BOW Chapter 3

3. A Sinking City (1)

The elevator carrying the five of them reached the first basement floor in just a few seconds. To think they could get outside this easily, when it had taken them nearly two days just to reach this point.

Basement level one. The doors are opening.

With the announcement, the doors slid open. Everyone braced themselves with their weapons, tense and ready in case mutants rushed in, but nothing happened. Jiyeon, who had been wound up tight, cautiously spoke.

“It’s quieter than I expected.”

“The mutants didn’t start increasing in full force until lunchtime. People either ate at the cafeteria on the third floor or went somewhere nearby, so nobody would’ve come all the way down here.”

Suhyeong answered calmly and stepped out of the elevator first. Jiyeon nodded and followed him out.

“Ugh. It’s freezing!”

Jang Joohee, trailing behind Suhyeong and Jiyeon, wrapped her arms around herself and let out a small shout. Choi Sunghwa hunched her shoulders and rubbed her arms to warm them.

Unlike the inside of the building, the underground parking lot was directly connected to the outside, and the biting winter wind rushed in mercilessly. Suhyeong and Jiyeon were at least wearing padded jackets they’d grabbed from the fifth-floor office, but Jang Joohee and Choi Sunghwa, both dressed in thin blouses, could only shiver helplessly in the cold snap.

“Joohee.”

“Yes?”

Kim Hyungseok, who had been silently watching her, called out. Then, without warning, he shrugged off his coat and held it out to her.

“Wear this.”

“Huh? Oh, no. It’s fine! You must be cold too, you should keep it on.”

Surprised by the unexpected gesture from the usually quiet, unassuming Kim Hyungseok, Jang Joohee waved her hands and shook her head. But Hyungseok didn’t back off; he simply placed the coat over her shoulders.

“What’s this? You two?”

Sensing something odd, Choi Sunghwa blinked her wide eyes and looked back and forth between them.

“Oh, uh. I just thought she looked cold…”

“I’m cold too, you know?”

The loudest person on the fourth floor paired with the quietest. Amused by the unexpected combination, Sunghwa teased them in a way that wasn’t like her. Hearing that, Hyungseok’s eyes darted in panic, realizing he hadn’t considered Sunghwa’s cold at all.

“Ah, Sunghwa, take mine. The sleeve’s a little ripped so the stuffing sticks out, but it’s better than nothing.”

Watching Hyungseok flail, Jiyeon let out a soft laugh and began taking off his padded jacket. Or tried to, until Suhyeong grabbed his arm.

“…?”

“Hold on. Wait.”

For some reason, wearing a displeased expression, Suhyeong walked off toward a corner of the parking lot.

“Where are you going?”

“To find a mutant.”

“What?!”

Instead of avoiding mutants, he was going to look for one? Startled, Jiyeon hurried after him.

“There. One.”

Within moments, Suhyeong spotted a mutant near the emergency stairwell and came to a stop.

“Good. That one’s wearing something decent.”

“…What?”

“Shh. Stay right here.”

Before Jiyeon could ask anything, Suhyeong sprinted toward the mutant so fast Jiyeon couldn’t even follow with his eyes. The mutant didn’t notice him approaching from behind and staggered aimlessly through the dim parking lot.

Standing right behind it, Suhyeong grabbed its face without hesitation and snapped its neck to the side.

“Grrr… gck. Gukk!”

Crack. A chilling sound of bones breaking echoed as the mutant’s body collapsed limply into his arms. Jiyeon, who had been watching from a distance with his mouth hanging open, grimaced and rushed toward him.

“What are you doing?! What if it had bitten you!”

“….”

Jiyeon, genuinely frightened, scolded him. Saying nothing, Suhyeong stripped the outerwear off the fallen mutant. Then he casually handed the coat to Jiyeon. When Jiyeon stared, clearly asking why he should take it, Suhyeong zipped Jiyeon’s padded jacket all the way up to his chin and spoke.

“Don’t go giving your clothes to other people so easily.”

“Wait… is this because I tried to give my padded jacket to Sunghwa?”

“Yeah.”

Suhyeong nodded immediately, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Then he shamelessly said something so bold it made Jiyeon’s face heat up.

“I don’t like my scent getting on anyone else.”

“Uh, it’s not even my jacket to begin with…”

Jiyeon wasn’t the type who could throw a bold remark back, so he fidgeted in embarrassment, just like Kim Hyungseok had earlier. Only then did Suhyeong, who had been expressionless, let out a soft laugh and pat Jiyeon on the shoulder.

“Take this to Assistant Manager Choi. I’ll go get my car.”

Holding the expensive-looking cashmere coat against his chest, Jiyeon walked over to the three still standing blankly in front of the elevator. Meanwhile, Suhyeong headed toward the far end of the parking lot. It seemed he’d parked quite far away.

“Assistant Manager! Where did you suddenly go? And where’s Team Leader Yoon?”

