July 20th, 2022

“You don’t want to journal? All three of you?”

Yuta brought back an extra three for Johnny, Jaehyun, and Jisung but they rejected them. They had faith one day, help will come. Previously not too long ago, Renjun found a radio and used batteries to get it working, most of the stations were off until they heard a voice. It turns out we have been blocked off from the rest of the world, the only other place we could go to was China where it had already spread. It was almost like the Hunger Games, Jaemin had said and it didn’t relieve any of our stress. Stuck in a large area. The only solution was to live or die.

“I’m sure we will be taken care of.”

Johnny reassured himself and his family, who agreed with silence and no talk backs regarding it. Yuta nodded, tossing the three notebooks on the coffee table. After they had found Donghyuck along with the other three, they realized they needed a larger base. So, they searched around the city for a house or building that was in a decent state, they found a beach house. The previous owners were in their beds, a gun in the husbands hand and Donghyuck found bullets in their heads. The wife, along with the children. It seems they couldn’t handle it. Mark and Doyoung removed the bodies, the rest besides Donghyuck weren’t used to the smell of death. They had a proper burial, and wished peace upon them.

After, they built higher fences, a higher gate, the upper floor was blocked off from anyone being able to see someone or any light inside. The lower floor was protected and remained unseen from beyond the fences. There was a pool in the back of their house, still clean, and the water was cold. It was a truly beautiful house. It was far from where their last location, though none of them took offense to it. But, the Seo family often had sad thoughts of their home. There was nothing to be done about it though, and they understood that well. Johnny better than the other two.

Onto a more.. positive note.

Everyone has warmed up to each other, some more than others. Donghyuck walked out into the back of the house with the sun reflecting onto his white hair, gold rimmed spectacles adoring his eyes and gently dropping his crossbow (which Jeno gifted him with) onto the seat beside him then relaxed onto the chair. He let his head fall back on the chair with his eyes closed, Jeno walked out until he noticed he was outside too, and edged closer to him quietly, before planting a kiss on his lips. It startled him and his eyes opened, but his features relaxed when he realized who it was. He pushed him away.

“Don’t scare me like that.”

“You didn’t seem scared.”

“Well, I was. I just don’t give much of a reaction.”

Taeyong swam upwards from the water, then took a deep breath in and relaxed his arms on the outer part of the pool. His hair drenched and half of his torso was pulled out of the pool. He hummed happily, just because Lurkers had taken over the city it doesn’t mean everyday they needed new supplies, there were also days where they could relax. Especially with a house like this. Yuta walked out of the house with a biscuit in his hand, nibbling at it until Taeyong held his arms out to him, his eyes on the prize. The biscuit. But Yuta rejected him with a shake of his head.

“You can’t eat in the water. You will get sick and the pool will be floating with crumbs.”

“I’ll get out then!”

Taeyong began to lift himself up until Yuta stopped him by kneeling down and placing a hand on his shoulder. He tore a piece off, before gesturing for him to open his mouth. He happily did so, his eyes closed until he felt the dry snack in his mouth then chewing it. Yuta pressed his lips against his forehead, then standing up to walk back inside but Taeyong managed to grab his shirt, and pull him back into the pool. He was laughing in a strange way, disturbingly close to how Cardi B was laughing on that one show where they edited her face to seem bigger. Yuta didn’t float up, but Taeyong was pulled into the water. It startled him and he desperately tried to swim back up until he opened his eyes, finding his boyfriend laughing with bubbles escaping his mouth. They both reached the surface, both coughing especially Yuta from laughing underwater.

“I thought I was going to die!!”

“When I was about to fall in the water, I thought the same too. Don’t do that.”

Yuta climbed out of the pool by using the ladder, flipping his hair back then greeting Renjun who walked out with a soda in hand.

“Woah, you’ve been working out?”

“Yes I have, stare as much as you want trust me this will probably be gone by tomorrow.”

