A Meaningful Sacrifice || All of Us Are Dead

5. Reunion

Before we begin, I'd just like to thank everyone for all the love this fic has received. I'm still in shock at how popular it's gotten. Sending much love to you all! <3

...

Joonyeong crashes into Eomma's arms, clinging onto her tightly.

"Joonyeong-ah," she murmurs, stroking his hair. She rocks him slightly, whispering assurances in his ear as he sobs in relief. A taller-than-average woman, she's only an inch shorter than Joonyeong. Therefore it's easy for them to embrace one another fully. Eomma presses a much-needed kiss on the crown of Joonyeong's head, and he leans into her a little more. He lets himself remain in her embrace for about a minute longer before prying himself out of her grip.

"Oppa!" Soowi calls up to him, and Joonyeong looks down. Wiping his tears, he picks up his little sister, swinging her around in joy. Despite everything that's happened, his baby sister survived.

She survived.

"Soowi-ya!"

Joonyeong lets out a laugh of relief, smiling into Soowi's hair as he holds her close. Setting her down, he kneels in front of her, brushing imaginary dust off her arms to comfort her (and to make sure she's real). Taking her small hands into his larger ones, he asks, "How are you, really? Did you get hurt at all?"

The way Joonyeong speaks to Soowi is as though he's her father. He cares about this girl so much, he can't help but be concerned like that. Though Joonyeong isn't aware of how fatherly he's being, his friends can see just how devoted he is to his little sister—especially Woojin.

"Why do you smell so bad?" Soowi asks in return, and Joonyeong cringes. He doesn't know how he's going to explain to Eomma and Soowi that he's now a half-zombie. He fears that they'll judge him once he does.

"Later," he replies, standing up.

"Hi, Eomeoni," greets Daesu, bowing. Woojin does the same while Cheongsan and Suhyeok greet Eomma more formally. She goes over to the boys and gives them hugs, and she also gives a hug to Onjo and Hyoryung as well as Mijin and Hari. Joonyeong smiles at this, for he knows Eomma is the type to leave no one behind—even if she's had little interaction with Suhyeok and practically none with Hyoryung, Mijin, and Hari. As she gives hugs to everyone, Joonyeong is surprised to see Mijin sniffling, shedding a few tears as she holds onto Eomma the tightest. Hyoryung and Daesu are also among the group members who cry a bit, perhaps wishing their parents were here with them.

"How is everyone?" Eomma asks, genuinely concerned. "Are you guys okay?"

"We...we are," Onjo answers, her voice slightly tremulous. The tone of her voice suggests that she must be remembering her dad and how he rescued them. Suddenly, Joonyeong feels a little guilty for expressing his emotions so openly when she's still grieving over her father. Walking over to them, Onjo kneels down beside him and his sister.

"You remember unnie, right?" Joonyeong asks Soowi.

Soowi nods. "Hi, Onjo-unnie."

"Hi, Soowi," Onjo returns with a small smile.

While the two girls talk and Daesu and Woojin go over as well, Joonyeong takes Eomma to the side. He leads her far from the group, wishing to have an important discussion with her in private, out of earshot from the others.

"You don't know how happy I am to see you," he tells her with a watery smile, stopping near a looted pharmacy. Getting to the point, he asks, "How'd you get to Soowi?"

Eomma takes a deep breath, smoothing out her bloodstained lab coat. Briefly, Joonyeong wonders if she'll throw it away once they get to safety. It's so dirt-caked that it's beyond saving.