Chapter Text
The cold autumn wind hit my back as I was walking through Seoul after buying some gifts for my dear kids. The streets were bustling as always, cars honking, people chatting, the city breathing in that restless way it always did. I was finally on break, and my usual sickness that showed up everytime I had a moment to rest hadn’t come yet. I hoped it would pass quickly or not come at all. For once, I wanted a real break, a day where my body didn’t betray me.
Ring ring.
I looked at my phone…
The caller wasn’t the most pleasant person ever, but I guessed I should pick up. Even though he was insane, he was… occasionally useful.
“Oh, Moondae, hello. I’m surprised you picked up quickly.”
“Are you? Should I just hang up?”
“No, no. I just heard you were on break. I thought we could meet sometime; my Kongi has been missing you.”
Well, the puppy did. Since inviting, the dirty dude always used his dog against me.
“Well, I’ll think about it.”
“That’s good. Don’t you dare reject me. Also, have you thought about killing—”
Click.
I hung up.
Just what I needed—Cheongryeo bothering me again. Hearing his voice alone was enough to disturb my peace. I shoved my phone into my pocket and exhaled sharply. I should just forget about him and go back to the dorm…
A cold morning. Colder than usual. Probably because I was sick again. I really hoped I would skip it this time, but hopes are for the lucky, not me.
My whole body felt heavy. Each breath scraped down my throat. I was so dizzy I couldn’t even stand up without the ceiling tilting sideways. Maybe I’d just stay in bed and hope the world would leave me alone.
Ring ring.
Who was it again? If it was that guy, I swear…
I glanced at the caller ID: “crazy bitch.”
What was I hoping for, really? Who else would call me at this time?
I accepted the call.
“Get lost.”
“Oh Moondae, I know you missed me so much, but slow down with the excitement. Anyway, what’s with your voice?”
“Fever. Dizzy. I feel like shit.”
“Where are you? Dorm?”
“Yeah.”
Click.
This time he hung up on me. Bitch.
I would’ve been mad if I had the energy, but right then all I could think about was how close I was to passing out. My fingers were shaking, my chest felt hollow, and the world kept spinning no matter how tightly I closed my eyes. Oh, how I hate living like this.
I hate living…
Tick-tock, tick-tock. Time dripped by slowly as I drifted in and out of consciousness. Sometimes I heard my own breathing; sometimes I didn’t. The room felt too warm, then too cold. Everything was muffled, like I had cotton in my ears.
Then, suddenly, a knock on the door.
Did one of the kids lose their keys? But why would any of them be here at this hour?
I forced myself up, legs trembling like newborn deer legs, and stumbled toward the front door. Every step made the hallway stretch longer and longer. When I finally opened the door, I nearly fell forward, Cheongryeo’s arms shot out instantly, catching me.
“You should take better care of that cute body of yours,” he murmured, stepping inside without waiting for permission.
“What are you doing here, bastard?”
I tried to look up at him, but lifting my head felt like trying to move a boulder. My vision blurred. I could barely keep my balance.
He pulled me closer, and I didn’t have the energy to fight him off.
“Shhh… It’s okay. Just calm down and let’s go to your bed, okay?”
I nodded weakly. My limbs felt like wet sand. Cheongryeo must’ve noticed, because he slid an arm under my legs and lifted me in a clean, practiced motion. Normally, I would’ve argued, made a fuss, kicked him, something. But now? I couldn’t even lift a finger.
He carried me to my room, my bed. I didn’t even know how he knew where I slept. Suspicious bastard.
He pulled a blanket over me, then leaned down, his face far too close.
“You look so helpless like this… I could do anything right now, you know?”
F*cking disgusting pig. Nausea surged up my throat—I really was about to throw up. How could he say something like that? Was he insane?
“Oh wait, wait!I was just joking. I’m sorry, please don’t throw up.”
He looked genuinely panicked. And… genuinely sorry. Still a disgusting joke, but at least he realized it.
He gently lifted my head so I wouldn’t feel suffocated, then pressed his forehead against mine.
“I’m sorry. That was a disgusting thing to say. I’m sorry… about everything, really. Please don’t feel worse because of me. You’re very important to me.”
I was shocked. Him being honest wasn’t new, but him being gentle? Kind? That was strange. Strange enough to make me forget about my current fever despite everything. His warmth grounded me, and slowly, the world faded again.
I didn’t know what time it was when I woke up, but it was already dark outside. My fever had gone down; I felt much better. The towel on my forehead was cool, Cheongryeo must’ve put it there. Speaking of him, he was curled up next to me, hugging my arm like a child clutching a toy. He looked so lonely, like someone who never learned how to be held but desperately wanted to be.
