There were a lot of things you expected to see in the aftermath of Cheong-San plummeting from a window along with a multitude of zombies but him scarcely seizing hold of the hose rope again with Su-Hyeok back-hugging him was categorically not one of them.

"It's Bare-Su!" Dae-Su hollers, nearly drowning out the snarl of the zombie still dangling obstinately to Cheong-San's ankle. "Are you guys alright?"

"Does it look like they're okay?" Wu-Jin backhands his friend in the chest.

Notwithstanding the setting, you can still overhear Su-Hyeok's chastise.

"I told you to drop the zombie. Why couldn't you do it? If I hadn't kicked her off, she'd undoubtedly have bitten you by now. The girl has been hanging on forever."

"Yah! Can't you see I was a little preoccupied?" Cheong-San retorts, both hands still holding on for dear life. "...And stop hugging me, it's unpleasant and gross."

"You wish I was hugging you, moron."

"Get lost!" There's no bite behind his words at all, regardless of Cheong-San's feeble attempt at maintaining an air of disgust at their current position.

"Why? Aren't you enjoying this?" Su-Hyeok teases.

You and On-Jo turn to one another, amused, as you peer out the window ledge, looking back and forth between the boys, momentarily silent.

"They're cute," you joke, and it pulls a laugh from On-Jo, her face lighting up slightly, no longer as withdrawn since I-Sak's loss.

"Get lost!" On-Jo mimics Cheong-San's near-loving tone, and you bite your lip, holding back a snort. "We're cuter." She knocks her shoulder into yours good-humoredly but lightly before leaning forward even more. "Hey! Stop flirting out there and get in here!"

Cheong-San and Su-Hyeok simultaneously whipping their heads towards On-Jo's voice is almost comical as you and her both move back to make room for the two to swing in.

The moment Su-Hyeok is once again safe inside the classroom, the two of you just stare at one another, simply drinking in the sight of each other. From the sun-lit window, bright light streams in from behind his back almost washing his form out entirely but suddenly, there's Su-Hyeok smiling at you and he's all you can see.

"You came back."

"I promised, didn't I?"

You have no idea who moves first, but it ceases to matter as you launch yourself into Su-Hyeok's awaiting embrace and wrap your arms around his neck, stretching on tiptoes in order to hug him even tighter. The force with which you throw yourself at him marginally knocks him off-kilter, but he regains his balance swiftly. You feel Su-Hyeok stoop down as he pulls you in closer by the waist into his open arms, practically lifting you off your feet with how snugly he's holding on as he nuzzles his face into the crook of your neck.

"I missed you."

"Not as much as I, you."

"This isn't a competition," Su-Hyeok whispers back, chuckling quietly into the line of your shoulder, the breath from his exhale tickling the shell of your ear and calming your disquieted heart. "I'd win every time if the unit of measurement is longing."

Ms. Park clears her throat and the mischievous sound has you belatedly grasping how dramatic your little reunion might seem with the current audience in the room. Blushing, you untangle your arms around Su-Hyeok's neck and try to get your feet back on the floor, but he doesn't let go—not before getting in one final squeeze out of the hug first.

You can't bring yourself to look at anyone for the time being, keeping your head down as you try to cool your burning face with the back of your hand. Su-Hyeok's soft snigger as he glances at you doesn't go unnoticed, but you choose to ignore the endearingly smug look on his face, now much too shy. Inadvertently, the first person you meet eyes with when you finally decide to lift your head is Wu-Jin, who quickly averts his attention elsewhere, a brooding look on his face.

"Anyway...are you okay?" Dae-Su inquiries of Su-Hyeok.

After receiving a confirmatory nod, the former pats the latter on the shoulder positively before depositing himself onto the top of a desk close by to check in with Cheong-San.

"Don't you think that question is a bit redundant as Cheong-San and Su-Hyeok are clearly fine?" Can we close the window already? It's more important!" Na-Yeon complains.

Gyeong-Su doesn't even try to conceal his eye roll. "Has it ever occurred to you that you often come across as selfish? After all they did to get here? We couldn't close the window just yet since Cheong-San hardly had one leg in."

"What? Like it's wrong for me to say I want the windows closed?" Na-Yeon retorts childishly, arms crossed over her chest.

"That's not the point," Gyeong-Su breathes out exasperatedly. "Is your own survival all that matters to you every waking moment?"

"I can't stand you, stupid welfie."

