Chapter 169

               

After finishing the interview, Sweeper went back down to the gym. People’s gazes shot over as he descended with two soldiers.

At first, people stared with curiosity, but once the soldiers left without anything happening, they lost interest, assuming he was just another new arrival. All those stares quickly receded like the tide.

There weren’t as many survivors as the gym’s size suggested. Even estimating those not immediately visible, there were maybe five or six hundred people at most.

Sweeper spread out the silver emergency mat he’d been given in a corner and stopped a passerby. But the man frowned deeply, waved him off, and kept going.

“What’s with that guy?”

People sure are cold-hearted.

Sweeper scratched the back of his head.

“Mister, where’s the smoking area here?”

He caught a young man who looked friendly and asked again. The young man’s eyes changed for a moment, then he quickly smiled brightly.

“I’ll show you the way.”

A few others quietly got up from their seats. Noticing them, Sweeper glanced over as he followed the young man.

The place he led him to was the third-floor gate overlooking the entire gym where survivors were staying.

“Nice view. Thanks, man.”

Sweeper grinned and lit a cigarette. The young man hesitated instead of leaving.

“Uh, excuse me…”

“Yeah? Need something?”

“Could I have a cigarette too?”

“Oh, sure. Go ahead, take this.”

Sweeper took out a pack from his pocket and tossed it to him. The young man, bewildered at first, broke into a happy smile.

Sensing other people’s eyes on him, he quickly left, hugging the pack like treasure and mumbling, “Thanks again.”

Well, in times like this, cigarettes would be pretty valuable. Sweeper nodded in understanding.

—

Back at his spot, Sweeper lay back against the wall, arms folded. He felt unsettled, his chest heavy.

Now what was he supposed to do?

No word from the organization he’d spent his life in. He’d been expecting a decent payout, but in this situation, that was just a worthless scrap of paper.

Who could guess how the world would turn out now? His life wasn’t in immediate danger, but his nerves were definitely frayed. The constant threat nearby was stressful.

Noticing someone’s gaze, Sweeper snapped out of his thoughts and looked over. A scruffy girl, about elementary school age, was standing next to him.

“Hey, little lady. What is it?”

Without a word, the girl pointed at the water bottle near him.

“Oh, is this your spot? Sorry, I’ll move.”

“No, just scoot over a bit and I’ll sit next to you.”

She seemed unusually mature. Sweeper gave a small smile and moved over, and she squatted down beside him.

‘No parents, huh.’

That must be why she was sitting alone. Sweeper felt a bit sorry for her, but figured at least she’d managed to survive.

Feeling a bit hungry, Sweeper took out some biscuits from his backpack and started eating. The sweetness melted in his mouth.

“……”

Geez, she’s staring so hard it’s awkward.

Shaking his head, Sweeper handed her a biscuit.

“Eat up.”

She hadn’t expected him to share. Her eyes widened.

“Go ahead, it’s fine.”

“Thank you.”

The girl stuffed the biscuit into her mouth, finishing it in a flash. Looking a bit embarrassed, she licked the wrapper clean, clearly wanting more.

“Want another?”

After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded hard. Sweeper smirked.

“Nope.”

But as soon as the blunt answer came, the girl hung her head. Sweeper chuckled and tossed her a handful of biscuits. He could always get more if he wanted.

“Thank you. I’ll definitely pay you back for this.”

“It’s fine, kid.”

“No, really. I can’t stand owing favors… If you need anything, let me know.”

“Yeah, sure.”

He couldn’t believe this. Sweeper gave her a nod and watched her devour the biscuits.

It wasn’t just empty words. A few hours later, the girl came back with a small bottle of water.

“What’s this?”

“Water. Please take it.”

The bottle held less than 200 mL. It seemed water was in short supply. Sensing his doubt, she added,

“That’s the daily ration. You didn’t get any since you arrived late…”

It looked more like tap water than mineral water, and Sweeper figured it might upset some people’s stomachs. He shook the bottle and looked at her.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

The girl bowed politely.

—

“Why are you following me?”

Sweeper spoke bluntly to the girl who was trailing after him like a stray dog.

