Red Dot - 23

Chapter 23

“So what do we do now?”

Even after hearing everything about Junseong’s dreams, Hanseo didn’t laugh at him or look at him strangely. He believed everything Junseong said and listened carefully, as if he didn’t want to miss a single word. Because of that, Junseong felt much more at ease after telling him everything.

Junseong carefully clenched and unclenched his right hand, which was wrapped in bandages, as he answered.

“Our plan is completely messed up because of what happened earlier, but we still have to do the same thing. The only difference is that I don’t know what will happen next.”

“We’re heading to Inhan Hospital, right?”

When Hanseo saw Junseong nod, he grabbed his uninjured left hand. With his other hand, he held the flashlight and shined it ahead for them.

“But before that, let’s sleep first.”

Their journey was still long, and it was already nighttime, so what Hanseo said made sense. But the problem was that they were standing inside a subway tunnel. From what Junseong remembered, every place except for the shelter where Cheolho was either had locked doors or was in such a mess that they couldn’t even rest for a moment.

“Are we just going to sleep on the tracks?”

Junseong seriously looked down at the rails, but Hanseo pulled him away.

“The alarm stopped ringing a while ago. They might come wandering this way. It’s not far.”

Just like Hanseo said, the train depot where they had lured the zombies was in a different tunnel, but if the zombies walked a little, they could reach this place. Sleeping in the tunnel with no protection was too dangerous.

“And if we’re going to sleep, we should sleep in a bed.”

“A bed?”

Hanseo pointed far ahead, toward the screen doors where zombies were packed tightly together. That was the next station after Gaeyan Station.

“Let’s go outside.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

Junseong shook his head with a serious expression.

“Can’t you see all those zombies? The moment we open the door, we’ll be torn apart and eaten.”

Junseong couldn’t even consider trying to open the screen doors. But Hanseo just smiled, his eyes curving slightly.

“Just do as I say. Then you won’t die.”

“Even if zombies don’t bite you because you’re immune, this is still—”

Even now, countless zombies were screaming and pounding on the glass. They were aiming for him—no, more precisely, they were targeting Junseong.

Hanseo tightly held Junseong’s hand so he couldn’t run away and walked toward the screen doors.

“Hey… This isn’t right…”

Junseong kept shaking his head and backing away. He even started wondering if Hanseo planned to let him die.

“I told you not to worry.”

Hanseo kept shaking his head as he grabbed Junseong’s waist to stop him from running away. Then, he effortlessly lifted him up. Junseong struggled, but it was useless. Before he knew it, both of his feet were standing on the platform in front of the screen doors.

Kyaak! Kahak!

Khaaaak-!

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bl00d-soaked zombies opened their mouths wide and shrieked right in front of him. The loud banging against the glass was so intense that it felt like it was shaking Junseong’s brain.

“You don’t have to freeze like that.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

Hanseo stood close beside Junseong on the platform. Seeing that Junseong was about to turn around and climb down, Hanseo grabbed him and pulled him into an embrace. Wrapping an arm around Junseong’s waist, Hanseo reached for the emergency door handle.

“Wait—!”

Junseong hurriedly tried to stop him but suddenly realized something strange. Just moments ago, the zombies had been screaming and pounding on the glass. But now, they had all gone completely silent. Just like the zombies they encountered in the train depot passage, these ones were now drooping their shoulders and letting out only faint groans. The violent reaction they had shown before was completely gone.

“See?”

Hanseo had known this would happen. While Junseong was still stunned, Hanseo opened the door.

As the emergency door of the screen doors swung open, the zombies pressed against the glass wobbled backward, as if pushed away by invisible hands. Even though Junseong, their prey, was right in front of them, they showed no intention of attacking.

They stepped out of the screen doors and closed the door behind them. With a small click, the door shut, making the zombies turn their heads toward them. But none of them rushed forward. They just staggered in place or wandered sluggishly.

Still holding Junseong in his arms, Hanseo heard him whisper quietly.

“If someone hugs you, do they become safe too?”

“I guess I’m like an invisibility cloak or something.”

Junseong was amazed, but only for a moment.

Since the zombies could still attack at any moment, Junseong carefully stepped between them while maintaining the embrace. He moved sideways, as if dancing with Hanseo.

