𝐵𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑙𝑒 𝑂𝑓 𝐽𝑜𝑦 ʰᴬᴾᵖⁱⁿᵉˢˢ [ꉔꄲꂵꉣ꒒ꏂ꓄ꏂ]

[Eighteen]

Recap:

Hyun-jae clutched the walkie-talkie, her voice laced with urgency as she called out to Yi-hyun.

"Yi-hyun...Yi-hyun are you there?...Don't worry okay, I'm coming and I'm on my way to save you. I promise I'm not upset with you and don't worry I won't hit you." She said.

"That kinda sounded like a threate Dae-seong mused.

"Shut up!" She growled.

"Alright, you two settle down. We've got a mission to complete." Sae-bom commanded as her inner soldier came out.

Looking back at the walkie talkie, Hyun-jae heard nothing but static whichwas her only response, but it did nothing to diminish her resolve. With Dae-seong and Sae-bom flanking her, she marched on, her heart set on finding her husband.

"Just hang on a little longer Yi-hyun...I'm coming."

○●○●○●

E

xhaustion gnawed at Yi-hyun. The events on the rooftop had taken their toll, both physically and emotionally. Despite the lingering fatigue, he'd managed to maintain a semblance of control, ensuring everyone else's safety. Andrew's body had vanished from the rooftop after the infected attack, adding another layer of unease.

A sliver of gratitude pierced through the weariness as he recalled the timely intervention of Hyung-kyung and Soo-min. Back in his solitary apartment, a hollow pang of loneliness settled in. He was surrounded by the silence of his efforts – his friends and family, all safely evacuated, leaving him utterly alone.

Seeking solace in mundane tasks, Yi-hyun began packing away plates and cutlery, the clatter a small comfort in the vast quiet. But the fragile peace was shattered by a bloodcurdling scream echoing from outside. Without hesitation, he grabbed his bat and rushed out, the scream a beacon drawing him towards the unknown danger.

The sterile whiteness of the hallway mocked Yi-hyun's churning stomach. Mr. Oh, a picture of manic desperation, held a glinting blade mere inches from Woo Sang-Hee's throat. Her wide eyes held a terror that mirrored Yi-hyun's own rising panic. In the corner, Yeon-ok sat, a twisted smile playing on her bloodied lips.
"Calm down, Mr. Oh," Yi-hyun choked out, voice tight. "Let her go."

Suddenly, Yeon-ok spoke, the smirk morphing into a cruel amusement. "He just killed them. All of them. The uninfected. Says it's because of the disease."
Mr. Oh, eyes wild, echoed her sentiment.

"Those monsters! They started it all!"
A cold dread settled over Yi-hyun. It was a setup. A horrifying, sickening plan to frame him. Never had he thought these two, Mr. Oh and Yeon-ok, would be capable of going into sich extreme depths just to get rid of him.

"We are not the monsters!" Yi-hyun roared, defiance sparking in his chest. "You are, much worse than the infect!"

Mr. Oh, his face contorted in a grotesque parody of righteousness, sneered. "Thirsty, are we?" He drew the blade across Sang-Hee's arm, a sickeningly wet sound accompanying the movement. A spray of scarlet stained the pristine white wall, splattering across Yi-hyun's face.
With a shove, Mr. Oh hurled Sang-Hee towards him. "Let's see the real monster now, Mr. Jung!" he bellowed.

In a heartbeat, Yi-hyun reacted. His baseball bat, a constant companion in these uncertain times, flew through the air. Mr. Oh dove for cover just as the wood connected with a sickening thud against the wall.