Leaning on the thin single-person cushion chair, William could no longer eat more of this food. Not because he isn't full, but because he could not imagine the end of this.
The charcoal smell, as well as the distinct beefy and salty taste of the steaks, are so good that they left him in bliss.
“I've never had a meal like this in my life.” his words leaves his mouth, while Mi-Yung chuckles with palm around her mouth.
“I bet this must be quite incredible to you. It is a reward of mine every couple of mounts for myself, so I decided to lead you here as well. I like this place. It reminds me of my home.”
“D-did Korea had something like this when you were little?” William asks a somewhat inappropriate question. He could not for sure to read the face of Mi-Yung, who doesn't want to talk too much about it, as she never felt the need for it. It has been too long for it already, and nothing would change that fact.
“If you mean the Outside? I guess we did, but not at the same time. There have been some fortresses built in the spanning mountains of the Korean region. At the end, some Walkers made them very resilient against the higher-ranked Dark beings. Over time, they still fell because Asia, in general, was too hard to defend. A single fortress was all there that was left after a couple of decades.”
“A bit smaller than the current Federation, but it made the rest of the Korean citizens survive until that point.” She tells her brief story while leaving a few bites of pork belly with some rice in her mouth. She wasn't that unhappy about telling him about her past, as it was a point in her life that she wouldn't want to forget.
As she talks and eats, the deliciousness of the meal provides much stronger melancholy for her. It makes this dinner quite a memorable experience to her, as it has been a long time since she even talked about the things in her heart. It feels not so bad, she assumes, with the unkept smile on her face that leads to her hidden emotions.
William is speechless, while understanding her words to some extent. He heard about Korea from a few stories from the people when he was younger. Not when that happened as he was too little, but when he was around 10 years old, in some camp. Any kind of topic of the losses was of the human efforts was a hot topic. After all, it meant a loss of one part of the world. Alas, losing Korea was sooner or later forgotten, as with every bad news at that time, or the time before, or afterwards.
Though, the headlines or information sent to the camps were limited. The Federation shared this news and many more with all surviving camps. However, not in the full details of the devastating attack, as it was not something meant to be shared. Few would like to hear the losses of many Walkers, and city's worth of people.
William only knows that the backbone of Korea fell and the people within it as well. That is the basis of that.
“You don't have to feel sad about it, William. I don't feel sad about the apocalypse any longer. Nor the comrades or friends that moved away with it as well. This is such words after all.”
William, unapologetic for any of her words, lifts his bottle that ends up empty. They have some tea, or fruit drinks that taste great, so he isn't polite to try them out.
“Here, have some of this stuff.” Mi-Yung offers a piece of the liquid from the bottles that Rose prepared for her as well.
She pours it into his cup. Smelling it, William shots his nose away. “Alcohol? You have such strong alcohol here?” he complained as his face turns to disgust.
“Strong? It is not strong at all.” Mi-Yung sneers and already gulped down half of the bottle. Red cheeks could not go unnoticed on her face, but it makes her feature more outstanding.
Not like William minds her drinking, since he has seen plenty of drunkards in the camps. Since the fun part of the many people is to make beer from the hops and a few other ingredients. The old recipes survived and the experience of brewing the alcohol is simple, after all. It has a history of centuries and millennia. Of course, the apocalypse would have some beer. It would not be fun without that.
Soon enough, the time comes for their leaving, while the plates are empty with bellies that are left in satisfaction. Mi-Yung, without a speck of politeness, licks them clean, while not feeling like herself at all. The alcohol makes quite work on herself after the second bottle. follows after the first one.
Rose soon arrives as well, while looking at Mi-Yung with hesitation, like William. Holding some package with both hands in front of herself, she plans to give her a gift. To her disappointment, she ended herself like this, where she couldn't talk like before. She has seen her like this a few times, as her drinking habit is well known, but not to his extent.
“Mi-Yung? How about staying? It should be not a bad idea. Right?” she asks after amassing a bit of courage.
“Nonononyon. I have a place to be tomorrow. I need a home. Go home... William will help. Right? Right will you...” Mi-Yung mumbles as she looks at the speechless boy in front of her.
William feels like regretting his life choices at the moment. Something that he hasn't felt in a very long time. Dealing with a new place has always been incredible tough, but Walkers seem to be completely different cloth from others.
“Righ? It is not so far away... Time to leave.” Mi-Yung gets on her feet from the table in a quick motion. The sudden change of direction causes her brain to call it a day. Fireworks, stars, or whatnot around her sight left her mind calm and relaxed. She also ends up feeling the softness of Rose's chest that ease her emotion to some extent. Not like she complained, as well as Rose, who could not help it as she saw her fall.
“Are all Walkers like this? I swear...” William says out loud as he gets up from his feat as well.
“Who are you, boy?” Rose asks with a shot of her glance as Mi-Yung is within her embrace.
“Does it matter? She is my guardian, if I can call her that? I guess that makes little sense even for me, but whatever... Let's call me her small responsibility, but this time, it will be reversed.” William says in a helpless manner while trying to get Mi-Yung up.
To no avail, he could only cause her arm to go around his shoulder, but more than that is like moving a mountain. Gritting his teeth, he extends his hands and back with Mi-Yung's hand around his shoulder. She mumbles something uncohesive, but William doesn't pay it much attention.
