The Collapsed Home
Stepping out of the bunker, I asked again, wondering if I'd misheard. "...So, you're going outside?"
Yoon Yerin nodded at my question.
"No, why? The outside is crawling with zombies right now."
"...Probably."
"Then why are you going out?"
"My leg's fully healed."
Still an incomprehensible answer. Finally, the real reason followed.
"Since the injury I got before Lee So-yul arrived has healed, I plan to go look for that person I mentioned."
"That person...?"
Could she mean me?
"...They might still be alive."
Sure enough, that was the response.
"W-wait a second. How do you even know where they are?"
"...I already knew their home address. I was just waiting to execute it as safely as possible."
Yoon Yerin continued with a deadly serious expression. Maybe that's why a slightly different question came to mind.
"...Then what happens if you find them?"
Yoon Yerin didn't answer right away.
"...I have no intention of kicking them out. They've helped me a lot, after all. However."
"However...?"
"Even if we don't share the exact same space, they'll be living in this bunker, so I hope you can understand that."
...A pretty realistic answer. Just like Yoon Yerin.
But that wasn't the important part right now. What mattered was that the place was empty. In other words, I had to stop her from going.
"Um...!"
Just as I was about to resolve myself, Yoon Yerin's expression made me flinch.
"...Honestly, I don't think they're alive."
"...Pardon?"
"I've left so many boxes around there, but I've never seen them take one."
"That's... "
Her eyes burned with determination to confirm it no matter what. At the same time, I understood why she'd been active as the 'Angel'.
"...And I know it's dangerous. But I want to check for myself. I don't believe anything I haven't seen with my own eyes."
"......"
"So I'm sorry, Lee So-yul, but please stay in your room until I get back. I'll lock the door."
At that point, the words slipped out naturally.
"...Then, I'll go with you."
"...Pardon?"
Me, going out to look for myself? Even I thought it was weird.
But...
With someone speaking so earnestly, I wondered if revealing the truth now was unconditionally the right thing. Cowardly as it was, I wasn't sure.
And after everything that's happened...
So I chose the next best option.
"...Lee So-yul, you're coming?"
"Y-you said they're precious, right? I'll help look. Two is better than one in a situation like this, isn't it?"
"......"
Yoon Yerin seemed to agonize deeply over my offer. Finally, she made up her mind and opened her mouth.
"Alright. But if it gets dangerous, you run away on your own, even if it means leaving me."
"...More importantly, how are we moving?"
"We'll use the combat vehicle from the warehouse."
"Combat vehicle?"
She'd prepared a sturdy vehicle for times like this, she said.
"We'll drive it to the destination, check quickly, and come right back."
"...What should I do?"
"You'll probably need to guard the vehicle while I check."
Smoothly—
"But first, there's something we have to do."
What she mentioned as the top priority was 'scattering food boxes'—or rather, the prep work for it.
"Remember those posts from the gallery? Write the reservation post on my phone announcing the food box resupply."
With that, she handed me her phone, saying she'd prepare the boxes.
As the title says, we'll start resupplying boxes from today. I've prepared way more than before.
Please find and use them at the attached locations.
...This should do it.
I wrote the reservation post on the gallery just as Yoon Yerin instructed. Then I checked the attached locations.
They were spots ambiguously distant from my old apartment. Perfectly calculated points.
...On purpose, huh.
I wasn't sure, but it seemed designed to disperse crowds who might spot the vehicle.
"Posted it?"
"Yes, set it as a reservation."
"Then let's head out. There are thick clothes in the vehicle—change into those."
"Okay..."
With all preparations complete, we really stepped out of the bunker.
Rumble rumble rumble—
"...This is different from where I came in."
"Yes, the vehicle's in the back."
No more conversation until we boarded. Maybe it was the tension prickling my skin, but silence reigned until we reached the rear.
"Load the boxes in the trunk."
Once outside, the unfamiliar air hit me. The damp, musty mountain scent reminded me exactly where I'd been staying.
"...Hopefully we won't need the guns unless absolutely necessary. Noise will draw attention."
"Yes..."
Boarding the vehicle, my heart pounded at the reality of going there. Partly because I might have to kill zombies or people, but mostly the outside atmosphere after just a few days ramped up my tension even more.
"Last spot."
Dropping the boxes didn't take long—about an hour, as visible now. So only one task remained.
"...Let's go."
Yoon Yerin placed the final box and climbed in. Her face was incredibly complex—expectation, worry, anxiety, fear, all mixed.
