Walking Daddy

“Thank you for telling us, even now,” I said. “So are you saying that there won’t be a problem if we go straight to Jeju Airport?”

“Yes. We can land the transport plane down the runway first, then land the other planes after seeing how things are.”

Bae Jeong-Man said it as if it wasn’t a big deal. Park Gi-Cheol, who was across from him, raised a question.

“What if we can’t land the planes? I get that we can land the military transport plane somehow. But what if there are other conditions preventing the other planes from landing?”

“When the military transport plane lands, Mr. Lee Hyun-Deok, Mr. Kim Hyeong-Jun, and Mr. Do Han-Sol can take care of the zombies on the runway.”

"Well then… Okay… But what if we can’t land because of some other problem?”

“There are several methods to land an aircraft. As long as the runway is serviceable, we’ll be able to land them somehow.”

Bae Jeong-Man turned to Choi Kang-Hyun, who was next to him. He was the captain of Airline A.

“Isn’t that right, Mr. Choi Kang-Hyun?”

"Ummm… I suppose it’s possible,” Choi Kang-Hyun answered with his arms crossed.

The leaders looked at him doubtfully, as if demanding a further elaboration of what he meant. I verbalized the question to him on behalf of the leaders.

"Explain to us what you mean. About this method you’re talking about.”

“When we fly planes, we prefer soft landings. Just like the name suggests, it means landing softly on the runway. However, when the conditions are bad, we have to switch to a different kind of landing.”

I interlaced my fingers.

“And what is this method?” I asked.

“A firm landing or a hard landing.”

“What’s the difference?”

“A firm landing is when the aircraft shakes and makes a thump when it lands. It usually happens when the air currents are bad, or the headwind is strong. Think about when passengers complain or feel afraid when an aircraft shakes.”

“And what about a hard landing?”

“For hard landings, the wheels may be damaged. But it’s not life-threatening. As long as everyone has their seat belts on, we should be fine.”

I remained silent, and Choi Kang-Hyun cleared his throat and looked around at the other leaders.

“Well… Some individuals may develop trauma towards landing and taking off after experiencing hard landing of course,” he added.

"Sorry?"

"But don’t worry. Korean pilots are known as being among the best in the world. Being good at taking off and landing of course!”

Choi Kang-Hyun concluded with a boisterous laugh, but the leaders didn’t seem too happy with his answer.

* * *

After all the planes were inspected, the survivors began to board. In order to arrive before sunset, we decided to give the survivors simple meals while they were on the planes. Kim Hyeong-Jun, Do Han-Sol, and their underlings boarded the military transport plane.

I tasked Kim Hyeong-Jun and Do Han-Sol with cleaning up Jeju Airport while I decided to get on the last plane so that I could ensure every plane could take off safely. As the survivors were boarding, So-Yeon came up to me with Han Seon-Hui.

“Daddy, where are we going now?”

So-Yeon was holding Seok-Hui’s hand tightly. It seemed like the two had gotten closer since the last time I’d seen the two together. I smiled gently.

“So-Yeon, you’ve never seen the ocean, have you?” I said. “The ocean?”

“Daddy will show you a really pretty ocean.”

So-Yeon looked up at me with pure, innocent eyes.

"Really? I’m going to go see the ocean?”

I hadn’t been able to show her the ocean before. I’d always had some sort of excuse, some reason why I was busy, and always put it off to the next time… Which had eventually turned out to be never. I also wasn’t sure when the last time I’d seen the ocean. Since it was before So-Yeon was born, it must’ve been over eight years ago.

Seok-Hui stared blankly at me as he hid behind So-Yeon, as if he was still awkward around me. I got down on one knee and spoke to him.

“Look at you Seok-Hui! It seems like you’ve been doing well.”

“Yes…”

He was Han Seon-Hui’s son, and So-Yeon’s age. When I first rescued him from the supermarket, he couldn’t even open his eyes properly due to malnutrition. Since then, he’d put on more weight and looked a lot healthier.

I stroked his head.

“Since Seok-Hui’s a boy, you have to protect So-Yeon, okay?” I said.

Seok-Hui hesitated for a second, then slowly nodded. Han Seon-Hui, who had been watching the three of us, smiled heartily.

“So-Yeon is more like a son than Seok-Hui,” she said.

"Is that so?”

I burst into laughter at her comment. Han Seon-Hui patted So-Yeon and Seok-Hui as she continued to speak.

“Among the children, So-Yeon’s like the king of the hill.”

