#cha hyunsu x lee eunyu

[aceurenard]

“thanks, though. you still came back to me.”

they really are each other's sweet home🥹🫶

[anime-and-arson]

What if women put aside their differences and kissed, like is that so hard

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 1. 04 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

My head was bobbing to the music that was playing through my headset while I was finishing doing the dishes. The rest of the day went by normally. Nobody was weird and everything was just normal.

Normal is all I needed right now in my life with not too much stress.

I turned around to grab something from the counter when my ears began to ring. Grabbing my headset I took it off thinking it was that, but it was still there.

"What the hell," I mutter when it got louder before completely disappearing.

Great, put that on the list with the other things I have.

My phone went off that was on my couch making me snap out of whatever that just was. When I grabbed it I saw that it was Ji-su. She asked if I could come to her apartment because she wanted to let me hear something that she made for a song we were working on. I typed yes, but also said I needed to change first because I was still in the clothes I wore to work.

I took a grey long-sleeved shirt from the chair that I had in my room slipping it on before taking the black dress with spaghetti straps from the door where it was hanging. Taking my phone from the counter I walked to the door and put on my black covers.

The moment I walked out the door something felt wrong. The air was so thick that it almost was hard to breathe. I could feel my stomach turn telling me that something was off. I had had this feeling before. Every time I walked into the orphanage and it was so quiet I could feel that something was wrong or something bad would happen.

Most of the time I would be right because quickly afterward there would be a fight in the orphanage where someone would be in danger and whatnot. I'm pretty sure I developed it because I have had to be in survival mode my whole life there. I always had to look over my shoulder making sure I was safe.

Quickly I just shrug it off telling myself that it's all in my head and that I'm safe here. I came around the corner where the elevators were and saw Eun-hyuk standing there.

"Hey, going to work?" I asked grabbing his attention.

"Yeah. You?" He asked pressing the button for the elevator.

"I'm going to hang out with a friend that lives upstairs." He nodded looking away before talking again.

"Do you know how Eun-yu paid for her lessons?" I gave him a confused look.

"Why would I know that?" I asked with a laugh at the end.

"You two hang out a lot and I'm pretty sure you're the only one she talked to for the last couple of months." A frown came to my face at first, but then it hit me.

She told me she quit her lessons, but I guess she doesn't want him to know that. I didn't want to lie to him because he was also my friend.

"Eun-hyuk you are putting me in a tough spot here. If I tell you I would betray Eun-yu's trust, but I also don't want to lie to you. It's like asking to choose between you guys," I said scratching the back of my head.

A chuckle left his lips while he looked down before looking back up at me.

"I admire your loyalty to my sister and my friendship. It makes you a good friend, which she needs because she hasn't had one in a while. Maybe you could keep her out of trouble as well." I was happy that he understood what I meant.

"Do you also need a good friend right now? Seeing how you're always working and stuff. I haven't really seen you do other stuff than that," I admitted looking down while playing with my hands.

"You already are a good friend to me." He answers after a few seconds of silence.

I look back up at him seeing him smile at me.

"You're a lot over at our place and you don't ignore me like Eun-yu wanted you to do. We have fun conversations about old video games we used to play or really serious once when you have to wait on Eun-yu because she disappeared again." I let out a chuckle nodding my head.

I can't count on my hands how many times Eun-yu had disappeared in the evening. It always results in a worrying Eun-hyuk standing at my door asking if I know where she is. Most of the time I help him go look for her or try to call her because she would answer more likely to me than him.

"I'm happy you think about it that way," I answer truthfully.

"Can you just do two things for me?" He asked and in response, I nodded my head.

"Can you take care of her when I'm not around? She has the habit of getting in trouble and she needs someone to pull her back when she's going to do something, well stupid." I laugh knowing he was right.

After knowing her for a few months I know her ways to do it.

"The second one?"

"Can you tell me when she did something dangerous even if she asks you not to?" A frown came to my face while I bit on my lip.

If it were my sister I would be worried too and I would be happy if someone could tell me if everything is already with her.

"Yeah, I can do that."

He smiled at me before looking at the elevator.

