Ava

"You did what, Dad!" I gasped, incredulous.

"I assure you, my dear, it's not as dire as it sounds. He made me a promise," my father attempted to reassure me, though his words rang hollow.

Our family had recently endured a significant upheaval: my mother's abrupt departure with her lover and the near collapse of my father's business. Just when all seemed lost, a sudden reversal of fortune occurred about a week ago. Suspiciously so. Sales at my father's company soared to unprecedented heights, enabling him to finally purchase the house he had long coveted. Our weekly tradition of dining out on Saturdays resumed with renewed vigor. Yet, amidst this flurry of activity, I couldn't shake the nagging suspicion that my father had done something reckless. And indeed, he had. He had struck a Faustian bargain with none other than Caliban, a prince now ruling over Hell, as Sabrina elucidated for me. And it was every bit as dire as it sounded, contrary to my father's feeble attempts to downplay it. For he had bartered me away to Caliban, his daughter sold to the king of the damned. It's remarkable what power can drive people to do.

My introduction to this infernal pact occurred when Caliban himself appeared the day before collect me. "Be my queen," he commanded, leaving me mere hours to gather my belongings before departing for Hell. Caliban, now my self-appointed king, wasted no time in asserting his authority.

"I love you, Y/N. You must believe that," my father repeated incessantly as I packed, trailing after me like a lost soul.

"If that were true, Dad, you wouldn't marry me off—mind you, I'm a sixteen-year-old minor—to a literal clay-ball-come-alive!" I retorted, my tone laced with venom. "Leave me alone," I added, though my words lacked the force I desired. He departed quietly, leaving me to confront my impending fate.

Not a word of farewell to my father before Caliban whisked us away in a vortex of flames to his domain.

"My lady," Caliban intoned, bowing as he ushered me into our quarters.

"This will be our chamber, my Queen," he announced, the implication not lost on me.

 "Ours?" I echoed, incredulous. His smile, accentuated by his sculpted features and flowing hair, did little to assuage my unease. 

"Yes, naturally. A couple ought to share the same space, especially those soon to be wed," he replied, drawing nearer. His proximity, in a realm already sweltering with heat, was stifling. I scanned the room, noting the opulent furnishings and intricate architecture, all marred by the presence of a single bed. One bed. My resolve hardened: I would not succumb to this charlatan's scheme. How had my father acquiesced so willingly? Perhaps Caliban had conveniently omitted certain details.

Caliban, undeterred by my defiance, regarded me with an inscrutable smile. He had once claimed that the way I spoke his name stirred unfamiliar sensations within him. I dismissed it as a ploy; after all, demons and witches indulged in carnal pleasures with abandon. Caliban, I surmised, was no exception.

Time in Hell moved in peculiar ways. A decade had passed since my arrival, yet I remained unchanged, perpetually frozen in youth.

Sabrina, a visitor after nearly a decade, attempted to broach the subject of our arrangement with Caliban. To no avail. It seemed I was fated to spend eternity with him.

One day, Caliban approached me in our chamber, his proximity unnerving. "I may be as you described, a 'literal clay-ball-come-alive,' my queen," he began, his voice tinged with authority. "But I am far from inconsequential." His nearness unsettled me, a sensation not felt since our initial encounter. 

"What do you mean?" I inquired, my composure wavering. His touch, tender yet commanding, sent shivers down my spine. "Be my queen, Y/N. Rule by my side," he implored, sincerity evident in his gaze. A fleeting thought crossed my mind: why not? For a brief moment, I entertained the notion. But his gaze demanded certainty.

Centuries had passed in this infernal realm, marked by Caliban's unwavering respect and fidelity. He hadn't addressed me by name until now, not until he proposed. But was his sincerity genuine? Caliban was a master of deception, yet his authenticity shone through at times. He had deemed me his queen from the moment we arrived in his domain, he claimed.

There was  no way in hell your eyes could close that night, not even for a second of rest. They were wide open and your mind and senses one hundred percent alert. You avoided thinking as much as you could and stayed with at least one person at all times (observing people had helped you distract your mind quite well). Until the night dawned on everyone and sleepiness took over. All had made a pact that sleeping times would get divided among each member so that everyone would guard the group taking chances one after another. It was a pretty good plan and you had even proposed to guard the group alone for the entirety of the night but — only out of care — Hyun-su had convinced everyone to oppose your idea for which you had given him the deadliest side-eye.

Everyone was asleep now, but you were wide awake. Tossing and turning every minute had caused Su-Yeong to lose sleep as well, so you decided to shift and sit against a vacant wall. Your eyes stung from sleep deprivation, and your body ached with discomfort, but this form of torture was better than being outside, away from Mr. Han’s apartment.

You observed Ji-soo walking over to the sleeping Hyun-su, who looked adorable in his slumber, and nudging him with her baseball bat. "Hey, it’s your turn now," she said. Hyun-su opened his eyes, taking a moment to reset his brain before asking for clarification with a simple "Huh?"

"It’s your turn to guard the door," Ji-soo clarified. Hyun-su agreed, pushing himself up using his Mr. Han-upgraded weapon, while Ji-soo took his place.

“I’m infected,” he confessed glumly. It was more of a confession, and one could easily pick up on how helpless and scared he felt.

“I know,” Ji-soo replied shortly.

"If I turn," he started, "just kill me." His words made your heart drop. That was your future, you knew. You should’ve killed yourself as soon as you knew you were turning, which was when you first saw the cut on your hand heal itself—no scab, no dead skin, only a mark left behind. But hearing Hyun-su say that didn’t sit right with you. If he fought hard enough, he could save himself… if he’s strong enough… unlike you. (AN: you’re 100% strong enough dw <3)

There was a small pause before Ji-soo spoke up softly. “Only if…” Hyun-su turned to look at her.

“Huh?” he asked.

"...you kill me if I turn," she finished. "Then I will do the same for you, okay? Deal?" She asked.

“Deal,” he agreed.

“Deal, Y/N?” She looked straight at you and tapped the floor beside her, indicating you to settle near her. You nodded and accepted her invite, mumbling ‘deal’ a bit later.

Times were rough and scary, but that could not stop you from admiring your roommate—well, one of your roommates now. His overgrown hair gave the illusion of a larger head, his tall and somewhat built body concealed by baggy clothes. His wimpy body language was deceiving. It didn’t feel like you were staring for long, but you could tell he felt a pair of eyes on him. He turned around to look at you. Flustered, you immediately averted your eyes, your face turning hot.

