Clear Your Name

Before heading back with the food, daily necessities, and clothes we'd scoured from the apartments, the villa residents agreed to let us stay for three days.

It was a high-end villa with only nineteen households, and every unit was already occupied — but the people living on the first floor gave up their space for us. So now we had the whole ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first floor to ourselves, two units per floor.

"Hey, once we make some money, let's buy a Safe Zone Setting Ticket first. One for a big place."

"Yes! And the house absolutely has to have at least three bathrooms!"

The commercial building we'd set as our safe zone was thirty pyong per floor, and even adding up the second through fourth floors only gave us three bathrooms total.

Here, every single unit had three bathrooms.

On top of that, each one came with a bathtub — perfect for washing away the exhaustion ground deep into our bones — so the group's satisfaction was through the roof.

But I couldn't forget that a Safe Zone Setting Ticket cost 10,000P for thirty pyong.

These places were seventy pyong each. Even at roughly 333P per pyong, that was over 23,000P.

Twenty-three thousand points was enough for eleven people to buy Level 1 Skill Reinforcement Tickets and still have a thousand left over. We had to think carefully.

"If you want to live in a place like this, grind those quests."

"We'd grind if any quests actually showed up."

"Get out there more. Wander around enough and situations will create themselves — quests will follow."

"Where are you going, though?"

"For a walk~"

"At this hour?? This crazy bastard..."

"......"

"......"

Gihoon shook his head, but Jaeyeol and Baek Sihyeon fixed me with sharp eyes as I opened the front door and stepped out.

They were probably wondering whether I was going to meet Seo Hayun.

And they were right.

I was going to meet Seo Hayun.

"Oppa..!"

"Unnie went in to wash up. I have to be back upstairs in twenty minutes."

"That's short, so let's get started."

"Okay."

We slipped down along the wall beside the villa, out of sight, and I listened to Seo Hayun's story.

In more detail. All of it.

Her parents had died in a car accident when she was in second grade.

Seo Hamin, six years older, had been a second-year middle schooler at the time — and that was when she became Hayun's guardian.

More precisely, she'd taken on the full guardian role two years later, as a first-year high schooler.

At first, relatives had fought over the sisters, even forcibly taking them in, all because of the inheritance. But once the estate was settled and the relatives had divided the money among themselves, everything changed.

No one wanted to look after the sisters anymore. If they were stuck with them, they gave them every kind of dirty look, tormented them, and passed them off to the next relative's house. Over and over.

Hurt by the people who were supposed to be family, transferred from school to school with no time to make friends, Seo Hamin had finally gone to a social worker.

A little of the inheritance was still left in the sisters' names. With that, they struck out on their own — and Seo Hamin began her life as a true guardian in earnest.

She had been only seventeen, a first-year high schooler. Seo Hayun had been only a fourth grader.

Even if it meant eating a little less herself and digging through donation bins for clothes, she bought Hayun new clothes, fed her good food, and raised her with absolute devotion.

Schoolwork, part-time jobs, housework, and looking after a little sister on top of it all.

It had been hard, but Seo Hamin had done every bit of it with a smile and without a single complaint.

She'd even been a good student — and still she'd given up on college and thrown herself straight into the job market.

She had abandoned her entire life for her sister, and lived that way ever since.

"After I debuted, she even quit her job and started working as my manager.. She said she was worried about me..."

"......"

It was stifling.

Back when I'd only seen how she acted at the apartment, I'd felt one way about it.

My position hadn't changed all that much even now — but after hearing the story, Seo Hamin's behavior made perfect sense.

"Honestly, from Seo Hamin's point of view, everything she does to you is only natural. She gave up her own life and lived solely for you. She's still doing it."

"I know that, but....."

"I know. You're not a little kid who needs help anymore. But to Seo Hamin, you still are. The second grader who lost her parents. The fourth grader she started raising alone as the real head of the household. In her eyes, you're still that little kid."

"So do I.. have to keep living like this..?"

"No. You have to make Seo Hamin realize it. That her little sister isn't a child who needs help anymore."

"How..?"

"Beats me."

"Hiiing..."

As I crouched there stroking the hair of a teary-eyed Seo Hayun, a question occurred to me.

I understood why Seo Hamin was the way she was now.

So then — why was she like this?

"What about you, then?"