With worry in her eyes, Jang Joohee hurriedly asked. Feeling awkward for no good reason, Jiyeon shuffled his feet and handed the coat to Choi Sunghwa.

“He went to get the car. And Sunghwa, here. Wear this.”

“Huh? What is it?”

“The team leader… got it for you.”

“You didn’t have to. Thank you.”

He couldn’t exactly say that Suhyeong had taken it off a mutant, so Jiyeon just gave a sheepish smile. Luckily, Sunghwa didn’t seem very curious about where the coat had come from.

“Kim, uh… maybe you can grab one too later. Just pick one at random.”

“Huh?”

Jiyeon leaned toward Kim Hyungseok, who was now wearing only a shirt after giving up his coat, and whispered quietly. Not understanding, Kim blinked and asked again, but Jiyeon didn’t elaborate.

Before long, a heavy-looking foreign SUV rolled to a stop in front of the four of them. It was Suhyeong’s car.

“Get in.”

Jiyeon climbed into the passenger seat, already familiar with the car after riding in it nearly every weekend. His natural ease made it look like he owned the car himself. The others exchanged bewildered glances, but quickly climbed into the back seat. Suhyeong glanced over and, seeing Jiyeon wearing his padded jacket properly, smiled in satisfaction.

“We’re heading out.”

Screeeech…

Suhyeong stepped on the accelerator right away. The sudden burst of speed sent the tires skidding on the epoxy-coated floor, producing an unpleasant, harsh screech. His driving was urgent and unlike his usual pace, so Jiyeon rushed to grab the seatbelt and clicked it into place.

“Do you think we’ll make it out alive now?”

They were just starting up the spiral ramp out of the parking lot when Sunghwa spoke cautiously. She hadn’t said a word about being scared until now, staying completely silent. Jiyeon had thought she was incredibly strong, but maybe he’d been wrong, her hand gripping the handle above the window was trembling.

“We’re heading to Sanghyeon City first. I’m not sure how things are there, but the lockdown happened quickly enough that the mutants probably haven’t spread that far.”

Instead of directly answering her question, Suhyeong explained their plan. Hearing that, Sunghwa’s body slackened and she rested her head weakly against the window, looking lost.

Sanghyeon City was about an hour and a half away from Haseong by car. Unlike Haseong, where business districts and major institutions kept the city constantly busy, Sanghyeon was a quiet, relaxed residential city. Since the mutants had started spreading around Haseong’s business district first, Sanghyeon likely remained safe.

Once the car fully exited the parking lot, the faint blue light of dawn washed over them. It had only been two days, yet it felt like they had spent years trapped in the office. Jiyeon hadn’t expected the outside air to feel this welcoming. Feeling moved by what felt like the latest off-work time of his life, he exhaled deeply.

But the joy of escaping the company was brief.

“…Huh?”

Jang Joohee, who had been resting her head against the headrest, suddenly shot upright.

“M-m-mutants!”

At her shout, everyone frantically looked around. Mutants that had been moving sluggishly without prey suddenly rushed toward them at terrifying speed. The engine noise must have shattered the stillness of dawn. A huge number of mutants were closing in.

“Kyaaahhhh!”

“Kyaaa! Kak!”

“Everyone, hold on tight!!”

Suhyeong pressed harder on the accelerator as he yelled. The previously slow-moving car surged forward. But there was no way to completely outrun the hundreds of mutants racing at them from every direction. In moments, they surrounded the car, and Suhyeong cursed under his breath, jerking the steering wheel left and right.

“Aahhh! In front! They’re in front!”

Seeing a large mass of mutants charging straight toward them, Jiyeon shouted urgently. But instead of braking or swerving, Suhyeong stepped on the accelerator even harder. He didn’t try to avoid them, he rammed them head-on.

Thud!

Thump!

Thump!

The mutants hit by the car were either flung away or rolled over the roof before falling off. It was a relief that Suhyeong’s car was an SUV from a foreign brand known for its high, sturdy frame. If it weren’t, the impact might have flipped the vehicle as well.

“Arghhh!”

“Haaah! This is insane, there are too many!”

“Kyaaaak! Kak!”

After crashing into dozens of them, the front windshield cracked with a sharp sound. The side mirror was already destroyed, dangling by a thin wire below the window.

“What do we do! Kyaaak!”

“They’re hitting the roof!”

Everyone was panicking, screaming, and gripping the handles as if they would break them. To make things worse, the mutants clinging to the car began pounding wildly on the windows. At this rate, they’d get trapped right in the middle of the swarm.

“I’m going to go faster! Everyone hold tight!”

Still driving straight ahead, Suhyeong suddenly shifted into reverse. As the car backed up, some distance formed between them and the mutants in front. He used that opening to quickly change gears again.

Vrooooom…

With a loud burst from the engine, the car shot forward. The speed was enough to push everyone’s bodies back against their seats. Because of that, the mutants slammed helplessly into the bumper and bounced off.

“Gasp… haah… I think we’ve shaken off most of them!”

