"Why is it so cold when the sun is so high?" Choi Hyungseo mutter, letting out a sigh that could rival a deflating balloon. The bright blue sky seems to mock her impending doom. Hell week of midterms is just about to start, and she's already exhausted, wishing for her death.

What she wouldn't give for a bottle of soju right now. But, of course, Hong Jisoo, the paragon of responsibility, wouldn't let her near a drop while studying for exams.

But what he doesn't know won't hurt him. She had heard him talking on the phone about the spike in patients crowding the hospital since a weird outbreak of feverish contagion started two days ago. He'll be too busy to notice her sneaking a drink with some friends, or so she'd like to think.

With another sigh, she glance around the medical department's courtyard, bustling with students who either look as stressed as she feel or annoyingly carefree. Leaning back against the rough bark of an old oak tree, she consider her options. Study until her brain turns to mush or sneak in a drink and risk the wrath of Hong Jisoo? Decisions, decisions.

"Choi Hyungseo!"

The said lady's musings are interrupted by a loud and vivacious voice calling her name. A very, very loud voice that makes her wince instantly.

When she turn to the source, there stands her clubmate from the cat-care club, the great Lee Seokmin with his broad shoulders and tall stature, his wide smile and kind eyes, waving at her.

Ugh, Seokmin. They're not friends, but he always smiles at her, which she's not too sure if she find kind or annoying.

Seokmin, being a student of sports education, rarely sees Hyungseo outside of their club meetings. Yet there he is, Wednesday, seeking her out in her territory. For what reason? Hyungseo don't have any idea.

As he strides over, she feel the eyes of the courtyard on them or her, wait, maybe him. The attention she's getting due to Seokmin's popularity, especially with girls, makes her want to disappear.

Oh no, please land, just eat me alive.

"Hyungseo!" Seokmin's voice booms again, catching the attention of even more students. He finally reaches her, his grin impossibly wide. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Lucky me," Hyungseo replied, plastering on a smile. "What's up, Seokmin?"

"I need your help with something for the cat-care club," he says, his enthusiasm undeterred by her sarcasm. "I found this great shelter, and I thought you could help me set up an excursion for the whole club."

Great. Just what she need. More responsibilities piled on top of her already towering workload. Hyungseo tried to muster some enthusiasm, but all she can think about is the endless study sessions awaiting her.

"Sure, Seokmin," She says, trying to sound more cheerful than she feel. "Let's talk about it later, okay? I've got a lot on my plate right now. I'll meet you later at the...at your building?"

"Uh...uhm, okay." His face falls slightly, but he nods, still smiling. "Of course! We'll catch up later. Good luck with your things on your plate!"

As he walks away, Choi Hyungseo can't help but feel a twinge of guilt. Seokmin's just too kind for his own good. But right now, all she wants is to crawl into a hole and hide from the world.

She let out another sigh, this one even more dramatic than the last. Midterms, Seokmin, Jisoo's ever-watchful eye... Sometimes she wish she could just hit pause on the crowded and noisy environment of life. But that would be the day, of course no, the universe will never stop living. Or so I thought.

On the other side of Seoul, Hong Jisoo sat in the break room, phone in hand, trying once again to call Hyungseo. It went straight to voicemail, and a small frown formed on his forehead. He hadn't seen her this morning; his shift had started too early.

Jisoo leaned back in his chair, letting out a quiet sigh. The hospital was unusually busy, with a surge of patients suffering from a mysterious fever. His mind kept drifting back to Hyungseo, wondering if she was okay. He knew how stressful midterms were for her, and he wished he could be there to support her.

He sent her a quick text, hoping she would see it soon: "Hey Hyungseo, just checking in. Hope you're doing okay. Call me when you get a chance."

Putting his phone down, he ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. He knew he had to focus on his patients, but a part of him couldn't help but feel distracted, his thoughts continually drifting back to Hyungseo. He hoped she was safe, studying hard, and not pushing herself too much.

"Is she still in class? Should I try again?" Jisoo muttered to himself, preparing to call another time when his co-resident slammed the door open.

"Fuck this!" Jun's unusually loud voice cursed.

Jisoo turned to him and instantly noticed the crimson spots on Jun's scrubs. "What happened?"

