28th Death - Like That

[DID SOMEBODY SAY TRIPLE RELEASE!!?]

"So dumb," Jiho muttered, reclining on the quarantine tent's narrow bed.

"FUCK YOU JUST SAY?!" Jang shot up, veins practically bulging.

"I said, so dumb. The whole chapter. Too many thought bubbles. A good storyteller would've delivered it without revealing the characters' thoughts every five seconds. That's one of the Superhero-Human Man chapters I hated." Jiho sighed.

"YOU CAN SHOVE ONE IN YOUR MOUTH!" Jang erupted. "It was FILLED with emotional depth! You talk so much about realism, then why even read Superhero?! By your logic, an EVEN BETTER storyteller wouldn't even need speech bubbles!"

"... Good point," Jiho admitted. "But it was a ridiculous chapter. Why would Supgirl apologize for looking at her ex around Superhero? That was bound to happen at some point—"

"THE FUCK IT DOES!!" Jang roared, cutting him off. "As his girlfriend, she should lower her head and look ONLY at the ground. No, screw that—they can FLY. Why does she even insist on go out on dates? Home dates only; they got Neftplease for movies, and they can order food and booze! She should consider Superhero's feelings! Shit-tier character and girlfriend. But the chapter humanized her, so instead of -12223442523634764/10, she gets a solid 4/10."

Jiho stared blankly. "Not that I don't get where you're coming from, but Superhero also looks at other women. Whether by accident or to save them, he—"

"NOOOOOOO, BUT THAT'S DIFFERENT!" Jang bellowed, cutting him off again. "HE'S LOYAL. It's just a look, you dumbass! He'd never betray her even though he could bang 10 women at the same time. I'd definitely go for that if I were him."

'Well, hyung likes harems; so his reaction is understandable...'

"But... Supgirl is loyal too. She just looked at—"

"BITCHES AIN'T LOYAL!" Jang declared. "You gotta make them submit with your alpha energy. But if they redeem her even more, I'd make her my waif—..."

"...what?" Jiho narrowed his eyes, cutting into Jang's trailing word.

"Wife. I said wife. Wife," Jang emphasized, his tone sharp.

"You sure?" Jiho asked, one brow raised. "Because it sure sounded like waifu—"

"I SAID WIFE!" Jang exploded. "MISS me with that weeb shit."

"...Okay," Jiho muttered in resignation, his gaze drifting to the ceiling. "Whatever you say."

'Though we've been talking about comics for three hours straight, hyung...' he thought, his expression deadpan.

Meanwhile, outside the tent, the two female scientists exchanged hushed whispers, their eyes glued to the silhouettes of Jiho and Jang through the semi-transparent tent wall.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Su-hee asked, leaning closer.

"It sounds so... intense," the other murmured, though her gaze was fixed elsewhere.

"Has to be about their time in the zone," the first, Su-hee replied.

"Poor things..." The other added, "I just want to baby them. Especially the shorter one." Her eyes lingered on Jiho, his chiseled features and quiet demeanor unmistakable.

"Tell me about it," her colleague sighed, her gaze shamelessly drifting to Jang. 

"The taller one... Jang's his name, you know? I thought more about what you said, and let me tell you; His jawline. It could cut glass. And his abs..." Su-hee's voice lowered, her lips parting slightly. 

"I could grind meat on them."

The other scientist flushed, pressing her fingers to her warm cheeks.

"They look so... perfect. Like living sculptures. God, how do they even exist?"

"They don't," Su-hee whispered, her teeth catching her bottom lip. 

"We're dreaming. We have to be. Jang Seung-Jae and Jiho An... I looked at their profiles from before. They looked so different. Especially Jang—he was in a wheelchair. I guess it was psychosomatic, since he can walk now. That, and there wasn't much information, even in his medical records, about what or who put him in that wheelchair. Like his legs just stopped working someday. Odd."

[Psychosomatic in this context refers to a mental issue that caused his body to become paralyzed.]