"That's weird."

With a confused look, I looked at him.

"What?"

He looks up and down the elevator door before answering.

"The elevator isn't here yet. It should have been here a few minutes ago." Because of the talking, we hadn't noticed that any sound or movement was coming from behind the elevator door.

Looking to my right I saw what was wrong.

"Look, it's under maintenance. It's the stairs for us today." I look back at him and see him letting out a deep sigh putting his hands on his neck before looking back up.

"I guess you're right." I let out a laugh while we began to make our way to the stairs.

"So how are you doing lately? Are you still having those nosebleeds?" I didn't intend to tell anyone about it, but a few days ago I was over at their apartment in the evening because Eun-yu wanted my help with something.

When suddenly my nose began to bleed.

A lot.

I was used to it by then, but they weren't. I tried to stop it at first with the tissues she had in her room, but when she saw that it didn't stop she yelled for her brother who came rushing into the room because she never yelled for him. She yelled at him to do something pointing at me which he did. Having a brother who got into medical school is always handy. The bleeding stopped, but I fainted quickly afterward.

I woke up the next day in Eun-yu's bed with her looking down at me. The first thing she said was that I scared the shit out of her before asking me if I was okay. Of course, after that, I had to tell them about how it has been happening for a few days now, but that I have no idea why and that I'm okay.

Eun-hyuk wanted me to go to the hospital and let them check if everything was alright, which I quickly said no to. I don't really like people touching me. It brings back bad memories.

"I'm actually fine. I haven't had a nosebleed or fainted in a day or so now." Which was a miracle because I had them a lot.

"That's great. If it would have lasted any longer I would have taken you myself to the hospital. It could have been something really dangerous." It could be, but it's over now. It was probably related to stress. Seeing how the last couple of months have been before and right after moving here.

"Ooooh, does Lee Eun-hyuk care for someone else than his sister? Eun-yu was wrong and you are a human with feelings and not some super smart robot someone had created to annoy her." I laugh teasing him.

He tried to hide his smile, but I could see the corner of his mouth move.

"Honestly, that is probably one of the more friendliest things she has called me." I laugh nodding at him.

We said goodbye to each other when we finally reached the stairs, both going different ways. Before I took my first step up I turned around yelling his name.

"Eun-hyuk, she isn't in any danger."

A frown came on his face not knowing what I meant.

"Her lessons. She didn't do anything stupid so don't worry about it."

I began to walk up the stairs hearing him chuckle before walking down.

I know that Eun-yu is adopted. She had told me that a few months ago. It was one of the first times she opened up to me. She had shown me a picture of them when they were little with their parents. I knew their parents had died in a car accident, but she hadn't told me that it was because they were on their way to her ballet performance that she begged she could go to.

She talked about how she was an orphan and that now she had made Eun-hyuk an orphan too. I had tried to comfort her, telling her that it wasn't her fault and stupid shit like that happens. I tried, but she didn't believe me. Maybe that was the right time to say that I was one too, but I didn't want to talk about my problems when she had just opened up to me.

My feet stopped walking when I came to the fourteenth floor. The door was open, but the thing that made me stop was the smear of blood that was on it. With slow steps, I began to make my way to it. Did someone get hurt here? I haven't heard anything unusual when I was home.

Carefully poking my head out the doorway I try to see if someone was there.

There was only silence which made things worse. The bad feeling in my stomach returned the moment I stepped a foot into the hallway. Everything seemed normal until I almost slipped on something. Lifting my foot from the ground I saw more blood. I looked up and saw that it was a trail.

Someone who was hurt must have come through here. I bite my lip debating whether to just turn around and get the guard, but then the thought of him being exhausted came back. Taking just a look never hurts someone. If someone is hurt I just call someone for help. Walking beside the blood trail I began to follow it.

The smell of metallic became stronger the more blood I found on the floor. I halted in my tracks when my ears began to ring again. It wasn't like the last time. This time it hurts my ears making me cover them with my hands thinking that they will begin to bleed. It lasted a few seconds before it died down.

Slowly I moved my hands from my hands afraid I would see blood, but there was nothing on them.

