episode_0286

“…That’s how it happened.” “……” The woman who had wept uncontrollably in my arms, Jang Seohee, recounted a long story logically. What she had been through was utterly dreadful. It seemed she had even condensed it considerably, but… Jang Seohee had clearly been with the child named Seonyeong, whom the two men were searching for. Even in that terrible situation, she had cared for and protected the child. Her devotion, even sacrificing herself to help the child escape outside, was enough to make one’s heart ache slightly.

Park Moojin, who had listened silently to her story, was somewhat composed. As soon as the story ended, Park Moojin began to speak. “Jang Seohee.” “Yes.” “Do you know where you sent Seonyeong out?” Park Moojin, visibly holding back, tried hard to remain calm. Jang Seohee answered him without hesitation. “It’s D Mart in Sangbong-dong.” “D Mart…” “The first floor was blocked off with steel plates, but there was an entrance at the back. I secretly sent her out that way.” “Ugh…” His expression twisted, and he let out a groan.

‘Oh dear…’ They had missed their way. From Park Moojin’s perspective, it was no different from having let a golden opportunity slip by. Perhaps it was because they thought they had missed the child and messed up. The two men’s expressions were complicated. Hearing the subsequent explanation that there was nothing to eat there, so they quickly left, I flinched. Because it was none other than me who had thoroughly emptied the place.

“When was that?” I asked cautiously, in place of the two men who had frozen. “I don’t know exactly, but…” Jang Seohee glanced at the two men, then spoke with difficulty. “…It hasn’t been more than five days, has it…?” “Hmm!” Park Moojin sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes wide. She had reason to be hesitant.

Now, in the middle of winter, the weather was harsher than usual. It had even rained heavily, making the temperature difficult for adults to endure. On top of that, outside was teeming with zombies. ‘Ah… this might be…’ It was a situation where even a few hours were hard to endure. Could a child, hiding alone on the streets in such a situation, survive?

Splat! A sharp, sudden sound echoed. Park Moojin slapped his own cheek hard. While everyone was startled, he composed himself. “Was Seonyeong wearing clothes, by any chance?” “Huh? Ah! Yes, yes. She was wearing a blue child’s jacket and layers of clothes.” “Hmmph…!” “And, I stole a little food and sent it with her when she left.”

‘Oh…’ To think she did that much amid everything. If she had been sent out naked like the other women, it was almost certain she wouldn’t have survived. But if she was at least clothed and given food, the possibility of her being alive wasn’t zero. Zombies were an issue, but who knew? If it were me, I would have gone to look for her without a second thought—

He shot up! Park Moojin, who had been listening while sitting on the floor, jumped to his feet. He seemed to be thinking the same thing as me. A firm resolve was visible in his expression. However, he was conflicted as he looked at Jang Seohee. It seemed he was troubled by the idea of turning his back on someone who had sacrificed for the child.

“I’ll take the women to a safe place.” “……” Jang Seohee stared at Park Moojin. “Go.” He nodded. Park Moojin and Choi Kang-doo immediately began preparing to leave. Tears welled up in Jang Seohee’s eyes as she watched the two men move busily.

I approached the two busy men. “Wait.” “Don’t stop me.” “I’m not stopping you, just wait.” “We don’t have time for this.” I grabbed him. “Just ten minutes.” “……” Park Moojin looked down at his gripped arm, a slight frown on his face. “There’s water and food in that warehouse over there. Eat while you wait for a bit.” “……” “Uh, Seonghan…” “Ten minutes.” Choi Kang-doo closed his mouth, and a flicker of anger showed in Park Moojin’s eyes. He nodded. “Ten minutes, then.” Leaving the two who had reluctantly agreed, I went outside.

