"But that's not possible," I protested, even with that doubtful voice of mine, my logic being optimistic. "The Infected were exterminated years ago, there are no Infected in the city. That's not possible." 

She cried and shook her head, "I don't know, Irene. It was there, I didn't know and-and it got me..."

"Did you inform anyone else?" I pressed. "Is it still...alive?"

"It was grabbing me, and I stabbed it with a branch lying around," she answered. "It was dark, I'm not sure if it got away...There was a creek nearby, maybe it fell and died...oh, I just don't know..." and she burried herself deeper into her puddle of tears. "What's going to happen to me? My father, Junmyeon, my future plans - they're all ruined..."

And from that second, I realized I was pitying Park Jiyeon. I would never imagine the day I'd see her this miserable, how far she landed rock bottom, a dark pit in a well to never get out of. And she wasn't admitting it, both of us silently knew there was no way out of this. The Infected stayed infected, and never got better - only worse. Once you were afflicted with the disease, you could only wait for oblivion, counting the numbered days before losing control. There were no future plans, only regretful pasts that could never be altered in the present. 

She wailed louder, once she came to see the truth and she was trembling again. "What am I ever going to do?" and she broke down into my arms. I didn't even have time to reconsider anything else, as I took her in my arms. She cried and cried, burying her face into my chest as if I were her closest friend, her only pillar to lean on. "My father....my everything....everything..." she kept on repeating the same thing over and over again, and she clutched me harder. 

"It's okay...it's okay..." I murmured. "I'm right here, I'm right here..." I whispered, the same tone I used as I tucked Jinnie in bed nights after the death of our mother. And soon, I was starting to cry. My tears were falling for someone I hated so much, despised. And the two of us just stayed in the exact same spot until we didn't notice time passing. 

Once she stopped bawling, she sniffled, "There's no turning back, isn't it?" she croaked. 

"I can't be sure, Jiyeon," I answered. 

"Have you ever," she swallowed. "seen them up close? Those monsters?"

I breathed, "I've seen them kill, take away the people I loved right before me. But they're not really monsters, they were once human too. And, a lot of humans were monsters, and a lot of monsters knew how to play at being human."

"Now I'm becoming one of them, I'm becoming the nightmares that used to haunt me in my sleep," she rattled. "I don't want to, Irene!"

"Jiyeon," I tried coaxing her, even if I knew it was useless. "We'll think of something, maybe something to slow the infection down, drag it's effects."

Then she thought for a second, "There is something my father told me once, that they had created a type of serum - to slow down the effects so they could observe the disease. B-but it's only a prototype, and it's kept somewhere in the lab. Not many know of it."

I considered it carefully. Pulling it off, trying would be insane and a risk. Asking Kris to do it would mean spilling the secrets, but then I could warn him of the danger that was coming. But then again, was all of this really worth it - just to delay Jiyeon from turning into another one of those monsters. When she was already a monster when she did everything to get what she wanted? She had abused her maids,flaunted her position and wealth, drove Wendy insane, she was already a corrupted monster from inside. 

But why was I feeling guilt?

"Okay," I finally said. "I'll get it for you. I'll try, Jiyeon."

She stared at me doubtfully, "Irene, it's impossible."

"Trust me, I'll try."

"I don't understand," she said again, full of sincerity. "Why are you doing this for me?"

I didn't want to look at her, I hung my head, "I'm not a monster, and I'm not letting you to become one just yet."

"I broke into that place once," Kris said harshly. "And I broke in again yesterday - for what purpose?" he had told me to meet him in the yacht like usual. I had dreaded he wouldn't take my request, but thank god he did. He didn't question until he had completed the mission, and in his hands were a few vials of silverish serum. Jiyeon had described it to me, and I gave every little detail to Kris. I could tell on his face he seemed pissed and hesitant. 

"I told you, I have my reasons-"

"Reasons!" and he slammed his fists into the yacht's wall. "All you ever have are reasons, when they're all EXCUSES! I have my limits, Joohyun - and I can't offer you any more of my patience! You're forgetting the real reason you're here!"

"I've never forgotten, Yi Fan," I said, this time saying his actual name. "Never once, did I forget the reason I'm here. Do you want to know why I asked you to break into the labs? Steal as many of these serums? I'm doing it because the Infected are coming."

"Bulll!" he yelled. "Everyone knows the Infected are bound to get us-"

"The Infected are already here, Yi Fan!" I yelled back, my eyes slowly getting wet. "Those forsaken monsters already attacked someone, and I'm doing all I can to stop it from getting from worse."

"What did you say?" he breathed, now a nervous tone. "That quick? That's not possible."

"That's what I said, and it's a lie. The Infected are coming, and you think you're the hero by doing this for me. There are no heroes in this world, Yi Fan - only survivors. And I'm doing everything I can to survive and save the people that matter to me."

"Tell me," he said. "What the hell is going on that I don't know? Tell me the ing truth."

So I told him, about Jiyeon and what she had confessed. As every word escaped my mouth, his face turned paler and paler. 

"," he muttered. "And you risked - put you and me in danger of getting caught, just to steal a few tubes of serum for someone that doesn't matter?"

"I-"

"I thought you said she was a monster - that means she deserves to die," he argued. "Then what is this now, Irene? Why are you helping her?"

"Because," I said. "No one, deserves to die like that. Not yet. She still has some information that can be useful to us, but I need time for her to believe me. That I'm trying to help her."

"That means you're getting close to her," he said quietly, then he looked at me. "You could get bitten, infected - I'm not letting you that, Joohyun." and he walked over and grabbed my arm. "Are you kidding me?"

I jerked away, "Who cares? I'm not afraid to do it, I'll be careful - as long as everyone else back home is safe from danger."

"Oh yeah?" he challenged. "What about Jinnie? Look at me and answer that again. Have you ever considered her feelings? Have you ever considered mine?"

"What about you, Yi Fan?" I screamed. "You never cared!"

Suddenly, he pulled me closer and kissed me. His lips was crashing into mine, it was painful and bitter. I hated every second of it, it seemed wrong. My hands were trying to push him away. "Let go!" I yelled in a muffled tone. "Get away from me!"

Finally he let go, and I scattered away from him, onto the couch and breathing hard. I couldn't form words, and could only stay dumbfounded and horrified. He didn't dare look at me, "You said I never cared - that's where you're wrong. When you had to be in the Selection, I felt like punching whoever suggested that. When I had to let you go, it tore me apart. I broke into every lab, stole everything you needed - because I cared about you. When I saw that bastard kissing you, I wanted to kill him for taking you away - for brainwashing you with lies."

"Junmyeon?" I said. "Junmyeon never did that to me."

"Yes, he did!" he yelled again. "Or you would've finished him long ago, but now look what's happened - you care for him, you're confused, Joohyun."

"No, I'm not!" I protested. "You are not the judge to know what I feel, you can never know what I feel. But that's not the point, Yi Fan. I'm willing to take the risk for others, as long as you help me. We've come this far, now is not the time to argue about such little things when a bigger danger is coming."

He sighed, he looked tired and stressed. Yet, he nodded slowly, "I'm against it, but if that's what you want - I'll do it for you."

"Warn the others back home, tell them to evacuate."

"Okay, but remember - stay safe, Joohyun." his words hung in the air. 

I nodded as well, "I will. Now you do me a favour, Wu Yi Fan. Don't ever try to kiss me again or I'll kill you."