left for dead | all of us are dead

ten

"hey, top gun, watch it."

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

Mi-hwa hoped that she wasn't about to see her sister become a pancake. She stood by the window, anxiously waiting for her twin and friend to return from the supply room. She was feeling her patience wane with the way that everyone was coddling her. She knows that she went a bit psycho yesterday and almost took off Na-yeon's head but she felt like her actions were justified. 

Her chest throbbed painfully at the memory of Gyeong-su's cries just before he turned. She rubbed at the spot soothingly, trying to wish away the ache that she knew deep down would be there for a long time. Maybe even forever. 

Mi-hwa felt the vague presence of someone coming to stand next to her. She's become acquainted with how her friend's footsteps so she knows this isn't Su-hyeok, Dae-su, or Woo-jin. 

Nam-ra stood beside her silently, staring outside. "Have you thought about that?" The class president asked, breaking the silence. "About what?" Mi-hwa didn't pull her head back from the window, continuing to stare up at the room where Ye-ji and On-jo disappeared into. 

"What if everyone turned and we're the only humans left?" Nam-ra voiced. 

Mi-hwa hummed to herself. To the others in the classroom, they would've started a whole debate based on what Nam-ra said but Mi-hwa knows that she's just asking a hypothetical. "Maybe— but Korea is big and the world is bigger. I'd think there'd have to be some survivors out there still." Mi-hwa waved her hand around the room without looking, "I mean if we can survive I'm sure the military who have weapons would have made it too." 

"But what if it were true? That means we're a minority and minorities always go extinct." 

Mi-hwa shakes her head, looking towards Nam-ra. "I'm sure we're not," Mi-hwa had to believe others were out there— that more people survived and they weren't alone. She thought about her parents who were on vacation in Japan. Did they see her text? Were they worried about them? Had the virus already spread that far?

"But what if we are? Can you endure this?" 

Mi-hwa thought for a moment, "I think if I was alone— it'd be harder to keep moving forward. But I have my sister and all of you." She paused, "I don't want to become a zombie because they don't remember anyone. I need to keep my memories— of I-sak and Gyeong-su. Because their spirit lives through me."

Mi-hwa watched Nam-ra smile to herself. She doesn't think she's ever seen the class president smile before. It was a pretty smile, she could see why Ye-ji was so entranced by her. "I like the way you think," Nam-ra admits. "But I do have a favor to ask. If I do get bit—"

Mi-hwa cuts her off, "No. Don't get bit." She doesn't think she could handle seeing another one of them turn. It was naive and plain stupid to think that they'd all make it out of this but she just wanted to live in blissful ignorance. 

"Please, Mi-hwa," Nam-ra says, almost begging. 

Mi-hwa's eyes widen slightly at her tone. "If by chance I do get bit— just don't make Ye-ji be the one to do it. Please." 

Mi-hwa swallows the lump in her throat at the thought. Of how her sister would react if Nam-ra turned. Her sister, who kept her emotions so close to her chest that only Mi-hwa was allowed to see them— and that was on rare occasions. 

"Only if you promise me the same," Mi-hwa conveys how serious she is through a single glance that has Nam-ra nodding in response. If Mi-hwa was ever bit she hoped she had enough time to end it herself before making her sister have to watch her turn into a monster.