episode_0116

He was wearing comfortable clothes, leaning back in a comfortable posture, and tipping his glass.

In the empty, bare room, only bottles of alcohol and food lay scattered.

The air in the space was soft, and the atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable.

“Come to think of it… there was something we needed to talk about, wasn’t there?”

“……”

He tossed down the overflowing soju in the small glass in one gulp.

The lively atmosphere settled down, becoming a little calmer.

It was a good time for a conversation that wouldn’t be uncomfortable, perhaps.

He straightened his relaxed posture slightly.

The conversation might get a bit heavy, but…

“Hyung-nim. Here.”

“……”

Dong-woo, as if he’d been waiting, skewered a large, cold sausage with his chopsticks and offered it. I unintentionally took it, letting out a small laugh.

“…Please speak comfortably.”

I took a big bite of the sausage and looked at Jihyeok hyung.

After choosing his words for a moment, Hyung brought up something unexpected.

He spoke unfiltered about what he felt after seeing me charge at the zombies and fight.

“…Is that how I appeared?”

“Yeah. It was like you charged in as if you’d been waiting. And it felt like you were fighting recklessly.”

“Hmm…”

“Grandma and Shia weren’t worrying for no reason, it seems.”

I had thought he would ask about my strength or identity, but I was mistaken.

While others cheered as I cut down the zombies, Hyung had been watching me with concern and pity.

“It was like you were just throwing yourself away.”

“……”

“We’re worrying about you, but you don’t seem to care for yourself at all.”

“Um…”

“At least, that’s how I felt.”

Hyung drank his soju with a complicated expression.

Without even chewing his food, he immediately refilled his glass and spoke quietly.

“…I also wonder if we pushed you into that…”

“It’s not that extreme.”

“It’s not like we have no part in it, is it?”

“When you think about it, it is… isn’t it?”

At my words, Hyung let out a self-deprecating smile and lowered his head.

Since he emptied his glass without a word, I subtly refilled it and shared a drink with him.

“…I’m sorry.”

It was a single word filled with complex emotions.

Contrary to what I thought, it seemed he had been putting a lot of thought into various things.

I understood the gratitude, as I had been the one protecting them from zombies and procuring food all this time, but I didn’t know he would turn that into a burden.

And from what he said, it seemed the other companions felt similarly.

Hyung and I emptied our glasses repeatedly.

Dong-woo and Incheol, sitting beside us, each held a bottle and refilled our glasses.

The two of them probably had things they wanted to say, but for now, they just listened quietly.

‘They don’t need to be so considerate….’

Actually, Hyung doesn’t need to worry so much about me confronting zombies.

When I was stuck over there, I needed to get stronger to survive.

That’s why I diligently poured my energy into hunting monsters.

It’s like a habit, or a quirk, that I picked up back then.

Hyung seems to have interpreted that a bit differently…

I felt a little sorry about this part.

Feeling slightly apologetic, I subtly glanced at Jihyeok hyung.

Hyung’s face was slowly flushing, and his voice began to get a little louder, just as it does with people who are getting drunk.

But his pronunciation was still precise, which made me realize an actor is an actor.

“I was going to run out to help you, you know? But Dong-woo stopped me.”

“…Huh?”

“Dong-woo did?”

“That was the second time he stopped me like that. I didn’t understand it at first, but after seeing you fight, I know why.”

“Hmm.”

I subtly turned my gaze to Dong-woo.

I feel sorry for Hyung, but Dong-woo did well.

I appreciate the thought, but if he had come to my side then, he would have only been in the way.

To think he stopped it from the inside.

Choi Dong-woo.

As expected, I like―

“When I said we’d be in the way, he just swore.”

“Gasp?! Jihyeok hyung-nim! I, when did I ever!!”

“…Isn’t that the same thing?”

“Nooo!! It wasn’t exactly like that~”

I generally understood the situation.

Listening to the story, I spoke to Dong-woo.

“…Choi Dong-woo… you….”

As I looked at him with cold, hardened eyes and trailed off, Dong-woo jumped up and waved his hands. Seeing the guy with such an aggrieved expression… it was amusing.

If I teased him a bit more, he looked like he might cry, so I spoke.

“Dong-woo.”

“Ah! Hyung-nim! It’s really not like that!”

“You did well.”

“…Huh?”

“Stopping Hyung and the others. You did well.”

“Oh, oh…”

At my words, the three of them fell silent.

It was as if I had admitted that they would be in the way.

But that was the truth, and facts can sometimes be cold and painful.

