SURVIVE

CHAPTER 2: THE REFUGE

“Barricade the entrance, Unnie. We have to lock ourselves in this room for this night, before we decide what to do tomorrow.” Soyeon said as Miyeon nodded, the two of them immediately reaching Soyeon’s apartment after their escape from their agency earlier.

The two did their best to block the windows, completely blocking off the back door, and securely locking the front door, their only chance of escape. They also gathered all the tools they could use for survival, and also rounded up all the remaining food in Soyeon’s pantry, which would lead them to survive for another week or so, which meant they had a lot of food left.

It was in the middle of their fussing that Miyeon’s phone suddenly rang loudly, as she rushed to fish it out of its whereabouts and looked at the sudden notification, to which her eyes lit up as she read its contents.

“What is it, unnie?” Soyeon asked, as Miyeon smiled at her, showing her the text.

[From Maknae Shushu: This is Song Jin, I’m with Shuhua right now. We’re on our way there, don’t worry.]

“Ah, they’re coming here? Then we have to prepare for their arrival. And—shit!” Soyeon suddenly exclaimed, grabbing her phone and checking its notifications.

“What is it?”  Miyeon asked, as Soyeon sighed, ruffling her hair out of frustration.

“I forgot about my sister. What if she’s already gone—” Soyeon couldn’t continue her sentence as she burst into tears, her voice cracking at the end as she felt her tears fall, Miyeon immediately rushing in and hugging her.

“Yah, I’m sure she’s alright. She’s a strong woman, Soyeon. She’ll survive, it’s those undead people that should worry about her, you know.”  Miyeon said, as Soyeon nodded, the older wiping away her tears.

“You know, maybe she’s already on his way here, and you’ll be with her soon, love.”  Miyeon said as Soyeon smiled, nodding at that.

A car’s engine stopping in front of her apartment and she got up quickly, almost knocking out the older as she moved closer to the door, putting her ear over the door and listening for anything, then proceeded to call out.

“Hello? Who is this?” Soyeon called out, as she heard no answer—

“Soyeon? It’s your unnie, Minnie.” A voice said, and all the worries left her chest as she frantically opened the door, and saw her older sister at her front door, immediately hugging her as she laughed, forcing her to go inside as two other people went inside,  Miyeon immediately going near the door and putting back the barricade, as Soyeon released her sister from the hug and looked at the two people, raising her brow—

“Yuqi?” Soyeon asked, as Yuqi’s eyes lit up, recognizing the woman as her junior of one year in high school, a reliable friend she always hung out with whenever she was lonely, or whenever Miyeon would go into these auditions.

Speaking of, her best friend looked very awkward, staring at her ex-lover.

“Long time no see, Miyeon-ssi.” Minnie said, and her formality made Soyeon laugh, but she held it in, as she decided to intervene before things got even worse.

“Alright, alright. Save all your catching up for later, we have to think of a way to get supplies if we want to survive this week.” Soyeon said, as Minnie widened his eyes, scanning the food and other supplies that were laid down onto the counter, and turned to his sister.

“Aren’t these enough? We could probably survive in the next week if we ration these carefully among ourselves.” Minnie said, as Soyeon pursed her lips, thinking of what to say—

“Song Jin Oppa and Shuhua are on their way here, as we speak, so we really need to have some more supplies, just to be sure, Minnie-ssi.”  Miyeon said, as Minnie raised his brow, confused.

“I’m sorry, but isn’t that girl someone you kept back in high school just so you could say that you’re friendly? Hell, if my sister didn’t include you in her mixtapes that became famous, you wouldn’t even talk to her at all! You just see people as things you can benefit from—”

“Unnie, stop.” Soyeon said, with a stern voice, as she glared at her, who immediately quieted down.

“I also approved of Shuhua and Song Jin Oppa coming here, Minnie unnie. We should at least help them, right? Now, will you two please set aside all your bad blood and your pasts for the meantime and actually help me formulate a plan that would help us all survive?” Soyeon said with a calm tone, but it was clear that authority rang in her tone, as Minnie and Miyeon nodded.

