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asleeplessren · 2 years

Text

Keep Going

(AoUAD Fanfic)

Jang Wujin X OC

"Wujin."

"Yes?"

"I'll save you from the monsters."

← 004. →

Jiwoo wanted to hold her friend. Or rewind the clock a little. Only minutes ago they'd been giggling and giddy, excitement for the game replacing nerves. She'd been teasing her still about Wujin, and Minha was blushing but seemed happy- apparently, she had a cute story to share with her. And then disaster struck, and her stupid, foolish, sweetheart of a best friend had to be a hero. Just like that, everything came to a screeching halt, and Jiwoo wanted to be by Minha's side. But she could only watch on with sadness as Coach Kim laid down the law.

"You'll be lucky to be an alternate next week, Miss Park. There's no place for you on our team with an attitude like that." The middle-aged woman tossed Minha's gym bag onto the ground in front of her.

The rest of the team was silent, holding their breath in fear of being the next exile from the game. It didn't matter that Minha wasn't necessarily in the wrong, only that Coach Kim was not kind to sympathizers. Eyes averted, they could only listen and flinch as their coach sealed Minha's fate.

"You're not joining us for this match, and you're sure as hell not starting next week's game either!"

Minha held her head up in defiance. Tears gathered in her eyes, her fists were clenched behind her back, perfect posture holding in a rebuttal. Her ears were ringing as she watched her future crumble, but her pride stopped her from begging for forgiveness. She refused to back down. At this moment, she hated her coach, the consequences hadn't hit her yet. Her eyes fell onto the meek junior, Suah, standing behind their coach, still cradling her cheek. The slight girl was tearing up too, and she looked so remorseful that Minha wanted to hug her. It wasn't her fault, none of this was. Coach Kim didn't like being wrong, especially when it was the foreigner calling her out. So Minha didn't apologize, she didn't beg, and she wouldn't take back her actions. Even as her coach made a spectacle out of her and painted it as Minha's wrongdoing, the rest of her team watched her fall from grace.

Jiwoo tried to step forward, but a near-imperceptible shake of the head from Minha made her stop. And oh, how her heart was hurting for her friend. She always knew Minha was kindness personified, but this was new; sacrificing herself.

So as the team was ushered onto the bus, Jiwoo broke down into tears, staring out the window at Minha, knowing that the world had just stopped spinning for her.

------

Nobody needs to know. Those three words were her mantra as she walked out of the gym. The boys' team was getting ready for an in-house scrimmage and she'd been kicked out to make space. It was bad enough they were starting to set up the second-line game with Yangdong, but now they wouldn't even let her be in the room. Two hours of spiking practice wasn't making the inner dialogue of "you messed up" any quieter, so she was calling it a day anyways. Normally this would be the point in time when she'd look for Hari, her fellow senior that understood her frustrations- her sister in every sense but literal. But Hari was off at the most important archery competition of the season so far; Minha refused to distract her from her life's ambition. Not even Jiwoo would be comfort, having been sent off to Seoul with the rest of the team, and Minha wanted Jiwoo to be safe from Coach Kim.

She was all alone. Maybe she could just stay here and cheer on her junior teammates, but the burn of embarrassment was too strong. She couldn't look at any of them knowing that they witnessed not only her disrespect for their coach but also the temper tantrum she'd thrown after the bus carrying her future left. That was the part that made her chest ache. She'd stand up for her teammates time and again, that wasn't a problem. But the anguish of being kicked aside, of losing everything she'd worked for, and how that feeling took over, overwhelming and all-consuming in the moment, that feeling clawed at her insides as she gave in. Now she could only feel embarrassment.

Yongha, Jiwoo's successor, had pulled her into the locker room as quickly as she could and begged her to skip the game. "You're too angry to be here today, we understand."

Minha had taken that one straight to the heart. She had a reputation on her team as their Vitamin C, and instead, she cursed at the sky and kicked a volleyball into the forest with angry tears. Crouched on the ground, pulling at her hair to contain her rage... Yongha was right. Even as she was trying to practice, her face felt hot, knowing her fellow teammates were whispering to each other. No looks of understanding could erase the shame she felt. She hadn't even processed her actions fully. How would she explain to her parents that she'd tarnished their hopes just for the satisfaction of calling her coach an asshole? She was right, obviously, but that would mean nothing in the grand scheme. Three years as their ward, down the drain. She should just go home for the day. Nobody had to know that she was a failure today.

