Chapter 128
While Seokjae was giving Lim Sangjin his final gift in life, Muyoung waited in the hallway, nervously biting his lip.
‘Why isn’t he coming out yet?’
Just before leaving, Muyoung had heard Lim Sangjin desperately pleading. Even though he knew Seokjae wouldn’t be following right away, he didn’t go back. Instead, he waited with the children in front of the emergency exit, away from the study cafe.
‘Do they have a lot to talk about?’
He thought perhaps Seokjae had unresolved issues to settle with Lim Sangjin.
Even if Lim Sangjin survived, the chance of them meeting again was close to 0%. This might be their only opportunity.
He worried slightly that Seokjae might soften and bring Lim Sangjin along, but he dismissed this anxiety, trusting that Seokjae wouldn’t ignore his objections.
At the same time, despite his hearing being worse than before but still better than average, he focused on his own heartbeat to avoid accidentally overhearing their conversation.
Thump- Thump-
‘It seems faster than usual… What was my normal heart rate again?’
Just as he tilted his head in confusion about his changed heartbeat and was about to touch his chest, Seokjae finally appeared.
He spotted the three people waiting for him at the emergency exit and gave a slight smile.
“Sorry I’m late. Had something to talk about. It’s done now, so let’s go.”
It was a very unburdened smile, as if he’d been freed from his past being exposed.
‘That’s a relief… Seems like he said everything he wanted to.’
Muyoung mistakenly thought Seokjae had rid himself of an unpleasant past.
It was surprising that Lim Sangjin, who he expected would persistently follow them, didn’t appear, but Muyoung assumed Seokjae must have spoken well enough to awaken the man’s conscience, and let it go.
“First, we need to get away from here.”
Unaware that Muyoung thought highly of him, Seokjae explained the plan as they descended the emergency stairs.
“We’re definitely heading toward the outskirts of the city. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“I understand.”
Kyungho and Junwoo nodded promptly. Muyoung, about to answer, suddenly realized something fortunate in their misfortune.
“At least we’re not turning back, but going in the direction we needed to go anyway.”
“Right. Think of it as leaving a bit earlier and moving faster. Nothing else has changed.”
Seokjae found it interesting and delightful that Muyoung had found something positive in the situation, and gently patted his back.
* * *
Tap-tap-tap-
As they exited the building, countless footsteps that weren’t audible inside now seemed to shake the ground from afar. Fortunately, no zombies had yet appeared in the alley, so they immediately ran down the narrow path.
Thud, thud, thud…
As they ran along the streetlights in the dark night, the faint sounds gradually grew closer. The footsteps that had come from one direction began to echo from all around, making it impossible to guess exactly where the zombies were coming from.
“Huff, huff…!”
“Hnggh…”
Since they were sprinting at full speed rather than jogging, the children’s breathing became increasingly rough. Hearing their labored breath made Muyoung’s own throat feel parched and his heart beat faster.
While thinking this…
Clank-
A metallic sound irritated his ears. Reflexively turning his head to the side, he saw a metal barrier.
It was a construction site.
Muyoung hesitated momentarily. The sounds from beyond the tall barrier were disturbing.
Creak- Rustle-
Squeak… Squeeeak…
The sound of countless feet trampling dirt, metal creaking, and most concerning of all, the barrier swaying despite the lack of strong wind.
Clank- Clank-
Muyoung finally realized what was happening behind the barrier and tried to warn the others. But when he turned his head, only Seokjae was beside him.
“Hey, wait, guys?!”
Muyoung, always alert, slowed down, and Seokjae matched his pace, but the other two were running ahead focused only on what was in front of them, unaware that he had stopped.
“Kids! Wait-“
Muyoung shouted to warn the distant children to get away from the barrier, but his voice was drowned out by an even louder sound.
Groooak- Crash!
Squeeeak—
The metal structure holding the barrier bent and finally broke, twisting the barrier into a grotesque shape. Then the collapsing barrier fell, covering the alley where the four people were.
