Mental Protector in the Apocalypse

At the outset, it was likely that the protagonist was obliged to accompany the strangers. Upon first encountering them, their demeanor had been so altered that she could not place her faith in them. Generally, it is prudent to abstain from such individuals.

She observed their gaze in uncomfortable silence. She began to feel anxious. She yearned to communicate something, yet she remained silent.

“Were you present since the beginning?”

“…What?”

It is preferable to remain silent.

She gave him a puzzled look as she inquired what he meant by “from the beginning.”

He directed a tender look in her direction, accompanied by a slight smile. However, there seemed to be a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

What is the reason for his appraising gaze?

“…Nothing. Let’s talk comfortably.”

“Apologies, I was preoccupied previously.”

“I believe this would be more suitable for me… Ah, of course, we have not yet introduced ourselves. My name is Lee Do-Yoon, and I am twenty years of age.”

“My name is Han Ji-Ah, and I am twenty-one.”

She stated her name and age with a slight tremor in her voice. He then paused for a moment before approaching her with a friendly demeanor, addressing her as “Noona.”

“May I address you as Noona? It would be more convenient for me, as I am younger.”

“Given that there is only a one-year disparity, shall we converse informally?”

She feels more at ease with this option.

It’s strange. Something’s strange.

She regarded him with a perplexed expression. It could have been due to the atmosphere, but it almost seemed he was familiar with her. He appeared to be different from when she initially encountered him. What should she say…? Should she be more at ease? It was an unusually comfortable feeling…

“I know this school well. Since the outside situation isn’t good, I think we’ll have to stay here for a few days, so I’ll guide you to a place where you can stay.”

He indicated he wanted to take her somewhere, so she hesitantly followed him.

Upon exiting, it was evident that the protagonist, who had not been present for long, was not accompanied by any zombies in the hallway. However, the school will likely be populated with zombies shortly. Therefore, it was imperative to find a secure location, as suggested.

She followed him to the infirmary equipped with beds and medications. However, it lacked any food provision.

He preceded her into the room and surveyed the area before facing her with an expression of relief.

“Enter the premises. It appears that no one is present at the moment.”

Why was it fortunate that no one was here? If he was referring to zombies, that makes sense, but in her opinion, that wasn’t the case.

In an uncertain situation, isn’t it better to have someone with somebody than to be alone? It’s usually comforting to be in the middle of a group, but he seemed to want to be alone away from the group.

He seemed to have had a negative experience with a group.

It is conceivable that individual preferences for solitude may be attributed to personality traits. However, Han Ji-Ah may be overestimating this.

From her understanding, the protagonist was a compassionate individual who dedicated himself to the group of survivors from the start. He demonstrated his commitment to them by sacrificing his life five times to protect them. It is thus perplexing that he would make such a statement.

‘Is he regressing? But when?’

She entered the infirmary, shut the door, and engaged the lock. The repercussion of the locking mechanism reverberated around the still room. She positioned herself against the entrance and posed her question.

“You didn’t ask?”

“What?”

“You said you would go alone, and then you came back. Why didn’t you ask why?”

“Ah… yeah, I did… Do you want me to ask why?”

“No, you don’t have to if you don’t want to?”

“Yes. If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”

She averted her gaze and took a deep breath; there was no denying it.

He’s regressed.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes, perplexed as to why she was unscathed. It was evident that Lee-Do-Yoon’s reappearance indicated he had perished at least once prior. Nevertheless, she hadn’t experienced anything peculiar since he started again from the save point. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary or uncomfortable.

It was a relief to see that the world continued despite his passing. However, Han Ji-Ahwas still concerned that he had returned without her knowledge of when or how. She was left to question how the world was still able to function.

Abruptly, she began to experience a headache. Lee-Do-Yoon’s demeanor suggested that he was familiar with her, as there was no logical explanation for his lack of inquiry regarding her behavior.