Trigger ↬ [ P.JS ]

Chapter 42:

Rina took a big sigh of relief when she finally put Hayoon to sleep in her hospital bed. Jeno helped Yeonmi get treated and the whole thing still seems like a fever dream.

Astrid seemed so passionate and compromised. Rina pitied the two. They thought wrong and she was wondering where they were right now. She would have gone with them if the kids aren't with her or if Mark was already awake. She just couldn't bring herself to face the streets once again. She felt so safe in here, she didn't know if that should make her happy or worried as she should not be comfortable during an apocalypse.

"Hwayoung, are you-" Turning around she scanned the room. "Hwayoung..?" She looked at Jeno, eyes telling questions.

"Have you seen her?"

Silence.

"Jeno, I said have you seen Hwayoung?"

Nothing.

"Jeno, have you seen Hwayoung?! I'm asking you a question!"

Dead.

"No, no, no. She won't leave. She won't leave us. She- she doesn't know how to run away from this place... You think she followed them?" Rina, on the verge of crying, tried to think rationally. No way, no way.

No way.

Come on, Rina. You can't freak out, the most responsible thing to do is to find her in the hospital first. You don't need to go out. No stepping out. She took a big inhale and bit her lip. "No stepping out." She whispered to herself.

Jeno didn't see Hwayoung. He didn't feel her going anywhere. Rina's words put him in panic, though he didn't show it. He felt heavy. Just as he thought everything was going well, just as he thought it was getting better. Now, Jisung and Astrid is nowhere to be found along with his other friends. Hwayoung adding up? How great!

He watched Rina get frantic. He knew that this time, this moment is just so overwhelming, talking to Rina would make it worse. He tried to make a plan in his head. He looked at Mark, still unconscious, Yeonmi, weak in a hospital bed, Hayoon, asleep.

Yeonmi can watch over Hayoon and Mark. Jeno can run fast. Rina is sensible. Jeno is fast. Rina can feel. What does that mean? Fast. Feel. Sensitive. Run. Feet. Eyes. Jeno stopped the babbling in his head and scrunched his face in frustration. He exhaled and went closer to Rina, the girl still panicking. "Rina?" He said softly. "Rina, we need to find her." He placed his hands on her shoulders, steadying the girl.

"You know we can't go out there." Rina whispered back. "We can't, I can't. I'm too- it's just too soon. It's so dangerous out here, Jeno-" She closed her eyes, chases flashing by her brain. "Jeno, please. I'm so.... so scared." She finally choked out a sob.

Scared? All the time they've been together, all the time they've fought walkers and runners and those creatures, Jeno never saw her eyes flicker with fear. He never saw her quiver, not a flinch, not a single ounch of fear showing. Now? She's scared? She's scared. Rina is scared. He pursed his lips, wrapping his arms around her. "I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry." He leaned in, his chin resting above her head. He felt her cries, her sobs. "You don't have to go out there. I can go, You can stay here and just find her in the hospital. Maybe she just, she just went out to get something."

"That's such a stupid excuse, Jeno." Rina sobbed harder on his chest. "I don't want risks." She said, slowly calming down.

"Well, Hwayoung is at risk right now. Another risk won't hurt if it can end without any risks at all." He slowly lifted his head from hers and looked at her face. Dark, dark and hopeless. "Don't be like that, she's alive. She's Hwayoung."