The next day, I’m back at my usual self and the others seems to be avoiding any topics relating to Woojin, and Hyungseob whenever they’re talking to me. It seems to be a normal day for me but it seems that Sewoon-sshi, one of the head researcher was working on something. What is that?

“Sewoon-sshi, what’s that?” I asked him.

Sewoon glanced at me before looking at the chemicals once again, “I’m testing the blood of the infected ones, and it seems that mixing two bloods from different people and it's quite interesting.”

“Why is that, Sewoon-sshi?” I asked as I looked at the chemicals. Infected’s blood,hmm?

“It seems like when they’re mixed together, they weren’t compatible.. it seems like one of the bloods were absorbing the other one. Those creatures can really devour even their own kind,” Sewoon stated in an amused tone, “And thanks to your observation, I found out that if an infected one is well fed. It’s back at its normal state but its memories wouldn’t be coming back unless we find a cure for them.”

“But there’s something not right about this.” I stated while looking at the other chemicals, “If we need to find a cure for them, let’s make sure that it will definitely cure them. Seems like just feeding them other infected’s corpse wouldn’t cure them.”

“I know, and it wouldn’t do good on their body either. We should stop it at all cost, I actually have a decent plan about this but I still need to tell the others about it.” Sewoon answered in a plain tone as he looked at me, “I will be working with Gwanghyun  and Jihoon for a medicine that will kill all the virus in an infected’s body. But we’ll be needing seven test subjects so it’s better fo us to find some of them out there and test it out.”

I gasped, “That's a great idea.”

“I know..” Sewoon said as he smiled, “Your help would be quite useful, too. You’re really great at testing, and making medicines. You’re great at observing, you’re a skilled researcher.”

“Stop it, Sewoon-sshi. You’re flattering me, it’s quite nice to be praised by one of the head researchers here.” I joked and we laughed, “I should be going now, my shift’s about to end.”

“Sure, Euiwoong. Go ahead.” 

Behind my mask, I’m grinning as wide as I can. Fools, haven’t they noticed that I’m already doing what they’ve did? As one of the skilled researcher in this facility, the government had given me a laboratory of my own at the top floor where only the ones with access can enter. It’s one of the secrets that the government was hiding from other researchers, only a few researchers, and their families can be saved if the apocalypse wouldn’t stop. And I’m one of them..

“Ah, damn.” I sighed as I went on my own laboratory, “I should get started with this so that I can visit Seobbie as soon as possible.”

As I kept on testing different kinds of chemicals, my mind is filled with Hyungseob. It’s my only motivation to keep doing this work, I have to cure him. And make sure that Park Woojin wouldn’t be in his memory anymore—I’ll protect him from that .

But I was distracted by the groaning from the other room inside this laboratory so as I took a syringe, I entered the room and saw BJ10, Bae Jinyoung trying to breaking through. I smirked as he widened his eyes once he saw me in front of the room and started to struggle more.

“What are you doing?” I asked him as I kept a wide smile in my face.

“L..Let me..out.” I barely heard his voice but all of the words he’s saying is always the usual.

“Why? Want Jihoon to be the one to cure your sickness? Ha, I’m way ahead of them.” I stated and I went near him and tightened the chains, and straps that kept him on the bed.

“Please.. I don’t want.. to die..” He pleaded but I just kept smiling at him which made him shiver.

I fixed the IV drops, and the other machines while he kept on begging. I have to do this, he’s the only one that survived thoughout different experiments. He’s an important test subject.

“Just stay still, Jinyoung. You’ll be fine soon, just keep on enduring everything. The IV drops provides the nutrients for you so you don’t need to eat any of those gooey corpse just like what you’ve did before. This time, the virus will be killed by the medicine. You won’t die by this experiment just like how Gwanghyun, Hyunbin, Sungwoon, Minki, and Jisung died. They’re a bunch of failures anyway.. but you, you’re quite a wonderful specimen.” I said as I took the syringe out, “Just endure everything if you want to see Jihoon once you’re cured.”

As I inject the syringe, Jinyoung’s screams echoed throughout the room. He went limp, as if he was too tired and slept once again. His complexion seems to be back at his usual one, and his eyes are turning into hazel brown unlike his white eyes a month ago. Everything seems to be getting better, I checked his vital signs and it seems to be alright. I took a blood sample from him and locked the room as I went to the laboratory again.

“Day 43, Bae Jinyoung is slowly turning back into his human state, his memories came back and the only problem is his hunger, if it can be resolved.. the experiment is successful.” I murmured as I wrote it in the journal before checking the blood, “His blood is almost similar to a normal human’s blood now. Only a few more tests..”

I looked at the room next to Jinyoung’s and I can’t help but smile, I’ll be taking Hyungseob there soon. Probably later.. everything is all set. All I need is Park Woojin out of the picture, he shouldn’t see him.

As I went out of my laboratory, I was surprised to see Haknyeon looking at the windows. He noticed my presence and looked at me with a smug expression.

“Euiwoong, how’s our experiment going?” He asked me.

I sighed, “Bae Jinyoung seems to be 80 percent cured from the disease.”

“Is that so? Good. Kenta’s alright now, but you know the side-efectd of the medicine..right?” He stated and smiled in an eerie way, “It doesn’t matter,anyway. He doesn’t remember Lee Insoo so he’s all mine. Even though he’s broken, the’s the most perfect person just for me.”

“Can he talk, eat, or act like a normal human being now?” I tried to gain informations from his experiments.

