Ten years into the outbreak of a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus, none would've believed Seulgi was a survivor. In the span of ten years where Seulgi trained her inner hunter and to prevent herself from being the prey. It happened when a man in his late 40's - Joel, saved her from under a wreckage of a vehicle when the first outbreak happened. Both of them stayed together watching each others back. Ever since then, Joel taught her all the basic skills she needed to practise if she wanted to stay alive. It was hard for her to fight against the infected especially bloaters with its motherin' giant size whenever they encounter one on rare occurences, but Joel was there to back her up. Seulgi remembered how hesitant Joel was to entrust her with a gun, but an incident that happened to both of them when they encountered with the hunters gained her his faith. Seulgi can never stay away from her first hunting rifle.

Venturing through sewers was rather exciting for a young Seulgi as she took out her flashlight. It feels like I'm filming an action movie, she thought and kept her giggle to herself. As both her and Joel went deeper into the sewer, they noticed that it was an underground hideout of a long lost community. Seulgi's heart clenched at the abandoned sight of a nursery.

"Wonder what happened to them." She had asked Joel. Seulgi knew it was not rainbows and unicorns when she saw Joel's grim look, eyes distant.

Turned out the survivors were not really survivors when Seulgi encountered her first Clicker. She thought she was going to die in a God forsaken sewer when all the infected ran from every direction, swarming her and Joel. Seulgi had never felt so afraid in her life. Had it not been Joel's survivor instinct, she was sure she would turned into one of those infected. Seulgi rather kill herself than being those monsters who ripped their preys apart mercilessly.

Nothing was scarier than running away from the militaries. Sure, she can single-handedly slaughter Runners or Stalkers since those two infected were the early stages of a mutated transformation before it turned into Clickers which is an instant death if they grabbed her, before it turned into the last and most deadliest stage - Bloaters. The infected were immune to lights as they rely on their hearing abilities. The militaries were living people that hunt and kill living people, just like the hunters. Seulgi never thought that running away from a 50 caliber turret was possible. She had jumped off a bridge.

And Seulgi was no swimmer.

"I'm gonna teach you how to swim when we reach to my brother's place. I can't save your sorry everytime." Joel chastised.

It was spring when they finally reached the southern part of the Quarantine Zone, further to the suburb area where Joel and her weaved through short cuts until they finally reached the woods. Being the excited self she was, Seulgi rushed ahead when she saw a dam, which she had no idea why or what purpose it served.

"What the hell is that?" Seulgi asked, her eyes following Joel's step as he tried to find a way around the dam to get to the other side.

"It's a hydroelectric power plant." Joel said as he skipped down a cliff before gesturing Seulgi to follow him.

Seulgi scoffed in amusement. "A hydra whaa? Fancy name for an ugly looking structure."

"It uhh... it generates power. Or electricity, if you would." Joel simply explained, jogging a little with Seulgi catching up on him.

The deeper they went, the more peaceful and tranquil the surrounding was. Seulgi felt her breath hitched when she saw the view laid for eyes to feast on. The river was flowing so freely it made her wanting to jump in and just enjoy everything while it lasted. She then remembered she couldn't swim. The disappointed girl then chose to skip pebbles instead. It was cathartic for her. And so she enjoyed more she was so immersed she didn't heard the clicking of a gun behind her.

"Drop your gun, and turn around slowly." The voice was gruff and foreign so Seulgi reached for her 9mm pistol on impulse, pointing it at the culprit. The culprit then spoke again, but with a different tone. "Joel?"

"Tommy?" Joel asked, turning around wide eyes as Seulgi only stared on, gun still in her hand before she lowered it down, sensing that Tommy was not a threat.

Tommy had brought them to the hydroelectric power plant where everything looked safe and sturdy. The compound was secured with electric fences so she knew they were safe from the infected. She couldn't say the same for bandits and hunters. Tommy then gave them a tour around the power plant, introducing them as the new addition to the survivors.

And then, Seulgi met Irene.

XXX

6 months passed by and Seulgi never felt more contented knowing she was safe from the harms of the infected. Attacks from bandits and hunters happened but it was nothing they couldn't handled with their growing population. She was tending to one of the horses at the stable when Tommy ran up to her breathless. It made the girl worried since he was calm and collected all the time. Seeing him dishevelled, it made her stomach churned.

"Tommy? Are you okay?" She asked, one hand reaching over to pat him on the shoulder. "What happened?"?

Tommy gasped for air before answering her. "It's Irene," He breathed, "She took one of the horses and went off to God knows where. I've been searching for her everywhere but there's no sign of her. I figured since you're close with her, you might know where she's headed to."

Seulgi released a frustrated sigh, eyes hard and brows furrowed. Trust Irene to ran off just like that. She then turned to face Tommy.

"I'll head back to grab my gears. Make sure your radio's on and send out a search party if I don't return with Irene in two hours. I'll inform you once I found her." Seulgi instructed as she stormed away.

Tommy nodded. "Yeah, sure. And be safe Seulgi."

