it was the middle of the night when you woke up.
your eyes snapped open at the sudden sound filling your ears, nearly falling off the bed from your body's quick movements to sit upright. for some reason your breaths came and went quickly, your fingers curling around the sheets and your eyes scanning the eerie darkness of the room for whatever it was causing the dread stirring in your stomach.
a groan slipped through the endless sound in your ears and the hum of the vent, glancing down to find eun-yoo curled towards your body with her phone in her hand. the device vibrated uncontrollably within her grasp, and you almost laughed at the situation. it was just her phone ringing. there was nothing strange happening in the apartment complex.
you were just being paranoid.
you gently shook the girl awake, her groans growing louder as her face scrunched up in discomfort by the disturbance. she squinted one eye open to stare at you before directing her attention to the still ringing device, fingers pressing on the screen while lifting it towards her ears. if it weren't for the girl's hums you'd think she'd fallen back asleep, leaving the poor caller to wonder if her answering had been a mistake. but no, eun-yoo was definitely listening to the voice on the other side, for you watched her face carefully during the entire interaction. at first she seemed annoyed, giving you reason to believe it was eun-hyuk calling her. then her expression shifted to that of disinterest, then confusion, before finally returning to that annoyance she so often wore.
eun-yoo pulled the phone away from her ear and hung up, dropping the device along with her arm. she laid there for a moment, quiet, and you assumed she would fall back asleep only to be proven wrong when she swiftly got up and released a small breath of air into the quiet room.
"who was it?" you found yourself asking, despite knowing the answer. you couldn't shake away the image of eun-yoo's confused expression. eun-yoo expressed many different emotions when speaking with her brother. annoyance. frustration. sometimes she showed no emotion at all. but she was never confused by his words. if he said something she didn't understand, she tended to ignore him all together. so what had he said to make her react in such a way?
"it was eun-hyuk," she answered, confirming your suspicions. you waited for her to continue, knowing she would, "he said to come down to the lobby."
the lobby? "i thought he left for work?"
eun-yoo shrugged, "he didn't say much. just that it was urgent."
you remained quiet as a response, thinking. eun-hyuk rarely ever missed work. there was a time when the male had been so sick he could barely get out of bed, and yet he had still insisted upon getting ready to leave for his job. there had to have been a good excuse for him to remain at green home well past his clock in time. you felt the dread from earlier return with an intensifying force.
you and eun-yoo left the apartment after gathering your things, treading through the dark halls and pausing in front of the rustic elevators. you reached forward to push the button leading down, attention switching between the aging doors and eun-yoo who continued to stare at her phone. she didn't appear as worried as you felt, features unbothered as manicured hands aimlessly scrolled through the device. eventually, a groan slipped past her lips as the seconds dragged on without the familiar ding from the elevator.
"how long is it going to take?" she grumbled, reaching forward to press the button once more. hickory drifted up past the elevator doors, narrowing ever so slightly when the number failed to move up or down, "what the hell?"
you stepped back to observe where her eyes had trailed off to, also taking notice of the same fact. and now that you pondered over it, you couldn't hear the familiar sounds of the elevator creaking as it moved, "it must be broken."
eun-yoo scoffed, "what shitty luck."
"we'll just take the stairs. come on." the girl didn't protest as you began walking towards the doors leading to the stairwell, following after you silently. the heavy metal opening caused an echo to erupt across the enclosed space, lights flickering while other foreign sounds rung in your ears. cautiously, you stepped through the doorway and began treading down the stairs, nervously scanning your surroundings each time you heard another strange wail echo from above.
you jumped when eun-yoo's phone rang once more, both of your movements pausing as she slowly lifted the device to glance at the caller id. you caught a glimpse of the name, realizing with relief it was eun-hyuk. she sighed before answering.
"hey, i'm on my way. the elevator isn't working so i'll be late," eun-yoo remained quiet for several seconds after her excuse, her annoyance deepening as she pulled the device away from her ear, stared at it for a moment and then lifted the receiver towards her lips so the recipient could hear her better, "no, the elevator isn't working. i'm not lying."
once more you found your bones nearly jumping out of your skin at the sound of a loud bang, whipping your head up to stare at the seemingly endless staircase in which the sound had come from. you held your breath as you waited, your fingers tightening around the railing as a light turned on several floors above. more followed, trailed by a sound that sounded much too like distant screaming.
"what is..." you mumbled, surprised that your voice had worked at all.
eun-yoo resumed her descent, her attention switching between her phone and the top of the stairs, "i can't hear anything. hello-"
the girl released a loud yelp, and you barely had time to react before her foot slipped on a step and her body went tumbling down the rest of the stairs. her named echoed in the stairwell after having fallen from your lips, your movements rushed as you reached her body.
