The six of them ran in duos. On-jo directs as Cheongsan still hasn’t regained his mind from what he just saw while Suhyeok has his arms around Namra as she was strongly unnerved by the sound that the storm is making.

Then they run like hell.

As they surpassed a sort of a hill with an apparent path on it, their other friends, Daesu, Hyoryung, Jimin, Joonyeong, and Wujin were there, waiting for them. Then, the ten of them dash behind the school, proceeding with their plan to get to the mountain.

Once the two groups became one, Daesu was still in the lead, next in pairs was Suhyeok and Nam-ra, Suhyeon and Hyunjae, Cheongsan and On-jo, Wujin and Joonyeong, and lastly, Hyoryung and Jimin. Still, they run as fast as they can, putting a huge gap between the zombies and them.

Suhyeon came to a stop, leaving a hand on Hyunjae’s shoulder as assistance while catching her breath. The others moved forward to gallop, “Never in my entire life have I run that fast. Shit.” She remarked, panting. Her shoulders, visibly going up and down by Hyunjae.

“Oh yeah? You are not the only one.”

Suhyeon scoffs, not accepting the words that came out of Hyunjae’s mouth. “Shut up, you were a football player,”

“Well, it’s been so long since the last time I played.” Hyunjae admitted, and then he gapes around, “Wujin was supposed to pass us by, where the hell is he?” Suhyeon and Hyunjae shared a look, as the former nodded her head, symbolising that they both agreed to find their friend.

Until they both heed multiple footsteps getting in their way. Obviously, they are people.

Not infected, hopefully.

Hyunjae recognizes the lady with shoulder-length hair, she is their senior.

He once had an interaction with him, couldn’t really remember what, where, and when it happened but all he can remember is how cool she looked as she was defending a freshman kid being bullied by a junior student.

Then there was Wujin. With his older sister.

That is when Suhyeon flashes a smile for a second and then got confused later since the lady was presumed to compete. She shrugs her thoughts out of her mind as she yanks Hyunjae’s hand then they sprint towards the auditorium where the others and her brother are, probably waiting for them.

As they arrive at the building, it was the dark that welcomed them. And all Hyunjae can hear is their panting while Suhyeon were grabbed into a hug by her older brother for a moment then he pulls away after Joonyeong asks Namra if there was something wrong.

Everyone was unable to hear Namra’s reply, she reiterated. “Let’s go.”

Another lightning strikes at the clouds as the flashes permeate through the windows, shredding light on the entire auditorium revealing a teeming crowd of zombies scampering in their direction as Ha-ri leads the group inside a stock room.

Unbeknownst to Suhyeon, Hyunjae came back outside to help Wujin and Ha-ri to get Mijin, weeping and mourning about a friend’s death. As they accomplished this by pulling the senior student away from a man named Joonseong, who cries out at them to leave him be and save themselves as the zombies were shredding into pieces.

Mijin dipped to the ground as she was attempting to free herself from Ha-ri’s grip around her. As the archer prevents her from getting up and running back to where her dead friend was.

While Suhyeok blocked the door along with Hyunjae to dissuade an escape to happen.

On the other hand, Wujin falls down to the floor right next to Suhyeon and the only pitch they can hear is Mijin’s outcries and their breathing with no one uttering a word.

Another sunrise passes, the more Hyunjae’s hunger intensifies. It was only slumber and the adrenaline rush as he was escaping from the zombies was the only thing that can make him forget about the starvation he has been enduring.

It wasn’t him who was the first one to wake up. As much as he wants to open his eyes, he couldn’t. Only because he woke up at the most awkward time and situation, resisting the growing discomfort in his nape. Unlike yesterday, he did not sleep and woke up on Suhyeon’s comfortable lap.

Hyunjae was overjoyed, to say the least when Cheongsan and On-jo’s deep conversation concluded. Not only he can now open his eyes but to also stretch his stiff neck. And to examine all over the room if he can find something to eat.

Although that is least plausible to happen since they are in the auditorium. It would have been favourable if they are in the cafeteria—then he was reminded that was the place he first saw the zombies so it is probably overrun by them.

A couple of minutes later, every one of them begins to wake up from their sleep. Once everyone was awake, they all stay in their seat, doing nothing.

“What is it? Do you see anything?” Suhyeok interrogates the girl he cares for while his shoulder is occupied by his younger sister’s head. The twins hibernated on each other’s side, with Suhyeon using his lap as a pillow while the younger twin lent her coat to her brother to use as an improvised neck pillow.

