You sit on the roof of an abandoned house in a small town.
You watch as a group of four teenage boys begin to roam the abandoned town, raiding houses for supplies.
They haven't spotted you yet.
It's been a year since the zombie apocalypse started, and clearly the boys were prepared.
They were all dressed in apocalyptic gear, weapons strapped to their bodies, and they're keeping a close eye on the houses in the town.
They continue to walk through the town, talking among themselves. They seemed to be in a heated conversation.
One of the boys points up to the roof you sat on. He must've seen you.
The other three boys follow his gaze and look up at the roof, immediately stopping in their tracks.
They all share a look as they stand in the road staring up at you. It's silent for a few moments as they look at you, studying you, before one of them breaks the silence.
"What're you doing up there?" The taller one shouts up at you; his voice is surprisingly deep.
The rest of the boys turn their attention to you, waiting for you to respond.
You look over, "This is my base." You say loud enough for them to hear.
The four boys exchange glances before looking back at you. Your answer seemed to surprise them. "Yeah? Well, we're here to get supplies; we're raiding the town for food and anything we can use." The tallest one says, looking up at you.
The other three boys nod in agreement, clearly not trusting you.
"Okay, go ahead."
The boys look at each other again, seemingly having a silent conversation with their eyes.
After a few seconds, the tallest one speaks up again. "You're not going to stop us?" He asks, narrowing his eyes slightly as he looks up at you.
"Why would I?"
The boy shrugs slightly as he talks, "I don't know. Not a lot of people are very welcoming nowadays since this whole zombie thing started."
The other boys nod in agreement, looking up at you making you chuckle, knowing that was true. "Well, get anything you want," you say, not bothered.
The boys look at you for a moment, seemingly not expecting such a casual response from you.
"you're serious? You're letting us raid the town?" The tall one asks, a small smile on his face.
"It's not my town, so go ahead."
The boy grins at your answer, clearly surprised that you're actually letting them raid the small town.
A few seconds pass before he speaks again.
"That's pretty cool of you. thanks. We'll stay out of your way." He says the other boys are nodding in agreement.
"Stay safe," you wave.
The boys nod their heads in agreement, obviously thankful that you're letting them raid your town. "Will do. Thanks again," the tall one says as the boys turn around, heading off to continue raiding the town.
The boys spend the next few hours going through the buildings of the abandoned town, searching for any supplies they can find.
They manage to find a few cans of food and some other useful items. They also end up coming across some medicine and other needed first-aid supplies.
As nightfall approaches, the four boys bring all of their supplies and pile them in the center of the town. They're all panting somewhat from carrying so many supplies, but they don't seem to mind.
Once they're all situated, the four boys take a few moments to sit down, catching their breath and resting themselves.
They start to organize the supplies they've collected, sorting them into different piles.
The boys talk amongst themselves as they work, bantering with each other.
It seems that they're all very close-knit, and they have a strong bond, despite only being teenagers.
The boys continue to chat as they work, sharing stories and cracking jokes at each other. It's clear that the boys are strong friends, and they trust each other with their lives.
After a while, the boys finish sorting the supplies they've gotten, creating piles of food, water, medical supplies, and any other items they think could be useful. but with night falling, they realize they're going to need somewhere to sleep.
The boys take a few moments to look around, trying to figure out where they could spend the night. The town is mostly run-down, so the only options are old abandoned buildings.
After a few moments of discussing, the four boys' conversation is cut short as a few zombies suddenly attack them, coming out from the shadows. The boys quickly pull out their weapons, arming themselves for the fight.
The boys stand their ground against the zombies, fighting them off as best they can. The fight is intense as the boys battle against the undead creatures, determined to protect themselves and each other.
The boys find themselves outnumbered, surrounded by zombies coming at them from all directions.
The situation becomes increasingly dire as the boys struggle to defend themselves against the growing number of undead creatures.
There was one big zombie right in front of them, and having weak weapons, they struggled to kill the zombie.
The four boys were taken aback as the zombie suddenly fell. They looked around in shock, trying to figure out what had just happened. After a few moments, they noticed you on the roof of the house with a sniper rifle in your hands.
You put your sniper down and waved over for them to run to your base for safety.
