“Is this medicine?”
“Huh? Yeah!”
As soon as he finished organizing the medicine, Taewoong came over with the coats. He placed the box of medicine Yeoul had packed on top of the backpack and secured it by wrapping tape around it.
“How is it? Does it look secure?”
The already heavy backpack became even heavier. Wondering if there might be a problem, Taewoong glanced at Yeoul who had helped him put on the backpack and asked about the condition. Yeoul examined it from different angles.
“Hmm… it seems fine. Oh! I’ll get the knife and scissors.”
“Then I’ll grab something we can use as weapons.”
While Yeoul gathered a box cutter, scissors, notebook, and pen, Taewoong brought a cordless vacuum cleaner. He disassembled it and took the lightweight but sturdy stick. After packing all the medicine, Yeoul also put the box on his back with Taewoong’s help.
“The zombies might be awake, so I’ll go out first.”
“Yeah. Be careful.”
The zombies they had knocked unconscious while in the infirmary might have woken up. Taewoong roughly inserted his racket into his bag and grabbed the lightweight but durable vacuum cleaner stick. He nodded once at Yeoul and slowly opened the door.
“…Damn. They’re really all awake.”
Beyond the slightly opened door, the zombies they had mercilessly knocked unconscious were now staggering around, looking toward the source of the emergency alarm as if they’d never been hit. Taewoong saw the school nurse zombie wandering around with half her face collapsed, making horrible noises, and closed the door again.
“Hey… Yeoul.”
For some reason, Taewoong swallowed hard with a tense face instead of speaking right away. Yeoul also swallowed nervously in response.
“…Yes?”
“I think… we need to kill those things. What do you think?”
“Ah….”
It seemed that, like in movies, they would need to kill the zombies to avoid future trouble. So he asked the smart Yeoul for his opinion, but for some reason, Yeoul didn’t answer right away.
Was there a problem? Taewoong wondered, then suddenly thought maybe Yeoul disliked how easily he suggested killing them!
Feeling guilty and anxious, Taewoong couldn’t keep his eyes still, when Yeoul softly called his name. Taewoong quickly looked at him.
“Uh, what?”
“Um… can you kill zombies?”
Through Instagram, they had confirmed that zombies were appearing worldwide before coming to the infirmary. But they didn’t know how people became zombies or if there was a cure.
Following zombie clichés, there probably wouldn’t be a cure, but this was reality so they couldn’t be sure. That’s why Yeoul hesitated to kill them, but more than that…
While Yeoul struggled to speak, Taewoong sighed quietly, trying not to show it.
“You turned out to be someone who says scary things? How can you say such cruel things? You’re scary, I don’t think I can go with you,” and other negative thoughts ran through Taewoong’s mind. But Yeoul, unaware of this, carefully asked something completely unexpected!
Surprised by the unexpected question, the inwardly anxious and impatient Taewoong shrugged one shoulder.
“I’ll have to find a way.”
He had already beaten the once-friendly school nurse zombie with a racket until she was unconscious just to survive, so what couldn’t he do? Taewoong nodded and said, “Yeah,” looking unconcerned. Watching his nonchalant attitude, Yeoul nervously swallowed.
“Um… zombies were… originally people. Can you still… kill them? Will you really be okay?”
Having witnessed first-hand what zombies were and how they were created, he knew too well. Could they kill zombies who were once human? And would they be okay afterward? Yeoul cautiously asked again, concerned about trauma. Taewoong’s face hardened as if he just realized this.
“Well….”
Belatedly struck by reality, he couldn’t speak.
Taewoong stared at Yeoul for a long time without answering, then swallowed hard. He opened his mouth frustratingly slowly.
“I… yeah. I can do it.”
Taewoong’s face changed from its previous visible tension. His trembling voice also became firm.
“If it means protecting you and our friends, I can do it.”
Instead of saying “I promise,” he gripped Yeoul’s hand tightly. Yeoul flinched in surprise, his whole body briefly trembling, before gripping back.
“Then….”
If Taewoong was okay with it, everything would be fine.
As Yeoul nodded and was about to say he would try his best too, there was a small thump from behind the closed door. Both Taewoong and Yeoul looked toward the door.
“…I’ll move first.”
“Yeah. Oh! The chat!”
Taewoong stepped forward with a tense face. Following behind, Yeoul quickly took out his phone. He checked the survivor group chat that he had half forgotten in all the chaos.
