“Let’s go Sungie” Eric cheered as he pulled Hyesung towards the opposite direction.

“Where we going? I thought Jinnie’s this way” Hyesung said pointing the direction he thought was correct.

“Hyesungie… Now I can see why Jinnie has to protect you. You obviously don’t use your brain much do you?” Eric teased. “My ammo and vehicle is still back there at the cave. Do you think with my bow and that handgun we can make it to Junjin on foot?” Eric pointed out without breaking his stride and dragging Hyesung along.

Hyesung wanted to contradict that but couldn’t think of anything to say and his thigh was throbbing in pain so he was having difficulty keeping up with Eric’s speed. “Okay fine, but do you think you can go slower? My thigh is killing me.”

Eric stopped abruptly and turned around to face Hyesung which caused him to crash onto Eric, missing his face by a few centimeters.

“Whoa… Eric!” Hyesung exclaimed but Eric was too concerned about the look on Hyesung’s face to mind the collision. Hyesung’s face was all scrunched up and sweat was dripping from his face. Eric sighed then bent down on the forest floor and patted his back, signaling for Hyesung to get on.

“What?”

“I’ll carry you back” Eric’s instinct was screaming an alarm at him and he wanted to get Hyesung and him out of the woods quick. “There’s more zombies heading towards us now, we need to get out of here as fast as possible” he explained.

Hearing the worry in Eric’s voice, without questioning further he obliged and slowly placed his weight on the broad back offered. Instantly the throbbing pain subsided slightly and Hyesung relaxed his head on his shoulders. Eric had his shoulder-length hair tied up in a pony tail just like Jinnie’s so Hyesung had a up-close view of Eric’s jaw line. Hyesung was studying the man’s distinct features when a small dark spot on Eric’s straight nose caught his attention. “ Is that a bruise or dirt on the bridge of his nose? Did he injure himself when those s attacked us? Can’t be… Eric killed them within minutes; they didn’t even get close enough to him to cause a scratch.” Hyesung thought to himself and mindlessly stretched his hand out to clean the dirt on the latter’s nose.

“Ouch! What are you doing?” Eric yelped as he felt the sudden pressure on his injured nose.

“Oops, sorry. It's a bruise. Did I hurt you? What happened to your nose? I didn’t see you injured yourself just now.” Hyesung asked curiously.

Eric smirked and replied “Some pabo thought he was being a hero when he disappeared early in the morning and gave me a heart attack. That’s what happened but no worries, that pabo will have to pay me back for it.” Eric’s voice was coated with a teasing sarcasm.

Not catching it immediately Hyesung thought for a while before reacting.

“Ya! Who are you calling pabo?! And what do you mean by ‘pay back’? What are you plotting now?” Hyesung started to struggle on Eric’s back.

“Hyesungie! You better keep still and stop shouting before I throw you into that lake!” Eric threatened and bent slightly to the side to prove his point.

Seeing the rocky drop into the lake Hyesung froze and mumbled to himself “Who gave you permission to call me Hyesungie? And I know you won’t. Humph!” before shutting his mouth and resumed his position on Eric’s shoulder; pouting.

Eric smirked arrogantly and continue the trek back to the cave.

After a long silence between them, Eric could feel a steady breath on his neck and he realized that Hyesung has fallen asleep again. The walk out of the cave must have drained all his energy. 

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Back at the cave, Eric carefully settled Hyesung on floor with pieces of clothing and felt his forehead. “, he’s burning up again.” Eric cursed silently as he stood up and retrieved his last antibiotic pill and a bottle of water from his rover. He made a mental note that he needs to find a pharmacy soon to replenish on his medical supplies.

“Hyesungie, wake up.” Eric gently shook his shoulders. “You need to take this and I’m gonna check on your thigh alright? Bear with it for a while, it might hurt a little.”

Eric untied the outer layer of the cloth and is now prying the bandage stuck to the dried blood on the wound. Hyesung clamped his mouth shut as he suppressed a loud gasp. Eric tried to be as gentle as he could on him but his brow furrowed into a deep frown when he saw the fresh blood and puss on the wound. Hyesung must have torn the wound when he tried raising his legs just now.

“Hyesung, there is infection. I need to clean it again, bite on this cloth when I do it.” Eric handed him a roll of cloth and proceeded to clean the wound again.

When he was done, Hyesung was nearly in tears but he controlled himself. “Can we leave now?” Hyesung asked when Eric was packing his medical supplies back into the rover.

“But Hyesung, you need to rest, you need to bring the fever down first, the journey is going to be uncomfortable and you need food too. You haven’t eaten anything since yesterday.” Eric reasoned.