“What is it?” he whispered, and though you failed to notice, his voice was laced with adoration, a soft smile playing on his lips, which you could barely make out in the darkness.

“Uh… n-nothing,” your words faltered, to which Hyun-su replied with a silent chuckle. You were embarrassed to even look at him, so you awkwardly stared at the floor, counting numbers and whatnot. You heard his body shift but did not dare to look at him yet.

“Come here,” he said. You looked up to find him sitting against the wall nearest to the apartment’s door. It had been about an hour since his duty started, and Ji-soo was fast asleep, her head resting on your shoulder. Gently, with great care, you held her head up and slipped from beside her, setting her head against the fridge. You walked over to Hyun-su, who patted his shoulder. “Get some sleep,” he urged. Resting your head on his shoulder, you took a deep breath, exhaling relief. You were comfortable again, near him.

“It must be my turn now, right?” you asked. Hyun-su hummed and shook his head. 

“No. Get some rest,” he insisted. Too tired to argue, you silently obeyed.

You awoke with the sun shining right into your eyes. You hissed at the pain. Hyun-su woke up right after, finding his head on your soft chest. He quickly retracted, chagrined.

Slowly, everyone woke up one after the other and there was an announcement made by a Green Home resident.

“Survivors, the first floor is safe now. Come to the first floor. We’ll be safer together. We survivors… must stick together. Please come down. Come down here now. I said please come-” his plea was cut short by static screeches from the mic and the announcement completely stopped.

“Should we go?” You asked the group.

With a gentle tap on the door, you sprang from your seat, your heart racing. Mr. Han swiftly reached for his cannon gun, his face a mask of determination. You followed his lead as he cautiously swung the door open, revealing Hyun-Su ushering two children—safe and sound—into the apartment. Relief washed over you like a warm tide at the sight of them. They weren't unscathed, but physically, they seemed okay. Mr. Han's quiet exclamation mirrored your own relief.

Hurrying over, you enveloped the kids in a tight embrace, feeling their arms wrap around you in return. Their minds seemed preoccupied with their father, you overheard. Leading them to Mr. Han's bed, you offered water, but they declined. Sensing their need for space after such a traumatic experience, you gave them room to breathe. Hyun-Su's eyes never left you from the moment he entered, a silent testament to his concern. The hours spent alone had led you to a partial realization: your ability to hear thoughts only seemed to activate upon touch. But then there was Hyun-Su, whose thoughts you'd heard without physical contact. Were your powers evolving— no, you corrected yourself, it was a curse, wasn't it? As minutes stretched into an anxious eternity, a sense of calm settled over you in Hyun-Su's presence. Closing the door behind him, he enveloped you in a hug, unexpected and comforting. His trust in you was palpable, melting away any lingering tension as you felt the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. You sighed in shared relief.

"Couples these days," Mr. Han muttered, his voice laced with amusement as the kids giggled. The door creaked open once more, and you and Hyun-Su quickly broke apart. A familiar face, a resident of Green Home, entered, prompting Mr. Han to raise his gun in caution.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his gaze sharp. The woman offered a friendly smile to the kids and introduced herself.

Ji-Soo and Jae-heon completed the group, and you all gathered around Mr. Han's table for dinner.

Taking a seat between Ji-Soo and Hyun-Su, you felt a magnetic pull drawing you closer to him. As Hyun-Su settled in last, Mr. Han gestured to the food.

"Let's all dig in. Eat up," he declared, and everyone eagerly began their meal. You savored the flavor of soy sauce mixed into your rice.

"Kids, why don't you tell us your names?" Mr. Han prompted, breaking the dining trance. The girl hesitated, her brother speaking up first.

"Kim Yeong-Su," he murmured.

"I'm Kim Su-Yeong," his sister added softly. Mr. Han was amused at their names.

"Yeong-Su, Su-Yeong... Almost the same," he mused, exchanging a surprised glance with Hyun-Su. Another chuckle escaped you at the coincidence. "I guess your parents wanted you two to always stick together. Yeong-su, Su-yeong, Su-yeong-Su, hmm?" Mr. Han teased, eliciting another chuckle. Hyun-Su seemed briefly affected before regaining composure.

"Um..." Su-Yeong began, the mood shifting. "Dad named us both," she confessed, casting a solemn pall over the room. All eyes turned to the children.

"Dad..." Yeong-Su's voice cracked, and Ms. Im comfortingly stroked his head, offering him a piece of meat. "Thank you very much, ma'am," he murmured.

Mr. Han busied himself with fetching drinks, offering one to Jae-heon, who politely declined. Ji-Soo, however, eagerly accepted and downed it in one impressive gulp, earning admiration from the group.

"You sure know how to drink," Mr. Han remarked, offering cans to you and Hyun-Su. Accepting gladly. Hyun-su hesitated while he looked at you in disbelief, you only lazily shrugged at him.

"Oh, we’re..." he started

"Ah, you must be underage, the two of you." Han said and gave you a disappointed look. He continued, “I see. There are kids here. We shouldn’t break the law in front of them. I’ll buy you both drinks when you’re adults. How does that sound?” A tinge of positivity in his words, yet you sensed the growing anxiety in everyone present in the room. You watched Mr. Han gulp his drink and feel yourself zoning out again. Hyun-Su’s following question goes unheard as your mind slips away in search of your evil doppelganger. With your head dipped and your eyes blankly staring into your bowl of rice, you closed your eyes, your untied hair covering them from the sides.

“I knew you’d come for me.”

You opened your eyes to the voice. You were laying in a grassfield, a stark contrast to the surroundings when your evil self was the one contacting you. When she– when it did, you were only a second away from being swallowed by the darkness, eternal depression. But at this moment you were surrounded by a flower bed which stretched as far as you could see. The sun shone in hopefulness. You looked around to find the source of the voice and It was waiting for you under the shadow of a luscious tree, its branches wide and spread around a six-feet radius. You looked at your doppelganger, a bright blue-eyed monster which had taken the shape of your body. It was well-groomed and wore a dress which matched the season of the setting — a long blue and flowy summer dress. Its hair was well-combed and It was neat and tidy, very opposite to your state. But maybe that’s exactly the representation for it and you. Opposites. Contradictory. You slowly rose to your feet and walked towards It. Mirroring your actions, It walked towards you too, the grass and flowers underneath Its feet withered in every step taken. You stopped a couple feet away and It did the same.

“Are you ready to let me take over?” It asked with a shit-eating grin. You rolled your eyes in disgust.

