✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

As the horses came to a halt at the base, Lee Jong Suk was already standing at the ready. His eyes were sharp, focused, and filled with determination. The moment he saw the group approach, he wasted no time. With quick, efficient movements, he approached Sehun's horse and gently but swiftly took YN from Sehun's arms, his pace so fast that no one could match it. He moved as if he were a shadow, a blur of precision, his feet barely touching the ground as he rushed to the medical area.

RM, Sehun, Jungkook, and the others followed at a more measured pace, their eyes glued to Jong Suk's every movement, knowing that YN needed medical attention immediately. But despite their speed, Jong Suk's pace was unmatched. He was already at the clinic door before they even got halfway there.

They arrived in the medical area, and for YN, it had become a familiar place over the last few days. It had started to feel more like her bedroom than a hospital room. The warm, sterile environment had been the location of many moments of care and recovery after she'd been through some of the worst.

As Jong Suk burst into the medical area, two nurses were already at work, tending to the room's various tasks. Minho, Jiwoo, Jin, Hobi, and Hyungsik were all present, their expressions tense as they observed the scene unfolding. Hyungsik quickly moved to YN's side, his professional demeanor taking over as he started to assess her condition.

He frowned deeply as he examined YN's pale face. His eyes flicked to Sehun, a quiet but urgent demand for an explanation in his gaze. Sehun, his own expression troubled, stepped forward, his voice steady but laced with worry.

"She's been drugged," Sehun explained, his tone low. "We found her like this-completely out of it."

Hyungsik's eyes widened at the confirmation. His trained mind began to process the details rapidly, his focus shifting back to RM. "Who's the best in the medical field in your group?" he asked, his voice tense with concern.

RM didn't hesitate. "Jin," he replied firmly. Without another word, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle. His fingers hovered for a moment, as if reluctant to hand it over, but he finally passed it to Hyungsik in silence.

Hyungsik's gaze fixed on the bottle, and a frown deepened on his face. The small container only confirmed his growing concern. He hesitated for a moment longer, then quickly moved to YN, checking her pulse, her breathing, the signs of her condition.

"RM, Suga," he asked, not breaking his concentration, "how much do you think she's had?"

Suga, standing nearby with his arms crossed, looked grim. "He wasn't injecting her when we first found her. But he had that cloth over her mouth and nose. It was soaked, like he was trying to make sure she couldn't react. We didn't get there in time to stop him."

Hyungsik's shoulders sagged in a barely perceptible sigh of relief at hearing this. It wasn't ideal, but it meant that the dosage might not have been as severe as it could have been. Still, the situation was dangerous. He quickly turned to Jiwoo and Jin. "Stay with her," he ordered. "Keep monitoring her. We need to make sure she doesn't take a turn for the worse."

The rest of the group, still frozen in place, was given a swift glance. Hyungsik's voice was firm, "Everyone else-out."

The tension in the room thickened, but no one protested. They understood the gravity of the situation and trusted Hyungsik's judgment. As they filed out, the door shut behind them, leaving YN in the care of Jiwoo, Jin, and Hyungsik, who immediately began working to stabilize her.

---

As the door to the medical room creaked open, an unsettling silence filled the corridor. RM, Suga, and Sehun stood closest, their eyes instinctively drawn to the figure on the bed. The nurses moved aside briefly, revealing the bruises and scars that covered YN's body.

What they saw left them frozen.

Bruises, fresh and fading, scattered across her skin in shades of purple, green, and yellow. Her ribs bore deep blue-green discolorations, likely from blunt force. The faint red lines around her wrists and ankles spoke of restraints, the skin there barely healed, some spots raw. Scars of all sizes crisscrossed her arms, legs, and torso-old battles etched into her flesh, some faint and silvery, others jagged and angry, as though the wounds had barely closed.

Suga swallowed hard, his throat tight. His normally sharp eyes darted to the floor as though looking at her for even a moment longer was unbearable. "What the hell..." he muttered, his voice low and filled with disbelief.

RM's jaw clenched, his gaze lingering on the marks around her wrists.