It looked either like a ridiculous crab walk or the cautious steps of a beginner trying to dance the waltz.

Unhappy with how slow they were moving, Hanseo suddenly bent down. Then, he slipped his arm under Junseong’s knees and lifted him up.

Junseong panicked at the sudden weightlessness and grabbed onto Hanseo’s shoulder, looking around nervously. But the only ones watching were the dazed zombies.

“What are you doing?”

“I just want to get to sleep faster, so I’m speeding things up.”

Feeling embarrassed, Junseong immediately told him to put him down and tried to push himself away.

Kyak!

A short shriek rang out from close by, making him flinch and turn his head.

A short zombie standing nearby kept shaking its head and making harsh sounds as it looked at Junseong. It didn’t seem like it would attack immediately, but other zombies around also started looking at him one by one.

As Junseong quietly loosened his arms and stayed still while being held, the small zombie that had seemed ready to move aggressively dropped its shoulders. Then, it staggered and moved in another direction. The other zombies also took their eyes off Junseong, as if looking for a different prey.

Junseong forgot that he was being carried in an embarrassing position and focused on the zombies’ reactions.

‘It only works if I’m completely close to him.’

Judging from their reaction, it seemed more effective when his upper body was pressed against Hanseo’s rather than just his lower body. Maybe it had something to do with the heart or the head.

While Junseong was lost in thought, Hanseo carried him with long strides.

Fortunately, there were no zombies on the stairs leading out of the subway. Seeing this, Junseong quickly got down from Hanseo’s arms.

Junseong climbed the stairs leading outside, staying alert. There were no zombies on these stairs, but once they stepped outside, the streets would surely be full of them, so they needed to be careful.

As they were almost outside, in the darkness—

“Kyaaaak!”

A zombie spotted Junseong from a side road near the subway entrance and came running, screaming madly. The sound attracted other zombies, who twisted their bl00d-stained faces and charged toward him.

Junseong remained calm and quickly grabbed Hanseo, pulling him into a tight hug.

The zombies suddenly stopped moving. Hesitating, they gradually turned their eyes away from Junseong, just like the ones at the subway platform had. They started wandering aimlessly.

Junseong carefully observed their reaction.

‘What part of Do Hanseo is affecting them? His breath? Body heat? Scent?’

Because he had analyzed all sorts of things in his dreams to find a solution, his investigative habits kicked in even now.

Junseong kept staring at the zombies and then slowly moved away from Hanseo. As if they had been waiting for it, the zombies immediately locked their gaze on him again.

Keeping his eyes on the zombies, Junseong placed an arm over Hanseo’s shoulder. He planned to stay close by leaning on his shoulder, but Hanseo was too tall, making it difficult to get into the right position.

As the zombies started running again, Junseong tried to adjust his posture, but then Hanseo wrapped an arm around his waist, pressing their sides together completely. The zombies that had been charging forward stopped in their tracks.

“What are you doing?”

Hanseo asked with a laugh in his voice. Junseong answered indifferently.

“Analyzing. Trying to find the least embarrassing way to move.”

“Ah, I see.”

Hanseo let out a small laugh and firmly wrapped his arm around Junseong’s waist as they continued walking.

‘Even this much contact is enough for the zombies to ignore us.’

It was such a convenient and perfect vaccine. If that was the case, wouldn’t it be possible for four people to surround Hanseo—one in front, one in the back, and two on the sides—and shuffle through a horde of zombies safely?

If Chaeyi had heard his thoughts, she would have scolded him for using his smart brain on something ridiculous.

After exiting the subway, Junseong looked around at the devastated streets and roads. Fortunately, this road wasn’t completely blocked by abandoned cars or crashes, leaving a clear path in the distance. The problem was that, without the cars, zombies were freely wandering all over the place.

While Junseong scanned the area, Hanseo was looking for something else.

“There it is.”

Hanseo pointed to something. Junseong turned his head to see what it was.

[Love Me MOTEL]

A brightly lit neon sign on a tall motel building hurt his eyes. Lowering his gaze, he saw the entrance with red and blue striped parking curtains. There were also useless strings of international flags, making it look even more out of place.

The motel looked completely mismatched with the zombie-infested streets.

“Let’s go in.”

Without a hint of embarrassment, Hanseo grabbed Junseong by the waist and started leading him inside the motel.