Haknyeon nodded, “Yes. It’s like he is back to normal except for his memories. It’s just like starting a new life so it’s fine.”

“Do you want to tell this to the others?” I asked him and he laughed.

“Hell no, they should figure it out on their ing own especially when Insoo’s just around. I want to be ing greedy now, no offense. I want Kenta hyung for me only,” He said as he gripped on the window bars.

I’ve known Haknyeon since we’re high school students. He’s a nice guy who look up to our senior which came from Japan, Kenta. He had been admiring Kenta even when we graduated, he also became a researcher while Kenta was a dance instuctor. Haknyeon could only look at him from afar while Kenta hyung was with Lee Insoo, an another researcher. It was a small world for me, because my situation is quite like this. Hyungseob, and I had been bestfriends with Seunghyuk, Justin, and Jung Jung during high school. Hyungseob is clumsy, quite an airhead, and was too nice while I’m the opposite of him. Seeing him being bullied , or being clumsy makes me want to protect him, and seeing him glad whenever I save him makes my heart flutter. 

Well, what can a 19 years old man like me can do aside from doing everything for my clumsy 21 years old hyung that was infected by this stupid disease? My hyung who had been head over heels to that Park Woojin since college? He even swore to be at his side 24/7.. he’s too nice for that .

“I think that what you’re doing is right,hyung.” I said and patted his shoulder.

He scoffed, “Ha, you must be out of your mind too. Because this is not even the right thing to do..”

“But this is for your loved one,right? The choice is for us to choose, no matter what the consequence is. As long as it’s for our loved ones, we’ll be fine.” I assured him.

He just sighed, “You’re right.”

“Don’t worry too much,hyung. You’re not the only one doing such a thing for love,” I said then winked at him.

He suddenly widened his eyes, “Wait, don’t tell me---Hyungseob?!”

I nodded, “I found him in Justin’s abandoned mansion, and he’s already infected. I’ve fed him eight corpses but that will be the last since I’ll transfer him here later.”

“Now, wait. How in the world did Ahn Hyungseob became an infected one?” He looked at me in a suspicious way, “Did you injected him with an infected’s blood or something?!”

I shook my head, “I wouldn’t do such a thing, I’m also wondering why. He’s a scaredy cat, and would really run away after seeing an infected one. But when I arrived at Justin’s mansion, a corpse of an infected one was in front of it and there are blood tracks that lead to the basement filled with cell rooms. Hyungseob was in one of it, his wrists along with his ankles were cuffed to the chains from the walls.”

“If that’s the case, then someone must have done that.” Haknyeon told me as he frowned, “Could that be Woojin? He's the last one that was seen with Hyungseob,right?”

I nodded, “There’s something fishy with Woojin, I just don’t know what but I feel like he have an idea about this. Was it because Hyungseob was already annoying him? Or was it because of a hidden hatred for Seobbie? Either way, I will make him pay and save Hyungseob from anything.”

“If you need help, then I’ll come with you later.” Haknyeon informed me as he grinned, “You helped me with Kenta, now it’s my turn to help you.”

I smiled, “Thank you,hyung.”

We’re definitely the same, our love for them wasn’t twisted. It’s just that if we want to have them for ourselves, we have to abandon our sanity. Because in this environment, it’s the survival of the fittest.

------

“Hyungseob, what are you doing?” Euiwoong asked him.

Hyungseob grinned at him as he took a picture of Euiwoong, “Taking pictures.”

“Hey! Delete that, I’m sure that I look stupid in that one!” Euiwoong stated as he was trying to reach for the camera that Hyungseob already raised, “Damn you and your height! When I grew a bit taller than you, I’ll pay you back!”

“Keep dreaming, kid!” Hyungseob joked and looked at the camera, “And you don’t look stupid at all, you look cute in the picture. Being curious while your head’s a bit tilted.”

“C-Cute?” Euiwoong covered his face to avoid Hyungseob on seeing him blush, “D-Dummy, just delete that!”

“I won’t!” Hyungseob stated as he grinned, “I want to keep this so that in ten years, I’ll still see a cute yet strict student council president Lee Euiwoong.. not a stoic and scary looking mad scientist Lee Euiwoong!”

Euiwoong facepalm-ed, “It’s a researcher, not a mad scientist.”

“But still, you’ll probably use people for experiments! Mad scientist, Lee Euiwoong!” Hyungseob as he put his arm around Euiwoong’s waist, “And you’ll probably be really busy at that time so, I’ll be keeping this.”

“Whatever, do whatever you want.” Euiwoong give up while trying to ignore the fact that Hyungseob wrapped his arm around his waist.

“That’s my bestfriend!” Euiwoong just sighed and tried to smile in order to hide the disappointment that he’s feeling for being treated as a ‘bestfriend’, “But hey, you know what? I’ll become a photographer in the future, I’ll take a lot of beautiful moments and share them to everyone.”

“You’re always like that, despite being teased or bullied.. your priority is everyone’s happiness. Are you a saint or something?” Euiwoong asked him as he sighed, “Nevermind. But hey, don’t let their words, and actions get the best of you.”.

“I know. And I won’t because Woongie will be really mad. And I don’t want to see Woongie mad at other peoole because of me,” Hyungseob stated as he looked at Euiwoong, “Besides, Euiwoongie is doing his best so I should,too!”

“Stupid.”

“But you like me! I’m your bestfriend,right?!”

“W-What?! You’re really stupid, Ahn Hyungseob!”

“Hey, I’m y---ow! Stop hitting me with your books!”

“Dummy.”

--

/coughs ireallylikerareshipsokbye/