Red Dot - 25

– Chapter 25,

Feeling frustrated because he couldn’t understand himself, or rather, couldn’t comprehend Kang Junseong more than himself.

He couldn’t fathom why Kang Junseong would throw himself into danger to protect others, even to the extent of sacrificing his own body. Why would he do that, whether the person was infected by zombies or not?

“Why should I shield you from zombies, whether you have a vaccine or not, whether you’re attacked by zombies or not, I’ll just handle it myself. At least I’m not trash enough to want to live by using my friends as shields.”

Friend? Me?

The wariness that Kang Junseong had towards him, which had been in his eyes, had disappeared like melting snow. For him, he had already fallen into the category of a ‘being to be protected.’

No one had ever tried to protect him throughout his life. There might be people forcing others to protect them, but there had never been anyone willing to sacrifice for him.

Yet, Kang Junseong had offered himself to protect him.

‘How is that possible?’

No matter how much he thought about it, it was incomprehensible. Whether it was the self-aware foresight he confessed, the future, or the state of this zombie world.

To Hanseo, Kang Junseong became the most incomprehensible person in the world.

‘Weird guy.’

In the midst of his chaotic thoughts, one thing was certain – Kang Junseong was the only person trying to protect him.

The fact was exhilarating to the point of madness.

“Ha…, damn it….”

A low curse flowed from Hanseo’s lips. Even though he hadn’t raised his hand, he looked at his belongings already spread out, showing a bitter smile.

Seems like cold water wasn’t that effective.

After finishing the shower and coming out, Hanseo scanned the quiet room and walked into a small one. Junseong had deliberately chosen a room with a smaller bed, more suitable for his size.

Whether it was just to lie down for a moment or not, Junseong, who had fallen asleep without even taking off the quilt, was seen muttering in his sleep. Hanseo, with an expressionless face, looked down at Junseong’s forehead covered by his bangs.

As he stared for a while, Hanseo gently brushed Junseong’s forehead with his hand that wasn’t holding anything. Carefully avoiding waking him up. Hanseo then grabbed Junseong’s right hand with his other hand. Despite being cautious, he felt a slight dampness on the bandage, indicating a hint of moisture.

He gently stroked the bandaged area, pressing it slightly.

“Ugh….”

Junseong’s brow twitched. It seemed like he was deeply asleep, showing no signs of waking up.

A bit more, a bit more, a bit more.

At some point, the blood had seeped through the bandage to the point where it stained. By then, Junseong had groaned a few times, frowning in his sleep.

Removing his hand, Hanseo saw blood on the thumb that pressed the wound. Unlike the zombies’, it was clear and warm blood.

Tap.

Instinctively, he licked the blood on his thumb, savoring it like one would taste the sweetness of honey. It felt like he might understand why zombies sought blood and sank their teeth into flesh. Because he wanted to do exactly that now.

Hanseo, who had licked Junseong’s blood on his thumb as if it were sweet honey, left no trace and reached out towards Junseong’s neck. One of his large hands, with long fingers, almost completely surrounded his neck.

A fragile neck.

It seemed like it would break without any strength.

Sliding his hand down, he explored the collarbone, finding the pronounced bone aesthetically pleasing.

He gently untied the irritating gown, revealing the open front.

Tracing the small, exposed, flat, and smooth chest with his fingertips, he then moved lower to the ribs beneath.

“Hmm….”

As he moved along the touched bones, the slightly hitched breath dispersed.

‘This part seems vulnerable.’

He explored the area a couple more times, familiarizing himself with the sensations, then descended like drawing a long line. The thin belly skin, rising and falling with each breath, looked somehow adorable. Almost as if he wanted to mess it up.

Moving further down, he encountered pelvic bones as prominent as the collarbone, and soon reached the softest part – the tender genitals.

Just touching the genitals made his lower abdomen tense. He had never felt like this before, no matter whose body he touched.

Carefully, Hanseo grabbed Junseong’s genitals with one hand. It felt so soft and tender that he wanted to keep touching it.

“Hmm….”

Only after hearing Junseong’s restless moans did he snap out of his trance.

‘That was close.’

He almost gave in to the urge to burst.

‘Can’t do that. Not with Kang Junseong.’

Hanseo neatly closed Junseong’s gown, tying the belt around his waist. Then, he gently picked him up to make sure he wouldn’t wake up, lifted the blanket, and laid him on the soft mattress. Finally, he used his fingers to gently comb Junseong’s disheveled hair.

Suddenly, Hanseo was surprised to find himself wearing a subtle smile that wasn’t the usual hypocritical one he used to put on.

