An Awkward Bed
An Awkward Bed
Shock and horror.
No, it was more like a horror you could vividly imagine.
Everyone knew what happened if a zombie bit you, so they fled desperately.
It seemed to be a biological instinct—the refusal to become a mindless monster, even in death.
Then it happened.
While I was staring blankly outside, my eyes suddenly met someone else's.
The fleeing man changed direction and ran straight toward us.
Bang!
"Aaaagh...! Please save me! I'm begging you! Open the door...! Please...!!"
Bang bang bang bang bang!!
"Open up! Don't just stand there watching, open the goddamn door, you fucks! Are you even human?! Aaack...! AAAAARGH!!!"
He pounded on the convenience store door like a madman, but when there was no response, his tone shifted from desperate cries to pure rage.
But it was only for a moment. The pack of corpses that swarmed him tore into him mercilessly like beasts.
Crunch, crack, squelch.
We kept completely silent.
No, it's more accurate to say we were frozen stiff.
Perhaps because it was our first time witnessing someone die so up close, we stood rooted like statues, utterly helpless.
— Grrrrr...
I looked over at Ha Hui-ryeong with trembling eyes.
Her state was no different from mine.
Even a girl with her strong nerve was reduced to a mere rabbit in the face of such vivid death.
"...L-let's hide."
Ha Hui-ryeong said that, her face drained of color.
I nodded without a word.
There was no other option anyway, so I didn't hesitate.
We quickly moved to the inner storage room where we'd gathered the supplies.
In the rapidly unfolding chaos, Ha Hui-ryeong and I held our breath.
Until the screams died down, until the streets grew quiet, we didn't exchange a single word.
We just huddled there helplessly, our backs pressed together, trembling uncontrollably.
The fragile fact that I wasn't alone was at least some small comfort.
She was like a mortal enemy, but simply sharing this warmth gradually calmed my pounding heart, which had felt ready to burst.
"...."
After some time passed, I cautiously lifted my head, which had been fixed on the floor.
I wiped my blurry eyes on my sleeve and shifted my stiff body slightly.
"Uh, uhh...?"
Maybe she sensed the change in me then, because the girl pressed against my back flinched as if flustered.
"H-hey... are you alive?"
She asked while trying hard to act casual, but there was a hint of tears in her faint voice that she couldn't quite hide.
Seems she'd cried a little too, just like me.
I wet my dry lips.
"Well... I'm alive. Yeah, I'm alive. What about you?"
"I-I'm perfectly fine, jackass."
And then silence again.
The settling silence was unbearably awkward.
How should I put it... I couldn't get a handle on what to say.
Even though we were clinging together and relying on each other like this now, the accumulated resentment between us hadn't simply vanished.
I loathed her for the past bullying, and she'd always found me, a remnant of her past, deeply unpleasant.
We didn't converse unless necessary, so facing this situation didn't suddenly loosen our tongues.
"Hey. Do you have your phone on you?"
A phone, huh.
The words Ha Hui-ryeong spoke, breaking the silence that had seemed like it would drag on forever, were somewhat out of the blue.
"I have it, yeah."
"Really? Then... can I borrow it...? I was so out of it earlier I left mine on the counter."
That was plausible.
Grabbing your phone in the middle of that chaos would've been impossible.
"What for?"
"I've gotta at least try to contact someone, right? My mom, or a friend. Aren't you... worried at all?"
"Ah."
I let out a small gasp at that.
It's not like I'd forgotten.
It just never occurred to me because I don't have anyone like that anymore.
"Uh... well, it's yours, so go ahead, I don't mind. I'll do it later."
It was a rather unfamiliar feeling.
I'd never seen her look so crestfallen before, and it just made me feel awkward for no reason.
"No. You go first. I'm fine."
"F-for real? You won't take it back?"
Our pressed-together backs separated.
Maybe because we'd been stuck together for quite a while, I could feel how damp with sweat my back had become.
We both turned to face each other at the same time.
Under the dim light, her face was reflected in my eyes.
"Here."
"Uh, yeah...."