“No, I am not.” You stated calmly. It breathed out a low snarl and came closer to you. You instantly backed up, stumbling on a stone and falling down on the soft grass. It only laughed loudly. You held your anger in. One thing your gut strongly insisted on doing was to not let emotions take you over in any way. Be it anger — like right now — or sadness or hurt or happiness. This demon would use it all to Its advantage and bleed you dry. You steadily got up again, kicking the stone far away from your space. Your face was serene but inside you were scared for your future, for the kids’ and weirdly for Hyun-Su’s as well. You needed to live like yourself to protect them and him and all your human friends.

The environment abruptly changed and took you back six years ago in the backyard of your late grandparents’ home. It was a Summer’s Sunday morning, you remembered well, and your grandfather had been introduced to ‘Nagashi Somen’ or ‘flowing cold noodles’ through a movie. Nagashi Somen is a traditional Japanese summer dish where Somen noodles are served flowing in a bamboo flume filled with cold water where diners use chopsticks to pick up the noodles as they pass by, dipping them into a savory sauce before eating. He had built the exact mechanism from scratch in less than an hour! Thankfully it was close around lunchtime, so the three of you had sat down at different distances near the bamboo flume, each of you taking turns to launch the noodles. Your grandma has surprisingly caught most of them.

               But the fun had not lasted for long. When it had been your grandfather’s turn to shoot noodles for the second time he had fallen down from the stool brusquely and was immediately taken to the nearest hospital.

He died that day. One of the best and the worst days of your little family’s lives. It was a heart attack and it was sudden. He was a healthy old man and no one would’ve guessed that as the reason for his death. Your grandma had died only a week later but you had known that. Her body had gone pale and she would no longer eat, laugh or speak. You mourned and stayed in your home until one day — only a month before you moved — you had started getting nightmares and frequent nose bleeds which you had thought were due to stress and weather. Which you had thought were normal.

Your doppelganger had made you revisit that day. You didn’t even realize you had started to cry. You inhaled deeply and exhaled the same way, trying to get a hold of yourself, but it was useless, like holding onto sand. You couldn’t compose yourself now even if you tried. Your heart started to beat faster and your breath kept getting caught up in your throat, never reaching your lungs. Another panic attack, you thought. You had been healing, making huge improvements, but today it had all gone to waste. You never healed, you had only been distracting yourself since all these years.

“Y/N,” You heard your grandma call you. You looked up to your right where your grandma was sitting. She was crying too, something she never did when she was alive. She had turned numb but she had never shed a tear. She called your name again.

“Granma,” you whispered and stretched out your hand towards her. You attempted to hold her hands to give her comfort but her image distorted instantly at your touch and turned to dust. The entire scenery warped to ruins leaving you in the same darkness you had experienced in Mr. Han’s bathroom (which Hyun-Su had selflessly cleaned up and you had given him infinite thank yous).

“Do you wish to see them again?” The monster asked, towering over you, Its face was twisted in the same evil grin. Yes. Fucking yes. You thought, but all that came out of your mouth was a stern no. This displeased the demon. It lowered itself to your kneeled self and gripped your throat, It was fucking furious.

“You must accept me, Y/N.” It whispered and lifted you all the way up, as high as Its arms stretched. Choking and almost blacking out, you breathlessly uttered another expression of denial and Its grip only tightened further.

Your physical body fell back, opposite to the table and Hyun-Su caught you from hitting your head on the floor. There were audible gasps produced by the kids and Myung-sook while Ji-soo and Jae-heon straightened their bodies in alarm. Fortunately dinner had been over and everyone had started talking about the monsters instead.

Hyun-su had called your name multiple times now but it failed to reach your conscious self. Ji-soo thought quickly and retrieved water from the bathroom. She threw half a jar worth of it on you and both — you and Hyun-su —were drenched. You jolted awake at the splash, instantly reaching for your neck which was, a second ago, being mercilessly choked. You took in deep breaths as if you would never get to breathe again and finally looked at your physical reality. Your eyes circled around the table, seeing faces painted with expressions of a mixture of worry and terror. Hyun-su did not waste any time and wrapped his arms around you, hoping to give some relief. His warm body, indeed, gave you the much needed comfort.

You excused yourself to go to the bathroom to wash your face. Hyun-su suggested that he come with you, obstinate. You dubiously agreed and he followed behind you. After him and you entered the bathroom, he closed the door but did not lock it to give you privacy but not awkwardness. He sat on the edge of the bathtub, giving you space.

You stood in front of the mirror and examined your face. There was no sign of physical bruises like you had thought might surface. You suddenly burst out crying. It was a torture to keep on living like this, to fight for yourself and your weak mind because psychologically if your mind had been strong and you had not blamed yourself for a tragedy which you had not even caused, maybe this monster would have long left you. Without even saying a word, as if now he was the one reading minds now, Hyun-su hugged you again, a little more firmly than when you woke up, a little more comforting. I wonder what happened, he thought.

"I’m here if you need me." He assured you and looked in your red, swollen eyes through the mirror. You turned around to face him. Your eyes were on the level of his collarbones. You craned your neck up to look into his eyes again, not realizing your faces were only a few inches apart. His hands were still around you, protective and now resting on your waist. You awkwardly placed your hands, each on one of his forearms, and looked at him through your wet eyelashes. He lifted one of his hands and fixed your face - wiped your tears and brushed either side of your hair behind your ears.

His hand slowly grazed your jaw and stopped under your chin, lifting it up further to take a look at your face (She looks so pretty like this, he thought). He had been so soft with you. This moment was undeniably intimate. Without realizing until both your lips were mere centimeters apart, his breath, warm on your wet lips gave you a reality check. You opened your mouth to say something. I can’t, you could’ve said. I need to stay focused, Hyun-su, I can’t distract myself from the pain, you could’ve said. But you simply pulled away and gave him a small peck on the side of his neck, giving him an apologetic look, he understood.

"Let’s go outside," you whispered and delicately pulled away from him, you both instantly missing the warmth of the other. But he held nothing against you. It all occurred in the heat of the moment and he was aware of it. He didn’t blame you.

----------------

Tossing and turning in bed, your eyes were wide open in shock. You wanted to believe that what you saw was fake, a sick prank that could cost people their lives, but your gut told you otherwise. It kept reminding you of the instance when you 'read Hyun-Su's mind.' How was that possible? But you saw the monster destroy the speaker with your own eyes, and that was real, so there was a big possibility that you were able to read the minds of people now, wasn't it? Sitting up, no matter how much you tried to distract yourself, even when you closed your eyes to just blink, flashes of terror would appear before you. You picked up the water bottle that stood on the study table, adjacent to your bed, to gulp the fear down. You thought maybe the fresh and cool liquid would help, but behold your luck, the water bottle was empty. You were too scared to put your feet down on the ground. What if someone was under your bed, waiting for the perfect opportunity? Your throat ached from the cold, dry air, so you mustered up some courage and jumped a little far away from the bed, paranoid.

