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“Why are you being like this?! She hasn’t bit anyone!” Cheong-San bit back on the tears threatening to well up, gripping back at Su-Hyeok’s uniform jacket just as tightly, ignoring the tightness of his own uniform squeezing at his throat.
“Because I can’t just stand by and watch you die!” The grip on his uniform tightened, cutting off his air flow a bit more and causing him to cough. Su-Hyeok seemed none the wiser though, glaring down at him as if he were to blame for the whole zombie thing.
“Well, I won’t let you pointlessly kill her!” Cheong-San coughed some more, hands scrabbling against Su-Hyeok’s chest as the other gripped tighter. His vision was kind of blurring now, breath coming in wheezes as panic seized him.
“H-hey. Calm down man, I think he’ll back off.” Su-Hyeok wasn’t moving, still glaring down at him, and squeezing his uniform shirt ever tighter. Despite the clear panic in his head there’s also a morbid sort of acceptance toward his fate, which may or may not be due to the fact that he was basically in love with the one currently choking him out. But who was gonna judge him?
“Ya! Bare-Su! Stop you’re gonna kill him!” Air was suddenly rushing into him, vision sharpening before blurring once more. The sudden relief both felt good and horribly painful as it filled his deprived lungs, coughs escaping him in horrible, scraping wheezes.
Cheong-Sean felt like his muscles were jelly, slipping from the desk and collapsing to the floor in a messy heap, coughing and then trying to stop them when they proved to be irritating. It took a minute before his vision cleared, throat aching and painfully tight. He rubbed at it gingerly, wincing at the sharp pain when he swallowed.
He looked up, spotting Dae-Su standing behind Su-Hyeok, arms locking the taller teens behind him. The latter looked abnormally pale, staring down at him with a mix of emotions Cheong-San couldn’t even begin to make out, mouth opening and closing uselessly.
Dae-Su slowly let him go, eyes wide as he looked between the two of them. The rest of their friends had backed up to the edges of the room, staring in a similar state between them. Even Nam-Ra looked shocked, hands held out in front of her as if she were seconds away from intervening as well.
“Ya. Sannie-” Said teen flinched when Su-Hyeok stepped toward him, stumbling up and away when the taller recoiled away from him as well, paling even further and looking as if he were the one that had just been nearly killed.
“It’s fine…” his voice sounded ragged. Completely raw and hoarse and entirely too painful to use in that moment. He couldn’t find it in him to be pleased at the second recoil from the other, only feeling hurt and betrayed and entirely too close to crying. This fucking sucked.
He grabbed a nearby chair, dragging it to a corner and settling down slowly, adamantly keeping his eyes averted from everyone else in the room. He didn’t care that some of the others were already whispering, didn’t care that there was a zombie snarling at him literally three meters to his right. He just… needed to be alone for a minute. Needed a minute to gather his thoughts and wallow in his hurt. Both physically and emotionally.
It fucking sucked that after everything he’d done. After all the shit he’d thrown on the line for his friends, none of them believed him. None of them had tried helping when Su-Hyeok had basically been killing him right there in front of them, until it was almost too late.
He was honestly glad anyone had decided to help at all, and he was only mildly upset that it was more because he didn’t want that sort of thing on Su-Hyeok’s mind rather than him still being alive. The teen heaved a tired sigh, hand rubbing just shy of where it hurt since he couldn’t really put any pressure on it.
He wasn’t prepared for the absolute panic that suddenly lanced through him at the feel of his shirt pushing at his throat, mind narrowing and breath catching as if it were constricting his airways once more. He tried hiding the panic from everyone else, shaky hands coming up to fumble at the top few buttons of his shirt.
He couldn’t really manage to unbutton it, fingers fumbling too much and slipping over the tiny plastic bits uselessly. He could feel tears pushing at his eyes, something lodging in his throat until gentle hands suddenly grasped his own, gaze snapping up to meet the class president’s. Despite the usual blankness in her features her eyes still looked concerned, hands endlessly gently as she guided his own away and unbuttoned the first few buttons herself.
Cheong-San felt like he could breathe again, air stuttering in and out in a painful rush once more. He blinked away the tears in his eyes, giving the class president a shaky smile before averting his gaze. He very suddenly felt fucking horrible for how he’d so easily turned on her, logic, and reasoning of it be damned.
“Thanks…” His voice was still coming out rough, and the reminder makes his neck throb again. He idly wonders how long that’s going to be a problem and if it’s gonna affect their escape plans or anything else that’s possibly important.
Nam-Ra hasn’t moved away yet, still staring at him like she wants to say something, but doesn’t know how. Cheong-San rubs the back of his neck, feeling awkward under her stare and like maybe he should try and break the tension. Or at least give some sort of an opening for a conversation to start.
“Sorry… about before. I just… didn’t want anyone else- getting hurt.” A cough forces its way through mid-sentence, irritating his throat and making him want to continue coughing. It is probably the most annoying thing he has ever experienced, so he tries to swallow it back, wincing all the while. Nam-Ra looks concerned again, eyes worriedly glancing across his form as she shakes her head.
“No. I get it… I didn’t like it, but I understood why. You don’t have to apologise.” Cheong-San breathed out a quiet laugh, rubbing the back of his head. Apparently everyone was out to make him feel like shit today, whether it was intentional or not is entirely up for debate in Cheong-San’s opinion, but he wasn’t willing to argue it at that moment.
“Still… I gave Gyeong-Su a chance. I should’ve- done the same-” Cheong-San cut himself off this time, feeling the cough tickling the back of his throat and deciding to save himself the trouble this time. It took a second but luckily it faded out, only leaving his throat mildly itchy and uncomfortable.
