painkiller // namhyeok

6: LIKE WATER

Namra was drifting in and out of sleep beside Suhyeok. She didn't want to give in since she got the sense of responsibility that she needed to protect Suhyeok and the baby.

Poor baby, she thought as she watched her sleep on her lap in a carrier. What bad timing that you came into this world in the midst of a virus.

She looked at the glass door a few feet from them. Outside, multiple zombies were wandering aimlessly, waiting to hear cries from the uninfected so they could run to their direction and have a feast. Glancing at the baby, she felt relieved that she wasn't crying.

The baby was quietly sleeping on the makeshift bed she made after Suhyeok fell asleep on the ground. Aware that babies aren't supposed to be sleeping in an inclined position, she took a basket and placed tissues in each side of the basket. Namra placed the baby on the basket, careful not to wake her up.

Minutes later, Namra's eyes were already too heavy that she finally gave up.

—

Suhyeok woke up feeling light on his chest yet a little heavy on one side of his shoulder.

Am I dead? He looked down. Where's Nabi?!

He was about to get up when he realized that something was leaning on him. Moving his head sideways, he found someone's head on his shoulder. He couldn't see who it was but he definitely felt a familiar vibe. Then, he saw the girl's hand inside a basket beside her. Suhyeok craned his neck and saw that Nabi was sleeping in it, while being surrounded by tissues so she wouldn't hit the hard plastic if she moves.

Wait a minute, he thought.

Suhyeok, he remembered the voice last night.

No. It can't be.

Reaching for the girl's cheek to check who it was, Suhyeok's heart began pounding fast. His hand was already on her cheek when she looked up and said, "Your heart's beating fast. I can hear it out loud."

"Namra..." He choked out, tears threatening to fall. Finally holding her cheek, he said, "Thank you for being alive."

The girl smiled at him. "I should be the one saying that, Suhyeok."

He sniffed. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you," And then his tears finally fell. "I missed you, Namra."

Namra's smile didn't falter. She leaned on Suhyeok's hand, closing her eyes and holding the hand on her cheek. "I missed you too."

Without thinking, he pulled Namra closer and hugged her tight.

As if on cue, Nabi cried. The calm smile on Namra's face vanished as they pulled away, replaced by a look of panic. Suhyeok found her cute when flustered with the baby's sudden cry. To ease Namra, he held her hand and nodded at her. "I'll take Nabi. She likes my face a lot, she'll stop crying when she sees me."

Slowly, Namra carried Nabi gave her to Suhyeok. She watched as the boy, who once hung out with bullies, was now looking so soft and responsible with the way he rocked the baby in his arms to keep her calm.

The serenity they both felt with each other's company was cut off when a zombie slammed its body on the glass door of the convenience store they stayed in for at least 3 hours.

"We need to get to the rooftop," Namra said. "They're for us there."

"They?"

Namra grinned at him like she was about to tell him the good news. And she did. "Cheongsan! I'm sure he found Onjo already, together with our other friends."

'Cheongsan?!" Suhyeok's eyes widened. That was the greatest news he has heard in a while, he couldn't stop smiling with his mouth open. "So, he survived the fire?"