Chapter Text
Yongguk and Himchan.
Himchan and Yongguk.
They’re kind of a package deal.
Even before everything went to shit, they were nearly inseparable. They shared an apartment, paid bills together, bought groceries together. It was all really domestic.
It was…nice having Himchan there to lean on when the world collapsed.
“We’ll need to move soon,” Himchan says. His voice is quiet as he peers through the sniper scope. He leans back with a sigh. “The hordes are getting closer. When they get to the city, we’ll be trapped.”
Yongguk leans forward. “Let me see.”
Himchan hands the sniper to Yongguk. He looks into the scope, aiming it towards the edge of the city. He can see an undulating mass in the horizon. Definitely zombies. It’s common for the hordes to wander into cities in search of food. This isn’t the first time Yongguk and Himchan have moved cities.
The first time, though, was the hardest.
“We better start packing, then,” Yongguk says as he hands the sniper back to Himchan. “We’ll need to look for a car, too.”
Himchan hums in agreement as he packs the sniper into its case.
The streets are quiet as they walk back to their apartment. The strong scent of death lingers in the humid summer air. Himchan pulls his mask above his mouth, and Yongguk does the same. It doesn’t help much. They walk past rotting corpses and dilapidated cars. It’s like looking at snapshots of a previous world. They’ve learned not to dwell too much on the past lives of the dead. It’s better for their sanity.
They hear the occasional scuffle and groan come from an alleyway, but they walk fast enough to stay undetected.
The sun begins to dip behind the tallest buildings when they reach their apartment. Yongguk heads into the kitchen to cook dinner and Himchan goes to the bedroom to put away the sniper.
“Do you want canned beans or Spam for dinner?” Yongguk asks, holding the cans in his hands. He stares at the two, pursing his lips.
Himchan pokes his head from the bedroom with a wide grin. “I get to choose tonight? What’s the occasion?”
Yongguk shrugs. He turns around and holds up the two cans to Himchan.
“Spam. We’ve had beans for a while,” Himchan replies before disappearing into the bedroom again.
Yongguk nods as he puts the beans away and peels open the lid on the Spam. He cuts the block as he waits for the pan to heat up. Once it’s ready, he places each slice one by one, almost smiling at the familiar sizzling sound.
“Wow, I haven’t heard that in a while,” Himchan suddenly says from behind Yongguk. In a quieter voice, he adds, “Reminds me of home.”
Yongguk is suddenly thrown back to last year in a different, smaller apartment. It feels like it’s been a thousand years since then. He blinks and he’s back in the present. He moves in silence.
“I’m sorry,” Himchan says, wrapping his arms around Yongguk’s waist. He buries his face into Yongguk’s shoulder, and Yongguk closes his eyes as Himchan’s warmth seeps into his body.
“It’s okay,” Yongguk says.
Yongguk really doesn’t know what he’d do without Himchan.
“You stink,” Himchan mutters.
“So do you,” Yongguk replies with a small laugh.
——
——
They don’t have many things anymore. After moving from city to city, from one abandoned apartment to the next, it doesn’t make sense to become too attached to the things they find. Their bags are full of supplies anyway.
Himchan sits on the couch with his backpack beside him, holding a doll in his hand. She’s dressed in a bright red hanbok with a wide smile on her face. His thumb brushes against the faux silk. The look in his eyes sits somewhere between sadness and nostalgia.
“You ready to go?” Yongguk asks as he emerges from the kitchen.
Himchan looks up and nods. He places the doll down, sitting it upright against the cushion before standing up. He shoulders his backpack before leaving the apartment with Yongguk. He smiles at Himchan a little, trying to give him a little reassurance, but he isn’t sure if it’s helping. He isn’t even entirely sure what the reassurance is for. Himchan smiles back, though.
It’s still early in the morning when they leave the apartment. The sky is a muted orange and pink as the sun begins to rise in the horizon. A chilly breeze blows in between the buildings. Himchan crosses his arms above his chest to keep all the warmth from escaping his body. They walk past stumbling hordes of zombies, climb over crashed cars, and squeeze into alleyways to reach the outskirts of the city. The chances of finding a working car are greater there and it’s easier to navigate through the city’s maze without one.
“Have you ever wondered what the end of the world would have looked like?” Himchan asks as he climbs over the hood of a car.
Yongguk shrugs as he follows Himchan. “Not really. That one American show got it all wrong, though.”
“Which one?” Himchan asks because there were so many.
Yongguk looks up at the sky in thought, then snaps his fingers. “The Walking Dead. Way too interpersonal.”
Himchan laughs, not too loud because there’s a horde just a block over, but it’s a laugh all the same. Yongguk finds himself smiling, too. “It’s a drama. It’s supposed to be over the top.”
When they reach the outskirts of the city, the sun is already above the buildings, beating down the summer heat on their backs. Himchan can’t wait to just get inside of a car and feel the wind blow against his face.
“You think this looks good?” Yongguk asks, stopping beside a red, beaten-down car. Other than the appearance, it looks untouched.
Himchan shrugs. “One way to find out.”
Yongguk breaks the window and carefully reaches for the lock. Once he pulls the door open, he climbs inside and unlocks the passenger side. Himchan walks to the other side of the car and sits beside Yongguk, their backpacks in between his legs.
Yongguk leans forward, the side of his cheek pressed against the steering wheel, and begins fiddling with the wiring. It takes him a good couple of minutes, but the engine manages to come to life, and Himchan sighs in relief. At least they don’t have to look for another car.
Yongguk drives down the road, navigating around the other cars scattered on it, but once they get on the empty highway, his speed is easily over 100. The wind whistles through the open window, cooling them both down. Himchan closes his eyes, feeling the tension in his shoulders slowly melt away onto the asphalt.
“Hey, don’t fall asleep on me. You’re my navigation,” Yongguk says, nudging Himchan with his elbow.
Himchan pulls a map from his backpack and throws the backpacks onto the seat behind him. “Where are we?”
“Fuck, I don’t know,” Yongguk replies.
“Then, slow down and maybe I can read some signs,” Himchan says as he unfolds the map.
Yongguk glances at Himchan with a smirk on his lips. “Nah.”
Himchan looks in horror as the speedometer creeps up 110, 115, 120.
“Yongguk!” Himchan exclaims, hitting Yongguk’s arm.
Yongguk laughs and eases off the gas. The car is still going too fast for Himchan’s liking, but at least it isn’t going any faster. He can feel his heart beating at the same speed as the car.
“I’m not going to die by zombies, am I?” Himchan says. “We’re gonna crash before then.”
“At least we’ll die together,” Yongguk replies with that same smirk on his face.
Himchan makes a disgusted face and looks down at the map. “What city were we in again?”
“Um,” Yongguk pauses as he places his other hand on the steering wheel.
Himchan notices. “If you lose control of this car, I swear to fuck I will strangle you as we barrel roll off the highway.”
Yongguk laughs, but it’s strained. His knuckles turn white as he tightens his grip on the steering wheel. Himchan notices Yongguk’s foot easing the brakes. “I won’t lose control of the car. What are you talking about? I got this.”
“You’re lucky the road is a straight shot,” Himchan says.
Yongguk laughs uneasily again.
