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The boys have taken to him, as he’ll play with dinosaurs and cars for hours to entertain them. More than once, he’s left us to go out into the greater world. Each time, I worry he will never return, but he always does, with gifts for Hyun, Duri, and sweet treats for me.
His gentleness with us is unfathomable, especially considering how we met. I didn’t know men like this existed before the fall of the world, and that they could still exist after seems like an impossibility.
He hung a sheet dividing the room, so when the boys go to sleep, we can enjoy each other’s company in bed. Quietly. Sometimes I have to bury my face in a pillow, the sensations are so overwhelming.
But it’s so much more than those sexual things we do. Each morning, I awake with Trent’s massive arm wrapped around me, cuddling me, and while his dick may be hard, he’s not holding me for that reason.
It’s something I’ve never had before. That I’d only seen in movies or on television. That it should be meant for me feels unreal.
As a girl, I dreamed of a loving husband who would spoil me and our children. But my family was falling apart, and when my father divorced my mother, choosing to live in his native country of Japan, things grew desperate.
My mother arranged my marriage to Ji-hoon, a prosperous upstart, to afford my family a lifeline, for while our coffers were bare, our name was powerful.
I said yes, as there was no other choice. How was I to know that Ji-hoon was more monster than man? Civilizations around the globe practiced arranged marriages, and while it was not something I saw often in my own culture, I felt it was a sacrifice I could make.
Being with Ji-hoon for so long, I began to believe the cruel things he told me, until I felt completely unworthy of even the smallest act of kindness. Still, he used the access my family name gave him to get into circles he couldn’t have otherwise, and during those rare times, he’d dress me up and parade me around before putting me away.
Trent does not treat me like less. He dotes on me, making sure I’m well fed and have time to rest. He’s kind to my boys and is patient with communication.
He has taught me a few English words, but it’s slow. The words trip out of my mouth, with edges that shouldn’t be there. He is never rude, however, and speaks to me in soft, assuring tones.
Ji-hoon never taught me anything. He kept me ignorant purposefully, to my detriment.
“Momma, I want to watch cartoons!” Hyun whines.
I look over at Trent and point to the laptop computer he brought back during one of his scavenging trips. It’s an older one that accepts DVDs, and for every hour they sit for reading, writing, or math, I allow them an hour of screen time.
I know that probably seems excessive, but there isn’t much else for them to do, and during that time, they laugh in a way that makes me forget this undead world.
Trent sets it up and hits play, then he kisses me on the forehead and mumbles something as he pulls on his clothes.
Watching him leave always makes me anxious, but I know better than to question him. He had a life before me, and perhaps he will one day return to it. It’s best to not get too attached.
But how am I supposed to explain that to Duri and Hyun?
When their father never came home, they were far from sad. He was a rigid man, lacking in childish spirit. We played, and despite the growing stress, I was able to truly relax without Ji-hoon breathing down my neck.
We eventually lost power, and even though we had stores enough to keep us fed for a long time, our staff turned against us, and we were soon out on the street.
It was chaos, but I got us to safety, and we hid for a few days. I’d watch through a window to study the dead, learn their patterns, and eventually, I went out into the world for food.
The first time was the hardest, but eventually, my outings became second nature. Whenever I found someone living near us, I’d move, because they were just as much a risk as the dead.
But come to find out, there are still good people in the world, and I was lucky enough to come across one. I have to find a way to ask Trent his intentions. I’d ask Duri to help, but I don’t want to worry him or get his hopes up.
Which means I’m going to have to learn English as quickly as possible.
* * *
TRENT
I work to cull the dead in the area around the hotel we’re staying in. The bodies still haven’t been piled and burned, but this isn’t my usual section of town, so it’s possible they’ve just been overlooked.
After clearing a few dozen idle ragers, I find what I’m looking for: a bookstore.
It’s the third one I’ve tried and holds no more promise than the last. I sift through the many shelves, downright shocked when I find the answer to my problem staring right at me.
Sitting side by side is a Korean-to-English dictionary and an English-to-Korean dictionary.
