Chapter 92

The power went out with a soft click.

Jennie blinked up from her phone, the glow fading as the room fell into darkness. “Lisa…?”

A beat.

Then, from the couch, completely calm: “If this is a zombie apocalypse, I just want you to know I’d survive longer than you.”

Jennie sat up straight. “Excuse me?”

Lisa shifted, the moonlight from the window catching her smug grin. “I’m just saying. Survival skills. I have them.”

Jennie scoffed, crossing her arms as she slid off the bed and made her way toward the couch. “You? Survival skills? You cried when the Wi-Fi was down for two hours.”

“That was different,” Lisa defended. “That was emotional damage.”

Jennie plopped down beside her, shoulder bumping into Lisa’s. “Okay, Miss Survivor. Enlighten me. What exactly would you do during a zombie outbreak?”

Lisa leaned back, stretching her arms behind her head like she’d been waiting for this moment her entire life. “First of all, I’d secure food.”

Jennie raised an eyebrow. “From where? The fridge you forget exists?”

“I’d go out,” Lisa said confidently. “Raid a convenience store. Strategically.”

“You’d get distracted by snacks and die in aisle three.”

Lisa gasped. “I would not! I’d grab essentials.”

“Like what?” Jennie challenged.

“Instant noodles. Chips. Chocolate-“

Jennie burst out laughing. “Lisa! That’s not survival, that’s a sleepover!”

“It’s morale,” Lisa insisted, pointing at her. “You need morale in an apocalypse.”

Jennie shook her head, still smiling. “Okay, fine. What else?”

Lisa leaned closer, lowering her voice dramatically. “Weapons.”

Jennie squinted at her. “You don’t even like holding kitchen knives.”

“I can learn!” Lisa said quickly. “I’ll use… a bat. Or a broom. Something long. Keep distance.”

Jennie hummed, pretending to consider it. “Alright, that’s… slightly less terrible than I expected.”

Lisa beamed. “See? I told you-“

“But,” Jennie cut in, poking her cheek, “you’d panic the moment a zombie actually runs at you.”

Lisa grabbed Jennie’s wrist, pulling it away with a pout. “Hey! I would not panic.”

“You screamed when Luca jumped on you last week.”

“That was a surprise attack!”

Jennie laughed softly, leaning into Lisa’s side. “Face it, Lalisa. You’re not surviving without me.”

Lisa went quiet for a second, then glanced down at her, eyes softening despite her playful tone. “Oh, I never said I would.”

Jennie blinked. “Huh?”

Lisa nudged her gently with her shoulder. “Obviously, we survive together. I’m not doing a zombie apocalypse without you. That sounds boring.”

Jennie’s lips curved into a small smile. “Boring?”

“Yeah,” Lisa said simply. “Who am I gonna argue with about snacks?”

Jennie rolled her eyes, but she shifted closer anyway, resting her head lightly against Lisa’s shoulder. “You’re unbelievable.”

“And you love it.”

“Debatable.”

Lisa chuckled, wrapping an arm around Jennie and pulling her closer. “Okay, your turn. What are your survival skills, Miss Kim Jennie?”

Jennie hummed thoughtfully. “Well… I’m smart.”

Lisa snorted. “That’s it?”

“I’m resourceful,” Jennie added, ignoring her. “I’d find a safe place. Somewhere high. Secure.”

Lisa nodded slowly. “Okay, that’s actually good.”

“And,” Jennie continued, tilting her head slightly to look up at Lisa, “I’d keep you alive.”

Lisa blinked. “Me?”

“You’d forget to eat real food and try to survive on chips,” Jennie said. “So I’d make sure you don’t die from your own bad decisions before the zombies even get to you.”

Lisa laughed, the sound warm and bright even in the dark. “Wow. So I’m your responsibility now?”

“Obviously,” Jennie said, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Lisa looked at her for a moment, something softer settling in her expression. Then she squeezed Jennie a little tighter. “Good. Because I was planning the same thing.”

Jennie smiled, eyes fluttering shut for a second as she relaxed against her. “So we agree?”

“Yeah,” Lisa said quietly. “Zombie apocalypse plan: stick together.”

Jennie nodded. “And avoid you picking snacks as our main survival strategy.”

“Hey-!”

Jennie giggled as Lisa lightly pinched her side, the two of them dissolving into quiet laughter that filled the dark room.

Outside, the city was still. No chaos. No zombies.

Just a blackout.

But inside, wrapped up in each other, it didn’t really matter.

“Jennie?”

“Hmm?”

“If zombies do come…”

Jennie peeked up at her. “Yeah?”

Lisa smiled softly. “I’ll protect you.”

Jennie’s expression softened, her fingers curling into Lisa’s shirt. “You better.”

Lisa leaned her head gently against Jennie’s. “Always.”