episode_0034

I quietly stepped onto the stairs leading to the rooftop.

Opening the door, a slightly chilly night breeze blew past.

I slowly walked to the railing and took out a cigarette.

I exhaled slowly.

The gently blowing wind felt pleasant.

The streets directly in front of me had mostly lost their light, a pitch-black scene.

Except for a few large buildings and apartments visible along the distant main road, most lights were out.

No particular thoughts came to mind.

Only the wish that I wouldn’t encounter any zombies came to mind.

“The streets are dark.”

Turning around at the low voice from behind me, I saw Jihyeok.

Dong-woo and Shia were with him.

“Could I have one too?”

“You smoke?”

Slightly surprised by the unexpected question, I handed him a cigarette and asked.

Just by his appearance, he seemed far from a smoker…

“I haven’t completely quit, but I smoke occasionally.”

“Is the entertainment industry that tough?”

“Well, I can’t say it isn’t.”

Jihyeok smiled bitterly and lit his cigarette.

‘Seriously, even smoking looks cool on this guy, unnecessarily so.’

Somehow, it felt like I shouldn’t get too close to him.

“Senior-nim! You told *me* not to smoke!”

“Well… you’re a rookie. You have to be careful.”

“But I’ve been an idol for quite a few years already?”

“You’re a rookie actor. If you get photographed, you’re done for, okay?”

“Ugh…”

Shia, who was chattering beside him as if arguing, got nowhere with her argument.

“Want one?”

“Huh? No, it’s fine. It’s just that you told *me* not to smoke, but you’re smoking…”

At her words, Jihyeok reacted as if she were cute.

“Dong-woo, why did you come up?”

“Just because. Hehe.”

“How dull.”

Unlike me, Dong-woo seemed like he’d do well in society.

‘He won’t starve wherever he goes.’

Jihyeok, who had been leisurely smoking, asked pointedly.

“Seonghan, what did you do originally?”

“I was a manual laborer.”

“Laborer?”

“Yes. Hard labor. I did all kinds of physical work, without picking and choosing.”

“…Wasn’t it difficult?”

At his words, I snorted a laugh mid-exhale of cigarette smoke.

“Is there any job in the world that isn’t difficult? You just do it.”

“…That’s true.”

I could tell what Jihyeok wanted to say.

My nonchalant way of walking among corpses and taking down zombies made him—

“Aren’t you scared?”

At the sudden question, Jihyeok and I turned our gazes simultaneously.

The slightly subdued voice suited her calm, pretty face.

“And the way you rush at zombies without hesitation…”

Shia, asking the question, looked at me with unwavering eyes.

“Are you alright?”

‘Ah…’

These people seemed more worried about me than curious about my identity.

It was that feeling of genuinely worrying about my well-being.

“…I’m fine.”

I didn’t dislike the ticklish feeling in my chest.

“Life was simply so rough that my personality became a bit dry.”

“……”

“That’s why I found a lot of comfort in Jihyeok.”

“…From me?”

“Your dramas. I enjoyed them. I’m a fan, even if not an avid one.”

“Ah…”

The repetitive routine of working hard, eating, and sleeping.

In my bland, repetitive daily life, my hobby was watching movies and dramas.

There were many enjoyable works and many actors I thought were cool.

The actor Kim Jihyeok particularly impressed me for no other reason than this.

“You really played those ‘cider’ roles perfectly [referring to characters who deliver satisfying justice or impactful lines, providing a refreshing feeling].”

“Oh. That… Haha.”

The refreshing catharsis, as if he had spoken the words I wanted to say in my life.

That’s why I liked this actor and couldn’t forget him.

“To think you were a fan of mine. Thank you very much.”

“Not an avid fan, though.”

“Oh, I’m a fan of yours too, Hyung-nim. My grandmother likes you too.”

In an instant, a heartwarming atmosphere formed among the three men.

The smoking break I had hoped for wasn’t like this…

“What about me? Don’t I have any fans?”

I looked at Shia, who had a hopeful expression.

“Uh… Hmm…”

“?! What, what’s that reaction?”

“Hyung-nim?”

“Well… I haven’t seen any works with Shia.”

At my words, Shia’s mouth fell open.

“Ah, no, I’m a member of Q.URI.S? You don’t know?”

“I’m not very familiar with idols.”

“OMG…”

“No, Hyung-nim? You really don’t know Q.URI.S?”

I really didn’t.

‘There are just so many idol groups, to begin with.’

“Well, now you know, so it’s fine, isn’t it?”

“No, it’s not!”

Shia, huffing and puffing as if greatly wronged, was quite cute.

Though her figure wasn’t cute…

For now, I calmed this thoroughly annoyed young lady.

“You shouldn’t make loud noises outside.”

“Gasp-!!”

In an instant, the two covered their mouths with their hands.

Both Dong-woo and Shia’s actions were cute.

“Seonghan… aren’t you scared?”

Looking at the distant lights, Jihyeok muttered softly.

“It’s embarrassing, but I was so scared I couldn’t even breathe properly.”

His expression, revealing his true feelings, looked complicated.

“Of course, it’s scary. I’m human, how could I not be?”

At my calm words, Jihyeok looked at me.

“If I get bitten, I’m gone in an instant. It’s natural to be scared. Not just Jihyeok, but Shia and Dong-woo too, everyone is the same.”

I discarded the burnt-out cigarette and took out another, lighting it.

A serious conversation with stars, cigarettes, on a rooftop late at night.

If only the topic of conversation had been good, it would have graced a page of memories.

