The disease came in stages. Nothing was immediate, sometimes it took days to even realize you were infected. But it didn’t matter when you figured it out. By the time you know you’re infected, you’re already dead.

On June 26, 2006, English scientist James Mills conducted an experiment to develop a vaccine for the common cold. At the time, he developed a serum that on injection would immediately grant life-long immunity to the common cold.

The serum, known then as M-56, became an immediate success. All experiments went swimmingly, test subjects reacted surprisingly well to the injection and were not only immune to the cold, they were immune to all illnesses. It was a miracle, and just three months later M-56 was released to the public.

Millions of people, particularly in Eastern Asia, were delivered the injection and reported amazing effects to the seemingly magical serum. Everything was going amazingly, the world was moving towards a disease free future.

That is, until December 25 of the same year, when Patient Zero was discovered. Mei Jing was a twenty one year old student in Beijing, recently injected with M-56. His roommate, who later became infected as well, reported that Mei woke up to go to his class with a minor fever, as well as a small headache.

Many were confused by this development, as the young man had been given The Holy Cure, as some called it, and yet he felt such symptoms. It was quickly brushed off, thinking the boy just had a slight reaction to the injection.

Two days later, Mr. Mei’s roommate, now experiencing the fever and headache, told reporters that his friend had started throwing up regularly and shook violently at all times of the day, his fever now skyrocketing.

Twenty six hours after that, Mr. Mei collapsed in Tiananmen Square with a violent seizure, vomiting cloudy, infected blood on to many of the unsuspecting witnesses. The young man was pronounced dead of unknown causes, and while many thought the occurrence was strange, they thought nothing of it.

That is, until three days later when Mei Jing was spotted staggering through the Beijing streets. Blood-shot eyes and deathly gray skin shocked and terrified millions of Beijing citizens that day, especially when Mr. Mei began vomiting more blood, covering the streets in a murky brown trail of his infected blood.

Years later, it would be discovered that the disease was transmitted by coming in contact with the bodily fluids of anyone injected with M-56. It was too late, though, and soon Mr. Mei’s experience was rapidly replicated across China.

Soon, accounts of similar incidents erupted in Japan, Russia, South Korea, the UK, America, nearly every modernized country in the world. The world fell into absolute chaos, disease rapidly spreading across the globe as well as violence between healthy citizens.

Governments shut down, countries lost populations by the millions, soon media stations, telephone networks, and all internet connections were shut down. Communication halted, travel between countries became impossible, and people simply waited for death.

Kim Junmyeon was only fifteen when his country and world was torn apart by disease, famine, and violence incited by fear. He had been unable to receive the M-56 injection as a minor, but that did not mean he was free from the disease that quickly became known as Mills Curse.

His entire life was ripped out from under him; his school shut down early 2007 because all of the teachers had been touched by the Mills, many of his friends and family died within six months, everything that he knew changed. He’d learned to fight, a necessary skill in a world governed by violence, as well as avoiding the illness.

He’d moved out of Seoul when he was seventeen, realizing that living in a city was a death wish. Soon, all things that resembled trust and compassion left his system. All that existed was survival, that was all he knew. The world was too evil for something like trust to exist.

At least, that was what he thought. Until he was pulled out of a burning building by Wu Yifan when he was only nineteen, his life permanently changed.

Long story short, Junmyeon had been raiding a small country home with a couple of other young men, until one of them got nervous that the disease was in the house. In hindsight, Junmyeon was pretty sure the boy’s paranoia was caused by an early case of the Mills.

Junmyeon had passed out within the building from smoke inhalation, abandoned by the other raiders, and would have definitely died if it were not for Yifan. The younger man had discovered the house engorged in flames, and upon further inspection he realized there was still a survivor inside.

Junmyeon had asked the day after he woke up why Yifan saved him, how he knew that he wasn’t already dead or one of the crazy infected beasts that roamed their lands. Yifan had admitted that he hadn’t known, that he didn’t even think before he dove into the building. Junmyeon had called Yifan a naïve idiot and brushed him off, reminding himself to leave this psychotic guy the second he could.

He didn’t leave, though. The day he was scheduled to leave, Yifan’s small house was attacked by a small herd of Mills Mongrels, the affectionately coined term for the roaming infected corpses they knew all too well.

Junmyeon had seen the way Yifan fought with not only skill, but honor. Just three days after meeting Yifan, he could tell that he was capable, trustworthy, and loyal. Two out of three of those characteristics seemed completely impossible in their world, and yet there was Yifan.

