Dohyun hated the familiar scent of the rice cooker, the clatter of chopsticks, the sound of his father clearing his throat before the first sip of soup. It was the soundtrack to a life that no longer existed, a beautiful, fragile lie he had to protect.
He sat at the small kitchen table, forcing himself to eat, forcing his expression to be the picture of lazy university student boredom. His father, a man whose kindness Dohyun had once taken for granted, eyed him over the rim of his steaming mug.
"You've been up since seven, Dohyun. Is the job search going well?"
"Fine, Dad. Just… exploring options," Dohyun mumbled, focusing on chewing a piece of kimchi. The lie about the laptop investment felt heavy in his mouth.
He glanced across the table at his sister, Yoona.
Yoona. Beautiful, bright, twenty years old, and currently scrolling through her phone, completely oblivious to the target painted on her back. In the future that was stolen from him, Yoona's death had been a footnote, a sadistic boast from Hyuk-jin, delivered just before the bullet hit Dohyun's own chest.
Rejected. The word echoed in his mind. The gang leader had tried to get close to his sister months ago. Dohyun had been too focused on Min-ji and his own studies to notice the danger lurking at his periphery. He wouldn't make that mistake again.
He needed to know exactly how far Hyuk-jin had gotten.
"Yoona-yah," he said, his voice casual, maybe a little too loud. "How's your study group lately? That new guy—Hyuk-jin, was it? Is he still around?"
Yoona's head snapped up, her expression immediately souring. "Ugh, don't even mention him. He was not part of the study group; he just showed up to the café sometimes. He was seriously creepy."
Dohyun's stomach clenched, but he kept his face neutral. "Creepy how?"
"Just… arrogant. Like he expected everyone to listen when he spoke. And he kept asking about my art school applications, which was weird, since I barely know him. I told him I wasn't interested in dating, and he got that weird, icy look. Anyway, I blocked him on everything. Good riddance." She dismissed him with a flick of her hand and returned to her phone.
Dohyun's fists tightened beneath the table. He was too late for prevention, but early enough for damage control. The rejection had already happened. The seed of Hyuk-jin's cruel pride had been wounded. The murder of his sister was no doubt a petty, vicious act of reprisal before the chaos of the apocalypse started.
You won't touch her this time, Dohyun vowed silently.
He finished his breakfast in silence, the food tasting like ash. He stood up abruptly.
"I'm heading out," he announced. "Need to meet Seungho about the laptop."
He left the apartment and walked four blocks until he found a quiet, empty park bench. He pulled out his burner phone, the one he'd purchased on the way out using cash from his wallet.
The encrypted forum—the one dealing in "historical artifacts"—had a reply.
User: Sentinel77
Re: NomadKR. Your 'collection' request is substantial. Meeting must be tomorrow night. Abandoned construction site in Paju. Bring 5 million won, CASH ONLY, for the deposit and initial 'handling fee.' If you don't show, we know you're fake.
Paju. The border of Seoul, a risky meeting. And a 5 million won down payment he didn't have yet. He quickly checked his investment portfolio on his main phone. The stock of the security firm had barely budged. He cursed under his breath. He needed the rest of his tuition money, and he needed it today.
He called his mother.
"Mom, it's me. Listen, Seungho is leaving for the airport tonight, so I need to pick up the laptop this afternoon. I told him I'd pay him the full amount now to secure the sale—I'll just flip it faster, okay? Can you transfer the rest of the tuition money? I'll transfer it back by the end of July, I promise."
He kept his tone light, rushed, and insistent. After a tense few seconds of silence, she sighed, the sound crackling over the line.
"Dohyun, this is very irresponsible… but fine. Don't disappoint us. I'm transferring the remaining 2.5 million now."
He hung up, the wave of guilt immediately washing over the relief. He was lying to the people he loved to save their lives. A necessary cruelty.
The rest of the day was a blur of paranoid action. He hit three different pharmacies, insisting on seeing three different doctors for three different "minor infections." He left each one with a prescription. His total haul: three large bottles of broad-spectrum antibiotics (Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxacin), anti-inflammatories, and pain killers—the only true gold in the post-apocalypse.
He also bought a high-quality camping backpack, a reinforced hiking knife that wasn't strictly illegal, a water filter, and enough dried rations for a week. He stored everything in a locker at a remote bus terminal, paying six months in advance.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the city, Dohyun felt the crushing weight of the coming evening. He had to face her.
He arrived at the trendy Korean BBQ restaurant at 7 PM sharp. Min-ji was already there, looking perfect in a white summer dress, her hair glossy and her smile radiant. A professional predator in human skin.
"Dohyun! You're late!" she pouted, her voice ringing with the familiar, high-pitched sweetness that had once charmed him.
He managed a convincing, weary smile and leaned down to kiss her cheek. The revulsion was instant, a cold jolt of nausea. He tasted the ghost of the asphalt and the metallic blood.
Six months ago, I was stupid enough to love this.
"Sorry, rough day," he murmured, sliding into the booth.
He spent the next two hours laughing at her jokes, asking questions about her classes, and pretending to be enthralled by her life. He was a professional actor playing the part of the devoted boyfriend, all the while monitoring the front door, the shadows, the other patrons. He was looking for a lurking presence, a familiar, cruel face.
The bell above the door chimed, and a group of three men entered, dressed in sharp, expensive clothing that looked out of place in the casual restaurant. They were muscular, tattooed, and carried the easy, dangerous arrogance of men who were used to taking what they wanted.
Dohyun's heart hammered a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He immediately recognized the man leading the group, even a little younger, a little less scarred than the monster in his memories.
Hyuk-jin.
The gang leader glanced casually around the restaurant. His eyes, cold and assessing, swept over Dohyun and Min-ji's booth.
A dark, predatory smile touched Hyuk-jin's lips as his eyes settled on Min-ji. He didn't acknowledge Dohyun at all. He just nodded slightly, a gesture of ownership.
Min-ji caught the look and visibly paled, then forced a dazzling, flirtatious smile toward Dohyun, a performance meant for Hyuk-jin to witness. The perfect shield.
Dohyun felt the blood rush from his head. He had faced hordes of the infected with less fear than he felt right now. His enemy was here, alive, and already pulling the strings that would lead to his death.
But unlike before, Dohyun was ready. He met Hyuk-jin's gaze for a fleeting second, not with fear, but with a gaze of absolute, unyielding emptiness.
You don't know who I am, not yet, Dohyun thought, forcing a bite of meat into his mouth. But soon, you will.
He was a dead man, walking. And the first steps of his revenge were already underway.
The deposit money for the "artifacts" was waiting in his backpack. The meeting was tomorrow. The final preparations for his fortress needed to begin immediately.
What do you think Dohyun's next, most critical step needs to be before his meeting in Paju tomorrow night?