"One of the patients who came in earlier vomited all over me." Jun grumbled.

"Shouldn't you go straight to--" Jisoo began.

"I would, I would, if not for it being so crowded. Fuck, man, I know it's your break, but they'll need you out there. People are scrambling in here like it's a fucking mall. They're all saying they feel cold and then hot, and all of them are rude as fuck," Jun explained as he removed his top, changing into a t-shirt. "Fuck, I feel like I'm getting cold like them now."

Jisoo winced at the amount of 'fuck's in Jun's sentence but nodded nonetheless when he noticed his pale face. "Okay, take my break. You look like you need it."

Jun nodded, gratefully sinking into the chair Jisoo had just vacated.

"Thanks, man," he muttered, rubbing his forehead. "I think I just need a minute."

Jisoo gave his colleague a reassuring pat on the shoulder before heading out of the break room. The bustling atmosphere of the hospital hit him immediately.

The usual controlled chaos had turned into something more frantic, more urgent. He weaved through the crowded hallways, his mind still partially occupied with thoughts of his younger friend.

Reaching the Emergency Room, Jisoo was immediately greeted by the sight of overworked staff and anxious patients. The air was thick with tension, the sound of monitors beeping and people murmuring filling the space. He spotted a nurse he knew and quickly approached her.

"Hey, Nurse Kang, any updates on the febrile patients?" he asked, concern etched on his face. "The patient's paradoxical symptom of an abnormally cold sensation, despite their elevated body temperature, is particularly troubling."

"Yes and uhm," She shook her head, her expression grim. "No, but it's spreading atypically fast. The situation is escalating beyond our capacity to manage, and the symptoms are becoming increasingly severe and widespread."

Jisoo nodded, a sense of urgency creeping into his chest. "Shouldn't we escalate this to a higher authority and consider activating emergency protocols? What are the senior doctors saying?"

"That's the thing, Doctor. They're not saying anything," Nurse Kang replied, her voice tinged with frustration. "Dr. Lee has been in the isolation ward for hours, and Dr. Park is swamped with incoming cases. Communication is breaking down."

Jisoo frowned, realizing the gravity of the situation. "We need to take decisive action. Can you compile the latest patient data and symptoms for me? You can hand it to me later, I'll go and handle the new arrivals."

Nurse Kang nodded, already turning to her task. "I'll have it ready in ten minutes."

As he moved through the ER, assessing patients and trying to keep the situation under control, his phone buzzed in his pocket. For a moment, hope flared in his chest—it could be Hyungseo. But a quick glance at the screen showed it was just a notification from a news app, mentioning the same mysterious fever outbreak that was overwhelming their hospital.

He tucked his phone back into his pocket, trying to push aside his worry.

Loud yelling and arguing ensued, breaking his brief moment of distraction.

"Dr. Hong, we need you over here!" yelled a nurse from across the room.

Jisoo hurried over, weaving through the chaotic scene. When he reached the nurse, he saw a man clutching his bleeding arm, panic etched across his face. Jisoo quickly put on gloves and moved to examine the injury. His heart sank when he saw it: a clear bite mark, unmistakably human.

"What happened?" Jisoo asked, his voice calm but urgent.

The man winced, looking around nervously. "Some guy on the street—he just attacked me out of nowhere. Bit me like an animal."

Jisoo's mind raced. Human bite marks were unusual in any context, but in the middle of a mysterious fever outbreak, it was alarming. He exchanged a quick look with the nurse, who nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"We need to clean this and get you on antibiotics." Jisoo said, motioning for the nurse to prepare the necessary supplies. As he worked, his thoughts flickered back to the news notification, the rising number of patients with unexplained fevers, and the eerie possibility that these incidents were connected.

His thoughts were interrupted by another set of screams from the back of the accumulating crowd in the ER.

A mother had attacked her child, her mouth covered in blood as she bit into the girl's thigh. The sight was horrifying, the girl's screams piercing through the chaos. Nurses and doctors rushed to pull the mother away, but her strength was unnaturally fierce.

It took several staff members to subdue her, and even then, she continued to thrash and snap her jaws, her eyes wild and unseeing.