"I might as well kill myself now," you heard the faint voice of Hyun-Su from the living room. Your door made a creaking noise every time you opened it, so you looked at and listened to him from a slender aperture made by the door and its frame. He continued talking to himself, looking blankly at something on his phone.

"At least then I can... I can die a human being," he said, shifting himself towards the window and opening it. Thinking about the worst, you dropped your steel bottle and opened the door with a thud. Hyun-Su had a jump scare and turned around, his fist in the air, ready to fight monsters with his bare hands which he thought the noise indicated.

"Don't!" you shouted. "Don't do it, Hyun-Su. We can fight this. It's... It'll end soon. It must be a prank, don't you think?" You grabbed him by his arms, looking up at him with worry. If the situation had not been straight out of a horror movie, Hyun-Su would've kissed you then and there. In all these years, he had never seen someone worry about him like you are right a stranger he met mere hours prior. He stared at you blankly for a moment and noticed you. You were way prettier than the image his head formed of you yesterday morning when he arrived at Green Home. His eyes were always away from people, never meeting theirs when taking part in a conversation; he never initiated them anyway.

"Hyun-Su?" you asked, breaking him out of the zone. He blinked a couple of times and turned away, missing the warmth of your touch instantly.

"Look," he pointed down at the apartment right below yours. A man had been descending from the window, assuring his children that he'd be coming back. You took a minute to look around neighboring buildings, the sky, and the street. It was apocalyptic. Numerous kinds of monsters walked around on the earth, some fast, some slow, and some not moving at all. You also saw dead humans lying on the ground who failed to survive.

"Dad, don't go. It's too dangerous," a girl wept for the man.

"Don't cry, Su-Yeong. You're in charge now, so take good care of Yeong-Su while I'm away, alright?" He assured the girl, knowing it was an ultimatum.

"Dad..."

"Don't cry, Su-Yeong. Monsters might come if they hear us. Shh!" The man said, trying to keep an act of bravery in front of his kids, but you could sense how terrifying it must be.

"You know I was in the special forces, right? I'll come back with food. Yeong-Su, listen to your sister, okay?" For the father, that was goodbye.

Yours and Hyun-Su's eyes widened. You saw a creature with large eyes come towards the father. Instinctively, you gripped the sleeves of Hyun-Su's t-shirt, your heart pounding rapidly in both of your chests when the creature continued to move near the man.

"Get out of there," Hyun-Su mumbled. "Come on."

"Watch out!" you both yelled to the man. The creature, coming closer and closer, pushed the man, and he nearly lost his balance. Su-Yeong cried for her father, and the rope the man was holding on to came loose. He fell to the ground with a loud thud. He was dead. Hyun-Su dove and hid himself under his arms. You backed away into the living room. Shakily, you drank out of a glass that already had some water in it; your brain had stopped functioning to care enough about it. Hyun-Su closed the window and scrunched up near the wall, shaking. You sat down, trembling as well, in case you lost your balance. Both of you heard the girl call for help. Hyun-Su, still shaking, sprinted towards his computer set-up to grab the desktop screen. You were quick to catch on to the plan brewing inside his head and open the window. Without thinking much, he aimed the screen at the monster, which was slowly gliding inside the kids' apartment. Annoyed by the force, the creature dashed towards your apartment. You closed the window and ran away from it. Hyun-Su got a hold of the blue plastic stick to defend the two of you, and you grabbed yesterday's knife as well. The monster rushed towards you both. Hyun-Su jabbed the stick into one of its eyes as you slashed its skin. A loud snarl was made, and it wrapped itself around Hyun-Su, squeezing him tightly. Hyun-Su started to turn blue, and veins popped up from every part of his body.

"STOP! STOP!" you yelled as you continued ramming the knife into the creature. A loud bullet-like sound from outside made you jump. The creature loosened its grip around your roommate and reverted to outside the window-but only a part of it. His eyes were dismembered from his body; they fell to the floor and instantly turned ashy grey. Thankful for the save, you dropped to your knees next to Hyun-Su and helped him up.

"Are you okay?" you asked. Who would be okay after almost being killed by something inhumane?

"Mhm..." Hyun-Su replied, still in shock. "One hell of a prank this is, [Y/N]."

You helped him stand up, and the two of you approached the window. You supported a heavy-breathing Hyun-Su, holding him tightly-one of your hands on his arm and the other fastened on his waist.

You saw a man bringing us homemade canon down and gulping down on a bottle of a drink. Hyun-Su started to speak, supposedly thanking the man for saving him from an ugly death, but the man shushed him, whipping out a piece of paper with a text written on it.

'THEY MIGHT COME IF THEY HEAR ANYTHING.' The paper read: He dove inside the window to flip the page; the next read, 'THOSE THINGS DON'T DIE'. You made an understanding 'o' with your lips. The man signaled towards the kids; you saw their father get up as a monster, his long neck falling out of his body, and he walked away.

'DO YOU WANT TO SAVE THE KIDS?' The man wrote, and you and Hyun-Su immediately agreed. At this point, you had nothing to lose. You tugged on a hesitant Hyun-Su.

"We are way safer in the building than out there." Your soft voice felt like a brush of feathers on his face. But this wasn't the time for that. He nodded. The kind man wrote another message for you to read.

'IF YOU MAKE A CALL AND LEAVE THE PHONE ON, IT'LL MAKE A NOISE WHEN A MONSTER IS NEAR YOU.'

'COME WHEN YOUR MIND IS MADE UP.'

Hyun-Su picked up his earphones and plugged them into his mobile, calling 1-1-2 while you taped a knife on the blue stick, prepared him a weapon, and retrieved the taser you always kept in your bag from the bedroom; it was fully charged, but you couldn't say the same about your phone, which was barely alive at one percent. Your free hand took a tight hold on your large knife, and Hyun-Su opened the door.

"My name is Han Du-Sik. Your names?" He asked. The two of you greeted him with a short bow and introduced yourselves.

"You're a little shy, huh?" He asked Hyun-Su. Dodging the remark, Hyun-Su inquired how the three of you could save the kids.

Mr. Han rolled his chair to come out from behind his work desk.