“Run away! Ugh!”
As Muyoung shouted to Kyungho and Junwoo, who were staring blankly at the falling metal structure, he felt something strike his forehead. Simultaneously, a strong force grabbed his waist, pressing hard against his solar plexus, causing him to groan.
Boom!
The large metal sheet fell, raising a cloud of dust. For a moment, his vision blurred, and through it, the shadows of tangled metal supports and various structures slowly appeared.
Wriggle. There were creatures moving among the debris. From ones pierced by wires and struggling uselessly, to those with severed legs scraping against the metal sheet. It was a miserable sight, but more importantly…
Groooaak-
Some of them could still attack, and various structures blocked any immediate reunion with the children.
“G-guys! Are you okay?!”
Keeaak-
“We’re okay!”
The zombies responded fiercely to Muyoung’s shout, and through their noise, the children’s voices were faintly heard.
“Ah, thank goodness…”
Everyone was still safe.
As Muyoung was feeling relieved, suddenly his chin was grabbed by a rough hand and his face was lifted. He met eyes with Seokjae, who looked grim.
He examined Muyoung’s face thoroughly and carefully brushed away the hair stuck to Muyoung’s forehead.
“Ugh.”
Overwhelmed by the fierce gaze, Muyoung kept his mouth shut, but then flinched at the sudden burning pain and the chilling sensation of something trickling down.
Pat-pat-
Splat…
Flinch. As soon as Muyoung shrank back, Seokjae removed his hand, clicked his tongue at the sensed presence around them, and shouted across to the other side.
“Go to the barricade first! We’ll catch up, so we’ll meet there!”
Then without waiting for a reply, he immediately picked up Muyoung and headed for a nearby alley. It was partly because of the zombies gathering due to the loud noise, but mainly because he had seen the zombies’ heads fixed on them, or more precisely, on Muyoung.
“H-hyung?! I-I can run myself!”
“If you’re injured, act like it and stay quiet.”
Muyoung grabbed Seokjae’s shoulder as his head bobbed up and down from the rapid running, but Seokjae firmly refused with a seemingly angry voice.
“In-injured?”
Only then did Muyoung belatedly notice the throbbing in his head and the liquid flowing down his face. When he instinctively touched it, bright red blood seeped through. Plus, the stinging pain that made him grimace involuntarily. Startled by the sharp pain, Muyoung trembled.
“And you wanted to run? Please just stay still.”
Seokjae scolded him in what seemed like a sarcastic tone at the vibration. Unfamiliar with this side of Seokjae, Muyoung was too busy trying to gauge if he was angry to ask to be put down again.
“Hyung, let’s go that way.”
“…Sigh.”
However, not wanting to be carried without doing anything, he looked around at the zombies appearing one by one and guided them toward the safest path.
Apart from his rough breathing, there was no response from Seokjae, but seeing that he went in the direction Muyoung pointed, he probably wasn’t angry enough to ignore him.
‘Why is he angry? Because I warned about the danger too late? But hyung isn’t the type to get angry over something like that…’
While Muyoung sighed deeply at Seokjae’s inexplicable mood change, Seokjae managed to shake off all pursuing zombies temporarily.
‘Where to go.’
His deliberation was brief. He immediately entered a flashy building in front of them.
[Junghae Motel]
On the first floor of the building with flickering neon signs, Seokjae went behind the counter and searched the desk. He planned to find a card to enter a room and hide.
However, there was no card immediately visible. He tried to open the drawer, but it was locked.
Kyaaak! Thump- Thud- Thump-
At that moment, he sensed movement outside. They should have taken longer to follow after losing sight of them, yet strangely, they were walking directly toward them. The unpleasant footsteps were approaching quickly.
“Damn…”
Seokjae gritted his teeth and kicked the drawer hard.
Bang! Bang!
He figured there was nothing to lose by making noise since they were already heading this way.
After kicking it several times while tightly holding Muyoung, who flinched at the loud noise, the front panel of the old drawer completely fell off, unlocking it.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