The boys see you waving at them from the roof of the house. Realizing that you had saved them, they immediately nod their heads and begin to hurry over to where you are.
The boys quickly make their way inside your base, grateful to be out of harm's way.
Once they're inside, they take a few moments to catch their breath and process what had just happened. "Are you guys crazy? You know it's dangerous to be out that late." You say in a serious worried tone.
The four boys look at you with slightly sheepish grins on their faces. They know you're right; they had gotten careless and let themselves be ambushed by the zombies.
You turn and locked the door. "You guys alright?" The boys nod their heads, still slightly shaken from the zombie attack.
"Yes, we're good. Thanks for saving us back there." the tallest one says, offering you a small, grateful smile.
The boys follow you as you lead them up to the rooftop, walking closely behind you.
They look around in awe, taking in the sight of your base. It's clear they're impressed by the place.
"I'm friendly. I won't do anything bad to you guys."
The boys look at you with slightly guarded expressions, but they seem to believe you.
The tallest one speaks up for the group, his voice a little defensive. "How do we know we can trust you?"
"Promise I won't do anything."
The boys look at you skeptically for a moment before the tallest one speaks again.
"You promise?"
"Promise"
The boys exchange a few quick glances, seeming to have a silent conversation amongst themselves.
After a few seconds, the tallest one nods his head. "Alright. we trust you."
"Okay, since now i've earned the trust, you guys can stay here since it's too dangerous, especially when it's dark out."
The boys nod in agreement, clearly grateful for your offer of shelter. "Thanks, we appreciate it." The short one says, the rest of the boys murmuring their thanks as well.
You sat down, crossing your legs as they copied you and got comfortable on the rooftop. "So whats your guys name?" you ask
The boys introduce themselves one by one. First is the tallest one, who introduces himself as Sunghoon. He stands slightly taller than the others, giving off an air of confidence and authority. You already knew he was the leader.
Then there's Jake, the boy with the messy blond hair. He introduces himself with a wide smile and lighthearted tone, clearly the most cheerful of the group.
Next is Jay, the shy one with the fluffy, light black hair. He's a little quieter than the others, but he offers a small smile as he introduces himself.
And lastly, there's Heeseung, the one with the simple middle part with dyed purple hair.
He offers you a cheeky grin as he introduces himself, his demeanor clearly the most fiery and reckless of the group.
They wait a few moments before asking you your name, looking at you with slightly expectant looks on their faces.
"Oh, im Y/N," you laugh, almost forgetting to introduce yourself.
The boys nod their heads, committing your name to memory.
"Nice to meet you, Y/N." Sunghoon says, the others murmuring their agreement.
"You guys look really young." You observed
The boys look at you with a mix of amusement and offense on their faces. Jake, speaks up first. "Hey, we're not that young!" He protests, his voice slightly indignant.
"You're definitely the youngest." you laugh
Jake grumbles for a moment, clearly not happy about being called out on his age.
Sunghoon speaks up, cutting off Jakes response. "Jakes the youngest. he's 15."
You eyes widen at his young age. "15?!"
Jake crosses his arms, a petulant expression on his face, but he doesn't argue.
nods in confirmation, a slight smile on his face at your reaction. "Yep, he's the baby of the group."
You gasp, "Aww baby."
Jake's cheeks turn slightly red as he glares up at you. "Hey! I'm not a baby!" He protests, his voice still indignant. The three other boys snicker, clearly amused by Jake's reaction.
"Nah, he's definitely a baby." Heeseung teases, grinning at Jakes affronted expression.
"And who's the oldest?" You ask, looking at the other three, wondering who it is.
The boys turn their gaze to Sunghoon, who is the tallest and seemingly the unofficial leader of the group.
"That would be me," he says, his voice confident and unwavering.
"I'm 18."
"youre 18?" Sunghoon nods his head, a slight smirk on his face. He seems a little amused by your surprise. "How old are you, then?"
"Im 17"
The boys are slightly surprised by your answer, seeming a little taken aback by your age.
Sunghoon is the first to speak up, his tone slightly surprised. "You're only 17? you seem older."
