The sun hung low on the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the abandoned gas station where the group had stopped to rest. Glenn was rummaging through the shelves, searching for anything useful. The rest of the group was outside, keeping watch or tending to their supplies.

When Glenn heard Daryl call out, “We got someone!” his heart skipped a beat. He hurried outside, his hand hovering over the knife at his belt.

Standing in the clearing was a woman, her figure tense but her hands raised in a gesture of surrender. She wore a tattered jacket and a wary expression, but what caught Glenn’s attention most was her face. Her features were familiar—not in the sense that he knew her, but in a way that struck a deeply personal chord.

She was Korean.

Rick stepped forward cautiously. “Who are you?”

The woman hesitated, her eyes darting between the group. “My name is Song Ji Hyo,” she said, her voice steady but tinged with exhaustion. “I’ve been traveling alone. I just… I’m looking for safety.”

Glenn froze. Her accent was unmistakable, the lilting tones of Korean dipping into her English. For the first time in what felt like forever, he heard the familiar sounds of his heritage in someone else’s voice.

“You’re Korean?” Glenn blurted, stepping forward.

Ji Hyo’s eyes widened slightly, and her wary stance softened. “Yes,” she said, switching to Korean. “You are too?”

Glenn’s face broke into a wide smile, something rare these days. “Yes! Oh my god, I can’t believe it. It’s been so long since I’ve seen… since I’ve heard…” His words tumbled over each other, his excitement uncontainable.

The rest of the group looked on in confusion, their eyes darting between the two as they exchanged rapid-fire words in Korean.

“What are they saying?” Carl whispered to Maggie.

“No idea,” she replied, watching Glenn’s animated gestures with a bemused smile.

Finally, Glenn turned back to the group, still grinning. “She’s Korean,” he explained, as if that summed up everything. “Like me!”

“Yeah, we got that,” Daryl muttered, though his tone lacked its usual bite.

Ji Hyo gave the group a polite nod, then returned her attention to Glenn. “I can’t believe this. I thought I’d never meet someone from home again.”

“Me too,” Glenn said, his voice softening. “Where are you from? Seoul?”

“Yes,” Ji Hyo replied. “And you?”

“My family’s from Suwon,” Glenn said. “I grew up in Michigan, though.”

They exchanged a few more words in Korean, their shared language forming an instant bond. The rest of the group watched in silence, a mix of curiosity and amusement on their faces.

Rick finally cleared his throat. “She seems okay. Glenn, what do you think?”

Glenn turned to Rick, nodding emphatically. “She’s good, Rick. Trust me.”

Rick studied Ji Hyo for a moment, then gave a small nod. “Alright. You’re with us, Ji Hyo. But we all pull our weight here. Can you fight?”

Ji Hyo’s eyes hardened slightly, and she pulled a knife from her belt. “I can fight,” she said firmly.

“Good,” Rick said. “Welcome to the group.”

As the group dispersed to continue their tasks, Glenn stayed by Ji Hyo’s side.

“You have no idea how good it feels to meet someone like you,” Glenn said, his voice filled with relief. “I mean, everyone here is great, but… it’s different. You know?”

Ji Hyo nodded, her expression softening. “I understand. It feels like finding a piece of home.”

For the first time in a long while, Glenn felt a spark of joy. In a world where everything was falling apart, he’d found a connection that reminded him of who he was—and where he came from.

And in that moment, he felt just a little less alone.