"eun-yoo! oh my god, are you okay?" curses left her mouth as she lay curled on the floor, her fingers tightened around her ankle and her face twisted in pain. as carefully as you could you pulled her hands away and lifted the limb, inspecting her ankle for any signs of swelling or injury. luckily for the both of you, you saw no sign of either, and you breathed a sigh of relief knowing she would be okay.
for the umpteenth time that night you jumped at the sudden surge of sounds surrounding you, only this time it was more than just the flickering lights and the groans of the vents. both you and eun-yoo froze at the tentative footsteps going down the stairs, meeting each other's eyes before slowly turning around to find the source. your heart dropped at the sight, inching just the slightest bit closer to your friend.
a man stood just several feet away from your current position, one hand hidden in his pocket and the other holding the jacket to his suit. his shirt caught you off guard, the print of it making him seem less intimidating than you'd originally assumed. he stared down at you both, the slightest bit of curiosity flickering across his face.
you felt eun-yoo relax from beside you, "just go, i'm resting." her muttering was followed by her picking up her phone and turning around so her back faced the man, almost as if she were trying to appear nonchalant about the situation. you found your gaze flickering between your friend and the stranger, attention lingering on his form when he paused by your side and stared down at you with a more prominent edge of curiosity.
despite feeling uneasy the man appeared to pose no serious threat, just an intimidating aura. you cleared the dryness of your throat to speak, "she just fell down. she's fine. i think."
even then he didn't say anything, continuing to stare down at your forms. you tried to recall a time eun-yoo mentioned someone fitting his description, but your mind refused to work properly. perhaps he lived at green home, though you couldn't conjure up a single moment you encountered the man. maybe he was a hermit then. or maybe-
the next couple moments seemed to happen much quicker than you could blink.
a flash of red entered your vision before disappearing behind the man, said male grunting out in response to the sudden force in which something strange landed on his back. your eyes flickered across his face and what looked to be a creature latching onto his body, the sight of its rotting skin and misty eyes urging you to shift away slightly from the scene. inhumane growls escaped the creature's lips as its teeth sunk into the skin by his neck, his own pained grunts filling the space. something warm and wet landed on your face through the struggle, and you realized with horror that it was blood. his blood. a broken sound left your lips as a response.
the man's hands reached for its hair and flung it away from his body, the creature hitting the lamp and falling down the stairs with a pained squeal. for a moment everything was silent, your eyes refusing to stray away from the bottom steps it disappeared down. but then the man made his own pained noise, and one quick glance made you realize just how deep his wound was.
"oh god. are you okay?" somehow you were able to stand up, reaching forward to further inspect the damage. the man stepped away, a clear indication for you to cease whatever help you had wanted to offer. considering he had just thrown something down the stairs you decided not to argue, instead directing your attention back towards the creature.
you felt your heart drop down to your stomach upon recognizing the red fabric and the long black hair, recalling a particular scene several days before. it was the woman with the cat. the one who had ignored you when you had tried to greet her. sure, you had deemed her strange, and definitely a person you'd consider staying away from during your stay at green home, but you'd never deemed her a psycho. why the hell was she going around biting people like she was a zombie? what the hell was happening-
a scream erupted from your throat when the woman reappeared right in front of you, the only thing keeping her from going further being the fact that the man had taken a fistful of her hair. up close you noticed more details about her appearance. the matted state of her hair. the disfigurement of her features. her bloodshot eyes. and the blood. it was everywhere. on her lips, her chin, her throat. how much of that didn't belong to her?
you stepped back when she bared her teeth, finding that those weren't normal either. they were sharp, and sure enough bits of flesh and blood remained on each tooth.
the man pushed her hair back and stared at her forehead, your own attention drawing to the deep wound on her skin. your eyes narrowed in curiosity the more you stared, realizing with deep confusion that the cut on her skin looked exactly like the plaques on your doors. you tried to read the numbers, but the fear embracing your entire body and her growls made it difficult to focus.
"it's you."
the man's voice deepened your bewilderment, still unable to grasp the pieces before he pulled his fist back and began punching her. the sudden act of violence pushed you back against the wall with eun-yoo, your fingers curling tightly around one another as the scene continued. he thrust her head against the wall, her body laying limp on the ground from the impact. you thought for a moment it was finally over. that you'd finally be able to breathe. yet your thoughts proved to be wishful thinking when her limbs began to creak and bend, her eyes glancing around the room before settling on you. both you and eun-yoo screamed when the woman rushed forward, backing up even more into the small corner you found yourselves hunched within.
once again her body is forced towards the ground because of the man, appearing confused as it glanced wildly around the space as if searching for the source. a small whimper left eun-yoo's lips when the creature stared at you both for the second time, attempting to jump forward once more.
two screams echoed in the stairwell.
