SOS.

Suhyeon swore that it was somehow affiliated to boats or any marine-related stuff and that it was an abbreviation of words she failed to identify.

Day one, living in a possibly apocalyptic town and she has forgotten about tons of lessons she learned in school. How ironic that they are in the very same school where she was learned those forgotten lessons.

Who said they can use mathematics in real life? Can they use it now?

“We can’t last long anyway. Three minutes without oxygen, three days without water, three weeks without food.” Namra broke her silence after she chatted with Suhyeon earlier.

Okay, maybe they can really use mathematics in real life, sometimes.

“What’s that?” Suhyeok asked, dumbfounded.

“How long a person can survive.”

As expected from Choi Namra. The brightest one in the room and their class’s president. She had already calculated everything while Suhyeon has already given up just before she could start computing in her mind.

On a more serious note, Suhyeon would rather die instantly than feel her body slowly shutting down and die in a couple of weeks.

That sounds like torture and painful.

“It’s only been a day, you know. We have to try the best we can.”

Namra turned her head towards On-jo, “We will show signs of dehydration today and we won't be able to move by tomorrow.”

Abruptly, Suhyeon had missed her favourite drink, water, and thought of how much she took things for granted. How they took everything for granted.

All because of personal pleasure, peer pressure, and to excel academically.

Suhyeon hasn’t lived her life yet. In her own opinion, she is just simply existing. And it would be a disgrace if her so-called life ended only because of a freaking zombie virus outbreak.

“What are you trying to say? Are you saying we should go out, or...are you saying we’ll die anyway, so we shouldn’t bother doing anything.” On-jo, who comes off a little bit pissed off raises another question again.

But Namra only replied with, “I don’t know.”

Jimin retorted at Namra telling her to not say anything. Obviously, she is scared. While Hyunjae acknowledged the new fun fact information that could be a help in the near future—only if they survive this outbreak.

Which was what Hyunjae prayed to the gods a lot of people believed in.

And like a knight shining armour, Suhyeok stood up on Namra’s defence. “I think the prez means we should think about anything else that we can do. Right?”

“No,” Namra shortly answered back.

“No?”

“We don’t know anything at all. We need to know something before we can make plans.” Their class president responded without even looking in Suhyeok’s direction.

It has only been a day after Nayeon left but it kind of feels like her bitchy attitude transfers to Jimin’s body. Suhyeon wasn’t completely certain if she has been like that all along, or two, maybe she was possessed or adopted Nayeon’s bitchy personality, or the outbreak just simply changed her.

Jimin has always been reserved and usually spend her leisure time with Nayeon. So, maybe the answer to Suhyeon's question was her second answer.

Hyunjae was not very fond of Jimin’s newfound behaviour. Or he just fully don’t know who exactly Jimin was as a person.

“What Namra means—”

Jimin cuts Suhyeok off, “You don’t know what she is saying either,” She said, crouching next to him.

“Are you saying we need to understand the situation in order to take action?” Cheongsan questioned while Namra only nodded her head as her reply. “Well, I totally agree with that. We need more information to decide whether to wait, run, or get out.” He declared openly.

“What can we find out on this situation and also, how?” Daesu quietly raises another question while tapping his hand on his hair.

“We can check online if we have a cell phone.”

“But we don’t.”

The teachers’ office.

Cheongsan has worn his hero hair once again. Risking his life for the sake of every people in the broadcasting room. Of course, everyone is grateful but still, that doesn’t mean they cannot be worried whenever Cheongsan leaves the room.

Especially, Suhyeon. She felt useless at most times ever since yesterday. She detests being in the room, doing nothing while waiting for Cheongsan or her brother to come back alive as they risk their lives whenever it is needed.

But then, even if she does the same, two people will highly disagree and will not allow her to leave the studio.

“Hey, Suhyeok, where are you going?” Suhyeon asked as she stood up, clasping her hand on her brother’s arm after seeing him putting on his coat again.

