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Chapter Text

INTERVIEW WITH DR. [REDACTED]

Interview Concerning Human Military Enhancement

Name of Interviewee: Dr [REDACTED] (R.D.)

Name of Interviewer: Kim Minseo (K.M.)

Name of videographer: N/A

Number of sessions: 3

Length of interview: 15m18s

Place of interview: HausTech, Seoul, South Korea

Date of interview: December 22nd, 2023

Software used: N/A

Interviewee's Biological Details:

N/A

Transcript of session 1

K.M. (00:06)

Good evening, Dr [REDACTED], how are you doing?

R.D. (00:11)

I'm doing great, thank you for asking. How about you, General Kim?

K.M. (00:18)

I'm quite alright, thank you. The new serums you came up with last time are working wonders on our subjects. The chemicals have really calmed their minds. They're more focused. Reaction times has averaged a 40ms, one of a cat. Their accuracy has improved sixfolds.

R.D. (00:32)

I'm glad to hear that, mister Kim.

K.M. (00:35)

[Chuckles] Oh, don't be so modest. In any case, their minds are as sharp as they get, all thanks to you, but unfortunately, it seems that the serum has not improved their physique at all.

R.D. (00:46)

Well of course, this serum was only used to improve their minds, not their body.

K.M. (00:52)

Right, right. But here's the thing, Mr Kim. With brains as intelligent as theirs, they deserve to have a body that can keep up with them. Don't you agree?

R.D. (00:59)

I understand you are currently requesting me to come up with a solution to improve their physique.

K.M. (01:04)

Right on the money, Doctor. I need 'em faster, stronger, more aggressive, but of course it doesn't hinder their mental- I just want them to put their feet forward more. Enhanced vision and hearing, the whole package really.

R.D. (01:18)

What about smell?

K.M. (01:20)

Not that. The smell of blood would be too disconcerting.

R.D. (01:23)

I understand. I'm surprised someone like you would even know the word disconcerting.

K.M. (01:27)

[Laughs] And you're a funny one, for a scientist. Anyway- It would be great to have a physical enhancement serum. Even through these drugs are reserved for only a select group of troops, with these, those soldiers would become unstoppable on the field, on top of their mental capabilities. Would that be possible?

R.D. (01:44)

Of course it would, General. No need to worry. In fact, I believe another group had already started on researching physical improvement for strength, so I already have a headstart.

K.M. (01:55)

Amazing. When will it be done?

R.D. (01:59)

That remains unknown, I'm afraid.

K.M. (2:03)

That's quite alright, I just asked you to make it not even a second ago. [Laughs]

R.D. (02:10)

Right, of course. Although, tell me more about those... special troops.

RECORDING AFTER 02m18s LOST

END OF TRANSCRIPT

ACT I: ASSEMBLE

Part 1: All Hands on Deck

"Good work today as always, Seoyeon!"

As she walked down the busy hospital corridors, Seoyeon was greeted by doctors, nurses, and patients alike, either saying hello or thanking her for her work. Seoyeon greeted back cheerfully with a smile and a bow to each of them before continuing her journey.

It had been about a year since she had entered the Seoul General Hospital as an intern, and, any time now, she was going to be promoted to an official nursing job. Although she was always cheerful, putting in a thousand percent of her effort into her work every day, the anticipation of becoming an official medical staff added to her excitement. That added energy of hers was prevalent enough to affect the others around her, and she could notice how they were susceptible to smiling more when around her. The staff, especially, was thankful for her optimistic and hardworking personality since it was much needed for their line of work.

Seoyeon walked down the hallway into the emergency lobby. She observed that it was quite busy that day, as it was filled with the regular patients, and some new ones waiting for their turn. Only a few seats had been left unoccupied. She looked around the area, seeking out a specific person. After a couple seconds of searching, she spotted her talking with one of the regular patients, a kind elderly woman. 

The two seemed to be engaged in a lively conversation as Seoyeon approached them. Her friend, who was a volunteer worker at the hospital, noticed as she stood beside them. 

"Hi, Seoyeon-unnie," the volunteer said in a soft, high-pitched voice. Her own nametag on the left side of her blue shirt spelled out 'Park Shion.' 

Shion was a high school student in her senior year. She was a hardworking girl, and although they were not great, her grades at school were good enough. She spent a lot of her time either working out or volunteering, and that often cut into her studies. Her teachers had previously advised her to remove either one of those activities to focus on her academics, but she would rather improve herself to help others. Whenever she volunteered at the hospital, she was responsible for carrying heavy objects around. 

Seoyeon waved. "Hi, Shion," she replied. She then greeted the patient. "What are you two talking about?"

The elderly woman smiled. "Oh, I was just telling this sweetheart over here about how my doctor told me I was almost cancer free!" She spoke animatedly in the prominent gravelly voice the elderly often had. "After so many months of having to undergo treatment, I can tell you I am very excited about not having to step into this place again anytime soon."

Seoyeon beamed, excited for the woman. "That is amazing to hear! I am very happy for you." She rubbed a hand on the woman's shoulder, who patted it with her own wrinkled hand.

"Thank you dear, you're just as nice as always." The elder grinned. "But I'm sure you're here for your friend. Don't let me stop you." She chucked, looking at Shion who stood on the side with a polite smile. 

"Oh, you're not bothering at all." Seoyeon waved a dismissive hand in front of her. She turned to Shion. "I'm just here to tell you that I'm clocking out for the day. You wanna walk home together?" 

Shion scanned the room for a moment, then shook her head. "There are a lot of people today. I think I'm going to stay for a while longer to help. Plus, I was thinking about heading to the gym afterwards anyway, and that's the opposite way of your destination." 

With widened eyes, Seoyeon questioned, "Even after all the heavy lifting you did around here today, you're still going?" 

Shion shrugged and nodded. "It's better to have a more controlled environment for gains." 

Staring at her younger coworker with an amused smirk, Seoyeon commented, "Sure. What do they say these days? 'The grinding doesn't halt?'"

"It's 'The grind never stops,' unnie," Shion jokingly scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You're not even close to being old enough to crack boomer jokes." 

Seoyeon cackled. "Fine, fine. I'll go first, then. Starting to get a little tired, and this place is getting too chaotic."

Shion raised a brow of concern. "Something more than usual happened today?"

With a shrug, Seoyeon recounted, "I was talking with a doctor this morning when some paramedics slammed into the operation room. They pushed in this guy in a blood soaked lab coat on a stretcher. He had this really nasty bite on his forearm."

She continued, "The wound was starting to go black, and the veins around it were blue and everything. He also had lacerations everywhere on his body." She scrunched up her nose. "He was super aggressive too. Screaming everywhere, tried to bite everything and everyone; they had to tie him up. One of the paramedics actually got bit in the arm, poor guy. It's not really something you want to see so early."

"That's terrible..." Shion breathed out, empathetic. "But I hope he's okay. That's a really odd case, though. Any idea what could've happened?" 

Letting out a sigh, Seoyeon shook her head. "There's always something going on..." she huffed out, then turned to the others. "I'll be leaving now. Stay safe, you two," she said, giving Shion a gentle pat on the back before readjusting the strap of her tote bag on her shoulder.  

Shion hummed and smiled. "You too, unnie," she replied before turning back to take care of the lady.

Most of Seoyeon's energy was sucked out of her the moment she stepped foot outside. Her smile lowered as she held a palm to her forehead to steady herself. "Woah... phew..." she let out before shaking her head to rid herself of the dizziness before taking another decisive step.

Seoyeon loved her job. It was just very mentally and physically draining, and the hours were long, so she could only ever keep her energy up when she was in the building. 

The sidewalk was crowded, as most day workers had clocked out of their respective 9 to 5 jobs and were heading home. Like a wave, they moved as a collective, and in the same direction. 

Seoyeon was stuck in the middle, feeling slightly out of place due to having a sky blue medical uniform in contrast to the black dresses and suits around her. She quickly let go of that thought, though, and let herself get carried away by the wave, the space too cramped to freely move her limbs, walking along mindlessly amongst the crowd of workers whose expressions were just as mindless as hers. 

Then, as her mind was about to drift away in the vast ocean, the crowd around her started pushing and shoving. Someone bumped into her from behind, knocking her back into consciousness. Seoyeon sucked in a breath at the sudden regain of her thoughts, and that was when she noticed something moving in front of her. She slowed her pace, looking at the faces passing her by before anchoring herself to the ground. She squinted to get a better look at what was in front of her. 

She saw someone moving against the current, their presence accentuated by the white clothing they wore. The figure approached slowly, fighting the current of workers eyeing her strangely as they slid through the thin gaps between each body. They were now close enough for Seoyeon to identify that it was a woman wearing a lab coat, and she was reminded of the patient on the stretcher. 

The woman was making a beeline directly towards her. Instead of moving, Seoyeon waited for her for an unknown reason. With a final push of an unfortunate office worker, the woman finally came face to face with Seoyeon. Instead of moving further forward, though, she stopped in her tracks. 

The first thing Seoyeon noticed was how absolutely gorgeous this woman was. Her hair, tied up in a bun, left her small face exposed, save for a few loose strands laid in front of her eyes. Those eyes were dark and calculative, with her eyebrows furrowed into a slight frown. She had a narrow nose, and her thin lips were parted and curved slightly downwards. 

The second thing Seoyeon noticed was how out of breath she was. As if she had just run a marathon, the woman breathed heavily through her parted lips. She then looked Seoyeon up and down. Seoyeon wore a small frown and narrowed her eyes at the woman's odd behaviour. 

Finally, after taking a long breath, the person spoke,

"Is the hospital in the direction you came from, by chance?" 

Seoyeon raised a brow at the question. Feeling her confusion, the woman pointed at her clothes. Seoyeon looked down and let out a small 'ah.'

"Yeah, it is," she answered, looking back up. 

"Do you work there?"

"Well, I am wearing a medical uniform."

Ignoring Seoyeon's remark, the woman continued, "Have you seen anyone with an injury come in? Probably wearing a lab coat like mine." She gestured at her own white coat, and that was when Seoyeon noticed a red stain on her sleeve. She breathed heavily. 

"What's that?" Seoyeon pointed at the woman's sleeve. The latter did not respond, though, and instead held a sense of urgency in her eyes. 

"Did you see anyone in a lab coat in the hospital?" she asked again, accentuating every syllable. The crowd around them moved at the same pace, but for some reason Seoyeon felt like everything around her was moving faster. 

"I- Why are you asking me?" Seoyeon raised her voice.

"Just answer!"

"Okay, yes, I did!" Seoyeon put her hands up in front of her. "What is this all about?" The stranger in front of her was starting to genuinely freak her out. 

The woman took a deep breath, tucking the loose strands of hair behind her ear. She looked around her, noticing the stares from the other pedestrians. "Dang it." She sighed. After taking another breath, she returned her eyes onto Seoyeon. The nurse was hypnotized under her piercing gaze. 

"Listen to the next words I say very carefully. Something terrible is happening. You need to get as far away as you can from that hospital," she spoke in a grave voice. 

Snapping out of her hypnosis, Seoyeon furrowed her brows further. "You're not explaining anything to me." 

Seoyeon jolted when the woman suddenly put both her hands on her shoulders. "You will understand soon. Just trust me on this."

"How am I supposed to trust you when you are being extremely vague about everything?" Seoyeon asked, fuming with confusion and anger. She grabbed the stranger's wrists and tried to pry them away from her. "I don't even know you. Hell- What is there to prove that you're not just insane or something?!" 

The stranger released her grip on Seoyeon's shoulders. The crowd was moving so fast around them, their motions began to blur. The woman locked Seoyeon into an icy, stone, and resolute stare. 

"Do you think I'm lying?"

Seoyeon hesitated. She felt her heart beat quicker in her chest, and the crowd turned as still as an undisturbed lake. She gazed into the woman's eyes. There was not a single drop of doubt in those dark brown pools. Seoyeon breathed shakily.

"No."

Silence. Nobody was moving for what seemed like an eternity.

Then, they heard a siren in the distance. Suddenly, an out of control ambulance swerved and zoomed past them at full speed. The sound of its siren was gradually moving away when it was replaced by a loud crash.

Everyone stopped in their tracks, including the cars on the road. Seoyeon and the woman looked at eachother, then pushed their way to the side of the road to get a better view.

The ambulance had crashed into another car, which had been totaled by the sheer force of the impact. The doors of the medical vehicle were swung wide open.

Someone stepped out, and Seoyeon gasped at the sight. 

A woman who was also in a bloodied and torn lab coat slowly walked out of the ambulance. Seoyeon looked into the vehicle, and breathed heavily as she noticed the paramedics laying motionless on the floor. She turned her attention back to the limping woman. She looked barely conscious. After a few uneven steps on the concrete with her head hanged low, she stopped. 

One businessman in a suit and a briefcase approached the woman. Seoyeon watched as he tried interacting with her, but received no response. As he reached his free hand towards the woman, she suddenly grabbed him by the arms before sinking her teeth into his shoulder. 

The man screamed and fell down. With no arms to break his fall, he slammed head first into the asphalt with the woman falling on top of him, still gnawing at his shoulder. Blood leaked out of the back of his skull as he laid unconscious. Everyone stared in shock. 

When the woman raised her head, her bloody mouth and angry eyes scanning the crowd, nervous murmurs echoed throughout. Seoyeon thought she saw her lock eyes with the stranger next to her for a second before moving onto the next person. 

Then, she dashed onto the closest target, and everything delved into chaos.

Seoyeon barely had time to react before she was getting pushed around and a particular slam almost made her lose her footing. Her arm was caught before she could fall, and she turned to see that the woman was holding her.

"We need to go, now," she said. Seoyeon opened and closed her mouth, looking to retort, but she decided to just shut it and nodded. 

The woman broke into a run, dragging her across the disturbed crowd, keeping an iron grasp on her wrist and shoving everyone around. Seoyeon lagged behind her, practically flying as her bag struggled to stay in her grip. 

Bumping into countless people as she dashed and stumbled around, she shouted, "Do you even know where you're going?!" 

The scientist did not respond as she swerved through the crowd. 

"I think it would be polite to answer!" 

"Look-" Both girls jumped and skidded to a stop as a car crashed into a lamp post right in front of them, the tall metal stucture falling onto it with a loud bang, quickly followed by the vehicle catching fire. A stray plate of metal flew by the scientist and she hissed. 

"We just need to get as far away as possible." 

During the pause, Seoyeon caught a climpse at the chaos around her. People were running in every direction, and many had also gotten onto the road. Some of them were getting run over by cars as they started back up. She shook her head in distress.

Seoyeon winced at the heat and smoke from the accident in front of her before promptly being dragged off the sidewalk.

After breaking away from the crowd and ending up in the middle of a parking lot, Seoyeon tugged her arm hard. "Hold on." The woman finally stopped in her tracks and turned around. 

Seoyeon panted as she bent down in exhaustion with the stranger doing the same in front of her. She groaned as she stood back up and looked around her. Only a couple of cars were stationed in the parking lot of what seemed like an arena. 

Save for the few other people running around, their current surroundings were far tamer than what they had seen on the road. 

Seoyeon turned to the woman who was still catching her breath. "So, are you going to tell me what's happening now?" 

The woman looked up at her with her hands on her knees. She seemed far more tired than Seoyeon, and slightly worse for wear. "If I were to be honest, I'm not quite sure either," she breathed out.

"...You're kidding right?" Seoyeon raised a brow and scoffed in disbelief. "You told me just moments ago that something bad was going to happen, and then we see a woman in a lab coat tear open a poor business man, and after running for so long, you're now telling me you don't actually know anything?!" She scolded, her tone raising with every word she spat out. 

The woman blinked, her face having turned paler compared to before. Seoyeon could see a speck of guilt in her eyes. She let her frustration out in a huff. 

A slight tension stood between them for a short while, and during that time, Seoyeon had the time to really think. Then, she gasped. "Oh no." She looked at the road stretching behind her frantically. "Oh, no no no."

"What happened?" asked the woman from behind, the question barely holding any hint of concern. 

"There was something like that woman at the hospital. The guy in the lab coat you were crazily asking about when we first met."

The scientist gulped. "When did you see it?"

"This morning, an hour after my shift started." Seoyeon gasped and covered her hand with her mouth at another realisation. "Shion's still there," she whispered.

As she turned to dash back onto the road, she was stopped by a hand grabbing her shoulder.

"You can't go back."

Seoyeon looked at the woman behind her. Her eyes held nothing but rationality. Still, she argued, 

"I need to know if she's okay."

The woman shook her head. "You will just endanger yourself in the process. If what you said is true, then the scientist at the hospital must already be on a rampage."

"Yeah, but he was tied up. Sure, he was aggressive, but I doubt he could break through the restraints the paramedics put on him." 

The woman shook her head again. "Still, we would risk encountering the woman on the road again. Let us focus on our own safety first. We're still not out of the clear, that's for certain." 

Seoyeon looked at the woman, then looked back at the road. She sighed and threw her hand up in abandon. "You're right," she sighed. "Let's get to someplace safer. I'll just give her a call on the way."

The woman nodded. "Alright." She looked at the darkening sky over Seoyeon's shoulder. "The sun is setting. I don't know what's going to happen in the dark, but we shouldn't take any chances. How far is your place from here?"

Seoyeon chewed on her inner lip. "About another hour and a half by foot. I usually take the bus, but that seems out of commission already." As stated, another crash echoed through the empty lot. 

With a hum, her partner said, "I guess we can just settle somewhere close then, I'm not feeling very well-"

She stumbled and Seoyeon put her hand out to help steady her. "What's wrong?" she asked, slightly concerned.

The girl shook her head. "I think-" she looked down at her sleeve, which was significantly bloodier than when Seoyeon had noticed before. She lifted the blood-soaked sleeve to reveal a significant gash running accross her right forearm. 

"How did you get that?" Seoyeon wondered on the side. 

"I believe it was from the car that crashed in front of us," the scientist hypothesized. "The adrenaline must've kept the pain away." 

Seoyeon nodded. "Okay, well we need to get that disinfected and patched up. The arena is a good idea. There should be a first-aid kit." The woman agreed, and as they made their way to the building, Seoyeon thought that the other was surprisingly nonchalant about everything that was happening. 

"You seem very calm given the situation we're in," she observed. 

The woman let out a small chuckle. "I've been told I'm not a very sentimental person."

Seoyeon smiled, mentally agreeing with her. "I never got your name, by the way."

A pause. "Yooyeon. Kim Yooyeon." 

"Mmh. I'm Yoon Seoyeon." 

"I know," Yooyeon replied. Noticing the surprise on Seoyeon's face, she added, "I read your nametag."

"Oh. Right." Seoyeon looked down at her nametag with an embarrased smile. Noticing her bag in her peripheral, she was reminded to call Shion.  

Seoyeon pulled her phone out and tapped on her contact. She waited, every ring causing a wave of anxiety to wash through her, and by the end, her chest was so tight she wasn't even sure if she could manage to say anything at all.

As Seoyeon was about to lose hope, the ringing was interrupted by a click, followed by silence. 

"Did it work?" Yooyeon wondered next to her as she saw Seoyeon's frown.

"It did, but it's silent on the other side," she replied with a deep sigh, and Yooyeon pressed her lips together into a flattened line. "I guess I'll just say what I want anyway." 

On the cold floor, in the hospital's deserted lobby, was a phone. It laid between debris and blood-stained glass, and Seoyeon's contact name brightened the screen. 

"Hey Shion, this is Seoyeon. I have very bad news, but the first thing I'm going to say is: If you're still at the hospital, you need to get out ASAP. The guy in the lab coat I told you about? He's extremely dangerous and aggressive, and will attack whoever comes too close. If you see him, get as far away as possible, and stay away from anyone else who also looks aggressive. Once again, get out of the hospital ASAP. If you get this message, please come to the arena down the path I use to get home, but do not go on the main road; there's another one there. Take a detour to get here. Hope you're safe." 

Chapter Text

The sound of blades slicing through the ice echoed through the vast arena. The lights had been turned off, save for the ones illuminating the rink, highlighting a single player wearing the iconic white South Korean hockey uniform. The numbers 03 were etched onto the back of the jersey along with the name "Lee Jiwoo," and the characters glimmered as they drifted into the light.

Jiwoo glided through the rink, handling a puck in her hockey stick. She skated through the arena at full speed with her eyes focused on the goal. A cover was set in front of it, only leaving a few open spaces in the corners to score through.  

Approaching the net, Jiwoo took a deep breath, and the hot air materialized in front of her as she exhaled. She slammed the end of her stick into the puck, then flicked it, causing it to fly straight through the right hole of the cover and into the net.  

Letting a small smirk crawl up her face, Jiwoo skidded to a stop to catch her breath. A whoop and holler sounded through the empty rink, and she looked up with a smile at the top of the stands, where one of her best friends sat.  

"Let's go, Lee Jiwoo! Kick that net's butt!" Kim Chaeyeon cheered in the darkness. Jiwoo could see her silhouette giving her a standing ovation. She grinned through her helmet and gave out a couple of dramatic bows.  

Jiwoo turned her head towards the other side of the arena to look at the large digital timer hooked on the wall. The clock displayed that it was 5:53pm on the 8th of May, 2024.  

It's been nearly an hour since everyone else left,  Jiwoo thought. Although hockey season had ended a couple of months back, Jiwoo kept practicing relentlessly, even when her coaches suggested she should take a break.  

She turned back to Chaeyeon. "Do you want to leave?" she shouted out. 

From the dark, she heard her friend reply, "Pizza at my place tonight?" 

"Sure!" Jiwoo agreed with a smile.  

Chaeyeon's holler echoed loudly against the walls. "Hell yeah! Let's get out of here!" 

Jiwoo cackled at her friend's behavior and took off her helmet whilst speed skating her way out of the rink. 

Chaeyeon jumped in surprise as she watched Jiwoo leave the ice at record speed, and quickly stepped her way down the stand's stairs. As she made the final leap down, her foot caught the back of the other and she tripped. 

"Oh shit-!"   

She shut her eyes tight and soured her lips as the concrete floor drew in, waiting for the impact.  

What she hit instead was a pair of arms. 

Chaeyeon coughed up a storm, nearly having gotten the wind knocked out of her while she held onto Jiwoo's arms for dear life.  

"How many times have I told you to be careful on the stairs, unnie?" Jiwoo scolded as she gently pat Chaeyeon's back. Looking down, she noticed Jiwoo's helmet rolling on the ground. 

After a few extra breaths, Chaeyeon replied, "My bad. Was too excited about the pizza."  

"And not me?" 

"Absolutely not." 

Jiwoo scoffed in faux offence. "Hey, I just saved your life." She thought for a little, then added, "For the fifth time, by the way." 

Chaeyeon blew a raspberry at her friend. "Well, I guess you're going to have to do more saving!" She teased before running towards the changing room.  

The hockey star playfully rolled her eyes, picked up her helmet, and quickly chased her down.  

Jiwoo was tying the shoelaces of her white sneakers when her ear twitched at the familiar sound of the arena's front doors opening. "I think someone just entered the arena." 

"Maybe it's Yubin finally paying you a visit during training," Chaeyeon joked while scrolling through videos on her phone. 

Jiwoo snorted. "As if." She pulled on the laces to tighten the knot. "Woman would rather jump off a building than watch me destroy everyone on the ice." 

"Well, yes, that's what she's always doing." 

"That's the point." 

"Oh." Chaeyeon chuckled sheepishly. She set the phone down to her side and looked at Jiwoo. "Who could it be, then?" 

Jiwoo shrugged. "Let's go see. I'm gonna have to tell them to leave, anyway; Arena's closed for the day." 

Grabbing her hockey stick, Jiwoo and Chaeyeon stood up and crossed through the changing room's door, with Jiwoo ready to tell off whoever had entered the building.  

Her mind short-circuited when they were greeted by two women: one in a typical blue medical uniform, and the other in a white lab coat. The girl in the uniform was supporting the other with an arm over her back.  

"What the fuck?" Jiwoo blurted out. She noticed that the one in the coat had a sleeve soaked in what she presumed was blood, and she tightened her grip on her stick. "What's going on here?" 

"Holy shit that blood?" Chaeyeon paled, pointing a finger at Yooyeon's sleeve. It was far bloodier than when they first noticed the injury. Yooyeon gave a hazy nod, her face in a permanent wince since the adrenaline was dissipating. 

Seoyeon put a foot forward. "I'm sorry for scaring you, but we came in here because she needs medical attention." She gestured at Yooyeon. 

"There's a hospital two kilometers away from here." Jiwoo eyed them suspiciously. "Why not take her there instead?" 

"We can't." Yooyeon answered. "It's dangerous outside." 

"What! Why?" Chaeyeon raised her voice. 

Seoyeon shook her head. "We'll explain everything, but first, I need this place's first aid kit. She cannot lose more blood." 

Jiwoo frowned, recalling where it was placed. "It should be in the office. I'll go get it," she announced before taking off. As she ran, she turned around briefly to yell out, "But I'm gonna need answers!" 

Seoyeon turned to Yooyeon, who looked increasingly worse as time passed. "Okay, let's go sit you down." Yooyeon nodded, face paler than ever, as droplets of blood dripped down onto the gray concrete. 

Setting a guiding hand on Yooyeon's back, Seoyeon led them to the changing room Chaeyeon and Jiwoo had come out of. Chaeyeon followed behind them at a respectable distance. 

Seoyeon gently set Yooyeon down on the room's bench and kneeled in front of her. Yooyeon sighed and rested her back against the wall, closing her eyes. Sweat coated her forehead, and color had drained from her face.

"Don't close your eyes, stay awake." She heard Seoyeon order. 

"I won't fall asleep," Yooyeon assured, still keeping her eyes closed. 

"She's not dying, is she?" Chaeyeon's voice asked from a distance. 

"She'll be fine but needs medical attention right now." Seoyeon's voice sounded through Yooyeon's ears. "You should go outside so that your friend knows where we are." 

"Oh- yeah! Of course." The stranger replied. "My friend's name is Jiwoo, by the way. I'm Chaeyeon," she added before Yooyeon heard the sound of a closing door. 

Yooyeon opened her eyes at the sound of a sigh. Seoyeon ran her fingers through her hair before turning back to her patient. 

"Okay, let's get you out of this." Seoyeon hummed, gently removing Yooyeon's injured arm from her lab coat, her forearm emitting a slight twitch from the chill contact with the air. 

Seoyeon gently supported the arm with her fingers and leaned forward. The gash trailed up half her outer arm in a diagonal. 

"Although it's not too serious of an injury, the wound is deep, so I'm going to have to disinfect it and stitch it up," she announced, squinting at a spot where the injury and dried blood meshed together. She reached into her bag and pulled out a water bottle and some napkins.  

"I'm going to wash the blood off your arm to get a clearer view." 

Yooyeon nodded. She let out a soft hum as the fresh water came in contact with her heated skin, then winced slightly when the napkin trailed close to the wound. 

Mumbling a quick apology, Seoyeon continued the process, making sure to not come in contact with the injury. Yooyeon chuckled slightly. 

"What's funny?" Seoyeon asked. 

"Nothing. Just thinking about the irony of you yelling at me for not explaining anything, then doing the same thing to these people." 

The tips of Seoyeon's ears reddened. "That is ironic," she agreed, then kept going. 

Seoyeon heard the creak of the door. She turned towards it and her eyes glimmered at Jiwoo carrying a large first aid kit. "Good, come over here, please," she urged her over. 

With a nod, Jiwoo approached the two silently, with Chaeyeon following behind her, and placed the box on Seoyeon's right. The medical intern set down the water container and napkins and opened the case. A pleasant noise sounded in her throat when she saw the full kit. Items such as bandages, painkillers, gloves, antiseptics, and more were all neatly organized in the box. 

She first grabbed the tablets of ibuprofen, handing two tablets to Yooyeon along with the water. "Take this. Will lessen the pain." Yooyeon thanked her, and with her free hand, she gulped down the pills and water.  

Seoyeon rolled up her sleeves and took the hand sanitizer first, squeezing out a glob into her palm and rubbing it over her hands. She then put on the white latex gloves, and once again used the hand sanitizer. 

"Why do you have to do it twice?" Chaeyeon wondered. Jiwoo put a finger to her lips, but Seoyeon was glad to answer. 

"It prevents risks of infection and cross-contamination. It's standard medical procedure." 

"Are you a doctor? What's your name?" 

"The name's Seoyeon. I'm an intern, but I was just about to get promoted to a nurse."  

She reached for the bottle of antiseptic. She diluted it in water before soaking it up with a napkin. After removing the excess, Seoyeon trailed along the contour of the wound, Yooyeon wincing at the burning feeling.  

Finishing the disinfection, Seoyeon discarded the napkin to the side and picked up the needle and string from the kit. She disinfected the needle, then steadily threaded the string into it. She inched closer to Yooyeon, satisfied to see that there was less bleeding.  

"Okay, this is going to sting a little." Seoyeon warned softly, holding the needle with a pair of tweezers. She only continued after receiving a nod of approval from Yooyeon.  

"Don't look," she advised the others, and Chaeyeon immediately turned away as Seoyeon commenced the process at the top of the wound. 

Yooyeon squirmed uncomfortably as the needle punctured and entered her skin perpendicular to the slash, slowly dragging along in the dermis with the string before exiting on the other side of the wound. Seoyeon then moved a centimeter down and repeated the process.  

The room was silent with Seoyeon laser focused on the task, save for Yooyeon letting out the occasional pained grunt. Jiwoo watched intently with a concentrated frown as the gash slowly closed, while Chaeyeon would sometimes take a peek before feeling queasy and turning away. 

Finishing the final suture, Seoyeon made a loop with the string before cutting it near the closed up wound. Finally, she wrapped Yooyeon's arm in a bandage.  

She let out a long exhale, having held her breath during the procedure. "Alright, we're done here, but stay seated for now." She announced, disinfecting the tools once again before putting them back into the kit. "Keep the wound bandaged and dry for the first day. I'll check up on it tomorrow to see if everything's okay." 

"Okay." Yooyeon agreed, putting her coat back on with Seoyeon's help. She sent her a grateful smile, and Seoyeon smiled back. 

Chaeyeon clapped loudly to regain their attention. "Okay, this is all great! Now, can someone tell us what is going on and why we cannot leave this building?" Jiwoo nodded in agreement.  

Seoyeon shot a pointed look at Yooyeon. The scientist let out a huff. Tapping a finger on the bench, she thought of where to begin. 

"Well," she started, "my name's Kim Yooyeon. I am a scientist and researcher at HausTech Laboratories." 

"Wait." Jiwoo interrupted, holding up a palm. "HausTech? Isn't that the super secretive lab here in Seoul? Only the smartest people can get in."  

With an affirmative nod, Yooyeon continued, "We research diseases, extraordinary entities, and solutions to many world problems." 

"Extraordinary entities? Like aliens and stuff?" Chaeyeon's eyes glimmered. "So, what they say about places like Area 51 are true?" 

"More or less." Yooyeon explained, tilting her good hand. "There's no actual aliens as rumors say, but occasionally, there are creatures - animals - with special properties. We study them and see if we can use their mutations to help humankind. I am part of that department."  

Yooyeon saw Chaeyeon's expression of excitement and sighed. "It's not all fun and games in the lab. There's another department, the military department, whose entire existence is to find ways to improve South Korea's military power, and that includes testing, both on animals and people." Chaeyeon's smile dropped.  

She continued, "They research ways to improve humans, but only for wars. While most corporations require permission from the government to run human experiments, HausTech doesn't have to, because it is funded directly by the government, and the military."  

"That's messed up..." Chaeyeon grimaced and slumped down. "I can't believe our own government does this." She gave Jiwoo a half-hearted but grateful smile when the athlete patted her back.  

Seoyeon held her chin with the back of her hand, taking in what Yooyeon said. "I assume something went wrong with the military department, perhaps a failed experiment that led to an outbreak."

Yooyeon nodded, impressed by how accurate the nurse's deduction was. "That's about the extent of my knowledge. I never entered the military department myself, so I don't know much except for what I get told." 

With a frown, Jiwoo questioned, "Is this why you told us to stay in the building? Because there was an outbreak?"  

"Yes," Seoyeon answered. "There are people who are showing signs of extreme aggression and are attacking innocent people."  

Chaeyeon covered her mouth with a hand. "That can't be true, right?" 

Shaking her head, Seoyeon recounted, "Yooyeon and I witnessed a woman in a lab coat, attacking a business man who got too close to her and bit him. He fell and slammed his head against the road. There was another one like her at the hospital this morning. He had bitten one of the paramedics, and he himself had a large bite mark on his neck."  

"They do a lot of biting..." Yooyeon observed from Seoyeon's anecdote.  

"Like zombies?" 

The girls snapped their heads in Chaeyeon's direction. "Zombies?" Seoyeon parroted.  

Chaeyeon put her hands up. "I'm just saying, you know! Angry people trying to bite everyone? Sounds suspicious to me." 

Yooyeon and Seoyeon looked at each other as gears turned in their heads. Yooyeon turned her head back towards Chaeyeon. "Zombies are a work of fiction. Although, it would prove useful to retain and compare their properties with our current situation concerning the outbreak."  

Chaeyeon blinked. "What does that mean?" 

"It means they're gonna compare how zombies act with how the aggressive people are acting outside." Jiwoo simplified for her. 

"Ohh, okay."  

With a snap of her fingers, Seoyeon added, "We're going to need more samples. They don't sound dissimilar, but aggressive people who have lost their inhibitions tend to bite as an offensive. Still, it is an interesting theory. I don't believe the scientists would test each other either, so there must be some kind of infection, and transfer of the disease via biting sounds plausible." 

"So, I'd say don't get bitten or scratched. Just don't get into any contact with them, really." Yooyeon followed, and Seoyeon nodded next to her.  

Chaeyeon grinned at being told she was semi right. She then paused and blinked again, her smile dropping as the reality of the situation kicked in.  

"Holy crap." She said, eyes wide. "There's zombies outside. Holy shit, Jiwoo, there's zombies outside!"  

She slapped her hands on Jiwoo's shoulders and started shaking her, her voice rising by an octave. "Oh my gosh, am I gonna die? I don't wanna die! I'm too young and pretty to die!"  

Jiwoo grunted as she shook and smacked Chaeyeon's hands away from her shoulders. "Calm down!" She pressed her own palms down Chaeyeon's shoulders, effectively grounding her older friend. She bore her eyes into hers. " Everything’s gonna be alright. You are not going to die. I won't let it happen, and Yubin won't, either."  

She stopped and squinted. "You should call her. Tell her about this whole thing." 

After Jiwoo released her, Chaeyeon pressed a palm against her chest, breathing deeply. "Okay. Got it, I will," she said in a steady voice and searched her phone for Yubin's contact. "I'll go out for a minute." 

"I'll come with you." Jiwoo followed her out the door.  

The room fell into silence with two of them gone. Yooyeon inhaled and slowly stood up, and Seoyeon rushed to help her.  

"Are you feeling better?" she asked.  

Yooyeon stretched her neck. "Yeah. The pain killers you gave are helping a lot. Thank you."  

"Of course." Seoyeon smiled. "There's more in the kit if you want. Take two every six hours or so." 

Yooyeon rejected the offer with a polite shake of her head. "I think we should keep them for future uses, just in case. I fear this outbreak is going to change everything."  

Jiwoo re-entered the room. "Okay, since we're staying here for the night, there are leftovers in the dining hall. There's also vending machines. The showers are two rooms over, so you can use that." She grabbed her large sports bag and hauled the strap over her shoulder. "Chaeyeon and I are going to see if we can find blankets or something. You can meet us at the rink later." She announced before leaving once again.  

Seoyeon yawned. "I'm tired after all of that. And hungry. You wanna go eat?" She proposed to Yooyeon.  

Yooyeon blinked the tiredness out of her eyes. "Sure." She smiled. 

Sohyun watched with a frown and an analytic gaze as people moved around frantically outside through the window walls of the clothing store. Her eyes then hovered over the wall clock on the left, which showed 11pm. 

"Xinyu, isn't it a little late to be shopping?"  

Xinyu hummed a melody as she cycled through the clothes rack full of vintage and premium dresses. "It's never too late to find a gorgeous outfit, darling," she sing-songed, letting out a satisfied hum at a black glimmering dress, taking it off the rack and handing it to the slightly nervous female employee standing next to them. Sohyun could tell she was fairly new at her job and did not expect to be hosting an important person so soon. "Plus, if things get dangerous, I know my favorite bodyguard will be there to protect me," Xinyu added, sending Sohyun a flirtatious wink before strutting to the next rack further back in the store.  

Sohyun huffed, following Xinyu.  

Xinyu was the sole daughter of the Zhou family, one of the most influential families in China, and had made a name for herself as a renowned fashionista. She had arrived in Seoul just the day before for a fashion show, and she had wasted no time sneaking into the largest brands South Korea had to offer.

Always on the lookout next to her was her personal bodyguard Park Sohyun, who had been trained in hand-to-hand combat since her very first memories. Her father was a bodyguard, and her lineage consisted of the business for as long as she could remember, and Sohyun was no different.  

They were shopping in the commercial district of Seoul, where all the high-class stores and brands stood imposingly next to each other.

Sohyun subtly tapped a finger to the bass of the shop's smooth jazz as she looked around the empty store. It had been cleared out the moment Xinyu stepped a high heeled foot on its smooth black marble. It was only her, Sohyun, and the employee in the store.  

"How does this look on me?" 

Sohyun turned her head back to Xinyu. She was holding a shiny elegant long red dress flushed to her body. It had a long V neck that threatened to leave some cleavage exposed, and a slit running down the dress that she flaunted with her long legs. Xinyu's smile was just as confident and elegant as the piece she was holding, and as she tilted her head sideways, her large diamond earrings glinted as they reflected the store's light.  

Sohyun looked her up and down. "The world would stop to admire you, and it would never start again."  

With a faux giggle of humility, Xinyu replied, "Thank you, dear." Her red ears betrayed her nonchalance as she turned back to the clothes rack. Sohyun let herself wear a smirk.  

Her smile was wiped off her face when a loud bang coming from the store's front door caught the attention of the three people in the building. The employee, with Xinyu's clothes still in hand, carefully approached the front. 

The door swung open wildly, and in came a pale woman with a large tear in her white dress. Her head twitched as she looked around the store. Her long bleached hair curtained in front of her face. 

Sohyun frowned at the woman's odd behavior and made a few quiet steps towards her, still keeping close to Xinyu, who eyed the scenario in concern. She watched as the employee carefully explained, "The store is closed for tonight. Please exit the building and come back tomorrow." 

The woman snapped her head towards the employee and sped towards her. The employee let out a shriek and fell down on her back, and as the woman opened her jaw, she put her arms in front of her face, and the attacker struck.  

She could barely sink her teeth in when Sohyun dashed towards them and pulled the assailant off the employee. She pushed her onto the ground, and quickly maneuvered herself on top. She dug a knee into the back of the woman, while one gloved hand restrained her arms and the other pressed her temple against the floor. The attacker writhed and whined below her, repeatedly making biting motions as she tried to push herself back up. Sohyun noticed there was a blackened bite on her right shoulder blade.  

Xinyu rushed to the employees side once the threat had been restrained. "Are you alright?" she asked, helping her up to a sitting position. Visibly shaken, the worker nodded, and handed the punctured dress back to Xinyu with an apology. 

Xinyu gently put the dress down. "That doesn't matter. Are you hurt?"  

The employee inspected her trembling arms and hands. "I'm okay."  

"That's good."  

A particularly loud growl brought their attention back to Sohyun and the aggressor. She lifted herself up for a moment before getting slammed back down by the bodyguard, who was taken aback by her strength. A person smaller than her shouldn't be able to get themselves up after being put to the ground in that manner.  

"Xinyu, can you come tie her arms up? She's surprisingly strong for her build, and it doesn't seem like she's going to wear down anytime soon." 

"Of course," Xinyu agreed. She gave the employee a final rub of the shoulder. "You should go home."  

The worker nodded, mumbling a small "thank you," and slowly stood up before making her way out of the store. 

Xinyu turned back to Sohyun and the woman. She picked up the damaged dress and approached them. She kneeled besides them and Sohyun moved her grasp on the woman's arms to the side. Xinyu made quick work of wrapping the arms in the dress and tying them up in a double knot using the sleeves. The bodyguard slowly released her grip, and was satisfied to see that the attacker couldn't break free from the restraint.  

Sohyun grabbed the woman by the crown of her head and her good shoulder, lifting her up to a standing position. She dodged as the girl flailed her legs around and growled. 

"Seriously, what's wrong with her?" Xinyu asked with a frown. 

"I've never seen anything like it." Sohyun admitted. "She doesn't seem responsive to anything we say either. Call the police. They'll deal with her from there."  

With a nod, Xinyu pulled out her phone from her designer purse. She quickly dialed in 119 and put the phone next to her ear. 

The phone rang once, twice, then three times with no answer. Xinyu frowned. "Does it usually take this long for them to pick up?" 

"It should be instant," Sohyun responded, just as confused. "The only reason why they wouldn't pick up would be if they were overwhelmed."  

The ringing eventually came to an end with no one answering. Xinyu put her phone back in her purse with a tut. "What do we do with her, then?" She gestured at the woman, who was still moving her legs and biting the air. 

"I'm guessing the only option now is to tie her up and wait for authority to be available again, but we need to leave. It's late," Sohyun said with a sigh. She grabbed another dress off the clothes rack, pressed the attacker into the metal pole, and tied her against it with the extra piece of clothing.  

The woman writhed in her restraints as Xinyu scrutinized her. "You know, despite everything, this kind of inspires me." 

"Xinyu." 

"Kidding, kidding," Xinyu relented with a smile. "Let's go." She said, and as they left, Sohyun spare one last glance at the woman.  

The two women were introduced to the chaos in the streets the moment they stepped out of the store. Shoppers and employees alike ran around screaming while being chased by people. No cars were present due to the area being a walking space. 

Sohyun took the lead, shielding Xinyu behind her as they moved out while hugging the walls of the shops.  

"What's happening?" Xinyu looked around her frantically. She screamed as she witnessed a worker tackle and bite an unfortunate young woman in the arm.  

"Just keep moving forward!" Sohyun ordered, keeping an eye out for anything that might come at them. A man suddenly came up behind Xinyu and tried to grab her, but Sohyun quickly dashed to him and pushed his head down, sending him crashing on the ground. He quickly stood back up as if nothing had happened and rushed once more towards them. This time, Sohyun did not hold back, as she forcefully grabbed the side of his head and smashed it against the wall, hearing the nauseating sound of his skull cracking. She let the man slump to the floor as she went back to Xinyu, putting her in between herself and the walls. 

"Seriously, what is wrong with these people?" Xinyu had her back against the wall as she moved sideways as fast as she could in her high heels.  

Sohyun swiftly dodged a wild swing from an oncoming woman before elbowing the top of her head and landing a powerful hook into her temple.  

"Seems like some collective hysteria," she managed to say before dodging another uncoordinated swing, surprised that the attacker was still standing after taking a full blow. Sohyun let out a frustrated huff, deciding to go in for the kill once more as she kicked her opponent in the stomach before reaching for both sides of her head and snapping her neck.  

The girl fell into a lamp's field of light, and Sohyun noticed another blackened bite between her shoulder and her neck. She hadn't noticed it before due to it being near midnight.  

Xinyu stared at the body with wide eyes. "They all have some bite mark on them." 

Sohyun nodded. "Let's get you out of here." 

Luckily, the rest of their escape was left unbothered. As they reached the corner of the block, the girls looked both ways of the intersection before running in the direction with the least amount of people. 

"I need to call my driver," Xinyu said as Sohyun battled her nth assailant. Because they were in a calmer area, the bodyguard did not have to rush to kill them, so she made sure she tried everything in her power to knock them out before finishing them off. Unfortunately, they would always attack again as if nothing had happened. 

"It looks like they don't react to any physical trauma done to them," Sohyun said while repeatedly kicking down the person who would simply get back up.  

"That's not good to hear." Xinyu replied as Sohyun got sick of it and broke the person's spine. The fashionista squirmed at the loud snap. "Can't you kill these people in a more... humane way?"

"Nothing human about them anymore," Sohyun resigned, returning next to Xinyu. They had slowed down to a walking pace, Xinyu having complained about running in her heels and being tired.  

They walked side by side in the car free street in silence, with Xinyu's guard constantly on the lookout for any incoming threat. While Xinyu was still winded from their run, Sohyun looked relatively unbothered save from the frown on her face. All the lights had been turned off, and there were only one or two people apart from them in the street. They did not know if those people were aggressive or not, so they kept their distance and walked along next to the bushes.  

"Do you think the bites are causing this mass hysteria?" Xinyu questioned in a hushed whisper.  

Sohyun craned her neck to look behind them. "I'm not quite sure, but that is definitely the pattern we're seeing," she replied in the same volume.  

"Maybe it was some animal? A dog, maybe?"  

"We saw a bite in the neck. A dog couldn't have reached that high up," the bodyguard refuted. "It would have to be a very large dog, and in that case, someone would have seen it by now." 

"Wait." Xinyu stopped. Sohyun shot her a raised brow. "The one at the shop. She was always trying to bite something. She almost bit the worker." She gasped. "What if they were bit by other people?" 

With a huff, Sohyun ran a hand through her tied up hair. "That's possible," she said, urging them to keep walking. "If it's true, then this is bad news. It would take too long for people to realize what's wrong, and we wouldn't be able to tell friend from foe before it's too late."  

She widened her eyes and turned to Xinyu. "You didn't get bit, right?" she asked, putting a hand on her protectee's arm. 

Xinyu shook her head. "No, I don't have any injuries at all. You're too good at your job." 

Sohyun sighed in relief. "That's good. Let's get your driver to pick us up at the end of this pedestrian road so we can go back to your resort," she said, looking behind her once again. 

"About that..." 

The bodyguard looked back to the front and stopped, her shoulders tensing. In the distance, at the end of the commercial district, street lamps highlighted countless cars lined up unevenly on the roads, having crashed into each other at the crossroads. No light came out of the vehicles, and if Sohyun were to squint, she could see a few bodies lying motionless on the ground. A man was getting chased by a few hysteric people before tripping and falling to the ground. His pained screams as the others tore him apart reverberated through the roads, attracting more people. 

They heard a rustling in the bushes next to them, and one suddenly jumped out. Xinyu let out a loud shriek before slapping her hands in front of her mouth, her eyes widening.  

Sohyun quickly grabbed the person and slammed their head into the concrete floor with a disgusting crack, but the damage had been done. 

Several heads snapped in their direction as they slowly stood up from their victim. Even at that distance, they felt the hair on the back on their necks stand up under their gazes.

Sohyun breathed, "Shit."

Chapter Text

Jiwoo pressed a gloved hand lightly against the push handle of the arena's front door while the other held onto her hockey stick. She put her entire hockey uniform back on, including the protective gear, and her helmet was snug on her head.

"Okay," she inhaled. "Everyone ready?"

She looked back. Directly behind her was Chaeyeon who had her eyebrows drawn together high up on her forehead, followed by Yooyeon holding Seoyeon's tote bag. Seoyeon tailed the line, carrying Jiwoo's hockey bag packed with resources on her back and a small knife from the arena's tiny kitchen. They had all changed into the extra jerseys Jiwoo had in her bag, making them look like a team of hockey players. The only thing was that they all had her name and number written on them, so it was more like a team of Jiwoos. 

The large digital clock on the wall announced 9am. They had woken up an hour before to eat breakfast and came up with a plan to survive and escape.

"Okay, we'll have to move out. We're too close to the starting point, and if we stay here, it will only be a matter of time before we get run down." Yooyeon approached the table where the other's stood. Seoyeon's phone was placed in the middle with the map app open.

"We'll have to navigate all of this based off of the theories we came up yesterday about the irrational people potentially being... zombies." Seoyeon announced, hesitating at the last word. "Given that it is most likely an infection based event, it would be best to get away from the city where the concentration of people is extremely high."

"We cannot move North," Yooyeon pointed out, tapping away at the virtual map on Seoyeon's phone. "We'll just hit North Korea, and it is highly unlikely they'll let us in, even given our circumstance."

Jiwoo scrolled down on the map. "West also isn't an option. It's just the ocean, plus Incheon."

"Should we move South, then?" Chaeyeon asked.

Seoyeon hummed. "We'd have to cross the Han River, and I'm not sure crossing bridges is a good idea. There would be nowhere to run."

"Plus, there are a few smaller cities moving down." Yooyeon added. "It could put us in more unnecessary danger."

With a huff, Chaeyeon zoomed out on the map. "Where could we go?" 

"Jeju."

All heads turned towards Jiwoo. "I think Jeju would be good. It's an island, so it's isolated, right? Nothing that was already there could threaten us."

Seoyeon rubbed her chin with her hand. "It wouldn't be a bad idea..."

"The land isn't too agricultural though." Yooyeon stated. Earning a curious glance from Seoyeon, she clarified, "I was part of a team that researched improving agriculture for a bit."

The nurse shook her head and turned back to the map. "Whatever. Let's move South-East. It's farther away from the big cities, but close enough to stock up on resources if we need to. Just moving East only gives us mountains. We should follow the roads, but not be on them directly."

Everyone nodded in agreement at Seoyeon's plan. Chaeyeon zoomed in on their current location. "Okay. We'll have to cross a big part of the city to get to those roads." Her brows creased in worry, and she looked back up to the others. "Any idea how to get through safely?"

Jiwoo turned back to the front at their hesitant nods of approval. She closed her eyes and let out a long exhale. As the frontliner of their team, she could not afford to cower away or put any of them at risk.

Especially Chaeyeon, a thought ran through her head.

Jiwoo gritted her teeth and gripped the stick harder in her hand. She pushed against the arena's door and winced as she was greeted by the bright sun. She covered her face with a gloved hand.

"Watch out!" A warning came from behind, then a growl sounded on her right.

A singular 'zombie' came running at Jiwoo. She put both hands on her hockey stick, and still not yet adjusted to the light, she swung blindly at the infected full force. She managed to hit it directly in the neck, and she heard the explosive sound of a crack, then a tumble.

Blinking away her solar discomfort, Jiwoo saw the infected lying on the ground with its neck twisted at an odd angle.

Jiwoo lifted her visor to get a better look. She exhaled hard, adrenaline running through her veins, and a wry smile appeared on her lips.

"Holy shit," she spoke. "I just killed someone." Her smile dropped and she turned back to the others who were hiding behind the door. "...This doesn't make me a murderer, right?"

Seoyeon shrugged. Chaeyeon looked like she was about to throw up.

Yooyeon was the first to answer. "Call it self-defense."

"Good. Won't ruin my career," she joked. No one laughed.

Jiwoo huffed. She put her visor back down, looked both ways, then motioned the group to follow her to the left. With their bodies lowered into a near-crouch, they all moved as one in a speed walk.

Anxiety grew in Chaeyeon's veins as they entered the residential area of the city. Apartments were lined up in every corner she looked, and the streets were predictably littered with abandoned cars. She gulped and ducked behind one as a zombie walked by and almost spotted her, trying to level her breath as to not scream at every turn.

To Chaeyeon, it was a miracle that they hadn't been spotted by a group of them yet. Maybe it was because it was only day two of the apocalypse, but there were far less zombies than she expected. Only a few roamed the streets, and on their way here, Jiwoo only had to confront four to five infected people.

She smiled to herself. Jiwoo looked cool while doing it. Actually, she looked cool doing anything.

Wait, what?

"Chaeyeon, to your right!"

Chaeyeon snapped out of her reverie and turned her head to her right, where the zombie from before stood only inches away from her. It grabbed at her shirt and snapped its jaw at her, and Chaeyeon couldn't hold back a scream this time as she stumbled and fell, her back hitting the wall behind her. 

The blunt end of the hockey stick hit the zombie from the side and knocked it off balance. As it hit its head on the floor, Jiwoo took the opportunity to ram the stick full force into its temple, effectively cracking the skull.

Chaeyeon panted hard, grabbing her jersey at her chest level in a suffocating grip. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears. She looked around furiously as tears streamed down her face. Seoyeon was quick to crouch in front of her.

"Hey, hey, you're okay," she said in a whisper, but Chaeyeon couldn't hear it over the irrational loud beating of her heart and kept looking around her. "You're okay." She saw Seoyeon's lips move again, but she heard nothing. She gulped before panting again.

"She's having a panic attack." Yooyeon's voice sounded distant. Her vision became blurry.

"You think I don't see that?" Seoyeon retorted. Chaeyeon felt a hand on her shirt and jolted. "It's just me," Seoyeon muttered and Chaeyeon stopped getting away from the hand. 

"Take a deep breath, can you do that for me?"

Chaeyeon hiccupped and nodded, taking in a shaky breath and releasing it quickly. Her heartbeat did not slow.

"It's okay. Do it again, please."

Jiwoo rushed next to her after impaling the zombie's skull once more. She took her hand out of her glove. "Here, hold my hand."

Chaeyeon breathed in, slowly releasing the iron grip she had on her jersey and into Jiwoo's hand. She exhaled and closed her eyes, leaning her head into her best friend's jersey. She breathed in again.

"Remember." Jiwoo said, rubbing a thumb against the back of her hand. "4-7-8." 

She nodded and breathed in a couple more times, counting the numbers in her head. Her heartbeat slowed down and no longer crashed through her ears. 

Chaeyeon took one final long breath and opened her eyes, blinking her tears away. Seoyeon wiped the tears off her face using a spare napkin. "Feeling better now?" she asked, and Chaeyeon gave a slow nod.

Jiwoo smiled through her caged helmet. She used her gloved hand to pat Chaeyeon's head and offered her the other glove.

"Thank you..." Chaeyeon muttered, taking it.

"Hey, not to interrupt," Yooyeon interrupted, "but we need to go, now."

The girls' calm demeanors snapped back to ones of alarm at once as they quickly looked around them. "Crap," Seoyeon muttered.

Remember the part where Chaeyeon thought there were only a few of them? Well, she took that statement back.

Dozens of zombies were quickly gathering around them, coming out of their hiding spots. They were slowly surrounding them.

"Go, go!" Jiwoo urged. They all stood up and started running, and the zombies started chasing after them. Jiwoo slammed into the zombies in front of the group. They tried to bite her, but only managed to sink their teeth into her clothes and protective pads. Like she did with the zombie in the arena, she swung her stick full force into their necks, cracking them, some letting out a final screech of desperation as they fell motionless on the road.

Chaeyeon jumped over the pile of bodies Jiwoo created, slightly gagging at the stench of gore and death, closely following her friend. Yooyeon held her injured arm as she ran behind them, narrowly avoiding the hands trying to grab her from over the cars. Seoyeon was behind her, slashing at any head that got too close while trying to hold onto the large sports bag at the same time.

The four girls slalomed between the cars, staying close to the walls. Chaeyeon saw Jiwoo watch a specific alley before turning back to the group. "Everyone, in here!" She shouted out before making a beeline for it.

As Chaeyeon approached, she noticed the chain link fence blocking the alleyway. There was a slight gap between it and the wall, and she realized it was a gate. She ran as fast as she could towards it, yelling as she narrowly dodged the claw of an oncoming zombie and pushed it to the ground. 

She looked back to the front and saw Jiwoo battling yet another zombie at the gate. This one was significantly taller than her, and Jiwoo struggled as she shoved her hockey stick horizontally, blocking its mouth from coming any closer. Another zombie came from behind and clashed its teeth against her helmet.

"Jiwoo!" Chaeyeon shouted.

"Just get in the alley! There's nothing there, I think!" Jiwoo shouted back. Chaeyeon puffed out a large breath, dodging another arm and running past Jiwoo. She pushed the gate open and dashed into the alley. It was filled with dumpsters.

Panting hard, she looked behind her. Yooyeon and Seoyeon were close behind them. "Hurry up!" She yelled.

Yooyeon was first to enter, quickly running in and crashing her back against the wall, holding her arm and looking absolutely exhausted.

Seoyeon took the sports bag off her shoulder and tossed it near the gate. "Get it in!" She ordered before going to help Jiwoo. She sliced the back of the neck of the zombie gnawing away at Jiwoo's helmet with scary accuracy, severing its cervical nerve and ending it instantly. Chaeyeon and Yooyeon pulled the bag in the alley.

With one less threat to worry about, Jiwoo yelled at the top of her lungs and pushed against the jaws of the beast in front of her. Seoyeon aided her and slashed away at its leg muscle, and it stumbled and fell as Jiwoo pushed against it.

"Forget killing it!" Seoyeon breathed out. The zombies were quickly circling around them. "Just get in!"

The two dashed towards the gate and entered the alley just as an infected arrived. It managed to put an arm in between the gate as Jiwoo went to close it.

Zombies piled onto each other and starting pushing against the gate. Jiwoo struggled pushing her own weight against it. Chaeyeon and Yooyeon rushed to help her, with Chaeyeon using her gloved hand to push against the fence and Yooyeon leaning her good arm against Jiwoo. Miraculously, they managed to push against the zombies and closed the gate, and Jiwoo quickly pushed the bar handle in, locking it.

Everyone fell to the ground of the narrow alley as they panted from the run, Jiwoo letting out a small chuckle. She leaned her head against the alley wall, and they all watched as the horde of infected clanged against the chain fence, the handle rattling.

Seoyeon's chest rose and fell as she tried to readjust her pulse back to normal. She regretted not going to the gym with Shion whenever she suggested it, having run on pure adrenaline during the altercation, and her lack of cardio was showing as her throat felt tight and she closed her eyes and groaned.

She snapped them back open when she heard someone run behind her. She quickly spun around and saw a panicked woman with mangled clothes running towards her. She put her arms up weakly, having lost most of her energy.

The woman grabbed her by her arms and pushed her against the wall, next to a ladder leading to the top of a building. She yelled out, "Please, you have to help me!" She shook Seoyeon, whose eyes were widened as she dropped her knife. "I was hiding from these people behind the dumpster. One of them bit me on the shoulder!"

Seoyeon's heart dropped as she looked at the woman's shoulder. The wound was black. Jiwoo quickly stood up behind her. "When was that?"

The woman looked at her. "I- I don't know. Maybe a couple hours ago?" She turned back to Seoyeon. Blue veins crawled up her face. "Please, help me! Hel-"

The woman suddenly groaned and opened her jaw wide. Her eyes became hollow, and her grip on Seoyeon's arms tightened threefold. She stared at Seoyeon, the latter struggling to push her away.

"Shit-" Jiwoo was about to run to them when she heard the snap of metal behind her.

"They're opening the gate!" Chaeyeon yelled out. The infected had managed to break the handle and were trying to push in, with Chaeyeon and Yooyeon desperately pushing back against them.

Jiwoo looked at the gate, then at Seoyeon. She looked at Yooyeon. Yooyeon gestured at the gate with wide eyes. "If they get through, none of us will make it out!"

She cursed again before running to help with the fence, leaving Seoyeon alone.

Seoyeon held her breath as the woman closed her face in. Their noses touched. Seoyeon's eyes trembled, looking back and forth between the infected's black orbs. It breathed heavily in her face. The sound of the gate creasing against the floor echoed in her ears. Her heart pounded in her chest.

The woman stretched her mouth and tilted sideways. Seoyeon shut her eyes tight.

She heard something hiss through the air, then sheath into something in front of her. The grip on her arms had been released.

Seoyeon opened her eyes and gasped for breath. An arrow had entered the woman's skull directly from the top. She looked around, confused.

"Hey!" A voice sounded from above. She looked up and saw a woman looking down at her from the top of the building.

"Yubin?!" Jiwoo shouted at the stranger.

"Use the ladder, quick!" Yubin shouted back. Another arrow flew towards the gate and impaled the large infected in the head. It fell and the other zombies tripped over it.

Seoyeon hastily pulled the arrow out of the dead woman and started climbing the ladder. She avoided looking down, her will to live overpowering her fear of heights.

"Chaeyeon, you go!" Jiwoo ordered. Chaeyeon gasped and nodded, taking the sports bag with her and leaving the two holding the gate. "You too, Yooyeon."

With a frown and a nod, Yooyeon sent Jiwoo a grateful look before leaving her to push against the infected alone. 

Missing two other people, the zombies made quick work of opening the gate. Arms clawed at the wall as they tried to get in, stumbling over the corpse of the one that had been shot. Jiwoo waited for the final moment before giving the gate a final kick and running towards the ladder.

In an instant, the infected broke in, running after her. They stumbled on the woman's corpse but were unrelenting. Jiwoo was only a few feet in the air when she felt an arm grab at her foot, trying to pull her down. With her hockey stick, she slammed the end of it repeatedly into the hand, breaking the wrist. It let go of her leg and she kept moving up.

From above, Yooyeon moved slowly, only having one arm to pull herself up. She huffed and tried using her right hand, but a jolt of pain shot through her arm as she grabbed onto the ladder and her foot slipped. She would've fallen if Jiwoo hadn't supported her back with her hockey stick.

"Take your time," the athlete spoke.

"They're climbing the ladder!" Yubin yelled above them.

"Oh you gotta be kidding me," Jiwoo scowled, looking down. The infected had managed to climb a few steps up. 

Yooyeon held in a curse and went up as fast as she could with Jiwoo holding onto her, and when she reached the top, she felt several hands pulling her in. Jiwoo tossed her hockey stick to the top of the roof before pulling herself up and stumbling onto the ground, panting. 

"Do we have to run away again?" Chaeyeon asked through uneven breaths, leaning forward.

Jiwoo took her helmet off and looked down. About halfway through the ladder, the infected would slip and fall back down one after the other. After some time, they stopped trying to climb and resorted to clawing at the wall.

"No. We're good," Jiwoo breathed out in relief. "We got away."

The shoe store's back room was nearly pitch black. The lights were not working. Xinyu, having blindly changed into socks and some random sneakers of her size, watched Sohyun's silhouette moving in the dark.

The moment the people had started running at them, Sohyun had quickly guided them into the shoe store next to them. Making sure the place was empty, she had then blocked the door with a rack and a few benches, and told Xinyu to move to the back. On the way, the fashionista grabbed a random pair of socks.

Xinyu could hear the incessant banging on the room's door. At some point during the night, she heard the sound of glass shattering and Sohyun quickly blocked it with all the shelves in the room. She could see the light of day faintly pass through the gaps as the infected's shadows moved.

Sohyun had climbed on top of the shelves to reach the room's ceiling. She pushed against the tiles, hoping to press against them hard enough so they would open up.

"Are you sure you don't want my phone's flashlight?" her client asked once more while laying on her back. The bodyguard had been going at it for the past half-hour or so. Her plan was to reach the roof and scan the area. There was a back door in their room, but Sohyun had to make sure nothing was there before going through it.

"Absolutely not. With the power down, we need to do as much as we can to conserve phone battery." Sohyun said as she banged a fist against the roof, and it rose against her hand. She quickly pushed both hands against the location and slid the large panel across, creating a gap in the ceiling.

Xinyu sat up. "That actually worked?"

"Ceilings are sometimes removable. I was gambling on that," Sohyun replied.

"I really feel like you could've figured that out easier if you had a flashlight to help you."

"Perhaps." Sohyun patted the area in the hole she created. "I'll be back." She announced before hoisting herself up and disappearing in between the gaps.

Xinyu sighed and lay back down, wincing as she leaned her head against a shoe box. It was the most uncomfortable sleep she ever had. Xinyu was used to sleeping in king sized beds with fluffy covers, not on hard floors with a makeshift pillow made out of a cardboard box with the covers also being made out of cardboard boxes. 

She tossed and turned for several minutes, hearing the soft rhythmic pounding of the roof tiles. She jumped as she heard a thud.

"I'm just grabbing a few shoe boxes." Sohyun stated.

"For what?"

"Distraction," she said before going back up.

The fashionista huffed. Even after a decade of knowing Sohyun, there were some things she simply couldn't figure out. She would act concerned for Xinyu, but then would go back to being short with her. It left Xinyu impatient. She wondered if there was any way to get closer that she hadn't tried. Hell, they even made out in her closet before, but then the next day Sohyun went back to acting professional with her.

Xinyu brought her fingers to her lips and sighed. She rolled to her side and watched the shadows move. Her heartbeat jumped every time she heard the doorknob turn, but ultimately, they could not push through the countless metal shelves. Eventually, there was a lot less movement and banging on the door. Xinyu guessed Sohyun's distraction plan worked.

Another thud came from the ceiling. Sohyun looked down at her. "Coast is clear." She said before smoothly jumping down the shelf. She looked around. "...You can use your flashlight."

Xinyu grinned, "I knew you'd give in," she teased before illuminating the room.

Chaeyeon ran into Yubin's arms, giving her a bone-crushing hug. "I cannot emphasize how much I'm happy to see you right now," she practically sobbed in her friend's arms.

"It's good to see you too, unnie." Yubin hugged back with similar force. "I was so stressed when I was looking at you guys running from the horde." She saw Jiwoo approach them and extended an arm. Jiwoo let out a loud groan at the sky before running into their hug.

"There's literally no way we should've made it out alive," the hockey player exhaled into Yubin's neck. Her friend ruffled her hair. 

Seoyeon looked dazed, sitting back against an outer vent. She watched as the clouds slowly passed by in the sunny sky. She had a vice grip on the arrow that had saved her life.

Yooyeon sat down next to her. "That was a close call," she started, holding her arm. Seoyeon nodded wordlessly, the image of the infected woman about to bite her face off replaying in her mind.

"Hey." The scientist nudged her. Seoyeon blinked then turned towards her. "You alright?"

The nurse sighed. "As good as I can be after almost dying a gruesome death." She chuckled. 

Yooyeon smiled with her. "I guess I should apologize for that to some extent. Told Jiwoo to help us instead of you."

Seoyeon shook her head. "No, I get it. If she didn't help, we'd all be done for. I'm just grateful for this arrow for saving my life." She raised the arrow for Yooyeon to see. Yooyeon frowned.

"Who shot it?"

Seoyeon frowned in turn. She stood up and looked around. The trio of friends was still hugging, but there was no bow where Yubin stood or anywhere near her. She spun on her feet, trying to find the cause for saving her life.

On the other side of the roof stood a girl with tied up hair who was leaning against the wall of the apartment's internal stairs. She wore a black jacket over a school shirt that looked like it hadn't been ironed out in months, and the academic skirt was replaced by baggy black cargo pants. She had her arms crossed with her head looking away. She had a crossbow on her back with a few small arrows attached to it.

The purple bow she had used was also leaning against the wall, along with a black quiver filled with a couple dozen arrows. 

Seoyeon found the person strange, so she decided to walk towards the trio first, Yooyeon following from behind. They had finally separated from their group hug, and judging by Chaeyeon's enthusiastic hand movements, she was explaining everything that happened to them. She heard their conversation as she approached them.

"And you know- thank goodness you saved our asses- wait. How did you even know we were there?"

"Oh, I tracked your location," Yubin told her, showing off her phone. She noticed Seoyeon and gave her a small smile. "Hi, I'm Gong Yubin."

Seoyeon smiled back and extended an arm, which Yubin shook. "I've heard a little about you from your friends. I'm Yoon Seoyeon. My friend's name here is Yooyeon. I'm very grateful you helped us get out of there, but uhm..."

She pointed towards the girl on the opposite side of the roof. "Who's she?"

Yubin's eyes followed her finger. Seeing the person, she sighed and scratched the back of her neck. "Her name's Hyerin. I really don't know much about her other than I found her sleeping on the roof while I was out parkouring. I went to wake her up and suddenly found a loaded up crossbow in my face. She won't tell me anything about her other than her name and age."

"She looks young." Yooyeon raised a brow. "How old is she?"

Yubin shrugged. "She told me she just turned 17 a couple months back."

"What?" Jiwoo sucked in a breath through her teeth. "What's a high school kid doing handling weapons and sleeping on roofs?" she whispered.

The girl suddenly turned in their direction, her large eyes boring into them as if she knew they were talking about her. Seoyeon's eyes widened.

"What, do you know her?" Chaeyeon asked, looking back and forth at Seoyeon and Hyerin.

"I'm not sure... Maybe if I can get a better look..." The nurse replied before taking a step towards the girl. She frowned suddenly remembering something. "Check if you have any bites or injuries, by the way," she voiced out to the others who swiftly started patting themselves down.

Seoyeon walked up to Hyerin, who observed her the entire way with a careful stare. She gulped under her scrutiny and raised her hand at hip-level to show her the arrow.

"Uhm, I took this back from the woman," she started. "Sorry we couldn't retrieve the other one."

Hyerin gave a curt nod before taking back the arrow, cleaning the head with a napkin before putting it back into the quiver.

Seoyeon scrunched her nose, not knowing what to say. She didn't want to alarm the girl. "So, uhm, Yubin told me you were sleeping on the roof. I just- Why?" She pressed her lips into a thin line. Good job, Seoyeon, very smooth.

Hyerin counted the arrows in her quiver. "It's not really any of your business," she carefully responded.

"Well, I mean- I..." Seoyeon let out a nervous cough. She decided to just bow. "Thank you for saving my life. I won't forget it."

"You know who I am." Hyerin deadpanned.

Shit. Seoyeon quickly lifted herself back up. "I wouldn't say I know who you are... I just heard of you."

Hyerin frowned. "From who? The police?"

"Look-" Seoyeon put her hands up. "I really just wanted to thank you for saving me. I won't tell anyone anything, if that's what you want-"

Holsting the quiver onto her back, Hyerin walked past her. "That is what I want."

Seoyeon stared at the wall for several seconds, genuinely speechless.

Turning around, she saw Hyerin had joined the others. They all focused on her as she spoke, and she ran to join the group.

"It's still the middle of the day. I say we can keep moving a little," Hyerin said.

"To be honest, kid, after everything that happened today, I just want to take a long twenty hour nap," Chaeyeon replied. 

"Plus," Jiwoo followed, giving Chaeyeon a warning stare, "I don't think we can really move out if we're on a roof."

Yubin kicked a leg out. "Usually, I'd just jump to the next building, but I don't think you guys can do that."

Seoyeon crossed her arms. She avoided looking directly at Hyerin. "Are the stairs accessible?"

Yubin shook her head. "It's locked. Plus, there's a bunch of them in there waiting for someone to open the door."

"We need to come up with a new plan." Yooyeon said, locking eyes with Seoyeon. The nurse nodded.

She hummed, holding her chin with the back of her hand. Her eyes trailed towards the building across them. It also had roof stairs. 

"Yubin," she called out, pointing at the structure, "can you make that jump?"

Yubin looked back and smirked. "Of course I can. That's easy work."

"It would be really funny if you said that and fell," Jiwoo remarked.

"Shut up."

Seoyeon nodded. "Okay. Could you go there and check out the inside?"

"I can do that." Yubin blinked. "What's the plan?"

Seoyeon looked back down at the alley, gulping down her vertigo. Amidst the angry bodies was an exit door for the other building, but there was no outside handle. 

"We'll distract the people at the bottom and make them move somewhere else. Hyerin can shoot down any stray infected. We can block the gate using one of the dumpsters. Yubin's going to go through from the roof, down the building, and open the door to let us in."

"Woah woah woah woah," Chaeyeon interrupted, drawing a big X in front of her with her arms. "I am NOT letting my best friend Yubin go there alone. Someone else gotta go, too."

Jiwoo raised her hand. "I'll go."

"Would be funny if you said that and fell." Yubin smirked and Jiwoo socked her in the arm.

Chaeyeon threw her hands up. "Okay, now both of my best friends are going. Next, you're going to tell me to be the distraction."

Seoyeon gave her a look.

"Yeah, okay I should've seen that coming." She deadpanned. "But, uhm, can we eat first?"

The duo moved silently through the outer area of the shopping district, where the common stores lined up messily in contrast to the neatly organized high class. 

Xinyu flicked a stray piece of burnt paper off her shoulder as she waited in the corner of the block for Sohyun to send the green light. She flinched as she heard the nearby cracking of bones.

Sohyun came back, adjusting her gloves. "Coast is clear," she muttered. "Let's go."

Xinyu rolled her eyes and followed. She turned the corner and was greeted by a large number of bodies. Looking down to make sure she didn't step on anything that made noise, she whispered, "I feel like I heard far less necks breaking than there are bodies on the floor."

Sohyun did not respond, but Xinyu knew she thought the same from her careful movements and constant head turning.

The bodyguard stepped over a dead body, looking oddly at it. Xinyu did the same, holding her breath from the stench. Its head had odd circular dents in it, as if someone hit it repeatedly with rings, and its body was lathered with slashes. Sohyun did not have any rings, nor a knife. 

Not even a few meters ahead laid another body. Sohyun stopped to look at it. Xinyu stood beside her. This one had fewer knife marks but received double the blunt force trauma to the head.

Sohyun poked its head a few times and her eyes widened. It moved seamlessly and fresh blood leaked out of its cracked skull. She quickly grabbed Xinyu's arm and dragged her into a tanghulu shop.

Xinyu's face heated up as Sohyun pressed herself against her body. She put a finger to her lips and looked out to the road. "They're still here," she whispered.

Who? Xinyu mouthed. Sohyun shook her head. She pushed her further into the shop when she heard the faint sound of footsteps and hid them behind the large display of tanghulu candies. Crouching, Xinyu took one of the candies on a stick, ignoring Sohyun's deadpan stare.

"What, I haven't eaten anything this morning," she reasoned. She took another stick and handed it to her bodyguard. "Have one too."

Sohyun was about to protest, but realized she hadn't eaten anything either. Plus, the tanghulu looked good and she hadn't had one in over a decade. She resigned and took the stick, much to Xinyu's satisfaction as the fashionista bit into her own with a resounding crunch.

A growl sounded from inside the shop. Xinyu stopped chewing and looked to the side. An old man with whitening hair and a red apron slouched out from the back of the store. A large chunk of flesh was ripped out of the left side of his body. His hollow eyes spotted the two of them and immediately rushed towards them, knocking over several metal pans that clanged loudly as they fell.

Sohyun looked at her tanghulu, then back at the man with a frown. She bit into the candy, holding it in between her teeth, and sent her right leg up, hitting him directly under the chin with the back of her heel as she supported herself with her forearms. As his head wobbled from the impact, her foot came back down and she used it to spin 90º to the right, giving another kick to the man's right side of the body using the front of her left leather shoe, with only her right elbow supporting her weight on the floor. The kick caused the infected man to stumble to the floor.

Her left foot came down and she used it to spin back all the way around and stand back up. She ripped the stick out of her mouth, and as the man stood back up, she brought her arm back, and, in a haymaker motion, she stabbed the candy-less stick into the center of his skull. He wobbled and fell back down, blood leaking all over the floor.

The bodyguard chewed on the candy, humming in satisfaction. The candy was sweet with a hint of sour, and she enjoyed the strawberries.

"This is good," she admitted. She looked back towards Xinyu, who wasn't even close to finishing her snack. She instead looked at Sohyun with stars in her eyes, completely ignoring the part where the bodyguard killed the owner of the shop with his own creation.

Sohyun looked around, shook her head and extended an arm towards her client. "We made too much noise. We need to go-"

Sohyun instantly shut her mouth and crouched as a figure entered her peripheral. She motioned Xinyu to lay low while she did the same. She watched the figure through the display with one eye and held her breath as they slowly stepped into the shop.

A tall and relatively lean female figure walked closer to them. Her large deep sea blue cap covered her eyes, and her long hair was tucked behind her ears. She wore an open black bomber jacket over her cadet blue sports bra with black cargo pants and tall combat boots.

The woman stopped right in front of the display, and Sohyun ducked her head. She slowly backed away to the counter and carefully stood back up into a crouching position. 

Trying to look over the counter, she did not realize Xinyu was viciously shaking her head with wide eyes. When she saw the person had disappeared at the front, it was too late, and the tip of a sharp knife pressed against her throat.

"Okay you three, remember the plan. Chaeyeon is going to yell at the top of her lungs on the other side of the building. When you see the alleged zombies run the other way, you're going to jump over to the next building and go through the door. Hyerin's going to shoot down the remaining infected and she and I will go down to block the alley. Hopefully, the scream is going to attract whoever's in that building so you have an easier time getting past them."

It was evening. The trio looked at Seoyeon with eyes full of determination, and with the meal and short rest they had, their confidence had doubled. Yubin was in Jiwoo's hockey uniform, reasoning that she had the higher chance of making the jump with the added weight.

Hyerin looked down from the roof with her bow ready in her hands. "Are you sure screaming will draw them in?"

"It's a hypothesis," Yooyeon replied. "It does seem like their auditory processing is still functional, and this is to test how effective their hearing is, along with helping us leave the roof."

"Okay..." Hyerin squinted at the overly intellectual wording. "Is she always like this?"

"She's a scientist," Seoyeon explained.

"I'm sure."

"You'll get used to it." Seoyeon sighed. She clapped her hands together. "Okay, everyone! Get into your positions."

Chaeyeon nodded. She gave both her friends a hug and a peck on the cheek before running to the other side of the building. Yubin and Jiwoo backed a significant distance away from the edge of the roof and got into a running position.

"Hey," Jiwoo breathed, turning to her friend.

"What's up?"

"Remember when we used to do this together all the time in middle school? Before Chaeyeon?" the athlete asked with a nostalgic smile.

"Yeah." Yubin chuckled. "The hockey coaches would scold you for getting scratches and bruises everywhere. You'd get mad whenever you fell on the ice and got hurt, and then you had to sit out practice."

"Three!" Seoyeon's voice shouted in the distance.

Jiwoo sighed with a grin. "Things were so much simpler back then."

Yubin nudged her friend. "Hey, but now you're the star player of the national hockey team, and you get to impress your girl."

"Two!"

Jiwoo scoffed, a blush creeping up her face. "She's not my girl. I'd do anything for you, too."

"I'm just teasing, I know you would." Yubin laughed.

"One!"

"Hey," Yubin said, lifting the helmet's visor.

"Hm?"

"Us three. We all make this shitshow of an apocalypse out alive."

Jiwoo smirked and shook her head. "No shit. Thought that was the plan all along."

"Go!"

With a foot on the upper edge of the roof. Chaeyeon yelled out as loud as she could, "YOU'LL NEVER GET US!!"

Hyerin watched as the infected instantly stopped clawing at the wall and ran back outside the gate. Only a couple lingered around, having spotted her from the top of the roof. She stretched her bow, aimed, and shot them down one by one.

"Okay, your turn!" Seoyeon announced to the runners.

The duo took off at impressive speeds. As they reached the edge of the roof, they stepped over the upper edge and leaped. Their silhouettes were highlighted by the setting sun as they flew in slow-motion. Jiwoo grinned. She felt like a kid again.

The moment was over as soon as it had begun, and Jiwoo tumbled smoothly onto the next roof. Yubin landed beside her just as cleanly, even under all the gear. The traceuse raised an eyebrow at her and smirked.

Jiwoo sighed. "All right, give me my stuff back," she ordered with a smile.

"Okay, they're across. Let's go." Seoyeon moved to the edge and gulped as she looked down the ladder. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "It's just nerves," she whispered to herself.

"I'll go first." Hyerin said, climbing down with no hesitation.

Seoyeon huffed. "See? Even the kid does it effortlessly, so you can too!" She hyped herself up and let out another exhale. In the distance, Chaeyeon yelled again.

The nurse felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Nervous?" Yooyeon asked.

Seoyeon clicked her tongue. "I literally just survived running away from 'zombies' and now I can't even climb down the ladder when it was my own plan." She scowled.

"You know the fear is irrational."

"Of course I do! I'm a medical intern!" She scoffed. "And I wouldn't say irrational, I think being afraid to fall and break all of my bones is very rational."

Yooyeon hummed. "I don't have any intense fear, but what I would suggest you do is to just not care."

"Not care?"

"About falling. Life's life, you know? Whatever happens, happens."

Seoyeon creased her eyebrows together. "Uhm, okay, thanks?" she said with a hesitant smile.

Yooyeon gave a rare smile. "Anytime."

Seoyeon turned back and inhaled. I am never getting another therapy session from her, that's for sure. Still, looking down the ladder with Hyerin already at the bottom and closing the gate, she tried out the technique, nonetheless.

She closed her eyes. I don't care. I don't care if I fall, I don't care if I die, whatever happens, happens.

She exhaled, and slowly went down the ladder. She repeated I don't care, I don't care in her head like a mantra until she finally hit solid land. Seoyeon let go of the breath she was holding and raised two victorious fists up. From above, Yooyeon raised her own.

"Uhm, can you help me with this?"

Seoyeon snapped back to their current plan. Hyerin had two hands against a dumpster, ready to push. She shot her an unimpressed look.

"Ah, yeah! Sorry!" Seoyeon quickly apologized, picking up the knife she had previously dropped off the ground and joining her.

Yooyeon analyzed the alley Chaeyeon had baited them all in. More infected were still running towards the noise, and Yooyeon was surprised to see some running up from a couple hundred meters away, minus the height of the building.

"That is definitely more than the usual range..." The scientist observed. Chaeyeon started singing a random song by this point. 

"FANCY! YOooOUu-"

Yooyeon looked at her funny before shaking her head and going back to the alley. She looked down and was pleased to see the two at the bottom had pushed two dumpsters horizontally in front of the gate and were on their third one.

She then turned her head towards the building. A few alleged zombies were clawing at the bottom windows, while the top ones had nothing. Yooyeon assumed the athletic duo were doing quick work.

"I don't know what to tell you Jiwoo, but I don't wanna do this anymore!" Yubin sobbed as she narrowly evaded an infected from biting her arm.

Jiwoo slammed the end of her hockey stick into its neck. "You're doing great!" She whisper-shouted.

"I'm really not built for this!!" She stabbed an infected in the eye with a spare screwdriver she had found on the roof, then stabbed it again in the forehead. The infected dropped dead.

"It'll be fine! Now would you keep quiet!" Jiwoo hissed before moving slowly down the metal steps. The stairs of the apartment complex they had entered led directly to every hallway on each floor. Any stray infected Chaeyeon was unable to attract with her yelling, the duo had to battle out. Yubin's unnecessary shouting added a level of danger to their mission.

Jiwoo held a finger up as they reached the next floor. It had an exorbitant amount of infected clawing against the window at the end of the hallway.

"We skipping this one?" Yubin whispered.

"Yeah."

The fifth and final dumpster pushed against the gate, Seoyeon sighed in satisfaction and wiped away the sweat on her forehead. Shion would be proud at the workout she just did. She made a mental note to call her tonight.

Unbothered, Hyerin climbed back up the ladder after collecting her arrows.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna jump over the next building and help." Hyerin explained. Both heard the distant scream of Chaeyeon.

"Can you tell her she can stop yelling?"

"Okay. Maybe we shouldn't have skipped that one."

The duo was on the final floor. They desperately fended off the ones on the current floor while the ones from a few floors above caused cacophony as they stumbled down the metallic stairs and made their way towards them.

Yubin stabbed another zombie in the temple. She looked around wildly as adrenaline ran through her veins. The sound of metal was getting louder.

"I think we're done for!"

"No, we're not!" Jiwoo grunted, kicking down the infected in front of her before smashing its head in. 

Immediately, she moved on to the next, swinging her hockey stick full force into its neck, snapping it. She rammed her body into the next one, slamming it against the wall and pushing it down before furiously smashing her foot into its head until she heard the disgusting crack of its skull. There were still a few zombies on the floor.

"Shit." Yubin whispered as she stared at the athlete. "You can't one-up me like that." She grinned an insane grin. 

With her sole screwdriver, she ran up to where Jiwoo was before lying low and sliding between an infected's legs, stabbing it in the calf as it tried to swipe her. She quickly stood back up behind it and stabbed the back of its neck when it kneeled down. She did a quick 180 and impaled the very next one in its throat, its blood splashing all over Yubin's clothes.

Yubin burst out laughing. It was the insane type of laugh.

Jiwoo stopped her fighting to look at her friend while the infected she was battling bit at her helmet. "Dude." She spoke. "This is why I always said you needed a damn therapist." With her gloved hand, she pushed the final zombie of the current floor away, smacked her stick into its leg with a crack, and then jammed the end of it into its skull.

Jiwoo panted, looking down at the bodies. Her ear twitched at the sound of incoming footsteps. She turned around and cursed aloud as a zombie from the next horde jumped on her. She put the stick against its teeth as it gnawed away. 

Yubin had stopped laughing and was yelling once again as the squelching of meat was heard. Jiwoo thanked the lord she was fully protected by her hockey uniform as the infected unsuccessfully bit into her shin guards and shoulder pads.

Beneath all the mixed noises of yelling and grunting was the whizz of an arrow and the sound of it hitting its target. 

Jiwoo looked in between the mess of limbs to see Hyerin loading up her bow and aiming for a few seconds before shooting the next target. Reinvigorated by the appearance of their savior, Jiwoo let a hand go from her hockey stick, making the infected man smack its head against her helmet. She pushed it off of her and crawled back, the others slipping off her protective gear. Holding the zombie she previously pushed off with her stick, Jiwoo quickly stood back up as another one of Hyerin's arrows hit its target in the head.

One had noticed Hyerin and ran towards her, but she quickly switched out her weapon to the crossbow and shot it in the skull. "Eight left!" She shouted out.

"Eight?" Yubin repeated. She grinned. "That's my lucky number." Being covered from head to toe in blood and gore, the aggressive opponents had some difficulty discerning her from the other zombies, so she had an easier time shoving the end of her now blunt screwdriver into their skulls. She easily took down three of them while swinging her weapon around wildly as they swiped the air in genuine confusion.

"Your friend's crazy, I hope you know that." A slightly afraid Hyerin approached Jiwoo, pulling the arrows out of her victim's heads after taking down three zombies of her own. The final two infected were busy playing "Find the Yubin."

They lost. 

Yubin cackled like a madman.

Jiwoo put her damaged hockey stick against the wall and took off her helmet. "Yeah." She breathed out. "I can see that."

The athlete and the archer approached Yubin who was kicking the dead bodies on the floor. She turned back towards the two. "Oh, hey guys!" She panted and offered a crooked smile.

Jiwoo smacked the back of her head. "Pull yourself together. This isn't cute." She scolded. Yubin blinked twice, her smile instantly wiped off her face.

She scrunched her nose and held down a gag at the smell. Hyerin walked by with wide eyes, hesitating to even look at the traceuse. 

As the two walked away to find the exit door, Jiwoo pointed a finger at her friend. "Also, take a shower. You're disgusting."

Chaeyeon crashed onto the apartment's bed. "Bed," she weakly croaked out with a grin, having just come out from the shower.

Much to the group's satisfaction, they found out that the water was still running and enjoyed it while it lasted. They were also pleasantly surprised to find that the apartment room Yubin had decided to raid had clothes that fit them, albeit they were a little small on Jiwoo.

Yubin, with a fresh set of clothing and a cleared mind, was sleeping soundly on the bed beside Chaeyeon. Jiwoo sat on the pink gaming chair next to them as she patched up her hockey stick after cleaning it with a wet towel. It was severely damaged from the countless fights she had, and she doubted it would last much longer.

"You guys cleared out the entire apartment?" Seoyeon asked with a frown.

"Well, yeah wasn't that the plan?"

Yooyeon intercepted. "The plan was to get past them. There was no wiping everyone out."

"Oh."

Seoyeon had pulled out the items in the sports and tote bag, calculating how long the rations would last. It was Hyerin's turn in the shower. Yooyeon opened the cabinets and drawers, finding countless amounts of cup ramen.

She opened the drawer of the bedside table. "Uhm..."

Seoyeon looked over. "What is it?"

Yooyeon pulled out a custom pink, nearly coral colored assault rifle with several stickers on it. Everyone's jaws dropped.

"Who just has a gun in Korea?" Seoyeon stood and hastily approached her with wide eyes. Jiwoo looked at her hockey stick and sighed.

The scientist picked up the large box of ammunition beside it. "I don't know," she turned towards them, "but we just struck gold."

"Hey Shion, it's Seoyeon again. You're not speaking, but from the fact that you picked up, I believe you are alive. We have moved out of the arena, and our main goal is to get to Jeju. We're moving South-East, staying close to the roads and avoiding the big cities if we can. Don't cross through the Han River unless you absolutely have to. I don't know where you are right now, but I hope by telling you where we're going, you can follow our path, and we can meet again. Stay safe.

Oh, and before I forget; We have a gun! An entire rifle! Isn't that crazy? I don't know much about guns, but that's crazy. Haha. Alright, goodnight, Shion."

The call ended with a buzz. A hand swiped the phone off the arena's bench.  

Chapter Text

Sohyun exhaled through her mouth. The tip of the knife was like ice under her chin, and its reflection highlighted the stranger's sharp jawline. 

"Let her go." Xinyu pleaded. She tried getting up, but the stranger pressed the tip into Sohyun's neck, drawing a drop of blood. 

"Don't move." A soft voice commanded next to Sohyun's ear. 

"What do you even want from us?" 

The stranger did not answer. 

Sohyun inhaled calmly. "I believe this is all a big misunderstanding." Her lips moved slowly so as to not dig the knife deeper into her skin. 

"Is it? Causing such a ruckus, do you want to kill us all?" She stressed. 

The bodyguard clenched and unclenched her fists. "You don't have the entire story. Let us explain first." 

The knife drew in even closer. "Were you bitten?" 

"No." 

Xinyu put her hand up. "Look. You're on very high alert right now, and that may cause you to act more... brashly. That is completely understandable but believe us when we say we aren't a threat. The bigger problem is that any time, more of those hysterical people could come, and then we'd all be dead. Please, put down the knife."

Good job deescalating the situation, Xinyu, Sohyun commended in her head with a small smirk. The stranger's breath blew into her ear as she ever so slightly lowered the knife. 

Sohyun jumped at the opportunity.

The bodyguard slammed a backwards palm against the woman's abdomen, pushing her back. She bumped against the table and another metal tray clattered loudly on the ceramic floor. Sohyun spun around and grabbed at the person's left arm and put it behind her back. She tried to grab at the knife, but the woman recovered from the surprise attack, smacking Sohyun's forearm away with the butt of the knife before launching it forward and stopping right between her eyes. The two women glared at each other as their bodies were pressed together. 

No one had time to exchange threats. From behind, Sohyun heard,

"They're here." 

Growls and moans drew closer as she counted at least a dozen footsteps. The two fighters glanced at the commotion outside and saw as several infected were running down the road in the distance. Sohyun had to make her speech quick. 

"Listen. Whatever you want with us, it doesn't take priority over your own life being at risk." Sohyun whispered, looking at the woman dead in the eyes and pressing her head against the tip of the knife. "Are you going to kill us and try to fend all of them off by yourself, or do we set aside our differences, whatever they're supposed to be, and get through this together?" 

The taller woman looked down into her cold stare with her cat-like eyes. She huffed, relenting, and dropped the knife into Sohyun's hands before pulling out a pair of silver brass knuckles. 

Scrutinizing the weapons, Sohyun figured that was how the corpses had dents in their heads. 

Xinyu watched as the two women stepped outside. "I'll stay here! I don't want to get in the way," she half-lied. She did, in fact, not want to get in their way, but she also didn't want to die. Plus, it was a spectacle to watch with free snacks at her disposal. 

Muttering a small apology towards the dead owner in the corner of the room, she bit into her snack. 

Her style was undeniably one of a street fighter. 

Slashing methodically through her own assailants, Sohyun observed the woman's techniques. She favored using her fists for combat, only kicking when she was absolutely sure she could get a clean shot on her opponent and would always kick at their side to send them to the floor. Like in boxing, she would use compound attacks, striking twice or more in a row to overwhelm her opponent. 

After stabbing an infected in the abdomen and kicking it away, Sohyun watched the woman link a left jab right into the enemy's eye followed by a right hook directly into its temple and she heard the crack of its cranium. 

A groan snapped Sohyun out of her distraction and she grabbed the next opponent by the neck. It forcefully pushed against her and grabbed onto the arm that was holding it. She skidded back an inch at its sheer force, feeling her shoes cause friction against the brick street. 

Another one appeared on her right. She kicked it away, but it immediately recovered and ran towards her again. A growl came from behind as footsteps quickly approached. Focused on the one on her right, Sohyun blindly sent a high backwards kick, hoping to hit her target. Her shoe landed, and by the sound of choking, she assumed she had hit its neck.  

Without a break, Sohyun sheathed the knife into the infected's throat right as its face was inches away from hers. She twisted it sideways, and threw her arm back, slashing open half its neck and kicking it away once again. The head dangled off the neck as it crumpled to the floor. 

The infected grabbing her arm pushed her further down the street, looking down and trying to bite at her gloved hand. Sohyun grit her teeth and dug her fingers into its neck, choking it out. Its airway blocked, the infected desperately clawed away at her arm. She felt the pain of its fingers pressing hard into her muscles, and for a moment, Sohyun thought she saw fear in its eyes. 

With her foe weakened, Sohyun did a 180 spin, blocking the previous infected charging behind her. She stabbed the first one in its forehead before releasing her death grip on its neck and kicking it down, bringing the other to the floor with it. 

She had no time to rest, as another pair swarmed at her from both sides. In the distance, even more were coming. 

"There's too many of them! We need to retreat!" Sohyun yelled out at her counterpart, who was now also struggling to keep up. She repeatedly beat down an infected in the head before quickly spinning around and sending an uppercut up another one's chin. Sohyun saw she was losing her strength as the creature didn't even register the hit and rushed back at her. She barely had time to duck its swing before narrowly dodging the incoming grasp of a new challenger. 

Sohyun deftly spun in a 360, slashing both her opponents necks. The cuts weren't deep enough, as they kept charging at her, with an added one running at her. 

The bodyguard was nearing her limit. She huffed as she spun the knife around into a reverse grip for more power and sunk it into one of the pair's forehead. She retrieved the weapon before dropping to the floor and rolling to the side to dodge an incoming bite. She slowly stood back up, but something grabbed at her ankle and yanked, sending her back down to the floor. She briefly looked back to see that it was the infected buried under the corpse of her earlier kill. It tried to lift itself from the body, trying to bite at her calf. 

Sohyun's heartbeat rose for the first time in a while as she tried to pry herself away from the strong grip. The others leaned down to bite at her, and she quickly and messily stabbed each of them in the temple while pushing them away with her other hand. 

"Cut its wrist!" The woman ran towards her while being chased by countless more infected. 

Sohyun cursed under her breath at missing something so obvious. She twisted the knife back into a normal grip and turned to slash its wrist, disconnecting the tendon and muscles. The infected released its grip. 

The woman grabbed Sohyun by her suit, pulling her up with her remaining force. "Through the shop's back door, go!" She pushed the bodyguard forward and the fighters made a mad dash for it. 

Xinyu, who was watching with eyes filled with worry, understood the message and ran to the back of the shop. She twisted the doorknob quietly and opened a small gap in the door to not alarm anything that could be on the other side. 

Sohyun stumbled into the shop, narrowly avoiding the corners of the counters and tables, jumping over the owner's corpse before slamming the door open. Xinyu quickly followed behind her, tailed closely by their new ally who was being chased by so many infected they filled up the shop. 

The moment she crossed the door, Xinyu slammed the door closed. Not even a split second later, they heard loud banging on the door. 

The woman grabbed Xinyu's wrist. "No time to lose! Let's go!" She panted out and dragged her along. The trio ran away, Sohyun killing the occasional infected with her blood-covered knife. 

The glass door closed with a slam, the signal bells jingling at the top. The various infected still chasing them slammed their palms against the glass while Sohyun had her back against the door. 

"Hurry, put it in front!" The woman hastily grabbed the nearest wooden shelf of the souvenir shop stacked with paraphernalia ranging from country flags to oversized steel cutlery. She pushed it towards Sohyun who pulled it while still pushing back the door. She moved away when the shelf was inches to her face, swiftly rolling away, letting the woman put it flush against the door. The infected pushed against it, but the door stayed put. 

She let out a loud groan and dropped down, taking off her cap and ruffling her hair. Sohyun looked at the ground while panting with one hand on her hip and the other one on her racing heart. Xinyu, facing the front of the store, let out a growly sigh of relief from deeper inside the shop. 

Xinyu stopped breathing. A growly sigh? She didn't growl. 

She turned around just as an infected behind her went to grab at her long hair. She let out a loud scream of surprise and backed away as it swiped at her again. Instantly alarmed, Sohyun snapped her head towards Xinyu. 

"No-" She tried to dash to her, but had to stop and cough, clutching her chest. 

Xinyu put her hands in front of her and pushed the infected away, still screaming. She looked around wildly for any weapon and saw the cutlery on the shelf. In a flash, she put her hand out and grabbed at any of the instruments and pulled out an extra-long steel chopstick. She looked back at the approaching person and yelled as she stabbed the makeshift saber forward. The chopstick entered its eye with a squirt, and it sank all the way into its head. Blood splashed onto Xinyu's clothes as it tumbled onto the floor. 

"Oh, my goodness." Xinyu clasped her hands over her mouth. "I just killed one." She looked over her shoulder. "I just killed one on my own!" She grinned. 

"Very... impressive..." The stranger said between strained huffs with her arms on her knees. Sohyun approached her with a sunken look. 

"Did it hurt you?" she asked, taking Xinyu's arm and inspecting her. 

"No, I'm okay." Xinyu replied with a slight frown when Sohyun spun her around. "I told you, I'm fine! It didn't touch me."  

She put her hands up as Sohyun patted her down. She looked at the body, then gasped as she noticed the small splashes of blood on the front of her dress.  

Dropping her hands, she turned back around and complained, "My dress is ruined!" 

With her hands on her hips, Sohyun looked away with a sigh. Her gray suit was covered in blood and filth. The stranger wiped off the red stains on her face with her forearm after pulling up her jacket. Her exposed stomach was also splattered. Her once silver knuckles were dyed crimson. 

Xinyu wore a sheepish smile. "You know what? I think it adds personality." 

The three survivors sat on the floor in a corner of the shop away from the windows, having neatly folded flags placed under them to substitute for mats. 

The stranger sat in front of Xinyu, fiddling with her cap. The fashionista watched her carefully. Next to her, Sohyun had her knife at the ready, but she looked like she was zoning out. 

"So..." the stranger started, looking up at her. "What's your name?" 

Xinyu bit her lip. "Zhou Xinyu," she spoke. 

"Hm." The woman said. "Doesn't sound Korean." 

"I'm Chinese." 

She nodded. "Makes sense. I'm Kim Nakyoung, it's nice to meet you." She extended a hand. 

Xinyu went to shake it, but Sohyun slapped the fighter's hand away. 

"You're gonna tell us why you threatened us back at the candy shop?" she interrogated, picking the dried blood off her chin where Nakyoung had pricked her. 

Nakyoung looked at her, then at Xinyu. "She's your bodyguard or something?"  

Xinyu nodded with a small frown. Sohyun was acting oddly hostile. 

The street fighter used a white flag to wipe the blood off her abdomen. She chuckled. "Thought so. You're in a suit, and your fighting style was too clean for the streets." 

With a sigh, she added, "I apologize for the threats. You guys were right; I was acting aggressively. I was already on high alert while protecting my street, and then you dropped a bunch of metal trays on the floor." 

"Your street?" Xinyu raised an eyebrow. "Are you in some kind of gang?" 

"Oh, no. I was in a group that protected people, so I'd say I'm a protector." Nakyoung clarified. 

Sohyun scoffed, unimpressed. "A protector who swings first?" 

Nakyoung frowned, shoving her brass knuckles into her pockets after cleaning them. "What else was I supposed to do? I thought you guys were trouble. You attracted every zombie in the area!" 

The pair paused and stared at Nakyoung. 

"...Zombie?" Sohyun repeated, giving a wry smile. "You're kidding me." 

"I'm not." 

A switch flipped in Xinyu's brain. "Oh my god," she whispered.  

She turned her body towards Sohyun. "Think about it. The aggressiveness, the biting, the marks... It all makes sense!" 

Sohyun blinked, then sucked in a sharp breath and softly tossed the knife across the floor, the weapon clattering as it went. 

"Shit," she cursed, running a hand through her hair. "So, we're dealing against zombies." 

"We just thought it was mass hysteria." The fashionista added. 

With a sigh, Xinyu turned back to Nakyoung. "But, to clarify, we hid in the shop because we noticed someone was still around killing all these, uhm, zombies. The trays were thrown on the ground because there was one of them in the shop. It knocked them over as it came rushing at us." 

Nakyoung rubbed a hand over her mouth at the revelation. "Then, what I'm getting is that this was all just a big misunderstanding? Blown out of proportion by our own nerves?" 

The fashionista nodded with small shrug. Nakyoung sighed. "I'm really sorry, then. I escalated the entire situation." 

"No kidding," Sohyun remarked. Xinyu reprimanded her with a small glare and a tap of the hand. 

Nakyoung shrugged off the bodyguard's attitude. She thought for a moment, then proposed, "How about we work together? Your bodyguard- what's your name?" 

"Sohyun." Xinyu answered her. 

"Sohyun and I make a good team. We can take down a bunch of them, just with the two of us. Plus, that would mean more protection for you, y'know." 

Sohyun whipped her head towards Nakyoung. "I am perfectly capable of-" 

"Actually, would you give us a minute to think about it?" Xinyu interrupted with a large smile, standing up and dragging Sohyun away with her. 

Nakyoung waved them off with an awkward smile. She scratched her head and looked around, then stood up, deciding to take a small tour in the dark shop. 

Xinyu dragged Sohyun into the back of the store by the arm. She closed the door behind them, engulfing them in darkness. She turned her phone's flashlight on and crossed her arms with a disapproving stare. 

"Alright, what's going on with you?" 

