a/n: (i won't come at the end of the chapter, relax) please don't be a silent reader 🥺 a lot of you didn't vote on the first part 😞 but i understand that you must be waiting to read both the parts together. so, here i am 🧿 i hope you enjoy reading. if you do please leave your precious comments to let me know, and also don't forget to vote (both the chapters okay?)

i know you can do that for me, right? 😙💗

now i won't waste more of your time. happy reading! (it won't be happy 🤧 spoiler alert ⚠️)

____

in the morning when lily opened her eyes, she could hear the engine of the bus, feel it moving, too. the sun was up just like everyone else inside the bus, except for her and, well, yohan. alec isn't with them anymore and lily assumes he woke up early to guide the bus and also check for a working gas station. but before leaving he made sure that lily wouldn't wake up to an empty seat.

she's still tucked nicely between yohan's arms, his big arms and body does a good job holding and hiding her entirely. being a basketball player has its perks. both him and alec being so tall and muscley is most of the times useful unless they start using their obviously bigger strength to dominate lily and drive her mad.

she stirs in her place, tilting her head to look up and realises yohan is still sleeping. he shifts as well, arm tightening around her with a sigh. his other hand is on her uninjured leg, caressing the spot just above her knee. "are you up?" lily pokes his cheek, "i know you are."

instead of a verbal response, he keeps his eyes closed, but drags his hand up to her thigh, making lily jump for it tickles the way his fingertips brush just enough to leave a ghost of them and not actually touching her. he breaks into a knowing smile, looking down for the millionth time, but this once she's not sleeping.

"good morning, flower." he mumbles out in a raspy, sleepy voice stroking her leg with the greeting.

"hm'morning," she nods, resting her head on his chest again, "where's alec?"

"bike." yohan yawns. "he said i could use another nap until you woke up. after that i'm thinking of taking on the bike. he needs to be here for a while. jenny needs him."

"oh..." lily nods, glancing at jenny, who's sitting with yana, both of them talking about something. but it's more like yana is telling something to her.

lily accidentally meets yana's harsh gaze, but averts her eyes quickly, then realising that a lot of people were looking at her snuggled on a guy's lap, whom she calls her best friend. sighing softly, lily moves back to the seat, stretching her back a little, groaning in pain, but yohan instantly leans over, caressing her to soothe some pain. "is it hurting a lot?"

"no, just a little. don't worry." lily dismisses. the boy, however, doesn't believe her and shifts closer, turning her to the side, giving her shoulder a short massage that should relax some tension and help her. "don't- hannie, stop it. everyone's looking..." she mumbles, pushing his hands away gently.

"what?" he frowns, turning his head to face the rest. they are, actually, looking. "what is it?" he hisses at his classmates, standing up from the seat, moving partially in front of lily to save her from the nasty looks. everyone just scoffs and turns ahead, not bothering with their drama. yohan shakes his head in response, walking up to the front to hajin, who gives him a brief smile, nodding in acknowledgement.

"just another forty minutes or so. setting out early was a good idea."

"thank god." yohan sighs, sitting on one of the front seats and takes a sip of water. he glances out, seeing alec driving far ahead of them, "tell him to stop." he says to hajn.

"he's... slowing down?" hajin frowns, "wait, it's- it's a military truck, isn't it?"

yohan squints his eyes, standing up to look farther and clearer, breaking into a smile as he nods, "yes... yes yes! it's them! they're probably looking for citizens to rescue!"

"what is it?" yohan turns around, smiling widely as he hugs jenny tightly.

"it's a military truck. they'll take us to the bunker. it'll be okay then." he says, letting everyone else know too, that they'll be soon in a safe place. the students rejoice together, hugging each other and hushing out words of gratitude for the ones who fought for them, and to whichever supreme power they believe in.

soon, hajin pulls over near the truck and alec gives them a signal to come down. two uniform clad officers knock at the door, guns in their hands as yohan opens up for them, "there's no one infected here, right? don't even think of hiding anyone."

"nobody's infected, officer. we wouldn't be here if there was any." yohan says, stepping down from the bus and motions his friends to follow.

"well, you think like that, boy." one of the officers voice out, watching with his colleague as the students come out one by one. "some people show the symptoms later than the others, which is so far the most dangerous thing i've heard."

yana's ears perk up at that information, glancing at the officer with an unsure gaze, but she ays nothing and gets off the bus. "you, girl, come out." the other officer says with a frown, pointing his gun at yana.

"she's fine, sir." yohan says, joined by alec soon.

"is there anything wrong?" he asks.

"this girl." the officer nods at yana and pulls her to the side. "are you hurt anywhere?"

"no..." she shakes her head. "i'm not infected."

"well, i can't just trust your word. you look bothered, why's that?" the man asks, and yana just shakes her head, eyes travelling back at alec. the officer hisses in annoyance, loading the gun and aims it at her head, "do not lie to me. it's a matter of life and death. we cannot risk taking you if you're infected."

"i'm not..." yana whimpers, tears blurring her eyes.

"strip."

"wha-what..." yana stares at him with wide eyes, stepping back as she clutches onto the fabric of her shirt. "no, sir. i- i can't do that. please believe me, i'm not-"

"well, then strip. since we have no other way to see if you're lying or not. i'll have to rely on any wounds you might have on your body." he says simply, smirking at the girl much younger than him.