"What the hell?" I mutter out taking deep breaths.

My body spun around when I heard a sound from behind me. It sounded like someone was in pain, letting out a low groan.

"Hello? Do you need help?" I was about to make my way back from where the sound came from when someone stepped from behind the corner I just come from.

It was a girl, that was for sure, but the rest of her body was kinda hiding in the shadows because the light above her was broken.

"Hey, are you okay?"

A loud squeal came from her before I heard her voice.

"I'm so hungry." To my surprise, it sounded like the girl I bumped into today.

"Uhm, I don't have anything with me?" I said confused.

I didn't know if the blood was coming from her because she was so hidden in the dark, but when my eyes traveled down her hands I saw something dripping from her hands.

"So hungry."

She took a step forward, making me take a step back not trusting the situation at all.

My eyes widened when I saw her completely now. Her face was covered in blood around her mouth and nose. The blood was definitely coming from her. My body completely tensed up when I saw her hands. They were completely covered in a grey tint that was underneath the blood together with some black vines going up her arm.

I even think that her nails seemed longer than normal humans.

"I'm hungry."

I took a few steps back when her croaky voice came out.

"J...just stay there." I managed to get out my lips.

The girl let out a groan taking more steps forward. How can this be real? She doesn't look human at all. Is she pranking me because of earlier?

"I....I'm sorry I called you a bitch!" I yelled out taking faster steps backward.

My words didn't seem to go through her. My feet stepped on something crunchy, making me stop walking scared I stepped on something she had killed. My body froze completely when she began to charge at me with a loud chilling yell.

I braced myself for what she would do to me when there was the sound of a door opening beside me, a second later someone grabbed my arm pulling me away just seconds before the girl could get to me.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

——————————————-

Hey guys! I hope you guys are liking the story so far! A lot more chapters are coming! I’m going to update this every other day! So it’s going to be a long ride on this one!

[quack-quack-snacks]

MY DUDES. ONLY AN HOUR LEFT UNTIL SWEET HOME SEASON 3 COME OUT IN MY TIME ZONE IM SO EXCITED.

[tifa-and-rinoa]

“Thank you... for coming back to me.”

[akittyboy]

Another Life (part 3): the monster

Sweet Home FF | Hyunsu x Eunhyuk

And the truth is, Hyunsu feels annoyed for having been strung along by Eunhyuk's little spiel just now, so he gives in, just a tiny bit.

.

.

.

He rolls his broad shoulders menacingly and with one practiced motion shakes out his wing. The monster hisses in relief as a cluster of bristling, heavy bones falls with a loud thud against concrete, curved and trailing several feet beyond his back, sending a blast of chunky dust through the air. The force smacks against Eunhyuk's front, ruffling through his inky hair and causes him to blink harshly against the fine debris, before he manages to restore his blank expression.

Seems like Hyunsu finally got fed up with him. Eunhyuk's lips twitch faintly.

"Careful. Don't be too fast to jump to conclusions," the not-quite-Hyunsu warms with a crooked grin as he turns around and starts dragging the heavy thing behind him while he stalks forward, closing in on Eunhyuk, gaze bright and unyielding, a little feverish.

There are loud cracks and snaps among the vibrating bones — blades — feathers. A low hum that never ceases.

"I still want to kill you. Don't think I'll spare you just because you've been following Cha Hyunsu around like a goody-two-shoes. You're still a manipulative rat, even if you can't die as easily anymore."

The monster cocks his head to the side, the motion too sharp to be human, squinting at Eunhyuk. His dark eyes glimmer with a sheen of electric blue, brighter than the sky.

"Now, why don't you ask the question that you really want the answer to?"

Eunhyuk's expression doesn't betray any of his thoughts. With his hands still stuffed in the front pockets of his jacket, he merely tilts his head thoughtfully and hums low in his throat, keen eyes staring appraisingly at the macabre imitation of a wing attached to Hyunsu's human body.

