Seo Yujin–Nights of Shadows

The apocalyptic tide that had swallowed Korea spared no one, least of all the isolated souls trapped within the gates of Seonwa High School. Cut off from the outside world and encircled by grotesque horrors, the surviving students and faculty had forged a desperate haven. Home was no longer a geographic location; its final, fluttering heartbeat pulse belonged right here, within these fortified walls.

When night descended, the survivors retreated to the cavernous gymnasium, settling into a maze of pitched tents. It was time to sleep—a fragile routine meant to summon tomorrow, whether that dawn brought a fresh start or their ultimate ruin.

Sleep, however, remained out of reach for Areum. To close her eyes was simply to trade one nightmare for another. She looked down at Yujin, whose arm was draped affectionately across her, and then over at Yeonu, sprawled out like a starfish on top of a thoroughly resigned Gyeoul. A soft sigh escaped her lips. These three were the anchors holding her soul together.

Carefully slipping out from beneath the blankets, Areum sat up on her sleeping mat. She cast a lingering look at Yujin before her eyes caught the edge of a worn notebook peeking out from her school bag. Pulling on her blazer to ward off the midnight draft, she unzipped the tent flap and stepped into the suffocating, deathly quiet of the hall. The rest of the camp had surrendered to exhaustion.

Seeking clarity, Areum made her way toward the roof. The moment the heavy door swung open, the biting night air hit her face with sharp intensity. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself, taking in a deep, crisp breath. It was freezing, but the cold was a welcome distraction.

Leaning against the rusted rooftop railing, she gazed out at the sprawling urban graveyard below. The vibrant, neon-lit city she once knew had been replaced by a silent abyss of predatory terror. To step beyond the school gates was to invite death; there was simply no other outcome.

Lost in the grim expanse of her own thoughts, she barely registered the passage of time until a familiar, gentle voice broke through the stillness.

Seo Yujin

"Isn't it a bit late for all that heavy thinking? That’s why you’ll always be our silly girl, Areum!"

Areum turned around. A few paces away stood Yujin, wrapped in her favorite worn jacket, wearing a smile so radiant it seemed to defy the ruined world around them—and the fact that she had been fast asleep just moments prior.

A sudden breeze swept across the rooftop, tugging at their hair and dancing through the folds of their school uniforms. In the pale moonlight, vivid blue eyes met crimson ones, sealing a silent, unspoken pact between them.