Your jaw almost drops at the rudeness, and with the dead silence that envelops the room, you're not the only one who deemed that slur to have been a low-blow.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

Gyeong-Su irritably shoves Na-Yeon down into a chair, and she plops like a rag doll from the sheer force of his anger.

Cheong-San is quick to hold Gyeong-Su back. "Stop it, that's enough."

"Did you—did you just push me?!" Na-Yeon points an accusing finger.

"Yeah, I did. So what? I dare you to say that one more time."

"Will you guys cut it out? Just what are you doing? As a teacher, what is this nonsense I'm seeing in front of me right now?" Ms. Park tries to settle the dispute, apparent tiredness seeping off of her at the whole ordeal.

"He just hit me."

"You started it by calling me a welfie first!"

"Well, was I wrong?"

You can see the veins popping out from Gyeong-Su's neck as Cheong-San jumps in for him. "How could you say that to him?"

"What's a welfie?" Ms. Park asks cluelessly. "Tell me." You've never seen your classmates this uncomfortable when trying to evade a question they didn't want to answer. "What is it? Just spit it out."

Beside you, Su-Hyeok hesitantly speaks up. "It means a person on welfare...'welfie' for short."

You see Ms. Park shake her head. "Na-Yeon, you were definitely in the wrong. Please refrain from saying that ever again." She turns back around, not nearly as disappointed at Gyeong-Su, but speechless all the same. "And you...if you try to get even with someone for saying that, then you're the one who ends up losing. You understand what I mean, right?"

"No," Gyeong-Su mumbles, pissed.

"Kids, we shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves already as we barely know what's going on—"

"Aren't these creatures zombies?" Su-Hyeok voices, even though everyone knows the upsetting answer to that.

Ji-Min moves toward Ms. Park as she rattles off questions in haste. "What about the other teachers? Where are they? Did you call the cops?"

"I'm sure someone has, Ji-Min," Ms. Park tries her best to reassure. "I don't have my phone with me."

"Seonsaengnim, we called both the police and first responders but no one's coming even with our detailed report," Cheong-San says dismally.

"They'll be here in no time, sooner or later. Let's all wait here a little longer."

The compromise from your teacher doesn't appear to fully convince everyone, but it placates the worries for the time being.

"Ms. Park," On-Jo begins. "Hyeon-Ju's hands were freezing, and so were I-Sak's before she..." Here, On-Jo looks away, sorrowfully. "What if everything started with Hyeon-Ju and went downhill from there?"

On-Jo is sharp, you'd have to give her that. You almost forgot about the aforementioned girl entirely, despite the crazy circumstances surrounding her and the scary allegations she spouted about the science teacher having locked her up.

"Do you think Mr. Lee had something to do with it? He's well-versed with viruses, not to mention Hyeon-Ju singled him out when she was still conscious."

Ms. Park changes the subject then, clearly uncomfortable to the point of redirecting the conversation, and you don't dwell on the matter further as no one else seems to.

"Oh, no," Hyo-Ryung exclaims. "Hyeon-Ju was moved to the hospital."

"Then maybe it already spread there too." Ji-Min looks out the window dejectedly.

"Perhaps that's why no one's coming for us at all."

"Let's not think so negatively so soon," Ms. Park encourages. "We'll find a way out of here."

"Hold on," Joon-Yeong interrupts, pointing to a monitor nearby. "This works, right?" He scrambles over to the table, almost frantic. "The internet!"

Rolling over a chair, Dae-Su pushes it in close enough for his friend to sit. "Here, Joon-Yeong."

"Thanks." As Joon-Yeong reboots the computer, Gyeong-Su shuffles over to the window, still offended, and you see Cheong-San gazing after his best friend, troubled, huffing out a sigh. "I hope this works. I mean, I'm assuming it will. Since this is meant for work, no wonder it's so slow. That, or maybe it has poor connection."

Everyone is antsy, crowding around the screen waiting for it to come on. Squished in like sardines, you're standing behind Joon-Yeong and peering over his head as the others lean on one another.

Due to the lack of room, Su-Hyeok ends up chest-to-back with you, both hands placed on the table on either side of you, effectively caging you in his arms. You try and fail to leave a semblance of space between the two of you, still embarrassed from earlier.

"Why? Aren't you enjoying this?" Su-Hyeok teases, only loud enough for you to hear, echoing what he asked Cheong-San previously.

You only elbow him in the ribs in response, but he just laughs and moves closer still, nearly breathing down your neck.