As I handed her the phone, a bit of color returned to Ha Hui-ryeong's face, but the redness around her eyes and the tear tracks still lingering on her cheeks remained.
She's still pretty, even like this.
I shoved the pointless sentiment aside and subtly averted my gaze.
I didn't want to get caught staring blankly and hear some nonsense from her.
"Ah, please pick up... please answer..."
Ha Hui-ryeong muttered unconsciously, biting her nails.
So she still has that habit when she's anxious.
Brrrrr─, click.
— 'H-hello...?'
"Ah! Mom! It's me, me! Hui-ryeong!"
After the long ringing tone, the moment the call connected, her expression visibly brightened.
But her voice was way too loud.
I get that she's happy, but I'd appreciate some moderation.
Shh.
I silently furrowed my brow and put a finger to my lips as a warning.
Luckily, she didn't ignore my gesture.
"Ah..."
Perhaps realizing her mistake, she bowed her head slightly toward me with an apologetic look.
Then she continued the call in a voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah? Me? I'm okay. More importantly, how about you, Mom? Is it dangerous there? Ah... it's the same there too. Yeah, okay."
Ha Hui-ryeong, who had been blurting out her words frantically, now seemed much calmer, greatly comforted by the news that her mother was alive.
I was a little jealous that she had someone to check up on, but it was far better than watching her in a panic.
I'd already been fretting over what to do if she kept bawling her eyes out, so this was perfect timing.
"Uh, yeah. I love you too. And... be careful. I'll try to get over there somehow."
Eventually, about ten minutes passed.
Finishing the call, she let out a long sigh of relief.
"Phew... thank god. Seriously, wow...."
"Yeah. That's a relief. That she's safe."
I offered the platitude in a soulless tone.
Ha Hui-ryeong glanced at me, then approached with a meaningful expression and held out the phone.
So she still has a bare minimum of conscience left. She didn't just toss it back like she used to.
"...?"
But when I moved to take it, she didn't let go right away for some reason.
The way she was hesitating even though her call was done made it seem like she had something to say to me.
I tilted my head, wondering what the deal was, and she spoke with her eyes downcast.
"Hey, uh... thanks."
Thanks, she said.
Never in my life did I ever imagine I'd hear those words from her.
Feeling a bit sheepish, I idly scratched my cheek.
"Don't mention it. More importantly, you said you're going over there—you're planning to leave this place?"
"I have to leave. She's the only family I have, so I'm going to save her, no matter what."
A strange light now glimmered in the eyes that had been filled with fear just moments ago.
She bit her lip as if steeling her resolve and clenched her fists tightly.
She's got some strong mental fortitude.
"What about you? Are you planning to just hole up here forever?"
"Hm, I don't know. I think it depends on the situation. Honestly, it's anyone's guess if rescue is even coming."
It wasn't something I held any hope for, but I said the words anyway.
Unsurprisingly, Ha Hui-ryeong shook her head at my statement.
"No. They probably won't come. This whole disaster happened in just a few hours. This isn't ending anytime soon."
She was characteristically pessimistic.
But I secretly agreed with her too.
Because among the zombies I'd seen earlier, some unusual ones had been scattered here and there.
There were some with unnaturally quick feet like track athletes, and some grotesque aberrant-types with hideously swollen bodies.
My guess was they were influenced by their condition in life... but if that's really the case, even worse things could show up.
The probability of rescue would only drop further.
"Could be. But staying put here is the right call for today. Rationally speaking, in our current state, even the possible becomes impossible. Both you and I are way too drained mentally."
"That... is true."
"Let's cool our heads a little. And get some food in us."
I opened a bag sitting nearby and pulled out about four triangle kimbap.
They were practically trash, but right now I was grateful for even this much.
I didn't currently have the courage to step out of this storage room and grab some with a proper expiration date.
"...."
She must have felt the same way, because she didn't voice any complaints.
She meekly took what I gave her, sat down beside me, and began nibbling at it bit by bit.
Truthfully, since we'd both witnessed that grotesque execution firsthand just a few hours ago, neither of us had much of an appetite.
