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Chapter 12: "The Truth Unraveled"

The streets are chaotic. Infected swarm in all directions, their relentless pursuit of anything human blurring the line between life and death. You’re on edge, adrenaline pumping through your veins, your hands shaking as you grip your weapon. The tension from earlier—between you and Hana, between you and Taehyung—is pushed to the back of your mind, replaced by the fight to survive.

Hana is next to you, but the silence between you two is heavier than ever. There’s still a sense of unfinished business lingering in the air, but you can’t afford to dwell on it. The infected grow in numbers as you push forward, battling your way through the streets. The group moves as one, each of you expertly maneuvering through the chaos, protecting one another as best as you can.

You glance over to Taehyung, your gaze meeting his briefly. There’s a sense of connection there, but it's fleeting, clouded by the immediate danger. He’s still too caught up in the survival game to focus on anything else.

And then, it happens.

The infected come at you in a flash, faster than you expected. You swing your weapon, knocking one of them back, but you barely have time to react as another lunges toward Hana. You shout, trying to warn her, but it’s too late.

With a sickening sound, one of the infected’s teeth sinks deep into her arm. Hana screams in agony, her body jerking as the infected drags its mouth deeper into her flesh.

"No!" you shout, rushing forward, but it’s too late. The infected’s grip is unrelenting, and Hana’s screams echo in your ears as she struggles to break free.

Without thinking, you charge in, slamming the infected away and managing to cut it down. But Hana is left panting on the ground, clutching her bitten arm. Her face is pale, her breathing erratic, and the reality of what just happened sinks in.

"You’re bitten," you say, your voice trembling with disbelief.

Hana stares at you, her eyes wide, and then her expression hardens. "I know," she breathes, her voice a strained whisper. "But that’s not the point."

Before you can say anything else, she stands up shakily, her body swaying as she steadies herself. Her eyes scan the group—Jimin, Jungkook, Jin, and Taehyung are all still fighting off the infected, unaware of what’s just transpired.

She stumbles forward, her voice hoarse with pain. "Taehyung!" she yells, her voice frantic. "Taehyung, you need to listen! Y/N—"

You can’t let her finish. You grab her by the shoulder, spinning her around to face you. "Hana, stop!" you warn, your voice firm. "You’re not going to lie about this."

But Hana isn’t listening. Her eyes dart to the group, and she forces the words out between ragged breaths. "Y/N—Y/N got bitten too! She’s infected! She’s the one who’s dangerous! You need to protect yourselves!"

Your stomach drops, and your heart hammers in your chest. The words hang in the air, and for a moment, everything stops. The world around you—Taehyung, Jimin, Jungkook, Jin—seems to freeze.

Taehyung is the first to react, his eyes narrowing in confusion and disbelief. "What are you talking about, Hana?" he asks, stepping forward. "Y/N hasn’t been bitten."

You open your mouth to deny it, to tell him it’s all a lie, but the words die in your throat. Hana’s accusation lingers like poison in the air, and for a brief, terrible second, you wonder if she’s right.

Your heart races, but you can feel it—the eyes of the boys, their suspicion rising. It’s like they’re all waiting for you to confirm it. They’re waiting for you to admit the truth.

The group stands frozen, every pair of eyes now locked on you. You try to speak, to clear the air, but the words are stuck. You can feel your pulse thudding in your ears, the weight of their stares suffocating. Taehyung’s face falls as he searches for any hint of truth in your eyes, but you know the damage has already been done.

"Y/N..." Taehyung says, his voice full of uncertainty. "Is it true? Did you... get bitten?"

The silence stretches between you like a chasm. Your mind races, your heart aches. Why would Hana lie like this? Is she trying to tear you apart? But the look in Taehyung’s eyes—this mixture of concern and doubt—makes your breath catch in your throat. You’re not sure if you can make them believe you anymore.

"No!" you finally choke out, shaking your head vehemently. "I’m not infected! I’m fine, I swear! You’ve seen me—"

But Hana interrupts you, her voice cutting through your explanation with venom. "You’re lying! I saw it! I saw the mark! She’s infected, Taehyung! I’m trying to protect all of you! If we don’t do something now—"

"Enough!" Taehyung’s voice booms across the street, a sudden sharpness in his tone that cuts through the chaos. His eyes shift from Hana to you, his expression unreadable. For a moment, you think he’s going to say something—anything—that will clear your name.

But instead, he simply stands there, torn, his gaze flickering back and forth between you and Hana. His jaw tightens, his hands clenching at his sides. “I need to think.”

That’s it. The words fall like a hammer, sealing the silence. His gaze is full of indecision, the weight of the world crashing down on him. In that moment, you feel utterly alone. The warmth you felt from him moments ago has vanished, replaced by something colder—something distant.

Jin steps forward, his voice measured but full of concern. "We can’t keep arguing. We need to focus on surviving right now. If Y/N is lying—" He pauses, glancing at you briefly, then at Hana. "We deal with it. But not here. Not like this."

Jimin, usually the peacekeeper, stands beside him, his face hard. "We don’t have time for this. We need to move out, now. The infected are closing in, and we’re all in danger. Let’s figure this out later."

But it’s too late. The damage is done. The doubt has been planted. The seeds of distrust have taken root.

The group moves out in silence, but the tension is unbearable. As you walk, you can’t shake the feeling that they’re all watching you—waiting for any sign, any moment of weakness. The weight of Hana’s words hangs over you like a cloud.

As you move forward, your eyes dart to Taehyung’s figure in the distance. He hasn’t looked at you once since he heard Hana’s accusations. You want to reach out, to pull him back, to show him that you’re not infected—but every time you try, the words get stuck in your throat. What can you say now? How can you prove it when they’ve already begun to doubt you?

And Hana—Hana’s gaze is burning into the back of your neck. Her smirk, twisted with satisfaction, is almost unbearable. She watches you closely, like a predator waiting for its prey to break.

You don’t know how much longer you can keep it together. The virus isn’t the only enemy you have to fight now. The truth—whatever it is—is slipping through your fingers, and you don’t know how to stop it.