"Nothing." Sohyun shrugged with a frown. 

Xinyu scoffed. "You don't think I didn't notice the attitude you've been having since we entered the shop?" She sighed. "Talk to me. What's going on?" 

Sohyun hesitated. "...Are we really going to team up with a person who put a knife to my neck?" She scowled, tapping her foot. 

"And then she gave you the very same weapon so you two could fight alongside each-other. As a matter of fact, you're the one who gave out the entire 'togetherness' speech, so I know that's not what you're worried about." Xinyu retorted, reading Sohyun like a book. 

Her eyes softened. "It's because you couldn't get to me in time, isn't it?" 

Sohyun turned her head away. "My sole job is to protect you, and I have failed." 

Xinyu sighed. She reached a hand to cup at Sohyun's cheek, making her face her. "Darling, you haven't failed. I'm still here, am I not?" The fashionista whispered reassuringly. "You don't have to feel inadequate. You fought for two days straight and got tired, and that's fine. Everyone gets winded. Even you, Park Sohyun." 

She added with a smile, "Plus, dealing with one myself was kind of thrilling in a good way!"

Sohyun nodded. Xinyu thought she saw the corner of her lips turn upwards, but Sohyun put her professional look back on, her usual cold eyes boring into Xinyu. 

"You're right. It was simply an unfortunate incident. I will see to it that this does not happen again," she said, void of any expression. "Let's go back." 

Xinyu reached a hand out. "Wait-" 

But Sohyun had already opened the door and left. 

Sohyun walked back to the store corner. Nakyoung was sitting in her spot, furiously gulping down a water bottle. Next to her, a large souvenir bag with the South Korean flag was filled to the brim with various snacks and drinks that were exclusive to the country. 

After swallowing the last drop, Nakyoung crushed the plastic bottle between her hands and tossed it to the side. She noticed Sohyun watching her as she wiped the excess off her chin and tossed her another bottle. Sohyun caught it effortlessly. 

"Drink it. You'll feel so much better." 

Wordlessly, the bodyguard opened the cap and downed the water in an instant. At the end, she let out a sigh of relief. Nakyoung smiled and tossed her a snack. 

Xinyu approached the two with an unreadable expression. Nakyoung offered her another bottle, which Xinyu took with a small squeak of excitement.  

After the pair sat back down and grabbed their snacks, Nakyoung started, "So, what conclusion did you come to?" 

Opening a bag of kimchi flavored chips and giving it to Xinyu, Sohyun replied, "We've decided to take up on your offer, as it would be highly beneficial for both parties involved." 

Nakyoung offered a small smile. "Good, that's good." She eyed Xinyu, who had her brow raised while eating the chips. She chuckled. "How's the snack?" 

Xinyu chewed methodically and hummed. "It's definitely new, but honestly, I like it." 

The bodyguard glanced at the vigilante. "You had a whole change of personality." 

Nakyoung sighed. "In situations like these, I can't do much but assume the worst out of everyone. I'll do the first move to protect my own life. But, if they prove they are good people, then I'll let my guard down." 

Sohyun huffed. "I do like you better when you're not putting a knife against my neck." 

The fighter chuckled lightly. "After eating and getting some rest, I think we should head back out. The city's a dangerous place with too many people. If it's already this bad on the second day, then I cannot imagine what's going to happen next. Plus-" 

Nakyoung's speech was interrupted by the sound of a nearby explosion. The sound waves of the blast made the girls flinch and cover their ears as the shop shook dangerously. A few clay statues fell with a loud crash as the ground trembled. 

Sohyun's ears were ringing. Xinyu let out a pained scream as the noise continuously reverberated in her eardrums. Nakyoung looked around and saw dust and smoke rising out in the road from the window. The zombies that were still posted at the front looked to their left and chased after a new target. 

"What's happening?" Xinyu asked, unknowingly yelling due to the blockage in her ears. 

The muffled sound of gunshots answered for her. The glass at the front shattered as several bullets passed through. 

"Lay low!" Sohyun ordered, pushing both girls to the ground. A stray bullet flew past her head, taking a strand of hair with her. "Back room, let's go!" She urged as they all crawled their way to the back.

After an interminable time of waiting, the gunshots and explosions sounded distant. 

"What was that?" Xinyu questioned. 

"Guns, explosions..." Nakyoung enumerated. 

"It's the military." Sohyun concluded with a frown. The others looked at her. 

Xinyu let out a breath of relief. "Finally, we're saved! What took them so long?" Sohyun shrugged. 

Nakyoung shook her head with her hand covering her mouth. "No... there's something I don't like about this..." She suspected. "If it took them this long, they're surely up to something." 

"Oh. Huh. Maybe you're right." The fashionista retracted her previous statement. "Should we just avoid them?" 

"They're most likely moving into the city." Sohyun hypothesized. "We can follow them and watch from a distance. See what they're doing and if we can trust them." 

With nods of agreement, the three moved out, bringing their stash of snacks with them. They walked out the shattered door and into the barren road. 

"They must've baited all of them." Nakyoung said. Sohyun nodded. "Let's go."

Hyerin was awoken by the echoes of nearby gunshots. On high alert, she slowly got up from her spot on the floor next to the windows and gently lifted the curtains to her eye level. 

It was pitch-black outside. Only the void looked back at her, all the lights and lamps having been turned off. Countless stars speckled the sky, but the moon was nowhere to be seen. Hyerin figured that she, too, was hiding from the horrors that were happening. 

She heard several more shots in the dark. Hyerin heard shuffling behind her. Seoyeon appeared next to her, rubbing the tiredness out of her eyes, followed by all the other girls. 

"Do you see anything?" the nurse asked. Hyerin shook her head, opening the curtain further. 

"I suspect it might be the military." Hyerin answered with a slight edge in her voice. 

"After an entire two days of silence..." Jiwoo remarked with a sarcastic smirk. 

"We should flag them down so they come save us," Yubin said. The others immediately shut down her proposal. 

"No. They cannot be trusted," Yooyeon replied, extending her ear towards the window. "Listen closely." 

Yubin got closer, pressing her ear against the curtain. She heard gunshots and distant explosions. Growls and footsteps coming from the zombies. 

She heard a human scream, then more gunshots. 

Yubin backed away from the window, breathing fast. "What the hell was that." 

Hyerin's eyes were wide. "They're shooting everyone. Even civilians." 

"I also suspect some of the soldiers are being overwhelmed. This isn't good." Seoyeon breathed. "In any case, they might come inside the building and hurt us. We need to leave." 

"It's the military! Honey, we're saved!" 

All eyes snapped towards the apartment door. A couple's hurried footsteps were heard along with the dragging of suitcases and relieved comments. Seoyeon's eyes widened. She moved to get up, but Yooyeon dragged her back down. 

"We can't help them," the scientist asserted. Seoyeon frowned at her, looking into her eyes. They held nothing but the truth. With a groan, the nurse relented. 

Hyerin watched through the window with high nerves. She saw the moving shadows of the couple as they approached a large mechanism. They were a few meters away from their room. 

"Holy shit, is that a tank?" Chaeyeon whispered. 

The couple waved at the tank with their arms up in the sky, the window muffling their yells. The tank's top compartment spun in a certain direction. 

Hyerin's breath caught in her throat. "Oh no." 

"What is it?"  

"Everyone, get away from the window, now!" 

The entire group hastily crawled away as a deafening blast sounded right next to them. The building shook, and stray debris flew across the room. Hyerin was sent to the ground by the shockwaves and laid down on her stomach, covering her head. A high-pitched ringing sounded in her ears, and everything was muffled. 

Seconds passed which felt like hours. Hyerin was still down with her eyes shut tight, and she felt a warm liquid trickle down her left ear. Her heart was jumping in her chest. 

Through all the noise, she heard a faint, commanding voice in her right ear say, 

"Search the inside for any more people." 

A hand hastily tapped on her shoulder. Hyerin finally looked up to see Yubin in full panic mode. At Hyerin's response, she quickly pulled her back up by the arm and said, 

"Come on, we gotta go!" She haphazardly shoved Hyerin's weapons and ammo into her arms. 

Around them, the others were scattering to retrieve their belongings. Chaeyeon pulled her phone out of her charger. She yelled, 

"My phone didn't charge at all!" 

"Means the power's out for good. There's no time to waste, let's get out of here!" Yooyeon commanded. Jiwoo, having changed back into her full hockey gear at record time, opened the apartment door and started urging everyone to leave. 

As she was being dragged away by Yubin, Hyerin felt a sharp pain jolt in her left ear. 

Yooyeon did not know how long they had been running for. She only knew that her lungs were burning by the end of it. 

"Can we stop?" Chaeyeon, who was just as exhausted, asked beside her. 

"I think we're far enough." Yooyeon agreed with a pant. 

Jiwoo, who was at the front, slowed down to a stop. She looked around. Dead zombies littered the ground. "The streets are empty." 

With both hands on her knees, Yooyeon breathed out, "The military baited all of them in a wide radius." As if on cue, another distant explosion resonated in the air. 

At the back of the group, Hyerin was roughly patting the left side of her head with her palm.  

Yubin hovered a hand over her shoulder. "What's going on?" She heard in her right ear. 

"I..." Hyerin's own voice sounded muffled.

Yubin looked at the side of her head and widened her eyes. "Oh shit, your ear's bleeding!" 

"What?" Seoyeon exclaimed from the front.  She approached Hyerin. "Let me take a look." 

Hyerin backed off. "I'll be fine. It'll heal." 

"I'm just trying to help," the nurse argued calmly. "I know you're wary, but this is to heighten your own survival." 

Hyerin hesitated. Two loud gunshots interrupted the short-lived peace, and she flinched at the sudden pain in her ear. 

Yooyeon looked around the area. "We should keep moving," she announced. "The sound might attract a few strays. You two can talk about this on the way." 

The small group turned a corner and was greeted by numerous bodies lined up on the brick road. Yooyeon coughed and gagged slightly at the smell of rot, covering her nose. 

"Looks like they took care of everything here," Jiwoo whispered, having taken off her helmet to mask her face. Her eyes reflected disgust. 

"But wouldn't there be a ton of gunshots and explosions if they passed by here?" Chaeyeon inquired as she glanced around furtively. 

Alerted by her observation, Yooyeon analyzed the area. She approaches the corpses, crouching in front of one whilst covering her mouth with her shirt. 

"Be careful," Jiwoo warned behind her. 

Yooyeon leaned in and turned on her flashlight to get a better look. The head of the corpse was tilted to the side. Dried blood leaked from the skull where it had received a blunt hit to the head. Knife marks littered the body. 

Standing up, Yooyeon highlighted the corpses in front of the group. They all held the same markings.  

She slightly jumped back as a zombie on the floor started thrashing around and growling, looking directly at her. It was buried under a larger body. Jiwoo hastily ran up to it and bashed its head in with a grunt, ending its struggle. 

Seoyeon approached the scientist. "This doesn't look like the military's doing." 

Yooyeon nodded. "They either have cuts or blows to the head." 

"Means there's another group of survivors out there." Seoyeon borrowed Yooyeon's phone and got closer to the bodies. After inspecting them, she concluded, 

"These have been killed in the past six to twelve hours. Whoever did this might still be nearby." The nurse shut the light from the phone and gave it back to Yooyeon, but not before the flashlight highlighted the insides of a shop. 

Chaeyeon noticed instantly. "Hey, is that a tanghulu shop? Jiwoo, we should go get some." 

The hockey player raised a brow. "In these conditions?" 

Yubin appeared between them, throwing her arms over their shoulders. "I'm down. When's the next time we'll be able to eat some?" 

The three looked back towards Yooyeon and Seoyeon for approval. They looked at each other, then shrugged and followed the trio. 

Chaeyeon hastily went in and snatched a stick, instantly biting into it and melting at the taste. She then looked down and widened her eyes, letting out a surprised sound in her throat. 

"What's wrong- oh. Wow." Jiwoo said as Yubin and her arrived shortly, also focusing their gazes on the body. 

"Getting stabbed by a tanghulu stick is a crazy way to go," Yubin said, grabbing a few sticks and sharing them with the incoming girls. She gave an extra one to Seoyeon. 

"For Hyerin," she explained, noticing the nurse's questioning brow. 

Another pair of gunshots echoed in the solemn night, breaking the momentary peace. They sounded closer than last time. 

Jiwoo frowned. "Isn't it weird that whoever's shooting's alone?" 

"They must've left their original position, or their squad got taken over by the infected." Yooyeon glanced around. "Whoever it is, we need to be careful as to not encounter them. Let's go." 

The group made their way outside the stop. Hyerin stayed on the road with her back against the wall and her bow at the ready. 

Seoyeon stepped out and handed Hyerin the candy on a stick. Hyerin looked at her, confused. 

The nurse offered her a comforting smile. "Take it. You're part of our group." 

Hyerin changed her focus towards the candy. The sugar coated the strawberries perfectly. She could taste the sweetness on her taste buds. Without a word, she accepted the gift and followed the group. 

"Those don't sound like rifle shots." 

While attempting to follow the noisy trail the military was leaving, the three girls heard distant shots coming from the opposite side. Sohyun listened to the varying sounds, comparing the noise. 

"It could be a backup handgun," Nakyoung reasoned.  

"Still doesn't explain why they're alone." Xinyu argued. "Also, is it just me who feels like we are not getting any closer to the military?" 

They turned the corner of a block and froze. Nakyoung let out a loud frustrated groan at the sight. 

The same road where they had first encountered each other stretched out in front of them. The difference was that Sohyun and Xinyu were on the opposite end of the road from the first time they tried crossing it. 

The girls turned back from the corner and stared at each other in disbelief for a few seconds. 

"We just circled back to where we started." Xinyu stated, leaning her back against the brick wall. 

Sohyun turned towards Nakyoung with squinted eyes. "Shouldn't you recognize your streets?" 

Nakyoung raised her hands above her head defensively. "Hey, it's a lot more different when its night time and there are no lights! And my sense of direction was never good, so I was just following you." 

"What- I was following you!" 

Xinyu held up her phone. "We could just look at the map-" 

"No phones." 

Xinyu put her phone back down with a large pout. She noticed a sudden flash of light from the road. She turned to the others to warn them, but they were too busy arguing about who was following who, and what they should do. 

Nakyoung shook her head, ending the conversation. "It's whatever. Let's just stay away from the military and get the hell out of here." 

"Fine," Sohyun relented with a sigh. "Let's not get lost this time." 

"Come on, this is one time!" 

"Uhm, girls-" 

Deafening gunshots pierced the air, interrupting their conversation. The two fighters extended their ears, hoping to catch something else. 

"The shots are so close, we don't even know where they're coming from." Xinyu shivered. "We should leave-" 

"Shh." Sohyun shushed her with hand to her lips. "I hear something," she whispered. 

Footsteps approached from the street. 

"Maybe they have the guns. Like the military," Xinyu hypothesized under her breath. 

Nakyoung extended her hand towards Sohyun, beckoning her to pass her the knife. The bodyguard pulled it out her pocket and placed it into Nakyoung's hand. 

With a nod of acknowledgment, Nakyoung waited patiently for the footsteps to come close, adjusting her grip on the knife, and ambushed the person the moment their silhouette appeared. 

"Watch out!" 

Seoyeon froze in place, her chest rising and falling at a fast pace as the knife pressed against the skin of her neck. Another woman had suddenly appeared from the shadows as they were about to cross the intersection of the block. She looked down at the knife with her hands held high above her head. 

Jiwoo put the curve of her hockey stick against Nakyoung's neck, but Sohyun grabbed onto it with a hand. Hyerin stretched out her bow, aiming for Nakyoung. Yubin was ready to pounce. 

No one moved; they were at a standstill. 

Yooyeon carefully walked up to the altercation. "What's the matter here?" 

Nakyoung glanced at her, then back at Seoyeon. "We heard several gunshots go off around this place. I don't suppose you have anything to do with it?" 

"We don't have any guns," Jiwoo claimed, her eyes boring into Sohyun's. 

"No,"  Yooyeon refuted. "We do have one, a rifle, but we're not using it at the moment." 

Nakyoung paused for a moment. She then asked, "And you don't have anything to do with the military?" 

"Do we look like it?" Yubin commented sarcastically with her fists at the ready. Yooyeon sent her a disapproving gaze, then turned back around and took a deep breath. 

"Listen. We just came from the city after running from the military and we're all on high alert. We don't know who's shooting, but we know that it wasn't us, so you can put that knife away." Yooyeon stepped up. She slowly inched her hand closer to the knife, and, while keeping eye contact with Nakyoung, gently pushed it away from Seoyeon's throat. 

On cue, another pair of gunshots echoed in the air. 

Yooyeon gave Nakyoung a pointed look. The vigilante relented with a sigh and gave the knife back to Sohyun. 

Seoyeon exhaled and rubbed her neck, offering Yooyeon a grateful smile. She turned back to give Jiwoo a nod. Nodding back, Jiwoo lowered her hockey stick. 

Nakyoung craned her neck and looked to the side. "You call also tell your friend to stop aiming her bow at me. 

Seoyeon gulped. "Hyerin." 

Hyerin squinted, but did not relent, keeping her bow charged towards Nakyoung with one eye open. 

"Hyerin, put the bow down." 

The archer held her breath as she released the string, letting the arrow go. 

"No-" 

The arrow flew past Nakyoung and into the skull of a shadowy figure running towards them several meters away. It released a faint growl as it fell on the road. 

Everyone turned around stared in shock. Hyerin walked past the group, not sparing Nakyoung a glance. 

"My goodness." Chaeyeon whispered, wide-eyed. Hyerin's distant silhouette stood above the zombie. "I didn't even see it." 

Hyerin bent down next to the infected. She patted around for the arrow. When she contacted the shaft, she grabbed onto it and yanked it out of the zombie's skull with a squelch. 

She heard an odd, faraway shouting in her right ear. Her eyes widened at the realization it came from the group, but her left ear, which faced them, didn't pick it up. 

"Behind you!" 

Before she could turn around, the deafening blast of a gunshot rang through her ears. She rushed to cover them. The pressure left her nauseous and she felt woozy. More warm blood trickled down her ear as a body fell next to her. 

"Jeez, that was a close one!" A stifled and excited voice came from behind. 

Hyerin stumbled and steadied herself by putting a palm on the ground. The other one pressed against her forehead as she felt lightheaded. She barely registered the hand tapping on her shoulder. 

In a daze, Hyerin slowly turned her head towards the person that had saved her. Through her blurred vision, she saw a young girl standing before her. She had glowing pink headphones with shiny cat ears resting on her head, and custom pink pistols littered in stickers that also glowed in the night. A loose red jacket hung on her shoulders. 

The girl grinned, putting away one of her guns and extending a hand. "I'm Soomin! What's your name?" Her smile dropped when she noticed the archer's pained expression. "Hey, you good?" 

In her peripheral, Hyerin saw her group run towards her. Her heartbeat pounded against her forehead painfully. She felt like she was falling, and the last thing she saw was her savior's eyes widening and throwing her arms towards her before her vision went black. 

The sun slowly crept up in the horizon, hidden by the somber clouds looming over the outskirts of Seoul. 

Dahyun lifted the military-grade backpack she had taken from a soldier who had perished in front of her house. She had discarded the insides and filled it with water, canned food, and numerous technological pieces. A walkie-talkie hanged on the side of the bag. 

She put the backpack on her back, then attached a modern radio on top of it. She set its radio waves to match the walkie-talkie's. 

"Approximately 80% of troops lost. Isolate the city and retreat back to your respective bases," the radio buzzed and Dahyun shut it off. 

She took her Sweet Home inspired electric spear by the front door. Putting a hand on the doorknob, Dahyun let out a shaky breath. 

"Okay... You can do this... You just gotta get out of here," she whispered to herself. She put her cloth-cut mask over her nose and opened the door. 

Walking out, Dahyun nearly gagged at the stench of the bodies littering the floor. She looked both ways before quietly running away. 

Chapter Text

Looking at specimens through the microscope all day was as boring as it sounded.  

Yooyeon didn't complain much, though. It could be worse. She could be a school janitor, forced to shovel the shit of entitled high schoolers who did not care one bit about their futures and would rather skip school to smoke the cigarettes they had stolen from their parents, all for a subpar check that would barely hold her afloat. It was moments like these when she felt at least slightly grateful her parents pushed her to study instead of messing around like a child, which she was at the time.

Still, she thought, she wished she had some variety in her life.  

At the moment, that life consisted of a 9 to 5 job in the HausTech top secret government-operated laboratory where the strangest creatures and phenomena known in South Korea were confined in. The prospect of working at such a secretive organization would be exciting to anyone, even Yooyeon. When she received an e-mail from HausTech congratulating her as a new employee, she was ecstatic, throwing herself a small one-man party with soju and takeout.  

On her first day at the job, Yooyeon was carrying her boxes when she saw a crow confined in a white room. She later heard it was brought in on the same day she joined the company. At first, it did not look like anything out of the ordinary, but then right in front of her eyes, the crow started splitting itself, starting by two, then four, then ten. With wide eyes, she watched as the crows kept dividing themselves, shedding black feathers as they went. When they stopped splitting, Yooyeon counted twenty-four crows. Then, they all took off and flew in a circle around the singular light at the top of the room.  

Yooyeon was in awe at the sight; that was the most thrilling moment of her life.  

But, after three years of working the same job for eight hours nearly every day, the only way she could describe her job was with the word 'monotonous.' Phenomena that used to be exciting were now as normal as the sky being blue, such as watching an animal being instantly cured of a terminal illness; it was only interesting the first twenty times. Yooyeon's job in HausTech had also planted a seed of doubt towards her country's leaders, wondering what other life-changing items they could be hiding.  

Yooyeon held in a sigh as she watched one of the cells of the aforementioned crow split into two. Since the first day, she had wanted the crow to be the center of her work, and only until a few months ago had she received the green light to lead the study of the strange animal. She has been trying to understand the science behind its division, but she still had no leading theory. A small part of her thought that maybe there was no science at all behind it, but she pushed that thought deep down, knowing magic was only science that was yet to be understood.  

Yooyeon was jotting down notes after her observation when she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She stopped writing and spun her head to see her higherup looking down at her.  

"Oh, hi Jinsol-unnie, do you need anything?" She asked the older woman. Jinsol had joined the company several years before Yooyeon had, so she had guided her through her first days. Yooyeon viewed her as an older sister of sorts.  

Jinsol smiled at her. "How's the study going?"  

Yooyeon sighed as she set her pen down. "Still stuck on trying to figure out why and how that crow is able to divide itself, and why it stops at 24 each time."  

Jinsol hummed at Yooyeon's subtle frustration. The younger girl rarely ever showed emotion on her face, so she developed the ability to read her simply by the subtle change of tone in her voice. "I'm sure you'll figure it out soon," she said. "You've progressed a lot ever since you started."  

"Only figments," Yooyeon mumbled under her breath as she turned her head towards the whiteboard on the left corner of the room. The board was filled with calculations, drawings of cells and other biological elements all connected with arrows, and short paragraphs here and there theorizing on the crow's strange power.  

Jinsol followed Yooyeon's gaze for a moment, then turned back towards her and gave her an encouraging smile. "Still progress, nonetheless. For now, let's call it a day, hm? It's been half an hour since you were supposed to clock out." She removed her hand from Yooyeon's shoulder and gave her a few pats on the back. "Let's get out of here."  

Yooyeon looked back from the whiteboard and glanced at the microscope for a second. She then turned to Jinsol. "Okay."  

She gathered her meager amount of personal belongings at her desk and put them in a tote bag before going to Jinsol who was standing at the doorway with the same encouraging smile. Yooyeon sent a small smile back, glanced shortly at the floor plan of HausTech on the wall, then flicked the lights off and shut the door.  

The two walked down the white hallways of the lab, void of any life but theirs. None of them said a word, Yooyeon preferring to stay quiet and observe her surroundings.  

If it wasn't for their silence, she wouldn't have heard the faint echo of a shrilling scream on the other side of the laboratory.  

Yooyeon whipped her head towards where the sound came from, Jinsol doing the same next to her. A thin blanket of unease laid upon them. Odd noises were not unparticular where they worked, but this scream felt particularly alarming to both of them.  

"You heard that too, right?" Jinsol asked with furrowed brows.  

"Yeah..." Yooyeon replied with a slight hint of concern. The scream felt off, distorted, as if it was coming from a dead person.  

"Seems like it came from the military department," Jinsol theorized, pointing at the left turn at the end of the hall, a distant sign hanging from the ceiling showing that direction as the Military Department. It was so far away the letters were barely legible.  

Yooyeon chewed on her lower lip. She knew of the military department from Jinsol and other coworkers. Although not as mind blowing as supernatural creatures, the stories she had heard from that department were chilling. She was told they were always looking for ways to enhance the human mind and body but used the unethical (in her opinion) practice of taking homeless people they found on the streets as test subjects for their experiments.  

The existence of the military department was one of the many criticisms Yooyeon had about her workplace. Another criticism was the lack of research towards aiding human livelihood in general. The contrast in priorities reinforced Yooyeon's distrust in the Korean government, but she had accepted the realities a long time ago.  

"Should we go check it out?" Jinsol asked as she turned to Yooyeon.  

Yooyeon pondered for a moment, then ultimately shook her head. She had never stepped foot in the military department before, and she was not going to have today be her first time doing so. "No. Whatever is going on there, I'm sure they have it under control. The corporation wouldn't hire anyone incompetent."  

Jinsol hummed at her junior's answer. "Hm. You're right. Let's go," she agreed. The two turned away from the source of the noise and kept walking down the hallway.  

Soomin was, at best, an odd character. 

Yooyeon watched as the newcomer on the sofa across her chatted animatedly with Hyerin, who was the equivalent of a brick wall. She had woken up from her state of unconsciousness a while ago, but she refused to acknowledge Soomin's presence, simply staring blankly in front of her while finally letting Seoyeon check up on her damaged ears.  

That did not stray Soomin away from speaking, though. 

"That's a really cool bow. And crossbow! Where'd you get them from, 'cause they look like they cost a lot. I like how purple it is! Is it customized like my pistols? And my rifle? Yeah, I saw you guys had my rifle too! It's such a cool coincidence that you stayed in my apartment. Isn't the rifle awesome? It has a really good suppressor on it, so it makes less noise. I think you'd like that one. Actually, you're probably wondering why some sixteen year old kid has guns. Yeah, I'm sixteen. How old are you? I'd say you're like- eighteen years old, maybe? I think it would make sense. So anyway, my guns are actually a gift from my dad-" 

"Hey, Soomin, I really appreciate all of this, but I think Hyerin would like some quiet right now given her condition," Seoyeon softly requested, inspecting Hyerin's left ear canal with her phone's flashlight. 

Soomin blinked, then grinned. "Of course, sorry! But, you know, I don't really see my dad that much-" 

Seoyeon grunted in slight annoyance, deciding to simply tune the new kid out. Yooyeon chuckled softly, leaning back into the single couch chair and closing her tired eyes. 

The group hadn't gone much farther than the place where they met the other small group. After Hyerin had passed out, they had collectively decided to stay the rest of the night at a hotel a few blocks away. Jiwoo had carried Hyerin on her back during the entire trip. 

The group chose to only stay in the lobby; in their exhausted forms, they wouldn't have been able to fight for a very long time. Instead, they got rid of the few stray infected on the first floor before tossing them outside to get rid of the stench. 

After a few more minutes, Yooyeon opened her eyes back up. Seoyeon was cleaning the blood away with a napkin and some water. She turned Hyerin's head towards her to look at her right ear. Seeing nothing of concern, the nurse gently placed her equipment on the glass table in front of her, next to the first aid kit. 

"The eardrum in your left ear is ruptured and will take a few weeks to heal. Your right ear looks fine, but I would still recommend that you be careful. You will feel some vertigo for some time, but most importantly, you will lose your hearing for a while." She diagnosed her patient. 

Seoyeon sighed. "I would recommend you stay in the middle of the group. I know you like keeping your distance in the back, but if something comes up, you might not be able to hear it in time. You can still use your weapons, of course. Avoid loud noises if you can." She gave Soomin a pointed look and the latter finally halted her monologue. 

Hyerin slumped her shoulders, but nodded, nonetheless. She muttered a quiet "thanks" before grabbing her things and walking away. 

Soomin watched her leave with a small pout then turned back to Seoyeon. "Does that mean I can't use my guns?" 

Seoyeon ran her fingers through her hair. "It would be ideal for her ears to heal as fast as possible. I heard you say something about your rifle having a silencer, so you should use that one in the meantime." 

Soomin saluted. "Got it, boss!" She smiled and promptly crashed on the couch for some well-deserved rest. Along with Seoyeon, she had stayed awake to keep an eye on Hyerin. Even with the sun rising in the sky, everyone else was knocked out. 

Seoyeon caught Yooyeon's amused gaze. She gave a tired smile. "What's so funny?" 

Yooyeon shook her head. "Nothing. This kid, Soomin, is just fascinating," she commented. 

The nurse chuckled. "She's quite the character." She glanced at Yooyeon's injured arm and nudged her head towards it. "How is it?" 

The scientist shuffled in her seat. "It's getting better. Just a dull pain now." 

Seoyeon beckoned Yooyeon over, patting the empty space next to her. Yooyeon stood up with a small stretch and claimed her space on the fluffy sofa. 

"Pull up your sleeve," Seoyeon instructed with a yawn. Yooyeon raised a brow. 

"You should rest," she suggested, but still listened to the nurse's command, rolling up the sleeve of her lab coat. She had washed and dried it during their short stay at Soomin's apartment. 

"No, it's alright. I'll check up on you first," Seoyeon muttered a retort and leaned her head close to the bandages. The stitched up slice had bled through a little, and it was slightly dirty.  

With a nod, Seoyeon said, "I'll remove the bandages." She reached over at the first aid kit for some latex gloves. She slightly wet the bandages before pulling them off. 

"I called Shion again," she commented in passing while carefully circling Yooyeon's arm. 

The scientist hummed. "Did she pick up?" 

"Yeah, but she still didn't say anything." Seoyeon sighed. "I should feel relieved when she answers my calls, but honestly, it just irks me." 

Yooyeon did not know how to answer, so she held her tongue. 

"It's healing quite alright," the nurse commented as she pulled off the last of the old dressing, presenting the stitched up wound. She wet a napkin with some water and washed over the injury, Yooyeon slightly wincing as she gently wiped the area. 

Seoyeon pulled out a new roll of bandages. "We're going to do a lot of moving. Usually, I would say it's okay to not put another, but in these conditions..." she trailed off. Yooyeon gave a nod of approval and stretched her hand out. 

The nurse let out a tired sigh as she finished rolling the new bandage around the scientist's forearm. She lifted her head up, and Yooyeon saw the dark circles under her eyes. 

"The wound won't fully close for a few more days, and even after that, it has a risk of reopening." Seoyeon blinked several times, her eyes threatening to close. She yawned. "So, make sure not to move it too much-" 

In the middle of her sentence, Seoyeon's eyes fluttered closed and her body fell forward. Her head landed on Yooyeon's lap. 

Yooyeon blinked. She looked down at Seoyeon as the nurse adjusted herself to a more comfortable position in her sleep. The scientist watched the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest as she breathed gently. 

She sighed and bit the inside of her cheek, debating whether to wake Seoyeon up or not. She placed a tentative hand on her shoulder and shook. Seoyeon did not budge. 

Yooyeon tapped her foot on the floor and looked around. Soomin was curled up in a ball next to them. The trio of friends were all dogpiled onto each other in a corner, sleeping soundly on the lobby's beanbags. The sofa set on the wall opposite of Yooyeon's nested Xinyu with Sohyun's suit jacket serving as her blanket. The bodyguard sat on the carpet with her back against the sofa with only her sleeveless collared shirt and tie on her torso. Her bare arm was twisted in an awkward angle to act as Xinyu's substitute pillow. Nakyoung sat on the single couch next to the sofa with a fist supporting her head. Yooyeon observed her sharp jawline for a moment. Hyerin sat in the middle of the room, quietly fiddling with her bow. 

With a soft sigh, Yooyeon turned her attention back to Seoyeon, who still slept soundly on her lap. She lifted her hand from her shoulder and tucked Seoyeon's hair behind her ear. The nurse let out a satisfied hum, and Yooyeon smiled. 

Dahyun felt her calves burn as she looked back at the mob of infected people chasing her. She looked back to the front just in time to narrowly dodge the bite of a zombie in front of her. She screamed and stuck the blade of her spear up its chin, retreating it as it stumbled on the road. 

Dahyun had accidentally stepped foot into a district where the military hadn't stepped foot in. When she realized her mistake, it was already too late as she had already attracted too much attention. 

The lone survivor kept running down the street for minutes, avoiding contact with every being she saw. Her bag slowed her down and she considered leaving it many times, but its contents were too important to ditch. 

Dahyun skidded to a stop as another group appeared before her from a corner. She shifted her eyes around and spotted a small gap between two buildings on her right and quickly dashed into it. 

Realizing the alleyway was too narrow, Dahyun quickly took her backpack off before moving into it sideways, holding the bag in her left hand and her weapon in her right. 

The zombies stacked the entrance, unable to enter. She just barely managed to avoid the claws of the infected trying to grab at her, but her bag wasn't so lucky. Several hands put a tight grasp on its handle and pulled it in their direction, their collective strength overpowering Dahyun's tenfold. 

Her eyes quickly looked between the end of the gap and the bag. If she took too long, the zombies would block the exit, but she could not afford to lose her belongings either. She looked at her weapon and her eyes widened. 

Drawing in a sharp breath, her hand let go of the bag. She quickly replaced it with her spear and struck the tip at the nearest body. She let out a loud scream and flicked the switch on her spear. An electrical current coming from a can coursed through the cord wrapped around the shaft and connected with the steel blade. 

The zombie instantly went through shock. Its limbs twitched and its hand locked onto the backpack. Behind it, Dahyun could see the other infected suffer the voltage at a smaller scale. 

Dahyun grunted, hoping it would've let go of the bag instead. She let the spear inside the zombie for a few more seconds to be sure it would die from the current before turning the switch off and pulling the weapon out. The infected instantly collapsed, its body being pushed into the alley by the other fried bodies behind it. She stared agape at her doing. 

Shaking her head off from the amazement, Dahyun snatched the bag from the floor and hurried on with her journey.  

16:35. 

Nakyoung slept well into the afternoon. 

She slowly sat up from her seat and stretched, letting out a yawn and arching her back, her bones cracking in all the right places. With a satisfied hum, she looked around while massaging the strain off the wrist she used to hold her head up. Many dormant bodies laid around. 

Her group had meshed with the one they met last night. Nakyoung was grateful they let them follow them, although she was sure the two parties would have a discussion over it when everyone was awake. 

She looked over to the pile of girls in the corner and smiled, assuming they were good friends even before the outbreak. Hyerin was passed out in the middle of the room with her bow still clutched in her hand. She glanced at her group-mates next to her and chuckled. Sohyun gave Xinyu everything while she slept on the carpet. 

Three people of the opposite group occupied the sofa across from hers. The new kid, Kim Soomin, was sleeping with her headphones on. Next to her were, the fighter assumed, the leaders. Seoyeon, the girl she threatened, slept soundly in the other's lap. The woman, wearing a lab coat, looked at a wall, seemingly deep in thought. 

Being the only other person awake, Nakyoung decided to approach her. She stood from her seat and advanced towards the woman. 

Yooyeon caught Nakyoung in her peripheral. Setting a hand over Seoyeon's shoulder, the scientist turned in her direction with a calculative stare. 

"So..." the fighter started, massaging the back of her neck. "Are you a scientist of sorts?" 

Yooyeon stayed curt. "I don't think you're here just to make small talk." 

With an exhale, Nakyoung took her cap off her head. "Well then. I'd like to apologize for putting a knife against your partner here," she started. 

Yooyeon raised a brow. 

Nakyoung looked around and added. "I would also like to thank you for not straight up killing us and taking our stuff." 

With a huff, Yooyeon replied, "It's no problem, but I can guarantee you you'd have a higher chance to live if your first reaction wasn't to threaten someone's life."  

She put a hand up as Nakyoung was about to retort. "I understand the high nerves. You value your own group's life first. That's respectable, but not only could you make potential enemies, you're also showing off all your cards from the start. Meet a party stronger than you, and you're done for." 

Nakyoung grunted and tapped an impatient foot on the ground. She wasn't here for a life lesson. 

The corners of Yooyeon's lips upturned at the fighter's peeved expression. "Just some advice, really. What else are you here for?" 

Putting the cap back onto her head, Nakyoung announced, "We'd like to join your group." 

Yooyeon looked up at Nakyoung, tapping a finger on the sofa. Nakyoung shuffled uncomfortably as the scientist watched her every move. 

"We'd have to talk this over with everyone, but I'm not against it." Yooyeon concluded and looked at Seoyeon. She blinked and added, "And yes, I am a scientist." 

Nakyoung nodded and turned back around, pressing her lips together into a smile. She looked outside the window at the bright but cloudy road. A few bodies were stacked on top of each other a few meters away from the door. 

Having nothing else to do, Nakyoung approached the entrance. She opened the door, but quickly closed it again when the stench of the corpses hit her nose. 

Stifling a gag, Nakyoung covered her mouth with her arm and shook her head. She decided that making a few masks would do some good. 

When she started walking away from the door, though, Nakyoung's ear twitched as she heard something from outside. Speculating it might be a zombie, she quickly removed herself from the windows' line of sight. 

She looked towards Yooyeon, who gave an understanding nod and lowered herself on the couch. Nakyoung stood beside the wall next to the window and put on her brass knuckles. She held her arms up in front of her head, looking to the left, ready to strike whatever entered the building. 

From her couch, Yooyeon could look at the road through the windows. She heard hurried footsteps approaching and getting louder by the second. As a precaution, she tapped on Seoyeon's arm to wake her up. 

With a grunt, Seoyeon moved and fluttered her eyes open. As she tried to get up, Yooyeon lowered her head back down into her lap, pressing a finger against her lips. Seoyeon frowned at the odd position she was in, but her concern was transferred onto the incoming noise outside. 

Nakyoung peeked over to see what the circumstance was. She was at a loss for words at the sight. 

A singular woman wearing a large military grade backpack was being chased by a large group of zombies in the far distance. Nakyoung could just barely make out the mask over her nose and the makeshift spear in her hand. She was leading the crowd directly to where they were. 

"It's a person," she said. The others had slowly woken up from the commotion. "She's getting chased by a bunch of them." 

"Shouldn't we help her?" Xinyu asked groggily from her sofa. 

Sohyun massaged her numb arm. "How many zombies?" 

"The biggest horde I've seen yet." 

"If we help her, we are risking our own lives." Yooyeon let go of her hold on Seoyeon. 

The nurse quickly lifted herself up and looked at Yooyeon. "We can't just leave her out there," she opposed. She looked around at the others who had conflicting expressions on their faces. 

"Maybe if we time it correctly, we could yank her in the lobby and push the others out?" Chaeyeon suggested. 

Nakyoung shook her head with wide eyes. "No, it's too many of them. They would break through instantly." 

"We can't risk it," Sohyun agreed with Yooyeon. Xinyu looked at her, dumbfounded. 

Seoyeon shook her head vehemently and stood up. "No. Here's what we're going to do. Everyone else, get to the emergency exit. I'll open the door for her." 

Yooyeon stood up next. "We can't lose you. You're the most important one here." 

"Well, I'm not leaving another human being die without trying," Seoyeon declared with a voice of authority. The two leaders stared each-other down. 

"Okay well what's the decision because she's just about to pass by!" Nakyoung rushed them. Quiet murmurs filled the room. 

"I'll do it," Jiwoo announced and approached the door. Seoyeon stared dumbstruck. The athlete didn't have her whole uniform on, but she dressed herself up in her protective gear and helmet. She was also missing her gloves. 

"Wh- You can't go!" Yubin protested.  

At Jiwoo's lack of response, she yelled out in frustration and grabbed a stunned Chaeyeon by the arm before stomping away. 

Everyone else grabbed their belongings and hurried to the emergency door. They stopped in front of it and watched Jiwoo, holding their breath. Seoyeon was especially nervous, clenching and unclenching her hands while her eyes trembled. She smacked her lips, the roof of her mouth feeling pasty and dry. She desperately wanted to run next to Jiwoo to help her, but she felt Yooyeon's imposing grip on her arm. 

Jiwoo watched the lone girl with laser focused eyes. She held her breath as everything around her moved in slow-motion. She felt her heartbeat pound relentlessly in her ears as a singular cold drop of sweat trailed down her forehead. All other noise was drowned out, and the athlete was tunnel visioned on the approaching woman. Tears were falling down her face and wetting her mask. 

A couple seconds before she passed the windows, Jiwoo swiftly pushed the door open and grabbed the girl by her arm. 

"Get in!" She yelled at the woman who shrieked at the sudden ambush. She yanked her inside before kicking away a zombie that followed closely. The athlete wrapped an arm around the alarmed stranger and turned her head to her group. "Go, go!" She ordered and everyone rushed out of the emergency exit. 

Recovering from the surprise save, the stranger picked the pace back up. Unfortunately, she was exhausted after running for so long. Jiwoo aided her while looking back at the entrance. The door had failed to close, and zombies rushed into the lobby at an alarmingly fast rate, chasing the pair of survivors. 

A few zombies caught up to them as they ran, and Jiwoo released her arm from the girl. "Keep going!" She shouted before turning around and swinging her hockey stick at the nearest head. 

The woman looked back at her with wide eyes but kept running. She reached the emergency exit and pushed through. 

Jiwoo ran backwards while battling the horde. She swung her stick again, aiming for the neck, but her heart dropped as the stick broke in half with a loud crunch. The sudden feeling of lightness caused her to lose balance as she stumbled into the sharp marble corner of the lobby's front desk. The athlete gasped in pain as it shredded through the skin of her right side where her gear didn't cover her, slightly above chest level, and dug into her ribs. 

Jiwoo patted her side as she hurriedly backed away, having considerably slowed down and wincing with every step. The infected quickly caught up with her and she threw her broken stick at them. One tried to bite at her elbow, but instead of biting into flesh, its teeth clashed against her elbow pad. Unrelentingly, it tried again with a growl, this time aiming for her gloveless hand. Jiwoo shut her eyes, knowing she wouldn't be able to pull back in time.  

Instead of feeling a jolt of pain, a series of ear-splitting shots sounded from behind Jiwoo. She snapped her eyes back open. The head of the zombie that tried biting her snapped backwards and fell down along with the other infected close to her. 

Looking back, Jiwoo spotted Soomin at the door holding her customized rifle and high-grade suppressor. She wore a large smirk on her face, and her headphones were replaced with earplugs. 

"Hurry up soldier!" Soomin urged. With a grunt of relief, Jiwoo turned around and ran towards the door with her hand still on her wound. 

Hyerin was next to appear with her bow stretched out, aiming at the crowd. She was wearing Soomin's headphones. She let go of the string, and two arrows whistled past Jiwoo's head and into nearby targets the athlete could not see. 

Finally reaching the exit door, Jiwoo saw a hand fly forward and yank at her collar, pulling her outside. 

"Are you a fucking dumbass, playing hero?!" Yubin yelled full force into her ears with both hands grabbing her collar. 

"You're hurt!" Chaeyeon gasped, in tears, noticing the rip on her bloody shirt. 

"Figure it out later! We need to leave this instant!" Nakyoung yelled. She and the rest of the group were ahead of them, with Sohyun and her fighting off the incoming zombies. 

Yubin cursed under her breath. She threw Jiwoo's arm around her and put hers around the athlete's waist. Chaeyeon rushed to do the same on the other side. Soomin and Hyerin guarded the back with Hyerin shooting down the zombies that pushed through the exit door. 

As they left with hurried footsteps, Jiwoo raised her head to look at the girl she rescued. The survivor was jogging next to them, her guilt-filled eyes trained on her. 

In the distance, a person observed quietly as the group made their escape. 

After several minutes of running, Xinyu had noticed they had finally left the shopping district as she was greeted by four-story apartment buildings that lined up parallel to the curved roads. 

The fashionista's chest tightened as corpses passed by in a blur. A car had crashed into an electric pole, and the body of a man was laying on the hood of the vehicle, having broken through the windshield. A military tank stood immobile in the middle of the road. 

Sohyun and Nakyoung fought off the zombies in the area. Seoyeon did so too, albeit occasionally, only stabbing the heads of the zombies who got too close to them. Sohyun slashed away with her knife, showing off her arm muscles with every extension. Xinyu was still wearing her jacket. The rest of the group followed a few meters behind them, still supporting Jiwoo despite the athlete's insistence that she could run on her own. 

Nakyoung bashed her knuckles into an infected's head, staring at the apartment building in front of her. The glass doorway was ajar. It was broken on the top part and shards littered the area. 

"Sohyun!" She called out. The bodyguard turned to her as she gestured to the door and nodded in affirmation, raising a hand to beckon everyone to follow. 

"In here!" 

Sohyun ran over and the fighters entered the building. The others were quick to follow their lead. 

Upon entering the building, the two women halted in their tracks at the sight of bloodied soldiers kneeling down in a corner at the end of the short hallway. Sohyun counted six of them. The sickening sound of gnawing into flesh echoed in the corridor. A cement staircase riddled with bullet holes was on their right. 

"Up the stairs, go!" Nakyoung pushed in a hushed whisper, urging Sohyun and the others to move up quietly. Soomin and Hyerin were the last to enter the building and Nakyoung carefully closed the door behind them. She flinched and reeled back as a zombie suddenly stuck its head in, impaling its neck on the sharp cuts of glass and reaching its arms to grab Nakyoung. 

As she backed away, the fighter accidentally stepped on a shard, eliciting a loud crack as it broke into more pieces. The soldiers at the end of the hallway snapped their necks towards Nakyoung, their mouths painted crimson, and their eyes dilated, leaving nothing but a dark pool of void to look into. Immediately, they stood up and rushed towards her. 

"Fuck-" Nakyoung made a mad dash for the stairs, climbing up at record speed. Reaching the second floor, she noticed Sohyun struggling to open an apartment door littered with gunshots. It had an electronic lock on it. 

"Hurry!" She yelled from her position, hearing the stomping getting closer. 

Sohyun gave another powerful kick, but the door wouldn't budge. "Shit," she cursed. 

"Uhm, let me." 

All head turned towards the new girl. She moved closer, trying to ignore the scrutinizing stares. She jammed her electric spear into the digital lock and flicked the switch on the stick. Instantly, the lock buzzed, and the group heard the faint sound of a click. 

Sohyun twisted the handle, and the door opened. She dashed into the room with everyone else doing the same. Nakyoung was last to enter with the zombie soldiers following right behind her. 

"Close it!" She ordered after diving into the apartment. Sohyun slammed the door on a few arms that reached in, their snarls resonating in the living room. Getting back up, Nakyoung ran to help Sohyun hold the door. Yubin and Chaeyeon slowly laid Jiwoo on the nearest couch and aided them. The others quickly joined in. 

After a couple minutes of silent struggle, the group finally managed to close the door as the soldiers gave up on pushing, hearing their footsteps as they walked away, searching for a new target. Chaeyeon let out a sigh of relief and tumbled to the floor, breathing hard. 

"I... never... want... to run... again," she said in between breaths. 

Yubin was peeved. 

Peeved was not an intense enough word to express how she felt. 

She let out a frustrated huff and ruffled her hair with her hands, trying to find the right word in her brain. 

Pissed. 

Yubin looked up from her chair. That was right. She was pissed. 

Not only had she been rudely woken up from her slumber, but her best friend decided to risk her life trying to save some stranger's. In the process, she lost her hockey stick and got injured. Then, they were all forced to flee from a comfortable safe space where they could've relaxed for a while. 

And it was all because of one girl who was running around with a swarm of countless infected chasing after her. Yeah, Yubin was pissed. She glared at the new girl, who had introduced herself as Dahyun, as she fiddled with her radio while sitting on the floor. 

The traceuse turned back to watch as Seoyeon patched Jiwoo up on the couch with a suture. The athlete's chest rose and fell at a fast pace, her face contorted in a pained grimace. 

"Make sure to not overexert the right side of your body," Seoyeon said as she applied a large non-stick bandage over the wound. "It scraped pretty deeply into your skin, but it's not too serious. Your ribs saved you from further damage." 

Jiwoo nodded, letting her head fall back on the apartment's couch with a soft exhale. "Thanks, unnie." 

Seoyeon frowned as Jiwoo relaxed. Guilt crept up her skin as she remembered that the athlete's injury was indirectly her doing. Gulping down the nauseating feeling, Seoyeon muttered, 

"Thank you, by the way. For covering for me." 

A soft smile crept up Jiwoo's face. "Wouldn't have been able to live with myself, just letting someone die like that," she muttered.  

Seoyeon gave Jiwoo a nod of acknowledgment before standing up and walking away. Chaeyeon quickly kneeled to her side, replacing Seoyeon. Yubin observed as her two friends held each-other's hands and spoke in hushed whispers. 

Hyerin was sleeping some more in the closed bedroom. Everyone was waiting for their turn to shower. Xinyu, who was first to go, complained that the water was ice cold. 

"At least there's water," Nakyoung commented, waiting for her turn after Sohyun. 

Seoyeon sat on the carpet next to Yooyeon, who was organizing the clothes she scavenged from the apartment. 

The scientist glanced at Seoyeon. The nurse massaged her temples and groaned.  

"I don't wanna hear it." 

"Okay," Yooyeon replied. "Just help me organize." 

Seoyeon scrunched her nose as she picked up a flowery dress. In the corner of her vision, she saw Xinyu approach them. 

"That dress doesn't look too cute, if I were to be honest," the fashionista commented. 

Seoyeon sent her a raised brow. "You know something about fashion?" 

Xinyu took a place next to them and smiled humbly. "A thing or two." She glanced over at Yooyeon's lab coat. "I can sew up the tear on your sleeve if you want." 

Yooyeon looked over at the large rip in her coat. She wordlessly took it off and handed it to Xinyu. "Thank you." 

"No problem!" Xinyu grinned and stood up. "I'll go find a sewing kit. It might be in the laundry room." 

As Xinyu made her way to the closed door, Yooyeon felt a chill crawl up her spine and frowned. She looked around the apartment that was still filled with essential items. "Uh, be careful-" 

The fashionista opened the door and let out a small shriek as two bodies toppled down on the floor. They both had a bullet pierced in their foreheads, along with bite marks on their shoulders and arms. 

Yooyeon blinked. "Thought so." 

Dahyun tried her hardest to ignore Yubin's burning gaze as she tinkered with the insides of her radio. She gently disconnected the chip from the wires and looked it over, letting out a small huff after noticing a few anomalies with the small disk. 

Opening her military backpack, she put the water and food to the side and pulled out a portable battery and a soldering iron. She plugged the iron into the battery's outlet and went to work fixing the chip. 

She exhaled after soldering two parts together and lifted the iron. 

"Hi." 

Dahyun jumped in surprise. She looked up and saw the young girl with the rifle smile down at her. 

"I'm Soomin. What are you doing?" 

Dahyun looked around. "I'm, uh, fixing my radio." 

"That's pretty cool." Soomin took a seat on the ground next to her. "Why, though?" 

With a scrunch of her nose, Dahyun explained, "It got shocked for a while, and it messed up a few things in the electric chip. If I want the radio to work again, I'll have to fix the chip by soldering a few things together." 

"Woahhh," Soomin gasped in wonder. "Was it buzzed out because of your spear?" 

Dahyun turned around to look at her spear leaning against the wall. "Yeah." 

"Dude," Soomin began, "That spear's awesome. Is it the same one from Sweet Home? I loved that show. And webtoon! I binged them in like two days because I didn't really have anything else to do. Did you make it on your own?" 

Dahyun nodded, her lips curving upwards. 

Her smile dropped when she heard a new voice. 

"Speaking of doing things on your own, what were you doing alone?" 

Soomin and Dahyun looked up to Yubin. She had her arms crossed and wore a frown on her face. 

Chills crawled up her spine and the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She hesitated as Yubin's gaze bore into her. "I was just escaping the city," she reasoned in a shaky breath. 

Yubin gave her a sarcastic nod. "Uh huh. And you decided that attracting every single zombie in a fifty mile radius was a good idea?" she accused, emphasizing every syllable.  

Dahyun swallowed a lump in her throat. She looked over to the other group members, who had turned around to watch with growing concern. 

Soomin giggled nervously and stood up. "Hey, come on, we don't know what happened. I'm sure she didn't mean to," she tried reasoning with Yubin. 

"I really didn't mean to cause any trouble, I swear." Dahyun stood up in turn. She clasped her hands together. "I was just trying to run for my life when your friend grabbed me." 

"Yeah, and it almost cost her life!" Yubin snapped, completely ignoring Soomin. 

"I'm sorry, I really am!" Dahyun pleaded, her pupils trembling. "But I almost lost mine! I would've died without her!" 

Yubin threw a finger in front of Dahyun's face. "Well maybe you sh-" 

"Alright, back it up!" Nakyoung intercepted, shoving Yubin back with a palm to her chest. 

Yooyeon added, her tone as calm as ever, "You're making a lot of noise right now and are attracting unwanted attention." 

On cue, loud snarling and banging arose from the door. Everyone froze and held their breaths. Seoyeon gave Yubin a pointed look, communicating through her eyes that they were going to have a talk about this. The traceuse held in a grunt. 

The group stayed silent for minutes, waiting for the pounding to subside. Slowly but steadily, the sound level lowered. Then, it suddenly cut off altogether, the noise replaced by a deafening silence. Not even the zombies' footsteps were heard. Everyone stood still and stared at the door, not yet letting their guards down. 

Seoyeon's ear twitched as she heard a singular person's quiet footsteps right outside the door, and a few soft knocks followed. 

Nakyoung brought a finger to her lips and delicately walked towards the entrance. She carefully twisted the handle before opening the door a hair length's gap. 

"Uhm, hello?" A sweet voice sounded in Nakyoung's ears. Her heart beat faster in her chest, and slightly widened the gap. She was greeted by an eye. A human eye. 

"Who are you?" Nakyoung breathed out with a slight crease of her eyebrows. 

"Kaede." 

Nakyoung blinked. "Okay, Kaede. Sorry to ask, but how did you get past the zombies?" 

There was a slight hesitation on the other side. "I... didn't see any soldiers?" Her voice trembled with uncertainty. "Is someone named Yoon Seoyeon here?" 

Nakyoung looked back at Seoyeon. Judging by the nurse's frown, it seemed like she did not know the person. Still, Nakyoung beckoned her to approach the door. 

Seoyeon gulped and wet her lips. "I've never heard of the name Kaede," she murmured. "How do you know who I am?" 

"I..." Kaede trailed off. Instead of answering, Nakyoung and Seoyeon watched through the gap as she pulled out a phone from her pocket and showed them the screen. 

Nakyoung raised a brow at the gesture, but Seoyeon's mouth went dry. 

It was Shion's phone. 

"So..." 

Seoyeon, Yooyeon, and Kaede sat on the carpet in the middle of the living room, having moved their bags to the bedroom. After letting the girl in, they took the opportunity to throw out the two bodies into the hallway, alleviating them from the smell of death. Kaede had reasoned why she had Shion's phone with her. 

"You took Shion's phone from the hospital floor and just... followed us? All this time?" Seoyeon asked. 

Kaede exhaled nervously. "Yeah. I, uhm, listened to the directions you were giving, and tracked you down. Your last message gave me a good enough idea of where you were, and I managed to find you." 

Seoyeon hummed at Kaede's lengthy explanation. 

Yooyeon tapped a finger on the carpet. "I'm perplexed, though. Why didn't you say anything on the phone?" she wondered. 

"I didn't want to alarm her. I wanted to find a group to survive with, since I've been alone all this time. It's been really difficult." Kaede patted her nearly empty bag. 

"Well, judging by the fact you managed to get here uninjured, and without attracting a bunch of infected to our doorstep, I think you did a pretty good job," Seoyeon commended with a small smile, but then twisted her expression back to worry. 

The nurse rubbed a hand under her chin. "Uhm, although I'm glad my messages helped someone, I am wondering... have you seen...?" she alluded to Shion. 

Kaede gulped and inhaled a breath before somberly shaking her head. "I'm sorry," she replied solemnly. "I only found the phone in a puddle of blood. The only reason why I noticed it was because your voice was talking through it." 

Seoyeon let out a huff. "That's..." she tried to say, but her words were caught in her throat. She swallowed a lump and tried speaking again. "It's..." 

Seoyeon coughed. Her vision blurred and she sniffed. "It's okay," she croaked out. She pressed the palm of her hands harshly into her eyes and looked up to the ceiling. She shook her head and blinked. "Thank you for telling me," she murmured. 

Yooyeon watched the nurse as she tried to fight back her tears. She set a comforting hand on her back and turned to Kaede. "Well, you didn't see her body, right?" 

Kaede frowned. "No, I don't believe so." 

Yooyeon sighed and looked at Seoyeon. "If her body isn't at the hospital, it means she might still be alive. Until then, let's not give up." 

Seoyeon nodded and muttered a thanks. In her peripheral, she noticed Hyerin exiting the bathroom. The archer looked at her and pointed at the room. 

"I'm gonna go," Seoyeon said, standing up and walking away. 

Yooyeon pressed her lips together. "Well, Kaede, welcome to the group. You can take a look around, or just relax. I'll keep organizing the resources we have." She stood up. 

"Oh! Uh..." Kaede stopped her. Yooyeon looked back with a tilt of her head. 

"Is it alright if I join you?" The new girl asked. 

"Sure." The scientist agreed. Kaede mumbled something unintelligible under her breath and followed. 

As she made her way to the bedroom, she briefly glanced at Nakyoung, who was leaning against the wall. The fighter was frowning, her eyes trailed on the newcomer, scrutinizing her. Yooyeon thought her behavior was odd before entering the room. 

Hyerin walked into the kitchen after her shower. She looked around the area, opening various cabinets, before her eyes found the gas stove. She tested it, pressing on the igniter, hearing the muffled sound of clicking before the stove lit up in a controlled spectacle of blue fire. Hyerin let herself wear a grin before shutting it off and moving to the fridge. 

She opened it and was greeted by many ingredients. They still seemed to be in good condition despite the lack of electricity. Hyerin assumed the power of this district had gone out only recently. 

Hyerin took out every item from the fridge and laid them on the counter. Looking over them, Hyerin decided to use them all. 

After an hour passed, the aroma of home-cooked food filled the kitchen, and Hyerin smiled at the thought of eating a good meal. 

"You can cook?" 

Hyerin's smile dropped at the agitating voice behind her. Even with half of her hearing lost, she knew it was Soomin.  

She gave a curt nod, wanting to keep the conversation as short as possible. 

"Woah, that's awesome. And there's so many different ingredients, too! I don't think I could name a quarter of these." 

The archer hummed, not sparing her a single glance. Her right ear pulled back as she heard another pair of footsteps walk in. 

"How do you know how to cook so much at such young age?" a curious voice wondered. It had a bit of a haughty tone to it, so Hyerin assumed it was Xinyu. 

"I lived on my own for a couple of years," Hyerin answered since it wasn't Soomin. 

"Whaaat? I lived on my own too, but for like- ten years of my life, and the only thing I know is how to prepare cup ramen." 

"..." 

"..." 

"Ten years?" Xinyu asked. "What happened to your parents?" 

"Oh, well, my mom died in a car crash when I was seven. My dad's in the military. He's a general, so he doesn't have time to come home. He'd still send me a bunch of money every month, though, so I was doing pretty well on my own. He would also send me letters along with the guns he'd gift me- oh! There was one in the ammo case you all took from my drawer! Wanna see?" 

"Uh, sure?" Xinyu replied, uncertain. Hyerin heard hurried footsteps leave, then shortly came back. There was crumpling of paper. 

"Look!" Soomin spoke excitedly. Hyerin decided to briefly look at the letter, curiosity getting the better of her. 

Xinyu narrowed her eyes after reading through the letter. "...M.S.K.? Is that his name?" 

Soomin pursed her lips. "I think so?" 

"You think so?" Hyerin deadpanned. 

"I kind of forgot his full name." Soomin admitted with a sheepish grin. Hyerin blinked, turning back to the stove and flipping the omelet she was making with her wooden spatula. 

"Is the M the last name?" 

"Nah, it's K. For Kim." Soomin clarified. "I know that because my name's Kim Soomin. My mom's last name was Lee. I guess he didn't want to initial himself as K.M.S. lol." 

"What does that mean?" 

"It's 'kill myself' in English. I used to play video games online all the time, and people would always throw those words around." 

"Oh." 

Hyerin let out an impatient sigh and banged the spatula on the rim of the pan. "Alright. Get the hell out of the kitchen. I need to cook." 

The delicious aroma of hot food attacked Yooyeon's nostrils as she stepped out of the bedroom. Several dishes such as various egg recipes, sautéed vegetables, and noodles were placed on the dinner table. Since there weren't enough chairs, everyone opted to sit and eat their meal wherever they wanted. 

"Who cooked this?" Yooyeon wondered as she approached the table. Kaede joined her a minute after. 

"Hyerin did. It's really good!" Soomin replied with her mouth full. Xinyu winced and reprimanded her. Next to her, Sohyun chewed away happily, wearing a rare smile on her face. 

Nakyoung came out of the kitchen, holding several bottles of soju in her arms. "I found these in the cabinet. Let's get in on it!" 

Yooyeon raised her eyebrows and took a bowl, filling it with the foods she wanted. When she was done, she looked around her. "Where's Hyerin?" 

"She's sitting on the kitchen floor alone," Chaeyeon replied while feeding Jiwoo on the couch. 

After swallowing, Jiwoo said, "You know I can eat on my own, right?" 

"I don't care," Chaeyeon retorted, handing her another bite. Yubin had her back against the couch as she quietly ate her own bowl. 

Seoyeon approached Yooyeon and whispered, "I gave her a mouthful. Let's just say we kind of put a restraining order on her for Dahyun until she's sufficiently calmed down." 

Yooyeon glanced at Dahyun, who was still fixing her radio. Her half-eaten bowl stood on the floor next to her. 

Glass pressed against Yooyeon's arm. She turned and saw Nakyoung handing her a soju bottle. With a small smile, she took it and thanked her. 

"I want one too!" Soomin pouted. 

"Absolutely not," Sohyun retorted, downing her bottle. 

Seoyeon laughed. "Might as well get wasted like that." She pointed at the bodyguard. Yooyeon chuckled. 

The nurse turned towards Kaede. "You want one?" 

Kaede smiled apologetically and waved her hand. "I don't drink." 

Seoyeon shrugged. "That's alright." She then raised her bottle to the sky. "Let's get drunk!" 

The others cheered. Yooyeon watched with a smile. "Make sure to keep it down. Don't want the zombie neighbors complaining at the door," she half-joked before joining in on the fun. 

Dahyun soldered the wires back onto the radio chip and put the lid back on the device. The adults who had drank were laughing in the closed bedroom, away from the front door. Even when drunk, they took their precautions. 

Dahyun turned on the radio. It was static at first, but it was enough for her to know that the apparatus functioned again. 

She adjusted the frequency back to the military radio waves, the device switching between the sound of buzzing and voices. She looked at the walkie-talkie to ensure she remembered the right frequency. 

The bedroom door swung open and Dahyun slightly jolted, setting her adjustment back a notch. The women were actively speaking with each other as they left the room. 

"Yeah, no, of course you're part of our group! Whatever happened last night? That's river under the bridge." Seoyeon laughed, her face flushed. She suddenly became serious and pressed a finger against Nakyoung's chest. "But seriously, don't ever do that again," she ordered, then went back to smiling. 

Nakyoung wore a smirk. "No promises," she slurred out and giggled. Sohyun stumbled out of the room and Xinyu had to hold her, the fashionista looking like she hadn't drank anything at all despite her soju bottle being completely empty. Yooyeon followed the group with a drunken chuckle. Kaede, who was apparently with them, was last to leave the room with her bag around her. 

Seoyeon noticed Dahyun handling her radio. "Oh, did you fix that thing?" she asked, quickly walking up to her. Upon hearing the static, the nurse wowed at her accomplishment. The others quickly joined in to listen. Even Hyerin had left the kitchen. 

"What are you looking for?" Soomin wondered. 

"The frequency the military uses for their messages," Dahyun explained, slowly turning the handle. The electrical buzzing turned into voices. The group went quiet and listened intently to the radio. 

"Unit 18, I need an update on the blockade. I repeat, I need an update on the blockade." An authoritative voice spoke through the device. 

Static filled the room for a few seconds, then they heard another voice. "The perimeter blockade around Seoul has been completed. The Han River has been excluded due to shortage of resources." 

The group exchanged nervous glances and murmurs. Seoyeon's dilated eyes instantly contracted into pinpricks. 

"Oh, my god." 

"What's wrong?" Kaede asked. 

"We're gonna have to cross the river." 

Chapter Text

Yooyeon watched the street view from the bedroom window. Infected walked through the streets, their jackets barely holding onto their shoulders as they limped and looked around, searching for their next target. The occasional tweet of a bird or a dog's bark would make them snap their heads in the direction of the sound, and they would promptly rush towards the source. 

She pulled the curtain back but stopped when she heard the faint high-pitched screaming of a child. She peeked back outside the window to see a young, probably middle school girl in her uniform with tears in her eyes, trying her best to run away from the zombies that chased her. As she looked back, she failed to notice the body lying on the ground in front of her and she tripped, landing harshly on her exposed arms. 

Yooyeon watched with a grim expression as the girl cried for her mother and the zombies quickly piled onto her. The scientist couldn't see it, but she heard the shrill screams of pain as the child was being torn apart. Her heart felt heavy in her chest, and she swallowed a lump in her throat. Strings of guilt slithered up her arm as she thought about how it was HausTech's doing, and as a worker, she felt the need to hold some level of responsibility for the state Seoul was in. She hoped the rest of Korea was faring better. 

The infected eventually stood up, leaving a bloodied and mangled kid behind. Bile rose up to Yooyeon's throat as she observed the corpse, which was nearly ripped to shreds. She inhaled deeply and was about to leave, when the girl suddenly started moving again not even minutes after the zombies had left. 

Yooyeon stared with widened eyes as the girl got back up on her feet, looking around with a hollow stare in her eyes. 

"I guarantee you, the girl was dead. There was absolutely no way she would've survived an attack from half a dozen zombies." 

On the living room carpet, Seoyeon rummaged around the items in the sports bag, searching for the first-aid kit while Yooyeon explained what she had seen. Upon finding it, she pulled it out and opened the case. Her eyebrows creased. 

"Has anyone been using the first aid kit?" she called out to the group. 

"Why, is something missing?" Chaeyeon leaned in to look at the box. 

"Not just something..." Seoyeon huffed, digging through the kit. "At least half the bandages are gone, along with a bunch of other stuff." She stood up and put her hands to her hips. 

Yubin, who was pacing on the other side of the room, stopped to narrow her eyes at Dahyun. 

Dahyun threw her arms up, dumbfounded. "Why would I steal bandages?!" she whisper yelled.

"Hm, I don't know." Yubin shrugged. "Maybe you want to see people die," she accused. 

Jiwoo looked up from the couch. "Yubin, can you stop antagonizing her? It's been two whole days. Everyone's already over it." 

"And you still haven't gotten up from that damn sofa." Yubin scoffed. 

"Guys!" Seoyeon exclaimed. "Now is not the time to fight. The current standing is that a bunch of stuff in the first-aid kit is gone." 

Kaede raised her hand. "Maybe you just haven't realized how much of it you used in the past few days," she reasoned, looking around. "I mean, there's a lot of injured people." 

Seoyeon scrunched her nose. "Maybe," she said. After thinking for a minute, she nodded. "Yeah, I think Kaede's right. Sorry everyone, false alarm! Go back to what you're doing." She waved a dismissive hand in the air. 

The girls went back to their occupations. Seoyeon breathed out and closed the kit. She turned her attention to Yooyeon. The scientist noted that her dark circles haven't improved. 

The nurse gave her an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I've been a little on edge lately. What were you saying?" She patted the spot next to her. 

Yooyeon sat down. "Are you sure you don't want to rest?" 

"No, absolutely not," Seoyeon protested. "This is nothing compared to the hospital." 

Yooyeon gulped down her feelings of concern. "Well, the girl outside that I just told you about? It's odd. In any other case, she should've just stayed dead on the road, but she got back up." 

"As a zombie?" 

"Yes. I believe Chaeyeon's theory about them being zombies is right. The definition of a zombie is a corpse who is miraculously revived in some way, and that's what happened." 

Chaeyeon, who was listening in, pumped a victorious fist in the air. 

Seoyeon hummed thoughtfully, holding her chin with the back of her hand. "But the woman who grabbed me in the alley, she wasn't dead when she turned." 

Yooyeon pinched the bridge of her nose and huffed. She tapped above her lips with her index finger. "Maybe after the bite, it doesn't matter if you die. You'll still get turned." 

The nurse nodded. "That's important to know. Thank you for telling me." With a huff, she scrambled through her tote bag. She pulled out a notebook with a blue cover and offered it to her. 

"You should note everything down in a book so that we can remember." Seoyeon chuckled. "Who knows, maybe you'll even try finding a cure with this." 

Yooyeon blinked. She gently took the notebook from Seoyeon and stared at the cover. She looked down at her lab coat. Xinyu had given it back to her the day before with a proud smile after sewing it back up. She looked at the notebook again, tracing a thumb over the cloth cover. 

"Yeah, maybe." 

Kaede could feel Nakyoung's stare on her. Since joining their group days ago, the fighter had her eyes trailed on her. 

The newcomer looked around the apartment, her eyes glancing over the bags filled with food and water. Sohyun was refilling bottles in the sink. Her partner Xinyu was cutting facemasks out of clothes she considered "irredeemable." Seoyeon and Yooyeon were having a discussion on the carpet. Chaeyeon, who was listening, got disinterested and went back to Jiwoo. Kaede's eyes went to Yubin. The girl was scrutinizing Dahyun, who was trying to mind her own business. 

Kaede's eyes trailed back to Xinyu. The fashionista held a t-shirt that had royal purple on one half and burgundy on the other. 

"My goodness that is absolutely atrocious." The fashionista's voice echoed through the room as she threw the piece of clothing away. Kaede chuckled with her hands in her jacket pockets. 

Kaede froze as an arm was put over her shoulders. 

"So, how's has the integration been?" 

Her smile temporarily dropped from her face before she put it back on again. She turned her head towards Nakyoung and grinned brightly. "It's been great! I'm having a good time." 

Nakyoung gave her an understanding nod. "It's easier when you're around people, isn't it?" 

"It really is," Kaede replied. "Running around alone has been really difficult. I can't recount the number of times I almost got bit or hurt." 

The fighter looked her up and down. "You don't have a single scratch or stain on you. I’d say that’s quite the accomplishment." 

Kaede gave a humble chuckle. "Well, I did just take a shower." 

Nakyoung's smile reached her eyes. "That's true," she agreed. She pat Kaede on the back reassuringly. "Make sure to prepare everything you need, by the way. We're leaving soon." 

She took her arm back and clapped twice, getting the group's attention. Kaede watched her and let out a small huff of relief, un-tensing her shoulders. She put her hand in her pocket and fiddled with the small handle in it. 

The group gathered in front of the apartment door. Nakyoung put a hand on the handle before turning back to face the group. 

"Okay, I know tensions are high right now," she gave Yubin, who was wearing Jiwoo's hockey gear, a pointed look, "but I don't want to see any of that outside, alright? We work together to survive together. If anyone does something stupid, I will see it to myself to beat the shit out of you. Got it?" 

The group members gulped nervously and nodded their heads. Everyone was in the possession of a knife from the kitchen. 

"Remember the plan. Groups of two. Nakyoung and I will lead the front, while Soomin and Dahyun trail the back. The injured stay in the middle," Sohyun added. 

"It's going to be a long walk. Whatever you do, don't let your guard down. And whatever happens, because things will happen, we stick together," Nakyoung finished and put her mask over her nose. Sohyun put a finger over her lips before doing the same. 

Nakyoung breathed in and gently opened the door. Much to her relief, there was nothing on the second floor save for the few corpses laying around. 

She gave a thumbs-up to the group before slowly making her way down the stairs, checking every nook and cranny for anything suspicious. 

The soldiers were gone from the first floor, and so was the body they were chewing on a few days ago. The entrance door was half-open. Nakyoung gently opened the rest of it before crossing. 

Sohyun put an arm in front of Nakyoung. After gaining the fighter's attention, she pointed at a person in the distance. 

Nakyoung held her breath as she observed their demeanor. It looked like a middle school girl. She stared above a brick wall in the distance, unmoving. Nakyoung noticed a stray cat on top of the wall that was hissing at her. 

She looked at Sohyun. With her fingers, she motioned walking. She then gestured the image of holding a head and stabbing it with a knife. 

Sohyun joined her thumb and index together in a ring, signing "okay" before slowly approaching the child zombie, making sure to look both ways for any threat. They were all conveniently looking away. 

As she walked up, the bodyguard pulled her knife out and held it in a reverse grip. She momentarily stopped as the kid snarled but didn't notice her presence. When she was just a foot away from her, Sohyun paused and swallowed a lump in her throat. 

The bodyguard looked away as, in a swift motion, she swung her knife into the back of the girl's head. She held the zombie's corpse as it lost its strength, gently lowering it down on the road. The cat that was hissing quickly jumped down and ran away. It attracted every zombie in the area, and they chased after it. 

Despite the welcome distraction, Sohyun verified her surroundings for any threats. She looked down at the zombie she killed. The girl stared emptily into the sky. Using her free hand, the bodyguard closed her eyes before hurrying back to her group. 

Nakyoung and her shared an affirmative nod before the vigilante gestured at the others to move in the direction opposite of the cat. 

As she marched, Sohyun pressed a hand against her forehead before wiping it down her face. She felt a comforting hand being put on her shoulder. She looked back and stared into Xinyu's empathetic gaze. 

A thousand voiceless messages were passed between them. The bodyguard huffed and looked back to the front. 

The group had managed to make it halfway through their journey without any heavy altercations.  

Chaeyeon would like to put emphasis on the 'halfway' since they had been stuck inside a small convenience store for the past half hour.  

There was nothing on the roads for quite some time during their trek before the ambush. Although the group had found it odd, they had kept walking. 

Unfortunately, Dahyun had been so focused on looking around her that she had forgotten about looking down. An infected stuck under a car had grabbed onto her ankle and tried to reach its head to bite it, but its lower body was crushed, making it unable to move. 

Dahyun had shrieked and Hyerin quickly shot an arrow through its head, instantly killing it, but the damage had been done. After a few seconds of bone-chilling, deafening silence, the group was swarmed from every angle, and Sohyun had quickly pushed everyone into the nearest building. The zombies that were in the store were quickly killed off and dumped in a corner, and the group was quick to push a shelf in front of the door. 

Most of the group sat in the darkness of the store's backroom, while she and a few others felt more comfortable basking in the meagre amount of light that passed through the windows. The rays of sun shifted constantly with the movements of the infected banging on the glass walls. 

Chaeyeon winced as her eye was hit with a direct beam of sunlight. She hovered a hand over her face. She turned her attention to Jiwoo, who lay on the floor with a small wince. Seoyeon was checking on her injury. The unexpected ambush had made her move too much too quickly, causing her wound to almost reopen. 

"How are you feeling?" Chaeyeon asked, her voice laced with concern.  

Jiwoo let out a shaky breath. "It's getting better." She smiled then grimaced as Seoyeon pressed the back of her hand on the bandage. 

Chaeyeon reached for her hand, interlocking their fingers. "Don't push yourself too hard, okay?" she whispered, putting her face close to Jiwoo's. 

"I won't." Jiwoo replied with a nod. The tips of her ears reddened. Seoyeon eyed them suspiciously before folding the shirt back over the injury. 

"Thankfully, the wound hasn't reopened," the nurse announced, patting her hands on her jacket, "but you shouldn't move your right side at all." 

Jiwoo huffed. "Thank goodness I'm left-handed." 

Chaeyeon giggled. She peeked over the emptied shelf to look at the crowd. The zombies instantly noticed her and tripled their efforts, screaming and banging the windows even harder. Chaeyeon widened her eyes, looking away and clutching at her pounding chest. She and the others jumped as they heard the faint cracking of glass under all the pounding. 

Sohyun quickly stood up in a crouching position. "Alright. Backroom, now." she ordered, extending a hand towards Xinyu. The fashionista gladly held onto it and smiled as her bodyguard lifted her up effortlessly from the ground. Sohyun gestured to the others to follow in a line. 

Chaeyeon and Seoyeon helped Jiwoo up, and the small group quickly moved to the back. 

Yubin chugged the warm soda can in one shot. After gulping down the final drop, she let go with a loud sigh of relief. She crushed the empty can between her hands before tossing it somewhere behind her, the loud clattering of aluminum on the cement echoing against the walls. 

"Can't you be any louder?" Nakyoung's whisper scolded her in the darkness. 

Yubin wiped the excess drink off her chin before putting down the helmet's visor. "What? It just confirms that nothing else is in here with us," she said, feigning nonchalance. The traceuse then shot a glare to a silhouette across from her. "Wouldn't want there to be another ambush, right?" 

Dahyun groaned. "It could've been anyone!" 

"And it just so happens to be you." 

"Because it was closest to me!" 

"Maybe you deliberately put your foot there so it could grab you!" 

"Yubin." 

Yooyeon's chilling tone froze everyone in place. Shivers climbed up Yubin's arms as she held her breath. 

"Get your act together." The sentence was short, but Yooyeon spoke in such a slow, calculative voice, that Yubin feared for her safety. Even without seeing it, she could feel the scientist's icy glare. 

The traceuse looked down. She traced a pattern on the floor with her gloved finger. A seed of guilt was planted in her heart. 

"...I'm sorry," she spoke. 

The convenience store's doors were pushed open, letting in the light of day. The girls squinted and complained but were quickly shushed by Sohyun whose eyes were wide alert. 

"The glass is breaking, and it won't hold for long. Everyone out in the backdoor." 

Everyone quickly shuffled into a standing position. Seoyeon turned her phone's flashlight on and shone it around the room. 

Finding the back door, she quickly ushered everyone towards it before the flashlight suddenly shut off. 

"Wh-" 

She tapped on her phone, holding the power button as she walked. After a couple seconds, she was greeted with the image of a dead battery. Seoyeon cursed under her breath. 

"Worry about it later." Nakyoung pat her on the back. 

The fighter held a palm over the push bar. "Sohyun and I will go out first and get rid of anything that's out there. Wait for me to open the door again before you follow." 

Upon hearing 'okays' and hums of agreement, Nakyoung quietly opened the door, looked both ways, and stepped out into the light. 

"Okay. No one's asking, so I will. Why is nothing moving?" 

Soomin lowered the music blasting through her headphones to listen to Hyerin's message. She raised a brow and nodded at the question, believing the archer raised a good point. As far as the eye could see, there were only corpses laying around in the roads, and not a single body was moving. 

The second half of their journey was perilous at first, with zombies running at them from every corner. As they went, though, the numbers had significantly dwindled until there was barely anything ambushing them. 

While walking by a corpse sitting against a building wall, Soomin peeked her head into the passenger seat of a nearby car, carefully observing a body as she held her breath to not inhale its stench. Its eyes were shut tight as it sat in the car with its seatbelt tied around it. 

Pursing her lips, Soomin reached her hand in and waved it in front of the zombie. In an instant, its eyes snapped wide open, and it reached for Soomin's hand with bared teeth, groaning loudly. Soomin recoiled back, holding in a scream of both surprise and pain as her arm sliced against the sharp edges of the broken car window. 

A small arrow quickly sheathed itself into the zombie's head. It lolled back into the car seat with its jaw wide open. 

Soomin took the opportunity to pull her head and arm out of the car. She looked wide eyed at Hyerin, who held her crossbow in her hands. 

The young gunner grinned sheepishly, holding her bleeding arm. Hyerin rolled her eyes as she reached into the car and pulled the arrow out of the zombie's head. 

Another groan came from behind them, but Dahyun quickly stabbed it in the neck with her spear. The three girls looked at each other, then at the rest of the group. 

"It was sitting against the wall just seconds ago," Dahyun said. A few surrounding zombies awakened and sped towards them. Nakyoung, Sohyun, and Yubin made quick work of killing them, and the infected fell back down with a soft thud. 

Immediately understanding the situation, Yooyeon quickly held a finger to her covered lip and mimed the action of sleeping. 

One by one, the group members' eyes widened. They looked around at the countless corpses sitting, standing, or laying still on the ground with their eyes closed or half-open. 

They realized they weren't standing in a graveyard. They were in a minefield. 

Seoyeon let out a shaky exhale as they stood in front of the kilometer-long bridge.  

Cars lined up haphazardly on the overpass with dents in the vehicles, and shards of broken glass littered the charred road. Bodies upon bodies filled the area, and Seoyeon had no idea which ones were really dead. One corpse was hanging upside-down on the edge. Seoyeon covered her mouth with a hand as she noticed the silhouette of a person hanging under the bridge with a rope tied around their neck. 

On the crossroads in front of the bridge, a car had been completely flipped over and demolished, having seemingly been t-boned by a nearby truck that laid sideways with fire coming out of its engine. She heard the crackling of the flames as they licked at the air, and she inhaled the nauseating scent of gasoline as a pool of the clear liquid leaked out of the truck. 

Yooyeon watched the nurse with a cool but intense gaze. Seoyeon caught her stare and gave her a nod of approval. Yooyeon nodded back and signaled the frontliners to march. Sohyun reemphasized the importance of staying quiet with a finger pressed against her mask. 

The group crossed with their tongues glued to the roof of their dry mouths. Their hands were gripped on their weapons so forcefully to the point their knuckles were white, and their arms were shaky. Their bodies were stiff as they anxiously ducked over cars and corpses, watching the bloody and beat bodies with glares so intense they feared their eyes would pop out of their sockets. 

It was terrifying. Not knowing when anything could suddenly pop out was terrifying. 

Seoyeon took a careful step forward, looking down at the body underneath her. The man's corpse was torn apart. There was barely anything left of his ripped t-shirt, and the original color had been lost from the overwhelming pool of crimson covering every part of his body. One arm was twisted behind his back at an odd angle with a stray bone protruding out the forearm. Every finger was broken, and the black watch on his wrist repeated the same second as it ticked. His other arm was nothing left but a puddle of gory flesh mixed into a disgusting soup of raw meat. Bite marks littered his neck, back, and legs, the blackened wounds tracing blue pathways through whatever veins they could find. 

The stench of the rot was unbearable. She heard Chaeyeon nearly retch behind her. The girl's eyes were teary from the black smoke rising from the surrounding cars. One arm supported Jiwoo while she covered her nose with the other. She could feel her heart pound at a million beats per minute in her chest, and she occasionally felt unfocused, having to pause and take a deep breath before she could keep going. Her face was pale from anxiety and fear. 

Xinyu was thankful she changed out of her dress. Although pretty, it was highly impractical, unlike the simple trousers she was wearing. She put a supporting hand on the hood of a nearby smoking car before passing a long leg over the large pieces of sharp glass on the ground. She couldn't have done that with her knee-high dress that clung tightly to her skin. She focused on Sohyun, who constantly looked around her, occasionally warning Xinyu and the rest of the group about a hazard with a hand gesture. 

A small breeze passed through the bridge. The fashionista winced and shut her eyes as a stray speck of ash blew into her eyes. She shook her head, blinking rapidly to remove the sting.  

She looked around with narrowed eyes, but quickly widened them in alarm as she noticed a tiny frame run in her peripheral behind the group. From the distance, it was nothing bigger than a grain of rice. 

Xinyu drew a large X with her arms to halt the rest of the group, who eyed her with questioning looks. Xinyu pointed at the moving figure in the far distance. Upon seeing it, Sohyun instantly motioned everyone to lower themselves. 

Everyone waited with their breaths stuck in their throats. Nakyoung peeked over the back of a car, her eyes laser focused on the distant person, tracing their every step. As the figure approached, Nakyoung noticed it was a young boy who couldn't be anything older than a third-year high school student. Nakyoung's blood ran cold as she noticed he kept looking back. Over the smoke, she could barely make out a group running right behind him. 

Her eyes widened as she felt a poignant clutch in her chest. She gestured to the group to get back up and moving with a newfound sense of urgency. The group members looked at each other with dread and swiftly lifted themself off the ground. 

Still keeping as quiet as they could, the members hastily stepped over every corpse and glass fragment, making sure their feet hit the ground with little to no sound and that they still kept a low profile. Hyerin held onto her quiver on her back, making sure her arrows didn't rattle around. Soomin kept her fingers clutched around her rifle, ignoring the pain from her newly bandaged arm. They weren't even halfway through the bridge. 

"Please, help me!" A plead echoed on the bridge. 

Hyerin felt the blood in her veins freeze, as if someone had plunged her in a tub of icy water. The running boy had spotted their team and had called out to them. 

Nakyoung watched in horror as every body awakened around them. She spun around, looking at the corpses as they reanimated with their eyes wide open and boring into them. She cursed a thousand times in her head and immediately got to work, stabbing every head near her. 

"We gotta go!" She looked back and said hastily before moving forward and fighting off the approaching zombies. Sohyun quickly followed her directions, sheathing her knife up a zombie's throat. 

"Wait, please!" They heard the boy say in the distance, followed by screams of pain. 

Yubin looked back, but Kaede instantly pushed her forward. "There was no saving him anyway," she said with a certain coldness that irked the traceuse. Still, she received the message and started running forward. Her eyes then widened and she skidded to a stop, looking behind her again. Dahyun was frozen in place as dozens of zombies approached her. 

With a loud curse, the traceuse ran back, smoothly hacked off the head of an approaching zombie with her butcher's knife and grabbed Dahyun by her backpack. Before the girl could scream, Yubin yelled, 

"Run, you idiot!" 

The order snapped Dahyun back to reality. She quickly spun around and followed Yubin's path, running between cars and the infected. Soomin and Hyerin followed in the back. 

Yubin's current objective was to get to Jiwoo and Chaeyeon. Although they were in front of her, they were significantly slowed down. The traceuse jumped over a car, slashing at every head and arm with the sheer strength of adrenaline, and caught up to her friends. Chaeyeon was still supporting Jiwoo. Yubin was having none of that. 

"It's not your legs that are broken, so get off each other and start running as fast as you can!" Yubin pointed out to them. Jiwoo and Chaeyeon looked at Yubin, then at each other with a nod and separated. They ran next to each other with Jiwoo standing between them, holding her injury, and the other two fighting off the threats. 

Yubin looked over the river. They had reached the half-point of the bridge. She dreaded the next half as she swung her knife into the side of a zombie's head with a yell. 

Dahyun followed closely behind them with her hands clutched on her weapon. She narrowly dodged the incoming claws that tried to reach her over the cars. She shrieked as a zombie appeared in front of her, and, out of instinct, she stabbed the spear up its throat and looked away. 

Dahyun flinched and went to cover her ears as the rattling of gunshots echoed throughout the bridge. Soomin stood on top of a car with her rifle, shooting down zombies with precision. Hyerin, who was wearing her headphones, switched between ranged and melee, stabbing incoming zombies deep in their eye sockets with her arrows before shooting the same darts at the zombies trying to grab Soomin on the other side of the car. 

Infected in the radius screeched at the noise and started pathing towards the young gunner. With the welcome distraction, Dahyun removed her blade from the zombie she killed and stabbed the one coming from the right in the chest. She flicked the switch on her spear, electrocuting the zombie. She pushed it forward as it spazzed into another zombie, who instantly twitched at the contact. After a few seconds, she flicked the switch off and kicked the zombies away from her. She looked at her weapon with a smile, then back to Soomin where dozens of zombies were trying to reach her. 

"You'll attract more of them!" Seoyeon yelled out, ducking under a jaw snapping at her. Yooyeon sheathed her kitchen knife up its throat. 

"Doesn't matter, our lives are in danger, anyway!" Soomin replied with an odd look of crazed glee. After thirty shots, her gun jammed. Soomin huffed out a curse and scrambled to change her magazine at record speed before blasting the cranium of an infected leaning in to bite at her ankle, its bloody remains splattering on her sneakers and pants. 

Dahyun ran towards the crowded space. "I'm going to fry them!" 

Soomin looked down at her with wide eyes. "Woah, hey! Not with me up here!" She protested. Hyerin, on the other hand, quickly nodded and moved away, running after the group. 

"Jump down when I say so!" Dahyun said, quickly formulating a plan. A growl behind her snapped her out of her thoughts, but Soomin shot behind her, the bullet whizzing just past her, temporarily freezing the girl. 

Dahyun gulped and shook her head. She approached the vehicle and put the blade against the roof of the car. 

"Jump!" She yelled. Soomin let out a thrilled scream and hopped off. The moment her feet left the vehicle, Dahyun switched the power on. In an instant, the zombies who were pressed against the car twitched and convulsed. 

Soomin landed next to her, shoving the barrel of her gun up the chin of an approaching zombie while crouched down. She pulled the trigger, blasting its face off, and giggled at the sight of its exposed scarlet skull. 

Dahyun kept her blade pressed against the car, counting the interminable seconds before switching the power off. The wave of bodies stopped twitching and fell to the ground. It reeked of burnt meat. 

Dahyun turned around to catch up with the rest of the group, who were significantly ahead of them. "Let's go!" 

"Aye aye, capt'n!" Soomin cheered, setting her rifle behind her back and taking out her small knife. The duo moved to the edge of the bridge, climbing over the ramp that separated the main road with the pedestrian's sidewalk. The infected stumbled and fell over the ramp to chase them. 

Dahyun and Soomin caught up to Yubin, Jiwoo, Chaeyeon, and Kaede. The three girls were still on the main road, trying their best to fight off the infected. Kaede had joined them to try and multiply their efforts, but Dahyun could see they were starting to get exhausted from their flimsy swings. 

"Get to the sidewalk!" Dahyun called out to the trio. They looked at her, and Chaeyeon called back, eyes wide,

"Behind you!" 

Dahyun yelped as a hand suddenly grabbed her hair from behind. Without thinking, she dropped her spear and tried pulling it back. She bent down as she got dragged across the sidewalk, crying out in pain as it yanked at her head. She sobbed and shut her eyes when she heard the snarling getting closer. 

“Don’t give up so easily!” 

Dahyun opened her eyes back up when she heard hurried footsteps and screaming. Yubin dashed towards them and chopped a significant portion of Dahyun's hair off with her butcher's knife. 

Dahyun fell forward at the sudden lightness and smacked harshly onto the ground. Although she managed to block her head from hitting the sidewalk with her arm, the sheer force of the impact left her seeing spots for a split second. 

The world spun around her as she looked back, watching Yubin hack into the zombie's skull. In the distance, she could also see Kaede approaching them to help, but an infected grabbed her by the arm. It nearly bit into it, but the girl pulled back with impressive force. She counterattacked with a weak swing of her kitchen knife, the blade slicing clumsily across its neck. The zombie kept biting. The cut wasn't deep enough. 

Yubin quickly went to help, smashing the cleaver into the infected's temple and tearing half of its skull off. 

Dahyun held the back of her head as the dizziness unrelented. Soomin caught up to her. 

"Hey, hey, can you stand?" the teenager asked, trying her best to drag Dahyun up. Yubin was running back to her, smoothly hopping over the fence. 

"Come on, get up!" The traceuse ordered harshly. Even in her haze, Dahyun guessed that just because Yubin saved her, it didn't mean she liked her in any way. 

"Be careful, there's a gap in the railing!" Soomin advised Yubin. Behind the two, Kaede was standing still. Dahyun squinted, looking at the zombie that was running up to her. 

In a flash, Kaede swung the kitchen knife at the zombie's neck seamlessly, much unlike her earlier struggle. She then spun around and started running towards them as if nothing had happened. The infected she attacked fell to the ground with its neck sliced half-open. 

Dahyun stared in dazed astonishment as she was being pulled up by Soomin on her right and Yubin on her left. Kaede noticed her wide eyes and she quickly ran over to them. 

"Are you all alright?" Kaede asked, her voice dripping with concern. She put a hand on Dahyun's back. 

"She's dizzy from the fall," Soomin told her. 

"Well, she can worry about it later, 'cause we gotta go now!" Yubin expressed loudly and dragged Dahyun off. The techie tried her best to follow in her footsteps. Kaede supported her from behind, standing on Yubin's left, right next to the sidewalk's fence. 

"I'll clear the surroundings, then!" Soomin announced, letting go of Dahyun and pulling her rifle back out. She turned to face the back and started gunning down the zombies behind them. 

The added blasts worsened Dahyun's condition. She pressed her hands against her ears and shut her eyes to muffle the sounds of gunshots as much as possible. She could hear Yubin's voice yelling at Soomin to stop. 

The next thing she heard was a shriek and she felt herself get pushed. She lost her footing, and suddenly, she fell again. This time, though, she didn't seem to be landing. 

"We're too split up! We need to get back to them!" Nakyoung looked behind her after beating a zombie's head in. They were close to thirty meters ahead of the rest of the group, but they had been unable to advance for a while, being overwhelmed by the sheer number of infected. They had their backs against a large car.

Seoyeon winced at loud gunshots and looked back to see Hyerin had caught up with them. The archer watched with heavy pants as Nakyoung and Sohyun fought together flawlessly, dancing around each other as they sliced and beat the infected coming at them from the front of the bridge. 

Seoyeon gave her an affirmative nod, then tilted her head to look behind her. "Where are the others?" She questioned. 

Hyerin raised a brow and looked behind her. "I thought they were right behind me..." She couldn't see past the car that blocked the group's vision. 

Jiwoo and Chaeyeon arrived shortly behind them. Jiwoo had her hand clutched to her injured side, heaving in pain. Chaeyeon grabbed Seoyeon's arm, her eyes wide in panic. 

"Someone got pushed over," she panted out. 

"What?!" Many voices exclaimed at the same time. 

Seoyeon pushed past Hyerin and peeked over the car. Her heart dropped. "Oh no..." 

"Who is it?" Yooyeon asked, messily sheathing her knife up an infected's throat. 

A girl with messed up short hair was hanging over the edge of the bridge. The only thing stopping her from falling was a gloved hand that was clutching her wrist. 

"It's Dahyun." 

Yubin had an iron grip on Dahyun's forearm. She was lowered onto the sidewalk with her stomach flat against the ground. Her other hand held onto the railing where it hadn't been destroyed. 

Dahyun looked down at the river. She regained some of her consciousness back, being able to assess her situation clearer. Still, it didn't stop the pounding of her heart against her temples. Her anxiety was at an all-time high, and she breathed heavily. 

Soomin desperately wanted to help them up, but the never-ending waves of infected stopped her from being able to do anything. Kaede shared the same story, struggling to fight against the horde. 

As seconds passed, Yubin struggled to keep a tight clutch on Dahyun's arm. Her hockey gloves weren't doing her any favors, either. Dahyun slightly slipped from her grasp and her heart dropped. 

Dahyun sobbed, her vision blurred from incoming tears. She mustered her energy and used her other hand to grab onto Yubin's arm. 

"Stop crying!" Yubin complained. "You're not gonna die!" 

"You literally told me to on the first day we met!" Dahyun somehow had the wit to retort. 

Yubin scoffed and held her tongue, knowing Dahyun was right. She racked her brain to think of something else to say. Finding it, she smirked. 

"Well, you can do it on another day!" 

With an empowering scream, running on nothing other than pure adrenaline, Yubin lifted her hand up. Sure, she was petty, but the traceuse didn't really want anyone to die. Dahyun's eyes widened as the girl was actually lifting her up, letting out a chuckle of disbelief. 

Slowly but surely, Yubin managed to lift Dahyun up inch by inch. The muscle fibers in her arms threatened to snap, but Yubin didn't let the strain stop her. She let out another powerful yell and pushed herself even harder than before. Soomin looked back and gasped in astonishment.  

"You're a beast!" The teenager cried out with a laugh. Kaede looked at the scene in pure shock. 

Dahyun's hands were a few inches from the ledge. One more push, and she could grab onto it. She gave an encouraging yell, and she could hear Yubin yell back with even more power. 

Yubin was so close to succeeding she could feel the sweet taste of victory on the tip of her tongue. Her eyebrows creased in absolute focus as she tuned everything else out, only caring about bringing Dahyun back up. 

As she was about to let out her final empowered yell, though, it was replaced by a cry of pain as the feeling of a blade slashed her calf. Her vision went white for not even a tenth of a second, but it was enough for her grip to slip up. 

Dahyun's heart dropped, suddenly feeling extremely light. As the air whistled around her in a soft howl, she realized what had happened. The ledge, that was so close, suddenly looked so distant as she fell. Her tears were falling right above her, reflecting the light and creating a chandelier of gloom. 

She didn't scream or yell. She had forgotten how to, as her body was frozen in the moment. She heard nothing and felt nothing. She couldn't even react when she saw Yubin leaping over the edge and gravitating towards her with both her hands reached out. 

Yubin managed to catch Dahyun by the arm, and twisted their bodies so that she was underneath her. 

Then, they hit the water. 

They arrived too late. 

Next to her, Chaeyeon fell to her knees as she saw the events unfold. 

An incessant high-pitched ringing sounded in Jiwoo's ears as she replayed the scene in her head over and over again in slow-motion. The wound that hurt so badly had become a dull ache. Her eyes glazed over at the ledge, where, in a last ditch effort to save Dahyun, Yubin jumped off to get to her. Soomin had pulled out her rifle again, furiously blasting away at the zombies, but Jiwoo could barely hear the bullets as they exited the chamber. Seoyeon rushed towards Kaede to help her back up. Jiwoo hadn't even realized the girl fell down. 

"Jiw..." 

Everything was blurry. Jiwoo barely felt Nakyoung poking at her shoulder. She saw her lips move slowly and she couldn't register anything she was saying. Her chest was heavy, and she couldn't feel her heart beating. 

"Hey, sna..."  

Nakyoung insisted, removing her brass knuckles and snapping her fingers in front of her. Even inches in front of her, the fighter's hand was foggy. 

"Snap o- ut of it, damn it!" Nakyoung punched her in the stomach. Jiwoo coughed and wheezed as she was brought back to consciousness. "We can't stay here any longer, we need to leave!" 

The waves had thinned after countless minutes of fighting, but the group's energy had been spent along with it. 

Jiwoo nodded, but didn't think any further. She took Chaeyeon by the arm, lifting her back up, and the two ran. While the others fought off the horde, they ran. When an infected nearly bit a chunk off her shoulder, Jiwoo barely flinched and kept running. They ran until they reached the end of the bridge. 

Jiwoo felt no pain on the injured side of her rib. It was nothing compared to the steel thorns piercing her heart. 

Chapter Text

Yubin was four years old when her father had thrown her into the deep end of the pool to teach her how to swim. 

He had yelled at her to fight, to survive with all of her will. 

Yubin didn't know what was happening back then. She was disoriented. She had flailed her arms and legs around, trying to catch a breath of fresh air. As she gasped, she had inhaled a large chunk of water. Her limbs had contracted as it entered her lungs and she had closed her eyes, sinking down into the pool. By the time her father had brought her back to the surface, she was barely conscious and was no longer breathing. At some point, her heart had stopped, and she had to be resuscitated. 

The near-death experience hadn't stopped her father. He had been hell-bent on teaching her how to swim, and how to swim well. It did not matter how many times she had to fight for her life. 

Did Yubin become a good swimmer? Well, yes, that was what happened when someone was thrown into the deep end every day. 

The experience made Yubin vehemently detest the water. 

So it surprised even her when she followed Dahyun into the river. 

Seoyeon's ears buzzed as she looked right in front of her while running. Her lungs and legs burned. Her surroundings passed by in a fog as her mind was filled with countless thoughts that blurred together, but one thought was overpowering. 

Did that really just happen? 

The others were ahead of her, including Jiwoo and Chaeyeon. Seoyeon couldn't see it, but she knew they were just as, if not more shocked than her. Their running was sloppy and unfocused, with Jiwoo keeping an unyielding grasp on Chaeyeon. Seoyeon noticed the bloodstains on her shirt where her wound was covered. 

An arm suddenly appeared in her field of vision and swung at her. Seoyeon didn't have time to react and would've gotten scratched if it wasn't for Kaede pulling her back. 

Yooyeon caught up to them, breathing heavily. She threw her arm out and pointed at a nearby building. "Get to the diner!" She panted out. 

Seoyeon's legs were weakening by the second and she started slowing down. Kaede supported her by the waist. 

"We're almost there," the girl whispered softly. 

Nakyoung held the wooden door open while Sohyun pushed back incoming zombies. Xinyu entered the building first and shrieked as an infected ran at her from the inside. Sohyun instantly turned to her and threw her knife into its skull, leaving her weaponless. It didn't stop her from snapping the nearest zombie's neck and running inside to fight off the ones in the diner. 

One by one, the girls entered the building. Chaeyeon instantly plummeted to the wooden floor, curled up into a ball, and began to sob. Jiwoo absentmindedly stared at a wall while her wound bled through her shirt. 

Seoyeon and Kaede were the last to enter and Nakyoung slammed the door shut. Xinyu and Soomin flipped a large dinner table over and pushed it against the entrance. 

Sohyun took down the final infected in the diner. There was no sound other than Chaeyeon's broken cries, the group's heavy breathing, and the banging outside. 

Everyone stared at each other in disbelief as they heaved. Seconds passed, and the reality of the situation slowly settled on them. 

