*Ayo dear readers. I'm able to finally do an update, but sorry in advance if you won't be satisfied since I know I'm lacking sleep and I'm tortured by this so-called dysmenorrhea, but no worries, I could still type so I did this. =)

*Enjoy!

He was running after nothing after all.

The ability to survive was out of the question, but the reason to keep on moving was already lost. To be able to feel a pain this heavy made him nauseous, and it was not because of the bruises that’s covering his pale arms and cheeks, nor the bite on his leg that hasn’t healed yet, but of seeing his family die for his sake and the world he has grown upon slowly crumble into a dying sphere.

It has been almost a year that he had wandered the infected laden streets with his parents and older sister, almost three days traversing the city alone with nothing but his mp3 player and earphones that did not help in easing the pain even a little.

Solitary, hungry and weary.

For once, he didn’t stop to rummage stores for food or clean set of clothes, and he didn’t paid attention to his rumbling stomach or to the throbbing in his shaking legs. If he tried to rest he doubts he would be able to have the strength to stand up again and find salvation.

But then, he was still a human after all, and that means trying to forget on how to take care of oneself and pushing yourself to your limit altogether could mean loss as well.

--

“What do you want to be when you grow up?”

“Common noona, I’m already 16.”

“Yes, I know that young man, but to me, you’re still a kid, and you were never clear about your dreams ever since you were a kid, so spit it out now.”

“Well, I am thinking of taking up business administration or perhaps I’ll try to be a pilot.”

“Since when did you have interest in those boring subjects?”

“Since I travelled last summer. And seeing that weird but interesting café I decided I want to build one on my own as well.”

“I thought you’d choose to be into arts since you love music after all.”

“I love music and I do have passion with performing and seeing the crowd cheer for me but, that wouldn’t make our parents happy, right? And I have better chances of being rich faster if I’m behind the limelight. Music alone would not put something on our table, isn’t it? That’s what I believe.”

“But Sungjong, I saw how you-”

“It’s fine noona. Really. I could still sing and dance to my heart’s content even if I’m already a business man, right? What’s better is that I’ll be able to do that without trying to please anyone but myself.”

He knows that his sister can see through him easily, yet he still said those words , he chose to lie to not complicate things further. His mother was quite open to idea about his dreams, but his father is a different story. And the women in the family have no more to say once he spoke over an argument.

And Sungjong understands. He always tried to understand.

Isn’t it that our parents know what’s best for us?

And aren’t we supposed to follow them and respect their decisions no matter what?

--

No more need to follow rules. No more need to hear those scolding. No more days to undergo bullying and criticizing looks.

But right now, to be honest, he would chose to experience those again than any other day that he’s trying to live in now.

He had already stopped walking, choosing to enter a deserted 7/11 store before he pass out on the street and be the buffet for the infected. If he wants to survive for real, he needs to fill up his stomach. He wants to smack his self for being blank and without direction for that long, for that means he was not giving importance to his family’s sacrifice. He had always felt that they were strict but he didn’t see it negatively, since it had helped in disciplining him well, though at times he wished that he was allowed to join those outings of his classmates, or those parties led by the closest of his friends.

Now, he doesn’t care about all those fun, or if he would ever be in a relationship or if he could ever perform in front of the public anymore.

He just needs to survive. To live no matter what.

--

“Sungjong, pack up your things, we’re going now.”

“At 2 in the morning? Noona I-”

“Just listen to me and move now.”

The days have been unusual before that morning escapade, with news of a newly discovered strain of virus from an accountant who was bitten by a businessman who she expected to come in front of her to ask assistance regarding his bank account. It showed though that he approached her to appease his unusual hunger for flesh. He didn’t listen to news about that issue ever since for his father turns off the television or changes the channel when such reports come out.

What they didn’t expect was the wide-scale evacuation needed to be done due to the rapid spread of infection. People became rabid, like hounds hunting for some feast to share with each other. They didn’t attack anyone infected like them, like they know who are already made into hosts.

They didn’t stay in one place after the incident, deciding to leave all their lives behind, their works and the people they grew up with, with the promise to return once everything return to normal. With what happened though it would be impossible to return.

To him, it was fun times though, with the way they were living freely, bonding for the first time since he learned how to write his own name. He saw how sweet his parents could be with each other when they were simply sitting by the campfire they made together. He heard more stories from his sister about her own insecurities and pains from past relationships, something they weren’t able to do before.

It was odd, but the tragedy made them tighter, unlike the desolation and destruction happening around them.

--

Sungjong knows he looks like a crazy man right now, with him laughing all by himself and his blood-streaked clothes but he thought ‘to hell with that’ since he was all alone after all. And it has been three days as well since he was bitten by an infected yet he didn’t feel like eating a living flesh until now, and though he can’t still think clearly he knows it was out of what happened and not from the injury on his leg.