"no... please..." yana breaks into a sob, "i don't have any wounds, i swear."

"doesn't matter. just relax, no one else will see you, just me." he promises, "c'mon, don't waste my time."

yana frowns at him, understanding now that it's not actually about her being infected, but her beauty. gritting her teeth in anger, she tries to move away from the man, glancing back when her eyes land on lily. yet again, alec is next to her, helping her walk to the truck as she kept limping since yesterday. yana gulps in fear, looking down and mumbles, "that girl was attacked by an infected person... she can't even walk properly she's so hurt. but these guys insisted on letting her stay with us... take her if you want. let me go..."

"oh, smart, huh?" the officer chuckles, patting her side. "go, and send her here. if she's infected, then we better get rid of her."

"hm," yana hurries quickly, walking from the man, sighing in relief as she saved herself from a beast, but something hurts inside her chest at the thought of giving up another girl in her place.

"alec," yana calls, earning a glance from him as well as lily. "they're calling lily."

"why?" alec frowns in confusion.

"i don't know..." she mumbles and scurries after the last few kids, getting on the truck as tears roll down her face. she makes her way to the very last seat, sitting in the corner and covers her mouth, breaking into a sob. scared and guilty.

jenny joins her side, rubbing her arm and hugs her warmly, "we're safe now, yana. it's over." she hushes out, forcing a smile, unaware of the disaster her friend caused outside.

almost everyone is inside, except for yohan, alec and lily. they wait for a while, but when the three don't make it and neither do the officers, hajin gets up from his seat, opening the door at the side to check on their friends. there, he witnesses the terrible scene, lily's on the ground her bandages torn apart and wounds bleeding again, while alec and yohan are both having a heated exchange with the officers.

"guys, lily!" hajin jumps down on the ground, approaching the girl first, but is stopped when one of the officers warn him not to, or he'd be left behind to die and turn into a monster. "what- what's going on?"

"this girl is infected, isn't she? why did no one tell us earlier?!" the officer, the one who was calm earlier, asks in a roaring voice.

"because she's not." hajin says, helping lily up. "she fell from the bike and got hurt. she has risked her life and fought for all of us. we're not leaving her here."

"oh, really?" the man laughs bitterly, "she fought those monsters and got out without a scratch? just take a look at her, she's all covered in blood, wounded and broken you want us to take her and risk a thousand more lives?!"

"she's not infected." alec grits out one last time. "she's going with us. good if you like it, and if you don't, then go on. i'll bring her myself."

"try it." the other man says, pointing his gun at the girl, "i'll shoot her here. walk around with a dead body, you crazy punk. or maybe i don't even have to kill her, she'll turn into a fucking diseased orge and do the same to you!"

"enough." yohan punches the man, kicking him hard enough to have the guy groaning. his companion fires his gun in the air, making the angry boys stand still. "look, please just listen to us. she's not infected. she would've at least felt sick if she was, right?"

"we have strict orders. we're not taking any potential threat with us." he says, and glances at the boys, taking a deep breath. "this girl is not going with us. that's final. decide if you wanna come or give up your life here. just so you know, there's no one around to help you. we've evacuated the entire city by now. make a decision. you have a minute." he states, patting yohan's shoulder and walks up to the truck with his friend, leaving the boys standing there and lily, who looks defeated.

"go with them..." she hushes out, freeing herself from hajin's hold and limps over to the school bus.

"hajin, go." yohan says, turning to the boy and pats his shoulder, giving a nod to him. the boy blinks a few times, lowering his head as he heaves out a deep breath, stepping forward to hug yohan tightly.

"you too, hannie. go with him..." alec hushes out, joining the hug with tears welling his eyes, staring at lily. "take care of jenny, okay? she didn't ask me to stay with her and so i didn't... but i know she needed me. she needed us. so, please, stay with her and... just take care of her."

"no..." yohan looks at alec with a frown, shaking his head, "i'm not leaving you two. lily- she was scared last night, didn't you see her? how... i- no. i'm not leaving you both." yohan wipes his tears, pulling way with a firm nod and turns to hajin. the truck honks, engine roaring impatiently, and hajin steps back, glancing at lily one last time.

"you're a hero lily. they're right... you're a fighter." he says with a smile to her.

lily gulps down a sob, nodding her head, "take them with you, hajin..." she mumbles, "please..."

"no. just go." yohan declares.

a tear rolls down from alec's face as he watches the officer, gesturing them to get on. he huffs out a breath, pushing hajin and yohan towards the truck. "just go! please yohan... for jenny..." he pleads, his pupils quivering and throat bobbing with a suppressed sob. "please. she needs someone with her... please, go..."

"but-"

"i'm here with lily." alec says quickly, wiping off his tears and holds his friend again, "i'll bring her to the base. just go with them for now."

yohan looks down, nibbling on his lip as he has no option than to give in, "don't you dare break your promise, alec..." he breathes out, and alec closes his eyes in relief, shaking his head while tears roll down his eyes. "don't worry about jenny... i'll be with her."

"thanks, hannie." alec hugs him tightly, "you're my brother. i love you."