Nakyoung sat down on the floor, leaning her back against the table. The pounding on the door shook her body, but as she caught her breath and processed the events that unfolded, she couldn't care less. Soomin set her hands on the top of her head and paced around restlessly while Hyerin crouched down in a corner, lazily counting her remaining arrows. Xinyu sat on a chair and buried her face in her hands. Sohyun walked over to a zombie and aggressively yanked her knife out of its skull. Droplets of blood splattered around as its head bounced back and forth. 

With heavy breaths, Seoyeon glanced over to Yooyeon, who had her elbows set on a table. She covered her mouth, tapping a finger above her lips as she heaved. The nurse then looked at Kaede, who looked back at her with a tear rolling down her face. 

Seoyeon worked at the hospital. The loss of life was no mystery to her, and every time it happened, she would feel down for a few days before bouncing right back. 

But as the memory of the events burned vividly in her mind, Dahyun falling off the bridge and Yubin jumping in after her, it felt different. It was different. Patients at the hospital died on beds. Not like this.

Not like this.

Seoyeon knelt down onto the floor. She pressed her forehead against the cold wooden boards. She covered her mouth with a hand and choked down a scream. 

Not that anyone would've heard it over Chaeyeon's pitiful weeping. 

Jiwoo looked at the eggshell white ceiling with a blank expression. After Seoyeon had patched her wound up with the remaining bandages they had, the group had left her and Chaeyeon alone in a bedroom in the apartment above the diner. Their hands were clutched tightly together. None of them had spoken for the past hour. 

Chaeyeon sat on the bed with her back against the headboard. She took a long, deep breath, staring vacantly at the wall in front of her across the bed. The tears on her face had dried, and she didn't have any more left to cry. 

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Chaeyeon croaked out, "This isn't real, right?" 

Jiwoo blinked slowly. She didn't respond. 

Chaeyeon spoke again with a humorless chuckle. "I mean, this is Yubin we're talking about. There's no way she would let water out of all things kill her." 

She inhaled a shaky breath. "We didn't even see the bodies." 

"More like we didn't have time to," the athlete muttered weakly, her voice absent of emotions. 

Chaeyeon's eyes trailed down to her best friend. Jiwoo hadn't wept once, her face void of tears. Her eyes were lifeless as they glazed over the roof. She didn't spare Chaeyeon a single glance, even when the girl's eyebrows were creased in worry. 

With a soft exhale, Chaeyeon slowly moved down towards Jiwoo. She rested her head on the athlete's stomach and blinked the irritation out of her eyes. 

Chaeyeon tightened her grip on Jiwoo's hand. With a heavy heart, she whispered, 

"...What do we do now?" 

"32%." 

"Excuse me?" 

Yooyeon paced around the dark room while tapping a finger over her lips. The rest of the group sat around in a circle in the apartment's living room, trying to wrap their heads around the situation. Seoyeon held her face in her hands. 

"The mortality rate of people falling into the river is 32%," Yooyeon repeated. Unlike the others, she was more level-headed about the situation. 

"How do you know that?" Xinyu wondered with a grim expression cast over her eyes. She sat cross-legged next to Sohyun, who was looking down with a heavy frown. 

"I was once part of a team that researched better ways to save lives." 

"Oh, you're an actual scientist?" 

Every head turned towards Soomin, who, surprisingly, was taking the loss better than the others. The girl pursed her lips and shrugged. "I just thought it was some early Halloween costume." 

"Okay," Nakyoung gulped, bringing the conversation back to the original topic. "So, there's a high chance of them being alive, right?" 

Yooyeon let out a small sigh. "They would have a 68% chance of survival, usually. The problem lies with them already being exhausted from running and fighting. The 32% mortality rate comes from drowning." 

Seoyeon dropped her hands. The dark circles under her eyes dug deeper into her face. "So, even if they survived the fall, they would need enough energy to swim to the edge." 

Yooyeon looked at the nurse with disquiet and nodded. "They fell about 300 meters from the end of the bridge. It would take on average four minutes to reach the shore. Usually, it wouldn't be too much of a problem, but in their conditions..." 

Sohyun huffed and passed her fingers through her hair. "Not to let anyone down, but I don't think they made it," she admitted. Her statement received silent glares. 

"We don't know that for sure," Seoyeon retorted.

Sohyun put her hands up. "Even if they did make it out the river, they'd have to run away from the infected. There's no way they'll be able to do that. We can't even look outside without risking being attacked by one of them. I'm just being realistic," she persuaded. Xinyu shook her head next to her and sighed. 

"Ah, yes, because our situation is so realistic," Nakyoung snarked with her arms crossed. The muscles in her neck were tense. 

Voices spoke over each other. Hyerin watched in the corner of the room as Seoyeon nearly slammed a hand down on the floor, arguing with the bodyguard, with Nakyoung backing her up. Sohyun claimed she was just being honest while Xinyu tried to stop her from further aggravating the group members. Soomin also talked smack about Sohyun, but to Hyerin, it felt like the gunner was arguing just for the sake of arguing. The archer trailed her eyes over to Kaede, who watched everything with worry while kneading her wrist. 

Hyerin's eyebrows creased as she thought about the situation further. She blurted out, 

"But how did Dahyun fall in the first place?" 

Silence filled the room as everyone turned to look in Hyerin's direction. The archer swallowed and smacked her lips, her mouth running dry at the sudden wave of attention. She shrugged, feigning nonchalance. 

"Just wondering." She mumbled before walking into the guest's room. 

Yooyeon softly knocked her hand against her forehead with a slight frown. She let out a hum. "Something must've happened." She looked at Soomin, who was with them at the time of the incident. 

Soomin caught her eye and pouted. "I don't know. I wasn't looking," she admitted with a tinge of guilt in her voice. Upon noticing the group's downcast expressions, she added, her arms swinging back and forth restlessly beside her, "But she couldn't have just fallen over by accident, Yubin had such a tight hold on her. And it was over the only gap in the railing. It doesn't make any sense!" 

Seoyeon blinked. "You're right," she muttered, supporting her chin with the back of her hand. "It doesn't add up."  

Yooyeon turned her attention to Kaede, who was on Seoyeon's right. "You were also there when it happened. Did you see anything?" she inquired. 

Kaede's eyebrows creased, and she gulped. She thought for a moment, then shook her head and looked down. "One of them pushed me to the ground when it all happened, so I couldn't see anything. I'm sorry." 

Nakyoung raised a brow. Seoyeon reached an arm out to rub her back. "It's okay. You were doing your best," she reassured. Kaede gave her a thankful nod with a tired smile. 

Seoyeon pressed her fingers against her heavy eyelids. She looked over at the window, noticing the sky had reddened. "I think we're all exhausted right now. A break would be good. We can talk about this tomorrow." She briefly glanced at Sohyun. "And... let's just hope they're still alive. For morale."

"And for her friends," Xinyu added, nudging her head towards the closed bedroom. Her attempt at an optimistic smile did not quite reach her eyes. 

Quiet murmurs of agreement filled the space, and the girls slowly stood up, dragging their feet around the room, preparing for the night. 

Yooyeon repressed a yawn as she organized the group's supplies. A finger tapped on her shoulder. She turned around and blinked. 

"Nakyoung. Do you need anything?" Yooyeon asked as she looked up at the fighter. 

Nakyoung made a moue. She had a small scowl on her face. "Can I speak to you for a second?" 

Yooyeon looked over the woman's shoulder. Soomin disappeared into another room. Sohyun tried to pass Xinyu her jacket, but the fashionista rejected it, opting to sleep on the single couch. The bodyguard relented and sat down at the dinner table, laying her head on her arms. Kaede helped set an extra blanket she and Seoyeon had found in the small laundry room. They shared a smile before settling on the couch. 

The scientist watched as the two girls laid next to each other. They had gotten closer in the past few days. Kaede was found to be the one with Shion's phone, and Seoyeon grew somewhat attached to her, as if she was an extension of her friend. 

She looked back at Nakyoung and nodded, nudging her head towards the stairs. 

The still river was disturbed by an underwater presence. 

Yubin emerged from the water with a loud gasp. She threw an arm forward, sinking her gloved fingers into the patch of dry grass in front of her. With her other arm, she threw Dahyun's military bag onto the dirt, feeling the strain on her shoulder at its weight. With heavy breaths, she put both palms on the ground and pushed herself forward. 

She coughed and spat out a large gulp of water. A flash of bright light temporarily blinded her vision as the fractured bones in her ribcage clashed and rubbed intensely against each other. She gasped and fell forward. The slash in her calf throbbed, sending powerful blazing shockwaves through her leg and into the rest of her muscles. It contrasted the frigid air hitting every part of her soaked frame, sending chills to her bones. Every inch of her was on fire, and Yubin felt weighed down by her own body. Her heart pounded through her heavy eyelids that threatened to close, but Yubin knew in her foggy thoughts that she couldn't pass out just yet. 

Looking back with blurry eyes, she found and grabbed the shirt of a barely conscious Dahyun. With all the effort she could muster, she dragged the hefty body up with a tired and pained groan. Dahyun tried her best to help, weakly clawing through the blades of grass, but she already had one foot into unconsciousness. She coughed and spluttered, throwing up a substantial amount of murky water, barely having the energy to moan afterwards before completely passing out. 

Yubin checked Dahyun's pulse, leisurely removing her hockey glove and pressing two fingers against her teammate's freezing neck. She almost couldn't feel it under her own heart throbbing through her fingers, but she managed to sense the slow and very faint pulsating of the girl's veins. 

Breathing a weak sigh of relief, Yubin tumbled onto the grass, only scarcely holding herself up with her elbow and forearm as she pressed her helmet against the back of her hand. She felt both hypothermic and warm. 

A nearby groan sent her brain on high alert, but her body couldn't respond accordingly. She put a palm on the grass and lifted herself up, but it felt as if a ton of bricks weighed over her. In the end, Yubin could only flip herself over, her broken ribs once again sending waves of jarring pain through her body. 

Yubin stared through lidded eyes at the gray sky between the grids of the metal cage that was her hockey visor. She knew they didn't have a weapon, so she laid on the turf with a deep exhale, tracing the soft blades of grass against her lithe fingers. 

The corners of Yubin's lips weakly curved upwards before she blacked out. 

Yooyeon stepped down the stairs with Nakyoung following closely behind. Upon reaching the dining room, the fighter set a hand on a table. 

"What do you need to say?" Yooyeon asked, turning back. 

Nakyoung scratched the back of her head with a frown. "This entire situation feels off." 

Yooyeon raised a brow. "You're not the only one who feels that way, but Seoyeon said we'll talk about it tomorrow. We all agreed to it." 

Nakyoung shook her head, putting her palms up. "I have something else to say. Just hear me out." 

Yooyeon tapped a finger on the table, giving Nakyoung a curt nod. 

The fighter wiped a hand across her mouth and looked at the apartment above them. She turned back to Yooyeon. Dropping her hand, she whispered,  

"I think Kaede did it." 

Yooyeon didn't physically show it, but her eyes communicated her shock. "That's a serious accusation," she said. "On what grounds does this come from?" 

Nakyoung held up three fingers. "Think about it. There were only two people who were with Dahyun and Yubin. We know it isn't Yubin; why would she jump off to save Dahyun if she pushed her?" 

She put a finger down. "It can't be Soomin, either. That girl's a happy go lucky mess of a kid, and she loves everyone. Plus, she clearly showed her frustration after they both fell by gunning down everything she saw." 

Nakyoung lowered another finger. Only her index finger remained. "But Kaede? I can't figure her out at all. How did she get here? How did she find the phone at the hospital and leave unscathed? Where did the infected soldiers go when she knocked at our door? She has no injuries on her at all from her journey, but somehow can't operate a knife right." 

Nakyoung waved the finger in front of Yooyeon's face. "Oh, and most of all, when Yubin dropped Dahyun, she conveniently fell down!" The fighter hissed. 

Yooyeon gently pushed Nakyoung's hand away from her face. She inhaled a deep breath and craned her neck. 

"You're raising some good points. And from the way you're saying it, it definitely feels like she's hiding something." 

Nakyoung vehemently nodded. "She is. I'm telling you, she pushed the two so Dahyun would fall. Seeing that Yubin was actually lifting her up, she fell down and did something to make her drop the girl." 

The scientist tapped a finger above her lip and looked at the floor, thinking hard.

"But what would be her motive?" she wondered. 

Nakyoung exhaled and shrugged. "I don't know. But sometimes, there's people like her, who don't need a reason to kill." 

Yooyeon's eyes shot up to stare into Nakyoung's. "Is that your vigilante speaking?" 

Nakyoung scoffed. "Come on, motive or not, you know I'm right. Something's off about her." 

With a sigh, the scientist dropped her hand. "Okay. I'll tell Seoyeon about this, but I don't want any drastic actions until we can guarantee it was Kaede who did it. Just keep a close eye on her until then." 

"But-" Nakyoung was about to protest, but Yooyeon held a palm up and walked away. 

Hyerin let out a quiet, irritated sigh as her right ear caught the creak of the door opening and closing. She rolled her eyes and held in a groan when the person jumped onto the bed, landing with a poof and making the mattress bounce. It could be none other than- 

"Hi." 

Soomin. 

Hyerin shut her eyes, trying to fall asleep as fast as she could, not wanting to endure the other teenager's relentless yapping. 

"Oh, are you sleeping?" Soomin's muffled voice asked behind her. "If you are, I'll leave you alone." 

After that, Soomin said nothing. The bed hadn't shuffled, so Hyerin knew she was still on it, but the silence let her guard down enough for her to let out a sigh of relief. 

Her peace was instantly broken. 

"Actually, you know what? Since you're already asleep, and you haven't woken up from my voice yet, I'll just keep talking." 

Hyerin groaned, furrowing her brows. She could feel a building pressure looming over her forehead. 

"Oops, did I wake you up?" Soomin shuffled closer. "My bad." She gave her an apologetic grin. "But hey, since you're awake, we should get to know each other better!" 

"Are you not tired?" Hyerin complained, not moving from her position on the bed. 

"Not really..." Soomin pondered behind her. "Are you?" 

"Yes." Hyerin responded curtly, pulling the covers closer. 

"You'd rather sleep, then?" 

Hyerin did not answer. 

"What's your favorite food? Or drink? My favorite is cup ramen. Actually, that's the only thing I ever really ate. Did you ever tell me your actual age, by the way? I know I said you were 18 before, but are you actually?" 

Again, the archer stayed silent, trying to ignore the feeling of aggravation creeping up her neck. 

"You know..." Soomin started, "you're a very secretive person. Why don't you share anything? Why do you live alone?" 

"Just because you're open about every sad aspect of your life doesn't mean I have to do the same," Hyerin snapped, opening her eyes and turning around to face Soomin. In the dark, she was met with a stunned expression. 

The room's atmosphere instantly tensed up. An awkward pause loomed over them. 

"...Ah," Soomin whispered after a minute. A twinge of guilt crawled into Hyerin's heart. 

"Sorry. I'll leave you be," the gunner apologized. Hyerin felt the bed shuffle under her weight once more before hearing the faint sound of Soomin landing on the floor with a thud. 

Hyerin pursed her lips, staring at the girl's silhouette as she was about to cross the door. 

"...Coffee," she blurted out. 

"What?" Soomin turned back with one hand on the doorknob. 

"I like coffee," she repeated softly. "Also, I'm seventeen. Same year as you." 

The archer could sense Soomin's grin in the distance. "Okay!" She cheered quietly. 

Hyerin saw the girl swing her arms back and forth and raised her eyebrows. 

"...What?" she inquired. 

"Uhm, can I sleep here?" Soomin smiled sheepishly. 

Hyerin sighed and turned back to face the wall. She felt the mattress move again and closed her eyes. 

In her sleep, she thought she heard a car passing by. 

Seoyeon massaged her forehead as she stared into Yooyeon's eyes. 

The two girls sat at a dining table downstairs away from the windows that let in the morning light. Seoyeon had her elbows propped up on the table while her leg bounced against the floor. Yooyeon sat across from her with a finger tapping on the wood furniture. She waited for Seoyeon to reply after recounting what Nakyoung had told her the night before. 

Seoyeon inhaled deeply. "Nakyoung thinks Kaede did it," she resumed. 

Yooyeon nodded. 

"But she can't find a motive." 

Yooyeon nodded again. 

Seoyeon huffed and threw a hand up. "So she's basically going off of gut feeling." 

Yooyeon tapped a finger above her lips. "She did raise some good points, though," she rebutted. "They all make sense. How does Kaede fall at the same time Yubin drops Dahyun? Think about it rationally, and not out of emotions." 

"I'm not thinking out of emotions," Seoyeon retorted with a frown. Yooyeon looked at her with an unimpressed gaze. The nurse scoffed and rubbed a hand over her mouth. 

"Still, I don't think it makes sense. She saved me from being scratched when we ran away from the bridge. Why would she save me if she wanted other people dead?" 

Yooyeon slightly narrowed her eyes. "Maybe Dahyun saw something, and she needed to get rid of the threat?" 

Seoyeon grimaced. "Saw what? Dahyun was- is the least threatening person in this group. If she really wanted to get rid of a threat, shouldn't it be Sohyun? Or Nakyoung?" 

The scientist shook her head. "I don't know. I just think we should keep an eye on her. Especially you, since you two seem to be the closest." 

Seoyeon lowered her forehead on the table and let a deep, long exhale. She lifted her head back up and combed her fingers through her messy tied-up hair. 

"Fine," she said with a small pout and stood up, softly stomping her way to the stairs. Yooyeon watched her leave, leaning into the back of her chair and fighting a smile threatening to make its way onto her face. 

As the group progressed further out of the city, the roads became more vacant. Instead of a visual cacophony of messily parked or overturned vehicles on the road, there were only two or three sightings per a couple hundred meters. 

The number of corpses had also decreased as they ventured further from the starting point. The team was grateful as they no longer needed to rest as much. 

Of course, they still needed breaks from time to time. 

Xinyu waved a hand in the air. "Can we sit down for a bit? My legs are tired, and my feet hurt," she whispered. 

Sohyun, who led the pack, turned her head back and nodded. She looked around for a bit, then gestured at a nearby patio. 

Xinyu let out a small sigh of relief and sent her bodyguard a grateful smile. Jiwoo walked in between them. 

"Bet you didn't have to walk a lot as a rich girl," she commented in passing. Xinyu raised a brow and pursed her lips at the remark, not knowing if it was supposed to be snarky. Sohyun, on the other hand, narrowed her eyes at the hockey player. Jiwoo glanced at the bodyguard before crouching down and stabbing the throat of a corpse using Dahyun's spear. Its body was full of bullet wounds. 

"Oh, that one's already dead," Soomin told her. She bent down and pointed at the bullet in its head. Jiwoo huffed and rolled her eyes, making her way to the patio. 

Sohyun started walking towards Jiwoo, but Xinyu stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. 

"It's only been a few days since she lost her best friend. Give her time," the fashionista defused empathetically. Sohyun blinked with furrowed brows. 

"Still, she shouldn't put that on everyone else." 

Xinyu breathed. "Well... what would you do if I died?" 

"I would tear the world apart for you," Sohyun replied in an instant. 

The fashionista grinned. "See? Not so different, is it?" She gave her bodyguard a pat on the back, then trailed a finger up her spine, smiling harder when she felt her shiver. 

"Just be patient. She'll come around," Xinyu whispered into Sohyun's ear before making her way to the patio. 

Kaede constantly looked around her, drinking in every detail of the neighborhoods the group passed by. As she observed her surroundings, Kaede looked behind her for a moment. 

"You do that a lot," Seoyeon commented next to her. Kaede snapped her head towards the nurse and gave a sheepish smile. 

"I'm just looking around. Since most of our team's phones ran out of battery, I just thought it was important to remember where we went and where we are," she reasoned. "Plus, there could always be an infected around."

Seoyeon hummed and nodded her head. She then let out a chuckle. "I just thought you were looking out for a car or something." 

Kaede raised her brows. "You hear it too?" 

The nurse let out a small yawn. "Yeah, whenever I'm still awake. It's very faint, but sometimes I hear the sound of a car passing by. It's a bit weird, but at least they attract the infected on the road." 

"You don't sleep?" 

Seoyeon leaned her head back and sighed. Kaede noticed the nurse's eyebags were worse than ever. "I haven't been able to sleep a lot. Nightmares." 

Kaede scrunched her nose. "Yeah, I get that," she agreed. "I've also been feeling more tired during the day." 

Seoyeon huffed with a smile. "Looks like we're all having a hard time." With a grim expression, she added, "Doesn't make it better that we lost two of our teammates." She looked into Kaede's eyes. 

Kaede gulped and nodded. "Yeah, that was difficult," she agreed, unable to read what Seoyeon was thinking. 

After a few more seconds of staring, Seoyeon offered Kaede a small smile and looked back to the front. 

Hyerin smacked the bag on the counter. "We're always running out of food," she complained. She turned back to the group with a frown and a huff. 

It was nearing night time, so the group had decided to call it a day and entered a small apartment complex. They cleared out the interior will a bit of struggle from the zombies in the building but managed to enter the nearest apartment. 

"Well, there are ten mouths to feed," Kaede pointed out innocently. 

The archer shook her head while patting the bag. "But the resources have been going away even faster than when there were twelve of us."

"And Jiwoo hasn't really been eating..." Chaeyeon creased her eyebrows and held her arm. 

"So, someone's been stealing out stuff?" 

An air of suspense loomed over the room at Sohyun's statement. Nakyoung and Yooyeon shot each other a glance and nodded. Nakyoung stepped forth. 

"We suspect that there's an intruder in our group," she announced, glancing over every pair of eyes. She held her gaze on Kaede for half a second longer before moving onto the next person. No one dared to break the thick veil of silence for a minute. 

Chaeyeon gasped in realization. "Do you think the thief was also responsible for Yubin and Dahyun's fall?" she asked. 

Nakyoung sucked in a breath, not knowing what to say. Yooyeon answered for her. 

"It's a possibility." 

A flicker of rage ignited in Jiwoo's eyes, but she held her tongue. 

Seoyeon stepped forward with an exhausted sigh. "Finding the culprit tonight won't give us our food back," she announced with a shake of her head. "We'll get more supplies tomorrow and figure it out before night falls. For now, let's just get some rest." 

The group entered their usual evening routine of eating a few snacks before preparing to go to sleep. Soomin wanted to go into the bedroom but backtracked when she heard groaning and pounding through the door. She looked around for help, but Sohyun simply told her to block it with something.

"We're all too tired to deal with it," the bodyguard muttered, reaching for a protein bar. "Just be quiet." 

Soomin pursed her lips. Jiwoo pushed a laundry machine in front of the door. The others were having their fill of food and water. 

Kaede was getting ready to sleep. She lowered herself to the floor and closed her eyes. She opened them back up when she felt an extra weight on top of her. 

"Thought you'd want a blanket," Nakyoung said above her while chewing on a protein bar. 

Kaede blinked, then gave Nakyoung a warm smile. "Thank you."

The vigilante nodded. "You sure you don't wanna eat anything? Get your ration before we run out."

Kaede yawned and shook her head. "I'm okay. Thank you, though."

Nakyoung nodded, letting out a soft hum before moving on. Kaede’s eyes trained on her.

A couple hours had passed since the group went to sleep for the night. Kaede laid awake, patiently waiting under the covers for the right time to get up. 

When she heard a snore from one of the group members, she slowly got up, gently removing the covers from her body as to not make a sound. In her slightly groggy state, she didn't question why the blanket felt slightly heavier. 

A soft clanging turned her brain on high alert. The snoring stopped. Kaede snapped her head around in the darkness to see if anyone had woken up from the noise. Her body froze as she listened attentively to the slight shuffling around her. Then, the snoring started again. Breathing out a quiet sigh of relief, Kaede removed the rest of the blanket and stood up with a small stretch. 

She walked out of the room and into the kitchen where the bags were kept. She squatted down and carefully grabbed her own bag, looking at the large window in front of her. Then, she patted around for the sports bag. Upon finding it, she searched for the zipper and slowly pulled the bag open, timing it with the rhythmic snores. Every time it happened, she would slightly widen the gap. 

After a couple minutes of the process, Jiwoo's sports bag was fully open. Kaede opened it further and started shuffling through the contents. She counted the water bottles and the many food rations, making sure everything was still in the bag. 

Kaede dug deeper until her fingers hit a hard, plastic surface. She felt around the rectangular container and carefully pulled it out of the bag. With a small huff, she laid it on the floor and opened it with a soft click. 

Bandages and other medical supplies presented themselves to her. Kaede blinked a couple of times before reaching her hand into the first-aid kit. 

"Look at what the cat brought in." 

Kaede quickly stood back up and spun around. Nakyoung stood in front of her with her back leaning against the wall and her arms crossed. One foot was propped up against the wall. She felt the vigilante's glare in the darkness. 

"Nakyoung..." Kaede whispered with wide eyes. A nervous smile was displayed on her face. "I didn't know you were still awake- I was just checking if the resources were still here-" 

"You can drop the act, Kaede," Nakyoung cut her off. "I've been on your trail this entire time. Ever since you first joined the group, I thought it was weird how you didn't encounter the zombies that were banging on the door just before you knocked. I believed you were up to something." 

Nakyoung dropped her foot and her arms. "Looks like I was right." 

Kaede struggled through a few facial expressions before completely dropping her smile. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "I guess those 'vigilante' skills of yours didn't let you down." 

Nakyoung huffed and slowly made her way towards Kaede. "They really don't," she agreed, stretching her neck. 

The vigilante stopped when she was a foot away from Kaede. She looked down at the thief. "Something else I'm guessing is that Dahyun saw something, or realized something," she added, then narrowed her eyes. 

"But why are you stealing our stuff?" 

"That's none of your business," Kaede replied, unbothered by Nakyoung's intimidation tactics. She put her hands in her jacket pockets. 

Nakyoung clicked her tongue. "I can't find a good reason why you're taking things; food, medical supplies... You're uninjured and well fed in this group. You've got no reason to take them." 

She widened her eyes. "Is it for someone else?" 

In a flash, Kaede removed her hands from her pockets and produced a small handle in her right hand. She swung it upwards, aiming for Nakyoung's chin. 

Nakyoung flinched and quickly moved her head away from the trajectory of the handle. She counterattacked, swinging her left fist into the side of Kaede's temple. 

Kaede deftly dodged the attack by ducking down and jabbed the handle forward directly in the center of Nakyoung's stomach. 

The vigilante took the full impact of the blow and wheezed, the wind nearly being knocked out of her. She pressed a hand against the rapidly bruising injury and coughed. She squinted at Kaede's silhouette in the dark before pulling out a knife from her pocket and lunging at the girl. 

Kaede put her handle forward to block the blow. With a frown, Nakyoung aimed her knife lower and struck. 

The sound of steel clashing against each other resounded in the kitchen. Nakyoung backtracked, confused at the noise, before her eyes widened. 

A blade had been produced from Kaede's handle. 

"A switchblade?" Nakyoung blurted out. 

"You're really putting those vigilante skills to good use," Kaede commented sarcastically and dashed towards Nakyoung. 

Nakyoung sucked in a breath at her opponent's speed, narrowly deflecting a blow aimed at her neck, the steel blades scraping against each-other. For the next seconds, Nakyoung and Kaede battled away with their knives, striking at the adversary and parrying their attacks.

Nakyoung noticed between the strikes was that although she was struggling, Kaede looked completely unbothered. After closely blocking another attack, the vigilante gritted her teeth and jabbed the knife forward as a final strike, aiming for Kaede's open solar plexus. 

The moment she noticed the shadow of Kaede's cold eyes, she knew she had fallen right into her trap. The thief spun around and struck Nakyoung in the side of her head with the switchblade's handle, and her vision went black. 

Seoyeon's eyes snapped open at a loud thud coming from the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, she sat up from the uncomfortable floor, massaging her backache and rubbing the blur out of her eyes. 

The nurse slowly stood up, noticing the others move in the darkness. 

"You heard that too?" Yooyeon spoke in a low voice behind her. 

Seoyeon nodded, looking around. "Something's up." 

"Nakyoung isn't here," Hyerin pointed out. 

"Kaede's gone, too," Sohyun added. "They must be in the kitchen." 

"That's where all the stuff is," Jiwoo spoke. It was the first thing she said in days. 

A blanket of silent tension covered the room. Seoyeon and Yooyeon shot each other alarmed glances. 

Sohyun gently motioned at everyone to follow her. With quiet footsteps, the group approached the kitchen, where they heard the shuffling of bags. 

Sohyun peeked over the counter and stopped.

"Kaede?" 

Kaede looked back. Nakyoung was lying unconscious on the floor. To everyone's confusion, the innocent look on Kaede's face was gone, replaced by a confident air of disinterest. 

She sighed. "Everyone's awake." 

Xinyu stepped forward, but Sohyun blocked her with an arm. Still, the fashionista asked, "What's going on?" 

Kaede looked at her bag and held it up. "I'm stealing your stuff," she said nonchalantly. Soomin's pink rifle was wrapped around her body. 

"Why?" the gunner gasped. 

"Because she's the impostor," Yooyeon stated with a cold glare. 

Next to her, Seoyeon's gaze held a mix of anger and betrayal. 

"I didn't want to believe it..." The nurse breathed out. 

Kaede's lips curled upward. "Should've listened to your vigilante friend when she voiced out her suspicions about the bridge." 

Jiwoo stared at Kaede with her lips pressed tightly together and her fists clenched, unmoving. Chaeyeon had betrayal written all over her face. Her eyebrows were creased upwards as her hands trembled. 

"You did it?" she muttered. “But why?” 

Kaede narrowed her eyes. "I did what I had to do to survive. I am sorry about your friend, though. She wasn't meant to die." 

With a sigh, she added, "But honestly, that was her own fault. She's the one who jumped off. I just stabbed her leg." 

In a fiery fit of rage, Jiwoo yelled out. She snatched the pistol hanging from Soomin's belt, unlocking the safety with a click and aiming the muzzle towards Kaede. Her index finger rested against the trigger. 

A cacophony of shouts and protests echoed against the walls of the kitchen. Soomin tried to reach for her gun, but Jiwoo shoved her to the floor. Seoyeon caught the girl, looking up to the athlete with wide eyes. The group went silent. 

"Don't do this," the nurse requested with a shake of her head. 

Jiwoo sneered and narrowed her eyes at Kaede, who watched her with a slightly impressed look. The thief kept her hands up as she slowly retreated towards the window. She didn't touch the rifle. 

"I'll kill you!" Jiwoo shouted at the top of her lungs. She blinked as a few tears rolled down her face. She breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling erratically. 

Kaede blinked, then slowly dropped her hands. "Okay," she spoke. “Then shoot.” 

Jiwoo gritted her teeth and leaned the gun closer towards Kaede. The barrel of the pistol was unsteadily aimed at the thief's forehead. 

Everyone watched in silence, holding their breaths. The standstill lasted for seconds as Kaede stood still, letting Jiwoo take the shot. The athlete's vision blurred from her tears as a noise sounded in her throat. Every time she pressed the trigger, she hesitated. 

After a minute, Kaede stepped backwards. With a small shake of her head, she inhaled, 

"I guess you just don't have it in you."

Kaede turned around and jumped into the window. She pressed the tip of her switchblade into the glass and pushed with a loud shatter. 

She made a forward tumble onto the grass, quickly recovering and running away, clutching her bag in her arms. 

Her eyes widened as she caught the sound of a click and a whistle behind her and tilted her head sideways. She yelled in pain as an arrow tore into her right ear and flew into a car's window, shattering the glass. The alarm blared loudly through the neighborhood. 

Kaede turned back and saw Hyerin holding her crossbow with a foot on the windowsill. She heard the groans of the infected under the deafening alarm and took off into the darkness. 

Hyerin stepped down from the window with a small huff, setting her crossbow on the counter before walking away, sending Jiwoo an apologetic glance. 

Jiwoo let the gun drop from her hand as she stared at the broken window. The pistol clattered on the kitchen tiles and Soomin quickly retrieved it, locking the safety and putting it back in her holster. 

The athlete let out a throaty whine before dropping to her knees. She slammed both fists forward with her forehead pressed against the ice cold tiles. Her tears pooled down as she choked down a sob. 

Then, she screamed. 

Seoyeon helped Sohyun lay Nakyoung on the couch after she woke up. Seoyeon checked the girl's head for any serious injuries. She breathed out a sigh of relief when she didn't feel any blood and thanked Sohyun. The bodyguard gave a curt nod before stepping back. 

Yooyeon approached the nurse. Seoyeon shook her head as she watched the steady rise and fall of Nakyoung's chest as the vigilante groaned in pain. 

"She took the first-aid kit," the nurse muttered. The car alarm still blared outside, and the infected's groans were rising by the second. 

"Now I really don't know anything about Shion," Seoyeon scoffed. "Maybe she lied about her, too."

Yooyeon pursed her lips, patting Seoyeon on the shoulder. "What else did she take?" 

Seoyeon cursed and pressed a palm against her forehead. "More than half of the water, and some food," she said. 

"And my rifle!" Soomin whined as the rest of the group approached. 

"We're in deep trouble. There’s infected everywhere," Hyerin hissed. 

"And we don't even have time to rest. We need to get out of here," Xinyu added with a trembling voice. 

On cue, the zombies in the bedroom banged against the door. They managed to break through the wooden appliance, reaching their arms out and pushing through the laundry machine set in front of the door. One infected had spotted the group through the kitchen's broken window and tried to crawl through the gap. 

"We can't power through all of these infected in our current state." Yooyeon replied, turning her attention towards Nakyoung. The vigilante had sat up and looked down at the floor. 

"I think this was a good reminder that it's not only the infected we need to worry about," Sohyun said, looking at her teammates. "There are worse things out there." 

Suhyeon ran down the mountain in the dark, trying to lose the infected chasing after her. She tripped over a stone and fell, tumbling down the rest of the way. Her body slammed into a tree, and she wheezed. In her coughing fit, the sound of a gun clicked above her, and its muzzle was pointed at her eye. 

"Worse people," Jiwoo mumbled, wiping the dried tears off her face. 

Kaede ran along the street in the dark, dodging and slashing any infected that got too close, holding her heavy bag clutch against her chest while her ear bled out. 

"Still, there are good ones, too," Xinyu softly countered, looking at their group. 

Lynn and Sullin sat around a small bonfire in the woods, roasting a pack of marshmallows Lynn had previously found in a supermarket. She looked to her right, where two other people slept soundly, wrapped up in blankets. 

Nakyoung sighed and slowly stood up with Seoyeon's assistance. She held her pounding forehead. "Let's just get the fuck out of here." She gestured towards the door leading to the backyard, away from the road and the clamor of the car. 

Mayu bounced her leg up and down restlessly, her eyes and ears constantly on high alert as the firetruck drove away from the city. She looked around at the other three survivors in the vehicle, praying they'd all make it out alive. 

The group members looked at each other and nodded. Their eyes were filled with determination, and they quietly made their way to the back door.

A small jeep was parked behind a tree, its dark blue frame hidden by the leaves and bushes. In the night, it was nearly indiscernible unless someone was actively looking for it. 

Kaede hurriedly entered the back of the truck and closed it with a light slam. She tossed the bag and the rifle onto the carpeted floorboard. She lifted a hand to touch what remained of her right ear and flinched back in pain. Warm blood trailed down her fingers. 

Sucking in a sharp breath, Kaede took the first-aid kit from the bag and opened it. 

She fumbled around in the dark with only a faint light coming from the starry sky. The items softly clattered against her fingers as she brushed over them with her hand. 

A soft cough resonated in the back of the car. 

"Did I wake you?" Kaede wondered while still searching through the kit. She received a groan as a response. 

"What happened to your ear?" the person asked between pained breaths. She shuffled against the tight ropes around her wrists. Her back was against the interior wall as she was lying on the floor. Cuts and bruises decorated her body. 

Kaede didn't respond. She blindly applied a bandage to her wounded ear and taped it to her head. She muttered a pained curse as the pressure stung her ear, the bandage quickly absorbing the blood. She popped two caplets of ibuprofen into her mouth before moving on to the girl. 

Kaede helped her sit up. She rummaged through her bag until her hand hit a water bottle and pulled it out. She opened the cap and carefully pressed the bottle against the girl's lips. With her other hand, she tilted her chin upwards so that she could drink it better.

The girl took a few thirsty gulps before Kaede took the bottle away. She let out a satisfied sigh, and the thief wiped off the excess water from her chin with her thumb. 

"You'll get more, but I'll fix you up first."

The person gave a weak nod. 

Kaede turned back to the first-aid kit and pulled out the various bandages. 

"Uhm, you should probably disinfect first," the girl suggested. 

Kaede let out a huff. "I'm keeping you alive here." Still, she reached for the disinfectant. 

"You're keeping me here against my will," she retorted in a shaky breath. 

Kaede glanced shortly into her eyes before focusing back on the disinfectant. She took a cotton ball and doused it in the antibacterial solution before applying it onto the large cut on the girl's cheek. The girl gasped and sucked in a sharp breath at the sudden sting. Kaede hadn't given her a warning. 

"You could've just let me go with them," the girl said in a soft, high-pitched voice. She flinched again as Kaede moved onto her lacerated arm. 

The thief inhaled. "I can't do that. I still need you." 

"As a tool?" 

The girl made a pained grimace as Kaede tightened the bandage around her arm. The nametag on her shirt glimmered in the minuscule amount of light. Kaede briefly looked at it before tying a knot on the bandage. 

"Yes, Shion," she replied. "As a tool." 

Chapter Text

Sullin had no idea what was happening.

The moment she stepped out of the hotel lobby and into the streets, she was greeted by a cacophony of screams and shouts. People attacked other people indiscriminately, lunging at them and tearing their flesh out. Sullin's eyes flickered around wildly, trying to focus on a single incident, but her senses were overwhelmed.

A teenage girl on the sidewalk ran towards her. She was being chased by a significantly faster woman who growled at her with her arms reached out. She caught up to the kid and they both fell onto the pavement right in front of her.

Sullin reeled back in confusion and fear, her back pressed against the hotel's glass door. As the woman tore her teeth into the girl's arm, the latter cried out in pain, trying to crawl her way out of the situation. She held an arm out to Sullin, begging for her help in between sobs.

Although she didn't understand, Sullin immediately grabbed the girl's wrist with both hands and pulled. She tried lifting her out with all her strength, but the woman had the girl pinned down as she kept ripping her skin apart, clothes and all. Blood quickly splattered on the sidewalk along with pieces of torn flesh being thrown around.

Sullin grit her teeth at the girl's desperate, deafening cries. As seconds passed, the girl's screams lowered until she rolled her eyes back and passed out from the pain and blood loss.

Tears welled up in Sullin's eyes as she dropped the girl's hands. Her body shook with fear as she looked at the fleshy mess that was once the girl's back.

The woman stopped and snapped her head up towards Sullin, staring into her eyes with her own empty, dilated pupils.

Sullin gulped, her breaths heavy. She reached out for the hotel's door handle with a trembling hand as she kept her eyes on the woman, who was standing up. As she kept missing, her hand repeatedly swatting the air, she looked back and forth between the handle and the woman.

The woman jumped over the girl's body. Sullin widened her eyes and put her fists forward in a shaky fighting stance. When she got close enough, her jaw loosening and trying to bite off Sullin's nose, she pushed her right palm against the side of her head with a yell, throwing the woman off-balance and sending her toppling to the ground, where she got stepped over by the human stampede.

The kicks did not make the woman falter, though, as she slowly stood back up, unbothered by the constant hits she received. She snarled, boring her eyes into Sullin, who was getting ready to fight back again.

When the woman ran towards her, the hotel door swung open and Sullin was dragged back into the lobby. The door closed with a slam.

Sullin breathed hard. She watched in fright as the woman slammed into the glass, banging relentlessly against the door with her jaw unhinged.

Sullin was spun around before two hands were placed on each side of her arms.

"är yo͞o ˌôl ˈrīt?" a woman with shoulder length hair dressed in fully black clothing asked her. Sullin blinked at her with wide eyes, shaking her head.

The woman frowned. She gulped. "är yo͞o hərt?" she tried again, bringing her face closer. Sullin could hear her concern, but whatever the girl was telling her sounded like straight gibberish.

Sullin shook her head again, tilting her head sideways and creasing her eyebrows far up her forehead. "I don't understand," she spoke slowly in English.

The woman sucked in a breath. "No Korean?" she uttered out hesitantly.

Sullin's head perked up as she understood, nodding with sparkling eyes.

The woman huffed and nodded, looking around the room. Sullin mimicked her actions and observed her surroundings. Guests and staff alike looked out the glass doors and windows, murmuring between each other fearfully. Parents tried comforting their crying children, all while trying to wrap their heads around the situation.

"Ok," the woman whispered, her eyes focusing a specific spot behind her. Sullin looked over her shoulder, slightly flinching as the attacker outside kept banging against the glass. The girl pointed at something, and following her finger, Sullin spotted the emergency exit.

"We go," the woman explained. Sullin nodded with wholehearted trust, giving the woman a thumbs-up. The latter raised an eyebrow and smiled before leading them to the door.

When she looked back for the last time, Sullin saw the woman had stopped pounding her fists on the entrance. Instead, she was staring at the handle with an open jaw, slowly reaching her hand to grab it. Sullin's felt the hair on her arms stand up in fearful anticipation.

The woman pushed unsuccessfully against the door before pulling it open and entering. The lobby devolved into chaos. Sullin heard her own heartbeat, and her ears buzzed, staring in horror as the woman latched onto a kid. She managed to tear the boy's throat out before the father could kick her away.

The girl Sullin was with grabbed her by the wrist, snapping her out of her daze. With regretful eyes, she nudged her head towards the emergency door. Sullin pressed her lips tightly together with a remorseful nod, and the two ran out the exit.

Part 2: One and Twenty-Four

Dahyun snapped her eyes open and instantly rolled over to throw up on the grass.

She groaned as the stomach acid clung to her throat, sitting upright. She massaged her hammering forehead, her eyes widening as she felt the soft texture of cloth on the pads of her fingers. She felt around her head and realized she had a bandage wrapped around it. She tried passing her fingers through her long hair, but her locks stopped short at her neck.

Dahyun frowned, disoriented, before remembering in her hazy state that Yubin had cut it short on the bridge.

Yubin.

The thin veil of confusion set in front of her eyes lifted. Dahyun spun her head around the place, realizing she was in a small clearing in the middle of the woods. Trees and bushes lined up as far as the eye could see, and Dahyun's shoulders relaxed, positively overwhelmed with the soft greenery. The morning sun shone through the clear sky, basking the clearing in a serene, yellow glow. White flowers grew close to the ground, bathing in the quiet light.

A small bonfire circled with smooth stone stood in the middle of the clearing. It crackled as its golden flames weakly licked at the air, the heat waves undulating its surroundings and the sparks rising like fireflies. The wood used to nourish it had become glowing ember. A large stump next to the fire had an axe dug into it. A few cut pieces of wood were stacked haphazardly next to the base of the felled tree. A hollow log on the side had various bags, foods, and tools leaning against it.

Dahyun searched for Yubin, patting her hands around whilst avoiding the bile she threw up next to her. She heard a soft snore on her right, and she looked down with a gentle sigh.

Yubin's eyes were closed as she slept peacefully under their shared cover. Dahyun smiled at her teammate's calm demeanor; it was a significant contrast from her constant yelling and antagonizing.

The traceuse was stripped from Jiwoo's hockey gear and was left with a new set of clothing. Dahyun frowned and lifted the three blankets that were carefully placed on them. She was also dressed in unfamiliar clothes. An oversized white t-shirt covered most of her body and she had baggy denim shorts for pants.

Through her astonishment, one question resonated in Dahyun's head.

Who saved them?

The rustling of nearby bushes snapped Dahyun out of her awe. She spun her head towards the noise and nearly shrieked at the sight of a mangled corpse wandering into the clearing. It spotted Dahyun and picked up the pace, almost running when something snapped, and suddenly it was lifted by the foot high into the air.

The infected flailed its hands around as it growled, swinging from the rope that had latched onto its ankle. The cord was attached to a high branch. Dahyun watched the zombie, her feelings mixed between fear and amazement.

"Oh, shoot!"

A voice sounded behind Dahyun and she turned her head back around. A young woman with a half-up half-down hairstyle that stopped above her shoulders ran into the clearing, holding Dahyun's military backpack in one hand and a machete in the other. She wore all black clothing with a black jacket.

She dropped the bag next to the tree stump and approached the hanging zombie. She quickly slashed its neck and stepped back when the infected's head dropped with a thud, blood leaking profusely out of its corpse.

The girl hastily untied the rope, and the rest of the body fell down. She tapped its side with her boot and pursed her lips, pinching her nose at the stench.

Dropping her machete onto the grass, she lifted the body up from below the armpits and dragged it across the clearing.

"These guys are everywhere... I swear..." she muttered as she passed by Dahyun. She looked at the techie and sent an apologetic smile. "I'll get to you right after!"

Dahyun responded with a hesitant nod before wearing her shoes set beside the sleeping bag. She groggily stood up, stumbling a little while holding her head. The lightness she felt from her lack of hair didn't help her balance.

She proceeded towards the stump. She leaned close, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and tapped the handle of the axe. The head was buried deep into the wood.

Curious, Dahyun gripped the handle near the head and pulled. The axe didn't budge. With a huff, she set her other hand on the axe and pulled again. Once more, the woodcutter remained still.

A bush moved in her peripheral and she snapped her head towards it, freezing in her tracks.

Another girl popped her head out of the shrub, wearing Jiwoo's hockey helmet. She blinked at Dahyun and beamed before standing up and jogging towards her. Her long hair was untied, peeking out of the helmet and flowing freely through the air. She held a bunch of branches and twigs in her arm.

She stopped a foot away from Dahyun, dropping the sticks onto the pile of firewood. She broke a few and tossed them into the fire before facing Dahyun again.

Dahyun blinked. "Uh... hi?" she greeted.

The girl smiled and nodded. She then reached her hands towards Dahyun's face, fixing the bandages wrapped around her head. Dahyun slightly winced as the strange girl pushed an index against her forehead.

Dahyun smiled awkwardly, confusion written all over her face. The girl kept studying her, pressing her fingers against her temples, then to the back of her head, then finishing off with her nape. Dahyun shivered at the contact.

With a final nod, the girl retreated back with a proud smile.

"Good," she said in English with a thumbs-up before turning away.

Dahyun blinked. She had no idea what just happened. Her forehead throbbed at the puzzling interaction.

The first girl reappeared from the forest. She dusted her hands off her jacket before wiping her face with her forearm. She spotted Dahyun staring at the other girl, who was throwing more branches into the fire with one knee on the grass.

"Hey, Sullin!" The first girl called out.

Sullin looked up from the bonfire and smiled, standing back up. The girl approached her and patted her on the shoulder. She gestured at the zombie's head with her thumb.

"Could you throw that away for me? I accidentally cut the entire head off," she requested, then turned her attention to Dahyun. "And I hope you didn't weird out our guest."

Sullin tilted her head to the side and nodded with a grin before marching towards the head. The first girl held her hand up in the air while her eyes followed her.

"Was that a yes to the zombie or to weirding... You know what, never mind," she relented with a wave of her hand.

She inhaled a deep breath and faced Dahyun. She scratched her cheek and scrunched her nose. "Uh, hi! Glad to see you awake and standing. I'm Lynn." She extended an arm towards Dahyun.

Dahyun shook it with a tight-lipped smile. She noticed the distinct accent in Lynn's voice as she spoke. "My name's Dahyun," she replied. "Thank you so much for saving us, but uhm, if you don't mind me asking, what happened?" she wondered, looking around.

Lynn's eyes widened a little. "You don't remember?"

Dahyun let go of Lynn's hand and smoothed over her new short hair. "I mean, I remember crossing one of the bridges of the Han River with our group. I fell down a little over halfway through, and Yubin went in after me," she explained, gesturing at the traceuse sound asleep on the ground.

Lynn nodded in understanding. "During one of our excursions, Sullin and I heard gunshots from the bridge, so we decided to take a look," she said, putting her hands on her hips. "That was when I found both of you getting out the river. Well- Yubin dragged you out; I think you were already gone. After a few seconds, she just stopped moving, even when some of them were running at you two. We got there just in time to get rid of them."

Dahyun raised her eyebrows in awe. "You got us out?"

Lynn exhaled and looked down. She traced her shoe along the grass. "It wasn't easy. They just kept coming at us endlessly; it's really hard to multitask saving two people and trying not to get yourself killed. I think that group of yours helped us a lot when it came to leading most of them away."

Dahyun nodded and looked down with a small frown, her shoulders dropping at the mention of her old group. She gulped. "They probably think we're dead," she spoke in a whisper.

Guilt crawled up her throat as she realized something else. With an inhale, she added, "Yubin was best friends with two of them. I feel like I took something away." She sighed and closed her eyes. A dull ache pressed against her eyelids.

Lynn sighed and patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said empathetically. Her savior then offered a reassuring smile. "But hey, if she threw herself in the water for you, I'm sure she cared a lot about you."

Dahyun's eyes widened. She cracked up, letting out a giggle despite her hammering headache.

Lynn retracted her hand and tilted her head. "Did I say something wrong?"

Dahyun waved her hand in front of her teary eyes and let out a long exhale. "No, no, you're fine. It's just that she doesn't care about me; she hates my guts."

Lynn's concerned look turned into a confused frown. "What, why?"

Dahyun wiped the tears off her eyes. "Basically, I indirectly put her childhood friend's life in danger."

"Oh." Lynn pursed her lips. She didn't know how to respond.

Dahyun held her pounding head in her hands. "Anyways- Uhm, I saw you had traps set up around the perimeter. That's pretty cool." She changed the conversation, gesturing at the rope. "Do you like stuff like that?"

Lynn shook her head with a smile. "No, that's Sullin."

Sullin reappeared from the bushes and held two thumbs-up in the air.

Lynn looked back, raising both eyebrows. "You were gone for a while. Did you toss it far away?"

Sullin mimed a soccer ball with her hands before dropping them and kicking the air.

Dahyun's jaw dropped at the implication. Lynn's smile disappeared and she ran a hand over her mouth.

"That... That's horrible. Please don't do that."

Sullin shrugged and went to reset the trap.

It was near nighttime when Yubin woke up. Her mouth felt pasty and dry, her vision was blurry, and her muscles felt extremely exhausted and sore, pulsing at every slow beat of her heart. Her chest sent pain signals with every breath she took, and her stomach felt infinitely empty.

Letting out a deep exhale while looking up to the dark sky, she tried to lift herself up. She yelped as a sharp jolt of pain coursed through her chest and she fell back on the sleeping bag.

Sleeping bag?

Yubin narrowed her fatigued eyes. She tried to move around again but stopped when the chest pain doubled down. With an irritated sigh, she accepted her fate and stayed down.

"Don't try to move too much. Your ribs are broken," an unfamiliar voice spoke on the side. Yubin tilted her head and was greeted by a woman holding an axe on her shoulder. She smiled at the traceuse, whose eyes were trailed on the hatchet. "Hi, I'm Lynn."

"...Are you gonna kill me?" she mumbled, taking short breaths to ease the sting.

Lynn's smile dropped, replaced with a look of confusion. "No...?"

"Okay, because why are you holding that?" Yubin weakly lifted her finger and pointed at the axe.

"This is for cutting firewood."

Dahyun appeared in Yubin's blurry field of vision, a hesitant smile written on her face. "Uhm, hey. Glad to see you're awake." She handed Yubin a bowl of rice in a glass container.

Yubin focused her attention onto Dahyun, narrowing her eyes at the girl's short hair.

Dahyun's smile wavered under her scrutiny. "What?"

The traceuse shook her head. "Nothing. How long have I been asleep for?" she asked, watching as Dahyun turned to Lynn. The latter looked down at Yubin.

"About 48 hours."

Yubin's eyes widened in shock. "Seriously?" she hissed. She let out a cough and an agonized groan as her broken bones rubbed against each other. She rolled over, clutching her ribs with her hand as she grimaced.

"Hey, easy." Lynn set her axe down and kneeled next to Yubin on the grass. She gently brought her back to her original position.

Yubin let out a small, inaudible sigh, dropping her hand to her side. "Forty-eight hours is insane," she breathed out.

Lynn scrunched her nose. "Not really in your case."

The traceuse gave her a confused frown. "What do you mean?"

Lynn exhaled and held up a set of fingers. "Alright. Here's what you went through. You were: pushed to the very limit, exhausted from running, fell off a bridge, broke your ribs, were basically hypothermic..."

With every diagnosis, Lynn put a finger up. "Oh, and you also have a stab wound in your leg that had bled out for more than half an hour, all while you swam for three hundred meters in dirty, probably infected water, all while dragging an entire other person with you." Lynn dropped her hands on the grass.

Yubin tilted her head back, her calf pulsing out a dull ache at the reminder. As Lynn recapped the entirety of her ailments, Yubin stared blankly as the last whisps of red slithered away from the darkening horizon, the events of the past days replaying in her brain.

"It was that bad, huh?" she mumbled to herself.

Lynn nodded in agreement, her lips pressed together. "It's a genuine miracle that you haven't died. 48 hours of sleep is nothing when you went through that hell."

Yubin closed her eyes for a moment. "How do you even know all of that?"

"Dahyun-unnie woke up a day before you did. She explained to me everything she knew, and then I pieced the rest together." Lynn pointed a thumb at the girl. Dahyun gave a small peace sign with a guilty smile.

Yubin sighed. "Of course she did."

After another half-hour of Lynn explaining to Yubin her situation while the traceuse slowly ingested plain white rice, Sullin called the three girls to eat dinner.

The four survivors sat around the campfire, with Yubin leaning her back against the stump, holding their respective bowls of rice. It had been cooked over the bonfire. It was served with some kimchi Lynn had found stored in someone's empty home and some soy sauce to add flavor.

"It's nothing fancy," Lynn admitted, digging her spoon into the bowl. "Most of the food has gone bad."

"Do you guys go out scavenging like this every day?" Yubin wondered, taking a bite of her food, letting out a satisfied hum as her stomach was finally replenished.

"Practically," Lynn replied. "We do have enough rice to last us weeks," she said, looking over the bags of rice piled against the hollow log. "But it does require a good amount of water."

"The water pumps should be running out in the city in a couple of days," Dahyun added with furrowed brows. "Depending on how many more people there are left."

Lynn pressed her lips together. "I guess it isn't a lot if the water lasted this long." She looked at Sullin. "How's the food?" she asked.

Sullin smiled and gave her a thumbs-up.

"She's not Korean?" Yubin asked, nudging her head at the girl who hadn't spoken a word.

Lynn shook her head. "She's Thai," she said before pursing her lips. "I think."

"You think?" Yubin furrowed her brows.

"I just started naming a bunch of countries in English and hoped she understood what I meant."

"Thailand!" Sullin exclaimed pridefully in perfect Korean.

Dahyun nodded, convinced. "Yeah, I think she's Thai." The others shared murmurs of agreement.

Yubin leaned her head back with a puff. "I wonder how Jiwoo and Chaeyeon are doing. And the rest of the group."

"How'd you meet your best friends?" Lynn asked, curious. She caught another odd glance from Yubin. "Dahyun told me," she explained herself.

Yubin sighed. She set her empty bowl aside and leaned an elbow on the flat surface of the stump. Sullin leaned in closer, smelling a story-time.

Yubin scratched her cheek and inhaled. "Well, I met Jiwoo when I was in middle school, about twelve years old," she started. "I was trying to climb onto the school rooftop and that asshole in a hockey uniform ratted me out to a teacher. I got detention for a whole week."

She continued, "I was mad as hell about it, so the following week, I kind of stalked her routine. Friday after practice, I waited for her to come out and I jumped her."

Lynn ran a hand over her mouth. Dahyun narrowed her eyes at the traceuse, moving her hands around in confusion. Sullin nodded profusely and beamed like an excited puppy, drinking every word Yubin was saying even though she only understood ten percent of it.

Yubin continued her story with an amused smile. "We were both fighting in the school entrance- I was winning, obviously... the coach had to pull me off or else I would've totally sent her to the hospital..."

A twelve year old Jiwoo grinned as her coach patted her on the head.

"You'll do great things in the future," he told her with a proud smile. "You're one of a kind."

Jiwoo nodded excitedly, holding her small sports bag and hockey stick in her hand with her school backpack on her back.

With her coach talking to her, she did not notice the glare behind the school pillar.

Out of nowhere, someone pushed her onto the pavement. Dropping her bag and stick, she hit her chin against the asphalt, painfully knocking her teeth together. Confused, she quickly turned around to face a fist that struck her cheek.

"This is what you get for being a snitch!" An angry child's voice screamed before striking her again. The kid straddled her as she held the young player down with a palm to her chest. Amidst her puzzlement, she noticed it was the weird kid that tried to climb the roof last week.

As the girl swung her fist down again, Jiwoo recovered from the ambush and smacked her arm away with her left hand. With her right, she grabbed onto the girl's t-shirt and pushed her off. She used her left hand to slam the girl's head against the cement. The girl yelled in pain, flailing her arms whilst trying to fight back.

Jiwoo pulled her left fist back and socked her in the eye. Before she could do it again, her coach lifted her by the armpits.

"Alright, that's enough!" He spoke in a gruff voice. Jiwoo panted hard, holding her bruising cheek. Her coach pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"I don't know what the hell just happened, but I'm gonna have to send both of you to the principal's office."

Jiwoo turned around in surprise. "What? Why me? She started it!" She whined, pointed at the girl who was still lying on the ground, holding her eye.

Her coach scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, kid. School rules. I'll see if I can reduce your punishment."

Jiwoo pouted. That wasn't fair! She just defended herself! Okay, maybe she started attacking the girl too... but she started it!

With a frustrated huff, Jiwoo looked at the weird kid, gears turning in her head.

The moment her coach turned away, the young athlete ran over and delivered a kick in Yubin's stomach with all of her strength.

"And then we both got detention for two months," Yubin concluded the fight. Sullin beamed enthusiastically.

"What's up with you and fighting everyone you meet?" Dahyun questioned.

Yubin stopped with a hum. She pursed her lips and looked at the sky for a few seconds. "I don't know. Probably has something to do with my dad, but anyway..."

Yubin sat cross-armed at the desk furthest away from the door. She looked outside the window, brooding as she tapped a foot on the floor, watching as all the other students, the good students, left school with their friends with wide grins and enthusiastic chatter. It furthered the ache in her bruised eye. The detention classroom was dimly lit, the sunlight hidden behind the clouds.

"Hi."

Yubin snapped her heard towards the noise. Her eyebrows furrowed as the dumb hockey girl stood beside her in all her tallness.

"What do you want?" she sneered.

Jiwoo shrugged, scratching the back of her neck. "Can I sit next to you?"

"No."

Jiwoo did it anyway. Yubin scowled.

"I said no!"

"Hey!" The supervisor called out from the front. "Quiet, you two."

Yubin scoffed and turned away. It was quiet for a few seconds.

"...Hey," Jiwoo whispered.

Yubin ignored her.

"Heyyyy."

"What!" She hissed.

"Can you show me how to climb the school rooftop?" Jiwoo asked.

Yubin was taken aback. "You ratted me out for doing that!" She whisper-yelled.

Jiwoo smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. But it kinda looked cool. What were you doing?"

Yubin squinted at her with a pout. "...Parkour."

"Woah, that's awesome!" Jiwoo said. "You should show me sometime!"

"Why are you suddenly being nice to me?" Yubin questioned, suspicious.

Jiwoo hesitated and looked at the floor. "'Cause I feel bad for kicking you."

Yubin raised a brow. "That's it?"

"I only did it 'cause I was gonna get in trouble anyway. I was mad. Just not at you. My anger was misplaced, and I'm sorry. I'd like to be friends," Jiwoo offered.

Yubin stared at Jiwoo in silence for several seconds. As time passed, Jiwoo's conviction wavered. She was about to give up when Yubin inhaled,

"Fine."

Jiwoo blinked and smiled. "Really?"

"Yeah." Yubin nodded. "I'll show you how to parkour."

The hockey player beamed. "Alright, deal!" She put a fist up in front of Yubin.

Yubin looked at it for a moment before fist-bumping her with a small smile. The clouds parted, letting the sun shine through, and the classroom felt a little brighter.

"Two months of detention really makes you bond with someone. We became best friends during middle school and high school, just running around, sometimes skipping school to hop buildings. Chaeyeon joined in the middle. She slipped in the hallway while mopping the floors and Jiwoo helped her up. The moment she saw her face- bam!"

Yubin exclaimed, slamming a fist into her palm. "Love at first sight. Dumbass was a stuttering mess, and her face was red. It was hilarious."

With a sigh and a smile, she continued, "After that, she got herself together. Stopped skipping, worked super hard for her hockey career, and got signed up as center for the National women's team at a crazy young age. Chaeyeon and I watched her score her first professional goal first seat. We hugged and cried."

Yubin breathed out and threw a hand out. "So, yeah. That's that."

Sullin clapped her hands together in a boisterous applause.

"You didn't say much about Chaeyeon," Lynn pointed out.

Yubin raised a brow. "I value her just as much. Seriously, I'd die for her. I just got tired of narrating. Ribs are hurting like hell," she replied.

"Ah."

Yubin exhaled and looked down, pulling out blades of grass. "I hope they're alright," she spoke softly. "Probably sucks for them, not knowing if I'm dead or not."

Lynn pressed her lips together. "That is unfortunate. I'm sorry that happened."

Yubin gave a half-hearted nod.

"What about the rest of your team? What are their names?"

Dahyun took over the narration. "Well, first we have Seoyeon. She's a nurse, so it was good for us. Then, there's Hyerin. I don't really know much about her other than she has a bow and a crossbow; she likes to keep her distance. We have Jiwoo and Chaeyeon... Then there's Yooyeon unnie. She's always in her lab coat."

"A scientist?" Lynn wondered. Sullin tilted her head in confusion and Lynn repeated the word in broken English. Sullin let out a large hum and nodded her head in understanding.

"Probably," Dahyun agreed. "We never really shared careers. After that, there's Soomin. She's this weird kid who was a bunch of guns from her military father. There's Nakyoung unnie, who's a vigilante and a really good fighter. Xinyu's a famous Chinese fashionista and she's accompanied by her personal bodyguard Sohyun."

Dahyun frowned, feeling like she forgot someone. She counted the names on her fingers and let out an 'ah.'

"And then there's this girl named Kaede."

Sullin perked up at the name, blinking. Lynn's smile dropped abruptly.

"Kaede? As in Yamada Kaede?"

Dahyun and Yubin shared a hesitant glance, weirded out by their host's sudden change of demeanor.

Dahyun gulped. "We didn't really get her last name..."

"We don't know much about her other than she appeared out of nowhere," Yubin added.

Lynn ran a hand over her mouth, furrowing her brows. "If it's Yamada Kaede, then your group's in trouble."

"What?" Yubin exclaimed.

"Why?" Dahyun said at the same time.

Lynn took a deep breath. "To put it simply... She's one of Japan's most wanted criminals."

Yubin sucked in a sharp breath out of shock. Dahyun let out a shaky exhale. "So, she's a serial killer?"

Lynn shook her head. "Con-woman. Cheated tens of millions out of the largest bank companies and is extremely elusive. She would also trick high-tier government officials and has murdered a few after they caught on. Sent the country into crisis for a bit."

Yubin frowned. "But Nakyoung's there. She might figure her out."

Lynn sighed, setting down her bowl. "The thing is- It doesn't matter to her that she gets found out. She doesn't really try to act that hard. The problem is that she never gets caught. The government has kept everything under wraps for now, trying to terminate her before she can do more damage."

Dahyun widened her eyes, remembering Kaede's clean kill on the infected and how she looked at her afterwards. "She pushed me off," she muttered.

Lynn nodded. "Means you saw something you weren't supposed to see yet."

Yubin cursed and held her forehead in her hand's. "Then we need to go back," she said. She tried to stand up but stumbled as her calf throbbed. Sullin went over to help her sit back down.

Lynn shook her head remorsefully. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you can't leave with your injuries."

Yubin creased her brows in anger and worry. "Then what do we do? Just stay here and wait it out until she acts?" She raised her voice. Dahyun looked ahead of her, still in shock.

Lynn ran a hand over her mouth, deep in thought. She perked up as she remembered something. "I can give you a little bit of relief. The good thing about her is that she doesn't kill needlessly. Your friends might be okay."

"But they could also be dead." Yubin pressed her fingers against her eyes and groaned.

"I highly doubt she would do that," Lynn countered. "In any case, you can't go anywhere far right now with that leg. You'll have to stay here for the time being. Let yourself heal."

Yubin scowled. "Fine. But I'm leaving the moment all this pain goes away."

Lynn offered her a reassuring smile. "We'll go with you," she told her. Sullin agreed with two thumbs-up. Yubin looked at both of them and gave a grateful nod.

The snap of a twig sent everyone on high alert. Sullin instantly flattened herself to the ground. Dahyun and Yubin looked around wildly in the darkness.

The light of the dying fire highlighted the image of a zombie stepping into the clearing. Yubin and Dahyun tried to stand up, but Lynn put a finger to her lips and pointed at herself.

Yubin and Dahyun looked at each-other anxiously before relenting, lowering themselves onto the grass.

As the zombie approached the fire, Lynn opened her jacket and fished out something Dahyun couldn't make out. She gently stood up, gesturing at the infected to come at her. The moment it stepped towards Lynn, she made a strong throwing motion with her arm, her jacket flapping in the wind, and the zombie collapsed to the ground without a noise.

Sullin brought herself back up and let out a small victorious yell. Yubin looked at Lynn with wide eyes while the girl moved to retreat whatever she had thrown at him. Coming back, Dahyun realized it was a fancy throwing knife.

"Who are you?"

Lynn looked at her with a nonchalant shrug.

"Just your local government-hired hitman."

Yubin awkwardly slid into the sleeping bag with Sullin's help. The latter was on the first half of night watch.

"Thank you," she said.

Sullin gave her a grin before walking away.

Yubin relaxed into the slightly uncomfortable bed. It beat the floor, at least. Most of her awkwardness came from lying next to Dahyun, but she tried to ignore her presence by closing her eyes.

"Hey," Dahyun started.

"Hm?"

"Isn't it crazy that we're meeting all of these insanely strong people?" she asked.

Yubin nodded. "I guess the saying 'only the strong survive' really is true."

"Yeah..." Dahyun trailed off.

As the conversation ended, the two fell into another awkward silence. Dahyun blinked, staring at the starry sky. Several thoughts ran through her mind as Yubin shuffled next to her.

She took a deep breath. "Do you actually hate me?"

Yubin gulped, turning her head towards the girl. She looked over her features in the dark before looking back up to the speckled horizon. "Nah. I think I was just stressed. And angry at everything."

"But aren't you mad I separated you from your friends?"

The traceuse closed her eyes. She thought of Chaeyeon and Jiwoo, and how they might be feeling. Shaking her head, she opened them back up.

"Sure, I'm mad, but not at you. I can't really blame you when I did this to myself," she whispered. "I'm not usually like this. I was getting better, but then everything went downhill."

Dahyun pursed her lips. "I feel like you need a healthy outlet for all of that pent-up rage," she spoke honestly. "You ever tried talking with a therapist?"

Yubin frowned. "Oh, piss off. You sound just like Jiwoo," she snapped. Her face relaxed into a small smile, and she chuckled before wincing. She joked, "I don't think there are many therapists left anyway."

Dahyun smiled, then took a deep breath. "Well, if you ever need anyone to talk to, I'm here."

Yubin felt her heart tighten as she received unconditional kindness from the girl she tried so hard to antagonize. Guilt swirled in her stomach.

She spun her head towards Dahyun. "How come you don't hate me?" she wondered.

Dahyun raised her eyebrows and shrugged under the blankets. "It's like what you said: times were stressful. Don't get me wrong; your behavior hurt. But I could understand your frustration."

She traced circles on the soft covers with her index finger. "Plus, it would benefit no one to continue the cycle of anger."

The traceuse turned back and splayed an arm over onto the grass, the blades pricking at her skin. "Damn, I was flaming an angel," she huffed out.

She heard Dahyun giggle beside her. The sound brought a smile to Yubin's lips.

The soft laughter eventually died down, leaving a few seconds of comfortable silence looming over them.

After much thought, Yubin spoke again with a smirk. "But if I did talk to a therapist now, they would probably say something like: oh, roar anger issues- rawr flesh let me fix that by eating you. Yummy brains!" She joked, raising her arms above her chest to claw at the cool air.

This time, Dahyun cracked up. She let out an airy laugh, the sound of her joy echoing through the forest. Yubin grinned, proud at her terrible joke, and set her hands behind her head.

"That was so lame!" Dahyun insulted between breaths.

"Hey- you're laughing!" Yubin rebutted as she also started laughing. Her ribs twisted against her flesh. "Ah- fuck!" She exclaimed in agony, but the pain didn't stop her from giggling. Dahyun doubled down beside her.

"Sleep," Sullin's voice commanded in the dark, instantly shutting their laughter down.

"Yep- okay."

"Sorry."

The two girls shuffled under the sheets. Silence surrounded them.

"Uhm... Yubin?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you, by the way. For saving me."

"...Yeah. No problem." 

Chapter Text

Heavy black smoke blanketed the air. Cars had slammed into light poles, buildings, trees, fences, and other cars. The smell of burnt metal and gasoline was nauseating as the firefighters did their best to put out every flame.  

The station had received a flood of calls, all describing an attack in the heart of Seoul, near one of the largest hospitals, by a rabid patient in a lab coat. Due to the overwhelming number of calls, the station had sent nearly half of their workforce and two firetrucks.  

They had to park the cars hundreds of meters away due to the traffic. A large portion of the police squad were setting a blockade around the perimeter.

Kotone, her partner Suyeon, and the rest were tasked to search the inner area.

Kotone gulped, watching the numerous bodies lying motionless on the floor as she and her partner walked in the middle of the road.  

"I've never seen anything like this..." Suyeon whispered. Kotone nodded in agreement, a weight settling in her chest as they passed by the corpses. Their clothes were torn with their arms and faces sporting scratches. They all had a common injury: a bite on the shoulder.  

The duo stopped in front of an ambulance. A young man lied on the ground with his back against the road. Blood pooled around his head.

"So, this is the first victim?" Kotone spoke, recalling the debrief.

Suyeon looked at the ambulance. Its doors were swung open, and it had crashed against another vehicle, that had flipped over due to the sheer speed of the impact. She looked inside. Blood decorated the ambulance's interior, but not one body was present. The cop looked around with a hand resting on her revolver, an unnerving feeling settling in her gut.  

Kotone leaned down with one knee on the road. She observed the body attentively, her eyes trailing over the various injuries and stopping at the missing chunk of flesh in its shoulder. She held her breath, noticing a piece of the man's collarbone was slightly peeking out.  

"They said a bite did this?" she asked, pressing two hands against his neck. There was no pulse.  

Suyeon turned her attention to her squad mate. She glanced at the bite and frowned. "The perpetrator would have to be insanely strong to tear off an entire chunk like that."

Kotone sucked in a breath. She pressed the button on the handheld transmitter attached to her police vest. "Suspect is assumed to have outstanding physical strength. Stay on guard."  

"Roger that." A voice buzzed from the device.  

"To think a single out of control person could do this much damage..." Suyeon murmured, waving a hand in front of her face as a cloud of smoke blew in her direction.  

"One of the craziest things I've seen." Kotone agreed, taking another look around her. Other officers talked with each other as they compiled information. A few firefighters were putting the fires out with a fire hose attached to the fire hydrant on the sidewalk.  

She huffed. "After what I saw today, I don't think I can go down to the skatepark with Yeonji."  

Suyeon hummed. "Yeah, I think I'll take some time off. This is nauseating. Someone else can take care of the vigilante problem."  

"Oh, don't even get me started on that," Kotone sneered.  

The nearby sound of a whimper caught the officers' attention, and they spun their heads in its direction. A man in a clean suit appeared from behind the ambulance. He walked oddly, looking to the floor. There was a small scratch on the visible side of his face.  

Kotone and Suyeon shared a look, pursing their lips. The former stood up and held a palm out, facing the man. "Excuse me, this is a crime scene. Please turn away."  

The man staggered and tilted his head slightly towards her, groaning. His eyes were dilated, and his jaw stretched open, letting drool drip onto the road. He slowly turned towards her and walked. Both officers noticed a large gash on the other side of his face, as if someone had bit a chunk off his cheek.  

Kotone took a step back with a frown. She inhaled. "I repeat: this is a crime scene. Please step away."  

Instead of listening, the man picked up the pace, speed-walking towards her whilst lifting his arms.  

"Step away or I will have to use force!" Kotone threatened, resting her hand on the taser attached to her hip.  

He started sprinting towards her. Kotone pulled out her taser, aimed, and shot the bolts into the man's body. He whined and spazzed, falling to the ground.  

Kotone cursed aloud, hastily putting in a new clip in her taser when she heard Suyeon shout,  

"Behind you!"  

The cop snapped her head around and reeled back as the office worker who was once on the ground tried to grab her. She shot another clip into the businessman, and he crumbled back onto the road, his body twitching violently.  

Kotone breathed harshly. Suyeon ran up to her and set a hand on her back. "You, okay?"  

The cop shook her head, her ears ringing. "He was dead. I checked his pulse-there was none," she stuttered out in confusion.  

Suyeon's eyebrows creased. "Something's wrong. We need to-"  

She let out a deafening scream of pain as the first man sunk his teeth into her shoulder. Kotone snapped her head towards her partner.  

"Suyeon!" She yelled out, pulling out her revolver and shooting the aggressor in the head.  

An ear-splitting gunshot stretched along the road, freezing every other officer and firefighter in their tracks. The man's neck snapped back, and he plummeted onto the asphalt for good.  

Kotone's hands trembled as she shakily lowered her gun. She stared wide-eyed at the man she had just killed. She looked around wildly before remembering the businessman.  

She looked down at him. The man had recovered from the shock at a record-breaking speed. He snarled at her and threw his hand out to grab at her ankle. 

A gloved hand shot out to grab at the back of the man's collar, stopping him from puncturing Kotone's legs with his teeth. Another hand pressed his head against the road. The person was fully dressed in a hefty beige uniform with neon lime stripes patterned around it.  

"Calm down now. Let go of the leg," the firefighter who came to the rescue ordered the man soft, feminine voice. When he didn't listen, she did the job herself, releasing the collar and prying his hand away using nothing but brute force. When he finally let go, she pushed him onto his stomach and immobilized him. The firefighter looked up and gave Kotone a smile.  

Kotone offered her a grateful nod and turned her attention back to Suyeon. Her partner sat down on the road, holding her wounded shoulder and taking short breaths. Kotone crouched down.  

"Are you okay? Can you stand?" she asked, hovering a hand over her back. Suyeon nodded with a wince. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself down as waves of pain washed over her.  

Kotone stood back up, cursing under her breath. She grabbed her communications device again.  

"I have an officer down. The attacker has been restrained but keeps resisting. I need backup," she said, glancing over at the firefighter and the businessman.  

"We cannot assist you right now!" A coworker's electrical voice replied through the comms. "We are currently overwhelmed with an angry mob-" A scream was heard before the radio cut off.  

Kotone exhaled and looked around. Indeed, many civilians got on the road and started chasing after the police officers and firefighters. Gunshots thundered through the street as the officers defended themselves against the assailants with their revolvers. They hit the stomach, the legs, and the chest, but to Kotone's horror, the civilians did not react even once. Sometimes, a bullet would pierce the heart, but only a few of them fell down. The aggressive civilians latched onto the cops, tearing them apart with their claws and jaws. The bodies on the road started reanimating themselves. The firefighters sprayed them off with the hose, the water pressure sending them tumbling to the ground before standing right back up.  

Kotone watched the scene unfold with heavy breaths. Fear crawled up her skin. The hair on the back of her neck stood up.  

"Hey officer."  

Kotone snapped back to reality, shaking her head and turning towards the firefighter. The latter's eyes were filled with concern as she nudged her head. Civilians who spotted them were slowly making their way to them, speeding up as they went.  

Kotone turned to Suyeon and gulped. "Jesus- okay, let's get you somewhere safe." She pulled her partner up with her good arm and swung it around her shoulder. Suyeon struggled to walk from the unbearable pain in her upper body. Kotone sucked in a harsh breath as she realized they would get nowhere like this.  

Understanding the situation, the firefighter stood up, leaving the businessman unattended. He quickly got back up and swung his arms wildly, trying to grab the firefighter. She pushed the side of his head, causing him to lose balance, then grabbed him by the back of his suit before lifting him in the air and throwing him off the road.  

"Sorry!" she apologized to the man before rushing to help Kotone. "I got her!" The firefighter effortlessly hoisted Suyeon up, carrying her bridal style. "Let's go!" she yelled before taking off.  

Kotone blinked away at her confusion and admiration at the firefighter's strength and sprinted down the road with her.  

Her phone only had 3% of battery left. Chaewon whispered a curse under her breath, looking at the date. 

It was the 3rd of June, 2024. 

She locked her phone and put it in her skirt pocket, trying to conserve as much energy as she could.  

The smaller classmate next to her pursed her lips, looking at her senior with creased brows. "How long has it been since we've been stuck here?" she asked, hugging her knees. The nametag stitched onto her uniform spelled out 'Jeong Haerin.' 

Chaewon breathed in through her nose. "A few days already," she answered. The sound of the security doors clanged in her ears. "I don't think I can take that sound for much longer." 

The two girls had been selected to collect food. It was done by their group of survivors hiding in the gym in the next building. Unfortunately, they made a noise and got stuck in the kitchen. 

"We could just get rid of them," her underclassman mumbled. "We have knives. All we have to do is..." She sucked in a breath before adding, "Kill our classmates." 

Chaewon peeked from the corner of the cabinet. Indeed, the students couldn't get through the gate, so getting a knife through their heads would be easy work. 

They could easily kill them off through the net, but their hearts wavered as they recognized their faces, reminding them of who they were before. In the end, they didn't have the heart to do the job.

Chaewon tsked and turned back. "They should be falling back asleep in a few days; we just need to stay quiet." 

"Hard thing for you to do," Haerin joked. 

"Hey. Who's feeding you?" Chaewon scolded with a smile. Haerin stuck out her tongue and finished her canned fruits with a grin. Empty cans decorated the kitchen tiles. 

Haerin finished her food and gently placed the can next to the other ones. The smile on the kid's face wavered until she eventually rested her head on her knees, hugging her legs. "Do you think we'll get out?" 

Chaewon blinked, hesitating. "I... I don't know," she admitted with a guilty heart. 

They sat in silence for a minute. Haerin sniffled. A small whine made its way out of her throat. 

Chaewon perked up and looked at the younger student. "Woah, hey, what's wrong?" She rested a hand on the girl's dirty school uniform. 

Haerin wiped her tears away with the palms of her hands. She gulped and croaked out, 

"I just wanna go home."

Chaewon's eyebrows creased high up on her forehead, Haerin's words looming heavily over their small selves. She gently placed her underclassman's head on her shoulder. 

"Yeah," she whispered. "Me too."

Sitting on the ground with her back against a large stone, Yooyeon wrote diligently in a notebook. It had a blue cover with the name 'Yoon Seoyeon' written on it. A half-full plastic water bottle sat on her left, and an empty bag of snacks was crumpled into a ball, resting by the nearby tree. 

Yooyeon took a break from writing to rest her wrist and scratch her forehead. She let out a soft exhale and closed her weary eyes, leaning the back of her head against the rock. 

Her ears caught the small rustling of grass and branches on her right. Seoyeon leaned her head over her shoulder, looking over the contents in the notebook. She let out a hum. 

"You've written a lot." 

The scientist opened her eyes. She tapped the notebook with her pen nestled between her index and middle finger. The more she read down the page, the messier her writing became. By the end, it was nearly illegible. 

"Enter a state of dormancy after approximately forty-eight hours of surrounding inactivity..." Seoyeon read the last bullet point with narrowed eyes. Yooyeon looked at the nurse. Seoyeon looked back with a proud smirk. 

"I was once part of a team where I had to read doctors' notes all day. It was called the hospital," she said, mimicking how Yooyeon recounted her laboratory adventures. 

Yooyeon chuckled with a shake of her head. She clicked her pen, closed the notebook with a plop, and passed it over to Seoyeon. The nurse took it and put it in her dirty tote bag. 

Seoyeon put her palm out. Yooyeon nodded and rolled up her lab coat before putting her forearm on her hand. She looked over the healing wound. The sutures had been taken out a little over a week ago, and much to Yooyeon's surprise, the process was painless; she only felt a small tug in her skin when Seoyeon had pulled the strings out. 

After a few seconds, Seoyeon nodded. "Good. No signs of infection, and it's healing well," she concluded, rolling Yooyeon's sleeve back down. She stood up, stretching her back with a groan and massaging the strain on her neck. The few days of sleeping in the forest had left her deeply dissatisfied. 

Chaeyeon walked up to them after making rounds around the forested hillside. She held a blood-soaked knife in one hand and her other rested against her stomach. Yooyeon and Seoyeon glanced over at her. 

"Got rid of one near the road," Chaeyeon said with a proud smile, pointing her knife down the hill. 

Yooyeon quirked an eyebrow. "That's a bit farther than what you usually scout," she said and Chaeyeon's smile dropped. "We strictly said don't get close to the roads. A bunch of them are around there. You're lucky you only had to deal with one." 

Indeed, a couple hundred meters down laid the main road built in the valley between the mountainous area. A few cars were parked off the road along with a few infected walking around in the woods near the path.

Chaeyeon winced, turning her attention to Seoyeon. The nurse raised her brows and shrugged.  

Chaeyeon looked down with a sigh. "I don't know. I saw one and- I just wanted to do something," she mumbled out guiltily. 

Yooyeon opened her mouth to speak but Seoyeon stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. 

"It's fine." Seoyeon smiled at Chaeyeon reassuringly. "Good job." 

"But don't do that again," Yooyeon added. 

Chaeyeon's shoulders dropped, and she nodded before sitting down with a groan. "I'm so hungry..." she complained, combing her hair with her fingers. 

Seoyeon looked around. "The group should be back soon. It's getting late." 

"It's still early in the afternoon," Hyerin commented from afar, holding her crossbow up in her hands. Soomin slept on the ground next to her with a soft snore. 

The conversation paused for a moment. Yooyeon looked around. "Where's Jiwoo? She should be back from her scouting." Her eyes instinctively laid themselves on Chaeyeon. 

The latter gave her a desolate shrug. "I dunno. It's been hard to know what she's been thinking these past weeks." 

Seoyeon pressed her lips tightly together. "Still disconnected?" she asked. Hyerin listened in to their conversation. 

Chaeyeon shook her head and let out a long exhale. "They've been friends for twice the amount of time I have," she said. "Even when they drifted a little during high school, you couldn't get in between their bond. That's how close they were." 

Nearby rustling of leaves cut their conversation off. The group widened their eyes and moved closer to each other. Hyerin crouched down behind a tree, giving Soomin a small kick to her side to wake her up and put a finger to her lips when Soomin was about to complain. Yooyeon ordered everyone to lower themselves with her hand. 

Seoyeon held her breath and peeked over the rock. Her eyes darted over the tall trees, thick leaves and shadowed ground. She flinched as she heard rustling again. To her left, Hyerin shook her head at her, swinging her hand back and forth against her neck in a cutting motion. 

Seoyeon gritted her teeth and turned back around. Something stepped behind her and she froze. Yooyeon and her shared a look. Yooyeon nodded, and Seoyeon slowly reached her hand for the knife in her pocket. 

A growl sounded above her. Before she could react, a hand grabbed her face and tried to pull her up, sliding its palm harshly against her cheek. She shrieked and sunk the knife into her attacker's arm. It did nothing to stop it as it pressed its palms against her jaw. Seoyeon yelled out in pain at the strong pressure, feeling as if her bones were about to break as she tried to get away. 

Yooyeon pulled Seoyeon towards her by the collar, trying to stop her from getting bitten, and looked up at the zombie. It had its arms over the stone with its jaw unhinged. Yooyeon looked at the fingers and realized they were all broken. Chaeyeon tried to pry its arms away, but it was unmovable. Hyerin loaded her crossbow up to aim at the infected from behind the tree but held her shot as she saw a figure approach from the shadows. 

Jiwoo ran up from behind the infected and hastily stabbed it in the back of the neck. Its head limped as it stopped growling, and its arms waved around Seoyeon's head as she breathed hard. 

With heavy breaths, Jiwoo pulled her knife back. Her hand was soaked in blood. 

"Ah, shit," Jiwoo cursed and looked at it before wiping it off her jeans. Seoyeon dropped her knife and sunk herself against Yooyeon's body with a gasp and a wheeze. 

"Where were you?" Yooyeon inquired with a small frown, holding Seoyeon in her arms. 

Jiwoo sniffed and wiped her nose with her sleeve. She shrugged. "I was just circling around the top when I heard screaming." 

"You were supposed to be here several minutes ago," the scientist argued. Hyerin shook her head, approaching the group wordlessly. Soomin trailed behind her, rubbing her eyes with a yawn. 

"I lost track of time," Jiwoo mumbled with her left arm up. "My bad." 

Chaeyeon furrowed her brows in concern towards her best friend. Her eyes looked irritated. "Did something happen?" 

"No," Jiwoo was quick to say. "Nothing happened." 

Yooyeon gave Seoyeon a gentle pat on the back as the nurse separated herself, holding her jaw, keeping her eyes on Jiwoo. "In any case, you should've been here a while ago. We set these rules up for a reason." 

"Alright, I get it," Jiwoo huffed. "I'm sorry. I'll get rid of the body-" 

Looking ahead as she reached down for the infected's jacket, the athlete's eyes widened and motioned everyone to get down. The group did so instantly, forgetting the argument. 

Before Chaeyeon could ask what was going on, faraway footsteps answered her. She looked behind at the road and her eyes widened. 

A large group walked on the road. She couldn't count how many there were, but she estimated there were about thirty of them. Yooyeon tapped her on the shoulder and nudged her to hide behind a tree. Chaeyeon nodded and quietly shuffled her way behind a conifer, peeking an eye over to watch the group carefully. 

It was led by a large, gruff man with a shotgun in one hand and a crowbar in the other. His tall presence was imposing over the rest of the group. Chaeyeon noticed they weren't as tough as the big guy. Only a man and a woman next to him looked confident, and only they had the other guns in the group; one with a revolver, and the other with a pistol. The rest, who looked like everyday citizens, walked along silently with their heads down, holding their gaze fearfully on the man leading them. She had a creeping feeling that he was not a kind leader. 

"They'll get themselves killed with a group of that size," Yooyeon whispered behind them. The collective sound of their boots echoed against the woods. "There's way too much noise. Even we can hear them." 

"They won't last long," Jiwoo agreed. 

Just as Yooyeon said, the few infected hiding out in the woods ambushed the group from behind. Panic set in as they grabbed onto the nearest guy and pinned him down, sinking their teeth in. His resounding screams reflected back and forth between the two mountains. The other people near him ran away in fear as one zombie chased after them, managing to scratch a few of them on the arms. 

The leader and the sidekicks were quick to respond, stomping over. The first man loaded his shotgun and shot the running zombie in the body, making its body recoil. Hyerin flinched and covered her ears at the loud shot and Soomin passed her the pink headphones. 

With the sharp edge of the crowbar, he swung against its head full force, bashing its skull in. The other two took care of the zombies on the poor man with their guns. 

The girls spun their heads towards the sound of nearby walking. They relaxed their shoulders as the rest of the group ran over with their hands full of bags. 

"We ran all the way here when we heard screaming and gunshots," Sohyun huffed and dropped the bags. 

Xinyu laid on top of them, panting hard. "There's infected behind us," she dropped. 

"What the hell is going on?" Nakyoung hissed, looking over at the commotion. Seoyeon shushed and urged them to get down. 

The three fighters pried the corpses away from the victim. The young man yelled out in pain as he hugged himself, rolling his back against the road. His numerous wounds were exposed to the air, his skin having been torn from his face down to his hips. Pieces of his flesh were stuck inside the infecteds' mouths, trailing blood on the concrete. 

The girls watched as the leader ruffled his hair with his hands. He gargled and spat a glob of saliva onto a dead infected before looking over at the crying man. No one moved for a moment. Then, the boy made an odd twitch, and the man pulled out his henchwoman's pistol and shot the guy in the head, making the others gasp and pull back. The girls flinched at the loud noise. His brains splattered across the road and the group whimpered. Chaeyeon had to look away. 

"How fast was the turning?" she whispered, squirming. 

"One minute and twenty-six seconds," Yooyeon answered, her eyes focused on the group, ignoring her heavy heart. 

Seoyeon cursed under her breath. "It's getting faster." 

"Girls," Sohyun said behind them, standing up and grabbing the bags. "We need to go. They're making too much noise." 

On cue, an infected that had followed the supplies group ran towards them. With her stomach against the ground, Hyerin aimed her crossbow and shot it in the forehead. It collapsed and rolled down the hill before hitting a tree. One of the female survivors jumped at the noise and looked back with wide eyes. The girls quickly hid. 

More screaming resonated through the valley. Sohyun peeked her head out. The few people who had been scratched got their heads bashed in by the leader while being held down by his sidekicks. The group watched the scene in shock and disgust. Seoyeon let out a gasp before slapping her hand against her mouth. Nakyoung felt the need to throw up. 

"W- why did he do that? They weren't even infected!" Soomin breathed out. 

The man looked around the perimeter for more infected. His eyes trailed up to their group's position. Everyone's hearts dropped and anxiety crawled up their necks as they swiftly got down. 

Faraway growls echoed behind them. The zombies who were chasing the supplies team were catching up to them. 

The man looked the other way at his group's clamoring and held his gun up to shoot at the small horde that appeared from the trees and roads. Chaos ensued when the group of undead reached the survivors. 

"We gotta go- we gotta go." Chaeyeon stood up wide-eyed, shaking like a leaf. Jiwoo held her arm to steady her. The others slowly got up from their crouching positions and made a run for it. 

There was no noise other than the sound of footsteps on concrete and heavy panting.  

Having jogged away a considerable amount, the girls slowly settled and started walking again. They ended up going on the road so that they could at least see any infected that approached. Yooyeon was the one to suggest the change after the incident with Seoyeon. 

For the past hour of walking, Yooyeon was mumbling to herself behind Sohyun, who was first in line. She readjusted the strap of the sports bag with her new knife in hand. The old one had dulled right away from the sheer amount of fighting she had done in the past month. 

The bodyguard held a hand up to stop the group as she spotted a healthy looking body sitting with their back against a car's front wheel. A couple hundred meters ahead was a firetruck. 

"I'll go first," she whispered. "Stay here," she added, glancing towards Xinyu. She gave her a reassuring nod before slowly moving towards the body with her knife at the ready. 

Sohyun made sure her footsteps didn't leave a trace of sound as she approached the person. When she was a meter away, she looked around, making sure nothing would jump on her before crouching down. 

The woman had her brown hair covering most of her face. Sohyun wasn't sure whether she was alive or not, as she did not have any remarkable injuries. There was no rise and fall of her chest. She held a gun magazine in the palm of her hand. It was completely exposed. 

Holding her breath, the bodyguard used her knife to part the woman's hair, showing her face. Her eyes were shut, and her mouth was slightly open, but there was no sign of infection anywhere. Sohyun breathed out a silent exhale before looking down at the palm of the woman's hand. The magazine was in perfect condition and looked too easy to grab. 

Something felt wrong. Something was wrong. 

Sohyun widened her eyes and abruptly stood back up. 

"Watch out!" 

Sohyun spun around and was instantly hit to the side of her head. Her ears rang and her vision blurred as her temple hammered, threatening to blow. She just had time to realize what had happened before falling to the ground and dropping her knife. 

Xinyu cried out and sprinted towards Sohyun. Looking down at the bodyguard was the leader they had previously watched, crowbar in hand. His shotgun was strapped to his back. He had been hidden behind the car and had struck Sohyun when she let her guard down. 

He turned his head towards Xinyu and smiled. The girl Sohyun was inspecting slowly stood up, running a hand against her hair. She held her head low as she took Sohyun's bag and weapon. 

"Xinyu, wait!" Nakyoung ran after her. The fighter was quickly stopped when a revolver was put against her forehead. 

The fashionista skidded to a stop and looked back with wide eyes. As she did, a crowbar was set horizontally against the front of her neck. She yelled in panic before the crowbar squeezed against her neck, cutting her airflow. Alarmed, Xinyu grabbed onto the crowbar and pulled, gritting her teeth together and trying to kick back against her assailant. Unfortunately, she was no match for the leader. 

At once, the other girls were surrounded by the rest of the man's group. Jiwoo noted that the herd had nearly been halved. She estimated they had lost around ten to fifteen people back there.  

"Alright, no introductions needed. Give us all your stuff," the leader said. His breath sent shivers of discomfort down Xinyu's spine as she slowly lost her strength to fight, her eyes feeling like they were going to pop out of their sockets. She weakly tapped against the crowbar as she started fainting from the lack of oxygen. 

The man looked down at her and relented with a huff, letting a small current of air flow through Xinyu's breathing pipe. She gasped and coughed, tears forming at her eyes. The sudden regain of consciousness shocked her nervous system. 

"We got nothing!" Soomin protested loudly, receiving warning looks from her teammates. They all had a weapon pressed against a vital point. She was all the way in the back. 

Someone put the tip of their knife under Soomin's chin. She clicked her tongue, trying to get to her pistols, but the knife dug deeper at the twitch of her finger. 

"Keep your hands up," a shaky voice commanded behind her. 

"Hey, she has guns!" A survivor called out nervously. 

Soomin's pupils contracted. "Hold on. Don't take those." 

Despite her protests, a woman with her own pistol came up to her with her eyebrows raised high above her head. She reached for the pistols on each side of her hips. Under her jacket, Soomin spotted a blue jumpsuit. 

"What's a kid like you doing with guns?" the woman asked, looking over the custom pink guns with an amused smirk. Soomin blinked. 

"You guys are prisoners..." she spoke. Ahead of her, Nakyoung gritted her teeth as the man with the revolver grinned, pulling out the brass knuckles from her pockets. Hyerin let out a shaky breath as they took her crossbow away from her, along with the bag holding her bow and arrows. Her arms trembled as she kept them in the air. 

The female convict counted the rounds in Soomin's magazines before clicking them back into the guns. "We were lucky enough that the warden died right in front of our cell," she spoke as she waved Soomin's gun around carelessly. "But to be honest, the outside world is a lot more of a hellhole than jail," she sneered before pressing the custom pistol against the top of Soomin's forehead. 

"Why don't you just get your own stuff?" Yooyeon dared to defy as a follower took off her backpack whilst keeping their small axe against her chest. "You have a large group in your hands; dividing the tasks would be easy." 

"It's a man eat man world out there." The guy with the revolver admired Nakyoung's silver knuckles on his hands. "It's not like we're only taking, either." 

"Got our damn car stolen by a shrimp and her maniac friend," the leader sneered, instinctively pressing the crowbar against Xinyu's neck. The fashionista gasped as she clawed at his arms, unable to breathe. 

The group erupted in shouts and protests, pleading him to let Xinyu go. 

"Shut up!" He yelled, and it went silent. Xinyu kept fighting, but it was clear she was once again on the brink of unconsciousness. 

Seoyeon trembled as she inhaled. "Look-" She willingly dropped her knife into a survivor's hands and carefully removed her tote bag. "We'll give you the stuff, alright?" She slowly crouched down, neatly folding the bag's strap before placing it on the ground. She stood back up, keeping her hands up high. "Just let her breathe." 

The other girls glanced at each other. One by one, they dropped their bags on the floor. 

The leader nodded. "Good." He once again released the pressure on Xinyu's throat. The fashionista spluttered, panting hard with her hair sticking to her face. "Get the stuff-" 

"Let her go." 

All heads turned towards Sohyun, who stood behind the man. A knife was pressed against his back. Blood trailed down Sohyun's forehead next to her eye, which was closed shut. Her open one was narrowed and the world spun around her. She had barely been able to stand back up. The woman who acted as bait was knocked unconscious and laid on the road where Sohyun was.

The man looked behind him. To her dismay, he chuckled. "I'm not sure you're in a position to say this. I got all of your teammates locked up, threatened with a knife or gun. That one over there-" He nudged his head towards Nakyoung, "has a gun pressed against her forehead. Not sure you'd want to sacrifice your whole group for one person." 

Sohyun glared at him and pressed further, although her arms felt heavy. "Would I?" 

Nakyoung scrunched her nose, looking at Sohyun with a worried stare. Meeting her eyes though, Sohyun's resolution faltered for a split second until she reminded herself Xinyu's life was at stake. Sohyun gulped, looking unsure for the first time. She glanced over at her teammates, who all held their breaths. She then looked at Xinyu. The girl was slowly shaking her head. She blinked slowly through the hazy pain.

"We're not doing this because we want to," the leader said in a faux tone of humility. "When you're out of options, you need to think about the survival of your pack." 

"That's bullshit and we both know it," Sohyun retaliated. "We saw what you did to those people who got scratched." 

The man frowned, confused. After realizing what she was talking about, he let out a guffaw. "What, you don't know?" 

Sohyun narrowed her eyes, both to avoid looking confused and to focus though her fogged brain. 

"Even a scratch infects you," he revealed, much to the girls' shock. "Seriously, whatever this virus is- it's tough." 

Yooyeon furrowed her eyebrows, looking around her. Everyone had their eyes on Sohyun and the leader. All of them, save for the two other convicts, were terrified. Some of them were looking behind and whimpering, ready to bolt at any moment. 

The scientist caught the eyes of one of the survivors. It was the one who had previously seen them. She stood all the way to the side, looking severely out of place and afraid. She nudged her head towards the man and made a stabbing motion with her hand. 

Yooyeon exhaled before looking for Seoyeon. Catching her attention, Yooyeon glanced back and forth between Sohyun and the leader. The nurse slowly moved her head up and down, understanding what Yooyeon saw. 

She looked back towards Sohyun. The bodyguard met her gaze, and her eyes widened for a moment before narrowing her eyes in understanding. 

Sohyun stared into the man's eyes. "With the noise we made, it won't be long until the infected come running. I am willing to stay here until they tear us all apart. I'll only leave if you let her go." 

Sohyun nudged towards the road. A group of infected had walked out of the woods and onto the path a few hundred meters behind the large group. 

The man gulped. "I wonder which will happen first: me dying, or me snapping her neck," he taunted, slowly pressing the crowbar back against Xinyu’s throat. 

The bodyguard clenched her teeth together at the threat. She looked at Xinyu, who was pleading with her eyes. 

Sohyun exhaled slowly through her mouth and relented. Not leaving the man's eyes, she slowly retracted her blade. She glanced towards Nakyoung again, and the fighter sent her a small nod of approval. 

The man let out a deep, pained yell as Sohyun plunged her knife into the back of his leg. His hands let go of the crowbar and Xinyu fell to the floor, holding her throat as she breathed hard. 

During the split-second of shock, Nakyoung knocked her assailant's arm away with the palm of her hand before landing a powerful uppercut into his chin, sending his teeth clashing against each-other and stunning him. She followed with a combination of a left jab into his nose, breaking it with a crack, and a right hook into his temple, knocking him out and sending him down to the ground. 

Nakyoung snatched his gun and her knuckles back, along with her bags. She put the gun up and aimed at any survivor who dared to approach. None of them did. 

Sohyun practically fell as she rushed to kneel next to Xinyu. 

"Are you okay? Can you get up?" she asked with a hand on her back. Xinyu nodded, wincing as she massaged her sore throat. A red mark was present across her neck. Sohyun’s blood boiled under her exhaustion. 

Nakyoung looked over at them and gasped. "Watch out, behind you!" She cried out. 

Sohyun snapped her head up and turned around. The man, who had recovered from the stab, let out a yell as he swung the crowbar down. Sohyun looked at the blurry weapon, knowing she wouldn't be able to avoid it in time with her injury.

The sound of wheels rolling on the hard concrete road clattered lightly in everyone's ears. Looking back, they saw two women on skateboards rolling down the road at top speed with the zombies chasing them. One of them held a baseball bat in her hands. Nails were hammered horizontally inside the bat in an organized fashion, leaving a blunt space on both sides. 

There was a moment of hesitation in the man's movement as he saw them. It was enough for Sohyun to smash her elbow against his throat. He choked and dropped the crowbar with a loud clang. 

The girl with the bat swerved around the people who were frozen in time. She readied it against her shoulder, eyes glued to the man. When she got there, she slowed down, skidding to a stop before swinging her bat full-force, smashing the nail-less side of it against his forehead and instantly knocking him out. He fell onto his back, crushing the shotgun beneath him. 

"Home-run!" She shouted enthusiastically before pushing a foot against the road to move again. 

The other skateboarder in a police uniform rolled on the side of the road. She stopped and picked up the skateboard in front of the female survivor who helped the group. 

"Let's go, Mayu-chan!" She grabbed the woman's wrist, and they ran after the first girl. She looked back at Seoyeon and nudged her head. "Follow us!" 

Seoyeon blinked several times before grabbing her knife and tote back and sprinting towards them. 

With the chaos happening around her, Soomin threw her head back, knocking it against the nose of the person holding her at knifepoint. The female convict turned back around wide-eyed and pressed the trigger on her pistol. Soomin's eyes widened and she ducked. 

