𝙎𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙧 (Gwi-Nam x Cheong-san)

Three

I walk around a corner, looking around for a cupboard of some sort that might hold some food for the two of us. If there was a zombie, I hoped that it would be a stupid and slow zombie.

A noise startles me as I hear something fall to the floor and shatter. I whip my head in the direction of the noise.

I look around but there's no one there. Creepy..I wanted to run back and ask him to come with me, but I didn't want him to think that I wasn't capable of doing this one single thing.

There's a small noise again. And again..there's nothing visible to be making the noise. I decided to go back and say I couldn't look by myself because there were heavy things that I needed to look under.

I turned back and went around the corner.

A sharp turn and he's right behind me, a new scar livid and red on his face, forcing his eye closed. I scream and drop the bat. 

"Are you okay?" He asks. 

"Yeah. Just jumpy." God, why do I always make a fool of myself? Get it together, Cheong-san!

"I get it. Does the scratch look that bad?" I look at the source of my earlier alarm.

"I didn't- well, I didn't mean.." He holds up a hand. 

"I've looked at it in the bathroom. Stop forgetting who I am. You'll feel less bad," Gwi-Nam says, walking away. "and I found some snacks. And drinks. Come eat."

"Coming." I answered. I did know what people said about him. About what he'd done out of anger. The less than perfect person he'd become. 

If I had to take a wild guess, this post-apocalypse Gwi-Nam is a shadow of who he used to be. Caring. Strong. A leader instead of a follower who will do anything to keep riding on the coat tails of the stronger ones. When I arrive, he is waiting at a booth. 

"Here, eat. These ones," He indicates a certain kind of snacks that he must have acquired from a hiding place, "go bad quickly, so I figured we should eat them now so we can avoid wasting food." I nodded and accept the food without looking him in the eye. 

I took a bite, savoring the food. I sneak glance up at Gwi-Nam, who is eating, wincing occasionally as his facial muscles stretch and irritate his scratch.

I'm trying to think up things to say. But his face doesn't allow for small talk, and I am not the best at starting conversations. His handsome face isn't marred by the scar, strangely enough. He looks lost in thought, probably thinking about his friends and family. 

I don't ever let myself think about mine. I know that my family and friends are strong people. They really are. But I had considered myself strong until Gwi-Nam made it obvious that I was not. 

It made me wonder. Why had he chosen to save me when he could have used the distraction to escape the building and hide out here in the first place? I couldn't ask him, in the end. But I make a note to ask him after I finish my food.

Assuming I can look him in his face for more than a moment before then.