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Aiko
Aiko sat alone in the lab, surrounded by stacks of research papers, vials of chemicals, and the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. Her fingers traced the rim of the single vial she had—the one sample of the cure.
It felt so small in her hands.
So small, yet it held the weight of the entire world.
She swallowed hard, eyes flickering over her notes, scanning the familiar formulas and calculations she had poured over for years. The process to mass-produce this serum wasn't impossible. Difficult, but not impossible.
But her mother's warning rang in her ears.
"If you push yourself too far, it could kill you."
Aiko exhaled sharply, shaking the thought from her head. It didn't matter. The world needed this cure. Humanity needed it.
She straightened, setting the vial down carefully before pushing herself up from the desk. There was one more thing she needed to do. She needed to know if it worked.
And there was only one person she trusted to help her with that.
➶ ➴ ➶ ➴➶ ➴➶
Aiko & Heeseung
Heeseung was in the storage area, going through their remaining supplies when she found him. His back was turned, hands sifting through a crate of ammunition, checking how much they had left.
She stood there for a second, just watching him. The steady rhythm of his movements, the way his muscles flexed beneath his worn-out shirt, the quiet determination in his posture.
Her chest ached.
If he knew the truth... if he knew what creating the cure could do to her—
No. She couldn't tell him.
Not now. Not ever.
Taking a breath, she stepped forward. "Heeseung."
He turned at the sound of her voice, his eyes instantly softening. "Hey, what's up?"
She held up the vial between her fingers. "I want to test it."
His brows furrowed as he studied the small container. "The cure?"
She nodded. "I only have this one dose. I need to see if it actually works."
Heeseung exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Aiko... are you sure about this?"
She nodded again, holding his gaze. "Yes. I need to know."
His jaw tensed, but he didn't argue. Instead, he reached out, his fingers brushing against her wrist as he took the vial from her. His touch was warm, grounding.
"Aiko," he murmured, voice softer now, "you've already done so much. More than anyone could ever ask of you."