From there, Junmyeon and Yifan stuck together like glue. Even when they had the occasional friend they traveled or lived with, they spent every second together.

In November of 2012, when their traveling partner of the time, Luhan, asked why they slept in the same bed together most nights despite there being three beds in their hideout, Junmyeon and Yifan simply insisted that it was chilly. Luhan left them three months later, and while he never asked any questions of that sort again, Junmyeon could tell that the other man knew why they spent every night tangled together.

Luhan knew that Yifan’s nightmares troubled him so much, every night that he didn’t have Junmyeon’s heartbeat to lull him to sleep he woke up drenched in sweat. Luhan knew that after his near death experience due to hypothermia, Junmyeon couldn’t fall asleep without a warm body against him.

Their relationship was complicated, but they made it work. Junmyeon and Yifan surpassed all feelings of fear and distrust to find compassion and loyalty. They worked, lived, and breathed together.

It only makes sense that they would also die together.

When the symptoms first started to show, Junmyeon decided to ignore it. When he turned over in his sleep to find Yifan in bed next to him, heating up the space like a furnace, Junmyeon convinced himself it wasn’t anything major.

Yifan woke up coughing, his chest rising painfully as his body tried and failed to fight the Mills. Junmyeon simply pat his back, telling himself that it must have just been a small cold. Yifan could handle a cold. Yifan was strong, he could handle anything.

After Yifan recovered from his coughing fit, they pulled themselves out of bed to patrol their territory. In hindsight, Junmyeon should have just made Minseok, their current partner, do it. He should have let Yifan rest. Maybe then he wouldn’t have…

He was stupid, though, and they rose from bed as if it were any other day. He and Yifan patrolled the area around their small cabin while Minseok went to sleep, up all night from keeping watch. The area around where they lived was crawling with Mills Mongrels, their precautions were absolutely necessary.

But later that night, when Yifan went to sleep early complaining of a headache, he proved that their efforts were futile.

Junmyeon and Minseok were still huddled over the fire outside, their stomachs full from dinner. Junmyeon watched over his shoulder as Yifan stumbled in the house, holding his head in pain.

“I’m sorry.” Minseok whispered sincerely, looking down at the ground mournfully. “I… I know how much he means to you…”

Junmyeon looked back, confusion painted over his features. “What are you talking about?”

Minseok’s head popped up, eyebrows pulled together. “Yifan…. He… Do you really not realize?”

“Realize what?”

Minseok’s eyes widened in surprise, his face adopting a look of pity. “Junmyeon… You can’t be in denial about this.” He murmured, looking at him from across the fire. Minseok’s voice lowered significantly, “Yifan, he… He has the Mills, Junmyeon.” He whispered, trying to break the news to him as gently as possible. How could you be gentle telling someone the love of their life had so little time left?

Junmyeon made a face of disgust, standing up in outrage. “How ing dare you joke about something like that?” He asked angrily, still trying to keep his voice low. Whether Yifan was sick or not, he didn’t want the other to hear the argument.

Minseok stood as well, “I’m not joking, Junmyeon. That’s the problem, you need to open your eyes to what’s going on.”

Junmyeon saw red, “I don’t know what you’re trying to get out of this, but you need to stop. Yifan is fine.” He insisted, his voice cracking as he spoke. “Yifan is just a bit sick, he’ll be fine tomorrow.”

Yifan is not fine. I know that, he knows that, and deep down you know that too.” Minseok lectured him. “I know how hard this is Junmyeon, I’ve lost people I love to this as well, but you need to stop being so childish. The man you love is dying, he needs you to be by his side.”

“Shut up!” Junmyeon screamed angrily, uncaring of anyone that heard. Tears started to well in his eyes, his hands shaking where they were gathered in fists at his sides.

“Grow up, Junmyeon! Love is about being there for someone when they need you, about pushing your own needs aside for theirs. Not having a temper tantrum like a child.” Minseok told him sharply, his voice hardened.

Junmyeon collapsed to the ground, his knees digging into the dirt as his head fell into his hands. He sobbed heavily, chest racking with the force of his cries. His Yifan was gone. “How the would you know? How would you know how it feels?” Junmyeon asked through his sobs, emotions overwhelming his system.

Minseok knelt next to him, rubbing his back. “I told you. I’ve lost people I love too. I know… I know that it isn’t going to be easy. It will be the most difficult thing you’ve ever done, but you will get past this. For now, you just need to be there for him.”