"i love you..." yohan mumbles, glancing at lily and jogs over to her after alec lets go of him. "hey, don't cry, okay? i'm just going for now... but- but we'll meet in a while. stay strong until then, yeah?"

lily looks down, nodding her head as tears stream down her face, "hannie..." she whispers, "please tell my oppas that i loved them a lot, and- and tell them, especially my koo, that his colleagues were rude to me... i'm- i'm..." she chokes on a sob, hugging yohan, and cries. just cries her heart out.

"his princess." he hushes out, completing her sentence. "that you are, and always will be."

lily pulls him down and kisses his cheek, cupping his face in her right hand that isn't bloodied like the left one, "apologize to jenny and yana too. tell them i'm sorry for always stealing their boys..."

"no-"

"shh, just listen..." lily gulps, crying silently but she forces a small smile, "tell jenny that i never hated her, and i'm especially sorry to her, because i kept her brother and her potential boyfriend to myself... just don't think, don't add your opinions in... tell her exactly what i told you, hannie. i love you, yes, but maybe she'll love you more... and you deserve plenty of love..."

yohan closes his eyes, hugging her tightly and leans down, crying to himself as he presses his lips on top of her head. "i love you..." he whispers, "our fighter, our hero, our favourite girl."

"thanks, now go. the officer doesn't look so happy." she tries to lighten the mood and wipes her tears, sitting down on the first step at the bus's door and waves at yohan. "bye, hannie. take care. and alec too..." she chuckles sadly, sending him a flying kiss, unable to speak at this point with the weight of sadness hurting her throat, so she just mouths to him 'bye' and 'love you'.

"i'm not going." alec declares, while yohan walks towards the truck with a heavy heart. he makes one last eye contact with yohan, putting his whole trust in his friend, "yana, too, bro! tell her she's not a bad person..."

"wait!." lily stands up with a frown. "hannie, take him with you! we won't make it here-"

"he won't listen to you this time." alec lets out softly, pulling her into a hug and presses a kiss on her cheek. "i have a promise to fulfil. so i'm gonna take us to the base."

lily shakes her head, staring at the truck with fearful eyes, limping forward when it backs away and turns to leave. "no! wait! alec is going with you!"

alec doesn't protest, watching her quietly with a blurry gaze, until he decides it's enough and takes off his shirt, tearing off pieces of it long enough to tie and cover all of lily's wounds. crying, she's made to sit on his bike, and he starts wrapping the fabric around her forehead first. "you should've gone with them..." lily stares at him, but alec doesn't give her a response, for a part of his mind is occupied with his sister. she must crying and throwing a fit in there, requesting and probably even begging for the officers not to leave her brother behind.

"i'm talking to you, alec! go with them!" lily screams, shaking hims arm as though trying to wake him up from a dream. a nightmare.

with a frustrated frown he looks at her, holding her by the shoulders and steps closer, "i'm not leaving you, get it?"

"you have to..." she pleads him, "we won't make it if we stay back. you can't give up your life like this, alec. just- just think about your dad, about jenny!"

"dad must be dead by now... who knows," he sighs and finishes up covering lily's arm. he bends down a little, wrapping another piece around her leg. "and about jenny, i'll see her again. until then, i trust hannie."

lily stares at him with teary eyes, sniffling softly, "and what if i'm actually infected? what if i... hurt you?"

alec chuckles at that, tilting his head up, caressing her leg, "i guess, we'll die together then. big friendship goals, huh?"

"no." she huffs, pulling him up and hugs him tightly, "will you promise me something, alec?"

"hm?" he looks down, but lily never meets his eyes.

"if we're under attack... if i can't run anymore and you happen to be with me," she hushes out, hands slipping past his bare waist, resting at his muscular back as she turns her head to have her ear pressed against the centre of his chest, listening to the promising rhythm of his heart. "please kill me before those monsters can make me like them. i- i read on the news that this prion doesn't work on an already dead person... will you do that, alec?"

"n-no, what are you-"

"if i can't make it. please?" she repeats, "just kill me then. i'd be happy if you do, than y'know... turning into- into that... it's scary..."

"don't say that..." alec's lip quivers, cupping her face as he leans down, pressing his forehead against hers, "don't say that... i'll do whatever i have to-"

"just promise me, alec... i'm not kidding this time." she lets out, smiling sadly as she takes a step back, eyes roaming all over his body, lingering at his face, as she tries to memorize every little detail about him, just in case she doesn't get a chance to admire him again. he reaches to hold her, but she pushes his hand away, telling him to stay in his place, but it bugs alec and pulls her closer, wrapping his arms around her tiny waist, lowering his head on her shoulder.

"i was trying to look at you, stupid." she jokes with burning tears.

"you're selfish." he mutters, hands working their way up her back, "here, i'm trying to save us and you've already planned our death, hm? that's not what princesses do."

"i don't see why i should be trying to stay alive. for you, although, i do have hope. so, let's go save your stupid ass from a monster." she smiles up at him.

alec responds with a fond chuckle, acting like he doesn't want to give up on everything and just hold her again like last night and let whatever time they have left, to pass into oblivion. perhaps that's the only way he can willingly accept death, embrace it while having lily in his arms. so, with a smile, he gets on the motorcycle, holding her hand to help her climb behind him.

