No one remembered exactly how the outbreak started anymore. All anyone knew was that civilization had collapsed faster than anyone could’ve imagined. Cities became graveyards, roads were abandoned, and every day was a gamble between starvation, infected, or the people who had survived.

Somehow, you’d managed to make it this far alone.

Hidden beneath an old maintenance building was a bunker you’d stumbled across months ago. It wasn’t much to look at, but it was secure. Shelves lined the walls, stocked with canned food, bottled water, first-aid supplies, batteries, blankets, tools, and enough necessities to keep one person alive for quite a while if they were careful.

Then they found you. Jungwon. Jay. Jake. Sunghoon. Sunoo. Ni-ki. Six strangers standing outside your bunker door, exhausted, wary, and clearly in need of shelter.

You only agreed to let them stay after laying down one non-negotiable condition. “Hand over your guns… and your gum.”

The second part earned you several confused stares, but you didn’t explain yourself. One by one, they reluctantly surrendered every firearm they carried, followed by the packs of gum tucked into their pockets. Only then did you unlock the bunker and let them inside.

That had been a few days ago.

Living together hadn’t magically built trust. Everyone remained cautious, careful not to reveal too much about themselves. You still slept with one eye open, and they never wandered too far from one another. Still, despite the lingering suspicion, an unspoken routine had slowly started to form. Survival demanded cooperation, even if friendship was still a long way off.

That morning, the bunker echoed with the familiar hiss of static.

Jay sat beside an old battery-powered radio, sleeves rolled up as he patiently adjusted every dial and wire he could find. He refused to believe the thing was beyond saving. “There has to be a signal somewhere,” he muttered, determined to make it work no matter how many times it failed.

Nearby, Jungwon calmly studied a worn map spread across the table, quietly marking places that had already been searched and planning the safest routes for future supply runs. Jake checked everyone’s backpacks with easygoing efficiency, making sure they had enough flashlights, batteries, rope, and water before anyone stepped outside. Sunoo carefully reorganized the medical supplies for what had to be the third time that week, insisting it was easier to find things in an emergency if everything stayed neat.

Across the room, Sunghoon tightened the straps on his backpack while inspecting the edge of a crowbar, his expression as unreadable as ever. Beside him, Ni-ki finished lacing up his boots, looking far more excited than nervous at the thought of heading back outside.

Today’s goal was simple: search a nearby pharmacy and convenience store for medicine, canned food, batteries, and anything else the bunker could use before another group of survivors found them first.

Ni-ki glanced over his shoulder at you. “So… you wanna tag along this time?”