Junmyeon recoiled away from the other, standing up. “ off. Don’t try and tell me how I’m going to feel, what I should do. This is none of your business.” Junmyeon snapped, wiping angrily at his tear stained cheeks. Minseok was just trying to help, and later he would realize that, but for now he couldn’t care less about anyone besides Yifan.

Junmyeon stormed inside, leaving Minseok in the dust. He couldn’t sleep that night, kept awake by the knowledge of what was soon to come. He pulled Yifan especially close, tears falling from his cheeks as he tried to memorize everything about the other.

He never wanted to forget the way Yifan’s hair felt between his fingers, the way his chest rose and fell when he slept, the way he smelled. He never wanted to forget how Yifan’s arms felt wrapped around his shoulders, the lines of his face, the way he snored so heavily.

Junmyeon remembered when he used to hate Yifan’s snoring so much, when he couldn’t sleep at night because it was so loud. He used to complain so much to Yifan about his uncontrollable snoring, and now…. Now he would kill to hear that snoring for just another day.

As Junmyeon pressed his ear against Yifan’s chest, he listened to the other’s heart beat. It was still steady and beating and alive, but it wouldn’t last for long. Junmyeon had to press a hand against his mouth as he sobbed, tears falling freely as he listened to the steady heartbeat of his Yifan.

That night, two hears beat as one.

The real affects of the sickness did not hit Yifan until two days later, when they were preparing dinner. Minseok wasn’t there, in the woods hunting a small herd of Mills Mongrels that had been loitering around the property. Junmyeon was alone with Yifan when the other man collapsed to the ground, vomiting violently on to the cold, hard ground.

Junmyeon ran to him, huddling over his body. He gripped on to Yifan’s shoulders, his breath speeding up as panic shot through his system.

They still hadn’t talked about what was going on, despite everyone in the trio knowing the reality of the situation. Now, not talking about it was impossible.

Yifan continued to regurgitate everything in his stomach on to the ground, his body wracking in pain as his cells broke down at an alarming rate. His body was killing itself from the inside, and soon he would be reduced to nothing more than one of the ravaging monsters Minseok was hunting.

Yifan sat back on his haunches, taking deep breaths and staring up at the grey sky. Where Junmyeon’s hand was gripping his shoulder, Yifan’s skin was burning like the sun. His eyes were unclear, hair ruffled. He looked a mess, and yet Junmyeon would do anything to keep him right there, still alive and breathing.

Yifan took one more large, shaky breath before closing his eyes with finality. He sat silently for a moment, tears falling from his closed eyes. Slowly, his eyes opened and he turned to Junmyeon. Yifan’s hands came up shakily to hold on to the side of Junmyeon’s face.

“I’m so sorry.” Yifan whispered, looking down at the ground beneath their knees.

Junmyeon took a shallow, shaky breath. His hands circled around Yifan’s wrists, holding on tightly. The beating of Yifan’s pulse underneath his fingertips was significantly faster than ever before. “Don’t be.” He whispered, trying to keep his tears at bay. He needed to be strong for Yifan. “It’s not your fault.”

Yifan nodded quickly, sniffling. “I know. I know.” He muttered. “I’m sorry that I have to leave you.”

A small sob fell from Junmyeon’s mouth, his hands shaking where they were tightly holding on to Yifan. Maybe if he held on, the other wouldn’t leave. Maybe if he held on, Yifan’s heart would keep beating.

“Please don’t.” Junmyeon begged, tears falling down his face. “I don’t want you to go.” He whimpered, pulling the other in close. He sobbed into Yifan’s chest, listening to the heavy drum of his heartbeat.

Yifan was his everything, he couldn’t lose him. Yifan had saved his life so many times, had changed the way he viewed the world. Yifan was love, and trust, and loyalty, and everything still good in the world. Yifan gave Junmyeon hope, and now he was being ripped away.

Yifan nodded quickly, wrapping his arms around Junmyeon’s shoulders tightly. When he kissed the top of his head, Junmyeon didn’t even care that his mouth was still gross. He just thought about how much he would miss those lips. “I don’t want to go…” Yifan murmured, his arms tightening. “I-It couldn’t have lasted forever, though.” He said, voice shaking.

Junmyeon nodded, knowing he was right. They’d been given six relatively healthy, relatively happy years together. In the world they lived in, it had been a miracle to stay together for so long. Junmyeon couldn’t have expected it to last forever.

