4 Days a Stranger

Eight months after the zombie outbreak, a world where treatment gas has been developed.

Park Young-il, who lost his entire family in the outbreak, killed the zombie couple who had murdered his wife and was living in their home. But one day, their son Lee Rowon, restored to his senses by the treatment gas, returns home. He rapes Young-il and ties him up.

And so begins the two men’s strange cohabitation….

“Why were you crying earlier?”

“Because I was afraid you were dead.”

[Preview]

“You fucking bastard. After killing everyone else, you still want to live, you piece of shit…!”

Young-il drew in ragged breaths as he strangled the young man again. But the youth was still strong, gripping desperately at Young-il’s hands and forcing them away, refusing to give up. His writhing made Young-il want to vomit. The selfishness of someone who had watched his whole family die yet still fought to survive—the pulse of someone who had once been a zombie but now thrashed like a real human—was nauseating.

And that warmth. That body heat.

Come to think of it, Young-il had felt that same warmth the day before. Though back then, their positions had been entirely reversed.

“That’s right. If I’m a murderer, then you’re a rapist, you bastard! Do you even understand that, huh?!”

Yes. Young-il realized another reason why killing the youth would be justified. From the very first day they met, this bastard had beaten him, stripped him, and done vile things. The feel of that pulsing warmth through torn clothes brought the memory rushing back. Wasn’t that reason enough to kill him? Wouldn’t it be better to kill him?

I’ll kill him. He raped me, so I have every right.

That act had been intertwined with violence, so even now recalling it brought only pain. Remembering it was no different than self-inflicted wounds. Unless he framed it as revenge or violence, he couldn’t endure it.

But what set it apart from ordinary violence was the undeniable warmth. Proof that this bastard was alive.

I’ll kill him. Until that body turns cold.

(Side Story)

Four months, two hearts

Having fled from Baek Seonghyeon and from the shadows of the past, Rowon and Young-il settle in an orphanage. Life with the people there is peaceful, and the two grow close enough to be mistaken for lovers. But hesitation and guilt still linger between them….

BL Guide

Setting/Genre: Science fiction / futuristic world
Relationship Themes: Cohabitation / spouses, first love, age gap
Character Types (Gong / Top): Gentle, big-dog type, devoted, indifferent, younger, one-sided love, wounded, formal-speech type
Character Types (Soo / Bottom): Gentle, devoted, strong, prickly, tsundere, broad-shouldered, older, middle-aged, wounded, capable
Motifs: Salvation, revenge
Tone & Style: Slice-of-life, serious, bleak, event-driven, coming-of-age, third-person perspective

Character Introductions

Lee Rowon (Gong, 21 years old):
He had been living as a zombie until he was cured by exposure to a treatment gas. He retains no memory of his time as a zombie. Though of average build, his physical abilities are exceptional. Usually he lives with a detached, indifferent air, but at times he shows bursts of reckless madness.

Park Young-il (Soo, 45 years old):
Tall and muscular, with outstanding survival skills, though he limps on one leg. When Rowon’s parents turned into zombies and killed his wife, Young-il killed them and ended up living in Rowon’s house. Gruff and curt on the outside, but with a hidden streak of warmth.

When to Read This
When you want to see a strange bond forged in a post-apocalyptic world, as two people search for hope in the ruins.

Resonant Quote
“If not enemies, then what truly were they to each other? Strangers in every sense, and yet—when faced with the thought of losing him, to wail and cry as if life itself would end… perhaps such feelings are nothing more than emotions blown out of proportion.”