Sehun stood rigid, his hands curled into fists at his sides. He forced himself to look, but the guilt and sorrow in his eyes were impossible to hide. "She never said anything," he murmured. "Not about this. How... how did we not know?" His voice faltered as he glanced at the others, his expression one of helplessness.

Behind them, the rest of the group stood in stunned silence, their faces reflecting a mix of shock, anger, and guilt. Jungkook, who had been leaning against the wall, pushed himself upright, his jaw tightening. His gaze flitted over her scars before darting away. "This... this is unreal," he said, his voice strained.

Jimin exhaled shakily, his voice low and filled with disbelief. "It's not just recent. Some of those scars... they're old. Years old." He turned to Sehun, his tone tinged with accusation. "You've known her the longest. How could you not have seen this?"

Sehun shook his head, his voice raw. "I didn't know," he said, almost pleading. "Not like this. She doesn't talk about herself. Ever."

The group fell silent once more, their minds racing with unspoken questions. The image of YN's battered and scarred body was burned into their thoughts, and with it came the weight of their realization: they had only seen fragments of who she was. What exactly had happened in her life? What had she endured, and why had she never spoken of it?

And yet, beneath their determination, one thought remained-haunting and unanswered: What else had she been hiding?

---

Hours passed, and the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in muted shades of orange and purple. The air grew colder, but no one standing outside the medical room seemed to notice.

The door to the room remained firmly closed, a silent barrier between the group and the figure inside. Not a single person had been allowed in or out since Hyungsik had ordered everyone to leave earlier.

The tension among the group was palpable, none of them daring to leave their spots near the medical area. Even those with pressing duties-Luhan, Chen, Kai, Suho, Baekhyun, IU and Others-had come and gone, each exchanging solemn nods with those standing vigil.

Minho, ever the leader, had stepped away to ensure the camp's defenses were solid. Yet, even he returned periodically, his brow furrowed with unspoken concern. Still, the door to the room remained closed, offering no answers to the anxious hearts waiting outside.

Lee Jong Suk had gone to patrol the perimeter, ensuring everything was secure, his protective instincts refusing to let him sit still for too long. His presence had been a steady reassurance throughout the day, and his absence now left a faint void.

But RM, Suga, Hobi, Jimin, Taehyung, Jungkook, and Sehun remained rooted to the spot. They hadn't moved from their places outside the room, their expressions varying from concern to quiet contemplation.

The hallway grew darker, the dim lights casting long shadows across their faces. But still, they waited, their unspoken worries binding them together.

As the door finally creaked open, all heads turned toward it, the sound cutting through the tense silence like a blade. Jiwoo emerged, her steps slow and her face drained of all energy. She barely looked at anyone as she moved to sit down beside Taehyung, who immediately shifted slightly to make space for her.

Her hands, still faintly stained with blood despite her attempts to clean them, rested limply in her lap. It seemed she wasn't fully aware of the streaks, her fingers occasionally brushing against her pants as if wiping away something invisible. Her shoulders sagged, and her expression spoke of exhaustion that went beyond just the physical.

She sighed, a long, shaky breath that she released as if it could carry the weight of everything she had just witnessed. Her gaze remained fixed ahead, distant, like she was seeing something far beyond the dimly lit hallway.

"Jiwoo," RM's voice broke the silence, calm but filled with a quiet urgency. "How is she?"

Jiwoo didn't look up immediately, her hands clenching and unclenching as though the words were too heavy to speak. Finally, she exhaled again, her voice barely above a whisper. "Ask Hyungsik. He'll know better. I..." Her voice faltered, and she swallowed hard. "I don't know fully. I just know she's stable."

The word hung in the air for a moment, a fragile lifeline in the sea of uncertainty.

Then, as if the effort to speak had taken the last of her strength, Jiwoo quietly added, "For now."

---

The door opened, and Hyungsik stepped out, his face a mask of exhaustion. Behind him, Jin remained at YN's bedside, meticulously adjusting her bandages and ensuring her condition remained stable.

