I'm Female Lead In Their World: Living in the High School of the Dead

"What do you all say, everyone?" Shido's voice rang out, his words drenched in false confidence.

(Finally, Shido's done spouting nonsense.) Niikaz barely glanced his way, disinterested.

Some students, mostly from Shido's group, stood up and clapped. It was a half-hearted applause, but enough to make Shido smirk in satisfaction. (So, what now, Shido? Looks like the votes are split, 10 to 11.) Niikaz couldn't help but smirk herself, anticipating his next move.

Takuzo and Naomi had sided with Shido, more out of obligation to his authority as a teacher than any real conviction.

"Ahh~, sensei feels so unloved. Why didn't more of you vote for me?" Shido's tone turned more sinister as he continued, "But, as your teacher, like it or not, you'll all have to follow me eventually. I am the authority here."

"Tch!" Niikaz clicked her tongue, her irritation palpable. Kazu noticed her reaction, tilting his head in curiosity.

Suddenly, Rei, her patience at its limit, shoved open the bus door and stormed out. Her footsteps were heavy with frustration.

"Rei!" Hisashi took a step toward her, but Takashi had already sprinted past him, chasing after her.

Hisashi paused, watching Takashi move. (He'll handle it.) He stood at the door, his emotions swirling in his chest. Saeko, observant as always, noticed his hesitation but chose to remain quiet, giving him space.

"Rei! Wait up!" Takashi grabbed her wrist, trying to stop her from walking away.

"I'm not staying here! Not with him!" Rei spat out, her voice trembling as she yanked her arm free.

"Ah~, if we can't all get along, then I suppose we'll have to part ways," Shido said, his voice laced with fake concern. His crocodile smile only enraged Hisashi further.

"What the hell did you just say?!" Hisashi's fists clenched, ready to strike Shido, but Saeko's soft touch on his shoulder held him back. Her calm, steady presence stopped him from escalating the situation.

"Just put up with him for now," Takashi reasoned with Rei, his voice strained. "It's too dangerous to split up right now."

"That's why I said you'll regret this!" Rei's voice cracked as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Look, now's not the-"

Suddenly, Niikaz, still focused on the map, zoomed in. Her eyes widened as she saw the red dots-hundreds of them-moving rapidly toward their location. Even worse, blue dots, the living, were changing to red, falling to the horde. (This is bad. Really bad.)

(Shit!) Niikaz jumped to her feet, bolting toward the bus door.

"Takashi! Rei! Watch out!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade.

Takashi and Rei turned just in time to see the undead approaching at terrifying speed. Marikawa scrambled back to the driver's seat as chaos erupted inside the bus. Screams filled the air as the driver lost control, his neck torn open by the undead. The bus swerved violently, slamming into a car and flipping forward.

"Takashi! Rei!" Hisashi's voice cracked with fear as he tried to rush out, but Saeko pulled him back with surprising strength.

"Wait, Hisashi! It's too dangerous out there!" Saeko's voice was firm, but her concern was evident.

"But Takashi and Rei-"

"They're still out there!" Hisashi struggled against her grip, his heart pounding in his chest.

Outside, Takashi acted quickly, grabbing Rei and pulling her out of harm's way. They sprinted toward a nearby tunnel, barely escaping as the bus ground to a halt just outside.

"Takashi! Rei! Are you okay?!" Hisashi called out, his voice hoarse from worry.

"Yeah! Head to the East Police Station! We'll meet you there!" Takashi shouted back, his voice echoing through the tunnel.

"At what time?" Hisashi's voice was shaky, but he needed to know.

"7 PM! If we don't make it today, we'll try again tomorrow!"

Just as Takashi finished speaking, the bus began to creak ominously. Flames spread rapidly, engulfing the horde of undead that had surrounded it. In moments, the bus exploded, sending a wave of fire across the road.

"Marikawa-sensei, get us out of here!" Niikaz ordered, her voice sharp with urgency.

Hisashi, still shaken, stumbled back into the bus, closing the door behind him. "We need to go, now!"

Marikawa, her hands trembling, spun the wheel and hit the gas, driving away from the wreckage.

As they sped away, Hisashi looked out the window, the fire still visible in the distance. His heart was heavy with worry. "I hope they made it out..."

Saeko, sitting beside him, placed a reassuring hand on his arm. "Believe in them. Takashi's strong, and Rei... she's a fighter too." Her words were calm, but there was a tension in her voice that she couldn't fully hide.

Hisashi exhaled, nodding. Saeko always knew how to keep him grounded. "Thanks, Saeko. I just-"

"I know." Saeko smiled softly. "We all care about them."

"Yeah, we're all worried," Takagi muttered from behind them. She had been quiet for a while, her usual sharpness dulled by the intensity of the situation. "I just hope they don't do anything stupid."

"Takashi can handle it. But still..." Hirano, gripping his nail gun tightly, stared at the distant flames, his brows furrowed in concern.

The bus rolled on, the tension thick inside as everyone grappled with the uncertainty of their friends' safety.

Just then, Kazu stood up, trying to shift the mood. "Let's eat something. It'll help us think straight."

As Kazu moved to grab the food from the back, Shido approached, his face slick with false politeness.

"Ah, Kazu-kun, I see you've brought some food for yourself. You're not thinking of keeping it all to yourself, are you? That wouldn't be fair to everyone else. You don't want a riot, do you?"

