Uncomfortable Cohabitation (3)
The discomfort was obvious. “It pisses me off that you can see right through me. You only ever approach my brother when it benefits you. Since he clearly finds you uncomfortable, could you please stay away?”
“Really? Hyun, am I making you uncomfortable?”
“I don’t know.”
“He just said he’s not uncomfortable.”
“You’re putting pressure on him right to his face and expect him to answer honestly?”
My sister sneered at Ye-eun, and Ye-eun simply smiled back, ignoring her completely. It had always been like this. Ahyeon hated Ye-eun, and Ye-eun had fought with her in return. Not to the point of throwing punches, but close enough. I never really understood why. Maybe it was because Ye-eun came from an athletic background while Ahyeon had been more of a white-collar type? Though calling her that now felt like a stretch, the original reason for their dislike hadn’t disappeared.
Which meant I couldn’t just let this mutual hatred slide anymore. Not when Ahyeon’s power now far surpassed Ye-eun’s.
“Are you doing this because you want something from us? Or did someone put you up to it? Maybe—”
“Kang Ahyeon, enough. This isn’t the time.”
The moment I stepped in to mediate, both of them shut their mouths at the same time. They looked unhappy, but my sister still respected my authority.
“So… Lee Ye-eun. Why are you here?”
At my question, Ye-eun blinked.
“You’re not here just to get a bandage, right?”
“Can’t I be?”
“We both know that’s not all there is to it.”
Even my cold tone didn’t rattle her much.
“We’re friends, aren’t we?”
She said it so casually it almost sounded bored. I felt my eyelid twitch. I wanted to be nice about it, but the words slipped out anyway.
“Are we still friends?”
Lee Ye-eun’s expression hardened. Her gaze slid toward me, and I couldn’t quite read the emotion in those dark eyes. They slowly dropped to the ground.
“…I still want to think of us as friends.”
That took some nerve. Especially coming from the one who had said it would be too hard to stay friends and walked away.
My sister must have felt the same, because she immediately jumped in.
“Looks like you’re the only one who still thinks that, unnie.”
Her voice was venomous, yet she wore a sweet little smile. Yeah, back then I had been in pretty rough shape. The only real friend I had left me, saying she couldn’t stay friends anymore. Of course my sister would be bitter about it.
Ye-eun seemed to know that too. She shot Ahyeon a sharp glare, but didn’t argue.
“…At least I don’t make excuses.”
I had no idea what she meant. But neither Kang Ahyeon nor Lee Ye-eun bothered to explain. Instead, I saw my sister’s hand slowly drop toward the gun holster strapped to her thigh.
I grabbed her wrist to stop her. Ye-eun let out a long sigh and sat down beside me.
“I still want us to be friends.”
“Because you want something from us?”
“No. Because I want to be your friend. Because I really, really like you. So… can’t you at least let me be your friend?”
Those dark eyes looked up at me, almost pleading. I stared back. Lee Ye-eun had always been mature and confident. Seeing her like this was rare.
“…I’ll think about it.”
My heart softened. I knew I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t bring myself to say no. My sister’s wrist trembled slightly in my grip.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
Ye-eun laughed brightly. Come to think of it, she had always been like this—refreshing, cheerful, mature. The only time she had ever looked pathetic was back then. When she confessed that there had never been any friendship in the feelings she’d held for me, that she had been covering it up with love. When I realized friendship had never even been on the table.
It had hurt like hell.
A heavy silence settled over us. Then the murmuring crowd parted. A group of people strode forward with confident steps.
“It’s the vigilantes,” Ye-eun whispered in my ear.
I looked at them. Thick protective clothing, arm guards. Their gear looked more suited for zombie extermination than actual vigilante work, but they were armed—hammers, baseball bats, that sort of blunt weaponry. The only one without a weapon was a massive man in a suit. Taller than me, broader, with a thick build that made him look even wider from the sides. The moment I saw him, something flashed before my eyes.
Something that only appeared when looking at variants, not normal humans. I was a little surprised. So this was what Greed could steal—traits like that. And not just any skill, but Advanced-level martial arts on top of it. It wasn’t quite at the level of the Preacher or the Holy Crusader, but it was still impressive.
“Ye-eun, you can go. I’ll handle this.”
