At the moment, Cheong-san and I were actually meditating.
We sat on different desks, criss-crossed as the music played calmly.
And the zombies outside were snarling.
Everything was just great for meditation :)
Minutes passed.
"I hope they're okay" I sighed, breaking the silence and opening my eyes.
"Yeah...Y/n...I...have to tell you something..."
Cheong-san opened his eyes and looked at me again.
"Huh? What's wrong?"
"I saw something yesterday...."
"What was it?"
"You and Su-hyeok..." He started smirking at me.
"Oh no, you saw..." I buried my face in my hands in embarrassment.
"Are you two a thing now?"
"I don't know...I...we didn't talk about that...I...can we talk about something else, please?" I chuckled.
He burst out laughing.
***
"The broadcasting room isn't that far, why aren't they here yet?" Cheong-san asked, starting to worry.
He was pacing around the room at the moment.
I didn't answer.
I was standing too, leaning against a desk.
After the short and funny moment we had, everything turned serious quickly.
I breathed in and out, trying to calm my nerves.
They're fine.
They're fine.
They.
Are.
Fine.
Suddenly the door opened.
"Guys!" Dae-su exclaimed, sighing in exhaustion.
I smiled, happy that they were okay.
As Dae-su came to hug Cheong-san, I felt On-jo throwing herself onto me.
"I'm so glad you're alright!" She had tears in her eyes.
I smiled back at her.
"I'm happy you're okay too"
Then she let go of me and I smirked when Cheong-san immediately ran to her, asking if she was okay.
She kicked his shin.
Ouch.
"I told you not to go. I should kick you too, Y/n"
She squinted her eyes at me a bit too.
"But you love me too much for that?" I asked, stepping back nervously.
"Yeah... But still! Why don't you ever listen to me, especially you, Cheong-san?"
As the two continued arguing, I looked for someone.
"Where's Su-hyeok?...And where's Nam-ra?"
"I think they are on their way, don't worry."
I nodded, hoping that Wu-jin was right.
"We need to get to the rooftop before the meditation music ends"
"Yeah-" The door slid open again as Nam-ra and Su-hyeok entered, missing a zombie hoard by a few centimeters.
I smiled in relief.
But my smile faded slowly when I saw Su-hyeok holding Nam-ra tightly.
Did I miss something?
I felt jealousy and sadness build up.
As the others closed the curtains, I just stood there, observing the two as Su-hyeok turned to me.
His face was sprinkled with blood, but he was still handsome as ever.
As he smiled, I knew that I had just overreacted...well...I hope that I had.
I've been having trust issues for a long time (I mean, who doesn't?), but I really hope that he meant what he had said yesterday night.
He wiped the blood off of his face and opened his arms towards me as I ran to him, ignoring the pain in my ankle.
I'm lucky that my ankle is starting to feel normal again.
I think I just have to be careful with it today.
Throwing myself into his arms, I felt him hold me tightly, as if he never wanted to let go of me ever again.
He lifted me up into the air.
"Y/N! You're okay!" He exclaimed, happily as I smiled back at him.
"Are you too, though?" I asked, worriedly as he placed me down gently, but without letting go.
"Yeah, just a few small zombie problems"
Then in a flash I felt him kiss me, cupping my cheeks into his hands, as I felt them softly graze my face.
I kissed him back, of course, not knowing that the room had gone silent.
When we parted he smiled at me brightly as I chuckled quietly.
Then a cough made us return to reality.
I immediately blushed when I saw everyone staring at the two of us.
Dae-su had coughed.
Then everybody started talking at the same time:
"Umm...you two have a lot to tell us" -Ji-min
"Wow" -Hyo-ryeong.
"Since when?!" - (a smirking) On-jo.
"Get a room" -Cheong-san.
"Su-hyeok, you lucky man" -Wu-jin.
"..." -Joon-yeon.
"Oh no...I have the feeling that little Su-hyeoks will be running around here soon" - (an actually worried) Dae-su.
Nam-ra was smiling at the two of us mischievously.
Bad sign.
I've never seen her smile like that, so it can't be a good sign at all.
"Everything....later" Su-hyeok announced.
I looked at him, seeing a faint red colour spread across his face too.
Everyone nodded, a bit disappointed before turning back to what they were doing.
I noticed that Nam-ra was about to go to the piano.
Cheong-san stopped her, telling her that a zombie was under it.
"We can't go to the roof? We're trapped again, aren't we?" Hyo-ryeong asked, panting.
"There are zombies out there, so...let's just think a little" Su-hyeok said.
I felt his arm slowly etch it's way around my waist.
"What are you doing?" I asked quietly, teeth gritted, so no one noticed.
"Something I like." He smiled, making me roll my eyes.
"Don't you have any hobbies?" I laughed.
"What do you mean? This is my hobby?" He winked.
Then he continued:
"But back to you, what other hobbies do you actually have other than being irresistible?"
My face immediately turned a dark pink as I facepalmed.
"Oh gosh... You are such a moron"
"It's true though, isn't it?"
"Just....just stop" I laughed a bit.
Our small interaction was stopped, when Hyo-ryeong stood up slowly, a scared look on her face.
She was looking at Nam-ra.
"Hey...Hey, Nam-ra. What happened to your arm?"
I looked over at Nam-ra, my smile fading, to see her arm bleeding.
