High School of the Dead: Zombie World with a Gacha

We didn't completely move to the mansion yet, the reason is that it is far away from school, we have been questioning whether we should drop school and completely focus on training but Shizuka and Yuriko didn't agree with this notion, they're the 'adults' here.

Saya supported me, saying that it was worthless to continue going to school if there was a catastrophe, but we both got conked by Yuriko, saying that it didn't matter and that as young boys and girls, we HAD to keep going to school. I asked the why Shizuka was allowed to drop and they came to me with the bullshit that Shizuka is an adult and so she can 'decide'.

I can't believe these two are pulling this logic on me, how Japanese is that?

Anyway, that day I was pissed and both Shizuka and Yuriko knew it... Shizuka's job at school is now full-time, she does it just for the sake of watching me at school and also driving us back once we're done. Curiously, one of the things she requested from me was that she wanted a convertible BMW... I asked her why and she said that was her dream car, so... as my girlfriend, I got it for her.

I don't know what's going to happen in a year so if I can make them comfortable in any way, I will... sadly, all the money in the world won't help me take Lucy to the moon before the catastrophe takes place.

For Saeko, her desire was for me to protect her shrine and I'm already thinking about reinforcing it and making it into one of our headquarters, Lucy has been giving me ideas involving tunnels, but we don't have time for that, it won't be done in a few months.

I went to school that day to find myself with an interesting sight. Rei and Takashi holding hands.

When she saw me she evaded my gaze.

"Thanks for your advice back then, Brand" Takashi said, extending his hands towards me, I shook them and smiled my way.

It seems Saya was right, all I needed to do was to give him a little push... little did I know that the 'push' was the fear I inflicted upon him during the conversation.

"No problem, so you two are going out now?~"

"Yes, I confessed to Rei yesterday and she accepted, right, Rei?"

"H-Hmn, he's right, Brand-kun... Takashi is my boyfriend now... thank you" Rei extended her hand towards me as well and I shook it, girl... you just got a boyfriend why are you so downcast?

"Congratulations, Takashi, Rei..." Another person that seemed as if he swallowed a rat was Hisashi, poor lad... he worked hard but still...

"Hisashi-kun..." Rei seemed to have noticed it too but it was too late, decisions were made.

"Don't worry, I'm okay, it is better that way..." Hisashi smiled towards them and took his seat, not minding much.

The class began as usual, after this one, it is Kyoko Hayashi who is going to be giving us math class and I'm already feeling a headache. A piece of paper flew towards me and I furrowed my brows, reading it.

'Brand-kun, can we talk in private? Rei'.

I looked towards her and she was biting her lips, giving me a sidelong glance.

I merely nodded in acceptance and the class continued until the break.

Although I don't know why she'd like to talk about anything alone now that she has a boyfriend, I decided to play along and followed her to the gym's storage room, what a place to have a meeting. Saya asked me what was going on since she's usually having lunch with me on the rooftop together with Saeko, as for Lucy, she has her own friends or she also sometimes has lunch with Shizuka in the infirmary... our routine is not standard, sometimes I go to the infirmary and Saeko has lunch with Saya.

We are a diverse group and I like that my girls, despite their rivalries, have no poison between them, it is also thanks to Shizuka's clumsiness, everyone likes that woman.

Taking Rei to the rooftop I sat down to eat the meal that Yuriko prepared for us yesterday.

"What's wrong, Rei?"

"Brand-kun... a-are you unhappy?" She asked me, sitting beside me and taking out her own food which she was supposed to be eating with her boyfriend since they were you know... going out.

"Unhappy about what?"

"That I am going out with Takashi-kun..."

"Why would I be? I told her that he should have had some balls to confess to you or otherwise you were going to be taken away by Hisashi, mind you... I still think Hisashi is a better option, but... since you two are childhood friends..." I explained my reasoning and marvelled at the taste of the fried calamari.

"Eh?" my words seemed to have confused Rei.

"What?" I did tell Takashi to confess to her, didn't he tell her that?

"T-That's what you were talking about with Takashi-kun the other day?!"

"Yes, what else could it be?"

"Ha... haha... how foolish I was..." Her expression darkened and I stopped eating when I noticed that. There seems to be some sort of misunderstanding.

"Rei"

"Brand-kun... I liked you" She said all of the sudden, playing with her food and giving me such a depressive sight.

"..."

"I was going to confess to you until I heard... you and Lucy-chan..."

Yes, it was after that day that she stopped getting together with us.

"I understand, just so you know, Lucy is not really my sister... but don't tell anyone, I'm just telling this to you".

"T-That's relieving, so... she's your girlfriend? y-you had sex with her."

"Yes, and so are Saya and Saeko"

It was then that Rei.exe stopped working, even her wooden sticks fell on the dirty floor, I sighed.

"W-WHAT!?" She stood up and held my shoulders in disbelief.

"I said-"

"I know what you said! are you two-timing?! wait... three-timing?!"

"No, they know it..." I explained, but sadly... that doesn't serve as much of an explanation... I can't tell her why they accepted... it seems to be an assortment of circumstances. I know Saeko is infatuated with me due to her psychotic side which she only lets out with us.

Saya...? I don't know, I managed to conquer her heart by taking advantage of her 'tsunderism' but it doesn't explain why she's willing to enter my harem; especially since I'm her cousin, nevertheless, I'm happy that she likes the arrangement.

Shizuka, well... she's Shizuka and we just love each other.

Lucy is completely devoted to me, I know her past and she knows mine, we understand and love one another... there are parts of her life that she doesn't want to tell me, there are parts of my life I don't want to tell her... and we just accept that and live in the present... I'm far away from California, she's far away from Night City... we're here... that's all.

I share a special bond with all of them, even Yuriko. I didn't need that bond to become romantic, but I wanted it to... I wanted them on my bed every night, I wanted that warmth.

And I achieved it.

Sadly, that's not something I can just explain to Rei in words, especially when I don't have this bond with her... if I loved Rei, I wouldn't have allowed her to become Takashi's girlfriend.

"T-That doesn't make sense," She told me, not able to understand. I don't understand it myself, it just happened... let's attribute it to my lucky blessing and leave it at that.

"But we accept it, those girls are somehow friends with one another regardless, so they accept it... I'm not keeping secrets from anyone, not again, if any of them wasn't happy with this arrangement, they're free to leave, so far there are no complaints... I guess I'm a good boyfriend~"

"..." Rei remained silent, she realised that she got her sticks dirty and I gave her another pair.

"Is that what you wanted to talk about?"

"I wanted to apologise as well... for ghosting you... I just felt hurt when I heard that".

"I understand, Rei... no need to apologise".

"Can I attend the training again?" She requested me longingly.

I scratched my head, taking her to the bunker would mean talking to her about stuff... she's not going to be in my group, but it would be sad if she died... I don't give much crap about Takashi and Hisashi but she's my friend.

Moreover, she's going there with the mentality of training for her Sojutsu Championship or whatever, while the other girls have the mentality of surviving a catastrophic scenario, it is completely different.

"Ugh, you can... but we're training somewhere else now, if you want to come you're going to have to come along with us straight after school"

"I don't have a problem... I loved training with you guys and fighting Saeko-san. I'm happy that... we can keep being friends".

She said that but I noticed the sad look she was making. That's a look of regret, still... it is too late to regret anything.

Who knows what the future has in storage for us?