The thundering shot made everyone press their palms against their ears. Hyerin yelped, taking the gunshot harder than anyone. She looked back in alarm, prepared for the worst. 

To everyone's shock, Soomin had managed to dodge it. She was unaffected by the noise, as she had her headphones on. She rose back up and roughly pushed the woman on her side. 

She didn't budge. 

Soomin cringed as the woman aimed her pistol towards her again and pulled the trigger. Soomin miraculously avoided the second shot by moving to the side just in time and pulling out her spare knife. She slashed the prisoner across the cheek and the woman sucked in a breath. She went to shoot her again, but Soomin hastily stabbed the knife up her forearm, making her scream out and drop the pistol. 

Soomin didn't stop there, taking the opportunity to stab the other arm. The convict let out a ground-shattering cry and knelt down. With both her guns dropped, Soomin bent down to grab them. 

She turned around and widened her eyes when the survivor she had headbutted was swinging her knife at her. Thankfully, Chaeyeon shoved her away right before the knife came in contact with her cheek. 

"Thanks!" Soomin cheered, putting her guns up. 

"I got lucky- my guy just froze," Chaeyeon huffed out before running towards Jiwoo, who was struggling to fight her own battle with her side injury still healing. 

Soomin looked around for any more contenders but lowered her guns when she realized they were all frozen in place or running. They screamed in fear as the horde of zombies caught up to them. They lunged onto the nearest survivors, ripping their skin with their teeth. Soomin was right behind them. 

"Ohh shit-" The gunner cursed, putting her guns in their holsters and taking off. She only took a couple of steps forward before her leg got caught against something and she fell down, her pink jacket roughly scraping against the asphalt. She felt the rough burn through the clothing. 

Soomin turned around and stared at the prisoner who tripped her with wide eyes. She had an infected ripping her calf apart. One zombie spotted Soomin and lunged onto her. Sucking in a breath, Soomin put her hands forward and pushed against the infected by the shoulders with all her strength. 

"If I go down, I'll bring you with me!" She heard the woman yell out while fighting off the zombie. It snarled in her face as it swiped at her with its claws, Soomin winced as its dirty nails dug against her collarbones, perforating deeply into her skin and slashing through them. She clenched her jaw and moved her head to the side as it pushed further in, clashing its teeth repeatedly an inch away from her ear. 

With a powerful yell, Soomin tried to push back, but she could only slow the process. She gasped as the nails kept digging deeper. She closed her eyes and thought, 

Game over.  

The sounds of an approaching skateboard made Soomin snap her eyes back open. Something whistled behind her and landed into the zombie's skull. It collapsed on top of Soomin, and the gunner also collapsed, taking the time to rest. She looked over at Hyerin, who had her bow and crossbow back in her hands. She had shot the zombie before nudging her head towards Soomin and running away from the horde along with the other survivors. 

Soomin then turned her attention to the skateboarder. She skidded to a stop and Soomin watched in admiration as she used the nails in her bat to smash the zombie's heads in. 

"What the hell are you doing?" she screamed at Soomin and kicked the body off of her. "Get up and get going!" 

With a groan, Soomin quickly stood up, pulling out Hyerin's arrow. She grabbed her pistols and fired a few rounds in the heads of the zombies approaching her and the skateboarder. 

With a loud shout of pain, the girl turned around and threw her skateboard to the ground before stomping on it. She gave Soomin a murderous glare while holding her ear. 

"Don't shoot that shit around me ever again!" She told her off before rolling away. 

"Aye aye, capt'n!" Soomin craned her neck and sprinted. She looked around her as she ran. Zombies tore apart the innocent civilians. Only a few had managed to get away from the horde, running down the road or into the forests. Soomin looked ahead of her. All of her teammates made it out and followed the policewoman.  

Soomin looked down at her injuries and pursed her lips before grabbing her jacket's collar and covering herself. 

Nien looked over at the firetruck's side mirror, waiting patiently in the driver's seat. The engine was already on, and she watched in anticipation as the group of survivors ran away from the horde. 

Kotone and Mayu were the first to arrive. The police officer swung the door open, urging Mayu to climb inside. The girl did and instantly collapsed on a seat, breathing hard with tears rolling down her eyes. 

Kotone threw her skateboard in but stayed outside, holding the door while screaming at the group of survivors to hurry up. Nien took the time to look back at Mayu. She rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. 

"You okay?" 

Mayu let out an unsteady breath and shook her head. "I don't ever want to do that again," she muttered, hugging herself. 

Nien pursed her lips and nodded. "I'm sorry for not being there with you guys." 

Mayu nodded back and wiped her eyes with her sleeves. "It's okay. We needed a driver." 

A duo of people the two didn't recognize entered next. They both dropped on the truck's floor and panted. 

"Hi!" Nien greeted cheerfully. "Welcome!" 

Yooyeon gave her a thumbs-up of acknowledgement before going back to catching her breath. 

Sohyun and Xinyu were next. They made space in the small compartment for them to fit in. Sohyun sat Xinyu down on one of the seats and looked over her, holding her face in her hands. She sent the fashionista a barrage of questions. 

"Are you okay?" 

"Does it hurt?" 

"Can you breathe alright?" 

"Can you talk?" 

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" 

Xinyu nodded thrice and shook her head two times. Sohyun looked into her eyes and traced a thumb over Xinyu's cheek. "Just tap me on the shoulder if you need anything, alright?" 

Xinyu gulped with a wince and nodded. Sohyun's gaze trailed down to her lips for a split-second. She shook her head and sighed, taking a seat on the floor next to her. She leaned her hammering head against the seat and closed her tired eyes.

Nien blinked and held her tongue. She decided that was a moment that she shouldn’t interrupt. 

The back of the firetruck quickly piled up with more people, and quickly started running out of space. 

"I call shotgun!" The girl with the bat cheered and moved to the front seat. 

Soomin was the last to arrive. Kotone pushed her in before yelling, "Start the truck!" as she pulled out her revolver and shot two rounds at incoming infected. 

"Alright, let's do this!" Nien grinned, putting the gear shift to drive and pressing on the gas pedal. Kotone gripped the outside handle tightly as she climbed into the moving vehicle and closed the door. 

Everyone in the back stumbled and rolled over on top of each other at the sudden movement, save for the four strapped in the car seats. They rapidly recovered, though, untangling their limbs and sitting down either with their backs against the walls or uncomfortably in the middle. The multitude of bags were stacked on top of their legs and in any free space. 

Kotone had her back against the truck's door. She leaned her head back and sighed, not minding the door bumping against the back of her skull. The group was quiet. 

After creating a large enough distance between the group and the zombies, Nien slowed the truck down at a normal speed. She pursed her lips, tapping a finger on the steering wheel. 

"So... how's everyone doing?" 

"Great now that we finally hitched a ride," Chaeyeon replied with a groan. "I'm so sick and tired of walking. My feet are hurting like crazy." 

"We are very grateful you helped us out there," Seoyeon took over the conversation. She glanced at Mayu. "Thank you so much." 

Mayu sent her a small smile as she anxiously twiddled her thumbs. 

The skateboarder at the front spoke up, "I mean, we didn't do it completely for you guys..." 

"Yeonji." Kotone warned. 

"What! I'm just saying, we already had a plan put in place to get rid of the criminals, and you bunch kind of got in the middle of that." 

"In any case, the distraction was much welcomed," Kotone interrupted, looking at the new group with a polite smile. "I'm Kotone. Officer for the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. It's nice to meet you all." 

She received a few hums and "hellos." Her eyes trailed over to Nakyoung. Unlike the other guests who were looking at her, the vigilante looked to the side, trying to avoid eye contact. Kotone narrowed her eyes. The group members shared nervous glances. 

Kotone nudged her head towards Nakyoung. "You're not a social person?" 

Nakyoung finally acknowledged Kotone but looked at her with eyes dripping with distaste. "No... I just don't really like your kind." 

"My kind?" Kotone quirked an eyebrow. "You don't even know me." 

"I know that you're a cop. That's enough for me to not like you," Nakyoung judged. 

Kotone put her hands up. "What's not to like? I'm a defender of the city." 

"Well, crazy defending you've been doing here, officer. Korea's gone to shit." 

"The hell's wrong with you?" Kotone stood up in the moving vehicle. 

Yooyeon put a hand up. "Come on, let's not fight." 

Kotone narrowed her eyes at Nakyoung, who did the same. "Wait..." 

She scoffed with a smirk. "You're that damn vigilante everyone's been trying to catch." 

"Woah, great detective skills, officer." Nakyoung threw her hands up sarcastically. 

Kotone tapped an impatient foot on the floor with a glare. 

"You know what?" she said, catching Nakyoung's attention. "I'm not gonna be mad at you for disrespecting me because you disrespect everything around you." 

Nakyoung squinted. "What are you talking about?" 

"You don't respect the law, you don't respect the government. I mean- if you respected people you'd be following the rules and letting the police handle it." 

Nakyoung chuckled. "Be serious, the police handle nothing." 

"Guys..." Nien tried speaking to no avail. 

Kotone sneered. "Oh, and that makes you think you're above the law, huh? Beat up anyone you deem unworthy? You think everything revolves around you. I'm sorry, but society just doesn't work like that." 

The vigilante stood up, holding onto the roof of the car. "And what makes you decide how the world works, huh? Just because you're a goody two shoes and can't decide what's good for yourself?" 

"Now you watch it, or I swear I'll-" 

"What?" Nakyoung rolled her eyes. "Kill me? Cops sure love to do that to everyone." 

"Woah, holy crap!" 

Everyone's attention turned towards Yeonji, who had turned around from her seat and had been following the argument. Her outburst happened when she skimmed over the group's faces and landed on a familiar one. 

"Is that the Lee Jiwoo?" Yeonji beamed. "Star hockey player Lee Jiwoo?" 

Jiwoo blinked as the topic suddenly changed to her. She dumbly pointed at herself. "Me?" 

"Yeah, you!" Yeonji confirmed. "I'm a big fan! Although I play baseball. Hey- What do you think of my bat? Isn't it cool? I thought you'd have a hockey stick in the zombie apocalypse." 

Jiwoo had her mouth parted, unable to keep up with any of what Yeonji was saying. Chaeyeon was holding back a laugh beside her while Seoyeon pinched the bridge of her nose and muttered tiredly, "Not another one..." 

"Can I get your autograph?" Yeonji finished off, passing Jiwoo her bloody bat. 

Jiwoo smacked her lips. "Sure...? I don't really know what you can do with it in an outbreak, though." 

Yooyeon handed the athlete a sharpie with an amused look. Jiwoo caught her glance and shrugged. She opened the cap and signed her name on the taper of the bat. As she did, a soft smile rested on her lips. She hadn't done so ever since Yubin's disappearance. Chaeyeon smiled warmly and gave her a back hug. 

"Didn't expect to meet a fan during these times," Jiwoo admitted and put the cap back on. "It's a pleasant surprise." She handed the bat back. 

Yeonji let out a gasp of wonder as she admired Jiwoo's signature. The kid grinned at her. "Thanks!" 

She glanced towards Kotone, her smile wavering for a moment before turning back. The officer sighed and sat back down, with Nakyoung doing the same. They shared a look of mutual distaste but decided to let it go for the time being. 

Nien relaxed her shoulders as the truck went quiet again. She briefly looked at Yeonji. The girl was admiring Jiwoo's signature, her smile gone from her face. Nien reached out to give her a reassuring rub on the shoulder. Yeonji nodded with a soft hum. 

Soomin mindlessly played with Hyerin's crossbow arrow. She winced as her injuries stung, hugging her jacket against herself. She was quiet as she replayed the events in her head. 

Her eyes suddenly widened. Hyerin was the first to notice her stunned silence. 

"What?" the archer spoke. Despite her nonchalant look, her trembling tone betrayed her. 

Eleven pairs of eyes turned towards the gunner. Nien looked at her through the rearview mirror. 

Soomin glanced at them and shuffled uncomfortably, giving Hyerin her arrow back. She exhaled. "Well, uhm, remember how the guy said even a scratch could turn you?" 

Seoyeon felt anxious prickles on the back of her skin and she held her breath. Yooyeon glanced at her and set a comforting hand on her back. The group sat in tense silence, already dreading what she was going to say. 

"Well..." Soomin darted her eyes around, unable to focus on one person's gaze. "I just wanted to say..." 

Slowly, she pried her hands away from her chest and opened the jacket. Gasps and cries filled the room. 

Angry slashes and pierced skin decorated Soomin's shoulders and collarbones in an artistic depiction of red horror. Dried crimson clung to her skin and on the insides of her jacket. 

"I might be done for." 

Kaede stopped the car a few hundred meters away from the house, shutting off the engine. She looked up and adjusted the rearview mirror so that it showed Shion. The girl sighed with her back against the interior wall. Her untied hands were fiddling with an empty bottle of water. 

"Do I really have to do this again?" she spoke in her distinct soft voice. 

Kaede got out of her seat and moved to the back of the jeep. She crouched in front of Kaede and took off her old bandages, looking over the injuries. The cuts and bruises were fading away. 

"Of course," she spoke. "Remember: you distract, I act." 

Shion took a shaky breath. "What if I get hurt again?" 

Kaede glanced up into her hostage's innocent eyes. They held nothing but fear and kindness. 

Kaede clicked her tongue and looked away. "Last time was just unlucky. Who knew the leader was a convict ready to hurt anyone?" 

"But you're a criminal, too." 

"Just get it right this time," Kaede breathed out. She moved to the car's rear door and looked around. A few infected had heard the jeep and were running toward the vehicle. 

Kaede took out her switchblade and opened the door. 

"I'll take care of the rest."

Chapter Text

The girls around Soomin tried to move away from her despite being packed like sardines in the firetruck. After the initial complaints of disbelief, the group went radio silent, unsure on how to proceed.

Chaeyeon spoke first with tears already forming in her eyes. "You're sure it was from a zombie?" 

"She was getting crushed by one," Yeonji answered from the front with her bat out. "Me and the archer girl had to save her." 

"I don't think a normal person could do that much damage," Kotone added with a frown. She looked around. "What do we do?" 

The group fell back into silence, feeling the bumps and ridges anytime the firetruck would cross over a crevasse on the road. Hyerin cleaned the tip of the arrow with shaky hands. Sohyun frowned through unfocused eyes, the blood on her forehead dripping onto the floor. Xinyu shifted her gaze back and forth between Soomin and her bodyguard in worry. Nakyoung watched Soomin through gritted teeth. Jiwoo clicked her tongue and looked away with furrowed brows. Chaeyeon pressed her forehead against her knee and shut her eyes tightly. 

"...I say we ditch her," Yeonji said. Her statement was immediately countered with noisy protests from the other group. 

"What?" Seoyeon exclaimed, louder than anyone. She tried standing up but was crushed by the surrounding bodies. "We're not doing that!" 

"I mean... She's infected, isn't she?" Yeonji frowned. 

"The inmate did say that..." Hyerin tapped her arrow nervously as she looked at Soomin with eyes filled with anxiety. 

"Yeah, but that could've easily been a scare tactic," Nakyoung argued. "People like him will lie to get out of anything." 

Kotone rolled her eyes but held her tongue. 

Mayu looked over with trembling hands. "What if she turns while we're all in the truck? Wouldn't we be in trouble?"

All eyes turned to Mayu, then to Soomin. The girl looked surprisingly nonchalant given the situation. 

Yooyeon leaned over towards Soomin with a pensive stare. "How are you feeling?"

Soomin poked a scratch wound and winced. "Kinda hurts. Burns a lot." 

"What about mentally?" 

The gunner scratched her head and shrugged. "I feel fine." 

With a nod, Yooyeon retreated with her back flushed against Nakyoung's front. She leaned over to pull Seoyeon's notebook out. 

"You're not serious," Jiwoo deadpanned. Yooyeon ignored it and started writing in the notebook. 

Kotone nudged her head towards the scientist. "What's that for?" 

"I'm documenting the case. It's crucial information," Yooyeon answered under her breath. "It has been a few minutes since the scratch. If Soomin was infected and were to turn, it would be important to know how long it takes." 

"So, what? We're just gonna leave her in here with us until she's a liability to all of our lives?" Mayu shakily spoke. 

"Y'all can ditch me if you want." Soomin sided with the fearful survivor. 

Nakyoung sighed. "We are not throwing you out." She emphasized every syllable. "We'll think of something else." 

"What if we just tied her up?" 

The people's attention turned to Sohyun. Her eyes were half open as she leaned her head against Xinyu's seat. She looked ready to pass out at any moment as the blood on her face dried up. 

"Oh my goodness, are you okay?" Seoyeon reached out. She had forgotten about Sohyun's health given the complication they were in. 

"I'm fine. I just need to rest for a minute," Sohyun mumbled, fighting to stay awake. 

Xinyu struggled to gulp, looking down at her. "You took a crowbar hit directly to the face," she weakly croaked out with a wince, trailing her fingers against her throat. 

"Don't speak." Sohyun hissed forcefully, making Xinyu back off despite her concern. 

Seoyeon sucked in a breath and crossed over the bags and people with much effort. She kneeled in front of the bodyguard, placed her hands on each side of her head and tilted the wound towards her. Sohyun closed her eyes with a groan as the nurse tucked her hair behind her ear. 

"This is bad," Seoyeon whispered, looking over her bleeding forehead. "You have a concussion." 

"It's nothing," Sohyun denied. "I've taken worse hits." 

Seoyeon quirked an eyebrow and lightly pressed her thumb over the area of impact. Sohyun winced. 

"Don't talk back when a medical professional is checking on you," she said sternly. Yooyeon pressed her lips together to stop herself from smiling. 

"Won't that hurt her further?" Xinyu wondered, hovering a hand over the top of Sohyun's head. 

"Not any worse that she already is." Seoyeon turned to look at the fashionista. "Did you bring back any medical supplies? Bandages?" 

Behind them, Nakyoung pursed her lips. "We only found a few pill bottles," she answered. 

"What kind?" 

"...Sleeping pills." 

Seoyeon sat still for a few seconds before combing her hair back. "I'll keep those," she said before taking her jacket off and wrapping the sleeves around Sohyun's head. "Get some actual rest." 

"But-" 

Seoyeon gave her a deadpan stare. With a tired huff, Sohyun crossed her arms and closed her eyes, leaning her head back into Xinyu's seat and relaxing her shoulders. Xinyu pat her gently on her head before resting her hand on top of it. 

"So, uh, do we all agree to tie her up?" Kotone brought the conversation back to Soomin. Mayu hadn't removed her eyes from the infected gunner. 

The officer received murmurs of agreement. Nakyoung clicked her tongue and looked away. 

Kotone sighed and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. "Put your hands behind your back," she ordered Soomin. 

The girl obeyed, pursing her lips. Her heartbeat quickened as she felt the cold metal press against her wrists with a click. "I don't like feeling like a criminal." 

"It's just precaution," Kotone reassured, tightening the cuffs. "We're hoping the actual criminal was just bluffing." 

"About that," Yooyeon jumped in, "We'd have to test the infection causes somehow." 

Nien blinked, listening in from the driver's seat. "Not on an actual person, right?" 

"Of course not." 

Nien nodded and smiled. 

"You don't have to test on anything," Chaeyeon remarked, fiddling timidly with her knife. "Just keep a close eye on Soomin." 

Yooyeon wrote something down in her notebook. "As this is the first scratching incident I've been the witness of, it would interest me to research further details concerning the spread of the infection." 

Chaeyeon blinked. "What does that mean?" 

"She wants to know more about the infection if Soomin turns because it's the first time she saw it happen," Jiwoo translated. 

Chaeyeon nodded with an 'ah' of understanding before turning her attention towards the driver. "Hey, we never got your name by the way." 

"I'm Nien!" She cheered. "Short for Hsu Nientzu. It's nice to meet all of you." 

"You're not Korean, right?" Nakyoung spoke up, hearing Nien's distinct accent and name. 

Kotone crossed her arms. "Why does that matter?" 

"It's called making small talk." Nakyoung rolled her eyes. "I just want to know." 

"It's okay, 'Tone." Nien smiled. "I'm half-Vietnamese half-Taiwanese." She answered Nakyoung. "Mayu-unnie's Japanese, and Kotone is, too." 

"I'm the only Korean in our group!" Yeonji added with a grin and a peace sign. 

"Oh, wow." Chaeyeon raised both eyebrows. "Our group's full of Koreans. Except for Xinyu-unnie." She nudged her head towards the fashionista, who was already in an enthusiastic discussion with Nien. 

"So, you speak Mandarin? " she asked in her native tongue. 

"Of course I speak Mandarin! " Nien affirmed excitedly. 

Xinyu beamed. "We can gossip about the others without them understanding! " 

"That sounds fun! I'm in! Oh- but I don't want to say anything mean. " 

"We can just talk about their relationships." 

"I'd love that." Nien snickered. 

"What are they saying?" Chaeyeon looked around in confusion. Everyone shrugged. 

"I'm going to sleep," Seoyeon said, taking the melatonin pills from Nakyoung and popping two in her mouth before closing her eyes and leaning into Yooyeon. 

"I'll keep watch on the girl," Kotone announced. Soomin shuffled uncomfortably with her hands behind her back. 

"Same." Nakyoung huffed and stood up, placing her hands on the ceiling to balance herself. 

Kotone narrowed her eyes at the vigilante. "You don't trust me with the job?" 

"I don't," she admitted, sitting back down in front of Soomin. "And I'm sure two guards are better than one." 

The police officer rolled her eyes. "Fine." 

The next day at work was as quiet as always. Yooyeon practiced the same routine as yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that.  

This time, she was looking through the one-way glass that stood between her and her project, the crow. It was picking up seeds and dropping them in its water container. She observed its behavior while tapping her pen on the empty notebook in her hand.  

Through the reflection of the glass, Yooyeon noticed Jinsol walking up behind her. She kept watching the crow as her coworker approached her.  

"Boo!"  

Yooyeon did not humor her. She saw Jinsol's pout in the reflection. "Aw, why weren't you surprised?"  

"I saw your reflection."  

Jinsol slapped a hand to her forehead and chuckled. "Oh, forgot about that, haha."  

"For someone working at a top secret laboratory, common sense seems to evade you," Yooyeon deadpanned.  

"Eh." Jinsol shrugged. "Sounds like a requirement to work at a place like this."  

"Like the military division?"  

"Yep." Jinsol agreed with a nod. Yooyeon temporarily turned away from her project.  

"Have you gone to see them today?" she asked.  

Jinsol shook her head. "Not yet. Probably will after, though. Is this about the scream?"  

"Just can't seem to take my mind off of it," Yooyeon admitted with a slight frown.  

Jinsol hummed. She paused for a few seconds, then asked, "Wanna go check it out together?"  

Yooyeon turned her head to look at Jinsol. She inhaled. "I don't go there," she spoke. "Whatever they're doing in there, I want no part in it." Yooyeon turned her head back to look at the crow that was now throwing grapes at the wall. "I took on this project so I could find a way to help people, and from what I've heard about the military department, they seem to do the opposite."  

She heard Jinsol chuckle behind her, then felt a pat on her shoulder. "And that's why you're the best of all of us." She then patted Yooyeon's head. "Don't lose that altruistic mindset of yours." 

Yooyeon chewed her bottom lip. "Thanks, Jinsol-unnie." 

"Mhm!" Jinsol agreed with a smile. "I'll go see on my own, then. I'll catch you later," she told Yooyeon before practically skipping down the hallway.  

That grown woman... She thought to herself as she watched Jinsol, holding back a chuckle. 

Yooyeon sat right in front of Soomin, staring into her eyes with her notebook in her lap. Soomin blinked at the scientist and grinned. 

"Hi." 

Yooyeon scrunched her nose and transcribed her greeting in her notebook. 

"You're seriously not writing down everything I say, right?" Soomin leaned forward to try and read Yooyeon's handwriting. Kotone pushed her forehead back with the palm of her hand. "Hey, I'm just looking!" The gunner whined. 

"It has been eighteen hours since the initial 'infection.' Are you experiencing any heightened levels of anger?" Yooyeon asked as her pen scribbled along the page. 

"No. It's just annoying, not being able to move." Soomin pouted and shuffled her arms. 

"Do you believe your scratches have anything to do with it?" 

Soomin leaned her head against the truck's wall. She looked down at her collarbones. Seoyeon had disinfected the area and wiped it away from the excess blood. Yooyeon had claimed it would interfere with her research, but Seoyeon pointed out that any underlying germs could also affect the results. Soomin didn't like any of their reasonings. 

"I don't know. I feel normal." The gunner shrugged. "Just itches a little." 

Kotone, the only other person in the truck, said, "Any bite would've turned her hours ago. I think it's safe to say she's alright." 

Yooyeon sighed. "We're on uncharted waters here. It's better to stay on guard." 

Soomin's wrists chafed against the uncomfortably warm handcuffs. "Can you at least get me out of this for a minute? Sleeping with them was the worst thing I had to experience." 

Kotone looked at her empathetically, then glanced at Yooyeon. The scientist pondered for a moment but relented. "Just pay attention to her at all times," she said before standing up and leaving the truck. 

"That's about what my job entails," Kotone agreed and pulled out her keys, unlocking Soomin's cuffs. With a loud groan of relief, Soomin brought her hands to the front and massaged her wrists. They were an angry purple. 

Kotone winced. "Sorry. A person usually shouldn't have them on for that long." 

With a pout, Soomin looked up at the officer. She put a hand up in a clawing motion. "Roar." 

Kotone quirked an eyebrow and let out an amused huff, patting Soomin on the head. "Let's get you some fresh air." 

Nien and Yeonji sat next to each-other on the grassy patch as they ate their ration of canned tuna. Nien nodded at the taste as she finished her last bite, then put the can down and lied down on the ground with a soft exhale, placing her hands behind her head. A few birds tweeted here and there along with the sound of Yeonji scraping her can with her plastic spoon. 

"Unnie." 

Nien hummed, closing her eyes. The clattering stopped, and Yeonji sighed. 

"Do you think we can trust those people?" 

Nien opened her eyes and looked at the teenager. "What makes you say that?" 

"I don't know." Yeonji admitted, hugging her knees. Her skateboard and baseball bat lied on the grass next to her. "I'm just scared, I guess. Of what they could do. Other than knowing their names, they're strangers." 

Nien pursed her lips and stared at the sky with a small hum. 

Yeonji snickered and looked down at her. "Guess you wouldn't know what it means to be scared." 

The firefighter chuckled with her then sighed. "Maybe, but I know what it means to be worried. I understand where you're coming from." 

She stretched her neck as she sat back up, placing her hands beside her. She glanced over at the firetruck a couple hundred meters away from where the others were. They chatted amongst each other animatedly, even managing to bring Mayu to say a few words despite her anxiety. 

Soomin jumped onto the road with a triumphant grin and the conversation died. Everyone stared wide-eyed until Kotone came out and told them they were just getting some air. The nurse, Seoyeon, was the first to let her guard down and smiled. She handed Soomin a pack of batteries, and the girl cheered, immediately snatching it and taking off her headphones. 

"They seem like nice people, though." Nien watched as the girls gently picked their pace back up. The firefighter hadn't missed how Nakyoung and Kotone shared a glare. 

Yeonji hadn't either. "I don't like how she acts around Kotone-unnie." 

Nien gulped. "Me neither, but I guess it makes sense for her. I just hope they can put aside their differences and work together." 

"I hope Kotone-unnie puts her in the dust," Yeonji snarked and turned away. 

Nien blinked and pressed her lips together, unsure on how to respond. So, she didn't, and instead closed her eyes again. She heard Yeonji's huff and the distant clattering of a can on the road. 

"Uh, hi." 

Nien and Yeonji whipped their heads towards the person. Jiwoo stood awkwardly on the road in front of them, as rigid as a tree. She held Dahyun's spear in her left hand. 

Nien smiled at her while Yeonji's mood made a 180º turn, staring at Jiwoo in joyful wonder. 

"Hello! Do you need anything?" Nien asked warmly. 

Jiwoo scratched her neck awkwardly. "Can I join you two?" 

Nien smiled and patted the grass on her left. Jiwoo shuffled towards her spot. 

"Oh, your..." She stopped and pointed at Nien's fire axe. 

"Oops, my bad!" Nien apologized and held it in her hands. Jiwoo nodded and sat down, sighing. 

"Why'd you come here with us?" Yeonji leaned back to look at the athlete. 

Jiwoo inhaled deeply. "Too noisy," she stated, staring at the empty road in front of them. Despite being hundreds of meters away, the three could hear the enthusiastic banter from none other than Soomin. 

Nien giggled. "Not sure you'd want to be with us then," she joked. At Jiwoo's inquisitive glance, she added, "We're a pretty loud duo. Especially her." She gestured a thumb at Yeonji. 

The skater frowned and sat up straight. "I'm not that loud!" She protested. "I just talk a lot. But I'm quiet about it, I swear. You could not hear me from afar like the other one." 

Nien laughed out loud at Yeonji's defensive statement. Jiwoo raised her brows, doubtful. "Are you sure?" she asked the kid. 

"Absolutely." Yeonji affirmed with a nod of her head. "I know when I need to stay quiet. Like right now." She blinked. "Is right now a good time to stay quiet?" 

Jiwoo took a deep breath and observed the stretching road. "I don't mind talking." 

"You alright?" Nien asked in concern, picking up Jiwoo's discontented mood. 

The hockey player scrunched her nose. "Yeah," she said, the lie slipping out of her lips like clockwork. "It's just been difficult, this past month," she admitted. 

Nien nodded, playing with the hem of her axe. "You got anywhere you wanna go?" 

Jiwoo sighed. "We're just moving South-East for now." 

"You got the East part right." Yeonji grinned. "We're far in the mountains of Gangwon-Do." 

"Not a lot of people, so not a lot of enemies. Usually." Nien followed. "But also, not a lot of supplies." 

"Our group's been running low," Jiwoo agreed. "We have to keep stopping to search around." She turned her head towards the two girls. "Where's your group going?" 

"Daejeon," Yeonji replied instantly. Jiwoo raised her eyebrows. 

Nien caught her confusion. "We heard the military managed to build a safe haven there before the zombies could get to it," she explained. "Caught it through the radio. I'm guessing your group doesn't have one." 

Jiwoo gulped. She shook her head. "No... well- we used to. Someone in our group had one, but she..." 

Jiwoo trailed off and supported her chin with a hand, letting out a deep exhale. She looked down at the spear and traced her index over the shaft. "This is all that's left." 

Nien deflated. "I'm sorry to hear that." She patted Jiwoo on the back. The athlete nodded gratefully with a half-hearted smile. 

"You should come with us." Yeonji suggested with an empathetic expression. 

"Hm. I'll talk to the others about it," Jiwoo said, tilting her head back up. "How come you haven't gone yet? To Daejeon." The athlete wondered. "You have a good vehicle; you'd get there in no time." 

Yeonji and Nien shared a look. The skater turned towards Jiwoo. "Actually, I've been looking for my school." 

"Your school?" 

With a nod, Yeonji continued, "There's someone I'd like to get to." 

Chaewon looked behind her through the kitchen's security grilles as she stood tip-toed on top of a school kitchen's worktable. She was watching out for any potential movement from the bodies on the dining hall's floor. She reached her arm up, trying to grab the canned mangoes buried deep inside the top cabinets. Her other hand found support on the shelf as she poked at the cans with her fingers. She let out a silent huff of frustration when she realized she couldn't reach the much needed food. 

Sucking in a breath, Chaewon decided to leap, putting her entire arms in the cabinet floor to support her weight. Her legs dangled a few centimeters over the metal worktable as her muscles burned to keep her up. With the extra leverage, the student pushed herself further in, her hands finally finding the cans. Through gritted teeth, she clenched her fingers around the nearest one and pulled it out to the front before reaching her arm back in to get another. 

Chaewon held her breath as her muscles worked overtime. Her form began to shake as she pulled out the third can, and when she readjusted her arm's position to get a fourth one, she slipped, sending her and the three cans falling. Her heart dropped to her stomach as she fell, flailing her arms around to try and balance herself. Her legs hooked themselves against the worktable with a clang before she plummeted back-first onto the ground with a loud thud. Her shoulder took the brunt of the damage, making her see white for a moment. The steel table dropped next to her with a metallic bang that rippled through the large hall. 

Chaewon didn't have time to rest as her zombified classmates snapped their heads towards her. They stood up and rushed to her, grabbing their fingers onto the kitchen's security grilles, the see-through gate undulating under the shaking. 

Swiftly, Chaewon collected the three fruit cans and dashed behind a cabinet where she couldn't be seen from the dining hall. Certain she was out of the students' field of vision, she let out a pained groan. She dropped the cans onto the floor with a soft clatter before heaving through clenched teeth and clutching her injured shoulder. The back of her head dropped against the cabinet door. 

"Are you okay, unnie?" Haerin whispered next to her. She reached a hand to touch her shoulder and Chaewon let out a whine. The girl quickly retreated with an apologetic gaze and sat back down with her arms hugging her knees. 

"Just... give me a moment," Chaewon breathed out through her teeth. Sweat rolled down forehead as she tried to get herself together. An intense feeling of nausea crawled through every cell in her body as she took deep breaths to try and calm herself down. 

Haerin looked at her with concern. She gently picked up the canned food. "I'm sorry for putting you through this trouble." 

"Don't say that," Chaewon reassured. "There's nothing to be sorry about." 

She hissed and added, "In fact, if it wasn't for that damned Jeong Hayeon, we wouldn't be stuck here in the first place." 

Haerin opened the can as quietly as she could with a kitchen knife before handing it to Chaewon. "They sent us here because she went on about us being able to fight. Because we do 'martial arts,'" she recounted with a pout. 

With a final squeeze of her shoulder, Chaewon gratefully took the can from Haerin and tipped it back against her lips, drinking the sweet juice. After a few gulps, she let out a sigh. "She knew if she didn't throw someone else under the bus, they would've sent her delinquent ass. But seriously, sending a thirteen-year old is just..." 

She creased her brows and looked at Haerin. The underclassman's chest fell as she huffed, opening another can. 

"How do you think the group's doing?" Haerin wondered, picking out a piece of mango and plopping it in her mouth. "They probably think we're dead. Or turned." 

Chaewon looked down at her food, considering her next words. Her fingers tapped along the side of a can, simulating the ticking of a clock. 

She inhaled. "I want to say that they should burn for putting us, through this, but also..." she trailed off. 

Haerin rested her head on her knees, curiously awaiting her upperclassman's next words. 

"If I was in their position, I'd be scared, too." Chaewon nodded. "So I hope they're okay." 

"Jeong Hayeon? Is she your friend?" Jiwoo asked. 

Yeonji narrowed her eyes and scratched her head, hesitating. "I don't know if I'd call us friends. I didn't have any at school since I was always skipping class." 

She mindlessly rolled the wheel of her skateboard with the palm of her hand. "I'd say... we got along in detention." 

Jiwoo widened her eyes and scoffed, looking the other way to hide her smirk. 

"What's wrong?" Nien wondered, relaxing herself once more onto the ground. 

"Nothing." Jiwoo shook her head. "It just reminded me of someone I know." 

"Same story?" 

Jiwoo turned back and hummed. "Almost." 

A distant yell caught the girls' attention. Looking over to the truck, they saw Chaeyeon call out to them and gesturing wildly for them to come back, almost tripping over air as she did. Jiwoo huffed and rolled her eyes endearingly. 

"Looks like that's our queue," Nien said and stood up, wiping the sweat off her forehead with her coat's sleeve. 

"Isn't it hot?" Jiwoo asked, looking at the firefighter. She was fully dressed in her firefighter uniform. It looked suffocating next to Yeonji, who wore a sleeveless dark gray hoodie crop top with baggy black cargo shorts. She wore elbows and knee pads. 

Nien made finger guns through her heavy black gloves and grinned. "Better hot than dead. You can never be too prepared." 

"She says that as if she couldn't effortlessly suplex a zombie." Yeonji grabbed her skateboard and threw it onto the road. 

"No skating!" Nien quickly warned. "Stay close to us." 

Yeonji groaned. "Fine." She picked the skateboard back up and approached them. Her eyes widened. "Shit- Behind you!" 

Jiwoo's heart jumped as she heard a growl behind her. Before she could turn, though, Nien quickly pushed her to the side and slammed the zombie onto the ground. As it effortlessly got back up, the firefighter grabbed her fire axe and struck its head clean in the middle, splitting its skull in half. 

The athlete watched with wide eyes as everything ended in a few seconds. 

Nien craned her neck. "Well, that's that." She looked at the corpse with an odd, solemn gaze. She patted Jiwoo on the back and turned her head around to search for more enemies. Finding no one, she smiled. "Let's go!" 

Nien walked ahead of them. Jiwoo and Yeonji stayed behind her. 

"It's kind of crazy to me that I'm talking with a celebrity." Yeonji dragged her skateboard across the road. 

Jiwoo blinked. "I'd hardly call myself a celebrity." 

"Your last goal created a huge buzz on the sports network. Did you not know that?" 

Jiwoo shrugged. "Didn't see it." She recalled being too busy celebrating with Chaeyeon and Yubin. Her heart clenched for a moment, the motion transferring into her hand as she grasped the spear tighter between her fingers. 

The athlete looked at Yeonji. "You know, I did fight with a hockey stick." 

Yeonji grinned proudly. "I knew it! What happened to it?" 

Jiwoo combed her hair back with her fingers. "It broke when I swung it against a zombie." 

Yeonji hummed. "I guess the stick's a little thin for combat." 

The athlete nodded. "It took me by surprise. I ended up injuring myself." 

"Where?" 

Jiwoo patted the side of her ribs. Yeonji winced. 

"Ouch." The young skateboarder empathized. "But that's kind of cool, to be honest," she added. 

Jiwoo raised a curious brow. "Really?" 

"Yeah!" Yeonji rested her baseball bat on her shoulder. "It's like a battle scar. I'd totally get one of those." 

Jiwoo shook her head. "Don't say that," she gently scolded. "It hurts like crazy." 

"I'm a skateboarder, I know what being hurt feels like." Yeonji pouted. 

"And looking at your elbows and knee pads, it doesn't seem like you like it." 

"It's just cloth!" Yeonji argued as they reached the firetruck. "I'm taking the front!" She yelled out to the others as Nien urged her to climb in. 

Jiwoo moved away and stood next to Chaeyeon. 

"You had a good talk?" Her friend asked, taking Jiwoo's hand in hers. She traced circles on the back of her hand with her thumb. 

The athlete nodded softly. "It was nice." She said.

After a few moments of silence, Jiwoo's head perked up. Chaeyeon noticed it. 

"Something's up?" she asked. 

Jiwoo placed a hand on her back. "I need to talk with you and the rest of the group." 

Much to Yeonji's displeasure, Soomin was already sitting in shotgun. The young gunner bobbed her head, listening to music through her headphones. 

The young skateboarder tapped a finger on the gunner's shoulder, "Yo," she started, "Get outta here." She gestured to the back of the vehicle with her thumb. 

Soomin turned her head towards her as she toyed with her jacket's drawstrings. Her wrists had been cuffed once again. She narrowed her eyes at Yeonji for a couple of seconds before responding with a definitive "No." 

Yeonji spluttered out of shock. "What do you mean, no? I called shotgun." 

"I was already sitting here." Soomin raised her eyebrows high above her head. "Find somewhere else." 

"This is my spot!" Yeonji exclaimed, leaning forward and putting the head of her baseball bat on the driver's seat. "I always take the front!" 

"Well then, you should be generous enough to let someone sit here for once!" Soomin pouted. "Also, you look like a kid. You shouldn't be talking to your elders like that." 

"Be serious." 

"I am serious!" 

"I'm gonna tell on you!" 

"Like I care," Soomin scoffed and faced the front again. 

Yeonji scowled. "'Tone-unnie!" She called out, turning to the open door. 

"What?" Kotone's voice sounded from outside. 

"This person won't let me have shotgun!" 

"Figure it out by yourself!" 

Yeonji stared open-mouthed at the door. She turned back to Soomin, who was jamming to her music with a victorious smirk. The skateboarder snarled, pondering on what to do for a few seconds. 

She tossed her skateboard under the glove compartment, surprising Soomin, and started pushing her to the side. 

"Move over," she huffed. 

"What-" Soomin quickly started pushing back, looking at Yeonji with a shocked frown. "I'm not doing that!" 

"Come on, it's not like you're big or anything!" Yeonji urged. Despite her remark, she found Soomin to be surprisingly strong. "We could totally fit two in here." 

"No! Get out!" 

"Just let me in!" 

"Are you crazy?" 

"You're crazy! A crazy zombie!" 

"I'll bite you, then we'll see who's crazy!" 

"You wanna get smacked?" 

"I'll shoot back!" 

"Holy crap, shut up!" Hyerin yelled at the top of her lungs as she took one of the seats in the back. "I can hear you two from a mile away even with my damaged ears..." she grumbled, buckling her seatbelt. 

Yeonji pressed her lips tightly together. Soomin instantly went quiet at the archer's outburst. Her music had also shut down, understanding the memo. Both stared wide-eyed at Hyerin, who didn't spare a single glance in their direction, finding the wall more interesting. 

Yeonji pulled Soomin's headphones away from her ear. "Just let me sit next to you. Everyone wins," she whispered. 

Soomin looked Yeonji up and down in distaste. With a roll of her eyes, she clicked her tongue and shuffled begrudgingly to the right. "Whatever," she relented, looking out the window. 

"Daejeon?" 

"They heard it on the radio," Jiwoo affirmed. Their group, save for Soomin, had gathered in a circle to discuss Jiwoo's discovery. 

Seoyeon supported her chin with the back of her hand. "How long ago was that?" 

Jiwoo shook her head. "They didn't say." 

"I think it's a good idea," Chaeyeon said. 

"I don't really trust anything military-based," Nakyoung admitted. 

"Me neither. But it beats having to look back all the time." Hyerin argued. 

"This is my spot! I always take the front!" The girls heard Yeonji yell from the firetruck. Seoyeon held back an exasperated sigh. 

"Not only that, but they should have some kind of hospital up," Xinyu muttered. She looked into Seoyeon's eyes. 

Seoyeon scrunched her nose. "You make a good point. We're running out of supplies," she agreed, glancing over Sohyun's cloth-made bandage. "We can't find anything good around here, either." 

"Directly raiding a hospital would be too risky," Sohyun added, sitting on the ground with her back against Xinyu's legs. "I say it's a good idea." 

The group nodded collectively, then turned to Yooyeon when they realized she hadn't said a word. The scientist tapped a finger above her lips, deep in thought. 

"Tone-unnie!" 

"What?" Kotone yelled back from outside the truck. 

"This person won't let me have shotgun!" 

"Figure it out by yourself!" 

They waited for the scientist to say something for a few seconds until Hyerin huffed at Yooyeon's indecisiveness. 

"I'm going, anyhow. Doesn't matter what you say." The archer stepped away and climbed into the truck. 

"You wanna get smacked?" 

"I'll shoot back!" 

"Holy crap, shut up!" Hyerin's shout reverberated from the truck and onto the road, echoing between the tree-covered mountains. 

The girls turned their attention towards the vehicle, surprised at Hyerin's sudden outburst. It was the loudest she had ever been. Not a single sound followed, everyone being too stunned to speak. 

Then, a smile slowly made its way onto Xinyu's face, and she let out a raspy giggle. Smiles crept up the others' lips until they all softly laughed together. 

Nakyoung ran her fingers through her hair and cringed at the crisp feeling. She smacked her hand against her pants. "Actually, I think the safe zone will do us some good." 

"Just for the hair?" Sohyun asked with a smirk, quirking an eyebrow. 

Nakyoung scoffed. "No, I just thought about it some more. We'd enjoy not being scared all the time." 

The vigilante pursed her lips before adding, "And for the hair." 

The group let out a few more chuckles of relief before waiting for Yooyeon to answer. The hand over her mouth masked her feelings. 

"Come on, this is a no-brainer," Chaeyeon pushed. "We'd all benefit from it, seriously! Don't think too much about the stupid military; maybe they're doing something actually good!" 

Yooyeon blinked and looked at the others with a gulp. 

"Yeah." She nodded, dropping her hand, a rare grin splayed on her lips. "Yeah, I think it's okay. We can go." 

The girls celebrated quietly at the scientist's approval. Seoyeon beamed and hooked an arm over her shoulder while Chaeyeon mimed playing a victory trumpet. 

Jiwoo gestured at the other group, who had been standing around quietly. They eyed them with varying degrees of curiosity. "I'll tell them about it, then." The girls murmured in agreement, and she turned away. "Hey, Nien." 

"What's up?" Nien replied with a smile. 

"You remember how I said I'd ask my group about Daejeon?" 

"Yeah!" 

"We're going with you." 

"Hell yeah!" 

Lynn let out a frustrated sigh as she lowered another trapped zombie to the ground. She picked the body up and dragged it several meters away before running back to the clearing. 

"We're really running out of surrounding supplies now," she spoke. "It's taking too long to come back to camp, and we've been having too many infected walking around." 

Sullin looked at her and nodded, miming pulling ropes and wiping nonexistent sweat off her forehead. 

"And Sullin is saying the traps aren't enough and too exhausting to put back up," Lynn translated. She looked over to the stump where Yubin and Dahyun were at. "How long until the radio's fixed?" 

Dahyun raked her fingers through the military bag filled with various electronics and parts. She sat on the grass with the modern radio in front of her. "Almost done. I just need to make a few more adjustments. It should be complete in about an hour?" she estimated. 

"What a nerd," Yubin teased, sitting on the stump. She had watched the entire process, having nothing else to do. Dahyun rolled her eyes. 

Lynn raised her brows, impressed. "And how are the injuries?" 

Yubin pursed her lips and patted her chest, only feeling slight discomfort. Her leg, on the other hand, burned. "The ribs are meh. Calf still hurts like hell." 

The hitman clicked her tongue. "Make sure it's not infected. At least it'll heal faster with Sullin's homemade stitching. And the crutches she managed to nab." 

At the mention of her name, Sullin looked up from the fire and gave two thumbs up over her head. She was preparing dinner for the night as always. 

Yubin looked around, bored out of her mind. "So, what part's not done?" She turned back to the radio and asked Dahyun. 

"Just this one." Dahyun pointed at a stray circuit board. Yubin pretended to understand and nodded. 

"It's kind of crazy how you managed to fix it from the river damage." Yubin smiled. 

Dahyun humbly shook her head. "The entire thing needed an overhaul. I practically had to rebuild it from scratch." 

Yubin smirked. "This is what electrical engineers do all day?" 

Dahyun looked up at her and shrugged. "Depends on the day, really. We design and test electrical equipment, mostly." 

The traceuse hummed in understanding and pursed her lips. "Are you going to stalk the military again?" 

"I'll try the other stations this time," Dahyun responded with a shake of her head as she adjusted the circuit board. She gasped. The sound caught Yubin's attention. 

"What? What is it?" She tilted her head to look closely at the electric chip. 

"I think I got it!" Dahyun let out a chuckle of disbelief. She quickly soldered it back onto the main frame and closed the radio. She opened another compartment and pushed in a few batteries before turning the radio on. 

Lynn approached the two. "Does it work?" she wondered. Sullin tilted her head to the side to watch, still tending to the fire. 

Dahyun gently adjusted the handle. She grinned at the familiar sound of radio static. 

"I know I just called you a nerd a few minutes ago, but wow," Yubin whispered in awe. 

Dahyun gently adjusted the radio's antenna. Robotic voices mixed with the static buzz. 

Lynn's eyes widened. "Someone's talking," she spoke in a hushed voice. Sullin narrowed her eyes at the radio, focused. Yubin leaned closer. Dahyun had her ear mere inches away from the radio's speaker. 

"-ejeon-" 

"Go back!" Yubin slapped a hand on Dahyun's shoulder when she accidentally turned too far. 

"I'm trying!" The engineer furrowed her brows and gently tweaked it back. 

"-afe. I repeat: Daejeon is safe. It is military protected with abundance of resources and medical assistance. Head to Daejeon if you are a survivor." A voice transferred through the radio. 

"Daejeon?" Sullin wondered curiously. The other girls shared quiet looks, the pool of their eyes swirling with shock, apprehension, and hope. 

"Where's Daejeon?" Sullin repeated. Dahyun snapped out of her astoundment and spun her body towards Sullin. 

"It's a little down from where we are," she explained, miming a map of South Korea and pointing at two locations, one downward left from the other, before drawing a line back and forth between the dots. 

Sullin hummed and nodded excitedly. "Good place?"  

"Yes. Very good," Dahyun agreed, matching her enthusiasm. 

Sullin beamed. "Go?" She pointed at the forest behind them. 

Dahyun hesitated. "Oh, uh..." She turned towards the others. "Should we head there?" 

Yubin leaned her chin into the palm of her hand, frowning at the radio. She then gasped in realization. 

"Maybe Jiwoo and Chaeyeon are there. They might've heard the transmission, too," she spoke in a hushed whisper. 

"What if they don't have a radio?" Dahyun creased her eyebrows. 

"They could've gotten another one by now," Lynn argued for Yubin. "I do think we have a higher chance of finding your friends if we follow a message sent to everyone." 

Yubin's calf jolted in pain. "Also, I'd like to have actual medical care for my leg. No offence, Sullin." 

Sullin signed an okay at whatever Yubin said. 

Lynn looked over at her teammates and nodded. "Alright, then." She waved a hand in the air. "Start packing. We're leaving for Daejeon first thing tomorrow morning."  

Chapter Text

The car was quiet as Kaede drove down the road. She found the silence odd, then realized there was no sound of chewing. They had just successfully gotten away with taking some food, so she wondered why Shion wasn't eating. 

Kaede looked behind her, confirming her suspicions. Shion looked at the floor, unmoving. In front of her was a bag full of dried and canned foods, and in her hand was an unopened bag of chocolates. 

Kaede turned her eyes back onto the road. "Aren't you going to eat?" 

Shion perked up and looked at her with downcast eyes. A moment later, she laid her gaze back down with a shake of her head. 

"You earned it,” Kaede said. “You worked for it." 

"We took it from someone else," Shion mumbled out an argument. 

Kaede sighed under her breath. "They won't be running out for a couple of days. They also have all their weapons."

Only the sound of wheels rolling against the asphalt vibrated in Kaede's ears. 

She heard Shion sigh. "Why can't we just get our own supplies? Like everyone else? We don't have to steal," she tried to reason. 

"Stealing is what I've known to do all my life," Kaede admitted, and Shion went quiet. She glanced at the girl through the rearview mirror, watching as she glumly traced her thumb over the package, the bag crinkling under the light pressure. 

Kaede huffed and looked away from the depressing scene. Something about it upset her. 

She drew in a breath. "We have both seen first-hand how terrifying those infected are; we were there when it all started. There's a reason why you chose to stay with me instead of going out on your own." 

Shion looked down and gulped. Kaede was right. She didn't have her tied up anymore, which was something she had done in the first two weeks. Before Shion realized it, she had gotten used to just sitting in the back of the car and going with whatever Kaede said. 

With a heavy sigh, Shion gently tore open the pack of chocolates and put a piece into her mouth. She held back a hum as she slowly chewed on the treat, her guilt overriding any sense of fulfillment. 

Silence once again overwhelmed the vehicle. 

Kaede's brows furrowed as she noticed something odd on the road ahead of her. As she drove closer, she realized the asphalt stopped, leaving a gravel path in front of them. Sucking in a breath, she slowed the car down to a stop. 

Shion jerked forward as the jeep trembled over the gravel. She looked up curiously. "What's going on?" 

Kaede shut the engine off. "Wait here." She clicked the door open and stepped out. Shion watched the girl as she observed their surroundings. Thick foliage and uneven grounds circled them. Kaede walked around the car, craning her head out to search for anything remarkable, but other than the gravel path, everything was the same. 

"Where are we?" Shion asked as Kaede peeked into the jeep. The thief pressed her lips together then sighed. She opened the glove compartment in the passenger's seat and pulled out a map. She brought it close to her face, scrutinizing the guide, and did a once-over of their entourage again. 

She did not recognize anything. 

With a grunt, Kaede threw the map back into the box and closed it. She then reignited the engine and settled into her seat. 

Kaede stared at the steering wheel for a few seconds before cursing under her breath. 

Shion peered over the back seats. A feeling of unease crawled up her neck. "What is it?" 

"We're lost," Kaede started. Shion creased her eyebrows in worry. Being lost wasn't a particularly large problem given the fact they could just turn back around. Shion knew something worse happened. 

"That's not all, is it?" 

The thief pressed a palm against her forehead and shut her eyes, leaning her back into the car seat. 

"We're out of fuel." 

Soomin let out an annoyed groan and roughly rubbed her collarbones over her jacket with the back of her thumbs. The itching irritated her to no end, and the chafing of the handcuffs only served to worsen her mood. 

"It's going to get worse if you scratch it," Seoyeon called out from the back. 

"I know that!" Soomin huffed out but didn't stop applying pressure. She yelled out in anger when it didn't quell the pinpricks against her skin. With no antibiotics, it was her against the millions of germs threatening to take over her body. She loudly stomped a foot on the floor, causing everyone to jump. 

"Hey, uhm, you might want to keep the aggression down," Xinyu suggested with her raspy voice, looking behind her. "You're kind of scaring everyone." 

Soomin clicked her tongue and turned to look at the others. Hyerin's eyes were wide open like a startled cat while Mayu's trembled as they focused on her. Jiwoo was shaking her head in disapproval, cradling Chaeyeon's head in her chest. The latter had her brows creased together high above her forehead. 

She turned her attention to Yeonji, who sat right next to her. Soomin frowned at the glint of fear in the young skateboarder's eyes, pausing her scratching for a moment to scrutinize her. 

After a few seconds, Soomin surrendered with a long exhale, dropping her hands onto her lap and staring back out the window. The outside offered the same plain meal of forested mountains, causing Soomin's mind to trail back down to the agitating feeling that crawled up her shoulders. The crashing waves of relief her music once offered had dimmed into a steady stream of mild satisfaction. Her entire body felt hot, and she could feel the front of her brain press against her skull. 

"Hey." 

Soomin took a deep breath and turned towards Yeonji. "What?" 

Yeonji cracked her knuckles and positioned herself so that her body faced Soomin. "I know something that'll take your mind off the itch." She smiled. 

Soomin narrowed her eyes. "What, you're gonna kiss me or something?" 

"Ew, no." Yeonji reeled back in disgust. "I was gonna say we should play 21 questions." 

"Oh." Her shoulders dropped. 

"Are you in?" 

The young gunner pursed her lips, thinking for a few seconds. Realizing she had nothing else to do, she shrugged. "Sure, why not?" 

"Okay." Yeonji grinned. "First question: what year were you born in?" 

"2007," Soomin answered. "I was born on October 3rd." 

Yeonji pouted. "Aw man, you are older than me." She whined. 

"That's what I said." Soomin smirked. She nudged her head towards the girl. "When were you born?" 

"8th of January, 2008," Yeonji answered. 

Soomin grinned. "Guess you're gonna have to call me unnie," she teased. 

Yeonji rolled her eyes. "We're three months apart. It doesn't count." 

"Wh- Yes it does!" 

"Whatever!" Yeonji cut in, putting her palms up. "Next question: what's your favorite food?" 

"Tteokbokki." 

"Wow, that's so boring," Yeonji's deadpanned. 

Behind them, Kotone mumbled solemnly, "I like tteokbokki..." The other girls nodded in agreement, semi-hurt at Yeonji's insult. The teenagers' banter had caught everyone's attention. 

Yeonji didn't actually mean it, of course; she just wanted to argue with Soomin. But no one else knew that. 

"You're asking boring questions!" Soomin bit back. “What's your favorite, then?" 

"...Gimbap." 

"That's literally more boring than me!" Soomin threw her cuffed wrists up in disbelief. 

"No, it's not!" 

"It is!" 

"Nuh uh!" 

"Yuh huh!" 

In the back, Seoyeon hid her face in the palm of her hands. "This is going to take forever..." she groaned tiredly. 

Nakyoung chuckled and rubbed a comforting hand on her back. "It's fine. Let the kids have this." 

"Third question!" Yeonji yelled, bringing the attention back to her. 

"Hope it's not another boring ass question," Soomin snarked. 

Yeonji clicked her tongue. "Alright, fine." She looked around, pressing her lips together as she pondered. Her mouth formed and 'o.' 

"If you were to date anyone in this room, who would it be?"  

"Yooyeon-unnie," Soomin replied without skipping a beat. 

All heads snapped towards Yooyeon. The scientist perked up, trailing her eyes over the others' whilst pointing a finger at herself in confusion. 

Me? she mouthed. The others shrugged, just as clueless. 

Yeonji blinked, having been stunned into silence. 

"Seriously?" 

"Yeah." Soomin nodded without explaining further. 

The skateboarder grimaced and backed away. "Weirdo." She narrowed her eyes at something beside Soomin's head. "Alright then, next question: what are you listening to right now?" 

Soomin quirked an eyebrow. "You wanna know?" 

"Yeah." Yeonji nodded. 

"Like, actually?" 

"Mhm." 

"You won't bully me for this one?"

Yeonji quirked an eyebrow. "Is it a sensitive topic? I'll back off if it is." 

Soomin was slightly taken aback by Yeonji's effort to respect her boundaries. "...No, it's not a sensitive topic," she answered. 

"Okay then pass me the headphones." Yeonji reverted back in a flash, gesturing at the gunner to hand the device over. Soomin rolled her eyes. She took her headphones off and put them over Yeonji's head. 

Yeonji furrowed her brows, bobbing her head to the beat twice before her eyes widened in realization. She looked Soomin in the eyes. "Is this Guns N' Roses?" 

"You know them?" Soomin inquired. 

The skateboarder nodded. "Yeah. I listen to stuff like hip-hop and rap more, but I love their songs. This is a popular one." 

Soomin grinned. "'Sweet Child O' Mine.' It's iconic. Apparently even someone born thirty years after its release knows it." 

Yeonji clicked her tongue. "What are you getting a big head for? You're only three months older." 

"One year." 

"Three months!" 

"Just listen to the song!" 

Yeonji closed her eyes and mimed playing a guitar at the instrumental solo. She opened her eyes and beamed. "This is awesome! I haven't been able to listen to music ever since the apocalypse started." 

She spun her head towards Soomin. "Actually, how hasn't your MP3 run out, yet?" 

"Oh!" Soomin pulled it out of her pocket. She showed her the back and opened the capsule. "It's battery powered," she explained, pointing at the single battery. "Got a bunch of songs on here. Too bad I can't download more, though." 

Yeonji hummed in understanding. "Does it have 'November Rain?'" 

"Duh! Is that your favorite?" Soomin asked as she started going through her list of downloaded songs. 

"Yeah, it is!" Yeonji exclaimed. "I actually know how to play the piano part," she bragged, stretching her fingers out and wriggling them. 

Soomin grinned and pressed the MP3's play button. As the first chords rang through the headphones, Yeonji gasped and held her breath, mesmerized. Her fingers splayed in front of her as she played the piano chords on the invisible keyboard and let out a hearty laugh. She quickly calmed down, though, and let her head fall back against the car seat. She closed her eyes, choosing to listen to the music playing through her ears with a soft sigh. 

Soomin let out a small smile at how relaxed the other girl looked. Glancing at the back of the firetruck, she noticed all the other girls had a smile resting on their faces. She turned back around and put an elbow on the thin windowsill of the firetruck's front door, supporting her chin with the palm of her hand as she watched the sunlight peek out of the clouds. She hadn't even realized the itching stopped. 

Yeonji opened her eyes back up during the final stretch of the song. The pace had changed, giving away the slow, nostalgic feel of the song's first half to leave a couple minutes of fast, intense electric guitar solo accompanied with a male voice repeating the same sentences. 

Slightly disoriented, her eyes looked around the scenery as she picked herself back up. Then, they widened as she recognized the area Nien was driving through, her heart picking up the pace as the guitar did the same. She leaned forward and tensely focused on the road as traffic lights and buildings appeared in front of them, replacing the unending lines of trees. 

Feeling the shuffling, Soomin turned away from the window and gave her an inquisitive glance through lidded eyes. 

"What's up?" she huffed out, a bead of sweat rolling down her face. 

"Hold on." Yeonji reached an arm out towards Nien, standing up from her seat. "Slow down. I recognize this place." 

Nien looked at her for a brief second and turned back to the road. The few bodies on the sidewalk and leaning against buildings stirred. "Is this where your school is?" 

"Close." Yeonji gently took off the headphones and passed them back to Soomin, her brows furrowing as the zombies' hollow eyes bore into them through the truck. She shivered lightly. 

Nien glanced at Kotone through her rearview mirror. The police officer gently shook her head. The firefighter sighed. "I'll keep speeding through this area because they're after us. Just tell me when we get close to your school." 

"Okay." Yeonji nodded, holding her breath as they drove through the familiar neighborhood. Childhood memories flooded back into her mind with each recognition of a structure. Her body chilled when she recognized a face, and it froze when she caught a glimpse of her house. 

Kotone's hand settled on her shoulder. "You alright?" she asked. 

Yeonji shook her head. "It doesn't matter." She sat back down with a huff. 

"Shouldn't we stop to go see if her family's alive?" Chaeyeon wondered. "I wish I could see mine." Murmurs of agreement followed her statement. 

Kotone looked back with a stern gaze, silencing them. Nakyoung quirked a curious brow. 

Soomin looked in the side mirror. Only the first few zombies chased them. "There's not a lot of people." 

"Most of them probably evacuated. The ones here are those who stayed," Kotone hypothesized. 

"The school should also be empty, then?" The gunner wondered although she didn't know why they needed to go there. 

Kotone shook her head. "Maybe. But we should still be careful." 

The school stood at the left end of the town. It was three stories tall and relatively small compared to city schools. The large square of dirt serving as the playing field stretched up to the front gate. Woods surrounded the building. Having heard the engine, the students who were outside chased after the firetruck, some of them running in front of it. Nien had to swerve left and right to avoid hitting them, and the group of girls swayed uncomfortably behind her. 

"It's the only one around here," Yeonji described, gritting her teeth. "Kids from other towns also come here." 

"The students are all still there..." Kotone frowned. "Park in that field a few hundred yards from here," she ordered, pointing at a faraway patch. "We'll take out the ones chasing us from there." 

Nien nodded, driving past the school, off the road, and onto the dirt, the firetruck rocking against the uneven path. 

"Wait, why are we stopping?" Chaeyeon asked, turning to Jiwoo. The others did the same. 

"We're searching for Yeonji's friend," Jiwoo whispered. 

Chaeyeon's eyebrows furrowed. "They're going to look for her friend but not her parents?" 

"There's probably a deeper story to this," Hyerin reasoned. She looked around at the inquisitive glances the girls offered her and retreated back against her seat. 

Kotone turned to the group, holding herself with a hand on the roof. "I need a team that's willing to search the school." 

The girls shared hesitant looks. Their lack of familiarity with Kotone's group mixed with the dangerous mission crafted a brew of uncertainty in their hearts. Seoyeon wanted to go, but a single glance from Yooyeon told her she couldn't. 

Jiwoo stood up. "I'll go," she spoke, her tone steeled in resolution. Chaeyeon looked up at her with a swift snap of her head and grabbed Jiwoo's wrist. 

"Don't," she uttered. Jiwoo looked down at her. 

"I have to," the athlete voiced out. "It's for her friend." 

"What about your injury?" Chaeyeon spoke hastily. "You're still hurt." 

Jiwoo's attention pivoted to Seoyeon. The nurse caught her gaze and gulped, knowing her answer wouldn't satisfy the athlete. 

"It's still healing," Seoyeon admitted. "You'd be putting yourself at risk. I wouldn't be able to let you go with a good conscience." 

Jiwoo furrowed her brows and looked away. Seoyeon backed down at the hockey player's disappointed expression. 

"Please," Chaeyeon pleaded with a shake of her head. "I can't lose you too," she whispered. 

Looking down at her friend's tear-filled desperation, Jiwoo's icy resolution cracked and melted. Even through her frustration, she knew Seoyeon was right about her injury, and the more she thought about it, the more she realized she would only slow the team down. It was better to rest on the bench than be a bother. 

Jiwoo gently kneeled in front of Chaeyeon and took her other hand in hers. 

"Alright," she relented. "I won't go." 

Chaeyeon let out a whine of relief and buried her head into Jiwoo's chest, the latter gently passing her fingers through her hair. 

Xinyu watched the interaction with a heavy heart. She looked down at Sohyun, unsurprised that her bodyguard was already studying her every move. She still had a cloth wrapped around her head. 

"You're not going, either," Sohyun told her in her typical, business-like tone. An uncomfortable irk stirred in Xinyu's stomach at the woman's professionalism. It was the same style she had used to previously oppose her engagement in resource-finding. 

"It's not like my voice will negatively impact my performance," she needlessly argued, feeling the uncomfortable pressure against her throat. 

"What if you needed to say something? Or scream for help? You wouldn't be able to," Sohyun stated. Her expressionless concern infuriated the fashionista. "Plus, I won't be there to protect you." 

"I find it great that you're already assuming I need help, darling," Xinyu scorned, sarcastically adding in the final word. She turned away and huffed. "I wasn't going to go, anyway." Her eyes met Nien's. The firefighter looked between her and Sohyun in concern. Xinyu simply shook her head, dismissing the affair. 

"I'd go," Soomin started, "but my head's starting to really hurt," she complained and shut her eyes. 

"What?" Seoyeon's eyes looked up in alarm. Kotone shook her hand before pressing the back of it against Soomin's forehead. 

"Holy- she's burning up." 

"The wounds must've gotten infected," Yooyeon said. Kotone looked over at Soomin's collarbones and grimaced at how irritated the skin was. It glowed a burning red. 

"Is there anything about getting a high fever before turning?" Mayu asked worriedly. 

Seoyeon shook her head. "No, they don't do that. This is your 'usual' stuff." 

The nurse cursed under her breath, looking through their bags. "We don't have any medical supplies and too many injured." She quickly wet a piece of clothing and reached forward, pressing it against Soomin's forehead. 

Nakyoung looked around, realizing how many of her team members had been hurt since the start of the crisis. Her eyes hovered over Yeonji, who watched with her eyebrows creased in worry. 

With a small inhale, the vigilante raised her hand. "I'll go." 

Kotone snapped her head towards her and narrowed her eyes. "Really?" she asked, voice trickling with suspicion. 

"Yes, really." Nakyoung stood up, grabbing the nearest backpack. "You need a team. Everyone else is either too scared or injured. You don't have much of a choice, here." 

The truck slowed down to a stop. Nien turned the engine off and raised her arm. "I volunteer!" She announced before opening the driver's door. She grabbed the fire axe by her side. "I'll go clear out the zombies." 

"What?" Mayu protested. "But we need you to drive the car!" 

"It's like miss vigilante said," Nien shouted, Nakyoung pursing her lips curiously at the nickname, "We need a team, and I'm right here. Plus, you can drive too!" 

Mayu vehemently protested, drawing an 'x' with her arms. "I can't do that! I'm too scared! Ask someone else to drive it!" Much to her dismay, Nien closed the door behind her. 

"I'll help her out." Nakyoung climbed over the bodies and stepped outside the firetruck. 

Kotone furrowed her brows and threw a hand up in abandon. "I'm sorry, Mayu. I don't trust the others just yet to pilot our car." She gave the group an apologetic shrug of her shoulders. "No offence." 

"No worries," Yooyeon reassured. "It's understandable." 

Yeonji picked up her bat. "I'm going too." 

"Woah." Kotone held her palm up. "You're not going." 

Yeonji gave her a deadpan stare. "I'm the only person who knows what Hayeon-unnie looks like. I don't think you're gonna be asking these zombies what their names are."  

Without waiting for Kotone's answer, she climbed over Soomin's legs and opened the car door, slamming it behind her and drowning the vehicle in a deafening silence. 

"Damn," Soomin whispered, breaking the tension. The chains of her handcuffs jingled as she moved to look at the cop. She offered her a weak smile. "She kind of got you there." 

Kotone sucked in a breath, hesitating between her movements. She settled with setting her hands on her hips and a frustrated huff before pushing herself out of the firetruck. 

Nakyoung pulled her knife back from a student's skull. Blood splattered onto her jacket as she looked down at the body with a dejected gaze. The male student wore a bloodied white uniform with a sky blue tie and ocean blue jeans. A black bite mark was present on his wrist, and his nametag was covered in black and crimson, forever hiding the name of the former child. His hollow eyes looked up at the slightly cloudy sky, not reflecting any sunlight. 

With a dejected sigh, Nakyoung tore her eyes away from the body. A few other students were running after them, but they were far enough for her to have time to look around. 

The truck was parked on what used to be a small farming field clear of trees. It was sandwiched between two roads and the crops that were grown on it had willowed from the lack of care. 

Nakyoung looked over to Nien and let out an impressed noise out of her throat. The firefighter, even though she was in full gear, moved tirelessly between the students she fought. The vigilante watched the altercation for a while before realizing she avoided opportunities to deal lethal blows against their heads. 

She frowned, a growl bringing her back to her task. She deftly stepped away, her foot nearly getting stuck between the uneven creases of the field before swinging a fist against the female zombie. Seeing an opening, she jabbed her knife into her throat. The infected spluttered out blood before dropping down. 

Nakyoung bent down and took a look at the nametag.  

Ahyeon. The family name was covered by a stain. 

Kotone and Yeonji walked up behind her. "Nien!" She called out. "Just kill them off!" 

Nakyoung watched the firefighter in the distance as she struck her fire axe against the zombies' necks. By the end, she was fighting against four at the same time. 

The vigilante looked back at Yeonji. "What's your friend's name?" 

"Jeong Hayeon." Yeonji replied, her sullen eyes looking over her classmates with her bat hanging on the side. "That isn't her." Her tone held a hint of relief. 

Kotone looked over at the several students and civilians approaching them. "It'll take a while before we can get to that building." 

An arrow whizzed between the three girls and into the skull of an incoming student. Nakyoung let out a sigh at the proximity and approached the body. She yanked the arrow out of its head and tossed it back to Hyerin with a disapproving look. 

"I won't go in the school, but I'll help you with this," the archer said, ignoring Nakyoung's burning gaze. 

Kotone nodded at her. "Thank you." Before turning away, she glanced at Hyerin one more time, narrowing her eyes a little, as if searching for something. After a moment, she raised her hand and pointed towards the school. "Let's quickly clear this place out and move forward." 

The group nodded and went to work, their hearts clenching every time they had to strike a student. 

Nien had to hold in her forlorn sigh as the group trudged through the school hallways as quietly as possible. 

They were on the first floor, having successfully fought against the zombies outside and entering the building with little noise. Kotone took the front with Nien following behind her and with Nakyoung tailing the group, wearing a cut-cloth bandana over her nose. The firefighter held a hand against the wall as she tried to march as daintily as she could with her boots. 

Yeonji gripped her bat so tightly her knuckles turned white. She looked down at her classmates' mangled bodies with a desolate stare. Tears welled up in her eyes as red corpses of students lined up on each side of the hallway, making her curl into herself, feeling claustrophobic. The repugnant smell of rotting bodies further blurred her vision, and she took in a shaky breath with her mouth. Still, she couldn't tear her eyes away from them, knowing she needed to find Hayeon. 

Kotone held a hand up, stopping the search party in their tracks. Carefully, she put a leg up and over the body of a young student lying in the middle of the corridor. Nien gently followed, looking down at it, making sure she didn't pass anything over his eyes. The young boy had been torn apart, and he looked like he had just hit puberty. 

Nakyoung clenched her teeth tightly together, her heart pounding in her chest and into her ears as she carefully stepped over the body. As she stuck the landing, she nearly stumbled but caught herself back up in time, freezing in place for a few moments before trying to move again. She felt Kotone's electrifying glare on her and rolled her eyes, holding back an insult. Nien's eyes darted back and forth between them worriedly before they started moving again. 

Nakyoung looked straight ahead, her eyes burning holes into the back of Kotone's head. She knew the officer felt it in the way the hand resting on her revolver twitched ever so slightly. Nien had felt it too, as she turned her head back and made a slashing motion against her neck using her hand. Making a moue, Nakyoung yielded her glare and looked away. 

Her eyes widened as she caught sight of a room filled with low-tier hospital beds and soft yellow rolling curtains. She stopped in her tracks and leaned her body forward, looking into the room. Cupboards filled with various pills and equipment hanged around the room. The sun peeked through the top window, casting a golden glow over the apple of temptation that was the much needed resources. 

As Nakyoung took a step forward, hypnotized by the sweet siren song of the fountain of healing, a solid hand on her shoulder threw her back into reality. The vigilante was jerked backwards, and another hand pressed harshly against her other shoulder. 

Kotone threw her eyes around before mouthing, What do you think you're doing? 

Nakyoung bit into her lower lip and forcefully tore the officer's hands off of her. She lowered her mask. Getting much needed medical supplies, she replied without a sound. We have nothing. Soomin's wounds are infected, and she has a killing fever.  

Not that. Did you not see the hand you were about to step on? Kotone pointed downward. Nakyoung followed her finger, and her eyes shot open. 

Peeking out of the room was a bare arm lying on the blood-stained floor. A bite mark decorated the hand, with the pinky finger having been completely torn off. She looked back up into the room. The past astonishment poofed away, leaving her distraught. She hadn't noticed the splashes of dry blood slashed across the curtains, walls, and the cupboard's glass panels. The glow disappeared, leaving a desolate gray lighting in its place. 

Still, the medical supplies glimmered, tantalizing, inviting her to take them. 

Nakyoung gulped and took a step back. She pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead and looked at the others. They gave her varying stares ranging from anger to concern. The vigilante shook her head.

"We need to get them," she whispered. Kotone furrowed her eyebrows. 

"We're here to get someone and get out." She harshly gestured a thumb behind her. 

"Without these, someone might die. It's right in front of us." 

Kotone shook her head. "Stick to the mission." She took a careful step forward. 

"I'm not leaving without them. " Nakyoung looked down on her, her tone resolute. They stared into each others' eyes, their attitudes unwavering. 

A finger pressed into the center of their chests respectively. They backed down, turning their attention towards Nien. The firefighter took her fingers back and made an 'x' with them. 

Stop fighting, she mouthed. She pointed at herself and at Nakyoung and motioned towards the infirmary room. She then pointed at Kotone and Yeonji before gesturing at the hallway. 

Kotone silently sucked in a breath. We're not splitting off, she said sternly. Nien shrugged and urged her to move further down the hallway with her arms. Kotone balled up her fists.

Yeonji grabbed her by her vest. "Let's just go," she whispered, whipping her head around nervously, making sure none of the bodies had heard her. 

The officer massaged her fingers against her temples. She looked at Yeonji, who looked back with pleading eyes. Nakyoung tapped her on the shoulder. Turning towards her, she saw the vigilante offering her knife but still keeping a sharp glare, telling her that it didn't mean anything more than a safety weapon. 

Kotone relented with a small, soundless sigh and took the hilt of the knife. She rested a hand on Yeonji's back and walked them further down the hallway. 

Nakyoung leaned her head back to face the ceiling. She gave Nien a grateful smile before putting her mask back up. The firefighter offered one back of determination and they gently moved into the infirmary, making sure to step over the dead hand. 

Kotone and Yeonji moved through the hallway next to each other. Kotone kept a hand on her gun at all times while her other hand kept a tight clutch on the knife Nakyoung had given her. 

The two got to the end of the hallway and Kotone set a palm up, stopping them in their tracks. She gulped. A dormant student sat down with her back against the wall and her legs stretched forward, occupying a large portion of the hallway's space. Half of her face had been torn out and her lower jaw was missing, leaving only her upper teeth exposed and a gory presentation of face anatomy. Another body lied at her feet with their back facing the two girls. Between them, there was barely any space to scoot through. 

Kotone looked at Yeonji. The girl solemnly shook her head, shutting her eyes tightly and looking away. Kotone nodded and put her hand back down. She crossed over the sitting infected carefully, keeping her eyes on her closed eyes. Her head was lolled to the side with her arms splayed beside her, the palms facing the sky. 

Yeonji was next to cross. She gripped the collar of her shirt tightly with her left hand, her fist nearly shaking from the force as she put it over her nose. The hand gripping her baseball bat was tilted downward with the head closest to the floor. She fixed her gaze on the zombie's face, imitating what Kotone had done. The officer kept a close eye on her as she passed. 

None of the realized the head of the bat was about to knock into the zombie's shoe. 

Yeonji felt her right hand jerk back as the bat tapped into something. Her eyes widened, and before she could react, a hand gripped onto her ankle. 

Kotone's hand moved before she could think. In a flash, her revolver was aimed at the zombie's head, and not even a split-second later, there was a gaping hole in its skull, and its hand dropped back next to her. 

An ear-splitting shot rang through the hallway before any of them truly figured out what had happened. Yeonji shrieked and covered her ears while Kotone spotted the body next to the first girl move. She shot a round into its skull with another deafening blast. 

Her legs moved without her processing it. She put Yeonji's wrist in a death grasp and started dragging her away. A high-pitched ringing sounded through her ears, and as she sprinted, everything passed by in a blur. 

"We need to go!" She yelled, but her own voice sounded muffled. 

Kotone felt like a spectator in her own body as she moved through the hallway, dragging Yeonji along with her as they ran through, narrowly avoiding the clutches of the awakened student zombies around her. 

Nien and Nakyoung silently stepped into the infirmary. Nakyoung tapped her glove and nudged her head towards a medical bed where the curtain had been fully closed. She mimed opening the curtains and a stabbing motion. Nien looked at her with a small frown and shook her head, tapping her ear and pointing at the medicine filled cupboards. Nakyoung furrowed her brows but agreed nonetheless, leaving the curtain alone. 

Nakyoung carefully took off her backpack and gently lowered it to the floor. She opened the first cupboard, and her eyes glimmered at the various pills and medication. In the back of the cabinet, she spotted a white case with a red cross on it. She picked up the first pill bottle, gently tilting it over to see it marked as penicillin. She narrowed her eyes, only knowing it was some type of antibiotic and putting it in her bag before moving onto the next bottle. 

Next to her, Nien pulled open two cupboards and smiled. She pulled out various cartons from different brands. Reading over them, she realized they were all pain-killers. She carefully set them on the counter below them and put them inside the bag one by one. 

As they slowly and carefully filled Nakyoung's bag, two loud shots rang through the school. The girls froze in their tracks, staring at each other in alarm as they heard groaning and shuffling. 

Nien was the first to react, swiftly grabbing her fire axe she had rested against the lower cabinets and turned around, smashing the edge into the head of the zombie whose arms were peeking out of the door. Infected students outside the room dribbled down the hallway, slowly picking up their pace. The ones closest to the infirmary room spotted them and turned their aggression towards them, but Nien was quick to slam the door closed and lock it. The door banged as the doorknob rattled aggressively. 

Nakyoung jumped back as a nearby arm swiped at her. Recollecting her spirits, she snapped her head towards the infected student who had messily passed through the curtain. With her back pressed against the counter, she waited for it to lunge at her again before skillfully dodging. The zombie slammed into the counter and Nakyoung took the opportunity to dig into her pockets and pull out her silver knuckles. She put them on with practiced ease, dodging another attack at the same time before ducking low and rising back up with her right fist aimed towards its chin. She gave the infected a strong uppercut, hearing the clashing of teeth, and followed up with a powerful left hook into its temple, smashing the other side of its head against the counter. 

Seeing as it was still up, Nakyoung drew her left arm back and struck again, this time using the palm of her hand to push it back against the counter in a loud slam. It crumbled to the floor and Nakyoung finished it off by crushing its face with the heel of her boot. 

The vigilante retreated from the body with heavy breaths, keeping her steel fists up as she made sure the zombie stayed down. 

"Holy crap." Nien's voice sounded behind her. Nakyoung dropped her hands and turned around towards the firefighter. 

"That was incredibly brutal," Nien added. She had pushed a hospital bed against the pounding door. "But cool." She playfully put her fists up and delivered two clumsy punches. 

Nakyoung huffed and shook her head. "What happened out there?" 

Nien set her hands back to her sides and gulped. "I don't know," she answered, face creased in worry. "An infected must've gotten to them." 

Nakyoung set a hand over her mouth, looking around. "We're stuck here," she said. "We can't wait it out, either." 

"Is there anything we can escape out of?" Nien asked, looking at the door behind her. Snarls echoed as zombies banged on the door. 

Nakyoung furrowed her brows and glanced at the cupboards, hovering her eyes over the countless medicines that shone in the light. Her pupils contracted, and she spun her head towards the top of the infirmary room where the light shone. 

She pointed at it and said, "Over there." Nien followed her directions and smirked triumphantly. 

They rediscovered the top window that led to the outside. It was quite narrow, but big enough for someone to fit though. Nakyoung cursed under her breath when she realized it was just a panel with no handle; it would have to be smashed open. 

Chaewon was about to close her eyes when she heard a loud bang sound through the dining hall. 

Haerin jolted next to her. "What was that?" she whispered, alarmed from the noise. The growls from the infected sounded distant. She jumped as another bang resounded. 

Chaewon shook her head in ignorance. "I don't know. It sounded like fireworks." She carefully peeked out from the side of the cabinet. Her eyes sparkled at the sight of the zombies running towards the noise in the hallway and pushing against the self-closing cafeteria doors. They successfully pressed against the push handles of the doors and hurried out as they swung open. After the last one left, they gently closed back with a click, engulfing the dining hall in a thick veil of silence. 

Chaewon carefully stood up and scanned her surroundings. The cafeteria was empty. Only a couple of bodies lied on the floor, but Chaewon guessed those ones had truly died. 

"It's safe," she whispered. Haerin perked and stood up in turn, looking around the mess of a dining hall. The tables were disorganized in an asymmetric fashion with some of them having been completely flipped over. Blood stains and what Haerin assumed were pieces of flesh painted the floor. The closest body had their stomach torn open with their guts spilling out. Odd, tiny white things wriggled around inside the red flesh. Haerin leaned her head closer, and a wave of nausea hit her as she realized they were maggots eating away at the organs. 

Haerin ran over to the nearest sink and threw up the remains of her lunch. She coughed heavily afterwards, covering her nose from the acidic smell of bile. A few tears rolled down her cheeks. 

A gentle hand rubbed her back. "Are you okay?" Chaewon asked. 

Haerin took a few deep breaths, setting her forehead against the edge of the cool metal sink before nodding. "We should get out of here," she croaked out. 

Chaewon exhaled and looked around. "You're right. We need to go before they come back." She hovered her eyes over the tall cabinets. "I'll get us more food. See if you can lift up the grilles." With a final reassuring squeeze of her shoulder, Chaewon walked away and put their last can of mangoes in Haerin's bag. 

Closing her eyes and taking one more deep breath, Haerin wiped the tears off her face with her hands before moving towards the security grilles. She bent down and grabbed the bottom bars of the contraption. With a little effort, she managed to lift the grilles up. Her heard slightly sped up at the clattering of the grilles and lowered it back down. 

She let out a sigh of relief when nothing came for them and turned towards Chaewon. "I can lift it up," she announced. 

"That's good," Chaewon said as she put a few more food cans into the backpack. She lowered herself from the counter and tried lifting the bag up, humming in satisfaction when it wasn't too heavy. She hoisted it up against her back and pulled the straps in front of her. 

She walked up to where Haerin was. They gently lifted the security grilles together, glancing around nervously as it started clattering again. When it reached a tall enough height, the girls ducked and dashed under the metal bars. 

The sudden shift in weight caused the girls to lose their grip on the grilles and they slammed back down with a heavy, resonating clang across the hall. They froze up with their bodies hunched over, extending their ears to make sure nothing else had heard it. They were relieved to see no one. 

"Okay," Chaewon gently breathed out. She shared a glance with Haerin and nudged her head towards the emergency staircase. "Let's go." 

The underclassman nodded and they carefully treaded towards the stairs. Chaewon looked up and down the flights of stairs and sighed as she saw no one. She gestured at Haerin to follow her and gently pushed the emergency exit open. 

The smell of fresh air mixed with a hint of death hit Chaewon's nose. She took a deep, satisfying breath before quickly getting down, informing Haerin to do the same. The emergency door closed behind them with a small click. 

Chaewon and Haerin stared wide-eyed at the countless number of student zombies pushing against a wall. A couple more came out from the surrounding woods, having been baited back to the school after wandering off. 

With a gulp, Chaewon gestured towards the gymnasium and the two students quickly took off and ran when a wandering infected spotted them. 

Yeonji and Kotone sprinted through the never-ending hallways of the school, narrowly avoiding the jaws and claws of the infected students. They panted heavily, nearing their limit, but they didn't dare to slow down, knowing the fate that would await them if they did. 

"Up!" Kotone yelled and pushed Yeonji up the flight of stairs on their left. Yeonji climbed halfway through before she heard angry footsteps above them followed by furious infected running down. 

"Go back!" Yeonji turned and screamed, shoving Kotone back down. Kotone jumped down, delivering two more gunshots at incoming students, their heads snapping back at the shots. She grabbed Yeonji by the wrist and dragged her with her through the next intersection. 

While they were running, a door slid open, and another student jumped out to grab Yeonji. The young skateboarder narrowly jumped back to avoid it, let out a shriek, and smashed its head in with her bat before promptly getting dragged by Kotone. 

The cop shot her final two rounds at the infected appearing in front of them with a wince, the blasts piercing her ears. She scrambled to look around and staggered as she noticed an emergency exit to their right. 

She pulled Yeonji in and pushed her to the forefront. "Exit! Exit, right now!" 

The two girls made their final mad dash to their door, hearing nothing but the heavy panting of their breaths, feeling nothing but the burning of their hearts and legs, seeing nothing but red, and tasting nothing but the metallic tang of the blood from their lungs. 

Nakyoung stood on top of Nien's shoulders with her elbows supporting her weight on the windowsill. Her eyes carefully scanned the outside. 

"There's a bunch of them out there," the vigilante said. The horde of zombie students were pressed against a wall and clawing against it, trying to get inside. "They're pretty far away, though." 

A few more gunshots were fired through the school, sending pangs of anxiety through Nakyoung's heart. The zombies followed the noise, moving farther away from them. 

"What do we do?" Nien looked up at the vigilante. 

Nakyoung sucked in a sharp breath. "I don't know. If we smash open this window, it's going to attract a whole bunch of them." 

"And a lot from the inside, too," Nien added, looking back at the door, feeling uneasy. The banging had stopped after the gunshots, but they could hear the infected's hurried footsteps. 

Nakyoung shook her head. "We can't wait it out, either. It'll take too long, and we don't know what's out there." She gulped. "I think we'll have to get out by the window." 

"Okay." Nien agreed. "You go. I'll hold you up." 

Nakyoung looked down at the firefighter. "Are you sure?" she asked, concerned. 

Nien nodded. "I won't fit with my outfit anyway. I'll keep filling the bag while waiting for you." 

The vigilante took a deep breath. "Okay," she whispered for herself to hear. "Could you pass me the axe?" 

Nien hummed in approval, letting go of her hand on Nakyoung's ankle to pick up the fire axe. She held it up to the girl. "Remember to use the pick," she reminded and held tightly onto Nakyoung's legs. 

Nakyoung took the axe by the hilt then adjusted her grip so that she held the middle of the shaft. Her feet swayed a little from losing her balance, but she trusted the firefighter to keep her steady. She slowly pressed the sharp end of the axe against the window to test the trajectory of the swing. Then, she brought it back onto her shoulder and slammed it powerfully against the window. 

The glass shattered into thin pieces, and they were thrown out by the force of the impact. Nakyoung staggered and instinctively put a hand back on the windowsill to steady herself. Already she noticed a few of the zombies had turned their attention towards her. She speedily smashed the corners of the windows where the glass hadn't broken to give herself a clear exit then dropped the axe down in the infirmary room with a loud thud. 

"I'm going out!" Nakyoung called out to Nien as she hoisted herself up against the thin entryway. 

"Got it!" The firefighter helped her up by lifting her boots. "Be careful out there!" 

Nakyoung didn't respond. She peeked her head over and grit her teeth when she saw there was nothing to break her fall but the fallen shards of glass and a patch of grass. Still, she sucked in a breath and pushed herself out, knowing she did not have time to hesitate. Her heart slightly dropped as she felt the wind momentarily sweep underneath her. 

Falling from the first floor, Nakyoung barely had time to readjust her landing position. Her left foot took most of the fall, twisting as it hit the ground, and she collapsed. She gasped as she took a moment to recover, the pain coursing through her nerves. Gritting her teeth, she powered through the nausea to get back up with the support of her hands, wincing as broken shards of glass cut into her palms. 

Nakyoung stood up, leaning her weight into her uninjured foot. She shortly glanced towards the infected that were approaching her and slowly jogged the opposite way, her left foot limping behind her and sucking in a breath at every step. Thankfully, it was a short fall, and she recovered from the pain quicker than usual. Soon, she got back into a full sprint as she ran away from the building. 

Chaewon and Haerin skidded to a stop in front of the gymnasium's double steel doors. 

The older student put a foot on the concrete step and banged a fist on the door, frantically looking back. "Hey! We're here! Someone get the door!" 

She momentarily stopped and bore her eyes into the doors, waiting for a response while catching her breath. 

"Uhm, unnie?" Haerin asked shakily, her eyes keeping watch behind them. 

Chaewon looked back again. During their escape, they had caught the attention of more infected students who were gaining on them. 

She grabbed the door handle and shook it viciously. "Open up!!" She pleaded, slamming the door with the palm of her hand. 

Her eyes shot open, and she took a trembling step back when she heard banging and growling coming from inside the gym. 

Haerin screamed behind her. She turned back around to see a zombie lunging at her and hastily put herself in front of it. She put her hands forward and slammed them into the chest of the male infected. It staggered back but quickly swung again and Chaewon's muscle memory activated as she put her right foot forward and sent a powerful right cross into its forehead, then stepped forward again to give a front kick into its stomach with an empowering yell, sending it falling down onto his back. 

Chaewon didn't wait for the zombie to recover. She grabbed Haerin by the arm and pulled them away from the incoming infected and the gym. 

Not knowing where else to go, the girls ran into the woods, but quickly backtracked with a shriek when an infected peeked out from behind a tree. They spun around and ran the other way before once again getting cut off by another group. Chaewon frantically darted her head around to find an opening, but the only one led them to the school. Figuring there was no better option, she pulled Haerin with her back towards the school, their shoes slamming into the ground as they put all of their energy in sprinting away. 

The girls screamed loudly and hugged each other as a woman in a bomber jacket appeared right in front of them. 

"I'm a person!" Nakyoung put her bloodied and cut palms up. She whipped her head behind her and jabbed a fist into an approaching student's throat. The zombie choked from the impact and Nakyoung took the opening to smash both silver knuckles into each side of its head and crushing its skull between her fists. The students screamed again behind her, hearing the gross cracking. 

"No time to waste!" Nakyoung turned back to them and gestured to them to follow her before taking off again. The girls nodded in astonishment and ran after her without much consideration. 

"Hey! We're here! Someone get the door!"

Hayeon hid in the storage room of the high school's gymnasium. Chaewon's yelling was faint through the thick doors, and she had just barely heard it over her clouded brain. 

Hayeon could feel her stomach eating itself. It had been nearly a week since she had last eaten. An empty plastic water bottle was crumpled up on her side as she sat with her back against a large metal mesh container with badminton rackets. She licked her dry crusted lips and looked around the pitch black room through lidded eyes. She had gone three days without water. It felt like her brain was drying up as it drilled against every part of her skull, sending consistent waves of tiredness and pressing into her eyes. 

"Open up!!" Hayeon's ear twitched as it picked up Chaewon's voice. She weakly got up, her knees nearly collapsing at the mere factor of standing on her two feet. She lurched forward and held herself up on the large container and let out a heavy exhale. Her mouth felt pasty and dry as she gulped down the little humidity left on the tip of her tongue. Her stomach churned in her body. 

God, she was hungry. 

She weakly slumped her way towards the storage room's doors and pressed the palm of her hand against it. Her forehead pressed against it, the coolness of the metal door doing little to ease her headache. 

Hayeon opened a slight gap in the door and peeked a hazy eye through it, squinting as the first light in days hit her dilated pupils. As her brain adjusted to the new information, she saw the infected students and teachers clawing at the front door across from where she was. Cases of water bottles and dried food lined up in front of the bleachers. Her body yearned for the nutrients. 

She closed the door and trudged towards the container. As her feet dragged behind her, they tapped into something soft. Hayeon stopped and looked down. 

Oh, she thought. Her mind was too hazy to process having bumped into her classmate's dead body. She had died the day before, but Hayeon did not have the tears to cry. She physically couldn't with how thirsty she was. 

Hayeon tapped her foot against the student's arm. It was rigid and cold, but still had some moisture to it. Her mouth tried to water. 

It was still meat, her brain said.

Maybe...

Hayeon shook her head. No. She couldn't do that. 

Her hand searched around in the darkness. The pads of her fingers touched the hilt of a badminton racket, and she held onto it with a weak grip. She knew it was useless, but she'd rather go down with some kind of fight. 

Hayeon pushed the door open once again. The zombies were still on the other side of the gym. With the remaining strength she had left, she stepped out without a sound. She didn't care about making a sound. She was just unable to with how weak she was. 

Hayeon made her way towards the emergency door next to the storage room. She walked at a slow pace while keeping her eyes on the floor, not even bothering to look up at the zombies. Arriving at the door, she pushed her entire body against it. It opened with a small creak, and she walked out into the woods. 

Yeonji slammed her body into the door and threw herself outside, finding herself at the back of the school. She flew a few extra steps before being able to stop herself, having gone too fast and looked back at Kotone with heavy breaths. The cop dashed out before turning back and slamming a foot into the door to slow the infected down, but it only barely disturbed them. 

Without a break, Kotone sprinted forward. "This way!" She panted and turned right, gesturing at Yeonji to follow. 

Yeonji's heart threatened to blow as they ran on the outside rim of the woods, trying to get away from the wave of infected chasing after them.  

A figure popped out of the woods in front of them and Kotone swung her knife at them. 

"Human!! Human!" Nakyoung screamed again with her arms up, just narrowly dodging the strike. Two surviving students appeared beside her. 

The vigilante staggered as she looked behind the cop. "Holy crap," she breathed out. She patted the two students on the shoulder and bolted again. The others were quick to follow her lead. 

"Where's Nien?" Kotone asked in alarm, counting the group members whilst running at the same time. 

"We got stuck in the infirmary. She's still in there," Nakyoung explained between worn out breaths. 

"What?" The officer exclaimed. "We need to go back for her!" 

"I know!" Nakyoung yelled. She whipped her head around at the zombies chasing after them and an idea illuminated in her head. She looked at Kotone. 

"Okay- here's the plan. I'll lead them away. Get the others to the truck then go back for Nien." 

"How will you do that?" Kotone wondered, wincing as sweat trailed down into her eyes. She coughed, slowing down her pace, but Yeonji pushed her forward. 

Nakyoung clumsily pulled out the revolver she had taken from the inmate. She clicked down the safety and showed it to the police officer. "With this," she puffed. 

Kotone gulped and nodded. "Okay." She wiped the sweat off her forehead and grabbed Yeonji by the arm. "Let's get out of here!" she shouted out, leading the teenagers forward and into the woods. 

Nakyoung slowed her pace down so that she was last in line. With a hand of her knee, she waited a couple of seconds for all the attention to be on her. During the small break, she felt her cuts sting harsher as the salt from her sweat seeped inside the wounds. She looked down at her hand. It was a bright red. Every part of her body burned. 

Nakyoung took a large, painful breath, and picked her pace back up. She took a sharp left turn into the woods, planning to circle around to lead them away from the other girls. The vigilante took a step forward and gasped as her ankle nearly gave out against the uneven ground. She put the revolver up in the air and shot once. The ear-splitting bang caught the attention of the remaining zombies, and they started chasing after her. She put the remainer of her energy into dashing as far as she could. 

A few infected hadn't gotten distracted by Nakyoung's gunshot. Kotone and the others kept on running through the forest, though, knowing they no longer had the energy to fight back. 

"Keep going!" Chaewon cried out as she noticed the others slowing down. She held a tight grip on Haerin's wrist. The rabid zombies chased closely after them. Some of them nearly ran into trees or stumbled over stray rocks, leaving some room for relief. 

"We're almost there!" Yeonji screamed, seeing the light at the end of the woods. 

"Unnie! Let go! I'm tripping!" Haerin screamed. Being shorter than her upperclassman meant she couldn't keep up as well with her speed. Chaewon cursed under her breath and released her grip.

"I see it!" Kotone pointed at red vehicle in the distance. It looked small from their perspective. "Come on!" she urged. 

The girls nodded and doubled down on their efforts, hope filling their hearts at the safe haven. 

Hyerin stood on top of the firetruck. After she had heard gunshots, her concerns grew, and she decided to take the high ground to survey the area. She had taken out a couple more wandering zombies that had come out from the adjacent forest. After the most recent shot, Hyerin kept her focus on the school. 

In her peripheral, she spotted Kotone, Yeonji, and two girls in school uniforms emerging out of the woods and running in their direction. She was taken aback by the number of zombified students chasing them. She didn't see Nakyoung nor Nien. 

"What happened?" She shouted out. Kotone pointed at the truck before aggressively waving an arm in front of her face. 

Understanding what she meant, Hyerin bent down and banged a fist against the truck. "Open up!" 

The back of the firetruck's door swung open at a 90º angle. Chaeyeon frantically looked around. "Are they back?" 

"Some of them are." Hyerin stood up with clenched teeth and drew her bow back. She shut an eye, aiming for the nearest zombie. She narrowed her open eye and inhaled, waiting for them to come closer.  She held her breath, completely froze her body, and let go of the string. 

The arrow flew towards the runners. Haerin and Chaewon ducked in fear with a shriek as it came close to them. As they kept sprinting, Haerin looked back and saw that the arrow had struck its target perfectly. 

Chaeyeon watched on in distress as the girls were on their last legs, practically flailing their limbs around as they struggled to outrun the infected. Her feet danced under her, feeling antsy as she looked at the scene with her eyes feeling humid. They looked like they were about to give out at any second. 

Eventually, the stress took over and she crawled back into the truck, picked up Dahyun's spear, and jumped out despite Jiwoo's shouts of protest. 

Chaeyeon ran up to the girls as they stepped on the road. She scooted to the side to let them pass and awkwardly swung the spear at the nearest infected with a yell of fear, nicking at its neck. Her attack and close proximity diverted most of the zombies' attention to her, and as they recalculated their target, Chaeyeon jabbed the spear forward with a terrified yell and the blade sheathed into the infected's throat. She pulled it back out, the body crashing onto the road, and stared at the pack as they started rushing towards her with quickening breaths and a few tears running down her face. 

She jumped as an arrow sank into a zombie's head with a squelch. The action brought her back to reality, and she hastily took a few steps back before turning around and darting away. 

As Kotone, Yeonji, Chaewon, and Haerin reached the truck, they barely had any force left to lift their legs up. 

Kotone pushed the two students forward. Haerin stumbled in front of the open door and held a hand out to grab at the side of the vehicle but missed in her exhausted state. Through half-open eyes, she put a foot onto the step, got closer, and tried again. This time, a strong hand reached out to her and pulled her into the vehicle, with more hands supporting her as she went further in. 

She collapsed at once with her head pressed against the floor and struggled to breathe. Everything was on fire. Her legs felt paralyzed, and she couldn't hear anything under the sound of her heart drilling against her ribs. She clutched at her chest with her hands as it sent piercing jolts of pain. She gasped and her lungs burned, making her cough and splutter. Whatever remained in her stomach threatened to come back up and she choked over her own breaths. 

Gentle but firm hands helped her up, steadily holding her head before dragging her body to let it rest against their front. 

"You're winded. Regulate your breathing." A low voice spoke behind her. Haerin choked and shook her head. "Take deep breaths through the mouth," Sohyun reassured. "You'll be okay." 

Chaewon followed next with Jiwoo also pulling her up, crashing her side against the wall. She gasped for air and ran a hand through her damp hair. With a groan, she threw her head up and shut her drained eyes. The girl threw her backpack off her back and rested against the wall of the firetruck and letting her spent arms fall to her sides. She took large, open-mouthed breaths, flinching as she tasted blood on her tongue. She wiped her nose with her hand and saw blood. Seoyeon handed her a napkin and she took it with a grateful smile. 

Yeonji crashed next to her with a strong yell, dropping her bat and letting it clatter onto the floor. "Holy shit," she heaved out. 

"Are you all okay?" Mayu turned around and asked nervously. She gasped and covered her mouth with a hand as she saw the state the girls were in. Yeonji gave her a small thumbs-up, not wanting to worry her, before going back to catching her breath. It did little to quell Mayu's fear. 

"They will be alright." Xinyu reassured empathetically, seeing how antsy the girl was. "Don't worry and just focus on the driving." She gave a warm smile. 

"The driving is what's making me nervous," Mayu mumbled and turned back. 

Kotone was the last one to enter, but as she stepped onto the edge of the firetruck's door, she heard a growl behind her. Her mind was too tired for her to react in time, but a loud gunshot responded for her. With her ears ringing, her eyes trailed towards Soomin. The girl peeked out of the firetruck's window and gave Kotone a weak smile and a thumbs-up. She had a wet cloth plastered on her forehead and her hair was stuck to her face. 