He stopped munching his fifth chocolate pepero stick when he saw an approaching motorcycle rode by a man wearing black jacket, looking careless yet sure of his self. Sungjong doesn’t mind sharing the place and resources, as long as he’s left alone in peace, with his pepero, cookies, and soda altogether.

There was no awkwardness in the air, with the two simply nodding to each other and returning to their goals, with Sungjong to cure his hunger and the man to get his needed resources.

Everything’s fine until the said stranger sat across the same table, placing bunch of junk foods and coke in front of him. Silence, then followed by another set of chewing sound which weirdly, made Sungjong feel more secured than eating alone.

“You new here?”

Sungjong decided to play deaf and not mind the guy when all of a sudden he felt warm hands remove his bangs out of his face and place a black band aid on a gash on his brow.

“If you don’t want others to look after you, then take care of yourself well.”

Out of irritation, but mostly curiosity, Sungjong took a good look on who is the man who’s trying to bother his alone time, and no matter how hard he think he couldn’t grasp of where he saw the man.  But maybe, he was just over thinking every single idea of meeting his old colleagues. No memory of his past life flashed back. He was probably just an ordinary stranger after all.

“There. Hey, what happened to your leg? You look like a wreck by the way.”

“Got bitten. Don’t worry, I don’t feel like eating you, and thanks for telling me how I look, but honestly, I don’t care.”

Sungjong decided to go on with his snack when he heard laughter slowly getting louder every second from the other guy, and as he looked once again he saw a playful smirk now etched on the stranger’s lips which did nothing but annoy him more.

“You’re bitten but you don’t care, and you’re acting like you’re just on a break from school. Aren’t you such an adorable kid?”

As the other ruffled his hair, Sungjong decided to put a stop to it by acting as if he wanted to make the stranger into a meal, but as the other didn’t do anything to stop him, he ended up looking like a domestic cat pretending to attack a lion.

Obviously, the stranger didn’t bite his act, which made him return to his seat with a huff. Without any ideas to push the other away from his space bubble, he just pulled a pack of Lay’s out of the stranger’s mount of snacks and dug in.

“If you really are infected, you would have already indulged when you noticed my presence. Is my presence that frustrating or are you a loner ever since?”

“If ever I really am infected, I wouldn’t prefer eating you over this chips. Bet you don’t even taste nice.”

“I’d like to disagree with that. Why don’t you discover it for yourself?”

“I don’t need to try, since you’ll probably taste like flesh and blood and all that dirt you have gathered by travelling using that dangerous bike of yours. No thanks.”

His comment just made the other laugh louder  and he wondered what’s funny with what he just said when he just stated facts.

“You’ve never been into a relationship, have you? Such an innocent kid.”

“Why, I don’t need to have any girlfriend now, do I? I’d rather choose to have enough food and water, and a warm shelter perhaps. With a comfortable bed to sleep upon and hot shower. And right, free hot choco every morning.”

Sungjong was not sure if it was because of not meeting anyone that he’s this talkative now or him simply ranting out of too much confusion and tiredness. But he knows, he’s being comfortable now with the stranger around and he’s not sure if it was a good feeling.

“You’re lucky then, kid, since I happened to have a comfortable shelter with hot shower. We have a problem with that hot choco though, but perhaps can you drink coffee in place of that?”

It was a gentle smile now that’s plastered on the stranger’s face, not the playful smirk and he wanted to agree when he remembered what his parents have always reminded him.

--

“Don’t just come with anyone who asks you to just because they look like you can trust them but most likely they’re not okay.”

“Mom, Dad, seriously? It’s my first day in high school and that’s your advice?”

“Whatever, just listen to them Jongie, you’re still our cute little Jongie after all.”

And with that he ran after his sister, laughing and not taking their advice seriously.

--

Perhaps he was still a kid after all, despite of his slowly maturing physique and harsh experiences. He would rather hear them calling him a kid once more.

He returned into reality when he heard a loud snap in front of his face, and he nodded as a reflex, not actually meaning to say yes to the offer.

“Great! Let’s go!”

Before he could even protest, he was dragged into the motorcycle by the stranger who’s smiling widely now that if he hasn’t gone through that day, he would be able to return that warm smile.

“Alright then, hold tight kid.”

Perhaps, he’ll think about what he should do next after a long sleep.

After all that happened, he needed some good rest after all.

He felt sleepy but he noticed the hand that held his, to ensure that he's there and he's safe. Sungjong didn't need to look to know that the stranger is smiling that bright smile again, the only thing that doesn't fit his dark image.

Perhaps, he won't mind seeing that same smile again and again.

*There's no need to explain who the other guy was since I'm sure nameless or not, it's still Myungsoo that would pop in your head right? 'Cause they seriously look together. Right, I need more myungjong now, I feel hollow.

*Take care for the rest of the week!

#myungjong.cuteness.will.be.the.death.of.me