Checking through the rear window, Kim Hyungseok let out a sigh of relief. A few persistent mutants still chased after the car, but they couldn’t catch up to its accelerating speed.

“We’ll take Haseong Bridge, switch to the outer ring road, then head toward Hahyeon IC.”

Once things calmed, Suhyeong’s driving grew a bit smoother. Only then did Jiyeon release the death grip he had on his seatbelt and exhale deeply. His gaze drifted to the car’s audio system. For a moment he wondered whether they could catch a radio signal.

“Can I turn on the radio?”

When Suhyeong nodded, Jiyeon reached out and pressed the FM button. Static crackled through the speakers.

“There’s a frequency they use for emergencies. Try tuning it.”

Glancing briefly at Jiyeon, Suhyeong spoke. Jiyeon adjusted the dial for him, since Suhyeong couldn’t use his hands while driving. Then, instead of static, a series of high-pitched beeps suddenly came through.

Beep-beep-beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep-beep-beep. Beeeeeep…

“Ugh. What is that noise.”

“Leave it there. That’s the emergency alert signal.”

The unpleasant, grating sound made Jiyeon want to switch stations, but Suhyeong stopped him. After several more beeps, a stiff, mechanical voice began to speak.

Citizens, this is an emergency disaster alert broadcast.

Hearing an outside broadcast for the first time since all phone service went out, everyone listened intently.

This broadcast reflects a real situation. Effective from 1:21 a.m. on January 18, all private vehicle operation within Haseong City is prohibited. Survivors must evacuate Haseong City immediately using methods other than personal vehicles. This broadcast reflects a real situation.

“They’re banning vehicle use? Assistant Manager, I didn’t hear that wrong, right?!”

“No… I heard it too.”

“Are they insane? How are we supposed to move around then!”

Unable to understand the announcement at all, Jang Joohee shouted, her face twisted in frustration. Everyone else looked just as displeased. In that tense air, Suhyeong pressed a finger against his temple and spoke.

“Because there might be people like Kim Oyoon.”

“Kim Oyoon? You mean Accounting Team’s Kim Oyoon?”

The employees in the back seats, unaware of what happened in the sixth-floor break room, stared at Suhyeong in confusion.

“Yes. She hid the fact that she got bitten and came into the lounge. Depending on how big the bite is, some people mutate slowly. Those people could use vehicles to move and spread things to other regions. They’re trying to prevent that.”

“Still! Even so! With mutants everywhere, how can they expect people to walk? Isn’t that basically telling survivors to die?!”

“That’s probably exactly what they mean.”

“What?”

“Telling them to die. Transporting survivors from an outbreak zone to the White Zone costs an enormous amount. They’d want to minimize the number of survivors.”

Although he kept massaging his temple like he had a headache, Suhyeong’s expression stayed strangely calm.

“But… how do you know all this so well, Team Leader Yoon? How to deal with mutants, and what’s happening right now… you seem to know everything.”

Wedged between Jang Joohee and Choi Sunghwa in a stiff posture, Kim Hyungseok asked carefully. Jiyeon glanced nervously at Suhyeong, his own face tense. It was something he had wondered too but never had the courage to ask.

“Hm.”

For a moment, surprise flickered on Suhyeong’s face, as if he hadn’t expected the question. But soon he answered like it was nothing special.

“Because I’m from the Black Zone.”

A silence fell inside the car. Jiyeon, who had always thought of him as nothing more than a rich family’s young master since their university days, looked especially stunned. Then he glanced forward, and his entire body jolted as he shouted.

“Gah! Team Leader! The brakes!”

Screeeech!

At Jiyeon’s shout, a harsh tearing sound rang out as the tires skidded across the asphalt, leaving black marks behind, and the car came to a sudden stop. The abrupt braking flung everyone forward.

“Gasp… huff… w-what is it? A mutant?!”

Rubbing the red mark on her forehead from hitting the headrest, Jang Joohee lifted her head. Then she looked ahead, covered her mouth with her hand, and let out a stunned curse.

“H-holy… why are all the cars….”

The wide eight-lane road they had to take in order to reach Haseong Bridge was packed with unmoving vehicles. From the eight lanes all the way to the end of the 1.5-kilometer bridge, the road was filled wall-to-wall with cars. It looked exactly like a massive parking lot. If Jiyeon hadn’t spoken up, they would have slammed straight into the bumper of the car in front.

“Whew. Well, we can’t take the car any farther now.”

Letting out a sigh, Suhyeong unbuckled his seatbelt and shifted to park. Shocked, Jiyeon grabbed his arm as he tried to get out.

“Y-you’re getting out here?”

“Yeah. We have to. The road’s blocked.”

“What? But maybe there’s another route?”

The other employees in the back also grabbed him in alarm.

“The other roads will be the same. And the government probably blocked everything to stop vehicle movement completely.”

“……”

“Anyway… aren’t you all hungry?”

