Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Aiko
Aiko woke up slowly, her senses muddled as her eyes fluttered open to a harsh, bright light above her. She blinked a few times, her vision blurry and unfocused. It took a moment to register that she was no longer in the cold, cramped cell with her friends. Instead, she found herself lying on a sterile, white bed in a strange, clinical room.
"Where the hell am I?" she muttered to herself as she sat up, her body heavy with grogginess. Her heart raced as she scanned the room—there were no familiar faces, no sign of Heeseung, or anyone else from her group. Panic rose in her chest, her breathing shallow as she tried to get her bearings. She looked down at her arm and noticed a small bandage covering the vein in her elbow.
"They took my blood?" she whispered, ripping the bandage off and rubbing the spot on her arm, a chill running down her spine. "Why...?"
Aiko swung her legs over the side of the bed, her feet hitting the cold floor with a soft thud. The room was stark white, filled with lab equipment—microscopes, beakers, stacks of papers scattered haphazardly across the desk in the corner. Her pulse quickened as she moved toward the large, glass window that spanned one wall of the room.
Looking out, Aiko's breath caught in her throat. She was high up—at least a few floors above ground. The view outside was both haunting and breathtaking. The world below was a wasteland of destruction, buildings crumbling, streets littered with abandoned cars, and the distant threat of Neomorphs always lingering in the shadows. The apocalypse had turned everything into a nightmare, but from here, it all seemed strangely peaceful.
Her thoughts snapped back to reality as the door to the room opened behind her. The sound of keys jingling made her freeze, her heart pounding as fear and confusion washed over her. Who was it? Where were her friends?
She turned slowly, her eyes widening as the figure entered the room. And then her world came to a screeching halt.
Her breath caught in her throat as she saw her. Her mother.
"Mom?" Aiko whispered, disbelief flooding her system. She stared at the woman in front of her, her heart aching with a thousand unspoken emotions. It had been so long, so many years since she'd seen her mother. The reason she had come to Korea, the reason she had risked everything, had been to find her mom. And now, here she was, standing in the same room as her.
Tears welled up in Aiko's eyes, and before she could even think, her body moved on its own. She rushed forward, throwing her arms around her mother, clinging to her as though she might disappear at any moment. "Mom! Oh my God, it's you... it's really you!"
Her mother hesitated for a moment but then wrapped her arms around Aiko in a hug. The embrace was warm, familiar—just like Aiko had imagined. She closed her eyes, burying her face in her mother's shoulder, letting the overwhelming relief wash over her. She had found her. After all the chaos, after everything they'd been through, she had finally found her mother.
"Are you okay? Is everything alright?" Aiko asked, her voice trembling as she pulled back slightly to look into her mother's face. "I've been looking for you for so long..."
Her mother smiled, but something was off. The warmth in her eyes wasn't quite right—it was distant, as if she was there physically, but her mind was somewhere else entirely. Aiko tried to push the thought aside. She had found her mom, and that was all that mattered.
"I'm fine, sweetheart," her mother replied softly, her voice gentle but somewhat mechanical. "I'm so glad you're safe."
Aiko wanted to believe her, wanted to believe that this was the reunion she had always dreamed of. But as her mother pulled away from the hug, Aiko couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. There was a coldness to her touch, a stiffness in the way she spoke.
Aiko took a deep breath, trying to focus on the positive. "What... what happened, Mom? How did you end up here? Are you working for Genetech?"
Her mother's eyes flickered, and she glanced away for a brief moment before nodding. "Yes, I've been here for some time now. It's complicated, Aiko. There's a lot going on that you don't understand."
"I don't care," Aiko said, her voice thick with emotion. "I just... I'm so happy to see you. I was so scared you weren't—" Her voice caught in her throat. "I thought you might be... gone."
Her mother gave her a faint smile, brushing a strand of hair from Aiko's face. "I'm here now, aren't I? That's what matters."
Aiko nodded, her heart swelling with relief. But still, that nagging feeling wouldn't leave her alone. Something was off, something about the way her mother was acting. It was almost... too detached.
She swallowed hard, forcing herself to address what was really gnawing at her. "Where are my friends? They were with me when—when I got taken. Where are they?"
Her mother's face tightened ever so slightly, and she took a step back. "Your friends are safe," she said carefully. "They were placed in holding cells. We just needed to make sure none of them were infected. You understand that, right?"
"Infected?" Aiko frowned, shaking her head. "They're not infected. We've been through hell, but they're fine. You need to let them out. I need to see them."
Her mother's gaze softened, but there was something strange in her eyes—something Aiko couldn't quite place. "I'm sorry, Aiko, but they can't be released until we're certain. It's for everyone's safety."
Aiko's frustration grew, but she tried to keep her voice steady. "Mom, please. You know me—you know I wouldn't have come here if I wasn't sure. They're not infected. They're good people. You have to let them go."
Her mother hesitated again, her lips pressing into a thin line. "After the tests are complete, we can talk about it."
"Tests?" Aiko's stomach twisted. "What tests? What are you doing to them?"
Her mother's expression remained neutral, but her voice took on a more businesslike tone. "Standard tests, nothing more. I promise you, they're being treated with care."
Aiko's chest tightened. She wanted to believe her mother, but the whole situation felt wrong. The way her mom was talking, the coldness in her tone—it was like she was hiding something, keeping her at arm's length.
"You're not telling me everything," Aiko said, her voice barely above a whisper. "What's really going on here?"
Her mother's eyes flickered again, and for a moment, Aiko thought she saw something—regret, maybe, or guilt. But it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared.
"It's complicated," her mother said quietly. "You'll understand soon."
Aiko swallowed the lump in her throat, her hands trembling slightly. "I don't care about complicated, Mom. I just want my friends to be safe. I want to get them out of here."
Her mother smiled faintly, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I'm doing everything I can to keep you safe, Aiko. Trust me."
Aiko stared at her, feeling the weight of her mother's words, but deep down, she couldn't shake the sense of dread that had settled in her chest. Something wasn't right, and as much as she wanted to trust her mom, she knew that she couldn't ignore her instincts.
For now, though, she'd play along. She had to—until she could figure out what was really going on.
"Okay," Aiko said softly, forcing a smile. "I trust you."