"N-no, it's not like that-"

"Then let me distribute it. I'll make sure it's shared equally," Shido said with a patronizing smile, reaching for the box.

Before he could touch it, Niikaz's hand shot out, gripping his wrist with a force that made him wince.

"Niikaz! What are you-?"

"What are you doing?" Her voice was ice-cold, her eyes locked on his. "Who gave you permission to touch this food?"

"Oi! Don't be selfish!" Tsunoda yelled from the back. "The food should be shared! We're all in this together!"

Shido smiled, feigning innocence. "See? I told you people would be upset."

Without loosening her grip, Niikaz leaned in, her voice dangerously low. "One more step, and I'll kill you."

"Eeek!" Shido yelped, Shido winced, his bravado crumbling under her death stare. He squealed like a kicked dog

"Niikaz, let him go," Hisashi said, his voice steady but urgent. He didn't want this to escalate any further.

Niikaz glanced at him, her frown deepening. But Kazu gently touched her arm, giving her a reassuring nod. Reluctantly, she let go, shoving Shido back.

Taking three loaves of bread and a bottle of water, Niikaz handed them to Nishinoya and Marikawa, unwrapping the bread for Marikawa to make it easier for her to eat.

"Thanks, Niikaz," Nishinoya said gratefully.

"Sh-shaankyuu," Marikawa mumbled between bites of bread.

Niikaz smiled faintly and returned to her seat. As she sat down, she activated her concealed earpiece and commanded the system to play her favorite song. The music washed over her, momentarily drowning out the tension around her.

Meanwhile, Kazu faced Shido. "This food belongs to Niikaz. If you want any, ask us first. It's up to us whether you get it or not."

"Wh-what? I'm the teacher and a leader here! I'm in charge!" Shido stammered, his voice rising as his pride cracked. He looked to the students for support.

"Yeah! You're not a leader!" Tsunoda yelled again, backed by the others.

Takagi, disgusted, muttered, "Pathetic."

Hisashi picked up the box and moved it to the front beside Marikawa. "If you don't agree with our terms, you're not getting any food."

Shido's face contorted with rage, but he forced a tight-lipped smile. "Fine, fine. What am I doing, fighting over bread like a child? I must've been acting immaturely."

Kazu handed out the food, his hands shaking slightly with anger he tried to hold back, but he continued to distribute the bread to the rest of the group. Hisashi, meanwhile, glared at Shido with barely concealed disgust as he helped Kazu pass out the food.

Shido stood silently, his fists clenched by his sides, his pride shattered. His usual smug confidence was gone, replaced by a simmering rage. (These kids think they can just defy me?) He thought, dark thoughts swirling in his mind. (They'll pay for this. One way or another.)

Takagi broke the silence, taking a small bite of her bread, her sharp eyes watching Shido closely. "I don't trust him. He'll try something again."

"Yeah," Hirano agreed, his grip tightening on his nail gun as he kept an eye on Shido and his followers. "We need to stay alert."

"I know," Hisashi muttered. "But right now, we have bigger problems. Takashi and Rei are still out there."

Saeko, sitting quietly beside Hisashi, nodded. Her usually calm demeanor was shadowed by a hint of worry. "They're strong, but it's dangerous to be separated from the group, especially now."

"I hate this," Takagi admitted softly. "I hate that we're just sitting here, eating, while they're out there, risking their lives."

Hisashi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We'll meet them at the police station, just like Takashi said. We have to believe they'll be okay."

"But what if they aren't?" Hirano's voice wavered slightly, his eyes still fixed on the road behind them. The distant fire from the bus wreckage flickered in the night, a constant reminder of how close they had come to losing them.

Hisashi is not able to answer that. Truly he is worried both of them sincerely. Saeko realise that Hisashi try to stay calm but his face keep betraying everytime he think about it.

Saeko's hand gently touched Hisashi's arm again, grounding him. "Takashi won't let anything happen to Rei. He's always been like that-he'll protect her with everything he has."

Hisashi nodded, though the worry in his chest refused to dissipate. "Yeah... I know. But I still feel like I should be out there helping them."

"That's not an option right now," Niikaz's voice cut through the conversation, calm but firm. She had returned to the present, her song fading away. "Our priority is survival, and Takashi understands that. We stick to the plan. They'll make it."

The others fell silent, absorbing her words. Niikaz's calm, no-nonsense approach helped to anchor their spiraling fears. Despite the tension, there was a trust in her-an unspoken understanding that she knew what needed to be done.

Still, as the bus rumbled down the dark road, every turn or bump felt like another reminder of how fragile their situation was. Each moment away from Takashi and Rei weighed heavily on the group, the fear of the unknown gnawing at them.

Shido, standing quietly by the back of the bus, simmered with unspoken rage. His pride had been torn apart, and the group's defiance was a wound he wouldn't forget. (They think they're safe with their little plans and food rations. Let them have their bread. When the time comes, they'll realize who really holds the power here.)

With a final glance around the bus, Shido sat down, plotting in silence, biding his time.

Meanwhile, Niikaz, her senses always sharp, could feel the shift in the air. Shido wasn't done, not by a long shot. She glanced toward the others, all of them trying to stay calm, but she knew better than to let her guard down.

(We'll have to deal with him sooner or later.)