“The smell is stronger,” Namra quietly answered back, while the others had their attention set on the hambie.

Daesu started to sniff, hardly, utterly perplexed about what the young lady is talking about. He began to sniff himself, “I can’t really smell anything.” He asserted as his head looks down meanwhile, Namra spun her head, altogether with her body to face her friend’s direction.

“I think they’re all coming this way. The smell is really strong.”

Namra sat on the floor, wearing no emotion or whatsoever on her face.

Hyunjae has discovered it ever since he first met her, he doubts that he has seen Namra smile. Even just a fake one. There wasn’t a day in school where she didn’t hold a book in her hand and her earphones plugged in her ears as if she does not want to be bothered by anyone.

“Doesn’t matter. We’re all trapped in here for good now. And there’s no way out.” Hyoryung then reacted to what Joonyeong said by reprimanding the man beside her and telling him not to say such absurd things.

“Ah, damn it!”

Hyunjae releases a chuckle after hearing Daesu’s sudden outburst. The man finds his friend adorable as he is distraught and confused. Looked at each individual in the room consisting of every people he grew to care for and love. Hyunjae had a realization that if he didn’t become friends with them, he is probably dead by now or even on the first day of this havoc.

Then Hyunjae shuts his eyes as his head rests on his knees, covering his face with his arms. His thoughts went to Nayeon and Ms Park’s whereabouts. He wonders if they are still alive or completely the opposite and if it is the former, he wishes that in the next coming days he and his friend group would cross paths with the two of them again.

Hyunjae must admit, that the way they dealt with the Nayeon and Gyeongsu situation was very poor. It could’ve been handled maturely, but then again, she caused his late good friend’s path to death. And that one can never be reversed nor it can be forgotten.

He wonders, where is the mean girl now? Is she still hiding? Or is karma’s have gotten her?

Until his thoughts were deflected from his classmate and teacher to his parents. Wondering how could his own father asks him to choose between his friends and parents. Just as he assumed his father had a change of heart. But now, one thing Hyunjae is certain of is his dad got a huge ego and he eats pride daily, thrice a day. But still, Hyunjae is hoping for his parents to come and save them.

As Hyunjae opens his eyelids, he saw Daesu standing in front of Ha-ri, Wujin’s older sister, pouring almost his heart out as he confides which was clearly unnecessary since the senior archer is already knowledgeable of his friend’s feelings as she was already told on by her brother.

The moment Ha-ri stood up, Cheongsan moves himself a little closer to Hyunjae only to annoy the hell out of him. “Would you look at that, Daesu’s got more courage to confess.” He silently whispered as they both heard and watch their friend gets beaten up by a lady.

It must’ve been the best scene for Wujin. The man was grinning from ear to ear.

Hyunjae glances at Suhyeok—who’s been eyeing him a while ago—only to receive a wink from him making Hyunjae look a way, plaster a fake smile at the vision of Daesu asking Wujin to make Ha-ri stop from using him as a punching bag as she vents out her anger. Then turning his head to Cheongsan.

“Didn’t you got rejected too?”

While in the military quarantine zone,

Mr Kim, Chanhyun and his wife, Lee Hyejin are demanding answers from the military commander on why can’t they rescue their son with their own helicopter and pilot away from the group of undead lurking around Hyosan High School.

This was the time Chanhyun repented of his judgment of sending his son off to a small town away from the city. He could’ve sent him off to his hometown but instead, he chose Hyosan.

Of all places in South Korea, Hyosan was his choice.

“We cannot risk it,” Jin Seon-moo retorted as he let out a breath. “We were just informed that a person can be infected with the Jonas Virus even if they look perfectly fine and well. Besides, your son declined our offer earlier.” He added, staring coldly at the man wearing a black suit in front of him.

Rich people. The military commander thought of them absurd and so out of touch. Always believing they can have everything they ask for with a snap of their fingers after flashing people with their money.

“What?”

Jin Seon-moo looked away from Chanhyun Kim to swivel his head to the elegant woman in front of him who was just talking with her vulnerable voice as tears were forming in

Hyejin’s eyes. “One of my men approaches him. He said no.”

While everyone was preoccupied with Jimin getting pulled back to the roof, two armed men went to the rear, exactly where Hyunjae was standing nearly while the young lady who was standing beside him earlier went to her older brother to shed some tears. Just as they thought that they are finally leaving their high school.

