THE MATCH ERUPTS

Mina's eyes were wide with concern as she turned to Yuri, her voice trembling slightly. "Wha - what happened to him?" she asked, her words barely more than a whisper. Yuri blinked rapidly, taken aback by the suddenness of Mina's question. Before she could formulate a response, Mina's expression hardened. "I asked what is wrong with him, you stupid old hag!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the tense silence.

Yuri's mouth opened and closed as she struggled to find words, but Jaeyeon intervened before she could respond. "HEY! WHY DO YOU KEEP PICKING ON EVERYONE? ARE YOU INSANE?" Jaeyeon snapped, his voice loud and filled with anger.

Mina whirled around to face him, her eyes blazing. "What on earth? Stop yelling at me!" she shot back, her tone just as fierce.

Jaeyeon clenched his fists, his face contorted with frustration. "What do you mean stop yelling at you? If you could be less of a bitch I would not even as much as raise my voice at you, you know. But you had to go and act that way—"

"Shut up! You are all the ones who keep picking on me," Mina interrupted, her voice shaking with a mixture of anger and something else—perhaps fear.

Jaeyeon took a step closer, his expression a mixture of disbelief and disgust. "Stop being so delusional. No one wants to kill you here. You are so fucking annoying. Just forget it. Talking to you makes me feel nauseous." With those final cutting words, he turned away from her, taking Yuri by the hand. Together, they stepped out of the jeep, the door slamming shut behind them with a resounding bang.

Mina stood alone in the jeep, her chest heaving with rage. "Hah. You are just scared. Aren't you... I know it," she shouted after them, her voice echoing in the confined space. "I am so fucking pretty that you can't handle it. Isn't it? It's hard to argue with a beauty and brain isn't it? ISN'T THAT FUCKING IT!" Her screams pierced the quiet night, lingering in the air long after Jaeyeon and Yuri had disappeared from view.

Outside, Jaeyeon and Yuri found themselves enveloped in the quiet of the night. The only sounds were the distant rustling of leaves and their own tense breaths. The cool night air felt almost foreign after the stifling atmosphere inside the vehicle.

Yuri glanced around nervously, her voice quivering as she broke the silence. "Why are we outside?" she asked, trying to keep her composure.

Jaeyeon took a deep breath, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Because," he began, his voice tight with barely restrained anger, "I am sick of all this. And then that student had to get under my skin."

Yuri's eyes widened, her concern evident. "But Jaeyeon—"

Jaeyeon cut her off, his tone more forceful. "There are no zombies here. And the sky just looks disgustingly beautiful." He gestured upwards, where a canopy of stars stretched endlessly across the night, twinkling serenely despite the chaos below. "Let's stay here for a while."

Yuri nodded, the tension slowly draining from her shoulders as she stood next to Jaeyeon. The cool breeze seemed to carry away some of their anxiety, and for a moment, they allowed themselves to simply exist under the vast expanse of the night sky. They stood side by side in silence, finding an unexpected solace in the quiet and the stars.

Meanwhile, inside the jeep, a heavy silence had settled over the remaining occupants. Sae Joon Hyun decided to address the brewing tension. "Mina. Why do you keep making trouble?" he began, his tone polite but firm.

Mina's eyes flashed with anger. "Shut up. Don't talk to me. You are all insane. Just remember that these pandemics spread like wildfire. We'll be dead if you all keep acting like fucking donation banks."

Sae Joon Hyun raised an eyebrow, confused by her outburst. "What are we donating again?" he asked, trying to understand her erratic logic.

"Your lives. Ugh. Freaking insane," Mina spat, clenching her fists. She glared at him, then slumped back into the seat facing him, her body language radiating defiance.

Sae Joon Hyun sighed, turning his attention to Eunhye, who was sitting quietly across from them. "Eunhye, she is not wrong," he began, carefully choosing his words. Mina's face lit up with satisfaction, a smug grin spreading across her face as she shot a triumphant look at Eunhye.