Jiwoo grabbed Kotone by the collar and pulled her in with a groan. The cop huffed. She closed her eyes, kneeling down and pressing her forehead against the floor. She let out a small yell before falling to her side with heavy breaths. 

Her eyes shot back open, and she jolted back upright. "I need to get Nien." She tried to stand up, but her legs gave in, making her fall back to the floor. 

"I don't think you'll be able to go back," Yooyeon said. She scanned her surroundings and lightly furrowed her brows. "Nakyoung isn't here, either." 

"She distracted the infected." Kotone groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's the only reason why we got away." 

Yooyeon sighed. "None of us are in a position to go help," she admitted. "All we can do is wait." 

Nakyoung ran back towards the school as she led the horde in circles. Her left foot ached with every step, threatening to crumble with every slam of it on the dirt.  

"Hey!" A voice called out. Nakyoung's head darted towards the sound and was taken aback by Nien's head peeking out the infirmary room's window. 

"Get in the building and pass by me! I have a plan!" 

Nakyoung wanted to question her, to ask her what her plan was, but she couldn't stop panting. She knew if she missed a single breath, she would surely give in. Without further explanation, the vigilante changed her trajectory and rushed towards the school's back door. 

She swung it open and dashed back into the school. Only a few corpses laid still in the hallway, unmoving, passing by in a blur as she bolted past them. The door closed slowly behind her, not quick enough to stop the horde. A zombie stuck its arm in the gap, and they quickly worked to push it open and chase after Nakyoung. 

The vigilante narrowed her eyes, trying her best to identify the halls she sped through. As she ran, she realized she wouldn't be able to recognize the infirmary in time, but the moment she crossed over a closed room, the door swung open and a hospital bed that was put on its side was pushed out by Nien, and it slammed harshly against the opposite wall. The sudden actions caused her to further twist her ankle, and she slammed to the floor with a sharp yell of pain. 

Before Nakyoung could react further, Nien ducked and hoisted her up, carrying her bridal style whilst simultaneously holding onto her axe. 

"Alright, let's go!" She exclaimed, and at the same time, Nakyoung watched as the zombies ran into the sideways bed, causing it to fall down with a loud bang. It successfully slowed the infected down as they tripped and fell over the hurdle. 

Nien effortlessly zoomed through the school, turning sharply to the left as she spotted the main entrance. With a final sprint, she slammed a boot against the bar handle and pushed the door open. She hastily stepped down the few stairs at the front before making a beeline for the truck. Not once did she slow down. Nakyoung gaped at her in utter disbelief. 

Chaeyeon let out shrill screams as she scampered away from the zombies with all of her will. She had gotten off the road and started spinning in circles with the infected chasing closely after her. 

"Stop moving so much! I can't shoot them down for you!" Hyerin complained as she aimed her bow towards the chaos below her. 

"I will literally die if I stop moving!" Chaeyeon retorted. She briefly looked back and screamed again as a zombie snarled in her face. 

Hyerin grunted and let go of the string, the arrow landing into the back of an infected's neck. She let out a huff and paused momentarily, looking at the mess. She had taken down half of the ten zombies running after Chaeyeon. She held back a sigh as her eyes scanned over the many arrows she had wasted. 

She unenthusiastically reached at her quiver for another arrow but froze as her hand swiped at air. With wide eyes, she tore the container off her back and stared at it. It was empty. She had left her crossbow in the vehicle. 

"I'm all out!" She yelled. 

"What?" Chaeyeon shrieked in disbelief. Hot tears streamed down her eyes. 

Hyerin sucked in a breath. With a gulp, she put her hands next to her mouth, creating a speaker. "You'll have to fight them off!" 

"I can't do that!" 

"Just turn back and swing it at neck level!" 

Chaeyeon responded with another scream but did as she was told, doing a 180º spin with her weapon clutched tightly in her hands. The blade flew and slashed the neck of a zombie. The girl gasped as it fell. 

"I did it!" She sobbed before fleeing from the rest of the small group. 

Hyerin shook her head and sighed. She spun her head around, her body going on high alert as she saw Nien running away from a large horde whilst carrying Nakyoung. 

"The others are back! Get in the truck!" The archer called out to Chaeyeon before climbing down the roof and landing in the vehicle. 

Chaeyeon jumped back onto the road and scampered towards the firetruck. Nien had also stepped onto the asphalt at the same time, and the two girls met up in the middle before sprinting the rest of the way. 

Jiwoo reached and arm out and Chaeyeon latched onto it. The athlete pulled her friend into the truck with a huff and the latter crashed into her, shaking like a leaf as she buried her face into her shirt. 

"I got you," Jiwoo gently comforted her. She pressed the side of her face against the top of Chaeyeon's head. The girl took a deep breath, then started chuckling through her sobs. Eventually, she was laughing. 

Jiwoo narrowed her eyes. "Did Yubin possess you or something?" 

Chaeyeon weakly hit her arm with a large grin. 

Nien ran up to them and tossed Nakyoung into the truck, the girl slamming into the two friends with a pained curse. The firefighter slammed the door closed from outside and grabbed onto the handle bar, keeping her feet on the metal steps. 

"Start the truck!" She yelled while pushing back the incoming zombies. 

Mayu screamed and thrusted her foot full force into the gas pedal. The wheels of the firetruck spun in place for a second before rolling away in a flash, making everyone roll and crash into the back wall. They shouted out complaints as they bounced around in the back, Mayu driving over every bump on the field until she reached the smooth road. Nien held onto her helmet as she felt the wind whip against her face and grinned in exhilaration. 

After recovering from the crash, Soomin stared out at the windshield in a daze. She blinked a couple of times before frowning as she spotted something walking on the road. Her eyes shot open and she jolted up. 

"Stop!" 

Mayu slammed her foot into the breaks causing everyone to scream again as they rocked forward. A bag struck Sohyun in the face. The tires screeched against the asphalt as they stopped, just barely avoiding hitting the figure in front of them. The putrid scent of scorched rubber hit the girls' noses as they groggily lifted themselves back up. 

A girl who wore the high school's uniform stood in the middle of the road, mere inches away from the firetruck. She held a tennis racket, and was completely unresponsive from the near-accident. 

"...Hayeon?" Chaewon uttered. Everyone held their breaths, waiting for a reaction from the girl. 

Hayeon barely glanced over at the truck before her eyes rolled back and she collapsed onto the road. 

Chapter Text

"We're running out of food." 

Hayeon looked up to her professor as he spoke in the middle of the gymnasium. Students and staff alike turned their attention to him from everywhere, either sitting down on the bleachers or standing in a corner. She sat cross-legged alone with her back against the wall.  

Hayeon had counted the number of survivors in the gym. They totaled thirty-six, including her. Twenty-eight of them were students, and the remaining eight were adults; five teachers and three miscellaneous staff members.  

The number was abysmal.  

Still, it was far too many people to keep alive. Hayeon looked over to the front of the bleachers. Their supplies of water and food were stored in colorful plastic boxes, the kind school gyms had. Many of the boxes were still full. Their area hadn't been hit until a couple weeks ago. For some insane reason, the adults refused them the right to leave school grounds and evacuate, threatening them with expulsion. For some even more insane reason, the students actually decided to stay, including her.  

Well, she didn't want to stay, but her parents forced her to. She wondered where they were; they probably deserted by now. Hayeon chuckled at the thought, hoping they were at least alright.  

Hayeon snapped out of her reverie when the group of survivors gathered in the center, surrounding the teacher. With a sigh, she pushed herself up with a grunt and joined them. She pushed herself to the front, ignoring the judgmental looks from her classmates.  

"How long will the supplies last us?" Another teacher asked.  

The professor sucked in a breath, glancing over at the supplies. "With our numbers, only a couple more days." 

Fearful murmurs surrounded Hayeon. The girl herself was worried.  

"What should we do?" A student raised his hand and asked. The tag on his uniform read 'Han Yujin.'  

"Should we leave?" added a female student. Her name said 'Lee Wonhee.'  

The teacher passed a hand over his rough and untrimmed mustache, furrowing his brows.  

"I believe we'll have to send someone out," he announced.  

More murmurs echoed through the large gymnasium, crescendoing into loud voices of protests against the idea.  

"Who?" A voice spoke in the back of the crowd, silencing everyone. The group quickly caught on and started eyeing each other. Many of the gazes landed on Hayeon. One of them was from Chaewon, the girl whom she loved to relentlessly tease, and who'd always retaliate with a scream and a punch to her gut.  

Before she could think, Hayeon's hand shot up. "I think Chaewon should go."  

All conversations froze and everyone leered at Hayeon. Chaewon was a block of ice, boring her eyes into Hayeon in utter shock. Hayeon swallowed tensely at the silence.  

"Wow." A boy scoffed. "Already throwing someone under the bus?"  

Hayeon sucked in a short breath. "If we're sending someone, then we should send someone who can fight. Chaewon knows martial arts." Her words slipped out one after the other without her being able to stop. "If one of the zombies runs after her, she could probably fight back, or even kill it!"  

"Kill it? Seriously?" Someone chuckled in disbelief.  

"Jeong Hayeon, are you seriously doing this?" Chaewon muttered, her eyebrows twisted together.  

"But she has a point, doesn't she?" A student favored Hayeon.  

"Yeah, but why send a classmate when one of the adults could go?" Someone else raised a new concern.  

At the question, the teachers and staff members scrambled to side with Hayeon's idea.  

"Adult or not," the female teacher started, "it would be objectively better to send someone who's trained to fight."  

"You're only saying that because you don't want to go," Wonhee protested.  

"Hey. We're the adults here. Trust us on this."  

"Yeah, listen to what the grown-ups are saying," the janitor spoke.  

"Why would we listen to the janitor out of all people?" A young classmate laughed sarcastically.  

The gym quickly delved into chaos. Students and adults alike yelled over each other, completely forgetting the issue at hand. Hayeon looked around at the mess she created and stepped back. Whilst moving away, she locked eyes with Chaewon. The latter had betrayal written all over her face.  

Hayeon took a shaky breath and slowly retreated herself. Taking backwards steps, she bumped shoulders with another student. Hayeon's eyes hovered over her nametag. 'Jung Ahyeon.'  

Ahyeon narrowed her eyes at her. Hayeon mumbled a quick apology before leaving the circle. She took hurried steps towards the storage room, opened the door, and locked herself in. She turned around and slid down the door. Hitting the floor, she hugged her knees and buried her head in her lap.  

Hayeon took a deep breath, processing what she had just done. She let out a muffled yell before ruffling her hair with both hands in agitation. When her hair was messy enough, she sighed and let the back of her head drop against the metal door with a thud. Through clenched teeth, she seethed out,  

"Fuck."  

"Hey, she's moving!"  

"What? Where?"  

"Hayeon's awake?"  

"Shh- quiet!"  

Hayeon stirred uncomfortably. She could faintly hear the murmurs around her whilst she saw black. Her body caught the floor's vibrations as it moved under her. The nails of her fingers scratched the floor as they tried to close on her palms. She felt weighed down by her own body and the back of her aching head lied against a hard texture covered by a blanket. A nauseating pressure clutched at her heart and throat, threatening to make her regurgitate. 

"Hayeon? Can you hear me?"  A feminine voice echoed from her left. It rang like bells against her skull. 

Hayeon feebly opened her dry eyes, blinking as she tried to keep them ajar. The faint light burned her retinas. 

Surrounding her were a bunch of people. She couldn't make out their faces because of how blurry her vision was. They were all looking at her, dressed in different clothes. One of them was in a lab coat, while one was in a firefighter suit. Another was dressed up in a sea-blue police costume... Was that her school uniform? 

Hayeon pried opened her parched lips. No sound came out. 

A hand snuck under her back and gently lifted her up. Another hand supported her head. Hayeon kept her hands on her side. Her brain was fogged up, barely able to keep up with the information it received. 

The woman on her left unclasped the cap of a water bottle and pressed it against her crusted bottom lip. "Here, drink this."  

The bottle tilted slightly upward, letting a steady stream flow down into her mouth. Her body was grateful for the much needed moisture, but her motor functions couldn't respond accordingly. 

Hayeon struggled to gulp the water down. She couldn't move her lips. Majority of the liquid dribbled out of the corner of her lips and flowed down her chin, uselessly dripping onto her shirt. 

The water entered her breathing pipe, and she coughed and spluttered. The reaction took away more energy than she had, and the sudden movements pushed her brain into itself, compressing it together. 

Hayeon couldn't take it and closed her eyes. She felt herself fall before blacking out. 

Seoyeon dropped the water bottle to her side as she fixed her gaze on the student. The others surrounded Hayeon, exchanging nervous glances with each other after Hayeon passed out again. The nurse focused on her breathing, making sure the water hadn't clogged her airway. 

It had taken the student several minutes to wake up. Nien had hurriedly picked her up and rushed her into the vehicle. Mayu had pressed her foot into the gas pedal the moment the firefighter shut the door behind her. They immediately checked for a bite, and at the confirmation that she was safe, their concerns turned to her unconsciousness. 

It didn't take a doctor to know the girl was severely dehydrated. Her skin was scaly and a sickly pale, and her lips were chapped with the brittle skin peeling away and leaving cracked wounds. Her eyes were sunken deep into their sockets. In the short time she was awake, Seoyeon saw how irritated and red the sclera were. 

"Is she still alive?" Yeonji murmured. She went to grab Hayeon's hand and cringed at how shriveled it was. 

Seoyeon watched the weak rise and fall of Hayeon's chest and nodded. "She's breathing." 

"But is she okay?" Chaewon asked, wiping off the last bits of blood on her face with her napkin. 

The nurse sighed and combed her hair back. "Passing out twice in a row in such a short time is not a good thing. Given how dehydrated she looks, it must've been her late second or even third day without water." 

Seoyeon sucked in a breath, "If she doesn't wake back up..." she trailed off. 

Kotone raised an eyebrow, an uncomfortable pit growing in her stomach. "What does that mean?" 

Seoyeon huffed and shut her tired eyes, massaging her forehead. She brought her hand down to her mouth. 

"She might go into a coma and... die." 

The nurse gritted her teeth as whispers of shock surrounded her before they grew into clamoring protests. 

Yeonji stood up abruptly, stumbling from the moving vehicle. 

"What do you mean, die?" She expressed her disbelief with her arms thrown out in front of her. Her eyes shook along with the rest of her body. 

Seoyeon pressed her palms against her aching eyelids. "Severe dehydration can lead to comatose and eventually death." 

"But the water you just gave her is going to help, right?" Kotone wondered. 

Seoyeon shook her head and sighed. "Barely. She's lost a lot, and we would need to keep replacing the fluids. Unfortunately, in her unconscious state, that is not possible unless we can hook an IV fluid into her arm." 

Yeonji whipped her head around, looking at the several bags stacked on the floor. "We could just- hook her up with a water bottle, right? It's the same thing." 

Seoyeon furrowed her brows. "It doesn't work like that." 

"Why not!" Yeonji threw her hands up. Seoyeon closed her eyes and buried her face in her hands. 

Yooyeon jumped in with a collected voice. "IV fluids are specially formulated. It has more than just water. It also contains other solutions such as salt, glucose, even potassium. And I'm only naming a few here." 

Yeonji clicked her tongue. She took a shaky breath while tapping a foot on the ground. "Well- we have salt! Just add it to the water!" 

Yooyeon pressed her lips together and furrowed her eyebrows, mystified at the young girl's misconception. "...No." She blurted. 

The skateboarder scoffed and balled her fists. "I don't get what's so hard about this!" 

"Because that's not how it works, you idiot!"  Seoyeon snapped with her eyes still closed, throwing her head forward with clenched hands. Yeonji instantly reeled back into silence at her outburst. 

Seoyeon's heart dropped to her stomach. Her eyes shot open, and she searched for Yeonji. Upon finding her, she saw the skateboarder's eyes trembling. 

"Hey!" Kotone stood up and hooked a protective arm around Yeonji. "Don't you yell at her," she denounced Seoyeon with an accusatory glare. Everyone else was stunned into stillness. 

Seoyeon looked away in shame. Yooyeon caught the nurse's weary eyes and frowned. She looked at Kotone. "I don't think you're in a position to say that." 

"Oh, really?" Kotone raised her eyebrows. "Why not? She just screamed at the poor girl." 

The scientist narrowed her eyes at the policewoman. "You didn't do much to stop Yeonji from yelling at her either." 

"She just learned her friend's life was in critical danger," Kotone argued. "Her anger is more than reasonable, especially since we risked our lives to get her." 

Kotone huffed. "We've sacrificed a lot. She's just trying to figure out solutions with the few things we have." 

Nakyoung, whilst holding onto her ankle, opened her mouth to retort. Yooyeon swiftly mashed a hand against her face to stop her. 

"If it comes to sacrifices, then I need you to recognize how much Seoyeon's also sacrificing. She's the only medical professional in this group, and she has no actual medical equipment. Don't you believe that she, too, is trying her best with what little we have?" 

Kotone moved her eyes to Seoyeon. The nurse was taking deep breaths with her eyes closed whilst guiltily picking away at the skin of her nails. The officer scoffed and looked at the floor, putting her hands on her hips. Next to her, Yeonji kept her head low. 

With a smack of her lips, Kotone slowly nodded. Her eyes still trailed on the ground, she said, 

"Right. You're right. I'm sorry." 

Nakyoung moved Yooyeon's hand away with her wrist. "Look at Seoyeon when you say that." 

Kotone grinded her teeth together and shut her eyes. She turned to the nurse, who met her gaze with lidded eyes. 

"I'm sorry," the officer repeated. 

Seoyeon gave her a shake of her head. "It's fine," she dismissed, bringing her attention back to Hayeon. "Let's just focus on the patient." 

The nurse wiped her hand over her mouth and scrunched her nose. She took a shaky inhale through her mouth. "Since we don't know when she'll wake up, we should bet on getting to Daejeon as quickly as possible." 

Kotone nodded. "Mayu-chan," she called out. "Could you go full speed on the truck, please?" 

Mayu kept her eyes locked onto the road and gave a small nod. She pushed her foot fully into the pedal, accelerating the vehicle's speed. It capped at 115 kilometers per hour. 

"Is that the fastest it'll go?" Xinyu wondered. 

Nien nodded. She reached for a small pink purse and pulled out a phone. "It's a bit slower than the average car, but it should take us a little under two hours to get to Daejeon," she said as she tapped away at the screen. 

Chaeyeon looked over. "How can you still look at the map app when there's no data?" she asked curiously. 

Nien zoomed out of the map to show her photo gallery. "It's not the app. 'Tone had us take screenshots of Korea while cellular data was still up. We can charge our phones using the truck." Kotone smiled proudly. The other girls stared at each other in astonishment. 

Soomin weakly chuckled at the front. "We should've done that." 

Seoyeon snapped her head towards Soomin and her heart dropped. She had completely forgotten about the girl with their situation. The nurse stood up and carefully climbed over towards her. The young gunner had her eyes shut with her eyebrows tightly knit together. She had sweat coating every part of her face. Her radiating skin was a burning furnace, and she took deep, painful breaths. Seoyeon could almost catch a glimpse of steam with each huff. Her cuffed hands were clasped tightly together, her knuckles white from the sheer force. 

Seoyeon carefully peeled the wet cloth off Soomin's forehead and set the back of her hand against it. She quickly retracted her hand with a hiss. 

"This is bad," she admitted with a grimace. 

Nien's face lit up. "Oh! We got some stuff from the infirmary room." She rapidly took off her backpack. Unzipping the bag, she picked up her fire axe and put it to the side before handing it to Seoyeon. 

"Oh, thank goodness." Seoyeon heaved a massive sigh and gratefully took the backpack by the straps. She sat down on the console bar and raked through the numerous pill bottles, bandages, and female sanitary products. 

Nakyoung stretched her lips to one side, watching nervously as the nurse messily looked through the bag. "Uh, Seoyeon?" 

Seoyeon hummed inquisitively as she kept her eyes on the contents in the backpack. The nurse beamed and pulled out the small first-aid kit at the bottom. She held it up between her hands, admiring it. 

The vigilante awkwardly scratched an itch on her cheek with her shoulder. "Well, I have pretty bad cuts on my palms, so I think I'll need a checkup." 

Seoyeon's smile faded and she dropped her arms, her tired eyes locking onto Nakyoung. The latter pressed her lips together, putting her palms up for her to see. The cuts had bled down her forearm, and her hands were painted messily with crimson. 

Trying to not crumble under the nurse's disapproving stare, Nakyoung inhaled. "I also sprained my ankle." 

Seoyeon blinked the tiredness out of her eyes. "How bad is it?" 

Nakyoung pursed her lips. "I was running on it for a few minutes. Then I twisted it a second time." 

"A second time?" Seoyeon parroted in disbelief. Nakyoung held her tongue but gave a slight nod. 

The nurse rested the aid kit on the floor and went back to searching the bag. 

"Injuries... Everyone's getting injured..." she muttered under her breath as her hands prodded around sluggishly. Concern raised in Yooyeon's heart as she watched the hardworking woman. Her eyebags significantly worsened by the day, and her eyebrows were permanently creased together. 

"I'll can do everything for you." 

Seoyeon halted her searching and turned her attention to Yooyeon. "Really?" she asked with a hint of relief in her voice. "...Are you sure?" she added with a drop of doubt. 

Yooyeon nodded. "Just tell me what they need. I'll take care of the rest." 

Seoyeon let her shoulders drop. She gave Yooyeon a worn out but serene smile that reached her exhausted eyes. "Thank you." 

The members of the firetruck sat quietly in the vehicle as it rolled calmly through the streets. They were illuminated by the sunlight casting on their left, letting in a soft glow through the truck whilst a few dust particles floated in the tranquil yellow light. Mountains of emerald green surrounded them. 

The scenery felt comfortable to Haerin. 

The young girl looked around, analyzing every face that crossed through her eyes. All the bags and weapons were pushed to the back of the vehicle. Hyerin stared out the door's window with her legs crossed, her head leaning back against the car seat in the back left, opposite of where Haerin sat. Leaning against said door was Yooyeon, who caressed Seoyeon's head that was rested against her shoulder, sleeping soundly. The scientist watched the woman's peaceful expression with a smile of endearment. 

Nakyoung sat beside the scientist with her new and professionally bandaged hands. After trying to teach Yooyeon how to wrap them right for countless minutes, and the woman failing miserably every time, Seoyeon had given up and did them herself. Haerin thought the bandaged fists fit the vigilante. Nien had each elbow propped up on the front seats as she gently guided Mayu's nerve-filled driving. 

Hayeon still rested on her back with her head propped up against a sports bag. She hadn't woken up in the near half-hour after passing out again. Concern mixed with fear rose in her throat with each passing second, but Haerin kept it down with a gulp. Yeonji sat beside Hayeon, scrutinizing her with her arms hugging her knees. Chaewon was sitting on the other side, engaged in a hushed conversation with the skater. Haerin extended an ear to listen in, noticing how Kotone did the same. 

"I didn't see much of you around school, but I thought you looked a little familiar," Chaewon told her. 

Yeonji let out a small chuckle. "Hard to spot me when I'm practically never there." 

Haerin slightly adjusted her seating position whilst wrapped around the protective arms of the woman behind her. 

Sohyun looked down at her. The cloth around her head was replaced with a bandage. 

"How are you feeling?" she asked. 

Haerin looked up at her. She took a deep breath and nodded. "Better," she answered with a small smile. "Thank you." 

The bodyguard hummed. "It doesn't feel good to be winded." 

Haerin agreed with a nod of her head. She looked at Sohyun's clothes. "I like your suit," she complimented. The bodyguard wore a gray sleeveless vest over her white shirt with black gloves. 

Sohyun nodded. "Thank you," she replied politely. 

"Are you some kind of agent? Or bodyguard?" the student wondered. 

"Yes." Xinyu swooped in and answered, leaning forward in her seat. Her voice had a slight rasp to it, and Haerin noticed a horizontal bruise running along her neck. The fashionista grinned. "She's my bodyguard, Park Sohyun. I'm Xinyu," she introduced herself to the student. 

Sohyun turned back and scrutinized Xinyu with narrowed eyes. The fashionista eyed her back with a knowing smirk. Haerin observed as they exchanged silent messages through their gazes. She tried to understand them, but ultimately gave up. 

Kotone approached the girls with her eyes hovering over Haerin. "What are we talking about?" 

"We're just introducing ourselves," Haerin answered. The bodyguard and her client broke eye contact to turn their attention towards the police officer. 

"Do you need something?" Sohyun quirked a brow. 

Kotone shrugged. "I wanted to see if I could borrow the kid for a moment. I want to talk to her and the other student." 

"Why?" Xinyu wondered. 

"It might help us understand how the Hayeon girl got in this situation," Kotone explained, passing a hand over her head. "I'm trying to piece everything together." 

"Doesn't sound too important," Sohyun argued. "They're here now, aren't they?" 

Kotone sighed. "None of you really seem to like me, huh?" 

Sohyun shrugged. "I guess Nakyoung's anti-authority propaganda rubbed off on me." 

Kotone chuckled lightly before dropping her smile and leering into Sohyun's eyes. The bodyguard kept a calm expression as she stared back. 

Haerin looked between the two women. She gulped, then gently pried the bodyguard's arms away from her. 

"I can talk," she spoke and stood up. Kotone sighed in relief and detached her eyes from Sohyun. 

"Thank you," she muttered and tilted her head towards Chaewon. "Let's have a chat." 

Kaede and Shion walked down the gravel path. With no other method of transportation and knowing there wasn't anything behind them for a few dozen kilometers if they turned back, Kaede opted to follow the trail. Although Shion doubted there was anything at the end of the road, Kaede reasoned there must've been something if there was one.

They had been walking on gravel for the past hour. Kaede walked a couple paces in front of Shion, only carrying a medium-sized backpack and a tote bag. Meanwhile, Shion took the heavy responsibility of carrying the rest of their belongings, as she was strong enough to do so. Two large backpacks were strapped behind her back whilst her left hand kept a tight grip on a crimson sports bag. Her right hand carried yet another bag. 

Although she felt the strain of her muscles and the hot sunlight hit her face, Shion didn't slow her pace. She didn't like to admit it, but she enjoyed the light exercise the bags provided. She looked down at her arms and sighed as she saw her scars shining in the light. 

Shion kept her eyes on Kaede as they marched. She watched how the woman walked with an air of nonchalance in her steps. The back of her tied-up hair tousled in the warm breeze that signaled the near-end of Spring. Whenever she would turn her head to the side, contemplating her surroundings, Shion saw her eyes reflect the evening sunlight, making them glow a soft maroon. Her eyes gave away nothing concerning how she felt. 

Shion's gaze traveled to Kaede's ear. Although it was still healing, Kaede had decided to forgo the bandages, showing off the injury. A large chunk of her outer ear had been torn off near the top, creating a wavy crescent between the top and bottom. A thick layer of dry scabs lined over the open wound. 

She swallowed a lump in her throat. 

"Does it still hurt?" 

Kaede looked back at her inquisitively. Shion lifted her right arm and pointed a finger at her own ear. 

The thief blinked and turned to the front. "It's manageable." 

"What caused it?" Shion continued. 

"An arrow," Kaede responded curtly. 

"You got shot?" The girl's eyes widened. 

Kaede didn't answer. The sound of their boots crunching against the gravel echoed in Shion's ears. She sighed under her breath, readjusting her grip on the strap of the sports bag. She kept her eyes over Kaede for a few seconds before resigning and looking down at her boots, going back to a silent walk. 

"I see something," Kaede spoke up after a few minutes. 

Shion looked ahead and raised her eyebrows. Entering her field of vision was a tall chain metal link fence that extended horizontally from the road. It stretched far into the forests on both sides, and Shion could see no end to the cloturage. Barbed wire sat at the top of the fence, and a large chain gate imposed itself on the path, the entrance covering a width double the size of the road. As they progressed closer, Shion spotted a few warning posters put up in front of the gate. 

The two girls stopped in front of the gate. It was held shut by a large chain wrapped around the handlebars. A large padlock was hooked into the holes of the chains. The warning posters described the fence to be electric. There was a pictogram depicting a man with a gun and helmet falling as he got electrocuted. 

"8000 volts," Shion whispered. "How will we get through?" she asked, looking both ways at the unending barrier. 

Kaede looked at the posters, then at the lock, and hummed. "It's bullcrap." 

"Huh?" Shion turned to her, taken aback. 

"It's just to make people stay away," Kaede explained, pointing a finger at the pictogram. "That's a soldier, and that-" she then pointed at the padlock, "is metal." 

"Is this a military base?" Shion guessed. 

"Seems like it," Kaede confirmed. She pulled the map out of her pocket and scrutinized it closely. "There's no base drawn anywhere on here. It must've been kept secret. The warning is just an over-the-top message for civilians to keep out; there's no actual threat to life." 

Shion took in a breath. "You're saying the military lied to us?" 

Kaede spun her head towards Shion. She looked the girl up and down before shaking her head. She sighed and turned her body so that it faced the girl. 

"Let me tell you something. It'll make you rethink a lot of things," Kaede asserted, taking a step forward. 

Shion blinked and gulped nervously. "What?" 

Kaede smiled and leaned in, her face inches apart from Shion's. Shion's eyes widened at the close proximity, and she held her breath. 

Kaede's lips parted. "They're always lying," she whispered before leaning back and dropping her smile. 

Kaede confidently pressed a hand against the chain link fence. Nothing happened. Shion's eyes darted between her and the metal. 

"Wait here." The thief ordered before pulling herself up the fence with a grunt. She scaled the cloture with practiced ease whilst Shion watched her in bewilderment. Kaede huffed a sigh as she reached the spiraled barbed wires. She carefully took it and lifted it up, flinching back as a barb nicked her forearm. She tossed her bags over before slowly crawling between the wires and the fence. She climbed down halfway before jumping off and landing smoothly on her feet. 

Kaede reached for her bag and opened it, rustling through the survival items before pulling out a small pick. 

Shion stepped closer to the fence but avoided touching it. "What's that for?" 

Kaede didn't respond. Instead, she moved towards the gate and grabbed the padlock before inserting the pick. She twisted the instrument around whilst extending an ear against the lock, listening closely at the metallic grinding. With every faint click, her heart hopped in her chest before she moved onto the next lock. 

With a final click, Kaede pulled on the padlock, and it opened. She unhooked it from the chains and unwrapped the large metal rope from the handles. Finished, she tossed them aside and they landed on the gravel with a loud clatter. Kaede huffed and pulled on the handlebars. With an ear-piercing metallic groan, the gate opened. Shion's shoulders untensed, having watched the entire process in nothing short of awe. 

Kaede huffed and stepped aside. She nudged at Shion. "Come on." 

Shion snapped out of her amazement and quickly jogged through the gate. Kaede closed it back, grabbed the chain on the floor, and re-wrapped it around the handle. She picked the padlock up and shoved it in her bag along with her pick before hoisting the strap against her shoulder. 

"You're not locking it back?" Shion wondered as Kaede made her way towards her. Her question went unanswered once again when Kaede kept walking. Shion sighed and followed begrudgingly, feeling the ache in her muscles as she carried everything. 

Chaewon traced circles on the floor with her finger whilst supporting her chin with her fist. She looked up at Hayeon's sleeping face and clicked her tongue. Haerin sat next to her whilst Kotone was in front of them with a small notepad and a pen. The cop diligently wrote something down on the small paper before narrowing her eyes.  

"How did you get roped in all of this again?" She pointed her pen at Haerin. The student looked down at her shoes. 

"They said two fighters had a better chance of coming back than one." 

"And how old are you?" 

"Thirteen." 

"Holy crap," Nakyoung whispered behind them. Kotone snapped her head towards the vigilante and made a grimace. Nakyoung grimaced back before rolling her eyes and looking away. 

Kotone turned back with a shake of her head. "Shouldn't you be in middle school, then?" 

"Ah, I skipped a grade," Haerin explained. 

Kotone leaned back on her elbows and blew a large sigh through her mouth. "Alright." She clicked her pen on the floor and read through her notes. 

"Let me get the story right. Over thirty survivors were in the gym. They sent you two to get supplies, but something happened and the whole group got infected while you were stuck in the kitchen for days," she resumed. Haerin gave her a nod of confirmation. 

"And Hayeon fed us to the dogs." Chaewon sneered. Most of the initial concern she held had evaporated when she recounted their story, leaving a hint of animosity in her heart. 

Haerin didn't refute. "Yeah, that was pretty messed up of her, especially since Chaewon-unnie was the only other person Hayeon would consistently talk to." 

"It was mostly just her teasing me, though," Chaewon mumbled and shyly scratched her neck. 

Kotone hummed and clapped her notepad closed. "Alright, thank you girls," she said with a nod. "You're free to go." 

Chaewon stretched her arms out with a yawn. She rubbed her eye as she watched Haerin go back to the bodyguard, her client, and the firefighter. 

Chaewon's eyes instinctively moved to Hayeon. She pressed her lips together and crawled her way next to the sleeping girl. She didn't know how long they had been traveling, but the troublemaker still hadn't woken up. Yeonji had left her side to speak with Soomin at the front. 

Chaewon looked down at her, verifying she was still breathing. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when she saw the faint fall of Hayeon's chest. 

The student hugged her knees against her chest. You asshole, she thought, glaring at Hayeon. I bet it was real comfortable just getting to walk up and get saved. 

Hayeon predictably kept her eyes shut. Chaewon bit the inside of her cheek. She sighed and lifted the corner of her lip. 

It's kind of funny how we both ended up here despite everything. I guess you throwing me out kind of saved me, in a way, so I can't be too mad. 

Chaewon chuckled to herself. Still, I'm not talking to you for the next year at least.  

Hayeon lied still on the floor, unresponsive. Chaewon blinked and narrowed her eyes, a feeling of impending doom rising in the back of her neck. 

Hayeon lied a little too still. 

Chaewon's eyes shot open and she scrambled to press the side of her face close to Hayeon's. Nakyoung, who was watching her, stood up abruptly, catching everyone else's attention. She accidentally shoved Yooyeon, who was next to her, which subsequently jolted Seoyeon awake. 

"What's going on?" asked the nurse, snapping her head around before her eyes landed on Chaewon and Hayeon. 

Chaewon felt nothing against her face. She sat up, shaking like a leaf. 

"She's not breathing." 

The temperature in the room dropped in a flash. Seoyeon rushed towards the students and pressed two fingers against Hayeon's neck where her pulse should've been. She took a sharp intake as a deathly shiver coursed through her nerves. 

Nothing. 

"There's no heartbeat," Seoyeon stated and looked around, making sure the area was clear. She lightly shook Hayeon by the shoulders before lowering her head to the ground and checking her airway for any clogging. 

Seeing nothing, Seoyeon hissed out a curse before kneeling. She frantically took off her jacket and pressed her palms on top of each other in the center of Hayeon's unmoving chest. She pressed down harshly using the strength in her shoulders, transferring the force into Hayeon's heart. 

There was no sound other than the nurse's huff with every strong pump of her arms. Everyone stared, frozen in place as a chill rested on the back of their necks. No one dared to move or even breathe. Chaewon had retreated back to watch the events unfold in pure distress. 

Seoyeon wasn't even halfway through the first thirty compressions, but the wait felt excruciating. It was as if time had slowed down, and the truck itself looked like it had stopped moving. Everyone's hearing felt muffled like they were underwater. 

Nien was the first to draw herself out of the collective stillness. She slid herself to the other side and faced Seoyeon. 

"How can I help?" the firefighter demanded, her expression full of determination. 

Seoyeon gritted her teeth. "You know CPR?" she asked. Nien gave her a firm dip of her head. 

"Okay," Seoyeon huffed, not stopping her chest compressions. "Get ready to switch out with me," she ordered as her arms started to burn. Nien nodded and took off her gloves. 

Counting thirty in her head, Seoyeon quickly released herself. She moved to Hayeon's head and tilted her head back with a palm against her forehead and two fingers under her chin. She then pinched the girl's nose, leaned in, and gave two rescue breaths, each lasting a second. The nurse kept her eyes on the student's chest to make sure the air passed through her lungs. 

Seoyeon moved back after the successful administrations. In an instant, Nien took over with perfect form, settling into her role like clockwork. Seoyeon glanced over at Hayeon. The girl was yet to give a sign of life. 

A loud snap resonated through the truck, causing some of the girls to shriek. Nien winced, but pushed through nonetheless, counting the pumps under her breath. 

"Was that a rib?" Yeonji cried between the two hands set in front of her mouth. Tears trailed down her eyes. Her nails dug into her face, threatening to break the skin. 

"It's completely normal," Seoyeon reassured, the pressure slowly but surely reaching her head. "Better a broken rib to save the person's life," the nurse added as she carefully listened to Nien's counting. 

"Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty!" Nien exhaled, releasing her grip and shaking off her hands before moving over to administrate two more rescue breaths. When she was done, Seoyeon gave her a nod and took over in a flash. 

The girls watched tensely as the process repeated over and over again, a sliver of hope escaping their hearts with every unsuccessful round of CPR. Haerin hugged herself harshly through gritted teeth, trying to stay strong despite feeling hopeless. Sohyun rested a firm hand on the young student's shoulders while the other was interlocked with Xinyu's. 

Chaeyeon had a death grip on Jiwoo's jacket as she watched through blurry eyes. The athlete dug her fists against the floor, harshly biting the inside of her lip. Hyerin threatened to crush her empty quiver between her palms. Nakyoung still stood, keeping an eagle-eyed glare at the operation. Across from her, Kotone did the same with her hands pressing against each side of her neck. 

Mayu desperately wanted to watch, to encourage the girls, but she knew she had to keep eye on the road and drive them all safely to their destination. Her knuckles were white as they kept an iron grip on the steering wheel whilst she occasionally glanced at the scene through the rearview mirror. Next to her, Soomin repeatedly tapped a jittery foot on the floor whilst watching the rescue operation unfold. 

Chaewon couldn't move as she kept her hands against her own chest, clutching at her shirt. She and Yeonji exchanged desperate looks, trying to keep each-other's dwindling fire of hope alive. 

"Come on, Hayeon, come on!" Nien grunted with another rib-breaking push, the sound of the bone cracking sending shockwaves of phantom pain through each of the girls' hearts. The firefighter hadn't relented her efforts even once through the countless minutes Seoyeon and her spent trying to save Hayeon. 

Nien failed to bring her back after thirty compressions. Still, she moved onto the rescue breaths without a pause. 

Seoyeon took over like autopilot, at once starting the next round without much thought. Her eyes laser-focused on the task at hand, locking her hands together in a bone-crushing grip before pressing down with double the initial effort. Her own heart drilled through her chest, fueled by liquid adrenaline. 

As she pushed, she heard an incessant buzzing in her ears. The back of her neck pricked as every hair stood on end. The chill she felt dug at her bones, drilling the cartilage with a painful pressure. The muscles of her shoulders and arms burned in contrast, multiplying the aches that pierced through every part of her body. Sweat coated her face, and she felt her damp bangs sticking to her forehead. They dripped down onto her ghostly knuckles. 

The process felt interminable. It was interminable. But Seoyeon couldn't afford to stop. Not at the stake of someone's life. 

Finally, Seoyeon heard a gasp, and the nurse threw her hands up. 

Seoyeon snapped her head towards Hayeon, who had rolled over to her side with a wheeze. Nien was quick to push her onto her back again. The student's eyes shot open as she took quick and painful breaths. 

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay," Nien reassured, gently cradling Hayeon's head. Yeonji fell to her knees and looked down at Hayeon. 

"Hayeon-unnie!" Yeonji cried out, with her hands in front of her. 

The resuscitated student held a hand against her chest as she met the skateboarder's gaze, her own eyes widening as she recognized the girl. 

"Yeonji?" Hayeon asked through heavy pants. Before Yeonji could utter a word, though, Hayeon's eyes shut down again, and her head lulled back, putting a halt to her panicked breathing. 

Yeonji's heart sank. Her eyes darted between Hayeon's face and her unmoving form. Her hands shook as she kept them hovering above Hayeon's forehead. 

"...Hayeon-unnie?" she moused out, a new wave of tears pooling at her eyes. A lump formed in her throat. 

Nien leaned close and pressed her finger's against Hayeon's neck whilst focusing on her chest. After a few seconds, she let out a breath of relief. "She's breathing. Her heartbeat's slow, but it's there." 

Yeonji sniffed, wiping the tears off her face before looking at Nien. The firefighter looked back with a bittersweet smile, noticing the small marks on Yeonji's face where she had dug her nails into. At Nien's strong resolve, Yeonji felt the lump in her throat cut her breathing and let out a whimper. Nien's eyebrows creased empathetically, and she opened her arms, inviting the young skater in for a hug. Yeonji fell forward and buried herself into the firefighter's jacket, letting out loud sobs of relief that shook her entire body. They were muffled by the thick uniform that Yeonji gripped onto like a lifeline. 

Chaewon burst into tears as Yeonji wept. She wiped the tears away with the sleeve of her uniform, but they were quickly replaced by a new wave of waterworks. She gave up and leaned forward, pressing her forehead against the floor, and let out a whine mixed with relieved laughter. All around them, the girls expressed their consolation differently. Haerin let her tears flow down freely with a relieved grin. 

The constricting pressure on Seoyeon's heart dropped without a warning, and she collapsed. Before her head hit the floor, Yooyeon caught her in her arms. Seoyeon looked at her with wide eyes. The ceiling spun above them. 

"You did good," Yooyeon whispered, tracing a light thumb over Seoyeon's cheek. The scientist gently readjusted the nurse's bangs and combed out the strands of hair that stuck out messily.  

Combatting sleep, Seoyeon tried to reach her hand up to Yooyeon, but the latter simply took it and set it down on her stomach. 

"Go to sleep," Yooyeon reassured with a soft smile. "You deserve it. More than anyone." 

The corners of Seoyeon's lips upturned, and she fluttered her eyes closed. 

An hour had passed since the incident. Hyerin had gone back to staring out the window, holding her empty quiver in her hands. She watched as the land around them slowly flattened out as they left the province of Gangwon. There was no longer an abundance of trees, and as they approached the residential areas, Hyerin saw infected run after them from buildings. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as it pulsated steadily through her veins, her shoulders involuntarily tensing at the crowd following them shortly before being left in the dust. 

"Hey." A voice said behind her. Hyerin turned around and looked up at Chaeyeon. Jiwoo was next to her, leaning against the wall. 

The archer quirked an eyebrow. "Do you need anything?" she asked with her usual lack of warmth. Despite the cold greeting, Chaeyeon smiled. 

"I just wanted to say sorry about the arrows," she apologized. With a breath, she then proposed, "I'll see if I can find some for you when we reach Daejeon." 

Hyerin narrowed her eyes at Chaeyeon. The latter pursed her lips and awkwardly rocked herself back and forth. With a sigh, the archer turned back to the window. 

"It's fine," Hyerin responded. "I still have my crossbow." 

Chaeyeon was slightly taken aback. "Are you sure? Because I see you use your bow a lot more." 

"I said it's fine," Hyerin repeated forcefully. She adjusted herself in her seat. "I chose to shoot the arrows in that field, knowing I wouldn't get them back." 

Hyerin's eyes widened at her own words, and she spun her head around. Chaeyeon's jaw dropped in astonishment. 

"Woah," Chaeyeon breathed out. She turned towards Jiwoo with an open-mouthed smile whilst pointing a finger at the archer. "Did you hear that? Hyerin just said she loves me." 

Hyerin looked at Chaeyeon with distaste written on her face. Jiwoo blinked at her friend. 

"She did not say that," Jiwoo deadpanned through narrowed eyes before perking up. "And speaking of fields-" 

Chaeyeon's smile faded. "You're going to scold me, aren't you?" she supposed with a pout.  Hyerin went back to staring at the fields, knowing her conversation had concluded. 

"Yes, I will," the athlete confirmed Chaeyeon's hunch, making the girl deflate into herself. "You out of all people should've known how dangerous that was," Jiwoo chastised. 

"I know..." Chaeyeon acknowledged Jiwoo's concerns with a small wine. Jiwoo looked up at her, unconvinced. Her eyebrows were placed high on her forehead. 

"And you still went out anyways." 

Chaeyeon's breath caught in her throat, and she swallowed a heavy lump. "I was trying to help the others. It didn't seem right to just sit there and watch." 

"I know that," her best friend said softly, relaxing her eyebrows. "But you can't act out on your own like that." 

Jiwoo huffed and drummed her fingers on the floor. She breathed in before adding, "You told me you didn't want to lose me, right? Well, I don't want to lose you either." 

Chaeyeon ignored the aching feeling in her heart of being scolded by her best friend. She took a sharp intake of breath before looking away, her eyes trailing over the bags behind her. She sighed and pressed her eyelids shut. 

"...I just don't want to be useless," Chaeyeon muttered under her breath. 

"You aren't," Jiwoo refuted. 

Chaeyeon shook her head. "I don't know," she admitted. "I feel like I don't do enough." 

Chaeyeon felt a tug on her sleeve. She looked down and saw Jiwoo patting the empty space beside her. With a quiet exhale, she complied, gently dropping to the floor with her knees propped up under her chin. 

Jiwoo pulled her close. "Just being here with us is enough, unnie," she comforted. "You don't need to do anything more than that." 

Chaeyeon leaned her head on Jiwoo's shoulder whilst she hugged her legs, "But what if one of them comes running at me, and I can't defend myself?" 

Jiwoo reached her hand out to delicately comb her friend's hair. "I'll always be there, alright?" she soothed. "I'll do anything to protect you." 

"Anything?" Chaeyeon tilted her head to gaze into Jiwoo's eyes. 

Her friend stared back and smiled. "Anything." 

Seoyeon gently stirred awake with a small yawn. She rose from her pillow with her eyes still closed, gingerly rubbing them with her thumbs as her brain gradually shook off the fog of sleep. The nurse delicately fluttered her eyes open before letting out another yawn with a hum of satisfaction. 

Shaking her head to rid herself of the fatigue, her face landed mere inches apart from Yooyeon's. Seoyeon let out an exclamation of surprise and pulled away. 

"Sorry." Seoyeon's ears warmed as she staggered. The heat crept closer to her face when she realized her head had been resting on Yooyeon's lap. 

"Don't worry about it," Yooyeon reassured with an undisturbed smile. Seoyeon smiled back shyly. She then pushed the palms of her hand against her forehead, fighting the internal pressure. 

"How long was I asleep for?" she wondered. 

"About an hour and a half," Yooyeon estimated. "We're almost there," she added, referring to Daejeon. 

Seoyeon massaged her neck with an affirmative nod. After ridding herself from most of her tiredness, the nurse leaned towards Hayeon. Yeonji sat next of the comatosed student, her eyes glued to her. Chaewon hadn't left, either. 

"Anything?" Seoyeon asked the two girls. Chaewon lifted her head to look at the nurse before giving her a small shake. 

Seoyeon bit the inside of her cheek. "That isn't good." 

"She's breathing," Yeonji started, "but it's irregular." 

The nurse sighed. "If she's out for any longer, it will severely injure her brain. I'd say it has already started." 

"I hate that we can't do anything about it until we get to Daejeon," Chaewon admitted with a desolate frown. 

"Me too," Seoyeon nodded, "but we have no other choice." 

Yeonji's took slow but shallow breaths. She rubbed her hands over her arms, trying to warm a chill in the depths of her soul she couldn't quite reach. A guilt crawled through her gut watching Seoyeon in her peripheral. 

Yeonji pried her eyes away from Hayeon. 

"Uhm, Seoyeon-unnie?" 

Seoyeon perked up and looked Yeonji in the eyes. "Yes?" 

The young skateboarder clenched and unclenched her fists. She turned away from the nurse's gaze. "Thank you for saving her," she started. "And, I'm sorry for yelling at you," she apologized. "I was really worried about Hayeon-unnie not making it, so I didn't stop to think about how stressed you were." 

Seoyeon blinked, processing Yeonji's words for a couple seconds, then broke into a forgiving smile. "It's okay," she assured. "I know where you're coming from." 

Yeonji raised her eyebrows in curiosity. "Really?" 

Seoyeon nodded, turning back to Hayeon. "I had- well, I have this friend," the nurse said, entering storytelling mode. Yeonji, Chaewon, along with a few bored passengers leaned to listen. 

Ignoring the stares, Seoyeon continued, "We lost each other on the first day. I didn't know if she was okay or not- her phone picked up my calls, so I thought she was alive at least, and I started telling her our location." 

Seoyeon gulped and wiped a hand across her mouth. "The person turned out to be a stranger." 

"Kaede," Nakyoung sneered. 

Seoyeon nodded in agreement with Nakyoung. "The calls I sent led her to us. She seemed nice at first, but she tricked us and took our stuff. She tried to take out one of our teammates- we ended up losing two." 

The nurse creased her eyebrows. "We don't know if they're alive or not." 

Chaewon exhaled. "That's terrible. I'm sorry that happened." 

Seoyeon sighed. "I blame myself for the incident. If I wasn't so desperate to get my friend back, maybe they'd still be with us." Her eyes impulsively trailed towards Jiwoo. 

The hockey player, who had tuned the story out, caught Seoyeon's gaze. Jiwoo exhaled and turned away with a shake of her head. 

"There's nothing to blame," Jiwoo declared. "We're all desperate." 

"We just don't want to lose any more than we already did." Chaeyeon told. "Our homes, our livelihoods, our friends..." She tightened her grip on Jiwoo's hand. 

"Everything happened so fast, we barely had time to process," Xinyu reflected with a rasp in her voice. 

The girls sat in silence. Their past lives felt out of each despite it only having been a month. They had settled in their new roles too quickly, their lives having depended on it. It left them little time to think of anything else. 

Nakyoung adjusted herself into a cross-legged position, setting her wrists on her knees. "There's a lot of memories of what we were before," she said. "That doesn't mean we can't make new ones." 

"She's right," Sohyun chipped in. "We still have each-other" she inspired, then looked up to Xinyu. The fashionista smiled down at her. 

Nien grinned. "We just need to stick together! No matter what!" she cheered and threw her arms up. 

The firefighter's beaming smile was contagious. One by one, the girls recovered from their self-induced misery called nostalgia, curling their lips upwards and murmuring lightly in agreement. 

Mayu gently released her foot on the gas pedal as buildings materialized in her field of vision. She looked around for anything that moved, and her body tensed at the sight of the vacant road ahead of her. 

"Is this Daejeon?" Soomin wondered, watching through half-open eyes. Her fever fared much better by virtue of the pain-killers, but she was still mostly out of it. The girls in the back noticed the change of scenery around them and turned their attention towards the windshield. 

Mayu held her breath as she rolled into the deserted outer district. What should've been streets bustling with people was replaced by a tense silence. Any conversation the girls held dissipated, leaving only the sound of the firetruck's engine as it progressed further into the city. 

"Where are all the people?" Nien spoke quietly, resting her arms against Soomin's seat. 

"Must be farther in," Kotone hypothesized. "They probably have the safe zone across the river." 

"Daejeon's geography does permit a good aquatic defense," Yooyeon agreed. "The infected can't swim." 

A singular zombie popped out of a narrow alley next to them. Mayu whined nervously, pushing the pedal on instinct and speeding up the firetruck. The girls swayed lightly behind her. 

Kotone put a gentle hand on the driver's shoulder. "It's okay, Mayu-chan," she reassured her in their mother tongue. "There's only one." 

With a slight bob of her head, Mayu let out a shaky exhale and decreased the speed of the vehicle once more, approaching the bridge located on their far right. 

Nien pointed at a faraway structure. "I see something!" she exclaimed in a hushed whisper, catching Kotone's attention. The officer redirected her gaze to the front, and her eyes widened. 

Past the bridge was a large wall erected around the overpass surrounding the city's inner parts. Kotone assumed the structure was at least four meters tall at the bridge's entrance, lowering to two meters as they extended past it. The materials started with cement before downgrading into wooden fences. A massive gate imposed itself in front of the bridge, sandwiched between two cement pillars. 

Mayu drove over the empty bridge. Yooyeon peered out of the car window as they crossed, taken aback at difference between this overpass and the one they had crossed back in Seoul. 

"It's like night and day," Nakyoung whispered. Jiwoo refused to look outside. 

Kotone spotted the countless bodies piled up on the ground near the walls. Blood, gore, and stray pieces of flesh had been flung around carelessly, and the blood pooled at the cemented ground below the corpses, painting it a black scarlet. 

The putrid smell of decaying flesh hit the girls' noses as Mayu slowed them to a stop. Chaeyeon had to stop herself from throwing up, and Xinyu was quick to toss her a mask. The fashionista already had hers on. Holding her breath, Chaeyeon hastily tied the cloth-made bandana behind her head. Looking up at the walls, she let out a surprised noise. 

"There's actual soldiers!" she exclaimed, pointing a finger at a figure wearing a gray camo vest with a military helmet to match. With another exclamation, Chaeyeon jerked her finger onto another soldier, then another. They all lined up on the wall, their rifles pointed towards the truck. Chaeyeon buried herself behind Jiwoo. Hyerin quickly lied down, away from the soldier's vision, covering her ears. The first group carefully hid themselves from the troops. 

Kotone looked back with a quirked brow. She hadn't moved at all, and so didn't her group. "What's wrong with you all?" 

Yooyeon shook her head and gestured at the officer to get down. Instead, Kotone's brows furrowed further. 

"It'll be fine," she said. "They're just doing their jobs." 

The one zombie chasing the girls slammed its fists into the truck, causing everyone to jolt. Nakyoung yelped at the thud and backed away, the infected person being right outside the door she had her back against. 

A single, faraway shot tore through the air. Mayu shrieked and ducked. Bullet stuck into flesh, and the zombie outside flopped down, unmoving. 

Static clicked in the girls' ears. 

"Exit the vehicle with your hands above your heads." A light feminine voice spoke in radio. Kotone looked up, searching for the source. A female sergeant stood above the fence with a megaphone in her hand. She did not wear a helmet, unlike the other soldiers. 

The girls shared nervous looks. 

"What do we do?" Chaewon whispered. 

"What do you mean?" Nien wondered cluelessly. "We get out of here." 

"What if the military just shoots us?" Nakyoung frowned. 

Kotone's face contorted in confusion. "Why would they do that?" 

"Because-" 

"I repeat: exit the vehicle with your hands above your heads," the sergeant ordered again. "Failure to comply will result in consideration of you as a threat, and you will be shot." 

Nakyoung looked up at Kotone with an expression that said I told you so. Kotone scoffed and opened her mouth. 

"Girls." Seoyeon interrupted urgently. "We don't have time for this. The more we stall, the less chance we have of helping Hayeon." As she moved to put her hand on the truck's door, Yooyeon lightly pushed her back. 

"Not you," she said. "I'll go first," Yooyeon took the initiative and shimmied herself out of the firetruck. Stepping down, she held her hands high above her head as every gun twisted in her direction. Seoyeon looked out in worry; Yooyeon kept her head low with her eyes trailed onto the sergeant. The nurse saw Yooyeon hiding her anxious tremble under an air of indifference.

"Stay where you are."  The sergeant commanded from above. She and a few soldiers descended. Yooyeon pressed her lips together, keeping her hands still as she waited for further instructions. 

The gate slightly wedged open. The sergeant, along with a group of eight other soldiers, moved out in an orderly fashion. Whilst the leader kept her eyes on Yooyeon, the others checked the sides with their guns up. 

Close enough to be in earshot, Yooyeon inhaled deeply. "There's an unconscious person in the back. She's severely dehydrated and requires medical assistance," she spoke professionally. 

The sergeant stopped in front of Yooyeon and peeked over her head. "How many of you are there?" 

"Sixteen," Yooyeon answered, looking down at the woman's nametag. Sergeant Kim Hyunjin. The girls lied still in the vehicle, holding their breaths. 

"Okay," Sergeant Kim affirmed with a nod. She then shouted out, "I need all of you to step out with your hands above your head!" 

Seoyeon widened her eyes. "Let's go, let's go," she urged the other girls to move. They did so, filled with anxiety. 

One by one, the girls filed out of the vehicle, leaving their bags and weapons behind. Nien helped Soomin out, the gunner still handcuffed and moving with difficulty. Sohyun supported Nakyoung with an arm over her shoulder but still keeping her hand up. They anxiously looked up at the countless guns trailed on them whilst keeping their heads hanged low. Mayu released a shaky breath, tears forming at her eyes from stress. Xinyu’s clenched jaw was hidden by her mask. 

"What about Hayeon?" Yeonji whispered, looking back inside the truck. Seoyeon and Yooyeon passed a message through their eyes, and the scientist nodded. 

"The patient is still inside," Yooyeon told the sergeant as the latter counted their numbers. The woman simply nodded, and with a wave of her hand, two troops strapped their guns behind their back and climbed inside the truck. Shortly after, they exited with the unconscious student in tow and carried her past the wall. 

Yeonji took a step forward. 

"Hey!" the sergeant barked, making the girl stumble back. "Stay where you are!" 

"She's just worried, sergeant," Kotone defended under her breath. 

Sergeant Kim snapped her head in Kotone’s direction. With a glare, she looked the police officer up and down, then chuckled. "Just because you're a cop, you think you can talk back?" she mocked. 

Kotone clenched her teeth and looked down in embarrassment. The sergeant hovered her eyes over the other survivors. 

"Infected?" she asked. The word loomed over their small selves. 

Yooyeon shook her head wordlessly. The sergeant's gaze kept going, then stopped at Soomin. She narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing her sickly complexion and the nasty scratches on her collarbones. 

She nudged her head towards the gunner. "What are those from?" 

"She got in a fight with the other kid." The lie smoothly slipped out Yooyeon's tongue, flashing a thumb towards Yeonji. The young skateboarder understood the message in an instant, nodding profusely through fearful eyes. 

The sergeant clicked her tongue, glaring at Yeonji. Seeing the nail marks on the girl's cheek, not knowing Yeonji had done them to herself, she relented. 

"Alright," she said with a huff. "Double-file line. Keep your hands where they can be seen, and follow me," the sergeant ordered. "One wrong move, and you get shot," she warned. Yooyeon looked at her eyes and they were cold, indicating the threat was genuine. 

The sergeant spun around and marched away. The girls exchanged uneasy glances before following with their heads down. 

Chapter Text

"This isn't right," Sohyun uttered under the noise of the rolling vehicle. 

Instead of walking them through the front gate, the sergeant had strayed from the entryway and escorted the girls onto the highway following the walls. They had journeyed westward for several minutes until they had reached a yellow school bus parked in the middle of the road. As they had walked further away from the gate, the number of corpses lying on the asphalt and grass had dwindled. 

Sohyun's olfactory senses and strained vision had been grateful for the respite. Sure, she had been killing infected left and right, but usually the body parts weren't grossly scattered around with countless bullets sticking out of the flesh like steel parasites. The adrenaline from the life-threatening battles had also stopped Sohyun from processing most of the information coming from her senses. 

The girls had been forced to embark on the school bus outside Daejeon's protective fence. Sergeant Kim sat at the very front. She hadn't explained a single thing, and the group was kept in the dark. The girls took their place in the back, with Xinyu and Sohyun sitting at the very end, much to the latter's displeasure. During the trip, she was struggling to make sense of what was happening all whilst trying to not throw up from every bump the bus hit. Things were hard to process with a concussion. 

"No talking," ordered the soldier slotted between the two back seats. He stood in front of the emergency door with a military-grade rifle in his hand. 

Sohyun curled into herself in discomfort. The bodyguard felt Xinyu's hand carefully run over her back, making her relax her shoulders. Unable to speak, she settled with heaving a grateful sigh, knowing Xinyu would understand. 

The bus took a sharp left turn, causing the girls to sway in the same direction. Sohyun looked out, and she knitted her eyebrows when she saw they had found themselves on yet another bridge. 

"We're moving away from the walls."  She barely caught Yeonji's whisper in the seat ahead of hers. Sohyun glanced back at the soldier. He kept his eyes to the front, not hearing the skateboarder's comment. 

Xinyu tapped the bodyguard on the shoulder to bring her back, then pressed an index against the window with an alarming stare. The bodyguard looked over in concern, and her breath caught in her throat. 

Sohyun saw the river current washing over uneven blocks of cement awkwardly peeking out of the shallow water. On each end was a road that had crumbled apart. The side leading to the walls was clean, while at the other end, a few corpses had fallen onto the broken bridge, their blood seeping down the gray concrete. 

The same scene presented itself on the next bridge they passed by, then again on the next. They had all been blown to bits. 

Where are we going?  Xinyu mouthed, staring into Sohyun's eyes with her eyebrows creased above her head. Sohyun swallowed harshly, keeping her anxiety down her throat. 

I don't know, she confessed,  but whatever happens, I'll keep you safe.

Her response seemed to at least satisfy some of Xinyu's worries. The fashionista nodded with a split-second smile before eyeing the outside fearfully. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Soomin jerked to the side as the bus made another sharp turn. With her hands still cuffed - Lord knows when Kotone will take them off - she couldn't put a hand up to defend herself and her head knocked against the side of the bus. 

"Ack!" she exclaimed, jerking back and shaking her head with a wince. Trying to reach a hand to massage her head, she involuntarily tugged her other wrist along, and the back of her uninvited hand smacked itself into her nose. 

Soomin's body temperature cranked up higher than it already was. Hyerin, her seatmate, eyed her weirdly. The gunner felt a vein snap in her ever-pounding forehead and made a sound between a whine and a shout. 

"Quiet down!" A soldier barked beside them, making Hyerin jump. 

Soomin mockingly imitated his words with a grimace, bobbing her head around with more force than needed. The aggressive movements served only to double her headache, so she stopped with a pout. Soomin looked down at the stainless steel handcuffs whilst flailing her legs back and forth, the rubber soles of her shoes scuffing against the carpet of the same texture. 

With a silent grunt, Soomin clenched her fists and pulled her wrists apart, her purplish bruises chafing against the metal cuffs. At this point, she couldn't care less about the pain; she could just get rid of the root of the cause. The gunner held her breath and put all her strength into breaking free. 

Until she heard something snap. 

Hyerin's eyes widened, the orbs threatening to leave their sockets. She looked Soomin up and down before scooting an inch away. 

Soomin pressed her lips tightly together, a drop of nervous sweat falling down her forehead and landing on her arm. The gunner raised her arms up and peered curiously at the handcuffs. One of the chains had cracked. Something in her brain told her she wasn't meant to do that. 

Uhhh...

Soomin clasped her hands together and sat still as a rock for the remainder of the trip. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

There was nothing Mayu could do to stop the trembling in her hands. She tried to focus her eyes on one thing, but they kept darting around without her control.

This wasn't Daejeon. This wasn't what they promised. The military had offered safety, presumably inside the walls. But they were, in fact, far from the walls. From where the group stood, the barricade looked minuscule. 

The group was led to a detention center. It had troops posted up on every corner, guarding every angle imaginable inside and outside the infrastructure. Each soldier had a rifle in hand with a pistol set on their hip to pair. Mayu didn't know whether something good or bad was happening, and the sun hid behind a cloud, casting a shadow of doubt on each of the girls. 

"Move." A glove-fitted hand pushed her from the back. Mayu stumbled forward, nearly tripping over herself. She couldn't balance as well with her arms permanently raised in surrender. All around her, the girls walked, their movements laced with uncertainty. 

In the small crowd, Mayu searched for Kotone's eyes. The officer kept her head low with a gulp. The silver police badge worn over her heart glinted dully. 

Mayu retreated into herself. By Kotone's reaction, it seemed like the cop didn't know what to do either.

When they opened the front gates, though, intrigue trickled over Mayu's fearful heart. 

Sergeant Kim walked them past the lobby and into the main hall. As they walked, the girls looked around, meeting the eyes of other survivors resting behind metal doors, peeking their heads out of the small, barred windows to watch the newcomers. Mayu found it odd that none of them wore a prisoner's jumper, and instead had normal clothes on their backs. Two soldiers stood on guard at the end of the prison hallway. Mayu thought one of them looked relatively young. 

A young boy rushed and peeked up at them past the handles, pointing at the group whilst his head turned back to yell something at the pair of adults behind him. His parents, presumably, told him to not stare. 

"What is this?" Seoyeon dared to break the silence. Next to her, Nien waved at the boy with a smile, undeterred by everything that was happening. 

"This," the sergeant stopped and spun on her heel, "is where you will be quarantined for the next two weeks." 

Everyone blinked in astounded silence. Their brains short-circuited, and their tense shoulders lowered unsatisfyingly from the anti-climactic reveal. Xinyu dropped her arms, her face shaping into an expression that said, seriously?  

"...That's it?" Nakyoung voiced out. She was supported by a soldier while her injured foot hanged in the air. "You put us through all of this worry just to tell us we're under a little quarantine?" 

The sergeant blinked and stepped forth, locking Nakyoung in a chill stare. The vigilante swallowed a lump in her throat and bit the inside of her cheek. 

"Let me ask you something," Sergeant Kim started. "You tell a bunch of strangers all the information you have. What do you think might happen?" 

The group of survivors held their breaths, waiting for an answer. 

"They use it against you," Kotone uttered lowly. 

Sergeant Kim's gaze flickered over the officer for a moment before stepping away. "We're living in a different world. People have changed for the worse, doing what they can to survive even if it means hurting others. We cannot afford to misstep." 

She waved her hand before turning back. "Joobin," she called out. "Show them to their cells, please." 

The young soldier at the end of the hall took a step forward, and Mayu held her breath as she looked up. Her eyes lacked the spark of life.
 
 
 
 
 
 

The girls burned holes into the back of the soldier who looked no more than sixteen years old. Sergeant Kim, along with the rest of the military, took up the flank. They had been transported into another hallway where the cells were much larger and had metal bars installed from top to bottom instead of small doors. Only one of the cells had a bunk-bed installed. 

The soldier, Joobin, came to a halt next to two empty cells. The others stopped along with her, and Sergeant Kim walked to the front. 

"We took the discretion to separate your group into two cells," she started, trailing her eyes over the girls' resting firearms. "Before that, we will need you all to hand over your weapons. Failure to comply and... you know the drill." 

Kotone resigned her knife and firearm without question. Nakyoung swallowed and looked at Yooyeon. The scientist met her gaze from the corner of her eye and nodded. Resisting the urge to protest, the vigilante sighed and handed the revolver over with the barrel pointed down. The sergeant collected the two guns before staring Nakyoung down. The vigilante gulped under her scrutiny. 

"Empty your pockets." 

"What?" Nakyoung staggered. "Why?" 

"Just do it." Kotone breathed. 

Shooting a glare at the policewoman, the vigilante clicked her tongue and turned over her jacket pockets. She fished out her brass knuckles and dropped them into Sergeant Kim's awaiting palm. The other girls gave up their knives to the nearest soldiers. 

The sergeant pocketed the silver knuckles. "Alright," she said. "File into your holding rooms." 

The survivors looked at each other, deciding which cells they would choose. They all wordlessly agreed that Seoyeon would get the one with the beds. In the end, they agreed to make a group of seven and one of eight, and silently walked into their respective rooms. 

As Soomin dragged herself in, breaths heavy, an arm shot up in front of her. Soomin stopped and looked at the sergeant to her right. The woman nudged her head towards her. 

"What are those?" she asked, looking down at her pink guns. Soomin froze and looked down. 

"Uhm..." she uttered. She had forgotten about her weapons with her pounding headache. 

Sergeant Kim huffed and beckoned Joobin over. The young soldier did so instantly, setting her rifle on the side of the wall before pulling Soomin's pistols out of their holsters. 

"Hey!" Soomin protested tiredly, turning around before someone pushed her back. 

The soldier did not acknowledge her. She unloaded the magazines and emptied the bullets onto the floor, the ammunition clattering loudly onto the cement, before slotting them back into the pistols. She turned to the sergeant and put the firearms in her hands. The woman narrowed her eyes at the custom guns and brought them closer to her face. After the inspection, she proceeded to pass them to another soldier. 

"Put these... okay," she said in a hushed whisper. 

Soomin's heart jumped as Sergeant Kim turned to her. 

"I ordered you to hand over your weapons." 

"I'm sorry!" Soomin threw her chained hands up. "I genuinely forgot. Sick and everything." 

The sergeant narrowed her eyes at Soomin. Beads of sweat trailed down the gunner's burning face. She couldn't see it, but her skin was probably red, too. 

"Alright," she accepted with a nod. "This is a warning. Don't do this again." Hyunjin pushed Soomin into the cell, clanged the metal bars closed, and locked the girls. Kotone moved to unlock Soomin's handcuffs, and the gunner reached to massage her bruised wrists with a relieved sigh. 

"You are not to leave your cells unless you are being called," Hyunjin spoke. "If you need to use the bathroom, you can ask the guards, and they will accompany you." 

The sergeant hovered her eyes over Soomin and the handcuffs. She gestured to hand the shackles over, and Kotone did so with a nod. 

"Our items in the truck," Yooyeon spoke. "What will happen to them?" 

"We will look through your items thoroughly. Any personal belongings will go back to you, as long as it isn't deemed dangerous." 

"And the food?"

"It will be given to the Commonwealth," the sergeant said. "Two meals will be distributed to each of you during the day." 

Hyunjin looked around. "Any more questions?" 

The girls kept quiet, some of them shaking their heads. 

The sergeant nodded. "Good. Medical checkups start tomorrow." She took a final glace at Soomin. She then spun on her heel and walked away with the other soldiers, leaving the girls alone with Joobin. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lynn, Sullin, Yubin, and Dahyun traversed along the forested hill. Lynn and Sullin took up the front with their eyes on a map while Dahyun and Yubin stayed in the back. Due to the uneven topography, the traceuse struggled to balance her crutches whenever she lowered them to the ground. Dahyun set a steadying hand on her back to help her. 

"How far away are we from Daejeon?" Dahyun asked the girls at the front. They had been traveling for the better part of a week. 

Lynn looked away from the map. "Just over a hundred kilometers." 

Dahyun sucked in a breath. "Still that much?" 

Lynn nodded. "And that's if we're talking about a straight path. Thing is, we've been avoiding residential areas. It will take us at least two more weeks to get there, and that is if we don't run into any complications," she added. Next to her, Sullin made a pout and a thumbs-down. 

Dahyun sighed but thanked her anyway. 

"I wish we had a car or something," Yubin huffed out next to her. A bead of sweat rolled down her face. On cue, the group heard the faint sound of a car engine. 

Lynn looked back down at the map. "There's a road down from here. We could try to get one, but it could be a little risky." 

"I'd take that-" Yubin's lower crutch slipped and she stumbled. Dahyun held her up by the arm and hip. 

"You okay?" the electrician worried. Yubin raised her eyebrows and let out a relieved sigh before nodding. Dahyun observed the other's movements. Her face was contorted in fatigue, and it looked like it took a lot for her to lift her crutches up. Yubin blinked harshly before letting out another sigh. 

"I think we should take a break," suggested Dahyun. Lynn and Sullin looked back at them and noticed Yubin's lethargy. They shared a look with each other, nodded in agreement, then walked back to the others. 

With Dahyun's help, Yubin lowered herself onto a stone with a wince and set her crutches to the side. Her shoulders ached from the overexertion, but she kept those complaints to herself. She stretched her injured leg out and sucked in a harsh breath, feeling the sting of the wound. 

"Is everything alright?" Lynn knelt down in front of the traceuse. 

Yubin pressed a hand against her forehead. "I think something's wrong with my injury." 

"Since how long?" 

Yubin stretched her lips to one side. "Since we started walking," she mumbled. 

Lynn looked up at her, incredulous. "We've been walking for a week. Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Yubin lied down on her back with a groan. 

"Thought it would go away," she admitted with a slight hint of embarrassment, dropping her hand to her side. Dahyun set a palm on her forehead and cringed. 

"You have a fever," she diagnosed before setting the bottom of a water bottle on Yubin's head. The traceuse let out a satisfied hum at the cool pressure. Dahyun looked over at her figure. Yubin tapped jittery fingers over her stomach. 

Dahyun softly huffed out, "You don't have to hide anything from us," she reminded. "We talked about this." 

Yubin sighed and closed her eyes, halting her hand movement. "I know..." she admitted. "Sorry." 

Sullin crouched next to Lynn as the latter rolled Yubin's pants up. The agent pressed her lips together, watching as blood leaked out of the bandages. She carefully peeled them away, the dressing sticking off the skin with a small squelch. 

"Ahh..." Lynn groaned and reeled back as she pulled the rest away. 

The stab wound looked, for the lack of a better word, revolting. Cloudy fluid mixed with blood pulsated out of the sutured injury and drained down the leg. Pus stuck to the reddened skin, and the slash looked especially irritated where the sutures entered the skin. Lynn could feel the heat radiate on the pads of her fingers. 

Dahyun gagged and stepped away. Lynn cringed at the view with her face contorted in disgust, while Sullin narrowed her eyes and reached into her bag. 

"Infected. For sure." Lynn said. She turned to Sullin. "Do you have medication?" 

Sullin nodded and passed out a small pill bottle. Lynn took it and pulled it close to her face, reading the terms of use. She narrowed her eyes. 

"What's doxycycline?" she asked, slowly enunciating the drug name. 

"For infection. Bacteria."  Sullin explained as she kept searching through her bag. 

"Ah, okay." Lynn nodded whilst reading the instructions. "Thank you," she added. She picked out a capsule and handed it to Yubin. The traceuse managed a thanks before swallowing the pill and gulping down the water bottle Dahyun left on her forehead. 

Lynn stood up. "I'll keep watch," she announced and walked away with a stretch of her arms. Yubin was close to joining her, but Sullin pressed her back down on the ground. Yubin eyed her curiously. 

"There's more?" 

Sullin pulled out a pair of scissors and showed it to the traceuse. "Cut." She then grabbed a closable plastic bag containing a needle and some string. 

Yubin deflated and made a moue as she watched Sullin crouch down in front of her infected leg. The traceuse changed her gaze onto the passing clouds. 

"I never asked before, but how do you know all of this medical stuff?" Yubin wondered, humming as she heard a snip. She then felt the tug of the string against her inner skin. "I know you told us you're a country girl and everything, but this is still a lot." 

"What?" Sullin asked, overloaded by the barrage of unintelligible information. 

Yubin cringed guiltily. "How do you know? This?" she repeated with easier words, pointing a finger at her leg whilst keeping her eyes glued to the sky. 

"Ah," Sullin said as she removed another string. "At school." 

"You learned this at school?" Yubin quirked a brow, slightly impressed. 

"Yes," Sullin approved. "And my mom." 

Yubin hummed. "Is your mother a doctor?" 

"What's a doctor?" Sullin stopped and looked up at her. 

"Uhh..." Yubin trailed off, awkwardly scratching her head and looking around for help. Unfortunately, the others were far away. She looked at Sullin and moved a hand around. "You know, fix, uhh... body...?" 

She should've listened in English class. Yubin gave up and shrugged apologetically. "Sorry." 

Sullin watched her quizzically in a few seconds of stillness. Then, she broke out into a grin. 

"Kidding. I know what doctor is." She stuck out a teasing tongue. Yubin was taken aback for a moment before she scoffed and smiled. 

"How funny," she said plainly, her smile widening as she heard Sullin's soft laughter. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lynn patrolled a hundred meters behind them, looking through the thick foliage the mountains Gangwon-Do offered. If her calculations and map were correct, they were a couple dozen kilometers away from the invisible border separating it and the province of Northern Chungcheong. 

Lynn massaged her forehead, a dull ache pressing against her temples. Instead of moving straight down, they had chosen to walk East to avoid the cities below them. It was the rational decision to make; if they were to awaken any horde, Yubin wouldn't have made it. In fact, Lynn highly doubted any one of them would have made it. Still, if they hadn't taken this detour, they would've already been more than halfway through their journey. 

It's fine, Lynn thought. It's better to stay safe.  

Lynn's ear twitched, injecting a pump of adrenaline through her heart. Her head jerked upward, catching a faint chorus of death. The agent put a hand up to her ear, her eyes straining as they spied above the ascending hill. 

A growl echoed, then several tufts of hair rose from the ground from far away. 

Lynn sucked in a breath and discreetly retreated to the group. Dahyun, while snacking on a few nuts, noticed her alarmed movements and hastily started putting everything away. Hoisting the bag onto her back, the electrician took out her knife as a precaution. Lynn hurried over to the other two. 

"Are we done here? Because there's a pack of them walking our way," Lynn hushed, gesturing behind them with her thumb. "Must've woken up from the car." 

Sullin looked up to her with her scissors in one hand and her other hand holding Yubin's calf, about to cut into the strings. She shook her head and pointed to the stitches. Lynn waved a dismissive hand. 

"Do it later, we're leaving now." 

With a pout, Sullin grabbed the crutches laid on the side and gave them to Yubin before packing her things in her bag and standing up. She smoothly passed the straps of the backpack through her arms. Yubin stood up and put a crutch under each arm. 

Lynn joined Dahyun at the front with her body ducked low. She mimed the girl to move uphill diagonally. With a nod, the electrician jogged with her body kept low. 

Lynn looked behind her, furrowing her brows as she watched Yubin move slowly, letting out a huff of discomfort with every push. Sullin tried her best to support the woman. 

The agent's eyes widened as half a dozen zombies appeared over them, marching their way. They spotted the duo who were lagging behind and picked up their pace. Dahyun stopped, gaping at the girls, unsure whether or not she should keep going. 

Lynn pushed Dahyun forward. "Go first," she hushed before running back. Dahyun nodded and climbed her way up the steep mountain. 

The agent approached her teammates, who eyed her in worry. 

"You two go while I fight them off." 

"What?" Yubin clenched her teeth, not liking the idea. "Are you sure?" 

"There's only six of them." Lynn stretched her neck before pulling out two throwing knives from her inner pockets. "I'll be more than fine," she added as she buttoned up her jacket confidently. 

Yubin looked the agent up and down. "Fine," she grunted. "Don't get yourself hurt, savior-wannabe." 

The traceuse discarded her crutches, and instead hooked and arm over Sullin's shoulder, hopping on one leg to keep herself balanced. Sullin stared at Lynn in misery. She wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words. Sighing through her nose, she wordlessly turned away with Yubin in tow, quickly escaping in a mix of jogging and fast hopping. 

Lynn took a deep breath with a roll of her shoulder before dropping her backpack to the ground. Her right hand reached for the machete set on her back. She grabbed the handle and pulled it out, nestling it into the palm of her fingerless glove. She crossed her left arm over her chest, the knives set between her fingers. She kept her body low, putting her left foot in the front and her right one in the back. 

"Not used to fighting with a machete," Lynn muttered under her breath, clenching and unclenching her fists. She craned her neck sideways. "But I'm not wasting any bullets." 

The agent shook off the last of her nervousness with a huff before locking her head low, preying on her enemies with the eyes of an unfed shark. The zombies' fast slumping turned into full on sprinting, their hollow eyes feasting on Lynn's sole, calm figure. 

Lynn watched patiently as the infected came closer, waiting for a window of opportunity to present itself. The monsters stumbled a few times as they ran along the uneven surface. Two of them were closer than the others. She waited until they were about ten meters away. For a moment, their heads were fully exposed. 

Now. 

Lynn's left arm snapped forward and she released her fingers, flinging the knives out. They traversed the air smoothly, not once straying from their path, and bullseyed into the center of the infecteds' foreheads, sending them falling on their backs. The other zombies kept rushing at her with noisy snarls. 

Lynn took a step forward and pushed her right boot into the dirt, propelling herself towards them. With an iron grip, she swung her machete upwards, slashing through the thorax of the closest zombie. When the weapon reached neck-level, Lynn changed the trajectory of her weapon into a horizontal cut and sliced it clean across its jugular. Blood violently gushed out of the zombie's neck, and the crimson water splattered against Lynn's face. 

The agent smacked away an incoming hand with the back of her closed fist before raising her right arm. She brought the machete against the head of the assailant with such force it split its skull in a deafening crack. When she tried to pull her weapon back, it stayed stuck in the bone. 

Lynn released her grip and jumped away from the fight. She narrowly avoided an incoming bite by rolling backwards and jumping away again, hovering a hand over the ground to keep her balanced. The two remaining infected showed no mercy as they restlessly came at her. 

The agent took a deep breath and set her hands in front of her narrowed eyes. As the first infected lunged at her with its arms extended, she deftly sidestepped and grabbed it by the hair before throwing it into the other zombie. As they stumbled back, Lynn morphed her fist into a straight hand, tucking in her thumb. She brought her arm up, and, with a grunt, smashed the side of her hand into the neck of the zombie in a fatal knifehand strike. 

The cervical spine broke with a resonating crunch, and the infected crumbled down. Without a break, Lynn brought her fists below her chin, anchored her left foot on the ground, and threw her right leg out, striking the last zombie's chest with her heel. The kick flung it backwards, and it hit the nearby tree before tumbling down. 

Lynn took the opportunity to dash towards the earlier corpses. She latched her hand on the machete, pressed her boot against the body's neck, and yanked the blade out of its bone-made sheath. The innards of the skull splattered out, painting the grass red. 

Lynn heard a growl to her left. She spun her head towards the source and thrusted the machete forward. The blade pierced through the infected's open jaw, tearing open a new hole from the back of its throat and out of its neck. Its arms went limp. The zombie peered its dead eyes into Lynn's, unmoving. Her fingers were close to grazing the creature's blackening teeth. 

As the agent pulled on her weapon, the infected gagged on the blade, twitching as it brought a hand back up. Lynn furrowed her brows and she swiftly kicked it away, retreating her machete before bringing it back against the side of its neck. The zombie slumped onto the ground, the body rustling against the few leaves and branches. 

The forest entered a dead silence. Lynn surveyed the corpses around her, confirming they were truly dead whilst breathing out coolly. She snapped her wrist, shaking the excess blood off her machete's blade before resetting it against her back. 

Lynn stepped forward to pull her backpack up when she heard the snap of a faraway twig. She turned around and narrowed her eyes, inhaling sharply as she noticed a few pairs of legs marching her way. Looping her arms through the straps, the agent quickly took off to regroup with her team. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Several minutes of slow-paced jogging later, Dahyun slackened to a stop. She put her hands on her knees and breathed heavily. 

Dahyun looked behind her, anxiety crawling up her arms when she saw no one. With a shaky inhale, the girl swiped her short hair back with her hand and sat herself down on the ground between two trees, deciding to wait for the others. She didn't let herself relax, though, and kept an attentive eye out for anything unusual. 

The electrician looked down at her knife. It was a kitchen knife. The metal blade was large, supported by a handle made of lacquered wood. 

Dahyun looked at herself through the stainless steel, angling her head to perceive her messy haircut. 
 
 
 

"Nice hair," Yubin commented as Dahyun walked by. Lynn had snipped her a new haircut, which was really just evening out the tips to save some semblance of coherence. It was slightly wavy and puffed out at odd places.  

The electrician stopped, looking down at the poker-faced traceuse. She narrowed her eyes. "Are you being sarcastic?"  

Yubin blinked, taken aback. "No, I'm being serious. I think you look nice," she complimented.  

Dahyun felt the tips of her ears warm up. She bit her inner cheek and sighed. "Sorry, you weren't giving any clues. But thanks," she said, smoothing out the dry strands of her hair. "It's kind of too bad, though. I really liked my long hair."  

Yubin pressed her lips together and shrugged. "My fault. But also not, because I saved your life with that one."  

"Oh, really?" Dahyun spoke, raising her brows. An amused expression settled on her face.  

"Call it a transaction of sorts." Yubin put forward two palms facing the sky and balanced them up and down. "A bit of hair for a life. Hmm... I'd say it's a pretty good deal." The traceuse smirked.  

Dahyun snorted, a smile splaying on her lips. "Alright, fine. It was a good deal." 
 
 
 

Nearby rustling snapped Dahyun out of her memories. She shot up from her seated position, her head dizzying from the sudden change in pressure. The electrician shook it off before whipping her head around, looking for the culprit. Her loud heartbeat drowned out any outside noise, leaving her to defend herself solely with her eyes. The trees by her side did her no favor, so she stepped out from between the trunks. 

A figure appeared in front of her. Dahyun let out a shout of surprise and shot her knife up. 

"Woah!" A man jolted and stumbled back, eyes wide. Dahyun's jaw dropped, and she retracted her knife at once. 

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" she exclaimed, covering her mouth with her hand. 

The man looked Dahyun up and down in shock. He wore a white t-shirt that looked a size too small for his built frame with black skinny jeans to pair. He looked surprisingly clean, his black hair giving a slight shine in the thin light, and there was no trace of hair on his quite handsome face. He wore a small backpack and held a shovel in his hand. 

"I'm really sorry," Dahyun repeated, pressing her hands together. "You caught me by surprise." 

"No, you're good." The man shook his head, recovering from the sudden attack. "It was a little out of nowhere, that's all," he reassured. 

Dahyun let out a long exhale before blinking profusely at him, uncertain of what to do. "Uhm, you're also a survivor?" 

The man inhaled, scratching his nose before nodding. "Yeah. I was just out foraging." He showed her the shovel. "Are you alone?" 

Dahyun shook her head. "No, I'm waiting for some others. We were just running away from a few infected." 

The man cringed. "That's not good. There aren't many in these mountains. Something must've woken them up." 

"A car passed by, I think that's why," Dahyun said. 

Looking down at the faraway road, the stranger nodded. "Must be. Good call," he commented. Dahyun smiled shyly at the compliment and turned away. The man then perked up. 

"Oh, those must be your friends," he said. 

Dahyun twisted her head behind her and let out a sigh of relief when she saw her three groupmates run up to her whilst supporting Yubin on each side. The electrician rushed to join them. 

"Are you all okay?" she asked, then gasped. "You have blood on your face." She reached up and wiped a thumb over Lynn's cheek. 

"I'll clean it up later," Lynn said, unconcerned. She gestured at the man with a tilt of her head. "Who's this?" 

The man extended his free hand. "Lee Yeojeong. Nice to meet you." 

Lynn took his hand in hers and gave a firm shake. "Lynn. I'd offer more pleasantries, but we need to get away from here." 

"Ah, right." Yeojeong said. "The zombies." 

Yubin narrowed her lidded eyes at Dahyun. The electrician met her gaze. 

How much did you tell him?  

Dahyun widened her eyes. Nothing! It was just a small tip.  

But what if he tries to kill us? Happened before.  

...  

"Hey, are you okay?" the man turned to Yubin. "You're sickly pale." 

"She's injured," Lynn responded, readjusting her arm around the traceuse. 

"How bad is it?" 

Lynn looked down at the wound and winced. Blood steadily trailed down the cut and dripped onto the ground. "Very bad." 

"Okay," Yeojeong exhaled. "Well, the good news is, I'm a doctor. I'll help her out back at my place," he offered. 

The girls looked at each other in disbelief. Dahyun immediately latched onto the opportunity, nodding profusely. 

"Yeah, yeah that'd be really nice." 

Yeojeong took off his backpack and handed it to Dahyun. "I'll carry her on my back," he said before turning around and squatting. 

Lynn and Sullin carried Yubin closer with some effort, and, through gritted teeth, the traceuse positioned herself over the man, sluggishly throwing her arms over his shoulders. With the side of her face pressed against his back, she looked over at her group, her eyes filled with doubt. Lynn simply shook her head, informing her they did not have a choice in the matter if they wanted to help her. 

The stranger pulled Yubin's legs up and stood upright. He tilted his head up the mountain. "Follow me," he said before taking a step forward. 

The girls looked at each-other and nodded, albeit Sullin's was one of confusion more than anything else, and they followed the man. 

"Woah." 

Walking out of the ocean of trees offered the girls the view of a large clearing. Stood proudly in the center of the grassy field was a two-story tall villa with a block design. The walls were painted a fresh white while the flat roof was black. Windows lined up one after the other, highlighting the pastel orange curtains. 

Dahyun stared in awe as she took long strides. "You live here?" she wondered. 

Yeojeong, still effortlessly carrying Yubin, smiled. "It's not much, but it's my place." 

"Not much?" Yubin mumbled under her breath, narrowing her eyes at the house. "What counts as a lot?" 

The man did not reply as they approached the building. Reaching the side door, he smoothly pulled out a bundle of keys and flipped them one by one, leaving time for the girls to look around his abode. What struck them was that the house was clean, untainted by the horrors that had occurred in the past month. 

"You were serious about not seeing a lot," Lynn commented as the stranger twisted one of the keys inside the lock. 

"I'll admit, it's been pretty peaceful on my part." He stepped inside. 

The inside of the house was somehow cleaner than the outside. The floor glimmered, reflecting the soft yellow light like a mirror. The small table where Yeojeong dropped his keys lacked a single speck of dust, and Dahyun swore the white walls were glowing. 

Yeojeong put Yubin down. "Get her to the guest's bedroom. Second door to the right. I'll get my equipment." He flicked a switch on, and the girls jumped when the ceiling lights turned on. 

Shaking off her surprise, Lynn held Yubin up and helped her walk towards the aforementioned room. Sullin joined in with her eyes glued to the ceiling. Dahyun stayed with their host, admiring the lights. 

"I got my own system going on, so power's still up," Yeojeong explained, noticing the electrician's astonishment. "I don't normally use it, but I'll make an exception for guests." 

Dahyun turned to him and offered a grateful smile. "That is amazing. Thank you so much, really." 

"You're welcome," he said, taking his keys back. He jingled them in front of Dahyun. "I'll go check up on your friend." 

He promptly walked away, leaving Dahyun to explore the house alone. Stepping out of the small hallway, she was greeted by the living room on her right. It held a minimalist design, the couches mixing beige and white. She noticed there was no television, and the spot was instead filled by a dark oak shelf stacked with books. Dahyun moved closer and read off a few titles, 

The Complete Human Body,  

Human Anatomy,  

Untold Surgery,  

Foraging Mushrooms: Safe or Deadly?  

Acidic Chemistry  

Dahyun nodded and took a step back. On cue, their host came back with a rolling tray full of medical instruments and pill bottles. 

"You can keep looking if you'd like," he said when he saw Dahyun turn back in surprise. The electrician shook her head. 

"I'll go with you," she said, and followed Yeojeong into the guest's room. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Yubin let out a grunt as cold metal prodded with her wound, keeping her arms wrapped around the bed's soft pillow. She was lying down with her stomach against the mattress. Her leg also rested on the bed with a towel settled under it. 

"How old is this wound?" the doctor asked, pointing a flashlight at the injury. 

"Just about a month," Lynn answered, watching the procedure with her arms crossed. Next to her, Sullin observed attentively. 

The man hummed and adjusted the lighting. "The blade went deep into your skin. The perpetrator put all their weight in. Even twisted it a little." he described. "Whoever did this must've really had it out for you." 

Yubin huffed, her leg involuntarily twitching at another prod. "Something like that." 

"How long will it take to heal?" Dahyun asked. 

Yeojeong sighed, setting his flashlight down. "Well, it has been a month, so a lot of the flesh has been repaired. Unfortunately, it looks like it didn't get the medical help it needed." 

"We didn't have a lot on our hands." Lynn combed her messy hair back. "It's hard to find anything without getting hunted down." 

A hum. The man reached for his tray, a light clattering filling their ears. Yubin took a deep breath when she felt a needle perforate her skin. 

"The week long infection did you no favor," the doctor commented as he passed the string through the wound. "If it was discovered earlier, you would've recovered quicker." 

Yubin grunted as her skin was pierced once more. "I heard that one already." 

Yeojeong didn't reply, instead focusing on the stitch. Yubin clenched her jaw with every puncture. 

"What antibiotics did you take?" 

"Doxycycline," Lynn responded. 

The doctor nodded in understanding, cutting the string and tying a final knot at the top of the suture. He pressed a gauze pad onto the newly stitched wound before wrapping a tape around the leg. 

"Were you all headed somewhere?" he wondered. "I don't see why you'd travel with such injury." 

Dahyun opened her mouth. "At first, we were planning to just move out because of how close we were to Seoul. But then we caught a radio transmission saying there was refuge in Daejeon, so we decided to go there." 

"I haven't been keeping up with the news much," Yeojeong admitted. "But Seoul's where it all started, right?" 

Dahyun nodded. 

"Daejeon..." he mumbled under his breath. With a gulp, he said, "I'm sorry to disappoint, but you'll have to wait on that plan for a bit. Your friend needs to recover, and I'd rather her stay here so I can make sure the wound’s healing fine." 

"You still haven't told us how long it would take." Lynn pointed out. 

The doctor combed his hair back. "Right, I didn't," he realized. "Well, I'd say it'll take a month for the it to fully close." 

Dahyun's eyes nearly left their orbits. "A month?" she exclaimed. Lynn pressed her lips together and looked down, tapping her foot on the ground whilst Yubin let out a frustrated groan. Sullin frowned and counted her fingers. 

At the sight of the girls deflating, the man added, "I apologize for the wait. It's probably longer than you expected. Though, I'll extend a hand and invite you to search the pantry for any food. Either that, or you could go take a shower." 

Lynn blinked in surprise. "You still have water?" 

The doctor's lips curved upwards into a smile. "I have my own propane system, and the same goes for water. Mix them together, and you get a hot shower,” he boasted. 

The girls gasped and shared astounded looks. As the information slowly settled into their minds, their smiles grew. 

"You have a hot shower?" 

Yeojeong nodded. "You're free to take as much as you'd like." 

Dahyun jumped and squealed excitedly before dashing out. Lynn threw and arm out to stop her, but the electrician was gone, the agent hearing her footsteps fade. She retracted her hand back with an amused huff. 

A few seconds later, they heard footsteps coming back. Dahyun peeked her head over the doorframe sheepishly. "Uhm, where is it?" 

The doctor let out an amused chuckle. "Second floor, third door on the left." 

With another excited noise, Dahyun ran back out. 

Yeojeong looked at the other two. “Looks like you’ll have to wait your turn.” 

Lynn wiped the blood off her face with her fingers. "Well, I won't be rejecting the offer," she said with a smirk. She turned to Sullin. "You know what he said, right?" she asked, seeing as the girl didn't look as thrilled as them. 

"I know," Sullin answered simply. 

Lynn blinked. "And you’re not more excited about this?" 

Sullin shrugged. "Hot, cold, same thing," she said, indifferent. 

"But a shower's fun, at least?" The smile on Lynn's face wavered at Sullin's unbreakable wall of nonchalance. 

Her friend's face lit up. "Yes, that's right." 

Lynn beamed. "Okay, good." The agent turned back to the doctor, who watched their interaction curiously. 

Lynn offered the man a deep bow. "Thank you very much for helping us. We are grateful for your hospitality," she said formally. Next to her, Sullin imitated Lynn. 

Yeojeong smiled amusedly. "No need to be so polite, you're welcome guests," he said. 

Lynn stood up straight. "It's been tough outside, so this is a much needed break." 

The doctor quirked a brow. "Well, by the looks of it, your enemies had a tougher time than you." 

The agent let out a soft laughter. "You could say that," she replied, trailing another finger down her cheek and looking at the dried blood. "I should probably go clean this up. And get myself a meal." Lynn patted her stomach and turned towards Sullin. "Do you want to go eat together?" 

Sullin pondered for a moment, pursing her lips, before shaking her head. "No. I'll stay." 

"Are you sure?" Lynn asked, slightly taken aback. Sullin wasn't one to reject a meal. 

Still, Sullin nodded with certainty. "You go eat," she encouraged. 

Lynn exhaled. "Okay." She nodded, turning around and walking away. She took one final glance at Sullin before stepping out the door. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dahyun discarded her grimy clothes onto the bathroom tiles with a sigh. Making her way towards the shower, she caught her figure in the mirror and turned to look at herself. 

She was significantly thinner than a month ago. Even with Lynn and Sullin's relatively bountiful meals, it didn't stop her from losing weight. Bones peeked out from places she hadn't seen before, and she winced. She would definitely be taking up Yeojeong's offer to raid the pantry. She was covered in dirt and mud, and she flicked away a stray piece stuck on her hollow collarbones. Her skin had also tanned from the constant exposure to sunlight. 

Dahyun leaned closer to the mirror. Her hair was a dry mess. Split ends peeked out from every corner, brown strands were tangled together, and everything was puffed out. It looked like a bird's nest, and she thought it could house at least three families. Dahyun could not believe they had never brought back shampoo from their expeditions. 

Her attention trailed down onto her face. Her eyes were irritated, and the skin under it were dark pockets. Stress lines marked her sunken cheeks, and her lips were slightly chapped and discolored. 

Dahyun turned away, a weight pressing against her heart. With a small exhale, she stepped into the shower, closing the door behind her. She trailed a hand over the shower handle, feeling the cold, reassuring metal against her lithe fingers. After adjusting the heat level, she tilted the handle upwards. 

She jolted as the showerhead poured freezing water on her, a chill running up her spine and her teeth chattering. Then, the water slowly adjusted itself into something warmer, soothing Dahyun’s cold body, until it became hot enough to fog up the glass. 

Dahyun tilted her head up and took it all in. The hot water carried every ounce of stress she had down the drain, massaging her body into a state of pure bliss. Her shoulders relaxed as it washed away the filth and muck that clung to her body like a second skin. 

Dahyun let out a chuckle, stuck in a euphoric state. But, just like everything in this new world, it didn't last long. Her bliss turned to misery, and her chuckles turned into muffled whimpers. The heavy weight doubled down, crushing her heart. A wave of nausea hit her, and a breath escaped her lips in a choked-out sob, jerking her body upwards in the process. Another sob came out not long after that, then another. 

Dahyun lowered her head and slid herself against the wall until she was sitting down. She dug her head into her knees, hugging her body. The hot shower brought her no more comfort, and instead simulated a sorrowful downpour on her back as she quietly sobbed into herself, her tears mixing with the rain. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dahyun walked back into the guest’s room after leaving the shower and eating a meal. She had stepped out of the pantry with a towel around her neck when she met Lynn sitting at the dinner table, eating her own snack. 
 
 
 

Lynn looked up at her. "Have you been crying?"  

Dahyun blinked through her puffy eyes. "Was it that obvious?"  

Lynn pursed her lips and tilted her hand from side to side. "Eh, a little," she admitted. "Are you alright, though?" she asked, leaning forward.  

Dahyun offered a smile. "Yeah. I think I just really needed it."  

"That's good." Lynn smiled back gently. "Still, if you need anything, you can talk to me."  

"I'll keep that in mind." Dahyun said, settling down at the table. "Thank you." 
 

 

"Hi, Sullin." Dahyun greeted, surprised the girl hadn't left her spot in all that time. Sullin waved back at her, her face lighting up. She came forward and ran her fingers through Dahyun's soft hair. 

Dahyun giggled. "Shower's up if you need it. Or you can go eat something." She said, setting a hand on Sullin's shoulder. The younger girl gave her a firm nod before walking away. 

Dahyun turned her attention to Yeojeong, who still sat beside the bed. His medical equipment had been moved away. He greeted her with a smile, and Dahyun smiled back. 

"I wanted to thank you again for helping us, and for being so welcoming," she said. 

"Of course,” the man replied. “I haven't seen people for a while, so it kind of got lonely." 

Dahyun took a seat on the bed. "You've been alone for the past month? What about your family?" 

Yeojeong shook his head. "No, there isn't really anyone. They all lived in the city. I hope they're alright, but..." he trailed off, looking down. 

“I’m sorry to hear that.” Dahyun empathized. "If you don't mind me asking, why did you choose such an isolated place to live if you feel lonely?" 

The man let out a small huff. "I'm a house doctor. Patients come and visit me in my home, and sometimes I go to their place. Back in the day, I'd talk to many people, often elders who had much to say, so I didn't feel lonely at all." 

Yeojeong readjusted his shirt. "And, although I do like the company, I also value my alone time. I always liked the mountains, too, so with the good amount of money I made, I chose to build my house here." 

Dahyun hummed. "That makes sense." 

"It does?" the doctor asked. The electrician smiled. 

"Yeah, it does. I can see why you chose this place now." 

Yeojeong smiled in relief. "That's good to hear." 

Dahyun nodded and changed her attention to Yubin, who listened to their conversation with half-open eyes. She had readjusted her position and lied on her back under the blankets. 

The doctor caught the electrician's gaze and stood up. He set a hand on Dahyun's shoulder. 

"I'll leave you two to talk. If you need me, I'll be in my room. Second floor, end of the hallway." 

With a charming smile, he took his leave, closing the door behind him. Dahyun watched him go, staring at the door for a few more seconds than necessary. 

A snicker brought the electrician back to Yubin. 

"What's so funny?" Dahyun inquired, raising a brow. 

Yubin waved a dismissive hand. "It's nothing. How was the shower?" she asked. 

"It was nice." Dahyun replied. She wasn't lying, it was nice. 

The traceuse hummed. "I'll take one tomorrow morning. I'm too tired to do anything right now." She said. Dahyun looked outside. The sun was still up in the sky, but it had become evening, basking the room in an orange glow accentuated by the curtains of the same hue. 

A comfortable silence fell over the two survivors. Dahyun kept her eyes on the pale curtains while Yubin sank further into the mattress. 

The traceuse was glad they could sit in such quiet. The her from a month ago wouldn't have believed it. An uncomfortable feeling stirred in her stomach. 

"Hey." 

Dahyun looked at Yubin. The traceuse took a deep breath. 

"I'm sorry for all this trouble I'm putting you girls through," she apologized. "I should've just told you about the infection when it started." 

"Maybe," Dahyun admitted, "but at least it led us to someone who could help.” A smile grew on her face. “Plus, he’s a nice guy.” 

Yubin narrowed her eyes at Dahyun. The electrician stared back in confusion. 

