ECHOES OF RESPONSE: MYSTERY OF IMMUNITY

The blinding white light bore down on Eunhye’s eyes, making it difficult to keep them open. Her head throbbed painfully, and the cold, hard surface she lay on offered no comfort. Panic crept into her thoughts as she tried to piece together where she was. The sterile smell, the metallic chill against her skin—it was all too familiar.

"No..." she whispered internally, dread taking root in her chest. "I’ve felt this before. This... this feeling." Her breathing quickened as a terrifying possibility entered her mind. "Am I back? Are the doctors experimenting on me again?"

The thought jolted her awake. With a sharp gasp, she sat up, her right leg arching slightly, her hands gripping the edges of the metal bed she was lying on. Her wide eyes darted around the room, taking in her surroundings. It was stark and clinical, but not a lab. A sigh of relief began to form in her chest when her gaze fell on Charyeong, lying unconscious on another metal bed a short distance away.

Before she could gather her thoughts or attempt to get up, a voice cut through the quiet.

"Are you okay now?"

Eunhye froze. She knew that voice. Turning her head, she saw In-Ha sitting in a swiveling chair, a stack of papers and a pen in her hands. In-Ha’s sharp eyes locked onto Eunhye’s, her expression unreadable.

"In-Ha... ma’am?" Eunhye croaked, her voice weak and uncertain.

In-Ha nodded, setting the papers aside with a sigh. "Don’t worry. You’re not captured. Everything is fine," she assured her, though her tone was clipped.

Eunhye exhaled deeply, the tension leaving her body in waves. "Ah. I see," she murmured, pressing a hand to her chest as her heart began to steady.

"How’s your head?" In-Ha asked, her eyes scanning Eunhye critically.

"My... head?" Eunhye echoed, lifting a hand to touch her forehead. Her fingers brushed against the rough texture of bandages wrapped around it. As she pressed lightly, a flash of memory hit her. "Ah... I remember now. Yuri Seonsangnim..."

But In-Ha was already on her feet, crossing the small room with purposeful strides. Standing over Eunhye, she folded her arms, her gaze hardening.

"Eunhye," she said, her voice low and dangerous, "do you mind explaining the bite mark on your stomach?"

The words sent a chill down Eunhye’s spine. Involuntarily, her hand drifted to her stomach, pressing lightly against the fabric of the white hospital gown she wore. Her mind raced, but she took a deep breath before answering.

"Ma’am, I won’t turn now," she said quietly. "It’s been more than a year—"

"You will answer my question!" In-Ha snapped, slamming her fists down on the metal bed. The sudden noise reverberated through the room, making Charyeong stir in her sleep. Eunhye flinched at the outburst but quickly composed herself, her own glare meeting In-Ha’s.

"How does one get a bite mark, ma’am?" Eunhye shot back, her voice firm. "I was bitten by a zombie when we got separated back in 2022."

The tension between the two women was palpable, their glares locked in a silent battle of wills. In-Ha’s face remained stony, but Eunhye’s resolve didn’t falter. Slowly, she pushed In-Ha back, rising from the bed to stand on shaky legs.

"But what does it matter?" Eunhye continued, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "It’s been two years. I’m fine."

In-Ha exhaled sharply, shaking her head in frustration. "Hah... This is ridiculous," she muttered. "Charyeong got her bite mark two years ago as well."

"What?" Eunhye turned, her gaze snapping to Charyeong, who was now sitting up in bed, her eyes blinking groggily.

Charyeong nodded slowly. "When we went to grab a bus to Andong," she said, her voice quiet but steady. "A zombie bit my arm when Minji eonnie ran off, leaving me, Jay, and Ji-hoon alone at the school."

Eunhye processed the revelation, her lips pressing into a thin line. She turned back to In-Ha, her expression hardening once more. "Now then," she asked, "what will you all do?"

In-Ha met her gaze, her tone resolute. "I need your blood samples, Eunhye. Yours and Charyeong’s."

Charyeong’s eyes widened, panic flashing across her face. "Why?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Because it’s weird," In-Ha replied bluntly.

"What is?" Eunhye asked, her voice carrying a note of suspicion.