"Wow thanks" you say with a flat smile
The boys chuckle slightly at your response, clearly amused by your sarcasm.
"No offense; you just seem mature for your age. that, and you're a badass with a sniper rifle," Sunghoon says, grinning at you.
You playfully roll your eyes quietly, enjoying the compliment "thank you."
Sunghoon grins at your reaction, clearly amused. "No problem. Seriously, you're crazy good with that sniper rifle. and you saved our asses back there."
The other boys nod in agreement, clearly grateful for you saving them from the zombies. will speak up, his tone slightly sheepish.
"Yeah, we really appreciate you saving us back there. We were in deep crap."
Sunghoon chuckles, clearly in agreement with Heeseung's statement. "Yes, we wouldn't have survived back there if you hadn't saved us. We owe you one for that."
As you talked with the guys you heard Jay's stomach growling; you noticed how he was trying to hide it.
You grabbed your bag and pulled out some snacks. "Here, a little snack for you guys."
The boys look at you in surprise, clearly not expecting you to offer them snacks.
Their eyes widen as you pull out the snack food, their mouths watering at the sight.
Jays is the first to speak up, his voice slightly eager. "Seriously? you're giving us snacks?"
"Yeah, take one"
The boys exchange quick glances, clearly excited about the prospect of getting snacks.
Heeseung grins, his voice showing his amusement. "Heck yeah. We'll take all the snacks we can get. thanks."
Jay is the first to reach out and grab a snack, his hunger clearly getting the best of him.
The other boys quickly follow suit, grabbing snacks and beginning to devour them hungrily.
Jake grins as he takes a big bite of his snack, speaking through a mouthful of food.
"Man, these are good. Thank you so much."
You smile and lean back as they enjoy your small gesture.
——
It was around 1am, and the boys had all settled down after eating their snacks, finding places to sit and rest on the roof.
After a while, the exhaustion of the long day finally caught up to Heeseung, Jay, and Jake, and they drifted off to sleep.
Sunghoon and you continue to sit on the roof, watching the stars glitter above you as you chat.
Sunghoon seems to be enjoying the conversation, his eyes flickering from the stars to you as you talk.
"It's beautiful out here," he says quietly, his voice a little awed as he looks at the stars above you.
"Yeah, the views are always pretty; thats why I decided to stay here."
He nods, his eyes still fixed on the stars.
"I don't blame you. It's a good place to stay.
It's safe, it's secure, and the view is amazing."
He pauses for a moment, then looks at you with a small smile.
"How long have you been on your own?" He suddenly asks, his voice curious.
"For awhile now, kind of lost count."
Sunghoon looks at you quietly for a moment, his eyes searching your face. He seems to understand your response, sensing the pain and the trauma behind your words.
He's silent for a few more moments before he speaks up again."It's hard out there without someone. You're strong for surviving on your own."
"Yeah, I'm used to it."
He nods, his eyes still fixed on your face. He seems to genuinely respect your strength and resilience. He's silent for a moment before he speaks again. "Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
"Sure" you smile a little curious
He pauses for a moment, seeming to gather his thoughts before speaking. "Why did you help us? You didn't know us, and you didn't even know if we were a threat. but you helped us anyway. why?"
"Well, I've always liked helping people, so it's just instinct to help people, but I guess I should be more careful about who to trust."
Sunghoon listens intently as you explain your reasoning, nodding his head in understanding.
He's quiet for a moment before he speaks again, his voice curious,"that's admirable.
A lot of people nowadays are so focused on their own survival that they wouldn't think twice about helping someone else. But you went out of your way to help us, even though you didn't know us."
You nod understanding, "Yeah, but can you blame them? Its hard to survive these days."
He nods in agreement, his expression slightly somber. "Yeah, I know. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, and sometimes you have to look out for yourself. but not everyone has completely lost their humanity. you clearly haven't."
"Yeah, you get it," you say as a smile appears.
Sunghoon looks at you, a small smile on his face."I do. You're a good person, Y/N. The world needs more people like you in it."
"Thank you"
He smiles, his expression sincere.
"it's true. People like you give me hope for the world. Even in this hellscape, there's still kindness and selflessness. it's refreshing."
"Youre being too nice." You say not being used to being called out for being a natural good person.
