episode_0005

I woke up from a long, leisurely sleep, enjoying my self-imposed holiday. When you’re not tied to a team, you work when you want to, and rest when you want to. That freedom is the advantage of working as a mercenary. So I had a good rest and woke up feeling refreshed, but my mood, unlike my body, was gloomy.

“Tsk…” Last night. While I was having a cup of coffee at a cafe, a young woman approached me. At first, I thought she was trying to recruit me into a multi-level marketing scheme or a religious cult. So I tried to leave, but she wasn’t. She openly said she liked my not-so-cheap aura and my physique. …It was the first time in my life I’d received such a direct approach. I even felt a pleasantly flustered flutter in my chest. I thought, ‘So a day like this comes for me too.’ She seemed to have a straightforward personality, talking to me in a frank manner. That’s when I realized: ‘…Men are weak to a woman’s advance.’ As we exchanged a few words, I found myself glancing at her without realizing it. She seemed to be an athletic woman, with a firm physique that stood out. Her face was cute, and she was definitely someone who caught a man’s eye. So, I talked with her for a bit, thought she was alright, and even had a beer. With each glass, my mood improved, the awkwardness vanished, and I had quite a good time. Just as the atmosphere ripened. “Oppa. Do you want to see if we’re really a good match?” I couldn’t just ignore such a provocation. Naturally, I took her hand and headed to a motel. ‘Even if the crowbar gang breaks in, I’ll take them all on.’ I even thought that if real gangsters came, I’d have to let them live. So I entered the motel, thinking we were about to go through with the big event, but…

“Hic. Hiccup!” “U-um…” “Hiccup! Sobbing!” “A-are you okay?” “I-I’m sorry, hiccup! Waaah-!” …The woman panicked when she saw me shirtless. She seemed very surprised by my scars and tried to hold back her tears, but it backfired. As she struggled to suppress her sobs, her lips trembled, and tears streamed down her face. She had seemed so bold and confident, yet now she was a flood of tears. …What on earth did I do wrong to make her wring her hands like that? In the end, I could only sigh deeply, comfort her, and send her away. After we parted, I guzzled soju, ending what could have been a special event. And the scratch on my heart from yesterday lingered until today.

“Ah… Is this life just not meant to be…?” I went up to the rooftop of the building, lit a cigarette, and gazed at the sky. The deep blue sky felt incredibly high, without a single cloud. It left me with a heart-wrenching feeling, as vast as the sky itself. Feeling like I shouldn’t wallow any further as a man, I picked up my smartphone. Watching some entertaining videos should cheer me up, I thought.

“Let’s see… what’s new today?” Pretty idol fan cams, 1-minute cooking videos, camping videos, and more. My eyes began to delight in the feast of diverse entertainment. “Ah! Idols aren’t idols for nothing! Look at them swaying… Ooh…” I only knew a few group names, not even the members’ names. However, watching their stages, with clear voices singing and graceful dance lines dynamically displayed, I could vaguely understand why people were so enthusiastic about idols. Watching their passionate performances made me feel like cheering them on, somehow. And watching channels that introduced dramas or movies also brought a satisfied smile to my face. It was also nice to watch an entire drama series with just one video, then go back and watch it properly.

“Good acting, good diction, handsome, and even married? He has it all. Ha.” A video of a male actor recently performing action scenes and showcasing excellent acting skills. Even if the action was choreographed, the traces of extensive training were visible. On top of that, he was handsome, making me feel both envious and admiring. “Huh? Should I try acting too? Maybe start as a stuntman?” My scars could be hidden, or maybe even used to play a villain. I spun this awkward but happy fantasy in my mind, then reality hit.

“Haa… Life, really…” I lit another cigarette and quickly scrolled through my phone screen, scanning it. After a refresh, sensational video titles immediately caught my eye. – Random Murder in the Heart of the City! Is This Okay?! – – Surprise Assault! Close-up Fan Cam of the Attack Site – – Bucheon! Scene of Person Biting Person Revealed! – – [Exclusive] Subway Operation Temporarily Halted! Seoul Metropolitan Railway Co… – – COVID Outbreak? New Virus? The Hospital Now… – – Sharp Increase in Weapon-Related Incidents! The Government Now… – ‘…What is this?’ Just one refresh, and all sorts of videos appeared. The titles were so provocative they were embarrassing. Some videos showed blood splattered everywhere without even a mosaic. I stared at the screen for a moment, then started checking the videos one by one.

Most of the screens were shaking violently and were hard to make out. After skipping a few videos, I found one that was somewhat viewable. The video was a live stream showing the ground from a high floor. The quality wasn’t great, possibly filmed from a distance, but it was watchable. The content was simple: a man running up to and attacking a passerby. However, the video’s impact was considerable. The raw, unedited scene was gruesome. A seemingly small young man rushed at a woman who was walking by. The woman screamed, but he bit her face without hesitation. The bitten woman made sounds that were indistinguishable between screams and wails, resisting, but the man continued his attack, biting her neck. A moment later, when the small man lifted his head, blood spurted from the woman’s neck like a fountain. The woman, who had been trembling, soon went limp and showed no movement. He then briefly turned the camera to himself, shouting something incoherent, highly agitated. When he turned the camera back to the murder scene, the man was gone. The attacked woman was also gone. Only bloodstains, presumed to be hers, remained on the ground. Soon, a loud banging sound came from the door near where the filmer was. The video ended with a bizarre scream that grated on the eardrums.

