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"Ugh, I'm exhausted."
I threw my tie and suit jacket onto the sofa.
"Failed this interview too."
It wasn't even surprising.
I stopped counting after the interview count passed ten.
I could somehow manage to pass the document screening, but I tasted bitterness at every interview.
"I thought I answered pretty well, too."
I answered the expected questions without stuttering.
I didn't even hope for a big reaction from the interviewer.
I just hoped they would at least smile.
A single nod was all I got.
After that, it was just Q&A with other applicants.
The vibe with the other applicants was friendly.
"If you were going to do this, why even pass my application?"
If they had failed me at the document stage, I wouldn't have had false hope.
I loosened a couple of shirt buttons and opened the fridge door.
The interview was a failure, but I was hungry.
"Ah...."
The fridge was empty.
The money I'd saved from part-time jobs just kept dwindling.
"Need to go grocery shopping."
Eating out is a luxury.
Even one menu item costs over 10,000 won.
10,000 won worth of groceries can last two meals.
Of course, I don't plan on spending just 10,000 won.
I need to buy a week's worth.
Going out often is a waste of time, too.
I changed into comfy clothes and headed to the nearby Mart.
The atmosphere was chaotic today.
It wasn't even off-work time yet, but there were more people than usual.
Plus, quite a few people were buying enough to overflow their carts.
"Must be nice."
To be able to buy enough to fill a cart.
I envied that wealth.
How many items had I put back after debating whether to buy them or not?
I stuck to discounted food as usual.
It was when I turned the corner.
A man carrying a load so high he couldn't see in front of him suddenly came running.
"Uh, uh-uh? Wait a second!"
I shouted urgently, but it was useless.
The running man crashed into my cart.
Wareureu, he spilled his load everywhere.
"Damn it. Open your eyes when you walk!"
The man hurriedly picked up the load he'd dropped, snapped at me, and left.
"What the...?"
I was so dumbfounded I couldn't even retort properly.
Who was the one carrying enough stuff to block their own view in the first place?
If they were going to carry that much stuff, they should've just pushed a cart.
"Must be really busy."
It seemed like they were in such a rush that even taking the time to push a cart was a waste.
I put a week's worth of groceries, mostly discounted items, into my cart and headed to the checkout.
The line was long.
Everyone had full carts.
Many people were looking around anxiously.
It was definitely weird today.
I didn't even take out my phone on the way back from the interview.
My body and mind were so exhausted I didn't even have the strength to pull it out.
What on earth could have happened while I was at the interview to make people look this desperate?
"Did someone launch another missile somewhere?"
Oil prices skyrocketed due to the war that happened a while ago.
If another big incident had broken out while I wasn't looking at my phone, it made sense that people were coming to stockpile supplies.
In countries like the US, it was common for marts to be emptied just by hearing news of war.
Usually, there were two cashiers at this time.
Today there were three.
Yet the line didn't shrink easily.
That was when.
"Don't you see the line here?"
"Is the line the problem right now? Move, move!"
Some guy pushed into another line.
People who were standing there first protested, but he was stubborn.
A security guard approached and stopped the man.
The man shoved the security guard and ran out the front door of the Mart.
"Uh-uh? That guy didn't pay!"
"Put it on his tab!"
"Tab, my ass? Catch him, catch him!"
The man ran while clutching the unpaid items, and the security guard chased after him.
"The end of the world, truly the end."
The grandmother standing behind me said, clicking her tongue.
I agreed with her in my heart.
What kind of times are these to be shoplifting at a Mart?
And not even secretly, but so loudly.
The thief and the security guard didn't return.
In the meantime, it became my turn.
It was quite heavy since it was a week's worth.
"Thank you. Please come again."
"Yes, have a good one."
I loaded the purchased items back into the cart and went outside.
There was a place outside where boxes were stacked.
I pushed the cart over, picked a large box, folded it, and packed the purchased items.
"Ugh. It's heavy."
Need to buy a car once I get a job.
To think I have to walk home carrying this heavy thing.
Because the box was big, I couldn't see well in front of me.
Strangely, there were a lot of people running today.
Looking at their attire, they didn't seem like runners.
Something must have definitely happened.
There must be a reason why people have to run.
I felt anxious for no reason.
I couldn't check what was going on because I was holding boxes in both hands.
I had no choice but to hurry home and check.
Since everyone was running frantically, things eventually went wrong.
Two people running at the corner ahead collided.
"Ugh, that's gotta hurt."