It wouldn't be the first time. Eunhyuk always looks. Dissecting. Fascinated by the fact how a scrawny teenager has managed to overcome his fears and grow into such a fierce protector. He accomplished something that even a once human Eunhyuk, with his many years of meticulous studying and number of prized awards and scholarships, could never achieve. And perhaps, Hyunsu was already more compassionate than many other people could ever be when the gruesome infection first broke out. The monsterization might be a way to bring forth people's true nature, but the real monsters have always been there, hiding amongst them.

So each time Eunhyuk sees Hyunsu like this — teetering on the edge of his humanity, bearing the weight of everyone's agony like some martyr, trying to help all of these foolish, selfish people — it sends an apprehensive chill down his back. Because he's the last one left of them; the Green Home survivors. It's special. It has Eunhyuk's lungs in a harsh pinch whenever he's unable to confirm with his own eyes that Hyunsu hasn't completely lost himself to the disease of human desire. That he can still be a little awkward, soft spoken and sometimes a bit too shameless, but most of all stupidly stubborn and unexpectedly kind, to the point of sacrificing himself for the sake of others.

Sadly, the only one Hyunsu doesn't care about is himself. 

He's always ready to die, to slink away like a sick animal when no one watches.

Sometimes Eunhyuk wishes that he could just give Hyunsu a good shake, and then take his pain away, scrub the blood off his scarred hands to give him a clean slate. A new home. A different life.

But then Eunhyuk lets the numbness take over, feeling its cool fingers tickle over his rigid mind, erasing the taste of charcoal on his tongue and nothing of this truly matters.

Eunhyuk adjusts his stance to better face Hyunsu's looming form, legs apart and shoulders at ease under his puffy windbreaker jacket. He's not looking to pick a fight, but Hyunsu's monster always makes a fairly good attempt at worming his way in under his skin.

"Thanks, and you're just as annoying as ever, but don't worry, I'll take all of that as a compliment. Doesn't it hurt to bring it out, though?" Eunhyuk asks with a glance at the wing, disregarding the rest of the monster's provoking spiel. "Just because you can, doesn't really mean you should. You'll be completely useless if you tire yourself out before we even get started. Didn't you want to check if there's any monsters worth bringing back to their human state in this area?"

Eunhyuk nudges his head pointedly in the direction of the overgrown forest, looming beyond the road dotted with overturned cars and the abandoned ruins of the suburbs they've chosen as their temporary holdout.

Hyunsu's deadly feathers bristle for being told off, immediately standing on end. The whispers grow louder, dripping with saccharine venom, coating his mind with oozing blackness. Let me take full control... Let me teach him a lesson... Together we're much stronger than him. He can't keep us trapped anymore. Imagine the wonderful screams splitting from his lips as we rip his chest apart and crush his breastbone into pieces. The bones in his wing rattle menacingly against each other like planks of wood, like loose teeth. The closer Hyunsu draws, the more he manages to tower over Eunhyuk, casting a shadow over his face. He smells of raging fire, like an inferno, full of sulfur and ash, and Eunhyuk tries not to choke on it.

Hyunsu's eyes have been reduced to two pinpricks of icy blue at this rate and that's how Eunhyuk definitely knows he's lost Hyunsu to the monster — for now. It never lasts long. Hyunsu is strong.

"What's this? I didn't know you cared that much about your little hunting dog. Have you been practicing how to get into touch with your emotions? Uprooting some useless memories again?" The monster drawls with an arrogant tilt to his chin, upper lip curling disdainfully. "You know, it's rude to give false hope. You're not exactly in any state to run a charity here."

He drags his wing closer to his body with a loud scrape against concrete as he speaks, unsettling a few birds that immediately take flight across the sky. The well-defined muscles in his shoulder strain under the scraps of his shredded sweater, working overtime as he raises the cumbersome thing and hurls it into the air. Eunhyuk doesn't move out of the way and if the monster is surprised by that, he doesn't show it. The cluster of singed spikes and bones sprout with loud squelches, reaching even further as they curve and fold around Eunhyuk's frame with reverberating creaks and snaps, cutting him off from the rest of the world. 

Eunhyuk looks on with disinterest at the way the giant wing trembles with restraint around him. The monster is visibly impatient to crush him to a pulp, to push the vibrating blades into his flesh and destroy the source for Hyunsu's strength. Yet, he doesn't, just forces Eunhyuk to hold still and be at his mercy within the deadly cradle of his wing.