Defeated, she trudged through the locker room, not sparing any time to look around at how empty it was. Her teammates were going to Seoul, competing in a game that should include her. She just had to run her mouth off and get suspended from the game. Her coach never liked having a foreigner, not even a talented one. It didn't matter that Minha was one of their aces, or that she was a good communicator on the court- not even her pristine record up to the day of infraction could sway Coach Kim to not make an example out of her. And so here she was, glaring at her empty water bottle. Alone. Fishing her phone out of her duffel, she fiddled with her bangs while checking the time. The team should be reaching the other team's gym by now. Maybe they'll stop for lunch first, it was getting close to that time now. She considered texting Jiwoo, but she didn't want her friend to get caught with a phone.

She just had to get home somehow, without anyone noticing her. It was risky, trying to cut class, and if found out, her family would never trust her again. But hadn't she already betrayed their trust?

Her eyes were filling, threatening to fall into tears. She wiped them away as quickly as possible; tears weren't going to change what she'd done. Still sniffling, she pulled a hoodie over her uniform and slipped out of the gym as unassumingly as she could. She ignored the sounds of service, the tell-tale shouts of teamwork and sneakers squeaking on the floor. She clutched onto her gym bag, slung across her shoulders, acting as an anchor. Campus was bustling as students around her started heading out for their lunch breaks, so she ducked her head and pulled the oversized hoodie even closer. If she could just make it off campus, her shame could stay hidden from the general population, at least until tomorrow, after she figured out how to face her family.

"Noona!"

She cursed under her breath before turning to the boy approaching, a small smile already on her face, anything to keep them from knowing.

Daesu stopped in front of her, grinning widely, "are you skipping school?" He looked at her hands, gripping her bag so tightly her knuckles were white, "are you ok?" His smile flattened into a frown, worry coloring his tone.

Minha loosened her grip on the strap, eyes now wide, "Oh, uh-"

Screaming filled the air.

Minha felt the hairs on her neck rise. Her spine tingled. Daesu tensed up, swiveling to find the source.

In the distance, Minha could see a handful of students running, shrieking in fear, some stumbling and falling. The back of her brain jolted.

"What's going on?" Daesu sounded shaky and he gripped her wrist, already pulling her to stand behind him.

She tugged him to start running towards the school, towards where she hoped Wujin was, "monsters."

------

-----

See, now we're hitting the real action! Thanks for hanging in here with me so far.

#jang Wujin #all of us are dead #all of us are dead fanfic #aouad #kdrama fanfic #fanfic #zombie apocalypse fanfic #son sang yeon #oc: park minha #oc: hwang jiwoo #it has killed me to not talk about zombies yet #i literally live for zombie movies and i just want to dive in

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asleeplessren · 2 years

Text

Keep Going

(AoUAD fanfic)

Jang Wujin x OC

← 003. →

Hari was sleeping soundly, barely audible breaths escaping her. In the opposite corner of her room lay the fitful form of Minha. Unable to lay still, constantly shifting, Minha was the opposite of her roommate. Every few seconds a whimper would fall from her lips, the sound being exactly what drew Wujin to his older sister's room in the first place. He hadn't slept at all, despite the house going dark hours ago. He'd been feeling guilty.

All day, he was able to ignore the feeling; picking on Daesu, jegi with Joonyeong and Baresu, passing notes in class. The first crack came as he walked off campus with his friends. They shoved each other around and threw playful threats at one another, but none of it was enough to stop his gaze from landing on the gym. He could hear sneakers on the wooden flooring, the distinct slap of volleyballs hitting the ground, players yelling commands to each other. Minha was in there, and she'd probably still be there when the sun fell. He immediately remembered seeing her smile fall earlier that day. And how quickly she covered it. Only for it to grow into a grin when she left him.

He'd spent the better half of the last year tiptoeing away from the older girl. There were too many misunderstandings. She didn't know that skinship wasn't common here, or that multi-gendered friendship had certain rules. She was so free, and it was easier to let her be free somewhere else than to stifle her. He liked that she laughed often, that she used to play with his hair when he was sick, or that she wanted to play video games with him all summer. She would always wave at him when he showed up to games, she always included him in conversations with seniors if he was there, and she never gave up.

He'd felt even worse when he got home that night, and her shoes were missing from the entryway. She was still practicing, even now with the sun long gone. She'd be walking home alone. The guilty feeling tripled when dinner came around and she was still gone. He tried to sneak a look over Hari's shoulder as she texted Jiwoo, but Minha's name was never mentioned.