"hold me tight." he says, hands slipping under her knees as he pulls her against his back. "tight, yeah?"

"okay." she hums nonchalantly, while alec releases a slow breath, drinking her in through the reflection on the rear mirror. the only thought haunting him is of not being able to see this face again. "will you drive or not?"

"huh? yeah— yes. of course." he clears his throat, hitting the engine on and accelerates forward. lily keeps her arms around alec, resting her head against his back, waiting for either be accepted with all the wounds she has (which is very unlikely) or accept her fate as it comes, meaning death. or worse, a monster.

• • •

"no! please don't leave alec!" jenny cries, struggling against yohan's arms as she yells at the officers, "i won't go without my brother..." she trails off, sobbing helplessly, staring at the men, who just shake their heads.

"listen to me-"

"shut up!" jenny glares at yohan with bloodshot eyes, pushing his hands away and steps back, "how could you leave him there?! you call him your best friend, don't you?! you call him your brother! how could you just leave your brother to die?!" jenny screams, grabbing her hair in frustration as she lowers down on her spot, sitting down on the floor, crying to herself, pushing yohan away when he tries to hold her. "get away... you left my brother there... you left him to die. if anything happens to him, yohan, i... i..."

"i'm sorry, jen. i'm really sorry," yohan hushes out, rubbing his own eyes as he shifts closer to jenny, trying to help her up. "he's coming, okay? he promised me that he'll come. both him and li-"

"do not say her name." jenny grits out angrily, glaring at yohan. "i never said anything to her. never hated her... but i'll never forget she's the reason my brother's out there risking his life."

yohan sighs softly, saying nothing for now, as he knows that this is just jenny's fear and anger speaking and she would never mean something so harsh, even for lily. he stands up, pulling her with him and moves to an empty seat, sitting down with her. he borrows a water bottle from the front seat, getting jenny to take a few sips before sitting down next to her.

"alec will be fine. i regret not being the one to stay behind in his place..." he lets out in a tired voice. "i'm sorry."

jenny doesn't talk to him and shifts more to her side of the seat. yohan watches her with a soft gaze, keeping his hands to himself no matter how much he wants to hug her and provide a shoulder to lean on. he stands up from the seat, not wanting to make the girl uncomfortable, but he stays close in reach, tapping a boy on the shoulder, gesturing him to empty the seat behind jenny.

the next few minutes he checks on her frequently, sighing in relief when he realises that she's fast asleep, probably tired of crying. he leans back, closing his eyes and massages his temples, cursing at himself for listening to alec and lily. he should've fought the officers, fought the two idiots and brought them with him. if he did, maybe jenny wouldn't be so hurt, and alec and lily wouldn't be risking their lives.

"yohan?" he turns at the voice, glancing at yana. "can i... can i talk to you for a second?"

"yeah," he gets up, moving next to her and tries to put on a smile, which although looks like a sad one. "i'm... sorry to you, too."

yana gulps nervously, looking down as she bites down on her lower lip, "it's my fault." she mumbles, earning a confused look from him, "i told them that lily... might be- might be infected. but, i was scared, yohan. i was scared and didn't-"

"you did what?" yohan frowns, turning to face her entirely, shaking his head, "yana, please be serious. this is not a joke, alright?"

"i'm sorry..." she whimpers, pupils quivering behind a glassy layer of tears, "i didn't know what to do. that officer told me to strip, yohan... he just wanted to take advantage of me because he doubted that i might be infected..."

"so you gave him lily's name?" yohan hushes out, not believing his ears or eyes as yana nods, tears already streaming down her face. "no... please tell me this is a lie. how can you- if that man was trying to be like that you could've told us. you could've told alec, he'd stand up for you! i'd stand up for you, yana, we all would..." he trails off, holding the girl by her shoulders, "you do understand that we left lily in a city without people, and just those zombies, right? alec stayed back for her, he's out there risking his life. jenny's on the verge of losing her brother forever, all because of one lie you told so carelessly!"

their classmates turn to look at them, except jenny, watching yana sobbing silently while yohan breathed heavily in anger, rising up from his seat, about to head to the officers in the front, but is stopped by another set of words that leave yana's mouth. "i didn't think alec would stay back with her..."

it ticks him off even more. turning to face her with a hard glare, "well, surprise." he hisses at her, pulling her up and slams her against the nearest wall, grabbing her jaw in a harsh grip. "all this while i tried to understand why you hated lily so much, but this time, yana you've crossed all lines, surpassed all limits of shamelessness. if anything happens to her, or alec, you'll see what i can fucking do to you."

when yohan leaves her and storms to the front, where the officers sit, yana slides down onto her seat again, curling herself, wrapping her own arms around her body, crying. meanwhile, yohan slams the door of the front compartment open, grabbing the first man's head and smashes it into the dash. "how dare you?!" he roars, kicking the gun back and punches the man again, hitting his head against the window to his side. "what did you tell yana?! is this how you fucking rescue people?!"

the man grits in response standing up and with just a few trained movements, he has reversed their positions, having yohan on the seat, clenching his throat in his hand. "don't act smart, boy. just keep your mouth shut or i'm throwing you off this truck right now."