Eunhye, however, remained calm, unfazed by Mina's reaction. "What do you mean?" she asked Sae Joon Hyun, her eyes fixed on him, ignoring Mina's gloating.

Sae Joon Hyun stood up, moving toward Eunhye with a serious expression. He leaned forward, gently placing his hands on her shoulders, looking deeply into her eyes. "Look. I know you want to help, but we can't continue like this. We don't know if they are bitten. We don't know if the virus works differently on different people. We know nothing about what's going on. It won't hurt to be a little cautious."

Eunhye met his gaze steadily, her expression softening slightly. "I understand. But what if they are fine? What if they are trying to survive just like us? What if this is not what we think it is? What about these things?" Her voice was filled with a mixture of concern and hope, wrestling with the harsh realities they faced.

Mina, observing the interaction, felt a surge of vindication. She was convinced Sae Joon Hyun was now on her side, validating her harsh stance. Her grin widened, pleased with the turn of events. To her, it seemed her points were finally being acknowledged as rational and necessary for their survival.

The jeep, now a battleground of conflicting emotions and ideologies, felt even more claustrophobic. The tension was palpable, the air thick with unspoken fears and the desperate need to find a balance between compassion and survival.

Sae Joon Hyun and Eunhye were still locked in their serious conversation when suddenly, In-Ha's voice cut through the silence like a knife. "About the boy," she began, her tone clinical and detached. "He was hit on the head. It's not too bad, I have aided him. He should wake up in an hour or so."

Everyone flinched at the unexpected interruption. In-Ha had spoken without any prior indication she was about to join the conversation, and she hadn't even looked at them before speaking. Mina, already on edge, stood up abruptly and glared at her. "Can you be a little careful? Where did you pop up from anyway? Don't scare us like that," she snapped, her annoyance clear.

For once, everyone found themselves in agreement with Mina's sentiment. They nodded in consent, their expressions a mixture of irritation and relief that In-Ha had some news about the injured man.

In-Ha, unfazed by the collective reaction, merely shrugged. She returned to her spot, her demeanor calm and composed as if she hadn't just startled everyone in the vehicle.

Inside the jeep, the atmosphere was tense and silent, punctuated only by the occasional sigh or the rustling of clothing as someone shifted uncomfortably. Suddenly, Charyeong broke the silence. "I'm hungry," she said, her voice small but insistent. The others glanced at her, their own stomachs reminding them of their hunger.

"Me too," Ji-Hoon said, raising his hand. Following his lead, Yon and Eugene also raised their hands.

Young, feeling the growling in his own stomach, chimed in, "I mean, we can't control hunger." Minji nodded vigorously in agreement, her eyes wide.

Sae Joon Hyun, always practical, mentioned, "We have chocolate bars in the bag." As if on cue, Yuri and Jaeyeon reentered the jeep. Yuri looked around at the group, sensing the change in atmosphere. "What is going on here?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Eunhye, already unzipping the bag, responded, "They are hungry," as she began handing out one chocolate bar to each person.

Gratefully, they accepted the bars and began to munch on them, the simple act of eating providing a brief respite from their worries. The sky outside grew darker, and the small sounds of chewing and breathing filled the cramped space of the jeep, creating an odd, almost comforting rhythm.

After a while, Jay broke the silence, his voice heavy with uncertainty. "How long..." he began, his words hanging in the air. "How long do we have to stay like this?" He stared down at his feet, waiting for someone to provide an answer, but none came immediately.

Charyeong pulled her knees tightly to her chest, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to offer reassurance. "They are coming to rescue us. Don't worry..." But her eyes did not meet Jay's, and the doubt in her own words was clear to everyone.

The group sat in silence, each lost in their thoughts, the uncertainty of their situation pressing heavily upon them. The jeep, once a simple vehicle, now felt like a fragile sanctuary against the unknown dangers lurking outside. The darkness deepened, and with it, the realization that their hope lay in enduring together, no matter how long it took.

