THE SURVIVORS' INTRODUCTION

In the dimly lit convenience store, Minji's heart pounded against her chest as she faced the motley crew of survivors.

"Reporter," Sae Joon Hyun replied, his voice tinged with exhaustion.

"Professor," Yuri chimed in, her eyes betraying a weariness that seemed to stretch beyond mere physical fatigue.

"Idol," Eunhye offered, her vibrant aura now contrast to the horrors they had witnessed.

"Detective," came the gruff voice of Jaeyeon, his words laced with the sharp edge of skepticism.

"Scientist," In-Ha stated, her expression a mixture of resignation and determination.

Minji's mind raced as she tried to piece together the puzzle before her. She recognized some of them immediately, but suspicion still gnawed at the edges of her consciousness. How had they all come together, and why?

Her question hung in the air, unanswered until Sae Joon Hyun finally spoke, his voice muffled by his arm.

"Airport in America. In-ha in Korea."

Minji's brow furrowed in confusion, but she refrained from pressing further. It seemed Sae Joon Hyun was the designated spokesperson, and she knew better than to disrupt the fragile balance of their group dynamics.

Yon's sudden excitement broke the tension, his youthful energy a stark contrast to the heaviness of the room.

"I know you guys!" he exclaimed, bounding towards them. "Eunhye Noona is an Idol, and Hyeong is a reporter. And you are the renowned scientist, Miss In-ha!"

Minji nodded, acknowledging the familiarity of their roles, but her suspicion lingered.

Sae Joon Hyun's inquiry about his status as a student pulled him back into the conversation, and he offered a tentative reply.

"Maybe only a year or two younger than you," he admitted looking up at Yon.

The exchange continued, each member of the group revealing a fragment of their past and their present circumstances. Yon's mention of Eugene and his friends, the only other survivors they had encountered, added another layer of complexity to their situation.

As they discussed their plans to investigate the school, Minji's mind raced with questions. How had they all survived? When had this nightmare begun? And most importantly, why?

The realization that their experiences differed in terms of timing only added to the confusion. Had they been trapped in this nightmare for days, weeks, or even months?

Eunhye's question about their origins only served to deepen the sense of unease that permeated the room. Each revelation painted a picture of a world plunged into chaos, with no clear beginning or end in sight.

As they contemplated the unknown, the gravity of their situation settled over them like a suffocating shroud. In the now darkness of the room, illuminated only by the flickering light of a lone candle, they were bound together by fear, uncertainty, and the desperate hope for answers that seemed forever out of reach.

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[Location: Seoul central school, South Korea
Classroom C]

In the eerie stillness of the abandoned school hallway, Hailey and Zera fought against the relentless onslaught of creatures clawing at the classroom door. With every thud and scrape, their resolve wavered, but they knew they couldn't afford to give in to fear.

"Hailey, we should leave this school soon," Zera urged, her voice strained with effort as she braced herself against the door.

Hailey's brow furrowed in determination as she countered, her own struggles mirroring Zera's. "I get what you're saying, but we need to make sure outside is safe before we make a move."

Yohan, ever the pragmatist, interjected with a suggestion. "Let's go to the store close to our school building. It has food and mattresses as well. We can fortify ourselves there while we figure out our next steps."

Yunha, weary but resolute, nodded in agreement. "I don't see why not. It's better than staying trapped here."

With a plan in place, they redoubled their efforts, using every ounce of strength to keep the door from yielding to the relentless pressure outside. Each passing moment felt like an eternity as they struggled to maintain their precarious hold on safety.

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[Location: Seoul South Korea
Unknown convenience store]

"Everyone chose this store," Yon remarked with a chuckle, breaking the tension that had settled over them like a suffocating blanket. His words brought a collective sigh of relief from the group, a momentary reprieve from the constant fear that gripped their hearts.

They glanced at each other, their faces illuminated by the faint glow of their flashlights, and smiled. In the midst of darkness and despair, Yon's lightheartedness was a beacon of hope, a reminder that even in the face of unimaginable horror, they could still find moments of levity.

Maybe Yon was exactly what they needed—a ray of sunshine amidst the storm, a source of strength and optimism to keep them from feeling defeated. His infectious laughter and unwavering optimism served as a reminder that they were not alone in this fight, that as long as they stood together, they could overcome even the darkest of trials.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

[Location Seoul central school, South Korea
Classroom B]

The classroom was shrouded in an oppressive silence, broken only by the faint sound of labored breathing and the occasional thud of fists against tiles. Yunha, her movements slow and deliberate, relinquished her hold on the door, her eyes scanning the room with a sense of resignation. With tentative steps, she approached the window, her movements cautious as if afraid of disturbing the eerie calm that enveloped the room.

Peering outside, Yunha let out a weary sigh, her breath forming a mist against the cold glass. As she sank down against the wall beneath the window, a sense of despair washed over her, weighing heavy on her shoulders like a burden too great to bear. Across the room, Zera's frustration boiled over, her fist meeting the unforgiving tiles with a resounding thud.

"Ugh, don't breathe," Hailey whispered urgently to Yohan, her voice barely above a whisper as she nudged him gently.

Yohan, taken aback by her sudden admonition, furrowed his brow in confusion. "Huh? What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know. They'll hear you breathing," Hailey replied, her voice strained with anxiety.

"I don't breathe that loud," Yohan retorted, his frustration evident.

"Ugh. I am just so..." Hailey trailed off, her words lost in the suffocating silence that filled the room.

"No, it's alright," Yohan reassured her, his voice a faint whisper in the darkness.

