Seonghwa sank to a chair, holding his hands loosely in his lap.

"You don't have to worry...I already knew."

Everyone turned to stare at him.

"I know him like I know myself. I knew he was hiding something. And I noticed it right under the collar of his shirt."

Minho looked down at his hands.

"So why didn't you stop him?"

Seonghwa wiped a tear from his cheek.

"I wanted to let him go his own way. Without regrets. He stayed strong for me so I stayed strong for him."

Seonghwa lifted his hand, eyeing the ring around his finger with a sad smile.

"I just wish we'd had more time," he said shakily, his throat catching.

Minho nodded, moving to stand but the maneuver was difficult with his bad leg. Jeongin quickly came over, lifting him up and helping him to a rolling chair.

He slid his way over to Seonghwa, grabbing his hand.

"I'm really sorry, Seonghwa."

"We wanted kids, you know."

Minho's eyes softened.

"Really?"

"Yeah. We didn't ever talk about it until a few days ago but...we'd both been thinking about it for a while. And now with everything as it is, there's got to be hundreds—if not thousands—of kids out there without a home."

Minho nodded, feeling a tear drip down his cheek.

"You can still do it."

"He would've made such a good father," Seonghwa smiled, his voice breaking.

"You are going to make such a good father."

Seonghwa nodded, wiping his tears.

"I'm sorry, I need to keep it together. I have to...I have to tell the others. They need to know."

Everyone made way as Seonghwa walked over to the comm system, taking a shaky breath.

"Hey...Wooyoung?"

He waited, steadying his breathing. It was one thing to stay strong for Hongjoong's sake. But he'd already used so much just to keep it together.

Now he'd have to tell his members that they didn't have a leader anymore.

"I'm here—also tell the others that Changbin is here with us! And Yeosang and Jongho!"

Seungmin and Jeongin stood, turning to face each other. They smiled, walking over to Minho and gathering in a group hug.

Seonghwa watched, his eyes filling with tears.

"Hyung, can you hear me?"

"Yes...that's amazing..." Seonghwa managed, but suddenly he couldn't do it anymore.

He sat down, his expression cracking as tears poured down his cheeks.

"Hyung? Hyung, talk to me! What happened?"

Hearing Wooyoung's voice on the other end just hurt more. He tried to reach for the comm button, to say something, but Minho wheeled himself over, taking control.

"Hongjoong was infected," he whispered.

Seonghwa couldn't hold back, his quiet sobs turning violent. Everything he'd been pushing down came rushing to the surface.

"So—so he's—gone?" San's voice whimpered.

Minho's finger shook as he pressed the button again.

"He left about half an hour ago."

There was silence for a long time.

Neither end was capable of continuing. Not when everyone was dealing with the weight of it all.

But Minho started to feel selfish.

Changbin had made it. There was hope that the others might be okay.

That Jisung might be okay.

As if reading his mind, Changbin pressed the comm button.

"Minho?"

His voice was quieter than Minho had ever heard it. He sounded so tired.

They all were by now.

"I'm here. Seungmin and Jeongin, too," he smiled, a tear falling down his cheek.

"How are the others?"

Minho's smile fell.

He didn't know.

He didn't know about any of it.

About his wound.

About Hyunjin.

About Chan.

He didn't know.

And he'd have to tell him.

Seungmin stood beside him, holding his hand.

Jeongin came to put an arm around him, holding tight.

"He needs to know," Seungmin whispered.

Minho nodded, pressing the comm button again.

"All five of us were together in the dressing room, with two fans Chan had run into. We had to split up because the stage door broke, and we lost both of the fans and Hyunjin. Then...Jeongin and Seungmin were alone. In the hallway one of the girls dropped her gun and it fired, shooting me in the leg. Chan tried to help me but it was too much for him, so Hongjoong and Seonghwa came and took us both to safety."

Minho had to pause, trying to stop the tears already coating his face. Everything that had happened seemed so far away. Like it had happened weeks ago.

And yet, it was only hours at most.

"In the room, there was a girl who got infected. We tried to get her out of there but Chan didn't want to set her loose when she was still human. She finally agreed, not wanting to hurt anyone but...we were too slow. She accidentally lashed out at Chan and..."

Minho's voice caught and he took a deep breath, looking up to try to stop the tears.

"He didn't make it."

Minho listened for Changbin's answer, knowing he'd dumped such horrible news on him. He couldn't imagine what he must be feeling.

Hearing all of it at once.

Having experienced it in sequence was enough for him. So having to watch it all happen in a few minutes...he couldn't have made it through.

"Chan and Jinnie..."

It was Changbin. His voice sounded raw as he processed it all.

"I'm sorry, Bin. It's a lot to load onto you at once. I just...needed to let you know."

He heard Changbin's throat catch as he started to continue.

"I wish...I wish I could say things were better over here."

Minho's eyes widened, his chest tightening.

He waited.

"Felix..."

Changbin paused a moment, letting out a quiet sob as he forced himself to continue.

"He got infected. I had to...I had to let him go."

Minho nodded, his eyes filling with tears. Jeongin's grip around him tightened as he pressed his face into Minho's shoulder. Seungmin held Minho's hand steady.

"And Han...I don't know where he is."

Minho crumbled.

For so long, he'd been waiting for something, anything. Just one person who'd seen him since this whole thing went down.

He'd waited so long.

Just to find out that he was missing.

Alone.

"When did you last see him?" Minho spoke, trying to keep his voice even.

"Right before we left for the control room. He...he left to go look for you."

Minho's eyebrows drew up in the center as a tear fell down his cheek.

"All by himself?" he whispered.

"I wanted to stop him. Or even just to follow him. I really did. But...I had Felix on my back...and Yeosang...Han didn't give me a choice. He wasn't planning on taking any company. He knew the risks."

Changbin started to cry, causing Jeongin to break by his side. But Minho could find the tears.

Han had...run off alone?

To find him?

He still...

He wasn't still...

Upset?

He knew it was a petty fight but...because of it, they were separated. He'd done so much more damage than he'd ever thought possible. And yet...

Han was looking for him.

Alone.

Minho suddenly had a realization.

Han wasn't going towards the control room.

Which meant—

The reason they didn't see him was because they weren't looking in the right place.

He reached over to the computer, pulling up the security cameras. Starting by their control room, he flicked through the channels, searching.

"Hyung? What are you doing?" Seungmin asked, standing beside him and watching.

"If he was looking for me, he wouldn't have gone to the south control room. We didn't look anywhere else. He could still be out there."

Seungmin knew he shouldn't speak what they were all thinking.

That Han didn't stand a chance against a horde of zombies all by himself.

Practically unarmed.

No one would.

So he let him search.

At least it made him feel hopeful.

But suddenly, Minho nearly stood, holding himself upright with both hands pressed into the table.

"What? What is it? Did you find him?" Jeongin asked, craning his neck around Minho's back.

Seungmin stared at the screen.

"It's really him."

"He's okay."

Seungmin walked back over to the comm, pressing the button.

"Han's alive."