Chapter 3: Strangers in Rot

Then—he heard it.

A faint voice behind one of the cracked doors down the hallway.

"P-please… Don't come in…"

He approached slowly. The door was slightly ajar. Inside: a dimly lit apartment room, trash scattered, furniture turned over.

Then—A sharp click.

A broken metal rod shot out, pointing straight at Songwoo's throat.

Inside, a boy around his age stood defensively, clutching a metal curtain rod like a spear. His eyes were wild, bloodshot. And dark hoodie, bruised lip. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. He's Minjae. His posture shows that he's a good fighter.

"Take one more step and I swear I'll stab you."

The voice was shaking—but serious. He doesn't have the energy to stand. Yet he...

"I'm not a zombie," Songwoo said, hands raised. "And I'm not here to hurt you."

The boy didn't move. "Humans are worse now... You show your back, and they take everything. Some go mad from hunger. Or fear."

Songwoo stood still, breath calm, hands raised in a non-threatening gesture as the stranger pointed a jagged, blood-stained rod at his chest.

"Hey," Songwoo said quietly, "I'm not here to hurt you."

No reply.

The man's knuckles whitened around the pipe. His gaze darted to Songwoo's face, then his hands, then the ground behind him—every movement calculated like a survivor who had lost too much to trust easily.

Sungwoo drop his sword, to buy his trust. He knows that surviving along is crazy. So he need some as his companion, and it's too risky to trust a stranger.

"I'm Songwoo," he tried again, slowly lowering one hand to his chest. "I'm alone. Just looking for supplies."

WIthout expecting, Minjae swung the metal rod.

Songwoo's eyes widen, just barely grab his sword in time to block the swing. The force rattles his arm.

"Wait—!" Songwoo yells, stumbling back.

"Don't lie to me!" Minjae growls. "You are with them. Aren't you?!"

He swings again.

CLANG. Two metal meet each other. Sparks fly.

Songwoo grits his teeth. This guy's scared. Desperate .But he can't hurt him—not the first human he's seen since waking up in this nightmare.

"I could break his arm… I could drop him right now. "But what if he's just like me? Just trying to survive?"

Minjae swings wide again—Songwoo dodges, grabs his wrist, and twists it just enough to disarm him without causing damage. The metal rod clatters to the ground.

["Good thing that i learn to fight!... He's not bad."]

The pipe clattered against the floor with a loud clang, echoing through the quiet building like a warning bell.

Minjae stumbled back, hand flexing where Songwoo had twisted his wrist. His breath was sharp and uneven, chest rising and falling in panic.

Songwoo didn't move.

He stood with his wooden sword still raised—but not in a threatening way. Calm. Balanced. His eyes weren't angry, just… cautious.

"I don't want to fight you," Songwoo said gently, not taking a step closer. "You attacked me. I only defended myself."

"Why don't you just kill me?!"

"I told you i don't have intention on hurting you.."

Minjae still hesitate to trust him.

"Listen buddy, we can't survive in this apocalypse alone. We need comrades. Let's take our time to trust each other..."

"Don't behave like we are close.."

Minjae scoffed but didn't attack again.

He bent slowly, keeping an eye on Songwoo, and picked up the metal rod—this time not to fight, but to hold close like a shield. His voice was lower now, cracked and tired.

"People are worse than zombies now. You don't know what they've done…"

Songwoo didn't respond right away. He didn't lie. He didn't offer empty comfort. He just nodded.

"I can guess."

A silence stretched between them.

Songwoo lowered his sword completely and slowly stepped to the side, giving Minjae room to walk past.

"I'm not your enemy. I found some supplies upstairs. A few cans of food and water. If you want to come with me, we can survive longer together."

"Why would you share with me?"

"Because I don't want to die. It's not easy to survive alone either."

"…Minjae."

They stood in silence again.

Then Minjae spoke, eyes still wary but softer now.

"If you try anything funny, I'll crack your skull open."

"Fair enough."

"And who are they? You mention earlier.... Why so conscious about them?!

"Huh!..... What are you not from this are? What did you just sprout from sky?!"

"It's not like that..... I just ..... I was hiding.. and...

"Ooooh... Now i get it... You are just a coward."

"Hey.. Not like that.. By some reason i couldn't get a grip of the situation."

"They are more like thugs. They were criminals.. Now they have nothing to be afraid of in this lawless world.." 

They sat in silence, catching their breath in the trashed apartment. The sound of distant groans echoed through the building—constant, like a nightmare that refused to end.

Minjae took a sip from a water bottle that Songwoo collected. "We can't stay here. They'll break through the stair doors eventually."

"I know," Seonwoo replied, tightening the straps on his backpack. "First rule in every zombie anime..."

Minjae smirked faintly. "Food comes first."

They looked at each other. No more words needed.

Time to move.

The hallway felt longer now.

Songwoo led the way, sword in hand. They reached the stairwell door.

He pushed it open slowly.

Creak.....

The door open with a loud noise. Thanks to that it attracted some zombies. 

Growls.

Two zombies stood a few steps below—one with a twisted neck, the other missing half its jaw. They turned at the sound.

Seonwoo didn't flinch this time.

"No more hesitation."

He stepped forward—One swing—direct hit to the head. Skull cracked.

The second reached out, but Minjae duck, and attract it's attention, buying Songwoo just enough time to spin and deliver another strike.

"Eeeeh....You are heartless..."

"Ah come on.. What's the point in hesitating."

Minjae keep his silence, he is not yet ready to adapt to this world.

"Now we have someone who is more coward..."

"Just stop it... Anyway how could you adapt to this situation so fast?

His expression changed completely. "There is some people waiting for me. I have to return safely."

"You still have hope.."

"That what make me move forward."

He moves forward.