“Why do you keep looking at me like that?” Dahyun asked. 

“Like what?” 

“Like you know something.” 

"I don’t," Yubin answered dismissively. "You just smile every time he shows up." 

Dahyun furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't do that." She felt her face heat up. 

Yubin widened her eyes. "Holy crap." 

"...What?" 

"You totally like him already!" The traceuse accused, shoving a finger in front of Dahyun's face with glee. 

Dahyun whined and smacked Yubin's intrusive arm away. "I do not!" she protested despite her cheeks a bright red. “He’s just been very friendly!” 

Yubin let out a loud cackle at Dahyun's embarrassment, ignoring the sore aches from her mending ribs. The electrician smacked her again with a deep pout. "You're so mean," she complained. 

Yubin's laughter slowly died down, and she reverted to a calm expression. "But seriously," she started, causing Dahyun to perk up. "Even though he helped us, I wouldn’t trust him too quickly. I don't want a replay of what happened." 

Dahyun gulped and looked away, feeling the familiar weight on her chest. "I know." 

Yubin stretched her arms and let out a yawn. "Good." She dropped her arms onto the mattress with a puff. "I'm gonna knock myself out. Good night, unnie," she wished before closing her eyes. 

Dahyun watched over Yubin's peaceful expression, the ceiling light shining over her features. A sense of normalcy washed over her, a taste of her past life. She knew she shouldn't, but Dahyun let herself indulge in the moment, knowing it might never come again. 

Dahyun walked over to the door and flicked the lights off, engulfing the room in the sunset light. She then walked back towards the bed and settled herself under the covers, letting out a satisfied hum as her back pressed against the soft mattress. 

Dahyun closed her tired eyes and sighed. She hadn’t felt this safe in the last month. Sleep came to her easily, the thought of permanently settling in the house whispering to her as she drifted away in a comfortable slumber.

Chapter Text

On the second day of their quarantine, Sergeant Kim gave each of the girls a sheet of paper with a single pen to pass between themselves. The paper was a form asking for their names, age, birth date, allergies, and past occupation. 

"Just to know who we're dealing with," the sergeant reasoned, handing out the thin stacks through the cell gaps. When the girls were done, they gave them back to Hyunjin. The soldier took them off their hands and quickly looked through the forms, occasionally lifting a curious eyebrow, before passing them to another trooper. She then gestured at Joobin, the girls' official guard, to unlock the cells. 

"I need two people from each cell to step out for their medical checkups." Sergeant Kim announced while Joobin creaked the doors open. The girls briefly glanced at each other and nodded, having already decided on the order. The first cell started with Soomin and Nakyoung, and the second cell went with Sohyun and Xinyu. 

Nakyoung walked out, scrunching her nose in light pain when she put pressure on her injured foot. Seeing her struggle, Xinyu helped her out, wrapping the vigilante's arm around her shoulders and holding her snugly by the hip. The fashionista was careful not to touch Nakyoung's injured hand when grabbing her wrist. Soomin stepped out with a blanket wrapped around her body, holding tightly onto the fabric as she exhaled heavily. Sohyun massaged the side of her neck, occasionally taking a deep breath to clear herself from any dizziness. The sergeant hovered her eyes over them before turning and marching away. 

When the first group came back from their checkups, the girls sent Jiwoo and Hyerin from the first cell, and Chaewon and Haerin from the second. Sergeant Kim was gone by then, and they followed a new soldier. 

After that, Yooyeon and Seoyeon went, paired with Mayu and Kotone. 

As they were led down the hallway, Seoyeon quietly approached Yooyeon. 

"What did you fill in for your occupation?" The nurse asked in a whisper. 

Without looking, Yooyeon tapped Seoyeon's hand reassuringly. "Nothing more than 'scientist,'" she answered under her breath. She kept her eyes on the soldier ahead, making sure he hadn't heard them. 

Seoyeon let out a quiet sigh of relief before nodding, keeping pace with Yooyeon. Kotone looked in their direction, raising a curious eyebrow, but said nothing. She and Mayu held hands. 

The medical checkups ended with Yeonji and Chaeyeon from the first cell, and Nien from the other one. 

Yeonji stared blankly at the wall whilst sitting on a hospital bed, going along with whatever the nurse was doing. At the moment, the medical staff had her left arm lifted, and gently rolled her shoulder. Her thoughts clamored loudly in her head, trying to overpower each other. 

"What are you thinking about?" the nurse suddenly asked, snapping Yeonji out of her daze. The young skateboarder looked up at her, although she didn't have to look very high. The nurse was short and looked young. Yeonji thought she must’ve been around the same age as Seoyeon. 

She shrugged. "A little bit of everything," Yeonji admitted as the nurse let go of her arm. 

"I can see that." The woman smiled. Her voice was raspier and deeper than what Yeonji expected. "You can say them out loud if you want, I don't mind at all," she offered, moving onto Yeonji's other arm. 

Yeonji perked up and looked around. The prison's internal courtyard had been repurposed into a nursing room. Eight beds were lined up on the walls with four on each side, separated by curtains. She couldn't see her teammates, or any other survivor. 

The skateboarder inhaled, readjusting her thoughts. "Well, I slept in yesterday, so I'm kind of dealing with everything right now. Feels weird to stay in one place." 

The nurse hummed. "Must be a lot," she empathized. "You didn't have somewhere to hole up in the last month?" 

"Not really..." Yeonji stretched her lips to one side. "I was on a firetruck half the time, and that thing was always moving unless we had to stop to refill the tank." 

"What about the other half?" 

"That was in the middle," Yeonji explained. "We managed to get out of Seoul on the first day. We found ourselves a nice place to stay with a lot of survivors, but..." she trailed off, looking glumly to the side. 

The nurse gently set Yeonji's arm back to her side. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," she comforted. "I'm sure we all have things we'd rather keep for ourselves these days. In any case, it must've been difficult." 

The skateboarder nodded. "It was. 'Tone-unnie almost got killed. She would've died if it wasn't for Nien-unnie." 

"The firefighter?" inquired the nurse. 

Yeonji nodded. "Yeah. She's kind of crazy in a good way. Super strong and has no fear. I'm glad to have her on the team." 

"That does sound like a strong teammate," the nurse agreed. "We have Hyunjin-unnie, but she's just crazy." 

Yeonji snorted in disbelief. "Seriously? She doesn't look that way at all." 

The nurse snickered. "I'm not supposed to say this," she leaned in and whispered, "but when she thinks no one's watching, she starts laughing and talking to an imaginary person." 

Yeonji's jaw dropped. "No way!" she quietly exclaimed, and the two survivors shared a giggle. 

"Yeojin." A female doctor called out. Yeonji and the nurse turned towards her, and the skateboarder noticed they looked strikingly similar. "Are you done? We need to switch them out." 

"Okay, unnie!" Yeojin grinned, then turned back to Yeonji. "All your motor functions are good. Your vitals are also stable. Basically, you're in good health." 

The nurse fished something out of her pocket and handed it to the girl. It was a blue lollipop. 

Yeonji blinked, hesitatingly taking the candy from her nurse's hands. "Are you sure...?" She looked up at her. 

Yeojin nodded with an assuring smile. "It's not my favorite anyway," she added. 

Yeonji mused over for a moment, rolling the thin stick between her fingers. "Thank you for cheering me up." 

The nurse hummed with a smile. "No matter how bad life gets, you should always enjoy the small things." She nudged her head towards the door, encouraging Yeonji to follow. 

The medical staff could not pinpoint what Soomin's illness was. They had resorted to giving her different antibiotics and an ice pack. The girls sharing her cell had let her rest on the bottom bunk, having placed the icepack on her forehead over a piece of cloth. She had rested for the first few days, as her fever wouldn't come down despite the medications. Concerned, the members had taken turns to watch over the young gunner, most of it having been Hyerin. Meanwhile, Seoyeon had taken the top bunk, sleeping for the better part of most days. The others didn't comment much, though, as they had also used the first week to settle in and regain their strength. 

The second week was when things got a little long. 

A fully recovered Soomin pressed her hands against the metal bars and peeked her head out. She tilted her face to the side to watch the soldier outside their cell. 

"What's up 'Binnie?" she asked with a smile. Joobin, as always, didn't respond, looking straight ahead. Soomin had done this routine every morning since her fever faded. 

Yeonji skated over and stopped next to Soomin, having recovered her skateboard a couple days ago. She rested the board against the bars before squishing her cheek against the gunner's. "Hey, you should totally let us out," she whispered. "You know, we youngsters gotta stick together. Maybe take over the military." 

"Yeah!" Soomin cheered. She then narrowed her eyes. "Actually, how old are you? You look younger than this kid next to me." 

Yeonji grimaced, eyeing Soomin up and down. "Joobin, can you shoot this dweeb for me?" 

Soomin gasped. "Did you just call me a dweeb? Show some respect to your unnie." 

"I'm seriously not calling you unnie." Yeonji clicked her tongue. "But anyway- Private Joobin. You should totally join our cause." 

Yooyeon lied on the bottom bunk with her hands resting on her stomach. She stared at the upper bunk and sighed. "What are they talking about?" 

"They're trying to stage a coup," Nakyoung, who sat on the edge of the bed, giggled. Yooyeon smiled with her, listening in to the duo's plans to overthrow Daejeon's military dictatorship. 

"They really are just a bunch of kids, huh?" Yooyeon wondered. She then pursed her lips. "I kind of feel bad for the soldier." 

Nakyoung hummed, "Better her than us," she admitted. "I don't think I'd be able to take it, even though I do appreciate them behaving like they should." 

"'Binnie," Yeonji spoke up. "If you stay still, you're gay." 

Yooyeon, along with her cellmates, quirked a curious brow and looked towards the cell bars, wondering if Joobin would actually move. The only one who didn't pay attention was Hyerin, who rested on the top bunk, listening to mellow melodies through Soomin's headphones. 

After a couple seconds of stillness, the soldier rolled her shoulders. Soomin and Yeonji burst out cackling. Chaeyeon stared open-mouthed before entering a fit of giggles, and even Jiwoo had to bite down a smile. 

"Come on, leave her alone." Haerin's disapproving voice echoed from the other cell. The two troublemakers' laughter slowly died down, and they ushered quick but genuine apologies towards the soldier. Still, they kept talking to her, and Yeonji had changed the topic to her skateboard's custom design. 

Yooyeon sighed through her nose, letting her head fall back against the mattress with a shake of her head. 

Nakyoung pursed her lips, drumming her fingers against the side rail of the bed. "We're like parents of two troublemakers." 

Yooyeon's mind blanked at Nakyoung's curveball of a comment. She lightly furrowed her eyebrows. "Uh, sure." 

Nakyoung smirked. "I'll pretend I didn't hear you hesitate," she said before standing up with a stretch, her bomber jacket lifting alongside her arms and exposing her lower back. Yooyeon turned to face the wall. 

The vigilante noticed the scientist's neutrality and let her arms fall with a pout. "You're not interested?" 

"It's nothing personal," Yooyeon said. 

"Oh, you got someone else on your mind?" Nakyoung's eyes sparkled with a glint of mischievousness. The two teenagers stopped nagging Joobin, waiting for Yooyeon's response. 

Yooyeon blinked, her thoughts flashing to Seoyeon. "Yeah," she spoke easily. 

"That was fast." Nakyoung's excited glint evaporated. The two girls groaned exasperatedly. 

"Did you expect me to say something else?" asked the scientist. 

The vigilante shrugged. "No. I just thought you'd be more defensive about it." 

"Yeah, it's kind of boring if you just admit it outright," Soomin complained. Yeonji nodded profusely next to her with her arms crossed. 

Yooyeon looked up at them. "Well, sorry to disappoint?" 

"Boo." Yeonji flashed a thumbs-down before going back to annoying an ever-unresponsive Joobin. Soomin turned along with her. 

Nakyoung pushed Yooyeon to the side and lied down next to her. "Who is it?" she prodded, shaking the scientist by the arm. 

Yooyeon looked at the vigilante weirdly. "Aren't you taking too much pleasure in this?" 

"Hey," Nakyoung said. "Woman who shows no emotion falls for someone. I can't say no to that," she explained as if it was the most obvious thing ever. 

Yooyeon narrowed her eyes. "I feel like you out of all people shouldn't be calling me cold-blooded." 

Nakyoung gasped in faux offence. "I am a very warm person!" 

"Yeah, she just like to beef with everyone," Soomin commented. 

"What does that even mean- Whatever." Nakyoung waved a dismissive hand. She leaned into Yooyeon. "Who is it?" 

Yooyeon pursed her lips, tapping a finger on the back of her hand. 

Yooyeon nestled herself uncomfortably on the prison floor, her back flat against the cement. She put her hands behind her head, acting as a makeshift pillow. A thin blanket was draped over her body. It wasn't very warm.

At least she was safe, Yooyeon thought, trying to drown out the snoring next to her. She didn't know who it was from. Everything was pitch black as she stared at the ceiling. There would be a few small lamps illuminating the prison after dark, but it was lights out after ten.

Yooyeon heard a small step in the dark. Her heart lightly skipped a beat, but her brain was quick to rationalize the situation, and she relaxed again.

"Yooyeon-unnie?" A light voice spoke from the void. Yooyeon recognized it instantly.

"I'm awake," she answered with a softness in her tone she didn't know she had. "Do you need anything, Seoyeon-ah?"

A pause. Yooyeon turned her head over despite not being able to see anything.

"I can’t fall sleep."

Yooyeon blinked. "Is that so?"  

Another pause. Yooyeon guessed Seoyeon was nodding.

"This is a weird request, but..." Seoyeon trailed off hesitantly. "Could you help me out?"  

"...In what sense?" Yooyeon inquired.  

"Just— lie down next to me, I don't know— gosh, this is weird." Seoyeon exhaled and let out a disheartened chuckle.  

Yooyeon pressed her lips together. She knew from the one month of knowing her, Seoyeon wasn't one to ask for help. She would always push herself to the limit for others and damage her own health in the process. Yooyeon thought it was admirable just as much as she believed it was irrational.  

"You can say it." The scientist encouraged. "I won't judge."  

"I know. I just..." Seoyeon mused for a second, then inhaled. "I think I sleep better when I'm around you," she admitted in a whisper.  

Yooyeon lied still from a moment, processing what Seoyeon confessed. An awkward silence layered over them, and Yooyeon could only imagine Seoyeon wrung her wrists in apprehension.  

"Actually, forget it. I'll-"  

"I'll hold you." Yooyeon offered, stunning Seoyeon into silence.  

A sigh of relief came from Seoyeon. "Okay," she whispered.  

The scientist inhaled from her nose and lifted the thin blanket before standing up. Her hand searched for Seoyeon's in the dark. She waved it around blindly until it hit the nurse's forearm, then she slid it down to grab her hand. With that, Seoyeon led her to the other side of the cell, crossing over the sleeping figures of their group members.  

Seoyeon let go of Yooyeon's hand, and the scientist listened to the indistinct metal clang of the bunk bed's ladder. It was faint under the buzzing in her ears. She heard shuffling from the mattress above and used it as her cue to climb.  

A light hum escaped Yooyeon's lips as her palms hit the bedding. It was softer than she thought. Either that, or her standards for a comfortable bed had fallen. She hypothesized the latter.  

Yooyeon carefully lied down on her back, making sure to not hit anything, or anyone, in the process. Her right shoulder awkwardly hugged the bed's protective railing, the metal sending a cold shiver through her arm.  

Seoyeon moved around on her left. "You're practically on the edge. Come closer," she beckoned.  

Yooyeon swallowed dryly and shimmied to the side. Her palms felt clammy, and her ears felt hot. Seoyeon draped her thicker blanket over Yooyeon, then rested her head on the woman's chest. Yooyeon froze at the abrupt physical contact, and she held her breath.  

"Is this alright?" Seoyeon hesitated. Her ear was placed against her quickening heartbeat.  

"...Yeah." Yooyeon breathed out. The back of her neck suddenly felt tense.  

"Okay."  

More silence. Yooyeon didn't dare to budge, not wanting to disrupt Seoyeon's comfort. Her body felt hot, a large contrast to when she lied on the floor, and the warmth swirled through her stomach.  

"Are you sure it's okay? You're very still." Seoyeon worried. "I can move away." She tilted her head up and began to uncross her arm.  

"No." Yooyeon blurted out and put her hand on Seoyeon's arm, pulling her closer. She took a deep inhale. "I said I'd help you."  

She could feel Seoyeon stagger before nodding wordlessly and letting her head fall back against her chest. Letting out a slow exhale, Yooyeon relaxed her shoulders, her eyes narrowed at the ceiling. Her grip on Seoyeon's arm slackened until it rested comfortably against her skin. She brought up her other arm over the covers and nestled it against Seoyeon's back.  

Seoyeon gulped. "Thank you, unnie," she said under her breath.  

"Of course." Yooyeon answered without skipping a beat. "Get some rest. You deserve it."  

"Seoyeon? Really?" Nakyoung exclaimed in genuine surprise. 

"That was kind of obvious, actually," Hyerin spoke for the first time, apparently interested in the conversation. "Seoyeon-unnie is glued to Yooyeon-unnie." 

Yooyeon looked up and sighed. An odd feeling of longing wrapped itself around her heart. They had let Seoyeon out earlier since she was a nurse, and they needed more staff. She had been pulled out the day before. 

Soomin scratched her nose. "Well, I think it makes sense she likes Seoyeon-unnie. They met first and everything." 

"Was it love at first sight?" Chaeyeon teased with a grin. Jiwoo coughed awkwardly next to her. 

"No." Yooyeon deadpanned. "We were running for our lives." 

"Sounds romantic." 

"They're like mom and dad." Soomin realized with a gasp. “They started everything.” 

"Who's the mom?" Yeonji wondered. 

"Seoyeon-unnie, obviously. Yooyeon-unnie doesn't care enough." 

Yooyeon raised her eyebrows at the last comment. 

"Wait," Nakyoung interrupted, sitting up. "If they're the parents, then what does that make me?" 

Soomin narrowed her eyes and hummed, pondering over the question. "You're like the best friend...?" 

Nakyoung reeled back in puzzlement. "What is that supposed to mean?" 

"Like- you're the best friend that might just end up homewrecking the couple." 

Another fit of laughter filled the quarantine room. Nakyoung stared in stupefaction, blinking from time to time with her jaw on the floor. Yooyeon had her lips pressed together, chuckling in amusement. 

"I would never do that!" Nakyoung snapped out of her trance and vehemently protested. An argument quickly escalated between her and the gunner. 

Yooyeon closed her eyes with a satisfied smile resting on her face, tapping out of the conversation as it shifted. She mentally thanked Soomin and Yeonji for the entertainment; it made their quarantine more bearable. Still, she awaited their release apprehensively, growing with want as she thought of Seoyeon. 

The living room's lights shone over Dahyun and Sullin as they sat on the living room's couch. Dahyun held a book between her hands while Sullin followed along, trying her best to understand. 

Dahyun trailed her finger under a line. "Can you read this?" she asked, inching the book closer towards Sullin. The girl squinted with her mouth parted, her eyes hovering over the characters. 

"The atom donates an electron to another atom to form an ionic bond," she pronounced hesitantly and robotically, putting emphasis on every syllable. "Covalent bonds..." Sullin trailed off and looked up at Dahyun. "I don't know." 

Dahyun pursed her lips. "Lynn," she called out to the girl. She and Yubin sat across the room with their own book titled  Foraging Mushrooms: Safe or Deadly?  

Lynn looked up from the book. "What is it?" 

"Any easier words in your book?" 

"No, it's explaining how toxic these mushrooms are, even though they all kill you anyway." Yubin answered with a scrunch of her nose. "Me, personally, I just want to know which ones I can eat." 

"Be careful though," A male voice jumped in, "Many of them look similar." 

The guests turned their attention towards Yeojeong, who stood in the hallway, holding a shovel and a backpack. 

Yubin narrowed her eyes. "Yeah... I can see that." She lifted the book and showed the pages to the doctor. The images displayed two eerily similar white mushrooms. One was called the "paddy straw mushroom," while the other took on the name of the "death cap." 

Yeojeong pointed at the death cap. "Good thing about that one is that it mostly grows in Europe, so we're relatively safe." 

Yubin turned the book back to her. "Oh," she said, reading the text further. "It does." 

Dahyun turned towards the doctor, closing the atomic physics book. "Do you have books other than advanced sciences?" she requested with a sheepish smile. 

Yeojeong sucked in a breath and looked around. "I don't think I have- oh! I might. Be right back," he said before walking off. 

Moments later, he came back with a large, but thin book. The cover spelled Garfield in Korean lettering. Dahyun's face brightened. 

"I would sometimes have children visiting, so I kept a couple of these around," he explained, handing the comic to the pair. Sullin gasped and beamed at the cover, recognizing the large orange cat. 

Dahyun let out a breath of relief, admiring the front. "Thank you so much." 

"You're welcome," he replied, readjusting the strap of his backpack. 

"Where are you going?" Lynn questioned, nudging her head towards his shovel. 

"I'll be out foraging for a little." 

Yubin quirked an eyebrow. "Why? You have so much food here." 

"I find my own food whenever I can, that's why I can keep so much stored. But my time was cut off yesterday." 

Lynn pondered for a moment, stretching her lips to one side. "I don't think it's a good idea to go out yet. They might still be out there." 

"I can manage." Yeojeong said confidently. 

"You can't." Yubin cut off. "One wrong move, and it's over." 

The doctor passed a hand over his face. "But you all survived out there for a month. How bad could it be?" He wondered cluelessly. 

The girls met each other's eyes, realizing how isolated the man had been from the situation. 

Lynn inhaled through her nose, her face darkening in an air of graveness. "How many infected have you actually crossed out there?" 

Yeojeong casually waved his shovel around. "A few here and there, but they were always alone." 

"Well, I've heard enough." Yubin raised her hands, then slapped them against the couch's armrests. She stood up with a small groan, massaging her lower ribs, and locked eyes with the doctor. 

Dahyun also stood up. "Yubin." 

"Hold on." Yubin said, putting a hand up. "Let me help him understand what we've been through." She took a step forward, her injured leg limping behind her. 

"On the first day, I had to stay on the roof with some girl I barely knew, forced to watch people getting torn apart on the streets, and they'd come back to life just to attack more people. All night, I had to listen to screams of men, women, and children. Car sirens went off all the time." 

Yubin took a deep breath, then continued, "I almost saw my friends die right below me without being able to do anything. I had to fight off waves of them just to get down the roof. The next night, we couldn't even sleep because the military decided to start killing and blasting everything they saw. A tank fired at two humans near us, and we almost got hit."

Yeojeong's face contorted in confusion. "Wait, what?"

"Yeah." Yubin pressed her lips together and nodded. "Not even the military's on our side. They blocked off Seoul entirely, and we had to cross the Han River with hundreds of them on us. Dahyun-unnie got pushed off by a traitor, the same one who stabbed me. We almost died on that bridge." 

Yeojeong searched Dahyun's eyes for confirmation. The electrician met them, and she gave him a solemn nod. "I was alone when it started. I should've died a long time ago, being chased by so many. The only reason why I'm still here is because Yubin's friend saved my life."

The doctor pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled heavily. “I didn’t know how bad it was,” he admitted. “I’m sorry.”

“Well, now you know.” Yubin pressed her lips together and sat back down. “So no going outside,” she said. Yeojeong relented with a nod, putting his shovel down.

"We should stay low for the time being," Lynn planned out. "Wait for the infected to pass by or have them fall back asleep."

A whirring sound from above approached the house in rhythmic chops. The group froze and looked up to the ceiling. Lynn frowned, delicately curling a finger around a curtain and peeking an eye outside. A dark, forest green helicopter moved over and away from the building.

"What was it?" Yeojeong asked without lowering his voice. Sullin quickly shushed him with a finger to her lips. They jolted as something banged against the window behind them that was covered by the closed blinds. Dahyun rushed to kill the lights whilst the others lowered themselves. Unfortunately, it had seen the light and kept pounding against the glass.

"Helicopter," Lynn whispered. "It brought one here." 

"What do we do?" Yubin exhaled. They flinched as they heard another bang and what sounded like a crack. 

"Stay low." Lynn hushed in alarm. "We need to hide somewhere. With no windows." 

The girls turned towards Yeojeong. The man darted his eyes around nervously. 

"Do you have a spot?" Dahyun questioned. 

"They all have windows," the doctor responded with a gulp. "The only place without any is the basement." 

Lynn breathed through clenched teeth. "Lead us to it." 

"I..." Yeojeong hesitated. "I'm not sure it's a good idea." 

"What?" Yubin seethed quietly. 

The group jumped again as a louder crack echoed through the house along with an angry growl. Another loud bang sounded from the end of the hallway. 

"We don't have time for this," Lynn said. "It's either that, or we get taken over. We don't know how many there are out there." 

Yeojeong pressed his lips together, thinking over his choices. Dahyun and Yubin shared a look. 

Wordlessly, the doctor agreed, and he nudged his head to his right. He quietly crouched his way towards a closed door, and the girls followed tensely. Lynn readied a knife in case something was to happen, doubt rising from the man's uncertainty. 

Yeojeong unlocked the door with a twist of his key and opened it. He put a finger against his lips, urging the girls to keep the noise to a minimum.

The group of survivors carefully walked down the wooden stairs, and Sullin shut the door behind her just as they heard the sound of glass shattering. Dahyun nearly yelped but slapped a hand against her mouth. 

Ahead of them, the doctor let out a shaky breath. "I'll need you all to keep an open mind." 

"What for?" Lynn frowned, navigating through the darkness. Her ear twitched as she heard a growl. 

A flip switched, illuminating the basement. The girls winced and put their arms up to block the sudden flashbang. When their vision settled, they all gasped, while Yeojeong looked away. 

"What." Yubin said. “What," she repeated in disbelief.

“What.” 

By the end of the day, Hyunjin showed up to their cell block with a box in her hands, stopping in front of the second cell. 

"What's that?" Nien inquired curiously. 

"Just a little something." Hyunjin replied, looking at Haerin. "Didn't know whether you preferred vanilla or chocolate, so it's a mix of both." 

The sergeant opened the gate and slid the box in the cell. 

"Is it a bomb?" Soomin wondered, looking over the bars. Yeonji shoved her. 

Kotone pursed her lips, and gave the box a light tap of her boot. After searching for her cellmates' approving stares, she squatted down, and delicately opened the lid. 

The small crowd gasped as they were met with the presence of a cake. Half of it was vanilla, while the other half was chocolate. A small paper note had been dropped on top of the cake. It read, "Happy birthday Jeong Haerin," with five candles placed neatly around it. In the box's corner was a singular match, and a plastic knife. 

Everyone stood and stared, astounded, while the other cell members tried their best to get a peek. 

"Can someone tell us what's going on?" Chaeyeon asked, her face pressed against the metal bars. 

"It's a birthday cake. For Jeong Haerin," Nien said. 

"Me?" Hyerin peeked over in confusion, taking off Soomin's headphones. 

"No, not Hyerin. Haerin." The firefighter clarified. 

"Oh." 

"We need to find a way to differentiate your names." Nakyoung thought out loud. 

Xinyu turned towards Haerin. "It's your birthday?" 

Haerin stared agape at the cake, visibly moved. "It is?" 

"June 11th. You wrote it on your personal file," Hyunjin spoke from outside the cell. “That’s today.” Haerin let out a shaky exhale. 

"We filled the forms just last week." Chaewon realized. "Why didn't you tell us when we were writing?" she asked her underclassman. 

Haerin swallowed. "Well, I didn't really think it was important..." 

"Of course it's important," Xinyu gently scolded. "It's your day." 

"My birthday was a week and a half ago!" Nien butted in, looking at Hyunjin expectantly. "Do I get a cake?" 

"No, they're only reserved for kids aged 14 and under." 

Nien looked down with a pout. Soomin and Yeonji threw their hands up in frustration. 

"Could we go in their cell?" Chaeyeon requested. "It would be nice to celebrate with them."  

Hyunjin exhaled a long breath. She looked at Joobin, nudging her head sideways, and the soldier opened the cell. The girls gave the sergeant a couple grateful bows as they quickly filed into the other room. 

Kotone grabbed the box and held it out to Nien. The firefighter lit the match with a quick swipe against the wall, then transferred the small fire to the candles. 

The girls looked at the light in awe as Kotone handed the box to Haerin. The birthday girl gently held in in her hands, her eyes sparkling as they reflected the candlelight. 

They stood around the cake in awkward silence, watching as the fire quietly melted through the wax. 

"We should sing Happy Birthday," Mayu spoke up, shrinking into herself as she received everyone's attention. Being met with silence, she gulped and added, "I think it would be nice." 

An uneasy cough sounded through the cell, and, somehow, all eyes ended up on Yooyeon. The scientist pressed her lips together at the sudden spotlight, tapping a finger against her leg. "I..." 

"It's a good idea." Sohyun affirmed, much to the girls' surprise. They met each other's eyes and nodded, albeit half-heartedly. 

Jiwoo took a deep breath. She started the first verse solo, shocking everyone with how stable her voice was despite her self-conscious singing. Chaeyeon quickly joined in on the second verse, followed by Nien, Chaewon, then the rest of the girls. 

The chorus came in an inelegant ensemble of uncertain singers. Some of them quietly clapped their hands together, offering an uncoordinated and off-beat percussion. It was the most disharmonious, off-key birthday song they had ever taken part in. Haerin smiled awkwardly to keep up appearances. 

Jiwoo's voice strained by the end, having to fight off the urge to laugh. Unfortunately, she heard someone's voice crack, and she broke, entering a noisy fit of hysterics. The athlete's sudden display of glee shocked Chaeyeon, who froze and stared at her friend wide-eyed. When her bafflement dissipated, she let out a strange mix between a shout and a whine, shoving Jiwoo to the side. 

"What are you laughing about?" Chaeyeon complained. The group had stopped singing, staring at the duo. Jiwoo only laughed louder, doubling down on herself as she held her stomach. An amused smirk made its way on Yeonji's face, and she followed through the contagious chortling. 

"That was so bad!" Jiwoo said in between hysterics. She wheezed harshly before howling and dropping to the ground, sending the rest of the girls in their own laughing fits, Haerin nearly dropping her cake in the process. They only guffawed louder as they noticed Sergeant Kim still standing by their cell, a genuine look of bewilderment on her face. 

Sergeant Kim coughed tensely, attempting to hide her own smile. "I've seen worse," she tried to mellow out. Noticing Joobin's rare display of emotion in the form of widened eyes, she quickly regained her composure. With a huff, she erased any hint of amusement from her face and patted her uniform down. 

"Hold on." Yooyeon waved her hands around, trying to stop the group's chuckling. "Let's try again. Seriously this time." As the laughter died down, she received a chorus of "yeahs" and "okays." 

The second attempt yielded significant progress. The past discomfort had been relieved from their shared laughter, and they sang with energy, their hands clapping in sync. Though their voices were untrained, they were at least on key. The song came to a successful end, and Haerin blew out her candles in one go. 

The girls clamored positively, satisfied with their most recent performance. Wide smiles made their way on each of their faces. Mayu let out a breath of relief at her idea's belated success, and Nien patted her on the head. 

Sohyun turned towards Haerin. "How do you feel?" she asked the student. 

Haerin looked up at the bodyguard and smiled. "It feels nice." 

"We should choose a new name for you." Chaeyeon cut in, looking hungrily at the cake. 

"Why me?" Haerin wondered with a tilt of her head. 

"Because we knew Hyerin first." 

The others pursed their lips and looked to the side, unable to refute the argument. Hyerin gave Haerin an apologetic shrug. 

"We'll let your pick your own name." Jiwoo offered, tapping Chaeyeon lightly on the head. 

Haerin pursed her lips, thinking for a moment. She tapped the side of the box with her finger as she pondered. 

"Seoah." She spoke definitely. The girls hummed in approval at the name. 

"Sounds nice," Xinyu agreed with a nod. "Why that name?" 

Haerin shrugged. "I don't know. It just feels right." 

Sohyun pat Haerin's back reassuringly. "Alright. Seoah it is." 

Nien whooped, throwing her fists up. "Let's eat some cake!" 

The sergeant overlooked the small birthday party with a feeling of ease. After each girl got a small slice, they spoke with each other, talking about whatever came to mind. Yeonji and Seoah chatted about baseball, the skateboarder sending Sergeant Kim a look as she talked about her signed bat. She hadn't gotten it back. 

Her moment was interrupted by a beep from her pocket radio. 

"Sergeant Kim. They will be here in ETA of five minutes." A voice buzzed through the comms. 

The sergeant exhaled. She clicked the side of her walkie. "I'll be right there," she replied. She did a once-over of the celebrating group before walking off. Joobin was about to step forward with her, but she put a hand up. 

"You stay here," she ordered, glancing at the cell. Joobin gave Sergeant Kim a nod, stepping back into position. With a shake of her head, the sergeant made her way out of the prison. 

"Is this what you meant by 'I met a few?!'" Yubin shouted. Angry growls and high-pitched cries answered her question. 

On the right of the basement was a large foldable plastic table with an advanced chemistry set, and an array of medical instruments. Set in front of the group were three infected chained against the black cement wall. The one in the middle was an elderly woman. An adult man was to her right, and the one on the left was a teenage boy. They were methodically cut open in different bodily regions, and the woman's hands had been completely removed. The wounds all shared a similar black scar that ran and crackled over them.

"Unnie, calm down." Lynn urged, looking back and forth between the infected and the basement door. Sullin backed away from the doctor in confusion, and Dahyun's eyes mirrored her feeling of betrayal. 

"No, I won't calm down because what in the world is this?" Yubin seethed and pointed at the zombies. 

Yeojeong clasped his hands together and inhaled. "I swear, I can explain." 

Yubin turned towards him and nodded profusely, "Okay. You better swear damn well." 

The basement settled into disquiet stillness as the girls waited for the doctor's explanation, the infected's growls interrupting the silence. 

Yeojeong pinched the bridge of his nose with a groan. "One of my regular patients, an elderly woman, came to me with a bite on her hand. I offered to look at it and led her inside," he started. 

"A few minutes into our checkup, she suddenly froze up, and her pupils dilated. When I approached her, she lunged at me. I managed to pin her down and restrain her without getting injured." 

The girls listened tensely as he continued his story. "I tried to call the police and her relatives, but no one picked up. I didn't know what else to do, so I kept her in my room for a while. It wasn't until later when I went out into town that I realized something was wrong." 

"What, you didn't see it on the news?" Yubin glared at him. 

Yeojeong shook his head. "I don't have a television, nor do I use social media. What I saw was people chasing other people down and biting them, tearing them apart. I put two and two together and ran back here. Since then, I have moved the woman to the basement, and I've been running tests." 

"Why are her hands missing?" Lynn pointed out, squinting in the woman's direction. 

"I needed to study the bite mark in a way I couldn't be attacked. The other hand was used for comparison." 

"Where are they?" 

"They're being kept in a freezer," the doctor pointed at a white chest in a corner. The girls reacted with various degrees of cringe and disgust. 

"So basically..." Dahyun started, "You've been doing your own research?" 

The doctor sighed and nodded. "As much as I can, but hoisting them all the way in here is difficult work." 

Yubin let out a deep exhale. "Well, at least you're not a serial killer. Sorry for assuming the worst," she apologized, combing her hair back. 

Yeojeong stretched his lips to one side. "I mean, I understand. You were betrayed." 

Dahyun looked away from the animated corpses, fearing she would vomit. "Did you learn anything, at least?" 

Yeojeong perked up. "I did." He gestured at the girls to approach the table where a microscope was placed. The group shared uncertain looks, but walked up, nonetheless. 

"I've been looking at how this virus transfers from host to host," he explained as he turned on the device, a small dish already placed in the viewer. He invited the girls to look through the microscope. "I've discovered that there are, in fact, various ways to get infected." 

"So, would something like a scratch work?" Lynn inquired, peeping through the scope. 

Yeojeong hummed. "Being turned by a scratch is uncommon, but possible," he revealed. "The nails must, of course, obstruct the skin, but they must also carry the virus for it to transfer. In that sense, the problem is not the nails themselves, but the open wound. If the virus infiltrates the wound, you become infected. Simple as that." 

Yubin gritted her teeth during her turn looking through the microscope. She didn't understand what she saw, but watched as a small, black dot attacking a bigger, translucent dot.

"Hold on." Dahyun spoke. "Yubin and I fell into the Han River. It surely had to be contaminated with the virus with so many infected on the bridge, and we took gulps of water. How come we aren't infected?"

Yeojeong tapped his chin. "Well, there is a possibility the water you drank just so happened to not be contaminated. The river is constantly moving, so diseases multiply slower." 

With a hum, he added, "But I do find your case interesting." He swallowed and smiled awkwardly. "If you don't mind, could I take a blood sample from you and Yubin?" 

Yubin snapped her head away from the microscope and towards the doctor. "You can't be serious," she said. "We just learned you're keeping bodies in your basement, and now you want our blood?" 

"Purely for research purposes." Yeojeong put his hands up. "I would not do anything to harm you." 

"You didn't tell the truth about the basement. I think that could've harmed us a lot."

"Yubin, wait," Lynn stopped the traceuse. "This could help us understand more about the virus. We can take the precautions needed to survive."

Yubin furrowed her eyebrows and spun her head around. She and Dahyun shared a look, and the electrician nodded. 

"It'll do us good," Dahyun argued. Yubin then looked at Sullin, who only gave her a shrug and a tight-lipped smile. 

The traceuse looked up with a frustrated groan. "Fine," she relented, pressing her palms against her closed eyes. She then gave Yeojeong a pointed look. "But I'm not doing this for you." 

The doctor nodded as he searched around the table. "That is more than fine by me," he approved, and picked up a syringe. 

Streams of colorful conversations flowed as each of the girls ate their respective slices of cake. 

As Yeonji got dragged away by Soomin and Chaewon to annoy Hyerin, and the adults were engaged in their own topics, Seoah was left alone. Relaxing into herself and looking around the room, the girl caught Joobin's blank stare. The soldier had been watching while the girls celebrated her birthday. 

Seoah pressed her lips together, keeping her eyes on Joobin. The soldier hadn't said a single word, nor had she done anything out of place, save for when she rolled her shoulders that morning. 

An idea lit up in the birthday girl's head. She cut a cake slice of each flavor, put them on two different plates, then brought them with her as she approached Joobin. 

"Would you like some?" she offered, showing the young soldier the plates. 

Joobin looked down at the cake slices, then back at Seoah. She gave no sign of a response. 

Seoah swallowed harshly. "Uhm, I'll leave them here, then. Just in case." She awkwardly slid the paper plates out of the cell bars and left them on the floor. The girl gave Joobin a tight-lipped smile before going back to the others. Chaewon looked up at her and said something Joobin couldn't hear. Yeonji turned her head towards the soldier, sending her a grin and a wave. 

Joobin blinked. Her index finger tapped the side of her rifle once before she turned around with her back facing the cell. She caught sight of the two plates of cake on the ground, and exhaled calmly though her nose. 

Sergeant Kim glared as the military helicopter lowered itself onto Daejeon's tallest flat roof. She put an arm in front of her face to shield herself from the dust and debris blowing her way. Over the walls, the sergeant could see hundreds of infected running towards them. They stopped at the river, but the ones at the front were pushed down as those from behind kept running. A barrage of gunshots sounded from where the two bridges still stood. 

The rotors slowly whirred to a stop, shutting down the loud chopping noises. Hyunjin put her arm back down and shook her head to readjust her short hair. 

The soldier in the driving seat stepped out of the chopper, made his way towards the passenger door, and opened it. A larger man took off his noise-cancelling headphones and walked out. He, like Hyunjin, didn't wear a helmet. His camo military vest was adorned with three silver stars on each shoulder, and his left breast pocket spelled out the name "Kim Myung-Soo." 

The soldier marched over to the sergeant, his footsteps imposing. 

Hyunjin, along with the few other soldiers, raised her right arm in a salute. "Lieutenant General." 

The man nodded. "Sergeant," he replied in a deep voice. He lowered his eyes to the ground where hundreds of curious citizens had gathered to watch. "Quite the effective base you have here." 

"The safety of our citizens is of the utmost priority," Sergeant Kim replied. "But, pardon my question, General," she started, dropping her hand and putting it behind her back. 

The general raised a brow but let her speak. 

"Why not travel by vehicle?" Hyunjin asked. "The helicopter has attracted hundreds, if not thousands to Daejeon." 

The man extended an ear to listen to the never-ending gunfire. "How much artillery do you have left?" 

"We are running low on supplies," Sergeant Kim announced, looking straight ahead. "We are trying to conserve as many resources as we can." 

The lieutenant general narrowed his eyes, then exhaled. "I understand your troubles, Sergeant. I will see to it to use a vehicle in the future." 

He turned away, but Sergeant Kim did not relax just yet. After taking a few steps forward, the lieutenant general stopped and looked back. 

"Still, that sounds like poor planning on your part." He criticized. 

The sergeant took a deep breath, forcing down her frustration. "Yes, sir. My apologies." 

The lieutenant general nodded and faced away from Sergeant Kim. "Show me where the breach is." 

"Hey, look what I can do!" 

Hyerin had her back against the wall with her arms crossed as Chaewon balanced a plate on her nose whilst standing on one leg. The other teenagers egged her on encouraginly, and the archer raised her eyebrows in surprise when the student managed to stay still for over a minute. 

"That's so cool," Yeonji wowed, wearing a large smile on her face. Chaewon grinned victoriously, smoothly removing the plate and lowering her foot down. 

Soomin spun her head towards Hyerin. "Can you do something like that?" 

Hyerin shook her head. 

"Can you try?" Soomin asked. 

"No," Hyerin said, watching Seoah balance her plate on the sole of her shoe. Her leg was fully extended back whilst her upper body leaned forward, parallel to the floor. Applause and laughter filled the room. 

"Come on!" The gunner whined. "You're an archer! You can probably stay still forever." 

Hyerin narrowed her eyes. "Well-" 

"Just try." Soomin threw her a paper plate, but apparently used more force than she anticipated. The platter flew and hit Hyerin in the face. She flinched back in surprise, knocking the back of her head against the wall with a small yelp. 

Soomin's eyes widened and she rushed towards the archer, who held her face with a small groan. The shock had reverberated through her jaw. 

"Are you okay?" Soomin asked guiltily, hovering her hands under Hyerin's face. The other teenagers circled around her in concern. 

"Yeah." Hyerin said, waving her free hand with her eyes shut. "Just give me a moment." 

"Look at what you did." Yeonji reprimanded the gunner. 

"I know..." Soomin easily yielded, surprising Yeonji. "I'm sorry, Hyerin," she apologized, "You don't have to try if you don't want to." 

The archer shook her head and pursed her lips, a sudden urge taking over. "I'll try just once," she said. 

Soomin's expression turned from a woeful pout to a hopeful gleam. "Really?" 

Hyerin hummed in affirmation, leaning down to pick up the paper platter. She extended her arm in front of her, keeping her fist closed save for her index finger on which she rested the center of the plate. The archer took a deep breath and held it, leveling her eyes with the dish, then freezing her form. Gently, she released her hold on its side and focused on the plate. It was perfectly balanced on the tip of her finger. 

Yeonji and Soomin looked between Hyerin and each other, mouths agape in pure bafflement with their hands pressed against the top of their heads. Chaewon, wide-eyed, studied Hyerin's figure closely, mystified by how still she was. 

Half a minute later, Hyerin caved in, catching the plate between her fingers before letting out an exhale. Before anyone could cheer, though, the lamps suddenly shut off, engulfing the prison in darkness. The survivors in the cell block exclaimed in surprise, then murmured in confusion and fear. Hyerin's shifted her eyes around in alarm at the sudden switch. 

"What's going on?" Xinyu whispered in the dark. The group then heard footsteps. 

"Joobin." Seoah whispered. "What happened to the lights?" 

The soldier stayed silent. A rifle cocked. 

"Could you give us an answer? Please?" 

They heard a breath. 

"A wave is coming." Joobin dropped. 

Hyerin's breath hitched. The hair on the back of her neck stood up. "What wave?" 

"Infected. We are on lockdown. Stay quiet." 

Next to her, Yeonji cursed under her breath. There was rapid breathing somewhere around her, but it was tenderly shushed down, and a whisper of "we'll be okay" sounded through Hyerin's ears. Then, they heard a chorus of growls outside.  

Hyerin’s heartbeat quickened in her chest, overriding her senses. The archer lowered herself to the ground, shaking. Without her bow, she felt exposed and vulnerable. Letting out an exhale, she hugged her knees, trying to calm herself down. 

Someone slid down to her left. Hyerin already knew who it was. 

"I know how you feel." Soomin rested a hand on the archer's shoulder. Hyerin noted she did not tremble. "I miss my guns." 

Hyerin inhaled sharply as growls grew louder outside the prison, and she sunk her head into her knees, holding her breath as the faintest of poundings passed through her ears. The girls collectively flinched as distant gunshots rippled through the early night, coming from the city. The sound angered the infected outside, and they either ran off, or slammed their fists harder against the cement walls. 

Soomin reached for the headphones around Hyerin's neck and put them on the latter's head. She gently pulled the MP3 player out of the archer's pocket and scrolled through her soundtracks. The light from the device illuminated the gunner's face, and Hyerin noticed Soomin wasn't nervous at all. 

The gunner smiled softly as she read a song title and pressed play. A slightly upbeat guitar tune strummed steadily through the headphones for a few moments. Then, a male voice took the lead. Hyerin turned her head towards Soomin, her eyes sparking as she recognized the song to be Home by Phillip Phillips. 

The reassuring lyrics soothed Hyerin, and she relaxed her grip on herself as the music drowned out the noise around her. Soomin set the MP3 down, then shuffled closer towards Hyerin. The archer widened her eyes as Soomin delicately placed her head on her shoulder. 

It'll pass, Soomin mouthed.
 

Lynn pressed her ear against the basement's door, listening for any noise outside. Her teeth clenched as she heard scratching on the other side. 

Still there?  Dahyun mouthed. A small piece of gauze was taped to her forearm. 

Lynn gave a woeful nod. It won't leave.

Sullin tapped the agent on the arm. Getting Lynn's attention, she then swiped her thumb across her neck. 

Lynn blinked. You want to kill it?

Sullin gave a firm nod, then raised an index finger. One, she quietly said, then pointed at herself before turning her wrist and pulling her arm back. 

Lynn took a deep breath. She gave Sullin an okay sign before pulling out a throwing knife. The agent delicately stepped down, leaving space for her teammate to climb up. Lynn gently tapped the back of Sullin's hand, and her friend flashed a thumbs-up. 

Sullin pressed her back against the wall and put her hand on the door handle. With the other, she counted down from three, and as her fist fully closed, she twisted the handle and swiftly pulled the door open, squeezing it against her body. 

The infected person snapped its head towards the open door, and Lynn wasted no time throwing her knife into its forehead. The zombie collapsed at once, its body tilting towards the basement. The corpse tumbled noisily down the stairs, the girls unable, and unwilling, to catch it. Yeojeong managed to grab the back of its collar before it made more noise. 

Sullin swung the door back but kept it ajar. The group waited rigidly, using their ears to their full ability. Not hearing anything else, Yeojeong flicked the basement's lights closed, and Sullin reopened the door. 

Lynn peeked her head out, looking left and right before taking a definitive step into the hallway. She gestured at the others to wait and carefully walked off. 

After a few minutes, the agent came back with a nod, and the group members relaxed, walking out of the basement with quiet breaths. 

"There really was just one," Lynn murmured. She gave Sullin a smile and passed an arm around her. "Good job," she praised, much to her friend's delight. 

The agent's expression sombered again. "Still, we need to keep it down. Board up the windows, keep the lights closed, and sit this through." She nudged her head towards the shattered glass pane. "Let's go." 

Lieutenant General Kim carefully observed the gap in the wooded wall. Charring was prominent on the edges, and stray planks had been broken, littering the ground. The hole, big enough to fit a person, had been repaired with newer planks. 

“How many of these are there?” the man asked. 

Sergeant Kim breathed in, “There have been ten recorded incidents in the last three days.” 

"And the culprit?" 

Hyunjin shook her head. "We are still searching. Soldiers are interrogating the citizens." 

"Well, I believe if they've gotten away with it for this long, you should be questioning them harder," he replied gruffly. "You're lucky no infected has passed through," he added, watching as the zombies tumbled into the distant river. 

"We try to give them as much leniency as we can," Hyunjin explained. "If possible, this incident should be kept quiet. It would be ideal to not cause general panic." 

The lieutenant general narrowed his eyes. "Giving people leniency is only good as long as they respect you. Unfortunately, Sergeant, it seems like something has gone wrong in your plans." 

Sergeant Kim let out a silent sigh. "Yes, sir." 

General Kim rubbed his chin. "Stricter curfews will not help. Whoever's behind this didn't let the existing one stop them. Let it happen again and catch them in the act," he planned. 

Hyunjin contemplated the general's words. "What will be done with the culprit?" 

The man looked down at Hyunjin, then let out a huff. 

"An example will be made out of them."

Chapter Text

Walking down the hallway, Yubin kept a hand on the wall with a tired groan with Dahyun holding the traceuse's back. Preceding the two were Lynn, who massaged her temples, and Sullin, frowning at the floor in deep thought. They had spent the rest of yesterday boarding up the windows with whatever they could find, and sleep came with a struggle that night.

The girls didn’t have the energy to talk about the elephant in the room, it being the infected kept in the basement. Several emotions ran their course through their minds, and they all knew they were thinking about how safe they truly were with the looming threat. Letting her hands drop, Lynn let out a shaky breath, stress building in the back of her neck.

The four survivors stopped at the end of the hallway, where it opened into the dining room. Four plates were set on the white dinner table facing their respective chairs. Each plate was filled with a generous portion of pasta dressed in sauce rosée with cuts of mushrooms decorating the top.

Yeojeong walked out of the nearby kitchen holding a steaming pan. He paused in his steps when he noticed his guests peeking out the corner.

"...Hi." He looked down at the plates. "I, uhm, decided to make this for you."

The girls stared at the food. "Is this an apology of some sorts?" asked Lynn.

Yeojeong smacked his lips. "Yeah," he breathed.

Lynn hesitated. "It looks good."

"It smells nice, too," Dahyun agreed, her mouth salivating at the rich aroma filling the air.

"How do we know the mushrooms aren't going to kill us?" Yubin suspected.

Wordlessly, the doctor picked a piece of mushroom off a plate and dropped it in his mouth, pointing at his neck as he swallowed. The traceuse sighed and gave a half-hearted nod of acknowledgement.

Shifting glances at each other, the girls silently made their way to the table. The room filled with loud scraping as they pulled out their chairs and sat down.

“What’s in the pot?” Dahyun inquired, trying to ease the mood.

“Extras.” answered the doctor, placing the pan on a protective mat centered on the table. “I visited my pantry yesterday. So much stuff was gone, so I figured you girls would like some more–” he stopped himself and quickly backtracked, “Not that I’m saying you eat a lot, but–”

“It’s very much appreciated,” Dahyun reassured with an amused smile. Yeojeong sighed in relief. He kept his eyes on her for an extra second before catching himself. The doctor pursed his lips and rested his hands on his hips.

“I’ll be in the basement if you need me,” he said, walking away. The girls watched him leave silently, and only started eating when they heard the door close.

Mealtime was a quiet affair. There was only the clattering of silverware against plates as the group enjoyed their food, pleasantly surprised at the taste. Yubin didn’t want to admit it, but it was the best thing she had eaten in the past month. She was the first to finish her portion, and had, with some shame, treated herself to seconds.

The silence was cut off with an intentional drop of Lynn’s fork.

“We need to do something about the zombies,” declared the agent, wiping the corner of her lips with her thumb. A noise of agreement came from Yubin’s throat as she chewed.

Dahyun looked up from her plate. “Which ones?”

“The ones in the basement.”

“Why?”

“It doesn’t feel safe.”

“Why?” repeated Dahyun with a light frown. “They’re being kept in chains and used for research.”

Yubin gulped down her food. “What if they get out of them and bite us?”

Dahyun set her fork down and stared at Lynn. “Just yesterday you said it would help us understand more about the virus. What changed?”

“I did say that,” Lynn admitted, “But then I thought about it. The outside has already been compromised; we don't need threats right below us."

“But it’s safe.” Dahyun argued.

“Who can guarantee that?” Lynn retorted. “We thought this house was safe enough until one of them broke through the window. And, by the way–” Lynn pressed her index down on the table. “People aren’t supposed to break windows,” she said an octave lower.

Yubin sucked in a harsh breath. “Hold on, are you saying these infected have some kind of super strength?”

Lynn gave her a small nod. The traceuse cursed and threw her fork onto the table with a noisy clatter.

A scratch from outside stunned the girls into complete silence. Their bodies froze as the noise dragged on for seconds, the mystery creature scraping against the wood planks they had put up to replace the broken window. Then, it stopped.

The group let out the quietest of exhales, relaxing back into their seats.

"We're guests here." Dahyun whispered, rekindling the conversation. "I don't think we have a right to say what he does and doesn't get to keep.”

“If he told you to stick a fork in an outlet, would you do it?” Yubin hissed. “Actually, you just might, since you like him so much,” she added.

Dahyun opened and closed her mouth at the sudden jab, speechless. Pressure rose in her temples, heat rose up to her cheeks, and her face contorted in disbelief.

“Not even twenty-four hours ago did he say he could deal with zombies no problem. That was suicide talk.” Lynn chimed in, giving the traceuse a disapproving stare. “In that sense, we saved his life.”

Sullin reached out to grab Dahyun’s hand, trailing a comforting thumb over the back. Dahyun’s lips weakly curled upwards before she retreated her hand, wiping it down her face with a silent groan. She then rested them on her lap with a sigh.

“...I’ll talk to him.” The electrician resigned.

Lynn gave her a nod. “Thank you.”

Yeojeong carefully squeezed out a drop of Dahyun’s blood onto the small glass slide, then pressed a small cover slip over the red sample. Ignoring the angry snarls and shaking chains behind him, the doctor sat down, placing the slide on the microscope’s stage, aligning the droplet with the aperture. Stabilizing it, he turned on the lights and put his eye over the top lens.

Yeojeong carefully inspected the sample, searching for anything out of the ordinary. He occasionally tweaked the lens to get a different view, making sure to cover the entire drop.

“What are you looking at?” a quiet voice came from the stairs.

Yeojeong spun his head towards the speaker. He relaxed his shoulders upon seeing he was in Dahyun's presence.

“The samples you and your friend provided,” the doctor answered. “Haven’t seen anything unusual in yours.”

“That’s a relief to hear." Dahyun smiled, but her eyes occasionally shifted nervously towards the wall. The restraints rattled as the zombies stared into her soul with their hollow eyes, and she had to look away before fear overtook her senses. “Uhm, can we talk?" she asked.

Yeojeong scrunched his nose and leaned back into his chair. “This is about the infected, isn’t it?”

Dahyun shut her eyes and groaned softly. "We know this is your place and everything, but... we're scared."

Yeojeong hummed. "I can tighten the chains on them.”

“My group wants you to get rid of them completely.” Dahyun turned her head to the side, pressing a hand against her head.

The doctor looked at her. Despite having asserted her position, Dahyun didn’t look so sure. “And what do you think?”

“I…” Dahyun hesitated. “I trust you,” she said. “You’ve done so much for us, so telling you what to do doesn’t feel right.”

Yeojeong tilted his head to the side and sighed. “I don’t believe relationships should be transactional when it comes to life and death. If you want me to get rid of them, I will.”

Dahyun threw her hand up in frustration. “That’s the thing. I don't want to get rid of them. They could do so much to help us understand. You even have an entire kit for it! When’s the next time we’d have an opportunity like this?”

The doctor brought a hand to his chin, thinking over what to do.

“How about this–” he started, “I keep them alive, but I take away their feet. They wouldn’t be able to run in case they break free from their restraints.”

Dahyun gasped. “That’s a good idea.”

“Would your group be okay with that?” asked Yeojeong.

Dahyun furrowed her brows. “They’ll understand.”

Yeojeong smiled, standing up. “Good. I wouldn’t want this decision to get in between you and them,” he said, approaching Dahyun.

With a huff, Dahyun admitted, “To be honest, I don’t mind that right now.”

“Oh?” Yeojeong raised a concerned brow. “Did something happen?”

“It’s kind of embarrassing…” Dahyun trailed off, her cheeks adopting a rosy hue. She felt Yeojeong place his hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

“You can tell me,” Yeojeong comforted. “I’ve heard a bunch of stories from my patients. I never believed someone could actually slip on a banana peel until it really happened.”

Dahyun giggled lightly at the anecdote, then breathed her amusement out. “Yubin asked if I’d stick a fork in a socket if you told me to.”

Yeojeong cringed. “Does she normally say those comments?”

“She hadn’t for a long time, but that was all she did when we first met. All targeted towards me. She apologized, so I thought it was over, but I guess…”

“Why would she even say something like that?”

Dahyun gave a hapless shrug. “She keeps bothering me about me liking you–” She cut herself off and put a hand against her mouth.

Yeojeong staggered, taken aback at the sudden revelation. He then shook his head, clearing the shock. “I mean, do you?”

Dahyun looked the doctor up and down, swallowing a lump in her throat. “A little,” she admitted, setting her gaze onto his eyes, a pink hue painting over her cheeks.

Pleasantly surprised, Yeojeong looked down at her with a small smile settling on his lips. “That’s good,” he said. He moved his hand from Dahyun’s shoulder to trail it against her short hair. “It looks good on you,” he complimented.

Dahyun’s breath caught in her throat when Yeojeong rested his hand under her chin. She tilted her head upwards, bringing her face closer to his, and, with her heart beating loudly in her chest, pressed her lips against his. Yeojeong lifted her chin, bringing her even closer.

The kiss was short, but Dahyun found it to be enough as she pulled away. Her face burned, not having expected the escalation of things. She would be lying if she said she didn’t find it pleasant, though. Still, something irked her, as if it didn’t feel quite right. Dahyun brushed it off to be the zombies, and smiled.

The doctor breathed out with a satisfied expression. Nudging his head to the side, he asked, “Would you like to take a look at some of my research?”

Unable to say anything, Dahyun simply nodded, and the doctor gently led her to the research table.

“How did it go?” asked Lynn, patting her neck with a towel after stepping out of the doctor’s home gym. She wore a black sleeveless shirt with her jacket hooked over her right shoulder, covering her arm. Still, Sullin was more than happy to admire the agent’s toned muscles from her place on the couch.

“He agreed to get rid of them,” Dahyun lied uneasily, having returned from her extended talk with Yeojeong. “But in exchange, the basement’s off limits.”

“That’s fine by me.” Yubin, sitting beside Sullin, stretched herself on the couch with the Garfield comic resting on her lap. “I’m not going back there anytime soon.”

Dahyun watched the traceuse for a longer time than she should’ve, swallowing harshly and sighing shakily. The behavior earned Lynn’s concern, and she inquired, “Did something happen?”

Dahyun inhaled and shook her head. “Nothing. I’ll go take a nap,” she said, walking past Lynn and turning into the guest’s bedroom. The remaining girls exchanged curious glances, Sullin keeping her eyes on Dahyun with her lips pressed together, but they shrugged their inquiries off and settled back into their pastimes.

After two elongated weeks of waiting, the girls were finally set to enter the safe zone they had been promised.

Their trip back to the front gate was met with less hostility from Hyunjin and the soldiers, but as they stepped off the bus, they all flinched and covered their noses. The corpses littering the ground had multiplied with even more lumps of mangled flesh lingering about. Gagging at the rancid smell, they resigned to breathing through their mouths, but even that was done hesitantly. The air of death clung onto their clothes and skin like a looming promise. Many of them couldn’t hold their disgust in and threw their breakfasts up on the side of the road.

“Not to doubt your leadership, Sergeant…” Yooyeon said through her disgust, “but shouldn’t something be done about the bodies?”

Sergeant Kim kept her mouth shut and her eyes directed forward, leading the girls towards the front gate.

Figures, Yooyeon thought. Hyunjin had said she didn’t give out information. Still, a hypothesis formed in the scientist's head, and she guessed there was a motive to keeping the corpses. Maybe it was to stray the other infected away. Yooyeon forgot about the graveyard of flesh around her as she dove into her thoughts, tapping a finger over her lips.

“Your thoughts are so loud, unnie.” Nakyoung teased through her fingers, bringing Yooyeon back to the land of the living. “We’re here.”

Soldiers opened the gate with a small groan, and the girls gasped at the sight.

Inside the walls, everything looked normal. People, real people, walked and chatted about on the car-less highway, smiling as if nothing wrong had ever happened. A few curious souls looked over at the new group, and waved at someone in their direction, probably Sergeant Kim.

Chaeyeon teared up at the sight and reached for Jiwoo’s hand. An enthusiastic smile made its way to the athlete’s lips, interlacing her fingers with Chaeyeon’s. Her bright demeanor wavered as she thought of Yubin, and how her friend would’ve loved to be with them.

“How big is this place?” Kotone wondered in awe, turning herself around to drink in the scenery, not minding the stares their group received from the survivors. She noticed the place was a lot smaller than she had thought, and the walls stopped much earlier than what she had seen from outside.

“There are several sectors separated by walls. I am in charge of newcomers and the gate. The other sectors are led by other soldiers.”

“Is there a person who overlooks everything?”

“There is.” The sergeant answered. “But you won’t be seeing him much.”

“How many people are there?” Xinyu whispered, giving a passerby a small wave as they recognized her. The survivors of the inner city looked happy with their living conditions. The fashionista caught a glimpse of slight charring on the far side of the wall but paid no mind.

“Less than you think. Many jumped on the first plane or boat they could find. Others just drove out to nowhere. Even now, there are people trying to flee the country,” shared the sergeant. “It was by a stroke of luck Daejeon hadn’t fallen.”

Seoah swallowed. “What of the other cities?”

“They’re all gone,” Sergeant Kim said matter-of-factly. Seoah's eyebrows creased, and the girls followed quietly, bearing frowns they had become all too familiar with.

Sergeant Kim stopped at an intersection and turned around. "Alright, this place has some basic rules to follow. It operates like a normal city, except there is no currency. Soldiers roam everywhere, so don't get into trouble, and don't take more than you need. The cafeteria is a few blocks away from the hospital, and the residential spaces are right behind me."

Standing tall in front of the girls were rows of apartment buildings, and the hospital was just a road down from them.

Chaewon raised her hand. “Do we get to pick any room?”

Hyunjin nodded. “As long as it hasn’t been occupied.”

Excited murmurs were traded between the group of newcomers. Soomin and Yeonji already planned their apartments to be next to each other, and Hyerin took it as her cue to find one farthest from them.

“Do we have jobs?” Mayu asked.

“You will be assigned tasks based on your past occupations,” the sergeant explained, removing some of the girls’ excitement. “Tomorrow, you must all visit the government complex. Give the front desk worker your name, along with your apartment building and room number. A sheet with a job will be given to you with all the instructions you need.”

“It’s the end of the world and we still need to work…” Nakyoung whispered with a pout. Yooyeon smiled amusedly.

“A final medical checkup is required after entry. Get it done by the end of the day.”

Sergeant Kim looked around for any questions. Finding none, she took her leave. Kotone interrupted her before she could walk away.

“Thank you for helping us,” said the officer. “We appreciate your kindness.” Behind her, some girls agreed, giving their own grateful comments. Others simply watched.

The sergeant looked at Kotone and gave a firm nod. She raised a hand, signaling the other soldiers to leave with her.

"Anything interesting happened in the second week?" asked Seoyeon, tracing circles over Yooyeon’s healed arm. The scientist had made a beeline to the hospital the moment the girls became free to wander wherever.

Yooyeon gave a noncommittal shrug, sitting on the hospital bed. The curtains were open, basking the room in a white light. "It was mostly Soomin and Yeonji," she answered, ignoring how Seoyeon's light touch ignited her skin. She perked up. "Oh, but we did celebrate Haerin's birthday a few days ago."

Seoyeon's eyes widened. "Seriously?" she exclaimed, then deflated into herself. “I missed it.”

Yooyeon hummed, giving Seoyeon a reassuring pat on her hand. "How's Hayeon?”

The nurse’s face lit up. "Oh! She's doing well. She woke up two days after we brought her in. Other than her healing ribs, she’s been nursed back into good health.”

Yooyeon let out a breath of relief. “That’s good-”

The hospital bedroom door flew open. "Unnie!" a voice called out, interrupting the scientist. The two girls looked over, and Seoyeon's face brightened.

A beautiful young woman in a military uniform peeked out of the door, keeping her eyes on Seoyeon. "You wanna eat lunch together later?"

Seoyeon grinned. "Sure! I'll see you in an hour!" she replied enthusiastically, but Yooyeon thought it sounded fatigued.

The soldier nodded before closing the door back, leaving both girls alone. Yooyeon looked up at Seoyeon curiously.

"Who's that?" she asked.

Seoyeon turned back to Yooyeon with a hum. "She's a new friend I made. Met her two days ago. Ji Suhyeon."

Yooyeon raised a brow. "You two share the same name?"

Seoyeon nodded. "We do, so we decided I’d call her Jiyeon to avoid any confusion."

"You two seem close for only having met a couple days ago." Yooyeon observed.

Seoyeon giggled. "We learned we had the same name, and it just went smooth sailing from there." The nurse muffled a yawn as she finished her sentence.

Yooyeon narrowed her eyes for a split-second, watching Seoyeon with a careful gaze. The nurse instinctively made herself smaller from the scrutiny.

“Do you still have trouble sleeping?”

Seoyeon’s energy collapsed, exposing her exhaustion. “Is it that obvious?”

“Yes,” Yooyeon answered bluntly. “Something other than people’s injuries is keeping you awake at night.”

Seoyeon shook her head. “It’s just nightmares.”

“This isn’t something you can brush off,” the scientist called her out. “Don’t act strong when you’re not.”

The nurse hung her head low. “People need me. I don’t have the luxury to request the same thing.”

Yooyeon brought her hand to cup Seoyeon’s face, gently turning it so that she looked Yooyeon in the eyes. “You can’t help others when you yourself are in trouble. You will both end up hurt.”

Seoyeon swallowed a lump in her throat. “What do I do, then?” she whispered. “I stay back when they do all the work. I can’t burden them with more problems when I’m sitting there, doing nothing.”

“You’re not doing nothing,” Yooyeon gazed into Seoyeon’s large and tired brown orbs, her thumb brushing over her cheek. “You fixed my arm on the first day we met. You formulated a successful plan to get us down from a roof. You helped Hyerin, Jiwoo, Nakyoung… nearly everyone. You saved Hayeon’s life.”

“And I’m the one who let Kaede in.” Seoyeon refused to accept the scientist’s appraisal. “Yubin and Dahyun wouldn’t have been… lost, if it weren’t for me.”

“Is that why you can’t sleep?”

Seoyeon sighed. “A part of it.”

“Jiwoo has already forgiven you. Chaeyeon has, too.”

“I know, but I can’t help but blame myself.”

Yooyeon held the woman’s face in her hands like it was the most fragile thing in existence. “You can’t predict everything that will happen. Mistakes will be made, but you cannot let them drown you. They cannot stop you from seeing just how much you’ve accomplished.”

Yooyeon let out a breath and pressed her forehead against Seoyeon’s. “You’re amazing, Yoon Seoyeon. I need you to know that,” she uttered tenderly.

Seoyeon looked down, her cheeks tinted a soft pink. Her breath trembled as she exhaled, and she brought a hand up to cover her face, a choked sob making its way out of her throat.

Yooyeon tensed up, her eyes widening. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, no.” Seoyeon waved a hand in front of her with a sniffle. “I just– How did you make me say all of that?”

Yooyeon’s expression softened. She extended her arms and brought Seoyeon into a hug. “You just needed someone who would listen,” she whispered.

Seoyeon cried quietly into the scientist’s shoulder, gripping her back tightly. The younger girl’s crying was calm, missing the sobs, uneven breaths, and the shaking. Yooyeon ran a delicate hand over Seoyeon’s back, feeling her shirt dampen from the tears.

It wasn’t the first time the nurse put her vulnerability on display for Yooyeon, but they were usually in the form of small requests and grateful smiles. Having her cry in her arms out of frustration and exhaustion was something else entirely, and something twisted uncomfortably in Yooyeon’s gut.

“Would you like to lie down for a moment?” Yooyeon muttered. She felt Seoyeon nod into her shoulder. With a gentle hum, the scientist lowered them onto the bed, their heads catching the soft pillow. Instantly, Yooyeon let herself sink into it.

Seoyeon pulled away from the embrace with a scrunch of her nose. Yooyeon smiled, seeing the girl’s messy bangs and tear-filled face. She reached a hand out to reorganize the strands of hair. Then, she carefully wiped Seoyeon’s tears away with the pad of her thumb. Even when she was crying, Yooyeon found her beautiful.

Seoyeon visibly relaxed from the light touches, and a rosy blush brushed over her face.

“...Thank you, unnie.”

Yooyeon let out a hum of acknowledgment. “You’re always taking care of others. So let me take care of you.”

At that moment, Seoyeon looked at Yooyeon like she was the whole world. The scientist wasn’t sure whether it was from the tears, but the nurse’s eyes held constellations from how they sparkled. “You’re amazing too, unnie.”

Yooyeon chuckled and shook her head dismissively. “Unlike you, I actually did nothing but sit around. Remember how you had to wrap Nakyoung’s bandages because I couldn’t do it?” she reminisced with a smile.

Seoyeon's giggle was melodious as she recalled the memory. “Come eat with us,” she offered. “I’ll introduce you and Jiyeon.”

Yooyeon’s lips curled up into a smile, reaching for Seoyeon’s hand. “Sure, I will,” she accepted. Seoyeon beamed, bringing Yooyeon’s hand closer to plant a soft kiss on her knuckle. Yooyeon’s eyes widened, and her heart leaped, stunned by the nurse’s sudden gesture of affection. She was quick to melt away, though, a light grin making its way onto her lips.

With her hand still in Yooyeon’s, Seoyeon fluttered her eyes closed, feeling at peace, unhaunted by her mind.

Hayeon sat on the bench in front of the hospital, picking nervously at her nails. The message of newcomers quickly spread through the thinned out city, and she had an idea of who they were.

The last thing she remembered before passing out on a vehicle was Yeonji looking down at her. She figured she and her group had made it and had successfully gone through quarantine. Since her life was hanging on by a thread, they had let her stay within the walls on the condition she didn’t leave her bed. Waking up in a foreign room was quite terrifying, though.

The hospital’s glass door opened to her right, and Hayeon spun her head towards the person expectantly. When she saw who had stepped out, her heart dropped in an instant, and dread rose in her stomach.

Mirroring her expression was Chaewon. She stood in front of her, alive. A thousand thoughts rushed in Hayeon’s head as she stared at her classmate. The troublemaker couldn’t read what Chaewon thought under the veil of apprehension covering her face, shifting from expression to expression.

Her mouth opened, as if she wanted to say something, but then it closed, and Chaewon settled for a blank indifference before stepping down the stairs and walking off.

Snapping herself out of her befuddled state, Hayeon shot up from the bench, wincing at the pain in her ribcage as she shouted, “Wait, Chaewon!”

Chaewon huffed out a curse as her body responded against her will at Hayeon’s distant voice. She stopped and spun her head around to look at her classmate. “What do you want?” she asked with as much malice she could muster. The relief she had felt looking at Hayeon in the previous moment had dissipated, leaving nothing but bitter anger.

Hayeon hurriedly made her way over to Chaewon. “I– you’re alive.” She stammered.

Chaewon bit the inside of her lip. “Yeah. I am.”

“Well,” Hayeon breathed, “I’m glad to see you here,” she whispered softly, a vulnerable smile on her lips. It blew away the one-inch tall, poorly built straw wall Chaewon had placed between them.

“Me too.” The student tried to stay curt, but her heart leaked out in her voice. She internally cursed herself for being so easy.

Hayeon’s solemn smile quickly turned into a teasing one. “Well then, you wanna go on a date later?”

The one-inch tall patch of hay evolved into a brick wall, and any sympathy Chaewon was holding washed away. Her expression steeled at the sight of Hayeon acting as cocky as ever. “You’re kidding me.”

“I’m not,” Hayeon ran her hand through her hair. “We should go out–”

“I’m not talking about that– gosh, you really think I want to go out with you right now?” Chaewon raised her voice.

Hayeon pursed her lips. “Yeah…?”

Chaewon clicked her tongue, turning away. “I don’t want to talk to you.”

“Wh– come on, we both made it out alive.” Hayeon doubled down, realizing Chaewon wasn’t playing along.

“Yeah, after you threw me out . Remember that?”

Hayeon’s mouth ran dry. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“Oh, really?” asked her classmate, voice laced with sarcasm. “But you said everything so confidently.”

“I’m sorry!” Hayeon exclaimed, fighting through the grinding in her chest. “I said it without thinking!”

“Yeah, that about sums up what you do.” Chaewon muttered venomously. In her peripheral vision, she could see onlookers wondering what they were arguing about.

“Look– I-I probably saved your life by getting you thrown out!” Hayeon stuttered with a hand on her heart. “The gym was overtaken just two days after you left!”

“Oh, so now I’m supposed to thank you?” Chaewon scoffed in genuine disbelief. “Jeong Hayeon, are you hearing yourself? Or is your mouth running without your head again?”

Hayeon clenched her jaw. “You’re doing too much.”

“ I’m doing too much?” Chaewon tapped herself, a smirk forming on her face. “You sent me and Haerin to die but I’m doing too much?”

“Chaewon-” Hayeon reached her arm out.

“Don’t touch me!” yelled Chaewon, smacking the girl’s hand away. She grimaced as a small crowd had formed around them, then glared at Hayeon. “I’m done. I want nothing to do with you, got it?”

Turning on her heel, Chaewon stormed off, putting excessive force in every step.

“Chaewon, wait, we can talk about this!” Hayeon ran after her desperately, but quickly halted when her ribs chaffed. She clutched her fingers to her chest and doubled over, taking strained breaths.

“Easy now,” a reassuring voice came from behind, and Hayeon thought there was a small layer of hoarseness under it. A few murmurs of recognition echoed around in the crowd as the troublemaker stood back up to look at the person.

Xinyu looked down at her with an empathetic smile. Standing next to her was Sohyun, who revealed nothing in her cold expression, and Haerin, her schoolmate.

Soomin sat on the edge of the bed, swinging her legs back and forth impatiently as the nurse finalized her checkup.

"Your wounds have healed," the nurse started, "But I find it odd that your scars are black."

Soomin looked down, trailing a finger over the abundant laceration marks on her collarbones. It was as if someone took a black marker and traced messily all over her skin. "Yeah, I don't really know how this happened either."

The nurse hummed. "That's alright. It doesn’t seem threatening, since your vitals are healthy, but I think it would be nice to get a sample of it to see whether or not we should pay more attention."

Soomin pursed her lips and looked around for any of her group members. Unfortunately, she was the last to get checked, and the others had already walked out. With a gulp, she hesitated, "Uhm..."

"You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to," the woman reassured. “It’s just precaution.”

The sentence reminded Soomin of when Kotone cuffed her, having said the same thing. She shuffled nervously, not knowing whether it was a good idea or not. They had been hiding the fact the scratches came from a zombie. Revealing anything more could be dangerous.

“I don’t want to,” she decided.

The nurse hummed and smiled. “Alright then. Your checkup is over. Enjoy your stay, and be careful.”

Soomin stood up with a dry swallow. “Thank you,” she said, gingerly making her way out of the room.

Nien looked for Nakyoung after their discharge. Ever since they had arrived in the city, their group had split off, with everyone doing their own things. The firefighter didn’t like that, though, and she kept trying to pull their strings back together.

Running through the city with her endless stamina, Nien found herself in a park, the greenery easy on her eyes. Jogging down a path, she caught sight of the person she was looking for.

Nakyoung, who had been admiring the sunset’s red sky, snapped her head towards the footsteps, letting her shoulders drop when she saw Nien. “You scared me,” the vigilante spoke.

Nien gave her an apologetic smile as she slowed to a stop. “Hey,” she breathed out. “How are your injuries?”

"Not bad," Nakyoung responded, looking over the slight scarring on her palms. “I still can’t put too much pressure on my foot for a few weeks."

Nien sucked in a sympathetic breath. "That’s rough. I'm sorry."

Nakyoung made a moue and nodded. She looked the firefighter in the eyes.

"I haven't had the opportunity to thank you yet."

Nien perked up. "Oh? For what?"

Nakyoung massaged the back of her neck sheepishly. "Well, first of all, for going with me to the school's pharmacy. It was nice of you to do that. Then, you came up with that whole plan that got both of us out. and, well..."

The tip of Nakyoung's ears reddened and she looked away. "Thank you for carrying me all the way to the truck."

Nien grinned. "No problem. That’s what I do." she cheered. The firefighter patted a hand against the vigilante's back. "But…”

Nien took a seat on the bench. Nakyoung returned her attention towards the other woman.

The firefighter admired the sky. “I hope you and Kotone stop fighting,” she requested, barely above a whisper.

Nakyoung blinked. “We haven’t really done anything these past two weeks.”

“I know,” said Nien. “But, I worry it was only because you stayed in separate cells. I didn’t miss how you two kept glaring at each other during Seoah’s birthday, and during the wave after that.”

Nakyoung hooked her arms over the bench’s backrest and looked up. She wanted to tell the firefighter it was none of her business, but she couldn’t bring herself to be angry. “Her and I just don’t mix well.”

A sigh. “I know you two don’t see eye to eye on how conflicts should be resolved, but that was in the past.” Nien turned her head towards Nakyoung. “Look to the future.”

Nakyoung chuckled. “Would you be friends with an arsonist?”

“You know that isn’t the same. You both seek justice, just in your own ways. But there are no laws anymore. Only ways to protect yourself. I think you two could find common ground.”

The vigilante pressed her lips together and let out a huff from her nose. The sky darkened above them, and, if she squinted, she could make out the stars coming out from hiding.

Blood. There was blood everywhere, as far as the eye could stretch. Metal. The air smelled like iron, the iron from the people’s blood.

Kotone couldn’t believe how quickly it took for people to devolve into insanity. Actually, she should’ve expected it. For some reason, she gave these inmates another chance after they begged on their knees to be saved, to be part of their group after claiming they had everything stolen from them. They metaphorically kissed her boots, their hands clasped together, and Kotone just had to give them a second chance. They were inmates, sure, but that didn’t mean they were evil, the angel on her shoulder defended.

Because of her mistake, Kotone became the one on her knees, her hands tied together behind her back as she watched the survivors she gathered be torn apart by zombies and criminals alike.

It was her fault. She revealed too much while her group told too little. The inmates capitalized off the situation, and it only took one hidden bite for everything to fall apart.

“Awe, come on, officer, don’t make that face,” the large man laughed, blasting a shotgun into the face of a rampaging infected. Kotone gritted her teeth as flesh and blood splattered onto her jacket. “No one could’ve expected this outcome. I feel sorry for you, really.”

Kotone pulled on her restraints, keeping her mouth shut. Yeonji sobbed quietly next to her, stuck in the same predicament. The police officer couldn’t even tear up from the shock she felt.

“You won’t say anything?” asked the man. A survivor grabbed him from the back, pleading for help as an infected man ran at her. The inmate pushed the woman off before firing a shell into the zombie’s chest. It writhed on the floor temporarily before standing back up again.

The prisoner huffed and cocked his gun before aiming for the head. The blast sent pieces of the zombie’s flesh flying in all directions.

“Well,” he started, cocking his gun again. “If you won’t talk, then this is just boring.”

In a sudden, Kotone was eye to eye with the shotgun’s muzzle. She stared into the deep end of the twin barrels, breathing heavily. Panic and fear overtook her senses, turning the shrill screams and cries into faint buzzing.

Was this the end?

“Bye-bye,” the man sing-songed, and a shot was fired.

Kotone’s eyes shot open as she jolted awake, sitting upright. Sweat coated her forehead, and her damp night clothes clung to her body. She patted around her head, feeling the aftershocks of the gunfire racking her brain, then dropped her hands to her side.

She panted heavily, gripping the bed sheets until her knuckles whitened. She spun her head around wildly in the dark, trying to make sense of where she was. Kotone swallowed and gasped, continuously replacing the oxygen in her body.

A nightmare, her brain processed. It was a nightmare.

Kotone shook her head. No. It was a memory. With a hand against her heart, the officer took deep breaths to calm herself down.

“Unnie?”

Kotone looked over to Yeonji’s silhouette in the dark. They had agreed to share an apartment, Yeonji confessing she didn’t feel comfortable alone. To be honest, the officer wasn’t sure she would’ve been able to sleep on her own, either.

“Nightmare?” asked Kotone. Yeonji nodded.

Kotone wordlessly patted the empty spot beside her. The skateboarder approached, throwing herself under the covers. Kotone brought an arm over to Yeonji and hugged her tightly.

“I thought they would go away after we were safe,” Yeonji murmured, clinging onto Kotone.

“Me too,” the officer whispered. “I guess we’ll have to deal with them forever.”

Yeonji sighed, snuggling deeper into Kotone.

Sergeant Kim crashed into her black office chair with a burdened sigh, the groan echoing through the room. Leaning back, she massaged her forehead and pressed her palms against her eyes. Before she could even relax, the door opened, making her jolt back into a professional form.

The private saluted her before entering, standing tall with his arms rigid on each side.

“Lieutenant General Kim has caught the perpetrators, ma’am.” He announced.

“Thank you, private. Go first, I’ll join you shortly.” Hyunjin replied formally. The soldier saluted her again and closed the door behind him.

The sergeant put both elbows on the desk and ruffled her hair. Looking down at a framed picture of her best friend, she recollected herself, passing her fingers through her short hair with a sigh.

The five teenage boys kept their heads low. They were presented in front of the sergeant and Lieutenant General Kim after being caught burning a new hole in the wall. They brooded silently as the leaders stared them down.

“Do you have anything to say for yourself?” Sergeant Kim tried, but the boys refused to look up.

“Look a sergeant in the eyes when they’re speaking to you.” The lieutenant general ordered. Slowly, the culprits raised their heads to cross eyes with Hyunjin. The sergeant narrowed her eyes as she was met with animosity.

“Will you tell us the reason you’ve been tearing holes in the walls?”

One of the perpetrators, a lean but tall guy, scorned. “There’s nothing to say to a woman.”

Soldiers and culprits alike took a sharp intake of breath. Hyunjin curled a brow as the teenager looked her in the eyes with artificial courage.

“Anything else?” asked the sergeant, unfazed.

One of the smaller boys spoke up. “You’ve been putting all the resources into researching the stupid zombies.”

“Yeah,” another boy jeered. “Why waste time trying to find a cure for some bunch of dead guys instead of keeping the living ones, y’know, alive?”

“And instead of sending your complaints to the office you decide to risk everyone’s safety?”

The boys refused to speak. The tall one at the front, who Hyunjin assumed was the leader, kept his glare on her. The sergeant didn’t match his aggression, keeping a cold stare.

Then, he gargled and spat on her uniform. “Fuck off.”

To everyone’s surprise, it was the lieutenant general who reacted. He latched onto the boy’s collar with one hand, effortlessly pulling him closer. The faux bravery the teenager had dispersed in an instant, his eyes filling with fear.

“You wanna try that again, huh?” The general stared him down. “Disrespect another military official, I dare you.”

“I-” The boy shook in fear.

Lieutenant General Kim pushed him away, the sheer force making him stumble backwards into his friends.

“Lock them up,” he ordered. “They will be dealt with tomorrow.”

The culprits were forcefully dragged away by the soldier, leaving only the sergeant and the general standing in the dark.

“You didn’t say anything about their disrespect.” Hyunjin heard him say discontentedly.

“I believed it wasn’t necessary, General.”

A scoff. “You’re too loose with your ruling. That is why they rebelled.” He admonished. “If you don’t fix that, you will have bigger problems.”

“Yes, sir,” Hyunjin said through her teeth.

The lieutenant general patted Sergeant Kim on the back. “I’m doing this because I am concerned. I have no intention to berate you at every turn.”

Sergeant Kim held in a huff and turned around. “I will see it to deliver the culprits safely to the prison.”

Lieutenant General Kim nodded. “Be careful out there, Sergeant.”

The sergeant saluted her higher-up, and marched her way towards the front gates, where her troops waited with the perpetrators in tow. Lieutenant General Kim lit a cigarette and slotted it between his lips, puffing out smoke as he contemplated her in silence.

Exiting the basement, Dahyun was met with Lynn and Sullin packing their backpacks in the living room.

“What’s going on?” asked the electrician, out of the loop. She had been spending most of her time in the basement the past few days, researching the virus’ functions with Yeojeong.

Lynn slotted her flashlight into the bag’s side pocket, then threw it up against her shoulder. “We’re going on a supply run. The pantry is emptying out at a record speed with five of us.” A map was set on the table in front of them with areas marked in black ink.

Yeojeong stepped out from behind Dahyun. “Are you sure? Didn’t you say it was dangerous outside?”

“That was a week ago,” Lynn replied. “Any infected nearby should be asleep if nothing else happened.”

“Ah, right,” Yeojeong nodded. “The dormant stage.”

“I wanted to go too,” Yubin cut in, lying on the couch, “But they said my leg’s still healing.” The traceuse shook her injured foot. “Honestly, I feel more than fine.” Yeojeong winced and put a hand out as Yubin kept abusing her leg, but ultimately decided to keep his comments to himself.

“Better safe than sorry, unless you want to parade that injury forever.” Lynn smirked. Yubin dropped her foot and threw up a rude finger, but chuckled, nonetheless.

Dahyun bit the inside of her cheek, watching their playful interaction with guilt stirring inside her heart. “I can help.”

“It’s alright,” Lynn quickly shot her down. “Sullin and I got this. We’ve learned to work well together.”

Sullin, hoisting her backpack behind her, flashed Dahyun a thumbs up.

“Oh, okay.” Dahyun slightly deflated, but made her way to the duo. “Stay safe out there,” she wished, giving each of them a hug.

“We’ll be back by evening,” Lynn reassured, giving Dahyun a pat on the shoulder. The agent said her goodbyes to Yubin and Yeojeong, the former telling her to not get hurt. With an arm wrapped around Sullin, Lynn walked towards the front door.

A large crowd had already formed at the crossroads when Seoah arrived in a sprint. She pushed her way through the gathering, uttering apologies with every tap and shove, not minding the stares she received.

It took a minute, but the young high-schooler made her way to the front, where she spotted Chaewon and the others. Hayeon was also there, but the troublemaker kept her distance from the group. Standing with her were Xinyu and Sohyun, the fashionista having taken a liking to her, and wherever she went, Sohyun followed.

After Chaewon had walked off, Seoah had the opportunity to talk to Hayeon. With Xinyu’s reassuring presence, she had been able to make her point across, and, with the bodyguard’s intimidating stare, Hayeon had managed to share her own feelings and apologies without letting her mouth run wild again.

Chaewon noticed Seoah and waved enthusiastically in her direction. The girl waved back, approaching the group. The crowd was noisy with people talking over each other, wondering why they all had been gathered in one spot.

“Did you all hear the announcement?” inquired the young student as Chaewon pulled her in, keeping an arm snug over her shoulder.

“Hard to miss,” Hyerin answered, eyes wary. “Soldiers went all around the place with their speakers.”

“I was going to the government office when I heard them telling us to gather at noon,” Mayu shared.

“They were blasting that so early in the morning, unnie. Are you that excited to get a job?” Yeonji teased her shorter elder as she zipped Soomin’s jacket up to her neck. The gunner had been complaining about getting weird looks from a middle-aged woman.

“Hey,” Mayu whined, “I would rather be managing resources than be fighting for my life.”

The girls giggled and exchanged murmurs of agreement. Seoah looked around, and slightly jumped back in surprise at the sight of a soldier standing right next to her.

“Don’t worry,” Yooyeon spoke from behind, “that one’s harmless.” Seoyeon snorted.

The soldier turned her head their way, a pout formed on her gorgeous face. “Just calling me ‘that one’ is a little hurtful, unnie…”

“Sorry.”

Chaeyeon leaned closer towards the trooper. “Who are you?” she inquired. “Why are you the only soldier around right now?” she added.

The soldier pointed a thumb at herself and showed a practiced smile. “I’m Ji Suhyeon, but you can call me Jiyeon. I’m friends with Seoyeon-unnie, whom you all know. I’m not an ‘official’ soldier, so I can wander freely when there’s nothing to do.”

Jiyeon’s introduction was received with positive greetings from the girls, Soomin professing her love for the woman.

“Do you know what’s happening?” wondered Jiwoo, ignoring how the gunner was getting a scolding from Seoyeon.

Jiyeon stretched her lips to one side. “Well, I’m not supposed to say…”

“They’re going to reveal it anyway, there’s no point in keeping secrets.” Yooyeon objected.

Jiyeon threw her hands up in abandon. “Fine. There’s been a bunch of guys making holes in the walls for the past week.”

The group of girls exclaimed and clamored at the new information.

“You’re telling us we’ve been at risk?” Nakyoung hissed. “And they didn’t tell us about it?”

“They probably didn’t want to worry the public,” Kotone reasoned with a roll of her eyes. An aggressive retort was ready on Nakyoung’s tongue, but with one glance at a disapproving Nien, it died in her throat.

The vigilante sighed. “Whatever. Nothing happened anyway.”

“Exactly.”

Nakyoung pressed her lips together, frustration bubbling up her stomach. It was apparent Nien hadn’t had that talk with her friend yet. At least the firefighter reached a hand out to Kotone, wordlessly telling her to cool down.

An organized team of soldiers marched their way in perfect synchronization. Hyunjin, and a man the girls had never seen before, walked beside them, holding megaphones. Haerin noticed they hauled five teenage boys in tow, their hands tied behind their backs.

“Looks like that’s them.” Jiwoo frowned.

The guys were pulled into the middle of the crowd. One of the soldiers ordered them to get back, and the people complied, forming a ring around the young culprits.

Seoah watched with an odd mix of curiosity and suspicion. Why did they tell them to gather just to look at some unruly boys? She might’ve just turned fourteen, but it didn’t take Einstein to know something was up.

The soldiers pushed the culprits to the center, their heads kept low. Whispers of confusion made their way around the crowd as the troops left, leaving only Sergeant Kim and the man in the middle with the boys.

The man raised his megaphone, giving it a light tap before opening his mouth.

“As some of you may already know, my name is Lieutenant General Kim Myungsoo. The boys you are seeing in front of you have endangered each of your lives.” His voice reverberated through the crowd.

Sharp, concerned chatter filled the air. The lieutenant general waited for things to quiet down before speaking again.

“These five teenagers have been caught burning a hole in the wall yesterday night. It was big enough for a person to pass through. When questioned about it, they refused to comply with direct orders. One of them even insulted, and spat on Sergeant Kim’s uniform.”

He continued, “We eventually learned they had been throwing a fit over resource management. Instead of going to the office to voice out their issues, they put everyone’s lives in danger by risking having the infected sneak past the walls.”

The soft chatter rapidly escalated into angry complaints. The crowd jeered at the teenagers, who hadn’t moved since, looking guiltily at the road. Sergeant Kim hadn’t spoken, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

“You all know we like to brandish the threat of death around like a child’s toy,” Lieutenant General Kim said amongst the shouts, sending everyone into complete silence. “Maybe saying it over and over again made it sound less intimidating. Looks like it passed over the heads of these boys.”

The lieutenant general paused, scanning the crowd. There was no murmur to interrupt his speech this time around as they clung to each and every one of his words.

Lieutenant General Kim inhaled. “Let me remind you that it is not just a threat,” he said grimly. “It is a promise.”

One of the teenagers, tall and lean, whipped his head up. “What-”

Sergeant Kim whipped out her pistol and pointed the barrel at the boy’s head. The crowd gasped in horror. The culprit instantly froze in his movements. Only his eyes trembled, both in fear and anger.

A wave of sickness washed over Seoah as the military hinted at public execution. The guys did something terrible, of course, but having everyone watch them be killed was too much. Sergeant Kim and the boy were at a standoff. Seoah gripped Chaewon’s arm tightly as she waited for something to happen. In her peripheral vision, she noticed Jiyeon was just as shaken as they were.

Sergeant Kim betrayed no emotion as she stared the boy down. Finally, she put her gun down, then raised her speaker. “You are exiled from Daejeon. You are to not step foot near the walls at a distance of 500 meters. You will be escorted out after packing your things.”

Sergeant Kim turned her back on him, paying no heed to the lieutenant general who watched her, lowering his speaker. Seoah could feel the collective breath of relief coming from the survivors around her. The student still wasn’t on board with the punishment, but it was far better than a death sentence.

Unfortunately, the boy didn’t think so. With gritted teeth, he suddenly lunged at Hyunjin with a shout. As if she had expected the outcome, the sergeant deftly stepped to the side, leaving the teenager tackling the air. Before he could strike again, the lieutenant general grabbed him by the back of his shirt and threw him onto the ground.

What happened next was the most violent beatdown Seoah had witnessed. The lieutenant general smashed his foot into the boy’s stomach, making him shout out and curl into himself. He raised his boot again, and repeatedly stomped on the teenager’s leg, right above the ankle, until the bone collapsed in a deafening crack.

The boy’s shrill screams terrified those around him. His friends, along with the front of the crowd, retreated fearfully from Lieutenant General Kim’s violent outburst. Even after hearing the bone break, he kept slamming the heel of his boot into the same spot. The boy eventually passed out from the pain.

Sergeant Kim roughly shoved his shoulder as he raised his leg up, and he stumbled back from the loss of balance. The action effectively stopped his brutal rampage, and Hyunjin rushed to the unconscious boy’s side. The lieutenant general’s chest heaved up and down as he spun his head around.

“This is what happens to those who don’t obey the rules!” he yelled. He looked down at the boy and Sergeant Kim with a sneer. “Get him and the others out of the city this instant,” he ordered before walking off like nothing happened, the crowd parting for him as he passed through.

Sullin was able to see the small village from their position in the woods. It was still distant, Sullin judging to be around two kilometers away, but she could already feel her legs relaxing from the long hike. It had been done silently so as to not attract any attention, and Sullin let herself get lost in her thoughts.

She thought a little about everything, letting her mind wander from topic to topic. Many of them were questions she had already answered a long time ago, such as how her home country and the rest of the world were doing, or whether or not she would actually manage to survive this apocalypse. She cursed her luck for having been in South Korea the day of the outbreak, but she has somewhat gotten used to the way of living.

Plus, she got to meet Lynn. Sullin giggled in her head, carefully stepping over a stone.

New thoughts came to the surface, and Sullin found herself musing over Dahyun’s behavior for the past week. The girl, who usually stuck with them, spent the days cooped up in the basement with the doctor. Sullin didn’t care much about what the two had going on; anyone could see they were infatuated with each other.

The problem was, when she came upstairs, she would keep conversations short with the others whilst sparing the occasional glance towards Yubin.

Sullin could’ve brushed it off as Dahyun was still mad at Yubin for her insensitive comment, but the traceuse had apologized to her the moment she had woken from her nap. Sullin had caught a fragment of their conversation as she read her comic. Dahyun said she had forgiven her, and the girl was always genuine about how she felt.

Something didn’t add up. Pursing her lips, Sullin turned to look at the back of Lynn’s head, the agent taking the lead as always.

“Lynn,” Sullin called out quietly after carefully scanning her surroundings. Lynn stopped and turned around.

“Yes?”

“Can we…” Sullin mimed her hand into a mouth, repeatedly opening and closing it.

“Talk?” Lynn guessed. Sullin lit up and nodded.

“Okay,” the agent agreed, moving to Sullin’s side. “Let’s keep walking. What did you want to talk about?”

“Dahyun-unnie.”

“Ah…” Lynn understood. “She’s strange?”

“Mmh.” Sullin searched for her next words. “To Yubin-unnie.” She mixed English and Korean.

“Really?” asked Lynn, a glint of surprise showing on her face. “I knew I had a hard time talking to her, but I did not see that.”

Sullin nodded profusely. “She don’t like…”

“It’s like she doesn’t like Yubin?”

“Yes, that’s right,” said Sullin. “Also, basement. A lot.”

Lynn clicked her tongue, thinking deeply. “She is staying a long time there…”

A thought flickered in Sullin’s head. “Zombies.”

Lynn’s eyes widened. “You think they’re still there?”

Another nod. Lynn’s eyebrows furrowed as she sucked in a breath, rearranging her thoughts from the information Sullin had given her.

The agent inhaled. “You’re right,” she admitted. “Something is up. I want to trust Dahyun-unnie, but I will take a look when we get back.”

Sullin pressed a hand to her chest and sighed in relief, exaggerating her expression. Lynn grinned and patted her head. “Thank you for bringing this up.”

Sullied beamed, and the two marched farther down the hill.

Half an hour later, the two girls arrived at the small town. It was deathly silent, causing them to tense up. Walking through the empty streets, they spotted a person resting in a pool of blood with their head against the wall. Next to the wall was a dark blue jeep in good condition. Taking her machete out, Lynn gave the body a small tap, and it fell over without resistance. She and Sullin exchanged looks before moving further in.

They checked every corner as they walked, not wanting any surprises, turning a corner, Sullin tapped Lynn on the shoulder, then pointed at a medium-sized building. It was a convenience store, the name being one of the words Sullin recognized. Lynn smiled proudly, and they lightly treaded their way to the store.

Lynn gently opened the glass door and was pleased to see the jingle bell had already been removed by a previous visitor. She entered first, and Sullin carefully closed the door behind them.

The only light source the store offered was through the large glass panels at the front, the sun shining through and gradually fading in the back. A few aisles were lined up vertically, and there was an open door leading to the pitch-black back room.

Lynn looked around the place. She didn’t see any zombies or people from the entrance. Delicately, she walked further into the convenience store, occasionally glancing back to check on Sullin. Instead of going through an aisle, the agent decided to peek through each first.

By the third aisle, Lynn spotted movement at the back and swiftly crouched down, Sullin following her actions. Peeking an eye out, she spied on the figure.

A girl with brown hair stood in the back of the store, loading canned foods into her military-grade backpack. Her back faced the girls, and she was blissfully unaware of the presence of another party. When she turned to check her bag space, Lynn moved her head away with a prudent sigh.

The agent pondered the risks of confronting the survivor. She could take her out in one swift motion, but she didn’t quite feel like it. Additionally, she didn’t know whether or not she was alone, and the interaction could end in an ocean of problems wherein Lynn couldn’t see the bottom.

The agent decided to leave her be. She made a gesture towards Sullin, indicating her to advance into the next aisle. With a nod, her teammate discreetly crouched around, and Lynn tailed her closely.

A low growl sent Lynn’s alarm bells blaring. She yanked Sullin back from her bag’s grab handle before the girl even had time to process the sound. In one swift motion, the agent brought her machete out and thrust it through the stray infected’s neck. It gargled and spluttered when she pulled the blade out, blood gushing out the new orifice.

The ordeal had no doubt caught the stranger’s attention. Lynn shimmied her and a startled Sullin into the aisle. Crouching them down, she checked on her friend with a head pat, and Sullin blinked out of her surprise to give Lynn an affirmative nod.

Bringing a finger to her lips, the two girls listened closely. They heard nothing from the other person. Lynn gestured at Sullin to stay as she stood up, machete at the ready. She watched the person's faint shadow approach the aisle methodically. When she turned the corner, Lynn spun her around and pressed a hand against her mouth.

The girl emitted a muffled noise of surprise, dropping her knife with a clatter. Lynn aggressively shushed her as she tried to pry her hand away. The girl was surprisingly strong for her thin build, and Lynn struggled to keep her still.

“Just walk away,” warned Lynn, angling the tip of the machete against her back. “We weren’t even here.”

With her eyebrows furrowed in doubt, the girl slowed her movements, and held her hands up.

Lynn took a deep breath. “I will let go of you. If you do anything, I will not hesitate to knock you out.”

The stranger nodded carefully, not wanting to alarm the agent. Keeping her eyes on the girl, Lynn gently pried her hand away, setting her free.

The girl’s gaze shifted onto a reflection in the window. Before Lynn could react, she felt a blunt object slam into her temple, sending her falling to the ground in a nauseous daze. She caught herself with her arms before her head could hit the floor, and watched through unfocused eyes as Sullin tried to fight back, but was struck next, and her body collapsed.

Sullin couldn’t cushion her impact. Her head thumped against the ground, and she was knocked unconscious in an instant, coming face-to-face with Lynn with her eyes closed. The agent tried to get back up on her feet, but she could feel her conscience slipping away with every second.

“What do we do with them?” came a soft, high-pitched voice.

“Leave them,” the second voice hissed. Lynn’s heart jumped as she thought it familiar. “We need to get out of here. We made too much noise.”

Lynn heard nothing but a pause. Suddenly, the second voice said,

“Wait. Take her.”

Lynn was powerless as she felt a tug on her jacket. With all the effort she could muster, she reached a hand out to Sullin’s face, watching as they grew more distant.

Sullin… her mind whispered. The last thing the agent felt was how soft Sullin’s skin was against her fingertips.

The display of violence had left the girls uneasy.

Since they all had been gathered in one place, the group decided to eat their second meal together at the nearby park, with Jiyeon joining them. It was clear the new recruit did not know about the rollout of events from the way her eyes were downcast, so no one berated her for it.

Gazes were avoided during dinner as they ate their ration of spam and rice. It was a less than ideal meal, but they figured nothing was ideal anymore, anyway.

