Chapter 49

Straightening his posture, Jeong Yu-su bowed his head politely. “Hello. I’m Jeong Yu-su. I’d been meaning to introduce myself, so thank you for giving me the opportunity.”

“This isn’t my building, and I’m the one who should be thanking you for your help.” Myeongju offered him a welcoming smile. “I’m Jang Myeongju, and this is Geun-cheol.”

“Jo Geun-cheol. You can speak casually with me.”

Geun-cheol’s regional accent was thick, and his blunt personality came through immediately.

“Geun-cheol helps me manage the academy,” Myeongju continued. “Do you remember seeing the twin brothers yesterday?”

“I haven’t met them yet.”

“They’re Jiseop and Hyeonseop, and they’ve been helping us quite a lot. You should introduce yourselves when you have the chance.”

“I will.”

Myeongju nodded before continuing. “Since we’re already talking, let me explain a few things. At present, forty people are staying at the academy. Meals are distributed in the fourth-floor hall every morning and evening. We also hold a meeting every day at noon, and I strongly encourage everyone to attend.”

“A meeting?”

“Yes. We use it to collect requests for necessary supplies and decide which areas the search teams should cover.”

Yu-su hesitated. “How do the searches work?”

“Three or four teams usually go out every other day, then return here afterward.”

At the mention of searching, Sim Gorak, who had been listening with his mouth clamped shut, pulled his lips into a tight grimace and joined the conversation. “So, do people get less food if they don’t go out?”

“Excuse me? Of course not.” Myeongju looked genuinely surprised. “We regulate distribution so that no one can hoard too much, but we don’t reduce anyone’s portions. You know how dangerous it is outside. Not everyone has the courage to leave.”

Gorak nodded vigorously.

Geun-cheol, who was next to Myeongju added, “Still, we make sure the people who do go out receive hazard pay.”

“That’s right,” Myeongju agreed. “A full stomach makes hardship easier to endure. Since there are so many people here, the work can be divided in several ways. Those who don’t join the searches help with laundry, cleaning, and other tasks around the academy.” Having finished her explanation, Myeongju glanced at her wristwatch. “I think that covers everything for now… Would you like to come to the fourth-floor hall for dinner and get acquainted with the others?”

“Yes, of course.”

Myeongju gently took Yu-su’s hand, released it, and walked away with Geun-cheol. As they moved down the hallway, they stopped to exchange cheerful words with nearly everyone they encountered.

Gorak stroked his still-full belly. “They say that if you’re going to be a servant, you should serve in a great house. Apparently, that applies during a zombie apocalypse, too.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Have you already decided you’re a servant?”

“Well, no. It’s not exactly like that, but…”

Just as Myeongju had explained, every classroom door on the third floor bore a paper nameplate: Art Room, Counseling Room, Prayer Room, Dining Preparation Room, Reading Room, and several others. Depending on the room’s purpose, shelves and cabinets held paint, books, notebooks, and other supplies.

The Art Room was even being used. A woman in her late twenties stood at the front, explaining something to several people seated at the students’ desks.

The director’s office appeared to have been claimed by Myeongju. Through the open doorway, they could see a nun’s habit hanging on the wall. The conference room was located beside it.

With an extravagant flourish, Gorak spread his arms wide. “And that concludes our tour of the academy! They said the fifth floor is empty, and the roof is above that. Shall we go up?”

“No. Let’s save it for later.”

“Look at the cold sweat pouring off the assistant manager. Go inside and get some rest.”

“If that’s the case, you need to get into bed immediately!”

Driven back by Gorak’s and Joo Hee-eun’s relentless nagging, Yu-su climbed into bed. He did not think he would be able to sleep, but the instant his head touched the pillow, consciousness deserted him. He plunged into a deep sleep and remained that way for half the day.

Much later, a thick, broad hand shook him with surprising care.

“Jeong Yu-su. Wake up.”

“…Ugh.”

“Get ahold of yourself.”

“I can’t…”

Honestly, if it had been anyone other than Do Muwon, he might have slept until the following day.

Resting his forehead against Muwon’s large palm, Yu-su forced his eyes open and eventually made his way into the hallway.