Ignoring their reactions, Suhyeong opened the door and stepped out. Then he walked around the back of the car and opened the passenger door. By then, dawn had begun to rise over Haseong City. The red morning glow washed over him as he stood by the open door. He already looked radiant, but in that light, he shone even more. Like standing before the stained glass of a grand cathedral, there was something sacred about him.

“Jiyeon.”

Suhyeong smiled faintly and called out to Jiyeon, who had been momentarily dazed by staring at his face. Then he took Jiyeon’s hand and guided him out of the passenger seat.

“Let’s go eat.”

To be talking about food even now… He really must have a ghost clinging to him that died while eating. At this point, whenever Suhyeong brought up food, Jiyeon couldn’t help letting out a small, helpless laugh. Of course, he was hungry. All they had eaten were a few pieces of chocolate, so it would have been strange not to be hungry.

“How are we supposed to eat here?”

“We’re surrounded by convenience stores. Pick one.”

Only moments ago he had ambushed a passing mutant and stripped its clothes, and now he was talking about raiding convenience stores as casually as assigning a project to a junior employee.

“Yeah… we should eat something.”

Choi Sunghwa, who had gotten out of the car after the two of them, agreed with Suhyeong. The others hesitated but generally agreed that they should eat.

“Let’s go.”

With a small smile, Suhyeong took the lead. As Jiyeon followed behind him, he mulled over what Suhyeong had said earlier.

“He’s from the Black Zone?”

Out of the less than five percent who ever made it from the Black Zone into the White Zone, Yoon Suhyeong was one of them. Maybe that was why he stayed so calm in all this chaos.

Having grown up sheltered in the White Zone like a greenhouse flower, Jiyeon had no real sense of what survivors in the Black Zone went through. But it was clear it couldn’t have been an easy life. Perhaps the strange distance Jiyeon sometimes felt behind Suhyeong’s smile came from there.

Crossing the wide eight-lane road to the roadside, just as Suhyeong had said, several convenience stores stood lined up. But most were in terrible shape. Windows shattered, shelves overturned, products scattered everywhere. They looked like they had already been hit by mutants or ransacked by survivors. There didn’t seem to be anything salvageable.

“Let’s look further inside.”

Suhyeong went ahead into a narrow alley, and the four of them followed in a line, gripping their weapons tightly, unsure where mutants might leap out.

A street that they would normally walk without a second thought now hid danger at every corner. Just days ago, the only “danger” in Jiyeon’s life had been the planning assignments thrown at him by Manager Park. Now he had to deal with threats concerning his actual survival. The days of dragging his tired body to and from work already felt like a distant dream.

The alleyways carved between the tall buildings were like a maze, all the more so because they had no destination. A few mutants appeared along the way, but since Suhyeong was at the front, he killed them instantly, so it never became a problem.

After circling through several similar-looking paths, Suhyeong finally stopped. The others also halted behind him.

“Let’s check that place.”

What he pointed to wasn’t a convenience store. It was a small “supermarket” with an old sign that looked several decades old. Unlike the ruined convenience stores, the supermarket appeared surprisingly intact. Being tucked deeper inside the alley, and being an old-fashioned, less popular kind of shop rather than a modern convenience store, probably helped it avoid attention. What was strange, though, was that despite the “supermarket” sign, the large front window had the word “Real Estate” painted across it.

“I don’t think the door’s locked. Should we go in?”

Kim Hyungseok asked. Suhyeong peered inside through the frosted window and nodded, so Kim opened the glass door. A small wind chime above the door rang softly, but Suhyeong quickly reached out to stop it from making any more noise.

Inside, the store gave off a nostalgic, old-fashioned feeling. The floor wasn’t polished marble but roughly coated cement, and the lighting was a bit dim. Familiar yet unusual, the kind of place rarely seen anymore. Still, it seemed well maintained; the shelves and furniture were very clean.

“Looks like they run a real estate office together with the store.”

Looking around, Choi Sunghwa spoke. Behind a long counter that acted as a divider, there was a customer sofa, and on the wall were rental listings for villas around Haseong City’s business district.

“Wow, they have lollipops. I used to buy these from stationery shops when I was a kid. Oh my god. They have chewy sticks too. Hey, did you know these taste amazing when you roast them over fire?”

Excited by each item she found, Jang Joohee zipped around the store like a kid.

“There’s kimbap too. And boiled eggs.”

Sunghwa found foil-wrapped kimbap on the counter. A small sign in front of the pyramid-stacked rolls read: “₩1,000 per roll.” Compared to the usual ₩5,000 franchise kimbap, the price was shocking.

“Do you think it’s okay to eat these? There’s no owner…”

Seeing Joohee hesitate in front of the food, Sunghwa took the lead, grabbed a roll, unwrapped the foil, and popped a piece into her mouth.

“Looks like they made it themselves. The rice is a bit firm, but it tastes good.”