“Alright,” Nakyoung interrupted the silence, “no one’s saying it, so I will. Who the hell was that guy?”

All eyes turned to Jiyeon. The soldier stopped mid-bite, lowering her plastic spoon with a gulp.

“Lieutenant General Kim Myungsoo. He’s the one who oversees everything,” she informed. “We don’t usually see him around much. This was just as much of a surprise to me than to you all.”

“Is he usually this violent?” asked Kotone.

“I don’t know,” Jiyeon admitted. “He only came back last week, but whenever we did see him, he behaved normally.”

The information didn’t do much to quell the tension in their shoulders. Nevertheless, Kotone thanked her.

Nakyoung let out a forlorn sigh, lying down on the grass. Pressing her palms against her forehead, she groaned, “We should stay as far away from him as we can, in my opinion.”

“I agree,” said Sohyun. “He’s dangerous. If he acts calm, but gets these episodes, there’s something happening under the surface.”

“Alright, so how do we stay away from him?” Nien asked, taking a bite of her food.

“Don’t get in trouble,” Yooyeon asserted. “Don’t try to be a good Samaritan, either. He cannot have you on his radar in any way.”

The group of girls nodded at the scientist’s advice. The small talk loosened their spirits a little, at least letting them enjoy the rest of their mealtime.

Soomin took an evening walk down the road whilst listening to music, trying to clear her head after the meal. She kept her jacket zipped up to her neck with her hands in her pockets as the soft tunes of Wave to Earth’s love. played in her ears.

A small huff made its way out of her mouth. Was that how generals behaved? Publicly shaming someone, breaking their bones until they became beyond irreparable, then throwing them out like they were trash? Jeez, was that not a good impression of her father’s job.

Soomin shook her head. Her father wouldn’t do that. Not that she knew much about what he did. Still, she felt an indescribable anger rise from her neck as she rewinded the memories.

The song’s first section faded, and the shuffle on her MP3 introduced a series of dissonant chords. Soomin cringed and rested her headphones on her neck.

A hand tapped her shoulder when she reached for her player. Soomin turned around and was met with the middle-aged woman with short hair who had been watching her during the public gathering.

“Uhm, hi. Can I help you?” Soomin asked, giving the woman a polite smile with a bow. Behind her was another lady, similar in age, but with hair reaching her upper back.

The first woman narrowed her eyes. “What are you hiding behind your jacket?” Soomin noted her tone of voice was especially entitled.

“What?”

“Your jacket,” she repeated. “You’re hiding something.”

Soomin staggered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Your injuries. They were black. I saw them.”

The gunner clenched her jaw, “I’m sorry, I don’t-”

“Don’t lie to me!” the woman suddenly barked, attracting the attention from the people around them. Soomin swallowed harshly, a bead of sweat rolling down her face as she was put on the spot.

The woman approached her, invading her personal space. “If you had nothing to hide, you would show us.”

Soomin flinched back with a grimace. “You’re being weird!”

“I haven’t seen you around before,” the lady stared her down, and Soomin saw fear in her eyes with a hint of madness. “Maybe you snuck in after those boys burned a hole in the wall.”

“It’s because I just got here!” Soomin defended, feeling small as more people stopped to watch.

“Show us.”

Soomin smacked her lips, her mouth running dry. She knew she was out of options. She could make a run for it, but there was nowhere to hide, and the woman would surely report her to the military. Yooyeon had stressed that they shouldn’t end up on the general’s watchlist.

The woman clicked her tongue, looking at Soomin with disgust. “I knew it. Take her.”

The two women grabbed Soomin by the arms and started dragging her down the road.

“Wh– hey! Let go of me!” the gunner shouted, but the protest fell on deaf ears.

Chaeyeon and Jiwoo had found a secluded spot on the top of a semi-tall building’s roof, sitting down near the edge of the infrastructure. Chaeyeon rested her head on Jiwoo’s shoulder, feeling a little vertigo. The athlete didn’t mind the height.

“This is nice,” Chaeyeon commented, looking at the horizon where the sun barely peeked out behind Daejeon’s walls. There were a few clouds in the sky that reflected the red rays of light. “I can see why you and Yubin loved climbing buildings.”

“The view’s a nice bonus,” Jiwoo agreed, spotting dark clouds to her left that confirmed the predictions of a storm.

“But it was mostly about getting away from it all,” Chaeyeon recited.

“Yup,” Jiwoo said, popping the “p.” She turned to look at Chaeyeon. “I’m surprised you still remember that, unnie.”

Chaeyeon’s smile reached her eyes. “How could I not? You told me that when you and Yubin were trying to get me to do parkour for the first time.”

Jiwoo snickered. “Yeah, and then you tripped and fell on your very first jump.”

Chaeyeon whined. “You promised to never bring that up again!” She sent Jiwoo’s shoulder a flurry of weak punches. 

The athlete let out a burden-free laugh as Chaeyeon pouted next to her. Still, she smiled, her heart warming as she watched her best friend regain her colors.

Jiwoo’s laughter died down, and she let out a satisfied hum. A comfortable silence embraced the two friends as they went back to watching the horizon.

“How are you?” whispered Chaeyeon out of the blue.

The question was simple, basic even, but it was loaded with the burden of the past month. Jiwoo didn’t think she would be able to tell Chaeyeon everything, so she settled with the most important one.

“I miss Yubin.”

Chaeyeon reached for Jiwoo’s hand, interlacing their fingers. “She would love the view.”

“Do you think we’ll see her again?” Jiwoo worried with a slight quiver in her bottom lip. For so many years of her life, she could rely on Yubin to always be there when she needed her. Even after she settled for a better life, almost becoming a hockey star, Yubin never changed, staying in the same place, and Jiwoo always knew where to look.

To Jiwoo, Yubin was her rock.

Chaeyeon set her sights on Jiwoo. She traced her best friend’s features with her eyes before smiling gently. Despite having joined halfway through Jiwoo and Yubin’s inseparable friendship, not once did the two make her feel like she was lacking. They always tried to make her participate in their activities despite her generally lacking physical prowess, and they would also sacrifice their valuable time to try out her hobbies, even though Yubin would often fall asleep halfway through out of boredom. But she had never left.

“We will. I know we will.”

Jiwoo turned her head to meet Chaeyeon’s gaze. It was soft. So soft. The athlete could just stare into her eyes forever. Chaeyeon always provided the reassurance and encouragement she needed to keep going. If Yubin was her rock, then Chaeyeon was her stream. A small river, ever so gentle and nourishing, breathing new life into her.

She was so in love with Chaeyeon. She never outwardly showed her attraction other than her bear hugs and reassuring head pats, but the actions had somehow become a staple of their friendship more than anything else.

The scenery was near picture perfect. It only needed Yubin to be in the frame. If the traceuse was here, though, she would surely be yelling at Jiwoo to confess. When was the next time they’d be able to relax like this, after all?

Jiwoo swallowed her anxiety, tightening the grasp on Chaeyeon’s hand. Her face flushed as she readied herself to make a leap she couldn’t take back.

“Unnie…”

Shouts and yells echoed from the street below them, and Jiwoo held in a groan at the interruption. The two girls shared a look of concern, then glanced down below. A girl was getting dragged by some people on the sidewalk, desperately trying to get away.

“What’s going on?” Jiwoo narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look. With the sun setting, it was getting harder to see.

Chaeyeon gasped. “It’s Soomin.”

Jiwoo’s eyes shot open. “What?”

Chaeyeon pointed at the girl. “The headphones. They’re hers.”

Indeed, Jiwoo could spot Soomin’s signature cat headphones wrapped around her neck. She wiped her mouth with her hand and cursed under her breath.

“We need to go.”

Chaeyeon gave an urgent nod, and the two hastily sped towards the stairs.

Any person who was still outside had gathered around Soomin, wondering what was happening.

The gunner tried to pry herself away from the first woman’s grubby hands, but the other woman held her still. Anger bubbled up in her stomach as she was unable to do anything. It didn’t help that the woman kept shouting about how she was infected right next to her ears. Her eardrums felt especially sensitive.

They had reached the crossroads when the two offenders shoved her away, nearly making her stumble. The crowd circled around her, forming an impenetrable ring. Soomin gritted her teeth as they all scrutinized her, and she covered her scars up with her jacket.

The attempt was met with hostility when the woman used it as evidence. “Look at how she’s hiding her injuries! Any normal person wouldn’t be doing that!”

Soomin nearly snarled. She wanted to fight someone, preferably the woman, but she retreated into herself as everyone’s eyes burned into her skin. The faces in the crowd blurred together as Soomin snapped her head around.

Chaeyeon and Jiwoo pushed through the crowd, their breaths catching in their throats as they witnessed Soomin suffer the glares of the survivors, hugging herself.

Chaeyeon stepped into the circle, but a hand pushed her back.

“Stay back! She’s dangerous.” A man said, keeping his hand on Chaeyeon’s shoulder. Jiwoo roughly shoved him away.

“She’s not infected!”

“Then what are the black marks on her chest?” a new person called out. “They’re just the same as the infected veins.”

“They’re just scars! She’s fine!”

“She’s a monster. Just like them.” Another one spat out. Soomin felt a pang on her chest at the name-calling.

“I’m not a monster,” she whispered, but no one heard her.

The sound of wheels rolled up behind the crowd. Yeonji boarded off her skateboard and rushed to the scene. Hyerin, Chaewon, and Seoah caught up after, having sprinted after the skateboarder.

“What the hell is this?” Yeonji lashed out, pushing her skateboard against the strangers denying her access to the front. The other girls arrived and helped part the crowd.

Soomin saw the small opening and she tunnel-visioned. She tried to make a break for it, but she couldn’t spot the incoming fist on time, and it smashed against her face.

Gasps were heard. The gunner reeled back and held her hand under her nose, feeling something warm trickle out. Her head spun from the impact.

“You bastard!” She heard Yeonji yell. Soomin wiped her tender nose with a wince. She brought her fingers in front of her face, confirming she was bleeding.

Angry shouts echoed in her head, and Soomin turned to the sound. Yeonji had started a fight with a much larger guy who, Soomin assumed, had punched her. Although the man was big, Yeonji used her skateboard to fight, swinging it like a baseball bat. Jiwoo joined in and threw a sucker punch into the man’s nose while he tried to dodge Yeonji’s attack. The hockey player’s hair was then pulled back by a new participant.

The place quickly delved into chaos as more people joined the brawl. Chaewon and Seoah had somehow gotten roped into the fight, but they held their ground surprisingly well, managing to dodge or deflect the attacks thrown at them. They didn’t send out any strikes of their own.

With everyone distracted, Soomin tried to run away again, but the middle-aged woman yanked her by her sleeve.

“Where do you think you’re going?” the woman sneered, pulling the gunner back as she tried to get away. “You started this!”

Soomin was at her limit by that point, and she saw red.

“Let go, you bitch!”

Soomin spun around and swung her free arm, slashing a large scratch across the woman’s cheek. It was shallow but cut just deep enough to draw blood.

The woman released her grip on Soomin and let out a shriek, clutching her face in horror. The gunner’s outburst had halted all fighting, and everyone turned to gape at her.

Sergeant Kim and Lieutenant General Kim arrived at the scene, accompanied by soldiers who hastily broke up the fight.

“What happened here?” asked the sergeant, alarmed at the commotion. The middle-aged woman grabbed Hyunjin’s shoulders, sobbing.

“This infected girl scratched me!” she cried, pointing at Soomin, who kept a grip on her upper jacket.

Hyunjin frowned. “Infected?”

“She has those black marks on her collarbones, like the veins from the monsters!”

Hearing that, Lieutenant General Kim glared at Soomin. “Let go of your jacket.”

Soomin gulped as she looked up at the man. She let her jacket fall to her side, exposing her black scars. The people who had yet to see them had their breaths caught in their throats.

The lieutenant general seethed and set a hand on his pistol. Soomin’s eyes widened.

“Wait!” came a voice from the crowd.

Hyerin shimmied into view; she had retreated from the fight the instant Yeonji started swinging.

“Don’t do it,” the archer pleaded.

“Ordering a general around?” Lieutenant General Kim reproached. “Have you not learned from the gathering?”

“I know, but, please, let me say something.” Hyerin pressed her palms together. Soomin saw the girl was shaking, beyond terrified.

The general grumbled, releasing his hold on his handgun. “This better be worth my time.”

Hyerin exhaled an anxious breath, trying to not throw up from fear. “She had those injuries two weeks ago.”

“Is that supposed to help her case?”

“She would’ve turned a long time ago if she was infected.” Hyerin made her point across, trying to not be intimidated. “The only reason she lashed out was because everyone was watching her, yelling at her, and calling her names. Someone punched her when she tried to get out. Anyone would’ve snapped in her situation.”

Chaeyeon raised her hand. “If I could add something, Soomin didn’t start the commotion. The lady and her friend were dragging her through the road and yelling.” Her statement received agreeing murmurs from a section of the crowd.

The lieutenant general rubbed a hand under his chin, mulling over Hyerin and Chaeyeon’s words. “What were the injuries from?”

“I– well–” Hyerin looked around for her groupmates. They gave her affirming nods. The archer gulped, looking down. “It was from a zombie.”

Hyunjin glared at the group, but said nothing.

The man scoffed. “Then there’s still a chance she’s infected.”

“Then how is she talking? Thinking?” Hyerin threw out one word after another. “They hurt her first, she just defended herself.”

“I’m not risking anything.” The lieutenant general pulled out his gun and clicked it, raising it to Soomin’s head.

“Give her a chance, damn it!” Hyerin shouted, her fear replaced with frustration, making the general curl an eyebrow. “She’s only sixteen! Are you going to kill a sixteen year old girl over having black scars? Even though she showed no signs of being anything other than human?”

Lieutenant General Kim kept his eyes on the archer after her verbal outpour, keeping his gun pointed against Soomin. The girls held their breaths, waiting for the man’s answer.

He gave Soomin one last glare before putting his gun back in its holster. “I want her locked up and tested, and the woman she scratched under surveillance.”

He pulled out the pair of handcuffs around Hyunjin’s belt, and secured Soomin’s hands behind her back. “If she turns, this girl will be executed.”

Sergeant Kim stepped forth. “Sir, I don’t think–”

The general gripped Hyunjin’s shoulder, squeezing hard enough for it to bruise. He brought his lips close to her ears.

“Know your place, Sergeant.” He warned in a low, foreboding voice. “I won’t forget what you pulled at the gathering.”

He didn’t wait for an answer before letting her go. With his hands behind his back, he gave Hyerin a look. “I want her locked up, too. In the same cell as the girl.”

Hyerin held her tongue against the gross misuse of authority, not wanting to worsen her situation. She and Soomin shared a look, the gunner’s eyes overwhelmed with gratitude. The other girls didn’t say anything, having just gotten away with fighting.

The Lieutenant General raised his hand, and Soomin and Hyerin were promptly hauled away by soldiers. Another group escorted the injured woman, who was still sobbing pitifully.

Soomin looked back at the woman. Her inner turmoil gone, she was left with a sense of guilt hanging on her heart. She truly wished she hadn’t doomed her in any way.

“Move,” ordered the soldier with as much vice as they had done on the first day. The gunner was pushed to the front, and she looked at the ground as the gates opened.

Chapter Text

Enthusiastic whispers made their rounds through the tour bus as it drove on a mountaintop away from Daejeon. Jiyeon kept her eyes closed, trying to get a few more minutes of rest in. She was so jittery last night it was hard to sleep.

“How’s our principal dancer doing?” A hand hooked over Jiyeon’s seat from behind.

Jiyeon looked up and smiled at her friend. “I’m kind of nervous, actually.”

“Don’t be!” another girl cheered, play-smacking Jiyeon on the shoulder. “You’ll do amazing. Just put on that winning smile of yours and you’ll steal the show.”

Jiyeon leaned her head back into her seat, wearing a comfortable grin. “Thanks, Tsuki.”

“Stay seated, girls,” advised their teacher. “We wouldn’t want something to happen before we even get to perform.”

“Yes, mentor Shen!” The two girls obeyed and seated themselves.

Jiyeon let out an amused huff, turning around to look outside. Her smile wore down into a frown when she spotted the extended blockage before them.

“What’s all of this?” asked the ballerina as the bus jolted to a stop. All around them, people stepped out of their cars, some even getting into fights. Vehicles quickly filled the space behind them. The other road was filled with cars rushing away from Seoul.

“Traffic? That wasn’t on the feed,” mumbled the driver as he stood up. “Stay in your seats,” he said before stepping down.

The girls ignored his advice and leaned over to look out the window. The bus driver confusedly scratched his head at the havoc. Alarms blared while other vehicles unceasingly pressed on the car horn, sending jarring beeps through the packed road.

“I don’t like this…” whimpered one of Jiyeon’s crew members. The principal dancer kept her eyes on the man as he looked an approaching boy up and down. He kneeled in front of the kid and set his hand on his shoulder, mouthing something.

An odd chill ran up Jiyeon’s neck. The child’s eyes were hollow as he kept staring the driver down, and she noticed odd black lines going up his neck. The driver kept talking until the boy snapped his head towards the hand and bit into it.

The girls screamed as the driver pulled back in shock. The boy went at him again, and the man backed away whilst shooing the child. He urgently hopped back into the bus, shoving the kid away with his foot before closing the door and crashing into the driver’s seat.

“What’s happening?” asked mentor Shen on high alert.

“Something isn’t right. We need to get out of here,” blubbered the driver as he veered the bus off course, making his passengers sway to the side.

The dance crew yelled in terror when a man banged his palm against the bus, eyes distressed. His voice was muffled through the door as he yelled to be let in. The bus driver stopped and was about to open the door, but a woman lunged at the outsider before it could open.

Jiyeon sunk into her seat and closed her eyes, terrified. Curling into herself, she pressed her palms against the back of her neck.

The tour bus rocked back as the driver pressed the gas pedal, boosting the vehicle away from the commotion.

“Everyone’s attacking each other. What’s happening?” Tsuki hugged herself as she stared outside.

Screams filled Jiyeon’s ears. The ballerina looked up, wondering what happened.

“You almost hit someone!” She heard their mentor scold the driver. Her breath hitched when he didn’t react.

“...Sir?”

Mentor Shen reached to tap the driver on the shoulder when he lunged at her, making her scream and fall. It was chaos as she and a few girls desperately tried to get the man off of her, clamoring at his sudden aggression. Jiyeon backed away from the assault with quickened breaths, pressing herself against the wall.

“Look out!” Shouted one of the girls, and Jiyeon felt her body crash into the seat before her.

The bus had been flipped to the side from the fall. It had made its descent down the mountain before crashing into a tree. Jiyeon had somehow survived with minimal injuries, only sporting a few cuts around her face and arms. The most serious ailment was the glass shard sunken into her thigh, but with the ballerina's pumping adrenaline, she felt about nothing.

It was night when she had woken up, and the first thing she had seen was Tsuki's lifeless eyes boring into her as she hung over the seat sideways. No one else moved from their spots.

They were all dead. Jiyeon nearly threw up, feeling distressed. The stomach acid burned her throat. Uncontrollable tears ran down her eyes.

She had a feeling no help was coming. After all, there had been so much chaos.

Get out first, think about it later, she thought, and looked for a way to escape with her phone's flashlight. Her eyes landed on the side facing the sky with all the windows broken.

With some difficulty, Jiyeon lifted herself onto the open top of the bus, careful not to press into any broken glass. Gently, she then shimmied her way down to the ground, making sure to land on her good foot.

The ballerina flashed her light around, making sense of where she was. The road was up to her right while the left led her to some woods downhill. Jiyeon staggered when she spotted a large group of people standing in the distance. As she was about to call out to them, she stopped, reminded of the angry people who attacked others.

Still, it was too late. They had caught the light and traced it back to her. Slowly, they stepped towards her, and Jiyeon knew they weren't friendly.

The ballerina rushed to shut the flashlight, engulfing herself in darkness. Not knowing where else to go, she took off into the woods, stumbling a few times as the slope steepened. She could hear the rustling of the aggressors from behind.

Jiyeon ran down the mountain in the dark, trying to lose the infected chasing after her. She tripped over a stone and fell, tumbling down the rest of the way. Her body slammed into a tree, and she wheezed. In her coughing fit, the sound of a gun clicked above her, and its muzzle was pointed at her eye.

Her chest heaved up and down at the direct threat. She then winced as a flashlight shone into her eyes.

"Keep still!" The woman ordered, and Jiyeon noticed her camo clothes and helmet. Obeying the soldier, the ballerina stared into the woman's eyes.

The soldier scrutinized her with her cat-like eyes. "Are you bit?"

Jiyeon sucked in a breath and shook her head.

The woman nodded before moving the gun away. "She's clear!"

Another woman, who Jiyeon noted lacked a helmet, approached the two, holding her own flashlight. She pointed it above the hills, catching sight of the infected that were running after Jiyeon.

"Open fire!" she shouted in a deep voice.

A barrage of bullets struck the people, making Jiyeon cover her ears and widen her eyes. Despite being hit countless times, the assailants kept advancing.

"Why aren't they going down?!" yelled a soldier.

"Aim for the head!"

One infected fell over and rolled all the way down where Jiyeon was, facing her. The ballerina gasped and tried to move away, but was still paralyzed from the impact.

A hand grabbed Jiyeon's shirt as the person was about to bite her face off. The soldier aimed for its head and fired, killing it.

A scream tore through the air, and the soldier whipped her head around in an instant. The woman who led the group had been bitten in the throat by one of them.

"Heejin!"

Jiyeon dropped her spoon in the container and delicately wiped the corners of her lips.

"So, yeah. That's what happened," she said. "The sergeant saved my life, so I wanted to return the favor."

Jiyeon looked up to Yooyeon and Seoyeon, who sat across from her. Seoyeon's girlfriend – at least that was how Jiyeon viewed their relationship – carefully observed her, tapping a finger on the table.

Yooyeon then inhaled. "I'm sorry about what happened. To your friends."

Jiyeon looked down at her empty meal and shrugged despondently. "At least they died as themselves. That's a luxury, these days."

Sullin opened her eyes feeling groggy and sick. She blinked a couple times as a bell continuously tolled against the side of her head.

Looking around, she found herself alone, with Lynn and the assailants nowhere to be seen. The body of the infected rotted behind her, leaving a stench that further dizzied her.

Sullin pushed herself up, regaining a sliver of strength as her mouth begged for water. Her eyes trailed on the ground, she winced as a small trail of blood had seeped from her injury. She held herself up on the aisle’s empty shelf and pressed her forehead against it to take a deep breath.

What happened? Where did Lynn go? Who were those people? Sullin only remembered one of them had a military backpack.

A bang on the window locked Sullin back into the present, but when she turned her head to the glass over the counter, where dark clouds approached, she saw nothing. Holding her breath, Sullin stepped towards the front only to see the door closing.

Alarmed, Sullin took a step back. Something yanked at her backpack from behind, sending her stumbling and falling.

Sullin unlooped her arms from the straps and turned around to see the newcomer discard the bag and lash out at her. Crawling backward, Sullin weakly kicked it in the leg, only making it stagger for a moment. She kicked it again without much aim, and luckily enough, it landed in its ankle, making it lose balance.

Sullin rolled over and stood back up. Without looking back, she made a run for the door. Much to her dismay, the zombie had already caught up when she tried to pull it open. She pushed it back with another, more powerful kick and took off into the store, the escape becoming a game of chase.

While looping around the aisle, Sullin remembered the store’s counter, and an idea came to mind. She sprinted to the front, placed a hand on the counter, and effortlessly hopped over it.

Sullin backed into the windows the moment her feet landed to see the infected attempting to climb over whilst keeping its hands reached out. The survivor hastily searched through her pockets, fiddling with her knife until she got a good grip. When the zombie was scaling over with its stomach pressed against the counter, Sullin came forth and stabbed it in the skull with a shout. It slumped lifelessly on the table.

Sullin tiredly pushed it down as she was hit with vertigo. She carefully sat down with her back against the counter, a cold sweat taking her by force. Taking short breaths, she took the time to recover, her head too dizzy to think. The first droplets of rain hit the window with light thuds, and thunder struck far away. She had to go back as soon as she could.

Yeonji went full speed on her skateboard, her mind in distress. She felt the first drops of rain hit her face.

“Wait up!” called Chaewon from behind. Her friends were unable to keep up with her.

“I’ll get ‘Tone-unnie!” said Yeonji, heading for the apartment buildings. “Go find the others and meet us at my apartment!” She pushed her foot into the ground to propel herself further, dodging the human obstacles in front of her.

The skateboarder landed in front of her building. Picking up her skateboard, she ran in and climbed several stories worth of stairs. She barely took the time to catch her breath before rushing through the hallway to find her apartment number.

Her eyes flickered to the left. 1112. Yeonji banged on the door with her fist.

“Unnie! There’s trouble!”

Sounds of shuffling were heard through the door before it swung open. Kotone stared at her, her hair disheveled.

“What kind of trouble?”

Fifteen girls found themselves cramped in Kotone and Yeonji’s shared apartment, listening to Yeonji’s hasty rant. The sky had fully darkened, and the room was illuminated by a small orange candle which casted oversized shadows over everything.

“So, to summarize,” Yooyeon started with her hand under her chin, “A woman suspected Soomin of infection because of her marks, a fight broke out, Soomin scratched the woman, then the military showed up.”

“Yes, basically.” Yeonji was quick to reply, standing in the middle of the room. “And the General Lieutenant or whatever wants to kill her if she’s tested positive for infection. He literally said ‘we’ll execute the girl,’ right? And I don’t know if it’s gonna be public or not but that doesn’t really matter right now– she’s locked up. Hyerin-unnie too!”

“So he’ll only kill her if she’s infected?” asked Mayu, sitting on the edge of Kotone’s bed.

“He was going to shoot Soomin right then and there if Hyerin-unnie didn’t say something.” Chaewon shared.

Jiyeon readjusted the rifle on her lap. “Well, she isn’t infected, right? I don’t really see what the issue is.”

Yeonji snapped her head towards the soldier. “The issue is– Soomin-unnie has a target on her back from mister General Lieutenant. And he jailed Hyerin-unnie for no reason other than a power trip!”

“Lieutenant General, actually.”

“I don’t give a shit!”

“Woah!” Kotone cut in. “I know you’re worried right now, but let’s take a deep breath and think this through.” The police officer gulped and looked around. “How did Soomin behave during the conflict?”

The witnesses glanced at each other, unsure.

“I mean… she was acting kind of weirdly. Like she was going to lash out at someone.” Seoah hugged herself.

“Okay, but she was surrounded by a bunch of people wanting to burn her at the stake.” Hayeon advocated to the girls’ surprise. “Speaking from… personal experience, you tend to crack under the pressure, and you might do something you regret.”

Yooyeon tapped a finger above her lips. “We don’t have enough to work with. Has anyone seen Soomin act out of character for the past couple weeks?”

The group racked their brains to find anything.

“She was pretty aggressive on the firetruck after the scratches happened…” Nien’s delivery betrayed her uncertainty.

“Counterpoint,” Sohyun interjected, “she had a bad rash and was handcuffed for a very long time.”

“If her scars were black, then it must mean something…” Mayu mumbled to herself.

Jiwoo frowned at Mayu. “We’re not going through this again.”

“Hey, she was just making a point,” Kotone chided. “A good one at that.”

“I think it’s just a bullshit excuse, no offense,” argued the athlete.

“Black marks are one of the most obvious symptoms of an infection,” replied the cop with a shrug. “It makes sense to worry.”

“Do you think the citizens were valid to act like that, then?” Nakyoung spoke up, her arms crossed with her back against the wall. “Or the military?”

Kotone clicked her tongue in annoyance, her demeanor shifting to one of hostility. “What are you trying to say?”

“I was just asking. Seriously. It’s important to share what you feel with others, right?” Nakyoung gave Nien a look. The firefighter avoided her eye guiltily.

Kotone scrutinized Nakyoung, then shook her head. “I think the military’s reaction was a valid one.”

“What?!” Yeonji exclaimed.

“Hold on-” Kotone held a palm up. “I’m not saying executing Soomin on the spot was right, but putting her under surveillance is valid given her scars. They did come from a zombie. If she’s not infected, then all is good, and we get her back. If she is…”

Yeonji balled her fists. “Say it!”

“Then the necessary actions should be taken to keep everyone safe.” Kotone dropped, earning angry retorts from some of the girls.

“Are you hearing yourself?” Nakyoung uncrossed her arms and approached Kotone. “You just pushed for Soomin’s death!”

“I did not say she has to die.” Kotone gritted her teeth.

“Well that’s what’s implied when you’re siding with the guy who, might I remind you, broke a kid’s leg beyond repair after threatening to execute him.”

“He endangered everyone. And you’re saying that as if you would have done anything differently.” Kotone looked up at Nakyoung, putting her hands on her hips. “Might I remind you of your past occupation?”

Nakyoung’s eye twitched. “I did what I did because I knew the authorities abused their power, and people like you would excuse it. That man’s on edge and is talking about senseless murder.”

“Everyone is dead! Who wouldn’t be on edge in situations like these?”

Nakyoung’s blood boiled. “Doesn’t mean you’re allowed to just go around and point a gun at whoever you want. Gosh, you’re always riding for the damn law, you fucking cop.”

“Girls-” Nien stepped in.

“Will you get off my damn back?” Kotone snapped, making the firefighter step away. “I’m trying to be civil here, but your emotional ass always has to ruin everything!” She shoved Nakyoung back with a finger to her chest. “This is why no one helped your sister, street trash.”

The officer’s low blow shocked everyone into silence. Nakyoung blinked a few times, then scoffed with an eye-roll, turning her head away with a small smirk.

She swung her fist back and smashed it against Kotone’s face.

The girls in the room shouted and clamored, moving away from the brewing fight. Kotone gasped and spat out a sliver of blood. She looked up at Nakyoung, who took off her jacket and threw it to the side. Not bothering to massage her jaw, the officer lunged at her.

The vigilante was ready for it. She dodged Kotone’s cross and pushed her into the bed. What she didn’t expect was for Kotone to shoot her leg out and kick her in the ribs. Nakyoung choked on her breath, and Kotone took the opportunity to uppercut the vigilante right in the nose, a crack sounding through the room.

Nakyoung shouted in pain and stepped back. Kotone didn’t stop with her attacks, though, and aimed for her injured ankle with her boot. Nakyoung’s eyes widened, narrowly jumping away. She grabbed Kotone’s hair and slammed her head into the wall, then pulled back and slammed it into the wall again. Kotone shot an arm out and struck her palm against Nakyoung’s throat, effectively making her choke and gag.

“Alright, that’s enough!”

Sohyun brought her leg behind Nakyoung’s good ankle, tripping her and pinning her to the ground, completely immobilizing her. On the other side, Nien locked Kotone’s arms by keeping a tight grasp on her wrists and pulling her away.

Nakyoung gasped for air, the side of her head pressed against the floorboard as a couple tears escaped her angry eyes. Her nose felt terribly tender, and it hurt to breathe through. Still, she felt some satisfaction watching Kotone nurse her cheek with a wince, a small cut having formed on her upper lip.

Seoyeon looked back and forth between the two girls, having been the one to call it off, a genuine anger displaying on her face.

“Are you two idiots?!” she berated them. “We have a girl who’s at risk of dying, and you are fighting?”

“She–”

“Sit down.” Yooyeon cut coldly. Kotone huffed, but yielded.

Seoyeon eyed the officer with contempt. “I don’t want to hear anything from you until you think about what the hell you just said. All of it.” Her gaze softened by a fraction as she moved onto Nakyoung. “And now isn’t the time.”

The room felt stuffy, everyone feeling a weight pressing down on them. Sohyun got up from Nakyoung’s back and smoothed out her vest. The vigilante sat back up and furiously wiped her eyes.

Chaeyeon grabbed a pillow and hugged it. “Infected or not, she’s still Soomin. Always has been, right?”

Sohyun sucked in a breath. “What can we do right now? Realistically.”

Yooyeon hummed, weighing their limited options. “I’ve been assigned a job in the infection research team. They’re likely to have the woman Soomin scratched under quarantine. I might be able to find something. Until then, the rest of you should stay here.”

Small murmurs of agreements passed through the room. Yeonji sighed in relief.

“Thank you so much. I don’t want to lose Soomin-unnie.”

The scientist let herself have a small smile. “Me neither.”

Yooyeon made her way to the apartment door. Kotone traced a finger over her head and flinched over a specific spot. Seoyeon noticed and rolled her eyes.

“I’ll see if I can get anything,” she muttered, walking towards Yooyeon. The scientist reached for the nurse’s hand and followed her out the door.

Toying with her handcuffs, Soomin scrutinized the chains closely. She could tell they were Kotone’s from the crack in the metal. The gunner pursed her lips, wondering if she could break through them, but decided it wasn't a good idea if she were to prove her innocence. She felt her arm pulse in discomfort from where blood had been drawn, and let her hands fall onto her stomach.

“This sucks. I don’t think anything could be worse than this. Seriously, this sucks.”

Across from her in the tiny holding cell was Hyerin. The archer kept her eyes outside where Joobin stayed with her rifle stationed between the bars, ready to shoot Soomin at any given moment. The gunner, who was lying on her back, looked up at Joobin. She could only see her eye through the small window gap.

“Come on, ‘Binnie. You don’t have to point that gun in my face. You know me.” Soomin tried convincing the young soldier, pouting at the usual lack of response. “You even ate the cake slices Seoah gave you, and she and I are besties, so we’re practically also friends.”

Hyerin perked up and watched Joobin’s reaction. It only surmounted to a blink.

The archer let out a small huff. Soomin would approach anyone no matter how hostile or disconnected they were. Hyerin thought either the girl was just obnoxious, which she was, or she was just enthusiastic about meeting new people and making friends.

Hyerin frowned and looked at the floor, dwelling on her thoughts.

“My best friend tried to kill me.”

Soomin’s eyes shot open and she turned her head towards Hyerin.

“Wow, that was out of nowhere– I mean– yeah?” The gunner sat up and brought her knees to her chest. “I’m listening.” She tried again, focusing on the girl.

Hyerin ignored the first comment, admitting it was a little out of left field. She picked at the cement floor and took a deep breath.

“Archery. I was in 10th grade high school, and he was in the one above me. We were both good, but he was far better. His parents spent a lot on his training. He was going to compete for Olympics qualifications this year. We played friendly matches against each other.”

“Is that where the problems started?”

A shrug. “I was catching up. Everyone started pressuring him, and his parents took away the little bit of freedom he had left. It drove him crazy, I guess. One day, he invited me to practice after school, and…”

Soomin frowned. “That’s awful.”

Hyerin sighed. “I fought back. Stabbed an arrow into his eye. When he realized what happened, he just… ended it.”

“In front of you?”

The archer nodded. “I didn't know what to do. So I just ran away.”

“That's why you were living alone?

“...Yeah.”

Soomin bit the inside of her lip. “No ditching the bow?”

“It was the only thing I had when I left. I hate to admit it, but it helped me get things.”

Soomin got the idea that Hyerin’s way of getting things wasn’t very legal, so she didn’t comment on it.

“I haven’t gotten close with anyone after that.”

Soomin pursed her lips, gazing into Hyerin’s eyes. She could count on one hand the number of times the archer opened up to her or anyone else in their group. She looked down and mindlessly picked at her nails.

“I’m not good at making friends,” Soomin confessed, and Hyerin looked up in surprise. “People think I’m too straightforward, and they’d get uncomfortable and back away. I’m not good at taking visual hints because I spent so much time inside talking to people through a screen. You don’t really see anyone’s faces. It takes them telling me to go away, or else I just see everything as playful banter.”

Soomin scratched her head. “I’m just saying this because I was probably too much for you.”

“You were,” Hyerin agreed, and Soomin cringed. “But I appreciate you not giving up.”

Soomin subconsciously readjusted her jacket, feeling the MP3 in her pocket. Her headphones had gotten lost during the scuffle.

“You like coffee.”

Hyerin blinked. “Huh?”

“It was the first thing you told me.” Soomin smiled, resting her head on her knees to look Hyerin in the eyes. “I’ll make you a cup. As a sign of our friendship.”

“You know how to?”

“I actually had a job as a barista for a bit. Well– I got fired after a month for always spilling everything, but if you ignore that, I know my drinks.” Soomin gave a befuddled Hyerin a large grin.

Gone was her initial surprise, and Hyerin’s lips curled up into a relaxed smile.

“I’ll be looking forward to it, then.”

Yubin anxiously paced around the living room, deep in thought. The sun had set long ago, and the outside was black.

Her ear twitched towards the basement door as it opened. Yubin halted in her tracks, redirecting her focus towards Dahyun and Yeojeong, who stepped out.

“What’s wrong, Yubin?” asked Dahyun. Yubin shook her head and stomped over towards the two.

“They’re not back,” she said. “They said they’d be back by evening, but it’s been an hour since that happened and they’re not back.”

“Wait.” Dahyun held a finger up and looked at the closed curtains, listening to the harsh pitter patter of water. “Is it raining outside?”

“Yes, but that doesn’t matter.” Yubin slapped her fist into her palm. “The girls aren’t back, so something must’ve happened.”

“That, or they’re waiting for the rain to die down.” The doctor muttered. Yubin narrowed her eyes on him. Yeojeong met her gaze and gulped. “...But we should assume they’re in danger.”

Yubin nodded. “We need to go out there.”

“Wait, what?” Yeojeong staggered. A flash of light came from outside, closely followed by a rumbling.

“We need to go find them,” repeated Yubin as she started retreating to get her stuff.

“Woah, hold on.” Yeojeong placed a hand on Yubin’s shoulder. “We can’t go out in a storm. We don’t know what’s out there.”

“The zombies must react to the rain and thunder…” Dahyun muttered and looked up to Yeojeong. The doctor met her gaze and nodded.

Yubin eyed their exchange suspiciously. “What are you two doing?”

“Nothing.” Yeojeong shook his head dismissively. “I just forgot something in the basement.”

As he turned around, Yubin yanked him back by the arm.

“Hey, you’re not going anywhere either,” said the traceuse. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you two have been stuck in there every day, and I’m pretty sure it’s not just to suck face.”

Dahyun’s face flared up. “Yubin!”

“What!” Yubin threw her hands up. “I’m just saying! You two are hiding something from the rest of us!”

The traceuse looked between Dahyun and Yeojeong’s guilty looks. Her shoulders dropped. “Don’t tell me you haven’t gotten rid of the zombies.”

The couple didn’t deny the accusations. Yubin let out an angry huff.

Dahyun sighed. “I can explain-”

“You lied to us.” Yubin cut her off.

“Let me speak.”

Her voice rose. “You said he’d get rid of them.”

“I did say that-”

“Why would you lie to us?!”

“Because I knew you wouldn’t like the truth!” Dahyun exclaimed before retreating into herself. “And after the comment you made, I didn’t want to go through that again.”

Yubin reeled back. “But I apologized.”

“I know, but that was after I already lied.” Dahyun pressed her hand against her cheek, “Even then, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything.”

“Because you assumed the worst of me.” Yubin accused, hurt.

“It’s not that.”

Yubin’s eyes widened in realization. “So you have been hiding something else.”

Dahyun’s eyebrows creased. “Yubin.”

“Just say it, unnie.” Yubin tilted her head to the side, exasperated.

A shake of her head. “I can’t.”

“What do you mean, you can’t? Do I have to start guessing again and hope to find the right answer?” Yubin waved her hands around.

“That’s not why.” Dahyun wore a pained expression. “It’s complicated.”

“Complicated how?!”

“I think we should just tell her.” Yeojeong set a comforting hand on Dahyun’s shoulder. Yubin eyed her expectantly.

Dahyun groaned, sliding a hand off her face. “The virus. It’s in your bloodstream,” she murmured.

Yubin blinked, believing she misheard. “Huh?”

“You’re infected.” Yeojeong stated.

Yubin faltered and stared at Dahyun, shell-shocked. Her lips moved, but no sound came out. She felt as if her mind was flooded with thoughts, but also completely blank.

“It isn’t doing anything.” Yeojeong clarified. “It doesn’t attack the cells or the immune system, and the reverse is also true. It’s as if it was dormant. We’ve been trying to figure out why.”

Yubin's gaze bore into Yeojeong's eyes. Her face contorted into many expressions before settling into one of disbelief, and she scoffed through a lopsided smirk. "Seriously?" Yubin wet her lips and turned back to Dahyun. “And you didn’t tell me?” her voice came out in a betrayed whisper.

Dahyun looked down.

“You found out I have the zombie virus inside of me and you didn’t tell me anything?!” Yubin grabbed Dahyun’s sleeve.

“I didn’t know how to!” Dahyun tore her arm away. “What was I supposed to do?”

“Sit me down!” Yubin clenched her fists. “Tell me ‘Hey Gong Yubin you’re infected with a virus that might turn you at any moment and make you kill everyone you care about!’”

“We thought you knowing about it could be a potential trigger.” Yeojeong put himself between the two. “It was just a safety precaution.”

“So you were just going to hide this from me forever?”

“Until we could find a way to keep it stabilized.”

“In your tiny ass ‘lab?’” Yubin scoffed. “No, I don’t think that’ll happen.” The traceuse spun on her heel and stepped away.

“Where are you going?” Dahyun called out.

“Packing my stuff and getting the hell away from here.”

“You can’t leave!”

“What else am I gonna do? Put you all in danger? I-”

A knock on the front door silenced Yubin’s fit. The three shared cautious looks before nodding and heading for the entrance, Dahyun picking up her knife on the table.

Yeojeong held a finger up to his mouth. With another nod, he pulled the door open, and Dahyun dropped her knife.

Sullin shivered, hugging herself. She was soaked to the bone, her clothes drenched as strings of rain whipped against her skin.

“Oh my goodness, are you okay?” Dahyun quickly pulled her in and Yeojeong shut the door. She took off her vest and draped it around Sullin’s shoulders.

Sullin shook her head. “Lynn,” she said urgently.

“Where is she?” Yubin peeked over her shoulder.

Sullin shook her head again. “Not here. Someone…” She gestured at her backpack, saluted, then mimed holding a gun. Dahyun cringed. She wasn’t as good at her charades as Lynn was.

“A military backpack?” Yeojeong guessed with his hand under his chin. Sullin nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

Dahyun gasped. “The military took her?”

Sullin shrugged, knocking against her own head and pretended to sleep.

“They knocked you out, so you don’t know.”

Sullin made an ‘ok’ sign at Yeojeong before shivering again.

“Go take a warm shower, we’ll figure this out,” Dahyun reassured, giving Sullin a gentle pat on the back. The girl nodded and walked away.

The electrician turned towards the other two. “We need to get Lynn.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying.” Yubin huffed, moving to pack her things. She pointed at Dahyun and Yeojeong. “Our conversation isn’t over, by the way. I’m just holding it until we find Lynn.”

“The problem is we don’t even know where she is.” Dahyun ruffled her hair. “A military backpack? Anyone could have one.”

Yeojeong clicked his tongue and sucked in a breath. “I might have an idea of where she could be.”

Yubin and Dahyun stopped and looked at Yeojeong.

“Where?”

Lynn blinked groggily, finding herself in a green tent with her hands tied behind her. She tilted her head back against the metal pole that tethered her, instinctively shuffling her wrists to get out of her chain restraints.

“Don’t bother. There’s nothing you can do.”

Lynn saw a blur where a face should’ve been, and pressed her eyelids shut. She opened them again, and froze momentarily at the sight of her target sitting on the edge of her seat. In the far left corner, Lynn noticed another girl watching her with her back against the wall. The agent assumed it was Kaede’s partner in crime, but what intrigued her was that she looked regretful.

Kaede offered her a plain smile. “Hi.” She greeted her in their mother tongue. A pink rifle rested against the wall. The agent’s jacket was bundled up beside it.

“Of course it’s you.” Lynn deadpanned. A gust of wind blew through the open door, and the agent felt the breeze on her arms.

“You don’t look that surprised to see me.” Kaede pursed her lips. “That’s a shame.”

Lynn rattled her chains and closed her eyes in exhaustion.

“You’re not going back to sleep. I didn’t hit your head that hard.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

Kaede massaged the back of her neck and shrugged. “Why aren’t you surprised to see me?”

Lynn’s face soured. “You seem like someone who would survive the end of the world.”

“That’s a lie, but I’ll take the compliment.” Kaede looked to the side. “Was it just you two?”

“Huh?”

“You and the girl you were with.”

Lynn inhaled sharply. “Where is she?”

“You look clean and in good health.”

Lynn’s blood pressure rose as Kaede continuously ignored her questions and changed the topic. Still, she tried to keep a cool head, knowing it was her way to get under people’s skin.

“Nice scars.”

Lynn’s face sombered, and she took a peek at her right arm. A long, slightly crooked, and discolored mark started from the top of her shoulder and trailed diagonally all the way down to her forearm, rotating once around the limb.

“Is that why you brought me here?” Lynn glared at Kaede. “To make fun of me?”

“Sorry.” Kaede didn’t look sorry at all. “Though, you have to agree, I made it look good.” She passed a hand through her hair, and the agent caught sight of her torn ear.

“Can’t say the same for you.” Lynn retaliated.

Kaede paused, staring down at Lynn, then breathed in. “It’s not easy to find familiar faces these days.”

“Well now that you’ve seen me, could you let me go?”

Kaede leaned forward, scrutinizing Lynn. The agent stared back, unintimidated by her tactics.

“What’s to tell me you won’t hunt me down after?” interrogated Kaede. “You chased all the way into another country.”

Lynn scoffed. “You’re not special anymore. There’s no reason for me to go after you.”

“No, but there is…” Kaede slid a finger down Lynn’s scar. “You’re still angry about this. I saw your expression.”

Lynn cursed internally. She had fallen right into her trap. The way Kaede scratched at her skin made her sick.

Kaede retreated her hand at the sight of Lynn’s disgust. “I won’t torture you further with this,” she said with a hint of sincerity. “I wouldn’t want that done to me, either. Plus, there’s no benefit.”

Without another word, Kaede stood up with a small stretch. The thief then grabbed the rifle.

“Shion, keep watch.” She said, walking through the door.

“Okay.” The girl replied in a mousy voice. Carefully, she stepped out of her corner, and approached her prisoner, keeping her eyes on the chains binding Lynn. Her eyes communicated innocence, and Lynn knew she couldn’t have been anyone bad before the outbreak.

Shion sat down on the chair, smoothing out the wrinkles on her pants. She looked awfully unsure of herself. Lynn swallowed. Maybe she could try something. The agent opened her mouth.

Yooyeon watched the research team leader’s expression as he read through her writings in Seoyeon’s notebook.

The “research center” was a school dimly illuminated by a few solar powered lanterns. They had been placed against the walls of the hallways that led to the school’s laboratory, where most of the supplies and machines were still in good condition.

The leader hummed and nodded, closing the book. “You’ve found quite a few things out there,” he acknowledged, handing it back to Yooyeon. “It’s quite impressive, given the fact you must’ve been on the run at all times.”

Yooyeon thanked him and bowed to his praise, recollecting her belonging. She glanced into the laboratory where she counted half a dozen other researchers writing notes and looking through microscopes. The water faucets were fully operational, contrasting how they had to use a pulley for water anywhere else. It was also well-furnished with electricity compared to the darkness the rest of the survivors had to navigate in.

No wonder those teenagers were angry, Yooyeon thought.

“Any questions?” asked the team leader, noticing her curiosity. The scientist looked at him and shook her head with a smile.

The pair heard boots stomp down the hallway.

“Doctor Park.”

Yooyeon spun her head towards the familiar deep voice. Her heartbeat slightly quickened at the sight of Lieutenant General Kim marching towards them with the sergeant by his side. Yooyeon counted two male soldiers tailing them.

“Ah, General Kim, just the man I wanted to speak to.” The team leader smiled.

“The results?” He kept his eyes on the scientist, not sparing Yooyeon a single glance.

“Not one to make small talk, huh…” Doctor Park mumbled, putting his hands behind his back. “Blood sample tested positive. The girl’s infected.”

Yooyeon clenched her fist, avoiding a flash of shock from passing through her eyes. This was the information she was looking for, so she focused her mind on the conversation. On the side, she saw Sergeant Kim tense at the news.

“And the woman?”

“Turned.”

“Terminated?”

“Preserved for further testing.”

The general frowned. “I want her gone. The kid, too.” Yooyeon bit her tongue to stop herself from speaking.

“Excuse me for questioning your decisions, General,” Doctor Park spoke up, “but I do not agree on that part. This discovery is outstanding. Despite carrying the virus, her cognitive skills are still stable. If we could do more research on her, we could potentially find a cure.”

“No, I won’t allow a threat to roam around freely in the streets,” came the General’s answer.

“We’ll keep her restrained in the lab, under 24/7 surveillance. I’ll set up a radio transmitter so you know what’s happening at all times.”

Lieutenant General Kim inhaled through his mouth and tilted his head to the side, musing over his options.

“The woman terminated. The kid under 24/7 surveillance in chains. One wrong move, and she’s gone,” was his final verdict.

Yooyeon swallowed. Her brain ran a thousand miles a minute. Her gaze crossed with Sergeant Kim’s. Even the soldier was rattled at the plan.

General Kim set his eyes on Yooyeon for the first time. “You got a problem with that?”

Yooyeon’s breath hitched in her throat, and she bowed at 90º. “No, sir.”

The general turned to his soldiers. “Escort the girl here, but no one is to know. If I hear one word slip out of any of your mouths, it’s a bullet in your head.”

Yooyeon clenched her teeth and bowed again. Rising back up, she noticed Sergeant Kim’s shaky eyes.

It wasn’t a challenge to spot the divide between Kotone and the rest of the group. Even Mayu, who had been balancing herself between the two sides, avoided the officer’s gaze. Yeonji refused to acknowledge her at all, and Nien knew that was the knife that twisted the hardest for her.

Nien burned her eyes into Kotone’s back. If the cop noticed, she didn’t comment on it, refusing to move even during Seoyeon’s half-hearted checkup.

“You’re fine,” was all the nurse had said before leaving.

Nien believed she shouldered part of the blame. She had put away her talk with Kotone for too long after chatting with Nakyoung. It must’ve felt unfair, trying to mend things only to be met with undivided malice. The firefighter internally cringed at Kotone’s inexcusable comment.

Nien stretched, deciding this time was as good as any, and walked up to Kotone.

“Let’s talk,” she whispered, and led Kotone to Yeonji’s room without giving her the chance to reply.

The firefighter closed the door and put her back against it. Kotone looked her up and down with an expression of discontent. The rain outside knocked rhythmically against the apartment window, and a light flashed, illuminating the two for a split-second before the night wrapped around them again.

Nien took a deep breath. “I should have told you this sooner. This war you and Nakyoung-unnie have going on, it needs to stop.”

Kotone opened and closed her mouth, avoiding jumping on the defensive.

The firefighter caught it. “I’m not targeting just you. Yesterday, I went up to Nakyoung-unnie and told her the same thing. She tried to be more respectful at first, but you were still being aggressive.”

“Was I?”

“You rolled your eyes, belittled every comment she had, and assumed she was always out to get you. And what you said out there just now? That was not okay.”

Kotone said nothing. Nien sighed and pressed her lips together. She hated confrontations.

“Sorry.”

Kotone looked up at her and frowned. “What for?”

“She also got angry because she realized I didn’t talk to you. If I had spoken to you sooner, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Kotone pinched the bridge of her nose and groaned. “I just told someone they were the reason why their sibling died, but you’re the one saying sorry.”

Kotone chuckled humorlessly and passed her hands through her hair.

“I need to apologize to her.”

Nien nodded. “Yeah.”

Kotone breathed and ‘okay’ and stepped forward, thinking that was the end. The firefighter didn’t move away from the door. She raised an eyebrow.

“Anything else you need to tell me?”

Nien inhaled and clasped her hands together. “You can’t keep excusing the military’s actions.”

The officer’s lips downturned. “Is this about Soomin?”

“‘Tone, he was going to kill her without hard proof.”

“The scars were hard proof.”

Nien shook her head. “They weren't. And this is more than just Soomin. You’re starting to think like them.”

“You think I would kill someone?” Kotone raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

“You’re excusing it. You did it with the teenage boy, and you’re doing it again with Soomin. You’re trying to give reason to something unreasonable. ‘Tone, I’m saying this because I care about you, but you need to get yourself together.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” Nien looked at Kotone like she was a broken pendulum. “You’re losing your heart.”

Kotone froze in place. Something cracked in her soul, and she was thrown back to when she was forced to watch her safe haven burn to the ground. The drumming of the rain morphed into gunshots and screams. She was on her knees. Yeonji was beside her, crying. She saw the prisoner, then the end barrel of the shotgun. When she looked back up at the criminal, he wore the general’s face.

A pair of arms wrapped around her, snapping her out of the episode.

“I’m sorry.” Nien whispered into the crown of her head. “I didn’t mean to do that.”

“No, I…” Kotone blinked, shedding a tear. “I needed to hear that,” she murmured.

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing, damn it.” Kotone scolded quietly. “Just… give me some time to think. Alone.”

The firefighter nodded and quietly left the room. Kotone had already regretted her request for solitude the moment Nien had retracted her arms, but she couldn’t muster the courage to call her back.

Sergeant Kim slammed into her office chair, groaning loudly with her head in her hands. Peeking through her fingers, she saw the framed picture of Heejin, the previous sergeant, and her best friend.

“What do I do, Heejin?”

Hyunjin had a little over a month of experience being a sergeant, but she hated every second of it. She had enjoyed the freedom and having less responsibility to shoulder as a simple Private. She only took over because it was her friend’s dying wish for her to take care of their sector of Daejeon.

Sergeant Kim wasn’t a bad leader. She tried her best, and her efforts usually paid off without trouble. The citizens liked her for being a little soft despite her rigid command, and everyone knew her threats of execution were just for show.

Until the general arrived.

Hyunjin was remorseful of her decision to call him over, but she had no other choice, not knowing what else she could do to catch the culprits.

A feeling of impending doom settled in her gut. She had gone against him too many times, and he had made it clear he didn’t respect her one bit. Her time as a sergeant and as a leader was limited.

Hyunjin cursed and slammed a fist down onto the desk. The rattle made the picture frame fall on its face. The sergeant perked up and quickly put it back in place, muttering a small apology. She proceeded to press her forehead against the desk.

She couldn’t let Soomin become a test subject. Hyunjin didn’t know the girl other than the fact she was astonishingly noisy, but she knew she cared about her friends. The sergeant couldn’t let anything happen to her. If they could go as low as to experiment on a young girl, how much deeper would they dig?

The bottom desk drawer caught Hyunjin’s attention. She leaned down to pull it open, and two pink K5 pistols were presented before her. They belonged to Soomin. Instead of the Commonwealth where everything was stored, Hyunjin had requested them to be put in her office.

Hyunjin stared at the guns for minutes, her leg bouncing uncontrollably. She pondered the decisions she could make while looking over every sticker decorating the pistols.

An idea drifted into her mind. It was one that would surely get her killed, but she anchored it anyway. After mulling over it for a few more seconds, Hyunjin resolutely swiped Soomin’s guns before standing upright.

The sight of the picture frame made her pause. She sighed and stared at it for a moment. Then, she lowered the frame facing down. With a huff, Hyunjin put away the pistols in her jacket, and stepped out of her office.

Chapter Text

“What are we doing in the storage room?”  

Hyerin gently closed the door behind her as her friend made his way deeper into the room.  

“I wanted to test out a few new arrows,” he said. “Could you get the lights?”  

Hyerin nodded and flicked the switch, brightening the room in a flash. He must’ve forgotten about the lights; Hyerin had noticed he wasn’t all there recently. She should probably ask him what was wrong later. 

Tapping a foot on the ground, she looked around the storage room to pass time. The sports equipment were all stashed away to the side in an organized fashion, leaving a narrow hallway to pass through. Her friend was all the way in the back, kneeling over a small box.  

“Hyerin.” Her friend called out, carrying the box to her. 

Hyerin perked up. “Hm?” 

“Did you know that getting into South Korea’s national archery team is more competitive than the actual Olympics?” 

“Really?” Hyerin’s eyes widened in awe. “I did not know that.” 

“Right, you’re doing this for fun.” He dropped the box beside Hyerin and started looking through the arrows. Most of them were damaged. “But you’re so good, people are scouting you professionally.” 

Hyerin grinned and the compliment. “I’m sure you’ll make it on the team.” 

“Me too…” Her friend held up an arrow like a knife and stared blankly at it. The feathers on the back were torn. 

Hyerin eyed him curiously. “Is everything okay?” 

Her friend’s gaze flickered to her, still holding the arrow threateningly. Hyerin let out a breath, a seed of fear planted at his odd behavior.  

Then, he swung.  

Yooyeon barged into the apartment after her shift. 

“We’re in trouble,” she panted out.

The girls scrambled to get back up in Kotone’s bedroom which was right in front of the apartment door. Seoyeon read Yooyeon’s behavior and caught on in an instant. 

“Soomin’s infected.”

Gasps scattered across the room. Yooyeon nodded. “And they’re going to run tests on her.” 

“They won’t kill her anymore?” asked Nien.

Yooyeon shook her head. “Worse. They’ll be keeping her chained up and experimenting on her-”

“She’ll become a lab rat.”

The girls froze and looked towards the apartment door where Sergeant Kim stood. She looked at Yooyeon and gave her a nod. The scientist was momentarily stunned, but nodded back in determination.

“What are you doing here?” Jiyeon stood up in surprise.

Hyunjin let herself in, closing the door behind her. “It’s only a matter of time before Lieutenant General Kim overthrows my leadership. When he does, he’ll look through our records to identify who Soomin is. After he finds out, he’ll search for her group members.” The soldier eyed the girls. “That means all of you.”

“What is he going to do?” asked Xinyu.

“Under normal circumstances, you would be under extra watch, just to make sure you don’t try anything. Unfortunately, you all lied about the source of the scratches, and you already know how he reacts when someone goes against him.” 

“Oh, we are so screwed.” Chaeyeon placed her hands on her head.

“Would it be possible to just walk out of Daejeon?”

The sergeant shook her head. “They’ll notify him before you even get to see the gates open.”

Seoyeon inhaled and looked around. “Alright. Well, I guess we’re gonna have to come up with an escape plan.”

“Yes, gather around.” Hyunjin beckoned them to come closer. The girls formed a circle in Kotone’s bedroom. The sergeant pulled out a map of Daejeon, marked with different colored pens, and laid it out on the floor. She pressed a finger on a building in the bottom left, outside of the river’s circumference.

“This is the quarantine center. Soomin and Hyerin are being kept there, but I have a feeling they have already pulled Soomin out by now.”

“What about Hyerin?” inquired Chaewon.

“I’m not sure,” she admitted.

Chaeyeon gasped, hugging her pillow. “What if they also use her as a test subject? The general hates her for talking back.”

Hyunjin clicked her tongue. “He might go that far…” 

Joobin looked to the side when her ears picked up incoming footsteps. She brought her hand up in a salute at the sight of two male soldiers coming her way. They didn’t greet her back. 

“General wants them both,” said the first soldier.

Joobin lowered her hand. “Reason?”

The private looked down at her. “Just move, kid.” He shoved her back and opened the cell door with a creak.

Soomin and Hyerin perked up at the sound.

“Am I free to go?” asked the gunner. Her question went unanswered, the two soldiers grabbing the girls by the arms.

“What’s going on?” whispered a worried Hyerin, looking back at Joobin as they were escorted out their cell. The young soldier slightly furrowed her brows but didn’t try to follow them. 

Yooyeon tapped a finger over her lips. “We should make a plan that encompasses both situations.”

Sergeant Kim nodded. “They’ll use the bus to transport the two. It’ll stop far away from the gate. The door will barely open, and the girls will walk through. We need someone to see if it’s only Soomin or both.”

“I can be subtle.” Nakyoung volunteered, a white nasal strip layered on the bridge of her nose.

“You’ll be two steps in before your ankle gives out.” Yooyeon sighed and Nakyoung pouted.

Seoah raised her hand. “I’ll go.”

Sohyun frowned. “Are you sure?”

“I know how to be quiet. And if they catch me, they’ll probably just send me away ‘cause I’m a kid.”

With an approving nod, sergeant Kim pulled an extra handheld radio out of her pocket and handed it to Seoah. “Set it at 102.3 so that only I can hear it.”

The storm started hitting full force. Seoah peeked her head out from a tree, paying close attention to the gate while wiping the rain off her face every few seconds. A pair of soldiers were stationed on each side.

The gate creaked open, and Seoah watched as both Soomin and Hyerin were pushed into Daejeon by two privates. Carefully, the youngest retreated before pulling out her radio.

Sergeant Kim looked up at Jiyeon and tapped the side of the highway. “We’ll stand halfway between the gate and the apartment. Seoah will communicate to us the information. We will then walk to the gate, and I’ll order the soldiers to be let through. We will drive to the prison and pull Joobin in with us. Hyerin too, if she’s still there.”

“Wait,” Chaeyeon requested a time-out. “I’m genuinely curious. Who is Joobin?”

Hyunjin inhaled sharply. “To be completely honest, I don’t know anything about her. We found her alone on a run in a military uniform, and she kept repeating that she was a soldier. She also said she has a base somewhere but won’t give out any more information.”

“That’s freaking weird, man…” Yeonji commented. 

Jiyeon nudged the sergeant on the arm while they waited for Seoah’s call. She pointed towards the crowd of umbrellas at the crossroads that slowly amassed in size.

“Another gathering?” Jiyeon asked. A flash of lightning struck in the distance, and thunder roared.

Sergeant Kim frowned, a strong gust of wind hitting her face. “If it is, I wasn’t informed about it.”

Hyunjin’s pocket radio buzzed.

“Both Soomin-unnie and Hyerin-unnie are here.” 

Clicking her tongue, the sergeant put a hand on Jiyeon’s back. “Let’s go.”

They jogged their way to the gate. Soomin and Hyerin were nowhere to be seen.

Sergeant Kim stopped before one of the pairs of soldiers. “Open the gate.”

The soldier blinked in confusion. “Why?”

“This is an order from your sergeant. Open the gate.”

“Uhm, did you not hear the news?” asked the other private. “Lieutenant General Kim demoted you.”

Hyunjin felt her throat dry out. “What?”

“He’s making the announcement right now, actually. Talking about the times you messed up, like when you hid the wall breach for days from the citizens.”

Hyunjin cursed internally. She shook her head and steeled her voice. “I order you to open the gate.” 

The soldier shrugged. “Sorry, no can do, Private Kim. You were always just a replacement for Sergeant Jeon anyway-”

Jiyeon raised her rifle and pointed it at the private. He staggered, then hesitantly raised his arms. Hyunjin followed her lead and unholstered her side gun, aiming it at the pair on the other side.

“Let us through.” Jiyeon exhaled with shaky hands, blinking the raindrops away. The soldier gulped and nodded, unlocking the door and pulling it open. The two deserters walked through, and the gate closed shut behind them.

“We’re on a time crunch now,” Hyunjin cursed, picking up into a sprint. “Let’s go.” Jiyeon nodded, putting her rifle back and combing her wet hair back.

“This-” Hyunjin pressed a finger near the cafeteria, “is the Commonwealth, where all food and items are kept.”

“Is the Commonwealth a Walking Dead reference?” asked Nien.

“...Maybe. Everything we’ve confiscated from you is here, but that isn’t your first priority. Go for the smoke grenades. They are metal capsules with safety pins stored in a drawer. You’ll know it when you see it.”

“How will we get to them? The Commonwealth must be guarded at all times.” Sohyun contemplated.

Hyunjin glanced at her, then at Nien. “I have an idea.”

The private kept his hands on his rifle as he exhaled, the endless torrent soaking through his army clothes. He readjusted his helmet to have the rain slip through the back instead of the front.

Something rustled to his left. The soldier whipped his head around, glancing at the Commonwealth's side door. Seeing nothing in the dark, he slowly turned to face the front.

He felt something kick him in the back of the knee, sending him falling. A pair of gloved hands reached up to clasp his mouth, muffling his shouts, and another pair slowed his fall.

The hand on his mouth was replaced by a piece of cloth hastily shoved down his throat, and his hands were tied behind his back at record speed. Before he could even kick a leg out, the other assailant held them down and tied a rope around his ankles.

After dragging the soldier to the back of the building and taking his keys, Sohyun walked to the door, calmly readjusting her gloves with an impressed Nien following her.

Hyunjin had warned them that a couple more soldiers would be in the Commonwealth. Sohyun spotted them in an instant and ducked behind a shelf. They stood in front of the single electric lantern illuminating the room.

Crouching against the wall, the bodyguard reached for the nearest item, which happened to be a pocket knife, and pitched it across the room. It clattered loudly in the distance.

“Hey, check that out,” said the female guard to his male counterpart. With a nod, the soldier walked away. 

Sohyun glanced at Nien and gestured at the lone soldier. The firefighter nodded and approached, staying away from her line of sight. Sohyun hastily stepped the other way, ready to take down the other soldier.

When he came back, Sohyun quickly knocked him out by hitting his neck with the side of her hand. Nien took it as her cue to do the same, but the woman’s quick reaction caused her to miss the pressure point. The woman dodged the strike and kicked at her. The firefighter jumped back, and before the woman could raise her rifle, Sohyun smashed her hand against her neck, putting her to sleep.

Nien stumbled as the soldier fell, her eyebrows raised in concern. “I… am not a fighter.”

“It’s fine.” Sohyun grabbed the unconscious woman by the legs and dragged her away. “Just get the smoke grenades.”

“Jiyeon and Joobin will park the bus facing the bridge. I’ll go back in and take the smoke grenades before going to the lab where Soomin and possibly Hyerin will be.” Hyunjin continued, pointing at a building a couple blocks away from the gate.

“And what about the rest of us?” wondered Jiwoo.

Hyunjin looked up and gazed at the survivors’ tense frames. “Pack your belongings. Gather near the gate, but not too close. I’ll communicate with Seoah when I get Soomin. I’ll order the soldiers to open the gate again, and we’ll get out.”

The room was deathly silent, and it reminded Hyunjin of how she felt before going on a mission she might not come back from. She could see in some of the girls’ tired eyes how uncertain they were about the plan, but the Sergeant had no other alternative that didn’t draw attention or blood.

Thankfully, Yooyeon spoke for her.

“We’re not only doing this for Soomin and Hyerin. We all have a target on our backs after what happened, and from what we’ve seen from the general, he cannot be trusted.”

Nakyoung opened her mouth next. “What he has in store for Soomin is messed up. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, ever. Even if it is to find a cure.” She briefly glanced at Kotone, who had been silent ever since their fight. 

The officer swallowed. “I… thought a lot about my actions,” she started slowly. “I know I said the necessary measures should be taken to ensure everyone’s safety, but after reflecting on myself and hearing about his new plan for Soomin…” Kotone shook her head. “That just can’t happen.”

“Okay,” said Hyunjin, standing up with a clap of her hands. “We need to go now before we miss our window of opportunity. Seoah. Jiyeon. Nien. Sohyun. With me.”

The girls pulled themselves up and approached the sergeant. She pointed at the other girls.

“I give the rest of you ten minutes. Let’s go.”

“I’m not going.”

The group stopped and turned towards Mayu. The girl kept her head low and picked at the bedsheets.

“I’m not going back out there,” she muttered. “I’m staying here.”

Yeonji watched her, confused. “What?”

“We were stuck in a prison outside the walls for two weeks without comfort. We finally get to Daejeon, where we have food, water, beds, only to stay for two days before running away again?”

“Daejeon is not safe for us anymore,” said Seoyeon.

“Maybe for you.” Mayu argued. “You’re the group who was with Soomin, not me.”

“Wh– I thought we were all in this together!” Chaeyeon stuttered.

“Where is all of this coming from?” Xinyu’s eyebrows raised in concern. “What is this about?”

“This is about wanting a better life! Not having to turn every corner and worry about whether or not it’ll be my last.” Mayu pulled the blankets against herself. “I don’t want to see another monster wearing a person’s face. I’m not going.”

“And what if he takes it out on you?”

“With such a big group escaping, he won’t realize I’m still here.”

“He’ll know in time.” Hyunjin spoke the hard truth.

Mayu shook her head. “I’ll take my chances.”

Jiwoo smacked her hand into the mattress, huffing through her nose. “Okay. She’s not coming. Anyone else?”

The tension in the room stretched to the limit as waves of distrust started spreading.

Hayeon’s eyes shook as she looked around the room. Yeonji caught them.

“Hayeon-unnie?”

The troublemaker shut her eyes when they all looked at her. “I just need to think about it a little more.”

Chaewon scoffed and walked out. “I knew it.” The comment twisted Hayeon’s heart.

Sergeant Kim scrunched her nose. “Ten minutes to think about it. Come on, everyone.” She gestured at her small team, and they moved out posthaste.

Soomin and Hyerin were pushed into a small, empty room, and the door locked behind them.

“What the…” The gunner looked around, shaking off the excess water from her clothes. On a wall was a long glass pane that let her see the men in lab coats in the other room. They whispered to each other, watching her like a zoo animal. 

One man pressed on something, and a speaker in the top corner buzzed. “You must have many questions right now.” 

“Yeah, I do, like what the hell is going on?” Soomin’s voice rose. “I thought I was gonna be let go! And what is Hyerin doing here with me? She hasn’t done anything!” 

“What’s your name?” 

“Your mom.” Soomin huffed, throwing her hands up. “Now let us out?” 

Silence. “We can’t do that.”  

“Why not?” 

“You’re infected.”  

Soomin froze. Hyerin stood still beside her, looking at the gunner with wide eyes. 

The speaker buzzed again. “You behave completely human-like, but the virus is in your bloodstream, having hijacked your cells and immune system. You display a certain ability to infect other people. The woman you scratched succumbed to her injuries.”  

Soomin exhaled shakily. “What?” she said in a near whisper. 

“Although we are not certain that you will infect someone with every attempt, you are dangerous and cannot be let out. You are free to walk around the room at this time, but after the completion of the first experiment, your movements will be restrained.”  

“You can’t do this.” Soomin said. “That’s messed up.” 

Soomin screamed, stomping towards the glass and banging against it. “You can’t do this!”  

The men behind the window stared at the gunner, unimpressed. The scientist pressed the voice transmitter button. 

“You are the first human recorded to have a resistance to the virus. We can learn more about it through you and understand its capabilities. You play a hand in the search for a cure.”  

“I didn’t ask for this.” Soomin frowned, “And I didn’t agree to this. You dragged me into this.” 

“We don’t like it either, but it’s a sacrifice that must be done. This will weigh on us.” 

“Then don't do it.” Soomin implored. “Just let us go. Me and Hyerin. She’s not even infected– what is she doing here?” 

“For the first test,” the man moved on, ignoring her pleas, “in a controlled environment, we will attempt an infection via bite.” 

Soomin felt the world flood around her. She dropped her hand, slowly stepping back.

She must’ve heard it wrong. Surely, she had misunderstood.

She snapped her head towards Hyerin. The girl hadn’t moved since the revelation of the gunner’s infection. Her eyes, unblinking, stared into space, while her knuckles had turned white from how hard she clenched. 

“Hyerin,” came Soomin’s voice, breathless. The archer snapped out of her trance and looked at her. “He didn’t just say that, right?” 

The tremble in Soomin’s voice was what did it for Hyerin. The archer pressed a hand against her mouth, choked out a sob, and sank to the floor.

Shion twiddled with her thumbs, doing her best to avoid their captive’s gaze. It was a difficult task, though, since the woman just wouldn’t stop staring. 

“Does she make you do the dirty work?” 

Shion pressed her lips together. Every few minutes, the agent would ask her a question. It started out simple, asking for her name, age, maybe even a hobby she used to do. Shion answered those questions, finding them innocent enough – it was a pleasant surprise to discover that they were the same age, – but they had slowly escalated into dangerous territory, such as veiled hints of their whereabouts, how many people they were, and her even relationship with Kaede. Shion didn’t answer those ones. 

“Sorry, I don’t know why I asked that one.” Lynn smiled. “I don’t think you’re able to even look at blood.” 

Shion shut her eyes. “I can.” 

“Oh?” Lynn looked surprised. “In what context?” 

“I used to volunteer at the hospital.” 

Her captive nodded with a hum of approval. “I thought you might’ve shocked me again and said you used to be a serial killer.” 

Shion had to stop herself from smiling at the joke. She shouldn’t be getting so comfortable with the woman, especially when she didn’t know her intentions. 

She went back to twiddling with her thumbs. “Do you and Kaede know each other?” 

Lynn perked up and shrugged dismissively. “You know, here and there. We were friends back in Japan.” 

“Really?” Shion perked up. 

“No.” Lynn looked like she had caught her prey. “I lied.” 

Shion’s eyes widened and she swallowed nervously. 

“How much do you actually know about her?” Lynn tilted her head. 

“I don’t think I should be talking to you.” Shion whispered, turning back to look at the door. 

“You’re afraid she’ll catch you saying too much?” Lynn presumed, and Shion’s heart dropped at her accuracy. “It’s okay. I’ll tell you if she’s there.” 

Shion narrowed her eyes. “Why are you being so nice to me?” 

“To get out of these chains, for one,” Lynn replied honestly. “Second, from what I’ve learned, you’re a victim.” 

Shion faltered. “What do you mean?” 

“I didn’t lie about knowing Kaede,” said Lynn. “What I can tell you is that she does nothing but use people for her own benefit.” 

“I know that,” replied Shion. “She called me a tool.” 

“And you just accepted that?” 

A solemn nod. 

Lynn frowned. “What do you two do, exactly?” 

Shion gulped, picking at her fingernails. She figured there wasn’t much to hide if the captive already knew Kaede. “It’s always the same routine. Act nice to someone, then steal what they have. But we leave the bare minimum so that they can hopefully survive long enough to get new things.” 

“She’s not worried that it might backfire on her?” 

“Well, they only see me.” 

Lynn pressed her lips together. “She’s using you as a scapegoat.” 

A shrug. “What can I do? I can’t survive without her.” 

“Do you really believe that?” 

Shion mulled over the agent’s question. She didn’t believe in a lot of things anymore. Taking a shaky breath, she replied, “I don't know.” 

The rest of the girls were already gone, leaving Mayu and Hayeon alone in Kotone’s empty room. 

Dry tear lines marked Mayu’s face as she hugged her knees, an empty feeling lingering in her heart. Hayeon kept circling around the room, mumbling to herself the entire time. 

“I have to go with them. They saved my life.” 

Hayeon shook her head. “But I don’t owe them anything. Well– anything other than my life. Hah. The general might not even go after me, I was knocked out the whole ride here.” 

The troublemaker pulled on her hair and hissed out a curse. “They saved my life.” 

“Just stay, if you’re so unsure.” Mayu stared at the apartment door. Kotone had said nothing when she left, only giving her a look she couldn’t read. 

“I’m thinking.” Hayeon replied. “Just give me a few more seconds.” She shut her eyes. The troublemaker had nothing but her thoughts for the past several minutes. They clashed, debating whether she should join a group of people she barely knew. But she didn’t miss their disappointed looks. Chaewon’s disappointed look. 

Hayeon slammed a decisive foot down, making Mayu jolt. 

“Screw this. I’m going. If it isn’t owing them something, then it’s to make things right with Chaewon. I’d hate for it to end like this.” Hayeon looked down at Mayu. “You?” 

The older woman responded with a shake of her head. “I’m not made for it. The outside.” 

“I heard from Xinyu-unnie and Sohyun-unnie about you and your group. You sound close to them.” 

“They’d be better off without me.” 

Hayeon stretched her lips to one side. “I mean, they told me you’re the reason why they could take down that prisoner.” 

Mayu dug her nails into her skin. “I already made my choice.” 

“You still got a couple minutes to think.” 

Mayu gave Hayeon an odd stare. “You were just talking about not going, but now you’re trying to convince me to join you?” 

Hayeon shrugged. “I don’t know either. I never know what I’m doing. But I think joining them is the right choice.” 

Mayu heaved a sigh and dropped her head. 

The troublemaker pursed her lips and looked around for anything she could take. Unlike the others, she had entered Daejeon empty-handed. Seeing nothing of value, she opted for the pillow on the bed. 

“I don’t think I can change your mind.” Hayeon told Mayu, inspecting the pillowcase as she made her way to the door. “And I don’t know you. But I hope I can see you again.” 

Mayu chuckled, wiping her dry tears away. “You’re a smooth talker.” 

“Yup. That’s me.” Hayeon smirked and brought the last sparks of noise with her as she closed the door. Without the troublemaker’s talkative conundrums, Mayu was left alone with her thoughts that suddenly got louder. 

The school bus stopped in front of the bridge. Hyunjin pushed the emergency back door open and stepped out into the storm. 

“You two stay here!” She ordered Jiyeon and Joobin before walking to the gate. 

“Open up!” Hyunjin shouted, banging on the door. Upon receiving no answer, the sergeant had a feeling of impending doom, the timer in her brain getting shorter. Taking matters into her own hands, she slotted her slender fingers in the gap to unclasp the metal lock. She pushed the door open and was greeted with no one. 

She cursed under her breath and clicked the radio on her chest. “Gate’s clear. Run in.” 

Hyunjin heard nothing but static on the other side, and her heartbeat rose. She clicked the radio again. “Seoah?” 

“No, that’s not her.” A male voice answered. 

Shit. From the corner of her eye, Hyunjin saw her group of escapees walk out of the shadows with their hands behind their heads, some of them having rifles pressed against their backs. Tailing them was Lieutenant General Kim, searching through a backpack. 

Hyunjin was quick to reach for her handgun until she felt something pressed against the side of her head. 

“You hear news about your demotion, and you immediately go rogue.” The general pulled out a pack of gauze from the bag, thoroughly observing it before putting it back and tossing it to the side. “And you’ve brought a group with you. The same one that infected girl was part of.” 

Hyunjin stared him down. “I couldn’t let you get away with it.” 

General Kim sighed. “That was the problem with your short-lived leadership, Private Kim. You cared too much about how people felt. Always the mediator. But the truth is you will never be able to quell everyone’s needs. There will always be those who will be dissatisfied, and you either whip them into shape, or tell them to leave.” The general looked down at her. “There is no in-between.” 

Jiyeon and Joobin watched the altercation from the bus. The heavy rain made things hard to see, and it masked everyone’s faces. 

The ballerina’s fingers tapped nervously against her rifle, unsure of what to do. Next to her, Joobin had already put her gun against the seat, aiming for the soldier threatening Hyunjin. 

Jiyeon took a shaky breath. “What do I do?” She didn’t want to raise her gun against another person again. Her heart had nearly given up on her the first time. 

“Wait in the driver’s seat.” Joobin directed, not tearing her eyes away from the scene. “If something happens, the group must retreat as soon as possible.” She had received a short debrief from Hyunjin while they fetched her. 

Jiyeon nodded, walking to the front as she watched the standstill. 

“You know the price of desertion is execution by firing squad,” said the general. “Why would you risk your life for a group of strangers?” 

Hyunjin looked at the girls. Their faces were filled with fear and worry, their hair and clothes drenched. She glanced at Sohyun, and noticed a circular pin peeking out from her pocket.

“Because you’re experimenting on a human girl.” The rogue soldier revealed, buying time for herself to come up with a plan. 

The soldier beside her wavered, and General Kim’s eyebrow twitched.

“I should have you shot on the spot for that.” 

Before he could raise his hand for the command, a pillowcase was hurled over his head, sealing shut at his neck and pulling him back. He coughed and grabbed at the pillowcase, trying to pull it up. The rain soaked into the cloth, impeding his breathing. 

The other soldiers were thrown into a state of confusion, and Hyunjin jumped at the opportunity. She smacked the gun away from her face and pushed the soldier down before shouting, 

“Sohyun! The smoke bomb!” 

The bodyguard spun around, throwing the soldier behind her to the ground and reaching for the smoke grenade. She pulled the pin out and tossed it on the floor. In an instant, white smoke produced from the can, and it overtook the highway, rising high above the ground and blocking everyone’s vision. 

Hyunjin ran into the smoke to help the girls out. 

“Get to the bus!” She ordered, pulling Seoyeon close and pointing towards the gate. With a nod, the nurse made her escape, followed by a few other girls. 

Exiting the smoke, Seoyeon froze when she saw a soldier point his rifle in her direction. A shot resonated in the street, and the soldier yelled out in pain, dropping his gun to clutch at his thigh. 

Seoyeon looked at the bus. Joobin stared back at her cooly, her finger resting against the trigger. 

“Go!” Yooyeon pushed the nurse forward. 

Still in the fog, Sohyun ran around, disoriented, searching for Xinyu. All around her were shouts coming from different people. She twitched as she heard a gunshot go off. 

“Xinyu!” She called out. 

“Over here!” 

Sohyun whipped her head in the voice’s direction and dashed for it, then reeled back at the sight of a military uniform. The soldier noticed her too and held his gun up against her. 

The bodyguard moved her head to the side, but not before he fired. The bullet grazed deep on the side of her cheek, making her hiss from the searing hot pain. Gritting her teeth, Sohyun hooked her right fist into the soldier’s elbow, making it bend backwards. He shouted from the hyperextension, releasing his grip on the gun. Sohyun followed with a high kick to his temple, knocking him to the ground. 

“Xinyu!” Sohyun called again, blinded by the smoke and rain.

A hand reached out to grab the bodyguard’s wrist. 

“It’s me!” Reassured Xinyu before Sohyun could attack. The bodyguard sighed in relief. 

“Are you okay?” Sohyun asked, pulling Xinyu close and gently wiping the water from her forehead. 

“I am, but you’re hurt!” Xinyu exclaimed, holding the bodyguard’s face in her hands. Sohyun grabbed them in hers, ignoring the stinging in her cheek from raindrops entering the wound. 

“You’re all that matters. Let’s go.” 

Nien stayed, unbothered by the smoke, to see if anyone needed her help. She whipped her head towards the sound of a gunshot and ran towards it. Seeing traces of a military uniform, she yanked the person in her direction and was greeted by Hyunjin. 

“I need your smoke grenades,” said the soldier after identifying the firefighter. “I need to get to Soomin and Hyerin.” 

Nien nodded, fumbling with the canisters in her pockets before passing them to Hyunjin. The soldier gave her a look of acknowledgement before hurrying off. 

Nien spun her body to watch her, only to be met with an opposing soldier. Before he could react, though, Nien grabbed his helmet and brought it down, blocking his face. As he reached to readjust it, something hit him in the back of his head, making him stumble and fall. 

“Oh my gosh.” Mayu exhaled and dropped the brick she was holding. 

“You came!” Nien cheered, pulling Mayu into a hug. 

“Let’s just go, please!” Mayu cried into the firefighter’s uniform. With a large grin, Nien nodded and dragged Mayu out of the smoke by the hand. 

Hayeon kept a tight grip on the pillowcase, trying to knock the general out from the rainwater blocking his mouth and nose. Her heart palpitated as he kept struggling at full strength despite having been covered for over a minute. He had forgone pulling the pillowcase up, and instead aimed for his aggressor. Hayeon took quickened breaths, trying to dodge his hits, her ribs feeling especially sore from the exertion. She was losing force much quicker than General Kim. 

Her focus slipped and she took an elbow strike to the chest. She coughed and gagged, releasing her grip on the pillowcase. The general rushed to take the wet cloth off before kneeling down and lurching, wheezing with every breath. 

Hayeon clutched at her chest, head dizzy from the pain as she watched the general slowly but surely regain his strength. 

Chaewon ran into Hayeon’s limited field of vision and staggered when she noticed her. 

“What are you doing here?” she asked in an accusatory tone. 

Hayeon frowned. “I put a bag over that guy's head to save all of you, and this is how you thank me?” 

Chaewon gasped. “You did that?” 

Hayeon smiled. “Yeah. The whole staying thing? That was just for show. I was always gonna– look out!” 

Chaewon whirled around at the warning. The general slowly stood back up with a hand on his knee. Before he could pull out his handgun, Chaewon kicked away the arm supporting him, making him lose balance, then struck the side of her hand against the back of his neck. He crashed to the ground with a heavy cough. 

Hayeon breathed out in awe. “You’re so cool.” 

Chaewon blushed against her will. “Stop talking.” 

Nakyoung winced as she stepped on her injured foot. Escaping wasn’t easy when she couldn’t see three feet in front of her while having to avoid soldiers ready to shoot her on sight. Not only that, but it was an absolute downpour. 

Gunshots rang through the street, only augmenting the vigilante’s worries. She had no idea whether her group was okay or not. She held her arms in front of her chest as she walked through the white fog, her ankle sore from the stress. 

Her eyes widened when she saw a silhouette appear in front of her. Much to her luck – or lack thereof, – it was Kotone and not a soldier. 

The officer stared at her for a few seconds, her gaze unreadable. It only served to fuel Nakyoung’s anger. 

“What, you want to fight again?” the vigilante taunted. “It’d be a perfect time. No one would see it.” 

Kotone looked down and saw Nakyoung balancing her entire weight on one foot. The officer shook her head and approached her, completely open. 

Nakyoung’s eyes widened as Kotone hooked an arm under her shoulders, helping her walk faster. The vigilante had a strong urge to push her away and beat her senseless but, for the moment, she accepted the help, noticing that her surroundings were starting to get clearer. 

Soomin squared her shoulders and stretched her neck to one side. Then, she ran up to the door and kicked it full force. She had been trying to force it open for the past few minutes while Hyerin watched, huddled up in a corner. Her leg had become sore. 

The gunner shook off the pinpricks in her foot and huffed. She backed away and glared at the scientists by the window. 

“Just let her out. I’m not going to bite my friend.” She walked up to the window and knocked against the glass. “You wouldn’t like it if I told you to bite your friend. Actually, you probably don’t even have any. Do you consider each other as friends? Would scientist number one bite scientist number two? Can’t we do something else instead?” 

“No one’s going anywhere until the test is completed.”  

“Then I guess we’ll all die here.” Soomin crossed her arms and sat down. The scientists shared a look with each other. Then, one of them pressed the button. 

“Think about it this way. With every minute you don’t cooperate, that is another person somewhere in the world being bitten or killed. You could be the solution to a cure that will save not only Korea but the entire world. Everyone’s counting on you even though they don’t know it. Men, women, and children. We can wait this out, dooming more people, or you could go through with the test for the better of the world. The choice is yours.”  

Hyerin glanced up at Soomin. She didn’t know what the gunner was thinking. On one hand, she didn’t want to turn. On the other hand, if it was to help find a cure… 

Soomin’s head spun. Too quickly had she been thrown into this new situation where she became bigger than the world. She didn’t feel that way at all. Sure, being able to save people sounded great, but not at the cost of Hyerin’s life. 

“How about this– you don’t even need to bite her. Just a scratch would be enough.”  

“I’m not doing it.” Soomin said decisively, and Hyerin’s eyes widened. 

She saw one of the scientists click his tongue and open his mouth. She couldn’t catch what he said, though, as the men whipped their heads to their left, and the room outside was engulfed in yellow smoke. Hyerin stood up at the sight. Soomin couldn’t see the action, but she could faintly hear the men shouting and getting knocked out one by one. 

The yells from the scientists subsided, only leaving the rattling of the door handle. It opened with some struggle, and Hyunjin walked into the room, breathing heavily with water dripping down her soaked uniform. 

“Are we escaping?” Soomin looked up at the ex-sergeant with hopeful eyes. 

Hyunjin nodded and beckoned them to follow. “We need to be quick.” 

Soomin and Hyerin glanced at each other before leaving the room and running down the foggy hallway, guided by the soldier. 

“Thanks.” Hyerin told Soomin in between breaths. 

Soomin looked to the side, searching for the archer’s face in the smoke. “For what?” 

Hyerin’s silhouette shrugged, but Soomin understood. The gunner smiled and picked up the pace. 

Yubin pushed back against a zombie’s head with her gloved hand, fully dressed in Jiwoo’s hockey uniform. Lightning flashed behind her, highlighting the infected snapping its jaw at her. Holding a tight grip on her knife, she let go of its head and stabbed it when it lunged forward. 

Yubin looked around, her vision greatly reduced from the helmet. The thunder sounded muffled in her ears. She sighed and continued her careful journey down the hill. 

“How far are we from the base now?” asked Dahyun, lagging behind. 

“Give or take one more hour.” Yeojeong shielded his eyes from the rain, holding his umbrella out for the electrician. 

Yubin sniffled, raising the helmet’s visor to wipe her face. “Lynn better be there,” she mumbled to herself. 

“Lynn.” Sullin repeated behind her. 

As Yubin set her visor down, another infected jumped at her. Caught off guard, she lost balance and was thrown to the ground, her back taking the brunt of the impact. Its teeth clashed against the metal grill and Yubin tightened her jaw, struggling to lift it up while a new wave of rainwater hit her face. 

Sullin pulled the zombie off of Yubin and threw it to the side before stabbing her pocket knife into its eye. The traceuse recovered but not without a wince.

“Behind you!” 

Sullin tried to roll to the side, but the incoming hand managed to grab her damp shirt and pulled her in. Yubin tackled the attacker’s silhouette and rammed it into a nearby tree. She heard the snarling under the raindrops hitting the helmet. While keeping it still, Dahyun approached and sunk her knife into its jugular. Blood spurted out as she retracted it. 

Yubin stepped back, panting heavily. She glanced at Dahyun, then at the umbrella keeping her hair dry. With a roll of her eyes, the traceuse started walking again. 

“So much for being infected. They’re still beating my ass.” 

Kotone and Nakyoung reached the bus uninjured. 

“Move to the front and get down,” advised Jiwoo as she pulled them up. “If they open fire, you have lesser chances of getting hit.” 

The two nodded and hurried to the front where the rest of the girls were. Yooyeon draped dry clothes over their shoulders at their arrival and lowered them while Kotone counted heads. 

“We’re the last ones to arrive.” The cop announced and turned her attention to the streets. The smoke dispersed, and the soldiers who were still in shape gathered their forces. 

“What do we do?” Jiwoo inquired, lowering herself. The answer came in the form of a gunshot hitting the side of the school bus. The athlete flattened herself on the floor with her hands covering the back of her head. 

Joobin counterattacked with her own shot, aiming for the soldier who had fired. Her bullet found his arm and he let out a shout of pain. The rest of the soldiers backed away, unsure of what to do without their general’s orders. Joobin noticed their leader was nowhere to be found. 

“Close the door,” she said. Jiwoo showed an expression of surprise but followed through, reaching her arm to shut the emergency exit. 

“What about the others?” Chaeyeon peeked out from her seat. She jumped and looked back when the side door opened. 

“It’ll be harder to get through.” Sohyun whispered, her face contorted into a small wince while Seoyeon searched through their bags for anything that could help. 

“Let’s hope it’s enough," the nurse whispered. 

The sergeant and the girls rounded the final corner before reaching the main road. The gate was in their line of sight. Hyunjin pulled the pin off her second to last canister and rolled it forward, engulfing the alley in a yellow fog. 

Hyunjin beckoned the girls to follow. Quietly, they did, keeping their eyes on the soldier’s back as they entered the fray. 

Hyerin clenched and unclenched her hand out of anxiety, tailing the line. She could barely see Soomin in front of her, and the girl was just a meter apart. 

A hand reached behind her and clasped at her mouth, muting her. Luckily, Hyerin had managed to let out a small yelp beforehand, alarming her teammates. 

“Hyerin!” Soomin turned back whilst Hyunjin reached for her pistol. 

“Not too close, or I’ll shoot.” General Kim breathed heavily with narrowed eyes. His handgun was pressed against the side of Hyerin’s head. Hyunjin held her breath, moving her hand away from her weapon. 

“Now, you will do exactly as I say.” The general hovered his finger over the trigger. “I heard through the radio you refused to cooperate with the experiment. So, we’ll do that right now.” 

“Are you crazy?” Hyunjin hissed, looking into Hyerin’s wide eyes. “Out on the road?” 

“You’ll be shot the moment you turn, do not worry.” 

Soomin’s eyes widened. “You want me to bite Sergeant Kim?” 

“Do it now before your friend pays the price.” 

Soomin turned to look at Hyunjin. The sergeant looked back, but it was one of determination and not pity. 

Hyunjin held her hand out. “It’s okay. Do it.” 

The gunner backed away. “No, I’m not doing that!” 

Hyunjin gave Soomin a wink. She staggered, but swallowed and nodded, slowly approaching the soldier. 

“Come on, we don’t have all day.” The general pressed, readjusting his grip on his pistol, his trigger finger moving away. Hyunjin was watching from her peripheral vision. 

“Now!” 

Hyerin bit as hard as she could into the man’s hand, the metallic taste of blood flooding her mouth. The general let out a short shout of pain, yanking his hand away. Hyunjin pulled out her gun and shot two stray bullets towards him and Hyerin with no intention of hitting their target, but to scare him away. The man covered his face and lowered himself, giving the girls enough time to run away. 

Hyunjin ripped the pin off the last smoke grenade and threw it forward. It landed just in front of the gate, and another wave of smoke blew into the highway, keeping the soldiers clueless. 

They dashed into it. The general set her hands on Soomin and Hyerin’s backs and pushed them forward, mere meters away from the gate. 

“Keep going!” She kept her voice low as they ran past the open gate. The school bus waited with the front door open, the red stop lights acting as a beacon of hope for them to run to. 

Peeking out, Jiwoo waited for the girls with her arm out. “Hurry!” 

Lieutenant General Kim walked into the fog with his good hand on his pistol. With gritted teeth, he blindly shot his rounds through the smoke. 

“Get down!” Hyunjin warned, lowering the two girls. A few of the shots whizzed by, while some hit the school bus with a loud metallic twang. One bullet ricocheted on the side, redirecting it towards the girls. It missed Soomin as she dashed into the bus, aided by Jiwoo, and Hyerin gasped behind her.

The sergeant pushed the archer up, not stopping. Another shot resounded and she let out a cry of pain as the bullet tore through her leg, making her fall off the steps. Jiwoo’s arms fumbled as she tried catching her, but she missed, and Hyunjin crashed onto the pavement, the pink pistols flying out of her uniform.

“Sergeant Kim!” Joobin called out.

“Leave!” Hyunjin barked, throwing one of Soomin’s guns into the bus. Jiyeon’s eyes widened but gave her a shaky nod. The ballerina shut the door as another bullet hit the bus, and pressed the gas pedal. It screeched and drove off, leaving the rogue soldier behind.

Lieutenant General Kim tsked as his gun clicked, the magazine having been emptied. He coughed and waved a hand in front of him to disperse the heavy smoke. 

The man stepped outside the gate. In the dark, he noticed Sergeant Kim sitting on the floor, holding her leg. The school bus's red lights glowered at him in the distance.

He looked down at Hyunjin, who had her jaw clenched in pain. The blood trailed off of her pants before getting washed away by the rain water. Calmly, General Kim reached for a cigarette in his pocket and ignited it, slotting it between his lips. 

“Good job,” he murmured with a puff of smoke. “What did you achieve?”

The sergeant didn’t reply, putting a hand down and pushing something behind her back. General Kim raised a brow. He bent down and reached for the mystery object before holding it before him.

His eyes shot open in realization, instantly recognizing the custom pink K5 pistol. His half-smoked cigarette dropped from his lips, extinguished as it hit the ground. General Kim glared at the sergeant. 

“You…” 

Hyunjin let a small smirk wear on her face, a victorious glint shining in her eyes. 

The general’s expression hardened. Methodically, he discarded his old pistol, letting it clatter on the wet pavement, and replaced it with Soomin’s. He kneeled before Hyunjin and took the pistol in her holster. 

General Kim stood back up while cocking the gun. Inhaling from his nose, he raised the sergeant’s pistol, pointing it against her. Without missing another beat, he pulled the trigger. 

The gunshot thundered. Hyunjin’s head was thrown back and she collapsed onto the concrete. 

Harsh drops of rain hit against the general's soaked jacket in patters. Water trickled down his face. The man casted a final glance at Hyunjin. Her smirk was wiped off her face, and her eyes were hollow. Blood trailed from the wound perfectly centered in her forehead. 

He didn’t bother to close Hyunjin’s eyes. Turning around, he walked back through the gate where the wisps of smoke were being blown away. 

“Close the gate,” he grumbled at the nearest soldier. Without looking at anyone else, he stormed off, keeping a hand on his daughter’s gun. 

Soomin and Hyerin breathed heavily as they walked down the bus. The archer winced with every step but let out a breath of relief as she dropped into a free seat. 

“We made it– we made it.” Soomin huffed out, sharing a gleeful chuckle with a tired Hyerin. 

“Good, that’s good…” the archer trailed off, suddenly falling unconscious. Soomin stared at her, a misplaced smile on her lips. 

“Hyerin?” she said, tapping the archer on the shoulder. “Hey, Hyerin?” 

Alarmed by her friend’s lack of response, Soomin patted her down, her eyes widening as she felt something warm on her side. 

“She’s been shot!” 

Seoyeon snapped her head towards the back. In an instant, everyone rushed towards the unconscious archer. The nurse hovered her hands over Hyerin’s figure. 

“No, no, no no no no…” Seoyeon whipped her head around. “Someone look for medical supplies!"

The group scattered to search through their bags. 

Seoyeon cursed under her breath. With little time to think, the nurse pulled the t-shirt off her shoulders and started wrapping a dry spot around her finger. 

“Flashlight please!” she called out. A light clicked behind her, shining on the gunshot wound. Crimson blood weakly spurted out and stained Hyerin’s stomach. 

“It hit an artery.” Yooyeon’s breath had a rare tremble to it. 

Seoyeon cursed over and over again. She shoved the clothed finger down the perforation and pressed hard against the heart side of the wound, ignoring the gross squelch of warm flesh. Without stopping, she kept feeding cloth into the injury, never releasing the pressure. 

“Full speed on the bus!” Someone shouted. 

“It already is!” Jiyeon cried out, pressing as hard as she could into the gas pedal. 

The nurse’s heartbeat rose as the wound started bleeding through the shirt, but she did not stop adding material. When she judged the bleeding to have stopped, she pressed her fingers against the wound with as much strength as she could muster. 

“The bullet didn’t go all the way through the artery.” Seoyeon shook. “The spurts weren’t as aggressive.” 

“Does this mean she has a higher chance of surviving?” Soomin looked at the nurse in desperation. 

Seoyeon took quickened breaths. “I– I don’t know,” she lied. She did know. Even with the weaker strike, Hyerin’s chances were close to zero. 

Yubin struggled to push away another infected, heaving tired gasps as she let it gnaw uselessly against the shoulder pads. She reached her arm out before bringing it down into the back of its neck, and it stopped biting. 

“How much more?!” she yelled, her voice drowned out by another roar of thunder. 

“Half an hour, we’re almost there!” Yeojeong swiped his hair back before slamming his shovel into an infected’s body. It barely flinched as it kept approaching him. Dahyun pulled it back by its long hair and sheathed her knife up its throat. She let go of the hair with a huff, shaking her damp locks. They had ended up discarding the umbrella. 

“Thank you,” Yeojeong sighed. 

Lightning brightened the sky. Sullin narrowed her eyes from the flash, and she swore she spotted something gray in the distance. 

“Over there!” She pointed at a faraway, invisible structure. 

“You saw something?” Dahyun panted. 

“Yes!” 

“Okay, let’s go.” Yubin marched forward. “There’s so many of them in this damn forest, but no one even lives here.” 

“They must be scattered from the rain and thunder.” Yeojeong theorized. Yubin just huffed. 

“Left.” 

Joobin kept her eyes on the dark roads illuminated by nothing but the school bus's headlights. She guided Jiyeon, leading her to a place no one knew. 

“Right.” 

With a nod, Jiyeon steered into a new road. 

“Do we even know where she’s going?” Hayeon whispered in the back where the rest of them were. It had been half an hour since their departure, and Hyerin had only woken up a few times to cry out in pain before passing out again. Her complexion was getting sickly pale. 

Nien had taken over applying pressure while Seoyeon went through their meager number of bags. 

“She wouldn’t speak unless it was important.” Seoah affirmed. 

“What’s important is that we should be going to the nearest hospital and getting what we need.” Nakyoung hissed. “Or else Hyerin’s not gonna make it.” 

“It’s raining. It has surely woken every one of them up.” Yooyeon looked despondent. 

“What other choice do we have?” 

The bus slowed to a stop. The girls looked over in confusion. 

“The road’s blocked.” Jiyeon said before any of them asked, shifting the gear into reverse. “We need to find another way.” 

“There is no other way.” Joobin spoke. “Go through.” 

Jiyeon huffed, but heeded Joobin’s words. She backed the bus into the infected, making them stumble back. Then, shifting the gear back to drive, Jiyeon went off the road and onto the grass. The group felt bumps as they rode the uneven ground, and Nien clenched her teeth as she tried to keep the pressure on Hyerin’s wound stable. 

Seoyeon watched the archer’s face nervously, her heart dropping each time she fell unconscious despite their attempts to keep her awake. The pulse the nurse would find weakened every time, adding to her anxiety. Soomin kept a tight grip on Hyerin’s hand, unwilling to let go. The gunner looked deep in thought. 

“Unnie…” Soomin whispered, catching Seoyeon’s attention. “If I told you something, would it change how you saw me?” 

“It wouldn’t.” Seoyeon answered easily. Soomin pressed her lips together. 

“I’m…” she huffed. 

“We know.” 

Soomin looked at the nurse in surprise. “How?” 