Renjun ran his fingers down his six pack which he had been working really hard on, but can’t help to eat the sweets he is provided with. Nowadays, it is hard to find candy that isn’t expired, they have to eat canned food or explore further to find food that will suit their tastes.

“The food will be gone by tomorrow too if you keep sneaking snacks to your room at night. I hear you!”

Donghyuck glared, Renjun nodded with a genuine smile then rolled his eyes once he turned back to Yuta.

“We are running low on snacks though.”

Mark spoke with a bag of potato chips in hand, walking to one of the chairs and sitting himself down.

“Well you’re not helping by eating it all at once!”

“I’m hungry alright?!”

“We eat two meals a day!!”

“I used to eat four.”

“That’s not healthy.”

Donghyuck sighed, finding difficulty to taming his patience for there to be more instead of constantly scolding the two. He was glad the two got along, but they were eaters and after they decided to get together the snacks have been disappearing more frequently without a trace other than the crumbs in their shared room. Along with the trash they leave around. They weren’t exactly clean. Speaking of supplies and materials, Donghyuck was beginning to have a feeling that soon they will have to go further beyond the city to search for more food, otherwise they would have to cut down on their meals. Thankfully, they didn’t have to worry about electricity for the beach house owned solar panels on the roof. The gas tank, soon it will need to be filled again, especially if they have to travel farther for food. Also, Lurkers have been low on food. Donghyuck has seen the dead animals on the streets and alleyways, which means another possible meal has been wasted. It was beginning to get risky, the cures were sitting in his bedside cabinet. It was already difficult enough having a psycho as a boyfriend who doesn’t believe in personal space.

He had too many things to hide, and Jeno was giving him more problems by never leaving his side. Donghyuck has already injected all three of the serums, he was positive it was dangerous and a bold move to pull, but if he died, if he was infected, there was no chance of Korea and China being saved. Yes, Johnny was here, but hell he doubted he would be of help. He didn’t mean it in an offensive way, but Johnny wasn’t the most reliable person. Maybe if he hadn’t killed everyone in the lab.. why had he done it? He couldn’t remember, neither could he recall why he saved Donghyuck out of all of them. There were people smarter than him. Perhaps it was the respect he was given and he pitied letting him die for his own cynical reasons.

“Hyuck?”

He found Jeno's face above him, his leg relaxed over his while almost his whole side trying to squeeze into the small space. Donghyuck.. didn’t love him. When they first kissed, it was Jeno who made the first move, who held his hand in the middle of the night and told him he wanted to be with him as long as he lived.

“Life is short. Even shorter since the virus has spread, I used to not care if I died the next day. I thought, nobody ever loved me. The nurse from the prison, she never loved me and I never did for her. My family, no. When I saw you walk out of the house with Johnny hyung and his family, I thought you were just another person who would mean nothing to me. But, when I saw you grab the crossbow and kill that Lurker behind Jisung, then pushing them into the car, I thought you were.. cool. Cool is what I assumed. I could never love another man, right? I’m Jeno, people see me as a killer who could possibly never have romantic feelings, right? I was looked at that so much, I believed it myself. I realize now, it’s not true. You’re not cool– well you are, yes you are, but you were more than that, you’re more than that. You’re beautiful.”

Donghyuck accepted him. He thought it would be better to be ‘in love’ with the enemy rather than be against each other for rejecting him. Was it cold-hearted of him? Of course. He’s a terrible person for doing something like this. But Donghyuck had a belief that if you hurt many people, you deserve to be hurt too. Jeno deserved to be hurt.

“Hyuck!! You’re not listening!”

“Oh, sorry, what is it?”

Jeno stared at him until he smiled at him so brightly, his eyes were like the sun and his lips as pink as cherry blossoms.

“I love you!”

Jeno pressed his lips against his, eyes closed and his hand gently resting on his cheek. Donghyuck's eye’s were open.

How?