eventually it's drowned out by the sound of the man kicking the creature continuously without stopping, not until he was positive whatever it was failed to get up again. as the scene continued more blood splattered on both your faces, and with disgust and horror you imagined what you looked like in that moment. a trembling form with blood on their hands that didn't even belong to them. sometime during the display you found yourself focusing on eun-yoo instead, an ache forming in your heart at the sight. those brown eyes in which you loved stared blankly at the creature, her lips trembling with her own fair share of blood on her face. slowly they moved over to fixate on your own expression, and for the first time in a long time you saw eun-yoo appear afraid.
without a word you leaned forward to block her view of what was occurring behind you, attempting the smallest smile in order to bring her out of whatever state she put herself within. when her eyes continued to appear unfocused you reached forward and placed your hands on her cheeks, finally successful in pulling her eyes toward your own. they wavered, the trembling of her lips intensifying, before eun-yoo finally allowed them to close whilst burying her face in your chest.
much to your relief the sounds of kicking ceased, and it was silent for several moments. eun-yoo continued to tremble in your arms, and you did your best to remain composed during it all, even when you felt your own phone vibrate in your pocket with the familiar sound of the emergency alert. a part of you knew it was not because of the weather outside. it was because of that thing laying limp on the floor. that woman who was no longer human.
"let's go." eun-yoo lifted her head at the man's voice, your own attention drawing towards him at the top of the stairs. you and the girl exchanged a quick look, a mutual agreement to follow after him. he was capable of protecting you both, and wherever he was heading would definitely be better than staying there with the corpse.
no words were spoken as the three of you descended the stairs, the echoing stairwell now filled with your shuffling footsteps and erratic breathing. you tried to speak at one point to the man, millions of questions filling your head that would give you just a little more information than you currently obtained. and yet the most you had been able to ask was his name, to which he revealed to be sang-wook. you remained quiet the rest of the journey down.
eventually you reached the bottom, pausing in front of the doors leading towards the lobby. you took one more step forward, only to freeze at the muffled sounds of shouting from beyond the metal. you couldn't make out any of the words, the voices blending together. you tried to gauge sang-wook's reaction, but he appeared unbothered by the quarrel on the other side. instead, he reached forward and tugged on the handle, his intense gaze narrowing when it didn't budge.
"this door is usually never locked." you mumbled, a small burst of panic settling in your bones. if you were stuck there, that meant you'd have to find another way towards the lobby. but what if there were more things throughout the complex? sang-wook was already bleeding, and you and eun-yoo were not capable of fighting something so strong without a proper weapon. you'd be dead in seconds.
sang-wook didn't speak a word as he stepped back, and for a moment you believed he would retreat up the steps once more. however, you were proven wrong when the man began kicking at the rustic metal knobs, the force in which he did so causing a loud bang to echo in your ears. after several kicks he stopped, barely even breathing as he turned the knob once more. it gave in easily, and he pushed the metal doors open.
light flooded into the room, and you flinched at the sudden change in scenery. you blinked away the disorientation, taking in the sight before you. a handful of people stood in the lobby, staring at sang-wook with the most prominent edge of fear you'd ever seen. several of them you recognized as tenants in the building, one of them being the older man who owned the grocery store in the lobby. he looked the most fearful, holding an umbrella in his hands as if he were ready to attack sang-wook.
sang-wook spared a small glance at the crowd, "what are you looking at?" when no one answered his question he continued walking, several of the tenants backing away when he got too close.
you were a little confused on why the tenants were so wary of him. sure you had been too, but there were more pressing matters to worry about, like the creature left in the stairwell and the emergency alert that was issued. as more tenants began to shout you and eun-yoo stepped out from the dark into the lobby, your heart racing when you found sang-wook on the floor and the older man standing over him with a taser in his hand.
you heard footsteps come up from behind you, a quick look over your shoulder revealing a familiar set of brown hair and round rimmed glasses. the sight of eun-hyuk unscathed nearly brought you to tears, feeling the overwhelming urge to embrace him in a hug and never let go.
the male didn't speak a word as he removed his flannel and hung the fabric over eun-yoo's body, the careful way in which he had done so showing just how much he cared for his younger sister. your friend, however, tensed at the gesture, several emotions flickering across her face from the action. eventually, she threw the piece of clothing to the ground before walking away, her retreating form disappearing through the women's bathroom door.
you didn't try to stop her. you knew eun-yoo was struggling to comprehend the events of the hour, and she needed time to process it all. despite eun-hyuk's kind intentions, he was probably the last person who'd be able to bring her out of her current state.
you leaned down and picked up the blue and white flannel, holding the stop fabric in your hands before extending it towards the male. eun-hyuk's eyes eventually tore away from where your friend disappeared to, staring down at the piece of clothing until finally reaching your face.