"you won't do shit!" yohan states, successfully head-butting the man on his nose, instantly making it bleed. the other officer, who's drving the truck, has however, aimed his gun on yohan's head.

"get back inside and sit quietly, or i shoot you." he warns with a serious face, "don't test my patience."

before yohan replies, the first man pushes him off him feet, hovering over him and lands continuous punches on his face and abdomen when he falls backward and the door seperating them from his friends doesn't support the weight. he can hear them gasping, but they're all too scared to step forward help him because of the gun that the man holds at yohan's head.

"no!" of course. the only person who can still dare to hug him and beg for his life. yohan closes his eyes, tears flowing down in regret, bleeding from him mouth and nose, bruised almost every part of his body. jenny pulls his head on her lap, crying, as she begs the officer to leave him. "please, don't... i'm sorry for whatever it is. why are you doing this? we left my brother and lily behind... what more do you want?" she asks in frustration, bringing her arms in front of yohan's body, trying to keep him away from the man and his gun.

"tell him to just keep his mouth shut." the officer scoffs and stands up, heading back to the front.

yohan shuts his eyes in pain, feeling it getting harder to even breathe. oh, how he wishes to be as skilled as a trained military officer right now and give this man a taste of what he really deserves. with a lot of struggle and bare minimum movements, jenny helps him up, taking him to the seat. "what were you doing?" she asks, unable to watch how bad the officer has hurt yohan, making him cough out blood and barely able to speak.

"your chest?" she asks softly, holding his hand as he touches his chest, breathing as slowly as he can. jenny glances back at the evil man, cursing under her breath as she shifts towards yohan, using her sleeve to wipe blood from his face, helping him with some water but it doesn't work, for all the boy lets out is a strangled groan and cough out all of the water and blood. jenny watches him with pained eyes, holding his hand in hers, praying to just reach the base as soon as possible and hopefully find a doctor there.

"just a few more minutes, hannie... please hang on." she mumbles, desperately staring at the front, when she catches the man also checking at them with a smirk. he stretches in his seat, making jenny shift in her seat uncomfortably.

it doesn't take long for the truck to pull over in the base camp, and jenny stands up first, helping yohan get off the truck with hajin who was kind enough to offer a hand. the officers don't bother themselves with the students, although another one of their kind assists them to the doctor's tent. it's big and spacious with a lot of injured people, some more serious than yohan and some not.

there's no questioning as to how he got hurt like this, the doctor just starts examining him, talking to his assistant. yohan, on the other hand, looks around the room with drooping eyes, opening his mouth to say something, "jen..." he hushes out with a groan, getting the girl's attention quickly as she moves beside him. "hyung... jung-guk..."

jenny gulps at that, but nods in response, leaving yohan's hand and jogs outside the tent. among many face, she tries to locate lily's elder brother. after a few minutes of roaming around, she runs into a woman who takes her to jungkook, sending some relief to jenny when she constantly feels like she's on verge of losing her breath.

he's talking to some officers, all dressed in uniforms, when jenny catches his eye. he smiles at her, excusing himself from his colleagues and walks towards jenny. "oppa, please come with me. yohan is asking for you... he's- he's injured. the doctor is treating him..."

"what happened? is he okay?" jungkook asks, jogging after jenny as he realises it must be serious, seeing how the girl is crying for help.

she gestures towards yohan lying on the bed, while a doctor is frowning at the x-ray displaying on the screen. "what happened to him?" jungkook asks.

"he has broken a rib, and other than his face, there are some internal injuries which may take time to recover. he must be on bed rest for at least a month."

jungkook sighs softly, shaking his head and takes the stool to sit down near the boy, "how did you end up breaking your ribs?"

a tear leaves yohan's eye, staring at jungkook, "hyung... save lily, alec... of-officer didn't let them come with us..."

"what?" jungkook frowns, "where are they?"

"coming... alec- he has—" he groans, shutting his eyes, trying not to breathe too hard. "fuck..."

"he has a motorcycle..." jenny completes, earning a glance from jungkook.

"they didn't come with you? who was the officer?" jungkook asks, standing up as he notices jenny hesitating. "hey, look at me, kiddo. please tell me, nobody will say anything to you. i promise you that. you don't have to be scared."

jenny nods her head, walking out of the tent with him and looks around, spotting the two assholes instantly. "it's them..." she hushes out. jungkook's jaw clenches at the sight of the two men, nodding his head slowly. but before he deals with them, he pulls out his walkie-talkie and speaks into it, "alpha-north, do you copy?"

"we do, sir."

"there's a motorcycle heading your way, a boy and a girl. let them pass."

"hey're here, sir. the girl is injured, officer. we have orders to shoot.'

"no-"

"shoot!"

"no!" jungkook yells, sprinting towards the front gate, "do not shoot!" he speaks into device, but it's too late for he can clearly here the sniper shot on the speaker.

• • •

"lily... are you okay?" alec groans, glancing up from his burning his right arm and almost all of his upper body due to lack of a shirt. he stands up slowly, helping lily as well, hissing when he realises there are more wounds added to her already hurt body.

yet, she nods her head, holding his hand for support, turning to the big barricades laid down to stop the zombies, and well, them too. she sighs at the walls and sacks laid one of the other to create a protective wall. "they're not welcoming at all." lily tries to joke, but alec has most of his attention at the front. he takes a step forward, startled by a gunshot at the street just a few inches from his foot.