“I assume you are Kim Hyunjae?” A man shorter than the other asks secretly, giving him a picture of him together with his family.

The picture was taken months before he departed Seoul for Hyosan. It was the last family picture they took after he left. Hyunjae’s father said it was for their annual family portrait decoration in his office.

For him, it was more like a guise. A façade, so that people will say that they are undoubtedly a good, happy, and perfect family when in reality, it is definitely the opposite.

While the taller man was barricading their view so that the other learners, Hyunjae’s friends would not be able to see the two men conversing with the chaebol’s son.

Hyunjae creased his brows, his eyes flared while looking at the masked man. “Where did you get this?” He asked, commanding for an answer after pulling the piece of picture from the man’s hand.

“From your mother,”

“How?”

“Does it matter? Your father wants you out of this school.”

Hyunjae scoffs as he knew the involvement of his parents, especially his father. “In exchange of what? Leave my friends behind? No thanks.” He passively answered back as his expression hardened.

The man comes across to be listening to someone in his in-ear and nods his head as if the person on the other line could visually see him. Until his gaze was set on Hyunjae. “I’m talking to him now, sir. Copy that, I will ask him again. You’re going with us,” The man pulled his wrist, which he strongly pulled away.

“I said no.”

“Your father says to choose. Your parents or your friends.”

“I am not leaving here. Not without my friends.” Hyunjae replied, spiteful.

The taller man sighs in frustration, “He had made up his mind, sir.” He stated, like the other man, he bobbed his head multiple times before uttering a word. “Okay, sir.”

The two men went back up front and moved forward to get into their ride back to the military quarantine zone accomplishing only one of their two missions without looking back at the kid, who was their second mission.

“Your son, Kim Hyunjae, refused my team’s help and he was pretty clear about it.”

Then, fluid started pooling in Hyejin’s eyes which made her husband tug her into a hug, fixing his arm around her and kissing her on the top of her head.

“We will get him, okay? I will do anything with all my power and I will take Hyunjae out of Hyosan. I promise you that.” Chanhyun ran both his hands on his wife’s face, not breaking eye contact, as Hyejin caresses his wrists with her thumb.

Back in Hyosan High School,

Their friend group, together with their two seniors is now getting busy tying the carts into a circle—as per Suhyeok—to wield it as their shield on their way out of the storage room. While in the middle of the discussion, Mijin and Joonyeong were caught in an argument and when Suhyeok made an effort to get in the middle, it did not die down.

So, when it was Namra who jabbed the cart, capturing the attention of everyone, she recommended using democracy. To vote.

Split up or stay together.

Suhyeon abhors the thought of splitting up.

The same goes for Hyunjae, that is standing on the right side of Suhyeok, while Suhyeon is on Suhyeok’s left side. The two of them did not exchange words as of this day, although it was foreseen from the two of them to steal glimpses at each other from time to time.

Suhyeon does not really know why she and Hyunjae haven’t spoken today, but then, she hasn’t talked to anyone today, even her brother. But as she vowed last night, she did not abandon his side, nor did Suhyeok to her.

Namra, like a president, led the way in their voting. She asked first to raise their hand if they are in favour to split up. No one holds up their hands. But when she inquired her mates to hoist their hands if they are in favour to stay together, the vast majority did.

Along with Joonyeong and Mijin.

The last two people Suhyeon thought would want to stay together after their quarrel earlier while Hyunjae predicted only one of the two of them would lift a hand. He expected one of them not to let their pride down, but it is a good thing no one did.

“Okay, we voted to stay together, then,” Namra stated, as she leaned on the wall, on the opposite side of the others.

“Is it smart to vote on life and death matters and just follow the majority? What if we collectively decide to do the wrong thing?” Daesu raises a question as he looks down at the floor while Hyoryung and Wujin peeked at their friend that is standing in between them.

It was Hyoryung who spoke first, “You know, there’s such a thing as a collective image.”

“I think it’s better for all of us to decide so there will be no pointing fingers at an individual and such.” Suhyeon broke her silence, approving of what they are doing right now. It would cause turmoil or much worse. It would result in separation of their group if some shit happen and people would start condemning one person or so.

Blaming yourself is much better than blaming others.

She does that most of the time.

•─────⋅☾ 𝔭𝔥𝔬𝔢𝔫𝔶𝔵𝔳𝔦 ☽⋅─────•

hellooooo.

here’s another update! sorry for the delay.