Even in the New Year, Always Busy
Click.
Whoosh—
Pressing the RV shower nozzle unleashed a stream of cool water.
"Ack, it's cold!"
Mari, who had joined him, yelped at the unexpectedly chilly temperature and clung to Kim Jun.
With the naked actress pressing her wet body against him, Kim Jun tore open a travel shampoo packet he'd looted from the convenience store last time and poured it over her hair.
No matter how cold the water was, they had to get clean. In the cramped RV shower, suds bubbled up everywhere as the two washed each other.
"Whew—"
Kim Jun dried off with a towel the moment he stepped out and got dressed.
Mari, still reeling from last night's intense sex, picked up her underwear and slipped on her panties first.
"Ugh… I need to change when I get back to the room."
"Gonna have to wash those separately."
"It's fine. I'm on laundry duty this week, so I can just toss them in."
Kim Jun chuckled at the sight of her fastening her bra hooks.
"Anyway, condoms from now on. No exceptions."
"Hmm, from now on?"
Mari giggled, echoing his words. What they'd done last night had gone way beyond playful teasing.
He'd thought they'd end the first day of the new year on a romantic note, but then she pulled that pregnancy scare gesture… Whether it was a safe day or she was on birth control, they'd agreed to use condoms religiously for the time being.
As Kim Jun finished dressing and headed for the door, Mari—in her underwear—hugged him gently from behind.
"Mmm~"
Kim Jun softly took hold of Mari's hands rubbing against his back.
"Anyway, happy New Year. Lots of luck."
Kim Jun nodded at her words and stepped out of the RV.
Heading up to the house like nothing had happened, he locked eyes with someone coming down at the worst possible timing.
"Ah!"
"Oh, you're up early?"
It was Eun Ji.
The basket in her hand held a personal toothbrush, soap, shampoo, conditioner, towel, and such—she was clearly heading to use the RV shower.
"Good morning."
"Someone in the RV?"
"Uh… yeah, Mari's in there. She'll be out soon."
"Hmm~ I see."
The situation felt awkward, but Eun Ji passed by Kim Jun calmly, as if it was nothing new anymore.
Then, as Mari emerged from the RV—wearing torn stockings, a wrinkled dress shirt, and a skirt reeking of stale odors—she locked eyes with Eun Ji.
"Ah…."
In a moment that screamed suspicion to anyone watching, Mari hesitated, but Eun Ji coolly stepped inside.
"I'm gonna shower."
"Y-yeah. Sis! I'll head up first!"
The moment Kim Jun entered the house, a delicious aroma hit him.
For New Year's breakfast, In Ah and Eun Ji had prepared tteokguk.
They'd ground rice flour in the blender, steamed it themselves, sliced green onions, and added seasonings. Even in these dire times, food was no issue for them.
Slurp— "Ooooh~ That hits the spot."
Emily soothed her hangover with the steaming tteokguk, only for Gaya beside her to shoot her a glare.
"Hey, how much did you drink last night to pass out in our room?"
"Ah~ sorry, I came for water and just conked out."
"You crazy bitch, you know how many times you kicked me last night?"
"Sorry~ Won't go in there next time."
Kim Jun smirked into his tteokguk as he overheard.
Nothing changed just because it was a new year.
The feast last night had ushered in the new year, but things stayed the same.
The eight top stars were ready to move based on whatever Kim Jun assigned.
And so he laid out the day's tasks.
"We cleared the rats from the warehouse last time, right? Let's clean it today."
"Ugh~ No more rats, right?"
"That's why we gotta maintain it."
Do Kyung and Rana recoiled at the mention of rats, while Eun Ji and Emily volunteered to step up instead.
He decided to take those four along.
"And for upcoming raids, we need crossbow bolts. In Ah, you up for it?"
"Yes. Just need a sickle to whittle them."
"Yeah, good. Then Nanika and Gaya, make arrows with her. Mari…."
"Oppa, I'm on housework today."
As they'd discussed in the RV, chores like laundry and cleaning rotated. Today was her turn.
"Alright, then. Let's have another safe day at work."
A satisfying meal.
Followed by a smoke break to kick off the day's routine.
"Ughhh~"
"It's fine~ Nothing inside."
Seeing Rana and Do Kyung hesitate to enter the warehouse, Kim Jun strode in confidently.
After emptying it last time, the bare space awaited. He had the girls mask up and fetch the bleach drum.