"Adrenaline really matures people, I guess." The other suggested.

"Either way. take a photo. I need this for later." Su-hee urged.

"Oh, more people need to see this." the other giggled as she raised her phone, snapping a shot of Jiho and Jang as they lay on their beds, looking up.

"Wait, what if we get into trouble for this?" Su-hee hissed, glancing around nervously.

"Relax," The other replied with a wave of her hand, her tone dismissive. 

"Their results came back clean. It's just bureaucracy holding them here now."

Moments later, a notification pinged as the photo uploaded to social media.

#Hottttt Two hot boys in quarantine tent. Jang (left) and Jiho (righty got mah heartie). What's their story?

It didn't take long for the photo to explode...

@kdramaqueen12: "OMG are they models or something?! They don't even look real 😍🔥"

@thirstygirl77: "I'll quarantine with them ANY DAY. 👀👀"

@fangirl4ever: "Someone pls make a show about these two. I'd watch it religiously."

@quarantinecrush: "Quarantine tent never looked so good. 👏👏👏"

@quarantinecrisis: "So we're all just collectively falling for two guys in a tent now? Cool, I'm in."

@serotoninhunter: "Is it just me or do they look like they've survived the apocalypse AND still had time to glow up?"

@bffwatcher: "Could they be more than friends? 👀🥰"

@hotbtsenergy: "JIHO LOOKS LIKE A LITERAL ANGEL. Is it bad that I'm obsessed already? 🥵"

@seriouslycurious: "Wait, they survived out there for a week?? And they look so good? Like… this is straight out of a K-drama. How??"

@science_geek99: "This isn't even real. Like… how do they look this good after everything??"

@tagyourboys: "Tagged, shared, saved. These boys are too pretty to forget. 👌"

@jihofanclub: "Honestly, I don't even care what the story is… I just want Jiho to smile at me. 🥺✨"

@protagenergy: "They're literally the protagonists of life."

@itjustfits: "Tell me why this is giving 'survivors with a dark past' vibes??"

@jangfanclub: "Jang is a WHOLE meal. Jawline could slice my soul. ✨"

@dramastan4u: "Jiho and Jang, the duo we didn't know we needed. Somebody get Neftplease on this. 😭"

@aestheticgoals: "Even the lighting in the tent looks cinematic. THEY KNOW."

And before too long, the two scientists entered to inform them of the results of their testing.

"Alright! Your results are in... Everything's fine! You two are free to go! Just make sure to talk to your insurance companies about compensation for lost property," the scientist announced cheerfully as she stepped into the tent, no longer clad in her hazmat suit.

A collective sigh of relief escaped Jiho and Jang as they got up from their beds.

"Uh, hold on," one of the scientists called out, stopping the pair before they could head toward the exit at the far side of the tent.

"Do you two want to—" Su-hee began, only to be interrupted by her colleague.

"Give us your contact info! You know, in case we need to follow up," the other scientist said with a bright smile as she walked up to Jiho; letting Su-hee face Jang.

"Uh..." Jiho scratched the back of his head as he turned around. "My phone's dead and gone, left back there. But sure, I'll give it to you." He accepted the phone handed to him and typed in his number.

'That's strange. I've never heard of a procedure where you directly put your number into their phone...' Jiho thought, pausing briefly before a realization hit him. 

'Wait... does she just want my number to hang out?'

A faint blush crept up his cheeks as he handed the phone back to her. "H-here," he stammered.

She took the phone with a knowing, mischievous smirk. He's so cute... she thought, keeping her expression cool as she said, "Thanks! Call me Cha."

Jiho lowered his gaze, feeling a mix of emotions. 'Right, I do look more muscular and taller than before...' The thought stirred something in him, and he clenched his fists. 

'Bet that'd excite you, huh, Eunhee?' he mused grimly.

"I don't have a phone," Jang's voice suddenly cut through Jiho's thoughts.

"W-what?" Su-hee stammered, startled.