Sunghoon chuckles, his smile widening at your comment. "Hey, I'm just telling the truth. You're a good soul. You deserve to hear it."
He pauses, shifting a little to get more comfortable. "Besides, this world needs a little bit of sweetness to balance out all the crap."
He looks up at the stars again, his smile turning a little sadder.
"It's easy to forget how beautiful life is when you're constantly fighting to survive." You added.
"Yes, it is. but it's worth it, I think. Even amongst all the pain and the violence, there are still moments of beauty and joy. It's those moments that make it worth fighting for."
He looks back at you, his eyes flickering over your face.
He grins at you again, his smile a mix of respect and awe. "You're a damn strong person, Y/N. You've got heart, and that's something to be proud of."
Sunghoon was man of words, which you admired...
He's quiet for a moment, his expression turning more serious. "Just... try not to lose yourself out there. Keep holding onto that kindness and empathy, or this world will destroy you."
You softly chuckle, "I'll try."
He grins, clearly pleased with your response.
"Good. i'm serious. This world will chew you up and spit you out if you let it. Don't let it take away what makes you human."
You lean back a little curious, "Enough with me, Mr. Sunghoon; tell me about yourself."
Sunghoon grins, amused by your insistence.
"Mh, alright. What do you want to know?"
"Anything"
He huckles, clearly amused by your eagerness.
"Okay, okay. Well, let's see..."
He pauses, seeming to gather his thoughts. "Well, I guess, for starters, I'm the oldest of the group. the unofficial leader, you could say."
He smirks slightly, his tone slightly amused.
"Let me tell you, it's not easy leading this group of idiots. They're a bunch of rowdy little shits, especially Jake."
"Must be hard, huh?"
He chuckles dryly, his smile holding a hint of weariness.
"You could say that. It's a lot of responsibility, making sure they all stay alive and don't get into trouble. They're a handful, they're impulsive, and they get themselves into all kinds of trouble. It's like herding cats most of the time."
He shakes his head slightly, his expression slightly exasperated. "Don't get me wrong, I care about them like brothers. but damn, they're idiots."
"How did you guys meet?" You asked
He pauses for a moment, his expression becoming more thoughtful. "We all knew each other from before the zombie apocalypse started. We were a small group of friends who always stuck together."
"Well, that's sweet."
He smiles, a slight hint of bittersweetness in his expression."Mhm, it is. We all had each other's backs before the world went to hell. Even now, we look out for each other. Who knows we need to stick together to survive out there?"
"I don't know what I'd do if I lost any of them. They're the only family I have left in this shitty world."
He's silent for a long moment, lost in thought.
"They're like brothers to me. I couldn't imagine going through all this without them. They're the only thing keeping me going nowadays."
He glances over at the sleeping boys, his expression softening."I can't blame them for being impulsive or reckless sometimes. They're still just kids, after all. But they've got hearts, and I couldn't ask for better people to have my back. even if they are idiots."
"Yeah.. they're still babies, yet they're forced to be adults." You say
"Yeah, that's the sad truth of this world we live in. These kids should be worrying about school and girls and sports, not fighting for their lives and avoiding zombies. but here we are."
"Poor them.."
He nods in agreement, his expression slightly solemn."Yes, it's rough for them. especially jake. He's still just a kid, but he's had to grow up so fast. He's been through more than anyone his age should ever have to go through. He's resilient, though. strong-willed and fiery. a little too stubborn for his own good sometimes."
"When you bought up that Jake was 15, gosh i was so shocked" you admitted
"Yeah, he's the youngest of the group. just a couple years away from being a fully grown teenager, and yet he's already endured more trauma in his short life than most adults do. It's heartbreaking, really." He pauses, his expression slightly somber.
"You're a good leader, Sunghoon."
You felt like he needed hear that... hearing him talk about the group not even including himself.
He chuckles slightly, clearly pleased by the compliment. "Thanks. It's not always easy, but I do my best. I care about those idiots, and I need to make sure they make it through this hellscape alive. even if they're stupid. I have to keep them safe."
He pauses, his expression becoming a little more serious.
"I may be their leader, but they also look out for me, you know? They keep me sane, and they keep me going. They're the only family
I have, and I'd die for them."