“I love you.” Junmyeon whimpered, kissing Yifan’s chest repeatedly. “I love you. I love you. God, I love you so ing much.” He broke down. He couldn’t be strong, no matter how much he wanted to. No matter how much Minseok said he needed to be strong for Yifan, he just couldn’t.

Yifan nodded, arms wrapped almost bruisingly tight around his lover. “I know...” He murmured, sobbing into the other’s hair. They were absolute messes in each other’s arms, and Junmyeon couldn’t care less. “I love you too. Oh god, I’m gonna miss you.” He gasped, wailing loudly from grief. “I don’t want to let you go.”

“Then don’t.” Junmyeon responded, burying his head further into the other’s chest, nearly in his lap now. “Never let me go. Let’s just stay here forever.”

Yifan nodded, squeezing his shoulders. “I wish we could.” He whispered. Slowly, he pulled back, locking eyes with Junmyeon. “But… But I need you to do something for me.”

Junmyeon looked up at him, nodding quickly. “Yes, anything.” He said in a rush. He would do anything for Yifan, he would run to the end of the Earth and back if that was what he wanted.

Yifan took a shaky breath, one of his arms unfurling from where it was clutching Junmyeon close. He reached down into the dirt, picking up the knife they had previously been using to prepare dinner. “I…” Yifan started, breathing deeply. “I need you to use this.”

Junmyeon reeled back, his breath leaving him as he realized what Yifan was asking him to do. “No.” Junmyeon responded firmly. “No, no, no. I can’t do this. You can’t ask me to do this.” He shouted, in shock.

Yifan pushed the handle of the knife into his hand. “You need to, Junmyeon. If… If you don’t, I’m going to turn into one of them. I’m going to turn into a monster, I could hurt more people.” Yifan told him quickly. “Please.”

“No!” Junmyeon shouted back, throwing the knife on to the ground.

“Please!” Yifan begged, gripping his arms. “If I don’t die now, I never will. I’ll spend the rest of eternity as some soulless, lifeless monster. Please, do this one last thing for me. Give me peace, I’m begging you.”

Junmyeon took a shaky breath, driven speechless.

“Please… Just give me peace.” He whispered, squeezing Junmyeon’s wrists. “You’re going to kill me. And it’s going to be the greatest thing you’ve ever done, because you’ll end my suffering. You’ll give me peace, and freedom, and happiness.

“I’m going to die. But you’re going to live. You’re going to mourn for me, but then you’re going to move on. You’ll travel with Minseok, or someone else, just someone to keep you company. And… And you’ll fall in love again. You’ll find someone that can make you happier than I ever did, someone that will hold you at night. You’ll find someone that will make you smile again. Please, don’t forget to smile when I’m gone.”

Junmyeon wept loudly, shaking his head. “No. No, I could never. I could never love anyone but you.” He insisted, tears falling to the ground heavily. “I’ll be nothing without you.”

“No you won’t. I want you to be happy, I want you to be in love when I’m gone.” Yifan murmured, his thumbs running across Junmyeon’s skin. “You won’t be nothing. You’ll be great, and happy, and alive. That is my dying wish, for you to live a long, happy life. Please, please give me that.”

Junmyeon sobbed, his head falling down to Yifan’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry.” He wailed, his hands clutching tightly at Yifan’s shirt. “I’m so, so sorry.”

Yifan hugged him protectively, nodding along to his words. “It’s okay.” He murmured, rubbing the other’s back. “It’s okay… The hardest part is leaving you.”

Junmyeon’s sobs only became heavier, his entire life crashing down around him. After a few minutes, Junmyeon pulled away. He wiped away his tears, though the action was futile as more fell immediately.

Hesitantly, Junmyeon’s fingers wrapped around the hilt of the knife. He picked the tool up, staring down at the blade silently. “Do you know what the worst part of this is?”

“What?” Yifan asked hesitantly.

“That I can’t kiss you.” Junmyeon whimpered.

Yifan chuckled sadly, wrapping an arm around Junmyeon’s shoulders and pulling him in close again. He kissed the top of his head, his forehead, his cheek. Everywhere but his lips. “Don’t worry, my love. Soon enough, we’ll be together again, and I’ll kiss you every day.”

Junmyeon nodded, kissing Yifan’s neck. He kissed the space behind his ear, the line of his collarbone, his adam’s apple. His lips graced his cheek, his nose, his eyelids. Everywhere but his lips. “Can’t we be there now?” He asked miserably.