He didn’t really mind, since he spent most of his time lying around anyway, but at least when he was smoking, it’d be better if she stayed away. He knew even secondhand smoke was bad for kids.

He understood, though—it’s not like she got food handed to her unless she stuck close.

“You’ll get lung cancer, you know.”

“I’ll probably live longer than you, mister.”

“You cheeky brat.”

She grinned. Sweeper couldn’t help but laugh too. It wasn’t a bad feeling. He had a lot on his mind, and it helped with the boredom.

Sweeper looked down at the field. In one corner, a man and woman were bickering. He recognized the young man—it was the guy he’d given the cigarettes to.

After arguing, the two disappeared in the direction of the men’s restroom.

Finding it odd, Sweeper tilted his head.

“So, how long have you been going hungry?”

“Since my third day here.”

“That’s a while, huh?”

“…Yeah.”

“I’d think it’d be smarter to look for another shelter than to starve here.”

“You’re right. Some people left, but none of them came back.”

“Hm.”

“Some turned into zombies right outside, so now everyone’s too scared to leave.”

“I see. That’s weak.”

“Anyone’s weak in a disaster.”

“Whoa, a little philosopher, huh?”

While they chatted, the two who’d gone to the bathroom returned. The woman was holding four cigarettes. Sweeper frowned.

“What’s that about?”

“Guess one got what they wanted and the other satisfied their craving. Still, doing that in a filthy restroom…”

“I wasn’t really asking, you know, you little old lady.”

Still, he agreed. He had zero desire to do anything like that in a bathroom with a barely functioning toilet.

“They must be tough, though, with nothing to eat.”

“Mind your own business, kid.”

Her mature way of talking wore him out. The girl replied dryly.

“I know more than you think.”

“Did you become like this after a few days of chaos, or were you always an old soul?”

“Call it mature.”

“Yeah, kids these days sure are. So,”

“…?”

“What’s your name?”

“…Bora.”

“Okay, Bora. Your parents dead?”

“Ever think that’s a pretty heartless question?”

“Not really. I’ve been an orphan since birth.”

“I see.”

Bora trailed off, then added,

“They’re at another shelter. I was at an after-school class nearby, so my teachers brought me here. My parents are at a shelter near their workplace.”

“So you might see them again.”

Bora nodded silently.

That evening, the two of them crunched up dry ramen and sprinkled on the seasoning powder. It was spicy and salty, but decent enough to eat.

“If you eat too much sodium, you’ll get dehydrated. Go easy on the seasoning.”

“Mind your business. And don’t act so smart. I’ll eat how I want.”

“Sigh.”

Sweeper snatched the ramen bag from her. She bowed her head right away.

“My bad, water lord.”

“Yeah, you little rascal. Watch your attitude.”

“Aye aye, I won’t worry about your health anymore, water lord.”

“Sounds like you’re being sarcastic.”

“Of course not.”

As they bantered, a shadow fell over them. Sweeper looked up to see six men approaching.

“What’s up, fellas?”

“Hey.”

“Yeah, I’m listening.”

“We know you came from outside, but how can you sit there eating alone when everyone else is starving?”

“What do you mean? I’m eating my own food.”

As Sweeper tilted his head, all six men frowned.

“We saw you’ve got a lot of food. Why not share with everyone? We’re all stuck here together.”

“I’m not stuck here with you. And watching others like that is creepy, man. I’m not interested in guys.”

“Does this look like a joke to you?”

“No. Do I look like I’m joking?”

He slowly stood up. Standing, he was bigger than he looked sitting down. The man in front flinched and stepped back.

Sweeper’s face was smiling, but his voice was icy cold. Bora stood up beside him, grabbing his sleeve. Sweeper patted her hand reassuringly.

“If I share my food, what are you giving me in return?”

They didn’t answer. Instead, they started to circle him, forming a half-moon. Driven by hunger, they didn’t even realize they might be about to cause trouble.

Sweeper grinned at Bora, who was trembling.

“Watch carefully, kid. There’s a lesson to learn from every person you meet. Especially in times like these—the lesson is, don’t overstep your place.”

He cracked his knuckles and added,

“And above all, your life is precious. Remember that.”