She ate another piece. She must have been hungrier than she realized. Seeing her, everyone except Suhyeong gathered at the counter and began eating kimbap. The rice was hardened from sitting out in the cold for two days, but it wasn’t spoiled. Luckily, it was winter.

“Team Leader, you should eat too.”

“Ah, I’ll eat after I finish looking at something.”

Jiyeon, who had already eaten half a roll, called out to him, but Suhyeong was rummaging through the desk on the real estate side. Jiyeon quietly set aside a portion for him.

“Here, have this too.”

Kim Hyungseok pulled four cans of cider from the refrigerator. Everyone gratefully took one and popped the tab. The fridge electricity had gone out, so the soda was lukewarm, but the sweet carbonation sliding down their dry throats tasted unbelievably good.

The four of them devoured the cold, firm kimbap in silence.

“Hic… sniff… hngh.”

Suddenly, as she ate, Jang Joohee sniffled and burst into tears. Startled, Sunghwa went to her side and patted her shoulder.

“Joohee, what’s wrong?”

“Assistant Manager… sniff… what do we do? I miss my mom… sniff…”

“Ah, don’t cry… you’re going to make me cry too… sniff…”

Trying to comfort her, Sunghwa’s eyes soon grew red as well, and tears began rolling down her cheeks. She pulled Joohee into an embrace, and the two cried loudly together.

“……”

Feeling his own eyes sting from their crying, Jiyeon quietly slipped away and walked toward Suhyeong. The man was still searching for something.

“What are you looking for?”

“Map.”

“…You must be hungry. Eat first.”

There were maps scattered everywhere, so Jiyeon didn’t understand what kind of map he was even looking for. But he didn’t want to question it, so he simply handed Suhyeong the kimbap he had set aside for him. Only then did Suhyeong stop what he was doing, accept the kimbap, and sit down on the sofa. Jiyeon sat on the opposite one.

“Thanks. For looking out for me.”

“No, I’m the one who should be thankful. Without you, I’d already be dead.”

“Yeah? Then, if you’re thankful, wanna give me a kiss?”

“……”

At Suhyeong’s sly joke, Jiyeon frowned hard. Suhyeong burst out laughing.

“Don’t tease me.”

“I’m not teasing. I’m serious.”

“…Just eat your kimbap.”

Jiyeon pouted slightly at the fact that what he thought was a joke turned out to be a shameless truth. He unwrapped the foil and set the kimbap on the table for him. Suhyeong’s gaze naturally dropped to the coffee table in front of the sofa.

“Should I bring you a soda too?”

“Wait.”

Jiyeon spoke bluntly on purpose and was about to stand when Suhyeong suddenly reached out and snatched a sheet of paper in front of him. With a strangely serious expression, he studied the map, then placed it on the table with a light thud. Then he smiled at Jiyeon, his eyes curving.

“Found it.”

“What is it?”

Jiyeon blinked, looking back and forth between the map and Suhyeong. Only after popping a piece of kimbap into his mouth did Suhyeong explain in detail.

“All White Zones are required to have an underground emergency route. It acts as a bunker and also as a passage to other areas. Didn’t you learn this in school?”

Jiyeon let out an awkward laugh. He did vaguely remember mutant-related classes back in elementary school, but he couldn’t remember a thing about what he learned.

“So that map is…”

“Yeah. It shows all the underground facilities in Haseong City. If the internet was up, we could have just looked it up on our phones. Looks like the store owner was planning to head that way too.”

He tapped a red marker circle on the map. The spot was labeled “Ijin Electronics HQ,” and beside it, in parentheses, were the words “Underground Evacuation Route.”

“There’s an evacuation route under Ijin?”

Jiyeon asked, and Suhyeong nodded. That only deepened Jiyeon’s confusion. Ijin Electronics was the biggest building in Haseong City and one of the top 50 most influential companies in the world.

Shouldn’t an evacuation route be somewhere accessible, like a public building?

He couldn’t understand why a route meant for public safety would be under a private corporate building.

“Is it even allowed to build one there? Normal people wouldn’t be able to reach it.”

“That’s the privilege of the rich. Money makes everything possible.”

Having devoured half the kimbap already, Suhyeong shrugged. Still unconvinced, Jiyeon studied the map several more times before wearing a troubled expression.

“So we’re going there too?”

“Yeah. The roads aboveground are blocked, so this is the way.”

“What if… what if it’s not actually an evacuation route?”

“Then we’ll figure out another way.”

He said it like a boss dismissing a project his employee spent nights preparing, only to tell him to redo it. His attitude made Jiyeon feel both worried and relieved at the same time. At least there was hope of getting out of the city.

But unlike Jiyeon, Suhyeong still wore an unreadable expression. Jiyeon wondered what he was thinking now. Without realizing it, he stared at him, trying to see through that expression. Of course, Suhyeong noticed. He lifted his head and met Jiyeon’s gaze directly.

“Why are you staring at me like that? Am I that handsome?”

“You know you’re handsome, don’t you?”