Choi Tae-woo waved his hand casually. Ye-eun glanced at me once before stepping back. She hadn’t been trying to buy time by keeping me occupied, right? I wanted to believe that.
“So… you’re Kang Hyun and Kang Ahyeon, yeah? Mind if we talk for a minute?”
When I didn’t answer, Choi Tae-woo gave a friendly smile.
“Thanks for helping our people. It would’ve been dangerous if they went in any deeper. You stopped them before that, right?”
What the hell was this nonsense? He knew exactly what I’d done. I glanced around before locking eyes with him again. Even without a response, he kept talking.
“Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Choi Tae-woo. Two years older than you… and I’m the leader of the vigilantes. Used to be on the national judo team. Ring any bells?”
It didn’t. Honestly, I had never cared about national athletes or any of that. More importantly, was it possible for a former national athlete to only be Advanced? Or was I just undervaluing the rank? Even my sister was Advanced in shooting and she never missed. Maybe the Preacher and Holy Crusader had gotten stronger after turning into variants. I wasn’t sure.
When I stayed silent, Choi Tae-woo smiled awkwardly.
“If talking here is uncomfortable, we can go inside. I’ve got an office.”
He guided us so naturally I almost didn’t notice. I was worried about leaving the car, but if anyone touched our stuff or the vehicle, I could just beat them senseless. Without hesitation, I stood up with my sister and followed.
“Ah, so you were listening. This way.”
The place he led us to was the third floor of the auto repair shop. The subordinates who had been trailing us quietly peeled off as we climbed the stairs, leaving only me, my sister, and Choi Tae-woo to enter the office. It was a typical office—desk, computer, sofa. It felt more like a multipurpose room that doubled as a break room and kitchenette.
Once we sat down, Choi Tae-woo personally made two cups of instant coffee, pouring hot water over the mix. I didn’t drink it.
“You can speak comfortably. I’ll assume that’s fine.”
The vigilante leader laughed heartily, then wiped away the foolish, innocent smile he’d been wearing.
“You came from there, right? That place with the monster. Sion Mountain Fortress. Surviving that means you’ve got some serious skills… so why the hell did you tell such an obvious lie?”
I thought he was trying to pick a fight, but it didn’t feel hostile. If anything… it was strangely friendly.
“That snake looked like it would take an entire army to deal with. What, are you some kind of Avenger? Can you fly, shoot beams, summon lightning? Nobody believed that crap. They just called you crazy.”
He was right. I hadn’t exactly killed it in a fair fight. I got lucky with the explosives and crushed it under a building. Choi Tae-woo glanced at the guns we carried.
“Did you shoot it? That thing wouldn’t even feel bullets.”
“We had explosives. In Building 1. We brought the whole structure down on top of it.”
“Oh? But didn’t you know? That snake’s supposed to be insanely smart. It knows how many people are around, where they’re coming from, even sets up ambushes… you really think it would fall for that?”
What kind of bomb were we even talking about? He sneered and drank the coffee he’d made for himself.
“Ah, you’re not gonna drink? Yeah, I wouldn’t drink something a stranger made either. I’ll finish them.”
I didn’t respond. Choi Tae-woo downed both cups.
“Still, I get it. I admit it. You look skilled at a glance, but that alone isn’t enough, right? You thought claiming you killed the snake would give you some leverage? Pretty clever. But you didn’t need to go that far.”
He chuckled. The guy laughed too easily.
“We’re all former cultists anyway. Why bother with such a ridiculous lie? You’re strong. That’s all there is to it. You overdid it.”
“What exactly are you trying to say?”
“I can tell just by looking. You’re pretty strong, aren’t you? Kendo? Yeah, it’s kendo, right? You’ve even got some weird sword at your waist.”
I was a little surprised he noticed. Then again, if his martial arts were Advanced, that put him roughly on par with me in pure combat ability. Plus, as a former national athlete and a lay follower of the New Heaven Rapture Mission Church, he would have gone to Gucheon Athletic University. He’d probably seen plenty of kendo practitioners. I wasn’t sure if my stance gave it away, though.
“I heard President Ahn Sung-ho was a kendo dan holder… did you learn from him? And where’d you get those guns? Got any more?”
