Dead Man's Tales: HSOTD

The morning sunlight filtered through the sliding paper doors of Saeko's bedroom, casting delicate patterns on the tatami mat. The room was as flawless as ever, everything meticulously in place: her folded futon, the polished wooden floors, the neatly arranged kendo trophies and certificates that lined one shelf. Perfection. That was what her family demanded. And that was exactly what she gave them.

She moved with quiet efficiency, sliding her door open and stepping into the hallway. The rest of the house was already alive with the soft hum of the house staff, cleaning and preparing breakfast in the kitchen, making sure everything was ready before her father came downstairs. Busujima Hideki, the master of the household, was a man of strict routines and unbreakable expectations, and anyone who dared disrupt them was swiftly reminded of their place. That included her.

As she descended the stairs, her mind was calm, collected. Only two more days. She'd been counting down, ever since Kozen had whispered to her about the oncoming storm, the apocalypse that would sweep everything away. She kept the thought buried deep, hidden behind the perfect mask she wore, but every step she took was fueled by a cold, simmering thrill.

Two days. And then, she'd kill the Busujima family.

The dining room was quiet as she entered, her father already seated at the head of the low table. He barely acknowledged her presence, his eyes focused on the newspaper spread in front of him. Her aunt and mother sat silently beside him, their postures rigid, their eyes trained on their food. 

"Good morning, Father," she said softly, her tone demure, respectful. She folded her hands in her lap, her posture straight and composed.

Hideki nodded briefly, barely a flicker of acknowledgment, before turning his attention back to his newspaper. "Your kendo tournament is coming up next week," he said, his voice a sharp blade. "I expect a victory."

"Of course, Father," she replied, a polite smile on her face. Victory. Obedience. Perfection. The words were carved into her like a brand. But as she looked at him, she imagined, for a brief second, a different kind of victory—the moment he'd see the true her, not the mask she wore to keep him placated. 

What kind of expression would you wear when I cut you down? The thought alone sent a thrill through her, and she had to fight to keep a smile from creeping onto her face.

At school, Saeko's routine was much the same. 

Saeko moved through the halls with her usual calm exterior, every step a perfect mask of composure. But under the surface, her thoughts were anything but calm. She'd been doing the bare minimum in class today, barely pretending to care about her assignments, her mind consumed by one thing: Kozen. They were supposed to be training today—basic gun handling. She knew it was an essential skill, something she should be focused on, but it wasn't the gun training that intrigued her.

It was him

Who exactly was Kozen? 

Just as the thought crossed her mind, she saw him up ahead, standing by the lockers… kissing his girlfriend.

Miku.

Saeko didn't bat an eye, her expression remaining unreadable, but her mind bristled. Of all people, he chooses to waste his time on that pathetic little thing? She watched them for a moment, noting the way Miku clung to him, so desperate for his attention, so blissfully unaware of her own weakness. Miku didn't belong in his world, not the way she did. Saeko was certain of it.

Her face betrayed nothing as she approached them, but she could feel her irritation coiling inside, like a snake ready to strike. "Kozen," she said, her voice calm, even, giving him a polite nod. "Are we still on for training?"

He glanced at her, one arm around Miku's shoulders. She tugged on his hand, trying to pull him back toward her with a pout.

"Let's push it to lunchtime, okay?" Kozen said with a smirk, letting Miku pull him away.

Saeko's eyes narrowed as she watched them walk down the hall, noting the subtle way Kozen held himself, his casual yet controlled demeanor, even in something as trivial as walking with that… girl. It infuriated her that he spent his energy on someone so insignificant, so clearly out of her depth.

Two hours later, just before lunch, she caught him emerging from the bathroom, adjusting his jacket. She was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, waiting. His eyes widened for a moment, clearly startled to see her there.

"Jesus, Saeko, you scared me," he said, regaining his composure.

She raised an eyebrow. "Having fun in there?" she asked coolly, her voice edged with a hint of mockery.