“Suhyeok,”

Suhyeok turns his head towards his younger sister, carefully removing her grip on his wrist, “I’m going after Cheongsan. Stay here and wait for us. Wait for me. I promise I will come back.” He then looks to On-jo, “I’ll be back soon.” He added as he climbed on the window.

“Then, I’m—”

“No, Hyunjae, you’re not going.”

Hyunjae pouted his lips and folded his arms as he heard what Suhyeok told him. “I trust that you know what to do. The one we talked about last night. Be a man, Hyunjae.” Suhyeok glimpsed over at someone before leaving as Hyunjae released a defeated sigh.

Daesu wanted to go after his friends but was stopped by Joonyeong with his few subtle taunts. And that compelled Daesu to stop.

With what Suhyeok told Hyunjae earlier made Suhyeon wonder what did they discussed last night. She kind of regret sleeping early. She couldn’t ask Hyunjae because he will just make an alibi or tell another story that is far from what they really talked about.

Instead of stressing about those aspects, Suhyeon came towards On-jo to keep her company as they wait for the two stubborn lads they know for their entire lives. On-jo stood at the window, and even if she does not want to say it, it evidently indicates that On-jo is worried about her childhood friend.

An idea cross Suhyeon’s mind after noticing frown lines on On-jo’s forehead.

“Admit it,”

“Admit what?”

Suhyeon frustratingly rolls her eyes, “Alright, be like that. Just know, Cheongsan will come back, together with my brother.”

She hears On-jo’s breathing tighten. A smirk appears on Suhyeon's face. “Admit it,”

On-jo lets out a chuckle, “What is it?” She inquired, portraying a clueless reaction.

“Since when did you develop feelings towards Suhyeok?”

“It still baffles me that you don’t call him older brother. And, where did you get that idea? I don’t like anyone, particularly not your brother.” On-jo refuted while walking away as Suhyeon keeps on pestering her, while the others were unaware of what they were babbling about.

“He cannot force me to call him that. I mean, do I really have to? He’s only a few minutes older. And stop changing the subject!”

On-jo lurked around the room and moved back to her original position, close to the window while Suhyeon went after her just to make fun of her.

Little by little, the crease on On-jo’s forehead was gone and was later changed into a beam on her lips.

Suhyeon’s teasing terminated a few minutes after she crouched on the available chair between Namra and Wujin when her stomach howled as it needed food to digest.

Just like Suhyeon, Daesu is also hungry, but mentioning types of food that everyone would love to consume did not help, because it just intensifies the category of their hunger.

Hence, Daesu obtained a smack from Wujin and Hyunjae and a scathing comment from Suhyeon.

Namra arises from her seat as she puts up with a few steps near the window and leaned herself on the wall while On-jo straddled on her previous seat. “I heard that in some countries, they mourn adults more than they do with children. And in others, more than adults. Which do you think our country is?”

If there is something Suhyeon dislikes about Namra, that is her pessimism. While some of them work hard to build their hope up, Namra is demolishing it again and again. Maybe for her, she was only trying to be practical but there is nothing wrong with having hope.

Hopelessness shatters a soul.

“When kids die, you lose hope, when adults die, you lose their wisdom. Hope and wisdom.” Joonyeong expressed as a helicopter can be heard whirring from a distance. “Which do we value more?”

Namra gawks over the helicopters and informed them that they have been flying all over the place since yesterday. And yet, no one came to rescue them. No one will come for them to be saved. They are just mere students, there was nothing special about them.

Hyunjae, who squatted far from his friends was sulking in the corner. Wondering what would be their scenario if he was a good son to his father, will he ever come and save him and his friends? Do his parents still care for him? And if they still do, where are they now? Why does it seem like they weren’t doing anything to rescue their child?

But, then, if Hyunjae was a good son, he would not be in Hyosan and he would probably never meet Suhyeon and his friends that he assessed as to his family.

As his eyes gaze at Suhyeon relaxing her head on Wujin’s shoulder, Hyunjae recalled what he and Suhyeok discussed last night.