‘Strange.’

His gaze shifted to his lower body. The end of his erect penis was twitching under the white gown.

“Is it just frustration?”

It made sense.

After all, he had abstained for quite a long time until yesterday.

‘I should relieve myself.’

Hanseo glanced at Junseong’s face once more before leaving the room. He turned off the lights and closed the door.

In the living room, Hanseo reached into the pocket of his black jacket. What came out was his favorite item, a black jackknife.

With the blade of the jackknife, Hanseo hummed a tune and went outside.

One hour later.

Hanseo, whose once-white shower gown was now entirely stained red, returned quietly to the room. A satisfied smile adorned his lips.

After wiping his body roughly with a towel from another room to avoid dripping blood, Hanseo, careful not to let the clotted blood at the end of the gown fall, headed to the bathroom.

“Ah.”

Hanseo, who made a short sound, stood still in front of the bathroom door. In his mind, four lines of bruises on Junseong’s left arm came to mind.

Hanseo’s face turned cold.

Emergency shelter between Inhan Station and Gean Station tunnels.

The inside was filled with a truly gloomy atmosphere.

“Ugh….”

Jiwoo, who was sobbing quietly inside a two-person tent, was visited by Jiwoo with a troubled expression.

“Hey… stop crying. You’ll get dehydrated.”

“Suck, sob…, You don’t need to say it, right…?”

Even though she was crying, she was saying everything.

Jiwoo, glancing at her, slipped into the tent. Hesitating for a moment, he gently patted Soyeon’s back.

“It’ll be okay. Your parents, Chaeyi, and also…”

“Sob, sob, sob….”

Somehow, the more he tried to comfort her, the more it seemed like she was crying even more. Jiwoo decided to just keep patting her, keeping his mouth shut.

‘Chaeyi should be here at times like this.’

Among the female students in the same department, Chaeyi was like a spiritual leader. She was calm in everything, had a discerning judgment, and sometimes fearless.

Yes, being fearless was the problem.

‘In a world full of zombies, why would you go out to find your brother?’

If Chaeyi or Soyeon had heard his thoughts, they would have probably scolded him for being heartless. But that was Jiwoo’s honest feeling. Seeing someone about to get bitten by an infected person, they would undoubtedly have turned into a zombie by now.

‘Just calm down and either wait for the rescue team or wait for them to come.’

It’s not that Jiwoo couldn’t entirely understand Chaeyi’s feelings, but she was uncharacteristically emotional. Going to find her brother, who had become a zombie, to die by the hands of zombies.

Even if he had a brother, Jiwoo couldn’t have done something like that because he would have considered himself the most important.

In a silent sign urging her to stop crying, Jiwoo, who had been continuously patting her back, raised his head at a familiar knocking sound coming from somewhere.

Knock, knock –

A knocking sound with a familiar rhythm.

Jiwoo stopped comforting Soyeon and cautiously stuck his head out of the tent. Judging by the people in the nearby tents looking at the door, it seemed he hadn’t misheard.

Knock, knock –

The sound was heard again.

Amidst people murmuring, Soyeon, who had heard the knocking sound, raised her head eagerly.

“Chaeyi! It seems like Chaeyi is here!”

Soyeon hurriedly rushed out of the tent. Cheolho, who grabbed her urgently, looked at her with tense eyes.

From the uniform knocking sound and the absence of the typical zombie screams, it seemed clear that there were people outside. But still, to make sure, Cheolho spoke.

“Wh-who is it?”

Instead of an answer, the doorknob turned. However, due to being locked, it couldn’t fully turn and got stuck on something.

Tense because of the attempt to open the door without answering, Cheolho asked again, swallowing his dry saliva.

“Who is it!”

Raising his voice, fortunately, someone on the other side responded.

“We’re students, university seniors.”

It was a low voice that didn’t convey much emotion. The outside was a tunnel, and there was a steel door in between, so the voice wasn’t clear, but it was clearly a young man’s.

“Could it be Senior Hanseo?!”

Jiwoo, who was in the tent, quickly rushed out and unlocked the door. Sometimes a scary senior, but who else could be such a reliable person in such a bleak and depressing situation. Moreover, the person bitten by zombies was Chaeyi’s brother, not him.

Smiling broadly, Jiwoo opened the door.

“Senior! Run away safel…!”

Jiwoo couldn’t continue his words and widened his eyes. The sensation of the chilling name tag piercing his throat spread belatedly.

The man standing in front of him smirked, lifting the corners of his mouth.