Even Zombies Have Fandoms

Chapter 14

“Gwanghun, I’m sorry I thought you were exaggerating when you said you wanted to give everything up to the universe. Now I think I understand how you feel.”

Muyoung apologized to Gwanghun with a clear face, though his apology wouldn’t reach him.

However, there was one thing Muyoung didn’t know. The fact that Gwanghun, who had become his standard for fandom, was a male fan famous among cheerleader fans for pursuing an overly immersive pseudo-romance.

Unaware of this, Muyoung left a note filled with infinite gratitude to the room’s owner who had given him clues to awaken his fan spirit.

“Hello. I’m sorry for breaking the door lock and stealing various things. If there’s a next time, I’ll definitely come and repay you.”

After attaching the memo he had written as beautifully as possible in a visible place, Muyoung packed his bag with light steps and headed to the next house.

* * *

“Wouldn’t it be safest to cross the city by going over the mountains?”

“Hey, we’ve never gone hiking except when we were kids.”

The three of them were deciding on a route, spreading out a map from the police substation on the desk.

“But I don’t think there will be zombies there.”

“What if we get lost halfway?”

As the timid Kyungho chose a path that could avoid zombies as much as possible, Junwoo pointed to the mountains widely marked on the map and said,

“If we take a wrong direction once, we might end up in the city center instead of the outskirts.”

“Couldn’t we get a compass or something?”

“Sure. Let’s say we get a compass and find our way well. But what if we encounter a wild boar in the mountains? Wild animals can be as dangerous as zombies.”

Seokjae, leaning back on the sofa, listened to the two’s conversation and then stared straight ahead, moving his hand to find the phone in his pants pocket.

“Seokjae hyung. What do you think?”

“Do you also think going to the mountains is nonsense?”

Seokjae’s movement stopped at the sudden gaze. Looking at the two with hardened expressions due to their difference of opinion, Seokjae blinked slowly.

“Hmm…”

“Hyung?”

Seokjae cleared his throat and fiddled with the phone in his hand. He could clearly feel the scratches that had occurred from rolling roughly on the ground. He waited until the emotions of the two subsided a bit while secretly playing with his hands, then spoke.

“Well, as Kyungho said, there probably weren’t many people in the mountains, so the risk of encountering zombies would be less. If we get a compass, we can somehow figure out the way.”

“Right!”

Kyungho, who had been sulking after being constantly refuted by Junwoo, smiled brightly at Seokjae’s support. However, his words weren’t finished.

“But that doesn’t mean Junwoo is wrong. If we encounter wild animals, it could be more dangerous than zombies. It would be difficult to find food or water if we run out. It’ll be physically demanding because we’ll have to camp out.”

“Then whose opinion do you think is more correct?”

“Well, they’re both right, so I’m not sure.”

In the end, Seokjae didn’t take either side. Junwoo pouted his lips as if he had expected this, then grabbed Kyungho and emphasized the validity of his opinion.

“Can you fight a water deer barehanded and win? If not, going to the mountains is dangerous.”

“Oh, okay…”

Kyungho responded to Junwoo’s words but didn’t take his eyes off Seokjae. He was concerned about the subtle changes in him since yesterday.

In fact, Kyungho had thought Seokjae was a very righteous and passionate person. From their first meeting, he had thrown himself to save the two of them. However, the reality he learned as they spent time together was different from his expectations.

Usually, he was closer to a dry and indifferent person. Except in urgent situations, he generally didn’t express opinions or state his likes and dislikes.

At first, Kyungho thought it was because he was being considerate of them, who were younger. But as time passed, he realized it was closer to not caring what happened either way rather than consideration.

The gap between his usual listless appearance and the forceful appearance that came out when his life was in danger created a strange sense of dissonance, and Kyungho finally came to a conclusion. The conclusion that Seokjae didn’t dislike the two of them, but he hadn’t let them inside his boundaries, and had no intention of doing so.

Ironically, in the midst of this, his desire to protect the two of them at the risk of his life was also sincere.