“So… What would you like us to do, Soyeon-ssi?” a boy said, which Yuqi introduced to be Song Chan, a colleague at work, as Soyeon nodded at him, acknowledging his question.

“There is a convenience store near from here, and I’m sure with the events that is happening, the owner wouldn’t mind letting us have a thing or two, assuming that he’s still alive, that is.” Soyeon said, as Minnie chuckled.

“Great, I’ve always wanted to rob a convenience store.” Minnie said sarcastically, which earned a pinch on her ear from her sister, who glared at her even more, making Miyeon chuckle a little.

“We should do this tomorrow, when Song Jin Oppa and Shuhua are already here to help us, since a few more hands could surely help a lot. But for now, we should cook dinner for ourselves and prepare to retire for the night, while waiting for those two to arrive.” Soyeon said, as the others nodded, agreeing to the laid-out plan.

 Miyeon immediately volunteered to cook a simple meal, while Chan and Minnie went upstairs to grab some spare blankets and some mattresses for the guys to sleep in the first floor, while they had the girls sleep in the second floor, in one big room which was Soyeon’s bedroom.

“I was scheduled to meet Seungyeon Oppa today. You know, my big brother. What if he’s already gone?” Yuqi said, breaking the silence between the two of them, as they fixed the sleeping spaces in the room, stripping the bed and preferably laying out mattresses onto the floor, putting up a space for the four of them to sleep in together.

“I was also worried for Minnie unnie, but I’m more worried with how he would act around Miyeon unnie, since they broke up in bad terms.” Soyeon said, Yuqi sighing.

“Why?” Soyeon asked, as Yuqi smiled at her.

“Miyeon had always been coming off a little… A little bitchy for me, Soyeon, no offense.” Yuqi said, as Soyeon nodded, sitting down onto the bed to listen to the girl.

“Why do you think of that?” Soyeon asked, as Yuqi patted the girl’s head.

“It’s what Minnie said earlier to her, Soyeon. And now… I am thinking that she befriended you just to get close to your sister.” Yuqi said, as Soyeon widened her eyes, nodding at that.

“Ah, but that’s impossible, Yuqi. Minnie unnie and I didn’t even talk that much back then, and some didn’t even know that we were siblings, except when she annoys me and stuff.” Soyeon said, as Yuqi sighed.

“I know she’s your friend, Soyeon, but it doesn’t kill you to be careful at times.” Yuqi cautioned, Soyeon nodding at that as they chuckled at each other and continued what they were doing.

The two soon went down to see Chan and Minnie laying down guns on the floor, as Soyeon saw that Song Jin and Shuhua had already arrived, Soyeon noticing that Song Jin was watching another woman who also brought guns inside the house with her, then sealing the front door.

“Soyeon unnie!” Shuhua said, as the college girl rushed and hugged the girl, Soyeon hugging back and chuckling at the girl’s behavior, while nodding at Song Jin.

“Song Jin Oppa! Who is this with you?” Yuqi asked, as the stranger smiled at them and waved, nudging Song Jin to introduce her.

“Ah, this is Seo Soojin. she saved us both, and helped us go here, so she’s a friend of mine.” Song Jin said, Soojin nodding and smiling, as Soyeon and the others bowed at her.

“Dinner’s ready, guys.”  Miyeon said, getting out of the kitchen, waving at Song Jin and Soojin as she hugged Shuhua, who clung to her, as Soyeon sat next to them, preventing her older sister from sitting next to Miyeon so they would both be comfortable.

They had a lot of catching up as they ate their dinner, as they threw in various stories on how they escaped the chaos earlier, with Yuqi nodding in awe at how Soyeon and Miyeon escaped by climbing down, with Chan also telling about how he was scared when Minnie talked about them being the answer to the pandemic.

But soon the fun and talking ended, as Soyeon opened up a topic that they all needed to hear.

“So… how would we survive this pandemic?” Soyeon said, as the people silenced, either trying to think of an idea or having nothing at all.

“The newcomers… we were planning to raid a convenience store tomorrow to add our supplies for this week, but I know that we are not safe here, because we don’t have the necessary supplies or weapons that can withstand a sudden attack from those undead people, and if we don’t have a concrete plan soon, then we would all die.” Soyeon said, as the people nodded, now trying to think of a way or a suitable plan.

