Chapter 69: Got Time Tonight?
After they got back home, the girls who had hauled in a massive load of meat stood there stunned. Right on their heels came the top stars, eyes practically rolling back in their heads at the sight of the day’s supplies.
“Oh my god, this color is gorgeous.”
“Is that the frog brand? Haven’t seen that in forever.”
Gaya and Do Kyung started sorting through the powders and tints Rana had brought, picking them up one by one. In Ah, hands still sticky, divided up the meat while Mari and Eun Ji filleted the duck right in front of Kim Jun.
“I only showed you once and you’re already good at it.”
“The duck was seriously delicious last time.”
“If these are farm-raised ducks we could make bulgogi. We’ve got fresh chives and onions we just picked too.”
“Oh, let’s do it!”
Eun Ji got to work preparing duck roast and duck bulgogi for dinner. While everyone busied themselves with their own tasks, Kim Jun slipped outside alone and inspected the storage shed.
The stacked generators were all running at once, pumping out so much electricity that lightning itself would have been jealous. They had more than enough fuel, plus barrels of gasoline—if things got really bad they could switch over without a problem. While he was at it he spread out the fire-prevention sheets they used for welding and set up fire extinguishers in easy-to-reach spots.
“Look at this… and that… we’re slowly getting everything we need.”
The countless gold bars and pieces of jewelry Rana had suggested they loot now rested in his possession. He wondered what kind of value they would hold far in the future.
That evening’s dinner was spectacular. Fresh meat wrapped in crisp lettuce after so long, bottles being opened left and right—the whole group grew louder and brighter with every passing minute.
“So then Sister Mari said it wasn’t three, it was four.”
“There was someone hiding in the house?”
“Hiding is right. Inside the friend’s belly.”
“Oh my, oh my my my?!”
The idols listened with rapt interest as the conversation turned to the Myeong Guk couple they had met while scavenging and the surprising pregnancy announcement that came with it. Hearing how love could still bloom and create new life even in this world was the second time they had encountered the phenomenon since the young mother Emily and Do Kyung had seen before.
“Plus she recognized me even with a bare face, right? Said I looked familiar.”
Rana—the sexy queen who had always been the most confident about her looks among the eight—cupped her flushed cheeks with both hands and shaped them into a cute flower bud.
“Anyway, it’s nice hearing more and more stories about living people.”
“It really is.”
The only members who still hadn’t encountered any survivors were Gaya, Eun Ji, and Nanika. The rest had each met living people at least once, whether the experience had been good or bad, and the stories kept flowing.
“Haa… I hope the zombie outbreak ends soon now that all us living people are gathered together like this.”
At In Ah’s quiet murmur everyone nodded in agreement.
That was when Rana asked with a smile, “If life went back to normal someday, what would you all do?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I mean the memories we made here.”
“!”
Kim Jun, who had been quietly sipping soju, turned to look at her. She winked and flashed a V sign. He let out a dry cough.
In a room full of eight top stars who had been drinking just enough to loosen up, the first to answer was, naturally, Emily.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget this place. I might even pitch it to the network later—tell them we should turn it into a seasonal drama.”
“You really think any zombie media is going to be made after this?”
Eun Ji shook her head. She figured the entire nation—no, all of humanity—would carry enormous trauma from the zombies. It was a life no different from war. Who would look back on it fondly?
“Um… I don’t know if it’s okay to say this.”
“Hmm?”
This time Nanika fidgeted, twisting her fingers before she spoke.
“Even after all this ends… could I stay here?”
“!?”
The bombshell drew every pair of eyes straight to Kim Jun. Nanika calmly explained her situation.
“I don’t have anywhere else to go anyway.”
“Uh… that’s… let’s talk about it later.”
Kim Jun didn’t give a clear answer and smoothly changed the subject. Still, while Nanika had been the one to say it out loud, several of the other top stars had been thinking the same thing. Kim Jun was simply the only one who hadn’t noticed.
The next day.
After the wild drinking session that had lasted until they passed out at dawn, they cleaned everything up and finally woke to find it was already six in the morning.
“Ugh… my head.”
Kim Jun clutched his throbbing skull, grabbed the bottle of water beside the bed, and chugged it. At this rate he was definitely going to black out one of these days; he needed to start cutting back.
“Mmm…”
Beside him slept the actress who had spent half the night murmuring, “Oppa, I want to have your baby.” Her long straight hair looked better loose than in the usual ponytail.
The moment Kim Jun got out of bed and stepped into the bathroom, he saw yesterday’s “baby prevention evidence” floating in the toilet.
“Ah, fuck…”
Two used, knotted condoms drifted in the water and torn wrappers lay scattered everywhere. He let out a long sigh. Of course it had been his own choice.
Just then Mari rose from the bed and quietly approached from behind.
“Should I wash first?”