"when we got your call i was so scared something had happened. i thought..." you paused, taking a deep breath in order to calm the trembling of your hands and voice, "i'm just so glad...that you're okay."
meeting eun-hyuk's eyes was like seeing the sun for the first time. all the worry and fear washed away the moment you looked up, his light much kinder than the overhead ones in the lobby. you didn't flinch nor blink at the sight. in fact, you found it hard to breathe as the rays roamed across every inch of your features, the worry tugging at his lips and clouding over his expression causing your throat to clog. just like his sister, eun-hyuk very rarely expressed such raw emotion. the man was usually so composed. so seeing his worry for you so clearly in his eyes, seeing the lines etched on his features and the careful way he took his flannel and put it over your own shoulders, it was both frightening and endearing.
what exactly was happening to the world for him to behave in such a way?
"are you guys okay?" he asked, his fingers lingering on your shoulders. you did your best to ignore the butterflies sweeping your stomach at the touch.
"yes, but, the alert..."
eun-hyuk dropped his hands, providing you with his best attempt at a smile, "don't worry. the entrance is blocked. they can't get in."
you chose to ignore the fact that he said 'things', alluding to the fact that there were multiple. had these tenants encountered their own strange creature? is that why they had locked the door and freaked out when sang-wook appeared with a bite mark on his shoulder?
you decided to ignore any other questions you had at the moment. you doubted anyone would be able to answer them, "right. did you eat?"
eun-hyuk glanced away, a clear sign of his guilt, "no. not yet."
you smiled, not entirely surprised by the fact. eun-hyuk had a tendency to forget to take care of himself, a habit you've tried to break over the years, "you should eat the food i gave you. i'm going to go check on eun-yoo."
eun-hyuk simply nodded, his gaze following your form that retreated to the bathroom. running water and eun-yoo's quiet whimpers greeted you when you opened the door, her figure hunched over the sink whilst scrubbing at her hands. hesitantly you stepped closer, taking in her damp hair and the blood staining the counter.
"eun-yoo." she ignored your call, her movements growing more rushed by the minute. you took another step closer, making your tone more firm, "eun-yoo."
the girl stopped, glancing up to meet your stare through the mirror. there it was again. that distant look in her eyes sculpted by her weary features. slowly, you grabbed a handful of paper towels and laid them under the running water, getting them damp enough to serve as a wipe. eun-yoo's eyes followed your every move, appearing almost uncertain by the way your hands lifted towards her face and began to gently dab at her skin. but after only several seconds of you tending to her body did eun-yoo's distant look change, replaced by the broken little girl you met all those years ago.
"whatever is happening, we'll get through it. together. okay?" you spoke quietly, meeting the girl's inquisitive gaze.
eun-yoo's eyes stared right back, perhaps taking in your own broken state. the blood still remained you were sure, and your eyes must've looked just as sunken as they felt. her hues trailed down towards the flannel left on your shoulders, a flash of emotion crossing over her features before she quickly glanced away, "do you promise?"
you couldn't help the small laugh that left your throat, deciding to give in to your friend's childish way of acting, "i promise."
she hummed, meeting your eyes once more before leaning over and grabbing her own handful of wet paper towels. you watched her movements curiously, especially when she didn't begin using it for her own bloodied face, "let me."
you swallowed thickly, averting your gaze when she began her own gentle prodding at your skin. it was rare to see eun-yoo care for you in such a way. usually her way of doing so was more subtle, like buying you food or letting you take the bigger blanket. but this, her face barely inches from your own and her wet hair tickling your cheek, you didn't know what to make of such a blatant display of affection. it was almost a little...unnerving.
for some reason your heart refused to calm down, even when eun-yoo finished and stepped away without a word. you tried to, for the sake of your current sanity and your jumbling thoughts. everything was confusing you. the creatures. eun-yoo. eun-hyuk.
which answer would come first?
-
time went by slowly for the next several hours. at first you tried to occupy yourself by roaming around the lobby, searching for any information you could about your current situation. one lap revealed that any doors leading outside were firmly locked, and most of the windows were blocked by objects or a thin sheet of paper. not only that, but not many tenants were down in the lobby. despite green home not having the best living conditions, a good handful lived in the old apartments. you figured most were probably still in their rooms or had gone outside before the building had been put under strict lockdown. still, you didn't understand who had locked the doors. the reason was apparent, and a quick glance outside had revealed sights you'd rather forget. but how had they known monsters would begin roaming the earth?
after eun-yoo's breakdown in the bathroom the girl disappeared, her parting words consisting of how she wanted to be left alone. just like previous times you never protested against her wishes. you had done what you could in the bathroom. the rest would be left up to your friend.
so you went looking for eun-hyuk, which was much more difficult than you would've imagined. he wasn't in any of the places the other tenants were, so you figured he was hiding himself away in a more secluded area. as you walked you tried to think of places he could be, but your mind struggled to think of anywhere that eun-hyuk would find solace in. if you were upstairs in your apartments, he would either be in his room or at his desk studying. eun-hyuk rarely left the apartment unless it were for work after all. you sighed, realizing it'd probably be easier to find his sister at that point.