She looked over at me as I raised an eyebrow.
I went over to her, leaving my spot beside Su-hyeok.
That must've been the reason why Su-hyeok was so close to her before...hopefully.
I gently took her arm.
"It's a bitemark, right?" Hyo-ryeong.
"I...it looks like it" I stuttered.
I looked up at Nam-ra, brows furrowing.
The others stood up and everybody was really serious now.
Nam-ra glanced at her arm.
Everyone stepped away from her.
I bit my lip, not knowing what to do.
Then I felt Wu-jin pull me away from her.
I didn't say anything, words mixing in my head.
No...
I-sak
Gyeong-su
Now Nam-ra?
Cheong-san picked up a music stand, wanting to use it as weapon for when she turned.
"No." Su-hyeok stepped in front of Nam-ra.
"That's not it"
"Move. Step back, Su-hyeok" Cheong-san ordered.
"That's not it, asshole"
"Then what is it?" I asked shakily, walking towards Cheong-san and Su-hyeok.
Su-hyeok turned to Nam-ra.
"Tell them. You weren't bitten by a zombie."
Nam-ra kept quiet and looked at me.
I bit my lip, not knowing if I was ready to lose another friend.
"Say something" Su-hyeok urged.
Since Nam-ra didn't say anything, Su-hyeok continued:
"Gwi-nam"
I shuddered at the name.
Guilt washed over me as I remembered how he lay motionless in the hoard of zombies biting him after pleading for us to help him.
I knew I shouldn't be feeling that guilt, since he's a bully and has done very, very terrible things, but I couldn't stop the feeling consuming me.
Cheong-san noticed my facial expression, and gave me a comforting look.
"He bit her. It wasn't a zombie"
What?
If Gwi-nam was bitten by so many zombies he must be one too...
Why would Su-hyeok think he wasn't one?
Cheong-san was also confused.
"Who?"
"Gwi-nam, the bully"
"Yoon Gwi-nam?" I asked too.
"Yeah"
"Nam-ra. Did Gwi-nam really bite you?" Cheong-san asked.
She nodded, but Cheong-san wanted to hear her say it.
Su-hyeok was starting to get annoyed.
"It's true."
Cheong-san and I looked at each other in fear.
I held my forehead, whispering "oh no".
"What's wrong?" Su-hyeok asked, clueless.
"Gwi-nam was..." Cheong-san started.
"He was what?"
"Gwi-nam was bitten by zombies" I said loudly.
"That's bullshit"
"What, so you think I'm lying?" I was hurt by the fact, that Su-hyeok didn't believe me.
"I saw him get bit and Cheong-san did too"
"If you get bitten by zombies, you turn into one..." Cheong-san started.
"...so if Gwi-nam bit her-"
"He's not one of them!" Su-hyeok yelled, interrupting Cheong-san.
Zombies started slamming against the doors and windows harder.
"Gwi-nam wasn't a zombie. He wasn't. He literally talked to me."
He turned back to Nam-ra.
"You saw him. He wasn't a zombie at all."
Nam-ra ignored him and stood up.
She looked at me, worry in her eyes.
"Are you sure he was bitten by a zombie?"
"Yeah" I whispered sadly.
A tear left my eye again.
"So I'll turn into a zombie"
"You won't" Su-hyeok insisted.
They stared at each other.
A weird feeling spread inside me.
I frowned at them.
I saw Nam-ra look back at me and widen her eyes at my hurt expression.
She stepped away from Su-hyeok.
"Well, so be it" She said monotonely.
"Su-hyeok, thank you." She turned to him.
"And Y/n... I'm sorry."
Then she walked towards the door.
Su-hyeok immediately followed her and grabbed her hand, stopping her.
A knot started forming in my stomach.
"You won't" He told her.
Su-hyeok pulled her back towards Cheong-san and me.
"She won't turn into one! Don't you trust me?"
As his eyes met mine, I immediately looked to the ground, biting my lip.
"Y/n, don't you at least trust me?" He begged.
"I...I do, I promise! But I saw what I saw... Cheong-san did too." I cried.
I felt Cheong-san place his arm around my shoulder as he tried comforting me again.
Now it was Su-hyeok who started frowning.
On-jo was too.
"I saw it. It happened after fighting with me and Y/n" Cheong-san said.
"I fought him too, believe me. I know."
Su-hyeok didn't let go of Nam-ra and the knot inside me tightened, wanting to suffocate my heart.
No one answered him or reacted in any way.
He ran to the window, pulling Nam-ra with him while I could see her flashing me a guilty look.
Su-hyeok then pulled away the curtains and opened a window.
He held up his hand that was entwined with Nam-ra's, making the knot continue suffocating my heart, squeezing it hurtfully.
"You see?" He started.
"If she turns, I'll throw her out the window, so she can't attack you. So back off."
"Su-hyeok" Cheong-san whispered.
"Back off, asshole"
"You shouldn't do this" Nam-ra told Su-hyeok.
"I owe it to you"
Cheong-san started nearing the two of them, holding the music stand tighter.
"Don't come closer. I'm warning you" Su-hyeok sternly announced.
"Screw you"
"Get lost!"
"Gyeong-su was enough. I won't lose any more friends" Cheong-san continued.
"Get out of my way" He held the music stander even tighter than before...
End of Chapter 18
~Brianna