Episode 16.
Episode 16.
I arrived at the place where the camper van was. Thankfully, nothing had happened, and the camper van hidden between the trees was still there.
As I got off the kickboard, Yerin stared at the camper van, her eyes widening.
"Wow... is this a camper van?"
"Yes."
"It's huge... isn't this a bus?"
"It's a modified County Bus. It wasn't originally mine... it belonged to a hyung-nim I know."
Yerin looked around the camper van in admiration. Solar panels, external storage, wide windows. In an apocalypse, a shelter like this was practically luxury.
"Let's go in."
I opened the door and went inside. Yerin followed, admiring it once more.
"Wow... it's a real house. There's a bed, a kitchen..."
"There's a shower room, too."
"A shower room?"
"Yes. Hot water comes out, too. Go wash up first. You said you haven't eaten for two days. Let's eat after you wash."
"Ah... yes, thank you."
I showed her where the shower room was and handed her a towel. Yerin went into the shower room, and I started organizing the food I'd brought.
Canned goods, ramen, snacks, bottled water. I took them out of the backpack, duffel bag, and shopping basket, stacking them neatly in the storage cabinets.
A moment later, the shower room door opened, and Yerin came out.
Her hair was wet, and her face was clean. But the clothes she was wearing were still the same ones from before.
A sporty outfit stained with blood and dust.
"Um... you don't have any other clothes, do you?"
At my words, Yerin blushed and lowered her head.
"Yes... I don't. I couldn't pack anything when I ran away."
She looked embarrassed. It must be awkward for her, too. Not just her outer clothes, but her undergarments would be the same. It was unavoidable in a survival situation where life and death were on the line, though.
"Let's go find some new clothes around tomorrow."
"Yes... thank you."
I have spare clothes, but I need more too.
"Let's eat first. What do you want to eat?"
"Anything... really, anything is fine."
That was the answer of someone who hadn't eaten for two days.
I made her a simple meal. I put canned tuna on instant rice and boiled a cup of ramen for her.
It wasn't anything fancy, but it would be enough for someone who had been starving for two days.
As soon as Yerin picked up the spoon, she started eating ravenously. It seemed she had no room to care about appearances.
She kept eating without wiping the rice grains off her mouth. It was hard to believe she was an idol.
"It's so good I could die..."
She said, barely catching her breath.
"I'll do the cooking from now on."
"Do you know how? You must be young."
"I've lived alone for quite a while. I can handle simple things."
She said, holding her spoon.
"And I'm not young. I'm 23."
"Ah... I'm 31. I was just a normal office worker. Not an archer or anything."
23, huh. An 8-year age gap. She was a celebrity, but I wasn't interested in entertainers enough to know her age.
She finished her meal and even slurped up all the ramen broth. She ate quite a lot for someone who had been starving for two days. Guess she eats well, just like she said she had good stamina.
Now, the food supply was quite sufficient. Including what I'd grabbed from the mart today, it was a considerable amount.
Since the family size increased, the duration we could hold out had been cut in half, but we could still survive for several weeks.
I thought while she was doing the dishes.
Arrows equal combat power. We need plenty of arrows to kill a large number of zombies at once. To take down over thirty like today, the arrow consumption is significant.
Even if I retrieve them, some get broken or lost.
"Yerin-ssi."
"Yes?"
"I'll teach you how to make arrows. Watch closely."
I unfolded a folding table in front of the camper van and took out the tools.
Electric planer, angle grinder, vise, file, sandpaper. And the arrow materials. Wooden blocks cut from table legs, pieces of sheet metal, plastic fletching.
I showed her the process of making an arrow right in front of her.
"First, roughly plane the wood with the electric planer. Like this."
With a wing sound, the wood was shaved off.
"Then, attach it to the drill and smooth it with sandpaper..."
The arrow shaft became smooth.
"For the arrowhead, cut the sheet metal with the grinder. Be careful, sparks will fly."
Sparks flew from the sheet metal, and a triangular arrowhead was cut out.
"Once it's all made, assemble it, attach the fletching, and you're done."
I showed her the finished arrow. Yerin nodded, watching with focus.
"Want to try it yourself?"
"Yes, I'll try."
She grabbed the tools. It was a bit awkward at first, but she started getting the hang of it quickly. Her handling of the electric planer was more skillful than I thought.
"Oh, you're good at this."
"I'm naturally good at making things... I'm pretty quick with my hands."
Her expression while focusing was serious. Her eyes were sparkling, and she looked like she was doing her best.
Like when she was retrieving arrows earlier, she seemed like the type to work hard at whatever task she was given.
After about 20 minutes, she finished her first arrow. It was nearly at the speed I make them.