In the quiet, I spooned up the cooled ramen broth.

I emptied my glass again and savored the lingering scent of alcohol in my mouth.

The sweetness I’d felt with the first glass had been greatly diluted.

It seems alcohol is supposed to be bitter after all.

Having cleared my mouth with food, I spoke comfortably.

“If you had charged in without any preparation, only the number of corpses would have increased. I think everyone knows that well.”

“Well, that’s true, but…”

“At that time, Dong-woo was indeed right to do what he did. Hyung, think about it carefully too.”

“……”

“Still, I appreciate your intentions.”

Even with my words, Hyung’s expression didn’t relax.

It seemed he didn’t like the reality of lacking ability as a hyung, as a man.

It was clear that he wasn’t offended by my specific words.

To Hyung, I spoke casually and straightforwardly.

“Jihyeok hyung.”

“…Hm.”

“My fighting. You saw it properly this time, right?”

“…I did.”

“You guys saw it too, right?”

“Yes.”

“…I also saw it properly.”

The three of them nodded, their eyes looking somewhat complicated.

“Then you must know from seeing it. I won’t die.”

“No! Even so―”

“Unless you detonate a missile directly in front of my face, you can’t kill me.”

“Mi, a missile?”

“Zombies? Even if all the zombies in the country swarmed me, I’m confident I’d survive. Because I’m the one who wins.”

“Whoa…”

“……”

The three men, who were merely amazed by my confident words, might have vaguely realized that I wasn’t bluffing.

“…He really does seem like he’d win.”

“Of course. I win.”

I said confidently and picked up the empty pot.

Creaaak- screeech-

“!!!”

I crumpled and crushed the large pot with one hand, manipulating it.

The sound of metal sheet crumpling filled the air as the pot gradually lost its shape, and it only took a moment for it to fold into a crumpled ball like paper.

I handed the scrap metal that had once been a pot to Jihyeok hyung, who was wide-eyed with shock.

I quietly spoke to the three people who were turning the crumpled ball of metal over and over, examining it.

“As you can probably tell from a quick glance, I use a bit of strength differently than others.”

“…‘A bit’ isn’t quite right, is it?”

I lightly ignored Dong-woo’s subtle jab.

“Anyway. You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Whoaaaa…”

“So you don’t need to feel burdened. The same goes for you guys.”

The three men, who had been dazed with surprise until then, nodded a beat late and shifted their gazes to me.

“Of course, if you try to use me or stab me in the back, then it’s a different story.”

“That won’t happen.”

“Who would? How dare they?”

“Oh… just thinking about it is scary.”

“Then that’s good.”

The three, showing immediate and honest reactions, tried to convey their innocence with their eyes. Hyung emptied his soju glass and then asked Dong-woo.

“So, Dong-woo… you knew Seonghan was strong?”

“W-well…”

“A little. Since I went with him to Times Square.”

“…I see. So that’s why…”

I added a word to Hyung, who was nodding his head.

“He kept quiet because he promised me not to tell anyone, so don’t feel resentful towards Dong-woo.”

“Ohh… I see….”

“So, if something like this happens again, prioritize your own safety above all else.”

It’s good that they worry about me.

But there was something else I wanted to point out.

The moment the zombies swarmed in.

Hyung and the companions moved quickly.

And that was a good reaction, not bad at all.

However, the direction was wrong.

Without hesitation, I spoke what I wanted to say.

“To put it coldly, you all should have gotten in a car and moved, instead of running into the building.”

“That…”

“It hasn’t even been a few days since we resolved to act a bit selfishly to survive.”

“……”

“If I hadn’t had the ability to fight zombies, we all would have died that day.”

This was the part I didn’t like.

Looking at the timing, it would have been cutting it close to get into the car and drive off, but it was perfectly possible.

However, Hyung and the companions pulled the frozen people along and ran into the building.

I don’t dislike the good and humane aspects of my companions.

To be honest, if there were only people like my companions, the world might be quite livable.

But not in a situation like this, and definitely not in a situation like that.

I didn’t like that.

If the companions had quickly escaped, I wouldn’t have been drenched in zombie fluids. I might not have even broken the crowbar.

So I brought up that part once again.

As expected, the three of them didn’t say anything.

‘Even if they knew it with their heads, their bodies must have reacted instinctively.’

My companions, full of humanity, are normal people.

A normal person with a moral compass would naturally try to help someone in danger.

If it were the normal world before, there would be no problem.

They are, in fact, people who should receive commendations as exemplary citizens.