How could Jeno stare at him with so much.. happiness? So much glee and genuine honesty in his words that matched his sweet kisses. If he was someone he saw on the street, would he think he was a murderer? Would he think he deserved to be hurt? Does he? Donghyuck can’t help but question. He was.. another person in their group, what did Jeno see in him that makes him want to smile and his world fill with happiness.

“I.. love you too.”

Jeno deserved to be hurt.

“I love you so much more,”

He deserves to be hurt.

“Hyuck, if we ever escape, or if they ever find a cure..”

He..

“Will you marry me?”

On the other side, Mark stared. His eyes without blinking, his pupils smaller than usual, his gaze aimed at Donghyuck. He could feel it in his bones. Something was wrong. Why hadn’t he closed his eyes? Donghyuck could feel eyes on him, and he turned his head slightly until he met Mark's stare with his. What was he looking at him for?

“Yes.”

Mark immediately stood up and reached in his jeans for the pocket knife he kept until he saw Renjun, his hand waiting for the next move.

“Baby, is something wrong?”

What was he doing?

“Oh.. nothing.”

Donghyuck glared up at him, until he felt Jeno's arms wrapped around him and he sighed.

“There isn’t enough space.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do, get off.”

Once he did, Donghyuck left his seat and walked inside. Just as he made it to his room, he let himself fall onto the mattress he and Jeno shared. Cure. Hearing that word from him was alarming. He had a cure, or at least he thinks he does. When will he tell them he isn’t what they thought he was?

“You liar.”

Donghyuck sat up from the voice, and he saw Mark standing in the doorway. He kept himself from laughing.

“What are you speaking about?”

“You don’t love him. What kind of person stares at their lover like that?”

“Ah, so you think just because you fuck around with Renjun you’re cupid? There are many types of love.”

“Yours is fake. Meanwhile, Jeno's is genuine.”

“How can a murderer feel love when all he has felt is shame and greed?”

His talk about the topic seemed to anger Mark more.

“You’re talking to the guy who has murdered more people than he has, and Jeno was never diagnosed with anything related to him losing sanity. He is just as normal as you.”

“I have never killed anyone.”

“You’re a pretty damn good liar, I would have believed you if I hadn’t seen your journal. Like I said, you’re just like him.”

The smile on Donghyuck's face fell, and one grew on Mark's. He read his journal. He knew what he had done.

“So, when are you going to tell them huh? Whether I tell him or not, Jeno will find out. He’ll realize that you and Johnny are guilty for this mess.”

“Johnny has nothing to do with this.”

“Oh? From your journal, it seemed you thought of him as stupid. Surprises me you would defend him, but you’re right. It’s you. You started the virus because of your stubborn acts, maybe if you had stayed at the lab and prevented them from making that mistake, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Nobody would have died. Hell, you’re just a heartless murder. Lurkers didn’t kill those people, you did.”

Donghyuck shoved Mark against the wall, who laughed loudly.

“See?! You know I’m not wrong.”

He laughed in his face, when Donghyuck pulled the pocket knife out from his jeans and held it to his neck, it amused him.

“Ah? What are you going to do? Kill me? Go ahead! They will know you killed me, I wrote in my journal that if anyone were to kill me it would be you! So go on, do it. It won’t make anything better.”

Donghyuck didn’t want to do this. He never wanted this, he wanted to pull his arm down yet couldn’t help but to press the knife closer to his throat until he saw blood. It triggered him and he dropped the knife, Mark pushed him away and held onto his neck, the blood sipping between his fingers.

“I won’t say anything.. but I suggest you get to fixing the mess you created.”

With that, Mark left to clean up his neck. In a way, actually in all the ways he was right. Donghyuck was tired of living in these conditions despite possibly being irresistible to them but he had friends. Mark was somewhat a friend. He should make an attempt, but having only two samples of each of the three cures wasn’t enough. He needed more, so he had to make up an excuse to visit the hospital.

A/n : Hyuck getting aggressive...