Apocalypse: Apparently, I Can See Zombies

"Jin, watch out!"

Seong yelled and suddenly jumped in front of Jin-woo, however, the zombie passed right through him as it lunged at Jin-woo.

Jin-woo was caught off guard, but his instincts kicked in and he retreated a few steps before pulling out the gun from his waist and in one quick motion pulled the trigger. The sound of the bullet leaving the gun bounced off the walls of the classroom as it pierced the zombie's forehead.

Thud!

Jin-woo quickly moved to the side as the zombie's body landed on the ground and slid due to its forward momentum.

Seong looked at the zombie on the ground and clenched his fists.

"Damn it, you almost got bitten and I couldn't even do anything. I really hate this."

Jin-woo looked away from the body. It was that of a male student who was no older than himself. Burying the complicated feelings in his chest, he then blew on the barrel of the gun and waved it a few times before sticking it back into his waist. While tightening the string around the waist of his P.E. shorts, Jin-woo shot a glare at Seong and said reprimandingly.

"You better be thankful you're like that, what were you thinking suddenly jumping in front of me out of nowhere? Have you forgotten that I'm the one who knows how to fight?"

This was one of the few things that would cause the two to have disagreements and even sometimes full-blown fights where they don't talk to each other, though not for more than a day.

Just as Jin-woo had become dependent on Seong in their relationship, Seong had also become extremely protective of him which extended far beyond just helping Jin-woo with his illness.

At times Seong would become slightly overbearing in his care even neglecting his own interests, which would cause Jin-woo to become conflicted because he was feeling that Seong was going too far, but at the same time he was the very one who so deeply depended on him.

Every time Jin-woo would bring up the topic that Seong didn't need to go so far for him, Seong's response would always be, to varying degrees, 'he was just looking out for him and didn't want anything bad happening to him.'

Which was frustrating for Jin-woo because it also felt like Seong was validating his shortcomings that resulted from his illness.

The entire reason why Jin-woo was so focused on athletics to the point of joining multiple clubs in middle school, was because it was his struggling attempt to make up for those shortcomings his schizophrenia caused.

However, Seong, being so protective as if he couldn't walk outside without falling down and scraping his knee, invalidated all of his struggles to feel in control of some aspects of his life.

But despite how upset this made Jin-woo feel, he found it hard to voice since denying Seong's help felt just as worse, maybe even more so.

So, more often than not when this topic came up, the two of them would aimlessly but-heads because of their own pent-up frustration of the other.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Seong pursed his lips at Jin-woo's words. Regardless of anything, he could not sit still if he saw Jin-woo harmed in any way. But Jin-woo walked over to him and flicked his forehead.

Seong grunted in complaint but suddenly said.

"You just crossed who knows how many dimensions just to flick your best friend's forehead."

"You can still make a joke in this situation?"

Jin-woo shot Seong another glare before he turned to peek out the door. After looking down the two halls and seeing them empty he said.

"We should hurry. It seems like the zombies are starting to reach the lower floors."

"Wait a second, you forgot the cigarettes."

Seong said before Jin-woo could step out the door.

"Huh? What cigarettes?"

Jin-woo turned to look at Seong with a confused expression.

"Don't you remember? Seo-joon's cigarettes."

The confusion faded from Jin-woo's face, and he recalled Seo-joon indeed asked him to grab a pack of cigarettes from his backpack. However, he scowled and said.

"That bastard should come grab it himself if he wants it."

Jin-woo got ready to leave once again, but Seong hurriedly said.

"Jin, he did give you the key for the gun in exchange for the cigarettes."

Hearing that, Jin-woo looked down at the gun tucked in his waist and hesitated slightly. However, he suddenly realized something, and he turned to look at Seong with a strange expression.

"Why does it sound like you're looking out for him?"

"No, that's…"

Seong's words suddenly trailed off, and he glanced away from Jin-woo's gaze. But after a moment he said.

"Look, Jin, Seo-joon isn't really a bad person, he's just… just…"

Seong's words trailed off again before he rubbed the back of his head.

"You can't even make up an excuse for him. But why are you trying to? Seong, are you forgetting how much he tormented us back in middle school? He even swapped out my pills which almost gave me a seizure, and when he was caught he just denied it was him."

"Ah, you see, the reason he was bullying us was so he could get my attention. Sorry, that's my fault. But for that accident, I don't think he was responsible."

Jin-woo frowned upon hearing that. Not because of Seong's second sentence. He too had doubted whether Seo-joon was the one who switched his pills or not. He could still recall when Seo-joon was called into the principal's office and his shocked expression when he found out.

Jin-woo had even seen a bit of panic and worry in his eyes when he looked at him.

However, all the doubt Jin-woo had that Seo-joon might not have been the one was thrown out the window after rumors about his illness began to spread right after he came back. But he wasn't surprised Seong had the same thought he initially had, rather he was confused about the former part of Seong's sentence.

Thinking back to when Seo-joon was told about his medication being swapped, Jin-woo recalled an insignificant detail he had observed during that time. Seo-joon had briefly glanced at Seong who was next to him in the office as if he was assessing his reaction.

Jin-woo thought it was nothing at first and treated it like all the other small details he tended to hyper-fixate on, but now he didn't think so.

"Seong, what do you mean he was trying to get your attention?"

Seong hesitated for a moment then opened his mouth to speak, but upon seeing the confused expression on Jin-woo's face, he closed his mouth and looked away.

Jin-woo upon seeing this, paused for a moment before he suddenly turned and walked back to the shelves where the backpacks were.

After taking out the pack of cigarettes from Seo-joon's backpack and placing it inside his drawstring bag, he walked back over to Seong and grabbed his hand.

"Let's go, we've wasted too much time already."

Jin-woo said as he glanced out the door before hurrying out.

"Jin-"

Seong tried to say, but Jin-woo interrupted him.

"It's fine, you don't need to explain anything. Even if you asked me for my heart I would give it to you without hesitation, much less trying to make up with that bastard."

Seong's face suddenly changed upon hearing that and he said seriously.

"I wouldn't ask for it even if I was dying for a second time, so don't say something so ominous. Do you know how many red flags you would have triggered if we were in a movie?"

Jin-woo chuckled at that before he let go of Seong's hand and squatted down at a corner.

Both youths peeked around the corner to check for zombies, but Seong with a face full of doubt suddenly asked in a low whisper.

"Wait Jin, what you said just now about you giving me your heart, you weren't actually talking about love, right? Remember I'm a ghost, how would we even date?"

Jin-woo shot Seong a peculiar look before he left the corner in a crouched position. Shaking his head, he then said without looking back. Stay connected with empire

"Wouldn't you have to think about Mai-sun's feelings first before thinking about how we would date?"

"W-WHAT?!"

Seong, who was mimicking Jin-woo's crouched position, immediately straightened his back and let out a frightened yell. Thankfully, he was just a ghost, or he would have alerted every zombie on the second floor.

Rushing to catch up with Jin-woo, Seong said begrudgingly.

"Jin, I really won't forgive you if you let it slip that I'm still in this world. If you do and that girl starts stalking me again, I won't ever forgive you!"

Jin-woo wanted to laugh after hearing the fear in Seong's voice, but he couldn't due to the situation he was in. Lowering his voice he said.

"I'll try, but don't blame me if I accidentally respond to you in front of her and she asks me about it."

Seong's mouth suddenly clamped shut.

Jin-woo did his best not to burst out laughing, as he and Seong made their way down the stairs to the first floor and headed to the security station.