‘Maybe hyung is risking his life not for human duty or conscience, but for the act of saving someone in a risky situation itself.’

Kyungho’s gaze, filled with concern and curiosity, continued to focus on Seokjae. Seokjae, who had been deliberately ignoring this, finally spoke first when there was no sign of the gaze dropping even after time had passed.

“Is something wrong?”

“Uh… No! It’s nothing.”

Kyungho briefly considered asking if something had happened, but then shook his head. It was because he judged that the change that had appeared in him wasn’t bad.

The usually listless Seokjae had found something to be interested in, apart from fighting zombies. Whatever it was, he hoped it would bring a good change to Seokjae. Preferably in a direction that would make him take better care of himself.

“Is that so? If you’re okay, then that’s fine.”

Whatever Kyungho was thinking, Seokjae was satisfied that the burdensome gaze had subsided and didn’t ask any further.

“What’s this, Lee Kyungho? Do you have something to say to hyung?”

Junwoo, who had been persuading for a long time and then buried his head in the map saying he’d think about it again, cut in. He raised one eyebrow, sensing the subtle atmosphere flowing between the two.

“It’s not like that. I was just wondering where we should move if the mountains aren’t an option.”

“What does thinking about that have to do with staring at hyung?”

“Well, I thought maybe looking at hyung might give me some good ideas?”

“What nonsense is that? Hyung’s face isn’t some answer sheet.”

“I just tried it in case! Then, Junwoo, where do you think we should go besides the mountains?”

Kyungho hastily changed the subject to avoid further questioning. Junwoo narrowed his brows, realizing his impure intentions.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

Kyungho asked, feigning innocence while knowing Junwoo was dissatisfied.

“I’ll let it slide this time.”

Junwoo, who had been looking at him with suspicious eyes, turned his head to the map as if deciding to let it go. Then he continued speaking.

“First, I think we should definitely move within the city until we don’t need to replenish food anymore.”

“How about finding a safe place and waiting for rescue?”

“That’s nonsense.”

As Kyungho, relieved, cautiously offered an opinion to blend into the conversation, Junwoo ruthlessly shot it down.

“What rescue? We’d surely be waiting until we turn into zombies or starve to death.”

He shook his head firmly and added with a face that seemed to shudder at the mere thought.

“Look at how all internet and phone connections are cut off. They did that to prevent rescue requests.”

“That’s…”

Kyungho, too, had seen and experienced the same things as Junwoo up to now, so he couldn’t bring himself to say it wasn’t true.

It started with an emergency text message telling people to evacuate due to violent protests breaking out. It didn’t take long for that to change to a story about a highly lethal virus leaking from some research institute. After that, all kinds of sirens sounded in the city, and helicopter sounds were heard occasionally.

However, the siren sounds stopped within a day. The frequency of helicopters gradually decreased, and now they had completely disappeared.

On the other hand, the disaster broadcast said that the government was making numerous efforts to rescue survivors. They said that plans were being quickly drawn up and troops were being sent to the scene for rescue, and that while immediate rescue was impossible, drones were supplying medicine and food to places where survivors were likely to be.

But nothing actually reached them. There was no way to know whether the hand of rescue simply couldn’t reach this place, or if they hadn’t even attempted it at all.

In contrast, the cut-off phones and internet that they could immediately confirm made them suspect that the country might have abandoned them.

“But they haven’t cut off electricity and water, so maybe they haven’t given up?”

“How can you be sure that will continue? It might stop coming from tomorrow.”

As Junwoo said, since the zombies appeared, the situation had continued to spiral to the worst. It was difficult to have hope for anything.

That was because martial law was declared in the city the day after the incident broke out. The government announced through the news that they had completely sealed off the outskirts of Junghae City due to the rapid infection rate of the virus. They told survivors to evacuate to safe places and wait for rescue, without giving any further explanation.

Moreover, as soon as this absurd disaster broadcast was aired, all internet and communication networks were cut off. Fortunately, TV and radio receiving through antennas were maintained, but no news about this could be heard there either.

Thus, the survivors had been isolated for days without being able to request any help from the outside.