Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Raising Intimacy with Baek Min-ah
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“Okay~ Stop here.”
At my signal, the zombies climbing the stairs while carrying me came to a complete halt.
Right now, I’d arrived at the new apartment building where Baek Min-ah lived. Just like before, I’d ridden the zombies up to the ninth floor.
Not a bad ride today, either.
Sure, it wasn’t as fast as an elevator, but there was something oddly satisfying about ascending the stairs without lifting a finger.
“…So, when the time comes, do that. You got my orders, right?”
After reaching the ninth floor on the zombies, I gave additional instructions to the ones who’d carried me.
Somewhat lengthy commands, so I worried if the zombies had understood.
But the zombies nodded at my question, as if to say they got it.
Looking at them like this, it felt less like talking to reanimated corpses and more like conversing with beasts that just happened to look like corpses.
“If you understand, head back down. And keep track of the time.”
With my final order given, the two zombies slowly descended the stairs.
Once I confirmed they were gone, I took a deep breath and positioned myself in front of the ninth-floor door.
After a brief pause, I knocked.
Thud, thud.
Since there was quite a distance from the entrance to the living room, I knocked firmly so the people inside could hear clearly.
A moment later, a voice came from inside the door.
[ …Is that Seo-ho? ]
“Yes, it’s me. Could you open the door?”
Confirming my voice, Baek Min-ah soon unlatched the door and slowly opened the front entrance.
“You came again….”
Baek Min-ah smiled faintly upon seeing my face.
She glanced around outside the door, confirmed I was alone, and asked with an anxious expression.
“My husband… he’s still…?”
She seemed to hope I hadn’t come to report confirmation of her husband Yoon Kang-hyun’s death, her eyes tense.
I shook my head with a smile.
“Don’t worry. We haven’t found him yet. Today, I just swung by with some supplies.”
Only then did Baek Min-ah relax and smile.
‘She must firmly believe her husband’s still alive somewhere.’
Baek Min-ah thought her firefighter husband was holed up somewhere, waiting for rescue.
Forcibly pushing aside the worst-case scenario that he might be dead.
‘Personally, I’m pretty sure he’s gone.’
But that was actually a good thing.
The more steadfastly she believed in Yoon Kang-hyun’s survival, the more it would help my plan to bed her.
“Thank you so much. In this situation, you shouldn’t have any spare food to share with us.”
“What are you talking about? I have to prioritize helping a woman and a child like you two.”
“…Still.”
“Besides, your husband’s not here.”
I spoke to Baek Min-ah, who looked at me apologetically, with a playful smile.
“Until Yoon Kang-hyun returns, I’ll take responsibility and help out, so don’t feel bad.”
Words about her husband coming back and me stepping in to fill that role.
Baek Min-ah nodded with a touched smile at my reassuring statement.
“Thank you so much…. It’s such a relief to have someone like you, Seo-ho….”
Her eyes grew moist, as if relieved.
‘She must’ve been exhausted handling everything alone.’
Women were creatures accustomed to relying on someone.
In tough times, they sought out someone to lean on and slipped into that person’s protection.
That’s how human females had survived pregnancies when they couldn’t fend for themselves in the past.
And Baek Min-ah, one such woman, was now in a situation where her husband was missing, leaving her without anyone to rely on.
On top of that, she had a daughter to care for, and hordes of threatening zombies roamed outside.
She must’ve been under tremendous stress and heavy responsibility every single day.
“If you need anything, don’t hesitate to lean on me.”
That’s why I gently placed a hand on Baek Min-ah’s shoulder as she wiped tears from her eyes and spoke softly.
“…Yes, I will.”
Baek Min-ah smiled, covering my hand with hers.
Ding.
[ ‘Baek Min-ah’s’ intimacy has increased. ]
The system chime rang, and a side quest progress message appeared before my eyes.
‘Smooth sailing.’
I walked into Baek Min-ah’s home, checked the message, and smiled leisurely.
Messages like this popped up whenever I did something to shake her heart.
‘Gonna max it out today.’
The goal of this side quest.
Raise Baek Min-ah’s intimacy to 100%.
I’d come prepared in various ways to boost it as much as possible today.
“Hi, Hyun-seo. Remember me, kiddo?”
“…….”
As I entered Baek Min-ah’s home, a little girl peeked out from the master bedroom door, secretly watching me.
I crouched down to Yoon Hyun-seo’s eye level and greeted her.
But like girls her age, Yoon Hyun-seo didn’t respond and instead hid further inside the room.
“Hey, Hyun-seo! Uncle brought snacks for you—say hi!”
Baek Min-ah, whom she followed like a mother, scolded her upon seeing this.
But Yoon Hyun-seo darted fully into the bedroom instead.
“Sorry…. She’s really shy. I’ll apologize on her behalf.”
“No! Don’t do that. It’s actually cute—I like it. And don’t worry.”
I set down the grocery bag for Baek Min-ah on the floor and rummaged in the backpack on my back for something.
“I brought a present for Hyun-seo today, too.”
“…A present?”
Baek Min-ah asked curiously, watching me dig through the bag.
The kid in the bedroom must’ve overheard, because Yoon Hyun-seo peeked her head out again.
Her small face poked out from inside the door, eyes sparkling as she stared this way.
I met Yoon Hyun-seo’s gaze, grinned, and pulled out what I’d prepared from the bag.