"Huh?? What about me?"

"The way you worked so hard to get forced by me. Is that just your preference? Or was there a reason?"

"Th-that's...! Well...."

Seo Hayun hemmed and hawed for a long time before she finally spoke in a voice that shrank smaller and smaller.

"Except for filming and recording, unnie never even lets me talk properly with guys... So because unnie won't let me..."

"You thought that if you did it that way, you'd feel free from her? Like you'd be liberated?"

"....Yes..."

"Then why did you resist so hard back then? Those three bastards tried to do you before I did."

"Those people were way too ugly!!"

"What??"

"I-I mean... I have an ideal type too... and preferences..."

"So I'm your ideal type?"

"No! Absolutely not!"

"......"

That hurt.

Did she really need to shut it down that firmly?

"Not that, but... oppa was so forceful about it... and you saved me... and the way you pinned me down in one go felt insanely strong... Even if your looks are nowhere near my ideal type..! You seem kind of ordinary..! I wasn't totally into it at first..! But for someone like oppa, I figured I could just close my eyes and put up with—"

"Stop!!"

"....I'm sorry.. But not anymore! I think I could like oppa—"

"Shut up and suck."

"Huh..?"

"I said suck."

"O-oppa... Hup!!"

I dropped my pants and pulled down my underwear, and Seo Hayun's eyes went round as she clapped a hand over her mouth.

I didn't care. I grabbed my soft cock, pressed it against the back of her covering hand, and gave it a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠shake.

"Hurry up and suck."

"U-unnie's probably done washing..! I have to get back upstair— mmph... mmphh... slurp..."

The moment I pushed my cock into her slightly parted lips, she started sucking like it was the most natural thing in the world.

And my cock hardened fast.

But what was that?

"Kraaaagh!!!"

"Kraagh!!"

"Kraaaaaah!!"

"Kraaah!!"

"Kraaaagh!!!"

From far off, zombies started howling, and the noise drew steadily closer.

Then came the sound of the shared entrance door opening, and footsteps headed straight toward where we were.

"......"

"......"

Startled, Seo Hayun and I scrambled around to the back of the villa and hid at the corner, peeking out just enough to check the windowless side of the building.

(It's Hyeonsu-oppa.)

(Shh.)

Kim Hyeonsu.

What was he doing out there alone?

No — he wasn't alone.

Thud—

Someone vaulted over the wall and started talking with Kim Hyeonsu.

But the zombies were screaming so loudly that I couldn't make out a single word of the conversation.

"Slurp..! Slurp..! Mmph.."

"Ahh...!"

Apparently bored because we couldn't eavesdrop, Seo Hayun went back to sucking my cock.

I glanced down at her for a second — round eyes looking up at me — then leaned out past the corner again to keep watching Kim Hyeonsu.

The conversation didn't last long.

About a minute, maybe?

Then the man who'd come over the wall climbed back over and vanished, and Kim Hyeonsu walked off toward the front of the villa and disappeared as well.

What the hell was that? What was going on?

Climbing back over the wall meant the unknown man wasn't a villa resident — he was an outsider.

Otherwise there was no reason to go outside at this hour.

A secret meeting with an outsider.

For what?

And who was he meeting?

"Seo Hayun!! Where are you?! Seo Hayun!!!"

"Unnie! I'm downstairs getting some air!"

"No..!"

"Ah...?"

Seo Hamin's voice rang down from above, and Seo Hayun — still sucking my cock — answered right away.

And not even five seconds later, Kim Hyeonsu, who'd vanished toward the front of the villa, reappeared.

"Seo Hayun."

"Hyeonsu-oppa?? Did you come out for some air too??"

"....How long have you been here?"

"I just did a lap over that way and got here. Unnie's coming down soon too — you should get some air with us."

"......"

"Oppa??"

"Maybe I will."

Had she taken acting classes because she was an idol?

She was incredibly natural.

But the fact that he'd gotten here this fast meant he was reacting with extreme sensitivity.

He was hiding something.

"Krrrrrrgh..!!!"

"Shut up."

I grabbed the back of a zombie's head, slammed its face into the ground one more time for good measure, then hurriedly climbed back over the wall I'd come from.

Between An Gyeongsu and now Kim Hyeonsu — why were there so many bastards who seemed like they were on our side and somehow weren't?