And then she walked into the room. He was so relieved. But she looked so tired too. Guilt cemented his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

Now though, he could hear Minha having a nightmare. He wanted that guilty feeling to go away, and he wanted her to sleep for her match, so he moved as quietly as he could into the girls' room.

Minha gasped awake. She felt only cold fear in her veins. Heart beating wildly, sweat gathering along her hairline- she felt clammy and on edge. She couldn't breathe. And then she locked eyes with Wujin, and her breath was gone.

Wujin's face was right above her, his hand moving in front of him in a shushing motion. Minha's breathing was still heavy as she looked lost. He gestured towards the faintly snoring lump that was Hari.

Minha nodded in understanding and tried to shoot him a questioning glance and get ahold of the way her lungs were burning.

Wujin only shook his head and pulled her out of the room, the girl stumbling slightly. Her vision was limited both by the darkness and the way her eyes couldn't focus on anything. The feeling of Wujin's hand wrapped around her wrist was her only anchor as she struggled to find her feet.

As the door shut softly he paused in the hallway, looking to see if his parents had stirred. With no tell-tale sounds outside of Minha's short gasps, he turned back to her, "you were having a nightmare. I didn't want to wake Hari."

At the mention of her nightmare, Minha froze, suddenly seeing the images across her mind again. It was fast, but she could feel the same fear sweeping through her. She didn't notice that she had tears building up in the corners of her eyes as she zoned out, the violence of her dream pulling her back in.

"Minha?"

She startled back into the present; Wujin.

Before he could blink, she pulled him into her arms. His entire body was burning, on instinct seeking out any other eyes, making sure nobody was witnessing this. Warm hands gliding across his skin, too fast to linger for long, but insistent in their search.

"Wha-" he tried to push her off, especially as she specifically started pulling at the hem around his neck, frantic hands feeling for something. She needed to check.

"You're ok," she whispered to herself in such relief that he stopped pushing.

"Are you? What did you dream about?"

Minha rested her head on his shoulder, boneless now that fear wasn't driving her actions, and answered in the tiniest voice "monsters." Her hands still sat on his shoulders, seeking the comfort of knowing he was ok.

Wujin began leading her toward his room, not wanting to wake anyone up, "did they get me or something?" He chuckled lightly, hand ghosting across her back, ushering her into the room. She seemed so fragile, even as he reminded himself that this was the same girl that could dominate a court and commanded the admiration of others with simple words of encouragement.

He felt her shudder, "I couldn't stop them." These words didn't hit him, it was just a dream after all.

He pulled her to sit with him on the bed, their backs up against the wall, shoulders touching, "that's because you're tiny."

She shoved him weakly, "I might be a little short, but I'm still strong. And fast. How else do you think I became an ace?"

Wujin smiled, successful in changing the topic, "Don't your teammates just launch you at the ball?"

This time she pushed him harder, "Yah!" The boy fell sideways.

He laughed, regaining his balance, "Ok, you're strong!"

She giggled, finally having caught her breath, "Don't you forget it."

He nodded as they fell silent again. This was comforting, being like this again. When he was at home, and it was dark out, just the two of them, he could pretend that he was just a middle schooler, hanging out with his new host sister; back when she had nobody else to talk to and he had nobody to impress other than her. And he could pretend that they were the only people in the world. Even now, he felt like he had fallen into a dream. Maybe he was imagining it all. His pajama pants grazed the side of her own, pink and girly, such a contrast to the athlete that wore oversized jackets (that he suspected belonged to him sometimes).

"Wujin," she sounded tired. Her head dropped down, away from him, but she rallied upright.

"Yes?"

She yawned and closed her eyes, head tilting backward this time to rest on the wall, "I'll save you from the monsters."

And suddenly she was out like a light. He chuckled softly, moving her to lay down; she had a big game tomorrow after all.

"I'm sure you will, noona."

He grabbed a pillow and an extra blanket from his closet. He could sleep on the floor for one night.

------

Hari was no-nonsense today. She'd herded both of her wards all the way to school long before the late call, warning Wujin to not sneak off campus just to walk in with his friends. She had enough to focus on today, and his ability to not goof around with his little buddies was not going to help. The teenage boy rolled his eyes, "Noona, shouldn't you be leaving soon?" She raised a hand to smack him, failing as he dodged her and winked, "too slow!" He grinned cheekily at his older sister but made sure to wish both of his sunbaes luck before walking off.

The older girl smirked as she watched her slightly younger friend stare after him, "maybe if you ask nicely he'll give you a kiss for good luck." Hari took deep pleasure in how quickly Minha's cheeks turned red.