“Hyun-seo, stuck inside all the time must be boring, right? Uncle brought something fun.”
“…Something fun?”
At my words, Yoon Hyun-seo finally stepped halfway out of the bedroom.
I confidently raised my hand from the bag, drawing her interested gaze.
Something small revealed itself.
“Oh my, where did you find this?”
“One of my friends is into this stuff.”
“…A friend?”
Baek Min-ah tilted her head at my words, as if I’d borrowed it from a buddy amid the zombie apocalypse.
‘I did borrow it.’
The gaming device I’d brought.
A legendary masterpiece from Japan’s famous Nintendo.
Game Boy Advance.
GBA for short.
Its original owner? None other than Lee Ah-rin.
‘Ah, no! Savior…!! That’s my precious collectible…!!’
When I said I’d take it from her house full of electronics to lend to Yoon Hyun-seo, Lee Ah-rin freaked out and tried to snatch it back.
Like a kid hearing their mom tell them to hand over the console to their cousin during Lunar New Year.
Tears welled in her eyes as she clung to me.
‘…Hmm, you don’t wanna give it up?’
‘……Huh?’
Stab, stab, stab—!!
‘Haah! Hnng! I-I submit—! F-for rebelling, sob! I submit for rebelling…!!♥’
Thankfully, her kind heart won out, and Lee Ah-rin reluctantly allowed the loan.
‘I wanted to bring a Switch, but alas.’
Unfortunately, South Korea was in a blackout.
Unless you had a generator like Lee Ah-rin’s place, you couldn’t charge battery-powered consoles.
So I’d brought an older portable one that ran on batteries.
“Wooow…!”
Beep, boop.
The old handheld console was new to Yoon Hyun-seo, who couldn’t be more than ten.
When I turned on the Game Boy Advance, loaded Rhythm Heaven, and showed her some gameplay, her eyes lit up, and she stuck right by my side.
Toys have always been the best way to bond with kids.
And among toys, gaming consoles reign supreme.
Plus, the GBA—Nintendo’s legendary system—had tons of fun games even for girls, and Lee Ah-rin’s place was stocked with game packs since she was a gaming otaku.
“Uncle, how do you do this one?”
“That one goes like this….”
I handed the game to Yoon Hyun-seo, and she sat beside me, completely absorbed.
“Hehe, already getting along. Impressive.”
Baek Min-ah watched us from the side, chuckling quietly as if she found the sight amusing.
“So Hyun-seo wouldn’t get bored.”
I grinned happily too, watching Hyun-seo play as I replied.
“In this mess, kids have to stay cooped up inside. They’re still kids—they deserve some fun.”
“…Seo-ho.”
At my words, Baek Min-ah looked at me with teary eyes again.
Ding.
[ ‘Baek Min-ah’s’ intimacy has increased. ]
As expected, the system message appeared.
‘Kids whine without thinking about crises.’
She’d probably complained a lot to Baek Min-ah while stuck here.
I’d targeted that, bringing a game to ease Yoon Hyun-seo’s boredom.
“You like kids?”
“Yeah, back in middle school, I dreamed of being a kindergarten teacher.”
“Oh, hehe. It suits you—I can picture it.”
My affinity must’ve shot up, because Baek Min-ah sat beside me with a relaxed expression I hadn’t seen before, chatting lightly.
We watched Yoon Hyun-seo’s engrossed gameplay and laughed together.
For the record, the kindergarten teacher bit was total BS.
Ding.
[ ‘Baek Min-ah’s’ intimacy has increased. ]
But the BS worked wonders.
“You’ll stay for dinner today, right?”
“Huh? But this food’s for you two….”
“No declining—this much is the least I can do, or I’ll feel bad.”
Like last time, Baek Min-ah invited me to eat together.
But the vibe was subtly different this time.
Previously, her face had been weary with worry for her husband, and the meal was just grateful hospitality.
“So, you handle emergencies with a gun?”
“Yeah, there was a rifle left behind by some soldiers. Of course, I conserve ammo, so I avoid fights as much as possible.”
“…You’re amazing. I’d be too scared to even move.”
“Nah, I’m a guy—this much is nothing.”
“Hehe, you’re more manly than you look.”
This meal carried not just gratitude, but clear fondness.
Her face, once heavy with fatigue and worry, now wore only a serene smile.
‘Yep, the kid-loving guy concept is a winner.’
It’s well-known women like men who adore babies and puppies.
So, bringing a game for the bored, cooped-up Yoon Hyun-seo made Baek Min-ah see me as a good guy.
Plus, with her husband missing and instability everywhere.
In such chaos, a capable man who breezed through zombie hordes naturally became someone to unconsciously rely on.
‘That leaves one last prep for today….’
I ate the food Baek Min-ah had prepared so carefully, awaiting the next event.
Baek Min-ah’s current intimacy: [52%]
After the final event, I figured I could push past 70% today.
“Hyun-seo, no console during meals.”
“J-just this one…!”
“It’s her first time, so let her play a bit longer.”
“Hmm…. Okay, just for today, like Seo-ho says…?”
A warm atmosphere filled Baek Min-ah’s home with laughter.
Her face looked truly happy—probably the first time in ages.
And then.
Bang! Bang!
‘…It’s here.’
As dinner wrapped up, loud pounding echoed from the front door.