Accidental Live Stream and Zombie Survival Sketch
I'd thought she was just drawing pictures and filming a video, but she'd actually gone live. Blinking in surprise, I replayed what I'd been doing. 'Definitely...' I'd gone outside, counted the fish in the pond, picked up trash and empty bottles. I'd even run around the grass chasing grubs. Nothing worth getting scolded for, but a wave of inexplicable fear started to rise anyway.
"D-did I do something weird...?"
"Nah? You were just cute."
"C-cute...?"
Me, who was as far from cute as it gets, being called cute? That had to mean I'd looked one hundred percent weird. Despair washing over me, I reached up and felt my ears drooping limply over my head.
"Should I turn off the stream first?"
"Y-yeah..."
I carefully lowered my hand and picked up the smartphone. The screen was flooded with unfamiliar chats scrolling by rapidly.
Was eating bugs really that weird? I let out a deep sigh and hit the button to end the stream.
Click. The screen went dark, but the lingering chats kept trickling in.
Someone's farewell chat was the last one as I set the smartphone down. Then I sighed deeply again.
"Why's Winter sighing so much?"
"I-I'm scared people saw me as weird."
"Huh? Unnie thought you were just cute. That grub-chasing scene was super exciting."
"No way..."
Me, cute? Horrifying. I shuddered and denied Han Yeoreum's words.
"Why? What was weird about it?"
"W-well... I've never in my life heard anyone call me cute..."
I was someone far removed from cuteness. How ridiculous must I have looked for them to say that? Drained of all energy, I trudged toward the guild building.
'Yeah, whatever...'
Getting mocked was my everyday life anyway. I forced my back straight and walked with feigned confidence. My ears and tail were still drooping, but I ignored them.
"Th-that... photo thing was fun?"
"Eh, it was okay."
"Oh, yeah."
I felt Han Yeoreum's gaze on my back. She seemed to stand there for a while before hurrying to catch up.
"Winter, how about trying a hobby next time?"
"A hobby?"
"Yeah. Drawing?"
Drawing. A normal hobby for people at home. I nodded at Han Yeoreum.
"Sounds good."
"Okay. Unnie's got something to handle for ten minutes, then I'll head up. Go on ahead?"
"Y-yeah..."
***
"Phew."
Han Yeoreum sat on the bench and wiped her face. Even though she'd thought she'd gotten used to it, the pity was unavoidable.
"Ugh..."
An eight-year-old who should have grown up showered in love had never once been called cute in her life. Even when tons of people said she was, she denied it flat-out, insisting there was no way. Knowing what kind of life Winter had lived, all Yeoreum could feel was despair.
'It's all my fault.'
Slap— Han Yeoreum smacked her own cheeks as if to console herself. The sound was loud enough that nearby people turned to look—including Jeong Yu-na and Choi Jin-hyeok.
"Yeoreum, what're you doing here."
"Oh, Jin-hyeok. Yu-na's here too."
Yeoreum considered burying her guilt but decided to spill everything. She knew helping Winter would take everyone's support.
"Well, see..."
Yeoreum recounted everything that had just happened with Winter, even her recoil at being called cute.
"First time hearing that?"
"Yeah."
"...Well, given her situation, she might take it weird."
Jeong Yu-na nodded understandingly. That's when the silently listening Choi Jin-hyeok spoke up.
"So, what's the plan now?"
"Gonna find stuff she likes first. We're drawing at home later."
"Drawing?"
Jeong Yu-na and Choi Jin-hyeok exchanged glances. After staring for a bit, Yu-na cautiously spoke.
"Mind if we join?"
"Join?"
"Yeah. The more people praising her drawings, the more confident she'll get."
"True."
Praising Winter together. It was blatant, but basic too. Han Yeoreum decided to go along with it.
***
Han Yeoreum was filthy rich. Drawing with her? My body was already shivering in anticipation.
'...If it's too much, I'll say no.'
I'd heard once: fancy paints could cost over ten million won. With her wealth, she might buy them casually. If it felt off, I'd stick to paper and pencils. That's what I resolved—just as footsteps approached from outside. Not one, but three sets.
'Who's that?'
Tensing, I perked my ears. The door opened, and a face peeked around the L-shaped hallway.
"Winter."
"Ah."
Jeong Yu-na and Choi Jin-hyeok. My tension slowly ebbed. They were like comrades who'd shared life and death with me. Joyfully, I ran to them. Something about it must've been funny—Han Yeoreum and Jeong Yu-na smiled silently.
"Why're you laughing?"
"Just happy to see friends, duh."
"F-friends?"
Han Yeoreum made sense, but Jeong Yu-na too? Ecstatic, I clasped my hands prayerfully.
"You'll be my friend, right?"
"Yes, yes! We're friends."
Han Yeoreum and Jeong Yu-na. Two friends for me now. Stunned with emotion, I stood dazed until shoeless Han Yeoreum led me inside.
Sophia and Levi Nas. Jeong Yu-na and Choi Jin-hyeok. Han Yeoreum and me. The house was spacious, but it felt cramped with everyone.
"So many..."
All these people connected to me. A year ago, unimaginable. Eyes sparkling, I looked around until Han Yeoreum poked my shoulder.
"Here, art supplies."
"Ah, yes."
I took what she handed over. Expecting fancy paints, it was kids' crayons, colored pencils, and a sketchbook. Wasn't this too childish? Clutching them, I looked up at her, but she just grinned obliviously.
"What're you gonna draw, Winter?"
"Uh, not sure?"
I wasn't good at drawing. Maybe scribble something quick. I sat at the table and opened the sketchbook.
"Levi Nas wants to draw too..."
"Yeah? Levi Nas join?"
"Yeah!"
"Everyone's doing it, right?"
Riiip— Han Yeoreum tore pages from the sketchbook and passed them out. The sudden art club was random, but not bad. I didn't love drawing, but sharing a hobby with everyone? A first in this life.
'Draw what I like.'
What I liked: survival stories. Zombie apocalypses especially. Using survival skills day by day, never knowing when death comes. That's what let me survive this world, harsh as it was. Pitching tents deep in mountains sounded romantic.
'Zombie apocalypse it is.'
To depict a ruined city, I drew crumbling, burning buildings. Twisted zombies around them. My skills sucked, so it looked like a kid's crayon scribble.
"Hm..."
Finally, me—the sole survivor. I put myself in the center, with white ears and tail for recognition.
'...Meh.'
Did turning young ruin my skills? Or too rushed? Worse than before. I'd redo it carefully. As I crumpled the embarrassing sketch—
Han Yeoreum's eyes went wide.
"Why crumple it?"
"Too bad."
"Aw, show unnie. Might be good."
"...It's really bad."
Gauging her reaction, I slowly uncrumpled it. Embarrassed by all the stares, I went extra slow. The wrinkles made the wasteland even more chaotic—like a kid from a zombie world had drawn it. Kinda perfect staging. Crumple more?
Lost in thought, Han Yeoreum dropped her colored pencil. She looked shocked.
"People bleeding...? That's Winter in the middle...?"
"Yeah. Me."
"Buildings all collapsed...?"
"Yeah. The world's ended."
Everyone gaped—even ever-serious Choi Jin-hyeok and Sophia. Maybe I was better than I thought.