So the Holy Crusader’s name was Ahn Sung-ho. I didn’t answer, but when he kept staring, Choi Tae-woo grinned.
“Don’t like it when people act friendly? Interesting. Most athletes are extroverts. You must be more of an introvert, huh?”
He clapped his hands together.
Leaning forward, he stared straight at me.
“I’ll get straight to the point. Join me.”
That was an unexpected offer.
“I don’t know what kind of shit went down at Sion Mountain Fortress, but judging by the state of things, it’s obvious. The cult leader’s dead. All those elite bastards who strutted around are dead too. Right? Honestly, I never liked them from the start. I figured I could do a better job.”
“You want to be the new cult leader?”
“Oh, you caught on quick. Sharp, aren’t you? That’s why I’m making the offer. To establish a second-generation cult, restore order, and lead people, you need a decent head on your shoulders, don’t you think?”
“You don’t seem all that smart to me,” my sister muttered.
Choi Tae-woo opened his mouth at the sound of her voice, then laughed. He didn’t seem offended.
“Ah, yeah, I know my head’s not that great. I’m good at fighting, but studying? Not so much. But that’s not what a king does anyway, right? You’ve seen what the world’s become. No matter how smart you are, one bite and you turn into a zombie.”
He pointed out the window toward the slanted horizon beyond the open blinds.
The former national judo athlete declared proudly, “Now strength is the only thing that matters. It’s like the good old days. So here’s my offer. You’re seriously strong. Not quite as strong as me, but close enough. You’ve also got good survival instincts. If you join me, I’ll make you my right hand.”
That was the vigilante leader’s proposal. He wanted to recruit me. Maybe more than that. I glanced at Kang Ahyeon. Choi Tae-woo, drunk on his own words, kept talking.
“Besides, I don’t have anyone decent under me right now. Lee Ye-eun? Her shooting’s good, but you know how it is. Bullets aren’t infinite. Once they run out, she’s useless. The university that still has ammo is crawling with zombies. Everyone else either doesn’t know how to fight or has barely adapted. They’re like ducklings thrown into a pond. Half of them don’t come back.”
“And?”
“Someone experienced enough to survive a snake, good at staying alive, carries guns, and has real skill? Perfect right-hand material. I treat anyone strong and loyal like a brother. I’m serious. I can give you anything you want.”
“For example?”
“Ye-eun.”
I closed my mouth. I felt my sister’s mood sour, but I simply raised an eyebrow.
“Ye-eun seems to have feelings for you anyway. I’ll throw in some other girls too. The gymnasts are ridiculously hot. Every man should dream of a harem at least once, right?”
If he had stopped there, I might have pretended to consider it. But then he looked at my sister.
“Same goes for your sister. I’ll take good care of her. Carrying two rifles bigger than she is? Man, what a tragedy. A pretty girl like her should be reading books, carrying designer bags, sipping coffee, and enjoying brunch. Don’t you think?”
I’ll let you do whatever you want. He said the words, but I could tell he didn’t really mean it in a simple way.
“Once we secure the village, build walls, and make this place livable, everyone can enjoy that life. You too. If I’m the boss, you’ll be the second-in-command.”
His gaze lingered on Kang Ahyeon. My sister’s eyes had already turned ice-cold. It was the same expression she wore when she put a bullet in the head of that woman who had claimed she would take care of me. Clear ulterior motives.
I let out a sigh.
“What exactly do you mean by ‘take care of her’?”
“Come on, you know what I mean.”
Kang Ahyeon had been famous. She was beautiful enough that even the cult leader had withdrawn his order to kill pretty daughters, deciding she was better used for expanding their influence. Choi Tae-woo was obviously after her looks too. He spoke directly to her.
“Don’t I look pretty good? Huh? Manly, reliable, bear-like. I hear women like the bear type.”
“I’m not sure.”
“I’ve got great stamina too. How do you think I made the national team? Because I’m damn good, right? I can go all night until the girls are crying and begging. I’m really good at it.”
It was vulgar. My sister sighed, and even that seemed to excite him. Choi Tae-woo laughed.
“Think about it. The world’s gone to hell. Acting all proud is fine, but wouldn’t it be better to stick with a good man? How long are you going to keep struggling?”
