Never Again | LK

CHAPTER 21 | Mixed Feelings 🥴

NA - DAY6

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"Un momento de paz robado en un mundo que se ha ido al infierno."

***

The next morning, sun rises but the beings were still asleep. If Korea wasn't in such a crisis people would be rushing to see the beautiful autumn outside. How can you expect anything to change immediately? Haeun thought as she just stood outside the building with a lot of mixed emotions.

"I don't want to be here. I fucking hate it here. Please let me leave..."

The screams of the patients were heard, she walked out with a little hope of anything to change. She wanted her family back, her pure innocent mother back, her supportive brother back and the happiness and love in the air that had disappeared to be back.

She has never been in such a state before. The sadness and depressed lonely feeling, she has never experienced it before. Sure, she has her fair share of problems but she never felt alone and so anxious.

"I wish I was in school getting bullied. It's better than this shit." She said to herself as she was walking back home. The streets empty and lonely just like her, she smiled slightly as she saw a fellow pedestrian walking diagonally opposite to her. They caught eyes.

Familiar..

"Kim Mingyu." I unconsciously remembered his name. He was in casual clothes and was carrying a bag as he waved at me from across the street.

She smiled in return.

Haeun watched as Mingyu crossed the street toward her, his familiar smile offering a small sense of comfort amid the chaos. He was dressed casually, but the soldier's aura still lingered around him-someone who had seen more of the devastation than he should have.

"Hey," he greeted, his tone soft as he reached her side. "Heading home?"

Haeun nodded, trying to suppress the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside her. "Yeah, just needed to clear my head."

Mingyu gave a sympathetic nod. "I get it. That place... it's suffocating sometimes." He gestured back toward the hospital where screams still echoed. He had been stationed there for weeks now, helping contain the infected and offering whatever aid he could. Haeun knew it wasn't easy for him either, especially knowing her mother was one of the patients inside. They both felt powerless.

"You're still doing rounds here?" Haeun asked, her voice quieter now.

"Yeah, got a new shift starting soon," he said, shifting his bag on his shoulder. "But I saw you, and I thought I'd check in. How are you holding up?"

Haeun hesitated, unsure how to answer that. She didn't want to unload everything on him-not again. But the sincerity in his eyes made her feel like it was okay to share the weight, even if just a little. "I don't know... I'm just-" she paused, her voice faltering. "I miss my mom."

Mingyu's expression softened, and he took a step closer, lowering his voice. "I know... and I'm sorry. I wish there was more I could do. But if it helps, she's still holding on. They're doing everything they can."

Haeun managed a weak smile, grateful for his reassurance. "Thanks, Mingyu. You've already done a lot... just being here, it helps."

They stood in silence for a moment, the tension between them easing as the autumn breeze rustled through the empty streets. Haeun felt the familiar tug of loneliness but found some solace in Mingyu's presence. Even if he was her brother's friend, they had become closer since the outbreak, and in some ways, she felt like she could count on him more than anyone else right now.