(All of Us Are Dead AU)

The world had ended in blood and screams.

The once-lively school hallways were now filled with the echo of distant, guttural growls. Broken windows let in a cold wind that carried the stench of decay, mixing with the iron scent of fresh blood. Desks were overturned, papers scattered, and the walls were smeared with red handprints.

The outbreak had been sudden, ruthless. One moment, students were gossiping and laughing; the next, they were running, screaming, being torn apart by their own friends.

Kyung-jun and Minji had been among the lucky few who made it out of the classrooms before the infection spread. Now, they were trapped in the science lab with a small group of survivors, barricading the door with overturned tables while the monsters outside clawed and thrashed against the wood.

Kyung-jun held his baseball bat tightly, his knuckles turning white. His heartbeat was so loud in his ears that he barely heard the others arguing in the background. All he cared about was her.

Minji sat beside him, her arms wrapped around herself. She was shaking, her black hair falling messily over her face, her school uniform stained with blood that wasn't her own.

She wasn't hurt. He had made sure of that.

But she was terrified. And Kyung-jun hated that.

He couldn't protect her from this nightmare.

"Are you okay?" he whispered, leaning closer so only she could hear.

Minji nodded numbly, though the look in her eyes said otherwise. "I—I'm fine."

Liar.

Kyung-jun knew her too well. She was not fine. But what could he do? There was no escaping this hell.

He sighed, reaching out to gently cup her face, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Hey. Look at me."

She hesitated before obeying, her brown eyes glassy with unshed tears.

"I'm not gonna let anything happen to you," he promised, his voice firm, his thumb brushing against her cheek. "You hear me? You stick with me, and we'll make it out of this."

Minji bit her lip, gripping his wrist like a lifeline. "But what if we don't?"

His stomach twisted at her words, but he refused to let doubt show on his face. Instead, he leaned forward and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her forehead.

"Then we go down together."

The barricade wasn't going to hold much longer.

The zombies outside slammed against the door, their grotesque faces pressed against the glass, teeth gnashing hungrily. The wood splintered, cracks spreading like a spiderweb.

"We need to move—now," Seungbin, one of their classmates, said urgently.

Kyung-jun tightened his grip on Minji's hand. "Stick close to me."

They burst into the hallway, the door behind them giving way as a swarm of infected students came pouring through.

Screams. Chaos. Blood.

Kyung-jun swung his bat, smashing it into a zombie's head. The sickening crack of bone breaking filled the air. Minji was right behind him, her small hands gripping a pair of scissors she had grabbed earlier, her breath ragged with fear.

"Run!"

They sprinted down the hallway, dodging bodies and pools of blood. Some of their classmates weren't fast enough—Minji heard their screams, heard the way they were tackled to the ground, heard the wet, sickening sounds of flesh being torn apart.

But she couldn't stop.

She couldn't look back.

Kyung-jun yanked her forward, leading her up the stairs toward the rooftop exit. "Almost there!"

Just as they reached the top—

A zombie lunged from the shadows, grabbing Minji's arm.

She screamed.

Kyung-jun snapped.

Rage, pure and unfiltered, exploded in his chest. He swung his bat so hard that the zombie's skull shattered on impact, the body collapsing in a heap. Then, without thinking, he grabbed Minji and pulled her into his arms.

His breathing was ragged, his entire body trembling. "Are you hurt?" His voice was barely a whisper, filled with panic.

Minji shook her head quickly. "No, I—I don't think it scratched me."

He exhaled shakily, forehead pressing against hers. "Don't scare me like that," he murmured.

She let out a small, nervous laugh. "I didn't exactly plan it."

Kyung-jun wanted to keep her in his arms forever. To shield her from all of this. But they didn't have time.

They climbed to the rooftop, slamming the door shut behind them.

For now, they were safe.

But the city below them was burning.

And the nightmare was far from over.

Night fell.

The rooftop was eerily quiet except for the distant groans of the undead and the occasional crackle of fire in the distance. The city—their home—was gone.

Kyung-jun sat with his back against the railing, Minji curled up beside him, her head resting on his shoulder.

He could feel her breathing, feel the warmth of her against him. It was the only thing grounding him in this horrific reality.

"Do you think there's still hope?" she asked softly.

Kyung-jun was silent for a long time before answering.

"I don't know."

Minji closed her eyes. "If we get out of this... what's the first thing you want to do?"

He turned his head, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. "Take you somewhere safe. Somewhere far away from all this."

She smiled faintly, snuggling closer. "You make it sound so easy."

"It's not. But I'd do anything for you, Minji. Even if it kills me."

She lifted her head to look at him. "Don't say that."

Kyung-jun sighed, brushing her hair away from her face. "I mean it. If it comes down to me or you—"

"I won't let you sacrifice yourself," she cut him off, her voice suddenly fierce.

His lips twitched in a small, sad smile. "Then we survive together."

Minji nodded.

Kyung-jun wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. The world around them was ending. They had no idea what tomorrow would bring.

But for now, in this moment, they had each other.