"(name)?"
your attention was quickly drawn away from the tiles on the floor at the sound of your name, blinking several times in surprise when the very person you'd been searching for emerged from around the corner. eun-hyuk appeared just as startled at the sight of you, hesitating in his current position while playing with the ends of a neatly wrapped box.
"eun-hyuk," you quietly acknowledged, grateful when the smile you presented him seemed to ease his body language just the slightest bit, "I was just looking for you."
his surprise heightened, as if perplexed by the notion, "i was doing rounds around the lobby to see if anything was unlocked."
you let out a brief laugh at his words. you could only imagine the amount of times the two of you just barely missed one another. you pointed towards the box, recognizing it as the one you gave him earlier in the night, "you haven't eaten your dinner yet. come on, let's find a place to sit down so you can eat."
eun-hyuk didn't protest as you led him to the nearest seating arrangement; a worn-down couch that looked more like a loveseat the closer you stepped towards it. your face burned upon realizing how closely you'd have to sit next to the male if you wanted to rest, which shouldn't have been a problem considering the amount of times you'd done so in the past. yet, when eun-hyuk sat down and gently padded the empty space beside him, peering up at you with gentle eyes and a soft smile, what you had deemed as 'normal' vanished upon feeling the slightest stutter in your heart.
before you could ponder on the strange look eun-hyuk wore on his face when noticing your hesitation, you quickly sat down, trying to ignore the heat of his skin every time he moved.
"did you find anything?" you wondered out loud, focusing on the way his fingers gently untied the fabric and removed the lid of the dosirak. inside was the food you cooked up several hours before, presented neatly in different shapes and sizes.
eun-hyuk answered your question first, "no. there was nothing left behind in the office, but i'm going to try checking the ctv cameras later on." when you released a thoughtful hum, he grasped the pair of chopsticks you left inside the box and picked up a piece of food. you watched his face closely as he took a bite, feeling relieved when his features didn't immediately contort to that of disgust, "it's good."
the praise caused you to smile, "i tried a different recipe this time, so i wasn't sure if it'd taste good. but i'm glad you liked it."
"i do." eun-hyuk turned to look at you, perhaps to have shown his gratitude more prominently. but due to the close proximity the couch forced you both in, facing one another only made the stutter in your heart more frequent, so much so you couldn't help but lean back and turn away in hopes of it calming down.
"eun-yoo. i should go look for her." yes, that seemed like the perfect excuse to exit the room. only, as you moved to stand up, you paused upon recalling a very important scene you encountered just an hour ago. recalling the erratic beating in your chest was enough to force you back into your seat, feeling more frustrated than before. what was it with the lee siblings causing such abnormal feelings within your heart?
you almost missed eun-hyuk's hurried movements beside you, so preoccupied on the conflicting emotions stirring within your chest. it wasn't until you smelled the aroma of food right below your nose did you look at him once more, surprised by the piece of food he held out with his chopsticks, "here."
you swallowed thickly, hoping he wouldn't see the blush creeping up your cheeks nor the wobble in your voice as you shook your head and pushed the utensil away, "it's fine. i ate earlier. i'm not hungry."
"if you don't eat you won't have the strength to fight those monsters." he gently nudged the chopsticks the slightest bit closer, another clear indicator that you should take the bite of food he was offering. you found yourself constantly switching between the utensils and his face, taking note of the barely registerable pleading look he held in his gaze. you knew eun-hyuk cared, you both grew up together after all. but it wasn't like him to dote on you so openly like this.
did your sudden situation cause these emotions to rise within him, or was it always there?
shyly, you leaned forward and quickly took the bite, just as swiftly turning away to avoid his gaze and chew silently. from the corner of your gaze you saw eun-hyuk relax, resuming his own eating without another word. for several moments it remained quiet, the only sounds being the rustle of clothes as eun-hyuk continued to eat and the groan of the building as the night continued. for a brief moment you considered actually leaving to find your friend, but something kept you planted there in that seat, beside the boy who loved video games and was too kind for his own good.
"(name)."
you slowly turned upon hearing your name, giving the male your full attention despite your embarrassment and wandering thoughts.
eun-hyuk stared down at his unfinished food for several moments, as if he could find the correct words among the grains of rice you included within the meal, "take care of eun-yoo. she won't listen to me, but she will to you."
his words surprised you, for they were sudden. out of the blue. of course you would care for eun-yoo. you cared about her the most in the small world you did your best to survive in. but, you couldn't help but feel like that wasn't what eun-hyuk had wanted to say. even then, you smiled, nodding slightly in agreement, "i will. we'll take care of each other."
eun-hyuk peered at you for so long you thought he would say more. even his lips slightly parted, the words ready to spill out across your form. and yet, whatever thought he had conjured was swiftly discarded, left abandoned for you to question with striking curiosity and bewilderment.
