Today Seems Like the Day
Kim Jun, now pushing through his aching body with sheer grit, dove back into work.
"Aigoo, still like this?"
"How long is this muddy water gonna keep coming out? We might end up showering with it at this rate."
"Just hang in there a bit longer. Once it spits out all the mud, clean water'll come."
He said that, but in reality, they had to pump out up to a ton—over a thousand liters—before fresh water started flowing from some spots, so patience was key.
With the pump issue more or less sorted, what remained was fortifying the shelter's defenses and rigging pipes to carry water up to the third floor.
So today, they split into two teams.
"Do good."
"Don't worry. I've always wanted to try this kinda stuff."
"If anything happens, I'll let you know."
After arriving at the commercial building where they'd stripped pipes last time—with the kids in tow—Kim Jun unpacked all the tools.
Last time, zombies had climbed the walls and pounded on the door, so he'd taken them out immediately and piled junk in front as a barricade. But it wasn't enough.
"Alright, it's dangerous today, so be extra careful."
"Got it, oppa."
"We'll keep an eye out too."
"Okay!"
Kim Jun had Do Kyung and Emily pull the junk back a bit from the door, then plate the aluminum frames on either side of the glass and drill them in with power drills.
Whirr— bzzzzz—
The decomposed plywood panels were being fixed one by one, piercing through the aluminum pillars.
Behind them, Gaya sorted plywood for blocking the door, measuring it out and assisting the two.
Once he assigned the three to seal the door completely, he sent Rana to the back yard with the pump and water tank to keep draining the muddy water.
Thanks to that, she was locked in as the official "water treatment lead," and today Mari was working alongside Kim Jun outside, making their outdoor team five strong.
"Watch out. Sparks flying next to you."
Mari stepped back cautiously as Kim Jun prepped the scattered pipes for welding.
The brand-new welder and rods they'd scored last time raiding the funeral supplies and hardware store with In-ah.
And the pipes Emily and Rana had stripped were ground down nice and clean—perfect for the job.
Sizzle— zzzzt—
Wearing sunglasses and a plastic cap over the tip, Kim Jun welded the pipes into long sections to connect from the first to the second and third floors.
This job would take a few days too, but once done, water worries were history.
Scavenge outside when supplies ran low; build amenities inside when they had plenty.
That cycle repeated until a welcome guest showed up at lunchtime today.
"Here—everyone, eat this and get back to it."
"Whoa! You made this yourself?"
No need to head upstairs today—In-ah brought lunch straight to them.
They called Rana over from the back yard, and the outdoor crew washed their hands with wet wipes before digging into In-ah's tuna kimchi rice balls and kimchi soup for lunch.
Kim Jun grinned wide at In-ah as he ate.
She returned it with a casual shrug, like this was the bare minimum in their situation, and now they had that easy rapport where they just clicked.
As everyone enjoyed the meal, Kim Jun scarfed his down quick and stepped out for a post-meal smoke.
In-ah approached him quietly then.
"Oppa."
"Hm? What's up?"
"Got something to tell you."
Kim Jun was gazing out at the yard, cigarette lit, so he turned to her with a nod.
"Kimchi's running low in the second-floor pantry."
"Guess no more of that from now on."
"The stockpile on the third'll all turn to aged kimchi before we finish it too."
"That's how it goes."
No kimchi meant losing a staple side dish from their daily rice meals.
Plus, after raiding the convenience store, retort pouches were vanishing fast too. What was left: veggies and mushrooms from the rooftop garden, the warehouse rice mountain, canned goods, and military rations in Warehouse 1.
"If we harvest young radishes and napa cabbage, and get a bit of chili... "
"You're not saying we should make kimchi, right?"
"But shouldn't we?"
"..."
Long-term food security tied straight to survival—they had to solve it for real.
Kim Jun checked the boxed military rations stacked in Warehouse 1 first, then asked In-ah.
"Can you make some with what we've got now?"
"The garden's small-scale; scraping it all might fill two small kimchi jars."
Nine people sharing that? Gone in under a month.
Kim Jun told her:
"Wrap up today's work by dinner, then we'll inventory all remaining food."
"Yeah, we should. Gotta calculate it right!"
She was one of the top three idols he could trust to handle things in his absence.
Without In-ah, they'd have half-assed meals when the kids whined about hunger, burned through sides, warmed up cans to scrape by, dabbled in farming, and gradually slid into malnutrition.
Kim Jun stroked her head—truly 200% helpful—and another idol watched the scene cautiously.
After dinner, Kim Jun started the food inventory with In-ah from the third floor.
The third-floor fridge was an ancient Daewoo left by old tenants.
Freezer was empty save for ice.
Kim Jun clicked his tongue and checked the fridge proper: In-ah's homemade side dishes galore.
"What's this?"
"Braised soy from cans, plus prepped cultivated mushrooms turned into jarred preserves."
"Oh, that side that shows up at dinner sometimes. Tasty stuff."
Then cultivated veggie sides like sesame-leaf salad, perilla leaf salad, cherry tomatoes, and dried fish from the last seafood street haul.
