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Aiko
Aiko was sitting in the van, calmly waiting for the boys to come back. She gazed out into the wild, the slight breeze making the trees sway gently. It looked peaceful, a stark contrast to the turmoil inside her mind. Her thoughts drifted to her mother again. Whenever she was alone, it was all she could think about. The uncertainty gnawed at her, a constant reminder of the void her mother's absence had left in her life.
Suddenly, a noise outside interrupted her thoughts. It was faint but distinct, a strange chittering sound. Her heart skipped a beat. She knew what Heeseung had told her—stay in the van—but if the Neomorph was nearby, she needed to take precautions to protect the boys. Slowly, she opened the van door and stepped out, gun in hand, ready to face whatever was out there.
The sound came again, closer this time. It was like a crackling, almost mechanical noise, mixed with an eerie chittering. She moved cautiously towards the source, her heart pounding in her chest. Pushing aside a bush, she was relieved to see a fluffy white rabbit. It tilted its head at her, and she found it endearing.
"Hi there, little guy," she greeted it softly, as if it could understand her.
Before she knew it, something's claw grabbed the rabbit and threw it away. She looked up, her eyes widening in horror as she saw the bloodshot eyes of a Neomorph. Blood seeped from its mouth, and it grinned at her with a grotesque smile, growling as it slowly advanced.
Aiko was frozen in fear. She breathed heavily, her mind racing as she tried to think of what to do. She backed away slowly, but soon felt the cold metal of the van against her back. She whimpered, knowing what was coming next.
The Neomorph lunged at her, but she dodged swiftly and moved to the side. She ran towards the store where Heeseung, Jungwon, and Ni-ki were, her heart pounding in her ears. The creature, however, was faster. It reached out and grabbed her ankle, making her trip and fall to the ground. She screamed as its claws sank into her leg, excruciating pain radiating through her body.
Aiko let out a bloodcurdling scream, her voice echoing through the deserted streets. The scream lured even more of the creatures towards her. The Neomorph growled again, ready to bite her.
Inside the store, Heeseung's head snapped up at the sound of her scream. "Fuck! Aiko!" he shouted, panic in his voice.
Jungwon and Ni-ki were already on their feet, guns at the ready. "Let's move, now!" Jungwon commanded.
They bolted out of the store, their only thought to reach Aiko in time. When they burst through the doors, they saw the Neomorph hovering over her body. Heeseung's heart stopped at the sight. He took aim and fired, diverting the creature's attention to him.
"Get the fuck away from her!" Heeseung roared, his gun blazing.
The Neomorph growled and charged at Heeseung, but he was ready. He fired one of their tranquilizer darts, and the creature staggered, then collapsed into a deep sleep.