"Should I?" He humored. Seeing a shocked expression on Hyun-Su's face, Du-Sik explained his physical state. "I used to be a legend in Cheonggyecheon. You heard? They can build any tank as long as you have a blueprint," he smiled kindly. Hyun-Su just hummed.

'How am I supposed to do this alone?' You heard him think and discreetly caressed the back of his palm with one of your fingers. Du-Sik observed it like an eagle; he noticed it almost immediately.

With a heavy sigh at the lack of response, Du-Sik continued.

"What that means is that I can transform your little stick into something more useful," he suggested. "Hand me that thing," Du-Sik said, raising his hand.

"What?" Hyun-Su blankly asked. You gave an annoyed sigh, and Du-Sik seemed to have lost some of his patience as well.

"Bring that over here. Your spear," he replied with a forced smile.

"Oh. This," Hyun-Su walked closer to Mr. Han; the knife faced him, so he leaned back. Hyun-Su stopped in his tracks and quickly turned around the stick to hand Mr. Han the stick by its handle. He earned a look laced with judgment.

Du-Sik was using his tools to engineer a sturdy tool; you were engrossed in the process, whereas Hyun-Su was zoned out, looking at a photo frame.

"Is she your girlfriend? You got to protect her too," he chuckled. You raised your eyebrows, and your cheeks burned with embarrassment.

'Maybe someday, yes...' Hyun-Su thought, continuing to be zoned out.

"Hey," Mr. Han called. He picked up his work and switched on a key. Currents glowed through the weapon. The crackling of the electricity brought your roommate back to reality, and he gasped at the weapon. "They still move around with their heads chopped off. A kitchen knife can't do the job. But this will do it."

A hopeful demeanor washed over Hyun-Su.

He asked, "You think... I can kill them with that thing?"

"No, you cannot," Mr. Han replied.

Suddenly, a loud, high-pitched ringing blasted in your eyes; you were being pulled away from your body, but figuratively. While their conversation moved forward, you excused yourself to use the restroom. Hastily, you closed the door. You felt your nose pouring out blood again, ruining your clothes and the floor under you. You sank onto the bloody floor and squeezed both of your ears shut. The ringing continued to get more unbearable; you felt as if your ears were going to start bleeding if this didn't stop immediately. You groaned in pain, and your head accidentally hit the bathroom door.

"[Y/N]?" Hyun-Su called out, his voice worried. He knocked on the door while calling to you; you had locked it from the inside and were too out of consciousness to open it.

There she was again, your evil clone, looking at you like you'd lost against her.

"So weak," she snickered mockingly at you. You have had enough of her; you wouldn't give in so easily, and you would put up a fight. Managing to draw breath into your lungs, you attempted to sit against the wall, failing each time. Your struggle was a comedy for her; watching you fail over and over gave her immense satisfaction.

"Go away," you mumbled. Your body was writhing in pain, but could it be your mind playing games? Have you jumped off of the sanity cliff? Hyun-Su's voice was coming back to you, and the ringing was going away.

"I can still free you from the pain. Tell me your desire, [Y/N]," a long grin was stretched on her face.

"GO AWAY!" You bellowed. Just then, Hyun-Su burst open the door. He found you curled up in the bathtub. He looked around to find everything- the sink, the floor, the curtains, the walls - was smothered with blood. He carefully made his way towards you.

"[Y/N]" he touched your shoulder softly, still keeping a distance. You looked at him, helpless. Your eyes were pitch black, just like the monster tormenting you. Hyun-Su inhaled a sharp breath.

"It's okay. Everything's okay. Please get up and come out." He rubbed your arms slowly, testing the waters. He supported you and put one of your hands around his shoulders. You limped out of the bathroom and to the sofa. Your eyes have now gotten back to normal.

Hyun-Su had a short talk with Mr. Han in the kitchen before leaving the apartment to go save the kids. Your eyes were closed. And soon you fell asleep.

You felt something sharp slash your arm.

"CRAP!" You yelled in pain and jolted awake. Your eyes adjusted to their surroundings. "Mr. Han!" You hissed at him, Mr. Han was to your very left, he held your knife which was covered in blood, supposedly yours. You hastily looked down at your palm to analyze the injury but it had already been healed. 

"You're turning." He stated. You nodded slowly, accepting your fate. He would think of his safety first, the kids' safety, the residents'. In a situation so frightening, any potential threat was supposed to be eliminated immediately. 

"What will happen to me?" Your voice was low and slow, you thought he'd back away from you, try to kill you immediately, but he didn't do any of that. He didn't answer your question either. You waited and waited for him to say something. The air was awkward and you blamed yourself for it. Questions like 'How did you start turning?' or 'How did this curse get to you?' or 'Will you survive?' began to surface, so even if Mr. Han might have said something later, you wouldn't have heard it. You only wanted Hyun-Su to be back.

----------------

8 hours later...

You woke up after what seemed like 4 hours. It was already nighttime, with the winter air filling your room. Hastily heading to the bathroom you took a quick shower to calm yourself down, hoping to forget what you witnessed earlier today.

As you cleaned the steamy mirror in front of you, revealing your refreshed body with a towel wrapped around it, you squirted some face wash into your palm. But when you looked into the mirror again, you saw yourself. A second you. With eyes so deeply black, they looked like two empty voids. Your clone had an evil smile etched on her face, standing at the far back of the bathroom.

"What the fuck?" you murmured, looking at it through the mirror and rubbing your eyes.

"You know it was your fault, right?" she said and your heart dropped. You knew what she was talking about. You often thought apropos of your grandparents' deaths, reflecting on the circumstances and the impact they had on your life. The thoughts usually concluded with you blaming yourself. Thinking that if you had been there for them, to save them, if you hadn't gone to your friend's birthday party that night, things would've been different—happy—today. You exhaled a shaky sigh.

"No," you mouthed. "No, it's not my fault," you said, trying to convince yourself instead of the monster in your bathroom.

"Come on, [Y/N]. You know it is," she said, walking closer to you.

"It's not."

"But that's what you think about all the time. If you really knew it wasn't your fault, then why would you take the blame?" She asked, now exactly behind you, so you couldn't see her image in the mirror anymore. You turned around to face her, your body shaking with terror. A disturbing smile grazed her face yet again. Could this be another one of your nightmares? It felt so real, more than any of the dreams you've had since the past week.

"Go away. I know it's not my fault," you sternly replied, but somehow the evil you knew you were bluffing. The smile on her face only grew, turning into a horrifying grin.

"Oh, come now, tell me what you desire," she asked.