“Should we find a suitable place, first? Some place that we could fortify, and also take in survivors, try to start anew in the middle of this hell.” Soojin brought up, as the others looked at him, Soyeon nodding at the idea.

“Then you, Soyeon-ssi, you can lead us into that. We’ll follow your orders.” Soojin said, as the others nodded and agreed, Soyeon widening her eyes in shock.

“What? Why me? I mean, Song Jin Oppa could take charge—”

“I’m just a police officer who takes orders, Soyeon. Plus, the others tell me that you always took charge, and even helped Miyeon overcome her fear of heights and survive that place you were in earlier, right?” Song Jin said, as the others nodded, even Miyeon who nodded at her, encouraging her.

“We’ll help you, Soyeon. Don’t worry.” Minnie said, as Soyeon nodded at that.

“Well… We should continue that raid tomorrow, then formulate a plan on where we should go for safety.” Soyeon said, as Miyeon and Yuqi cleared the dishes from the table, letting Soyeon and the others formulate a plan for the raid tomorrow.

“So, let me clarify this. No, you will not go with us, Shuhua-yah. After you freaked out with the blood earlier, it’s not safe.” Song Jin said, as Shuhua sighed and just nodded.

“Then who would go? Another girl should also go, so we could get our needs covered.” Soyeon said, as the boys only sighed, contemplating on who should go—

“I’ll go.”  Miyeon said, as she sat down next to Minnie who suddenly stiffened, Soyeon fighting the urge to laugh as she cleared her throat.

“Okay, Miss Actress. Don’t blame me if you get splattered by blood and cry, alright?” Minnie said, as Miyeon scoffed at that.

“First of all, I’m not an actress, Minnie-ssi. I’m a singer. And I also know how to fire a gun, I was trained to do so, and Soyeon was also trained by our agency for self defense, but I could also punch you if you are being an ass during our raid.”  Miyeon said, as the others laughed, Minnie turning red with embarrassment.

“So, Soojin, Minnie unnie and Miyeon unnie will go out tomorrow. You guys will go to the nearest convenience store and grab everything we need, alright? Just everything we need. I will throw away anything foolish that you guys bring back here.” Soyeon said as the three nodded, Soojin giving the two some guns and some melee weapons.

“Well… Let’s retire for the night, then.” Soyeon said, as she and the girls proceeded to go to their rooms, while the people who volunteered to give the room to the women stayed on the first floor, laying out blankets for them to use.

“I’ll keep watch for the night, since you are going out tomorrow, sleep.” Song Jin said, as he sat on a chair next to the sealed door, Chan already falling asleep while Minnie also was falling into deep slumber.

Soojin stared at the ceiling, weirdly silent as Song Jin silently observed her, raising his brow confused as Soojin snorted and laughed, proceeding to sit up and look at him.

“I can feel your stares on me, mister special agent. If you’re acting like a boy who has a crush on me, then you should have volunteered to go instead of that girl, since you’re like a girl.” Soojin said, as Song Jin gritted his teeth, visibly angry as he stared at Soojin.

“How did I become like a girl, huh?” Song Jin said, as Soojin only laughed.

“You waited for your death earlier, right? Or more like, a princess waiting for her savior, someone to save her from the ruthless dragon. If not for me, that Shuhua would die easily, because you are her lifeline, after all.” Soojin said, as Song Jin gritted his teeth.

“You tell me. She’s going to die easily because you have your eyes on her, don’t you? You’re planning to kill her like what you did with those girls back when you thought I was still on your side.” Song Jin, as Soojin raised her brows, and Song Jin could see the confusion in her eyes.

“What… What did I do…?” Soojin said, genuinely confused, as Song Jin just chuckled at that.

“Well… It’s for you to suffer in, Miss Murderer.” Song Jin said, as Soojin widened her eyes, pursing his lips, horrified at herself.

