Chapter 21: A Temporary Parting |
Dark clouds drifted across the sky visible through the window. Though not thick enough to be oppressive, a faint mist lingered in the air, and a light drizzle fell intermittently. Watching the raindrops tap against the glass, Kim Han-byeol felt her mood settle into a state of calm.
It couldn't be called cozy, but she still felt a sense of comfort. Even if it was a sentimental feeling unfitting for their current situation, it was a vast improvement over being in the forest or being chased by those strange things after they had escaped.
'Come to think of it... I really liked the rain when I was young.'
Kim Han-byeol had always loved rainy days. Walking through the rain-soaked streets with an umbrella while listening to music was one of the small joys she could find in her otherwise tedious life. Suddenly, she longed for a cup of coffee. If only she had a hot, delicious cup to warm her from the inside, she felt she could forget everything surrounding her, even if just for a moment.
With a sorrowful expression, Kim Han-byeol gazed at the world outside the window. Ashen shadows began to stretch, signaling that evening had arrived. She had been through so much today that her body and mind were overwhelmed with fatigue. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she turned her head. A large room came into view. It had everything they needed: food, water, bedding, a toilet, and even a shower.
They had fled frantically until they saw a city and entered. As they did, Kim Han-byeol felt a strange sense of unease. The city was too quiet, as if no one lived there. At first glance, she had mistaken it for a dead city. Amidst the silence, they found a medium-sized building. With its roof painted black, it stood out to the group. Whether by luck or some unseen guidance, they entered to find it was fully equipped with almost everything they needed.
Her body and mind demanded sleep, but the situation was too precarious to rest. An Sol was still unconscious, and An Hyeon was busy taking care of her. And Lee Yu-jeong...
Kim Han-byeol's eyes searched for Lee Yu-jeong and found her without difficulty. She had already picked up the sword Han-byeol had neatly placed by the front door. Guessing what she was about to do, Han-byeol sighed softly and spoke.
“Eonni.”
“Please put the sword down.”
“No.”
Lee Yu-jeong ignored her and unlocked the front door. The loud click of the lock startled An Hyeon, who threw open the door to his room. He immediately frowned upon seeing the sword in Yu-jeong's hand.
“It's pointless. Put the sword down and wait quietly.”
Hearing Kim Han-byeol's voice, Lee Yu-jeong shot her a resentful glare.
“Why?”
“...”
“I'm going to bring Su-hyeon oppa back. You guys just wait here.”
'Oppa. Su-hyeon oppa.'
She silently repeated his name in her mind. Thoughts of him filled her head. From the moment she first saw Kim Su-hyeon, she had felt they were similar kinds of people. She'd sensed something different about him back in the clearing. His always calm face, his confident voice, and his composed eyes. Perhaps that was why she had been drawn to his judgment after their talk on the hill. Kim Han-byeol stared at Lee Yu-jeong for a moment before continuing.
“You're not the only one worried about him, Eonni. There's nothing we can do even if we go back. Just waiting quietly is the best way to help.”
“He might still be waiting there. I'll say it again, if you're not going, stay out of it. If you won't go, I'll go bring him back myself.”
“Lee Yu-jeong. Han-byeol is right. Put the sword down for now.”
At An Hyeon's stern voice, Lee Yu-jeong turned her head. She scoffed at both of them before speaking in a sneering tone.
“You guys are unbelievable. Oppa might be wandering all over the place looking for us right now. Huh?”
Unbelievable. That single word held so many implications. Hearing it, everyone felt a sting of guilt. However, while An Hyeon kept his mouth shut, Kim Han-byeol did not. She glanced at An Sol, still lying unconscious in the next room, before speaking.
“We had no choice. Those things were charging at us, and we were in danger too. If it weren't for that girl, everyone here might be dead.”
“Who doesn't know that? That's why we ran and brought Sol here. So we're here, and that's it? We're safe now, so it's over? I guess Oppa will just find his own way back, right?”
Listening to Lee Yu-jeong's sarcastic, rhetorical questions, Kim Han-byeol felt a growing discomfort. Her constant shouting and informal speech had been grating on her nerves from the start. Unconsciously, the corners of her lips lifted into a slight sneer as she replied coldly.
“Then go. Go out and search all you want. I don't care if you die or not.”
