Inside the faculty room, the dim fluorescent lights flickered above, casting an eerie glow on the group as they stumbled in. The space was cramped, with papers scattered across desks and a palpable air of desperation. A few figures huddled in the corners, each lost in their own fear and uncertainty.
As Kyung Jisoo, Seung Min, and Hwang Jin entered, they were greeted by a round, slightly chubby teacher who looked like he'd just been pulled from a nightmare himself. His shirt was drenched in sweat, and his face was pale, almost ghostly. He turned toward them, adjusting his glasses with shaky hands.
"You're—you're alive?" the teacher stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I-I thought we were the only ones left."
Seung Min, ever the class president, quickly stepped forward, his voice steady despite the weight of the situation. "Sir, what's the situation here? We heard an announcement—what's happening?"
The teacher, Mr. Im, looked around nervously before swallowing hard. "The school… the infected have taken over the grounds. Most of the staff are either gone or..." He trailed off, avoiding their eyes as if the words themselves were too difficult to speak. "We've been hiding in here, hoping for some sort of rescue. The cameras show more and more of them coming. We're barely holding on."
Hwang Jin glanced over at the monitors lining the wall, where a lone student was fixated on the security footage. The boy's face was drawn with exhaustion, his eyes darting from screen to screen as he tracked the movements of the infected throughout the school.
"Who's that?" Kyung Jisoo asked, still catching his breath.
The teacher gestured toward the boy. "That's Jae Hyun. He's been watching the cameras… keeping an eye on things, making sure we're not caught off guard."
Jae Hyun barely acknowledged them, his eyes glued to the screens, hands tense on the desk as he muttered, "welcome thing are about to get interesting."
As they stepped further into the room, Kyung Jisoo's heart clenched at the sight of Akiko sitting in the corner, her arms wrapped around a girl who was crying uncontrollably. The girl, Iseul, was shaking, her sobs echoing softly in the room as Akiko whispered soothing words, trying her best to comfort her.
Akiko glanced up as the group entered, her usually composed face lined with stress, but her eyes lit up slightly upon seeing them. "You made it," she whispered, her voice a small relief in the oppressive atmosphere. "We thought you were gone."
Kyung Jisoo barely nodded, his mind still spinning from the events that had unfolded with Bae Suji. He hadn't had time to process everything, and now, with Akiko here, part of him felt the weight of everything crashing down again. But before he could even begin to speak, a familiar voice cut through the tension.
"Well, well, isn't this a reunion?" Ah Rim's voice was smooth, almost playful, as she stood up from one of the desks at the back of the room. She leaned against the wall with a smirk playing on her lips.
Seung Min's eyes widened in shock. "Ah Rim? You're—what the hell are you doing here?"
Ah Rim tilted her head, her scar visible under the flickering light, and gave a mock bow. "Surviving, same as you. Not all of us need to run around like chickens without heads to do it, though."
Seung Min's face darkened, confusion and anger brewing beneath the surface. "You were with Jimin… why are you here?"
She shrugged, her nonchalance infuriating. "Jimin and his little gang think they've got everything under control, but I have my own ideas. Figured it'd be more interesting to see how things play out in here." Her eyes twinkled with a dangerous glint as she sized up the situation. "Besides, this place has a bit more… entertainment."
"Those eyes "Seung Min whispered .
The room fell silent, the tension thick as Kyung Jisoo's gaze moved from Ah Rim back to Akiko, who was still comforting Iseul. A sense of dread gnawed at him. They were far from safe, even in here.
Mr. Im finally cleared his throat, trying to regain control of the situation. "Look, I don't care what's going on between you all, but we need to work together if we're going to make it out of this alive."
Jae Hyun looked up from the cameras, his voice cold and detached. "Now am set."
As the group settled into the tense silence, a sudden buzzing sound filled the room. Each of their phones lit up with the same alert notification, vibrating in unison. The sound pierced through the eerie quiet, and everyone scrambled to check their screens.
"Emergency broadcast?" Seung Min muttered, his brows furrowing as he fumbled to pull out his phone. His breath came in short, shallow gasps, the strain of the situation taking its toll on him. Without a word, he quickly reached into his pocket, pulling out his inhaler. He took a deep breath, inhaling the medicine with a soft hiss, his body trembling slightly as he tried to calm his breathing.
At the same moment, the TV in the corner of the room flickered to life with the same emergency alert. The buzzing stopped abruptly, replaced by the grim face of the president, his expression solemn and lined with exhaustion.
The room fell into an uneasy hush as everyone's attention turned to the screen. The president's voice cracked slightly as he began speaking.
"This is a message to all citizens," he said, the weight of his words heavy with despair. "The crisis that has unfolded across the nation is far more severe than initially anticipated. I ask that you remain calm and seek shelter. We are doing everything in our power to contain the outbreak, but it is essential that you protect yourselves. If you are in an unsafe area, move to the nearest designated evacuation zone. The military will be deployed shortly. For now, barricade your doors, find supplies, and avoid contact with the infected at all costs."
