episode_0217

“…….”

Shia, apologizing in a meek voice, avoided my gaze.

Her downcast eyes seemed to be restlessly darting around.

Her neck was completely scrunched, and her hands, politely clasped in front, twitched.

Her actions were so cute that I couldn’t even think of getting angry.

It wasn’t because of the plump, melon-like curve that gathered as she clasped her hands in front.

Really.

Seeing her trembling hands, I had even prepared myself for a bowl cut.

If it really didn’t work out, I was thinking of just shaving my head bald.

…It’s just, how to put it.

I think I liked the fact that she went out of her way to care for me, a complete stranger.

It felt completely different from a ‘We love you, customer!’ kind of vibe.

It’s a passive trait inherent in men, that they’ll easily melt and collapse into delusion even if a pretty woman is just slightly nice to them.

Seeing this, I guess I’m no different from ordinary men.

*Squeeze-*

“Huh?”

“So, you admit your guilt?”

“Aah~”

That’s one thing, and this is another.

I gently pinched Shia’s soft cheek and lightly wiggled it.

She was embarrassed, saying it was rough, but it was incredibly soft.

*Stretch-*

Entranced by the pleasant feel around my fingertips, I grabbed both her cheeks and pulled them taut.

“S-Sowwy…”

“Pfft.”

I played with her soft, chewy cheeks for a moment before letting go.

Leaving Shia to rub her cheeks in embarrassment, I expressed my gratitude to Bomi.

“Thank you, Bomi.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, really. Just say the word, and I’ll do it for you anytime.”

The person who saved my hairstyle was none other than Bomi.

They said she was Shia’s stylist, but she also knew how to cut hair.

In fact, I could feel the touch of a seasoned professional.

Thanks to her, I didn’t have to go bald and could maintain a fresh style.

Actually, Shia did cut it well.

The problem was that she made it into a perfect bowl cut.

She created such a perfect bowl cut that it seemed like that certain person from a ninja village, who shouts about passion and youth, might have given me a bodysuit and told me, ‘You’re my disciple.’

When I was standing at the edge of that cliff, Bomi burst in and fixed my hair.

Inwardly, I thanked her skills once again.

“Actually, I’ve wanted to do it for you for a while now.”

“Oh, you did?”

“But you’re always so busy….”

“…I’ll ask for your help again next time.”

Bomi replied with a bright expression to my sincere(?) and polite request.

Immediately after, she delivered a resounding smack to Shia’s back for carelessly touching her belongings.

“You! You! Did I tell you not to touch things like scissors? Or did I not?!”

“Ack! Unnie! It hurts! It hurts so much!!”

“Then I’m hitting you so it *does* hurt! How many times do I have to tell you that clumsy hands shouldn’t pick up scissors?!”

“I… I’m not clumsy-handed!”

*Smack!*

“Kyaak!”

“Clumsy hands talking back?”

“Eek!”

Watching Bomi’s discipline, I burst out laughing.

The sight of them, like real sisters, was pleasant to see…

“Heheheh~ They’re incorrigible, anyway.”

I quietly gazed at Hyuk hyung, who was laughing beside me.

“Why?”

“Hyung, you knew, didn’t you?”

“Well… roughly?”

This person, seriously.

Just as I was wondering how I should deal with Hyuk hyung.

“Still, it wasn’t bad, was it?”

“…….”

“Shia wanted to do something for you… and I figured you’d just let her be.”

“Why are you talking like you know everything?”

“Then, did you dislike it?”

I had no words to retort to the sly, handsome man.

‘…Can a person look that vile?’

Seeing him smirk with twisted lips, he was truly no different from a villain.

I will never forget this moment.

After the small commotion ended, the three of us who had gone out washed up properly and sprawled out in the reception room.

‘……’

Outside the window, rain was pouring down heavily.

It was pouring so hard that, combined with the strong winds, it felt as if the rain was falling sideways.

Unlike the turbulent scene outside, the interior was utterly quiet.

Not even the sound of raindrops hitting the window could be heard.

It was nice, but…

“It’s specially made glass, so it has incredible soundproofing and durability.”

CEO Choi quietly appeared with Byeongsu.

How did he know I was worried about the glass, anyway?

Sitting down, CEO Choi offered a slight smile.

“It was easy to tell what you were thinking.”

“…Is it that obvious?”

“Not always, but sometimes, I’d say. Like when you’re just sitting there, like now.”

“That’s right. You sometimes look unguarded.”

Since Hyuk hyung even chimed in, it must be true.

I just brushed it off with an awkward laugh.

“It also has a defense system, so you don’t need to worry.”

“There’s such a thing?”

*Grin~*

‘Oh, crap…’

I was flustered, and Hyuk hyung, whose eyes met mine, also turned pale.

Into that gap, the middle-aged gentleman began to speak.

“Thick steel plates protect the vulnerable parts. Like the entrances and windows. It’s an extravagant waste of money, but it wasn’t my money, so. Haha~”

Surprisingly, CEO Choi didn’t comment further.

Hyuk hyung and I inwardly breathed a small sigh of relief.

“You had some good results outside. It’s a great relief that we don’t have to worry too much about your health.”

CEO Choi had visited Dr. Jang’s room and, admiring today’s findings, lavished praise.

In the meantime, people began gathering in the reception room one by one.

Though it was a little bustling as everyone found their seats, CEO Choi calmly continued.

“Was there anything unusual outside?”

The reply burst out from Hyuk hyung.

“Nothing special… but it seems there are other survivors.”

“…Really?”

“Seonghan confirmed it too.”

At those words, I gave a small nod.

Even at the fact of other survivors, CEO Choi’s reaction was lukewarm.

He even seemed a bit indifferent…

“It might be best not to encounter them, if possible.”