——
“You know, even with all this shit, I think every time we move cities, it’s like a road trip,” Himchan says, his steps falling in unison with Yongguk’s. “I feel like we’re in college again. I’m just waiting for someone to drive by and pick us up.”
The sun is still well above the hills, but it’s only a matter of time before the sun dips behind them. They abandoned the car a while ago because it ran out of gas, but according to the map, they’re several more miles from the next city.
“That’s one way to put it,” Yongguk says. “I doubt someone will pick us up, though.”
“You never know,” Himchan replies with a shrug.
Before Yongguk can reply, he hears something being carried in the wind. It sounds like an engine rumbling.
“Do you hear that?” Yongguk asks, coming to a complete stop.
Himchan stops beside him, trying to listen for whatever Yongguk heard. “Um, no…”
“Wait, shh,” Yongguk says. He turns around as the sound grows steadily louder.
Himchan blinks as he realizes what the sound is. “Is that a car?”
Yongguk doesn’t respond. He squints in the distance, holding his hands up to his eyes as a shield against the setting sun. He can see the silhouette of a car approaching them. “Holy shit, I think it is.”
“You think they’ll give us a ride?” Himchan asks.
“We shouldn’t take that chance,” Yongguk replies. He begins to pull Himchan off the side of the road and into the overgrown bushes. “They might steal our shit.”
They duck into the bushes and Yongguk peeks through the branches as the car rolls past. His heart beats quickly in his chest and his hand grips Himchan’s arm tight.
“Bbang,” Himchan whispers. “My arm.”
“Sorry,” Yongguk replies as he releases Himchan’s arm.
The car comes to a stop, the engine still turned on. Yongguk frowns.
“Hey!” It’s a man’s voice.
Yongguk looks at Himchan.
What do we do? Himchan mouths silently.
Yongguk shrugs.
“I saw you guys from, like, a mile away,” the man says. “Do you need a ride?”
Let’s go? Himchan mouths, nodding his head in the direction of the car.
Yongguk gives him an incredulous look.
Himchan slowly raises from his crouch. When Yongguk grips his arm to stop him, he just tugs Yongguk up with him.
Himchan smiles at the young man leaning to look out the passenger side window of his car. “Hey, stranger.”
“Hello, yourself,” the man replies with the same friendly smile. He seems nice enough. “You two heading to Wonju?”
“Yeah,” Himchan says.
Yongguk looks from Himchan to the stranger in the car, still wary.
“I’m heading the same way. I can give you guys a ride,” the stranger says. His eyes flit to Yongguk. “If you want.”
Himchan glances at Yongguk. He lowers his voice, leaning close to Yongguk’s ear. “Come on, Bbang, it’s only for a couple more miles. Plus, it’s gonna get dark soon, and we still need to find somewhere to spend the night.”
Yongguk sighs and gives in. “Fine, alright, but if something happens, I’m putting a bullet in his head, okay?”
Himchan smiles and turns to the stranger. “We’ll come with you.”
The stranger smiles. “Awesome!”
Yongguk and Himchan climb in the backseat of the car, and the stranger begins driving down the road.
“I’m Daehyun,” he says, glancing into the backseat.
Yongguk and Himchan realize that the stranger just gave his name. Yongguk glances at Himchan, hoping it says that they shouldn’t give their own names, or give at least fake names.
“I’m Himchan. And this is Yongguk,” Himchan says, patting Yongguk’s thigh in what he hopes is reassurance.
Yongguk gives Himchan a look that he hopes conveys the proper emotion associated with his silent Himchan, what the fuck, stop.
“Cool,” Daehyun says with a nod. He taps the steering wheel with his fingers a couple times. “So, um, where are you guys from? Like before this whole zombie thing happened.”
Himchan appreciates the guy’s light conversation. It’s a refreshing difference from what he talks about with Yongguk. Not that Yongguk is bad. “I’m from Seoul.” He nudges Yongguk, who gives a side glare.
“Incheon,” Yongguk says.
Daehyun nods. “So he talks!” He glances back to give Yongguk a smile (Yongguk forces himself to smile back because he doesn’t want to come off as too untrusting) before focusing back on the road. “I’m from Busan.”
“Wow, you’re pretty far from home, aren’t you?” Himchan asks. Busan is on the south side of the peninsula, and he wonders how Daehyun has come this far.
Daehyun shrugs. “Well, I was living with a couple friends in Seoul for university for a bit, so Wonju actually isn’t too far.”
“University?” Himchan asks. Daehyun doesn’t look that young, but then again, he doesn’t look that old. “How old are you?”
“Twenty,” Daehyun replies.
Himchan looks at Yongguk. When they meet eyes, they seem to be thinking the same thing. He’s still a kid.
“Wow. And…you’re all alone out here?” Himchan asks. Yongguk places his hand on Himchan’s arm, trying to tell him Stop it, that’s enough.
Daehyun is quiet for a moment. He taps the steering wheel with his fingertips as he maneuvers around scattered cars. They must be getting closer to Wonju.
“I’d rather avoid large groups,” Daehyun says in a voice that’s far more cynical than a twenty-year-old’s should be. “They’re all just really, um, troublesome.”
The car is quiet after that. Himchan looks out the window, staring at the passing scenery, streaked yellow and orange with the setting sun.
“We’ll be entering Wonju shortly,” Daehyun says like he’s a flight attendant. It’s obvious he’s trying to sound cheerful again, but his voice is a little strained.
“Hey, thanks for giving us a ride,” Himchan says.
Daehyun looks into the rearview mirror and gives Himchan a smile. “Thanks for the company.”
When they reach Wonju and have to leave the car behind because the roads are blocked, they decide to part.
“It’s been fun while it lasted,” Himchan says as he shoulders his backpack with a grunt. “Thanks again.”
Yongguk doesn’t say anything, but he nods when he meets Daehyun’s eyes.
Daehyun gives Yongguk and Himchan a theatrical bow, his head low. “I should be the one thanking you guys.”
Himchan smiles at Daehyun, waving as he turns around with Yongguk beside him. He won’t deny the way his heart aches a little when he catches the hint of sadness in Daehyun’s eyes.
“Be careful, okay, kid?” Yongguk calls over his shoulder.
“You too,” Daehyun replies.
——
Yongguk and Himchan wander through the streets of Wonju, searching for an apartment. Most of the buildings they come across are stores that have been broken into. The streets are cracked with sprouting weeds and other plants. It’s less crowded than the previous city, but not by too much.
“It’s like we’re house hunting,” Himchan says.
“We kinda are,” Yongguk replies.
Himchan smiles. He intertwines his arm around Yongguk’s, falling into step with him. “This is so cute. It’s almost like the zombies haven’t taken over.”
“If that’s how you wanna put it,” Yongguk says as he steps over a circle of dried brown blood on the asphalt.
They walk in silence for a couple minutes, comfortable with each other’s presence.
“You’re really warm,” Yongguk complains, but he doesn’t do anything else to make Himchan move.
“It’s getting cold so we gotta keep each other warm,” Himchan says with a grin. He looks up a hill at several high rise apartments. “What do you think about those?”
Yongguk turns to where Himchan is pointing and shrugs. “Let’s go check them out.”
