It rained for two days. When the morning came, the rest of the group shared the same surprise as Wooyoung, then they assembled to venture outside. As Seonghwa said, the water falling from the sky was clean. It would replenish their pool and gather in the tub Seonghwa advised them to bring outside, so their bathing space would stop also being their source of drinking water. After thoroughly dousing themselves in the soaking surprise, they retreated into their building to return to their prior activities. Now that they had so much time for each other, Wooyoung discovered a constant hunger for San's body and they often stumbled into their room with their lips locked in a heated kiss. One time, it happened while Yunho was still near and he had laughed at them until Wooyoung's cheeks were flaming red.

When the rain stopped, the earth felt refreshed for the first time since they had been born. The occasional puddle couldn't compare with two days of rain and the scent that lingered in the air was rich compared to the dusty rust Wooyoung was used to.

It was late morning and Wooyoung lolled in San's arm, protesting his duty to get up, when a call bellowed from the other side of the floor. They all found room up here, wary to divide the group yet eager for their private spaces. When Yeosang's voice bellowed across the corridor, Wooyoung shot up from San's side.

"We found it! It's done!"

Wooyoung and San exchanged a glance, then they jumped into their clothes. They rushed out of the room to find Yeosang panting in the hallway. His eyes were wide with a familiar craze and his fingers cradled a little bottle.

"Which room is Jongho's again? I need to administer this to him immediately," he heaved. Just then, the door behind them opened and Jongho stepped out. Frazzled at the mayhem, he looked at the rowdy bunch.

"W-what did you find?"

"Your antidote," Yeosang claimed with a whisper. Jongho's mouth dropped open.

"That was so fast," San gasped. They didn't know how long the foundations took the researchers to make and they didn't start at zero. Still, this was unbelievable news.

"Your blood was the missing piece. The rest, we just needed to combine. Hurry!" Yeosang explained, and Jongho scampered after him with all the might left in his diminishing body. The fungus reached to his collarbone now and crept down his upper arm and across his chest.

Wooyoung ran along and, one by one, the others gathered. Seonghwa hovered in the speakers and Hongjoong sat on his chair with a smug grin as Yeosang rushed Jongho inside. He dropped onto the bed and rolled up his pants with fingers that trembled with anticipation and dread. Mingi didn't hesitate to sit by his side while Yeosang prepared a syringe.

"Hold on to me," he offered, despite his injury so close to Jongho's flailing limbs. When he held out his hand, Jongho clutched to his index and pinky fingers, respectively. The gnaws on his lip looked painful, but Wooyoung couldn't fault him. He also gritted his teeth in silent hope.

"Seonghwa's genius did most of it and while he can't check, we could test under the microscope how it works. Don't worry. You won't get hurt," Yeosang soothed Jongho's cramping. He inserted the syringe while their light spoke over the speaker and spread his soothing message.

"You gathered all the data and pieced it together. If this works, it's thanks to Hongjoong and Yeosang," he crooned, as excited as them. It might not be an immediate solution, but if it at least killed the spores faster than they grew...

"There you go," Yeosang breathed. He sat back and gave Jongho a winning smile. Unsure when to expect a change, Jongho clung to Mingi's fingers. San only knew he was healed when the fungus stopped eating at him.

"See me in the evening and it should have worked until then. And if you suffer any severe side effects, get some rest. What was it, sleep and food?" Yeosang asked towards the corner.

"Sleep and water," Seonghwa replied. "The antidote helps your body to fight the virus, so you might feel feverish or fatigued. It's a lot of effort, so you want to support your system as much as you can."

Jongho's doe eyes were overwhelmed with all that responsibility, but Mingi squeezed the bundle of their hands.

"I got you. Let's take it slow today." Mingi's voice shook with excitement and Hongjoong giggled to himself, eager and mad to have done everything right.

The wait would be torturous, so Seonghwa pulled the others to some duties. While Mingi overlooked Jongho's condition, Yeosang and Hongjoong got to take a well-deserved break. Especially last night, they hustled into the late hours of the night, so they wouldn't lose their train of thought. Hongjoong sparsely communicated, but he was an excellent match for Yeosang's research. Wooyoung could tell the surgeon appreciated his assistance. Potential lurked behind those empty eyes.

During their downtime, Seonghwa summoned the raiders to his room. Yunho, San, and Wooyoung assembled while bickering and sharing their hopes for Jongho's future. No more bad blood persisted among them and Wooyoung was overjoyed to share his new life with both of them.

"What can we do for you?" Yunho asked as soon as Seonghwa shut the door behind them. The atmosphere was light and full of faith, even if they wouldn't have an answer until the evening. This was monumental progress either way. Seonghwa's giddiness meant all his calculations were right once more, so Wooyoung made an effort to expect a positive outcome.

"I would like you three to check on the car. Everyone is preparing for their departure and I want to make sure the earthquake didn't damage it and we are stranded when we are ready to leave. With Jongho healed, repairs won't be an issue."

Right, they needed their mechanic to tend to his beloved jeep. Wooyoung missed it like a member of the group.