But Zera's voice shattered the fragile peace, her desperation evident in every word. "It's not."

As Yunha and Hailey worked together to barricade the door, their movements fueled by a desperate need for protection, Yohan made a bold move towards the window. With determination in his eyes, he grasped the sill, his heart pounding in his chest as he prepared to make his plan come to reality.

Without hesitation, Yohan leaped out of the window, his figure disappearing into the darkness below. Hailey's cry of alarm filled the room as she dashed towards the window, her heart pounding in her chest.

But as she peered outside, her eyes widened in horror as they met a chilling sight—a hanging figure suspended from the window sill. Hailey's breath caught in her throat as she stumbled back, her mind reeling with fear.

"He is fine," Yunha said quietly, her voice a faint whisper in the darkness as she gently shook Hailey's shoulder.

Hailey looked out again, her eyes focusing on Yohan's figure hanging precariously from the window. "Y-Yohan! What are you doing? Are you okay?" she called out, her voice trembling with emotion.

Yohan nodded, his movements slow and deliberate as he navigated the treacherous path before him. With trembling hands, he reached out for the pipe, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he fought to maintain his grip.

But disaster struck as his right hand slipped, sending him plummeting towards the ground below. Hailey's scream pierced the air as she watched in horror, her heart pounding in her chest. Her scream invited the loud banging on the door, creatures eager to devour the source of the sound in a flash. Zera held onto the barricaded door with all her strength, leaning her entire body over it, not allowing a single one of them to pass in.

"I'm fine, Hailey Noona," Yohan called out, his voice strained with effort as he struggled to regain his footing.

With a Herculean effort, Yohan managed to pull himself up, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he clung to the pipe for dear life. With trembling hands, he lowered himself down to the window of the classroom below, his movements slow and deliberate as he sought to escape the horrors that lurked outside.

As Yohan finally made it to safety, a sense of relief washed over the room, their collective fear giving way to gratitude for his daring escape. But their respite was short-lived, as Zera's plea for help reminded them of the dangers that still lurked just beyond the door.

With a renewed sense of purpose, Yunha rushed to Zera's side, their hands working together to reinforce their barricade.

Yohan cautiously cracked open the classroom door, peering out into the dimly lit corridor. The coast appeared clear, but he knew the creatures were likely lurking upstairs.

"Of course... they're all upstairs anyway," he muttered to himself, eyes fixed on the extinguisher. With a determined nod, he stepped out of the classroom, sweat trickling down his face and neck. Silently, he made his way towards the extinguisher, his movements cautious and deliberate.

Pulling it out, he rushed upstairs towards where the girls were barricaded. The creatures turned towards him, their eyes gleaming with malice as he approached. With a swift motion, he pulled out the pin and aimed the nozzle at the approaching figures, unleashing a burst of pressure that sent them stumbling backwards.

"COME ON OUT, QUICK!" he shouted, urging the girls to make their escape. Yunha sprang into action, pushing aside the desks blocking the door as Hailey and Zera scrambled to join her.

"You should have told us you'd be taking us out from here. We wouldn't have pushed in so many desks," Zera yelled at him, frustration evident in her voice.

"I'm sorry, okay, Noona? Let's go now," Yohan replied, his urgency driving them onwards. As they descended the stairs, their footsteps echoed in the empty halls, drawing the attention of the creatures below.

Stopping at the sight of the creatures emerging from the floor above, Yohan pulled out the pin once more, aiming the extinguisher at the approaching horde. The pressure from the nozzle sent the creatures reeling backwards, allowing them to make their escape.

Panting heavily, they burst through the main doors and out into the open, their eyes fixed on the convenience store ahead.

"AH!" Zera cried out suddenly, causing Yohan to whirl around.

"What? What is it? Stop screaming," he scolded her.

"The lights in the store are switched on," Zera whispered, her voice barely audible over their racing hearts.

"Who could it be?" Yohan gulped nervously, his eyes darting towards the illuminated storefront.

"Can't say it's not... them, you know," Hailey responded, her voice tinged with apprehension.

As they approached the store, they were greeted by Sae Joon Hyun and his friends, who quickly ushered them inside and bolted the door shut behind them. Inside, the atmosphere was strangely calm, with Eunhye and the others engaged in various activities.

"Th-there are creatures outside!" Zera announced, her voice trembling slightly.

"It's fine. They won't do anything if we keep quiet," Yon reassured them, his calm demeanor soothing their frayed nerves.

As the banging on the door subsided, Hailey and her friends peered out the window, watching as the horde trudged away into the darkness.

"The atmosphere here is..." Hailey trailed off, her words a mere whisper as she leaned in to confide in Yohan.

"Um... Hello," Zera finally addressed the others, breaking the silence that had settled over the room.

As they exchanged introductions, Yon's demeanor shifted when she mentioned her being a part of the same school as him, his cold gaze sending a shiver down their spines.

As the conversation turned to food, Zera's gagging drew a chuckle from Yon, who offered them food from their ample supplies.

"We survived on Gimbap," Zera managed to say between gags.

"Oh? We have so much here!! You can dig in and then rest," Yon offered with a warm smile.

Everyone turned back to their activities, engrossed in their tasks. Only Jaeyeon stole glances at Yon over and over again, his unease growing with each passing moment.

"What's wrong?" Jaeyeon finally muttered under his breath, unable to shake the feeling of unease.

Yon's smile faltered for a moment before he replied, "Nothing. Just glad we're all safe now."

As the others returned to their activities, Jaeyeon couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about Yon. His repeated glances at the enigmatic figure only deepened his sense of foreboding.