They trudge up the hill to the apartment buildings. The evening air that blows against their backs might have been refreshing if only it didn’t smell like the inside of a dead bear’s mouth.
The first building is completely stripped of what it once was. Every window on the first floor is smashed in. A light further inside flickers ominously. The ceiling of the first floor caved in, some of the wiring falling through like shadowy tentacles. If they listen closely, they can hear the faint shuffling and groans of zombies inside.
“Wow, look how cute this one is. Looks like the type we could raise our family in,” Himchan says with a laugh in his voice.
Yongguk smiles as he pulls Himchan further up the street. “I think there’s one closer to the school.”
“How sweet, thinking about our children’s education,” Himchan says.
“If our kids aren’t the top of their class,” Yongguk pauses, a smug smirk on his face, “like I was, then I’ve failed as a parent.”
Himchan scoffs, punching Yongguk’s shoulder. “You gotta lower your expectations a little bit, Bbang. I refuse to raise a bunch of nerds.”
“You’re basically married to one.”
Himchan raises his eyebrows. “Nice self-burn. Those are rare.”
“How about that one?” Yongguk asks, pointing to a nearby building.
It’s smaller than the surrounding buildings, but it’s in better condition. They can’t see anything from where they’re at because the inside is engulfed in darkness.
“Let’s go,” Himchan replies, letting go of Yongguk’s arm to grab the switchblade in his pocket.
Yongguk is the first to enter the building, flashlight in hand, with Himchan close behind him. It’s always worked this way. One looking out for the other. They don’t see any other way for them to work. It doesn’t take them too long to get used to the stifling darkness. Even though Himchan can only see the faintest silhouette of Yongguk’s figure, he feels less lonely. He’s sure Yongguk feels the same way.
“Zombie up ahead,” Yongguk whispers with a glance over his shoulder. “Get ready.”
Himchan nods, hearing the faint grunts and groans of zombie activity.
When they round the corner, they see one crouched over a mangled corpse. It doesn’t react to the light coming from Yongguk. It chews on a bone, its teeth making clicking sounds as it bites down. Its back is facing them, the clothes filthy and tattered.
Yongguk approaches the zombie from one side and Himchan goes to the other. He grips the blade tightly in his hands, his muscles tense. He glances at Yongguk, waiting for the signal to move. When Yongguk nods, Himchan charges the zombie, his footsteps making quiet taps against the tile. The zombie looks up, its eyes oozing some thick pus-like substance.
Himchan drives his blade into the zombie’s head. He grits his teeth as the skull crumples like paper and spurts black blood.
“Gross,” Himchan mutters when the blood gets on his hand; it’s thick and sticks to the crevices in between his fingers. He takes the blade out of the zombie’s skull, and wipes his hand on his pants. “There better be working water in here.”
“We don’t even know if we’re staying here yet,” Yongguk replies, handing Himchan a napkin he picked up in the previous room. “You’re getting better at this.”
Himchan smiles at Yongguk as he scrubs his hand. “Aw, you’re too sweet. You’re making me blush.”
Yongguk playfully shoves Himchan’s shoulder as he takes the lead again.
They come across a couple more zombies while looking for a suitable apartment, but they aren’t too challenging to take care of. The higher they go, the less ruined the building becomes. Yongguk stops to peek into an open apartment.
“You find anything in there?” Himchan asks, coming up beside Yongguk.
The hallway leading inside is small and the ground is littered with papers and other junk. Yongguk’s shoulders nearly brush against the walls as he steps further inside. He turns back to look back at Himchan. “I don’t know. You think this looks good?”
Himchan squeezes through the hallway to find himself in a space no bigger than the living room in their first apartment. The windows overlook the dark city. When he turns around, he sees stairs against the wall leading to a loft about five feet from the ceiling. Beneath the stairs is a tiny kitchen.
“It’s an officetel. How quaint,” Himchan says. “Let’s stay here.”
Yongguk smiles at Himchan’s response. He places the flashlight on the kitchen counter and drops his backpack to the ground. “Alright. First up is the door.”
Himchan places his backpack beside Yongguk’s and follows him into the hallway again to figure out how to barricade the door.
——
When Yongguk opens his eyes the next morning to bright sunlight, he turns to his right and finds Himchan still sleeping, his chest falling and rising steadily. He crawls off the mattress, half-crouching, half-walking towards the stairs. He walks down with heavy steps and a yawn that pricks the edges of his eyes with tears.
He looks out the window, his arms crossed over his chest. The city is as quiet as the countryside. Standing by the window and looking out at the scenery bathed in the warm morning light makes him feel like he’s back in his apartment. Glimpses of sprouting greenery peek from in between the crevices of the concrete buildings. The sky is tinted pink and violet as the sun rises.
The world may have ended, but Yongguk realizes that it’s never looked more colorful.
“It’s a lot nicer in the day, isn’t it?”
Yongguk turns around and finds Himchan sitting on the floor by the mattress and leaning on the railing with a sleepy smile on his face. He won’t deny how beautiful Himchan looks in the glow of the light. Even with dirt and sweat clinging to his clothes and skin, he doesn’t think he’s ever seen Himchan so alive.
“Yeah,” Yongguk replies with a half-smile. “It really is.”
“What’s on the agenda today, captain?” Himchan asks.
“Well, breakfast,” Yongguk replies. “We have leftover Spam from last night.”
Himchan hums, stretching his arms above his head. “Sounds good.”
“Then, we can go scout the area after,” Yongguk continues. “See where the good scavenging spots are.”
“Sounds even better,” Himchan says. He leans on the railing again.
Yongguk walks to his backpack and pulls out the leftover Spam wrapped neatly in a handkerchief. He heads up the stairs again, ducking his head so he doesn’t hit the ceiling. He sits beside Himchan, placing the handkerchief in between them.
“How do you think Daehyun is doing?” Himchan asks as he nibbles on a slice of Spam.
Yongguk chews slowly, trying to think of a decent answer. He can’t come up with one. “I…don’t know. I hope he’s alright.”
“Yeah,” Himchan murmurs. He leans his head on Yongguk’s shoulder. “I hope so, too.”
——
——
Yongguk and Himchan meet Jongup and Junhong while perched on a rooftop.
Jongup and Junhong stand in the middle of a horde, their backs pressed against a wall. They each hold a gun out, shooting at any zombie that gets too close. When Jongup runs out of ammo, he shoves the gun into his pocket and pulls out a knife. Junhong doesn’t hesitate to follow suit. The desperate look in their eyes is enough to set Himchan on edge.
“What’s going on down there?” Yongguk asks. He follows Himchan’s line of sight. “A horde? Attacking someone?”
“Yeah. Two idiot kids started shooting immediately. They attracted all the zombies in the area.” Himchan sighs. “Wasted all their ammo, too.”
Yongguk places his chin in his hand, his elbow resting on the railing of the roof. “Hmm. We should help them.”
Himchan hums. “I kinda wanna see how long they can last.”
“We can use those firecrackers we found,” Yongguk says. “If we throw it far away enough, we can lure the zombies away.”
Himchan turns to look at Yongguk with a wide smile. “Genius.”
Yongguk pulls a string of firecrackers from his backpack, mirroring Himchan’s smile. “Got a lighter?”