Yifan shook his head, “I’m afraid not. I’m going now, but you have to stay here. I’ll wait for you, I’ll make sure everything is ready for you.”

Junmyeon cried, but he nodded in affirmation. “I… I’ll try.” He whimpered, kissing Yifan’s skin once again. He hugged him tightly, trying his best to memorize the way Yifan hugged him.

Yifan nodded, pulling away. “That’s all I can ask for.” He smiled, tucking Junmyeon’s hair behind his ear. “Now… Let’s get this over with.”

Junmyeon took a shaky breath, looking down at the knife resting in his palm. He was about to kill Yifan. He was about to murder the love of his life, his soul mate, his other half. Before Yifan, he thought those words were all just cheesy made up ideas. Now, he knew their validity. He knew what it felt like to be truly, wholly in love.

“I can’t believe you’re making me do this.” Junmyeon muttered, fingers tightening around the knife.

Yifan nodded, caressing his cheek. “You know I wouldn’t ask you if it wasn’t necessary.”

Junmyeon knew it was necessary. He knew that this was the only way Yifan would get any peace. This was the only way he would die an honorable, noble death. Yifan was the best man Junmyeon had ever known, he deserved a good death. But just because something was necessary, didn’t mean it was any easier.

“I’ll miss you.” Junmyeon whispered, looking up at him. “Every second of every day. I’ll always remember you. Even if I meet someone else, I’ll never stop missing you. I’ll lie awake every night, missing your arms around me, missing the sound of you snoring. I’m sorry I ever made fun of it, it was actually really cute.” He confessed, back to sobbing heavily as his fingers clenched around the knife.

Yifan laughed wetly, smiling at him lovingly. “I’m sorry I kept you from sleeping all those years.”

Junmyeon smiled miserably. “I would stay awake for an eternity if it meant you stayed with me.”

“Don’t get sappy on me now, Junmyeon.” Yifan chuckled, kissing his cheek. “Someday, we’ll have eternity to be together. You can listen to my snoring forever.”

A miserable laugh fell from Junmyeon’s lips. “I’m already looking forward to it.”

Yifan smiled ruefully, cautiously wrapping his fingers around Junmyeon’s hand. He helped the other press the tip of the knife against his stomach. “Do it now, baby.” He encouraged quietly.

Junmyeon nodded, staring down at their joined hands. It would be the last time Yifan touched him. “I love you.” Junmyeon confessed, before driving the knife forcefully through his Yifan’s stomach.

Yifan gasped as the blade drove through him, his hand clutching at his stomach. His body quaked, his eyes connecting with Junmyeon’s. “Thank you.” He gasped, smiling brightly. Even seconds from death, Yifan was smiling like the sun. “I love you so much, my Junmyeon.” He grinned, blood stained fingers running across Junmyeon’s cheek. “I’m going to miss your eyes.” He confessed, before his organs finally gave out. His eyes fell for the final time, his body falling limp against Junmyeon’s shoulder.

Junmyeon stared down at Yifan’s lifeless body, his mouth falling open in a silent sob. He wrapped his arms around Yifan’s body, crying loudly. He didn’t have to be strong anymore. He could be as weak as he wanted.

As the sun set, Junmyeon sat in the dirt, rocking Yifan’s lifeless body against his chest. He couldn’t be gone. Yifan was his entire life, his entire world. There were so many times when he wanted to give up, to let their cruel world take him, but Yifan was the only reason he stuck around.

And now, he had no reason.

Slowly, Junmyeon lowered Yifan’s body back against the ground. He stared down at his lover in agony, feeling his heart break in his chest once again. He remembered Yifan’s words that he had to keep living, had to be strong, but…

He just couldn’t. There was no living without him, there couldn’t be. He was already dead on the inside, his soul left miserable and grief-stricken. What was the point of keeping himself in a world so cruel and miserable?

With a shaky breath, Junmyeon slowly pulled the knife out of Yifan’s body. He stared down at the blood covered blade, taking a deep breath. He killed his lover with this blade, and he decided finally that he was going to die by the same hand.

Junmyeon looked up towards the sky, taking shallow, shaky breaths. His fingers wrapped solidly around the knife handle, pressing the tip against his own abdomen. Junmyeon’s eyes fell back down to the ground, his expression filled with a mix of love and remorse.

“I’m sorry, my love.” He murmured earnestly. “I’ll see you soon.”