: In the Heart of Ruins
The surface was a kingdom of ruins and death — yet for Kim Min-jun, it felt like his element. Collapsed buildings jutted out like broken bones, and the cold wind, heavy with the stench of rot and ash, stung his face, seeping beneath his clothes. Min-jun moved ahead, rifle at the ready, eyes sweeping across every shadow, every fragment of debris. His instincts were razor-sharp — each shift of movement, each groan of rusted metal made his muscles tighten, ready to strike.
Lee So-hyun followed close behind, clutching his backpack with vials and sensors. His glasses fogged with dampness, his heart pounding against his ribs. The Stella crystal on his ring pulsed softly, resonating with the bracelet on Min-jun's wrist, engraved with M & S. Their footsteps fell in near-perfect sync, the silence broken only by the distant, low wails of the undead.
"Here," Min-jun said, pointing toward a half-collapsed building. "Stay close."
So-hyun nodded, the warmth of his presence dimming the shadows that had haunted him. The hallucinations — the silhouette of his lost Min-jun, the whispers in the dark — began to fade. Yet in their place, a new feeling grew: a pull, terrifying in its strength. So-hyun brushed away a tear and adjusted his glasses, forcing his focus back to the task.
Inside, the floor was littered with shards of glass and rusted tools. The air was damp, heavy. So-hyun bent over an old laboratory table, collecting soil samples. "If the virus spreads through the air, there might be traces here," he murmured. His fingers trembled, but his mind was lost in the work.
Min-jun stood guard, yet his gaze kept drifting back to So-hyun. The fragile figure, the concentrated look in his eyes, the soft curve of his lips — everything reminded him of his So-hyun, and yet… it was different. Alive.
"Careful!" Min-jun barked, as So-hyun stumbled over a loose wire. He caught him by the waist, their bodies pressed close. So-hyun froze, feeling the heat of Min-jun's hands even through the protective suit. Their eyes locked, and the air thickened between them.
Min-jun released him — slowly, almost unwillingly. So-hyun swallowed hard, turning away to hide the flush on his cheeks. "He's not him…" he reminded himself. But his body refused to listen.