“No Eric, please, let’s leave now. I can’t let Jinnie wait for me so long at the border. He will worry for me. And what if he goes into town again? I can’t let that happen. Please.” Hyesung begged and started to stand up on his the other leg using the cave wall to balance himself.

Amazed by how stubborn this fragile looking man can be, Eric conceded. “Okay fine, we’ll go but you have to finish this first and make sure it stays in your stomach.” Eric handed him a can of beans and some leftover dried meat. He helped Hyesung to the passenger seat and proceeded to pack his camp while munching on some of the meat.

Hyesung was amazed by Eric’s speed, when he finished his food, everything was packed into the vehicle and they were ready to go. Except for the black soot on the ground, the cave looked inhabited.

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“Damn!” Junjin hollered when he finish searching through every room in the cottage.  “What now…” Junjin thought to himself. “I shouldn’t have left him there with the others” he wanted to kill himself over the stupidest decision he had made in life. He was so angry with himself and he needs to vent his anger on something desperately. He turned to the furniture instead and started to smash the wooden furniture or whatever he could get his hands on. “Why the hell did I leave them there to fend for themselves? Even without the zombies, they will have a hard time getting here… I should have known! Damn! Hyung, where the hell are you…”  Junjin continued and wooden shards and splinters are flying everywhere.

When there wasn’t any more furniture left to destroy, anger turned into despair and Junjin didn’t know what else to do. He’s hands were all bloody but he couldn’t be bothered. He thought to return back to town but he stopped himself. “Calm down Junjin, you have to wait here. They cannot be still in town, they would have moved on already. What if you missed them again?” Junjin was debating with himself when he heard a slight creak coming from the veranda. He would have missed that if not for the eerie silence in the air.

Immediately Junjin tensed, he picked up his shotgun and slowly crept towards the veranda. When he reached the back there wasn’t anyone but he was sure he heard something. “Hyung?” No reply… Then there is only one possibility. “Who’s in there? Show yourself before I shoot. There’s nowhere for you to run” Junjin threatened as he pointed the gun at the entrance of the small backhouse that he had forgotten to check when he arrived.

Slowly the knob turned and a slim figure stepped out.

“What are you doing in there?” Junjin questioned while looking at his empty hands making sure he wasn’t carrying any weapons.

“Can’t you put that down first? I swear I won’t lay a finger on you” the figure replied, eyes still staring at the device pointed at him.

“Why not you answer my question first? I think you can see very well who’s got the upper hand right now” Junjin scoffed coldly.

Without any other choice, he complied. “Fine, I got separated with my group couple of days ago. I was wandering around this area when I found this place yesterday night and …”  

“Are you alone? Did you see anyone else?” Junjin questioned and he could hear the desperation in his voice.

“Nope, sorry. You are the first human I see since I got separated.”

Upon hearing that, Junjin’s eyes hollowed like a man unable to take the weight bearing down on his shoulders, he dropped his shotgun on the ground and started to crumble down.

Junjin couldn’t take this anymore; nothing matters without his hyung. His sole purpose in life was to protect his brother and now without him, what is he gonna do? Why should he fight anymore? Fear was overcoming him in tidal waves and there’s nothing he can do but wait for a miracle to happen.

The man was about crouch down beside Junjin when he heard a vehicle approaching the porch. He quickly pulled Junjin up onto his feet and back up against the veranda wall holding Junjin’s shotgun with his other free hand. They couldn’t go back into the back house; it cannot take two people in there. “Hey you! Stop acting like the world has ended! There’s people approaching us and I cannot protect you if you don’t pull yourself together” he hissed.

The car stopped right in front of the fence surrounding the house and footsteps can be heard running towards them. “JINNIE” a hoarse voice shouted and the reaction was instant.

In a blink of an eye, life returned with a spark in Junjin’s eyes. “HYUNG!!” Junjin shouted and shot right through the house onto the front porch.

Time has stopped for them when the brothers launched onto each other in a tight embrace. Neither of them wanting to let go for fear that once they did, one of them might fade into the evening sun. However, after a long while Hyesung was starting to hyperventilate in the strong arms threatening to crush his ribs.

“Jinnie, I’m dying” Hyesung choked as his lungs was screaming for air and immediately Junjin lessen his hold on his hyung but not letting go.

“Why they hell did you get here only now, hyung?! I thought I’ll never get to see you again!” Junjin exclaimed as he stared down at the small face of his hyung while thanking his lucky stars. He was so ecstatic to see his face, he couldn’t find the right words to explain his delight so he turn it into actions and pulled his hyung into the bone crushing embrace again,  ignoring the breathless Hyesung’s plea to let go.