Before he could respond, the bathroom door opened again, and Miku walked out, her cheeks flushed, her hair slightly mussed. She froze upon seeing Saeko, her eyes wide and a bit embarrassed at being caught after having sex in the school bathroom.

Kozen glanced between them, clearly picking up on the tension. "Don't worry," he said smoothly, giving Saeko a dismissive smile. "I'll handle it."

He took Saeko's arm, leading her away before Miku could say anything. They walked in silence until they reached the rooftop, a quiet spot away from prying eyes. Once they were alone, he let go of her arm and turned to face her.

"What's your problem?" he asked, his tone impatient. "Why are you acting so strange?"

Saeko crossed her arms, her gaze fixed on him with an unsettling intensity. "My problem," she began, voice calm but laced with disdain, "is that you're wasting your time with her."

Kozen's eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms defensively. "Last I checked, who I spend my time with is none of your business."

"Is it really not?" she countered, tilting her head. "You do realize she's going to die when this all starts, right? When the apocalypse hits, she'll be one of the first to go." Saeko's tone was cold, factual. "She's weak. Vulnerable. She's a liability, Kozen. Why even bother with her?"

His expression shifted, his gaze hardening. "Buzz off from my private life, Saeko. I can waste my time with anyone I choose."

He turned to leave, but her next words made him pause.

"Your body is tricking you," she said, her voice calm, clinical, as if she were explaining a simple scientific fact. "You think you care about her. You think she's… special. But that's just biology playing games with you."

Kozen froze, his back still to her, clearly unnerved. 

"Humans like to think they're different from animals. That they're above instinct. But we're not. Just like animals, we forge bonds for survival. It's a biological trick, a way to keep us close to our 'mates.' That's all Miku is to you—a temporary illusion. Just something your instincts have convinced you to hold onto, even though you know she'll be nothing but a burden when things fall apart."

Kozen remained silent, but she could see the tension in his shoulders. She pressed on, her voice almost hypnotic. "Love… it's just a word. A pretty lie we tell ourselves to feel secure. But it's no different than a wolf choosing a mate. You're attached to her because it's comfortable. Because your brain tells you she's 'yours.' But you know it'll weigh you down, don't you? That this… attachment is only going to be a weakness."

He turned, his face expressionless, his eyes cold and calculating. She could see him processing her words, trying to decide if they held truth or madness. He was smart; he understood logic, evolution, survival. And she knew her words would worm their way into his mind, planting seeds of doubt.

Then, before he could respond, she took a step closer, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off him. Her voice dropped to a whisper, her breath brushing against his ear. "I could show you," she murmured, her tone soft, almost tender, yet laced with something dark and dangerous. "I could show you that love isn't real. That it's nothing but an illusion—a pretty mask hiding what we truly are."

Her hands brushed his shoulders, moving up slowly, deliberately, until her fingers rested on either side of his neck. "You want strength, don't you? Someone who understands you, who's not a burden. Someone who could stand beside you, who won't shatter the moment things get hard."

She leaned in, her lips just a breath away from his ear, her voice barely audible. "You don't need her, Kozen. You need someone like me. Someone who won't drag you down. Someone who can be strong for you, with you."

For a moment, Kozen seemed frozen, caught between the pull of her words and the unsettling intensity in her gaze. But then, his expression hardened. He reached up, gently but firmly removing her hands from his shoulders, stepping back to put space between them.

He looked at her with a mixture of caution and something close to pity. "You don't get it, Saeko. Maybe you're right about instincts and survival. But I choose who I care about. And that's not something you can control."

She stared at him, her eyes cold and unblinking, a small, almost imperceptible smile playing at her lips. "You're right," she said, her tone soft, almost mocking. "I can't control who you care about."

"But I don't think you can, either."

He paused, glancing back at her with a wary look, eyes narrowed. For a moment, they stood there, neither one willing to break the silence. Her words hung in the air between them, daring him to respond.