Above that, pantry staples: salts, sugars, vinegars, somyeon noodles, flour, etc.
Not short yet, but strictly this stuff? Sides for about a month.
Kim Jun headed down to check more.
Two kimchi fridges: half-full combined, various sojus, skim milk powder turned milk set out for daily breakfasts, plus sides and retorts—that was it.
"Yeah, definitely time for another sweep."
"What? Running low on food?"
Emily wandered in from lounging, scratching her belly, with Mari and Eun-ji trailing from a game of go.
They'd eaten well so far—no raids meant they'd gotten complacent.
"Nah, all tallied up, we've got enough till Christmas."
"Ooh~"
"We should stay vigilant, but no immediate crisis."
"Yeah, for now. Unless it's kimchi-making stuff."
"We'll figure that out step by step."
In-ah nodded along as Kim Jun spoke.
Then Mari, who'd worked all day, chimed in casually:
"Hey, about today's work site."
"Hm? First-floor shop."
"Yeah, glass walls covered in cellophane stickers. Peel the top ones for sunlight, farm inside—why not?"
"!"
Kim Jun's mind raced at the idea.
Indoor farming there? Totally doable.
But it'd need real soil—not bagged fertilizer—plus pots from looting or DIY, and insulation lighting.
"Good plan, but labor-intensive. Few days to set up."
"Seeds are plenty—lettuce, beans, spinach should thrive."
"Next raid, grab soil with the food."
Kim Jun slotted it in: prep now, use the drained mud for potting soil.
"Skipped it before 'cause of zombies, but beggars can't be choosers."
"Right? I'll round up indoor team for pot crates."
In-ah agreed, and Kim Jun thumbs-upped Mari's large-scale indoor farm plan for the 50-pyeong shop.
"Great idea. Applause!"
"No, just..."
Mari blushed at the praise; Emily actually clapped, others followed suit.
Kim Jun marked the occasion with a pouch soju, slurped through a straw, then everyone split for personal time before bed.
Emily and Rana bickered over go, demanding one more game as they hauled the board upstairs.
Gaya's snores drifted early; they'd ID'd the source, but no one was thrilled.
"Ah, guess I should crash too."
"Yeah? Time to tidy up."
Kim Jun left the dishes for In-ah to clear after he'd eaten, heading in. She popped into Nanika's room to say goodnight.
Leaving just Mari.
"Not sleeping?"
"Can't."
"Hm."
Kim Jun slurped pouch soju, crunching peanuts.
Since that incident, Mari had shadowed him constantly.
Week of morning/evening health checks, assisting at work, even trailing for smokes to chat.
Obvious to anyone paying attention, but Kim Jun kept distance on purpose.
"Thinking about it, we haven't interacted much since you got here."
"Nah, just don't know you well."
"Didn't even know my debut."
Mari, cast as a med student in hit medical drama Genius Surgeon—over 20% ratings—got famous.
Then supporting roles in dramas/movies, prepping a solo album, joining Girls Spirit with Rana in her multi-entertainment career. Now this.
"Getting to know you now, right?"
"True, you treat all the other girls the same."
This moment: raw, no bullshit.
Kim Jun the humanist saved near-dead survivors, bunked them, assigned work for their keep—cool transaction.
"Those meds from last time—using 'em okay?"
"Rationing."
"Heard there were stabilizers and sleepers?"
"Those... skipped 'em."
Her call as the patient and doc—Kim Jun let it be.
Better she faked brightness; trauma faded with time.
"About food earlier. Next supply run—you can tag along again?"
"Most spots we've hit twice, but skip if tough. In-ah's better at food and pots anyway."
"No. I'll go."
"...You sure?"
"Safer by your side."
"..."
Grateful she felt that way.
Mari hadn't drunk today, but her cheeks stayed flushed.
Conversation flowing nice—wrap soon, sleep on the vibe.
"Just... till I relax a bit, can we talk more?"
"Sure, not sleepy yet. Sit."
"Thanks."
Kim Jun smiled at Mari, keeping the chat going.
Click.
In the dead of night, as everyone slept, the two still awake slipped into the master bedroom.
The pair, faces flushed from heartfelt talk, finally locked eyes.
Click.
"Mm— smooch— slurp—"
Door locked, Kim Jun kissed Mari nonstop en route to the bed.
"Fuck, seriously..."
"Feels like today's the day."
Kim Jun cursed, but Mari hugged him tight, blushing as she said it.
Comfort talk over drinks led to this midnight spark.
Kim Jun scooped her up, laid her on the bed.
Stripped his tee, mounted her, slowly unbuttoned her top.
Dim light revealed her pale skin; Mari shyly covered her face.
Kim Jun kissed from collarbone to cleavage, easing off her tracksuit pants—her lace panties trembled on slim hips.
He pried her hands away, met her eyes; tense, she whispered carefully:
"Oppa... one thing I didn't mention."
"Yeah?"
"I'm... a virgin."
Ashamed to admit it to a guy, averting eyes—but damn if it didn't rev him up more.
Kim Jun smirked, unclasped her bra too.