“What are you doing here? I’ve been looking all over for you.”
The man who had grabbed the girl was a scruffy, shabby figure in ragged clothes.
“Dad.”
The girl’s eyes widened as she recognized him. He was her father.
Spit!
The thug who had been watching the scene spat on the ground in frustration, then approached the girl’s father with a glare, shoving his face close.
“I have business with this kid.”
“I don’t know what she did, but please forgive her just this once. I’ll do anything.”
The girl’s father quickly bowed his head, groveling before the thug.
“Anything?”
The thug sneered, tapping the man’s cheek with mock gentleness.
“Anything, you say?”
“Yes, of course. I’ll do anything.”
“Alright then.”
Spit!
The thug spat on his shoe, then gave the girl’s father a malicious grin. The man, bewildered, could only stare in confusion.
“What…?”
“Lick it.”
“What?”
Thwack! Thud!
The thug’s fist swung, landing heavily in the man’s abdomen.
“Ugh!”
Collapse!
The blow sent the girl’s father crumpling to the ground, gasping for air as he coughed violently.
“Hack! Hack!”
“Now you’re in the right position. Lick.”
The thug extended his foot, the one he’d just spat on, toward the man. The girl trembled with clenched fists, unable to do anything as her eyes welled with tears.
Should I step in now? Seonwoo thought, stepping forward.
Grab!
But the girl’s father stretched his arm out, blocking Seonwoo’s path with a determined shake of his head, silently urging him not to interfere.
“I’m sorry. I’m a bit slow and didn’t catch on immediately. Please forgive me.”
He forced a smile and bowed again, pressing his face to the thug’s shoe.
Lick! Lick!
He began licking the spit from the shoe, enduring the humiliation for his daughter’s sake. His tears flowed, but protecting her was more important than his pride.
Thud!
“Enough. It’s getting dirty.”
The thug kicked him away, sending him sprawling. He spat on the man’s face before turning around.
“Boring.”
The thug had hoped the man would resist, making the ordeal more entertaining, but his compliance had ruined the fun. The girl’s father sighed in relief and turned to his daughter, who clung to him, sobbing.
“Dad!”
“Why’s my princess so emotional today?
Who’s this?”
“He saved me.”
The girl’s father looked at Seonwoo warmly, patting his head with a grateful smile.
“Thank you.”
To thank him the girls father took him to their house.
Despite the kitchen’s disrepair, the lingering warmth made it feel cozy. A kind-looking woman was preparing dinner.
Bubble! Bubble!
A stew of canned beans, potatoes, and sausages simmered, filling the air with a comforting aroma despite its simplicity.
Stirring!
Her hands moved skillfully, ensuring the stew didn’t stick to the pot. As it neared completion, Seonwoo’s anticipation grew; he hadn’t had a warm meal in a long time.
Clunk!
“Did you go out again?”
The woman placed the pot on the table with a stern voice, the stew sloshing close to the brim.
“Yes…”
The girl nodded meekly, her voice barely audible.
“Didn’t I tell you not to go out?”
“But we don’t have any food.”
“What? You’re always talking back!”
Her eyebrows shot up in anger.
“We have a guest; let’s not ruin the meal.”
The girl’s father tried to mediate, but it only seemed to agitate her further.
“This is why Ahyoung is like this, with you always defending her.”
She glared at him, frustrated by their situation. Another mouth to feed was a strain on their already meager resources. Though Ah-young claimed Seonwoo had saved her, the woman was skeptical.
‘How could a child like him fight zombies?’
She thought Ah-young had fabricated the story out of compassion.
“Don’t be shy, eat.”
She patted Seonwoo’s shoulder, signaling it was alright, though the atmosphere remained tense.
Clatter!
After the meal, Seonwoo emptied his bag, placing the food he’d gathered on the table to show his gratitude.
“Where did you find all this?”
She stood with her mouth agape for a long moment, unable to close it.
The seemingly endless supply of food emerging from Seonwoo’s bag astounded her, as if it were a magical pouch. For once, her eyes sparkled with excitement.
“Come with me. Let me show you the room where you’ll be staying.”
She plastered a friendly smile across her face and gently tugged Seonwoo’s hand. Both the girl and her father exchanged skeptical glances but refrained from saying anything. The woman, however, seemed unfazed.
“Here, you can stay in this room.”
“What? But that’s my room!” the girl exclaimed, jumping up in surprise. Her mother frowned deeply.
“You brought him here, so you shouldn’t have any complaints.”
The girl stood there, stunned, watching her mother’s retreating back. She felt a sense of emptiness, realizing how quickly priorities shifted over a bit of food.
Over a week had passed since Seonwoo started living in the city with the girl. During that time, they wandered around the slums, exploring every corner of the city. The city was encircled by sturdy barbed wire and barriers, a grim reminder of the threat of zombie attacks.
“Everything’s surrounded by barbed wire and walls. Where do you get food and supplies?”
“There’s a geothermal power plant and a farm a bit further out. It’s huge.”
“With such a big farm, why is life here so hard?”
“This is the slums. Most of the food produced goes to the inner city.”
The living conditions in the slums were dire, even considering its status. Everything was worn down and shabby, and food was scarce.
Despite this, Seonwoo liked the place. It had a human warmth, and for him, that was enough.
“Wow!”
As they exited an old, grimy factory, Seonwoo couldn’t help but gasp. Before him stretched a cityscape unlike any he had seen before, a stark contrast to the rest of the city.
“Where’s that?”
“That’s where the inner city people live.”
“Why do they live separately?”
While Seonwoo’s curiosity was piqued, the girl looked on with longing in her eyes.
“When I grow up, I’ll live there,” she vowed, clenching her jaw.
“We’re back,” they announced as they returned home.
“Welcome back,” the girl’s father and mother greeted warmly.
“Wash up and get ready for dinner.”
The affectionate welcome made Seonwoo’s eyes well up. The feeling of being awaited by someone filled his heart with joy.
Bang!
“Hangeul!”
Suddenly, the door burst open, and a tattered man entered, panic etched across his face.
“You’re home! You need to hide quickly.”
“What’s the matter?”
“I’ll explain later. Just hide now.”
The man pushed the girl’s father urgently, leaving no room for questions.
“Goodness, man.”
“Just hide!”
Without any further explanation, the man continued to push him towards hiding. The father complied, though confused.
Crash!
“Hold it right there!”
The door was thrown open again, and a familiar figure stormed in—a large man covered in intimidating tattoos, clad in a tight leather jacket, his size reminiscent of an elephant. He was the same thug who had threatened the girl’s father before.
“I heard the resistance leader is hiding here.”
Behind him, two more men entered, scanning the room with sharp eyes. One of them locked eyes with the girl’s father.
“Well, look who it is,” the large man sneered, approaching him with a sinister grin.
“To think the resistance leader is the guy who used to lick the floor.”
Wham!
“Gah!”
The man stepped up and delivered a punch to the father’s stomach, causing him to fall on the ground. Then, he looped a rope around his neck.
“Ugh!”
As the rope tightened, the father struggled, gasping for breath. The more he thrashed, the tighter the noose became, and his face turned a ghastly shade of blue.
“Take care of the rest,” the man ordered his subordinates, dragging the father outside.
The subordinates nodded grimly, preparing to finish the job.
‘Monsters.’
Seonwoo clenched his jaw, his lips stained with blood from biting down hard. He had tried to avoid confronting injustice to prevent any harm, but this was too much. As his patience reached its limit, Seonwoo’s body tensed, ready to act.