"Haha! I’m not sure if I should feel happy for her or worried that she’s just being fearless.”

“It means that she’s growing up properly, so I think you should take it in a positive way.”

I smiled lightly and nodded slowly. So-Yeon grabbed Han Seon-Hui’s arm and shook it back and forth while giggling. I couldn’t imagine So-Yeon being the way she was right now if it weren’t for Han Seon-Hui. I just hoped that she wasn’t disappointed in me for being busy all the time, regardless of me being human or zombie.

I then looked at Han Seon-Hui and gave her a bow of gratitude.

"Thank you for everything you’ve done. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“No, I\'m more grateful. I wouldn\'t have been able to come this far without you.”

As we were thanking each other, I heard someone call me from behind.

“Uncle Hyun-Deok!”

When I looked back, I saw Kang Ji-Suk running toward me. Kang Eun-Jeong was beside him. Kang Eun-Jeong, who had toed the line between life and death due to tetanus, was now fully recovered, and looked better than she had been the last time I’d seen her.

Kang Ji-Suk flashed a big smile.

“I heard we’re going to Jeju Island. Are we going to settle down on Jeju Island now?” he asked.

“Yup. Once Jeju Island is safe, there’s no reason for us to move anymore.”

"Wow… That’s amazing. Jeju Island?”

“Why? Have you never been to Jeju Island?”

“Yes, it’ll be my first time.”

Kang Ji-Suk couldn’t hide his excitement. Kang Eun-Jeong came up to him and gave him a noogie.

“It’s not like we’re going on a vacation, are we, Kang Ji-Suk?”

“Nuna!”

Kang Ji-Suk frowned and rubbed the top of his head with his hand. As I looked at the two of them, memories of them passed through my mind. I remembered the time when we were all in Room 505 of Shelter Hae-Young, and Kang Eun-Jeong had given Kang Ji-Suk a noogie when he complained that he didn’t like the pink underwear that he got.

They’d been through thick and thin, but I was glad that they hadn’t lost their positivity along the way. I kept replaying the moments I had with them, and gave Kang Ji-Suk a noogie on his forehead.

“Hey Ji-Suk, don’t make your sister worry about you and take care of yourself, huh?”

“Uncle, you’re going to nag me too?” he whined.

Kang Ji-Suk frowned as if he wasn’t expecting me to say something similar to him as well. I smiled brightly for the first time in a while.

“Are you okay now? You’re not sick still?” I asked Kang Eun-Jeong.

“Yes. Thanks to you, I’ve gotten a lot better.”

“No, I didn’t do anything. It’s all thanks to Mr. Kim Beom-Jin’s diligent treatment.”

“I’m always grateful to Doctor Kim.”

I smiled and addressed Kim Ji-Suk, who was beside her.

“Ji-Suk.”

“Yes, Uncle.”

He still had a sullen look on his face, but he answered quickly.

“From now on, you have to take good care of your sister and the people of our shelter, Hae-Young. okay?"

“Oh yes, of course. It goes without saying uncle. I’ll always…”

At that moment, someone came running behind him and put him in a headlock.

“This guy! Were you causing trouble again?”

It was Lee Jeong-Uk. Kang Ji-Suk slapped Lee Jeong-Uk on the butt.

“Ah, let go of me! This is Uncle Jeong-Uk again, isn’t it?” he yelled.

Lee Jeong-Uk laughed cheerfully, loosened his headlock, and tousled his hair. Kang Ji-Suk pouted as he smoothed his messed-up hair. I burst into laughter at the cheerfulness the people of Shelter Hae-Young possessed.

Lee Jeong-Uk clicked his tongue with a playful expression.

“I’m always worried about this guy, Ji-Suk. I’m always worried, you know?”

"Why?"

“The principal’s always worried because Ji-Suk doesn’t study.”

"What? Ji-Suk, is this true?” I said, with an overly serious expression.

Kang Ji-Suk subtly avoided my gaze.

“Nuna, let’s get on board quickly. I think it’s our turn,” he said.

“Ha, this guy.”

This young boy knew when he could make jokes. I smiled happily. Kang Eun-Jeong replied with a warm smile of her own and bowed to me and Lee Jeong-Uk. Then Lee Jeong-Uk spoke up while we saw the two walk away and board the plane.

“Pretty nice to see them well, huh?”

“Brings me joy just looking at them.”

“I just hope Jeju Island is safe.”