Himchan digs into his pockets and searches his own backpack. He and Yongguk hear one of the kids screaming. Jongup slashes blindly at the zombies, but Junhong’s longer limbs have a better reach.
“I’m surprised they’ve survived like that for this long,” Himchan says as he hands a matchbook to Yongguk.
Yongguk shrugs as he lights the first firecracker on the string. “They gotta be in a group or something.”
“You think they got separated from a bigger group?” Himchan asks.
“They have to be depending on a bigger group,” Yongguk replies as he leans back to throw the firecrackers.
They sail in an arch across the street, and explode shortly after they hit the ground. The sound echoes throughout the buildings, bouncing in between the crumbling walls and shattered windows. A thick plume of smoke rises from the wasted firecrackers. The zombies crowding around Jongup and Junhong slowly turn their heads and shuffle away, trying to pinpoint the source of the noise. Junhong is frozen on the street. Jongup looks left and right.
Himchan gives Yongguk a high-five. “Nice idea.”
Yongguk turns to Himchan with a wide grin. “Good thing we found those, right?”
Himchan smiles in response.
Jongup eventually looks up, his eyes meeting with Yongguk’s. He nudges Junhong, who also looks up. Himchan raises his arm and waves. Junhong gives a small wave back before he bolts into a nearby alleyway with Jongup.
——
——
They don’t keep track of how long they stay in Wonju. When the seasons begin to change and sunny, humid days become orange and chilly, Yongguk and Himchan begin scavenging more to prepare for winter. Once snow begins falling, they’ll be trapped in the apartment. Sure, the zombies are the least active when they’re frozen, but Yongguk and Himchan are the least effective when they don’t have the proper clothes. It’d be bad if they lost all their fingers and toes to frostbite.
“Man, this whole apocalypse thing is getting pretty boring, don’t you think?” Himchan asks as he folds his arms above his chest. A brisk wind blows against them, brushing against their exposed skin.
Yongguk shrugs as he shoves his hands into his pants pockets. “Can’t say that I disagree.”
“It’s like the world ends, panic sets in, and then things settle down. The survivors adapt and continue living. And that's when it gets boring,” Himchan continues. “It’s just so…mundane now. I’m beginning to wonder if my desk job was as boring as this.”
“Nothing is as boring as a desk job,” Yongguk says. “We’re fighting for our lives out here, you know.”
Now Himchan shrugs. “True. The walking and scavenging part is definitely the worst, though.”
“Can’t say that I disagree,” Yongguk repeats. He kicks a crumpled soda can down the road. It makes sharp clinks as it bounces against the concrete.
“Let’s try that supermarket over there,” Himchan suggests, pointing at the abandoned building.
The windows are broken and shopping carts stand scattered in the parking lot like lost metal sheep. They climb over one of the windows, helping balance each other. In the dim light, it’s easy to see that most of the supermarket has been picked through already.
“Not much left,” Himchan comments. He wanders down an aisle and picks up a stray can of what seems to be corn. He stuffs it into his backpack.
“Um, Himchan,” Yongguk whispers.
Himchan looks up, following Yongguk’s line of sight, and freezes when he sees a group of zombies approaching them. He gulps as he quickly shoulders his backpack. “Well, shit.”
“Maybe they haven’t seen us yet,” Yongguk whispers. He pushes Himchan back to the other end of the aisle.
When they reach the end of Aisle 17, a horde of zombies comes out of Aisle 14 like a group of Italian fucking mobsters on the hunt.
“Holy shit,” Himchan mutters, skidding to a halt with Yongguk beside him.
Yongguk grabs Himchan’s hand and pulls him into Aisle 16. They come crashing to the ground seconds later. Yongguk groans and turns to look at Himchan on the ground beside him.
They turn and find someone scrambling to climb the shelves. He looks at Yongguk and Himchan, but the mask on his face covers half of it. He might have shouted something, but they can’t hear him properly. He points up and continues climbing.
Yongguk looks at Himchan. They shrug and follow the stranger. They climb the shelves, trying to keep balanced as it sways. They eventually reach the top of the shelf, their heads just barely brushing against the broken ceiling lights.
“Be careful,” the stranger says. He pulls his mask down and it bunches around his chin.
“Thanks,” Himchan says.
Yongguk nods in agreement.
The stranger smiles a little. “No problem.”
Yongguk looks at the store and pales when he realizes that he and Himchan never would have made it outside. The floor swarms with zombies. Why didn’t they notice it before?
“Oh my god,” Himchan says, gripping Yongguk’s arm. He’s seeing the same thing.
“Aright, I got an idea,” the stranger says. Yongguk and Himchan look at him, half-curious and half-desperate. “One time, I saw these two guys throw this whole thing of fireworks on the street as a distraction to help some other guys. I think that might work here.”
The stranger pulls something out of his backpack. It’s a small firecracker and a lighter.
Yongguk and Himchan don’t have the time to tell him that they were those two guys before he throws the lit firecracker to the other side of the store. They grip the edges of the shelf as it sways back and forth. The firecracker blows up, echoing in the open space and sending bright colors to the ceiling.
The zombies collectively groan and begin to shuffle to the other side of the store.
“Let’s wait a couple minutes for them to move,” the stranger says. He glances behind him, observing each zombie’s movements.
“Well, while we’re here,” Himchan says. “What’s your name? I’m Himchan.”
The stranger gives Himchan a side glance. “Youngjae.”
“This here is Yongguk,” Himchan says and Yongguk nods in greeting.
“Seems we all made the same stupid mistake,” Youngjae says, but he’s almost smiling. He pulls his mask above his face. “Let’s go.”
Youngjae jumps down from the shelf and looks up at Yongguk and Himchan before taking off running.
Himchan gapes. “That was badass.”
“Can’t say that I disagree,” Yongguk replies as he gets ready to jump down.
They jump down and follow Youngjae towards the window on the side of the building. They skirt past more zombies, but they’re already halfway across the store when Youngjae jumps out an open window. When they emerge out of the store, they see Youngjae sitting on the parking lot asphalt.
“Are you alright?” Himchan asks. His heart is still beating fast and the adrenaline is still pumping in his system, but he still notices the way Youngjae grips his ankle and how his face twists in pain.
“I’m fine,” Youngjae replies.
“You don’t look fine,” Yongguk says. “What’s up with your ankle?”
Youngjae is silent, his face focused beneath the pain, and eventually replies with a quiet, “I must have landed on my feet wrong while jumping down from the shelf.”
Himchan holds his hand out for Youngjae to take. “Come with us. We can’t stay here. No doubt the firecracker attracted more zombies.”
Youngjae bites his bottom lip, but he takes Himchan’s hand and grunts as he stands up. “Thanks.”
“Don’t thank us yet, kid,” Yongguk says, ducking under Youngjae’s arm to support him. “We got supplies back at our apartment.”
“Apartment?” Youngjae asks. “How did you guys find an apartment in here?”
“What, like it’s hard?” Himchan scoffs. “Why?”
Youngjae shrugs. “Guess I wasn’t looking hard enough.”
