HOTD: A New Dawn

The cracks in the sidewalks were filled with water, with growing, rippling puddles by the side of them. 

It was a rainy day when Tysone chanced upon Miku—though the word 'chanced' here was unashamedly misleading since he had been waiting for her right outside the school's gates.

'It's been raining a lot these days...' 

One look at the sky would tell anyone that the dark curtain overhead wouldn't let up anytime soon. 

He instinctively felt that time was running out; maybe the weather lately reflected perfectly how things would soon take a turn for the worse. He adjusted his umbrella to make it more stable against the gusts of the storm. His lips pursed into a thin line. If his instincts were correct, this would soon be considered the calm before the storm.

That's why he was there anyway, to tie up this loose end that was Miku Yuuki. He didn't know what'd happen if her syndrome spiraled out of control or what kind of effect it'd have, if any, during a zombie outbreak, but he wouldn't take his chances.

While in the beginning he was initially hoping to not involve himself in Miku's fate, he now felt the need to intersect her path at this crossroads, and make sure things would play out according to his plan, instead of his wishes and hopes.

Soon, students began to file out of the buildings. Most of them had their own umbrellas, while some shared one. An unfortunate bunch stayed behind, to wait out the storm. He could only imagine the romance shenanigans that'd ensue as a consequence. 

Tysone's eyes trailed after a familiar girl. And the familiar girl's eyes, as if pulled by the unseen magnetic force of the plot, snapped towards him. Tysone offered a tiny smile.

Miku seemed more flustered than usual—probably because his abrupt arrival on this rather uneventful and rather stormy day managed to catch her entirely off guard. She didn't expect him of all people to show up, let alone right here right now.

As she walked, Tysone noticed how the surrounding girls made way, but not out of respect or fear, but more as if Miku was a disgusting, torn piece of used condom that's been left to stew under the sun for too long. 

It made Tysone, the young man who lived his life by standards, disgusted. The few boys around Miku whispered loudly amongst themselves about a potential hook-up or their intentions to get intimate.

The girl didn't seem to care, even grinning playfully while eyeing them from time to time.

She behaved the part. A fox in every way.

That was until she stood in front of him, that fake expression of hers disappearing and replaced with the faintest of frowns.

"What do you want? Decided that I'm the type of woman you can't refuse and came running back?"

That was one way to greet him.

"Right, because me ditching you at my place then running into your arms is what any normal girl would hope for." He droned sarcastically. "Anyway, let's go." Tysone gestured.

"..." She silently followed him, no doubt adding more gasoline to the wildfire of rumors that surrounded her.

The two of them walked side by side in the rain, shoulders barely brushing against each other. "Where are we going?" Miku asked, confused.

"Somewhere you can get away from prying eyes, so we can talk without attracting unnecessary attention." Tysone responded, scanning the surrounding area, trying his best to appear inconspicuous.

A part of him wondered, however, if keeping Miku out of the limelight was the right choice. She'd probably still attract some unwanted attention from horny high schoolers, no matter where or when.

They passed by Montecarlo SS, a place Tysone avoided at all costs now that he knew Triage X was part of this universe. So he opted for a less conspicuous, cozy cafe.

He couldn't remember its name, nor was it too flashy or crowded. However, as he glanced inside the glass windows, Tysone was aware of its appeal. This was one of those cute, little establishments that old couples enjoyed spending their evenings in.

Miku hadn't spoken much. She would glance his way sometimes, but looked almost intimidated, though oddly eager. 

Now was a chance to observe her, though, and try and assess the degree to which she was affected. 

Not by him, but by the rumor mongers and the drama-seekers. He'd prod her a bit, maybe get a reaction or two. Was she just a freak for attention and thrills? Or was there really more to the girl who latched on so hard to him?

There were very few people in the cafe. Tysone had the good sense to check the availability of tables before entering and made a beeline to an isolated corner near the window, leaving Miku with no choice but to follow him.

They placed their umbrellas in the rack, and both took a seat on the wooden table facing each other.

He placed an order, though neither of them said anything yet. 

For a split second, he found the silence surprisingly refreshing, as they could enjoy the sound of rain tapping against the window while they waited for their order to arrive.

"Say." She eventually began, breaking the awkward silence between the two of them. "I didn't expect you to come for me, after all." She breathed out a weak chuckle as she fiddled with the zipper on her uniform, clearly nervous. "You have to admit, it was a pretty low blow for you to ignore my existence altogether."

Though not entirely undeserved, considering the circumstances. 

"This isn't about me coming for you." Tysone cut off sharply, crossing his fingers. He spared her a brief glance, letting the weight of those words sink into the conversation, and watched as the cheerful Miku wither away, revealing a quiet, uncertain, and pained woman, eyes red and empty as they flickered up at his face.

It didn't make sense, but Miku seemed to think that something more than platonic friendship was in the picture here. 

"Then what is it about? I left you alone, didn't I?"

"I still have reason to believe you follow me from time to time, but yes, I guess the intensity of your obsession has diminished a little. But I'm not here to talk about this." Tysone elaborated quietly. "I've thought about our last interaction and I've had doubts that I can't quite let go of. I came here in hopes that you will confirm my suspicions regarding something that could get you out of this 'situation' you're in."

Miku still appeared bewildered by the turn of events. It was very clear that she had not anticipated their meeting nor his motive for meeting up with her.

"So let's have a chat." Tysone suggested, nodding towards her. "If what I've concluded turns out to be wrong, then we will simply resume where we left off. But, let's take the initiative and explore the options, shall we?"

He leaned against the chair's backrest and glanced down at the menu as he patiently waited.

As for Miku, the young woman seemed to still be in a state of confusion.

But Tysone didn't wait, since the menu had quite a few interesting items to pick from, and the only way to enjoy a cup of tea was to order some pastries to go along with it, like the eccentric, obsessive, sweet-maniac he was. Damn, he had been eating healthy for so long; he wanted to raise his cholesterol levels a bit today. 

So while he waited, he didn't ask her any questions. She simply wasn't ready. If he was to get answers, he'd have to get her to relax and stop her inner turmoil first.

A waiter came by and took both of their orders, before promptly leaving them again. There weren't many people around, so Tysone figured the waiter would be back shortly. In the meantime, Miku had gotten over her surprise and seemed more composed now.

"What do you know?"

She sounded a bit frantic, but reined herself in.

"That's what I should be asking you. What's going on here? I've heard about what's going on in your school. Already established a reputation? Must've been some crazy work on your—"

"I didn't do anything!"

Miku slammed a hand on the table, causing a few heads to turn, including the waiter. The sudden attention was met with the pair's silent apologies, and the other patrons returned to their business.

"...Let's lower our voices, alright?" Tysone muttered quietly. "Take a deep breath and let me talk for a moment, you're losing control here." He explained calmly.

Her eyes sharpened as if looking for some hint of malice on his part, but finally relaxed as a scowl replaced it.

"So." Tysone rested his chin on his hand. "You didn't do anything, then how come it looks like the whole school has already branded you as a whore? Tokonosu isn't such a small place that your reputation at Fujimi Academy would have carried over so fast. Something's at play here." 

Author's Note:

If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at [email protected]/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support