Chapter Text
Once upon a time, a long, long time ago: in his past life, Kim Rok Soo was once a hungry, sad, lonely orphan. Now in his present life, he was reincarnated as a hungry, weak, endangered orphan. Not much of an upgrade now, was it?
Where thirteen years ago, a zombie apocalypse broke out and destroyed many families.
(Kim Rok Soo scoured the streets, holding onto a small bundle he cradled in his arms.)
Food, the dear food he was able to scavenge– Tears welled up in his shining eyes at just nine years old. And he didn’t think back on the old days and why in the world he had to be sent to another world only to end up in the same situation. No, unlike many other people: Kim Rok Soo did not ponder long in the past.
Sadness did not betray him, the frustration cluttered a tiny bit of his heart as he threw his legs forward empowered him to keep going.
Roaming in Henituse territory, he moved here by himself around three years ago, when the virus started going around and plaguing other counties. And right around when things had started crumbling… It was said that some citizens from Harris Village that had once come and gone regularly, had suddenly transformed in the middle of the county’s plaza, causing chaos everywhere. He was able to stealthily sneak in amongst the many travelers who came in hopes of salvation from the outside, escaping the catastrophe.
At thirty-six years old, Kim Rok Soo had died in the effort to save his teammates. After losing his life, he woke up, and found himself reincarnated into a strange fantasy world he remembered reading in his spare time before bed.
But it appeared, in either life, he was the same either way.
Now he was in a thirteen years old body, running through the streets holding onto a piece of bread like he found a gold mine, sprinting before the hoards of the undead could catch up to him.
But ah, why did he come to a place like this, when he could be caught any time now? Why risk his life over a few pieces of bread?!?
Because he was poor, that’s why. And people didn’t hire filthy, young beggars like himself— not for the sake of their businesses, at least. He bit back more or less bitterly, as he moved his little legs as fast as he could get them. Would he never be able to have a break, no matter what life he went to? He sighed.
It was all the same.
It was in the novel, the [Birth of the Hero ]... The story revolved around a seventeen year old Korean named Choi Han, who woke up in the middle of a restricted area called the Forest of Darkness. He stayed there for many years, ran into Harris Village, and lived there well until…
But wait, none of that mattered anymore, because Rok Soo didn’t remember zombies being included in such a novel!!!
In the present, throwing himself forwards in an effort to evade the monster’s vicious bite towards his foot, Kim scurries up a nearby building with an impressive display of agility. Holding onto a thick rope that strung together between several buildings, serving as his life support… leading up to the back gate of Henituse County. Tied by himself personally, Rok Soo thought, somewhat proud .
The hem of shirt hastily stuffed in his mouth as he used his shirt to carry the stale loaves, his coarse hands trembled from pain like many other kids his age. Even people who did not value their lives at all did not come over the wall like Kim Rok Soo did.
When most children like himself were very weak and had lost their parents early on to the zombies, Kim was born in this world for only five years before his parents were killed brutally. Their lives had ended in a blink of an eye and the only option he had was to leave them behind in the wake of his own life being endangered.
Long red hair, and reddish brown eyes a lot like his last life, except a bit redder. At first Rok Soo was a bit surprised at being born with such beautiful looks. Despite the scars that littered his body ever since the apocalypse, similar to his old self, his soft skin that laid under all the callouses and scabs was milky and smooth….
Taking his bundle into left arm, Rok Soo barely made it across, running back into the safety of the walls of the inner Henituse County, where the uninfected and healthy people lived (almost) normally.
Flinging himself back into the safety of the territory, he hopped off the top of the territory walls, tumbling down onto the paved road with his eyes squeezed tight.
Roll… Plop .
A solid, potato sack falling sound was made as he stumbled on his tiny feet. The meat in his bones did not fail him, this time.
His body made a little squeak as he plopped onto the stone pavement. His shoulder was a bit bruised, but it was also only then he was finally able to take a minute to admire his food, before shoving the entire thing, mouthful after mouthful into his mouth– disregarding the slightly molded parts, or even slightly damp edges he wouldn’t’ve consumed otherwise.
He knew it obviously wasn’t healthy, but wasn’t the menu pretty stiff all the time?
Rok Soo could practically hear Jung Soo scolding him in his head, and Soo Hyuk pinching his cheeks going on about something Rok Soo often huffed to. Kim made sure to look around so no one saw him before running further into the slums. He looked haggard.
The bad taste that lingered in his mouth was easily overpowered by the feeling of a satisfied stomach, even though he felt a little nauseous. And where food had become more scarce and expensive to import, it was difficult for young children who could barely earn enough bronze to buy a few pounds of grain. Scammers also ripped off children rather often despite the Count’s not lackluster efforts; sadly, Kim Rok Soo himself unfortunately had become one of those 'unfortunate' children once again. Not that he fell for the lower than trash scums’ tricks anyway, underpaying children in need of some type of income in order to live.
But it was kind of peaceful in some way, once he thought about it—
Wasn’t he alive right now?
And as he looked up at the sky, Kim Rok Soo became evermore aware as the beginning of the novel drew nearer.