-
it was morning when you awoke. grogginess blanketed your form and phrases, heightened by the streaks of sunlight filtering through the window and onto your face. from above you a person released their own agitated sounds, a swift glance up revealing the soft features of eun-yoo.
as exhaustion left your mind, memories replaced it. you began to recall how soon after eun-hyuk's strange behavior you found yourself back in the lobby, searching for his sister instead. it didn't take long for you to find her, for her presence quickly revealed herself as if she, too, had been looking for you. you assumed her behavior would also appear strange, but eun-yoo behaved as she always did. perhaps it was just you bothered by what occurred in the bathroom. strangely enough the thought calmed you as she led you down to her spot, and the both of you got comfortable enough to sleep.
you sat up from your previous position of resting your head on her lap, watching with amusement at how she opened one eye to peek at you, groaned, and proceeded to take your sweater and use it as a pillow on the ground. you figured there was no harm in letting her sleep in longer, so you gently passed your fingers through her hair as a farewell before standing up and padding away from her resting form.
you walked past several tenants either sleeping or doing their own activities, taking great care in making sure your steps were as quiet as possible as to not disturb anyone. you tried to avoid their features as well, afraid of the eye contact and the conflict that would ensue inside your head upon seeing the despair hanging over their heads like heavy, stormy clouds.
instead you focused your attention on trying to find sang-wook. ever since the whole ordeal the night before you haven't seen him once in the lobby. you figured the other tenants were probably interrogating him about his bite wound, or simply didn't trust him because of his demeanor. it was expected considering the intimidating presence he held, but his quick thinking when it came to saving your life and his concern for eun-yoo when she fell made you realize his true intentions. he was just like everyone else. and you'd do your best to find him and convince the others to let him roam freely.
you faltered in your steps when you passed by a particular door, recognizing the figure within. your fingers tentatively pushed it open, taking in the sight of eun-hyuk leaning forward in an office chair and staring intently at the screen of a computer. just as quietly as before you stepped closer, pausing right behind the male. he seemed not to have noticed you, so you directed your attention to the bright screen. you were surprised that it still worked. not only did it look old, but you assumed your lockdown would mean a lack of internet as well.
your fingers gripped the top of the seat, leaning forward to read the words on the screen, "if you decide to live to the end, there's something you must know."
eun-hyuk nearly fell out of his seat from his surprise, the chair banging against the table as he turned to look at you with profound bewilderment. you stared back, just as shocked by his wide eyes and clumsy movements. you didn't expect to startle him as badly as you did, but you were even more stunned by what you had read.
"is that..." you trailed off, glancing at the screen for confirmation. eun-hyuk followed your gaze, pondering for a moment, even opening his mouth as if to explain but quickly getting cut off when the computer released a loud noise.
a defeated sigh left the boy's lips, your earlier curiosity coming true when a red triangle appeared with the words 'no internet connection'. just to make sure, he passed the mouse over the refresh button, but the screen remained the same.
"shit. nothing's working." he muttered quietly, glancing down whilst appearing deep in thought.
"i'm sorry. if i hadn't come in you could've read more."
the male shook his head, turning the device off and spinning the chair around to face you, "there wasn't much information anyways. did you sleep well?"
you would've protested more, or apologized more, but eun-hyuk's face left no trace of agitation or disappointment. you hummed in confirmation, taking just one step closer, "it's your turn now."
the male released another sigh, turning the chair to face the desk once more, "i can't. i've been trying to figure out this intercom so i can alert the other tenants of the situation."
before he could turn around fully you placed your hands on the top of his seat, spinning him back around and sending him a halfhearted glare. he needed to know you were serious about your insistence, "you can do that later. sleeping is just as important as eating."
eun-hyuk didn't make any indications of protest or resignation, simply staring at you with that strange, perplexed expression on his face. it was like he was shocked or surprised by something you said or did, but you couldn't understand what exactly it was you were doing to create such a look.
a noise prompted you to step back, your attention drifting towards a woman idling by the doorway. you recognized her as the firefighter who lived in the building, yi-keong, was it? she stared at you both, the seriousness of her expression causing your own bones to go rigid.
"there's a meeting in the daycare center. you both should attend." she cut straight to the point, leaving no time for you to say anything as she swiftly turned around and disappeared into the hall. whatever strange atmosphere that had been in the room quickly dispersed as eun-hyuk pushed himself out of the chair, not saying a word and forcing you to follow.
a quick scan of the room upon entering revealed the lack of your best friend. no matter how many faces you passed over and how many voices you tried to pick apart, eun-yoo was nowhere to be found. disappointment settled heavily on your chest, wondering where the girl had gone off to this time. was she still sleeping? maybe you should go check on her, then, if that were the case. you turned to leave, only to shrink back when several tenants emerged from the doorway, talking loudly amongst themselves and pushing through you to squeeze into the room. the only reason you were able to avoid getting trampled was because of eun-hyuk's fingers closing around your upper arm, pulling you towards his side.