To cut their conversation short, Suhyeok wanted him to confess his feelings towards Suhyeon and to keep her safe at all times. Honestly, he doesn’t know how did Suhyeok knew about it or maybe Hyunjae is just too obvious sometimes.

Hyunjae is dying to confess, he really wants to. As if that was easy to execute like how it was easy for Suhyeok to say. Suhyeok cannot even practice what he preaches, so why would Hyunjae follow him?

Hyunjae’s attention diverted to Suhyeok’s direction who just recently came from outside the window and jumped into the room, panting.

Hyoryung inquires about the phone while On-jo inquired of Suhyeok about Cheongsan. Hyunjae strolls toward his friends after recognising that Cheongsan is not with him while Suhyeon got up from her seat.

Suhyeok did not utter a reply to any of On-jo and Hyoryung’s questions which made the former sprint to the window and peep outside the window.

“Suhyeok, where’s Cheongsan?”

Suhyeon, like everybody else, awaited for her brother’s reply as Suhyeok eyed her shortly then stayed his stares on On-jo as he turned over to see her.

“We got separated in the teacher’s office. I’m sure he will be fine.” Suhyeok announced, his entire face covered with sweat.

Daesu mumbled a vulgar word as he looks outside the window, “I’m sorry, for coming back alone.” Suhyeok quibbled, as guilt consumed his mind. He doesn’t question Cheongsan’s strength and knowledge, Suhyeok is wholly convinced that they will be able to see Cheongsan again, as a human, not the other way round. Still, he felt guilty, he just took off the office to save his own arse.

Suhyeon, strutted next to On-jo as she silently cries to herself while worrying about her friend. She cannot imagine how pain must’ve her friend is feeling right now. On-jo just lose her best friend, now it’s Cheongsan. If it was her that loses the two people she cares about the most that are present in the room she is in, it will be the end of her.

Who would be the motivation for her to stay alive if she has no one to care about?

The younger twin looked over her shoulder, and there he was. The guy that would make Suhyeon undoubtedly sacrifice herself, paying attention to Hyoryung and Jimin’s gossiping.

Suhyeon tilted her head on On-jo as she patted her back to give her a little comfort as she took steps closer to her brother.

As Suhyeok spotted his sister approaching him on his peripheral vision, he immediately hid the name tag inside his coat. “Who’s name tag is that?”

“No one.”

“Right. I will just assume that the person who gave that to you is too blind to see anything good in you.” Suhyeon teased. And what Suhyeok did, made her remove her coat and wipe the neat part of it on her face.

Suhyeon’s face almost swelled with the aggressive caress of Suhyeok’s big hands on her now reddened face. “I’ll have my revenge when you least expect it, just you wait and see.” Her brother did not even take her seriously, Suhyeok just crack up at her as he put his arms around her and messes with her ragged hair.

Suhyeon scrunches her nose while her hand taps her brother’s back awkwardly, “Whatever you heard from Jimin and Hyoryung’s gossip, those aren’t real. Oh, and, do not blame yourself too much. Cheongsan will come back to us.” She affirmed, diverting their conversation to a new subject.

Just the exact words Suhyeok needed. He wasn’t really sure what does he feel for On-jo but there is something inside him that tells him that Cheongsan is not telling the truth when they spoke on the stairs yesterday after On-jo walked out and the words came out of his mouth a few minutes ago.

Suhyeok can only make commands to Hyunjae but not to Cheongsan—he is too much stubborn. However, in Hyunjae’s case, he gets adamant wherever they converse about his romantic feelings towards his sister.

Lee Suhyeok speculates that Suhyeon reciprocates Hyunjae’s feelings for her. Obviously, he cannot read his sister’s mind, that is just his intuition. An intuition that is quite dangerous for Hyunjae’s soft heart.

•─────⋅☾ 𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔢𝔫𝔶𝔵𝔳𝔦 ☽⋅─────•

hello! sending my utmost gratitude to all of you for continuously supporting and reading the story of suhyeon and hyunjae.

:)