At his shameless question, Jiyeon answered just as shamelessly. Then Suhyeong rose from his seat, settled onto the armrest of Jiyeon’s sofa, and gently grabbed Jiyeon’s chin to tilt his face upward.

“I’m not sure. Tell me.”

His face moved closer. Too close. A wave of heat rushed up Jiyeon’s face.

“Hmm? Why aren’t you answering? Am I handsome?”

“……”

With that objectively handsome face leaning in, teasing him, Jiyeon completely froze.

“You don’t know? Look closely.”

“Mm…”

Suhyeong leaned in even more. His breath brushed Jiyeon’s cheek, making the fine hairs on his skin tingle. The atmosphere turned strangely intimate, and Jiyeon instinctively scooted back. At this rate, they really might end up kissing.

If he actually tries to kiss me, what am I supposed to do?

Just having his breath touch his skin made Jiyeon’s face burn as if they had already kissed.

“Oh? There’s something here!”

Startled by Kim Hyungseok’s loud exclamation, Jiyeon snapped out of it and practically jumped to his feet. He nearly bumped heads with Suhyeong, who was sitting on the armrest.

“T-Team Leader! He found something! Go look!”

“……”

Watching Jiyeon flee like someone escaping danger, Suhyeong let out a soft laugh and followed him. Hyungseok pointed behind the counter desk.

“There’s a door here.”

“What is it, a storage room?”

Behind the counter was a brown wooden door that looked like an ordinary room door. Jang Joohee lightly turned the knob and pushed it open.

“Huh? It’s just an entrance?”

The door opened to reveal a familiar-looking space. A small, normal front entrance you’d see in any home.

“No way… is there a house inside this store?”

Jang Joohee asked with a confused expression. Seeing that, Choi Sunghwa let out a small “Oh my.”

“Joohee, you must not know this, but in the past, a lot of stores had the owner’s home attached. Looks like this place has that kind of structure.”

“Ah…”

Understanding now, Joohee nodded.

“Then this must be the owner’s house. Hello? Is anyone here?”

She stepped into the entryway as if greeting someone. Seeing her enter without hesitation, Jiyeon hurriedly stopped her.

“Careful. We don’t know what might be inside.”

“Oh, right. Sorry…”

“Stay behind me. I’ll go first.”

He had once opened the fifth-floor supply room door carelessly and nearly gotten bitten by a mutant rushing out, so Jiyeon pulled Joohee behind him and moved ahead. As always, Suhyeong stayed right beside him.

“For now… I don’t hear anything inside.”

Not sensing any presence, Jiyeon swallowed hard and stepped fully into the house. The small home, about eighty square meters in size, held nothing but a cold chill. It looked like the owner had already left. Just in case, he opened the other room doors too. One of the three rooms was locked, but it didn’t feel like someone was inside.

“I think it’s safe. You can all come in.”

After Suhyeong confirmed it, the others leaned their weapons against the shoe cabinet and came inside. The house was as cold as the outside, but everyone let out a relieved sigh and collapsed onto the floor or the sofa.

“Wow… getting here was seriously tough, wasn’t it.”

“It’s only been three days since everything went crazy, but it feels like a whole year passed.”

Seated next to Joohee, Sunghwa tapped her calf as if massaging it. Jiyeon sat on the floor in front of the sofa, stretching his stiff body.

“……”

“……”

Their conversation gradually died down until both fell silent. Only a heavy stillness floated in the small living room. Everyone looked drained.

“So… what do we do now?”

After about thirty minutes, Joohee finally spoke. Her once-bright face looked dim, weighed down by thought.

“The road’s blocked, so that means there’s no way out, right?”

She felt as hopeless as the time when all six résumés she sent out after graduation were rejected before even reaching the first interview. She had believed that once they escaped the office building and got into a car, they’d leave Haseong right away. But nothing had changed except the place they were stuck. The more she thought about what would happen next, and whether there was even an end to this, the more a crushing dread washed over her.

“We’re going to Ijin Electronics headquarters.”

Watching Joohee’s dark expression, Jiyeon repeated the plan Suhyeong had told him. The sudden statement made everyone stare at him with wide eyes.

“Why there?”

“There’s an evacuation route under the building that leads to another zone.”

He explained everything just as he heard it from Suhyeong. The employees listened quietly, their expressions a mix of relief at there being a route and worry at the same time.

“But we have to walk all the way there, right?”

After calculating the distance, Sunghwa asked with a troubled face. Unlike most offices, Ijin Electronics was located on the outskirts of Haseong. It took about an hour by car. And now they had no car, only their feet. Of course she was anxious.

“We made it this far alive. We can do it.”

In the heavy atmosphere, Jiyeon tried to sound upbeat. Only then did the others force awkward smiles and nod.

“Right. We almost got stuck with Executive Director Kwon and his shiny head forever. Getting here is a blessing.”

Sunghwa made a face, shuddering at the thought of her bald superior.