Eunhyuk doesn't mind. He knows that Hyunsu is in there somewhere. 

And even if something does happen, then he wouldn't have it any other way. At this rate, they've seen and done too much. Dying now or later wouldn't matter.

An especially ugly spike singes way too close to Eunhyuk's left eye and a giddy leer splits Hyunsu's face apart like an ugly mask when the monster within notices with keen interest how Eunhyuk doesn't even flinch, holding his ground resolutely. Perhaps merely ripping his chest apart and breaking all of his ribs wouldn't be satisfying enough. There has to be something that would make him sob and writhe disgracefully in the dirt at their feet.

"Hyunsu is not a dog," Eunhyuk states calmly, closely watching the beast before him.

"Right," the monster replies wryly, ripping his gaze away from the tiny laceration that now mars the highest point of Eunhyuk's cheek, right below one of his sharp eyes. "I'm not sure whether I should feel insulted or grateful for your sentiment after all this time. But I bet Hyunsu will appreciate it more. He's such a simple guy," the monster shakes his head ruefully with a dramatic sigh, dark locks of hair fluttering around his face. "Give him a hand and he'll happily take the whole arm. He's quite laughable, really. Clinging to you two like some lovesick puppy..." He chuckles, glancing down. "Even I can't stand him sometimes, and we share the same space. How pathetic."

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to stay alive," Eunhyuk says patiently, not allowing the monster get a rise out of him, nor letting him unnecessarily insult Hyunsu. "If we somehow helped him to live through this whole collective nightmare, then I'm glad. I'm sure Eunyu feels the same. Hyunsu saved our lives on many occasions, and not only us, but many other people as well. It's only right that we pay him back now. Please don't belittle him like that."

"Tch..." Hyunsu's face contorts into a grimace, lips twisting with distaste. But then the monster perks up, blue eyes shining with glee. His gaze sweeps along Eunhyuk's tall body from head to toe thoughtfully. "If paying back is what you want... then should I tell you about his desire? What he's most afraid of gaining and losing? Cha Hyunsu is a part of me, after all."

"I'd rather have Hyunsu tell me himself." 

Eunhyuk holds his ground. They have already crossed so many blurred lines, at least with this one they should perhaps go about it the right way — if there even is a right way for anything like that.

The monster pouts. "Now look who's the one not being any fun. You know, it makes me upset, the way you two always talk through me, playing your little avoidance game. And then bitch and moan about all the deaths you've caused, using that as an excuse. Well, how sad for you two—" He giggles shrilly. "Your human lives are so tragic. Why do you always complicate things so much?"

Eunhyuk huffs dryly but lets the monster rant, waiting for him to get it out of his system. Nowadays, he mostly acts out when Hyunsu is upset, so in a twisted way, it's Hyunsu trying to tell Eunhyuk something that he otherwise couldn't or were too hesitant at to initiate.

Other times it was just the monster playing shrewd tricks on them.

"Are you done?" Eunhyuk asks cooly when there's a lapse in the monologue, subconsciously pleased to see the monster clench his jaw and look away, for once having no snide comeback. "I take that as a yes. So, what is that you want me to do? Never mind Hyunsu."

"I want you gone and out of Hyunsu's life," the monster spits at him. The bonelike feathers tremble threateningly around Eunhyuk with repressed force, the smell of ash and sulfur spiking in the air. "Stop stringing him along. He's better off without you."

The months spent in wilderness with little Yisu have been so far the best time of their lives. There had been no sketchy schemes to use Hyunsu as a specimen for unsolicited research, no entitled humans greedily demanding his help, who then in the blink of an eye turn their backs on him and try to kill Hyunsu in a stroke of white fear when they get a glimpse of his other self. In the blaze of summer heat, it had been just the orange sun shining on their backs and an endless horizon, void of any humans, stretching before them as they hand-in-hand waddled unhurriedly through the tall, wispy grass by the river bank. 

He wants that moment back.