But we had to eat to have any chance of planning for the future.
Yeah, I should force it down, even against my will.
I turned on my phone while peeling the kimbap.
'So the signal's still fine, after all.'
Though that probably wouldn't last much longer either.
Thinking I should look up anything I could, I opened the news feed on the site's main page.
—Currently, victims are surging simultaneously nationwide, and there are views that the damage in Seoul City alone has already exceeded ten thousand people. The government has declared a national emergency—.
The scene was Hongdae Street.
On a street lined with police and ambulances, a reporter recited the situation in a clear and steady voice.
The incident occurred while the reporter was continuing her explanation.
—AAAARGH!!!!
—Open fire! Shoot! I said shoot!
—S-sir! M-my gun suddenly won't fire...! Something's strange abou... AAAAHH!!
A sudden scream.
With the death of the nearby officer, the entire area was thrown into chaos in an instant.
—I-it came back to life!? Th-the deceased is getting up and starting to attack the police! What on earth... uh, uhhh.... KYAAAHHH!!!
The broadcast ended with a chaotic mix of screams, rising corpses, a fleeing reporter, and finally, the camera falling to the ground.
"...."
I pressed firmly on my throbbing temples.
The current time was 13:00.
My shift change had been at nine, so it'd been about four hours since everything started.
And yet the whole world was already a crucible of chaos.
"Huh... we're all truly, royally fucked."
Ha Hui-ryeong, who had been watching the news beside me, muttered that with a grave look.
I agreed.
Wasn't this exactly what they called a zombie apocalypse, in the vulgar sense?
The situation was an absolute shitshow.
'Food isn't an immediate problem, though.'
If we set up house in this convenience store, we could easily hold out for a month or two.
But variables always follow.
Other survivors would also scour the surrounding shops for food, and if we had to share with them, it'd all run out quickly anyway.
In the first place, they didn't seem like the type to share peacefully.
A particularly aggressive group might just kill me and snatch this bitch too.
That's not something I want.
Someday, I'll have to head out.
If so, the question is where to go...
'First, a vehicle. My house happens to be nearby, so let's stop by and get the car.'
I couldn't decide on a destination right this moment.
But if we're moving elsewhere, having a vehicle is essential.
Alright, I've decided what to do tomorrow.
First, let's head home.
Then quickly pack only the bare necessities, get in the car, and go anywhere else.
'The problem is this bitch.'
What to do with her is the biggest challenge.
If I take Ha Hui-ryeong with me, she'll absolutely insist I help her save her mother.
And that's a problem.
'Hmm, but even back in school, her athletic ability stood out. That'll be helpful for getting home.'
Get a car and then ditch her?
Or actually rescue her mother too?
Tch, I don't know.
In the first place, it doesn't seem like she'd just obediently follow me anyway.
"Wh-what. Why are you looking at me like that?"
Maybe not?
Seeing how she'd been subtly watching my mood since earlier, she clearly wasn't in a normal state either.
Proof of that was how she never tried to leave my side.
She stuck close to me as if we were best friends, the scent of her skin wafting over.
Probably an unintentional display of her deep-seated anxiety.
If she were doing it intentionally, she'd really be a complete, shameless whore.
"Nothing. It's nothing."
"What's that supposed to mean."
At my answer, she glared at me with sulky eyes.
Seems the call with her mom had an effect; she'd regained quite a bit of her energy.
Consequently, my lower half also regained its energy.
Each soft and ample sensation transmitted from my side made it grow little by little.
...Damn, at this rate I'm going to cause an accident.
I let out a short sigh and made a suggestion to her.
"First... shall we sleep?"
"...Uh, uhh... yeah."
Though it was early, perhaps unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, Ha Hui-ryeong gave a dazed look of agreement.
So we put some distance between us and each settled into a position to sleep.
Even then, she kept glancing at me at every opportunity, but I did my best to ignore her gaze.
....
The affairs of the world, you just never know.
To think I'd be sleeping under the same roof as Ha Hui-ryeong.
My idle musings were soon dragged deep beneath the waves of oncoming drowsiness.