“!”
She had gotten up completely naked. She slowly stepped into her panties, picked up her bra, then stepped close and hugged him the moment he turned around.
“It had been a while, but it was really good.”
They were like a long-distance couple who only got together occasionally. Not long ago she had still been a virgin with zero experience with men. Kim Jun had woken up hard, but the sight of yesterday’s evidence quickly killed the mood.
“Will this clog if I flush it?”
Mari pulled the lever after looking at the traces of last night’s passion, then started washing her face. Every time she moved, her bare breasts swayed heavily. Kim Jun’s hands itched to reach out.
“We should get out before someone sees us again.”
“Yes, let’s.”
They cleaned up the evidence, washed quickly, and walked into the living room acting as if nothing had happened.
Today they focused on housework after organizing the supplies. They filled a spray bottle with gasoline and thoroughly cleaned the camper van’s interior, which had been rotting with zombie blood and grime. They changed the engine oil, topped up the coolant, and gave the whole exterior a careful polish.
When they climbed up to the rooftop room for a short break, they found two girls in the middle of a makeup session.
“So for someone like Sister Nanika, we use warm tones and apply it like this…”
Rana was using the frog-brand cosmetics to take the older girls’ looks up another level. She had complained at first that it was an auntie brand, but now she was using it like a pro.
“Draw the eyeliner like this.”
“Won’t this come off if it gets wet?”
“Come on, the new ones are smudge-proof. I’m not sure about this one though.”
She was thickening Nanika’s eyes with mascara, transforming the round, puppy-like girl with an uplifted eye look. Kim Jun happened to walk by and caught the scene.
“Ah, Oppa!”
Rana spotted him coming up to the third floor, broke into a radiant smile, and ran over. She had done her makeup in the sexy-queen style she used on stage, and a strong wave of perfume came with her. Her lips glistened with bright tint. She hugged him like a cat, then pointed at her own mouth.
“How does it look?”
“You’re pretty even without it.”
“Oh my~”
Chu—
She planted a kiss on his neck, then whispered into his ear while he was still flustered.
“How about tonight at dawn?”
“…”
At that moment Nanika fidgeted, then shyly pointed at her own chest as well. The two girls were clearly signaling they wanted tonight. Kim Jun thought for a second, put a hand on Rana’s shoulder, and said,
“Talk it over between yourselves.”
“Huh?”
Kim Jun grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and left. When the confused Rana turned around, she saw Nanika’s face had gone bright red in perfect warm tones.
“…Ah!”
That evening on the second floor they served a special dish they had started preparing that afternoon.
“Woaaah!”
“It’s chicken!!!”
Eun Ji and In Ah had thawed raw chickens, coated them in batter themselves, and deep-fried them over a hot fire. Everyone was moved by the result. They had even made seasoning sauce despite the scarce supplies, so of course more alcohol appeared.
“Aren’t we eating way too well at this point?”
Out in the apocalypse other people were fighting just to survive. Yet the more they interacted with survivors, the more fresh vegetables, side-farm produce, and bartered meat and goods they acquired. Now they were enjoying fried chicken and whiskey cocktails. It felt like heaven.
“Reminds me of the beginning. When that super watery cream soup was all we had to fill our stomachs.”
“I cried so hard the first time we ate cup ramen here, remember?”
Eating good food lately had lifted everyone’s spirits. It was the exact moment the SNS meme “When the mood is low, bring out the meat” came to mind. With the increased power supply, bright lights filled the room and someone turned on the CD player, turning the night into an impromptu concert.
“Hey, hey—turn it down a little.”
“Don’t worry~ just loud enough for us in this room.”
The music Emily played came from albums they had recorded in the past. Whenever one of their own songs came on the girls hummed along. No one knew how the members and agencies back in Seoul were doing right now, but at least they themselves were alive. The alcohol kept the cheerful atmosphere rolling.
At one point Kim Jun quietly stepped outside for some night air and a cigarette. Not long after, Nanika followed him out.
“Oppa…”
“Hmm?”
She had washed off the stage makeup and was back to her cute puppy-like self. She came close and buried her face against his back. Kim Jun put out the cigarette and stroked her hair. She whispered softly,
“I finished talking with Rana.”
“I see.”
“One o’clock tonight.”
She had even set the exact time. It looked like they were going to stay up all night. He had been intense with Mari only yesterday; today it seemed to be Nanika’s turn.
“Got it.”
Kim Jun ran his hand through her hair, then down her neck until he felt the strap of her bra. When she hugged him, her full breasts pressed against his body. For a second he wanted to take her right then instead of waiting for dawn.
“Um… with both of us, won’t it be too much for you?”
“Both?”
“Rana wants to come too.”
“…”
He had thought they had agreed on just one, but apparently both were coming to his room. In other words, a threesome at dawn was on the schedule.