"Will do," Yunho saluted. They retrieved their weapons and wandered outside together. The earth had softened from all the water coming down on it and prior cracks melted into an even surface. Before they departed to the car, they stopped at the pool outside to refill their bottles (none of them apart from Hongjoong cared about Seonghwa's new system yet, but he would nag them again later.)

They chattered about the rain and its surprising effects as they neared the pool and Yunho just snickered about the wet squelches their shoes now produced whenever they set foot down when Wooyoung stopped dead in his tracks.

Green.

A flash of green.

The green they had waited for.

Yunho fell quiet when he noticed his surprise and Wooyoung crouched to get a closer look.

Around the pool that constantly splashed the surrounding patches of earth with water, the smallest of stalks peered from the ground. They looked so lush and fresh, smooth like plastic as they sprouted curling leaves. Although they were tiny and fragile under their poking fingers, Wooyoung recognized them as the same plants Seonghwa had shown them so often.

This was what he meant by the prior sight of the world that died with the lack of water and sun.

Awed, Wooyoung stared at those little things. They peered for the sun they craved, so hopeful for the light that returned. Would they grow big like trees? Would they bear fruit?

Baffled at the sight of new life, unlike anything they knew, the raiders sat there for a few moments as if they could watch the plants grow. Nothing happened and Seonghwa had mentioned it would take time, but Wooyoung promised himself he would come out every day to check on them and also tell Jongho and Hongjoong. They would love to look into the sky together with the green stalks while Jongho awaited his healing.

Mindful not to crush anything, the trio refilled their bottles and made for the car. Wooyoung's hawk eyes came in handy as he searched everywhere now for traces of new life. Though the bumbling dead finally found their rest, the world was never empty.

What a marvel it was. All those years, Wooyoung thought it was a dead planet, unable to sustain the few struggling for life. But with the right help, it got back up and recovered despite all the harm done to it.

What a miracle to witness.

The atmosphere on their path to the car was light. No dangers crossed their paths, and their guns finally lay stagnant in their holsters. They gushed about telling Seonghwa about the plants as soon as they were back. Though the AI couldn't be celebrated like a person, he deserved to know how well he did.

Even more giddiness washed over them when they realized that the shaking of the earth had rolled the log across the road far enough off that they could squeeze past with the jeep. Not in case it needed repairs, but having the car at the facility would be a delight.

Upon investigating as much as they knew about their vehicle, they found it in peak condition. Some branches had fallen and scratched up the housing and windows, but the sturdy wheels had caught the tremble of the earth. When San swung into his seat and tried the engine, it roared to life as if it had missed their presence.

"Fuck yeah," Wooyoung hooted as he swung into the front seat. Yunho stretched out in the back and it was as if the driving had become part of San's body because he smoothly navigated them around the fallen log. Wooyoung and Yunho cheered for him and together, they made it all the way to the closed gates surrounding the CRC. The rubble kept them from making their way inside, even when Seonghwa could probably open the door. But with the car comfortably close, they didn't need to worry about it getting stolen.

"Let's still have Jongho check it in case anything is off," San suggested as they entered the complex. Eager to hear about his recovering health, the other two nodded.

And indeed, Seonghwa worked another miracle. As everyone gathered in the sick bay in the evening to attend Yeosang's deduction, their surgeon almost fell off his chair in joy as he studied Jongho's newest blood tests. Clinging to Mingi's arm, their fouling leader waited with terror in his eyes.

"They are dying off! The spores are almost gone! I will administer another shot to you, then you will be all good. You are healed, Jongho!" He exhilarated and the joy on his features was infectious. Hongjoong sprang around with mad giggles as if he had known and only waited for the grand revelation. Wooyoung fell into Yunho's arms and his feet dragged over the floor when Yunho caught his sagging weight to bury his face in Wooyoung's hair.

Jongho sat stunned into silence, but after a beat, Mingi tugged him into another bone-crushing hug.

"Fuck. I'm so glad. Everything is okay now," he assured Jongho, though his hands trembled the hardest. When tears brimmed in their mechanic's eyes, Mingi grinned so hard his gums showed and his eyes disappeared, forgetting all their dread.

Awed, San turned the vial Yeosang had used in his fingers. His eyes found the camera in the corner.

"You are a being of many miracles," he said, and Seonghwa snickered bashfully.

"I'm so happy for everyone. Even with my calculations, the lack of medical equipment posed a huge hindrance. You did so well, Yeosang, and you held out well, Jongho."

"Thank you, Hwa," Jongho choked out even when he buried his face in Mingi's shoulder to hold on to him. He quivered from head to toe, but the excitement of returning to life almost made him faint.

Fat tears rolled over Jongho's cheeks and Wooyoung could feel them stinging in his eyes as well, but they burned in the best way.

Everyone made it out alive and recovered along with this beautiful world Seonghwa created for them. Everyone got to share it and Wooyoung couldn't wait until he garnered the attention to introduce them to the plants.

Cherishing every minute of this new, dazzling life, they huddled together to get Jongho his favorite snacks and pat his shoulders as he joined San in the club of healed fouls. Now, with many more others to follow.