The academy, which had been flooded with sunlight during the day, was now pitch-black. Battery-powered lamps had been positioned at wide intervals, casting isolated pools of light along the corridors.

When Yu-su reached the lobby, Myeongju handed him a flashlight.

“Welcome.” She turned toward the assembled crowd. “These are the people who arrived yesterday.”

“Wow, they’re young.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“I thought we could begin with some introductions,” Myeongju explained. “It would be good for everyone to learn one another’s names and faces.”

Around thirty people had gathered in the hall, excluding the handful who were absent.

Before the introductions could begin, however, Gorak was inundated with questions about the outside. People whose families lived in the areas he had identified as dangerous soon broke down in tears.

“It feels like my heart is being torn apart. My father is sick. He has to visit the hospital regularly.”

“I regret going out that day so much…”

There was an older sister who had lost her younger sibling after dragging her outside when the girl had not wanted to go, along with others who had sick or vulnerable relatives. Each of them must have been living with an enormous terror lodged in the corner of their heart, abruptly separated from the people they loved without even knowing whether they were alive or dead.

The lobby sank beneath a crushing despair, the air thick with stifled sobs.

That was when a patter of light footsteps approached from across the room.

“Hyung. Prettiest Hyung…”

Yu-su did not react in time, and a small, round body fastened itself tightly to his back.

Prettiest Hyung…?

Every eye in the room turned toward Yu-su. Someone even let out a quiet chuckle. His ears reddening with uncharacteristic embarrassment, Yu-su cleared his throat and stroked Lee Yun’s head.

“Hi, Lee Yun.”

“Hello!”

“Lee Yun, hyung’s name is Jeong Yu-su.”

“Prettiest Hyung!”

Several people laughed softly. Young children possessed a peculiar power. As the laughter subsided, a few people greeted Lee Yun, and the suffocating tension in the room eased by a small but noticeable degree.

Myeongju slowly began to speak. Her gaze was firm and solemn, and her voice carried clearly through the lobby, each word striking the listeners with deliberate force.

“Just as we are holding on here, others will be doing the same. You must keep your hearts strong.”

“Yes. We have to.”

“Understood, Sister.”

Lee Yun, who had been sitting comfortably in Yu-su’s lap, climbed down and toddled toward Myeongju.

Yu-su’s gaze naturally followed him.

Yu-su did not like religious people.

After trying every bizarre folk remedy imaginable in an attempt to cure the twins’ illness, his mother’s final destination had been a fraudulent religious cult. It had been the kind of organization that preyed on the vulnerable, soothing and coddling them from the ground up, only to strip them of everything they possessed in the end. It had taught its victims to feel guilty for failing to tear out their own hearts and offer them to the group.

Jang Myeongju, standing before him now, was undoubtedly a good person. Even so, unease and distrust continued to fester in a hidden corner of Yu-su’s heart. He knew it was unfair, yet bridging the distance between them felt impossible.

While Jeong Yu-su remained lost in thought, the others resumed their introductions.

“I’m Park Jiseop. I’m a police officer, and I’m the older brother.”

Hyeonseop immediately objected. “Older by what, a few minutes? I’m Park Hyeonseop. Don’t call me the younger one. I work as a firefighter.”

It appeared that the twins, Jiseop and Hyeonseop, were commonly known around the academy as the “Seop-Seop brothers.” Most of the people who introduced themselves afterward were ordinary office workers, though a few had worked as psychiatrists, bakers, film directors, and other specialized professionals.

Aside from Lee Yun, Sim Gorak was the youngest. Those without a specific profession to name introduced themselves by listing their specialties, skills, and hobbies instead.

“Name’s Jo Geun-cheol. Do I gotta start from the beginning?” A rough-looking man scratched at his cheek. “I used to drive a bus. I was working with the Deokso vigilante group until I got drafted and brought here, so…”

A sharp sound escaped Jeong Yu-su before he could stop himself.

“Deokso?”

Jo Geun-cheol’s unfinished sentence died on his lips, and every gaze in the room shifted toward Yu-su. At a loss for what to do, Yu-su sprang abruptly from his seat, only to stagger when a wave of dizziness swept over him.

“Hey. Careful.”