Gasping and trying to smack Hari's arm, Minha just knew her ears were red too, "Unnie! You can't just say that to me, I gotta have a warning!"

Hari's laughter was loud as they walked together, "What? No such warning exists."

"Still," Minha whined next to her, "you know how much it shocks me when you mention it!"

Weaving her arm around Minha's shoulder, Hari smirked again, "Imagine how shocked I was when I figured out your crush. On my disgusting little brother too. You're like a cougar."

If it wasn't embarrassing enough, Jiwoo sidled up next to them, wrapping an arm around Hari, "She's a cradle robber!"

"Not you too!" Minha glared at her sister and friend, "and I'm not either of those!"

"Sure," the girls cooed in unison.

"I mean it. I just like being around him, ok? And," she pointed at them, offense painted on her face, "I was born in December. I'm barely older!"

The older girls shared a look before looking back at Minha, "Sure!"

Minha pulled her hood over her head to block the two girls out and hide how red her face had become. She still remembered the day Hari found out about her feelings for Wujin. She'd joined Minha and Jiwoo on a trip to the movies- a rare allowance for the girls as they were expected to constantly be honing their skills. It was a rom-com, and while normally it would have been fun for Minha, Jiwoo spent the entire time poking her in the side, as the lead looked similar enough to Wujin. Hari finally added up the facts when Minha pounced on Jiwoo's back on their way out of the theater, whispering harshly (and much louder than intended) to stop "or Hari will figure it out!"

Hari was thrown off at first, but it was also such a cute possibility that she couldn't resist teasing Minha. In Hari's opinion, Wujin was a little bit of a brat sometimes, but he was also dependable and encouraging. She'd never heard her brother complain in the ten years that she'd been the center of attention. He'd only ever been supportive of her dream, and that only doubled when Minha moved in with them. If anything, Hari was rooting for her surrogate sister. At least this way, she might eventually be a real sister. That was getting ahead of herself though, and more important things were at hand.

"Play a good game today, ok?" She wrapped her arm around Minha's shoulder once more as they got close to their separation point.

Minha, still buried in her hoodie, nodded, "I always do."

Hari laughed and gave her one last squeeze, "I know. Just play honestly, play hard, and don't give up."

Jiwoo soon slung an arm over Hari, "Same goes to you, unnie." Once Hari bowed her head in agreement she continued, "and when we all get back, we'll go get pork belly!"

The other girls chuckled; it was always about food in the end with Jiwoo.

Minha pushed Hari off of her and towards the Archery Center, "Go! You're gonna be late. Make me proud!"

And the girls went their separate ways. All hopeful, but none of them prepared.

------

I know! Where are the zombies??? We're almost there! Was this chapter fluffy on a day that happens to be full of heart-shaped stuff? Coincidence (mostly) But the next part will be up soon!

#jang Wujin #oc: park minha #all of us are dead #all of us are dead fanfic #aouad #fix it fic #zombie apocalypse fanfic #son sang yeon #jang hari #oc: hwang jiwoo

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asleeplessren · 2 years

Text

Keep Going

(AoUAD fanfic)

Jang Wujin x OC

"Wujin."

"Yes?"

"I'll save you from the monsters."

← 002. →

------

Daesu had Wujin in a headlock.

“Let me go! You smell!”

The taller boy clicked his tongue and tightened his hold as they continued walking, “Not until you apologize.”

Wujin struggled harder, “I’m telling Hari about your BTS poster if you don’t let me go!”

“It’s not a poster!” Daesu surrendered, “it’s an album and I just respect them as fellow artists!”

Wujin shoved at his friend and tried to fix his hair, “Yeah, sure you do.”

Daesu cried out, “Why can’t you just believe me?”

“I refuse to believe the guy that dragged me all the way back to school in a headlock,” he fixed his vest with a glare, “just to see if he left his jacket somewhere.”

“Please,” Daesu pouted, “my mom will kill me if I return home without it. She just bought it for me!” He pressed two hands together in front of him, bowing in desperation.

His friend sighed heavily, “Fine,” Daesu tried to hug him, “just hurry up! And I don’t owe you food anymore!” He shoved Daesu’s arms off of him.

“I’ll feed you! You’re saving me!” Daesu shouted before running to the very corner that Wujin’s group of friends always spent their breaks.

“I want real food this time Daesu! Candy doesn’t count!” Wujin shouted after him, “Aish! You hear me?!” His friend didn’t hear him.