“Are you serious, Junseong Hyung-nim?”

When Hyuk hyung asked seriously, CEO Choi assented without hesitation.

Hyuk hyung didn’t seem to be arguing about it either.

“…….”

“CEO-nim. Is there a reason?”

Shia, whose cheek I had just pinched, quietly sat beside me and asked the question in my stead.

CEO Choi, maintaining a small smile, turned his gaze to me instead of answering.

“I agree.”

“Hmm.”

Not only CEO Choi but also Byeongsu gave a small nod.

“In the current situation, encountering another group isn’t likely to lead to anything good. The probability of it being advantageous for us also seems very low.”

CEO Choi spoke his somewhat calculating words in a way that didn’t evoke any repulsion.

I got the impression that he was very skillful.

“If it’s advantageous, that would be a relief. But they might be testing us, stab us in the back, or even launch an attack.”

“There’s also a high chance they’ll burden us with unnecessary baggage or cling to us.”

“As Junseong Hyung-nim said, it’s better not to encounter them.”

Surprisingly, Hyuk hyung was firm about it.

CEO Choi also didn’t raise any objections and seemed to agree.

“Today, Byeongsu and I tried to gather information by listening to the radio, but it wasn’t very useful. However, we could roughly understand the general atmosphere.”

“What’s the atmosphere like?”

“It’s a mess.”

“…….”

“It’s a chaotic mess, feeling like walking on thin ice.”

Byeongsu continued with words that seemed like quite an understatement.

“After a well-known survivor group collapsed, the broadcasts increased significantly.”

“…….”

“Messages about recruiting survivors, offering protection, or wanting to barter have increased a lot, but they don’t seem genuine.”

“What do you mean, Byeongsu Oppa?”

“It’s a trap.”

It was Miri’s father who answered Shia’s cautious question.

Everyone’s gaze turned to Miri’s father, and he calmly explained.

“When I was in Jamsil, I came across many similar broadcasts. When we went to find people after hearing rescue requests, most of them turned out to be traps.”

At the word “trap,” people held their breath.

It was easy for anyone to tell that he wasn’t talking about actual fishing.

“I didn’t go myself, but the teams that were dispatched were either severely injured or suffered heavy losses.”

“Hoo…”

“Oppa??”

Seeing me show a slight expression of admiration, Shia flinched.

It seemed she misunderstood, but that wasn’t it.

“So they weren’t just any random riff-raff, it seems?”

“That’s right. How did you know?”

“If they can ambush armed soldiers who went there as a rescue team, they must be formidable guys, right?”

And it’s proof that they’re rotten to the core, beyond redemption.

“We argued that they should be punished for retaliation and to maintain order, but…”

“There were those who didn’t agree, right?”

“…Yes.”

People fell silent, and Miri’s father also slightly grimaced.

“Forget what’s past.”

“…….”

“You should enjoy your time with your family.”

“Thank you.”

After a brief change of atmosphere, Byeongsu finished his explanation.

In other words, this is the situation.

While various broadcasts are increasing, the likelihood of them being traps is high.

I don’t know the exact date, but by my estimate, it’s almost four months since the zombies started rampaging.

It’s highly probable that even those who were holding out have slowly reached their limits.

Whether it’s a lack of supplies, a lack of people, or whatever, a difficult situation has arrived.

Hunger and disease, pain and loneliness, fear, despair, and so on.

To top it off, ill-timed, terrible cold as an extra bonus.

Elements that could drive people insane are everywhere.

By now, the value of human life might have almost disappeared.

Whether humans sought to release emotions or pursue pleasure.

…There aren’t always normal ways to do so.

By now, the time might have come for a clear distinction to be made.

『Will they remain human, or live as beasts?』

In addition to that, there are provocative broadcasts that get on people’s nerves and an abundance of nonsensical jokes, in short, it’s a total mess – that was Byeongsu’s explanation.

The kind of people who, if they’re going to die, should just die alone, but instead insist on getting under everyone’s skin until the very end.

The kind of people who think, ‘I’m struggling, hurting, and unhappy, so you should know it too.’

It’s truly a situation fitting for a reality standing at the crossroads of ruin.

“…Broadcast regulations should be working at a time like this….”

“Cwahahahah~”

At my words, Hyuk hyung and CEO Choi burst into hearty laughter.

Byeongsu also struggled to hold back his laughter and said.

“CEO-nim said the exact same thing just now.”

“Oh… CEO Choi-nim. We’re on the same wavelength.”

“Oh… not bad.”

CEO Choi made no attempt to hide his truly amused expression.

“So, Seonghan.”

“Yes.”

“How about reducing your outdoor activities for a while?”

“…Somehow, that sounds like something only celebrities would hear?”

“Oh, it’s just your imagination.”

“…….”

I gave him a suspicious look, but CEO Choi didn’t even flinch.

“You said you’d rest for a while, but didn’t you go out right away?”

“Ah.”

“I was pleased that you had good results today, but the weather is like this, and it’s hard to travel the streets, isn’t it? I think it might be a good idea for Seonghan to take a break around now.”

“That’s right, Oppa. Please just rest quietly now.”

Shia also quietly made her request, and her soft cheek fat caught my eye.

I wanted to squeeze them again, but there were too many eyes watching…

For now, I’m in favor of resting too.

People misunderstand, but I also like eating, sleeping, and lazing around.

‘To do that…’

I turned my gaze to Hyuk hyung.

“Hyung.”

“Huh?”

“The cars outside. Do they have enough fuel?”

“Oh? Uh. We do need to get more, but there’s enough to move.”

I subtly scanned the men gathered in the reception room.

And with a smile, I calmly stated.

“Let’s just do one last big haul.”

I suggested one last big run for a comfortable and enjoyable winter.