'To get back my grandparents,' you thought.

"Is it to get back your grandparents? I can do that." She moved her face so close to yours that the evil exuding from her filled your senses.

Although you knew getting them back wasn't possible, you couldn't figure out whether she was lying or not. Your mind flashed images of you with your grandparents, from the day you were born to the night you came back to a burning house, from the memories that could've only been forgotten but stored in your subconscious to the ones you had replayed in your head over and over for the past three months. You thought about what you desired. Was it getting your grandparents back? When your mind answered a 'no', you felt as relieved as you felt betrayed by yourself. Up until now, what you had wanted was your grandparents, but suddenly, when the situation started feeling like 'do or die', your mind told you the truth. You realized all you had been doing was clinging to them and the pain, not letting yourself catch a break, and tiring yourself with self-blame and self-hatred. What you truly desired was freedom from the miseries you had been mentally putting yourself through.

It was a dream.

You woke up trembling, expecting to find yourself on the cold ground where you had passed out, but instead, you were in your bed, tucked under the cozy and warm blankets. 'Hyun-Su must have put me here,' you thought. Feeling your clothes, you realized they were wet. You looked down and saw them drenched with sweat and blood. Blood that had dripped out of your nose while you had been asleep. Again.

You cleaned yourself up and walked out to the living room, where you saw Hyun-Su looking out the curtained windows from a small gap. His hands were on his face. You approached him slowly.

"Hyun-Su?" you called.

He slowly turned around to face you. His t-shirt, hands, and face were all bloody, just like yours a mere ten minutes ago.

"You're bleeding too?" you asked, eyes wide.

"You too?" Hyun-Su said lowly, surprised. Neither of you understood the cause of it. Was it just a viral infection? A new disease? Was it cancer? No. No, of course not.

Hyun-Su quickly hopped onto his computer, searching for answers. This was not something common or normal, so looking for answers had not been an easy task. But that's when he found an article that seemed to relate to the symptoms the most.

In the meantime, you opened your phone to check for any new messages. One caught your eye.

"EMERGENCY ALERTTHOSE WITH THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS MUST BE QUARANTINED IMMEDIATELY: NOSEBLEEDS, BLACKOUTS, OR SUDDEN AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR."

You gulped dryly.

"Hey, I found something." Hyun-Su brought you back to reality. You leaned in to see the text, and both of you read it together as Hyun-Su scrolled up.

"CRUCRU

IT'S NOT A DISEASE. It's a curse.

They complained of frequent nosebleeds and auditory hallucinations.

The cause could not be determined.

They weren't from here originally.

They came here because they showed symptoms.

They turned into miserable, desperate beings.

Every prediction was wrong.

It suddenly begins one day, and it never stops.

I was consumed by it, too.

Humans will not be able to overcome this.

If you have symptoms, kill yourself before it's too late.

Because being alive will harm others.

But if you decide to live to the end, there's something you must know.

That is..."

"That is?" you asked out loud. An error sound left the computer, and the screen showed a message of no internet connection. Hyun-Su refreshed the screen, but there wasn't any internet connection anymore.

"Fuck." You grumbled.

Suddenly, Hyun-Su's stomach made a loud and long growling sound.

"Will it still be there?" Hyun-Su asked.

"Yeah, maybe," you answered.

"What?" he asked.

"Uh, you asked whether the box of ramyeon was still there...?" You explained.

"I... didn't say it out loud," Hyun-Su stated, now confused as well.

"But... I heard you loud and clear."

There was a long silence. Hyun-Su got up to get a few bags of ramyeon. He opened the door carefully; you kept your distance from the door, retrieving a knife from one of the cupboards in the kitchen.

A low snarl was heard by the two of you. You knew it was somewhere close to you. You saw Hyun-Su tread backward and not make a noise when a clawed hand gripped the frame of your apartment's door. A creature with its head cut in half walked in, its ears long and sensitive to any kind of noise, which made sense because he had no means to see or smell. You followed Hyun-Su's protocol and sat adjacent to the wall in the living room, gripping your knife. The creature entered the apartment, attempting to smell its surroundings while also complaining about its inability to see. It walked further inside, scratching the walls with its fingers. Hyun-Su made the slightest slide of the ramyeon box while trying to grasp the mop handle stuck underneath it. It wouldn't have been heard by a normal person. Someone spoke on the building's intercom, testing out the mic to see if it was in good shape.

"I hear you," the monster said, slowly turning to where Hyun-Su was sitting, and one of its arms rapidly extended, destroying the speaker, which was right above Hyun-Su. Visibly shaking, the two of you saw the creature slowly walk out of the apartment, calling for Mr. Han and complaining about its sight issues.

Once the coast was clear, you ran to the door and locked it shut, making sure that you had locked it three times. There were a lot of things you were feeling: confused, scared, and helpless. Anything but numb—something you had been feeling since you came to live here. You turned around, and your eyes fell on a traumatized Hyun-Su. You walked up to him and tightly hugged his waist. A soft sigh escaped his mouth. He didn't hug back, but you had a hunch it gave him some sort of relief.

----------------

Eerie sounds have been emanating from around your apartment since this evening. Though you didn't think much about it, something made your skin crawl with uneasiness as the sounds persisted.

Muffled sounds of crunching came from outside the door, and you initially thought about bad ramyeon packaging. But you had been way off.

You saw Hyun-su sprint inside the apartment and close the door; his expression was horrified as if he had just witnessed a murder.

"Woah, what happened?" you asked, hurriedly setting aside your bowl of soup and rising from the mattress.

"Cat. The cat..." He couldn't articulate coherent words. Hyun-su seemed utterly disturbed.

"What about it? Wait, let me go see—" Your sentence was cut off by a loud banging on your door.

"Fuck," Hyun-su whispered hastily, clearly overwhelmed by what he had just witnessed outside.

"What?" You questioned him.

"Hungry..." Someone, seemingly a woman, said from outside your door.

Hyun-su picked up the intercom caller, and you both could now see a distressed woman from the camera.

"Excuse me, Are you in?" She started. "Please help me."

"I'm so scared. Please help me."

"Is there nobody home?"

"Please. Help me. Please," she kept begging. "Hello?"

"Please help me."

"I'm scared."

"Hello?"

"Are you okay?" Hyun-su finally mustered the courage to speak to her.

"You're home," she mumbled.

"Did something happen?" you asked.

"I just came home, and the door was open, and it was a mess inside. And my cat is gone. The floor... It was covered in blood. Please, help me," she kept on talking, helpless.