"wow, they hate us." lily huffs, taking in a deep breath, before yelling. "we're not infected!"

"stay back. we have orders to not let anyone in." a man, through the announcer, speaks.

alec shakes his head, wrapping his arm around lily, and moves to one side, but the people on the other side don't like that either. they shoot again. this time it makes lily cry out in pain, landing on the ground, clutching her bloody leg. "lily!" alec kneels down with her, trying to press on the wound, so it would stop bleeding. "shh, it's- it's gonna be fine, okay? i'll make everything fine, i swear. just trust me." he states, pulling her close to his chest, for she's crying in pain.

"stay back." the announcer erupts again.

tears well his eyes too as he turns to glare at the camera he has spotted now, "fuck you! she's not infected, you crazy motherfucker! she fought for us! she fought for me! she got hurt while trying to protect me!" he pants heavily, keeping his one hand securely on her back and lowers head in her neck, "let's go from here, lily. we don't need help from-"

"alec..." lily whimpers, tilting her head to look up at his face. "look at me," she asks, rubbing her eyes to clear her vision and smiles through the pain, even if it's barely. "you look funny..."

"shut up." he mutters, cupping her face and strokes her hair out of her face, "you'll be fi-"

"shh..." lily frowns at him, "i don't care. they won't let us in... i'm sorry that you're here with me... you don't deserve it, alec..."

"i do," he whispers, watching her with tired eyes, as he sits down and supports lily properly on his lap, between his arms. "i deserve to be with you wherever you are."

"even if you know you can die?" she hushes out, lying limp in his arms.

"even if i know i can die." he smiles and leans down to kiss her forehead, then her cheek, stopping before he made it to her lips. "is this it, then?" his voice shakes as he asks that, holding back a sob that escapes in form of a tear from his eye.

"i guess so..." lily hums, groaning weakly in pain and the amount of blood she has already lost since yesterday. her eyes move behind alec, horror taking place suddenly, which makes alec frown and glance over his shoulder with a frown. there's a zombie heading towards them, making him sigh and stand up, clenching and unclenching his fists, ready to fight till his last breath for lily.

"alec," lily calls with a whine, "come back..."

"just a minute." he replies, kicking the zombie back, and picks up a big rock from one side of the barricades and smashes on the monster's head. he breathes out tiredly, returning back to lily and helps her up. "fuck them all. we'll go somewhere else."

lily shakes her head, lowering herself on the ground again and frees his hands, "you go, alec. i can't come with you..." she mumbles, eyes fixed on a bigger army of zombies coming towards them. "go, now."

"we both are going." he declares, lifting her up in his arms, heading to the motorcycle with the tire punctured by a gunshot.

"no, you'll die if you-"

"quiet." alec stares at her, then glances back to check on the zombies, who are not that far. sighing, he gives up finally, having no other option than to accept the reality and just hold lily for the last minutes. "never thought i'd say this out loud... never really believed in long term love or commitment, or dying for the person you love. but... look at me- no, actually, look at you. how the hell did you manage to tame me? have me so fucking whipped. always wrapped around your little finger..." he says with a chuckle, kissing lily on the lips this time. "but i wouldn't have it any other way, in this lifetime or any. i don't need sixty, seventy or eighty years to live... eighteen years is good enough if it's with you."

lily smiles at that, much relaxed for all she sees is alec's face in front of her, not even realising how smoothly he blocked the sight she has been so scared of ever since the beginning. he cups her face, dropping a tear on her cheek, meeting hers, "close your eyes and hold me tight, okay?" he whispers, hiding her in his embrace, while he glances back, seeing death approaching. inhaling sharply and more tears spilling from his eyes, hands shaking, he kicks the rear mirror on the handle of the motorcycle, breaking it out and picks up the largest piece. "i love you, baby... more than i can ever tell you, more than i can ever love anyone else..."

"i love you," she whispers back, shutting her eyes tight, "do it..."

continuous firing fills the air, but it's too late for alec to react, for the glass is already tearing through lily's stomach. he sits there for a while even after the firing stops, holding lily in his lap, covered in her blood and some of his own. "i love you..." he whispers, pulling away gradually and watches her calm sleeping face, not scared anymore. he strokes her cheek and leans down to kiss her cheek, failing to hold himself anymore and breaks into a painful sob. "i love you, i love you, i love you..." he repeats to her dead form, kissing her face again and again until he can't anymore.

a pair of footsteps, makes alec look up, squinting his eyes to clear his vision and realises it's one of the officers, approaching them with a gun aimed at him. he scoffs at that, moving to the other side to block lily's body from the man. "we can help you... i'm sorry for your friend. we received the orders too late-"

"leave." alec breathes out, holding lily in his arms.

"look, kid, i know it's our fault. but we couldn't risk a thous-"

"well, good job on saving a thousand lives!" alec yells, standing up slowly after he rests the girl down gently and turns to face the man, "really, well done, officer... although i wish you'd save my lily, too. but nevermind... you can go now, take care of the thousands of lives that you saved. careful, though, there's my sister and a friend, too... please include them in the thousands you've saved..." he trails off, going to sit down again when the officer steps closer.

