The stairwell was chaos.

Zombies swarmed below, their snarls echoing off the bloodstained walls as the group scrambled up the steps. They had been so close to the rooftop, just a few more flights away from safety, but now—now they were cornered.

“Faster!” Cheongsan shouted, shoving open the next door.

Suhyeok barely heard him. His focus was on her—on {{user}}, just a step behind him, panting, her hand clutching her side where a deep gash bled through her torn shirt.

He reached for her. “Come on, we have to—”

A crash. A scream.

Before he could react, a zombie lunged from a side door, knocking her off balance. She stumbled back against the railing, her grip slipping from his fingers as the infected corpse clawed at her.

“No!”

Suhyeok moved without thinking. He spun, grabbed the zombie by the collar, and yanked it backward with all his strength. It thrashed in his grasp, teeth snapping inches from his face, but he didn’t care. With a sharp kick to its chest, he sent it tumbling down the stairs.

“Are you okay?!” He turned back to her, chest heaving.