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

Few moments ago, after they leave the Kazu's apartment.

Kazu, Yamada, Takuzo, Naomi, and Niikaz moved carefully through the aisles of the convenience store, eyes scanning for anything useful. The world outside had fallen apart, but here, among the shelves of snacks and drinks, they could almost pretend things were normal—at least for a few moments.

"Nothing in the chips section…" Takuzo muttered, dropping a bag of something he'd found. "We're really running out of options, huh?"

Niikaz, however, had her eyes set on something else. The vending machine in the corner caught her attention. It was one of those old models, the kind that had the big glass front. She had her mind made up: she was going to grab a drink, relax for a second. After everything they'd been through, it felt like a small luxury.

But, of course, the machine was stubborn. Niikaz tugged at the glass door, only to find it stuck.

"Seriously?" she muttered, trying again, frustration creeping into her voice. Her fingers gripped the edge, pulling with all her might.

Kazu, distracted by a shelf of canned food, didn't notice what was happening until it was too late. With a loud crack, the glass door finally gave way, but not in the way she'd hoped. The door broke off entirely, and in the chaos, one of the wine bottles inside launched out, splattering its contents everywhere.

"Niikaz, no!" Kazu shouted, instinctively stepping back. His eyes widened, thinking the worst. He thought it was blood at first, the deep red liquid splashing across the floor, covering them all.

But as the liquid continued to spill, he blinked in confusion.

"…Wait. That's not blood?"

Niikaz stood there, a bit stunned by the mess she had made. The wine (or whatever it was) had splashed all over the group, leaving them drenched in sticky red liquid. Her hand was still poised, like she wasn't quite sure what to do next.

Kazu wiped his face, looking at the red liquid in his hands. "I thought… I thought it was blood!" he muttered, a little embarrassed.

Yamada looked at him, eyes wide. "Yeah, man, we were all ready to freak out."

Takuzo let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "I guess we're a little too jumpy, huh?"

"Sorry!" Niikaz said, her usual cool demeanor cracking just a little. "It wasn't supposed to happen like that."

Naomi, who had been silent up to this point, giggle. "Well, at least we don't have to worry about zombies for a while. Who needs blood when you've got… whatever that is?"

They all stood there for a moment, looking at each other, the situation oddly humorous despite everything. Kazu's serious expression softened as he realized they were all fine—just a little sticky now.

"Let's just… get the food," Kazu said quietly, wiping a bit of wine off his cheek.

Kazu slightly glance at Niikaz woth hopeful face while finger pointing towards her "And... try not to break anything else."

Niikaz nodded, a small smile forming. "Deal."

The tension, which had been hanging in the air for so long, evaporated into laughter as they continued to search for supplies. The apocalypse could be a harsh, unforgiving place, but in moments like this, they found a little bit of lightness.