FLIA 6

“Oh, so… we’re not supposed to go in because it’s dangerous, right?”

Catching on to the warning at once, Yohan turned away. After trying three different buildings, he was finally allowed entry into one. Clutching his backpack strap tightly, Yohan stepped inside and cautiously swept his flashlight around the interior.

The building was practically a ruin. Dust had piled up thickly, and the worn-out furniture looked like it had been abandoned for decades. The calendar barely hanging on the wall was so tattered that its numbers seemed like ominous symbols.

“This place must be a really old zone.”

Muttering to himself, Yohan opened a drawer, only to find stacks of paper that had nearly disintegrated into dust. He exited. He needed to find the buildings that had fallen into the Abyss with him. Just in case, he asked Lee Hyunmook, but the man only hummed a tune, so Yohan had no choice but to search on foot. After three hours, he finally found something familiar.

“Ugh…”

Tears, long and stream-like, were still flowing from the corpse of the eyeball monster Lee Hyunmook had smashed. He recalled the advice Lee Hyunmook had given him while lucid: he usually got drinking water from monster eyes. As for food, he’d only said to eat whatever seemed edible, hardly helpful.

Aside from the reddish tint, the tears looked somewhat clear. But still, however spoiled it may sound, Yohan just couldn’t bring himself to drink something that looked like burst eyeball juice. Grimacing, he averted his eyes and passed by, but then his face suddenly lit up.

“A convenience store!”

Though the Abyss was dim, a dark red glow of sorts filtered down from the sky, making it easy to identify buildings by their outlines. Spotting the familiar colors of a convenience store sign, Yohan rushed toward it in hope. Lee Hyunmook trailed after him at a lazy pace, eyes fixed on him.

“There is food!”

Though the refrigerated and frozen items had rotted and stank, the other inventory seemed intact. Probably because no other survivors had been scavenging around here. Forcing himself to stay upbeat, Yohan began stuffing his bag with things like canned food. The bag quickly grew heavy, but his heart felt lighter. As he tightened the bulging strap and reached for high-calorie snacks like candy and jelly, it happened.

“Human, human.”

“Are you calling me?”

Startled, Yohan turned around. Apparently unable to remember his name, Lee Hyunmook had called out to him as “human,” then knocked the snacks Yohan had been holding out of his arms. Candy and jelly packets tumbled across the floor.

“Dirty.”

“They’re edible!”

Yohan scrambled to pick up the fallen packets, only for Lee Hyunmook to knock them out of his hands again.

“Dirty.”

“No…!”

They went back and forth a few more times, Yohan picking things up, Lee Hyunmook knocking them down. In the end, Yohan won. As he began stuffing the snacks inside his clothes for safekeeping, Lee Hyunmook simply watched in silence. Holding the goods protectively, Yohan warily said,

“And I’m not just ‘human,’ I’m Yang Yohan.”

“……”

Thankfully, Lee Hyunmook didn’t try to interfere further. Breathing a sigh of relief, Yohan moved on, casting a regretful glance back at the convenience store still full of supplies, then resumed searching for shelter. Fortunately, he soon found a building not far away, too small for monsters to hide in, but adequate to live in. There was even a space that could serve as a makeshift bathroom.

Lee Hyunmook slumped down near the only entrance and watched as Yohan cheerfully organized the food he’d gathered. Yohan stacked the cans with care, then, carrying his now-empty backpack, headed back to the convenience store. This time, his target was bottled water. If the caps were still sealed tight, it should be hygienic enough.

Unable to ask the barely communicative Lee Hyunmook to carry the load, Yohan lugged liters of water and drinks back himself, sweating profusely. Seeing one side of the room filled with food gave him a deep sense of satisfaction, and made him hungry.

“Should we eat dinner?”

The sky of the Abyss was always dark red, making it impossible to tell whether it was day or night. With time itself hard to track, Yohan decided to just call it dinner, since he was exhausted.

“We’ve gathered this much, so I think it’s okay if I eat just one can of ham, right?”

Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Yohan chose a familiar brand of canned ham and opened it, then tilted his head.

“Is this made of chicken breast or something?”

For some reason, instead of the usual pink, the meat looked oddly pale and white. But the surroundings were so dim, it was hard to tell for sure. Just in case, he sniffed it. No foul smell. Cautiously, he cut off a slice with his knife and took a bite. Thankfully, it didn’t seem spoiled. Though uneasy, hunger won out, and Yohan began slicing the ham into bite-sized pieces.

“It’s not much, but enjoy your meal.”

