26| TWENTY SIX — UNMOVING AND UNSPEAKING ❝even after everything the world has done to hurt you ❞
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NAM-RA WAS GETTING WORSE and worse as time went on, and quite frankly, so was Yu-ri. They were both sick and hurt but in different ways and nobody knew what to do to help them, not even themselves.
So when Nam-ra's eye began to tweak for what felt like the millionth time and she had to bite her own hand to erase the temptation to sink her teeth into her friends beside her, the only support Yu-ri was able to offer was her hand on the girl's shoulder.
That and a piece of her shirt that she tore off to place around Nam-ra's eye so it was covered. Nam-ra denied, insisting that Yu-ri's shirt was already ripped up enough. However, Yu-ri wouldn't take no for an answer, so she wrapped it around the girls' head.
The two of them sat side by side and stared out at the open horizon, feeling sorry for themselves and their current fate. Neither of them were doing well, both physically and mentally. Yu-ri wanted to say something to Nam-ra, like she always did when the Class President needed comfort, yet she wasn't sure what.
Until Nam-ra beat her to it.
"Thank you." She said, not looking away from the clear blue sky above them.
Yu-ri furrowed her eyebrows. "For what?"
"This," Nam-ra pointed to the cloth that covered her eye. "And for everything else. For being here for me when I know you're not feeling good either. For being here for everyone."
Yu-ri smiled, a genuine one at that. "That's what I do."
Nam-ra looked at the girl beside her and her eyes trailed all over Yu-ri's body. From the dirt and blood that coated her fishnets, to the scratch on her arm, and finally to the gentle grin on her face as she smiled, even throughout all the sadness and chaos.
For as long as Nam-ra had gotten to know Yu-ri, really gotten to know her, she learned that Yu-ri was the strongest person she had ever met. There she was, smiling and comforting her friends, despite being incredibly drained herself.
There was no reason for Yu-ri to push down the way that she was feeling in order to make sure her friends were okay, but that was Yu-ri. That's just what she did.
"You're a really good person," Nam-ra spoke. "You know?"
Yu-ri frowned, not expecting the sudden praise, nor was she sure how to respond to it.
"I mean it, Yu-ri." Nam-ra insisted. "You might just be one of the few genuinely good people left in the world. I mean, you literally sacrificed yourself for us."
Yu-ri scoffed. "Yeah anyone would. Cheong-san would do it too, so would Su-hyeok."
"But I'm talking about you. You've done so much for us. Since the very first moment the zombies took over, you became a leader and a protector even though I know how afraid you must've been," Nam-ra really believed there was nothing she could ever do to repay Yu-ri for all that she'd done for her and the rest of the group during their time together, but hopefully her words of sincerity would be enough. "It's admirable how selfless you are, even after everything the world has done to hurt you."
