Plague 2023 (Plague 2022 Season 2)

Episode 22

WOUNDS OF THE FORGOTTEN

The present
April 2023

In the dim light of the convenience store, Yuri awoke with a start, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Her heart pounded furiously in her chest as beads of sweat trickled down her face. She blinked rapidly, trying to shake off the remnants of the nightmare that clung to her mind.

She glanced around, taking in her surroundings. The store, now a makeshift sanctuary, was eerily quiet. Eunhye lay curled up next to her, sleeping peacefully despite the turmoil they had faced. Hailey and Su-yeong were nestled together on the floor, their bodies forming a protective cocoon. Jaeyeon and Sae Joon Hyun sat propped up against each other's backs, their exhaustion evident in their relaxed, albeit strained, postures. Yon and Eugene were huddled close, their heads resting on one another in a display of weary camaraderie.

Yuri’s breath hitched again as the memories surged back with vivid clarity. She recalled the terrifying escape from the burning zombies, the frantic rush to find safety, and the chaotic collapse of the house. The memories of their separation before the harrowing encounters in the white building, and the desperate struggle to reunite all came flooding back.

“I remember. I remember it now...” Yuri whispered, her voice barely more than a breath. She clutched the blanket tightly around her shoulders, its rough texture grounding her in the present. The blanket had been salvaged from the store’s home decor section, a small comfort amidst the chaos.

As Yuri continued to mutter to herself, her words barely audible, Eunhye stirred beside her. She blinked away the remnants of sleep and rubbed her eyes with one hand before propping herself up with the support of her right arm. “Seonsangnim? Are you alright?” she asked, her voice filled with concern.

“Uh… yeah… I… Eunhye, I…” Yuri stammered, her gaze darting anxiously.

Eunhye’s worry deepened as she took in Yuri’s frantic demeanor. “What is it? Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, her voice rising in urgency.

Without waiting for a reply, Yuri scrambled out of her resting place, shuffling against the blanket she had been using. Eunhye followed closely, her concern evident. Yuri moved quickly to Jaeyeon, shaking him awake with an urgency that startled him. Jaeyeon jolted upright, his confusion turning to alarm as he saw Yuri’s intense expression. He instinctively recoiled, causing him to topple sideways onto Sae Joon Hyun, who in turn fell onto his side.

“Dude, what’s going on?” Sae Joon Hyun groaned, trying to right himself.

“She scared me,” Jaeyeon said, his voice laced with fear.

Sae Joon Hyun glanced up and saw Yuri’s dark hair fanned out around her like a shroud. Her eyes were wide with concern as she stared at Jaeyeon.

“Uh, Seonsangnim? Are you okay?” Sae Joon Hyun asked, his voice tinged with concern.

“No… Jaeyeon… is he okay? Are you okay, Jaeyeon?” Yuri asked, her voice trembling as she crouched down to their level.

“Uh, yeah…” Jaeyeon replied, pushing himself back as he tried to regain his composure. He only ended up sliding upward on Sae Joon Hyun’s chest, his discomfort palpable.

“Dude, relax. She’s just worried,” Sae Joon Hyun said, trying to help Jaeyeon sit up properly by gripping his shoulders.

“Yeah, but it’s scary. Gosh,” Jaeyeon admitted, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He looked at Yuri, trying to steady himself. “I’m fine, Seonsangnim.”

Yuri let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “Good lord… I’m glad,” she said, though her voice still carried an edge of concern.

“Why are you acting like this all of a sudden?” Eunhye asked, placing a hand gently on Yuri’s shoulder.

“I just remembered what happened before we were separated, Eunhye,” Yuri explained, her voice catching. “I remember everything now… how we got drifted apart and everything else that happened. Jaeyeon’s wound as well.”

“My wound? What wound?” Jaeyeon asked, sitting cross-legged on the floor, his legs folded in a butterfly style as he tried to make sense of the situation.

Yuri began recounting the events, detailing their harrowing experiences and the state of Jaeyeon’s injury. As she spoke, Jaeyeon, Sae Joon Hyun, and Eunhye listened intently, absorbing the gravity of her words.

Hailey, now waking up to the commotion, turned on the convenience store lights. Her face was etched with fear as she wrapped herself tightly in the velvet red blanket, her eyes wide with concern. “Then that means he’s not normal, isn’t he?” she said, her voice trembling as she overheard the conversation.

“What? No. I’m fine,” Jaeyeon protested, though his discomfort was evident. It was clear that Hailey hadn’t intended to eavesdrop, but her sudden wakefulness had caught her up in the unfolding drama.

The flickering convenience store lights stirred Hamin, Su-yeong, and Eugene from their restless slumber. Hamin, groggy and disoriented, rubbed his eyes and squinted at the source of the commotion. “Hailey? What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice thick with sleep as he shuffled towards her.

“Jaeyeon Hyeong… is probably not human anymore…” Hailey’s words were filled with an edge of hysteria.

Hamin, now fully awake and trying to make sense of the situation, blinked in confusion. “What?” he asked, struggling to grasp the gravity of Hailey’s claim.

Hailey’s distress was palpable as she continued, her voice rising. “Oh my god, Hailey. I’m fine, seriously. I mean, if I was a zombie, I would have turned long ago, you know? Also, Yuri Seonsangnim, why do you even remember such a thing anyway? I myself forgot about the wound or whatever…”

Yuri looked pained as she tried to explain. “I don’t know what happened… but my mind suddenly recollected what had occurred…”

“Doesn’t matter!” Hailey screamed, her voice breaking with the force of her frustration.

“Hey! Calm down. Stop screaming,” Eugene interjected, his voice firm but calm.

“Calm down? How can I calm down! When we found out about Yon, Sae Joon Hyun Hyeong and these guys made such a big deal out of it. But now that it’s one of their friends, they don’t want to do anything about it? Jaeyeon is not a normal human anymore! He has a bubbling wound! Bubbling! That’s not normal!” Hailey’s voice cracked under the strain of her distress, her emotions pouring out uncontrollably.

“A bubbling wound? There are several reasons that could cause that,” Yon said, trying to offer some scientific perspective. “Friction, freezing, burning, infection, and even chemical burns can cause blisters to fill with serum. It’s not necessarily a sign of something sinister.”

“Stop it! Why does no one want to listen to me? This might not be just a blister, Yon!” Hailey’s frustration mounted as she pleaded for validation.

“Wow, deja vu,” Eugene said, standing up and facing Hailey with a blend of irritation and sympathy. “Sweetie, look,” he began, his voice low and controlled. “We just reunited with everyone. I don’t want any kind of chaos or drama right now. Please. Control your emotions and theories.” His gaze was steady, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to Hailey’s agitation. His simple, yet forceful presence seemed to quiet her.

Hailey, visibly chastened, fell silent. Her emotions, once fierce, now settled into a more subdued state, though her fear and concern were still evident.

Sae Joon Hyun, observing the dramatic shift in Eugene’s demeanor, couldn’t help but reflect on the Eugene he knew versus the one before him now. The stark contrast left him questioning what had transpired in the time they had been apart, and how these changes had affected their dynamic.

The room, once filled with tension and fear, now fell into an uneasy quiet as everyone grappled with the emotional turbulence and the looming uncertainty of their situation.