[Hyunu✧: We reached the science lab]
[RyongRyongDying‧ᴗ‧): We reached the tech room]
[Lee Jian: Arrived]
[Chani♡: Arrived – saying this makes it sound so official lol]
[RyongRyongDying‧ᴗ‧): Looking at you, Kim Yechan, are you an otaku? You seem like one]
[Chani♡: You’re more of an otaku]
[RyongRyongDying‧ᴗ‧): ㅗ]
[RyongRyongDying‧ᴗ‧): Anyway I have no idea what to gather]
[Hyunu✧: Grab anything useful]
[RyongRyongDying‧ᴗ‧): Me and Jaeseong have no idea what’s useful]
[Lee Jian: That team has two idiots so I think they’re doomed]
[RyongRyongDying‧ᴗ‧): ㅗ]
[Jaeseong: Damn, we just grabbed everything we saw]
Fortunately, everyone had arrived safely and seemed to be gathering supplies and moving! Yeoul briefly reported the situation to Taewoong, then sent a message: [We’re leaving now. See you later!]
“Okay, now… hey, Taewoong.”
“Huh?”
As they were about to leave, a thought suddenly occurred to him. Yeoul looked down at Taewoong’s sneakers.
“…Can you take off your shoes?”
The floor was dirty, but removing their shoes would help muffle their footsteps.
The issue was Taewoong. He was a U-20 national soccer representative for South Korea. His feet were extremely important, and even small injuries had to be avoided.
When Yeoul carefully asked, Taewoong looked puzzled and went, “Huh?” But then he smiled casually.
“I have steel feet, you know.”
Without even asking why, he immediately took off his sneakers. Yeoul was surprised but followed suit and removed his own sneakers.
“Now let’s really go.”
“Yeah!”
Taewoong put all the sneakers into his backpack. Then he opened the door quietly. He immediately kneed a zombie blocking their way hard in the solar plexus.
“Keeaak!!”
The zombie made a strange noise and fell forward. Taewoong was startled but struck the zombie’s head with the vacuum cleaner stick as it tried to get up. While the zombie shook and foamed at the mouth, they went around it and moved forward.
They walked, then ran, avoiding other zombies that approached because of the strange noises, striking any zombie that got in their way. After moving forward as quietly as possible for a few minutes…
“Huh?”
“Tae…!”
In the corridor leading to the cafeteria, they met Seongyong and Jaeseong, who had gone to the tech room, hugging a large tarpaulin bag. But Seongyong was about to shout Taewoong’s name loudly!
At the same time Yeoul let out a silent scream and reached out his hand, Jaeseong urgently covered Seongyong’s mouth.
“Phew… dude, you trying to get us all killed?”
Someone must have gone to the cafeteria earlier because the corridor was crawling with zombies. They almost had a very annoying situation. Jaeseong muttered savage curses softly and rapidly while vigorously rubbing Seongyong’s mouth. Seongyong shook his head violently. Taewoong and Yeoul sighed with relief.
“Thanks to our Yong… I was seriously freaked out. Wow…”
“…Phew.”
They were saved thanks to Jaeseong. Everyone took a moment to feel relieved. Jaeseong slowly lowered his hand that had been covering Seongyong’s mouth.
“Ryong, if you make another loud noise, I swear I’ll…”
BOOM!!
Just as they were about to start moving again after calming down, they heard a loud explosion-like sound not far away. Taewoong instinctively grabbed Yeoul’s head and lowered his posture. When no more loud sounds followed, he cautiously raised his head.
“What was that? What sound…”
“KAACK!!”
“KAK, KAACK!!”
In his half-raised view, he saw a horde of zombies running toward them, screaming horribly. Taewoong swallowed, and noticed a familiar face in front of the zombies. He narrowed his eyes to see better.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!! RUN!!”
Right in front of a zombie horde as large as the one they’d met when going to the broadcasting room, Jian, hugging a moving box, screamed frantically. Taewoong grabbed Yeoul’s hand urgently.
“Hey, hey! Move!”
“S-shit!”
Not understanding what was happening but knowing zombies were approaching, Taewoong wildly swung his vacuum cleaner stick to clear away blocking zombies as he ran with Yeoul toward the cafeteria. Behind them, Seongyong followed closely while swearing loudly and carefully holding his tarpaulin bag, with Jaeseong pushing Seongyong’s back as they ran.
“What… huff!”
They reached the cafeteria at the end of the corridor in an instant.
Taewoong, who arrived first, opened the fire-resistant glass door and quickly entered, only to discover zombies staggering inside. He hastily swallowed and pulled Yeoul, Seongyong, and Jaeseong.
“Q-quickly close the d-door, oof!”
“Shit, be quiet!”
For some reason, Taewoong was holding the door open without closing it. Seongyong tried to close the door with a loud voice urging him. Jaeseong, who was standing behind him, covered Seongyong’s mouth and nervously glanced back.
“Shh… when will he come…”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