“Sleep, Soojin. You still have a lot to do tomorrow.” Song Jin said as Soojin nodded like a child, laying down and Song Jin could see her shoulders shake, signifying that she was crying silently, the policeman raising a brow, but decided to be silent about it, as he sat silently in one corner of the room, occasionally hearing some of the undead gnashing their teeth outside or groaning, passing the apartment, the crickets filling the night with subtle noise, enough to keep the policeman awake.

He wondered about the criminal peacefully sleeping just meters away from him, on why the woman was acting like that, as if she forgot all her memories, all her crimes, erased.

How did the woman even escape prison in the first place?

“You seem so deep in thought, Oppa.” A voice said, breaking his train of thoughts as he looked up and saw Soyeon, rubbing her eyes as she smiled at him, then proceeded to put a warm blanket over her sister, Minnie snuggling in as Song Jin smiled at the scene.

“Why are you still awake?” Soyeon asked, as Song Jin smiled, pointing at his gun.

“Standing guard, just in case some undead decides to barge in your beautiful apartment.” Song Jin said, as Soyeon laughed at that, sitting next to her sleeping sister.

“I should be the one asking you that, Soyeon. Why are you still awake?” Song Jin asked, as Soyeon chuckled, rubbing her eyes.

“I couldn’t sleep at all… still slightly surprised at the events that happened earlier.” Soyeon said, as Song Jin nodded.

“A minute earlier I was busy recording mixes for Miyeon unnie’s new single or her future songs, and the next minute we were climbing down five floors, trying to escape the building. I’m… I’m just surprised that I’m still alive, cause I’m not really someone who would survive that far—”

“And yet you did, Soyeon. That’s all that matters, right? You also helped Miyeon survive, even though she’s afraid of heights, right? You being brave for her and for yourself is the reason why you two are still alive now.” Song Jin said, as Soyeon pursed her lips.

“We may be alive because of my decision today, but what if Miyeon unnie and the others get in danger tomorrow? Minnie unnie doesn’t want me to go out tomorrow, even if I wanted to.” Soyeon said, as Song Jin chuckled and shook his head.

“Then you have to trust your sister that the three of them will come back here safely. Your sister is a strong woman, I’m sure she’ll do fine and be able to protect everyone, even if it’s her ex.” Song Jin said, as Soyeon nodded.

“And you, Miss Leader, you should go to sleep. I’m sure planning all that tired you up, and the climb you did earlier. I still remember that you aren’t that good in sports, so rest up.” Song Jin said, as Soyeon scoffed.

“What? Are you mocking my endurance and my willpower in sports, Oppa?” Soyeon said, as Song Jin chuckled at that, patting her head.

“Why, what do you prefer? Running a hundred kilometers, or recording beats for ten songs?”  Song Jin said, as Soyeon pouted.

“…recording beats. But I am also a good runner, don’t you know?” Soyeon said, as Song Jin got up and pushed her back towards the second floor, despite her tries to explain her situation.

“Go to sleep, Soyeon.” Song Jin said, as the girl nodded, closing the door before her, Song Jin going back to his chair, listening to the silence of the night, wondering if everything would be alright tomorrow.

The sunlight invaded the interior of the room as the four girls slowly woke up, Soyeon being the first one to wake up despite her being the last to fall asleep, as she shook the other girls awake, having the others start their day and take turns to shower, Soyeon already walking out of their room and going down the first floor, the scent of a lovely breakfast filling her senses as she followed her scent and saw her sister cooking something on her kitchen, while Song Jin was now scoping, Chan and Soojin already awake.

“Good morning, you two.” Soyeon greeted, as Chan smiled and nodded while Soojin only nodded at her, as Soyeon could see something, she can’t put a finger on in Soojin’s eyes.

“Soojin, you alright?” Soyeon asked, as the woman nodded, managing to show the girl a small smile.

“I am not particularly cheery in the mornings, Soyeon-ssi. Leave all the cheeriness to your sister, who I didn’t expect could cook.” Soojin said, making Minnie laugh out loud, putting the first batches of the food onto the table for Chan, Soojin and Soyeon, the girl widening her eyes as she saw fried rice, bacon and eggs on the table.

