Chapter 26. Encounter

Chapter 26. Encounter

There was a time, long ago.

It was about a girlfriend I had when I was young. She was a wonderful person, beautiful and kind-hearted. About a month into our relationship, she wore a skirt for the first time on a date. As we sat side-by-side, her thighs were visible beneath the slightly hiked-up skirt, and my gaze kept drifting there. But then, I noticed, quite distinctly, dark hairs pressed against the inside of her stockings.

Some women are naturally hairier than others; it’s just how people are. Having a lot of hair isn’t a flaw, but at that time, my girlfriend’s leg hair became strongly imprinted in my mind. And not in a good way. After that, whenever I met her, all I could see was her hair. The hair on her arms, the fine hairs at the nape of her neck. The dot-like marks left after she shaved her legs. As I grew older, I came to understand that it was natural, but when I was young, I found it somewhat off-putting. Of course, we didn’t break up because of that.

Similar things, though slightly different in context, kept happening afterward. For instance, the smacking sounds a colleague made while eating. Once I became aware of it, it bothered me immensely every time we ate together. Or if someone’s perfume once struck me as repulsive, it became difficult to even be near them. I believe these are things anyone can experience in daily life. Yet, people still meet others and live together. You can’t constantly worry about whether your hair, sounds, or scent might bother someone else.

And then, occasionally, some people find luck. A fated encounter, where they’re lucky enough to meet someone with whom even these minor annoyances simply don’t exist. Such luck found me in a world half-ruined by zombies, and that person was Seonyoung. If that person is of the opposite sex, isn’t it only natural to fall deeper and deeper? You like one thing, then another, and eventually, even their flaws start to seem endearing. It’s like an inescapable antlion’s pit. Perhaps it’s simply that I like the person so much that everything about them seems good. I’m not sure about the cause and effect, but one thing is clear: this situation is fatal in every sense.

“Ah… this feels so good. Oppa, aren’t you tired?”

“I’m fine, so don’t worry about it. Just relax.”

“Okay… thank you.”

After brushing my teeth and taking a quick wash, it was time for a massage. My hands moved as I drifted through various thoughts, but Seonyoung’s half-asleep voice pulled me out of my reverie.

“Next time, let’s definitely use Condoms. I’m usually very regular, but I’m still a bit anxious.”

“My apologies. I should have taken care of it.”

“No, it’s fine. We were both… but our Prince still has so much energy, doesn’t he?”

Seonyoung glanced sideways at my penis. My penis got a pet name before I did.

“I should serve our Prince more diligently, but I’m tired right now. Let’s meet again next time!”

Perhaps bothered by my erection, Seonyoung spoke in a half-asleep voice.

“If you get sleepy during the massage, just go to sleep. It’s fine.”

“But Oppa, you’re tired, and I feel bad.”

“No, it’s the same even if you fall asleep, so don’t worry about it.”

“Okay… thank you, Oppa.”

Before long, her steady breathing filled the air. Listening to her soft breaths, I finished the massage and covered the naked Seonyoung with a Blanket.

Tick, tick, shhhk.

I stepped out into the hallway and lit a Cigarette. Did I open my heart to Seonyoung so quickly because I already knew she was a good person? Whatever the reason, I decided to be wary of these feelings.

‘The more I like Seonyoung, the more I need to maintain balance.’ What’s important is survival, and for that, Seonyoung needs to become stronger too. I can’t just coddle her and keep her safe because of my feelings. Seonyoung is a strong person and a good comrade I can rely on. I’ll cherish and respect her, but I mustn’t let myself become lazy by falling for a woman. ‘For now, this should be enough.’ By the time the Cigarette butt burned down to its end, I had finished organizing my thoughts.

“Uncle, you have a tablet, but is it not good to carry around?”

“Yeah. It’s a bit awkward to put in a Sling Bag, and I find paper more convenient.”

Over breakfast, I brought up the topic of creating a Zombie Map. At first, I called it a Tactical Map, but then I changed the name. We’re not soldiers, and considering the current situation, zombies are the main focus, so I decided on Zombie Map.

“Then, while you two get ready, I’ll print one out.”

“Gayoung, this soup is delicious. How did you make it?”

“Hehe, I’m glad! I just followed a MeTube recipe!”

Last night, Gayoung said something admirable, offering to take care of all the miscellaneous tasks for Seonyoung and me, who were out and about. Gayoung prepared breakfast this morning too, and she said she’d take charge of other household chores. Thanks to her, Seonyoung and I enjoyed a relaxed morning. Before the meal, I followed Seonyoung’s yoga to warm up, and then we ate the breakfast Gayoung had prepared. After eating, we quickly washed up and prepared to leave, checking the supplies in our Backpacks. Meanwhile, Gayoung packed sandwiches for us to eat for lunch outside.