“This, is it a zombie…?” I doubted my own eyes. Despite the significant shaking and poor quality, it was clear. The endless hostility towards the visible target. The act of biting and swallowing, whether it be life or flesh, to satisfy its desire. The murky, discolored gray eyes, like those of a dead fish. And what’s more, the thick, palpable killing intent clearly conveyed through the screen. When I fell into another world, I had dealt with undead before. They were mainly skeletons, but I had also faced zombies and ghouls. That’s why I knew. That was a zombie. …If it was real, that is.

“Damn it, that really startled me. That bastard deserves to be reported.” This is modern society. Such things cannot exist. I calmed my startled heart, disturbed by unpleasant old memories. I immediately checked the comments, which were full of insults like ‘fake’ and ‘attention-seeker.’ A slight annoyance welled up, and I lit another cigarette.

“That bastard’s making me chain-smoke, ugh!!” I felt a hidden trauma slightly pricked, and it angered me. So much so that if I ever met the person who filmed it, I’d want to smash their jaw without hesitation. I stared at my smartphone for a moment, then turned off the screen and looked up.

‘Damn it, I was trying to cheer myself up, but what the hell is this misfortune…’ As I finished my cigarette, I suddenly looked around. Something felt slightly different, and as I rolled my eyes, I realized. “The subway really did stop, then. The news was accurate.” The Line 1 subway station was right across the street from my gosiwon building. It was exactly a 5-minute walk from the building entrance to the turnstiles. That’s why, when it was quiet, I could hear the sound of the subway trains clearly. But now, it was silent. I couldn’t see any people going to or from the subway either. The current situation felt a bit awkward, but since the news had announced it, I just accepted it. I had just gotten scared by watching unnecessary videos and ruined my mood. Now I was even getting hungry.

“Ugh… Should I just go eat…?” I stubbed out my cigarette and trudged towards the elevator.

***

I left the building, carrying my eco-bag which I used for shopping. I thought slippers and sweatpants were my uniform for going to the supermarket, so I dressed comfortably. There was a large Home Plus supermarket right next to my gosiwon building. “While I’m there, I’ll grab a cheeseburger at the food court, and some eggs… Hmm??” As I ambled along like a leisurely unemployed person, I felt a slight sense of unease. It was quiet. There were no people on the street. Not even on the three-lane road…

“There are cars, at least. Oh, and buses are running over there, too.” On a Saturday like today, there would usually be many people and cars, making it bustling. But today, the streets were unusually quiet. Perhaps because I’d watched those pointless, provocative videos, I felt a little unsettled. “…I should probably buy some soju and beer too. Ah! My easily swayed ears, really!!” I had always been easily gullible, often falling for simple pranks. That’s why I felt even more like I’d been tricked. I tried to reassure myself that I was just sensitive because I was hungry, and then I stepped into Home Plus.

Stop. The moment I entered the entrance, I felt like my hairs were standing on end. It was a faint, weak feeling, but I definitely sensed it. The familiar sensation I always felt when danger approached. “Here in Korea? Am I really not feeling well? Sigh…” To suddenly recall memories from ‘over there’ was so out of place. This was what happened when I watched those clickbait videos for no reason. Even if there was something, it would probably just be some crazy person wielding a knife. If I really encountered such a person, I’d even put in the effort to personally break their wrist. First, I decided to do my shopping and immediately got on the moving walkway. The grocery section was on the second basement floor. …If something really had broken out, the place would be bustling with people hoarding goods, or swarming with zombies like in the video. But my worries and suspicions soon proved groundless. There were scattered customers using the supermarket. It was the same on the second basement floor. There were far fewer people than usual, but there were people standing here and there.

“I just got needlessly agitated. I should eat something tasty and rest for a few days.” I decided to relax and started shopping. First, I neatly lined the bottom of my eco-bag with Spam. Three cans fit perfectly, making it easy to stack other items on top. I added a bundle of medium-sized noodles and 1kg of garlic. Garlic is good. It’s good for the body and for virility, to the point of being called a superfood. ‘…I won’t need it immediately, but it’s for general maintenance.’ A carton of 30 eggs fit perfectly in the eco-bag. Finally, feeling a strange craving for Gomtang Ramyun, I headed to the ramen aisle. Midway, I faintly smelled something burning. I looked around, wondering what it was, and realized it was coming from the sample tasting corner. The lady in charge must have placed a few pieces of meat there and left her spot. ‘I don’t want to get yelled at for messing with it. She’ll take care of it.’ I dismissed it and, just as I picked up the Gomtang Ramyun from the ramen aisle. I felt a tickling sensation on the side of my head, like someone was staring at me. From experience, it was a very unwelcome gaze. Slowly, I raised my head and turned my eyes in the direction the gaze was coming from.

‘…No, right?’ What met my gaze was a plump woman. “Screeching!!!” …It had *been* a plump woman.