“So, this is where mom’s cooking genes went to…” Soyeon said as she sat down, already lifting her spoon and proceeding to eat.

“I used to cook for… for Minnie, before.” Minnie said, her cheeriness suddenly going down, as Soyeon sighed.

“This is good, unnie! Cook this for us more, alright?” Soyeon said, as Minnie smiled and nodded, continuing to cook as the other girls had already come down, widening her eyes and smiling as they began to partake of the breakfast cooked for them.

 Miyeon was the last one to go down, and her eyes widened as a plate was already laid out for her, filled with fried rice, scrambled eggs, bacon and orange juice in a cup, just the way she liked it as she didn’t prefer coffee in the mornings. Soyeon also laid out a seat for her, drinking some fresh milk (the girl didn’t like coffee at all) and smiling at Miyeon as she took a seat and started to eat.

“Unnie made that for you, specially a different batch. He made it perfectly just how you preferred it, as he said.” Soyeon said, as Miyeon nodded, continuing to eat, as she sighed, Soyeon looking at her.

“You alright?” Soyeon asked as Miyeon nodded, tying up her hair as she finished the meal, drinking up the orange juice.

“The last time I had these and tasted something like this was the day she left and broke up with me, Soyeon. It was also the day I decided to say yes to the offer of our company, and I had to diet, so I didn’t have any chance to taste these in years.”  Miyeon said, as Soyeon nodded and patted her shoulder, Miyeon smiling at her as she drank a glass of water, and proceeded to put the plate onto the sink, where Minnie was washing plates.

“Thank you for the meal, Minnie-ssi. It was delicious.”  Miyeon said, as she moved away, and only Chan noticed the red tinge on Minnie’s cheeks, the boy nudging her shoulder and smiling knowingly, to which Minnie only nodded, unable to keep the smile off her face.

But soon, they had to get serious, as the three were getting ready to leave, right after breakfast, having a goal to get back to the apartment before lunch, or preferably before nightfall.

Miyeon was given a standard pistol to bear, as Soojin picked up her submachine gun, Minnie picking up a baseball bat and disappearing on the storage room of the apartment and coming back with nails hammered onto the bat, Soyeon chuckling as she looked at her sister’s weapon choice.

“This isn’t a game, undead. Are you sure that you can kill the undead with that weapon of yours?” Soyeon asked, as Minnie chuckled and nodded.

“I plan on bashing in a few of their heads today, Soyeonie. And if I can’t, then I’ll have Miss Singer here to defend me, right?” Minnie said, turning to Miyeon, the woman freezing as the gun was pointed straight onto her forehead, Miyeon looking at her dead in the eye, no trace of remorse.

“As I said, I’d beat you up if you become an ass in this whole trip, Minnie-ssi. I would have shot your leg right now if you aren’t Soyeon’s sister, don’t test me.”  Miyeon said, as Minnie had her arms up in surrender, looking back at Soyeon, raising her brows as she found her younger sister only chuckling at the act.

“Yah! Your sister is dying here, and you’re just laughing there?” Minnie freaked out, as Soyeon laughed even more.

“Let’s just say that I trust Miyeon unnie even more than you now, since you left, unnie. Now, get ready.” Soyeon said, as Miyeon smiled at Soyeon, bringing the gun down and moving closer to the door, getting ready to go out, as Minnie glared at her younger sister who only laughed at the act.

“Are you trying to be cute in front of her, unnie? If it’s not working for me, then it’s not working for her.” Soyeon mocked, as Minnie only sighed, ruffling her hair.

“Unnie, I want you to come back, okay? So, don’t piss off Miyeon unnie, or she’ll shoot you, for real, since she knows Yuqi is here.” Soyeon said, as Minnie sighed.

“We’re going to come back alive, with a lot of supplies, alright? So, hang in there, and keep your butts safe. Jin, I trust you here.” Minnie said, Song Jin nodding as the three opened the door, going out and leaving, Song Jin closing the door and sealing it, as he discussed with Minnie their secret password, which involved a lot of words like alpha out and such.

The car rolled out and left the place, leaving the apartment silent, three less people inside.

“Now we wait.” Soyeon said, wishing the three would be alright.