The annoying part was that he wasn’t entirely wrong. A life chasing danger wasn’t normal. Humans were wired to seek stability. Unless their brains were broken and they chased dopamine forever.
“You’re not wrong.”
“See?”
He didn’t seem bothered that I was speaking casually. Maybe because I wasn’t from an athletic university, or maybe because he saw me as a potential brother-in-law. Either way, it didn’t matter.
“The part about strength being the most important thing. I agree with that. With strength, you can beat down anyone who tries to take from you and claim what you want. You can grow your forces and build trust.”
“Oh? You’re easier to talk to than I thought. I was worried you might be deaf. So you’re the cautious type? Caution’s good. How about we…”
“But you also need to be good at politics, management… it sounds like a huge pain in the ass.”
“Yeah, exactly. So if you join me, I’ll handle all the annoying stuff…”
I burst out laughing. Guys who were actually stupid—like this one, unlike my sister’s fake stupidity—always thought they were clever.
“But if you’re stupid, that’ll be difficult too.”
At my mocking words, the vigilante leader’s friendly expression slowly vanished. He stared at me with a hardened face.
“Strength works the same way. You need to be the strongest… and you think you’re stronger than me with just that?”
“…Ah, ha, ha! Wait, what’s with the sudden dick-measuring contest? Are we in a tournament? We’re supposed to be family now, why are you… Who said you were weak? Man, this guy’s got some ego…”
I raised my hand to cut him off and leaned forward.
“The snake. We really did kill it.”
That wasn’t all.
I added, “Not just the snake. President Ahn Sung-ho, his entire security team, all the zombies in Buildings 1 and 2, the first, second, and third-grade believers… even the cult leader. We killed them all ourselves.”
Choi Tae-woo blinked at my words, then laughed.
“Man… you’ve got some serious balls…”
“The only reason I came here is because I made a promise to Lee Ye-eun. She said if I spared her, she’d give me everything she had. Air rifles, food, supplies, vehicle modifications… I came to collect. It’s debt collection, you idiot.”
I stood up, planted my hands on the table, and leaned in.
“Give me everything you promised. Then I’ll let you live.”
“You son of a— what the fuck…”
The vigilante leader seemed unable to hold back any longer. He shot to his feet and grabbed my collar. I saw it coming but didn’t stop him. On purpose. I raised a hand to stop my sister, who was already moving. Her hand had once again drifted toward the gun-bayonet on her thigh. Guess it was a habit now. I let out a small chuckle.
Choi Tae-woo seemed to interpret my laugh differently. Veins bulged on his forehead. He ground his teeth.
“Who the hell do you think you’re looking down on…!”
His thoughts were obvious. He had taken his position through force. He had crushed all complaints with violence. This was the same. He probably thought it was romantic to break the arrogant right-hand man and bring him under his wing. And to claim my sister, who looked so smug while watching her brother, he figured it was a necessary price. His calculations were roughly correct.
The vigilante leader moved. His words had been crude, but his movements were real. The balanced speed, the overwhelming power I could feel—traces of thousands of hours of training. He yanked me forward. His goal was obvious. It was probably the technique that had floated in his status window.
Counter throw.
Normally, he would have grabbed me and slammed me into the concrete. But—
Creak…!
I didn’t move. He was taller and heavier, but I didn’t budge an inch. Choi Tae-woo froze, gripping me with a mixture of confusion and shock. He twisted his body, trying to apply the technique again, but I remained completely still each time. My sister let out a bored sigh that sounded particularly sharp. I watched the cold sweat start to run down the back of the vigilante leader’s neck and slowly lowered my hands, peeling his grip off my collar and arm.
“Ugh, ugh…?!”
His hands came off easily. They weren’t even shaking. If anything, I had to be careful not to crush them. I turned his body around with both hands so we were facing each other.
“What the… what are you…”
“You started this, remember?”
“Huh?”
I released the massive hand that had been gripping me. I clenched my fist. At extremely close range. I twisted my waist and drove the loaded punch forward. Faster than Choi Tae-woo could raise his arm to block, my fist slammed into his side.
BOOOOM!
The punch landed with a sound like an explosion. Choi Tae-woo bent like a bow and crashed into the wall.