If someone had told Tachibana years ago that he'd be happy to see Hajime Aikawa, he would have sorted in disbelief and said it was utterly ridiculous.

And yet, when he catches sight of the familiar figure on the beach, he can't help but feel... well. He still wouldn't admit that he was happy to see the surly Undead, but it was definitely a warm, positive feeling. He wasn't like he had missed the idiot, or hauling his short-tempted ass out of a seemingly never-ending string of bad situations that could have been easily avoided. Of course not. He'd just. Gotten used to Hajime being around, and that he no longer was had been strange. That was totally it.

That was why he totally was not running over. Just. Walking with a lot more purpose than he had been before. And he certainly wasn't smiling, no no, that would just be weird. But he wasn't scowling either. Heck, he looked almost relaxed as he headed over, about to call out his fellow Rider's name when what Hajime was looking at hits him.

Not the watery thin white-green that Undead all bled-- but red.

The name dyes on his lips and he slows to a stop, simply staring in shock.

How....?