The walk back to the apartment is a slow process. Yongguk and Himchan try to be careful while supporting Youngjae, but his shorter height makes it awkward for all of them. The walk is silent except for Youngjae’s occasional apology under his breath.
“You don’t have to keep apologizing,” Yongguk says.
“Sorry,” Youngjae whispers, then stutters out, “Sor–– Never mind.”
Himchan follows with a light laugh.
When they eventually reach the apartment, the sky is golden and red as the sun begins to set. Youngjae sits on the floor by the window, staring out at the setting sun while Himchan looks in the kitchen cabinets for the first aid kit.
“Bbang, can you find the extra mattress?” Himchan says.
“Sure,” Yongguk replies and opens the cabinets on the wall opposite from the kitchen.
That night, Youngjae sleeps on the extra futon mattress, his ankle wrapped tightly in bandages.
Yongguk sits on the loft with a half-full bottle of whiskey in his hands. He stares at the moon as it rises and the blanket of twinkling stars surrounding it. He hands the bottle to Himchan, who takes a quick swig.
“Romantic, don’t you think?” Himchan asks as he hands the bottle back.
Yongguk hums in agreement. He can feel the alcohol sting his throat, but he can also feel the warmth in his core. Himchan leans into his side like a cat curling up. The weight is comfortable. It reminds Yongguk that he isn’t entirely alone.
“What should we do about Youngjae?” Himchan asks.
Yongguk shrugs. “I don’t mind if he stays here while he heals. We’ll have to look for more supplies, though.”
“Yeah, I was thinking about that, too. I think I’d be more worried if he stayed out there, you know? Especially with the weather getting colder.” Himchan looks down at Youngjae, who has his arm splayed across his eyes.
Yongguk hums again. He takes another swig of whiskey.
Neither of them realize that Youngjae is still awake. That he holds back tears when he hears their hushed whispers. That his breath hitches quietly because nobody has ever been this kind to him since the world ended.
——
——
Youngjae manages to wriggle his way into Yongguk and Himchan’s lives. They realize they warmed up to him much quicker than they thought they would. In the first few weeks, he’s mostly just company, talking and occasionally apologizing to whoever is around. After his ankle heals, though, he comes and goes, occasionally staying for a night or two, then leaving the next morning. He’s like a stray cat.
The futon Youngjae used stays on the floor by the window for the days he does come back. A small pile of Youngjae’s things collects in the corner where the futon sits.
It’s six in the morning when Yongguk pulls the door open, blinking tired eyes and loosely gripping a knife in his right hand. It takes him a moment to focus his eyesight and realize it’s Youngjae standing in front of him. Youngjae has to pull his mask down for Yongguk to recognize him.
“Yo,” Youngjae greets with a wave, squeezing past Yongguk into the apartment.
“Good morning to you too,” Yongguk says, closing the door. He follows Youngjae into the living room to find him sitting on the mattress with his bulging backpack in between his legs.
“Why do you always come back at ungodly hours?” Himchan asks from the loft. “The sun is barely up.”
“Sorry,” Youngjae says, but the grin he gives Himchan doesn’t look too apologetic. He opens his backpack. “So I was going through some old houses in the suburbs, which are goldmines, in case you were wondering, and I stumbled into a house where someone was preparing for the end of the world, but obviously didn’t survive.”
“What are you getting at?” Himchan asks, walking down the steps.
Youngjae grins up at Yongguk and Himchan like a proud child. “Isn’t it obvious? I hit the ultimate motherlode.” He flips his backpack over and cans spill out. “Figured I’d share my profit since I kinda owe you guys.”
Yongguk and Himchan stare at the pile in awe. They can’t remember the last time they’ve seen this much food in one place.
“Holy shit,” Himchan says. He crouches and picks up a can of preserved peaches. “Holy shit.”
“You carried this all the way from the suburbs?” Yongguk asks.
Youngjae smiles in response; if he were a dog, his tail would be wagging so hard. He crosses his legs and leans back onto the mattress. “I also kinda need a place to stay for the winter.”
Himchan looks at Yongguk, who raises an eyebrow.
“We need to consult,” Himchan says, slinging his arm around Yongguk’s shoulders and lowering his voice to a near whisper as he turns around. “Pretend we’re talking seriously.”
Yongguk stifles a laugh. “Stop, you’re making him worried.”
“I can’t believe he’s asking like we were going to turn him down,” Himchan says, almost offended. “Like, he’s basically our kid now, you know?”
Yongguk can’t help the laugh that comes out of his mouth. He turns around to see Youngjae on the mattress with a confused expression on his face, which slowly turns to realization, then sadness.
Yongguk and Himchan’s hearts break a little. He nudges Himchan’s side.
“We’re just messing with you. You’re welcome to stay here,” Himchan quickly says and Youngjae smiles in relief.
“Okay, good, because I was about to take all the cans with me and leave,” Youngjae replies.
Himchan grips the can of preserved peaches and holds it to his chest, his mouth hanging open. “Not the peaches!”
——
——
“I think we all need some sun!” Himchan announces during the tail end of winter.
“You talk like we can’t get it from the massive window right in front of you,” Youngjae says, looking up from his book.
“It’s not the same!” Himchan snatches the book from Youngjae and grabs onto Yongguk’s hand. “Come on, I’m pretty sure it’s gotten warmer outside! Just look at the trees down there beginning to sprout leaves again!”
“Hey!” Youngjae exclaims, trying to get his book back, but Himchan holds it just out of reach.
“Why are you getting so excited about going outside?” Yongguk asks, but he lets Himchan tug him around.
“How long have we been in here?” Himchan asks.
Yongguk shrugs.
“A while,” Youngjae replies. “Can I have my book back?”
“Not until we return,” Himchan replies. “Don’t you guys hate just being cooped up in the apartment?”
Youngjae sighs. “I guess a walk won’t hurt.”
“There you go!” Himchan exclaims, tossing the book on the futon and taking Youngjae’s hand. He tugs both Yongguk and Youngjae to the door.
Five minutes later, Himchan stands in between Yongguk and Youngjae with his arms interlocked with theirs. The weather outside is the type where it’s fine under the sun, but freezing in the shadows.
“This is nice, isn’t it?” Himchan asks, glancing at Yongguk then Youngjae.
“Can we stand in the sun or something?” Youngjae asks in response.
“Is that a hint of sass I catch in your tone?” Himchan asks, nudging his elbow gently into Youngjae’s side.
Youngjae instinctively moves away, but his arm is still caught in Himchan’s. “Stop talking like you’re my mom!”
Yongguk laughs as he’s pulled along down the street. “You can’t try to stop him, Youngjae. That’s just how he is.”
Youngjae is quiet, but his pout is enough to make Himchan laugh.
“Come on, cheer up! We’re in the fresh air––“
“It smells like death and rotting corpses,” Youngjae interrupts.
Himchan leans toward Yongguk and whispers, “Are you hearing the attitude in his voice? Where did we go wrong?”
“I’m right here!” Youngjae protests. “And I’m not your son!”
When Youngjae tries to pull his arm away, Himchan just holds on tighter. He glances at Youngjae and finds a small smile on his lips.
“You’re smiling,” Himchan says, nudging Youngjae’s side.
Youngjae scoffs. “Um, no.”
“Stop teasing our son, Himchan,” Yongguk says.