"back off." alec grits out, ignoring more people coming out of the big gate now, including jungkook and the two elder brothers, jenny and even a limping yohan with hajin supporting him. "i said back off!" alec yells, glaring at the man. "do not go near her, or i'll fucking rip you to shreds!"

"alec," it's jungkook coming towards him, gesturing his hand for him to calm down, "please let us help you. lily needs a doctor right now, and you-"

"no, she doesn't..." alec mutters, glancing back at lily and kneels down near her, holding her hand. "she's dead, hyung. she's gone..." he sniffles, rubbing his eyes and sits down, pulling her back in his lap and lowers her head against hers. "i killed her..."

"lily..." jimin hushes out, pushing his way past the other two brothers and drops to knees, cupping his sister's face, shaking her awake. "lily, open your eyes, princess. i'm- it's oppa, honey... look, we're together now... lily?" he shakes her again, bursting into tears, holding her hand, "my child... please open your eyes, baby... listen to oppa, champ..."

alec shuts his eyes, shifting back against the bike as he lowers his head in his arms, crying in pain, guilt and sorrow, especially as he can hear the brothers trying to wake lily up from her permanent sleep. alec feels a pair of arms wrap around him, crying as she hugs him tightly, jenny. he doesn't respond, though. soon he's out of tears, too, making a brief eye contact with yohan, as if reminding him his last words.

alec stands up slowly, moving back to lily and rubs his eyes, ignoring the stares he got from everyone. sitting down, he pick up the glass he used to end lily's life and takes a deep breath, "she was scared, hyung..." he hushes out, "she was so scared. fought for me, for jenny, yana, everyone. proved to be a hero again... but she was scared... she sas scared all along. she didn't want to become one of those creatures, couldn't sleep last night until i held her... she asked me to kill her if we had no chance of surviving... i did it... maybe your officers could've said something to let us know we had a chance... maybe i could've saved her if my bike wasn't punctured by that first firing... maybe all of this wouldn't happen if that man let us get on the truck..." alec sighs, scoffing at his fate, "maybe..."

he glances at jimin, giving the elder a hug, speaking to him in a shaky voice, "she wanted me to tell you that she loved you... all three of you," he blinks, glancing at taehyung and jungkook as well. "she was in pain, but didn't stop mentioning you, her oppas..." he chuckles sadly, shaking his head. "she was upset, too. mad at those officers and asked me to tell you, hyung, because even if she's not around she is your princess. she lived to the title, hyung."

taehyung nibbles on his lip, crying silently as he lowers his head to lily's, kissing her head multiple times. alec looks at jungkook, seeing the elder so lost and disturbed for the first time. "she wanted to complain about that man to you, hyung. please make sure he faces the consequences of his actions... i cannot really help you," he clears his throat, earning a glance from jungkook, "you've to bring justice to our lily, hyung..."

alec pauses for a while, staring at the glass in his hand, then at his sister, "she said sorry to you and yana for keeping me away from you. not just me, yohan, too. that's what she told me, and i'm letting you know because she wanted it this way..." he shrugs, smiling a little for his sister. "she really wanted to be friends with you again. yohan and i wanted you and lily to be friends again— i, ninnie, i love you, even if i fight you and make you do my chores... i love you, but i'm sorry i- i just can't... not like this. not anymore..."

"no..." jenny lets out hurrying next to her twin brother and hugs him tightly, "no, don't say that, alec. i'm sorry, i know i hurt lily and you, too, many times... but please don't—"

alec just kisses her cheek and smiles softly, "i wish to be your twin again. five minutes elder, again..." he chuckles with tears falling from his eyes, and turns to find yohan, "take care, bro..."

"alec, listen it's not—"

"it's the end." alec decides, freeing himself from his sister, ignoring yohan limping towards him. he shakes his head and sits down, pulling lily's head on his lap, carressing her head and leans down, one hand cupping her face, while the other clutches the glass tightly between their bodies.

"i love you..." he hushes out one last time, pretending to give her a hug, but digs in the glass in his own chest, pressing it deep inside, keeping his eyes on lily's beautiful face and smiles a little, "i wasn't lying when i- when i said i'll die with you..."

"alec, it's not your fault. we'll— alec?" yohan frowns, kneeling beside his friend as he shakes him slowly. alec doesn't look at him, but his body loses balance and reveals the blood gushing out of his chest. jenny gasps, holding her brother, crying and calling out his name, not having the consciousness required to help him.

tear drops from yohan's eyes as he falls on the rough ground, sitting limp at the sight of two of his best friends, dead before his eyes. breathing slowly, he blinks the tears from his eyes, holding lily and alec's hands together in his, pressing a kiss to their knuckles, before he reaches out to jenny.

"get up." he hushes out acting as if he's numb to this feeling that, otherwise, threatens to drown him.

"no... alec— hannie, alec is..." she sobs, staring at her hands that are covered in her brother's blood for she tried to press against the gash and stop the blood. didn't work.

yohan sighs softly, taking her hands in his wipes them clean in his shirt. he leans forward, taking off the small pendant alec always wore around his neck and hands to jenny, before pulling her up with him. it's difficult to walk and hurts to breathe, but he holds it all in, wiping off jenny's tears and keeps her close to his side, walking past the crowd of people who witnessed eveything.