A brief pause followed, the gravity of the situation sinking in. The president's voice returned, more resolute this time. "We will overcome this together. Stay strong. Help is coming."
The broadcast ended as abruptly as it had started, the room plunged into a suffocating silence. The reality of the situation hit harder now that the nation's highest authority had confirmed the worst.
"Help?" one of the students scoffed, breaking the silence. A tall boy with a bandaged arm leaned back against the wall, shaking his head. "Help's not coming. If the military was actually handling this, they'd have already shown up by now. We're on our own."
Another student, a girl with wide eyes and trembling hands, hugged her knees to her chest. "But he said the military's coming... right? Maybe we just need to wait a little longer?"
Ah Rim, perched on her desk, rolled her eyes. "Sure, wait all you want. See how far that gets you when the doors are smashed down. Did you see the streets outside? They're crawling with those freaks. No way the military can handle that."
Akiko, her arms still wrapped around Iseul, spoke softly but with a steely edge. "We need to focus on what we can control right now. Staying alive here is what is necessary.Let's be positive."
Seung Min, now a little calmer after using his inhaler, looked between the others, his mind racing. "We should at least take the broadcast seriously," he said, his voice thoughtful. "There might be evacuation zones we can reach… or at least information we don't know yet. We shouldn't lose hope."
"Hope?" Jae Hyun, who was still glued to the security cameras, scoffed bitterly. "I don't see much hope out there. It began here "
The group fell into a tense debate, some clinging to the president's promise of help, while others, like Ah Rim and Jae Hyun, remained cynical and braced for the worst. But no matter which side of the argument they were on, one truth was undeniable: their time was running out.
Mr. Im, standing near the front of the room, had been quietly observing the escalating tension. His chubby face showed signs of exhaustion, but his eyes remained sharp, filled with determination. He cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.
"Enough!" he said, his voice firm yet not harsh. The argument that had been building instantly died down, replaced with a collective silence. He gestured toward the television, now black again after the president's message. "I know things seem hopeless, but we need to stay united. The president said help is coming, and we need to believe that. We can't afford to give in to fear."
He scanned the room, his gaze landing on Ah Rim and Jae Hyun, who both looked like they were about to argue back, but he continued before they could.
"The only way we make it out of this is by staying together, following the plan, and not panicking. If we start fighting amongst ourselves, we're as good as dead. Now, the president has given us an instruction—to wait and protect ourselves until help arrives. That's exactly what we're going to do."
The group visibly relaxed, Mr. Im's calm yet commanding presence easing some of their fear. Ah Rim slumped back in her chair, muttering something under her breath but not pushing the matter further. Jae Hyun rolled his eyes but kept quiet, his focus returning to the security cameras.
Just then, Kyung Jisoo's phone buzzed in his pocket. He quickly pulled it out, his stomach sinking when he saw the caller ID: "Mom."
He hesitated for a moment before answering. "Mom?"
"Jisoo!" his mother's panicked voice echoed through the phone. "Are you okay? Where are you?"
"I'm still at school," Kyung Jisoo replied, his voice tight with worry. He glanced at Hwang Jin, who gave him a concerned look. "Mom, it's not safe here. I'll try to get home soon, but—"
"Just stay safe!" his mother interrupted, her voice cracking. "I'm so scared, Jisoo. Please promise me you'll come home. Your dad is with me, but everything's falling apart."
"I will, Mom. I'll come home as soon as I can," Kyung Jisoo said, his heart heavy. "Please, just lock the doors and stay inside."
"I love you, Jisoo," his mother said softly, her fear palpable through the phone.
"I love you too," he whispered, before ending the call.
Before he could put his phone away, he heard another buzzing sound nearby. Ah Rim's phone. She looked down at it briefly, the name on the screen flashing, but instead of answering, she frowned and threw it across the room, letting it clatter against the wall.
The others stared at her in surprise, but she didn't say a word. She just turned away, arms crossed, refusing to acknowledge the call.
Mr. Im raised an eyebrow as Ah Rim's phone skittered across the floor. Without thinking, he walked over and picked it up, glancing at the screen. "Aren't you going to answer this?" he asked, his tone curious but cautious.
Ah Rim didn't respond, her expression hardening. Mr. Im looked at the caller ID again, and his brows furrowed. It wasn't just a name—it was a curse word, combined with the word "Dad."
He hesitated, then pressed the button to answer. Before he could say anything, a gruff voice erupted from the other end of the line. "Ah Rim! You better not be ignoring me—"
Before the man could finish, Ah Rim rushed forward, snatching the phone from Mr. Im's hand. "You bastard!" she screamed, her voice filled with fury. "I told you never to call me again!" Without a second thought, she hurled another stream of curses into the phone before slamming it against the wall with all her strength.
The phone shattered into pieces, the screen flickering once before going completely dark. The room fell into an uneasy silence as everyone stared at her, the tension thick in the air.
Ah Rim's chest heaved with anger, her fists clenched tight. She didn't bother to look at anyone, her usual fiery gaze fixed on the broken remains of the phone as if it symbolized something far worse. She turned away, arms crossed tightly over her chest, signaling that the conversation was over.