At the Quarantine Zone's Secured Borders
"WE GOT VISUALS!"
A soldier yelled as dozens of guns were trained on the two figures approaching the quarantine zone.
"ONE... NO, TWO INDIVIDUALS! YOUNG ADULTS! DON'T SHOOT—THEIR HANDS ARE IN THE AIR! THEY'RE HUMAN!"
"Tsche," the taller one spat, glaring at the soldiers. "They're aiming guns at us. What kind of zombie do you know can lift their arms up like this?"
"Doom Baby, may he rest in peace," the shorter one replied, earning a solemn nod from the taller one.
"May he rest in peace," the taller one echoed. "Gentle giant, he was."
"He squished a car with just his fist, hyung," the shorter one said flatly.
"Gentle compared to the shit you did with that rage mode. You ain't one to talk," the taller one retorted.
"YOU TWO!!! GET TO THE CHECKPOINT AREA NOW!" one of the soldiers barked. "YOU'LL BE TESTED FOR BITE AND SCRATCH MARKS, THEN HELD IN A 12-HOUR QUARANTINE BEFORE YOU'RE FREE TO GO!"
The pair exchanged a look before casually lowering their hands and heading toward the checkpoint.
"So," Jiho said as they walked. "What are you going to do after we get out, hyung?"
"Depends," Jang replied, glancing around. "After demanding payment from your mom for saving your ass, I might just come back to this place."
"You didn't save me—"
"My zombie army skill is growing," Jang cut him off as though Jiho hadn't even spoken. "If I level it up enough, I bet I can take control of every zombie in this place. Then, after showing humanity the crazy shit I can do, I'll be hailed as the eternal savior of the world. I'll run my own zombie city right here in the Quarantine Zone. Call it... Quarantine City."
"Such an unoriginal name," Jiho muttered, sighing.
"Shut up, bitch," Jang shot back without missing a beat.
"...."
"...."
"Aren't you gonna ask what I'll do?" Jiho finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Shit, I already KNOW," Jang scoffed. "Go back to your cutesy little life with your mom, go to school, and become a boring little bitch."
"You didn't enjoy school, hyung?" Jiho asked, raising an eyebrow.
"..."
Jang paused for a moment before shrugging.
"Shit, you know I did. Stealing kids' lunch money, beating the crap outta them just for fun, standing on their—" Jang paused mid-sentence, catching himself before continuing with a smirk.
"—on their cat's head until it popped. Fun times, fun times. I was the big bad bully every kid feared—just like in those Korean dramas. Yeah, I'd 100% go back to school just to tear shit up again. Too bad I'm past that age." he murmured, almost proudly.
'Hyung, we're already in Korea. No need to specify the 'Korean' part,' Jiho thought, his expression unchanging.
"That's messed up, hyung," Jiho deadpanned.
"You're one to talk, dog-beater," Jang fired back as they entered the sterile area filled with scientists bustling around; guns still trained at them from behind, leading them toward the testing area.
"I'm telling you, though, this is a bad idea." Jang whispered.
"What if they take our blood and figure out we're zombies?" Jang asked, his voice lowering slightly.
"Doubt it," Jiho replied calmly. "Zombies that eat human food instead of humans as food? I think our blood's fine. And even if it's not, and this ends up condemning us..."
Jiho's gaze hardened as he looked ahead with resolve.
"I have to try. If my mom's alive... I want to live with her, normally. Evading the law, hiding away... that would just put extra strain on her. She thinks I'm dead. She doesn't need more drama." Jiho explained.
"I have to believe the blood tests and all the exams will come out okay," he said, his voice firm.
"...."
Jang stared at him for a long moment, a mixture of disbelief and reluctant admiration flickering across his face before he sighed deeply.
"Such a cringey little bitch... Holy shit," Jang muttered, shaking his head.
---- ELSEWHERE ----
'My name... is Eunhee Ha,' she thought, the soft rooftop breeze brushing against her as his words lingered in the air.
'And right now... the boy I had to give up on in terms of love just said he's always loved me.'
"S-so..." Jiho stammered, fidgeting as he looked down, a blush spreading across his face. "Would you like... to... go out with me?" His voice trailed off awkwardly, barely above a whisper.
'To go out with him? You mean to do all those things Daniel said I should do? Act a certain way just to make Jiho see me favorably?' she thought, staring at him.
'No,' she realized, 'I don't want that. Besides... I'm already with Daniel. And I don't have to do any of those things for him to like me, or for us to have fun together. Haah... I suppose I can't keep this hidden from Jiho anymore.'
She raised her gaze to meet Jiho's, her expression soft but resolute. "I'm sorry, Jiho," she said gently. "I'm already in a relationship with Daniel. We've been together for quite a while now."
Her voice wavered slightly, but her words were firm.
"I'm sorry for not telling you. But I really do love him with all my heart." She turned quickly, not waiting to see Jiho's reaction as she walked toward the rooftop exit, her heart pounding.
But the door wouldn't budge.
"W-what the...?" she murmured, trying the handle again. It was locked.