‘…’ As soon as I was out of sight, I opened my inventory. Clatter- thud- thud- I took out a duffel bag, shoved a few things into it, and returned. Clatter-

“?” When I set the duffel bag down in front of Park Moojin, who was gulping down bottled water, he questioned me with his eyes. “Take it.” “What is this… This is!” Park Moojin’s eyes lit up as he saw something poking out. Two silenced MCX rifles. Ten magazines filled with subsonic rounds. Two Benelli shotguns and two small boxes of ammunition. Ten grenades. Two portable flashlights. One box of hot packs. “Whoa! This is…!” Choi Kang-doo’s eyes widened at the sight of the weapons, which looked different from anything he’d seen. Park Moojin carefully examined the weapons, then asked me, “Why are you giving us this?” “……” “It’s an excessive favor for people you just met today. What’s the reason?” Reason, huh… “You’re going to look for the child, aren’t you? So, I can help this much.” “……” “And don’t misunderstand. I’m lending them to you.” “What?” “Don’t break them, and make sure to recover all the empty magazines. Got it?” Park Moojin’s eyes widened slightly.

“…One of our family members, a child’s father, only recently managed to reunite with them.” “……” “He prayed every day for them to just stay alive, but he couldn’t do anything, so he cried every night.” “……” “You still have a chance. You can do something.” I… was late once. Because of that, I etched an indelible regret into myself. The reason for helping? It’s nothing special. Park Moojin and Choi Kang-doo are in a similar situation to back then. I just want those two to save the child. That’s… all. Did my thoughts reach them?

“Hmm…” Park Moojin trembled slightly. After a moment of meeting my gaze, he immediately moved his hands. He checked the guns and magazines, then skillfully loaded bullets into the shotgun. His movements were concise and incredibly swift. Park Moojin was clearly someone who had properly trained. Though not a large quantity, it would be a huge help to the two of them who had to navigate the outside. He arranged the grenades in easily accessible positions and distributed the rest into their respective bags.

I spoke to the two who had quickly finished preparing. “You saw the hill road next to the building, right?” “And?” “Go up and turn left. If you go straight, you’ll pass a middle school and come to a bus terminal. Then you’ll see a fork in the road.” As I explained the location, the two men quietly pondered it. “Terminal… fork in the road…” “Take the left path there. Go down the hill and straight, and D Mart will appear at the end.” “……” “If you go around behind the building from where it’s visible, that’s the spot Seohee mentioned. Start from there. I saw some dead guys driving a car earlier, so take that. It won’t even take 10 minutes by car.” “…How do you know that?” I shrugged at Park Moojin, who looked a little surprised. “Because I cleared that place out.” “Huh?” “Ex-?” Not only the two men but Jang Seohee also looked quite surprised. I smiled slightly, seeing Park Moojin’s stunned expression.

“Conversely, if you turn right up here, you’ll come to a fork in the road right after passing the hill. Take the right path there and go straight.” “……” “That will lead to Konkuk University entrance.” “A bustling area… isn’t it dangerous?” I shook my head. “A shelter has been established at Konkuk University.” “…What did you say?” “Is that really true?” “Yeah. There are over three thousand survivors.” “Three thousand?!” Choi Kang-doo was startled, and Park Moojin couldn’t hide his surprise either. “Is that true?” “It is. There are armed soldiers, and Daesan Group and a few others are joining forces.”

“Can they be trusted?” Park Moojin asked a crucial question while slinging his rifle over his shoulder. “I’m still learning about them, but… they’re worth moving with. They’re reasonable, too.” “…I see.” “If you find the child, go there. And tell them to call me. Then I’ll come to get what I lent you back.” “……” “And to see the child’s face.” “Heh!” Park Moojin chuckled, looking up at the ceiling. He extended his hand, showing firm resolve. With a faint smile, I gripped the hand he offered.

“Don’t make me wait too long, alright?” “Don’t worry.” “Seonghan. Thank you very much.” “Save your thanks for later, all at once.” “Haha! Understood!” It was when we broke our firm handshake.

