Later that night, when most were asleep, that women who argue with songwoo tried to leave.
Frustrated, paranoid, and wanting no part in Songwoo's growing group, she went to the emergency exit — planning to slip away alone.
But she didn't know the alarm was still functional. Even after all this time.
As soon as she pushed the bar, the door blared.
Zombies, already sniffing around the mall, were drawn to the sound like moths to fire.
The undead gather around. They weighted the glass.
Panic erupted inside.
The glass began to crack.
"Get to the up stairs, now." Songwoo shouted.
All run towards the second floor. And hidden in a cafe.
That women try to blame in all on Songwoo.
"It's all your fault. I didn't do anything."
"That's enough, juhone. You are being ungrateful." The doctor stood up for Songwoo.
Growl...
Zombies gathered in frond of the cafe. The glass door couldn't hold for long.
"Damn.. Everyone get out through another exit.."
Songwoo and Minjae stay behind for others to escape.
Songwoo grabbed his sword and immediately leapt into action, cutting down anything in his way. He tried to shield the survivors and called out orders. Minjae fought beside him, sweat and blood flying with every swing.
It was beyond their reach. They struggle, but couldn't save everyone. An old man who couldn't catch up to others were bitten. Songwoo has no other choice but to kill him.
Many loose their life. He couldn't save everyone. Just six including Songwoo and Minjae.
The mall was quiet again.
Blood stained the tiles.
Juhane sat in the corner, shaking. She had survived. Barely.
Songwoo walked past her. She didn't speak. Couldn't.
He didn't even look at her.
He didn't cry. Not yet.
But the fire in his eyes was different now — colder, more resolved.
Songwoo sat on a corner. His eye looks dead. It's more colder now. Minjae didn't see him like that before.
Minjae stand beside him.
.....
"It's my fault.... I couldn't protect them.."
"Yeah.. It's all your fault.."
....
"Don't take responsibility if you can't handle it."
"I have to learn things experiencing myself. That's all i can do."
"Don't loose the spark that makes you- you."
Minjae give him some space to clear his mind.
When he returned to the others, he wore that familiar grin — the one that used to light up classrooms, charm teachers, make his little sister laugh.
Only Minjae saw through it.
"You okay?""Yeah," Songwoo replied, not missing a beat. "Let's move. This place isn't safe anymore."
No one argued. Especially not after what happened.
They gathered what little supplies remained and prepared to move. Songwoo noticed and gives sideways glances at Juhane — sharp, bitter, fearful. No one wanted her to come. He give her a dead glare, as he would kill her next time he tries something funny. It give her chill.
Everyone hesitate to go along with Juhane. Still Songwoo didn't say anything.
She didn't ask permission.
She simply followed behind the group, head low, guilt hanging off her like chains.
They traveled by night. Zombies were slower, duller, more confused under the moonlight. It was the safest time to move.
As they walked, Songwoo drifted into thought.
"Where am I? How did I end up here?"
The streets were cracked, buildings unfamiliar. The writing on signs felt strange. The names of cities, the flags, even the brands on vending machines—nothing looked right.
This wasn't his Korea.
Was this even Earth he knows?
But he couldn't ask the others directly. They'd question him. Suspect him. So he kept quiet and listened. Always listening.
So many droughts fill his mind. It's like he would go crazy by that.
Then he spotted it: a library, half-covered in ivy and dust.
["Huh...? That's more like it"]
He made a plan.First, find shelter. Then, double back.
But it's hard to slip away from Minjae. He always stick close to Songwoo.
The group found an abandoned subway station. Reinforced gates. Tight space. Dark and safe. Songwoo left them there with Minjae in charge, promising to return.
He tell them that he was looking for supply.
Minjae didn't agree to let him go alone. Hong feels like he was hiding something. And figures he need to do something. He support Songwoo.
"We can't let all the fighters leave. Only two of you know to fight. One of you have to stay guard here. Songwoo is good at fighting he can handle a lot at a time. So it's better if he goes."
Finally Minjae agrees.
Then he slipped out, sword on his back, and entered the library alone.
Inside, the air was thick with age. He climbed over debris, brushing cobwebs off cracked shelves until he found a history section. His fingers moved fast. He flipped pages, scanning timelines.
None of it matched.
The world wars… never happened.
Countries he'd known his whole life... didn't exist.
He is intrusted in history , so he cover most of the histories in his world.
Instead, he read about kingdoms he had never heard of — strange solar events, a divided sky, twin suns…
"This isn't my world," he whispered.
It wasn't a dream.
It wasn't Korea.
He was in another world entirely.
Songwoo shut the book slowly. His hands trembled, not with fear — but something sharper: purpose.
"If I want to get back… or even understand why I'm here... I need to survive. I need answers. And I need people."
"Mom please wait for me for a little. I will be back i promise."
He walked out of the library under the stars, the wind whispering secrets to him through the silence of the broken world.
And with every step, he buried his pain just a little deeper beneath that fake smile.
He walk straight to the camp.
"I fail to found supplies.." He say nothing but that.
Songwoo sat alone in the corner of the subway shelter, the dim lantern casting long shadows across the concrete wall behind him. His sword leaned against the railing beside him, untouched. His eyes were distant, fixed on nothing — or maybe, on everything he left behind.