"Eunhee..." Jiho's voice called from behind her.
"Let me out!" she shouted, wrestling with the door.
Jiho's voice shifted into low growls, his footsteps approaching steadily.
"LET ME OUT!!! LET ME OUT!! DANIEL!! DANIEL!!!" she cried, violently thrashing against the door as the growls grew louder, closer, consuming the air around her.
"Eunhee." The word cut through the growls like a blade, sudden and quiet.
She froze, her gaze fixed on the unyielding door.
"Ji..." she began, but before she could finish, a pair of rotten hands grabbed her shoulders. Teeth sank into her neck, tearing flesh apart in a flash of agony.
"AAAAAAAAAHH!" she screamed, jolting awake in her bed.
Morning light poured through the window.
"Eunhee?" a familiar voice called from beside her.
She turned sharply, the blanket falling from her body. It was Daniel.
It had been just a dream.
"..."
Eunhee exhaled slowly, though her face remained drained of life. Her gaze flicked to Daniel, catching the worry etched across his face as he watched her snap awake.
"Are you okay...?" he asked gently, reaching to rest a comforting hand on her shoulder. She shook it off without meeting his eyes.
"I'm fine," she muttered before slipping out of bed. She walked to the bathroom, leaving Daniel sitting alone on the mattress.
He watched her retreating form, leaning back against the pillow with a somber look.
"It's only in a few hours, Eunhee," Daniel said softly. "We can rest a bit longer until then."
"I know," she replied, standing at the entrance of the shower with the door left open. "But I want to spend as much time with Miss An as I can before she leaves the city with Jiho's father." She turned the faucet, letting the warmth of the water cascade over her.
Daniel sighed, leaning back against the pillow as his eyes drifted toward the ceiling.
"Sad stuff," he murmured absently. "... But at least they're together."
Eunhee listened from the shower, silent for a long moment before responding.
"It's even sadder because of that," she said quietly, though there was a faint edge to her voice.
"Jiho was her everything," she continued, her tone sharp and somber.
"The only reason she would be with Mr. Min-soo again is because he's all she has right now."
She frowned, staring blankly at the tiled wall as the water poured over her.
"... Not a single other reason," she spat bitterly.
Daniel flinched at her words, the weight of them pressing down like a stone in his chest.
A few more minutes of silence passed.
Taking a deep breath, Daniel rose from the bed, his muscular frame moving with deliberate confidence as he approached the bathroom.
"Then, I'll join you—" he began, but Eunhee was already stepping out, a towel wrapped tightly around her as she left the room.
"Great," she said flatly, walking past him.
"I showered quickly, so there's still hot water. I'm heading out early to their house." Her tone was devoid of warmth as she grabbed her clothes, dressing elsewhere, out of Daniel's sight. He stood in place, frustration flickering across his face before it settled into resignation.
"You don't have to come if you don't want to," she said abruptly, pausing for a moment at the door.
"But at least be at the funeral."
Daniel flinched again, his fists curling at his sides, anger flashing in his eyes.
"Aren't you giving me way too little FUCKING credit here...?" he growled, his voice rising. "You really think I wouldn't show up for Jiho's funeral?"
"..." Eunhee didn't respond at first, letting Daniel's words simmer.
"No," she said flatly, her tone as measured as before.
"No...?" Daniel repeated, his anger simmering, expecting an argument.
"...I'm sorry," she said finally, her voice softening. "I misspoke. Of course, you'd be there." Her words carried no emotion as she turned and left the room, leaving him standing there alone.
Daniel leaned his head against the bathroom's door; closing his eyes as he swallowed; a memory flashing through his mind from a few days ago:
"Eunhee," Daniel stopped abruptly, letting go of her hand.
"Daniel?" Eunhee murmured as she looked at him, her eyes as weary as his, yet not nearly as dry.
"There's something you need to know."
Daniel hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of the truth pressing down on him. He opened his mouth to speak but faltered, his breath catching in his throat. The words felt heavy, too heavy to release, but he knew he had to.
"Jiho loved you all this time. Ever since we were kids," he finally confessed, the words tumbling out almost against his will.
Eunhee sighed deeply as she looked at him with understanding.
"He loved the two of us, Daniel. I don't think he really was a manipulator... and if he acted that way with you, there must have been a reason," she said softly, her gaze lowering.
'What!? No, is she serious!?' Daniel stared at her in disbelief, his fist clenching so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
'After all this time, does she seriously believe that? Come on! You know Jiho as well as I do!!' he fumed inwardly.
"NO, he ROMANTICALLY loved—" Daniel began, his voice rising with anger, but he stopped as Eunhee placed her gentle palm over his.
"Daniel," she murmured, lowering her head with a somber smile. "Can I tell you something?" she asked softly.
------------------------------------
'It's gonna get worse before it gets better.' He thought as he opened his eyes, waking from the memory.
'So don't be an ass, and apologize when you see her again for shouting like an idiot.' He thought as he finally entered the bathroom; cleansing himself.