"But I swear, I never have a moment of peace with those idiots. They're like a bunch of hyperactive monkeys, constantly making noise and causing chaos. They're a handful, and they take years off my damn life expectancy. Sometimes I just want to duct tape their mouths shut and get some peace and quiet for once."
You laugh, "Well, how about now? Theyre asleep.. so thats peace."
"Yeah, I suppose so. They're actually quiet for once, and I'm eternally grateful for that. It's nice to have some damn peace and quiet for once. They're usually pretty rowdy, and they never stop talking. It's exhausting after awhile." He laughs quietly.
As you two continued to talk, you started to yawn.
Sunhoon notices your yawn and chuckles softly. "Tired, huh? I don't blame you. It's been a long damn day."
"A real long day."
He nods in agreement, his expression slightly weary. "Yeah, it has been. We've all been walking for hours, and it's taking its toll. Even I'm feeling exhausted, and I'm used to this damn lifestyle."
"Wait so are you guys gonna leave me tomorrow?"
"Yeah, we'll have to keep moving tomorrow. We can't risk staying in one place for too long; it's too dangerous."
"I'll miss the company."
"Yeah, I don't disagree. It was nice having another person to talk to besides these idiots. They're not much for conversation sometimes."
He glances over at the sleeping boys again, his expression slightly amused.
"They're all either too quiet or too loud and can never seem to find a happy medium. They're good guys, but their manners could
use some work." He grins slightly, his tone more affectionate than before.
"But I have to admit, I'm going to miss your company too. You're not bad company yourself. You're a nice change of pace from these idiots."
"So you'll miss me?"
Sunghoon pauses for a moment, seeming slightly taken aback by the question.
"Uh, yeah. I guess I will. You're a lot easier to talk to than these dorks, and you're actually pretty fun to be around."
"Jusy say it"
He rolls his eyes, his expression slightly sheepish. "Alright, alright, I'll say it. I'll miss you, okay? Happy now, you little weirdo?"
"Yay"
———The following day
Sunghoon sits on the curb, his back leaned against the side of a small building.
He's polishing a small pistol, his expression calm and focused. One eye keeps darting back and forth, scanning the area around them, on constant watch and alert for any danger.
"Leaving soon?"
He looks up as you approach, his expression turning slightly rueful.
"Yeah, we should probably get going soon.
It's not safe to stick around here too long.
This town is too small and quiet; we don't want to get raided by any zombies or other survivors looking for a fight."
The other boys come out and join Sunghoon on the curb, all of them looking a little tired but ready to get going.
"I'll miss you guys." You smile feeling a little upset that theyre leaving so soon
The boys each nod or grunt in acknowledgement, the mention of goodbyes already dampening their moods slightly.
Sunghoon gives you an amused smile.
"Yes, we'll miss you too. You've been quite the entertainment, that's for sure."
The boys all stand up, each of them shouldering their backpacks and checking their weapons one last time.
Sunghoon glances at you, his expression unreadable. "Well, I guess this is it, huh?"
"You guys better stay safe."
He nods, his expression serious. "We'll do our best. We've been surviving this long; we know how to take care of ourselves. You just focus on staying safe yourself, okay?"
You give the guys a small hug, wishing them safety.
Then you turned to Sunghoon, "I'll miss you."
Sunghoon is taken aback by the unexpected hug, but he quickly recovers and hugs you back tight. "I'll miss you too, weirdo. You stay safe out there, okay?"
"I will"
He pulls back a little, his expression serious.
"Promise me you'll stay out of trouble.
Don't go doing anything dumb, alright? We don't need you getting yourself killed."
"You take care, alright? Don't be a stranger, though. If we happen to cross paths again sometime, you better come say hi." Sunghoon grins, his expression a little more lighthearted.
"Of course"
"I'm going to hold you to that, weirdo.
You better not break your promise."
Sunghoon waves over his shoulder as they start to walk away, the other boys also waving or saying their goodbyes as they walk.
Eventually the four boys disappear from view, lost amongst the ruins of the town.
Even though you only met the boys for one day, you already missed their company. especially sunghoon's. You missed him.