BOMI hadn’t heard anything or anyone for minutes. She decided to walk along carefully in the first floor corridor as everyone seemed to have made their way in the upper levels of the school. Her phone suddenly vibrated and she quietly yelped and froze in place. She sighed when she realized there was no immediate threat and checked her text messages. She sneered at the names.

“The erts finally got what was coming to them. Tch. Sad that it took this long for them to receive punishment.” She tucked her phone in her pocket and continued to walk with a haughty attitude. “I hope they all just kill each other.”

“Bomi.” The voice was familiar, but she flinched and turned around to see Ilhoon down the hall. He smiled widely and rushed to her but she backed away. He slowed down when he saw the skeptical look on her face.

“You don’t have to be scared.” He pulled his tracksuit pockets inside out and showed the front and back of his hands. “I’m not participating.”

Bomi’s fear eased away, but she continued to look at him doubtfully.
“Why?” She asked.

Ilhoon looked almost hurt by the question, as if it should have been obvious. “Bomi I’d never think about hurting you or any of my friends.” He stated strongly. He approached Bomi more closely and took her hand. “There is a kid here who knows a way out.”

“Who?” She was curious but no more than she was unconvinced that there was anyone she could trust, not even Ilhoon. Four Kids were dead already and it wasn’t due to the lack of teamwork.

“His name is Changsub.” Ilhoon answered, “Changsub and Hyunsik are the older kids who were delayed in taking their courses. Changsub has apparently spoken with the winner of his age group who took the course in this school. There’s another older kid here too. What was his name,” He trailed off and Bomi rolled her eyes. She pulled her hand from Ilhoon’s and folded her arms.

“That means there was only one survivor though?” She asked, almost rhetorically. Ilhoon looked misguided for a brief moment, but then responded.

“It does, but that kid explained to Changsub a lot what we apparently don’t know. Let’s find him.”

He went to grab her hand again but Bomi backed away from him, and it wasn’t from fear. Ilhoon studied her face closely and asked obliviously, “What’s wrong?”

She spoke with an unkind tone, “I’m not comfortable with this. It could be a trick.”

Ilhoon thought about his next choice of words, and when he decided to smile Bomi rolled her eyes again. “I understand.” He said, “I don’t want to worry you. We can do our own thing.”

We. Bomi didn’t know that their alliance had been subtly forced until that moment. She didn’t want to collaborate with anyone, and although Ilhoon was harmless and could be trusted for his smile alone, he was still a liability due to his naivety in seeing the good in everyone. His kindness would get him killed. For that, there was no getting rid of him at the point. Bomi was stuck with him and she walked away silently only for him to continue behind her like a love-struck puppy. When they heard a loud wail, a female, and then a horde of footsteps trampling in the halls above them, Bomi felt frozen and knew they would be running into some trouble soon. Ilhoon looked around and grabbed her hand. They ran out the halls into the south wing of the school and then entered a gymnasium with a training pool. Bomi gawked at the cerulean translucent water while Ilhoon continued to direct her by her hand. She fell out of the spell of the pool’s limpidness and stopped the two from going any further.

“Here is fine.” She said, a soft echo bellowed in the very quiet and desolate gymnasium. They sat at the edge of the pool; Ilhoon, a bit nervous of the depth unbeknownst to the two, slid back a few paces. Bomi hugged her thighs and rested her head sideways on her knees. She had been looking away from Ilhoon when he decided to break the silence.

“I don’t understand. Why are people taking this course so seriously?”

Bomi picked her head up and turned it toward him.

“Don’t you want to live?” She said almost obviously.

Ilhoon stammered at her question, trying to figure out how to not contradict himself. “Of course I do. But,” He trailed off, “I’m not going to kill for it. I’m not going to kill my friends!”

“What if we weren’t friends?”

He baulked at her question which almost sounded too much like a statement. “What?”

Bomi looked at the pool, the light reflected in her eyes and she got lost in the waters. “What if we were your enemies?” She asked quietly, “Would you kill for your survival then?”

Bomi didn’t realized it, but Ilhoon had gotten closer to her, and then he grabbed her by her shoulders directing his proclamations to her. “Bomi! I’m not going to hurt you or anyone! No matter what!”