But now, death has arrived, and the world has turned into a lawless land.

I wish they would put down a bit of their altruism and fill that space with selfishness.

No one can curse me for taking care of my own life.

Any human who tries to pick a fight over that is only able to blather because there’s no one around to beat them up like hell.

The three men, having heard my words, each fell into thought.

Leaving the three silent, I emptied my glass and finished off the food.

Jihyeok hyung, who had been silent for a moment, soon let out a small sigh and composed his expression. It seemed he had also organized his thoughts.

As I refilled his glass, Hyung immediately gulped it down, chewing noisily on a piece of ham, and then said one thing.

“By the way, who knew the person who saved me would be Superman?”

“I know, Hyung-nim. Hehehe.”

I thought his reaction was weak and he was taking it calmly, but perhaps not.

“…Not exactly Superman.”

“Seonghan hyung-nim. Is it really superpowers or something like a hero?”

“…Let’s just say it’s something similar.”

“But is it alright for you to give us this kind of hint?”

Incheol, who had been listening quietly, asked.

“When we were at school. I heard the seniors whispering.”

“…They were?”

“They were saying things like ‘special agent’ and such.”

“I see.”

“The most common opinion back then was… do you perhaps have a status window?”

I, who was about to pick up a sausage, stopped dead.

“In novels, at times like these, awakened ones appear and status windows open, you know. The seniors talked about that topic for a long time too.”

“…Would I?”

“As expected, no, you wouldn’t. Since it’s a world where zombies are popping up, I just wondered.”

I laughed along with Incheol, who was refilling his glass and giving an awkward chuckle.

But inside, I wasn’t laughing.

‘…That scared me.’

At Incheol’s words, which were close to the truth, I inwardly broke out in a cold sweat.

I flinched a little at his imagination, which seemed to come from reading quite a few novels.

But I didn’t lie.

‘It’s gone, so it’s true that I don’t have it now.’

Unaware of my thoughts, the three men were engaged in a heated discussion about my combat power.

Perhaps because there was a lot of content about heroes and superhumans?

My power was an object of caution when I was over there, but now it seemed to be accepted quite easily.

The conversation was heating up in a childish direction, so I interrupted.

“Let’s leave it at that. The reason I brought this up today was to tell you not to worry too much.”

“Hm? Me?”

Jihyeok hyung pointed to himself with a bewildered expression.

“…Because it seemed like you were being crushed by a sense of burden.”

“Ah…”

“And even if I said no, I don’t think you would have believed me.”

“Honestly, even after seeing it with my own eyes, it’s hard to believe. Haha.”

“What the… Pfft.”

Seeing Hyung’s expression relax a little at my words, it seems I did well to bring it up. If burden or guilt accumulates, a shadow falls over one’s heart and lumps form.

Such a sick mind slowly changes a person.

In a very undesirable way.

It was as if I had cut it off before Hyung could become like that.

Honestly, I couldn’t gloss over the defense event, and I was sure that these people wouldn’t go around blabbing about it anywhere.

These factors also played no small part in my decision to bring it up.

Dong-woo, who had been listening to our conversation, also spoke softly from beside me.

“Now that I hear it, I feel sorry for Seonghan hyung-nim….”

“…Why you too?”

Dong-woo hesitated for a moment, his lips moving before he spoke with difficulty.

“I just… thought Hyung-nim was cool…. I didn’t think like Jihyeok hyung-nim did….”

“That’s enough. Just think of me as comfortable with you just like that.”

“But…”

“No buts or any of that, I’m fine. Understand?”

“…Um.”

“What’s with the ‘um’? Pour me some more drinks.”

Dong-woo’s shoulders began to slump, as if he had realized something belatedly after hearing Jihyeok hyung’s thoughts. I patted Dong-woo lightly and added one more thing.

“Just don’t go around blabbing about it.”

The three men nodded at my words.

It was then, as they showed firm resolve as if taking a secret oath.

Jihyeok hyung cautiously called out to me.

“But Seonghan.”

“Yes, Hyung.”

“…What about other people?”

“Hmm… even if I tell them, would they believe me? Just quietly…”

“No, not our companions.”

“??”

“The people who escaped with us back then….”

“Ah…”

I understood what Hyung was trying to say, and Dong-woo and Incheol also wore expressions of realization. Then Hyung delivered the decisive blow.

“That… I think there was also someone who was filming a video….”

“……”

“Uh, what should we do?”

To Hyung’s awkward question, not only I but no one could answer.