Even Zombies Have Fandoms

Chapter 1

Prologue

On a sweltering summer day, I was on my way back to the classroom after lunch, stopping by the vending machine out of habit to pop an ice cream into my mouth.

“Hey, hey. What would you do if zombies suddenly appeared at school?”

A friend walking beside me asked. He was the type to throw out strange questions often, but everyone was more irritable than usual due to the heat, so the reactions were harsher.

“What kind of nonsense is that out of nowhere?”

“Oh, just hypothetically. Just hypothetically.”

“This guy is at it again.”

“So what? It’s fun! I’d just bolt straight to the vending machine.”

Despite the barrage of teasing, he answered without a hint of intimidation. This piqued the interest of others, who began to seriously ponder the question as if they hadn’t just been annoyed.

Some said they would go home for their pets, while others argued that they should escape to the back mountain of the school where there wouldn’t be any people. As I quietly listened to the conversation, I realized that I was the only one left who hadn’t answered.

A friend in front turned to look at me.

“Hey, Kkangmu. What would you do?”

I took a bite of my ice cream and threw out whatever came to mind.

“I’d just stick my arm out the door and get bitten first.”

“Crazy. With a nickname like Kkangmu, why are you so spineless?”

“Spineless or not, isn’t it better to go as painlessly and comfortably as possible rather than getting eaten alive?”

I shrugged in response to the guy treating me like a coward. Yet, perhaps he was still unsatisfied, as he picked another fight.

“Spineless loser. If a zombie outbreak happens, I’m definitely leaving you behind. In movies, it’s always these types that cause trouble.”

“…Fine, then I’ll make you my first meal!”

“Yikes!”

It wasn’t something I said seriously, but I bit his arm in annoyance at being treated like a useless person. My friend’s exaggerated scream echoed down the hallway, and in the end, we got a good scolding from the teacher who rushed in after hearing the commotion.

It was a fond memory from my middle school days. But to be honest, it wasn’t a significant memory that would come to mind nearly ten years later. Still, the reason I recalled that trivial conversation was that I had never thought about this topic since then.

It was like a flashback before death. Just as one might reflect on their entire life to find a way to escape death, my brain was working to solve the current dilemma.

However, even the past I barely recalled was of no help.

“I’m going crazy…”

I tangled my hair in frustration and sank down to the floor. As I fell into a gloomy state, a shadow loomed over me. I absentmindedly looked up.

“Grrr…”

“Ugh.”

Skin that had rotted and turned a sickly green. A jaw that seemed to have been torn apart, exposing dark red flesh. Through the gaps, I could see yellow teeth stained with blood and bits of flesh that hadn’t fallen off.

I felt like I was going to vomit and covered my mouth. Did that small movement catch its attention? Its murky, clouded eyes, reminiscent of a degenerated deep-sea fish, turned towards me.

“Grrk, grrr…”

Zombies had appeared in this country, or rather, in the city where I lived. And perhaps it was because of something I had said in my childhood?

“Grrk, grr…”

“When the hell did you get in? Go away, just go.”

I jumped up, grabbing the mop I had set aside. I pushed the constantly groaning zombie away with the mop’s end, and it staggered back, retreating. I repeated this until the zombie was pushed out the door.

Bang! As its two feet left the room, I hastily closed the door with rough movements.

“Damn…”

I muttered a curse softly in the now quiet room, overwhelmed by the suffocating feeling.

Unable to sit still, I paced around the room before walking to the window. I placed my hand on the glass and looked down, seeing zombies stumbling around the street, looking no different from the one I had just encountered.

As I stared at the horrific scene that felt utterly unreal for a long time, I suddenly noticed my hand resting on the window. Although I had a minor complaint that I wished it were a bit bigger, it was an ordinary hand that now appeared lifeless and pale, lacking any vitality.

Slowly, I removed my hand from the glass and placed it over my left chest. Then I confirmed once again what I had already checked multiple times.

“Yep, still not beating…”

As the saying goes, “A man’s word is worth a thousand gold.” Just like that, I had become a zombie without even realizing when.