The interior of the jeep was abruptly pierced by a sudden, blood-curdling scream. In-Ha had dropped her chocolate bar and was now scratching wildly at the seat, her shrieks echoing in the confined space. Hailey, sitting nearby, clung to her, her own tears streaming down her face in terror and confusion.

"Oh no! We are not ready for this yet..." Yuri's voice was shaky, a reflection of the rising panic within the group.

Eunhye quickly moved to help calm In-Ha, her soothing words and gentle touch attempting to quell the hysteria. Meanwhile, Jaeyeon wasted no time and leapt into the driver's seat, firing up the engine. "Where are we going?" Minji asked, her voice tinged with fear.

"A hospital. Any hospital," Jaeyeon replied, determination in his voice as he sped the vehicle forward.

Eyes scanned the darkened streets, desperately searching for any sign of a medical facility. "There's a hospital there. The building looks fine," Eunhye pointed out, her finger trembling as she indicated a structure in the distance. Jaeyeon nodded, expertly maneuvering the vehicle and hitting the brakes near the front gate. Everyone inside clung to In-Ha, preventing her from falling during the abrupt stop.

"How do we..." Eunhye's voice broke as she turned to Sae Joon Hyun, her eyes brimming with tears.

Sae Joon Hyun swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the situation press down on him. "Yon. Ji-Hoon. Jay. Jaeyeon. Need your help," he instructed, his voice steadying. The named individuals nodded and exited the jeep, ready to follow his lead.

"We must get a stretcher from inside the hospital," Sae Joon Hyun explained quickly. "Young and Minji will keep the others safe while the rest take care of In-Ha. Let's sprint."

With that, they pushed open the main gates, only to be met by a horrifying sight. A crowd of people, their movements slow and unnatural, shuffled and limped aimlessly, groaning with a disturbing, otherworldly sound.

"Shit. We are busted," Sae Joon Hyun muttered under his breath, the gravity of their predicament sinking in. The group stood frozen for a moment, their hearts pounding as they faced the daunting task ahead.

***

[Unidentified Seoul streets
Stranger students]

Meanwhile, somewhere else in Seoul, the night was eerily quiet, broken only by the occasional distant scream or the shuffling of unseen figures. In a dimly lit alley, Hamin knelt beside Su-Yeong, his face pale with worry and fear.

"Su-Yeong, are you... okay?" he asked, his voice trembling as he looked at her. The girl, her limbs marred with numerous wounds and her skin bruised and crushed, slowly turned her head towards him.

"Hamin?" she croaked, her voice weak and filled with confusion.

"Su-Yeong," Hamin uttered her name again, his lips quivering. The sight of her in such a state was almost too much to bear.

"Can you hear me well?" he asked, his heart pounding.

"Hamin. What happened to me?" Su-Yeong's eyes searched his face, desperate for answers.

Hamin took a deep breath, his voice breaking as he spoke. "Su-Yeong, you were bitten."

Her eyes widened, a disbelieving laugh escaping her lips. "What... haha... Hahaha... And you?" she asked, the reality of their situation slowly dawning on her.

"I don't know," Hamin replied, looking down at the scratches on his own arm. "You scratched me when I was trying to save you..."

A flash of memory hit her. She recalled Hamin's desperate attempt to pull her away from the danger. She had been bitten by the zombies, and in her panic, she had lashed out, scratching him in the process. The scene replayed vividly in her mind.

Su-Yeong sat up slowly, a sheepish smile spreading across her face despite the pain. "I don't feel weird at all," she said, her voice almost cheerful.

Hamin's eyes widened in confusion and hope. "What? What do you mean?" he asked, struggling to comprehend her words.

Su-Yeong's smile faded slightly as she looked at him. "I mean, I don't feel any different. Shouldn't I be feeling... something?"

Hamin shook his head, uncertainty clouding his features. "I don't know, Su-Yeong. I don't know what any of this means," he admitted, the fear of the unknown weighing heavily on him.

The two sat in the alley, surrounded by the oppressive darkness of the night, each grappling with their uncertain fates.

***