“Exactly! Since it’s come to this, let’s recharge here before we go!”

As if her spirits had already recovered, Joohee tore open a chewy snack she brought from the store and spoke with renewed energy. That was her strength, no matter how grim the situation, she always bounced back quickly.

“Then let’s rest here and move out at sunrise tomorrow. I’ll go check which routes look safe.”

“You’re going alone? Will you be okay?”

“Want to come with me then?”

“Yes. Let me come. What if you run into a mutant out there?”

He had only said it lightly, but Jiyeon immediately stood up. Even if Suhyeong was strong enough to take down mutants with his bare hands, he couldn’t let him go alone.

“Should I come too?”

Still seated on the floor, Kim Hyungseok lifted his hips as if ready to stand. But Suhyeong shook his head.

“We don’t know what might happen. You stay and guard this place. The two of us will go on a quiet little date.”

“What are you saying!”

Startled, Jiyeon shot to his feet. But no one took Suhyeong’s words seriously. Everyone simply treated it as one of his teasing jokes and looked at them both with worried expressions instead.

“Are you really sure it’s okay for just the two of you to go?”

“It’s not like the office, we’re not in a sealed space. It’ll be fine.”

To Hyungseok’s repeated concern, Suhyeong smiled and tugged Jiyeon, who was standing stiffly, closer to his side.

“We’ll be back.”

Maybe I shouldn’t have volunteered…

Now that he thought about it, this would be the first time the two of them were alone since Suhyeong confessed to him. That reminder made a wave of awkwardness crash over him. But it was too late to regret it. Jiyeon was already stepping out the entrance with him.

Outside, the cold wind still howled. The sky that had been clear at sunrise was already overcast with dark clouds. The chill pushing through the deserted city and the tension hanging in the air made Haseong look like a ghost town.

“You’re really cold, aren’t you.”

Even though he was wearing a padded coat long enough to reach his calves, Jiyeon shivered at the chill seeping through the fabric. Seeing that, Suhyeong looked at him with deep concern. The outside really was freezing. Even though Jiyeon wasn’t the type to get cold easily, the city felt even colder now that its usual energy was gone. But if he admitted that, he knew Suhyeong would start taking off his clothes again, so he forced a small, awkward smile to show he was fine.

“It looks like this area didn’t take much damage. Well… no one would be out drinking at lunchtime anyway.”

Jiyeon murmured quietly as he looked around the empty street. This place, a bit removed from the business district, was usually filled with barbecue restaurants and bars used for company dinners. Most of the shops here didn’t open until around 4 p.m. That explained why there weren’t many mutants compared to the business district.

The shops with their shutters down had shattered windows like the convenience stores, and some were blackened as if they had caught fire. It was hard to believe this had been a bustling nightlife area just a few days ago.

“Here… and over there… everything looks awful. Is the real Black Zone like this too?”

“No. The real Black Zone is worse than this.”

Suhyeong answered in a flat tone. Even as he looked at the ruined city, he seemed to feel nothing at all. Seeing that, Jiyeon suddenly wondered what kind of life Suhyeong had lived before. The media always focused more on the quarantined mutants inside the Black Zone rather than the “survivors,” making most people believe it was a place where no one could possibly live. That was why it seemed unreal that someone like Suhyeong came from there.

It would be rude to ask about the Black Zone… I shouldn’t ask.

He was curious about how Suhyeong had survived there, but asking felt too intrusive. So he kept his mouth shut and simply walked beside him.

Following him, they walked a long way from the supermarket. Since it wasn’t the business district, they didn’t encounter any mutants on the way. At this rate, reaching Ijin Electronics on foot didn’t seem impossible. The real problem was the weather. The sky was dim and the air felt heavy, snow would probably fall soon. If it started snowing, walking would become even harder…

“Doesn’t it feel like the world collapsed in an instant?”

Out of nowhere, Suhyeong asked. Jiyeon gave a small nod. Then Suhyeong continued with a faint smile.

“I was born in the Black Zone. Born into a ruined world from the start.”

“…”

“My mom said the whole city went into lockdown not long after she got pregnant with me. So I grew up thinking the world just worked this way.”

Every breath he spoke came out as white vapor, breaking apart in the cold air. He sounded casual, as if recalling a distant memory, but Jiyeon sensed a fragile bitterness hiding beneath the surface.

“Luckily, my family managed to hide in the countryside far from the city before things got really bad.”

“Then… you all came to the White Zone together?”

“No…”

At Jiyeon’s question, Suhyeong’s shoulders trembled slightly. It was the first time he showed any hint of emotion. Jiyeon swallowed nervously. After a long silence, Suhyeong finally opened his mouth with a lonely smile.

“I… killed them. My family died because of me. So basically, I killed them.”

Jiyeon inhaled sharply. Suhyeong pretended to sound indifferent, but his faintly trembling voice told Jiyeon there was a terrible story buried beneath. Jiyeon himself had killed Manager Park. That alone had been traumatic, so what must it be like to have killed family? Jiyeon couldn’t even imagine the pain and devastation.

