Chapter 11 - The Overbearing Leader
The broadcast stopped sounding, and rock started playing instead.
“Damn it!”
The sound of a person hitting a locker unnecessarily echoed in the empty student council room.
It was vexing.
It was precisely because he was the head of the student council that he should help the students in the school as much as he could, and receive admiration for it.
He had thought of broadcasting to lead zombies away as well.
However, he thought that going all the way to the broadcasting room to broadcast was an unnecessary risk.
His lack of action.
That was the cause of his irritation, but he couldn’t accept that fact.
If he accepted it, it would mean that he was inferior in his ability to act to the guy called Saejima, who had broadcasted.
He, who was at the top of all the students, could not be inferior to a first-year.
However, first-
“Now… I have no choice but to follow him…”
To not accept the helping hand the guy called Sajima held out here would lead to obstructing his future life when barricading themselves in here.
He wanted to avoid the labels “the person who doesn't cooperate” and “the coward who won’t go outside” as much as possible.
The person standing at the top should always be perfect.
The head of the student council had served as the president until today based on this ideal and had earned the trust of the students and teaching staff.
This way of thinking had never been mistaken.
Laying his hand on the door, after thinking a little, he opened it.
There were only a few zombies in the hallway.
Now was his chance.
Returning to the student council room for a moment, he picked up his rucksack, carried it over his shoulder, and calmly walked out of the room.
Immediately after that, there was a faint swish-like sound.
This sound was similar to something.
But he couldn’t think of what.
However, the familiar sound was echoing from somewhere.
Right, just like it was forcibly pulling something…
Pulling…?
(That’s right!)
Since he had instantly drawn back his legs, the arrow didn’t hit his foot, but the floor beside him and rolled over.
It made a thudding sound.
He picked up the arrow and checked it.
“This arrow is…”
It was clearly from the archery club.
He was certain because he was asked to approve the purchase of the arrows by the vice president of the archery club.
However, different from the time they had been bought, the carbon tip of the arrow had become sharp, raising its killing ability.
“So it is like that.”
Raising his face, he saw a female student standing a bit away.
“I deeply apologize, President Shouda.”
Her long hair was pulled together at her back. The girl gave him an apologetic look.
Her face was dignified, just like the ideal woman of old Japan1.
“Did you mistake me for a zombie?”
“Yes. Since I saw a figure entering the student council room. I thought of shooting it to death if it exited the room again. I deeply apologize.”
Although it had almost become a serious injury, it would be a bad move for the student council president to become angry.
“If you didn’t intend to do it, you don’t have to fret over it.”
He said so in as light a tone as he could.
If he could make this person think that he was a “good person” even a little, it would be his win.
The girl picked up the arrow and said,
“The sound from before might be because of the zombies gathering together. Shouldn’t we seek shelter as soon as possible?”
“That’s right. Let’s go to the conference room then.”
The two started walking.
On the bulletin board next to the student council room, because of the force of the wind, a paper broke away from the constraint of the thumbtack and danced around in the air.
On the paper, it was written: “President of the student council; third-year class 5 Shinji Shouda. Vice president of the student council; second-year class 5 Yuuki Miyoshi.”.
Immediately after they had headed to the hallway.
Two boys returned to the hallway again.
“How weird… I was sure I heard speaking voices…”
One of them said while trembling.
His eyes were those of a person asking for forgiveness, just like a person coming for a confession.
“They’re gone!? Don’t screw with me!”
Another person yelled at the boy.
“Wha!? I-if you make a loud voice, they’ll come…”
He refuted in a frail voice.
No, that couldn’t even be called a refute.
It wasn’t even acceptable as an opinion.
“Don’t fucking talk back!”
After saying that, the other boy hit the boy.
“Ouch!”
He fell to the floor.
And, the face of the fallen down boy, who looked at the boy, who had hit him.
It made the boy who had hit him displeased.
Taking one glance at it, it was obsequious to him, the eyes of a peasant.
However, looking at them properly, that wasn’t the case.
It was like the eyes of a rebel who wanted to say that he should punch him if it made him feel better.
They were eyes that seemed to be concealing something.
That was what annoyed the boy.
However, it was true that the zombies gathered.
“Let’s go, Tsubaki.”
“Got it, Seiji.”
Their strange relationship had started around the time they were children.
Seiji felt like it had been like this since the olden days.
“Seiji Honda and Tsubaki Honma are similar, right!”
It all began when they were told this.
Always sticking to his back, no matter how violently he behaved, Tsubaki would always cling to him.
Seiji loathed that kind of Tsubaki.
Despite that, Tsubaki stuck to him.
They were always together.
Always, always, always…
Over time, before they knew it, it had turned into an inseparable relationship.
“Seiji! Seiji!”
He was drawn out of his thoughts, surprised.
It seemed like Tsubaki had been calling him.
“A zombie is…”
He noticed that a zombie was drawing near.
It was the teacher who had always made snide remarks to him.
“Hehe, how convenient…”
He could finally vent his habitual resentment.
He drew his right hand behind.
Suspending it to the utmost limits, gritting his teeth, he punched the arm forward.
Barely lifting his left foot, he put strength into his right and punched the teacher with all his might.
The zombie, which was originally unsteadily walking, blew off to the side extremely easily.
“Hah, suits you right!”
He kicked at the still corpse.
Again and again.
“S-stop it, Seiji… We should bury it properly…”
Again.
Again, this guy was saying irritating things.
Like it was his talent to do so.
And, without hiding his anger, he highlighted it with his whole being.
“Shut up!”
Seiji’s fist hit Tsubaki’s abdomen.
“Cough! Coughcough!... Ugh…”
Tsubaki crouched, holding his stomach.
And then those eyes.
The eyes of a loser.
The eyes of a weakling.
The eyes of humility.
Those eyes filled his whole vision, and before he knew it, he hit Tsubaki once more.
- ↑
Actually written in the raws as Yamamoto Nadeshiko. It’s a Japanese term describing a woman with a character that was the ideal in ancient Japan. (Click for longer explanation)
These traits are, among others, poised, gentle, graceful, humble, faithful. They have a strong will and show that in protecting their loved ones and know at least the basic self-defense as well. As for appearance, they are often portrayed with long black hair with bangs, and not too many accessories or much makeup.