The hypermarket was eerily quiet, its aisles stretching into shadows. Broken shelves leaned against walls, carts lay overturned, and the faint smell of rot lingered in the air. Outside, the city groaned with distant screams and the occasional crash, but inside, for now, there was silence.
Namjoon stood at the center of the group, his voice steady but firm. "We'll stay here tonight. It's too dangerous to move in the dark. But if we're staying, we need to make sure this place is safe."
The others nodded reluctantly. Jungkook's jaw was tight, his eyes scanning the aisles as if expecting something to lunge at them at any moment. TXT shifted uneasily, their younger faces pale but determined. Y/N held her brother close, her pipe resting across her lap, her heart pounding.
Namjoon continued, "We'll split into pairs. Each pair will sweep an aisle, check for infected, and gather supplies. Food, water, medicine — anything we can carry. Fill your bags. We don't know when we'll find another place like this."
Yoongi's voice was low, skeptical. "And if we run into trouble?"
Namjoon's gaze was sharp. "We fight. Together. No one runs alone."
The plan was simple, but the weight of it pressed heavy. The hypermarket was vast, its shadows deep, and the silence deceptive.
Pairs were quickly decided:
Namjoon and Yoongi — strategy and precision.
Jungkook and Jimin — strength and heart.
Taehyung and Y/N — trust and proof.
Seokjin and Hoseok — fear and courage.
TXT split among themselves — Yeonjun with Soobin, Beomgyu with Hueningkai.
Y/N's chest tightened when Taehyung stepped beside her, his presence steady. His gaze lingered on her, protective but challenging. "Stay close. Don't hesitate."
She nodded, gripping her pipe tighter. "I won't."
Her brother looked at her, his eyes wide. "What about me?"
Hueningkai crouched beside him, offering a faint smile. "You'll stay with us. We'll watch each other."
Relief flickered across Y/N's face. She trusted Hueningkai's warmth, his gentle steadiness.
Namjoon's voice cut through the moment. "Move out. Quietly. And remember — if you hear anything, call out. Don't fight alone."
The group dispersed, their footsteps echoing softly against the tiled floor.
Y/N and Taehyung POV..
The aisle stretched before them, littered with broken boxes and spilled cans. Y/N's grip tightened on her pipe, her breath shallow. Taehyung moved beside her, his mic stand resting casually against his shoulder, his eyes sharp.
"You're nervous," he said quietly.
She swallowed. "Of course I am."
He glanced at her, his expression unreadable. "Good. Nervous means you're alert. Just don't let it freeze you."
They moved slowly, scanning shelves. Y/N spotted a stack of canned beans, half-crushed but still sealed. She stuffed them into her backpack, her hands trembling.
Taehyung watched her, his voice softer. "You're proving yourself. That matters."
Her chest tightened. "Do you really think I belong here?"
He paused, his gaze lingering on her. "I think you fight for your brother. That's enough for me. But for the others… you'll have to show them."
She nodded, determination flickering beneath her fear.
Suddenly — a sound. A shuffle, faint but distinct.
Y/N froze, her heart pounding. Taehyung raised his mic stand, his eyes narrowing.
From the shadows, a figure staggered forward. Its clothes were torn, its mouth smeared with blood, its eyes clouded. An infected.
Y/N's breath caught.
"Hit it," Taehyung whispered.
Her grip tightened. The creature lunged, snarling. She swung her pipe, the crack echoing as it connected with its skull. It fell, twitching, but she swung again, harder, until it lay still.
Her chest heaved, her arms trembling.
Taehyung's gaze softened. "Good. You didn't freeze."
She swallowed hard, wiping sweat from her brow. "I… I had to."
He nodded. "That's survival."
Jungkook and Jimin POV...
Elsewhere, Jungkook and Jimin moved through another aisle. Jungkook's rod swung easily in his hand, his eyes sharp, his jaw tight. Jimin clutched his broom handle, his breath uneven.
"You're too tense," Jimin whispered.
Jungkook's voice was low, harsh. "Because we're babysitting. That girl and her brother… they'll get us killed."
Jimin frowned. "She fought. You saw her."
"She's untrained," Jungkook snapped. "And the boy? He's just a kid. We can't protect him forever."
Jimin's gaze softened. "Maybe we don't have to. Maybe they'll grow stronger. Like us."
Jungkook's jaw clenched. "Or maybe they'll drag us down."
Before Jimin could respond, a growl echoed. Two infected staggered into the aisle. Jungkook surged forward, his rod smashing into one's skull. Jimin swung at the other, his strike clumsy but desperate. Together, they brought them down.
Jungkook's chest heaved, his eyes burning. "That's what happens when you hesitate. We can't afford hesitation."
Jimin's voice was soft but firm. "And we can't afford to lose our humanity."
Jungkook said nothing, his jaw tight.
Seokjin and Hoseok POV...
In another aisle, Seokjin and Hoseok moved nervously, their weapons trembling in their hands.
