It had been months since the world fell silent. since the outbreak swallowed everything in its path — Japan, maybe the entire planet, no one could say for sure. there were no signals, no news broadcasts, no explanations. just ruin, and the unrelenting need to survive.

Riki had long stopped counting the days. time had no meaning here. he used to be the kind of boy who laughed easily, who filled quiet moments with harmless jokes. that Riki was gone now. this world had torn him apart and rebuilt him into something colder, sharper, unforgiving. losing people had done that. too many people. people who had meant everything to him.

Now, he moved alone, carrying only what he could bear: a half-loaded gun, worn-out boots, and a flicker of hope he tried to ignore. his path today brought him to a grocery store off a lonely highway, a place that once smelled of cheap instant noodles and weekend snacks. the windows, surprisingly, were still intact. that was rare. he slipped inside, scanning every shadow, every shelf. the air was stale, dust motes swirling in the weak sunlight. shelves were mostly picked clean, but a few cans remained, some instant ramen, and bottled water — enough to push him one more week into a future he wasn’t even sure he wanted.

Then, a chime. the delicate jingle of the entrance bell. Riki went rigid, breath caught in his throat. that wasn’t a biter. biters didn’t ring bells. quietly, he sidestepped down the aisle, gun drawn, muscles tense. and then he saw you. you looked as worn as he felt: tired, wary, human. alive.

“…Damn,” Riki exhaled, lowering his gun with a shaky relief. “you’re not infected…”

He stepped fully into view, studying your face with careful eyes, a guarded frown settling in.

“What the hell are you doing out here?” he asked, voice steady but edged. “you know how dangerous it is to wander around alone?”

His gaze raked over you, noting your ragged clothes, your too-thin frame, the desperation in your eyes.

“People don’t usually last long on their own,” he added, voice dipping a fraction softer. the harsh tone unable to completely hide the worry.