"Okay, calm down. I'll call the police," Hyun-su suggested as he took out his phone from his pants pocket.

"Can't you stay with me?" She begged.

"What's going on?" Hyun-Su said to himself. Suddenly, there was no calling service. You checked your phone to see if maybe his phone was faulty, but no, the service was down.

"Please," she begged.

"Hang on," Hyun-su told her. You had started to get more scared with each passing second. Nothing about what was going on normal. On the contrary, it was heavily unsettling. Your gut was constantly alerting you, telling you to leave this place once you were safe.

"Please, can you open the door? I'm so scared. Please, can you stay with me? Please? Please. Please open the door. Open the door. Please. Please open the door," she kept on begging. Your heart started to beat unevenly.

"Well..." Hyun-su started carefully. "Can you show me your arms?" he asked. You shot him a confused look. But maybe this was what he saw; maybe this was what he ran away from a minute ago.

"What?" She asked, frozen.

"Your arms," he repeated. "Show me your arms,"

"What did you say?" She asked again as if she hadn't heard him the first time.

"Your arms. Show me your arms. Now," he ordered, and there was a sudden change in the woman outside. She turned aggressive. Ringing the bell again and again and banging on the door.

"I told you to open the door! Open it! Open the door! You asshole!" She screamed, blood pouring out of her nose. She went rabid.

The nosebleed was oddly familiar—heavy, like a tap open at full speed. Your heart didn't fit into your chest anymore. It thumped loudly as realisation washed over you. Were you going to turn into a monster too? You felt sick to your stomach. Unable to stand anymore, you rested on the nearest support you could find.

Nauseous, you threw up in the kitchen sink, not even realising that Hyun-su had already opened the door to confront the creepy lady.

There was no denying it. She wasn't human-like. Feeling lightheaded, you fell to the ground.

----------------

"What the hell?" you whispered to yourself, waking up to a bed drenched with an unhealthy amount of blood that had seemingly oozed out from your nose while you were asleep. Not a single dot connected in your brain explaining why this suddenly happened.

"Hangover? Summer heat? Over-exercising?" You laughed audibly at your suggestions. Starting with the fact that you were a minor—merely 17 years old—about to turn 18 in a few months, it was winter, and you rarely exercised; metabolism was your best friend.

You were a pretty healthy and kind person, always maintaining a balanced diet, focusing on the good things life offered, never putting people down just for the sake of self-validity, and so much more.

The people in Green Home were peculiar, to say the least. You never failed to feel out of place. An angry man in his mid-age abusing his kind wife, a lazy watchman, a guy obsessed with his 'beauty'... But some people were just as kind as the others were cruel. Like the Korean language teacher guy who never failed to worship and thank the Lord, like the lady with her small Pomeranian pet dog, a selfless guy around your age who gave up studying medicine to pay for his sister's ballet classes, and his seemingly mean sister who had an unmistakable spark in her eyes. Those were a few people who piqued your interest when you transferred to this apartment scheme about three months ago.

Leaving your hometown wasn't easy, but it was the only thing you felt was best to do after your grandparents died in a house fire. Your parents never looked after you; they called you a mistake and a burden, but your grandparents raised you lovingly, maybe even better than how they raised your mother.

But now here you were, waking up in a crime scene-looking bed. Running the tap and filling a bucket with water, you added some amount of hydrogen peroxide to the blood-covered sheets and pillow covers. The day had itself started out difficult; god knows what would happen next.

You were running late for school—super late. Maybe all the completed homework would cool off the steam that might be brewing inside your first-period teacher this second. Making sure you had packed everything, you were ready to leave for school. Locking your apartment's door and greeting Mr. Jung Jae-heon in the elevator, you sprinted out the second it reached the ground floor.

You heard the loud machine cutting grass and the watchman who took charge of it. You ran through the pavement and then took a shortcut through the grass.

A cry left your throat when the blade of the grass-cutting machine almost slashed open your arm. It hit a metal board which stood right behind you. But you weren't the only one who feared for their lives in that second; a guy around your age, standing right in front of you, had his eyes wide open. The blade had passed from the front of his face. He had pitch-black hair, a little longer than the length most guys preferred to keep. Simple clothes and shoes, earphones, a keyboard, and a backpack accessorized his body.

"Sorry," you both said as you shuffled right and left to pass by each other. After another awkward apology, you both went your separate ways. No bus came to the place you lived, so there was no other choice but to walk, or for today, run at the speed of light.

The school had been tiring. Homework piled up on your mind yet again. Getting sleep was extremely rare for you. And with the monstrous nightmares you had been seeing recently, you were just too disturbed to close your eyes again. You dreaded nighttime.

Reaching your apartment, you opened the door to a dark room. The curtains had been closed, and the entire room was a mess. Following the light emitting from behind the kitchen counter, you found the boy you saw this morning sitting on the floor—on your floor—playing games on his desktop while reaching for his ramyeon bowl every 5 seconds.

You stormed towards the windows and belligerently opened the curtains. The boy hissed at the sunlight like a vampire and got up from the floor.

"What are you doing here?" you both asked at the same time.

"Well, to start, this is my apartment," you mentioned to him, your tone openly hostile. He raised an eyebrow at you and realized that you might be right. The apartment was well-furnished, clean, smelled good, was organized, and gave off a homely feeling. How could that have possibly gone unnoticed by him?

"Yeah, that makes sense," he said slowly, more to himself than to you. You scrunched your eyebrows, trying to figure out what he said. His voice was so low, it almost sounded like a hum.

"Do you want me to talk to the guard? This looks like a mistake. He must have forgotten the last vacant apartment was booked three months ago," you explained to him.

"No, he gives me the creeps," he replied, earning a light chuckle from you as an agreement.

"And this was that vacant apartment?" he asked. You nodded and waited for his response. When he didn't say anything and let a blanket of awkwardness wrap around the two of you, you suggested staying together as roommates.

"That way, we would only have to spend half the money for the rent. You can save even more money for your ramyeon." You humored him to relieve some tension, but he wasn't having any of it. He nodded and sat back down to pick up his bowl of fresh ramyeon, plugging in his earphones again. You sighed and beelined towards your room to change.

When night rolled in, you had made yourself some hot soup for dinner and an extra one for your new roommate. You offered him the bowl of his share, and to your surprise, he accepted it. Honestly, you thought he would deny it. He seemed like his staple was only ramyeon.

"I'm [L/N] [Y/N], what's your name?" You introduced yourself shortly.

