Dong-Joo woke at five in the morning, as he often did after drinking too much. His stomach churned uneasily, and he knew better than to attempt going back to sleep. With a weary sigh, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, leaving Sang-Jin still deep in slumber. Sang-Jin's snores filled the room, a contented hum like someone entirely unbothered by the notion that the world could be on the brink of collapse.
Carefully, Dong-Joo slipped out the front door and stepped into the crisp dawn air. The coolness hit him sharply, a welcome antidote to the fog clouding his mind. He began to wander leisurely across the Hanbit University campus, a place that held countless memories. His feet carried him past the large lake and around the back of the library building until he found himself on the path leading to the law school. This was where he and Eun-Soo had often walked together, sharing jokes and laughter. The warmth of those memories still lingered in every corner of that road.
He allowed himself to drift into the past. Eun-Soo had been his first love at university, a cheerful yet determined junior. Back then, she was consumed by preparations for her bar exam, while Dong-Joo had just begun his third year in law school. Time was always a luxury they didn't have, yet they'd found ways to be together—whether strolling through campus or in Dong-Joo's car when he drove her home. The campus and that car had been silent witnesses to their relationship.
But today wasn't a day for drowning in nostalgia. The world faced the looming threat of the asteroid Apophis, and Dong-Joo's mind swirled with unease.
"If the Earth were truly doomed, who would I want to spend my last day with?" he mused. Dong-Ah would certainly stay with her husband, Yong-Seok. But what about him?
A vivid image sprang to his mind—he and Eun-Soo, standing together, holding hands as they faced the end of the world. The thought was both comforting and bittersweet, but it vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by the stark truth. Eun-Soo was with Tae-ho now. Their memories were just that—memories, fleeting and irretrievable.
"Time never takes sides," he murmured bitterly.
As he returned to the main path, his gaze fell on a group of construction workers by the lake. A massive crane was lifting steel containers into place for a project. The sight triggered a memory of a documentary he'd once seen about underground bunkers built to withstand nuclear war.
"Why spend millions on bunkers when steel containers could do the trick?" he had thought at the time.
Now, the idea came rushing back with newfound clarity. What if I actually built a survival bunker? The thought electrified him, and he began jotting down ideas on his phone as he made his way home.
When Dong-Joo stepped back into the apartment, he found Sang-Jin at the dining table, looking unusually restless.
"You're up early. Couldn't sleep?" Dong-Joo asked, shrugging off his jacket.
"How could I? The world might end," Sang-Jin replied, half-joking, half-serious.
Dong-Joo chuckled faintly. Sang-Jin had always been a "light ear," quick to latch onto rumors and panic. Though the news that Apophis had a 70% chance of being destroyed should've reassured him, one pessimistic comment from Dong-Joo the previous night had sent him spiraling back into worry.
"Oh, by the way," Dong-Joo began,
"Do you know Professor Oh Seung-Hyun from Chemical Engineering?"
"Professor Oh? Of course. I helped him out once with a technical issue. He's a close friend of Oh Sabom from the chess club. Funny thing is, despite his love for chess, he's not great at it. I even beat him once, and that was with a handicap!" Sang-Jin grinned.
"Why do you ask?"
"He was the most pessimistic voice at last night's expert panel discussion," Dong-Joo replied.
"Ah, that sounds like him. He tends to overthink things."
"But he's also a genius," Dong-Joo countered.
"He's an expert in impact-absorbing materials and is currently leading a major earthquake-resistant design project. His designs can withstand a magnitude-9 quake. I think his perspective is worth considering."
Sang-Jin fell silent, his initial unease replaced by deep thought. Slowly, his face lit up with excitement.
"Wow! If the Seogang crew hears about this, they'll be all over it. Let's go talk to Professor Oh!" he said, practically bouncing in his seat.
And just like that, the seed of a new idea began to take root—a plan that could change everything, or perhaps just give them a shred of hope as the world teetered on the edge of chaos.
****
"What does Sogangpa want with that?" Dong-Joo asked, his tone tinged with curiosity. His eyes narrowed, as if he were trying to uncover the secrets hiding in Sang-Jin's mind.
Sang-Jin sighed deeply, frustration rippling across his features. "I told you yesterday, didn't I? They're planning to seize the bunker on Mount Mudeung. But think about it—what's the point of having a top-notch bunker if it's going to collapse in a massive earthquake? Isn't that just pointless?"
Dong-Joo nodded slowly, his lips pressing together. "That does make sense…"
"But if Professor Oh lends us a hand, our chances of survival might actually improve, don't you think?" Sang-Jin added, his voice laced with a spark of hope.
"Hmm… that's not a bad idea," Dong-Joo murmured, his gaze growing distant as if his mind had wandered into another realm.
Suddenly, inspiration struck him a flash of light cutting through a dense fog. Sang-Jin's words set off a cascade of ideas, each more audacious than the last.
"If a magnitude 10 earthquake hits, no bunker in the world is going to hold up. But... what if we use Professor Oh's foamed plastic technology? That material can absorb shocks. If we fill the bunker's walls with that foamed plastic… could it work? What if we design a survival facility inside the bunker, then coat the exterior with the foamed plastic? But with such a confined space, the structure would have to be incredibly sturdy. Could we finish this in just 12 days?"
Dong-Joo's thoughts spiraled faster, a fleeting image flashing in his mind like a scene from a movie—the containers he'd glimpsed that morning.
"What if we place the containers inside the bunker, then fill the outer spaces with foamed plastic? That's the simplest method. But… how do we get the containers inside if the entrance is too narrow? This is trickier than I thought."
He closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath to untangle the web of thoughts in his head. His breathing slowed, and his focus sharpened.
"The Sogangpa gang is too busy fighting over the bunker. They haven't even begun to think about this. I need to find Oh Gicheol and convince him."
Sang-Jin, however, had a different glint in his eye. a mixture of restlessness and sly calculation. Though a faint smile tugged at his lips, his unease was unmistakable.
"Hold on. If this information gets into their hands, I could use it as leverage. Maybe… I could secure my own safety."
Dong-Joo's gaze turned steely. "Absolutely not! We can't trust them. You know how ruthless Sogangpa is. And don't forget, Hyungmu is investigating them. Do you really want to get tangled up with that gang?"
Sang-Jin froze at the words, though the flicker of curiosity still danced in his eyes.
Cheon Muyong, Sang-Jin's older brother, was a prosecutor in Gwangju's Special Prosecution Office—a man fiercely dedicated to justice and moral principles. Muyong and Dong-Joo had a longstanding bond, forged during their university days, though it had been nearly two years since Muyong had spoken to his own brother.
Sang-Jin and Muyong were as different as night and day. Sang-Jin thrived on rebellion, constantly clashing with rules and expectations. Since high school, he had made a habit of running away from home. Every time he disappeared, Muyong would diligently track him down, often showing up at Dong-Joo's doorstep in search of clues.
But things were different now. The stakes were higher. Dong-Joo knew that whatever decision they made this time could determine their survival—or their downfall.