Hyungsik glanced at the group, his voice steady but carrying the gravity of the situation. "She's stable for now, but her condition is serious. The drug she was exposed to-it's potent. From what we could tell, it was designed to incapacitate quickly without immediate fatal effects. It's a sedative and neurotoxin mix, meant to disorient and weaken."

He ran a hand over his face before continuing, "The amount she inhaled wasn't enough to cause long-term damage, but combined with her injuries, it's left her body in a fragile state. She'll need day-maybe longer-days to fully flush it out and recover."

He paused, his gaze shifting to their concerned faces. "The bruises, cuts, fractured ribs, and torn wrists and ankles are extensive. And then there are the scars-old, deep, and telling of a life far harder than any of us imagined. She's been through more than we know."

Hyungsik straightened, his tone softening just slightly. "For now, she's resting. Jin and I will monitor her closely. But the best thing we can do is give her time and ensure she's safe."

Without waiting for a response, he turned back into the room, leaving the group to process his words in heavy silence.

---

A MONTH LATER

---

It had been over a month since everything fell apart, and the air around the base felt heavier than ever. The apocalypse hadn’t just broken the world; it fractured relationships, strained bonds, and left everyone teetering on the edge of survival. The walls that had once offered a semblance of safety now felt suffocating, with every creak and whisper a reminder of the precariousness of their existence.

Y/N had been unconscious for five days straight after the last mission. Her battered body bore the consequences of her recklessness—bruises painted her skin like an abstract work of war, and her shallow breaths were a constant reminder of how close she had come to not waking up at all. Most had doubted she’d pull through. Yet, against all odds, Y/N did wake up.

She refused to stay still, ignoring her shallow breaths, swollen ankles, and ribs that still ached with every movement. Stubbornness coursed through her veins, overriding logic and pain. When she walked out of the base with Saans in hand, muttering about "important work," no one dared to stop her. They knew better. Y/N was the type to shatter herself a thousand times if it meant achieving what she set her mind on.

No one dared to stop her when she limped out of the base, the fire in her eyes brooking no argument. They knew better. Y/N wasn’t the type to accept pity or comfort; she was the type to burn herself out a thousand times if it meant chasing her goals.

But Sehun wasn’t like the others. He wasn’t willing to watch her destroy herself.

That night, when Y/N returned barely able to stand, her clothes torn and streaked with dried blood, he snapped. His voice was sharp, raw with frustration.

“You’re going to kill yourself at this rate!” he shouted, his words echoing through the dimly lit base. His voice cracked with the weight of unspoken worry. “Do you even care about the people who worry about you? Do you even care about me?”

Y/N’s pride burned hotter than his concern. Her tone was cold, defensive. “I don’t need you—or anyone else—telling me what to do. I’m handling it,” she bit out, her eyes blazing with defiance.

The argument that followed was short but brutal, their words like weapons, each one cutting deeper than the last. Years of friendship, trust, and unspoken understanding seemed to crumble in the span of minutes, leaving behind only silence and shattered bonds.

From that night onward, they stopped talking. Not a word. Not a glance. It was as if the foundation of their relationship had been reduced to ash.

The rest of the base didn’t know how to handle it. The tension was palpable, seeping into every corner of their shared space. RM, Suga, Jungkook, Jin, Jimin, Hobi, Taehyung, Minho, Hyungsik, IU, Jiwoo, Lee Jong Suk, Kai, Suho, Luhan, Chen—all of them felt the shift. Conversations grew shorter, laughter became rarer, and the once-unbreakable unity of their group began to feel fragile.

Sehun’s frustration was visible to everyone. He threw himself into training and patrols with a ferocity that bordered on self-destruction, his movements sharp and aggressive, his jaw perpetually clenched. His anger wasn’t just about Y/N’s recklessness. It was about her walls, her refusal to let anyone in, her stubbornness that kept everyone—even him—at arm’s length.