"Hyun-su," his reply, was even shorter. You returned to your soup, taking a seat beside Hyun-su on the mattress.

A 'bing' sound escaped his phone; his staple was outside. He got up and beelined to the door. You enjoyed your soup in the meantime.

----------------

————————

Under the warm embrace of the golden sun, you and Will spread a cozy blanket on the lush grass, setting up the perfect picnic in a picturesque meadow. The air was filled with the inviting aroma of homemade sandwiches, fresh fruits, and sweet treats, creating an enticing atmosphere for the day's family outing.

Will's eyes twinkled as he surveyed the magical setting, a perfect backdrop for spending time with you, his beloved wife, and your two lively children, Lily and Oliver. Your radiant smile mirrored the joy in his heart as you assisted in arranging the picnic basket,. Love enveloped the two of you.

As Lily and Oliver chased butterflies and giggled through the meadow, their laughter adding to the symphony of nature, Will couldn't help but admire the scene before him. "Looks like the perfect day, doesn't it?" he said, casting a glance your way.

You grinned in agreement, your heart overflowing with happiness. "Perfectly, Will. I couldn't have asked for a better way to spend our weekend. And this meadow is simply magical!"

With a tender kiss, you sealed your love amid the tranquility of the meadow. Sitting together on the blanket, surrounded by the sounds of nature and the rustling leaves, you shared a moment of quiet connection, appreciating the beauty of the day.

"I love our family," Will whispered, his gaze filled with affection, and you leaned your head on his shoulder, feeling the warmth of his embrace. "Me too, Will. Lily and Oliver bring so much happiness into our lives," you replied, reflecting on the joy your children brought into your world.

Watching Lily and Oliver play in the distance, Will's pride swelled. "They're growing up so fast, aren't they? Seems like just yesterday, Lily took her first steps."

You chuckled, memories of those precious moments flooding back. "And Oliver's first word was 'dada.' You were over the moon!"

Will grinned, his eyes sparkling. "Best moment of my life, hearing that little voice call me 'dada.' But you know what's even better? Seeing them grow up surrounded by so much love and happiness."

With Lily and Oliver returning, their faces flushed with excitement and a bouquet of wildflowers in hand, the family continued their picnic, sharing laughter and stories. The sun began its descent, casting a warm and radiant palette across the sky.

"You both have the sweetest hearts. Thank you for the flowers, my little darlings," you said, moved by the thoughtful gesture of your children.

As the children scampered off again to explore the meadow, Will and you were left alone on the blanket. Watching Lily and Oliver play, your hearts swelled with love.

"Y/N," Will began, his voice sincere, "I can't believe how lucky I am to have you and our beautiful children. Every day feels like a dream, and I never want to wake up from it." He pecked one of your bare collar bones, "You make every moment special. I cherish the life we've built together, and I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Intertwining your fingers with his, he spoke after a pause, "You know, sometimes I find myself just watching you, amazed at the incredible woman you are. You're the heart of this family, and I'm endlessly grateful for you."

As Lily and Oliver played in the distance, their laughter echoing through the meadow, you shared a tender kiss. "And you, Will, are the rock that holds us all together. Your love and warmth make us home."

You sat in comfortable silence for a moment, basking in the love that surrounded you. The sun, now a fiery ball of orange and pink, painted the sky with its final strokes of brilliance.

"I was thinking," Will said, breaking the quiet moment, "about how having you and the kids in my life makes me the richest man in the universe. I have everything I could ever want right here."

You smiled, your eyes shimmering with affection. "You're my greatest treasure too, Will. Our love, our family—it's more valuable than any riches the world could offer."

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow over the meadow, Will wrapped his arm around you. You sat together, savoring the beauty of the moment and the richness of your love.

"And you know," Will added, "watching the sunset with you, surrounded by the laughter of our children, it feels like a glimpse of paradise."

Resting your head on Will's shoulder, you gazed at the fading light. Humming in agreement, you replied to him, "This, right here, is our little piece of heaven. And I'm grateful for it every day."

The soft hum of the rain tapping on the windows provided a soothing background melody as you curled up on the couch, wrapped in your favorite blanket. The cozy ambiance of your shared apartment was comforting, yet your body ached with the discomfort of menstrual cramps. Enter Will Poulter, your ever-attentive and caring partner.

Will walked into the room, a knowing smile on his face as he saw you huddled up. "Hey there, love," he greeted, carrying a tray with a steaming cup of herbal tea and a hot water-bag. "How are you feeling?"

You managed a weak smile. "Not the best, to be honest."

He sat down beside you, placing the tray on the coffee table. "Well, let's see what we can do about that." Will wrapped an arm around you, pulling you closer. "Tea?"

You nodded gratefully, placing the water bag on your stomach and accepting the warm mug. As you took a sip, the fragrant aroma of chamomile filled the air. Will leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on your forehead. "You're not alone in this, Y/N. I'm here for you."

His words melted away some of the discomfort, and you sighed in contentment. Will reached for the remote and turned on a comforting movie, choosing one of your favorites. As you snuggled into his side, he draped the blanket over both of you, creating a cocoon of warmth and safety.

A comfortable silence settled between you, broken only by the sound of raindrops outside. Will's fingers traced soothing patterns on your back, a comforting gesture that made the pain a bit more bearable. "I wish I could take it all away for you," he whispered, his gaze filled with genuine concern.

You smiled, appreciating his empathy. "Just having you here makes it better."

He pressed a soft kiss on your lips. "Well, that's good because I'm not going anywhere."

The movie played on, and you found yourself drifting into a light doze. Will noticed your sleepy state and adjusted the blankets around you. As you rested against him, he gently massaged your legs, knowing how much it helped ease the body ache.

"I love you," he murmured.

You sighed in contentment. "I love you too, Will. Thank you for taking care of me."

He chuckled softly. "Always, Y/N. It's the least I can do."

The rain outside continued its rhythmic dance, creating a comforting background noise. Will's fingers continued their soothing motions, and you couldn't help but feel grateful for the warmth and love that surrounded you.

After a while, Will excused himself briefly, returning with a freshly made hot water bag. He placed it on your lower abdomen again, and the warmth seeped through, providing relief to your cramps. "Better?" he asked, a gentle smile on his face.

You nodded, overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness. "Much better. Thank you, Will."

He settled back beside you, his arm still securely around your shoulders. "Anything for you, Y/N."

The evening passed in this gentle cocoon of care, and as the rain outside slowly subsided, so did the ache within you. Will's presence, his comforting touch, and the simple yet sincere gestures filled your heart with warmth.