Youngjae turns to Yongguk, disbelief in his face. “Not you, too!”
Yongguk suddenly stops, tugging on Himchan’s arm, and looks to the left. “Did you guys see that?”
Himchan immediately lets go of Yongguk and Youngjae’s arms. His hand goes to the knife in his pocket. “What was it?”
Youngjae tenses, following Yongguk’s line of sight.
“Too fast to be a zombie,” Yongguk replies, his voice going quiet. He moves himself in front of Himchan and Youngjae in a protective stance. “Be careful.”
The street goes eerily quiet as they wait for what Yongguk saw to reveal itself. It’s dark in the building in front of them and nothing seems to be moving in there anymore. Yongguk begins to wonder if he imagined it.
“Looks like you guys caught me…,” a voice calls out from the building.
Himchan blinks and Yongguk turns around. They lock eyes and they already know what’s on the other’s mind.
But it’s Youngjae who says it out loud. “Daehyun?”
Yongguk and Himchan look back at Youngjae. How do they know each other?
“Youngjae, that you?” the voice calls from the building.
“No, idiot,” Youngjae replies sarcastically. He walks in front of Yongguk and Himchan. His fists are clenched at his sides. They can’t see his face, but his voice trembles when he speaks again. “Where the fuck have you been?!”
Daehyun walks out of the building with a sheepish smile on his face. “Hey, it’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“He’s gotten thinner since we last saw him,” Himchan whispers to Yongguk. He puts the knife back into his pocket.
Yongguk nods.
“You know what, I thought you fucking died, you fucking bastard!” Youngjae says, taking a step to Daehyun with each word.
When Youngjae steps close enough to Daehyun, he pulls Youngjae into a hug and buries his head into Youngjae’s shoulder. Youngjae stops talking. His shoulders slump and he eventually wraps his arms around Daehyun’s waist. He says something that Yongguk and Himchan can’t hear properly.
“What do you think happened between them?” Himchan whispers.
Yongguk shrugs. They don’t know how long they wait, but they know better than to interrupt. They already feel like they’re intruding just by watching.
“God, I thought you died,” Youngjae whispers between sobs. “Don’t do that again, okay?”
Daehyun nods. “I’m so tired, Jae.” He finally looks up and his eyes focus on Yongguk and Himchan. “Hey, wait, I know you guys.”
Himchan waves and Yongguk smiles.
“Long time no see,” Himchan says.
Somehow, Yongguk and Himchan manage to convince Daehyun to come back to the apartment with them. He lays down on the futon with his head in Youngjae’s lap.
It’s getting dark, and Yongguk and Himchan work in the kitchen to make dinner. Their small hot plate sits on the counter, heating up the smaller pot of beans.
“I’m guessing you had fun on your adventure?” Youngjae asks, running his hand through Daehyun’s. His voice is just loud enough to hear.
Daehyun probably says something in reply, but it’s too soft to be overheard.
“I’d hit you if you didn’t look like a sad puppy,” Youngjae says.
Himchan glances out into the living room to find Youngjae leaning forward to press his forehead against Daehyun’s.
“They’re being really cute right now,” Himchan whispers to Yongguk.
“Stop spying on them,” Yongguk replies, stirring the beans. “Get some spoons and bowls or something.”
Himchan snorts, but he digs through the cabinets for silverware. “I’m just saying.”
“And I’m just saying that you shouldn’t spy on them so much,” Yongguk says.
“Yeah, okay, you’ve made your point.” Himchan drops the bowls to the counter with a clatter. “I wonder what they’re talking about, though.”
“Oh my god, Himchan, why don’t you just ask them, then?” Yongguk holds the pot up and pours the beans into the bowls. “Hey, guys, dinner’s ready!”
Youngjae leans back, and Daehyun sits up. They walk to the small kitchen and retrieve a bowl each. Daehyun is more hesitant, but eventually grabs one when Yongguk smiles at him. Yongguk notices how close Daehyun and Youngjae are when they walk together.
They’re inseparable.
That night, Daehyun sleeps in Youngjae’s bed, their limbs tangled in each other beneath the paper thin blanket.
“Somehow, I feel better knowing that they reunited,” Himchan says, laying on his back in the loft.
“We just found out they knew each other today,” Yongguk replies. He turns on his side, and although he can just barely make out Himchan’s silhouette in the darkness, he can’t help but run his fingers down the side of Himchan’s face.
“You know what I mean,” Himchan says, bringing his hand up to lace his fingers with Yongguk’s. “I mean, it’s gotta be hard being alone when the world’s gone to shit.”
Yongguk knows he’s said this before, but he doesn’t think he’s ever been so grateful to have Himchan in his life.
——
——
Winter comes to an end and barren branches begin to sprout leaves. Lethargy becomes restlessness. Days grow longer. Sunlight pours in through the window, warming the apartment.
“This is nice,” Youngjae says. He looks over at Daehyun who’s staring out the window and sketching in a notebook. “Better than our old shithole, don’t you think?”
Himchan looks up from his book. “Where did you guys live before?”
“A real piece of shit,” Youngjae replies, but there’s a hint of nostalgia in his smile.
“It was in Seoul. You know those tiny apartments in between the city and the suburbs?” Daehyun doesn’t look away from his notebook. The pages are dirtied and the edges are frayed, but it’s in good condition.
“Aren’t they single apartments?” Yongguk asks. He’s never lived in one of those before, but he’s heard his fair share of stories from his friends before.
“Yeah, those ones,” Daehyun replies. His hand flies on the paper.
“It was about a third of this space.” Youngjae points to the opposite wall. “Everything was tiny from the bed to the fucking bathroom.”
Daehyun finally looks up from his sketch to waggle his eyebrows at Youngjae
Youngjae scowls. “Gross.”
Daehyun laughs and continues sketching.
“And it was the two of you?” Himchan asks. He lived in one for a year and half before deciding to get a real apartment closer to his university. “Wasn’t it cramped?”
Daehyun shrugs. “It was okay for us. We’re used to living together, anyway.”
“How do you two know each other?” Himchan asks. He’s been meaning to ask, but he’s never gotten around to it.
Youngjae hums. “That’s a long story. Why don’t you explain it, Daehyun?”
“Yeah, alright, fine.” Daehyun smudges the hard edges of the sketch with his fingertips. “Youngjae’s brother had a band and I was their bass guitarist for a while.”
“And then what happened?” Youngjae asks.
Yongguk and Himchan don’t miss the smug smirk on Youngjae’s face.
Daehyun hesitates. “Youngjae’s brother caught us making out in the bathroom.”
Himchan can’t help the snort that comes out of his mouth. Yongguk nudges his side, but that doesn’t stop the laugh that follows. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
“No, that’s…literally it,” Youngjae replies with a small smile of his own. “Simplified, but that’s it.”
Yongguk stands up, stretching his arms above his head. “Well, I think it’s time for us to look for more supplies. We’re running low on food, and I’ve been putting off collecting ammo for a while. At least now we won’t be freezing our asses off.”
“Can we come?” Youngjae asks, looking up with a hopeful glint in his eyes. Even Daehyun glances up from his notebook with that same look.