The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them, but it was too late. An Hyeon looked at her, shocked. Lee Yu-jeong's face was a mask of disbelief for a moment, then she let out a hollow laugh. “Ha.”
“You... you really are a rude little brat. Oppa sacrificed himself to save someone like you? What a disappointment. I guess all that worrying and telling him not to go was just an act.”
“I clearly told him not to go. He was the one who insisted on doing it. Why are you blaming me for that?”
“You... *Huu*, never mind. It's not worth talking to trash like you. Just shut your mouth, you cold-hearted bitch with no blood or tears.”
Kim Han-byeol, who had expected Yu-jeong to scream and lunge at her, was slightly surprised by her unexpected response. And being called trash and dismissed so contemptuously dealt a severe blow to her pride. She didn't realize it, but her breathing had become harsher than before. A faint indignation was mixed into her voice when she spoke again.
“That's a bit harsh. Was anything I said wrong?”
“I don't know, and I don't care. But at least I don't want to live a hypocritical life like you.”
“Are you finished?”
“A little kid like you, staring at me with those eyes. What are you going to do? Should we pull each other's hair out? Give it up. If you don't want to get that pretty little face of yours scratched, just shut your mouth.”
“Everyone, stop it!”
Unable to watch their escalating argument any longer, An Hyeon shouted angrily, his voice sharp. At his outburst, both Lee Yu-jeong and Kim Han-byeol fell silent without realizing it. An Hyeon glared at them with his sunken eyes for a moment before extending a hand toward Yu-jeong.
“Give it to me.”
“...No.”
Seeing Lee Yu-jeong clutch the sword tightly, An Hyeon sighed deeply again and continued in a slightly weary voice.
“I'll go look for him. On second thought, I think you're right.”
“...Really? Then I'll go with you.”
Seeing An Hyeon's sudden change of heart, Lee Yu-jeong's expression was hesitant but somewhat welcoming. At her words, An Hyeon shook his head weakly and replied.
“No. It's better if I go alone. Those things might still be out there. You and Han-byeol, please look after Sol.”
“With her? No way. I can't trust her anymore.”
Listening to Lee Yu-jeong's relentless condemnation, Kim Han-byeol felt something snap inside her. The patience she had been holding onto finally broke. However, she was a level-headed person. When she got angry, her voice didn't rise like Yu-jeong's; instead, it turned cold and cynical. In an unprecedentedly frigid tone, she spoke to An Hyeon.
“Don't go. If you go, you'll definitely get caught too.”
“Can't you shut your mouth?”
“Why don't *you* shut your mouth?”
“What? ‘You’? Say that again.”
As Lee Yu-jeong glared and stepped forward as if to strike her, An Hyeon quickly snatched the sword from her arms. But Kim Han-byeol, having made up her mind, let her words flow like water from a broken dam.
“Stop acting like you know everything! What do you think would have happened to us without her earlier? Didn't you see that swords and fists didn't work? It's obvious you'll die if you go, so why are you so insistent?”
“This bitch, really...”
“You must be resorting to curses because you have nothing to say. How are you going to bring him back when you don't even know where he is? If you have a brain, then use it.”
“What a convenient excuse. Showing your true colors now, are you? Have you forgotten that we're only here thanks to Oppa? You put on a show of hypocrisy while only thinking of screwing others over. I see it clearly now. You're an even more disgusting bitch than that bastard, aren't you?”
At the comparison—no, the degradation—likening her to the troublemaker, Kim Han-byeol's expression twisted for the first time. As rage surged through her, her voice rose, trembling.
“The dead are dead! What's so wrong with the living trying to survive?!”
Those words were the trigger. Lee Yu-jeong violently shoved An Hyeon aside and lunged. Kim Han-byeol also gritted her teeth, raising her hand to slap her with all her might.
Creeak.
“What's all this? Why is it so noisy?”
The unlocked front door swung open, and a young man stepped inside. A calm face, a confident voice, and composed eyes. Finally, a crossbow was strapped to his left arm. Everyone in the room held their breath at the sight of him. The atmosphere, which had reached a fever pitch of conflict, seemed to vanish as if it were a lie.
“I'm glad everyone is safe.”
He gave a gentle smile, unstrapped the crossbow from his left arm, and raised his right hand in greeting.
He was none other than Kim Su-hyeon.