Lee Jeong-Uk seemed to be worried about the situation on Jeju Island. I was no different. I just didn’t show others that I was worried. Then again, it wasn’t like we had any other choice. The new breed of zombies in downtown Daegu were threatening, and we couldn’t return to Seoul. There were still too many areas and neighborhoods in Seoul that we had yet to clean up.

On top of that, I couldn’t leave the shelter to clean up the other areas because of the threat of wild mutants. I assumed that the situation would be the same in Jeju Island, but I also knew that once we cleaned up the entire Island, there wouldn’t be any more zombie threats.

My expression grew hard to read. Lee Jeong-Uk noticed that something wasn’t right, and frowned.

“Why? Is there something on your mind?” he asked.

“Of all the things we could encounter, I just hope that there aren’t any black creatures.”

“I was thinking the same as well.”

"What if there is a black creature?”

“If you think we can handle it, we’ll handle it, and if not, we’ll have to move again.”

I couldn’t help but wonder if we could finally end this sickening nomadic lifestyle this time. Jeju Island originally had a population of six hundred and seventy thousand people. Its population was one-tenth of Seoul’s and one-seventh of Daegu’s. However, since the zombie apocalypse had broken out during peak tourist season, it was likely that there would have been more people on the island than the recorded population.

I was curious about how the people on the island were doing. I couldn’t know if they had become zombies, or if there was still civilization left. Everything was up in the air, but we had made it all the way through countless uncertainties, just like adventurers exploring the unknown world.

As I sighed and slicked my hair back, Lee Jeong-Uk patted my shoulder.

“We’re almost there. Let’s keep doing our best until the end.”

I nodded vigorously and clenched my fists.

* * *

After the survivors boarded, I walked out onto the runway and signaled to the captain of the military transport plane to take off. The captain started the engine, and in moments, it thundered down the runway. With that, the remaining planes entered the runway in order.

The plane that entered the runway first, the B737, began moving down the runway, its engines roaring. Suddenly, though, a loud noise pierced its way through the rumble of the engines.

GRRR…!

Zombie cries echoed from all around us. Since the zombies had made it over Ayang Bridge a couple of hours ago, that meant that the zombies were gathering close to us, and could hear us departing.

There were still two planes waiting to depart. I urgently gave them the signal to take off, then crossed the runway and looked toward Ayang Bridge. There were hundreds of zombies approaching Daegu Airport. Judging by their speed, it seemed that the two planes could just about take off in the nick of time.

KIAAA!!!

Then my underlings responded to the zombies by letting out throat-rending noises of their own. At that moment, I thought about abandoning my underlings. But then, I thought it’d be more than possible to get everyone on board without having to leave my underlings as bait. Besides, if some emergency were to occur in Jeju Island, it would be easier to deal with it if I had my underlings with me.

I ordered my underlings to get on the board as I checked the runway conditions. Before I knew it, the last remaining aircraft had entered the runway. I dashed in front of the aircraft and raised my hands high, waving them side to side while shouting at them to open the door.

Lee Jeong-Hyuk opened the door after seeing me, and I kept a wary eye on the surroundings until all my underlings got on board.

GRRR!!!

The throat-rending noises were getting closer.

“Start the engine!”

“Aren’t you getting on?”

“I will. Hurry!”

My stage-one mutants were still boarding. As the aircraft engine started, the street zombies began to climb over the walls. Once my underlings had all boarded, I boarded immediately and shouted at the top of my lungs, “Let’s go!”

The airline employee hurriedly closed the hatch, and another airline employee quickly ran to Choi Kang-Hyun to update him on the situation and instruct him to take off. Choi Kang-Hyun started to move the plane toward the long, straight runway. Once I heard the roar of the engines, I gave orders to my underlings.

\'Everyone, hold tight so you don\'t fall!\'

KIAAA!!!

The survivors, who firmly belted up in their seats, let out moans and groans at the hundreds of zombies rushing onto the runway. I could feel myself being pushed into my seat as the aircraft began to accelerate down the runway. The roar of the engines reached their peak, and with the momentary feeling of weightlessness, the plane finally took flight.

I hadn’t managed to sit down in time, so I rolled across the floor of the plane. I gritted my teeth and raised my upper body to look at the situation outside. I saw that the zombies had made it to the runway and were screaming as they watched us departing. Fortunately, there weren’t any zombies clinging onto the aircraft. I let out a sigh of relief, made my way to an empty seat, and sat down.

Many things had happened during our short stay in Daegu. But we’d made it through all of it, just like we always had, and were now leaving for Jeju Island, hoping that it’d be our last stop.