Do Muwon rose with him as though it were the most natural thing in the world and caught him before he could fall. Keeping one hand firmly on Yu-su, he addressed Jo Geun-cheol.

“He lives in Deokso, too. His younger siblings are still at home, so he’s been worried sick about them.”

“Ah, is that so?” Geun-cheol’s expression softened. “Deokso is actually doing all right.”

“…It’s all right?”

In a matter of seconds, Yu-su’s breathing had turned shallow.

Cold sweat beaded across his skin while his lips went dry. His heart pounded so violently that he pressed a palm against his chest, yet his eyes never left Jo Geun-cheol.

“I… My siblings are in Deokso.” He struggled to steady his voice. “Could you please tell me what the situation is like there?”

“Sit down first. What are you going to do if you fall over and crack your head open?”

Geun-cheol waved a hand, urging him to calm down, while Do Muwon and Sim Gorak helped Yu-su lower himself back into his seat.

“Where exactly do you live?”

“Our house is…”

After forcing his racing breaths under control, Yu-su recited his address clearly. Jo Geun-cheol nodded in recognition.

“I know that area. There haven’t been any major problems around there. Actually, Deokso itself was in decent shape because not many zombies appeared.”

“Really…?”

“Why would I lie to you?” Geun-cheol leaned back slightly. “Anyway, because the situation there was relatively stable, a lot of the bus drivers assigned to rescue missions in this area were drafted from Deokso. I’m one of them. They even distributed some food supplies to the houses when they took us.”

“Ha…”

Yu-su’s long exhale sounded perilously close to a sob.

“You all right?”

“Yes. Yes, I am.” Yu-su nodded rapidly. “Thank you for telling me.”

“It’s nothing. All right, next person.”

The introductions that followed no longer registered in Yu-su’s ears.

When the zombie outbreak began and he called from the office, Jeong Yu-sol and the twins had all been inside the house. He had warned them directly and told them to store as much water as they could. Given their circumstances, he knew the supplies at home could not have been abundant, but they should not have been completely desperate, either.

Moreover, past experiences had made Jeong Yu-sol unusually sensitive to dangerous situations. She would undoubtedly be holding on and doing everything she could to protect the others.

If there truly were not many zombies in Deokso, more than half of Yu-su’s fears had already been lifted.

Jeong Yu-su closed his eyes as though offering a prayer. Do Muwon squeezed his hand tightly, while warmth against his back and shoulder told him that Joo Hee-eun and Sim Gorak had each placed a hand on him as well.

“Hyung, they’ll be okay.”

“Assistant Manager, drink some water. Here.”

Joy, relief, anxiety, and lingering fear twisted together inside him, leaving Yu-su with no choice but to endure the pounding of his heart.

He focused on the large, hot hand wrapped firmly around his trembling fist, along with the two hands of different sizes resting against his back and shoulder. His eyebrows crinkled as a smile finally broke across his face.

“Thanks… Thank you.”

The small commotion surrounding Yu-su’s group stirred a trace of envy in some of the others. After all, every person in that room was tormented by uncertainty over whether their own families were alive or dead.

The introductions continued, and before long, they had traveled halfway around the circle and reached Jeong Yu-su’s group.

Yu-su cleared his throat, which had gone rough and raspy, and began.

“I’m Jeong Yu-su. I worked for a construction company. I have experience at job sites, so I can handle building repairs and maintenance.”

“Do Muwon.” Muwon’s introduction was characteristically brief. “I was discharged from the military recently, so I’m familiar with weapons.”

Several people visibly stiffened at the sound of Do Muwon’s name, but Jo Geun-cheol quickly calmed them down.

“I, I’m a soldier. Sim Gorak.” Gorak sat rigidly, clearly nervous beneath all his usual bravado. “I’ll work hard at anything!”

“My name is Joo Hee-eun.” She paused to think. “I suppose the most useful skill I have here is cooking. I also know kickboxing, and I can ride horses.”

Jang Myeongju recorded each person’s name, age, and specialties in her notebook. Once the introductions were finished, she announced how much food remained, which supplies were running low, and which items they would not need for the time being.

The group exchanged opinions, gradually establishing a list of priorities.