“Park Moojin… Choi Kang-doo.” “Hmm?” A tearful Jang Seohee pleaded. “…Please.” It was impossible not to understand what she meant. Park Moojin slowly nodded. “Leave it to us.” That blunt single phrase was incredibly reassuring. It was subtly cool…

“Ah!” “What is it?” “If you go now, there’ll be surprisingly few zombies.” “What?” “You’ll see when you get there.” Park Moojin, who had been staring at me silently, nodded. And with that, he hurried away. From their retreating figures, an undeniable urgency could be strongly felt. On the other hand, a sliver of hope was also evident.

As soon as they went down, I gazed intently at the two of them driving the Starex roughly. ‘…’ It was as I quietly rooted for the two who were rapidly disappearing from sight to succeed.

“Thank you.” Jang Seohee, who had watched them leave while trembling from the cold, conveyed her thanks. “For saving us… and for helping us find Seonyeong.” She expressed her gratitude belatedly, now much calmer. I accepted her thanks with a nod and moved towards where the women were gathered. The women, each devouring water and food ravenously, paid no mind to me. The sounds of chewing and swallowing food mixed with sniffles, making it quite pitiful. They ate voraciously, but I had no intention of saying anything.

‘Those bastards… they should have at least fed them…’ Thinking about it again, the minigun was a generous treatment. Since they were already dead, I had to find solace in their bodies not being intact. I clicked my tongue softly, expressing regret. In the meantime, the faces of the women, who had filled their hungry stomachs, relaxed a little. However, the problem was after the meal.

They flinched. “……” Having filled their stomachs and regained their senses, the women visibly feared me. They couldn’t meet my gaze, lowering their eyes. They seemed like children trying to hide out of sight. At their pathetic reaction, I took a few steps back, and Jang Seohee approached as their representative. “…I’m sorry. Everyone is just too…” “…I understand.” At least Jang Seohee and a few others could meet my gaze.

“What do you all want to do?” “Hmm…” “There’s no coercion. I’ll do as you wish. If you want to survive individually, you can do that. If you want to stick together in groups, you can do that too.” At my words, the women slowly looked up at me. “You can do whatever you want.” “…You said Konkuk University is safe, right?” “For now, yes.” “Could we enter that place?” I realized this question represented everyone’s feelings. “Probably? They won’t refuse.” “I see…” “I’ll wait for a bit, so think about it. And put something on, please. You’ll catch a cold dressed like that.”

“Ah…” At my words, Jang Seohee and a few others led the women somewhere. And after a short while, the women, now dressed in layers of clothes, gathered back one by one. They were ill-fitting men’s clothes, but at least they looked a bit better with something on. The women, though still fearful, approached me. “We’ll go to Konkuk University.” “Have you decided?” “Yes. We all feel the same way. We can’t survive on our own.” “……” They assessed the situation more calmly than expected. Jang Seohee, who spoke for the group, waited quietly for my answer.

“Then I’ll go bring my companions and a car. Please wait here for a bit.” “Huh? Huh? W-wait?” “?? You can’t walk that distance, can you?” At the command to wait, the women were greatly agitated. “Uh… uh…” “I’ll be back within two hours. Until then, go inside, keep warm, and wait.” “…You’ll *definitely* come, right?” “…I’ll be back soon.” “Promise?” “………Yes.” Jang Seohee’s eyes trembled, and she looked as if she might grab my pant leg and cling, but she didn’t act on it.

‘Konkuk University will accept them, right?’ Feeling the persistent gaze sticking to the back of my head, I quickly returned to the shelter. It seemed I would be visiting it again just a day after returning home.

***

‘I’m hungry.’ I hadn’t eaten a proper meal in a long time. I was so hungry. I shouldn’t have, but I ate what was abandoned on the floor. I drank the standing water. I was so cold and hungry that I had no choice. My owner, who always gave me delicious food, stopped giving me food at some point. Even when I whined because I was hungry, they didn’t give me food.

Whenever I rubbed against my owner’s leg, they would always hug me and pet me, calling me cute. But my owner didn’t even look at me. A sudden fear seized me. What if I was abandoned if I didn’t get my owner’s attention? I rubbed myself against them and called out, wanting my owner’s love again, but they still didn’t look at me. My owner had changed. My owner, who often lay down, now stood all day and made strange noises. My owner, who used to smell good, now smelled awful. My owner, who used to sleep a lot, no longer slept. Now, they didn’t pay any attention to me. But they didn’t abandon me. I loved my owner.

