Be the Light

19. The Antidote

It rained for two days. When the morning came, the rest of the group shared the same surprise as Wooyoung, then they assembled to venture outside. As Seonghwa said, the water falling from the sky was clean. It would replenish their pool and gather in the tub Seonghwa advised them to bring outside, so their bathing space would stop also being their source of drinking water. After thoroughly dousing themselves in the soaking surprise, they retreated into their building to return to their prior activities. Now that they had so much time for each other, Wooyoung discovered a constant hunger for San's body and they often stumbled into their room with their lips locked in a heated kiss. One time, it happened while Yunho was still near and he had laughed at them until Wooyoung's cheeks were flaming red.

When the rain stopped, the earth felt refreshed for the first time since they had been born. The occasional puddle couldn't compare with two days of rain and the scent that lingered in the air was rich compared to the dusty rust Wooyoung was used to.

It was late morning and Wooyoung lolled in San's arm, protesting his duty to get up, when a call bellowed from the other side of the floor. They all found room up here, wary to divide the group yet eager for their private spaces. When Yeosang's voice bellowed across the corridor, Wooyoung shot up from San's side.

"We found it! It's done!"

Wooyoung and San exchanged a glance, then they jumped into their clothes. They rushed out of the room to find Yeosang panting in the hallway. His eyes were wide with a familiar craze and his fingers cradled a little bottle.

"Which room is Jongho's again? I need to administer this to him immediately," he heaved. Just then, the door behind them opened and Jongho stepped out. Frazzled at the mayhem, he looked at the rowdy bunch.

"W-what did you find?"

"Your antidote," Yeosang claimed with a whisper. Jongho's mouth dropped open.

"That was so fast," San gasped. They didn't know how long the foundations took the researchers to make and they didn't start at zero. Still, this was unbelievable news.

"Your blood was the missing piece. The rest, we just needed to combine. Hurry!" Yeosang explained, and Jongho scampered after him with all the might left in his diminishing body. The fungus reached to his collarbone now and crept down his upper arm and across his chest.

Wooyoung ran along and, one by one, the others gathered. Seonghwa hovered in the speakers and Hongjoong sat on his chair with a smug grin as Yeosang rushed Jongho inside. He dropped onto the bed and rolled up his pants with fingers that trembled with anticipation and dread. Mingi didn't hesitate to sit by his side while Yeosang prepared a syringe.

"Hold on to me," he offered, despite his injury so close to Jongho's flailing limbs. When he held out his hand, Jongho clutched to his index and pinky fingers, respectively. The gnaws on his lip looked painful, but Wooyoung couldn't fault him. He also gritted his teeth in silent hope.

"Seonghwa's genius did most of it and while he can't check, we could test under the microscope how it works. Don't worry. You won't get hurt," Yeosang soothed Jongho's cramping. He inserted the syringe while their light spoke over the speaker and spread his soothing message.

"You gathered all the data and pieced it together. If this works, it's thanks to Hongjoong and Yeosang," he crooned, as excited as them. It might not be an immediate solution, but if it at least killed the spores faster than they grew...

"There you go," Yeosang breathed. He sat back and gave Jongho a winning smile. Unsure when to expect a change, Jongho clung to Mingi's fingers. San only knew he was healed when the fungus stopped eating at him.