Yongguk glances at Himchan, who shrugs. “I don’t see why not. More people means we can carry more stuff.”
Daehyun and Youngjae cheer and jump up, their pent up energy spilling over.
“Remember when we used to be like that?” Himchan asks as he stands up beside Yongguk.
Yongguk raises an eyebrow. “You talk like we’re eighty.”
Himchan hums in response, but he and Yongguk both know that this forced them to grow up faster than they would have liked.
The four of them walk out of the apartment building, backpacks packed with the bare minimum, and motivation brimming. They walk down the hill, talking quietly amongst themselves.
“Youngjae,” Yongguk says once they reach the bottom of the hill. He turns around to face Youngjae, who currently has Daehyun clinging onto his arm.
“What’s up?” Youngjae asks.
“Where’s the house you found that one time?”
Youngjae looks around the streets, furrowing his eyebrows. His eye flit left and right, and he eventually says, “Um, I think I remember how to get there, but I can’t guarantee anything.”
“It’s alright,” Yongguk replies. He steps aside with a smile. “Take the lead.”
It’s not surprising to Yongguk when he feels something similar to happiness in his mind when he follows Youngjae and Daehyun down the streets. He can’t remember the last time he’s been with this many people because while Himchan is excellent company, Daehyun and Youngjae are like a breath of fresh air.
The sun is high in the sky and casting warm rays down on them when they finally reach a suburban neighborhood. High rise apartment complexes become modest houses and ransacked local stores. Weeds sprout in the cracks of the pavement, stubbornly growing and thriving.
“Okay, I’m pretty sure it was around here,” Youngjae says. He points at a boarded up shopfront. The sign, once a vibrant green, is faded and the letters are barely legible now; it rests against the door, having collapsed some time ago. “I remember passing by that.”
They continue to walk down the street, engulfed in ringing silence. The debris piles up. Decaying body parts litter the side of the street. Zombies that can’t walk lay on the sidewalk, against walls, halfway out of buildings, their arms reaching out towards the four as they rush past. It’s unnerving for all of them.
“I could have sworn it was around here somewhere,” Youngjae says, slowing his pace. He looks left and right, scrutinizing each house before moving on. Doubt begins to show on his face, and he considers turning back around because what if this is the wrong street?
They all look the same to everybody else.
Just when Youngjae is about to turn around, he sees a familiar roof. He begins to jog lightly to the gate with everybody following close behind him.
“Shit, watch out!” Himchan exclaims.
It’s Yongguk who pulls Youngjae and Daehyun back as a pair of zombies stumble out of the gate. Youngjae freezes, his muscles completely tense as Yongguk pushes him and Daehyun towards Himchan.
“Goddamn,” Daehyun whispers as Himchan’s arms dart out to help Youngjae regain his balance.
Yongguk stands defensively in front of the other three, waiting to see if the zombies will come to them. Himchan stands beside Yongguk, knife in his hand.
“Do you think we’ll be able to go around them?” Himchan asks.
“Not with a road this narrow,” Yongguk replies, glancing to the right. There’s too much debris blocking the rest of the way. They won’t be able to climb it without making any noise. They’re better off fighting the zombies.
Daehyun suddenly appears beside Himchan with a giant chunk of concrete in his hand.
Himchan blinks. “Wha—“
Daehyun smiles as he throws the chunk over the zombies’ heads. It lands on the hood of a car with a loud clang that makes everybody’s ears ring. The zombies groan and turn around. Yongguk and Himchan look at Daehyun who has a proud smile plastered on his face.
“Showoff,” Youngjae mutters. He walks past the three and through the gate into the house.
“I couldn’t let you hog the spotlight,” Daehyun replies as he trails after Youngjae.
Yongguk glances behind him. He spots a couple more zombies making their way toward them. He nudges Himchan. “Hey, help me close the gate.”
It takes them a couple minutes to get the gate to move because it probably hasn’t been moved in months. It creaks and groans, but they eventually get it to close fully before any zombies manage to get in.
“I’m surprised this house is still untouched,” Youngjae comments as he walks around.
Daehyun pokes his head from the kitchen. “Not that surprising. There aren’t a lot of survivors around here.”
“True, but still. It’s weird, you know? It’s like this whole place is stuck in time,” Youngjae says. He walks down the hall. “Hey, here’s where I found the food. Go get Yongguk and Himchan.”
Daehyun darts out of the kitchen and down the hall just as Yongguk and Himchan walk inside. He waves at them to follow him. When they reach the farthest door in the hallway, they find Youngjae standing in the middle of the room. He looks down at something, frozen in place.
“Jae? What’s up?” Daehyun asks. He walks up to place a hand on Youngjae’s shoulder, but he stumbles back. “Whoa, what the—”
Yongguk and Himchan walk up behind Youngjae and Daehyun. They see two bodies on the ground, one on top of the other. A handgun lays beside them, sitting in the middle of dried blood. The thick scent of death hangs low in the air and engulfs them, condensed and stagnating in that one room.
“They weren’t here last time,” Youngjae whispers. He continues to stare at the bodies, unable to move.
Daehyun grabs onto Youngjae’s shoulders and spins him around. “Come on, you said the room is around here, right?”
Yongguk catches the way Youngjae looks down at the floor, his face drained of all color and emotion. He walks past Yongguk and Himchan, silent and solemn in the darkness. The atmosphere becomes as heavy as the air around them.
Himchan follows after Daehyun. Yongguk lingers in the room for a moment. He stares at the decaying corpses, the gun, and the blood surrounding them. He wonders how they came to this point.
Yongguk thinks back to his sister. He sees the tears she shed. He sees the blood running down her arm and covering her tattoos. He sees the bite infecting her body, turning her a sick pale. He sees the gun she holds out to him. He hears the tremors in her voice when she speaks.
You gotta do it, Yongguk. You’re the only one I trust.
“Bbang,” Himchan says, his voice already distant.
Yongguk turns around and finds Himchan in the corridor with a worried expression on his face.
“You alright?” Himchan asks.
Yongguk nods. He walks out of the room and closes the door behind him. He hopes they didn’t suffer long before they died.
——
In the middle of spring, Yongguk’s radio crackles as it picks up a signal. It startles everybody and they gather around Yongguk, curious. Yongguk didn’t expect anything to happen when he began fiddling with it, but someone is broadcasting. The static breaks the message apart, but Yongguk turns the knob a couple times and the message becomes clearer.
“…here until the sun sets. I repeat, to any survivors, my name is Moon Jongup and I am with one other survivor named Choi Junhong. We are in the Wonju radio station on the sixteenth floor. We will stay here until the sun sets.”
“Survivors!” Daehyun exclaims, his eyes shining with excitement. “We gotta go find them!”
Yongguk switches off the radio and stands up. “Only Himchan is coming with me.”
Himchan looks up at Yongguk curiously as Daehyun and Youngjae ask, “Wait, what?”
“I need you two to stay here and watch over the apartment,” Yongguk replies as he bounds up the stairs to the loft. He grabs his backpack and throws Himchan’s down, who barely manages to catch it. “Who knows what might happen if we all go?”
Daehyun opens his mouth to protest, but Youngjae puts his hand on Daehyun’s shoulder. Daehyun turns to look at Youngjae, who just shakes his head. Daehyun deflates with a pout, but he leans back against the wall beside Youngjae.