“Thanks for the food.”

“Thank you! Eat well, and I’ll definitely bring back some clothes for you today, Gayoung.”

“No, it’s okay. Just come back safely! And if you have time, please text us.”

It seems she was quite anxious because we were late yesterday without any contact. Gayoung asked us to send messages periodically. Once we leave, Gayoung will stay home and have a busy day. From household chores like washing dishes and cleaning, to studying various recipes. This study is to make better use of our stockpiled ingredients. In addition, Gayoung took charge of organizing and checking the condition of the supplies we had Farmed.

Seonyoung and I no longer wear poncho raincoats. The humiliation of walking around with trash bags over our heads is also gone. Dressed stylishly in black, I carried a blood-stained club, while Seonyoung took her club, successfully enhanced with stickers.

“Seonyoung… I never used to wear sunscreen, do I really have to put it on?”

“We’ll be outside all day. You need to start taking care of your skin now.”

Just as we were about to step out of the Apartment Entrance. Seonyoung stopped me and pulled out sunscreen from her Sling Bag. ‘I’m really curious what else is in that Sling Bag.’ Then, with slender fingers, she began to generously apply sunscreen to my face. For a moment, I wondered if skincare was truly important in a situation like this, but I simply let her apply it.

“I wonder if Minsu is still in that tent?”

“We’ll find out when we get there. I see it.”

The street vendor’s tent we passed yesterday came into view. The food we gave him would barely last a day, so I wondered if he was still in that tent. Then again, he’d already survived two days, so he might still be there today. Though his limits would surely be reached soon.

“Minsu. Minsu.”

Arriving at the tent, I quietly called out Minsu’s name. After waiting a moment and calling out several times, there was no answer.

“I’ll open it.”

“Okay. Be careful, Oppa.”

I cautiously approached the tent and opened a gap on one side. Inside the dim interior, only a bungeoppang machine and plastic chairs remained. It looked like it had been abandoned after doing business in the winter.

“Looks like he went somewhere else? No one’s here.”

Leaving that small question unanswered, we continued walking along the road. Soon, we arrived at the four-story building we had cleared yesterday.

“Ugh… Oppa, what’s that?”

On the sidewalk next to the building, corpses were piled up like a mountain. Maggots swarmed in the rapidly decaying pile of bodies, and flies buzzed around.

“What the hell… what is this?”

“Could these be the Zombie Corpses we took down yesterday? I think they are.”

Examining the corpses, all with damaged heads, their clothing looked familiar. One corpse, in particular, was wearing a Convenience Store vest. It seems these are indeed the zombies that were in the building.

“Let’s fall back for now. The ones who moved these bodies… they might still be around.”

We retreated, keeping a watchful eye on the building. What should we do? Should we just pass by? Or should we check inside the building, or perhaps wait and observe from nearby? It was difficult to quickly decide what would be best. As I pondered, retreating to hide behind a car, that’s when it happened.

“Team Leader! Team Leader!”

“Huh? Minsu?”

A human voice came from above the building. I looked up to see Minsu waving from the Rooftop.

‘What if there are zombies nearby?’ Worried, I put a finger to my lips, signaling him to be quiet. Minsu closed his mouth, looked around, and then signaled that he would come down.

“How did someone who’s been hiding all this time get here?” Seonyoung murmured quietly.

I wondered the same. “Right? Did he think it was the same whether he died this way or that?”

A moment later, Minsu emerged from the building. He looked better than yesterday, with a healthier complexion and a cleaner face. As he started to cross the road, I stood up and signaled him to stop. With Minsu stopped and a narrow road between us, I listened to his story.

“So… you saw us return, and then you came to this Convenience Store because you were hungry?”

“Yes. I figured it was somewhat safe since Team Leader returned safely. I know this might sound offensive, but I was just so hungry. I thought I’d die if I just stayed put.”

“Then, did you move all these corpses, Minsu?”

“Yes. When I came to the Convenience Store and saw the Zombie Corpses, I assumed Team Leader had taken care of them all. So, I thought I’d stay in this building for a while… Oh, and of course, since Team Leader cleared it, I was waiting to ask for your understanding.”

While Minsu and I talked, Seonyoung, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke.

“Minsu. We risked our lives and fought zombies to Farm supplies. We’re also going to move the items in this Convenience Store back to our home.”

Not immediately, but we would certainly do as Seonyoung said. At that, Minsu’s face began to stiffen.