The group was tense, the air thick with unspoken words. Park Dong-geol, known for his sharp tongue, was at it again, and the others watched him with a mix of irritation and curiosity.
“You’re at it again. If you just stayed quiet, you might at least pass for average,” someone quipped, trying to cut him down.
Dong-geol frowned but didn’t retaliate. Instead, he spoke in a surprisingly gentle tone, “Didn’t you hear what the young lady said earlier? She asked us not to fight among ourselves.”
“Maybe you should reflect on your own actions before preaching to others,” came the retort.
“Fair enough,” Dong-geol conceded, “but since we’re all here to share our thoughts, why not at least listen?”
His unexpected concession left the group momentarily speechless. The woman who had challenged him earlier seemed puzzled, as if wondering if he’d eaten something strange.
“I apologize for what happened in the clearing,” Dong-geol continued, “and if my tone is harsh, don’t take it too personally. It’s just how I am, not that I have anything against you.”
He glanced around, his head slightly bowed, acknowledging the lingering discontent but noting the atmosphere had softened. Moving to the center of the group, he gauged their reactions before diving into the heart of the matter.
“I agree with some of what the banker lady said. Arguing isn’t going to help us. We need to put aside our differences and figure out how to escape those monsters. What do you think?”
“Go on, then,” someone prompted.
“While I agree with some points, I have my reservations. Ultimately, I think everyone needs to understand their own situation.”
“And what exactly are your reservations?” Lee Bo-rim asked, her voice tinged with annoyance.
Dong-geol’s smile turned sly. “Survival is a given, but I don’t think I can cooperate. Cooperation sounds nice, but given the situation and my feelings, it seems like nonsense.”
“Then leave. Go on, run off and survive on your own,” the woman scoffed, but Dong-geol remained unfazed, nodding as if in agreement.
“I’ve considered that,” he admitted.
“Then go,” she insisted.
“Just hear me out first, okay? Listen to everything I have to say.”
With a nod from Ahn Hyun, the woman reluctantly fell silent. Dong-geol continued, drawing the group’s attention.
“I’m not smart, and I’m rough around the edges. But I don’t lie. I’m simple like that. When I almost lost my life in the clearing, I realized a lot. Since then, the word ‘cooperation’ has been grating on me.”
The group shivered, recalling the recent events in the clearing. Dong-geol seemed to have anticipated this reaction, his throat bobbing slightly as he spoke.
“Honestly, I wasn’t just anxious—I was terrified. It’s embarrassing, but I almost wet myself. Think about it. Those creatures we only see in movies or on TV appeared right in front of us. If that guy on lookout hadn’t moved quickly, most of us would have been a meal for those monsters. So I thought about it. I’m not boasting or trying to threaten anyone, so don’t misunderstand. I’ve been in fights before. I can kill if I have to, whether it’s with a knife or whatever. Why? Because I don’t want to die. In the clearing, everything happened so fast, but I want to live. So if it happens again, I’ll use this weapon to survive.”
His speech was long, but the group was starting to listen, albeit skeptically. I had a sense of his intentions but decided to wait and see. He began addressing individuals, pointing them out one by one.
“That guy over there looks like he’s done some training. He’s got a weapon and has dealt with the monsters. And you, if you can back up your words with actions, you might be helpful. The guy with the crossbow, too. These four can definitely help each other. There’s potential for cooperation, right?”
Ahn Sol, Lee Shin-woo, and Lee Bo-rim looked troubled, realizing they were being singled out as unhelpful. Bo-rim finally found her voice.
“So you’re saying you can’t cooperate with those who aren’t helpful?”
“Whoa, calm down. I haven’t finished.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Can you do what those guys with the weapons can? Do you think you can stab those monsters with a rock or a knife? From what I see, not a chance. Especially that girl clinging to that guy, she just screamed every time something happened. At least the woman over there kept quiet and didn’t get in the way. If she’d done even that much, I wouldn’t have said anything.”
The woman he pointed to was the one who had questioned me earlier. She maintained a cold, calm demeanor.
Time passed, and Bo-rim finally spoke, her voice trembling and subdued compared to before.
“So, in the end, you’re saying we should abandon those who aren’t helpful…”
Watching her struggle, I considered Dong-geol’s intentions. I understood his point, but it was a harsh stance. Initially, I thought he was just a loudmouth, but he was accurately assessing the situation and presenting his logic, regardless of his motives.
Seeing Bo-rim’s dejection, Dong-geol bared his yellowed teeth, speaking with renewed confidence.
“Don’t jump to conclusions. I haven’t said that yet. Don’t react so sensitively. The world is give and take. Cooperation means you have to contribute something. If we just pretend to cooperate and head out, what do you think will happen? The thug will be busy protecting his girlfriend, and the kid will freeze up and be a hindrance. I don’t want to protect or cooperate with such clueless people. My life is my priority. Isn’t it the same for you?”
The woman who had been challenging him fidgeted, unable to find words. The female banker was visibly flushed, her fists clenched in frustration, but she too remained silent. Satisfied with their reactions, Dong-geol pressed on, sensing it was time to make his move.
“Everyone here values their life above all else. If we agree on that, let’s be honest. Some people here can’t cooperate. They’re just blindly relying on others. Isn’t that right, kid?”
Ahn Sol, caught off guard by being singled out, looked to her brother, her mouth opening and closing as if trying to speak but unable to find the words. She lowered her head again, and Dong-geol shrugged exaggeratedly, continuing.
“That guy knew it too, which is why he told the kid to walk on her own earlier. If she’d gone with the guy with the crossbow, she wouldn’t have ended up like that. Why the long faces? Did I say something wrong?”
Not entirely. Despite his bluntness, Dong-geol had a point. The problem was that he was throwing a harsh truth at those who needed help.
“If you think I’m wrong, prove it. Go down the hill right now, kill a couple of those monsters, and bring them to me. Then I’ll shut up.”
”…”
Having said his piece, Dong-geol stepped back, returning to his spot. I was curious about the others’ reactions and began to observe their faces.
Ahn Hyun seemed deep in thought, eyes closed, while Sol trembled slightly beside him. But the most affected were Lee Bo-rim and Lee Shin-woo. It was clear Dong-geol had targeted them. They were visibly tense, their teeth chattering. No one spoke for a while until Ahn Hyun finally broke the silence.
“I understand what you’re saying.”
Usually quiet, Ahn Hyun glanced at his sister before speaking clearly.
“Sol isn’t my girlfriend; she’s my younger sister. I have no intention of abandoning her.”
“Brother…”
Sol hugged Ahn Hyun tightly, moved by his words. Dong-geol, surprised by this revelation, responded awkwardly.
“Siblings, huh? I didn’t know. But that doesn’t change anything. Who can guarantee there won’t be another incident like before?”
The situation was becoming quite interesting. Unable to target Ahn Hyun directly, Dong-geol was using Sol as leverage to pressure him. It seemed Dong-geol had chosen to separate himself from the group, but not without shaking things up first. Ahn Hyun said nothing more, and the hill fell into a silence so deep you could hear a pin drop.
“Look, don’t take it too harshly. I know I went on a bit, but we can’t just stay in this limbo forever, right? Seems like there are plenty of people who aren’t too fond of me anyway.”
“So, what is it you really want…?”
Her tone was less sharp than before, and as she asked, Park Dong-geol responded without hesitation.
“I want to build a real team here.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=