Seulgi nodded. "I will."

Guiding her horse through the familiar path, Seulgi exhaled loudly when she saw one of the horse she recognized from the stable. It was the horse Irene rode off with. Seulgi crossed her fingers and hoped nothing bad happened to the girl she cared. Her horse galloped next to Irene's before she dismount it, tying the rein on a tree before she entered the house.

The abandoned, but well kept house was where Irene always hides at whenever the said girl was upset.

"Irene! You here?" She hollered, carefully closing the door as she headed to the staircase.

To her relief, she heard Irene's voice. It calmed her thundering heart thought it was never calm around the other girl. "In the room, Sseul!"

Knocking on the door, Seulgi pushed the door slowly, her eyes caught sight of Irene resting by the window pane with a novel in her hands. Irene's stare was melancholic when Seulgi stared into her brown orbs. Irene cracked a small smile when she saw the hesistant look on the face of the girl she had fond feeling with.

"Is this what girls really worried of?" Irene started, Seulgi sat down on the floor beside Irene, looking up at the older girl. Irene then continued, "Boys? Clothes? What to pair with their shoes?"

Seulgi released another 1879 sigh of the day as she rested her forehead on Irene's kneecap, the other girl reaching out to carress her hair on instinct. 

"I don't know, Rene. Maybe it is for girls before this around us happened." Seulgi then rested her chin on Irene's tigh, eyes searching for Irene's as Irene stared down at Seulgi. "But I don't think that's any of their concern now, do they?"

Irene then hummed, her hands now cupping Seulgi's thinning cheeks before her fingers traced the scar that was on Seulgi's left eyebrow. Irene was never vocal about it, but she thought Seulgi looked badass with it. Especially when she was riding on a horse. Like a knight in shining armour, Irene thought, not bothering to hide her smile.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Seulgi questioned, her voice amused, a teasing smile perched on her lips.

Irene released a soft laughter and shook her head, tracing the scar one more time. She shrugged, "Just because."

Seulgi never remembered how she let Irene talked her into it but there she was, looking on as Irene submerged into the clear water. She chose to stay dry, only keeping an eye on the older girl as Irene swam around in the water. On their way back, she informed Tommy that she found Irene via radio, Irene taking a detour from their normal route and Seulgi never noticed until they reached the river where the current was slower and calm. Seulgi refused to let the other girl go at first but with little to no persuasion and a little peck on the cheek made Seulgi agree, albeit reluctantly.

"Don't swim too far, mermaid." Seulgi warned, not having a good feeling about it.

As if she jinxed it, she saw Irene struggling in the water, trying to stay afloat. Shooting up from her squatting position, Seulgi panicked when Irene was gasping for air.

"Leg!" Irene managed to scream. "Cramp!"

! What am I supposed to do? Rene's in danger, I need to help her! ! ! ! Think, Seulgi! Think!

A not so bright idea popped in her mind.

Should I? But! I don't know how to swim! Oh, it! Hold on, Rene!

And Seulgi made the jump.

Breathing in air while your lungs were full of water felt like it was burning it made Seulgi coughed out the remnants of water as she gasped for air. She didn't know what happened, but all she knew was she did the jump. She saved Irene. And now they were both on land, alive and breathing. Barely. But she did it, nevertheless. Maybe the need to safe Irene was so strong she momentarily forgotten about her incapability on staying afloat on water.

"You could've died there, you !" Irene scolded, a hand slapping against Seulgi's chest, nose flaring with anger.

Seulgi knew it was not the anger speaking for Irene. It was fear.

"At least I would've died saving you." She said softly.

"What if you didn't make it? What if I did? I would've lost you, to a ing river, Sseul! No one should die in my hands! ing especially not you!" Irene was a sobbing mess, as Seulgi hugged the girl. Irene mumbled into Seulgi's neck, "Especially not you."

Placing a soft kiss on Irene's temple, Seulgi hugged the fragile girl closer, tighter as to ensure that they were fine. "I know, baby girl. I know. I'm sorry."

When Irene calmed down, she pulled back to look into Seulgi's eyes. "I can't loose you, Sseul. Not now," She inhaled deeply. It's now or never or I'm going to regret for the rest of my life, Irene thought. "Not when I finally know that I love you. I ing love you, Seulgi."

Adorning a smile, Seulgi leaned down and placed a light kiss on Irene's cold ones. The kiss they shared was simple, but it definitely conveyed all their unspoken feelings. Stealing a few more kisses from Seulgi's lips, Seulgi was all smile, their forehead resting against each other as she spoke with her eyes closed.

"I ing love you too, Irene."

Breaking away but not too much distance between them, Seulgi laid more kisses on Irene's forehead, nose and cheeks which made the older girl giggling in glee at the affection she received.

"Let's head back to the dam. Tommy and Joel must be worried by now." Seulgi said softly, lacing their fingers together and walked to where their horses were.

Irene nodded, swinging their laced hands with a smile on her face.

"Let's."