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SAKUYA X READER

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ECHOES OF A DYING WORLD

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Word count : 1029

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The day started like any other—mundane and predictable. The sound of students chattering filled the corridors of NCT High as you walked alongside your best friend, Sakuya Fujinaga. His long black hair was tucked under a beanie, and his expression was his usual mix of calm and detached, though his sharp eyes never failed to notice the smallest details.

"Did you finish the math homework?" he asked, nudging you with his elbow.

You groaned. "Of course not. You're the math genius; you should've done mine too."

He smirked. "Maybe next time. If you ask nicely."

The banter between you two was as natural as breathing, but the day's monotony was shattered when the school alarm blared—a sound you had never heard before.

"Attention, all students!" the intercom crackled, the voice trembling. "This is not a drill. Everyone is to evacuate immediately. Avoid the west wing at all costs!"

The confusion quickly turned to chaos as screams echoed through the halls.

"Zombies," someone whispered, though it seemed impossible. Yet as you and Sakuya rushed toward the gym, the sight of disoriented, bloodied figures chasing students down the hallway confirmed it.

"This has to be a joke," you muttered, clutching Sakuya's arm.

"It's not," he said firmly, pulling you along. "We need to move. Now."

The gym was already packed with students and a few teachers trying to organize an escape. Among the group, you recognized seniors Riku, Jaehee, and Haerin, who were rallying others.

"We need to barricade the doors!" Jaehee shouted, motioning for people to help.

Sakuya stepped forward immediately, pulling you along. "Come on, Y/N. Standing around won't save us."

You spent the next hour piling chairs and tables against the doors while the screams outside grew louder.

The barricade didn't hold. By nightfall, the zombies broke through, and chaos erupted again. The gym turned into a battlefield as students fought with whatever they could find—bats, broken table legs, even sharpened pencils.

You and Sakuya stayed close, your backs to each other as you swung desperately at the undead.

"Don't get separated!" he shouted, knocking a zombie away with a metal rod.

"I'm trying!" you yelled back, your arms aching as you swung a broken chair leg.

The two of you managed to escape with a small group, including Riku and Haerin. The seniors led the group out of the school, finding temporary refuge in an abandoned convenience store.

The stress of survival wore on everyone. Supplies were scarce, and tensions ran high. One night, after a particularly close call with a horde, you and Sakuya had your first real fight.

"You can't just keep running off like that!" he snapped, his usually calm demeanor cracking.

"I was trying to help Riku!" you retorted, your voice rising.

"Helping him almost got you killed!" Sakuya's voice was louder than you'd ever heard it. "Do you think I could just stand there and watch that happen?"

"Why do you care so much?" you shot back, frustration and exhaustion bubbling over.

"Because you're all I have left!" he yelled, the words hanging heavy in the air.

You stared at him, stunned into silence. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I... I'm sorry," he muttered, his voice quieter now. "I just... I can't lose you, too."

The fight ended in an uneasy truce, but the bond between you grew stronger.

As days turned into weeks, the group found a semblance of routine. Among the group, Riku had taken a particular interest in you, his flirtatious comments becoming more frequent.

"You know," Riku said one evening, leaning a little too close, "if we survive this, I'd love to take you out sometime."

You laughed nervously, unsure how to respond. Sakuya, who had been watching from across the room, clenched his jaw.

Later that night, as you sat by the fire, he finally spoke. "You shouldn't waste your time with guys like Riku."

"What's that supposed to mean?" you asked, frowning.

"He's just... he's not serious. He doesn't know you like I do," Sakuya said, his voice tinged with bitterness.

"Are you jealous?" you teased, though your heart skipped a beat.

His silence was answer enough.

"Sakuya..." you began, but he cut you off.

"I'm not good at this, Y/N," he admitted, his voice low. "But I know I don't want to lose you to someone else."

Before you could respond, he leaned in and kissed you, his lips soft but insistent. It was a moment of desperation and honesty, and when he pulled back, he looked at you with a vulnerability you'd never seen before.

"I mean it," he said quietly.

Not long after, you fell ill. Whether it was from the stress, the cold, or an infection, no one could tell. Feverish and weak, you could barely stay awake, and Sakuya never left your side.

"Y/N, you have to fight this," he whispered, holding your hand tightly. "You've survived so much already. Don't give up now."

"I'm trying," you mumbled, your voice barely audible.

He stayed up every night, cooling your forehead with a damp cloth and whispering words of encouragement. When you finally began to recover, the relief on his face was immeasurable.

"You scared me," he admitted, his voice trembling.

"Sorry," you said with a weak smile. "Guess I'm not ready to leave you yet."

His laugh was shaky, but he held your hand tighter. "Good. Because I'm not ready to let you go."

The apocalypse tested your friendship in ways you never imagined, but it also brought you closer than ever. Sakuya was no longer just your best friend—he was your anchor, your partner in survival, and the one person you couldn't imagine facing this world without.

And as you both sat together one quiet evening, watching the distant flames of the destroyed city, he leaned his head against yours and whispered, "As long as we're together, we'll make it through this."

And you believed him.

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