I quietly watched Jihyeok, who was waiting for my words.

“When fear consumes you, your body freezes. Even if you want to scream or run, your body won’t move, and your mind just goes blank.”

Like Jihyeok, I continued speaking calmly.

“It’s just a struggle to survive. If you stand still, you’ll die one way or another. So you clench your teeth, brace your core, and take one step forward. That’s all.”

“To add to that, since we’re living anyway, I thought it would be better to live together with you all.”

I looked at the three of them and said in a slightly lighter tone.

“I can’t say there’s no personal motive. A favorite actor, a beautiful woman, and even a restaurant heir.”

“Huh? Hyung-nim, my grandmother told me not to cook…”

“Then learn.”

“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant.”

“Quiet.”

I dismissed Dong-woo, who was trying to make an excuse, and said playfully.

“More importantly, you should think about what you’ll do for me later.”

“Is there nothing you wish for?”

“Hmm…”

I thought for a moment, but there was nothing in particular I desired.

“A house.”

“A house?”

“I’ve lived in a goshiwon [a tiny, inexpensive room for rent, typically for students or single workers] for a long time.”

“Ah…?”

“I hope I can get a nice house. Or living as a tenant in Jihyeok’s building wouldn’t be bad either. I heard you’re rich.”

Jihyeok, who had been quietly listening to my words, nodded slightly.

“That’s not bad. I won’t even charge rent.”

“I’d be grateful if you did that.”

At the dramatic deal, they exchanged deep smiles.

Later, when the situation calms down, I’d be living in a top star’s building.

And for free.

‘Not bad, actually?’

“And Dong-woo can open a restaurant nearby.”

“Huh? That sounds good? But I don’t know if my grandparents would allow it.”

“Why? Can’t you cook?”

“It’s not that, they just don’t want me to because it’s hard work.”

“Ah… Then there’s nothing we can do.”

He said that restaurant work was as tough as working in the Aoji Coal Mine [a historical coal mine known for extremely harsh labor].

It was the words of an old-school worker, full of seasoned wisdom.

If that’s the reason, I can understand why they wouldn’t let him open a restaurant.

“Then you should think about what you’ll do for me too.”

“Uh… I will. Oh, what should I really do for you?”

“What should I do for you too…?”

Dong-woo, whose contract had suddenly changed, and Shia, who was contemplating beside him.

“Later, arrange a blind date for me.”

“Huh? A b-blind date?”

“I want to meet someone gentle, pure, pretty, and kind.”

“Ah, no, excuse me?”

“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“OMG…”

I snickered, watching Shia tremble.

I continued speaking with a small laugh.

“So, I hope you all survive until the very end.”

At my serious words, the three of them fell silent.

Jihyeok, who had been looking at me for a moment…

“Shall we speak informally?”

He made an unexpected suggestion.

To be like brothers with a top star…

At this timing?

‘Sounds good to me?’

What timing?

“Go ahead. I’ll call you Hyung.”

“Haha~ Alright. Seonghan, please take care of me.”

Jihyeok smiled lightly, looking satisfied.

It’s a relief that he sees me favorably.

I wonder if I can call him Jihyeok-hyung now.

“M-me too, then please call me informally!”

Shia, who had been listening nearby, also suggested, as if not wanting to be outdone.

“Alright. Then call me Oppa.”

“Huh? What? O-Oppa?”

“You’re younger than me, aren’t you? How old are you?”

“Me, 24.”

A suitable age difference.

Would there ever be another chance to be called Oppa by such a beautiful celebrity?

“Alright. Try repeating after me. Op.pa.”

“It’s, it’s, it’s cringey…”

“Then let’s pretend I never said it…”

“I’ll do it! O-Oppa.”

Shia struggled to utter the single word, Oppa.

I wondered what made it so hard for her.

Awkwardness comes from unfamiliarity.

In such cases, repeated practice is important.

“One more time.”

“Oppa.”

“Try again.”

“Oh, seriously!”

Chuckles escaped me.

Oppa. It’s always a fresh word, no matter when I hear it.

It truly felt nice.

‘Did I just get a younger sister with a bit of an age gap?’

“Tomorrow… it’ll be okay, right?”

His voice was calm, but slightly trembling, as if he couldn’t hide his tension.

He usually hid his feelings so well that I forgot.

That Jihyeok-hyung was also a normal person living his daily life.

“Of course. It will be fine.”

“……”

Perhaps my overly confident and simple response drained his strength, as his tension seemed to vanish.

He exhaled deeply with a smile, his expression showing he had put his worries aside.

“We’ve already done it once. There’s no difference.”

I put out my cigarette by grinding it and said firmly.

“Tomorrow, everyone will arrive safely.”

“…Alright.”

I spoke calmly and encouragingly, as if reassuring the three of them.

“Don’t worry too much and go down to rest. Dong-woo, you take the first watch.”

Saying we should stop exposing ourselves to the night wind, I went down with the three of them.

I had only planned to have a quick cigarette and go to sleep, but it took a while.

“……”

I inadvertently entered the room I was using alone and lay down on the bed.

It wasn’t that I wasn’t nervous.

Someone could get hurt or die.

The resolve to definitely save everyone is recklessness.

The good people who were increasingly trusting and relying on me.

‘Do everything I can.’

That was what I could do, what was possible for me.

I steeled my resolve and quietly closed my eyes.

It was cool, and not even the groans of zombies could be heard.

It was a good night to fall asleep.

Within that, I tried to sleep.

‘Oppa… huh. Hmph~’