The Infected - Hanji Zoe

Chapter 14

Before The Fall

Summary: Things are never as they seem, especially after the Red Queen explains what she has planned for you.

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Being the child of a world renowned scientist was never easy: from a very young age, she began involving you in the company business such as mixing chemicals that were safe for children or teaching you how to create robots so you could play with them.

For years, that was the only kind of contact and bonding you had with your mother. She never had time for her family, between the experiments she was in charge of and every press conference and award ceremony, she was barely home.

Ever since you could remember, she had been trying to make you follow in her footsteps, trying to get you to become the youngest scientist to ever win a prize and, eventually, that caused a blowout in your relationship.

"Maybe I want to be a musician, who fucking knows?" You yelled at the top of your lungs, swinging your arms around while walking back and forth in your room, watching as your mother watches from the door.

"No child of mine is going to be a musician!" She responded in the same loud tone of voice. "And don't you dare curse at me."

"You have never taken me seriously. Nothing I do is ever good enough for you." Tears begin to form in your eyes and you tug on the right corner of your long sleeve shirt, a nervous reaction to the emotions you are having.

"You are going to the same college I did and will study the exact same things." She says, slamming the door shut but her voice still carries through the hallway, "End of discussion."

That night, you sneaked out of your room in the middle of the night only to find the neighbor's daughter sitting on the roof by herself while watching the stars. It was dark and the tears flooding your eyes clouded your vision but you could see the silhouette coming down towards you.

"Are you alright?" The figure asked with a gentle voice, her hand touching your shoulder. "I mean, that's a stupid question. I heard you and your mom earlier. I'm really sorry. I don't know, you're very pretty and I talk when I'm nervous so I'm going to shut up now."

That reaction alone was enough to earn a genuine smile out of you. Though the incessant tears do not stop, the lightpost on the street flickers and the light is barely enough to illuminate the girl's face.

Her eyes are a shade of brown so beautiful that they remind you of freshly ground coffee. Her hair looks smooth like silk and her glasses compliment her beautiful features. In reality, this is the most beautiful girl you have ever seen in your entire life and for a second you feel as if your heart skips a beat.

No words are able to leave your mouth when you attempt to speak. Not only because you are startled by her beauty but because the fight you had with your mom is still too fresh in your brain.

So you just cry, feeling as her arms wrap around your body, slowly bringing you down to the ground.

"My name is Hanji. Hanji Zoe." She says, stroking your hair delicately. "What's yours?"

"Y/N." You respond and for a second the world around you seems to stop. Her lips come close to yours and you forget all about the sadness that invades your heart but before you could kiss her, a voice comes from inside her house.

"Hanji, it's 3 in the morning. Come back inside." The person, who would assume to be her mother, says and she sighs, a red blush spreading across her cheeks as she slowly removes her arms from around you.