In-Ha exhaled slowly, her eyes narrowing. "Su-yeong got bit too. And she’s half-zombie now. She scratches Hamin, and he’s half-zombie now. But you and Charyeong..." Her gaze flicked between the two women. "Neither of you turned—fully or partially. Something must be different."

The room fell silent again as her words settled over them. Eunhye and Charyeong exchanged glances, their unease mirrored in each other’s eyes. Whatever the reason for their immunity, it was clear that this was only the beginning of a larger mystery.

The room seemed quieter now, save for the occasional soft rustle of sheets as Eunhye and Charyeong shifted uncomfortably on their beds. The air was thick with unspoken questions. Why hadn't the virus affected them like it had others? Eunhye, with a heavy heart and a sense of duty, nodded her agreement to cooperate with In-Ha. Charyeong, though hesitant, eventually agreed as well, her reluctance evident in the way her fingers nervously clutched the hem of her gown.

In-Ha wasted no time. She swiftly prepared the syringes and extracted small vials of their blood with steady hands, her expression unreadable. The process was clinical yet tinged with an undercurrent of urgency, a silent plea for answers hidden in the crimson liquid. “Rest here,” In-Ha instructed firmly, her voice betraying a sliver of exhaustion. She glanced at them one last time before turning and leaving the room, the samples clutched tightly in her hands.

The lab was a stark contrast to the quiet room Eunhye and Charyeong occupied. Inside, chaos brewed. The captive doctors and two CEOs were shouting in unison, their voices hoarse from repeated pleas for freedom. The cacophony of their demands echoed through the sterile space, each word laced with desperation.

Chen, positioned near the captives with a gun resting against his knee, sat stoically. His eyes were closed, his face impassive, but his grip on the weapon was firm. The tension in his posture suggested readiness for any sudden move. In-Ha entered the room, her presence cutting through the noise like a blade. “The Indians and the French aren’t here?” she asked in English, her voice steady but tinged with curiosity.

Chen opened one eye, glancing briefly at her. “They needed time alone,” he replied curtly before closing his eyes again.

In-Ha nodded, turning her attention to Yon, who was meticulously examining samples on the lab bench. Switching to Korean, she said, “I’ve got the girls’ blood samples. Let’s study them too.”

Yon adjusted his glasses, a hint of curiosity sparking in his tired eyes. He placed the samples he had been holding back into their holder and reached for one of the vials In-Ha had brought. “Whose is this?” he asked, his voice calm yet focused.

“Eunhye,” she replied, already setting up her station to analyze Charyeong’s blood. The room seemed to shrink as the two immersed themselves in their work. The soft clinks of glass and the hum of machinery became the only sounds as they began their painstaking analysis.

Time became meaningless as the two researchers worked tirelessly. Hours turned into days, the passage of time marked only by the increasing hollowness in their eyes. While the others in the group found moments of rest, Yon and In-Ha didn’t sleep. They didn’t blink. Their singular focus was the blood samples, as if the answers they sought could be coaxed out through sheer willpower.

The others lingered in the lab, eating, sleeping, and waiting with growing impatience. Each passing day without news gnawed at their resolve. The Indians and the French would occasionally stop by, their visits brief and filled with tense questions about progress. But the answers were always the same—nothing yet.

On the eighth day, frustration reached its boiling point. Yunha, unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer, stormed out of the lab. Her footsteps echoed in the quiet corridor as she sought refuge in the faint semblance of fresh air.

She soon encountered Karthik and Meher walking down the hall. Their faces lit up with recognition. “Taking a walk too?” Yunha asked in English, her voice sharper than intended.

“Ah, no,” Meher replied, her tone polite but weary. “It’s already afternoon. We were just going to check if the researchers had made any progress.”

“I see,” Yunha muttered, her gaze shifting away momentarily. The building felt like a fragile sanctuary. Boram’s army remained on constant alert outside, their weapons always at the ready. Every noise, every shadow, was a potential threat. Inside, the captured zombies were confined to a hidden room in the parking lot, a grim reminder of the world they were desperately trying to escape.

Nothing about this situation was safe, Yunha realized. And yet, they clung to hope—a cure, a breakthrough, something to justify their suffering. Turning back to Karthik and Meher, she said, “I want to talk to you.”

The two exchanged a glance, their unspoken thoughts evident in their expressions. Finally, they nodded, their steps slowing as they followed Yunha further down the corridor.