi leaned against a rooftop wall. No one was going there, and it was mainly due to the small amount of space. His gaze went up to the small roof overhanging the door, thinking for a few moments if he should climb up there to admire the day in a better way, but quickly dismissed it as he knew it couldn't be a very good idea.
That moment of tranquility only lasted a few minutes, as the door to his side opened, earning Takashi a confused look.
He had been going to the same place for three months, and so far no one had come.
"So, here you were." Saeko lowered her gaze to see who she had been looking for these minutes.
She was carrying a chocolate cake in her hands before Takashi's curious gaze.
"Why did you come here?" The boy turned his attention back to the beautiful young woman, who would give him a small smile as she sat down next to him.
"I said we would meet later." She commented, opening the plastic wrapper that held the cake securely. "I want to eat with you." She concluded, starting to cut the cake into small slices. It wasn't very big, so it could serve as a kind of small appetizer before lunch.
"Don't you think it's a bad idea to hang out with me?" Takashi questioned her, his face appeared to be serious, though his tone of voice gave off some concern towards her.
She didn't want her reputation to be at risk because of him.
"Do you think I care what others think?" She answered him with another question, earning an impressed look from Takashi.
"At first she seemed like someone quite calm and kind, but she seems to have more of a temper than I had thought..." He thought, watching as she kept looking at him, getting him to raise an eyebrow. "Something wrong?"
"Where's your food?" Saeko looked curious as she watched Takashi turn his gaze skyward.
"I don't bring anything. I like to eat at my parents' house." Was the simple answer, getting Saeko to smile a little.
Takashi couldn't help but lower his gaze as he felt something land at his side. His eyes widened a bit as he watched Saeko pull the cake a little closer, enticing him to eat.
"I don't usually eat it all by myself..." The hints were more than obvious, getting Takashi to rub his hair as he looked at her.
The truth was, he was always hungry at this point in the day, so he wasn't going to deny some food. Especially if it was offered so gently.
"Thank you very much." He replied, taking a portion.
"You know how to be thankful too, huh?" Saeko giggled as she took a small bite of the cake.
At that moment, Saeko could see Takashi's first smile.
Even though it had been so small, for some reason it caught her attention.
"Very funny." He replied, mimicking the action of what seemed to be his new friend.
They both continued to eat in silence as they watched the clouds pass by. If seen from the outside, it looked like an awkward silence, but the reality was quite the opposite.
They were both enjoying each other's presence, and that was undeniable.
It was strange that two people could hit it off so well when they had only met a few minutes ago.
"By the way, there's something that intrigues me..." That quiet silence was broken when Saeko spoke, gaining Takashi's attention. "A moment ago you said you ate at your parents' house. That means you don't live at the academy, or am I wrong?"
"I could live here, but the reality is that it would be very complicated." He answered with great sincerity. "I think you know why."
"I understand..." She replied, then looked up at the sky again.
When that silence seemed to feel like re-emerging, Takashi spoke.
"Thank you so much for the food, it was delicious." He commented to her, sketching a tiny smile. "Where did you buy it?" Saeko couldn't help but give him a smile after what she heard.
"That came straight out of my kitchen." She answered him, earning Takashi's surprise.
"Wow, how can someone be so perfect in everything?" That comment made Saeko cover her lips as she chuckled under her breath.
"Come on, it's not that big of a deal." Saeko stood up from the spot, shaking the crumbs off her skirt. "Classes are about to start." She would conclude, opening the door to leave.
Just before he left, she gave him one last smile.
"See you tomorrow!" She waved goodbye with an air of happiness, earning a somewhat sloppy salute from Takashi, as he clearly wasn't expecting those words.
"Uh, I guess so." Was his silly reply, managing to make Saeko's smile deepen a bit more before leaving the place.
Takashi looked down at himself for a few seconds, then looked up at the sky again.
His lips licked against his will.
"I wasn't exaggerating, that cake was really delicious..."
END OF PROLOGUE!
As you can see, I made several changes from the original work. Well, not really. I only proposed a different beginning with respect to the original story, the really new will come in the following chapters.
Remember that this is a translation, so mistakes are bound to happen. I'm not very good at this, so anyone who wants to help me with the translation would be very grateful. This would not only clean up the errors but also help me save a lot of time, time that I can use to update more frequently.
You know, anyone who is interested send me a private message.
Without anything else to say, I can only hope you liked it.
Thank you very much for reading!