Wujin sighed again, how did he put up with this guy?

It finally hit him that he was back at school and the sun was setting, emptiness his only companion. He stared at the grounds, abandoned as far as the eye could see. But there was one sound, and it was trickling out of the gymnasium doors. Sneakers squeaking on the woodboards, pounding footsteps, girls’ voices yelling every now and then. The volleyball team was still practicing. They had a game tomorrow, so that made sense. Still, Wujin wondered why they’d be pushing themselves this hard, knowing they’d need their energy for the next day.

He shouted for Daesu, but heard nothing in return. He could stand here, kicking the ground, or he could sate his curiosity.

The choice was easy.

His feet carried him to the double door, light pouring out, the random voices becoming more distinct.

The entire team was practicing, divided into four teams on two courts, with any remaining players doing laps. He wished he could be like normal guys; a building of attractive girls running around in shorts, this should be heaven. The Wujin that didn’t know Park Minha yet would love this. But he did know her, and he could only focus on her.

She was resting briefly, standing by the net (appearing even shorter than usual), her hands gripping her knees as she took the time to catch her breath. Her eyes never left the ball as her side got ready to serve. The moment the ball was in the air, she was tensed to move.

It all went so quickly; hit, hit, swish, hit, smash. Shouts of “got it”, “and “let’ s go!” filled the air, each member of the team seamlessly working together. He watched Minha cheer for the girls around her, looking like she belonged there. She really flew. He’d seen her jump higher than the girls around her, blocking a ball like it was nothing, and he’d witnessed how devastating her serves could be. But there was something about watching her look so focused as she practiced, coupled with the happiness that came with no stakes. It was just practice, but she looked like this was the most fun thing in the world when she didn’t have the seriousness of a real game weighing her down. She jumped on her neighbor’s shoulders, giggling loudly, and Wujin felt himself smile with her.

That of course was the moment Jiwoo noticed him. She was standing right by the court and was supposed to be taking notes on her clipboard, but her gaze wandered outside when she realized there was someone standing there. He caught her eye and felt himself cringe, seeing her smirking face and raised eyebrows. She caught him.

He felt how red his ears were and how wide his eyes grew. He had to get out before she made fun of him too.

Jiwoo crossed her arms and shook her head as she watched Wujin stumble backwards to hide from everybody. Why were boys like this? No, she’d seen some guys be normal. Lee Suhyeok was never like this, and she was ninety percent sure he was down bad for a girl in his class. Then again, she’d never actually seen him trying to win her over, so maybe she hadn’t quite figured the junior boys out. Regardless, Jang Wujin looked mortified to have been caught by her and she couldn’t wait to tell Minha.

Her mouth opened to get Minha’s attention, and that was Wujin’s cue.

He retreated as far from the building as he could, stopping in the same courtyard he’d been waiting in before. His lungs felt like they were twisting.

“Let’s eat!” Daesu’s hand landed heavily on his shoulder.

Wujin jumped, his heart trying to pound out of his chest, “Aish!”

Daesu laughed loudly, “Bet you didn’t think I could be sneaky! I may be bigger than you, but it’s all muscle!”

“I wasn’t paying attention, ok?” He yanked the recovered jacket out of Daesu’s hands before stomping off, “can we go now?”

“Don’t leave me, brother-in-law!”

——

It was dark by the time Minha finally entered her home. Her shoes were the last pair to rest in the front entryway tonight. She could hear the family gathered in the dining area, probably enjoying dinner together. Despite knowing her host parents wouldn't have a problem with it, Minha felt guilt churning in her stomach for being out so late. She and Jiwoo's stops for street food were more frequent than she expected, but at least she already ate. Following the sounds of conversation, she made her way to the dining area. Her host family was fully present, already starting to clean up. She bowed apologetically, "I'm sorry. I meant to be home sooner."

Jang Yeji, her host mother, was already waving her hands, "Minha! We're just happy you made it home safe" She smiled warmly at the teenager.

Jang Seyoon, the patriarch, tagged on, "did you eat?"

Minha nodded her head, "Jiwoo made sure I ate."

He made a sound of approval, "that's good to hear! How was practice?"

Minha sat down next to Hari, who was still finishing her food, before answering, "I think tomorrow's game is going to be a piece of cake."

Yeji returns to the table to grab the dishes in front of her silent son, "There's going to be scouts tomorrow, right?" Seyoon's face showed his interest too. Both of her host parents had high hopes for Minha to be a national athlete. It was the entire reason they took her in in the first place.