"Okay, then," he said finally, tilting his head. "Can you make me care for you?"

A strange gleam flickered in Saeko's eyes, a flash of something wild, unrestrained, that seemed to ripple beneath her usual calm. She didn't hesitate. In one fluid motion, she closed the distance between them, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him down toward her. 

Her lips met his in a kiss, firm and deliberate, but as their mouths pressed together, Saeko felt an unexpected flicker of boredom. It was too predictable, too soft—a gesture she'd seen a thousand times from other people, lacking any real thrill. So, without a second thought, she bit down on his lower lip, hard enough to make him flinch. She held the bite for a moment, savoring the jolt it sent through him, before finally releasing him and leaning back, her eyes studying his reaction.

To her satisfaction, she saw the flash of surprise in his gaze, mingled with something else—an intensity, a glint of enjoyment that hadn't been there before. 

Kozen felt a jolt of something dark and exhilarating shoot through him, like a shock to his system. He didn't pull away. Instead, he stood there, meeting her gaze with a look of interest, his heart pounding with a thrill he couldn't deny. 

"You like that, don't you?" Saeko murmured. "The thrill of it. The taste of something you shouldn't want. A forbidden fruit." She tilted her head. "Just like that, I can get you to care."

She slid her hand into his, her fingers intertwining with his, and for a moment he let her, his mind racing as he tried to read her. 

"Or…" she said softly, her voice smooth and coaxing, "you could get the full taste of the forbidden fruit." She gave him a look, her expression both inviting and challenging. "All you have to do is let go of whatever little rules you're still clinging to, Kozen. All that nonsense about 'attachments' and 'caring.' You and I… we could do so much more than that."

"And what exactly are you offering, Saeko?" he asked, his voice carefully neutral. "What do you get out of this?"

Her smile widened, her fingers tightening around his hand. "Isn't it obvious?" she whispered, leaning in close, her breath warm against his ear. "I'm offering you something real. Something raw, without all the illusions." Her voice dropped lower, an almost seductive edge to it. "No silly games about love or devotion. Just you and me, stripped down to the truth of what we are. Isn't that what you really want? No pretense. Just… pure instinct."

Kozen studied her, his expression guarded but curious. She was offering him a partnership, or something close to it—a bond that didn't follow the usual rules, one rooted in something darker, almost primal. It was tempting, in a way he couldn't quite explain. There was something about her rawness, her complete lack of pretense, that pulled him in, even as a part of him warned him to keep his distance.

"And if I say yes?" he asked quietly. "If I accept this… whatever this is… what happens next?"

"Then you'll finally see things my way," she whispered. "You'll understand that everything else—attachment, loyalty, love—those are just distractions. Illusions people tell themselves so they can feel safe." Her hand slipped from his, trailing down his arm in a slow, deliberate motion. "But safety is boring, don't you think? We're not like them, Kozen. We don't need those chains."

"You're serious about this," he said, more to himself than to her, as if he were testing the weight of her words.

"More serious than you realize," she replied. "You think you're free now, Kozen. But you're still clinging to things that'll drag you down when everything falls apart." She paused, her gaze burning into his. "Let me show you. Let me be the one you don't have to protect. Let's be something… different."

He hesitated, feeling her words sink in, each one like a needle that lodged itself just under his skin. 

Slowly, he gave a slight nod, watching her reaction carefully. "Alright, Saeko," he said, his voice low, his gaze steady. "Show me."

Her smile widened, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. "Oh, I will," she murmured, a promise in her voice. She took his hand again, holding it a little tighter this time, as if sealing an unspoken pact. Her fingers were warm, her grip unrelenting.

As they stood there, a strange, electric silence settled over them, and Kozen couldn't shake the feeling that he'd just crossed a line he'd never be able to uncross.

Author Note: More chapters on [email protected]/LordCampione.[ *Special offer going on right now 50% 0ff till December 28* ]