"I said, I don't have a phone. Haven't had one for years. Just shitty devices that suck your brain and mess you up for life. Miss me with that. And sorry, not sorry; but I'm not here to fulfill your erotic fantasies," Jang snapped before turning on his heel and walking away, leaving the bewildered girl frozen in place.

"I'll talk to him," Jiho said with a quick bow, then added, "Thanks for everything!" before hurrying after Jang.

"Cha," Su-hee muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she stood frozen, watching Jang walk away with his effortless confidence. Her heart thumped in her chest. 

"I think I'm in love... He's so intense..."

"You're not about to lecture me," Jang muttered without breaking stride as he noticed Jiho walk up to him.

"Just tell me why you lied. It's probably not the smartest move to be rude to those people." Jiho exclaimed.

"...I didn't fucking lie," Jang shot back.

"Huh?" Jiho blinked in confusion.

"I haven't had a phone in years. Didn't need one. Meant every word I said."

"Oh... Really? I figured, you know, since you were such a bad bully, you'd have one. Like, to film nerds or something..."

"SHIT, YOU WATCH TOO MANY MOVIES, BITCH," Jang barked, his voice echoing as they walked. "I'm a 90s-style bully. Everything old-school. No phones, no tech—none of that shit. And I'm not just a bully. I'm worse than a gangster."

"Weird," Jiho remarked dryly.

'Especially considering the ridiculous amount of comics you've probably read...'

"Shut up," Jang snarled, his tone sharp as a brief memory flickered across his mind like lightning.

--------------

"You don't need no phone," a gruff voice barked.

"You're just a freeloader in a wheelchair, disowned by your parents. Who the FUCK's gonna call you?"

--------------

"...Just shut up," Jang muttered again, this time under his breath, his expression unreadable. "I'll do whatever the fuck I want."

"I get it, I get it," Jiho sighed, turning his gaze forward.

The two continued in silence until they reached the edge of the quarantine zone, stepping into the crisp night air under a canopy of stars.

"Lookie here, two more made it out," a guard commented, eyeing them from his post.

"You missed the press," the guard continued with a smirk. "Had you come out three days ago, you'd have been celebrities (especially with your looks, jesus christ)." Even the male guard couldn't help but whistle in awe. 

"Guess no one expects anyone else to survive at this point." He exchanged a glance with his buddy before walking off.

Jiho and Jang stood there in the stillness of the night, the vast sky glittering above.

"I guess we're walking?" Jiho muttered. But before the thought could settle, the quiet was broken by the hum of an engine. A sleek limousine pulled up, its tinted window rolling down with a smooth hiss.

"..!!!" Jiho gasped, his eyes widening as he caught sight of the man inside. An older figure with a wide, knowing grin peered out at them.

Jang's eyes widened in recognition. 

"Fuck me... That old bastard's gonna screw me over now, isn't he?" His head darted left and right, scanning for signs of police, his ears straining for the sound of sirens.

"Relax," Jiho said, stepping forward toward the limousine. His tone was steady as he called out,

"Marcel, right?"

"Indeed, Monsieur Jiho. A pleasure to see you..." Marcel replied, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. His gaze drifted past Jiho, landing on Jang, who was awkwardly looking away, his anxiety plain to see.

"Ah, don't worry," Jiho began with a smile. "Turns out he was just drugged with something back then."

"WHAT?!" Jang's head snapped up, his voice sharp.

"He was actually waterboarded and tortured by his family, discarded by society, and stepped on his whole youth. So, naturally, everyone he meets feels like an enemy to him. But as I got to know him, he's actually a pretty standout person—though he's got a temper. He helped me survive in the Quarantine Zone," Jiho explained casually.

"O-oh... Is that so? How... unfortunate," Marcel replied, tilting his head, his narrowed eyes betraying his confusion as he glanced at Jang.