Hari cut in before Minha could answer, "No, but tomorrow is supposed to be the game that decides who plays when they do show up."

Minha nodded her agreement. She often forgot that Jiwoo was Hari's friend too. Jiwoo managed for multiple teams at the school; this was how she got around her parents nagging her to be in sports or be more social. If she was the manager, she'd have all the social benefits and none of the physical exertion. And her parents would leave her alone.

"Is the whole team going to Seoul tomorrow?" It was her host father's question.

Minha shook her head, "Coach Kim is taking the first line and a few subs. Everyone else will be staying behind to play Yangdong's second line for practice."

"Wasn't Yandong already here today?" So Wujin was going to join the conversation.

Minha barely looked at him before turning to her host parents, "We had a friendly scrimmage today, but it was their first line team. Tomorrow's practice unit will be joining us."

Hari oohed next to Minha, "You're so cool Minha. You really sound like a professional when you talk about volleyball."

Minha smiled into her lap before nudging Hari, "Stop! You're the cool one. You'll be on the national team by this time tomorrow!"

Mr. Jung nodded in agreement, "I know you'll make us proud tomorrow. Both of you!"

Minha could feel warmth in her chest. She wanted exactly that, to make her host family proud. But even moreso, she wanted to hold onto this specific feeling: being a part of the family. If she can prove herself as an athlete, then everything they've done for her won't be in vain. It was this that drove her to do well in everything. This final year of school had been grueling, especially as she'd been studying for exams. She knew that if she did well in volleyball, she wouldn't need to test well, but there was a voice in her head constantly insisting that she had to prepare for the worst.

Wujin spoke once more, "I'm sure you'll both be great." And then he smiled across at them. His ears were pinking, but Minha felt the sincerity in his words. His sister smacked him in the shoulder, calling him cheesy. Minha laughed at their antics before curling into a ball to avoid the next hit Hari aimed at her for not taking her side.

Mrs. Jung shared a smile with her husband before clapping her hands at her children, "Alright! Finish cleaning up and then straight to bed. Tomorrow's a big day!"

The three teenagers groaned in unison.

"Ah ah, you all are old enough to use words." Seyoon chuckled at them, "we're trusting you as near adults to take care of the house and each other while we're in Incheon." Tomorrow was their anniversary, and they wanted to spend it away from their three teens for once.

Hari, being the oldest, was the one to push the other two into motion, "Of course appa, you can count on me. I'll watch them," she pulled Wujin into a headlock.

Wujin struggled halfheartedly before just giving in, dead weight, "Eomma!"

His mother laughed, "Hari, you're gonna stress your arms out. Let your little brother go!"

------

Aaaand another one up! Thanks for reading, I think I'm always going to be a little scared when posting lol But I want Wujin to have something, so I'll push through! I really genuinely appreciate everyone that takes the time to even skim through my little fix-it of sorts; I'll see ya again soon!

#jang wujin #all of us are dead fanfic #all of us are dead #aouad #zombie apocalypse fanfic #kdrama fanfic #fanfic #oc: park minha #daesu all of us are dead #wujin all of us are dead #jang hari #hari all of us are dead

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asleeplessren · 2 years

Text

Keep Going

(AoUAD fanfic)

Jang Wujin x OC

"Wujin."

"Yes?"

"I'll save you from the monsters."

Park Minha was an expert at two things: Volleyball & Having a Hopeless Crush. But she wasn't prepared, no matter how many movies she'd seen, for zombies. Not that it'll stop her from trying to save Jang Wujin. She just has to try and keep trying. Fight and keep fighting. Go and keep going.

← 001. →

Minha was a team player. It was what made volleyball so appealing and important to her. There was something so refreshing about being a cog in a perfectly oiled machine; the non-players just didn't get Minha on that level. She prided herself on her communication style, and never failed to do her best to uplift her teammates. They had a shared goal on and off the court, they understood each other, and Minha would always protect that dream. Even the boys' team was lassoed into her protectiveness.

Outside of her teammates and fellow volleyball players, Park Minha had very few friends. At least, according to her definition of friends- that was something she learned after moving in with the Jang family. Before moving here, she considered most people her friend if she had a conversation with them, or they hung out now and then, or they only had one hyper fixation in common but could spend an almost endless amount of time only talking about the one thing. Here, friendship was more about consistent, quality time, nearly all the time. There was such a focus on school and career aspirations that there wasn't much time to waste on being everyone's friend. Acquaintances were more likely, and most friendships were same-gendered.