Normally, I would’ve kicked him off the bed, but he took care of me. So I let him stay.
The room felt oddly peaceful.
No… that wasn’t it. It wasn’t peace, it was the contrast. Because outside was loud. Much louder than usual. Sirens, screaming, cars speeding like they were fleeing something. My heart sank.
What was going on?
I carefully pulled my arm out of Cheongryeo’s grasp and stood up. My legs wobbled, but I managed to reach the window. I parted the curtain...
Chaos.
People running. Police lights flashing. Ambulances and fire trucks weaving between cars. Something big had happened. Something bad.
My chest tightened. I shut the curtain quickly, as if hiding the sight would make it disappear.
Looking around the room, my eyes landed on Eugene, sleeping on the other bed. His clothes were wrinkled and dirty, his hair a mess. Was he attacked before he came here? Did he come running without thinking? Did he collapse immediately without even noticing Cheongryeo?
Worry prickled under my skin. I walked over and gently patted Eugene’s head. He shifted, nuzzling into my hand like a small puppy seeking comfort.
“Oh, my dear Eugene… how cute you are.”
“You too, Moondae.”
F*ck. I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Since when was he awake?
“I’m sorry, did I wake you?”
“Don’t worry. I’m happy that I woke up with you around. Honestly… I’m really scared.”
He opened his eyes slightly, and all I saw was fear. That alone made my chest tighten. I sat next to him, letting him hug me like I was the only anchor he had left.
“What’s wrong? What happened? You can tell hyung everything.”
“It was so scary… I was just walking home when he attacked me. He grabbed me, his hands were dirty and he tried to bite me, so I ran. They were in a group, and they looked drunk, or… I don’t know. Not normal. I had to run a lot. In the end, I just arrived here and collapsed. I don’t even know why I came to the dorm. It wasn’t my original destination, but when I thought you’d be here… I knew it would be safer than anywhere else.”
Eugene started sobbing, his shoulders trembling against me.
“Oh damn, that’s wild. Did you get injured?”
Eugene’s eyes widened when Cheongryeo suddenly spoke. Honestly, even I was surprised. I didn’t know he was awake.
“No, I’m fine. Just my clothes… but what are you doing here, sunbae-nim?”
“Oh, Moondae was sick, so I came to take care of him.”
“That’s so kind of you.”
Eugene smiled at Cheongryeo, accepting the explanation easily.
“Guys, what’s that chaos outside?” I finally spoke up.
Cheongryeo walked to the window, pulled the curtain back a little, then immediately stepped away, startled.
“Our city is quite lively today,” he muttered.
He looked worried. Actually worried. I hadn’t seen him like this before whatever was happening must be serious.
“Moondae… I’m scared.”
Eugene clung to me like a lifeline, glancing toward the window every few seconds. I finally drew the curtain back completely.
“You don’t have to look outside,” I said softly. “Just change clothes first.”
He nodded, slowly loosened his hold on me, grabbed a clean set of clothes, and left to change.
“Any idea what’s going on?” I asked, turning to Cheongryeo. If anyone knew something, it would be him. He was a regressor, he had seen timelines I hadn’t.
“This hasn’t happened before. I don’t know what’s going on,” he said seriously. “I have guesses, but they’d make me look insane.”
“That’s nothing new. You’re already crazy.”
He chuckled quietly, then his face hardened again.
“We have to wait and observe before I can form a hypothesis. But one thing’s certain, we should stay in the dorm.”
“I agree. I don’t know what’s causing all this uproar, but it’s definitely not good. I’m going to check the internet.”
Cheongryeo nodded and opened his own phone.
The forums were overflowing with posts like “Is this a new apocalypse?”
It sounded stupid and dystopian. What kind of apocalypse would happen in safe, predictable Korea? Some people even speculated zombies. Zombies—what kind of ridiculous nonsense was that?
“Hyung… are zombies real?”
Eugene’s voice floated in as he walked back into the room.
“No. They’re just using that to cover up some government mess-up, I think.”
“But the people who attacked me… they acted like zombies.”
“That doesn’t make sense…”
Except… it did. A little.
If Eugene was telling the truth, then what attacked him might have been a zombie. But that couldn’t be real.
Right?
Right?
“This is crazy… a zombie apocalypse. I didn’t think I’d ever live through one.”
Even Cheongryeo thought it was possible?
“You think they exist?” I asked.
“Well,” he said calmly, “anything can happen in a world where people like us exist. So why wouldn’t undead people exist too?”
…He wasn’t wrong.
Travelling through time and being undead weren’t the same thing, but they were both supposed to be mythical. Impossible. Things that shouldn’t exist.
Yet here we were.