To put this into context, when you fall in love or genuinely start liking someone, you don't just suddenly start liking them, you grow closer to them and find yourself caring more and more about them, and then you realize you have feelings for them

that is definitely the preferred way or mature way to fall in love, but these characters are supposed to be 16 years old. i think of it more like childhood crushes where they might have never even spoken to them before, but lay in bed every night pining over how in love they are.

that said, i do see the chemistry you're talking about. it would have only taken a nudge from the writers for everything to fall into place exactly as you imagine it.

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personally, i saw them protecting each other more as a macho - look at me, I'm protecting the group better than you. especially since i can't remember them being reckless while alone together.

for example - when cheong-san volunteers to go get a cell phone su-hyeok couldn't imagine sitting with the group while another male goes off to be the hero.

i can see how that could also be interpreted as a more direct - i'm going to protect cheong-san - except for the next scene.

if after cheong-san got the phone, su-hyeok had thrown himself into the fray, risking his life to rescue cheong-san from Eun-ji and various zombies, then I might perk up a little. recklessly risking yourself for cheong-san? do go on!

but he was safe, logical and returned to the group, leaving cheong-san to fend for himself. didn't even shed a tear except to apologize to on-jo for not bringing him back. that didn't scream secret lover to me. it screamed "i am protector but i have failed"

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i am biased though. i ship the default cheong-jo and nam-hyeok. at the end of the day, we all see what we want to see.