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

We spent a night at the villa and woke to the next day.

We wandered around pretending to look for a place to stay, talked with people, went out together to practice fighting zombies, and gathered food and supplies — killing time however we could.

But what the hell was this quest supposed to be?

I had no idea what the intent was.

And who exactly had Kim Hyeonsu been meeting in secret?

Neither the residents nor Seo Hayun knew anything about any other survivor groups beyond the people in this villa.

"Hey, mister."

"What?"

"When did Kim Hyeonsu get here? Was he with you from the start?"

"Nah~ He's been here about two weeks, maybe?"

"He just showed up out of nowhere?"

"Not exactly. We ran into him outside by chance."

"How?"

"Hamin and I and a few others were out looking for food, same as now, and we got into some ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠real trouble. Hyeonsu saved us. That's how he ended up staying here with us. Why are you asking?"

"Just curious. Seo Hamin's so cold to everyone, but she's friendly with Kim Hyeonsu. I guess being a lifesaver will do that."

"That was a big part of it."

I stuck close to the older man as he carefully searched the building for anything useful, and kept asking questions.

Luckily, Kim Hyeonsu wasn't around.

"Was Kim Hyeonsu alone? Or was he with the people he hangs around with now?"

"Alone. Said he had nowhere to go, so we offered to let him stay. And man, are we glad we did~"

"Why's that?"

"Hyeonsu. Without him, we wouldn't be doing nearly this well. Hamin's strong, sure, but she only ever looked after her little sister. Hyeonsu helps people with their quests, brings back food for everyone, finds medicine — that's how we've managed to hold on this well."

"Sounds like a good guy."

"He is a good guy. Works that hard and never asks us for anything in return."

"......"

"What's wrong?"

At the older man's question, I glanced around.

"Don't you hear something?"

"Hear what?"

"......"

"......"

I said nothing and just listened. The older man stopped moving too, holding even his breath as he strained to hear.

Then—

CRASH!!!

Glass shattered, and the older man and I bolted to the window, sticking our heads out through the open frame.

"Yeonghun!"

"Hyung! Help!!"

Yeonghun was hanging from a window frame in the building right next door.

"Go! I'll be right behind you!"

"If it's dangerous, wait here. I'll be quick."

"Don't worry about me — just go!"

Had I been too complacent?

Me, Yeonghun, Jaemin, and five villa residents had formed a team and gone outside. With too many people, we'd split into two groups.

Truth was, I'd split us up because I wanted to question the older man who'd lived at the villa from the start — but still.

I'd figured Yeonghun, Jaemin, and four villa people would be fine.

Thud-thud-thud!!

I tore down the stairs, burst outside, and sprinted for the neighboring building.

"Kraaagh!!!"

"Kraaaagh!!"

"Kragh!!"

"Kraah!!!"

"Move."

CRACK!!!

I smashed the skulls of the zombies blocking the door, raced up the stairs, and wrenched open the closed door.

And I saw it.

Four dead people. Jaemin covered in blood. And Yeonghun, body just hauled up, draped over the windowsill.

"Hey... you guys..."

"I-it wasn't me..! I didn't do it, hyung!!!"

"Hyung! It really wasn't us! Someone attacked us!"

I believed them.

I believed Jaemin and Yeonghun.

They weren't the kind of kids who'd kill people for no reason.

But some people could only judge by what they saw.

"Ah...."

"Mister..! We didn't do this! We didn't—"

"Damn it!!!"

The older man who'd followed right behind me spun around and fled the scene.

And that wasn't the only strange thing.

On the way back to the villa to clear up the misunderstanding, we ran into Jaeyeol, Baek Sihyeon, Lee Jeongcheol, and Choi Junseok.

Inside the building they'd been heading toward, Nail's corpse lay sprawled naked on the floor, covered in semen.

"We didn't do this! We just happened to find it and people assumed it was us..!!"

According to Lee Jeongcheol, the situation here had been the same.

The four of them had been operating separately, hoping a quest would trigger, when they heard glass breaking and ran over — only to find Nail already dead.

The villa residents who'd gone out with Nail to look for food arrived right after, saw the scene, decided the four of them were the culprits, and left in a hurry.

Well. At least one goal was accomplished.

I'd gotten a quest.