Resurgence : Fate | Enhypen

Chapter 14: Exempt

Sunoo's POV

I blinked, the phantom lurched closer, its sinister gaze fixated on me. Panic surged through me, but before I could react, I felt Heeseung's fingers twitch beside me, followed by a groan of consciousness.

Backing away slightly, I tried to keep Heeseung within my peripheral vision, while I maintained eye contact with the phantom, careful not to let it get close.

Heeseung sat up, rubbing his head in confusion. "S-Sunoo? What happened...?" he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"There's a phantom outside the window," I replied nervously, my gaze never leaving the figure.

Heeseung immediately turned to look, his eyes scanning the darkness beyond. "I got it, I'm looking," he assured me, his tone resolute.

But as I turned back to him, I noticed the dark tint spreading from the wound on his arm. Dread washed over me as I got reminded by the truth. "Heeseung... You got bit. Your arm..." I murmured, my voice trembling with fear.

Heeseung glanced down at his arm, his expression clouded with disbelief. Wait, the phano-

*CRASH*

Before we could react, a sudden movement from the phantom made me jolt, my attention snapping back to the window where the figure crouched frozen on the window frame, attempting to breach.

As Heeseung grunted in pain, he instructed me, "Look at it for a moment..." I complied, turning my attention back to the entity on the window.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of Heeseung picking up a wooden board, breaking it into a makeshift weapon. He approached the phantom and delivered a decisive blow to its head, using the sharp edges to pierce through its form. It really doesn't move when someone's looking at it.

The phantom collapsed to the ground, motionless. I watched in awe as Heeseung turned back to me, but his triumph was short-lived as he grimaced in pain and sank to his knees.

My instinct was to rush to his side, but I stopped short as his hand signaled for me to stay back. I hesitated, torn between wanting to help and fearing what I might see.

"Heeseung..." I murmured, my voice thick with emotion.

Heeseung's response was strained, his words punctuated by groans of pain. "S-Sorry I didn't tell you... I wanted to get you somewhere safe before I could... turn," he confessed, his skin darkening with each passing moment.

My heart clenched with anguish as I watched Heeseung's suffering unfold before my eyes, his suffering a painful reminder of the dangers that lurked in this unforgiving world.

He then rose up shakily, and went up the stairs. Heeseung seemed weaker with each step. When he knelt in the room, coughing uncontrollably, my heart sank with worry. "When did this happen?" I asked, fearing the worst.

"It was the zombie I killed earlier, the one that woke you up." Heeseung admitted between coughs. His words hung heavy in the air, signaling the gravity of the situation. I felt a knot form in my stomach as I realized the severity of Heeseung's condition.

"Go to that smoke, and update the others," Heeseung instructed, his voice strained with urgency. I knew I had to act quickly to ensure the safety of everyone else.

But before I could respond, Heeseung made another request, his desperation evident in his voice. "Lock me up, please." he pleaded, his eyes filled with anguish.

My mind raced as I grappled with the weight of Heeseung's words. The thought of leaving him alone in his current state tore at my heartstrings. But I knew I had to consider the safety of the others, and mine.

As tears welled in my eyes, I made a solemn vow to Heeseung. "I'll wait until tomorrow. If you turn, I'll leave. If not, I'm bringing you with me," I promised, my voice quivering with emotion.

Heeseung protested, "Sunoo, no-" But I remained steadfast in my decision. "No, Heeseung. Let me decide for once, I'm not giving up on you just like this!" I insisted.

Heeseung nodded silently but he made a request, "Stay outside the room for now... s-say away from me..." I made my way outside and closed the door. There was another room beside the one Heeseung was staying in.

Heeseung's words replayed in my mind as I sat alone in the room, my heart heavy with this problem. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I hugged my legs tightly, trying to muffle the sound of my sobs. Without Heeseung, this journey will be lost, directionless. I couldn't bear to imagine what would happen if he does turn.

Lying on the floor, I sent up silent prayers for Heeseung's strength and resilience. He had been one of our leaders, our guide through the chaos, and the thought of facing the unknown without him filled me with dread.

I clung to hope with all my might. For in the darkness of despair, it was the only light that guided me forward, urging me to hold on, to believe that we would overcome whatever challenges lay ahead.

Jungwon's POV

I was picking clothes when I heard a loud crash from upstairs. Rushing up, I found a big shelf toppled down, Niki and Hanni holding Sunghoon back from Jay who was held by Jake, while they were in a heated argument.

"Sunghoon, calm down," I said. "What's going on?"

"All because of that fucker, Heeseung and Sunoo went straight into a trap!" Sunghoon exclaimed.

"Didn't we talk about this?" I replied. "We agreed to wait two more days. If they don't call us by then, we'll go ourselves."

"But what about Sunoo and Heeseung?" Sunghoon protested. "Don't tell me we are just going to forget about them?"

"No one's forgetting anyone," Jay interjected. "You're making up things here."

"You were the one who wanted to investigate," Jay retorted. "Do you want us to rot here?"

"Even Jungwon agreed that it's safer here," Sunghoon countered.

Jay's words cut through the tension like a knife. "Why do you care about them so much? Are they your parents? Do they owe you money?"

Sunghoon's response was swift and forceful. He broke free and landed a punch on Jay's face, sending them both to the ground. We had to separate them, and I took Sunghoon outside the room, pushing him against the railing.

"What the hell are you thinking?!" I demanded. Sunghoon's eyes were filled with anger and desperation. "If that bitch said that to you, how the hell would you react, huh? Would you just storm out of the room?"

I felt the weight of his words. "Heeseung and Sunoo are as important to me as they are to you!" I insisted. "I care about them, but I won't hurt anybody just to reassure myself of their safety."

Sunghoon fell silent, and I pressed on. "Why can't you just wait?" I asked. His response was raw with emotion. "Because there's a fucking zombie apocalypse, Jungwon. They're... they're gonna die out there..." And then he broke down.

"Sunghoon... no..." I couldn't think of anymore words. I stood there in silence, grappling with my own fears. Sunghoon's words echoed in my mind, leaving me with a sinking feeling that what he said might come true.

Sunoo's POV

I blinked as the sunlight pierced through my eyelids, stirring me awake. Slowly, I rose from the cold wooden floor, the events of the previous night flooding back to me. Then, I remembered Heeseung. With hesitant steps, I made my way out of the room, my heart pounding with fear.

Standing before the door to Heeseung's room, I raised my hand, ready to knock. Would he still be... there? My breath caught in my throat as the door creaked open, revealing Heeseung's figure. My eyes darted to his arm, still darkened with the infected bite.

"Sunoo..." Heeseung's voice pulled me from my thoughts. I met his gaze, a million questions swirling in my mind. "What... happened...?" I managed to utter, my voice barely above a whisper.

Heeseung's response came as a shock. "I think I'm... immune."