And Y/N? She buried herself in missions, taking on the most dangerous tasks without hesitation. Her pride was her armor, shielding her from the vulnerability she refused to show. It kept her moving forward, even when her legs were shaking, even when the weight of the world threatened to crush her. But that same pride built walls that no one could scale—not even Sehun.

The group tried to intervene in small ways, offering words of comfort or attempting to mediate the tension between the two, but nothing worked. This wasn’t just a disagreement; it was the fallout of years of unresolved tension, buried emotions, and the weight of a world that had already taken so much from them.

The air around the base grew heavier with each passing day. RM quietly observed the dynamic, his leaderly instincts telling him that pushing either of them would only make things worse. Suga, ever blunt, had tried once to confront Y/N, but her sharp response had left him biting back his own anger. Minho, pragmatic as always, focused on keeping the base running, but even he couldn’t ignore the ripple effects of their fractured bond.

One night, as the group sat around a dwindling fire, Jong Suk broke the silence. “This can’t go on,” he said, his voice low but firm. “We can’t keep pretending this isn’t affecting everyone.”

“Do you think we don’t know that?” Taehyung muttered, his expression troubled. “But what can we do? You know how stubborn they both are.”

“Maybe it’s not about fixing it,” IU said quietly, her gaze fixed on the fire. “Maybe we just need to let them figure it out on their own.”

But Jong Suk wasn’t convinced. “And What if this just… breaks everything?”

No one had an answer.

And then, as if to prove Jong Suk’s fears right, Y/N left.

It wasn’t sudden—not for her. For days, she had been preparing quietly, packing supplies and checking her gear. Minho had been the only one she told about her plans, framing it as a necessary mission to secure an alliance with a rival gang. But when the others found out, it was already too late.

The base felt emptier without her, the silence more oppressive. Sehun’s frustration turned to bitterness, his guilt gnawing at him like a persistent wound. He threw himself into his duties with even more intensity, as if trying to drown out the ache of her absence.

The rest of the group, however, felt blindsided. By the time they found out, she was already gone.

The only relief, if it could even be called that, was that Y/N had told them where she'd gone-East Town. It wasn't a mystery. Her recent treehouse, one she'd built and mentioned a few times, was there. All of them, especially the BTS members, knew exactly where it was.

But no one dared to leave Minho's base to go after her.

"She doesn't want us there," RM said one night, the weight of his words heavy in the quiet room. "If she did, she would've asked."

And they all knew he was right. Y/N was the type to make her intentions clear. If she'd wanted them to follow, she would have said so.

But not everyone could accept it. Lee Jong Suk, for one, was furious.

"You let her go?" he shouted at Minho during a heated argument that echoed through the halls of the base. "You didn't even think about the rest of us? About what we would've said?"

Minho, as calm and measured as ever, tried to reason with him. "It was her decision. You think I could've stopped her? Y/N doesn't take orders from anyone, Jong Suk. You know that."

But reason wasn't enough to quell Jong Suk's anger. "You didn't even try!" he snapped. "You just let her walk out like it was nothing. Do you even realize how dangerous it is out there?"

"I know exactly how dangerous it is," Minho shot back, his tone colder now. "But Y/N's made it this far because she knows what she's doing. If she says she's fine, I trust her."

The argument left the base on edge, the tension rippling through the group.

Some, like Jungkook and Taehyung, quietly wrestled with their own guilt. Should they have tried harder to talk to her before things got to this point? Others, like Jimin and IU, tried to hold onto the belief that Y/N would come back when she was ready.

But Lee Jong Suk couldn't let it go. His anger wasn't just about Y/N leaving-it was about the helplessness he felt, the way she always bore the weight of the world on her shoulders, leaving the rest of them behind to pick up the pieces.

"She's not invincible," he muttered under his breath later that night, his frustration spilling over to anyone who'd listen. "One day, she's going to need us, and we won't be there because we let her push us away."

Despite his anger, no one moved. No one went after her.

Because at the end of the day, they all knew one thing about Y/N: she wouldn't have left if she didn't think it was the right thing to do. And if she wanted to be alone, they would respect her choice.

Even if it hurt.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