Adding a bit of humor, he placed half the ham on the lid and offered it to Lee Hyunmook. The man, who had eagerly eaten emergency rations earlier, now seemed oddly passive. After glancing at Yohan, he carefully sniffed the ham. Tilting his head a few times, he finally took a bite. Slowly, he chewed.

“Why are you looking at me like that…?”

Yohan asked nervously as he chewed his oily ham. Lee Hyunmook, swallowing a piece, looked back at Yohan with an unreadable expression, then ate another bite, still staring at him intently.

‘Did I do something wrong?’

Yohan, well aware of how erratic and violent the corrupted could be, grew increasingly anxious and looked away. Hastily swallowing his mouthful of ham, he reached for a jelly packet to change the subject.

“Do you want some jelly too?”

Tearing the packet open without much thought, Yohan immediately gagged at the surge of putrid stench.

“Ugh, what the hell is this?”

It wasn’t just rotten, it smelled horribly fishy and foul. Did it spoil because it was jelly? Frowning, Yohan peered into the bag, and dropped it in shock. What tumbled out looked like a squashed eyeball-shaped jelly. Or maybe a dead bug.

“H-Halloween jelly?”

In the dim lighting, it looked far too realistic. He had thought sugary foods would last longer, but the soft jelly had clearly spoiled. Appetite completely gone, Yohan tossed the whole packet outside. Only then did he realize Lee Hyunmook had stopped staring at him.

The water should be okay… right? Worried, Yohan opened a bottle. It smelled slightly musty, but otherwise seemed fine. He handed one to Lee Hyunmook, then crouched in a corner, hoping he wouldn’t get sick.

While hauling supplies from the convenience store, he’d been too busy to feel anything. Now, the looming despair returned. He sighed and glanced at Lee Hyunmook, who was still staring blankly into space. Looking at him, Yohan curled into himself.

‘I wish I had a sleeping bag.’

Because of the sudden nature of the descent into the Abyss, he hadn’t been able to bring any survival gear. He lay down on the cold, hard floor and closed his eyes. Just like that, another day passed.

*

Yohan had no idea how much time had passed when he woke up, rubbing his eyes. Thankfully, the food hadn’t upset his stomach. He wanted to wash, but with drinking water so scarce, hygiene was a luxury. Lee Hyunmook still sat just as he had yesterday, gazing into space. Yohan doubted he’d even moved, let alone slept.

“Um… did you sleep?”

He asked cautiously. A bit of light returned to Lee Hyunmook’s shadowed eyes. As if just now recognizing Yohan, he stared blankly for a moment and asked,

“A human?”

“Yes. But I’m not just any human, I’m Yang Yohan.”

Though he had told him his name yesterday, Lee Hyunmook seemed to have completely forgotten both his name and his existence. Still, Yohan wasn’t particularly hurt. He didn’t expect much from someone who was clearly unwell. He was just grateful Lee Hyunmook hadn’t hurt him and stayed by his side.

‘Corrupted or not, he’s still human.’

As he got up and headed to the makeshift bathroom, Yohan thought about it. Without Lee Hyunmook, he would never have found the strength to survive this hell. He probably would’ve lost his mind and been corrupted in no time.

‘Come to think of it, when exactly does the corruption begin?’

After relieving himself, Yohan examined his body under flashlight, checking for rashes, boils, or blemishes. There were no alarming symptoms, just a few scratches he hadn’t noticed before. One gash on his shin was particularly large, dried blood crusting around it, likely from being stabbed by something. But other than that, he was fine.

He felt anxious and depressed, but figured that was normal given the circumstances. Forcing himself to a positive conclusion, Yohan began rifling through the convenience store supplies.

“Hmm… guess I should start with the emergency rations.”

Compared to the canned food, the emergency rations weren’t ideal for long-term storage. Still, he cooked up a simple meal and shared it with Lee Hyunmook. Perhaps because of his generosity, Yohan felt like the madman was growing somewhat fond of him. There was still no conversation, but maybe.

After they finished eating, Yohan suddenly had nothing to do. He sat idly, time slipping by, until an important thought occurred to him.

‘Wait… wasn’t there a hospital building within the range swallowed by the Abyss?’

The entire area, including Yohan himself, had dropped into the Abyss intact. The convenience store was damaged, but its contents remained untouched. That meant the hospital’s medical supplies might still be usable.

“Food’s important, but so are meds. If we get sick, it’s over… right?”

Seeking agreement from the silent madman, Yohan sprang to his feet. The truth was, he just needed a goal to keep from sinking into despair. As Yohan stepped outside, Lee Hyunmook, who had been crouched by the entrance, got up and followed at his usual sluggish pace.