Joon-Yeong pulls up FaceBook per Dae-Su's request, and soon everyone is rapidly firing off suggestions as to what to search for, the words all jumbling and growing into crescendo.

There's a succession of clinks that exponentially grow louder until the closed window from earlier is smashed as it fragments, sending everyone currently huddled around the monitor to jump back toward the corner of the room in fright.

Su-Hyeok moves you behind his back protectively and beside you, Nam-Ra grabs your hand firmly to keep her own from shaking.

"What the hell was that?" A string of expletives tumbles from Dae-Su's mouth.

"Did someone not make it in? Who did we leave behind?" Wu-Jin questions, confused.

"No, no one. I'm certain we're all here..." Cheong-San trails off as he walks toward the window.

"Don't go! Cheong-San! Be careful!" Gyeong-Su warns, and you agree with him wholeheartedly even though you know nothing would make Cheong-San listen once he's set his mind on it. Before long, Gyeong-Su has stepped up as well, trying to figure out what caused the window to break. "It's just the wind!" he iterates, waving his hand loosely and airily to let everyone know it's nothing.

Right after Gyeong-Su says that though, out of nowhere, a zombie bursts in upside down and the sudden appearance causes Cheong-San to drop to the floor.

"It's coming in! Guys! Come back here!" Dae-Su bellows.

"Cheong-San! Gyeong-Su!" Ms. Park attempts to get the boys away from the window but doesn't dare to move.

Of course, Cheong-San doesn't heed the cautions and instantaneously clutches a mop within reach to use and fend off the zombie still swinging from the window.

"Push it away!" Su-Hyeok proposes.

"I'll help!"

Even with Gyeong-Su's and Cheong-San's combined efforts, the zombie doesn't budge, its foot caught in the hose rope.

"THE HAND! WATCH OUT!" Joon-Yeong practically screams in warning.

"What are you doing just standing there?!"

Su-Hyeok steps away from you and grabs the splintered mop handle from Cheong-San. You see him falter before stabbing the zombie, but his elbow winds up hitting Gyeong-Su square in the nose as he pulls his arm back.

"Well, we're fucked—and not in the good way," Dae-Su concedes.

"Push it away already!" Na-Yeon screeches from your right.

"Just force the zombie away and throw what's left of the mop along with it!" Wu-Jin directs.

Gyeong-Su clambers for nearly anything within reach in the vicinity and immediately zeroes in on the computer's system unit. Without a second thought, you see him hurl it with all his might toward the damaged window, effectively sending the zombie to take a plunge. "Fuck, that was scary."

Na-Yeon's eyes widen as he turns around. "Y—You..."

She points a shaky finger and you follow in its direction with your gaze.

"Your nose is bleeding," Cheong-San informs.

"Me?" Swiping the back of his hand across his nose proves Cheong-San and Na-Yeon right as a line of red now smears on his skin. "Aish, don't worry about it. Su-Hyeok bumped me by accident earlier in the struggle."

"Stand back and don't come closer." Na-Yeon tries to shirk as far away as possible, almost sinking into the wall behind her if she could. "You were bit, weren't you?"

"No, I wasn't! I told you what transpired! Everyone saw how it happened. Why do you keep picking on me?"

"Don't deny it! I-Sak got a nosebleed as well just before she turned."

"Na-Yeon, Gyeong-Su really did get hit in the face. I was watching them," you try to squeeze in but she simply disregards you and talks to On-Jo instead.

"On-Jo, you know it too. That's how I-Sak was prior to her turning."

"Gyeong-Su..." Ms. Park interjects before On-Jo can answer.

"Dammit! I swear on my life!"

"You won't have one for much longer!"

"Na-Yeon!" Ms. Park admonishes, evidently cross.

"His hand!" Na-Yeon's eyes blaze with suspicion as she turns to Gyeong-Su. "What's that mark on your hand?"

"The system unit's corner scraped me earlier when I hurried to toss it." All the other girls immediately step back, not swayed by the argument, and you're left in the front of the line. Regardless, you wouldn't have moved anyway. "Don't you trust me?" I was trying to save you all and this happened. How could you treat me like this?" Gyeong-Su's voice wavers between hurt and resentment.

Cheong-San reaches over to check Gyeong-Su's hand, and you also approach to look, not fearful. "This isn't a bite. It's a scratch."

"He's right. If it was a bite, we'd see twin rows of teeth marks."