“Thanks for understanding, guys,” Yongguk says with a small smile. He nods to Himchan, who’s already standing up. “Let’s go.”
They pack their backpacks with supplies and head out of the apartment. The sun is just barely halfway across the sky when they make their way down the hill. Yongguk won’t deny the sense of urgency he feels when he walks down the street.
“Moon Jongup and Choi Junhong, huh?” Himchan asks. He looks up at the rising skyscrapers as they get closer to the center of the city. “Where do you think the radio tower is?”
Yongguk looks up, and points a slender finger. “Probably the building with the sign that says ‘radio station’ on it.”
Himchan follows Yongguk’s finger and almost laughs. “That’s too easy.”
“At least we won’t have to run around the city trying to find it,” Yongguk says. He readjusts the straps on his backpack and takes a deep breath.
When Yongguk and Himchan reach the radio station, they don’t expect to find a pair of teenagers there. They quietly walk down the hall to the open doorway with sunlight spilling out of it. When they reach the doorway, they peek inside. Jongup and Junhong sit on the spinning office chairs, absentmindedly turning the chairs. They look bored out of their minds.
“Do you think anybody will come?” Junhong asks. He leans his head back so it hangs behind him. He stops spinning, and his long legs splay out in front of him. His arms hang off the side of the chair.
“We’ve been putting out the thing for a week now. There’s bound to be someone out there,” Jongup replies.
Yongguk glances at Himchan. They must have been pretty determined to be doing this for a week.
Junhong sits up in his chair, sliding a bit on the tiled floor. “Yeah, but what if––“
Himchan suddenly grabs onto Yongguk’s arm, and walks into the room with a grin on his face. “Hi there!”
Jongup and Junhong stare at Yongguk and Himchan, shocked into complete silence.
Himchan turns to Yongguk. “Do you think the generation after us wasn’t taught proper manners?”
“Were you ever taught proper manners?” Yongguk asks, gently removing Himchan’s hand from his shoulder. He smiles at Jongup and Junhong, who are still silent. “We heard your broadcast over the radio and thought we could come help you guys out.”
Jongup is the first to collect himself. He stands up from his chair and it rolls away from him. “Are you serious?”
“We wouldn’t be here if we weren’t,” Yongguk replies.
“Dude, I can’t believe that actually worked,” Junhong says. He stares at Yongguk and Himchan with wide eyes like they’re angels.
Yongguk points to himself. “I’m Yongguk.” He points a thumb at Himchan. “And this is Himchan.”
Jongup and Junhong glance at each other before introducing themselves.
“I’m Jongup.”
“Junhong.” When Junhong stands up, he’s a full head taller than Yongguk and Himchan, but his grin has something boyish and naive in it.
“So, did you guys need help?” Yongguk asks.
“We…didn’t actually plan that part out yet,” Jongup replies slowly.
“We need a place to stay,” Junhong says almost immediately after. Jongup nudges Junhong’s side. “At least…until we find one ourselves.”
Yongguk looks at Himchan, who shrugs, but his eyes seem to convey approval. “Sure. We’re in an apartment not far from here.”
Jongup and Junhong grab their own backpacks and follow Yongguk and Himchan out of the radio station.
——
——
Jongup and Junhong prove to be more useful than Yongguk anticipated. He didn’t expect much out of a pair of teenagers, but apparently they were boy scouts and know a fair amount of survival tactics. After a couple weeks, it occurs to both Yongguk and Himchan that Jongup and Junhong aren’t going to look for another place, but they don’t mind. Yongguk finds another futon in a unit down the hall.
Yongguk and Himchan quickly realize that nightmares are a common occurrence for Junhong.
They’re up late, sleep too faraway for them to reach, when they hear movement below the loft. Yongguk expects it to be Youngjae preparing to leave for some reason, which is already weird because he hasn’t been leaving as often as before ever since Daehyun joined them. Himchan looks down to find Junhong turning over and over on the mattress. His breaths come out ragged and whimpers spill from his mouth.
Yongguk joins Himchan, concern on his mind. “Is he okay?”
Himchan shakes his head. “I don’t think so… I don’t know.” He looks at Yongguk, his face barely visible in the moonlight.
“What should we do?” Yongguk asks.
Himchan looks down at Junhong, asking himself the same thing. Yongguk and Himchan are both the youngest from their families and they always turned to their older siblings for comfort, but now they’re the older ones, and Himchan realizes he doesn’t know what to do. He takes a deep breath and slowly walks down the stairs to Junhong.
“What are you doing?” Yongguk whispers, but he doesn’t follow Himchan down.
Himchan doesn’t reply and continues to walk until he’s right at Junhong’s feet. It hurts him to see Junhong like this. He begins to wonder how long this has been happening to Junhong.
Himchan eventually sits on the floor beside Junhong’s head, contemplating a solution. He tentatively reaches out his hand and pets Junhong’s disheveled hair. He brushes the stray strands aside and tries to smooth the creases in between his brows.
Jongup wakes up sometime later, turning to face Himchan and Junhong. He places a hand on Junhong’s own, rubbing small circles with his thumb.
“Is he okay?” Himchan whispers to Jongup.
“Mm, eventually,” Jongup murmurs. He leans close to Junhong’s ear, but if he says anything else, his voice is too soft for Himchan to properly pick up.
“Mom!” Junhong gasps. His eyes fly open, and Himchan feels Junhong tense.
“Hey,” Jongup says, moving his hand to Junhong’s shoulder. “We’re here. We’re safe.”
Himchan is amazed at how unfazed Jongup is. He wonders how many times this has happened for Jongup to be so used to this.
Junhong looks at Jongup, then at Himchan. In the pale moonlight, he swears he could see Junhong flush a deep red.
“Junhong,” Himchan starts, his voice nearly inaudible because he doesn’t know how else to comfort Junhong, “it’s okay. You’re alright.”
Junhong is quiet. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t speak. He can barely breathe.
Himchan reaches out and strokes Junhong’s hair again.
Junhong begins to relax. He turns on his side, facing Jongup, and closes his eyes with Himchan’s hand carding through his hair. Jongup drapes an arm around Junhong’s slimmer waist, pulling him close as he buries his head into the crook of Jongup’s shoulder.
Himchan isn’t sure how long he stays there with his fingers combing through Junhong’s hair, but Yongguk eventually brings a blanket and drapes it over Himchan’s shoulders. He sits beside Himchan, leaning his head against Himchan’s shoulder. He stays like that with Yongguk leaning into his side, even after Jongup and Junhong have fallen back asleep, until the sun rises and illuminates the apartment.
——
——
Yongguk tries to avoid joining groups when he can. He’s had Himchan, and that worked out fine for them before.
When the other four joined, Yongguk was careful around them, keeping a distance between himself and them because he’s seen groups crumble under pressure; he knows that they can’t possibly all last. He knows it’s only a matter of time.
And yet…they all fit together like puzzle pieces falling into place. Despite the small space of their apartment struggles to fit all of them, it only grows cozier. Maybe it starts to resemble a home. Maybe they start to become a family in this fucked up excuse of an apocalypse.