Ban Christopher Chan

The girl was leaving the café with a friend, laughing and discussing the university's pressing problems, the persistent cheerleaders who were just begging to be discussed today, when she noticed something was wrong. As if by a sixth sense, she realized in a split second that the city had changed. From the eternally future Seoul, with its treadmill-like bustle and people always rushing somewhere, it had become sticky as honey, time viscous, and the air was permeated with the scent of garlic and something. Shouts were heard from around the corner, then somewhere to their right. The commotion grew in a matter of seconds, and Chloe, once a cheerful friend, began choking and coughing up blood. The girl didn't immediately overcome her initial stupor, but then she ran wild, wandering through various neighborhoods and narrow paths. She was led to a residential area with an open door, signifying "waiting for the doctor"—the kind they usually put on magnetic doors so neighbors wouldn't close them without thinking. She rushed up the stairs, stumbling and making a lot of noise around her. As she climbed to the third floor, she heard screams from the second-floor apartment and terrifying cries, which gave her the strength to run even faster. On the ninth floor, her strength began to fail her, and she knocked on doors, praying for someone to open the door. She was lucky when a heavy, middle-aged man stood in one of the doorways with a heavy look that read, "Who else is this?"

A story about a special forces soldier and a student (of your choice of specialty) who have a chance encounter that leads them to an unexpected ending.