That was also strange to her; there was a distinct line between presumed genders, and while some were close regardless of the line, the exceptions were few and often led to dating rumors that made closeness uncomfortable. It wasn't that boys and girls couldn't be friends, just that they were never best friends; there was something about commonality that made mixed friendships a little more difficult to pursue. And of course, there was always the chance that one person was never interested in "just friends" but something more. No middle ground existed in that scenario, not when everything in a teenager's life here was considered so important that any slip-ups could derail your entire future. It was strange to her because, where she came from, that brand of awkwardness could happen with any friends, regardless of gender. And most relationships were considered pastimes. The future felt further away back home; in Korea, the future was always right around the corner, waiting for you. She kind of liked that sometimes- before coming here, she felt like none of her decisions mattered. Here, there was weight. On one hand, it was often too heavy, and the priorities of many adults were like sandbags on the shoulders of the youth. It made being a teenager feel like rolling a ball up the hill. On the other hand, it was somewhat liberating to have a seriousness attached to her choices; she wasn't being dramatic for studying so hard, her paranoia wasn't making her practice all the time, she was just focused.

Her host family had tried to teach her about the differences. While they'd mostly succeeded, she wasn't easy to reign in on all fronts. Her host parents were easy enough to respect, but she loathed the practice of respecting all adults. That was something common back home, but a more liberal society meant it was more encouraged to stand up for yourself. Here? As a more conservative nation over all, unruliness was typically discouraged. It was about putting in the time, doing what was expected, and just pushing through. She'd been with her family for three years, and the culture of being obedient to your seniors was one of the toughest pills to swallow.

That, coupled with the frustrating isolation that came with being a student- always terrified to fail- made her sometimes question her choices. But then she'd see her family at a match, or cry with her teammates after a game well-played, or Jang Wujin would buy her a snack just because he thought of her, and she'd be content again.

Jang Wujin- her host brother technically, but primarily one of her only two friends. Hari was also a friend, but she thought of her as a sister so strongly that it almost didn't count. Park Minha had Wujin and her team manager, fellow senior Jung Jiwoo.

Jiwoo had accepted every little quirk that made Minha stand out, from her half foreign features to her usually off putting displays of platonic affection. Jiwoo thought it was funny when Minha cursed in English, and she always helped her with history homework. For Minha, Jiwoo was a buoy, and she was happy to have that stereotypical, "my best friend is all I need" friendship with her. It was one more step toward being just like everyone else. Jiwoo was a godsend, along with her ability to make Minha feel better without ever asking. She always knew when Minha was in distress, or when she was feeling especially embarrassed. She could always sense if Minha needed saving from a social blunder or borderline awkward interactions. Minha could always rely on Jiwoo, and Jiwoo knew Minha would return the favor. It's what made their friendship so sweet; devotion that makes them grow.

They trusted each other, they rescued each other, and they held each other's secrets. Including Minha's teeny tiny crush on her one male friend and second line bestie. Jang Wujin would be the death of her. He was annoying, and frustrating, and always acted like he was embarrassed to be around her. He even had the audacity to show up to her games, and make a secret handshake with her, and be very handsome. Stupidly handsome. But also her host brother? So excruciatingly off limits. Most of the guys here were off limits. For one, she was a foreigner for all intents and purposes. And for two, she was an athlete, focused on one goal. National Team or bust. So she would tuck that little crush as far into the back of her mind as possible. It could wait until the season was over- better yet it could wait until it was dead and gone, because it would be too embarrassing to speak it into existence. Only Jiwoo could know how genuine her feelings were. And it would only distract Minha. National Team or bust. Don't get distracted.

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"Wujinah!" Her voice rang across the pavement. Minha's high ponytail swished behind her as she all but skipped to the boy's side. The area was teeming with other uniformed students as they traveled to their next class or practice, groups and pairs mingling about here and there. Wujin and his own friends were in the middle of talking about plans to hit up an arcade soon, switching to rowdy greetings as Minha approached. It was no surprise when she delicately wrapped her hands around Wujin's arm, grinning up at him warmly; this kind of affection was expected of her by now. She was a touchy-feely person after all. But that didn't stop the boys from nudging each other as she spoke only to Wujin, "Do you mind staying a little late today? My practice is gonna be longer than expected- we're having a scrimmage with a team from Yangdong."

"I can't do that, noona. I already have plans." He avoided eye contact with her and gestured to his friends.