No matter how busy you are, you should check the corners.
There was nothing for me to do.
It was something for the parties involved to resolve.
Seeing both of them moving, it didn't look like anyone was seriously injured.
"Hmm...."
They both fell because they collided so hard.
One of them fell in a way that looked like they were pouncing on the other.
It must be embarrassing for both the person underneath and the one on top, so they should get up already.
Even though the person underneath was struggling, the one on top couldn't easily get up.
Are they hurt?
Ah, the signal.
The traffic light changed just in time, so I crossed the street.
"Ugh, I'm exhausted."
Kung.
I placed the box on the dining table.
I wiped the sweat off my forehead.
I organized the box without even resting.
I put food that needed to go in the fridge, and left room-temperature food out.
Only after tearing down the box and placing it in front of the front door did I flop onto the sofa.
"What on earth is going on?"
Only now could I check my phone.
I found out what was happening quickly.
"...Huh?"
Breaking news was pouring in.
There were also disaster alerts.
I saw articles about people who had lost their minds attacking others.
On Nutube, videos of downtown areas turned into a mess with people chasing and people running away were uploaded.
"What's with the grayed-out parts?"
The video was dyed entirely in gray.
Only after finding a couple more videos could I tell what the gray in the video was.
"Blood...? Is it all blood?"
It was covered in blood.
The streets were stained with blood.
I jumped up from the sofa and headed to the window.
I pulled back the blackout curtain slightly to look outside.
Since it was a Villa complex where there weren't many people, it wasn't as chaotic as the videos, but a group of people were chasing others.
The people being chased were running desperately.
I heard screams.
"What is this. Is it real?"
A person who was sniffing the air in place, keung-keung, suddenly snapped their head up.
Without realizing it, I covered the window with the curtain.
"Damn it."
Did we make eye contact?
No.
That couldn't be.
This was the 4th floor.
The 4th floor isn't easily visible from the street.
The reason I chose the 4th floor was because it wasn't easily visible from the outside, ensuring privacy.
Still, I didn't have the courage to pull back the curtain again.
"What really is this?"
First, I went to the front door and engaged the auxiliary lock, which I didn't usually even use.
At the same time, I heard knocking on the door.
"Hic!"
I covered my mouth and stepped back.
The knocking sound was strange.
If it's a knock, it's ttok-ttok.
If it's banging, it's kung-kung.
Usually, a knock is two or three short, distinct raps.
How was the knocking sound now?
Kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung.
It kept knocking at a constant rhythm.
There was no talking either.
It was just knocking on the door.
I didn't answer.
I carefully stepped back.
I took a kitchen knife out.
Since I had engaged the auxiliary lock, there was no way the door would open suddenly.
Still, holding the kitchen knife made me feel calm.
Kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung.
The knocking continued.
It seemed like they would just keep knocking until I opened the door.
I took a deep breath.
My mind returned a little.
I must not make a sound.
That thought occurred to me.
Holding the kitchen knife, I moved slowly and locked the windows first.
Now there was no room for anyone to come in from the outside.
Kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung.
Still, the anxiety remained.
I felt like I was going to get neurosis from the knocking sound.
'Intercom... should I check it?'
I shook my head immediately.
If I turn on the intercom camera, a light appears outside.
It would be the same as advertising that I'm watching from inside.
My legs were shaking.
I sat on the edge of the sofa and aimed the kitchen knife at the front door.
The knocking didn't know when to stop, and I spent the night aiming the kitchen knife at the front door.
A long, long dawn passed.
After the sun rose, the knocking sound disappeared.
I still didn't have the courage to turn on the intercom.
I was just grateful that I couldn't hear the knocking sound.
Kkoreureuk.
As the tension eased, I got hungry.
Even so, I had no appetite.
I had spent the night in the same position, so I just wanted to sleep.
I was glad I had installed blackout curtains.
After checking the door locks one more time, I went into the bedroom.
I put the kitchen knife on the nightstand.
I quickly fell asleep.
'Let's just sleep. The government will solve it soon.'
A situation that was practically a nationwide riot.
If the government doesn't step up, who will?
I hope this National Emergency is resolved when I wake up.
Beon-jjeok.
As soon as I opened my eyes, I checked my phone first.
About six hours had passed.
I didn't sleep well, but the fatigue was relieved a little.
"Ah...."
The government declared a National Emergency.
Nothing was solved.
Furthermore.
To make matters worse.
Kung, kung, kung, kung, kung, kung.
The knocking sound started again.