Cheong-San nods your way. "Whoever else wants to check, can. We're one hundred percent sure."

Su-Hyeok sidles up beside you and upon inspection, verifies it as well. "It's true. That scratch looks harmless."

"Thank goodness you're fine, Gyeong-Su." Ms. Park pats him on the shoulder. "Just be wary of the wound."

"Satisfied?" Gyeong-Su stares Na-Yeon down. When she doesn't reply, he repeats with more emphasis, "I asked if you're satisfied?"

"Hmm I'm not. The computer's gone now," Joon-Yeong intones more so to himself than anyone else, and you would've found it more humorous had he not been so seriously down about the matter.

"The internet....Did you have to throw that out of all things?" Dae-Su jests.

"It was in the spur of the moment! I didn't really have time to think out my options unless you wanted the zombie to devour us."

"I'm saying you did good is all, Gyeong-Su. Don't get mad, I appreciate it." When Gyeong-Su doesn't reply, Dae-Su turns to Na-Yeon awkwardly. "Yah Lee Na-Yeon. Just say you're sorry and end this."

"Why should I?"

"Gyeong-Su helped us. Apologizing isn't so hard, is it now? When he saved our lives?"

"Me? Sorry?" Na-Yeon scoffs. "I saw everything clearly with my own two eyes. The zombie clutched his hand and injured it. For all we know he might've been infected already."

"That's enough," Ms. Park warns, still trying to stay neutral and civil.

"I'm right though, it really touched his hand."

"Does contact automatically equate to infection?" Cheong-San refutes.

"Who's to say that's not the mode of transmission?"

"I held I-Sak's hand when she fell and I'm completely fine."

On-Jo is pretty convincing when she wants to be and you just hope Na-Yeon drops the argument, since she tries to start a fight every chance she gets.

"He has a wound on his hand. The risk is different when it's an open one."

You groan to yourself and make way to sit next to Nam-Ra, the most sensible one in the room. Quarreling with Na-Yeon is like a bottomless pit; the debate just goes on in endless circles. The girl never knows how to compromise or admit when she's wrong.

"Why that—" Gyeong-Su lunges at Na-Yeon but Su-Hyeok and Cheong-San tug him back.

"Think about the facts before you start yelling at me."

"Lee Na-Yeon," Cheong-San says lowly. "I know you've always despised Gyeong-Su but whatever personal problems you have against him shouldn't be used to fuel your spat in a dire situation. This is completely different from you simply defaming him because now it deals with life and death."

"What does she know? She has no friends and she's always been like this," Ji-Min grumbles, not backing down even as Na-Yeon glares at her.

"Listen, if it wasn't for Gyeong-Su, we may as well all be dead," Su-Hyeok settles.

"Yeah, and now he might be the one to kill us."

Nam-Ra lays her head on your shoulder and you mirror her actions, leaning yours on the crown of her head as you both look back and forth with distaste at everyone forming an unnecessary rift.

"I'm about to die because of you," Wu-Jin grits out, side-eyeing Na-Yeon, peeved.

"All of you, quiet!"

"Seongsaengnim..." Na-Yeon drawls.

"Silence!"

"But she—"

"Stop!" Ms. Park holds her hand up and sighs. "How about this? Gyeong-Su, just stay in the recording room for ten minutes." At his displeased face, Ms. Park reasons with him, trying to pacify the conflict. "I know it'll be hard, but it's better than being suspected baselessly, yeah?"

"Not a single person in this room accuses me aside from Na-Yeon!"

"Please, Gyeong-Su?"

"Fine! Forget about the ten minutes. I'll stay for thirty or even an hour!"

"There's really no need for that as those infected don't even last five minutes before turning completely. Stop overreacting here, Gyeong-Su."

Cheong-San looks about annoyed as you feel at the situation.

"Let's be sure then," Gyeong-Su looks pointedly at Na-Yeon as Ms. Park turns to her.

"Will that do? That should be enough time. If nothing happens, then you'll sincerely apologize, right?"

"Yes, I'll say sorry then," Na-Yeon agrees, though you don't believe it.

"She won't," you voice bitterly. "Even if she's wrong, she won't."

"What is it now?" Na-Yeon gripes at you.

"You're already wrong."

You approach her and roll up your sleeve, seeing On-Jo giving you a look. Shaking your head imperceptibly, she understands that she shouldn't follow suit. Cheong-San also eyes you warily, knowing what you were about to do. Removing the bandage Su-Hyeok put on you earlier in the