Daesu could be heard snickering as he whispered "noona" to the other boys, elbow slightly digging into Wujin's side. Wujin could feel his ears burning- a feeling that only increased as the older, but much shorter girl whined.

"You always have plans, Wujin."

The snickering returned.

"If you already knew the answer," he pushed her hands off of him as subtly as he could and stepped an inch further from her, "then stop pestering me." The gathered boys oohed at that, sounding impressed as amusement flooded their faces in his favor this time.

Daesu threw an arm over his friend's shoulder, "my brother-in-law owes me food, noonim. He has to keep to his word." It was a clumsy attempt to make her feel better.

Minha's hand wrapped around her opposite elbow, looking meeker than she realized, but still smiling nonetheless, "I should've known better." Her giggle filled the air around the group, an exaggerated shrug following.

Wujin watched her face to see if she was ok, immediately deciding he should at least be somewhat apologetic to his senior and unofficial friend, "I-"

"Minha!" Jiwoo was walking by with two seniors from the boys volleyball team as she waved Minha over, "we're heading in, come with us!"

The small girl smiled again, this time seeming brighter than ever, nodding her head before stepping away from the juniors around her. She waved cutely, the sleeve of her jacket dwarfing most of her hand, "have fun after school!"

Enthusiastic goodbyes resounded from the boys she left, each of them somewhat mesmerized by her swishing ponytail and steadily carefree nature.

She didn't spare Wujin even a glance as she happily ran to her friend and fellow athletes. He ignored the pang he felt as she joined the other group and began walking away, linking her arms with the two boys' and chatting away about something probably volleyball related. It wasn't like they were real friends, despite her claims that he was one of her only friends. He knew she was just messing with him. Her attention, though platonic, often made Wujin feel pressured, particularly in public. It was different when they were at home and he didn't have to be interrogated over every interaction, no matter how many times he told his friends to ignore it and write it off like he did. Everyone knew she was just the overly friendly type, common amongst foreigners, and that embarrassing Wujin was fun. He shook his head before elbowing Daesu, "stop calling me your brother-in-law!" The group fell into laughter again.

As Minha's group traveled further away, she felt her shoulders start to relax. She was prattling mindlessly about wrapping techniques, anything to push yet another embarrassing moment out of her head. The boys linked with her had ample opinions on the matter, and she was glad to be distracted. Jiwoo laughed when asked, insisting they were the experts. But Jiwoo also knew the signs. When they locked eyes and Minha shrugged in self-deprecation, Jiwoo blew a raspberry, knowing exactly what would lift her friend's spirit.

The group entered the gym, still playfully debating material differences. The boys leaving the girls behind as their coach began stretching exercises, Minha's sweater pawed hands sent them encouraging thumbs ups and a shout of "kill it!" And so, Minha could finally reflect on Wujin's treatment of her.

"Minha, let's get food after practice!" Jiwoo wrapped her in a side hug, being taller than Minha, she slouched over the girl.

Minha pretended to be out of strength and struggled to walk a little, "Jiwoo! You can't just land on me like that! I'll get shorter!"

On first glance, most would guess that the shorter of the two was the manager, with Jiwoo being so tall compared to her. But closer inspection would reveal Jiwoo's gangliness and tendency to knock stuff over as she hadn't quite figured out how to be graceful. Minha's hands also looked rougher, having put in countless hours of work hitting a ball. She also had more shapely legs, needing the muscles to launch herself higher in a game that favored the tall. It was a point of insecurity for Minha. The other girls on the team weren't necessarily tall per say, but their legs were also more slender. She chalked it up to her genetics. She also bruised more easily, which couldn't really be avoided in this sport. All of the girls had come to terms with being beat up by the floor, it was a part of the game. And so, whenever she wasn't on the court or practicing, she wore pants to cover her legs. She'd love to wear a cute skirt for once, but the stares her bruises get just made her so uncomfortable.

Jiwoo's body weight doubled in force, knocking Minha out of her thoughts again, "I'm gonna make you pocket-sized and take you everywhere with me!"

Their giggles followed them into the locker room. All thoughts of how Wujin pushed her off of him, trying to distance himself, were temporarily moved to the back burner. Remembering the ache of rejection would only distract her. Time to focus.

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Ok! Still kinda starting out, but don't worry! We're gonna get there! Just laying some foundations.

#all of us are dead fanfic #all of us are dead #aouad #original character #jang wujin #jang hari #zombie apocalypse fanfic #fanfic #kdrama fanfic #all of us are dead imagine #aouad imagine

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