 After a long while, his heart had finally settled down with the fact that Hyesung is really in his arms now, safe and sound, he opened his eyes and took in his surrounding and notice something was odd. Besides the smiling exotic looking guy standing by the rover and the other guy coming out of the house behind him, there wasn’t anyone else.

 “Hyung, where are the others?”

Hearing the question he dreaded the most, Hyesung tensed and Junjin was surprised by his sudden reaction. Hyesung pushed himself out of the strong grip and the surprised Junjin had to let go of him to let him speak.

Hyesung hesitated for a while, took a deep breath and slowly recounted the incident. “I’m sorry Jinnie; I lost them in the town. After you went out the opposite direction, we waited for the zombies to disperse. When we thought it was safe enough, we tried to sneak out through the broken window at the side of the shop. I accidentally slipped on the broken glass and gotten a gash on my thigh. I suppressed my shout but I think those things can smell the fresh blood gushing out and all of them turned to chase after us. We panicked and they tried to save me first; they told me to run while they try to shot those bastards. I swear I tried to blast their head off with the gun you left me but you know how bad I am with my aim so I could only try to run as fast as I can so that I don’t add to their burden but when I turn back they were gone Jinnie! When I went back to search for them the things have already gotten to them and all I can hear is their screams. There wasn’t anything I can do to help. I’m sorry Jinnie. I’m just so useless. I’m a burden to everyone.” Hyesung cried in agony when he finished.

Eric fixed his gaze on Hyesung; he knows that his fever is still burning high and the bumpy ride made matters worse. He was worried for him when he saw him break down in front of his brother and he had the urge to hold him in his arms to comfort him. However he had to hold himself back to give the brothers some needed space.

“Hyung” Junjin croaked “It’s not your fault. You did your best. When the world turned this way, a ‘Death Sentence’ has already been decreed upon us all and it is only how long we can escape from the deed. It’s a miracle you managed to survive and thank god you did, if not I would have joined you the afterworld. And hyung, when you think about it, maybe the others have already gone to a better place in the afterworld instead of living in fear everyday like us all.” Junjin consoled and patting on Hyesung’s trembling back trying to calm him. Understanding Hyesung, Junjin knows that he had tried his best and wouldn’t give up if the others still could be saved. He might be distant but he would never abandon others to save himself.

Hearing his brother’s soothing words, Hyesung calmed down slightly. He took a deep breath and was about to turn back to Junjin when he felt a sudden faint, the next moment his world blanked out.

“Hyesung!” Eric shouted as he rushed towards the falling Hyesung. However, he wasn’t quick enough to reach him in time; luckily Junjin caught Hyesung midair with his fast reflexes and saved him from further injuries.

“Hyung…HYUNG?! What the hell? What’s happening?! Junjin shouted at the one lying in his arms motionless and started to shake him violently, unable to accept this was happening.

“Stop, stop… Junjin…  I think it’s because of his fever and injury, let’s bring him inside first.” Eric explained when he reached their side and motioned Junjin forward into the house.

“Eric hyung?”

Eric couldn’t believe his ears, it was a voice belonging to a person he missed so dearly, he thought he was hallucinating. He slowly directed his vision towards the owner and was caught dead in his step. Junjin feeling the sudden pause beside him halted his step too and turned towards the direction of Eric’s gaze.

Before the pair could say anything, the owner of the voice crashed into the frozen Eric with wide open arms ignoring the other looking at him with a face of shock.

“HYUNG!”

Recovering from the shock, Eric returned the hug in an equally bone crushing way “ANDY!” Eric exclaimed; happiness erupted in his heart. Eric had never felt so happy for such a long time, he was nearly in tears. “Oh my god Andy-ah... Andy-ah…”  Eric repeated and tightened his grip. Andy was almost family to him; the pair of them had been together their whole life before hell broke loose. The four years Eric had spent travelling from place to place hoping to find Andy but to no avail and suddenly he just appeared in front of him like a godsend present.

“Hyung, where did you go? When I finally came home everything was gone, I went over to your house and found it in ashes.”  

Eric breathed deeply and regained his control slightly. He was about to tell Andy what happened back then when Junjin interrupted them.

“Erhrmm… Hey, I’m sorry to interrupt you guys. But can we bring him in first? Hyung’s body is getting hot and his forehead seems to be breaking out in sweat” Junjin said while feeling sorry to interrupt their reunion.

Eric was so overwhelmed; he had almost forgotten their presence. “Oh , okay sure! Andy don’t you dare go anywhere again! Let’s go in.” he grinned widely and pulled Andy with one of his hands while helping Junjin with the other.

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A/N: Hope I didn't fail you guys with this chapter. Theres not much action and Ricsyung in this chapter but I promise there will be in the upcoming chapters. kekeke~ XP Comments are very much appreciated! You peeps are awesome! Thank you!! <3