"Is this... okay?"
She held out the finished arrow, her eyes sparkling in her cute face.
I took it and examined it; the balance was fine, and the arrowhead was attached firmly. It was perfectly usable.
"Well done. From now on, making arrows is one of your important jobs."
"Yes! I'll work hard."
She beamed. It was the first time I'd seen her smile. I felt like I understood why idols are popular.
Stunning features, white and clear skin. Even the dimples that appeared slightly when she smiled.
As she moved her body in excitement, her voluptuous breasts swayed inside her sporty outfit.
Because of the tight top, the contours were fully revealed. They said she was famous for being a glamour among idols, and it wasn't just a rumor.
Long, slender legs, a slim waist, and a firm yet voluminous figure.
Was it a body honed by years of dancing, they said?
My gaze lingered for a moment before I turned my head and went inside the camper van, as if looking for something else to do.
Until that evening, she and I continued making arrows.
Since Yerin and I took turns working for an hour each, we could use the tools without any breaks.
While I made them, she rested, and while she made them, I rested. Efficiency doubled. Having manpower really makes a difference.
I also taught Yerin how to use the drone. How to handle the controller, how to view the screen, how to adjust altitude. It wasn't difficult, so she learned it quickly.
During our breaks when we weren't making arrows, we took turns launching the drone to scout the surroundings.
We flew the drone high to check around the camper van.
Whether zombies were approaching, or if any people were coming near.
By the time the sun set and darkness fell, we finished the arrow work. We had made a total of 15 arrows.
It's definitely faster with two people. At this rate, I don't think I'll have to worry about running out of arrows.
We ate a simple dinner and finished cleaning up. As the night deepened, the sleeping arrangements remained.
"Yerin-ssi, where do you want to sleep?"
There were two large bed areas in the camper van. One in the front near the door, and one in the back.
"I'll... just sleep wherever you're not using, Boss."
She said, as if declining.
"Then use the back bed. It's more comfortable for changing clothes, and it's better if I'm on the outside in case of an emergency."
"Ah... yes, thank you."
Yerin went to the back bed and lay down. I lay down on the outer bed. When I turned off the lights, the camper van was submerged in darkness.
I couldn't sleep as well as other nights. Probably because of the awkward air flowing between us.
She must be the same.
I could hear her breathing. I couldn't tell if she was asleep or awake.
After tossing and turning for a while, her small voice came.
"Boss... thank you for taking me in. Truly."
A moment of silence passed. I didn't know what to answer.
"Actually, I was desperate back then... the other members died... I thought I had barely survived being chased by zombies, but then I was being chased by people..."
"Everything will be fine now."
"Thank you..."
Her voice grew quiet. Soon, her breathing became steady. It seemed she had fallen asleep.
I stared at the ceiling and closed my eyes. Thus, the first night passed.
I woke up first in the morning and brewed coffee.
The coffee beans that hyung-nim used to brag about. As I slowly poured hot water into the hand-drip equipment, a savory aroma spread.
I unfolded a folding chair in front of the camper van and sat down.
I took out a portable speaker and played jazz music at a low volume; the gentle piano melody flowed out, mixing with the birdsong.
The morning sunlight shone through the leaves, and it felt like I had come to a cafe in the woods.
It was a peaceful morning, hard to believe the world had ended.
A moment later, the sound of the camper van door opening came, and Yerin woke up and came outside.
She rubbed her eyes with a face that hadn't fully woken up yet, then paused as she looked around.
"Wow..."
She looked around in admiration.
Sunlight, forest, birdsong, jazz music, and the scent of coffee.
"What is this, it really feels like a camping cafe here."
"Want some coffee?"
I smiled and held up an empty cup. She nodded and sat in the chair next to me.
I handed her the warm coffee.
Yerin wrapped her hands around the cup and took a sip. She closed her eyes, savoring the aroma.
"Mmm... delicious..."
She opened her eyes and looked around again. She had a thoughtful expression.
"It's my first time."
"What is?"
"Feeling relaxed in a world like this."
She took another sip of coffee and continued.
"When I was in the Subway Shelter, every single day was anxious. When the zombies would rush in, when the food would run out, what those people would do... I wasn't at ease for a single moment..."
I didn't force a reply to her dark past story and just kept listening.
"In a place without a single ray of light, the unpleasant smell of the underground and the smell of people's sweat mixed in a cramped space... and the desperate expressions... I still can't forget them..."
She looked at me.
"This place really... feels like a different world."
At her words, I smiled slightly without a word.
"I think it's because you're here, Boss."
Instead of answering, I took a sip of coffee. It didn't feel bad.