“I…”

He parted his lips, unsure how to react, before closing them again. Then Suhyeong let out a soft laugh and stepped forward in large strides until he stood right in front of him.

“You’re thinking I’m pitiful, aren’t you.”

“N-no, that’s not…”

“It’s fine. You can pity me. You can feel sorry for me.”

Leaning in slightly, he met Jiyeon’s eyes. His face was suddenly extremely close. Jiyeon swallowed hard and took a step back.

“Then give me a pity kiss.”

“…What?”

“Haha, I’m joking.”

Tapping his right cheek with his index finger, he stepped back with a teasing smile. Jiyeon stared at him in disbelief.

“It’s all in the past anyway. Nothing I can do about it now.”

He said it lightly, clearly trying to change the mood. But Jiyeon could tell from the subtle shifts in his expression that he still carried deep regret and longing. Jiyeon’s own mother had pretended she was fine after divorcing his father, even though she regretted it terribly. Suhyeong might look fine, but he was still holding his dead family in his heart.

Maybe that was why… Jiyeon suddenly wanted to comfort him.

“Team Leader.”

“Yeah?”

Without thinking, Jiyeon grabbed the hem of Suhyeong’s coat. Suhyeong looked down at him, puzzled. His face, already composed again, looked like the perfect young heir from an elite family. A mask he had crafted to hide his own shadows. Looking at that mask, something inside Jiyeon stirred painfully.

“Why call me if you’re not going to…”

“I’ll kiss you.”

“──!”

Caught by Jiyeon, Suhyeong froze, eyes widening. Jiyeon pulled him closer, rose on tiptoe, and pressed his lips against Suhyeong’s cheek.

Jiyeon’s warm lips touched his cold cheek with a soft peck.

“It’s not because I pity you…”

“…”

“I just… wanted you to feel a little better…”

Jiyeon’s heart sank when he saw Suhyeong’s expression completely stiffen. Had he upset him? He scrambled to explain, but…

“Hong Jiyeon.”

In a low voice, Suhyeong called his name, then wrapped an arm around Jiyeon’s waist and pulled him tightly against him.

“You started it.”

Before Jiyeon could say anything else, Suhyeong pressed his lips to Jiyeon’s.

“Mm…!”

His hot tongue slipped between Jiyeon’s parted lips. It brushed along the soft inside of Jiyeon’s mouth, gently teasing the sensitive skin.

“Mmnh…”

Jiyeon, caught off guard, didn’t even think to push him away. He accepted the kiss as Suhyeong’s tongue skillfully explored his mouth. Their tongues brushed, and Suhyeong’s warm breath washed over him. The dizzying, electric sensation made Jiyeon’s toes curl inside his shoes.

“Hh… mmh!”

A muffled sound escaped through Jiyeon’s clenched teeth. Since he didn’t push Suhyeong away, the kiss only grew deeper. Suhyeong’s pointed tongue gently scraped along the roof of Jiyeon’s mouth. Only when he felt the heavy pull in his lower body did Jiyeon finally snap back to his senses.

“W-what… what are you doing!”

His face was not only red, it had gone pale from shock. Jiyeon shoved Suhyeong away and stumbled back. Suhyeong smiled like someone satisfied after a good meal.

“For comforting someone, you need at least this much.”

“You… you…!”

“A peck on the cheek isn’t comfort. That’s just kid stuff. Playtime.”

His shamelessness left Jiyeon completely speechless. Biting down on his lips, he brushed past Suhyeong and walked ahead on his own. Suhyeong, whose mood had skyrocketed far beyond “feeling better,” couldn’t stop smiling as he followed behind Jiyeon’s quick steps.

Then he suddenly stopped and looked up at the sky.

“Oh? Jiyeon. It’s snowing.”

Jiyeon halted and lifted his head. A few cold snowflakes fell onto his still-flushed, overheated face.

“Snow right after a kiss. Pretty romantic, isn’t it.”

There he was, standing right beside Jiyeon again, smiling as brightly as the falling white snow. The man who had looked cold and empty just moments ago now seemed strangely alive.

“Romantic, my ass…”

Face still burning, Jiyeon muttered in a sulky voice. Suhyeong quietly reached out and took Jiyeon’s hand.

“Kissing you made me realize something. I really do like you. I want to touch you more.”

His shy confession carried the faint thrum of his heartbeat.

“……”

Jiyeon should have shaken off Suhyeong’s hand again, should have, but the warmth covering his cold fingers made it impossible to pull away.

I really do like you.

The confession replayed itself in his ears. A huge, pounding rhythm wrapped around him, the same trembling excitement he’d felt crossing the finish line at his grade-school sports day. Maybe it was because he had never truly been loved by anyone before. Realizing that someone genuinely liked him, him of all people, made something sting behind his eyes.

To be continued in Volume 2