𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐎𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐄; 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝

IX

Y/N covered his mouth with his hand as he coughed multiple times, trying to regain his breath, whispers surrounding him.

"What the hell was that?"

"He was so strong..."

"Did your glasses break?"

"You're bleeding."

"What about me?"

"Let me see."

"Hey." 

Y/N turned his head to look at Nam-ra, who was now studying him curiously. "Yeah?"

"You're okay, right?" she said quietly. "You didn't get bitten or anything?"

"No," said Y/N honestly. "I didn't. I — I'm fine."

- - - - - - - - - -

"You sure you're o —"

"Like I told Prez, I'm fine," Y/N cut off Gyeong-su, still staring at his shoes. It was hard to look at anyone except Dae-su without remembering what Cheong-san had said earlier and his cheeks flaming red. God, he was pathetic. Falling in love in a zombie apocalypse.

"What the hell is with that Gwi-nam kid?" Dae-su asked, glancing at Y/N. "You said he was bitten?'

"He was," said Y/N, nodding. "Cheong-san and I saw him get bit. It'd be pretty hard to fake something like that. It looks like he became something totally different."

"I don't think he can die," said Su-hyeok softly.

"What if he climbs back up here?"

"Well, I think it's safe to assume that Nam-ra and Gwi-nam are both halfbies," said Dae-su before getting nudged by Gyeong-su. "Ow! What?"

Y/N laid on his back, staring up at the sky. He didn't want to say anything anymore. All he wanted was for all of this to be a big nightmare. All he wanted was to wake up in his bed (preferably to the smell of his mom cooking breakfast), go out, play rock paper scissors with Cheong-san and On-jo to see who would ride in the elevator, and hang out with his friends.

But something Nam-ra said made him sit up straight.

"I never thought I'd get to sit around a fire with all of you like this. It's really...nice. It's my first time. If we somehow manage to get out of here, I really hope we could make a fire...and hang out like this again. I really hope we can do that."

Y/N smiled softly. Maybe there were some bright spots in this nightmare. "I do too."

"Sure," said On-jo softly. "Let's do it. If anyone wants to make a fire, we can all get together."

"Hold on." Nam-ra looked around. "Did you hear that?"

Su-hyeok looked over. "No. What is it?"

"Is it Gwi-nam?" Y/N asked suddenly.

Nam-ra shook her head. "No. It's not him. Listen."

Everything went silent as they all strained their ears to listen for whatever Nam-ra was hearing.

"I don't hear anything," said Cheong-san slowly.

"Me ne —" Y/N was about to say when his ears picked up on something. "Hold on. I hear a helicopter."

He got up and walked slowly to the edge of the roof, staring up at the sky, while the others followed closely behind him. 

"Hey. The fire!"

"They see us!" Y/N cried, turning around so he could grab some firewood and light a flame up on it.

The rest immediately did the same and waved their makeshift torches around, Dae-su leaning against the edge to wave it farther.