All Of Us Are Dead - Su Hyeok

12

I felt a sudden wave of dizziness as I tried to stand up, my vision blurring and my head throbbing with pain. He was on his feet in an instant, concern etched on his face as he reached out to steady me. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.

I sighed, the pain in my head making it hard to focus. "I sorta have a pain in my head," I admitted, accepting his offered hand. His grip was firm and reassuring, helping me regain my balance.

He guided me to a chair, his movements gentle and careful. Once I was seated, he moved to sit on the floor, his attention now focused on my head. "What are you doing?" I asked, curiosity piqued despite the pain.

"I'm gonna check to see if it's alright. Is that all right with you?" he asked, his gaze shifting away from me, a hint of nervousness in his voice. "Uh, sure I guess," I muttered, giving him a small nod of approval.

He reached out to touch my head, his fingers gently probing the tender area. I winced as a sharp pain shot through my skull, causing me to grunt in discomfort. He paused, his brow furrowed in thought. "It hurts when you stand but you still have some range of motion, which leads me to one conclusion," he said, his hand resting on his chin in a thoughtful gesture.

"I'm waiting for you to speak," I teased, trying to lighten the mood with a playful smile.

"You have a headache," he declared dramatically, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. I couldn't help but giggle at his antics, the sound of my laughter making a faint blush creep up on his cheeks.

His laughter echoed in the room, a light and comforting sound that eased the tension. He moved to sit on the desk, his posture relaxed. I followed suit, hoisting myself up to sit beside him. The pain in my head was still there, a dull throb that seemed to pulse with my heartbeat, but it was more bearable now.

"Thanks, Gyeong-su," I said, turning to look at him. A smile tugged at the corners of my lips, and I watched as a blush spread across his cheeks. He scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin on his face. "It is fine so don't mention it," he mumbled, his gaze shifting away.

He turned back to me, his expression serious. "Alright, I'm going to be here with you, Shinae. We will figure this out," he said, his voice firm and reassuring. I nodded, a small smile playing on my lips. "Yeah, we will," I echoed, my voice filled with determination.

I pushed myself off the desk, steadying myself as I started to walk towards the door. The room was silent, the only sound being the soft click of the door as it shut behind me. I turned around, my gaze sweeping over the room.

My eyes landed on Ms. Park, her stern gaze fixed on me. A chill ran down my spine, the sudden tension in the room palpable. "Ms. Park," I said, my voice steady despite the nervous flutter in my stomach. The room fell silent, all eyes turning to us.

"Ms. Park, lighten up and quit giving me those looks," I said, my voice steady.  She frowned, her lips pressed into a thin line. "Ji min told me about what you did while I wasn't here," she said, her voice cold and stern.

I raised an eyebrow, crossing my arms over my chest. "Oh, so you think I'm also insane for staying with Gyeong-su?" I asked, my tone laced with sarcasm. Her reaction was unexpected. Ms. Park suddenly bowed, her head lowered in what seemed like an apology.

I blinked, taken aback. "What are you doing?" I asked, my confusion evident in my voice.

"Thank you, for protecting them," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her words hung in the air, a silent testament to her gratitude.

I shook my head, uncomfortable with her display of gratitude. "Stop it. Get up and it is fine" I said, my voice firm.

She straightened up, her gaze meeting mine. "I'm sorry I was not a good teacher," she said, her voice filled with regret. Her words echoed in the silence, a stark reminder of the complex relationship we shared.

"I said to stop that ms park" I shouted, my voice echoing in the room. "You're always taking sides, even in class. Just quit it!" My words hung in the air, a stark contrast to the silence that followed. Ms. Park raised her head to look at me, her eyes wide with surprise. Gyeong-su gave a bitter smile, his gaze meeting mine.

"I don't need you to say that when you could have told something to her, but you just-" I started, my words cut off as I clenched my fist, the frustration evident in my voice. I felt Gyeong-su reach out to grab my hand, but I shook him off, pulling away from his touch.

"You are looking at me like I'm some insane person who needs help," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I looked down, my eyes stinging with unshed tears. I felt a lump in my throat, the words I wanted to say stuck and unspoken.

Suddenly, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see Ms. Park, her expression soft. "Shinae, you've had to be strong by yourself for a long time. We're your allies, you don't have to do things by yourself anymore," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. She pulled me into a hug, her arms warm and comforting.

"Just leave me alone now. I don't want your lies," I said, my voice steady despite the tears threatening to spill. I slowly pulled away from her embrace, turning away from everyone's gaze. "Fine," she said, her voice barely audible.

I reached out to grab a book and a pen that were nearby, my fingers brushing against the cool surface of the cover.

With a deep breath, I flipped open the journal to the first page. The blank paper stared back at me, a canvas waiting to be filled with my thoughts, fears, and experiences. I picked up the pen, its weight comforting in my hand, and began to write. I detailed the events of the past few hours, the fear, the chaos, the uncertainty, all of it etched in ink on the page. I ended the entry with my name, a silent testament to my existence in this tumultuous world.

"What are you writing?" Na yeon's voice broke the silence, her curiosity piqued. I paused, looking up at her. "I'm going to make a journal for the authorities to find once I'm dead or at least, it will serve as a memory," I replied, my voice steady despite the grim topic.

Her hand found mine, her fingers intertwining with mine in a comforting squeeze. She pulled me into a hug, her voice soft as she whispered, "We'll get out of this. I'm sure of it." I looked at her, an eyebrow raised in question. "You're right, but it's certain that some of us will die, and I don't know who," I said, my voice cold, a stark contrast to the warmth of her embrace. I pulled away, returning to my writing, the tears welling up in my eyes blurring the words on the page.

The room fell silent, the only sound being the scratch of my pen against the paper. I wrote about why I was going to the science room, the shock of finding Hyeon-ju among the zombies, the adrenaline-fueled fight for survival, and the desperate escape. Each word was a piece of the puzzle, a snapshot of the horror we were living in.