"Alright, spray it everywhere and scrub the floor."
With windows open, Kim Jun doused the entire floor with bleach, followed by Emily and Eun Ji starting the scrub-down.
Rana and Do Kyung reluctantly gloved up and wiped every corner.
While the stage idols turned to grueling labor, Kim Jun slipped out, gathering prepared tools one by one.
He checked the area near the warehouse—cleaned last time by the girls, with gaps in rocks and such sealed—planning the same inside.
"Everyone out till the bleach smell fades."
After a thorough clean, they gathered outside.
Kim Jun lit a cigarette and smirked watching the idols whittling wood by the car.
"Looking good?"
"I saw In Ah unnie with the sickle last time—damn, thought she was some survivalist."
As Rana said, the idols wielded the sickle like pros, rivaling any backwoods expert.
Beside them, Gaya sanded the rough arrow shafts smooth, while masked Nanika applied varnish.
Seeing them perfectly synced, Kim Jun nodded approvingly. Break over, he got to work.
"Silicone sealant here like this."
"I'll try."
Eun Ji applied it to the window ledge as shown, letting it harden.
They left a gap just wide enough for a finger, drilled in screws for minimal airflow—tight enough to bar rats or even cockroaches.
"Just needs a screen mesh."
If he could scrounge some from a junkyard, perfect—but for now, this would do.
With the bleach smell gone and the warehouse spotless, they moved to the rainwater tanks.
Emily and Do Kyung easily unscrewed the valve with a wrench, Eun Ji scooped water, and Rana added toothpaste.
"But toothpaste water? That's not disinfectant—how's it pest-proof?"
"Works great."
"Hmm~"
Rana shrugged off the hows, trusting Kim Jun's tip: Spray diluted toothpaste water around, keeps bugs away. She filled the sprayer.
"Done."
"Spray the baseboards, and drizzle some on the glass-shard topped walls and ceiling."
Rana obliged, scattering the mix.
As weapon-making wrapped on one side and warehouse prep on the other, evening approached.
Before dinner, Kim Jun climbed to the rooftop, eyeing the stacked rice sacks, and lit a smoke.
"Gotta restock it, but…."
Rat and bug prevention was sorted this way going forward, but refilling was the issue.
His mind wandered to other tools cluttering outside due to space.
"No, actually, that could…."
Muttering around his cigarette, he realized it wasn't a solo decision and headed inside.
"Thinking of making another warehouse?"
"Huh? Warehouse?"
"Makes sense. With all the stuff piling up from runs."
Eun Ji nodded, while the others tilted their heads, unsure.
"Saw today—In Ah's ace with the sickle, Eun Ji and Rana handle tools decently…."
"I'll saw!"
"Yeah. Emily, you're good with the grinder now too?"
Half a year ago, unimaginable skills, but now they could handle any support role.
"So, next run: need wire mesh and lumber. Build one by the rooftop."
"Rice is stacked there?"
"Yeah."
"Store rice there from now on?"
"That's the plan, but…."
As Kim Jun trailed off, In Ah quietly raised her hand.
"Yeah?"
"That'd be a disaster."
"Knew it."
The others blinked, confused, but In Ah laid it out with her rural know-how.
"Wood frame with mesh? Rats'll love it."
"Nah~ unnie, c'mon~ Rats climbing to the third floor?"
"Yeah, stairs maybe?"
Emily and Rana giggled, but In Ah wasn't having it.
"You don't know how scary one rat is. Stairs? Water pipes, thin wires—they climb anything."
"…For real?"
Even Gaya and Mari's eyes widened at the news, as In Ah continued.
"Mesh warehouse? Probably diamond-pattern fence—perfect for rats slipping in and out."
"Diamond-pattern?"
"Y'know~ that rhombus-shaped wire mesh."
Kim Jun nodded at the pro term.
"Right, so rice goes back to the cleaned original warehouse."
"Then the rooftop one?"
"Oil."
"…Ah!"
The outdoor oil drums were a headache—perfect for a dedicated storage shed.
"So, need lumber and mesh. Got a spot lined up."
"Oh~ that archer couple?"
The rural pair sniping zombies with bows.
Husband Myeong Guk had told Kim Jun:
Nearby carpentry shop. Can't go alone, but if you need, we can fetch materials together.
"Yeah, time to head there…."
Perfect timing, with trade goods ready.