"just stay here." he mumbled quietly, and you would've stared at his face and pondered over the slight emotion in his voice if it weren't for the meeting taking place.
"we'll live together in one place until help arrives," yi-keong once more leaves no room for any sort of input, taking charge as the main authoritie figure in the room, "it's much safer together."
one of the tenants raised his hand, "where are we all gonna go?"
"the daycare center." eun-hyuk was quick to answer, turning around to look at the man who had asked the question, "it's relatively safe because it's far from the entrance. it'll also be better to sleep in there than out here." his logic made sense, thought you wouldn't have expected any less from the older lee sibling. eun-hyuk's input and explanation caused several of the tenants to murmur their agreement, and even eye the male with a hint of respect despite the clear age differences.
"i won't allow it!" everyone's attention turned towards the woman who barged into the room, her presence like a snow storm as she marched up to eun-hyuk and yi-keong, "no!"
"who are you to say no?" one of the tenants complained.
"she's director of the daycare." another spoke up, recognition flickering across his face and causing him to shy away from the scene like a puppy being scolded.
"you scumbags! pieces of shit! you ignored me when i begged! you're shameless!" you couldn't help but think that most of the woman's words were directed towards eun-hyuk, if not by the way she looked at him then by the way he hung his head low as if in shame. you wondered, what had occurred during the night for her to hate him so?
yi-keong stepped in, perhaps realizing that the situation needed to be resolved quickly in order for things to go smoothly. her voice lowered to a soft, gentle tone that almost seemed motherly, "your daughter probably needs someone's help, too, you know?"
at the mention of her daughter the woman hesitated, her hardened expression cracking as she stumbled back into yi-keong's arms. she breathed shakily, composing herself before turning towards eun-hyuk with tears in her eyes and determination molding her features, "that's why i'm saying i'll go. let me help. i might lose my daughter but you can do whatever you want after i leave."
"what about you? are you okay with dying?" the woman didn't answer, taken aback by his words. even you stared at the male, surprised by the blunt tone of the syllables, "do you have a plan? there's no internet or phone service. how can you be sure where she is?"
her voice wobbled, "still, i-"
"first, you have to stay alive," eun-hyuk quickly cut her off, the volume of his voice softening ever so slightly, "otherwise you won't be able to find your daughter."
both individuals stared at one another for several long moments. while the woman appeared conflicted, even on the verge of releasing her tears, eun-hyuk remained still, his expression almost stoic. a part of you wondered how he could look so put together as she was on the brink of falling apart.
a young man wearing a military uniform grabbed a water bottle and offered it to the mother, "please. calm down and help us. i promise i will help you later, too."
her attention flickered between his face and the peace offering still in his hands. her expression hardened, and she quickly smacked the bottle out of his hands, "do whatever you want!" without another word she left the room, though the heavy tension in the atmosphere remained in her wake.
yi-keong watched her leave, before turning towards the expanse of the room and speaking in that commanding voice she bore, "let's set up the daycare to sleep."
everyone began to shuffle out of the room at her command, not a word being spoken into the thick air. you turned towards eun-hyuk, who continued to stare into a faraway place only he could see. you wondered if his blank expression was a direct contrast to whatever was going on within his mind.
you wondered what lingered in his thoughts.
-
running into eun-yoo was by pure chance.
you're nearly positive she wasn't expecting to run into you. the expression upon her face when your eyes met her own was startled to say the least, perhaps even a little frightened. like she had done something she wasn't supposed to, or was caught in the act of a crime.
"eun-yoo." you greeted, stepping closer to the girl. a quick scan of her body showed no signs of harm, meaning she was probably just hiding away like she always did, "you weren't at the meeting. is everything okay?"
"i didn't feel like going." she muttered, the tone she used curt and far too much like her brother's own voice. she even refused to meet your eyes, giving you the impression that your previous assumptions may have been correct.
"i see." you mumbled, still trying to place what to say and what to do about the heavy tension stuck in the room.
"(name)." this time eun-yoo's tone made you stiffen, firm enough to grab your attention and force you to listen with an air of seriousness. swallowing thickly you motioned for her to continue, feeling on edge by the whole prospect, "i'm going back upstairs."