Nam-Ra didn’t seem to know how to respond to that, humming quietly as she watched him. Cheong-San could feel the stares of the others in the back of his head, could basically hear the whispers of whatever it was they might be saying. It made him shift uncomfortably in his chair, hunching in on himself a little like it would help them disappear.
“Su-Hyeok wants to apologise…” Cheong-San froze at the words, heart doing a confusing mix of skipping a beat and twisting in his chest. Because of course it was his boyfriend who had almost killed him in the apocalypse. It was just his luck for things to turn out like that.
Nam-Ra tilted her head, eyes flicking down for a split second before she was focusing on him once more. She looks as if she’s waiting for his answer, Cheong-San merely staring back with a mix of confusion and reluctance. He had kind of planned on wallowing for a little longer. Maybe even avoid his partner of two years for a while until he could just brush it off and pretend it didn’t happen. You know, like what every normal, teenage boy did.
According to the way the class president was continuing to stare though, expectant – and maybe a touch imploring – Cheong-San didn’t think he was going to get out of this one no matter how badly he might want to. When he still doesn’t answer Nam-Ra rolls her eyes, very obviously biting back on a sigh before she’s speaking again, tone just a touch bored.
“Please speak to him before he blows himself up. I can hear his brain ticking away with how many thoughts he has going.” Cheong-San can’t help but laugh fondly in response, eyes flicking toward the topic of conversation for a split second. From the glance he manages he sees Su-Hyeok staring the two of them down, gaze mid-way between desperate and upset, though he’s not too sure what for.
He can feel his shoulders slump, sigh escaping him as he waves his hand in the vague direction of the other teen, “Fine…”
Nam-Ra perks a little, corners of her mouth curling in a not quite there smile as she spins on her heel and marches back toward the other. Cheong-San doesn’t watch what happens next, can’t really bring himself to do so when his heart is pounding a determined path through his ribs. Maybe he should just jump out into the hallway and save himself from the feeling of absolute panic now coursing through him.
Before he can actually make good on that thought Su-Hyeok is slowly crouching down by his side, hand hovering uncertainly next to his thigh as he looks up at him. Cheong-San refuses to meet his eyes though, staring at a point just past his shoulder and keeping his mouth determinedly shut, he wasn’t about to cave like every other time and make it easy for him. Not this time.
When the silence begins to drag he contemplates being the one to break it despite previous claims, eyes narrowing as he continues to feel the burning gaze on the side of his face, the other giving no hint to breaking it any time soon. Cheong-San can feel frustration mounting, completely forgetting his still sore throat as he looks toward the other teen, fully prepared to give him a piece of his mind.
What he’s faced with pulls him up short, breath escaping him in a rush and words disappearing from his mind. Su-Hyeok looks devastated, staring down at his hand that’s now clenched inches from Cheong-San’s thigh, the limb shaking minutely. The shorter teen can’t help but feel exasperated and fond in the same measure, previous anger dissipating like early morning mist.
“Hey…” Su-Hyeok looks up at him, eyes shining with unshed tears and desperation so palpable Cheong-San can practically taste it in the air. He reaches out gentle fingers, brushing his knuckles against the corner of the taller teen’s eyes despite not having shed tears, laughing airily when he leans into the touch slightly.
“You asshole.” The words seem to break a dam in Su-Hyeok, breath hitching and tears falling as he grasps at his hands, bowing forward until his forehead is touching the backs of them.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I- I don’t know what- I can’t- I’m sorry.” It’s almost infuriating how easily the other can get him to forgive without doing a damn thing, but Cheong-San was a fool and had stupidly fallen head over heels for him long ago.
He wasn’t about to pretend nothing had happened though. No, he’d use every future opportunity to bring it up and make the other feel guilty, pettiness of the action be damned. He reckons he is entitled to it considering what had transpired so far.
Cheong-San sighs softly, pulling his hands away before cupping the other’s face, thumbs stroking along his cheeks and swiping the tear tracks away. It doesn’t do much since Su-Hyeok’s still crying, sobs hitching and nose running slightly. He’s an ugly crier, and the knowledge makes the shorter teen laugh slightly before he cuts himself off again.
“You’re a dick and you owe me so many free lunches for the rest of our lives.” Su-Hyeok sniffles uselessly, arm coming up and wiping at his face roughly as he nods once.
“I probably owe you way more than that…” He basically hiccups the words out, and Cheong-San can’t help but think of a child version of the teen in front of him, knees scraped and eyes teary as he fights so hard to not cry in front of anyone else. Strong as he is stubborn in his efforts to prevent seeming weak in front of everyone. Everyone except Cheong-San that is.
“Definitely. But I forgive you anyway.” Su-Hyeok looks as if the words are about to send him into a sobbing mess once more, causing Cheong-San to roll his eyes as he reels him in, pulling his face into his chest and wrapping his arms around the other’s head. He feels arms come up around him, wrapping tight around his back and gripping on for dear life.
He has the brief thought that this seemed a little backwards, victim comforting the accused and all, but he chooses to not pay that any mind. Su-Hyeok had always been the more emotional one between them after all, Cheong-San all too ready to brush things off and keep moving forward. Nothing he could do to change it, might as well make do with what he was left with.
He was just thankful that he was left with an intact relationship this time around, raw throat and extra trauma aside that is. Su-Hyeok pulls back after a long moment, shaking his jacket sleeve down so he can wipe at his face, tears having subsided by now.
When he looks up his face is all puffed up, eyes red rimmed and mouth trembling the slightest bit still. Cheong-San can’t help but smile helplessly, brushing his hair from his face so he can place a chaste kiss on his forehead. They would definitely have to talk about all of this when everything was said and done, but Cheong-San was happy to brush it off for now, simply basking in having Su-Hyeok by his side at all. He just hoped the other would do the same and allow them to have whatever time they had left with one another.