He will try to drag her to the home, as he knows young women are no good at the nights of the city. There have been quite uncomfortable calls of certain incidents in the camps throughout his memory. He could at least do this for her generosity.
Rose looks from the ground with unknown thoughts or expectations. Her package need up on the ground as she tried to caught Mi-Yung. Grabbing it back, she places in front of William.
“Then take this. As a gift for taking care of miss Mi-Yung.” Rose rises from the ground, and towers, struggling and standing William. He is trying his very best to stay firm.
“I think I have certain problems behind my back so I am unable to accept such generosity, miss Rosewood.” he tries to excuse himself, as Mi-Yung moves her hand forward behind his back.
“Ay whill thake that.” She mumbles and takes the package with a hand that stays around William's arm. It adds some weight to the already struggling William, who could not help but curse the heavens for such a bad mistake of coming here. He couldn't help it as he was unaware of Mi-Yung's bad drinking habit.
Not like it is that bad. It is more occasional occurrence that she uses to vent her emotions from her stress. Today has been incredible to her, so she decided to end it on a high note,
Unfortunate as it is, since the beginning of this little occasion has been met in a prime night time. The restaurant is full of people while some seen the strange situation of a grown drunk woman.
In the back of this place sits a man, with no way of seeing or hearing anything that far from the table of Mi-Yung and William. He ate alone, or not at all. Who knows, since this is a hectic restaurant. There is only a cowboy hat besides his empty plates.
Walking out with much disappointment and weight, William tries his best to figure out his steps. This would not end up well if he falls with her to the stone pavement road. That would be less than pleasing for him.
Humming a tone of content or some song, Mi-Yung in comfort lies on his shoulder. William is trying to survive the weight of her that is shaking his very own life, as her position couldn't be more relaxed.
“My freaking sun! She feels like 300 pounds or more... what sort of woman weighs that much while not that much taller than me?” he curses inside, while reaching the side streets towards the 47th building complex. At this point, William knows the general direction of his home. This city is quite bigger than 10 camps combined, but a few roads and sights keep the directions simple at least.
Alas, he could see someone stand beyond the street. Around the part of the slim sidewalk to the 47th building complex, a cloaked figure is standing beside a lamp. It lights his faceless figure behind the cloak, which makes him that much strange in this place.
William, all of a sudden, gets a bad feeling about this. The thieves and bad people of humanity have always been relevant in the past, as well as in the present. He met and saw plenty of shit humans could do for their gains. Apocalypse or not, the humans remain themselves.
“C-can I help you with something, Sir?” William asks, while this figure stood there and refrains him from moving forward.
“I am being curious fella this time. How about you, Mi-Yung?” a man's voice goes behind the cloak.
With force and bother, Mi-Yung opens her eyes and ears. Hearing the voice of someone familiar, but very bothersome at the moment.
“Whhhaaat is this about? Don't you see I am busy at the moment?” she asks in trying to excuse herself from the troubles in front of her. Though, it is more to ease her own trouble to not... do anything about it.
“I don't believe sir Kaufman would digress. Am I correct?” The man with the cloak turns his head to a near tree. There is another figure. A man with a cowboy hat and worn down jacket. He sits in the branches as if it is comfortable seating.
“I wouldn't. Dealing with things in hand is much better when they appear.” Kaufman answers, while falling down with grace as if he is the light leaf itself.
William glances at each of the 3 possible Walkers, while being clueless about any of the reasons behind this situation. Seeing Kaufman and even the previous conversation with Mi-Yung, it is clear that there is an incoming drama. For his lack of awareness, he is also part of them to his utmost undesirability. If he could, he would flee and not care one bit about the consequences.
Though, he would not dare to do so. He is not like that. He is more irritated by the problems at hand. In particular, the Mi-Yung, who is a special case today indeed...
“Good evening, mister Kaufman. What is going on here, if I may ask?” William asks in an irritated tone, on the brink of running out of patience.
“Some adult stuff.” The man in front of Wiliam says in a calm tone.
“I never thought Walkers would assault another Walker in the Federation. Is this how it all works everywhere?” William says in frustration of being unable to do anything about this.
“And what are you planning to do about it?” Kaufman asks in a sarcastic tone that is not piqued on by William.
“I would try to protect Mi-Yung dignity even if I don't know how. Is that how should I answer to a bunch of monsters in human skin?” William says while gritting his teeth.
Involuntarily, or in lack of self-discipline, Kaufman burst out laughing, as he could not contain himself any longer.
“Bwahahhahahah. What words? Guts. I like this boy. Heheheh.” Even the cloaked figure could not help but chuckle beyond the veil of the cloak.
“Anyway, how about making this professional? How about it, Mi-Yung?” the cloaked figure says while moving his hand forward.
Alas, a leg is already around his head, which spreads the shockwave to the building's wall and trees. in a singular moment a powerful attack cleaves the air out across the whole street. The many leaves around, and even after William, are shaken in each tree.
Mi-Yung swings her long leg at this moment, while the only thing on the wall is an empty cloak.
Crouching down beside William is a man, whose sweat unconcealed a potential, yet a brief moment of pain and suffering. He looks at his 30ties with unknown Caucasian nationality.
“You almost left me head over heels of you.” he let out with a smirk on his face as he could see a grunting displeasure on Mi-Yung's face.