Time passed in silence again. Soon, we arrived in my old neighborhood.
"Can't drive into that alley, so I'll get out here and check."
Yoon Yerin looked at me, unmoving.
"...Want to come?"
She'd wanted me to guard the car earlier, but her mind had changed.
"...Yes."
In the end, I went with Yoon Yerin to my old home.
...Step step.
The distance from the parking spot to the apartment was short. Yet my heart felt so tangled it made the path seem endless. I didn't know why, but something stung.
Then, entering that alley at last—
We couldn't believe our eyes.
"Se... "
The reason was simple.
"Sunbae!!!!"
My building had collapsed entirely.
"Sunbae, sunbae...!"
Yoon Yerin threw down her gun and ran. She started digging through the rubble.
"Y-Yoon Yerin...!"
I chased after her.
"H-how, what do we, s-sunbae..."
"Yoon Yerin, calm down for a second...!"
This was a first for her. Her face was deathly pale, hands bloodied, but she wouldn't stop excavating. Pure panic.
And seeing her like this, I finally realized.
...What have I done?
I knew better than anyone it was empty. I knew how she'd react upon seeing it.
Yet I'd let her come under the excuse she wanted to confirm herself.
"Ugh."
The result: not only her breaking down, but a splitting headache for me too.
This wasn't guilt. Worse—a cowardly rationalization masquerading as guilt.
Self-loathing.
"Grraaah—"
"Z-zombie!?"
Then, as if things couldn't get worse, a zombie appeared. Only one, thankfully, but it charged full speed upon hearing us.
"Yoon Yerin, we need to evade first! Zombie incoming!"
"......"
Yoon Yerin sat slumped, unable to move easily. She wasn't even hearing me.
"Yoon Yerin!!"
No response despite my calls. The zombie closed in.
'If it gets dangerous, run away on your own.'
Her earlier words flashed. I erased them from my mind.
Gripping the gun tightly, I charged the zombie.
"Snap out of it!!"
Thwack—!!
The zombie flew back from the rifle butt's force.
"I'm not leaving you anywhere, so get up!!"
"...Lee So-yul?"
Soon, Yoon Yerin's voice came from behind. Facing the zombie must've snapped her out of it.
In response, a sharp gunshot rang out behind me.
"Yoon Yerin...!!"
The bullet missed. The zombie started rising, seemingly recovered.
"Hurry!!"
Supporting her, I bolted to the vehicle. Her breakdown, my first zombie encounter—mixed, it left me breathless.
"I'll drive, just hold on."
Back at the vehicle somehow, my hands shook. Even inserting the key took time.
Vroom—!
Finally starting and escaping, no thoughts came. Only how to handle Yoon Yerin.
After what felt like an eternity, we returned to the bunker.
Two days passed since that incident.
'...Sorry. I want to be alone for a bit.'
Right after returning, she'd said that and hadn't left her room for two days. Naturally, because of me.
I'd caused this. Repeating it made my chest ache like I might die any second.
So I should confess now—but I couldn't.
She'd suffer more knowing the truth in her state.
"......"
I spent another cowardly day.
Day three.
Bang bang—!
"Y-Yoon Yerin...! You'll collapse if you keep this up...! Please open the door...! You have to eat something...!"
On the third day with no sign of her, a different thought hit. Truth be damned—I just wanted her safe.
Maybe that's why I thought if she could return to normal, I'd do anything.
"Please..., please come out.... I'll do anything, please...."
Still, the doorknob wouldn't budge. So I muttered my frustrations again today—but a miracle happened.
...Creak.
The door opened.
"Y-Yoon Yerin...!!"
Seeing her after three days, she looked utterly haggard. Parched lips from no food, lifeless eyes from no sleep.
"Th-thank you for coming out...! Food first...!"
So, rushing to check her condition—
Crash!
Something bizarre happened.
"Ugh, Yoon Yerin...?"
She'd grabbed me and pinned me to the floor.
"Anything..."
"Yes...?"
"You said you'd do anything...?"
"What do you... "
Then I recalled my words. So I answered.
"Of course..."
"Th-then Lee So-yul won't disappear, right? You won't vanish like sunbae, you'll stay by my side forever? Right? Answer me. Promise you won't go anywhere, that you'll stay with me forever."
A bit startled, I hesitated. Not because tears fell on my face.
Rather, her expression looked more precarious than I'd imagined.
"I-I only have you left now..."
Perhaps it was the start of a small twist.