Hong Jisoo felt a chill run down his spine as he watched the scene unfold. The blood-soaked mother, the child's anguished cries, the frenzied urgency of the medical staff—it all painted a grim picture of something far more sinister than a simple outbreak.

"Get her restrained!" one of the senior doctors shouted, directing the staff. "And get that child to a separate room for treatment."

Jisoo moved swiftly to assist, helping to secure the mother to a gurney. Her strength was alarming, her skin cold and clammy to the touch. Once she was restrained, he turned his attention to the child, who was being carefully lifted onto another gurney by a pair of nurses.

"We need to get her cleaned up and start her on bactericide immediately." Jisoo instructed, his voice steady despite the turmoil around him.

As he worked, he couldn't shake the growing sense of dread. The pieces of a terrifying puzzle were starting to come together: the fever, the bites, the sudden, violent behavior. It was as if the city itself was descending into madness.

In the drab confines of homey home apartments, Jeon Wonwoo lounged like a ragdoll on his couch, the aftermath of last night's Twitch marathon sprawled around him. Empty soda cans and snack wrappers created a crumpled mosaic across the floor, while the dark curtains did a lackluster job of muting the blinding midday sun.

He groaned awake, his head pounding from the previous night's gaming escapade. He considered the possibility that maybe, just maybe, he should cut back on the all-night streams. With a grumbling yawn, he reached for his phone, scanning the screen for messages.

A slew of missed calls from his mother and a couple of unread texts from Seokmin flashed before him. Typical, he thought with a snort. He knew his stepbrother had a habit of worrying about him, especially after the whole law school fiasco. But dealing with family drama before his first cup of coffee? No thanks.

He grabbed his glasses and blinked blearily at the ceiling, still half-lost in the haze of sleep.

Suddenly, a series of frantic bangs on the door shattered the quiet. His heart jolted, and a frown creased his face. It wasn't the usual polite knock of a neighbor or the casual rap of a delivery guy. This was desperate, almost primal. He crept toward the door, peering through the peephole with a mix of irritation and curiosity.

A man stood there, eyes wide with panic, blood streaming from a gash on his forehead. He banged on the door again, casting fearful glances over his shoulder as if pursued by something—or someone—unseen.

"Help! Please, let me in!" The man pleaded, his voice cracking with fear.

Wonwoo recoiled from the door, his mind flashing through every horror movie trope he'd ever seen. The old guy who used to leave packed food outside his door suddenly seemed more like a character from a nightmare.

He hesitated, wrestling with the impulse to ignore the man and the flicker of recognition that made him pause. This was the same old man who'd left him meals when Wonwoo was too wrapped up in his own world to notice. A pang of guilt tugged at him.

Taking a deep breath, he cautiously approached the door again. Against his better judgment, he unlocked the door and cracked it open, keeping the chain in place.

"What happened?" Wonwoo's voice rumbled from the depths of sleep, wary and annoyed.

"Someone attacked me. Please, you have to help me." The man pleaded, his hands trembling uncontrollably.

Wonwoo's gaze fell on the man's arm, where a deep, ragged bite mark oozed with fresh blood. His initial reaction was a mix of revulsion and curiosity. Despite the gnawing urge to slam the door and ignore the whole mess, the old man's pitiful plea tugged at a lingering sense of guilt.

Suppressing a grunt of frustration, Wonwoo unlatched the chain and pulled the door open wider, reluctantly allowing the man into his chaotic sanctuary.

"Sit down." Wonwoo instructed curtly, guiding the man toward the couch with a grimace. He hurried to fetch his first aid kit from the bathroom, his mind racing through a jumble of thoughts.

The city's soundscape suddenly seemed to assault him with an unnerving intensity. The rhythmic hum of traffic, once a familiar backdrop, now felt overwhelmingly intrusive. Car horns blared with an almost maddening urgency, their shrill tones cutting through the usual ambient noise. The city's voices and noises blended into a chaotic cacophony, punctuated by sharp, unsettling cries that seemed to claw at his nerves.

Unease settled over him like a shroud as he stepped back into his cluttered living room, which doubled as a bedroom and gaming den. He found the man seated awkwardly in his gaming chair, the sight of it making Wonwoo's eyes narrow in disapproval.

"Son, I'm sorry to barge in like this..." The man stuttered, his voice trembling.