"HEY! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE SAYING, YOU LITTLE SHIT?! I'M NO CHARITY CASE!!" Jang exploded, stomping toward the limo. He shoved Jiho aside, glaring down at Marcel. "DON'T LISTEN TO HIM! I MEANT EVERY SINGLE THING I DID TO YOU! AND I'D DO IT A BILLION TIMES OVER!"

"See what I mean, Marcel?" Jiho groaned, struggling against Jang's grip as he pushed back. "Hyung is so brainrotted that even when someone says something nice about him, he acts like a rabid monkey."

"SHUT UP, YOU LITTLE BITCH, BEFORE I CRUSH YOU!!" Jang bellowed, his face flushed with embarrassment and anger.

"Monsieur Jiho." Marcel's firm voice cut through the chaos like a blade, silencing the scuffle. Both Jiho and Jang froze, their heads snapping toward him.

"Surely this can be settled later. We need to move quickly," Marcel stated calmly, pressing a button to open the limo's door with a soft click.

"Marcel?" Jiho muttered as both he and Jang turned to look at the open car door, its inviting interior now visible.

"Your mother is planning to leave the city. I'm unsure if she already has. Monsieur..."

"...It's Jang," Jang interjected.

"Monsieur Jang is welcome to join as well. But we must hurry to your home."

"I-I see!" Jiho stammered, his face flushing with worry as he quickly hurried to the back seat.

Before he could settle in, Jang grabbed him by the collar, pulling him upright. His eyes narrowed as he turned a sharp glare toward Marcel.

"Fuck that," Jang spat.

"Hyung?!" Jiho exclaimed, stumbling as he twisted to look at Jang, whose grip was as firm as his unyielding gaze.

"Why the FUCK would you go out of your way for this little bitch?" Jang growled. 

"I get that he saved you or whatever, but you're well-off, aren't you? Out here, this is your world. You can do whatever the fuck you want. Even if this punk screams to the heavens that he saved you, it only matters if you admit it. In other words..."

Jang's eyes flared with suspicion as he leaned closer to Marcel. "You don't owe SHIT to him. How do we know this isn't a trap?"

Marcel remained silent for a moment, his gaze steady as he regarded Jang.

"Monsieur Jiho," Marcel said finally, "you have found yourself a great friend. Cherish him."

Jang flinched, his grip loosening as his glare faltered, his heart suddenly pounding in his chest.

"As for what your friend said, he is correct. I owe you nothing, save for the customs we hold dear. I pride myself on being a pragmatic man. Yet, more than any promise I've made to myself or to you, this is a promise I made to my lady. She made me swear to ensure that you and your family meet."

"Amelie?" Jiho exclaimed, his voice rising. "She's okay?"

"Indeed," Marcel replied, his voice calm but resolute. His gaze shifted to Jang, unwavering. "And I ask that you believe me when I say this: I shan't break a promise to her at any cost." His words carried a weight that was impossible to ignore, his fierce eyes locking onto Jang's.

"..."

"Hey, little bitch," Jang said after a brief silence, his tone quieter but no less sharp.

"You know your way home, right?"

"Yeah," Jiho nodded hesitantly.

Jang turned back to Marcel, his gaze hardening once more.

"If you take even a shortcut off the path he tells you, I'll destroy this car—and your life. You hear me, OLD MAN?!" Jang spat, his voice filled with venom.

Jiho's eyes widened with concern, his gaze flickering nervously between the two. He feared Jang's aggression might be taken the wrong way by Marcel.

But Marcel's expression remained calm, unreadable. 

"I understand," he said simply, his tone steady. "Now. Hurry."

Without further delay, the two climbed into the limo, and it smoothly pulled away, heading in the direction of Jiho's home.

"Holy shit... Su-hee, did you see this?"

"Confirmed, supermodels."

ELSEWHERE...

Hoo?

Two players managed to survive the Seoul Quarantine Zone?

And working together, no less?

Fascinating... one of them hasn't even activated his System yet.

How very interesting.

A game worth watching, wouldn't you agree?

M͓͉̝a͎͎̳y̴͈̼͉b̞̲̰e̶̯̟̠...