Food was placed firmly at the top. They needed rice, anything edible, and additional cooking utensils.

Using a map drawn across a whiteboard that the Seop-Seop twins had dragged in from somewhere, they selected the next location to be searched.

“Then I’ll remain here tomorrow,” Myeongju decided, “and Mr. Jo Geun-cheol will take the trouble of going out.” She looked around the room. “Anyone else who wishes to join the search should come and speak with me before tomorrow afternoon.”

The scent of ramen soon drifted through the air, signaling the end of the evening gathering. Yu-su approached Jo Geun-cheol to thank him again and did not return upstairs with Do Muwon until he had heard a more detailed account of Deokso’s condition.

Joo Hee-eun was gathering pillows and blankets when they entered the sleeping room.

“You’re back, Assistant Manager. What did he say?”

“I only went to ask for more details about the situation.”

Muwon closed the door behind them. “It wasn’t much different from what he told us earlier.”

Sim Gorak frowned in disappointment. “Aw. It would’ve been better if there were more news.”

“Even this much is something to be grateful for.”

“That’s true.” Gorak studied Yu-su’s face. “Hyung, your complexion is the best it’s looked in days.”

“Thank goodness. Thank goodness…” Gorak muttered the words to himself before looking up at Do Muwon. “Come to think of it, are you going out tomorrow, hyung?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

At the question, Muwon glanced toward Jeong Yu-su, who was lowering himself unsteadily onto the bed.

“I’m going to keep watch for a few days.”

“On this place or on Yu-su-hyung?”

“Both.”

Smiling faintly at their exchange, Joo Hee-eun picked up her pillow and blanket and headed for the door, with Sim Gorak following her.

“We’re sleeping in the lobby. What about you two?”

Muwon turned toward the bed. “Jeong Yu-su, what do you want to do?”

“Um… It’s not as though I absolutely have to sleep somewhere else, right?”

Muwon nodded, then glanced at Joo Hee-eun. She and Gorak disappeared through the doorway after wishing them a good night.

Muwon tucked the hot pack he had brought into Yu-su’s arms, then lightly poked the top of his round head.

“Get in.”

“…Huh?”

“What are you staring at? Move over.”

“You’re sleeping here?”

“Where else would I sleep?”

“The bed on the other side…?”

Before Yu-su could finish, Muwon began forcing his massive frame onto the narrow mattress.

A crushing pressure rolled over Yu-su as Muwon crowded into the bed, blotting out what little remained of his already dim field of vision. Yu-su stiffened for reasons he could not explain, but Muwon eventually pushed him aside without encountering any resistance. Pressed against the wall, Yu-su stared at him in bewilderment.

Muwon hooked an arm around Yu-su’s shoulders and pulled him close. It was the same position they had slept in before dawn.

An arm pillow.

Should I call this… a win? Or was it simply absurd?

Did Do Muwon not realize that this was an incredibly intimate position, the sort of posture lovers shared? Or did he understand perfectly well and simply consider it harmless because they were friends?

Hidden by the darkness, Muwon clicked his tongue at the gaze fixed unmistakably upon him.

“What are you staring at?”

“…Nothing in particular.”

A faint smile touched Yu-su’s lips. He burrowed slightly deeper into Muwon’s chest, closed his eyes, and murmured, “They’re safe, right?”

“Yeah. You said you were certain they were home.”

“Right. The kids usually bring back three months’ worth of medicine at a time, and we had quite a lot of ramen stacked up, too.”

“Then that settles it. Nothing is going to happen.” Muwon tightened his arm around him. “They say worrying too much can turn fear into prophecy, so stop now.”

Yu-su nodded and released a slow breath.

“I should… Good night, Do Muwon.”

“You too.”

Despite claiming that excessive worry could become a prophecy, Muwon did not leave Yu-su’s side for the rest of the day.

The following day, Sim Gorak and Joo Hee-eun joined a search team and returned after raiding a galbi restaurant. They brought back a charcoal brazier, an enormous cooking pot, and a sack of rice, making it possible for everyone to enjoy a proper meal.

Some people began to weep at the mere sight of soft, steaming white rice.

One day slipped quietly into the next, and before they knew it, five days had passed since their arrival at the academy.

***