“Yooyeon-unnie told us,” came Yeonji’s voice, curled up on the seat across from them. “Infected or not, it doesn’t change anything. You’re still Kim Soomin, unnie.” 

The gunner smiled for a split-second before turning back to Hyerin. 

Lynn scrunched her nose as she pulled on her shackles. The chains dug uncomfortably into her skin, and she started feeling the pressure in her wrists. With a sigh, she looked up at Shion. 

“Are you really going to let her get away with this?” asked the agent. 

Shion looked down. “What do you want me to do?” 

“Get me out of these.” Lynn tried to show the chains, but they stopped short behind her back. “You’re not someone who does this.” 

“I’m not,” Shion answered, uneasy. “But I can’t help you.” 

“Why not?” Lynn stared the girl down. “Are you afraid?” 

“No.” Shion’s response came a little too fast. 

The agent eyed her, unimpressed. “You don’t know what you’re doing, do you?” 

Shion hung her head low. Lynn stretched her lips into a thin line and exhaled deeply through her nose. 

“Do the right thing,” she said, “Let me go.” 

The agent’s captor glanced up at her, uncertain. Still, she could see a small glint in her eyes. 

“I’ll just leave,” Lynn fueled. “You can tell her I broke out and knocked you unconscious. Don’t let her control you when she isn’t even in the room.” 

Shion thought over what Lynn told her. She knew the captive was just trying to have her set her free, but there was some truth to her words. With a nod, Shion stood up and took a step towards Lynn. 

Kaede ran into the room with her rifle in her hands. 

“Shion.” 

Shion jumped and turned around. “Yes?” 

“A vehicle is coming this way. We need to go.” 

Shion gulped, glancing at Lynn whose face had turned sour. “What about her?” 

“We’ll come back later.” Kaede nudged her head towards the door. “Come on.” 

Without waiting for Shion’s response, Kaede bolted out of the room. 

Shion looked around before laying her eyes on Lynn. 

“Go defend your base,” the agent encouraged. “I’m not going anywhere. I physically can’t.” 

“I’ll loosen your chains a little.” Shion hastily reached over and pulled on the shackles, offering Lynn much needed relief. The agent sighed. 

“Thank you,” she smiled. 

Shion nodded and quickly scurried away. Lynn looked over at the open door. Seeing no one, her smile dropped. 

The agent had been talking to mask the rattling of her binds while she loosened them, and Shion’s small act of generosity was more than enough for her. Holding her breath, Lynn pulled her arms out of the chains with a grunt. Seconds of effort later, she yanked them out and jolted forward at the release. 

Lynn stood up and shook her numb arms and legs. Immediately, she went for her jacket they had left against the wall, and she thoroughly searched the inner pockets. A small groan escaped her lips when she didn’t find her throwing knives, but she was after something else. 

Lynn slipped her hand through a secret pocket in the jacket and pulled out what she was looking for. A 9mm handgun equipped with a silencer. She checked the magazine for ammunition before tossing her jacket on and stepping out. 

Jiyeon slowed the school bus to a stop at the sight of a chain link gate. A few warning posters were put up, one of them signaling the fence was electrified. 

“What do I do?” She turned towards Joobin. 

“I will open the gate.” Joobin pressed a button to open the bus's door and walked down with her rifle in her hands. She looked around briefly before running to the gate and fearlessly reaching a hand to undo the chains wrapped around the gate’s handle. Then, she pulled it open and instructed Jiyeon to drive through the gravel path. 

After the bus passed, Joobin closed the gate, not bothering to rewrap the chains before jumping back into the vehicle. 

“The road ends two hundred meters from here.” Informed the young soldier as Jiyeon picked up speed. 

“Would it be possible to go over the terrain?” asked Yooyeon. 

“It’s bumpy.” 

Seoyeon shook her head. “Then it’s out of the question. We need to keep an even pressure on Hyerin’s wound. Traveling on the grass before risked causing a lot of damage.” 

Yooyeon tapped a finger above her lips. “How far do we have to walk?” 

“A hundred meters only.” 

Seoyeon groaned in relief. “Thank goodness.” 

The nurse’s joy was short-lived as a bullet was shot into the school bus's windshield, shattering the glass and sending fragments flying everywhere. The girls screamed, getting down, and Jiyeon stopped the bus and killed the lights. 

The ballerina hissed in pain, picking off a small shard of glass that flew near her eye. A light suddenly flashed into her face, temporarily blinding her, and she raised her arms. 

“What happened?” Chaeyeon whispered. 

“Someone shot at us.” Kotone answered. 

“What do we do?” Mayu whimpered. 

The girls looked between each other, uncertain. Yooyeon furrowed her eyebrows. 

“We need to go out.” 

“What?” 

“Hyerin needs help. Confronting them is our best bet, or we’ll all die here.” 

Yooyeon nudged her head towards the open door. Chaeyeon bit into her cheek but nodded, slowly getting up. 

One by one, the girls stepped out of the vehicle with their hands up. Nien walked down last, holding Hyerin in her arms, while Soomin kept the pressure on the wound. 

“In the back!” A female voice called out. “Your arms raised!” 

“We can’t! She’s injured!” Nien yelled back, wincing as the flashlight shone into her eyes. 

“What kind of injury?” asked a high-pitched voice. Seoyeon did a double-take at the familiarity, but it was hard to see anything in the storm. She counted two silhouettes. One had a rifle, and another had a flashlight. 

“Gunshot!” Nien replied. “She's bleeding out quickly!” 

The two figures looked at each other and started walking towards them. 

“Fuck.” The girl with the gun suddenly hissed. The group stared in confusion, not being able to see their faces. But when they got close enough, the girls could feel their hearts drop to their guts. 

“You.” Jiwoo scowled, burning up in rage. 

The girl pointing the rifle at them was none other than Kaede, who looked just as shaken as they were. Beside her was a girl whom only Seoyeon recognized. 

“Shion?”  

Shion flashed her light onto Seoyeon and let out a gasp. “Unnie?” 

“There’s no way…” Chaeyeon covered her mouth in utter shock. 

“Do you know each other?” Kotone looked between the two parties. 

Nakyoung’s glare darkened. “Yes.” 

Seoyeon stared at Shion, dumbstruck. All that time she had been looking for her, and she was with Kaede from the start? 

Hyerin gasped as her eyes shot open and she wheezed painfully. 

“Hyerin!” Soomin exclaimed the archer’s name like a broken record. She turned around. “Let us through!” 

“She doesn’t have much time,” Nien begged. 

Kaede stayed firm, keeping her gun pointed at them. She looked at Hyerin with her jaw clenched, feeling a phantom pain in her ear. The archer looked back with lidded eyes, barely conscious. 

“Leave,” Kaede ordered. 

“No,” Soomin breathed. “Please.” 

Seoyeon sucked in a harsh breath. “Shion, get away from her!” 

Shion’s eyes trembled, taking an uncertain step forward. Kaede directed her aim to her partner in crime. 

“Where are you going?” 

“She needs help.” Shion voiced. Kaede took a small breath. There was a slight tremor in her hands as she pointed the barrel at Shion. 

Jiwoo cursed and stomped forward. “I’ll take care of this myself.” 

“Jiwoo, wait!” 

A quiet shot rang in everyone’s ears. But, instead of Jiwoo or Shion falling, it was Kaede who yelled in pain, lowering her rifle and grabbing her shoulder. She looked around wildly before running away. 

Behind Kaede was Lynn, her face morphed into a scowl. The agent lowered her pistol equipped with a silencer and quickly chased after the fleeing woman. 

Seoyeon was stunned for a split second but quickly shook her confusion away. She ran up to Shion to give her a brief, bone-crushing hug before quickly retracting herself. 

“Come on!” Seoyeon urged, rushing into the camp blindly. Yooyeon was quick to run after her, and the rest followed without another word. 

The nurse dashed for the first building she saw, and upon entering it, she noticed it was a small dormitory with beds stretched out on each side. Her hair and clothes were drenched, producing shivers throughout her body, but she could barely focus on it while waiting for the others to arrive. The raindrops rolled down her crimson painted hands and fell from her fingertips, dripping onto the floor with inaudible patters. Her realities had clashed at such high speed she hadn't been able to think through any of them. Being alone in the room was the only time the world slowed down, but her thoughts clogged and she was left with nothing but seconds of unbearable silence.

After what felt like hours, Nien and the others burst into the room with Hyerin in tow.

“Get her on the bed,” Seoyeon exhaled and Nien carefully lowered Hyerin down. The archer was barely awake, fighting the numbing drowsiness with a wince.

Seoyeon checked the wound. The bleeding had resumed and became as violent as ever, staining the shirt red in a matter of seconds. She hissed and pressed down again, and Hyerin shouted, tears rolling down the corner of her eyes. 

“The bullet dug into the entire artery,” the nurse revealed, clinging onto desperation. Distraught noises escaped the girls' throats.

"What do we do?" Yeonji whipped her head around fervently.

“I’ll get some tools.” Shion offered nervously. “It’s not too far away.” 

Seoyeon vehemently shook her head. “We’re out of time. I’ll have to try removing it by hand and stop the bleeding again,” she said, her hands unsteady. She took a breath and reached out to Hyerin, only to have her arm grabbed. Hyerin used the little strength she had left to shake her head.

"No," she could barely whisper.

The nurse froze up. Soomin's breath caught in her throat, prickles crawling at the back of her neck and spreading through her skin. “Wh– what do you mean, no? This could save you!” she nearly screamed, forcefully digging her nails into the palms of her hands in torment.

Hyerin blinked slowly. Already she was slipping, barely able to keep her eyes open, and the hand that held Seoyeon hardly tried to stay upright.

Then, she smiled. Not one of those small smiles the girls would catch whenever she thought they weren’t looking. A genuine, warm smile crossed her lips, that trembled as they gently parted, mouthing something to Soomin, who scrambled to get closer. 

“Make me that coffee in another life, okay?”  

Soomin didn’t have time to reply. Hyerin’s eyes fluttered closed, and her head fell gently to the side. The grip she had on Seoyeon’s arm weakened until it slumped next to her. Her other hand rested on Soomin’s. 

Seoyeon hastily reached to place two shaky fingers on Hyerin’s neck, desperately searching around for a pulse. Finding nothing, she brought the archer’s wrist up and tried again. For a moment, she thought she felt something, but her soul was crushed at the realization it was her own hammering heartbeat. 

Seoyeon was overtaken with tremors. A whine tore through her throat, and she dropped her face into her quivering, blood-soaked hands. Her body wracked with an onslaught of tears. Jiwoo stared with widened eyes. Yooyeon shut her eyelids tight, pressing a hand against her face and taking uneven breaths. Yeonji, Chaewon, and Seoah cried, and even Hayeon, who hadn't gotten to know Hyerin yet, shook and hugged herself.

Soomin stared at Hyerin blankly. She refused to believe it. Her mouth was parted, but no sound came out. Behind her, Chaeyeon sobbed loudly with a hand on her mouth. She didn't hear it. Her vision tunneled on Hyerin, darkening anything that wasn't her.

“Hyerin,” Soomin husked out. She felt lightheaded. “This is a joke, right? Wake up.” 

The gunner brought Hyerin’s hand up and pressed it against her forehead, keeping her eyes on Hyerin, hoping the girl would open hers again and tell her it was all just some meticulously thought-out prank everyone was in on but her.

But Hyerin's eyes remained closed, and she was as still as a stone. Soomin let out a whimper as warm tears poured down her eyes, mixing with the cold raindrops to create a shallow, lukewarm pool of grief. 

“I heard something in there!” Yubin dropped from the metal fence, her protective gear having blocked the barbed wire. She shook her hands before taking off again. 

“Yubin!” Dahyun shouted, but the traceuse was already bolting into the base. The electrician looked around and spotted the fence corner to their right. “This way!” 

Yubin tore her helmet off to wipe the rain from her face. She didn’t stop running, ignoring her group mates' shouts to wait, barely able to keep up from outside the chain fence. 

A bolt of lightning illuminated her surroundings, and Yubin spotted a building just a hundred yards away from her. Yubin grunted and sprinted as fast as she could towards it, ignoring the ache in her calf in favor of finding Lynn. 

Yubin barged into the building with heavy breaths. Instead of finding Lynn, though, she found an old friend. 

“Jiwoo?” 

The athlete snapped her head towards the all-so familiar voice. 

There Yubin stood, in all her healthy, rain-soaked glory, and wearing her hockey gear. Yubin's eyes trailed over to Jiwoo’s side. “Chaeyeon-unnie?” 

Chaeyeon only doubled down in her cries, dropping down. 

Jiwoo did nothing but stare. There was no joy, no elation in seeing her best friend in front of her alive. Not when they had just lost someone. 

“Wh– what? What’s going on?” Yubin croaked, confused at everyone’s sorrowful expressions. The traceuse peeked over the shoulders of her friends and her heart sank. 

“No.” 

The helmet clattered on the floor as Yubin dropped it and pushed through the scattered girls, kneeling in front of Hyerin. She looked around at all the tear-filled eyes of past and new faces. 

“When did this happen?” Yubin’s voice came out shaky and high-pitched. “How did this happen?” 

“She was shot.” Yooyeon’s voice was void of emotions. “We couldn’t help her in time.” Yubin's face contorted in hurt as she sunk her head into the mattress with her teeth clenched.

Another group of survivors burst into the room, panting hard. They were Dahyun with her short hair dripping rainwater on the floor, a taller girl, and a man. Dahyun cried and slapped a hand over her mouth at the sight of Hyerin, choking out a sob. Sullin’s gaze turned glum at the scene. Yeojeong quietly retreated out the door.

Lynn bumped shoulders with him as she walked into the building, not sparing him a single glance. She dragged an injured Kaede with her hands tied behind her back. The agent dropped Kaede onto the ground, and she stayed down with her head low, blood soaking her shoulder where she had been shot. Lynn noticed her group mates had found her, but she stayed silent out of respect for the mourners. 

Twenty-four girls were gathered in a crowded room overwhelmed with grief. Those who had been searching found the people they had been looking for, but, somehow, they had assembled at the wrong time. 

“So, like, what’s the difference between a bow and a crossbow?”  

Hyerin spared a glance at Soomin, who eyed her curiously while resting her cheek against her hand. f(x)’s 4 Walls was playing in the archer’s ears as she once again wore Soomin’s cat headphones. Their small group had decided to take a break on the hillside’s empty road after traveling nonstop for days, and the sun shone brightly in the sky.  

“I know the basic things like the bow is vertical and the crossbow is horizontal, and one you let go while the other you have to pull a trigger. Hey, would you say a crossbow is more like a gun or a bow? I think it’s kind of like a mix of both, isn’t it?”  

“The crossbow is often categorized as a firearm legally, even though it technically isn’t.” Yooyeon explained a few meters away, writing something down in Seoyeon’s notebook.  

Soomin hummed and nodded. Then, her lips curled upward. “Can I take a look?”  

“No.” Hyerin deadpanned.  

The gunner swiped the crossbow off the road and held it up in the air. “Got it!”  

Hyerin jumped and stood up. “Give that back!” She exclaimed. Soomin refused, taking an arrow and loading the crossbow up with a small grunt, commenting on how difficult it was to pull the string back.  

Soomin’s eyes glinted mischievously as she aimed the loaded crossbow in the girls’ faces. Chaeyeon yelped and hid behind Jiwoo while Sohyun put herself in front of Xinyu without a second thought. Hyerin stood with her hands on her hips, waiting for the gunner to get bored. 

“Soomin, please put that down!” Seoyeon chastised, shielding herself when Soomin ran the bow across her. Jiwoo didn’t even flinch when Soomin got to her, only looking with a plain expression.  

Soomin accidentally pressed the trigger of the crossbow, sending the arrow flying past the road and into the foliage down the hill. The leaves rustled as they engulfed the arrow, never to be seen again.  

Soomin pressed her lips together. Hyerin felt an anger surge through her veins but held it down.  

“Give me my crossbow back.” 

“Yep.” 

Chapter Text

The moment Yooyeon stepped into the building, she was greeted with panicked voices and hurried footsteps.

Her attitude shifted from calmness to alarm as she focused her gaze and scanned the area around her. She walked further into the lab. Dozens of scientists in lab coats carried boxes around, presumably containing their personal belongings. Loose papers flew around and dropped haphazardly onto the floor as every person had a sense of urgency in their steps.

One figure hurriedly made their way to Yooyeon in her peripheral vision. It was Jinsol.

As she approached, Yooyeon turned to her and spoke. "Unnie. What's happening-" Her sentence was interrupted when Jinsol placed her hands firmly on her shoulders.

"You need to go. Now." Yooyeon's eyes widened slightly at Jinsol's burning gaze. "Something's gone terribly wrong. The military department-- Everyone's scrambling to get out and you need to leave before it gets too crowded."

Yooyeon gently removed Jinsol's hands. "Tell me what happened with the military department." She insisted.

Jinsol's look darkened as she ran a hand through her newly dyed blonde hair. "Something got out. An experiment. I suspect it has something to do with the screaming we heard a couple days ago. Whatever it is, it's not good. We have to-"

A loud gunshot echoed in the distance, interrupting Jinsol. Every other worker stopped in their tracks, their heads snapping towards the long hallway. Yooyeon could hear her own quickened heartbeat thumping due to how silent it was. Her uneven breathing permeated her ears as everyone waited for something to happen.

They all stared at the white wall at the end of the corridor. Then, Yooyeon saw a young male coworker shakily raise his arm to point at something at the end of the hallway.

"The floor..." he whispered.

Yooyeon turned her head back to the hallway, this time focusing on the eggshell white floor. Her breath hitched as she saw the small trail of blood leaking from the left end, as obvious as a stain on a white shirt. Her breath stopped when she caught sight of a bloody and rotten human-like figure slowly inching its way into everybody's vision. It looked at the ground as it smacked its naked foot down, the sound echoing throughout the laboratory. Someone in front of her gasped before someone else slapped a palm over their mouth. The figure seemed to pick up on the sound since it turned its head towards the crowd of people on the other end of the hallway. One eyeball had popped out of its socket, while the other was missing in its entirety.

Yooyeon heard a scream next to her. Immediately, the place delved into absolute chaos. Hurried footsteps turned into full on sprinting. Boxes had been dropped and abandoned in favor of escaping, and people pushed and shoved all around her. The sirens installed in the laboratory started blaring full force, causing Yooyeon to wince.

One larger coworker slammed into her, and she nearly crashed into the floor if it wasn't for Jinsol keeping a tight grasp on her arm and keeping her grounded. She kept a calm act as she looked over Yooyeon's head to watch the large glass doors get swarmed with people. She then looked behind her to see the figure moving closer.

"You need to leave, now!" Jinsol shouted at Yooyeon. Yooyeon peeked over Jinsol's shoulder to look at the humanoid. It was starting to pick up speed. Her eyes widened when she saw a couple other figures turning the corner and coming towards them.

Yooyeon nodded. She grabbed Jinsol's sleeve and started making her way to the door.

She felt a tug. Yooyeon looked back in confusion. Jinsol was not following her.

"What are you doing?" she asked her.

Jinsol gently removed herself from Yooyeon's grasp. "I need to stay here, to lock the building down." The figure was getting close behind them, and the chaos at the front only grew. Both scientists winced as they heard the shattering of glass and shouts of pain. "Those things cannot go out in the world."

Yooyeon frowned. "It doesn't have to be you."

Jinsol offered her junior a soft smile. "Who else would it be?"

Before Yooyeon could answer, Jinsol spun her around and pushed her away.

ACT II: VIRTUE

Part 1: Pains and Trials

The pads of Dahyun's fingers pressed gently on the mattress. Her head, tilted to the side, was cushioned against the singular pillow the dorm room offered. She kept her eyes shut, combating the grayed out sunlight from the thin woven clouds.

Three soft knocks sounded on the door. Dahyun moaned in discontent and reached to bury her head under her pillow.

“You’ll miss lunch,” came Yeojeong’s muffled voice.

“Five more minutes,” Dahyun mumbled despite not knowing what time it was.

“I’d give it to you, but it’s your turn to visit her.”

Dahyun blinked her eyes open. She pulled herself away from her pillow and sat up, staring at the wall for a few seconds to remember where she was. Then, her shoulders wilted, and she brought the blanket against her face to soften a groan.

The taste of iron in Kaede’s mouth nauseated her. Blood leaked down her nose in a slow, continuous stream, her lips picking up the moisture as it trickled down her chin and dripped onto her dirty white tee. A shallow cut dug against her cheekbone, bruising her jaw, and there was no doubt her nose sported a similar injury. Heavy chains circled around her waist and arms, shackling her against the basement’s load-bearing wall. It constricted her blood flow, leaving her hands nearly paralyzed. There was an uncomfortable ache in her right shoulder where she had been shot.

Kaede saw the door in the right-hand corner creak open and she held back a sigh, feeling faint beats pulsing through her temples.

Dahyun peeked a cautious eye into the room. She inhaled a shaky breath, holding a small can of preserved food and a water bottle in one hand. Her heart drummed loudly in her chest as she came face-to-face with the person who had nearly killed her.

Kaede.

Dahyun kept a tight grasp on the railing of the few stairs she had to walk down to level herself with the woman. Kaede sat on the cement floor, the group not having cared to provide her the luxury of a chair.

Hesitant thoughts crossed Dahyun’s mind with every step. Although Kaede had the layers of chains tightened around her, leaving little air to breathe, Dahyun felt like the one who was suffocating. She only felt further stifled with how the prisoner betrayed no emotion on her face, holding herself with an air of smugness despite her battered visage.

It was a complete twist of how she had acted during the two days Dahyun had known her, and it left the woman shivering. The tales Lynn had told around the campfire were a reality Dahyun hadn’t been able to grasp until this very moment. Even when she had whispered the realization of Kaede’s attempt on her demise, she had a hard time believing it.

Dahyun reached Kaede before she noticed it, her mind numbed with her swirling thoughts. She jolted and stopped a few feet away from the woman.

Dahyun’s breath hitched. Too engulfed in her thoughts, she hadn’t noticed just how badly she had been beaten. Despite knowing what Kaede had done, she felt an uncomfortable tug on her heart.

“What happened to you?” The question slipped out of Dahyun’s lips before she could bite it back.

Kaede’s eyes lingered on Dahyun. With some effort, she brought her hands forward and splayed them out, palms facing up, silently requesting her daily ration. The chains were so tight they barely made a sound as the prisoner shuffled. She beckoned Dahyun to come forward with her fingers.

Dahyun stepped forth, and her face warmed in embarrassment at being ordered around so easily by the hostage. Kaede was so casual about everything it didn’t even feel like she was really being kept prisoner.

“I like your hair,” Kaede commented through chapped lips.

Dahyun was caught by surprise. “I– Wh– You do not get to say that to me,” she stammered.

“I’m not the one who did it,” came Kaede’s casual reply. Dahyun’s face flared.

“Because pushing me off a bridge is the better thing.”

“Your words, not mine.”

Dahyun clenched her jaw, figuring out Kaede’s intentions. “You’re angering me on purpose.”

Kaede’s lips curled upwards. “You’re perceptive of other people.”

Dahyun shook her head, refusing to play the woman’s mind games. Wordlessly, she kneeled down, setting the food and water into the palms of Kaede’s hands. She took another glance at her bruised visage before turning away, gulping down her nervousness.

“Does it make you feel good?”

Dahyun looked back up. “What?”

“Seeing me like this.” Kaede tilted her head to the side, her nosebleed finding a new pathway down her chin. “Beaten. Hungry. Missing an ear.”

Dahyun’s eyes hovered over Kaede’s torn ear, then onto the bandages wrapped around her injured shoulder. Seoyeon had refused to carry the operation; she had feared seriously harming the girl out of rage amongst her sorrow. Yeojeong had taken over for her.

Dahyun steeled her nerves. “Unlike you, I don’t feel good seeing people hurt. But I don’t feel bad, either. Your decisions came back to bite you, that’s all.” She spoke methodically, making sure her words weren’t wasted on the prisoner.

Kaede’s brows creased for the first time, her confidence wavering. “I never said I felt good about people getting hurt,” she nearly mumbled. Her hands weakly grappled at the lid of the can, straining to pull the tab up with her numb fingers.

Dahyun tried her best to ignore the woman’s obvious show of struggle. With an internal groan, she ultimately reached over to pull the tab open and ripped the lid off.

Kaede looked up at Dahyun with an indecipherable gaze. Shaking her head, Dahyun stood up. Not wanting to give Kaede any more satisfaction, she spun around and walked away.

Stepping out, Dahyun let go of a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. She closed the door behind her and gave Nakyoung a half-hearted smile. The vigilante sat on a chair beside the door with her legs crossed. She still couldn’t go out on supply runs with her ankle still healing, so they had her guard the door.

Nakyoung waved at her. If she sensed Dahyun’s unease, she didn’t comment on it.

Dahyun turned the corner to be greeted by Yeojeong, who had waited for her the entire time.

“Something wrong?” asked the doctor, catching onto Dahyun’s silent agitation.

A shake of the head. Dahyun reached for Yeojeong’s hand, and he gave her a reassuring squeeze. “Just confused.”

“About what?”

Dahyun looked around and swallowed a lump in her throat. “She’s a lot more different than what she had shown before, but that’s not what I’m worried about. When I went down there, she was covered in bruises and her nose was bleeding.”

The doctor furrowed his brows. “Someone’s been hitting her?”

“I think so,” Dahyun whispered, unsure. “But Nakyoung-unnie’s always guarding the door.”

Yeojeong pursed his lips. “From what I’ve seen, it seems like she out of all people wouldn’t mind if something happened. No offense.”

“No, you’re right.” Dahyun let go of his hand and tilted her head back, momentarily shutting her eyes. “I’m concerned at the fact that they’re getting away with it.”

“I’ll bring it up with Yooyeon,” said the doctor. They both turned around at the distant buzzing of a vehicle. Dahyun’s eyes were sprinkled with both relief and hope at the sight.

The school bus rolled into the base, and Joobin swung the metal gate closed as heaps of infected clashed their bodies against the chain link fence. The girl pulled out a small combat knife and started striking each of them in the head.

“Looks like they’re back.” Yeojeong commented. He turned back towards Dahyun and nudged his head to the side. “Let’s go see them.”

Dahyun’s lips curled upward for a split second. She reached up, gave Yeojeong a peck on the lips, and walked away with her hand holding his.

Nien disembarked the school bus with a spent huff, carrying a few bags on her back. Soomin followed, raking a hand through her hefty backpack. She wore a black turtleneck under an equally somber jacket that had once belonged to Hyerin.

“Alright!” she exclaimed with energy. “Got a good haul today. I have– let’s see… Halli Galli, some snacks, a comic book– oh Sullin-unnie would like this one! Hey, anyone wanna play cards?”

Yubin stepped down the bus, tearing the helmet off her head and kneading a sore spot on her side. “You should get some rest first.”

Soomin paused her searching to look up at her. “But I’m not tired.” A long yawn escaped her lips.

The corner of Yubin’s lips lifted with some difficulty, and she gave the gunner’s hair a ruffle. “I’ll play with you after you take a nap.”

Soomin nearly smacked Yubin’s arm away with a frown. It highlighted the exhausted creases on her face. “I don’t need a nap.” The girl whipped her head around as a few group members approached the bus, then beamed.

“Yeonji! I got your favorite board game!” she called out before taking off.

Yubin held back a sigh, watching as Soomin pulled out Halli Galli from her bag and shoved it in Yeonji’s face. She couldn’t hear Yeonji’s reply, but caught the girl’s lackluster smile.

As Dahyun and Yeojeong approached Yubin, the former hovered a concerned gaze over Soomin, who had promptly rushed towards Sullin to hand her the comic book.

“I’m worried for her.”

Yeojeong combed his hair back with his fingers. “She can’t keep this up for much longer. Anytime soon, she’ll burn out.” Soomin had gone on every supply run in the past week.

“Yeah, and what sucks is that we can’t do anything about it.” Yubin took her backpack off and handed it over to Dahyun. “Here.”

Dahyun perked up despite her worries. “Did you find everything?”

“I don’t know if the sand’s thin enough,” admitted Yubin. “How was your visit with Kaede?” she asked, not having yet seen the thief.

Dahyun pursed her lips, feeling uneasy. “It was weird. Someone’s been hurting her.”

Yubin frowned. “Who?”

“We don’t know,” admitted Yeojeong. “It might be Nakyoung, or someone else is doing it and she’s in on it.”

“Does anyone else know?” Yubin looked around. The other survivors chatted with each other. Nothing felt out of place except for an ever-looming air of disquiet.

“Doesn’t look like it.” Yeojeong followed Yubin’s gaze. “We might have to tell Yooyeon, though. How’s the leg?”

Yubin switched her focus onto Yeojeong. “Fine. Black line’s still there. You got anything new?”

A shake of the head. “Not a lot of things to help me with my research.”

Yubin sucked in a breath, about to say something, but then looked over Yeojeong’s shoulder at an approaching figure. “Jiwoo’s here.”

Dahyun glanced back at the oncoming athlete. “Have you told her yet?” She alluded to Yubin’s infection.

“I want to keep it low until you find something.” Yubin gave Yeojeong a pointed look. “Have you at least talked with Yooyeon-unnie? Seoyeon-unnie?”

Yeojeong’s lips thinned and he looked at the ground. “Sorry. The timing hasn’t been right.”

Yubin held back a curse. She ruffled her hair and scrunched her nose. “I–” A huff. “It’s fine. Just, please get it done soon.”

The traceuse’s gaze shifted to Jiwoo, who was waiting for her a few yards away, and clicked her tongue. “I’ll see you two at dinner.” She gave Dahyun a pat on the shoulder before leaving to join Jiwoo, setting a hand on her back as they walked into the camp.

The perimeter of the chain-link fence was double of what the base itself occupied. A few bodies had piled up outside the cloture, Joobin having taken them out in the early morning. The rot of death lingered with the corpses, but it was washed away by the occasional rainfall. Heavy clouds were woven in the seams of the sky, threatening another potential downpour.

Yubin could barely see the fence as she walked on the dirt roads that led to the camp’s buildings. They greeted Yooyeon and Mayu as they passed by to get to the bus, and Yooyeon made a small comment thanking Yubin for her work.

The traceuse patted herself down from the praise with a small, prideful smile. With her calf just about healed, she had been itching to move, and although the trip had left her heart running with anxiety, a part of her welcomed the thrill.

Jiwoo, though, was less than amused. They had yet to start a conversation while they walked alongside each other, Yubin catching the undeniable strain between her and her best friend. For the past week, their chatter had been few and far between, but Jiwoo was insistent on sticking to her like glue. Yubin more than welcomed the attention, but she couldn’t shake off both the guilt of hiding her infection and her feeling that something had changed with her friend.

Jiwoo halted in her tracks and looked down at Yubin. “I don’t want you going out on runs.”

Yubin stopped and knitted her eyebrows at the sudden request. “I only went out this morning.”

“Yeah, right after you just healed up. I think that month you spent in comfort made you forget what the world turned into,” Jiwoo criticized.

“Did you forget the part where we lived with zombies in the basement?” Yubin smirked and gave Jiwoo a tap on the shoulder, hoping the athlete was just messing with her. Jiwoo wasn’t smiling.

“You’ve been protected for the past month by different people. That’s what you told me.”

Yubin narrowed her eyes, frustrated at the scolding. She admitted that compared to Jiwoo’s non-stop action, she had it a little easier, but she had no idea where this aggression was coming from. “I know very well what’s going on. I have my own problems too, you know?”

The athlete raised a questioning brow. Yubin caught herself and averted her friend’s gaze, her heartbeat rising. She huffed. Even Chaeyeon wasn’t this up in her business.

“Fine. I won’t go out again.”

Jiwoo smiled in gratitude whilst Yubin kept her head low. While looking down, she noticed Jiwoo’s hands. The knuckles were red, as if she had gotten into a fight. Something clicked in her mind.

“Don’t tell me you’re the one who beat Kaede.”

Jiwoo blinked, visibly taken aback. “What?”

Yubin grabbed Jiwoo’s wrist and raised it to her face. “What’s this?”

Jiwoo pressed her lips together. “My hand.”

“Stop playing dumb. Dahyun-unnie already told me.”

Jiwoo’s shoulders slumped. She didn’t bother to retract her hand. “I had to do something.”

“About?” Yubin questioned.

“She stabbed you,” Jiwoo replied as if the answer was obvious. “You were saving someone’s life and she stabbed you.”

Yubin frowned. “But I never asked you to do this.”

Jiwoo tapped her own chest. “It’s not just about you. I had to go a month thinking my best friend was dead. Chaeyeon-unnie had to go a month thinking her best friend was dead. You were gone again this morning.”

Yubin narrowed her eyes at her friend, whose look was blank as she whispered, “And if she hadn’t stalled, Hyerin might’ve lived.”

A misplaced smile made its way on the traceuse’s face as the knot in her stomach tightened. “So it’s all of the above?”

“Don’t look at me as if you wouldn’t do the same.”

“Yeah, I won’t lie, I want to punch Kaede in the face,” Yubin confessed, tightening her grip on Jiwoo’s wrist and bringing it closer. “But that's what I do, not what you do. Lee Jiwoo doesn’t hurt people.”

The fog of tension was so thick it was hard to see through. Yubin and Jiwoo stared each other down, and Yubin swallowed harshly, feeling ill at ease under her friend’s unfamiliar expression.

Finally, Jiwoo pried Yubin’s hand away from her and mumbled, “Why would you even care about Kaede getting hurt?”

“It’s about the principle.” Yubin recalled something Dahyun had once told her. She smacked her lips. “Yeojeong’s gonna tell Yooyeon-unnie. You’ll have to come clean about it.”

Jiwoo didn’t look too bothered by that fact. With a sigh, Yubin added, “I’ll have to tell Chaeyeon-unnie too.”

The athlete’s eyes widened. “Don’t do that.”

Yubin shrugged. “I was going to talk to her anyway.”

Jiwoo’s face nearly morphed into a scowl before turning expressionless. Yubin wanted to pry more, to ask her friend what was wrong with her, but didn’t want their relationship to strain further. She made an attempt to clear the air by stretching her arms out and smiling. “By the way, I still can’t believe you haven’t confessed.”

Jiwoo gladly played along. “I almost did. Something just happened.”

“Mhm. Keep telling yourself that.” Yubin smirked and Jiwoo rolled her eyes.

“It’s your fault. I would’ve done it if I wasn’t so worried about your dumb ass being alive.”

Yubin scoffed in faux offense. “Oh, so now you’re using me as an excuse for pussying out.”

Jiwoo grinned and smacked her friend on the shoulder. “It’s because we were on a rooftop. That’s like– textbook you.”

“You know me so well, honey.” Yubin flipped her hair and made eyes at Jiwoo, who stared back in pure disgust. Yubin’s smile dropped. “What’s up with that face.”

Jiwoo burst into a loud cackle, setting a hand on Yubin’s back. The traceuse smiled at her friend’s contagious laughter. It was something she hadn’t heard in a while. It was the Jiwoo Yubin knew, and it brought her comfort knowing that she was still there despite everything.

“I missed you,” Jiwoo said as her laughter died down.

Yubin’s eyes crinkled, feeling a breeze of relief tickle her skin. “I missed you too.”

The group occupied only a few of the base’s many buildings. The dormitory was where most of the group decided to spend their time. The mess hall was the second, and only a select few needed to be in the warehouse. They had been hoping to find weaponry to support themselves, but the building had been emptied of its artillery.

Mayu was busy counting the supplies the morning team had brought to her, writing them in a notebook. Yooyeon stood behind her, overlooking her work. Mayu felt slightly anxious under her scrutiny.

“Could you not stand so close? You’re making me nervous.”

“Sorry.” Yooyeon took a step back. “What do the resources look like?”

A sigh. “We’re using up our supplies faster than we can get them back.” Mayu wrote a few numbers in her book. “I’d say we’re losing around 10% more than we gain. It won’t be good in the long run. Should we cut the rations again?”

Yooyeon hummed and tapped a finger over her lips, mulling over the proposal. She shook her head. “Any more cutting and the group won’t have enough energy.”

Mayu shut her eyes and pressed her pen against her forehead. She felt her stomach stir uncomfortably, both out of hunger and worry. “This base is safe, but there isn’t a lot around us.” The group’s safety net had been finding the military rations in the mess hall’s pantry. No one had been in well enough shape to go out following the cold downpour.

Yooyeon nodded. “I’ll bring the issue up at the meeting later.” She then pinched the bridge of her nose, stifling a displeased groan.

“Something wrong?” inquired Mayu, looking up from her notes. Yooyeon’s displays of stress came about rarely.

“Yeojeong came up to me a while ago to tell me someone beat Kaede.”

Mayu’s eyes widened. “How could she get hurt? Nakyoung’s guarding the door at all times.”

The scientist pursed her lips. “It was my mistake to post her there in the first place.”

Mayu leaned her body forward, placing her arms on the metal shelf in front of her. “Do you think she did it?”

Yooyeon placed a hand under her chin, squinting at the floor. “To be honest, I’m not that concerned about it.”

“Really?”

A hum. “It just reminded me that we need to do something about Kaede,” Yooyeon asserted. “Rationally speaking, keeping her prisoner does not benefit us. It also wastes our rations.”

“She only gets one a day, though,” Mayu pointed out, feeling a twinge of empathy towards Kaede. “We haven’t really been treating her well.”

Yooyeon gazed into Mayu’s eyes. Her expression wasn’t sharp, but displayed just enough to tell her she had no knowledge on the topic. Mayu retreated into herself. “Sorry.”

The scientist shook her head. “I’ll bring it up at the meeting. And I’ll have a conversation with Nakyoung.”

Mayu looked back down at her notebook. “I hope we can find a good solution to these problems.”

“Me too. Thank you for helping me with this.”

Mayu let herself wear a small smile before letting out a forlong sigh. “It’s where I’m most useful.”

She heard Yooyeon hum. “You weren’t wrong for wanting to stay.”

Mayu tore her eyes away from the notebook to stare in shock. “Eh?”

“You acknowledge your strengths and weaknesses, and you excel in a safe environment. Your points weren’t wrong, either. I might’ve also stayed if I wasn’t directly threatened.”

Yooyeon’s logical approach to her situation relieved Mayu of some guilt involving her decision. Although she knew she should've corrected the scientist’s idea of her knowing her strengths and weaknesses, having in fact just been scared, she didn’t rectify Yooyeon’s point. Mayu let go of a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “Thank you.”

Their first official meeting was held in the mess hall. The red sky settled into the room through the top windows, casting an orange glow upon the survivors. The girls sat at the cafeteria tables, separated into the small groups they had formed overtime.

Shion and Seoyeon sat next to each other. Jiyeon sat across from them, and Yooyeon took the place on Seoyeon’s other side. There wasn’t much to talk about, so they kept their dinner a quiet affair, making the most out of the small can of food each of them had.

The table beside them was lively in the sense that only Soomin was chatting animatedly. Yeonji would give occasional one-liners, but the gunner’s forceful energy was overwhelming, leaving her and the rest of the girls unable to keep up. Joobin somehow found a spot at the table, but stayed quiet eating her ration, her rifle never leaving her back. The only other people talking were part of Lynn’s group, speaking in hushed whispers with each other. Yeojeong led the conversation.

Finishing her meal, Yooyeon stood up. Seoyeon reached a hand out and Yooyeon brushed hers against it, giving the nurse a warm smile before slipping out of her seat.

What little conversation that went around the tables died down as Yooyeon reached the front of the hall and stopped next to a whiteboard. Picking up a black marker, Yooyeon then cleared her throat.

Any attention that hadn’t yet been caught turned towards the scientist. The usual anxious pinch of public speaking traversed her heart, but she smoothed it down with a deep breath.

“The past week has been difficult on all of us, but I hope you at least had some time to rest,” Yooyeon opened with something emotional, just as Seoyeon had instructed her to. She was no stranger to presentations, but the scientists in her field weren’t known to be particularly heartfelt. “I would’ve given us more time to process everything, but with our situation, it simply isn’t an option.”

Yooyeon looked around the room. Many of the girls looked exhausted, and smiles had become uncommon. Still, some of them gave nods of approval, encouraging the scientist to continue.

Yooyeon huffed lightly. “There are two things I’d like to talk about. First thing’s first.” She uncapped her black marker and turned to write something on the whiteboard.

“Dahyun is currently making a prototype of a water filter, and with the monsoon season, we should have an adequate water supply for the next month,” she started. “The problem comes with food.”

The scientist turned back around. “From our current standpoint, we are at a net loss when it comes to gathering rations. Mayu estimated our losses to be around 10%. Going out to get things isn’t enough. Another thing about monsoon season is that although it is good for water, it wakes the infected up. We’ve been getting more at the fence than we should, and it makes gathering supplies riskier.”

Nakyoung raised her hand. “Wouldn’t the sound of rain drown out our footsteps?”

“Don’t forget it also silences their noises.” Yooyeon pointed out. Nakyoung made a moue and rested her chin on her arms.

“We can’t just stop going out, either,” Mayu expressed, scraping the bottom of her can. “Even if we really stretch out our rations, we’d barely last two weeks.”

Yooyeon hummed. “Maybe we could try a more sustainable approach.”

Chaewon perked up. “Like farming?” She then quickly deflated. “But it takes a long time to get anything.” Sullin nodded in agreement a few seats away from her.

Yooyeon exhaled. “It’s not a bad idea, but the mountain terrain is useless. We would have to find good soil.”

The group went silent, thinking over the options they had.

Nien pursed her lips. “Weren’t we on some farmland at the school? We could, I don’t know, dig it up?”

Seoyeon counted with her fingers. “That’s a good basis, but it would leave us in the open. If they have farmers, surely there’s a store to get soil, seeds, and gardening tools.”

“Not a lot of people would think about going to those places,” Sohyun pointed out. “All we would have to do is find the village again.”

“I can take a look at the map after.” Yooyeon nodded in approval, writing down the idea on the board.

Chaeyeon tilted her head to the side. “It took us two hours to get from the school to Daejeon, but only an hour from Daejeon to this base. So it would take us an hour at least to go back. Isn’t it a little risky to go that far?”

“I agree,” Jiwoo supported next to her. “Maybe we can find a closer store.”

Lynn turned to Yeojeong. “Do you know if there’s any nearby?”

The doctor clasped his hands and rested his chin above them. “I believe there’s one in the village I usually go to. It’d be around a half-hour drive from here.”

“You can show us tomorrow when we’ll expand on the details.” Yooyeon turned back around and wrinkled her nose. “It’s good that we have a long-term plan thought out, but we still need to go out to get the rations we need.”

“From my point of view, we have a lot of people.” Sohyun eyed her surroundings. “We could make two teams for gathering.”

Nien made a small whine. "I don’t like this. We should be sticking together."

“No, she’s right,” Xinyu rebuked. “We have a big group. We can separate tasks more efficiently.”

Despite Nien’s distaste at the idea, Yooyeon wrote it down on the board.

“Here’s what I’m thinking. Tomorrow morning, we’ll send out our usual team to get supplies. A second team will be sent in the afternoon, if there is no rain, and will search the garden center. Get the garden done as soon as we can. We still have the rations to last, so we can begin the double supply operations later.”

Yooyeon turned around and looked at the group. “Sounds good?”

The approval of Yooyeon’s plan came in quiet nods and quieter murmurs. Seoyeon supported her with a smile.

Yooyeon exhaled lightly through her nose. “Good. Now, another thing–” She spun and wrote Kaede’s name on the whiteboard. She screwed the cap back on and looked into the small crowd.

“What do we do with her?”

The survivors shared a few glances. Those who didn’t know Kaede weren’t too concerned, while those who had been directly affected kept their jaws locked.

Nakyoung’s hand shot up.

“We need to get rid of her,” she asserted. “Not only is she dangerous, but she’s also soaking up extra rations.”

Yooyeon stretched her lips to one side. “How do you propose we should get rid of her?” She subconsciously glanced over at Soomin, who found a plastic wrapper far more entertaining. It crinkled quietly through the room.

“We can’t just throw her out.” Sohyun rested her head on the back of her hand. “She might come back with a group and take revenge.”

“We could just kill her,” Lynn said, her tone feigning indifference but betraying a hint of anger. Her message was received with varying exclamations that couldn’t be made out.

Shion stood up, her chair getting pushed back with an unpleasant squeak. “What?”

“It doesn’t look like we can do anything else.”

“But she shouldn’t have to die,” Shion reasoned. “Maybe we could make her join our group.”

Shion’s proposition was met with even more clamor. Lynn also left her chair, glaring at Shion in indignance. “How can you say that when you know what she’s done?”

Shion clasped her hands together. “She kept me alive. I kind of owe her.”

“We went over this. She only used you for her own benefit. She couldn’t care less about your wellbeing.” Lynn repeated the same words she had been telling Shion for the past week, having tried to undo Kaede’s hold on her.

“I know I wasn’t anything more than just another tool, but it wasn’t like she was abusing me. She let me eat and drink my fill and didn’t bother restraining me after the second week. After I got injured, she went out of her way to get medicine that could help me!”

“Because she stole them from us.” Nakyoung scoffed. Seoyeon brooded but stayed quiet.

“She didn’t keep you restrained because she knew you wouldn’t run anywhere. She drilled that thought into you.” Lynn pressed a finger down on the table.

Shion’s eyes shook. “But–”

“You don’t know her!” Lynn exclaimed, throwing an arm out. “Everything she says is disingenuous. A way to manipulate people. Stop trying to defend her. You don’t know her– no one does.”

Shion shook her head and sat back down, looking down at the table. “...I just don’t want anyone to get killed,” she murmured. “We don’t have to be like her.”

Seoyeon rubbed Shion’s back reassuringly and looked up at the agent. “We’re not killing anyone,” she cemented despite her scorn for Kaede.

Lynn’s gaze was steel, but it mellowed at the sight of Shion’s inner turmoil. She lowered herself into her seat and nursed the tension in her temples.

A suffocating silence wrapped itself around the mess hall, all having been rendered clueless after the fight. The scientist hovered a gaze over her audience, nonplussed. They all looked spent, and their meals were finished.

“Nothing has to be decided today,” she said. “We’re throwing ideas around.” She searched for Seoyeon’s eyes, but the nurse was busy comforting Shion, who still had her eyes downcast. Yooyeon took a small breath. “I think we can conclude our first meeting here. You’re all dismissed.”

Soomin threw her wrapper into her empty can and stretched. “Finally!” She stood up and looked at the other kids. “Let’s go play, come on!” The gunner was the first to bolt out of the room, leaving her trash behind. The girls followed but not before picking up their waste, Seoah collecting Soomin’s with a shake of her head.

As Nakyoung was about to leave, Yooyeon called out to her.

“Kim Nakyoung. I want a word with you. Stay by the door.”

The vigilante looked like a child having been caught stealing candy. She swallowed and nodded before exiting the room. The others filed out of the hall quietly, and Yooyeon gave herself a second to breathe as they left.

Yooyeon combed her hair back with a sigh. If every meeting ended in arguments, she dreaded the upcoming gatherings.

“You okay?”

Yooyeon turned around at Seoyeon’s voice. “This is tiring,” she admitted. “Everyone’s been having a tough time. Maybe I should’ve waited another week.”

Seoyeon shook her head. “What you said was right. We need to pick ourselves back up.”

A couple soft knocks on a table interrupted the two women, and they whipped their heads in the sound’s direction. Yeojeong and Lynn stood side-by-side, looking apprehensive.

Seoyeon gave them a small wave. Yooyeon quirked an eyebrow, pushing down a sliver of fatigue. “Do you need something?”

Lynn and Yeojeong shared a look, then stepped forward.

“We would like to go out on a separate supply run,” requested Yeojeong. “Tomorrow. In the afternoon.”

Yooyeon blinked. “For?”

“I know my place still has enough preserved food for a day. Maybe even two if we stretch it out.”

“It's not easy, feeding so many people,” Lynn supported. “Another run will do us some good.”

Yooyeon let go of Seoyeon’s hand. “We have a strict policy on daily gas usage,” she said, “And we already planned our route for the following day.”

“It’s not far,” Yeojeong argued. “A two-hour walk. We won’t need a vehicle. And it’ll be just us plus Sullin.”

Seoyeon pursed her lips and looked at Yooyeon. The scientist tapped a finger above her lips, watching Yeojeong with a focused gaze.

“I don’t feel comfortable sending our doctor out for a run of any kind. If it’s to get food, we can send our usual team.”

Lynn subtly sucked in a breath and shared a glance with Yeojeong, then gave a relenting nod. “I’ll talk to them.”

“Wait, hold on,” Yeojeong cut in, stepping forth. He looked Yooyeon in the eyes. “The real reason why I’m requesting to go back is because I need more equipment to research the infection.”

Caught off guard, Yooyeon’s eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes. All my research papers are also still there. I’m the only one who would recognize them. Please let me go with them.”

Yooyeon felt conflicted. She was hell-bent on trying to understand the infection, knowing it would also help Soomin, but she was unwilling to let someone with medical expertise put himself in danger. And if something were to happen to Yeojeong, Seoyeon would have to shoulder everything by herself again. She looked at Seoyeon. The nurse nodded, trusting whatever decision she’d take.

In the end, Yooyeon could only sigh. “I hope you acknowledge the risks you’re taking.”

Yeojeong perked up then gave Yooyeon a deep bow. “Thank you.” Lynn also offered a bow of gratuity, and both left the mess hall with the door closing behind them, leaving Yooyeon and Seoyeon alone.

Yooyeon shut her eyes, mulling over her decision. She turned back to Seoyeon and smiled softly. “Leading is difficult.”

Seoyeon smiled back. She brushed her fingers with Yooyeon’s before taking hold of her hand, then brought it up to place a kiss on her knuckles. “You’re doing great,” she mumbled into it, sending fiery tingles through Yooyeon’s skin.

The scientist felt her face warm up at the gesture. “Thank you.”

Seoyeon grinned and pressed the back of Yooyeon’s hand against her cheek. “I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“Are you sure?” It was Yooyeon’s idea to have the nurse take some time off. She had a difficult time focusing on anything following the death, so the scientist had taken over.

A nod. “I don’t want you doing everything on your own, either.”

Yooyeon used her hand to smooth out Seoyeon’s bangs before tucking a strand of hair behind the girl’s reddening ear. She then rested it against the side of her face, lightly brushing her cheek with her thumb.

“How are you doing?”

Seoyeon leaned into the caress, closing her eyes. “Not doing much.”

Yooyeon’s heart drummed lightly at the sight of Seoyeon relaxing. “And that’s okay.”

“I know,” murmured Seoyeon, releasing the hold on Yooyeon’s hand. “I just wish I didn’t need to.”

Yooyeon used her other hand to fully cup Seoyeon’s face. “Yeojeong’s taking care of things.”

“He’s probably doing a better job than me since no one’s died yet.” Seoyeon’s voice had some remorse.

“Hey,” Yooyeon called out softly, leaning her face closer to Seoyeon’s. “Don’t blame yourself for what happened to Hyerin.”

The nurse exhaled, face flushing as she felt Yooyeon’s warm breath tickle her lips. “I’m getting over it.”

Yooyeon nodded in acknowledgment and brought Seoyeon in for a hug. The nurse hugged back tenderly, closing her eyes at the feelings of butterflies fluttering in her heart.

Seconds later, Seoyeon retreated herself from the embrace. She giggled at Yooyeon’s light expression of surprise. “You still need to talk to Nakyoung-unnie.”

Yooyeon pursed her lips, the touch of the hug still branded on her skin. Unable to form a word, she gave Seoyeon’s hand a final graze and a smile before they both turned to the door.

Yeonji narrowed her eyes in apprehension, keeping her focus on the small bell placed on the bed’s mattress. Next to it were cards, some of them facing up while others hid their faces. One of the cards showed two grapes.

Chaewon reached a hand out to flip a card. Yeonji readied her hand to strike.

Three grapes.

Before Yeonji could even react, she heard the ring of the bell as Soomin smacked it. The skateboarder groaned and lied down on the mattress, giving up.

Chaewon threw her hands up in frustration. “How do you react so quickly every time?”

Soomin pressed a thumb against her puffed out chest. “Because I’m like that.”

“This is no fun.” Hayeon smacked the cards on the bed, flipping them and revealing their pictures. “You should sit the next round out. Or make Joobin join in.”

The kids turned their heads towards Joobin, who looked especially out of place standing by the door in her military uniform. They had insisted that she join them for game night, and Chaeyeon agreed that the soldier should enjoy herself. After some convincing, Joobin had followed the girls, but not without her rifle in tow.

“Binnie, just put your gun down. We’re here to have fun.” Soomin complained, gesturing at her own pistol on the desk. The girls were relieved to see the soldier unloop her rifle without further persuasion. As quiet as ever, she rested the gun against the wall and joined the girls on the bed.

Soomin smirked and rubbed her hands while Chaewon readjusted the cards. Hayeon decided to flip them this time around, and the cards instantly landed on score.

Joobin reacted even faster than Soomin, practically smashing her palm against the bell. It didn’t resonate from the way the device bounced on the mattress. The speed at which the round ended left the girls shell shocked.

“Holy crap,” Yeonji exhaled in awe after recollecting herself. Joobin coolly smoothed out her jacket, a barely noticeable smirk making its way onto her face.

“The demon king has been defeated,” Hayeon muttered, impressed.

“Yeah, whatever.” Soomin sulked, then bounced back. “Let me have a rematch!”

Chaewon, who had her front facing the door, perked up at the sight of someone. The other girls followed suit, glancing at the person standing by the open entrance.

Yeonji pursed her lips at the sight of Kotone. The officer wore a casual black tee instead of her usual police getup, and gingerly looked their way.

“Could I borrow Yeonji for a moment?”

Yeonji felt her friends’ eyes on her as they waited for her response. Kotone didn’t hold herself up with forced conviction, looking more tired than anything.

With a scrunch of her nose, Yeonji mumbled to the others to keep playing and stood up, joining Kotone in the hallway outside.

Yeonji looked anywhere but Kotone. She noticed the officer’s tee was wrinkled from the repeated nervous grips she had subjected it to.

She heard a breath. “How are you doing?”

The question had buzzed often around Yeonji’s ears, having been in high demand since the beginning of the crisis. Her stomach twisted, not wanting to prolong the conversation. She shoved her hands in her pockets. “I’m fine. Just doing stuff.”

Kotone obviously didn’t buy it, but she let it go with a nod. “I don’t want to keep you away from your friends for too long, so I’ll just say what I came here for.”

Yeonji swiped a glance at the officer. She hadn’t seen her so defeated since the incident. She didn’t quite know what to feel about the officer.

Kotone pressed her fingers against her eyelids and groaned.

“I haven’t been the best… me, in the past few weeks. I haven’t been a good unofficial big sister to you since all of this started, either. I’m sorry.”

Yeonji hugged herself, avoiding Kotone’s eyes. The hallway felt cold. The skateboarder watched as the corridor stretched infinitely, but knew it only had a few other rooms ahead of it. She felt like she only occupied a little of the space.

“You’ve been a little much, yeah, and you’ve said some awful things, but you’re trying your best, unnie,” she slipped out between clenched teeth. “You let me look for Hayeon-unnie even though we could’ve just gone to Daejeon. And it’s not like anyone’s expecting you to be perfect.”

The officer hunched her shoulders and let out a humorless chuckle. “I should’ve watched more of those zombie shows.”

Yeonji swung a leg back and forth, feeling slightly restless. “Maybe.”

The two girls stood awkwardly in the hallway as they avoided each other’s eyes, not knowing how to continue the conversation. Thankfully, a loud whine from Soomin cut the silence.

Kotone stretched her lips into a thin line. “I’ll let you go now. I still need to find Nakyoung.”

Yeonji nodded. “Okay.”

Kotone clasped and unclasped her hands. She tapped a foot on the floor before spinning on her heel. Yeonji took her hands out of her pockets to fumble with the drawstrings of her jacket, looking at the officer’s back. She felt guilty about brushing her efforts off.

Moving decisively, Yeonji ran after Kotone, pulled her back, and wrapped her in a bone-crushing hug. Kotone stood frozen, stunned at the sudden action. She nearly wheezed as her airflow cut off.

“Thank you for being here, unnie,” Yeonji uttered into Kotone’s shirt, easing up in her embrace to let the officer breathe.

Kotone let her body relax, and she hugged Yeonji back just as tightly. “Thank you for not giving up on me.”

Yubin and Chaeyeon hung out in the latter’s room. Yubin lied with her back against the bed and her head on the pillow while Chaeyeon found her spot on the traceuse’s stomach, her fingers clumsily trying to craft a paper crane. A battery-powered candle fed meager amounts of light into the room.

Chaeyeon let out a grunt, undoing the sheet before balling it up. “This is impossible. At least give me the first step.”

“Don’t worry, unnie. You have the rest of time to figure it out,” Yubin sighed with her eyes on the ceiling.

Chaeyeon looked up at Yubin with slanted eyebrows. “You just like seeing me struggle.”

Yubin grinned mischievously. Chaeyeon lightly smacked her on the side before passing her the wrinkled piece of square paper.

“I remember you filling the classroom with these cranes once,” Chaeyeon recounted. “Miss Park got so mad you had cleaning duty for the rest of the week.”

“I really don’t know why she got so pissed. It was easy to clear.” Yubin bemoaned, fiddling lightly with the paper. Her muscle memory let her craft the crane mindlessly.

Chaeyeon shook her head. “She’d get mad at everything. Seriously, you should’ve picked a better target. She instantly figured out it was you.”

“It was either me or Jiwoo.” Yubin snorted as she flattened a fold on the paper. “But the cranes looked so perfect, she knew it couldn’t be Jiwoo with her ugly pieces.”

Chaeyeon splayed her arms out, chuckling. “Wish I could’ve seen the whole drama, but I just had to be in the year above you two.”

A teasing smirk crawled onto Yubin’s face. “They should’ve let you into our year. You’d fit right in.”

“Hey,” Chaeyeon scolded, flipping herself around. “Are you calling me dumb?”

Yubin stuck her tongue out with a giggle and Chaeyeon smacked her. The traceuse rested into an easygoing smile, offering the completed paper crane to Chaeyeon. The girl took it and stared in wonder. Despite its wrinkles, the lines were as smooth as ever.

Chaeyeon hugged it against her chest, the room entering a comfortable silence. She smiled as she replayed high school memories in her head, her heart leaping each time Jiwoo’s face was brought to the front of her mind.

“Don’t you think Jiwoo’s been acting differently?” Yubin asked suddenly.

Chaeyeon looked up. “About?”

Yubin shrugged. “I don’t know. She’s just so antsy.”

“She thought she lost her best friend, of course she would,” Chaeyeon replied. Her face twisted into concern. “Why? Did something happen?”

Yubin jutted her lips, contemplating her options. She had told Jiwoo she’d snitch about the beating, but, seeing Chaeyeon’s worry, she debated whether or not to tell.

In the end, she decided not to. It was just going to be another secret she had to keep. “No, it’s nothing. Just curious.”

Easily reassured, Chaeyeon smiled and closed her eyes. Yubin did the same, melting into the mattress, but seconds later she was struck by a sudden fear as the reminder of her infection resurfaced from the depths of her worries.

“I gotta go.” She abruptly got up, nearly knocking Chaeyeon down from her carelessness.

“What the– what?” Chaeyeon spluttered, confused at the sudden change. “Hey, Gong Yubin!”

“Good night, unnie!”

Yubin was gone with a rigid slam, and Chaeyeon could do nothing but stare at the door, dumbfounded.

Hyerin’s grave was a sizeable smooth stone settled on the dirt patch where she had been buried. It rested in a small open field behind the few buildings of the base, and it stayed far away from the chain-link fence.

Nakyoung sat cross-legged in front of the grave, holding a soju bottle Sohyun had managed to nab during the morning run in her hand. Yooyeon’s scolding had ended up in her guarding duty being revoked following her discovery about Kaede. The vigilante huffed; she honestly should’ve thought about it further. She had decided to take the blame for it, keeping Jiwoo’s name out.

Nakyoung kept her gaze on the stone. Although it wasn’t a perfect shape, its surface was flat, and a few words had been engraved in the rock with amateurish carving skills. She trailed her eyes over it.

Jeong Hyerin

our favorite archer

              yeonji was here

missing you lots
–Chaeyeon

Nakyoung mindlessly swirled the clear liquid around before throwing the bottle back and taking a swig. She smacked her lips at the bitter aftertaste. It was just plain soju with no flavor to it.

The grass shuffled in Nakyoung’s ears. Turning her head around, she noticed Kotone’s dimly-lit figure in the last wisps of sunset in the twilight sky. The officer didn’t spare her a glance.

Thinning her lips, Nakyoung turned back to the stone. Squinting her eyes at the darkening letters, she noticed Chaewon, Seoah, and Hayeon had also signed their names on the side of the stone. She wondered if she should write hers down, too. It was her first time visiting the grave after the burial.

“Soomin’s name is missing.” Kotone pointed out, standing next to her. Nakyoung narrowed her eyes and searched for the carving. The lack of Soomin’s name glared back at her.

“She hasn’t visited yet.” Nakyoung concluded. “She doesn’t want to face it.”

She saw Kotone nod in her peripheral. “Busying herself with anything she can find.”

Nakyoung played around with the clear liquid in the bottle. A little less than half remained of the drink. “She’s been with us since the start. Hyerin. It’s barely been two months but with everything…”

“It hurts more.”

The vigilante nodded, closing her eyes to fight back the stone weighing her heart down.

“I haven’t yet apologized for what I’ve said back in Daejeon.”

Nakyoung tilted her head towards Kotone, who lowered herself on the grass. The vigilante exhaled through her nose before taking another sip of her drink.

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Nakyoung swiped a drop off the corner of her lips.

“No, I think it does. It’s something I have to do. And it’s not just about me. It’s about us. I don’t want this to be swept under the rug.”

The officer received Nakyoung’s lack of reply as a go-ahead.

“What I said about you, your sister, was out of line. You didn’t deserve it. I’m sorry.”

Anger bubbled in Nakyoung’s stomach at the reminder of Kotone’s words, but she pushed it down. Again, she swirled the alcohol around in her bottle.

“How’d you even know about it?”

“I overheard it. I wasn’t supposed to, so I guess I should be sorry about that, too.”

Nakyoung tipped the bottle back and drank some more. The soju burned her throat as it went down, setting her heart on fire. She let go with a small cough, feeling the aftershocks course through her body. The vigilante shook her head to regain some sense of focus, getting lightheaded.

“It’s not like I haven’t said anything about you. I’m not going to forget it, though,” was all that Nakyoung said.

Kotone sensed it was as close as forgiveness she was going to get, and let the corners of her lips stretch up. Her chest rose as she took a deep breath, and looked up, admiring the cloudless sky. She noted a few stars peeking out from where dusk seeped in.

“I used to be a lawbreaker, you know?”

Nakyoung spun around, her intrigue piqued. “Seriously?”

“Yes.”

“You?” Nakyoung smirked, her inhibitions lessened by the alcohol. “Goody-two-shoes cop bastard Kotone?”

“Is it that hard to believe?” Kotone chose to ignore the small barrage of insults.

“A little?” Nakyoung narrowed her eyes and stretched her lips to one side. “You did try that cheap shot on my ankle.”

“A few tricks you pick up after fighting people.” Kotone craned her neck to one side, stretching out her legs. She sighed. “You sober up real quick after getting someone else hurt from your mistakes.”

With a hum of acknowledgement, Nakyoung drummed her fingers on the glass bottle, casting her eyes on the stone. After some thought, she reached into her pocket to pull out a small knife and stood up to approach the grave.

“You got a flashlight?

A light clicked and shone onto the gravestone. Nakyoung spotted a couple more names, notably Yubin’s, Chaeyeon’s, and Jiwoo’s, engraved into the stone. She searched for a free spot before pressing the tip of the knife against the rock. With a small grunt, she forcefully dug into it.

The two women perked up when they heard the distant clanging of the chain link fence. Kotone’s flashlight highlighted the source and they saw an infected with its hands against the fence, growling and clashing its teeth against the metal.

“Should we do something about it?” Kotone’s suggestion didn’t sound particularly enthusiastic nor enticing.

Nakyoung looked plainly at the zombie. It looked far less threatening with the protective cloture. “It’ll hold. Binnie will take care of it in the morning.”

A chuckle. “That’s just what we’re calling her now?”

A smirk made its way to Nakyoung’s lips. “Bring your flashlight back down here so I can see what I’m writing.”

The stone was illuminated once again. With every strike of her knife, Nakyoung felt a weight taken off her shoulders. An unburdened smile brightened her face as the last blushes of sunset fluttered away.

Chapter Text

Yeojeong ran a thumb across the bed sheets of the mattress. He shut his eyes, ready for the interrogation to commence.

“How did you know about this place?”

He looked up. Lynn looked down at him, curiosity dancing in her eyes. On her left was Dahyun with a gentle, inquisitive smile, and on her right was Yubin, who pretended she didn’t care but clearly very much so did. Sitting cross-legged on the ground was Sullin, trying to absorb as much information as she could. Her gaze told him she had suspected him of something from the start.

Through thorough conversations with the large group they had merged with, the girls had found out that the base was a secret location no typical civilian should have known about, much less a house doctor. It hadn’t taken long for them to demand questions from him.

Yeojeong leaned back. “It was only once. I was initially contacted by this general to help out because their medic was out of the country. I was given this document as a debrief.”

Yubin’s eyes narrowed into slits. “What kind of document?”

“It had the company name plastered on the cover page. HausTech. It turned out they needed not my medical assistance, but more so to have me as a researcher.”

“So you aren’t just a doctor?” Lynn quirked a brow.

“No, I am a doctor. One-hundred percent. What I’m guessing is they looked for me because not only was I absurdly close to their base, but I was also isolated. If anything were to slip out, I could be taken out without too much trouble.”

“But what did they want from you?” Dahyun questioned, her eyes betraying confusion despite her genuine care for him.

“They were curious about the potential uses of fungi on humans,” he revealed. “See if they could develop a spore that would benefit from mutualism with the body.” Seeing the girls puzzled at the word, he added, “Take, for example, the mitochondria. It’s a different entity from the cell, but both benefit from working together.”

Yubin thinned her lips. “And you said no, right?”

Yeojeong chuckled, but not a nerve in his body found anything humorous. “They had an effective trick up their sleeve. I had already seen the child soldiers, so even if I did refuse the offer, I’d be dead.”

“Well, seeing that you’re still alive, I assume you took up on the offer.” Lynn was more bemused than angry. “Why?”

The doctor looked to the side. “I won’t lie, a part of me was curious about it all. But, say you have a countryside village packed full with the elderly, each with their own medical problem. No other doctor wants to care because it just isn’t profitable. If I was gone, who would take care of them?”

Dahyun moved first, taking a seat beside him and rubbing a comforting hand on his shoulder. “You did what you thought was best.” She gave Yubin a look, only to be surprised the girl wasn’t fuming.

“I can’t really be mad,” the traceuse acknowledged, crossing her arms. “That’s a tough spot to be in.”

“But I am curious about the research,” added Lynn on the side. “What was it for?” Sullin leaned forward, also inquisitive.

Yeojeong massaged the back of his neck. “I don’t know. They never told me.”

Being on fence-guarding duty meant that Joobin didn’t see the rest of the girls as much.

After arriving at the base, she had given the group a tour of the place, keeping her speech to a minimum as she guided the dispirated girls around. Another reason why the soldier hadn’t been seeing them around was because many had chosen to hole themselves up in their dorm rooms, only leaving to grab their daily ration in the mess hall before hiding themselves from the world again.

With fields of grass surrounding her, Joobin observed the minuscule buildup of infected on the fence’s far left. She counted five of them pushing against the defense. The chain link waved lightly under the pressure but held on solidly.

Something in the right of the soldier’s eye caught her attention. She snapped her body towards it, placing her hands on her rifle, then relaxed her shoulders at the realization it was Seoah, trudging through the large field. The high-schooler had decided to keep her new name despite the fact she technically didn’t need to anymore. Joobin held a tinge of recognition towards the younger girl for trying to interact without pushing her boundaries or screaming incessantly into her ears.

Seoah stopped a few feet away from Joobin and offered a small upcurl of her lips. She changed her attention to the infected outside the fence, keeping a respectable distance between them. Joobin walked up, pulled her arm back, then stabbed her combat knife into one of the heads. She put the heel of her boot against the fence to yank her weapon back, letting the dead collapse under its own weight.

“Aren’t you scared of them?” voiced Seoah, who could feel her heart hammering at the proximity.

Joobin thought the girl was worth answering to. “I don’t let it control me. You?”

Seoah’s eyes held a small glimmer at the prospect of Joobin opening up. “I’m terrified. But what scares me more is that I’m getting used to it.”

Joobin agreed with a nod, sinking her knife into the next head. Seoah turned her head away from the sight. The young soldier gazed at her inquisitively.

“Looking at them for this long just reminds me they were people, too.” The previous glint in her eyes faded. Joobin didn’t respond, turning back to her task at hand and raising a brow at an unusual sight.

One of the infected attempted to climb the fence. Seoah’s heartbeat quickened at the sight and she took cautious steps back. Joobin swiftly unholstered her rifle and pointed it at the zombie. Upon reaching the top, it got tangled in the barbed wires cutting through its skin. It made a show to screech as the miniature razors sliced through and Seoah winced.

The infected struggled against the coil, moaning and groaning as its dilated eyes drilled into Seoah. The teenager wanted to turn away, but her eyes had locked onto the threat.

Joobin kept the nozzle pointed at its head with her eye lowered on the sight. Then, she lowered her gun.

“It would make too much noise,” Joobin explained before Seoah could ask. “We’ll need a quieter weapon.”

“We could ask Lynn-unnie.” Seoah still looked ready to bolt.

Joobin peered over the high-schooler’s shoulder, noticing Chaeyeon waving her arms at them in the distance. Behind her was the school bus and the usual team of gatherers, consisting of Sohyun, Nien, Kotone, Lynn, and Soomin. Yubin, who was meant to be a new recruit, was missing.

Joobin finished off the last of the infected and started making her way to the gate. Seoah followed, then stopped to look back at the zombie in the wires. Seeing it was completely immobilized, the girl quickly ran back after Joobin.

Xinyu adjusted the collar of Sohyun’s shirt then tightened the mask rested around her neck. Around them, other people said their goodbyes and wished luck on the journey. Sohyun found it reassuring that their group cared about each-other, sending people off with hugs as if it was the last time they would see them. A grim cloud settled in her chest knowing it had become a likely reality.

“Xinyu-ah, it’ll get messed up anyway,” Sohyun sighed but didn’t bother to nudge the fashionista away.

“Let me have this,” Xinyu whispered in retort. “If you must go out, the least you can do is to go out looking nice.”

Sohyun pressed her lips into a thin line, staring into Xinyu’s eyes while the latter put her full focus on smoothing out her vest. A hint of a smile was placed on her lips, and the bodyguard didn’t have it in her to rain on her parade.

Xinyu readjusted the collar a final time and gazed into Sohyun’s eyes, quick to notice the horizontal scar on her cheek, right under her eye. It was a deep, long carmine cicatrice she had brought from Daejeon, and it had dug far behind her face. Xinyu brought a hand up to Sohyun’s cheek, lightly stroking her thumb under the scar.

“Be careful,” Xinyu reminded her.

“I always am.” Sohyun reassured her with a gentle touch. Xinyu’s eyes crinkled as she smiled, and she leaned forward to steal a sudden kiss from Sohyun’s lips.

The bodyguard locked up, taken by surprise. She felt the tips of her ears burn up and she blinked, wide-eyed. Before her was Xinyu’s bashful smile, seemingly flustered by her own action. The peck left a burning sensation on her lips. Sohyun’s mouth was sealed shut, not knowing how to respond.

Thankfully, Seoah came to her rescue. The student swooped in and gave her a side-hug.

“Stay safe, unnie.”

Joobin, who had also joined them, watched Sohyun with an expression that resembled intrigue. The bodyguard looked behind her. Already, the others were mounting the bus. She brought an arm over Seoah’s shoulder and gave her a small pat on the head. “I’ll be back.”

Sohyun detached herself from the girl and turned back to Xinyu. The bodyguard sent her a small smile and Xinyu smiled back softly with a tiny wave of her hand, her cheeks still blushed.

Sohyun climbed the steps and entered the bus. The first thing she saw was Nien’s beaming smile, and she knew instantly that the firefighter had witnessed the whole exchange. She scooted closer to the window and patted the free space she had produced, inviting Sohyun to join. The bodyguard had at least twenty other spaces to sit in, but she still took her place beside Nien. She liked her anyway, having seen the firefighter around constantly due to the friendship she and Xinyu had developed.

It was nothing short of awkward while they waited for Joobin to open the gate. Nien kept her eyes on Sohyun, still wearing a smile, and the bodyguard was trying her best to ignore the stare. Eventually, the grin dissipated, leaving Nien to scratch her head in confusion.

“Wait, so…” she started. “Are you two an actual couple? I don’t get it.”

“She’s just been more affectionate,” Sohyun brushed it off.

“I don’t know if you’re being obtuse on purpose or you actually don’t know,” Kotone called out from the driver’s seat without any real weight to her words. “She likes you a lot.” Unbeknownst to her, Sohyun knew full well about it.

“You should confess.” Soomin hooked an arm over the bus seat, grinning from ear to ear. “It would be so cute!”

Sohyun’s expression hardened. “No.”

Soomin quirked a brow. “Why not? You totally like her too. Xinyu-unnie Sohyun-unnie sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-”

A booming clap resonated through the bus, cutting Soomin off.

“Let us focus on the job.” Sohyun’s authoritative voice emanated through the vehicle, but her rosy ears betrayed her embarrassment. Soomin retreated into her seat with a pout.

Nien eyed the bodyguard with something akin to pity. “You can tell us anything, you know?”

Sohyun closed her eyes and sighed. “Yes, thank you.” The bus jolted lightly as Kotone started. The bodyguard pulled her mask up and kept her head low, ready to battle the oncoming motion sickness.

Sitting in the dormitory’s lounge room was Seoyeon, joined by Sullin, Chaewon, and Hayeon. There were a few couches lying about, and each girl took their seat on their respective chairs. Dahyun had managed to hook up the backup generator to the lounge, keeping the ceiling lights illuminated. It warmed the room at least a little.

The nurse took it slow on her first day back, teaching the girls a few basic medical skills. There weren’t many of them; the others either had their own tasks or simply didn’t feel like joining. They were learning how to tie a tourniquet.

Sullin was doing the best out of the three, having already learned the process but wanting to join in anyway to freshen her mind. Hayeon was keeping up surprisingly well. Chaewon struggled to follow the instructions.

“I don’t get it,” she mumbled to herself, rolling the cloth up the leg of a table that substituted a limb, only for it to slip. “How do yours manage to keep still so well?”

Catching Chaewon’s slight distress, Hayeon looked up from her tourniquet and scrutinized her classmate’s as she tried again from the start. Immediately, she caught on to her mistake. Hayeon stood and walked towards Chaewon before taking a seat right beside her.

“You’re doing the first step wrong.” Hayeon pried Chaewon’s hands away from the cloth and took hold of both extremities. Hayeon shuffled closer, and their faces were barely an inch apart. Chaewon’s breath hitched at the proximity.  “You’re overcomplicating things by making a loop. Just wrap it around like a normal knot.”

Hayeon folded the shirt, creating a small loop from the cloth. “It's supposed to go like this…” she mumbled. Her fingers accidentally grazed Chaewon’s hand, sending the latter’s heart into overdrive.

Too focused on correcting Chaewon’s mistake, Hayeon missed how the girl had turned rigid from the closeness. Her face was beet red as she tried her best to listen, and she felt as if steam was escaping from her boiling ears.

“And then you just put the piece in the middle perpendicular to the knot. You got it?”

Hayeon tilted her head up to meet Chaewon’s wide eyes and noticed the massive blush crept all the way to her neck. She sent her a teasing wink and leaned to peck her on the cheek.

Chaewon shrieked and roughly pushed Hayeon away by the chest. “You’re horrible!” Hayeon was unable to respond, coughing in pain from her healing injuries, but a smile crossed her face nonetheless.

“Girls.” Seoyeon scolded lightly. “Focus, please. This might save a life. Plus, Sullin is leagues ahead of you both.”

Sullin showed off her successful tourniquet with a proud grin.

The two students pursed their lips, looking like they had been caught red-handed. Keeping quiet, they gave an affirmative nod and rerouted their focus on the task at hand.

Hayeon moved back into her seat. She stole a glance from Chaewon, who had her eyes strictly on her bandage. She observed how focused the girl appeared to be, trying again from scratch with Hayeon’s guidance. She smiled gently and looked back down at her own work.

The building of the day was a two-story house settled in a clearing. From the front door window, Kotone could see the main road. The bus had been parked on the edge of the clearing, hidden from the road's view.

The team split into duos, leaving Soomin alone, having reasoned she couldn’t get more infected than she already was. Kotone stuck with Nien while Sohyun and Lynn paired up.

Sohyun’s team went for the kitchen for provisions, leaving the others to search the rest of the house. Kotone spotted a closed door a few steps away and carefully stepped towards it, holding a palm over the doorknob. She looked for Nien’s approval before turning the handle. It squeaked in protest.

The door conjured an array of loud banging, making Kotone jump and take a step back. Nien, as per usual, pulled the nearest piece of furniture and placed it in front, blocking access. She turned to her teammates and drew an X in the air. Sohyun, peeking out from the corner, replied with a double tap below her eye, then repeated the same motion against her ear, signaling them to be more careful following the loud noises.

Soomin turned the corner and found the bathroom. Not having seen Sohyun’s warning, she walked carelessly into it. Instantly, she was jumped by an infected. It swung an arm out and tore her mask off her face.

With a light wince, Soomin put a hand out and shoved it back by the shoulder to slow it down. She shoved it back again with both hands, sending it to the floor, and kneeled above it to stab her knife near the bottom of its neck.

The infected slumped over, but Soomin wasn’t done, irritation creeping up her heart. With a hand pressing its head down, Soomin drove the knife up the infected’s jugular, blood bubbling out as it dug deep into its throat. Then, exerting more force than needed, she sliced the knife upwards, sending the blood splattering in all directions and staining her hands. Soomin scrutinized the hollow eyes, breathing out coolly.

Nien ran into the bathroom with a small axe to see the gunner hunched over the body. Soomin turned around and flashed a thumbs-up at the firefighter. Nien pursed her lips at the scratch on the girl’s face, but formed an ‘ok’ sign anyway.

Soomin re-adjusted her mask and left the room. Nien lowered her axe with a quiet sigh and opened the mirror cabinet. She beamed at the sight of pads and unused toothpaste bottles and quickly snatched them up, neatly storing them in her backpack. She opened the lower drawers but found nothing else.

Lynn headed for the stairs, freezing when she heard thuds from the second floor. She searched through her inner pockets and pulled out a throwing knife. She slotted it in her right hand, keeping her machete in her left. She waited for the footsteps to sound closer and struck the infected the moment its head peeked over the railings. It tumbled through the first steps before Lynn caught it by the back of the shirt.

Sohyun made a small tut behind her. Lynn pressed her lips into a thin line, conveying a small apology. The bodyguard brushed it off and they both headed up, Lynn not forgetting to take her knife back.

The second floor didn’t offer much of anything they’d need. Lynn scoured the bathroom, hoping for more feminine products, while Sohyun explored the bedrooms.

The bodyguard trudged into the main bedroom. It seemed relatively untouched with everything neatly in their place. A queen size bed took up most of the space, and it appeared tempting to sleep on. Sohyun spun her head around for any threat.

She decided to lay on the bed for a short while, melting as the mattress enveloped her body. The military beds were more than fine but didn’t offer the luxury of comfort. Sohyun closed her eyes with a sigh and thought Xinyu would kill to feel something like this again.

Precisely a minute later, Sohyun rolled off the bed and stretched her tired limbs. Patting herself down, the bodyguard looked around and her eyes caught a pair of purple earphones on the bedside table. She reached out, picked them up, and slotted them into her pockets.

Shion steadied her breath with a palm against her chest, inhaling the warm, humid air before letting it flow past her lips. Her other hand held onto Kaede’s daily rations.

She turned the corner. Jiyeon, who temporarily took over as the guard, spotted her and waved warmly. Shion waved back before sighing and entering the room.

Shion watched as Kaede perked up from the noise. Her heart made an uncertain flip in her chest, and she didn’t think it had quite fallen on its feet. Every time she had visited Kaede was a struggle, but she had willed herself to do it even when Seoyeon and Dahyun had recommended her to stay away.

She didn’t think badly of Kaede. Then again, she didn’t know what to think of Kaede. The thief never let anything slip out, always leaving her clueless. It maddened her to no end.

But then, whenever she did let something slip, a small, willing confession, it left Shion stumped. What if it was just another ploy to manipulate her? Playing at her empathy to save herself from future troubles? Lynn would’ve confirmed those doubts without batting an eye.

Despite it all, Shion wanted to keep her heart open. Call it being too optimistic or just plain naivety, but she thought that what the world could use most at the moment was a kind hand to pick up anyone who fell.

Approaching Kaede, Shion noticed something odd. Dry blood had crusted above her lips, leaving a crimson trail down her chin. Purple bruises formed on the side of her face and on her nose, leaving shallow cuts exposed.

Shion’s breath hitched, her brows furrowing. “Did someone hurt you?”

Kaede, for once, appeared taken aback. “The group doesn’t know?”

Shion’s frown deepened. “No, no. I didn’t hear. None of us did.” She knew Dahyun was the visitor the day before, but in the short time she had made acquaintances with her, she knew the electrician wouldn’t hurt a fly. They were similar, in that way. “Are you okay?” Shion felt like she had to ask.

Kaede attempted to shrug but hissed at a jolt of pain in her shoulder. “What’s a few more injuries? I don’t know the last time I could feel my arms for more than ten minutes.”

Shion shook her head, guilt creeping up her spine. “I’m sorry. I’d help if I could.” She couldn’t repeat the mistake of loosening someone’s restraints again.

She tore the lid off the can and a portion of salted tuna was presented in front of her. Her stomach groaned at the sight and her mouth salivated, but she kept her hunger in.

Shion dug the spoon into the can before lifting it in front of Kaede. The woman frowned.

“I can feed myself,” she resisted.

“You said you can’t feel your arms. I’m not sure you could move your hands.”

Kaede refused to look into her eyes, face flushed in shame as she accepted the spoonful. She chewed her food thoroughly. Shion saw the lining of her throat bob as she swallowed with difficulty.

“What do you get from this?” Kaede coughed out.

Shion offered a quizzical tilt of the head.

“Helping me.”

“What did you get from helping me ?” Shion retaliated using the same question. “Did you ever care about me?”

Shion spoonfed her another bite. Kaede chewed as slow as ever, stalling as long as she could. With each passing second, Shion wondered if she had made a mistake. The arm where the sunlight hit through the basement windows felt warm.

Finally, Kaede swallowed. Her eyebrows creased into a deep frown and she finally met Shion’s eyes. The girl could read the question lingering in Kaede’s gaze, unable to voice it out.

Why are you still so nice to me?

Shion suppressed the smile trying to form at her lips. She dug the spoon into the can.

“Are you sure you can go out again?”

The other teenagers, along with Mayu, surrounded Soomin. They hadn’t even stayed two hours at the base before needing to go out again. As promised, they were headed for the garden store. Lynn, Sullin, and Yeojeong had already left for their trip.

“I’m fine.” Soomin smiled. “I can totally go for another round. Plus, it lets me parade my ‘I get to go out but you don’t’ card around more.”

A few complaints sounded in Soomin’s ears, and she caught Hayeon saying she didn’t want to go out anyway. The gunner glanced at Yeonji for a split-second, expecting her to also retort with some smart insult. Instead, the skateboarder simply nodded with her lips pressed into a thin smile.

“Just come back to us, unnie.”

“We’ll all be fine!” Soomin brushed off her friend’s worries. “The garden gang will see you again,” she saluted, and it coaxed a light giggle out of Mayu.

“Did you make that up on the spot?”

“I’m the word wizard, one could say,” Soomin pressed a hand against her chest, falling into dramatics. “The sermon sorcerer, the diction drake, the–”

“Soomin!” Nien peeked her head out a bus window. “Hurry up! We gotta go before the sun starts setting!”

“Okay, unnie!” Soomin replied. She waved her friends goodbye and bolted for the bus.

Because Lynn had been pulled into another mission, Jiyeon temporarily took her spot. She drove the bus, guided by Kotone who stood next to her, her hand on the driver’s backrest.

“Slow the driving down to thirty when we get close, and you want to stop about three hundred meters away from the village,” instructed Kotone. Jiyeon nodded, relieving the gas pedal from some of its weight. Behind her, Sohyun was coming up with a plan.

“The store is just at the edge of the village. We’ll search the surroundings first; take out any dormant infected. Since we can’t let the bus get too close, we’ll have to carry the bags a short distance. Any problem?”

The girls shook their heads.

Yeojeong’s estimation of the time had been correct given a few extra minutes. Roughly forty minutes later, Jiyeon spotted the outline of the village buildings and slowed the vehicle to a near stop. She looked through the bus mirrors and her heart leaped as a few infected chased after them. They were notably older, gray hair sticking out of their heads with their backs hunched over. Jiyeon didn’t know what, but the sight made her nearly choke up.

“Let’s go.” Behind her, Sohyun stood up with her knife out. The others got up just as quickly and they moved to the back’s emergency exit.

Jiyeon shut the vehicle down and was nothing short of impressed with how effectively the girls moved. Upon opening the door, Sohyun struck an approaching infected in the head. Another appeared, trying to grab their legs as they kept their distance in the vehicle, using the high ground to their advantage. Soomin was next to move, stabbing it in the head before yanking her knife back out. The occasional zombie tried climbing up but Nien, who wore the hockey gear, simply kicked them down.

Jiyeon flinched when an infected banged its fists on the window to her left. A few others appeared in tandem around them, pushing against the bus, lightly rocking it. She felt dizzy from the movement.

Kotone grounded Jiyeon with a hand on her shoulder. The ballerina looked up and nodded, eased her rapid breathing, and joined the others.

The lack of people made Nien uncomfortable. They had walked up to the village but none of them had spotted anything since the school bus. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was wrong. Sparing Sohyun a glance through her helmet, she saw that the woman felt the same. Her movements were quieter, her eyes more careful as they shifted around, searching for even just one target.

The group made their way further into the town and Nien’s ear twitched as she picked up a trail of sound. She stopped and threw a hand up, halting the others in their tracks.

Nien requested the girls to wait, going in first. Setting a steady hand on the nearby wall, the firefighter moved with light steps, and peered around the corner. Her eyebrows creased as she scanned the area.

Just a few buildings ahead of them was the gardening store, noticeable with the wilted plants displayed by the entrance. What she found odd was that a horde of infected had gathered in the back of the building, groaning and clawing at the wall. The crowd extended all the way to the end, also taking up the space behind the building Nien supported herself on.

The firefighter retreated with her back against the wall. She looked at her group and formed a circle with her gloved hands. Her usual teammates widened their eyes while Jiyeon blinked, clueless. Nien lifted the visor of her helmet, lowered her mask, and mouthed many . Jiyeon’s breath visibly hitched and she gripped her rifle tighter.

Kotone tapped her index twice into her open palm, then held both palms out facing up. What do we do?

The group turned to Sohyun for answers. The bodyguard was deep in thought while still inspecting their surroundings. She leaned forward to take a peek of the horde, and the creases on her forehead deepened. She ultimately shook her head and threw a thumb behind her, urging them to leave.

The girls didn’t argue with the decision and they turned around, ready to cut their losses. Nien pulled her mask up and lowered her visor. As she took a step forward, she was tackled to the ground. She managed to catch herself by the arms but the helmet still hit the floor, and the noise clattered around her ears.

Sohyun snapped her neck towards Nien. Instantly, the bodyguard ran up to her and tore the infected away from her back and stabbed her knife into its neck. Nien recovered in record speed and retrieved her weapon she had dropped out of surprise. The two shared a glance of acknowledgement before picking up their pace, making a beeline for the bus.

They couldn’t make it two steps in before they were cut off, the overwhelming horde of infected having circled around the building. Sohyun cursed loudly under her breath. She searched for an opening and found one on their right.

“This way!”

Soomin cocked her personal rifle, unequipped with its suppressor, and aimed for the nearest head. She pulled the trigger but yelled in pain as the blast struck her eardrums with resonating force, nearly making her drop her gun to cover her ears.

Nien yanked Soomin by the arm, dragging her away while she figured out what had happened. Shaking off the excessive high-pitched ringing in her ears, Soomin opted for her pistol on which she had attached her suppressor onto. As she ran, she let out two shots at the nearest infected. The noise was manageable but still unpleasant.

It wasn’t long until they reached the next building. Sohyun tried pulling the door open but the lock jammed, leaving them exposed to the outside.

“Shit,” she hissed, spinning on her heel just in time to lodge her knife into a zombie’s neck. With a glare, she scanned her surroundings again. A few more seconds and they would be cornered from all ends. Her eyes highlighted the garden store.

“Get to the store!” She shouted the new order. “Soomin! Jiyeon! Rifles!”

“I can’t! It’s too loud!” protested the gunner, using up the last rounds of her pistol to open the space leading them to the shop. Jiyeon raised her gun with shaky hands.

“Use your suppressor!”

They took off for the shop. Soomin hastily wrapped her jacket around her fingers to unscrew the silencer. She screamed in pain as Jiyeon used her rifle, missing a few targets out of anxiety. Powering through, the gunner lodged the suppressor onto her rifle, kicking an infected away from Kotone in the process. The cop stabbed her opponent’s head and pushed it into the crowd, who Soomin promptly began shooting at.

With the rifles aiding them, the girls resisted the onslaught well enough to nearly push the horde back. Unfortunately, they had limited ammunition, and Nien knew that. She rammed her body into one trying to claw Sohyun, sending it crashing down. The bodyguard moved around the firefighter and sheathed her knife up another’s neck.

“Go first! I’ll hold them back.” Nien requested, shoving a third infected away from them. Sohyun nodded and ran forward, urging everyone else to follow. Thankfully, the shop was close by.

Jiyeon stopped shooting as she saw a hand coming at her from her peripheral. She threw herself back with a frightened yell.

“Just get to the store!” Kotone pushed Jiyeon forward. The ballerina lowered her gun and made a mad dash for the open door. She entered safely and Kotone followed close by. Soomin, with teeth pressed together, emptied her magazine and ran through. Behind her, Nien kicked the nearest infected away before spinning on her heel and running in. Sohyun slammed the door closed, the bells jingling above her.

“Block it off,” she huffed out. Without a break, Nien grabbed the nearest table stocked full of dead plants and pushed it against the glass the zombies had already started banging against. The firefighter backed away, leaving space for Kotone and Jiyeon to stack another table against the entrance.

Soomin checked her magazine and saw it emptied while smoke rose out the tip of the silencer. Frustration rose as the ringing in her ears persisted. The light and shadows danced on the ground from the moving infected in the windows and she narrowed her eyes to see into the dark shop, having caught another movement.

Moments later, a limping figure with bodily wounds trudged into her field of sight, missing half its face, the flesh dangling off its jawbone. When it got close, Soomin pulled her knife out, stabbing it clean in the forehead.

Sohyun rested a hand on Soomin’s shoulder and raised her flashlight to highlight the shop. With an exhale, she moved it around, relieved to find nothing else running at them.

After the girls caught their breaths, the bodyguard put herself in front. She trudged carefully through the store, keeping the flashlight pointed ahead of her, a circle of light reflecting the crust of dead plants. Her hand brushed over a dry leaf and it left a crinkle in its wake. Sohyun held her breath, adjusting the knife in her gloved hand as she entered the aisles.

Peeking the corner, Sohyun’s eyes widened and she reeled back. A large sum of bodies had been piled into the far left of the store. Sohyun shone her flashlight to the right. A closed door with the tagline “employees only” reflected from the light.

Jiyeon, who held the back line, looked frantically around her. Sacks of soil were stacked at the bottom. The higher shelves introduced various seeds into the mix of dead plants. Her ears caught the crackle of glass and she snapped her head towards the entrance. Her worries were confirmed as she noticed growing cracks in the windows from where the undead were hitting.

The rest of the group sensed the urgency. Sohyun clicked her tongue and opened the door to reveal a pitch black room. Seeing no other choice, the girls walked in quickly, and Sohyun slammed the door behind them just as they heard glass shatter.

They didn’t have to stay in the darkness for long as they were instantly blinded by a bright light. They flinched and brought their hands up to fight the sudden flashbang. When they blinked it away, their eyes getting used to the spotlight, their hands dropped in surprise.

Another group, four men and two women, stood before them, just as shell-shocked.

The trio saw the edge of the forest leading into a clearing. Yeojeong exhaled deeply and gestured to the girls to follow. He took cautious glances around him before moving towards the house.

Yeojeong produced his keys from his pocket, his heart jumping as they lightly jingled in his hands. With a secure hold, he fiddled with the front door lock with its corresponding key, only to find out-

“It’s already unlocked?” His eyes widened in shock. Lynn lightly moved him away, taking the front. The three shared a look of acknowledgment. Someone had been here.

Lynn pulled the doorknob with care. The agent peeked an eye into the house, the front door revealing the living room to her left. She held in a hiss, noticing the back of someone’s head peeking out from the side of the couch, their long black hair cascading down the armrest. She tightened her grip on her machete. With her other hand, she raised her index in the air for the others to see.

“Go in?” Sullin whispered behind her. Lynn looked back at her teammates, searching for their opinions. Yeojeong gently slotted his keys into his pockets with a decisive nod.

Lynn swallowed and nodded in return. She gestured for them to wait with a palm up before reaching into her jacket’s internal pocket. The agent brought out her pistol, equipped with a silencer, and swapped with the machete, keeping the blade in her left hand instead.

With her boot, she widened the gap of the door and eyed the surroundings for any potential traps. Seeing none, she gently stepped foot into the house with her gun raised.

Not once did the agent tear her eyes away from the person. She didn’t even know if it was a person. It could’ve been an infected for all she knew, only able to see the tuft of hair. The premise only served to sharpen her focus.

Lynn cautiously moved around the sofa. Her heavy boots didn’t aid in her attempt at stealth, more than once tapping lightly against the wooden floorboards. Lynn leaned her body to the side to take a peek.

What she saw was a woman lying down, casually reading a book. A small wave of something washed over her, not knowing whether it was relief or anything else. The feeling caused her to misstep, and she planted her foot down for balance with a significantly loud thud.

The stranger jumped and dropped her book. Quickly, she grabbed the knife on the coffee table beside her and sprung up to her feet, instinctively slashing towards the noise. Lynn stepped back from the incoming attack and pointed the muzzle of the silencer towards her. At the sight of the firearm, the woman’s eyes widened and she staggered. Lynn noted the woman seemed to be in her late thirties, and, despite her quick reaction, no doubt the reason why she had lasted in this apocalypse, her eyes trembled.

“Don’t move.” Lynn kept her voice low. “I do not want to hurt you. Please lower your weapon.” It was a half-truth; she didn’t want to exhaust herself further. 

“Wh– where did you come from?” she stammered, not heeding to the agent’s request. She kept both hands steady on the knife’s handle, the tip pointed in Lynn’s direction.

At the sound of confrontation, Yeojeong and Sullin burst into the house, the latter closing the door behind them. The woman furtively looked their way and turned her weapon in their direction.

“Lynn,” said Yeojeong, his eyes on the stranger. Sullin was ready to fight, pulling out her own knife. The agent gulped and shook her head at her friend. Sullin’s brows furrowed but listened, lowering her weapon.

Lynn turned back towards the woman, catching her attention again. “We don’t want a fight,” the agent pacified. Slowly, she moved her gun away from her, keeping it pointed at the ceiling. Not breaking eye contact, the agent squatted down to place her machete on the floor. Rising back up, she moved her pistol into her jacket’s outer pocket. Lynn placed both her hands up, and away from her weapons. “No one has to get hurt.”

The woman looked around at the strangers surrounding her. Lynn could hear the gears turning in her head, and she saw the lining of her throat bob as she swallowed. With a small nod, she lowered her knife.

None of them knew what to do.

Sohyun took advantage of the tension and sized the group up. Two of the men seemed young and scrawny, but the other two were quite burly in comparison and notably older. The women were also small, but their toned muscles told Sohyun they knew how to fight. They held their knives and axes with knuckle-white hands. The second biggest guy hid behind the group and had a compound bow strapped behind his back. Sohyun eyed Soomin instinctively. The girl had turned eerily quiet, staring the survivor down with a gaze Sohyun couldn’t quite decipher.

Sohyun then scanned her surroundings. The storage room wasn’t too big, only stretching a few meters long and wide. Bags of soil were stocked on the aisles on each side of the room along with gardening tools including shovels, hedge shears, and rakes. Sohyun didn’t think she could use any of them as weapons. There was a door centered in the room, leading to the outside.

The other group was first to break the silence. One of the smaller men stepped up. “What happened out there? We heard shooting and glass breaking.”

“We should ask you the same question,” retorted Sohyun, realizing they had the upper hand; the other group didn’t have guns.

The survivors seemed to also know as they grew tenser. The same man answered. “We were scavenging when they appeared out of nowhere. Pushed us into the store.”

“And you only stayed in this room? Not the whole store?” wondered Kotone.

He shook his head. “It’s the glass. We’re exhausted– we can’t take our chances.” With a gulp, he asked, “Are you going to hurt us?”

Before any of the girls had a chance to think, Nien answered with a definitive “No.” At least it eased the other party, visibly relaxing their shoulders.

Sohyun mused over the situation. “We need to get out while they’re still distracted.”

“Seriously?” one of the women hissed. “We don’t know what’s out there.”

“We took out a good chunk of them,” Sohyun retaliated, “but the gunshots no doubt attracted more. Leaving now is the best option.”

It was clear the survivors held doubts. They exchanged glances with each other, thinking over their situation and the sudden offer of cooperation. The woman turned to her group mates and murmured something. Their faces contorted as they contemplated her words, then mumbled something between themselves with a small nod.

The bow wielder was next to speak up. “What’s the plan?”

After they had successfully deescalated the situation, the three survivors and the stranger sat down in the living room to talk. Lynn stayed standing.

“I’m sorry,” the woman apologized sincerely. She left her knife on the coffee table in front of her. “You scared me.”

Lynn waved a dismissive hand. “The reaction’s understandable. It could’ve been one of them.”

The woman pressed her lips and nodded. She quickly glanced at Yeojeong, wiping the sweat off her palms and onto her jeans. “You have a nice house,” she complimented.

Yeojeong smiled warmly. “Thank you. Is it just you here?”

The stranger gulped and nodded again. “I was really lucky to find this place. Didn’t have many things left.”

“Any relatives?”

The woman’s expression became downcast as she fixed her eyes on the floor. “I have a son, but we split off.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” the doctor sympathized.

She sighed and thanked him, then blinked. “Oh, I used up the remainder of the water reserve. And the electricity. Sorry.”

Lynn leaned back casually. “That’s a shame, I was counting on a hot shower.” She watched the woman ease up at the small joke. “You must’ve enjoyed it a lot.”

Her lips curled up into a small smile. “I saw the pantry and just assumed whoever used to live here was long gone.”

“There was still a lot when we left.” Yeojeong agreed. “We actually decided to come back for them since we aren’t settled too far.”

“There must still be a lot given you’re the only one here,” Lynn took over, holding in a facepalm at his informational blunder. “If it isn’t too much trouble, could we have some of it?”

The woman wrung her hands nervously, averting her gaze. “I– Sorry, I wish I could. But I'm trying to survive, too.”

Lynn made an effort to not narrow her eyes. “That’s fair. We’re the one with the gun, anyway.” The woman thinned her lips and nodded.

The agent exchanged glances with Yeojeong. They both thought of the same thing. “But I’m sure you wouldn’t mind if we scoured the basement. There’s a few personal things kept there.”

At the mention of the basement, the woman froze. Lynn knew what it meant. Although Yeojeong had locked it prior to leaving, she must’ve gone through it anyway.

“Oh, god,” she whispered in realization. Sullin perked up from the singles couch beside them, having been reading the Garfield comic they had left in the house. “You’re the one who…”

Her whole vibe turned hostile and she stared at the doctor, unblinking. Lynn tensed her arms, ready to strike if she went for Yeojeong.

She was caught off card when the woman stood up and lunged at her instead, landing a clean strike on her cheek.

Lynn stumbled back with a wince, feeling the sting of the punch near her eye. She readied herself for the next strike but the woman beat her to it, sending a clean uppercut against the downside of her jaw. Her teeth clashed against each other, sending an unpleasant resonance through her skull. The ache dug into her bone.

The woman reached for her knife on the table. The downtime let Lynn recover and she managed to duck away from a forward stab. The agent dashed away from the fight to reach for the gun in her jacket, but caught a glint of light in the corner of her eye. She threw herself backwards just as the knife hit the wall and clattered to the ground.

Her opponent ran at her, but before she could reach the agent, Sullin rushed in and body slammed her against the wall, giving Lynn enough time to finally pull out her pistol and point it at the woman.

She froze, wide-eyed. Sullin brought the stranger’s hands behind her back and eyed Yeojeong, who was still stunned at the sudden turnaround of events. Lynn shook her head in disapproval and let out a frustrated sigh.