Even though I was hungry, I stayed by my owner’s side, but my owner didn’t give me attention. Then one day. Strangers came into our house. I barked loudly for my owner. Then my owner fought off the strangers. They lunged, bit, and fought them off, just like the big friends I sometimes met outside. ‘Huh? Owner, you shouldn’t eat that!’ My owner must have been hungry too, because they ate a stranger. Then my owner let out a loud cry and ran outside.

I followed right behind my owner, but they quickly disappeared. And then they vanished into the crowd of other people, and I couldn’t find them. My owner’s scent… was gone. Everyone smelled similar, so I couldn’t find my owner. Frightening sounds came from everywhere. It felt like a huge monster was angry at me. Unable to find my owner, I ran away, scared. When I got outside, it was strange. It wasn’t the outside I knew. For some reason, I was scared, and my tail instinctively tucked itself between my legs.

Scared, I walked with my head lowered. That’s how I was abandoned by my owner. The sky brightened and darkened many times. My fur, which my owner used to make pretty, was no longer pretty. I was still hungry. The other friends I sometimes met only got angry. Sometimes they hit me hard, so I ran away. I had to run to a new place every time. Everywhere I went, I saw humans standing like my owner, making similar noises and smelling similar. Humans had changed.

The humans who used to call me pretty as they passed by no longer even looked at me. Humans were scary. I stayed in narrow places, avoiding humans. The narrow places became my own sleeping spots. One day, I was so hungry that I went looking for food. I couldn’t find anything, so I returned exhausted, and then… “Huh? Puppy?” ‘Who are you? This is my sleeping spot!’ “Puppy~ Want to come here?” ‘I told you this is my spot!’ “Are you hungry? Want this?” ‘Oh… I’ll let you off just for today.’

“I’m Seonyeong. What’s your name?” The small human gave me something to eat. It tasted even better than the food my owner used to give me. “Ah, so warm~” ‘Since you gave me something delicious, this is just for this one time.’ The small human hugged me, but I specially allowed it. “If we stay like this~ Uncle and the old man will come for us.” ‘You have an owner too. Lucky you.’ “Let’s stay together until then. Is that okay?” The small human didn’t leave.

Sometimes we went together to find food, but there was never anything. “There’s only a little bit left now…” ‘I don’t have to eat.’ “Here. Let’s eat like this.” ‘I said I’m fine.’ Even when I said I was fine, the small human gave me food. And they hugged me tightly with their small hands. But the small human gradually lost strength.

“Puppy… I’m cold…” ‘I’ll keep you warm.’ I curled my body around the small human, wrapping them snugly. The small human liked it very much. They liked me more than my owner did. I stayed like that until the small human said they didn’t like it. There were too many humans barking strangely in the distance. When that happened, the small human would hug me tightly. The small human was scared of other humans.

‘It’s okay. I’m here.’ I licked the small human. The small human liked it very much. It rained. I hated rain. I hated not being able to go for walks and getting wet. It got too cold when it rained. The small human also disliked it, trembling.

“…Mister…” The rain stopped. But the small human didn’t move. I wrapped my body around the small human even more. Still, the small human didn’t move. They were breathing very slowly. I was worried. What if the small human became like my owner? What if they stopped paying attention to me and abandoned me?

Thump thump- Grrr… This was serious. The sound the small human disliked was coming closer. I tried to wake the small human. I licked their face, but they didn’t open their eyes. No matter how much I licked, they didn’t open their eyes.

I carefully stood up. I shielded the small human with my body. “Grrr…” I was scared. I wanted to tuck my tail and run away. But the small human was still just sleeping. The small human who gave me food. The small human who liked me was behind me. I don’t abandon my friends.

KRAAAW-!! Grrrr-! Rumble! Woof-! Woof-! I will protect the small human.