"I don't like this," Hoseok whispered, his voice shaking. "It's too quiet."
Seokjin's face was pale. "I don't like it either. But we have to do it."
They scanned shelves, stuffing snacks and bottled water into their bags. Their hands shook, their breaths ragged.
Suddenly, an infected lunged from behind a shelf. Hoseok screamed, stumbling back. Seokjin swung his chair leg weakly, barely grazing it.
The creature snarled, closing in.
"Help!" Hoseok cried.
Namjoon's voice echoed from nearby. "Hold on!"
He and Yoongi rushed in, their weapons striking with precision. The infected collapsed, silence returning.
Seokjin's chest heaved, his eyes wide. "I… I couldn't…"
Namjoon's gaze was steady. "You'll learn. Fear is normal. Just don't let it control you."
Hoseok nodded shakily, tears brimming in his eyes. "I'll try."
The group slowly reconvened, their bags heavier, their bodies exhausted. Supplies were piled in the center — food, water, medicine, tools. It wasn't much, but it was survival.
Namjoon looked at them, his voice steady. "We'll stay here tonight. We'll take turns keeping watch. Tomorrow, we move."
The others nodded, their faces pale but determined.
Y/N sat with her brother, their hands clasped tightly. Taehyung sat nearby, his gaze lingering on her. Jungkook stood apart, his eyes sharp, his jaw tight, watching her with suspicion.
The night stretched before them, heavy with silence.
And Y/N knew: survival was fragile, trust even more so.
The hypermarket was barricaded, its doors blocked with carts and shelves, but the silence inside was fragile. Every creak of the building, every distant growl outside, made hearts race. Namjoon had organized a watch schedule: pairs would take turns guarding the entrances while the others tried to rest.
🌙 The Night Watch
Jungkook and Yoongi took the first shift, their silhouettes tense against the dim light of the lantern. Jungkook leaned against the barricade, his rod resting across his lap, his eyes sharp. Yoongi sat nearby, his knife glinting faintly, his expression unreadable.
"Still think they're a burden?" Yoongi asked quietly, nodding toward Y/N and her brother curled together across the aisle.
Jungkook's jaw tightened. "I don't think. I know. We're risking everything for strangers."
Yoongi's gaze lingered on Y/N. "Maybe. Or maybe they'll surprise us. Survival changes people."
Jungkook said nothing, his eyes fixed on the shadows beyond the barricade.
Later, Taehyung and Y/N took their turn. The silence pressed heavy, broken only by the faint hum of the lantern. Y/N gripped her pipe, her breath steady but shallow.
Taehyung glanced at her, his voice low. "You fought well today."
She swallowed. "I was terrified."
He nodded. "So was I. Fear keeps us alive. But you didn't freeze. That matters."
Her chest tightened. "Do you really think I belong here?"
Taehyung's gaze softened. "I think you belong with your brother. And that's enough. The rest… you'll prove."
She looked at him, her throat tight. "Thank you."
For a moment, the silence felt less heavy.
🌌 Quiet Conversations
Soobin joined them briefly, his tall frame hunched, his voice soft. "You remind me of us," he said, nodding toward Y/N. "Thrown into this without warning. We were terrified too."
Y/N's lips trembled. "I lost my family. My parents, my sister… they turned."
Soobin's eyes darkened. "We lost people too. Staff, friends. It doesn't get easier. But… we have each other. Maybe now, you have us too."
Her brother stirred nearby, whispering to Hueningkai. "Do you think we'll be okay?"
Hueningkai smiled faintly, though his eyes were tired. "We'll make it. Together."
The night stretched on, heavy with grief and fragile hope.
🌅 Dawn Decision
Morning came with pale light filtering through shattered windows. The group gathered, their faces pale, their bodies aching. Supplies were packed into bags — food, water, medicine, tools.
Namjoon stood at the center, his voice steady. "We can't stay here. Too exposed. Too many infected nearby. We need somewhere safer."
Yoongi nodded. "The city is death. Too many people, too many infected."
Taehyung's gaze was firm. "The forest. Less population. Fewer infected. More space to hide."
Soobin added quietly, "And maybe… we can think there. Plan. Decide what comes next."
Jungkook frowned, his jaw tight. "The forest isn't safe either. Wild animals, no supplies. But… it's better than this."
Namjoon's voice was calm but resolute. "Then it's decided. We move to the forest. We regroup. We survive."
The others nodded, their eyes filled with exhaustion but determination.
Y/N tightened her grip on her brother's hand. The forest was unknown, dangerous, but it was hope — a fragile chance to breathe without the constant shadow of the city.
Taehyung glanced at her, his voice low. "Stay close. The forest will test us. But maybe… it will save us too."
And so, as the sun rose over the ruins of Seoul, BTS, TXT, Y/N, and her brother stepped out of the hypermarket, their bags heavy, their hearts heavier.
The city groaned behind them. The forest waited ahead.
And survival was only beginning.