Wonwoo bit back a sharp retort, focusing on the man's fearful eyes. He could tell the man was genuinely terrified, but the intrusion was far from ideal. With a huff, he set to work on the wound, carefully applying antiseptic and bandages, albeit poorly, his movements precise but unenthusiastic.

As he cleaned the wound and applied a bandage, he tried to process what was happening. Human bites? People attacking each other?

The man's breathing was shallow, his face pale when he whispered, his voice weak. "Thank you, I don't know what's going on. It's like everyone's gone crazy."

Wonwoo's phone buzzed on the bed, but his attention was seized by the man's unsettling words. "Gone crazy?"

The man shivered as he continued, "My wife did this to me. I was just fixing our heater because she said she was cold when—"

A sudden spray of blood erupted from the old man's mouth, splattering across Wonwoo's bed. Panic surged through Wonwoo as he quickly distanced himself from the man.

"I... I think we need to get you to a hospital," Wonwoo said, his voice steady despite the rising dread inside him. "Can you walk?"

The man nodded feebly. With Wonwoo's assistance, they stumbled toward the door.

Just as they stepped into the hallway, a blood-curdling scream pierced through the building. Wonwoo's blood ran cold. This was no ordinary morning. What in the actual hell was happening in the city?

Later than she'd care to admit, Hyungseo took the back route of the medical department building, heading toward the education department. With her headphones snugly in place, she was blissfully oblivious to the world around her, lost in the bubble of her own thoughts and a playlist that probably wasn't saving her from a future hearing loss.

The campus, a labyrinth of monotonous architecture and academic pretentiousness, seemed to stretch out like a bad dream she couldn't quite wake from. Navigating it felt like operating on autopilot, her head bobbing along to the beat of her music in a one-person dance battle that no one else was invited to.

Lost in her own little world, she wandered through the nearly deserted campus, only to stumble over something jutting out from the alleyway near the entrance of the education sports department. She crashed to the ground, her headphones skidding away as a string of curses tumbled from her lips.

"What the—" She grumbled, pushing herself up and glaring at whatever had interrupted her private dance party.

Her annoyance quickly morphed into a full-blown scare as her eyes locked onto a figure sprawled in the alley, motionless and eerily silent. The figure's clothes were torn, and blood stained the ground around them. A gaping wound on their neck oozed dark, congealed blood.

Hyungseo's heart raced as she scrambled to her feet, eyes wide in shock. Panic surged through her, her mind racing through a checklist of possible explanations, none of which seemed to involve a peaceful resolution.

She opened her mouth to scream, but before she could make a sound, a large hand clamped over her mouth.

"Shh..." A voice growled from behind her, and a firm grip yanked her up from the ground. Hyungseo's eyes darted around in terror, her mind spinning faster than a hamster on a wheel.

She struggled to free herself, muffling a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. Her skin crawled with a mix of fear and frustration.

"Hyungseo, it's me," he voice whispered urgently in her ear. "It's Lee Seokmin."

The recognition of Seokmin's voice eased her panic slightly, but her heart was still racing. Seokmin loosened his grip, letting her turn around to face him. His usually cheerful face was now pale and serious, an unsettling contrast to his typical demeanor.

Her eyes tracked over his figure, noting the streak of crimson on his cardigan. Her throat tightened as she spotted a baseball bat on the ground, smeared with the same red stain.

"Seokmin, what the hell is going on?" She hissed, her voice trembling with a fear she couldn't quite place.

"I don't know exactly," Seokmin whispered, glancing nervously around the alley. "But we need to get out of here. It's not safe."

Hyungseo's mind raced, piecing together the disturbing puzzle: the body in the alley, the eerily silent campus, Seokmin's bloody appearance, and the bat. Something catastrophic was unfolding, and she seemed to be at the epicenter.

"W-what do you mean, Seokmin? Why are you covered in blood? Are you okay?" Her eyes welled up, her fear palpable.

Seokmin grabbed her hand, pulling her closer and hushing her. "I'm fine, it's not my blood. But I just saw one of my teammates... eat another teammate. So, I don't fucking know what's going on, but we need to move. Now."

This was no ordinary crisis—they were facing something far more sinister and deadly.