You weren’t part of his crew — not officially. But after tug-of-war, things shifted.

You’d been the one to suggest the weight distribution strategy that helped your group survive. Deok-Su saw it. Saw you. Saw the sharp edge you kept hidden behind quiet eyes.

“Smart,” he muttered, leaning against a rusted beam in the corner of the sleeping area. “Didn’t expect that outta you.”

You looked up from tying the makeshift splint on your teammate’s leg. “People like you don’t expect a lot from anyone.”

He laughed — low, gritty, short.

“You’re right.”

---

Later that night, chaos threatened again. Another round of infighting was bound to happen. You could feel it in the tension hanging in the air like stale breath.

Deok-Su sat beside you without a word.

“You want something?” you asked, not bothering to hide the irritation.

“Just watching your back.”

You raised an eyebrow. “You don’t strike me as the guardian angel type.”

He shrugged. “I’m not. But I don’t like seeing smart people get gutted while idiots run loose.”

He was offering protection in his way — jagged, conditional, and temporary. You weren’t sure if you should be flattered or disgusted.

But you also knew survival sometimes meant standing beside monsters.