"jenny... i—"

yohan glares at the girl, veins looking like they'd burst out any moment, and yana backs away, lowering her head as she apologizes. he doesn't get to say anything, for jenny, on his side suddenly grows weaker, falling limp in his arms. yohan groans in pain, lowering down with the girl, unable to hold her up.

the medical staff helps them, taking jenny to immediate care, while yohan refuses anything, saying that he has something to deal with. raising up to his feet, his burning gaze meets yana. the girl shudders against him, about to leave him alone, when he grab his arm and yanks her to the nearest wall, hand curled around her neck in a tight grip. she cries and struggles, coughing at the tight clasp that threatens to cut her air route and take her life just like she did of yohan's best friends.

"you're a fucking bitch!" he yells, tightening his fingers around her neck, making her wheeze in need of air, her eyes expanding to the fullest while tears line their course down her face. "you killed them! how can you fucking let that happen, goddamnit?! you took two lives... you said you loved alec, and you just made him kill himself?" he trails out, feeling his head spinning, but doesn't let go of yana, not even when he can feel blood filling up his mouth. tears blur his gaze, hand loosening on its own, sparing yana her precious life.

"yohan! what are you doing?! leave her!" hajin jogs up to him, supporting his weight, but is pushed away by yohan, as the boy keeps his focus on the girl sobbing out of fear and guilt in front of him.

"alec died because of you..." yohan coughs out, doubling up in pain as blood drips from his mouth and nose, "my lily died because of- of you... just leave, yana. don't show up again in front of me and stay away from jenny." he grits out, "i won't be able to spare your life if i see you again..."

"n-no, yohan, please hear me out, i'm reall—"

"shut up!" yohan yells at her, nearly failing in holding himself back from hitting the girl as anger bubbles inside him.

"yohan!" it's taehyung this time, pulling him away from yana for it sure looked like he'd hurt the girl. yohan's struggles and the curses leaving his mouth weaken down quickly and just a groan rolls past his lips along with some blood, letting the elder take him inside for the doctor and nurses to attend him. "stay there, kid." taehyung scolds when yohan protests against the nurses holding him down.

"i gotta go—"

"no, you don't." taehyung sits down, holding the boy's hand, "please, buddy. you need to let the doctor do their work... i know it's hard, losing your friends like this." he gulps, "i have nothing to say that would comfort you right now. but just know, that you're not the only one hurting. i lost my sister, jenny lost her brother, and just take one look around this place, almost everyone is crying for a person they loved... it's a tough time, champ, i know, and we need to hold ourselves together." he says, forcing up a smile even though there tears evident in his eyes.

yohan sighs at that, closing his eyes as tears flow down his locks, "what am i... what i gonna do, hyung? alec and lily just..." he nibbles on his lip, trying not to cry for it hurts him inside, literally, but it's so hard to try. "i don't even know if jenny's dad is fine... if he's even alive. if my own my parents are... i don't know what to do, hyung."

"i understand," taehyung hums, "i'll help you, okay? don't worry. you've always gone out of your way for my lily, maybe it's my turn now? my brothers will agree on it, too. jenny lost a brother, but she got three more, please let her know that. i'll do eveything in my power to give her a good life despite eveything that she's been through. and for you, yohan, i'm—"

"i don't need anything, hyung..." yohan says with a wince, glancing down at the nurse who's cleaning up his wounds after cutting off the shirt from his body. he cringes at the feeling, and looks up at taehyung again, "just you helping me take care of jenny is enough. i'll manage the rest..."

taehyung ends up smiling at that, rubbing the tears out of his eyes and nods, patting the younger's head, "you have my number. stay in touch. we'll be filing a case against those officers because of whom lily and alec gave up their lives."

yohan nods at that, closing his eyes gradually and taehyung glances at the nurse with a concerned face, "it's anesthesia, sir." she says quickly, "the doctor needs to operate on him." 

taehyung nods slowly and gets up, leaving the boy's side and glances back at jenny, who's quietly sleeping on the bed next to yohan's. "tae?" he blinks a few times, turning around at his brother's voice, behind whom they have two stretchers, one with lily and other with alec laying on it. taehyung's chest tightens at the sight, but he doesn't react much and follows them.

behind the large underground bunker, on the east end, they've already buried dozens and dozens of bodies, dying each day. today, the brothers are hiding a piece of their hearts among many others, with a hope that they can bring justice for both the young souls who were forced to give up their lives.

"rest well, my love." jimin hushes out in a breath, kissing lily's palm one last time before taking a step back and stands straight under the weight of his uniform, just like jungkook and taehyung.

their eyes remain fixed on lily for a while, then at alec. taking a deep breath, jimin steps towards the boy's body, stroking his hair, and for the last time he can't help but smile, then glances at the men who are still clearing the soil properly for the grave. "bury them together."

jungkook lowers his head, clutching his hat tightly on his side, biting down the sob that sits at the back of his throat, giving him a hard time accepting the truth.

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word count (both chapters): 17.7k