Wrong Universe | All of us are dead

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷Chapter 32

The dispute between the female senior and the male junior led them to where they are right now, with Nam-ra standing in front of them while the rest are huddled at the other side of the room.

"One, split up." said Nam-ra as the room fell into silence. No one raises their hand.

"Two, stay together." she said next and Dae-su raises his hand rather enthusiastically, with the rest following his lead.

Nam-ra nodded, leaning her back on the door, "Okay, we voted to stay together then."

"But... Is it really smart to follow the voting system on a life and death matters and just follow the majority? I mean, what if we collectively decide to do the wrong thing?" Dae-su raises his concern.

"You know, there's such a thing as collective intelligence." Hyo-ryeong reasons out.

"There are too many unintelligent people in here," he jabs, his eyes directed to Mi-jin who glares at him, "You can't make intelligence with a bunch of idiots."

"It's either we vote or argue, Dae-su yah." Byeol speaks her mind.

"So what do you suggest then? Do we vote about voting too?" Hyo-ryeong said to Dae-su.

"Yah, how the hell did you kids survive up until now?" Mi-jin sneered at them.

'Because we're all together,' - Byeol wanted to say but decided not to because she's too lazy to butt in.

"Sorry, but can you mind your own business?" Dae-su said it politely but there's added salt in his sentence, "You started the fight, now we're voting."

Mi-jin turn to Ha-ri, "Yah, give me an arrow. I want to stab this guy."

"Anyway, let's move on now," Nam-ra interrupted their bickering, "One, we make the outside higher."

Joon-yeong was the first one to raise his hand high, followed by Su-hyeok, On-jo, and Dae-su. Byeol raises her hand too, turning to Cheong-san who looks at her with wide eyes before raising his hand too, albeit sheepishly due to the look she was giving him.

"Six votes." Nam-ra announces, "Two, we fold the lids and make a box."

Mi-jin obviously raises her hand first, followed by Wujin, Hyo-ryeong, Gyeong-su, and then Ha-ri.

"That's five votes." said Nam-ra.

Dae-su looks at Wujin in disbelief, "What's that? I thought you're on our side?"

"I change my mind." Wujin told him sheepishly.

"Option one receives the majority of votes so we'll make the walls higher." Nam-ra announces.

"Wait, your vote." Mi-jin reminded her, "If you're option two, it will be a tie."

The group turn to their class president in expectation. Nam-ra didn't even flinch when she said, "I'm on option one."

"Ah, shit," Mi-jin curses.

"Okay, let's do this." said Joon-yeong as the group starts to move and get the job done.

"Okay, but don't resent me if the zombies starts climbing over," Mi-jin called to them, "and kill us all."

"Don't worry, I'll take the front and any blame." Joon-yeong reassures her, "You hold back."

"Ahhh, what an asshole. Fuck. Why are kids so rude this days?"

"And what? You're not?"

As the group starts to disperse, Byeol walk towards Nam-ra who took the job of tying the strings to the crates. She approaches the class president with a scissor, "Let me help you." she says softly, cutting the strip of string that she held out for her.

"There's something bothering you," Nam-ra said quietly as they work together, "You weren't satisfied with the plan, are you?"

Byeol meekly nodded, "That's why I have a Plan B if ever the original plan doesn't work."

"Why did you raise your hand to Option one then?" Nam-ra curiously asks.

"It's not like I don't have a trust to Option 1. Option 2 is very risky. The zombies will still climb even if we choose the second option and it restricts our movement so much. They'll not only climb over but they will certainly stay on top of us. Added weight will make it harder to move. Option 1 seems to be the only plausible plan between the two but Mi-jin Unnie is right. The zombies will still climb over." the girl explained, voice so low that it would be impossible for the others to hear them. Even the one beside them would have a hard time hearing them.

"What do you propose then?" Nam-ra asks her.

Byeol told the class president her plan, with Nam-ra listening attentively and adding some suggestions of her own. They were speaking so low that only them could hear as they devise for a back-up plan. It was their heightened hearing that enables them to hear and understand each other properly.

Nam-ra couldn't help but to remember those time when they were studying together, exchanging thoughts and ideas for partnered-projects and conversation in general. In public, Nam-ra might seem so taciturn but she knows she talks just the right amount whenever she's alone with people she trusts--which can be counted with only one hand. It's not about looking down to other people, it's about her struggle of opening up to others because of her upringing. Byeol didn't become one of her trusted people in just a snap, she earned it and even if the lass had already forgotten it, it would not change the fact that they are friends.

When the barricade is ready, all of them starts to gear up, using the taekwondo protective gear. Byeol was helping Cheong-san in wrapping a masking tape around his arm, the lad looking down at her with those eyes full of love that never fail to make Byeol weak.

"Take a picture and it'll last forever," Byeol playfully stated when Cheong-san keeps looking at her.

"I can't help it, my girlfriend is too beautiful and a sight for eyesore." Cheong-san smiles at her.

"Stop!" Byeol chided him but the blush on her cheeks and the smile on her lips tells otherwise, "You're such a flirt."

"Only for you, stellina." Cheong-san said sweetly which made Byeol to stop wrapping his forearm.

"Since when did you learn italian?" she asks him with a smile.

Cheong-san scratches his nape, "I only know one word and a sentence. Stellina which means little star and," he lifts Byeol's head using his index finger and thumb, placing a kiss on her forehead, then to her nose before pecking her lips, "Ti amerò sempre,"

Byeol rolls her eyes but the blush on her cheeks deepens so as the smile on her lips, "Yah, Cheong-san ah! Stop being a flirt! We're literally about to go to a war!"

"Which could be our last time so I'm making the most of it," he responded.

The smile on Byeol's lips fell as her face turn serious, "No, this won't be the last time. We will have plenty of times together, both of us and the group. We're going anywhere together,  right?"

"Of course, babe." Cheong-san agrees, "Anywhere or Nowhere."

"Anywhere or Nowhere." Byeol repeated, giving Cheong-san a peck on his lips.

"Okay, lovebirds. If you're done, can we go?" Gyeong-su playfully told them.

They turn to the group to only find that they're watching them again, some of them has a smile; Gyeong-su, Su-hyeok, Nam-ra and On-jo while the others have disgust and disbelief written in their face.

Byeol stick her tongue out, "You're just jealous that you don't have a girlfriend."

"Touché."

***

Ti amerò sempre = I'll always love you.