"upstairs?" you repeated, surprised, "but, isn't it dangerous?" what if the lady was still alive? what if more monsters wondered into the stairwell?
she motioned to the doors beside her, which you just now realized lacked the locks you'd seen earlier, "i'm gonna use these stairs."
you'd known eun-yoo long enough to realize that whatever protests you voiced out loud would go ignored. not necessarily for the same reasons she did so to eun-hyuk. her stubbornness when it came to the male was mainly because she hated giving him the satisfaction of listening. you always assumed it was just a sibling thing, something you would never begin to understand. but this, eun-yoo was speaking in a way that left no room for discussion, you could comprehend. in her own way, she was telling you that she was going to go upstairs regardless of what you said, one way or another.
a part of you wanted to ask if it was because of eun-hyuk. or worse, because of you. but, you didn't want to voice aloud the worries plaguing your mind. if you did, then it would be real. and you didn't want the strange things happening with your heart to be so certain. so set in stone.
"we're setting up in the daycare. when you return, you can find me there." you smiled at the girl, hoping she wouldn't catch the hurt trying to creep its way onto your features. thankfully, even if eun-yoo did, she simply nodded in understanding, before pulling the door open and disappearing behind the metal.
all you could do was stand there and stare, trying to understand why eun-yoo had briefly hesitated by the doorway, and why she had left regardless.
-
several hours passed since eun-yoo left and the daycare was turned into a living space. during that time, you managed to make conversation with only one tenant, and that was purely due to her asking you if you could watch her dog while she went to the bathroom. you didn't mind, simply because you quite liked animals, and the dog was sweet enough to perch itself onto your lap and allow you to scratch its ears with a pleased whine.
after that, you remained in your own little corner by the window. you couldn't peer out of it like you normally would, simply because several sheets of paper were pasted on to ensure that in the event someone did come into the building and made it as far as the daycare, they wouldn't be able to see inside. you did, however, try to occupy yourself with the coloring book you found within the various boxes located around the room. you knew it was childish. someone your age should be conversing with the other tenants. you would be stuck with them for a while after all. and yet, you always found it difficult to form connections with other people. they frightened you, not because they appeared mean or scary, but because you were afraid of saying the wrong thing and getting looked down upon as a result.
the lee siblings were your only friends, as sad as it was.
the sound of yelling and the rush of voices brought you away from the intense concentration you had poured onto the page. you glanced up to search for the cause of the disturbance, regretting it almost immediately when you witnessed the man from the grocery store grab a handful of his wife's hair and throw her to the ground.
everything else felt like a blur. his voice continued to rise above all other sounds, and several of the tenants rushed towards the doorway, eventually blocking your view. but you couldn't hear. you couldn't even see the coloring page before you. all you saw and heard was the echo of your own parents fighting, and a vase shattering by the floor.
you barely registered that the lights went out, not until you felt your body shake from the movement of someone's hand. you blinked, causing the ceramic pieces before your eyes to disappear and for the yelling in your ears to quiet down to a soft whisper. instead, eun-hyuk was before you, the worry creasing his brows bringing you completely from your daze.
"are you okay?" he asked, hickory passing over your features in search for the reason behind your strange behavior. but eun-hyuk knew. you knew he knew. you could see it in the way he didn't ask what was wrong nor pressed further for an answer. the fact that he had even noticed at all told you enough.
"fine. i'm...fine." you mumbled, still dazed by what had happened. you didn't expect to react so badly to a similar scene from your childhood, but then again it's been a while since you'd gone back to that place, and you were meticulous about avoiding the grocery store when that horrible man was present.
eun-hyuk appeared resigned by your response, staring down as if uncertain about what to do or say next. finally, he stood up, towering over your form, "come on. i want to show you something."
carefully, you maneuvered your limps to follow after the male, who led you to the office you found him in previously. eun-hyuk sat down in the chair, but he rolled it to the side to invite you to stand beside him. you accepted his invitation, watching intently as he turned on the computer and brought up a screen filled with several smaller ones.
"i managed to access the ctv cameras. but, everything before the internet went down was deleted."
you leaned forward, inspecting the little boxes more closely. you couldn't see any monsters from them, nor anything else that could be suspicious, but at least you had some sort of upper hand against those things lurking in the apartment building.
"still, this is amazing." you turned towards eun-hyuk, who returned your soft smile. nothing more was said, but neither of you moved from your current positions. once again you felt strange, and you realized that the stutter had returned, rendering it difficult to breathe and remain as composed as he appeared. before you made a fool of yourself you cleared your throat and stepped away, hiding the heat on your cheeks with the palm of your hand, "but, don't push yourself. if you need help, ask for it."
you almost mistake eun-hyuk's expression as surprise, but it was so swift you figured it was a fluke, "i will. thank you."
you hummed absent mindlessly, turning back towards the screens. you weren't studyingthe contents as intently as before, your mind still preoccupied on calming the strange rhythm of your heart and eun-hyuk's confusing behavior. several times you peeked at him from the corner of your eye, though the sight of his concentrated gaze and the bangs splayed across his forehead only made it worse. you knew you should turn away, he was clearly the root of the problem after all.
but you couldn't help it. something about eun-hyuk enthralled you, and you were caught in the web.