"Are you sure? It sounds more like you're just jealous because you don't get any attention from either of us. Why don't you stop acting like a petulant child and fully accept Hyunsu, the way he's let you in?" Eunhyuk challenges as he takes a forceful step forward right into the monster's personal space, past the long feathers that claw at his clothes and into the curve of his bristling wing where the spikes are smaller, sharper, more lethal. Where the scorching air is hard to breathe, coating the depths of his barren soul.

<< previous part | next part >>

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 2. 04 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

Hyun-su must have felt that I wasn't following him because he turned back around looking at me confused. My breath began to quicken because I had no idea where the monster could be. He made his way back to me asking.

"What's wrong?"

I shook my head lightly.

"I think there's a monster nearby," I said looking around.

"But I don't hear anything through the earbuds?"

Was I wrong?

Maybe I'm just scared and stressed so I was hearing and feeling things that aren't there.

"You're right le..." Before I could finish Hyun-su had covered my mouth with his hand, before pointing to his earbud.

I was confused for a second before understanding that he was hearing something. He let go of me while we looked around for a place to hide. I tapped his shoulder nodding my head to the halve-open elevator. Quickly we made our way to it trying to be as quiet as possible.

The elevator shook a little when we dropped in on it, but it quickly stopped. Both sitting on each side we began to wait for whatever was out there. For a second it was quiet before I heard a similar voice and sentence.

"I can't see."

I closed my eyes resting my head against the elevator wall. Why can't that stupid monster just stay away from us? Together with his groaning and speaking, I could hear something scraping against the wall. My best guess was his long nails. He was probably trying to feel around where he was.

I opened my eyes again and saw a camera hanging in the corner of the elevator.

I was hoping that someone was watching and they would send help, but that had a low chance of happening. I heard it walk by slowly groaning further.

Suddenly the lights went out leaving us in a darker elevator.

My eyes went to Hyun-su and saw him covering his noise, which made me confused before the filthy stench reached my mouth. It took me everything to not just poke right here and now. Quickly I covered my nose trying to think about something else. The both of us looked at each other asking one another if we could move again.

I bit my lip watching Hyun-su stand up trying to look outside if something was there, but the moment he was in front of the opening the monster appeared. It tried to get in to grab whoever was there, but when it felt that it didn't fit, its arm shot out just like in the apartment hitting the box with rotten fish that were the source of the horrible smell.

For a second we just sat there, before I raised my axe hacking a part of his root arm off. It let out a scream having its guard completely down. Hyun-su took the chance to stab it, pushing it away when electrocuting it. He quickly jumped out grabbing my hand to pull me faster out of the elevator, so that we had a head start on the monster.

We turn a corner trying not to slip on the floor while running further. I could hear the groans coming closer. Something in my stomach said to look behind me and when I did I saw the root arm coming in our direction.

"Down!" I yelled pushing Hyun-su down.

We had just touched the ground when the root hit the wall above our heads. To my surprise, more branches of root came out of it hitting everything around us and making stuff fall on us. One of the roots shot just in between our heads missing us barely. I swallow thickly looking at the branches with widened eyes.

"Where are you?" The roots retracted, hitting more stuff on the way back.

Licking my chapped lips I stood up and crawled to the corner trying to see how far it was. My eyes widened when I saw it coming closer to us. I felt Hyun-su crouching down beside me probably having the same expression on his face. My thoughts were racing to try to find a way to get past it or distract it when Hyun-su threw two little balls from the ground in its direction.

We watch how confused he was about where the noise was coming from, swatting in the air trying to catch something. I wanted to speak up saying that we could sneak past him when Hyun-su jumped up and ran at the monster. For a second I thought that he was abandoning me here until he launched his spear into the monster's back.

I walk closer and hear the monster grunt and groan underneath the noise that the spear is making. Hyun Su had a thought grip on his spear to make sure he would stab the monster hard. After a few seconds, Hyun-su pulled back retracting his spear with him.

The monster fell to the ground with a hard thud sound while letting out some groans and moans. Mr, Han was right. You can't kill them only hurt or stun them for a bit, so you have a chance to run away. Hyun-su was breathing hard when he turned around to face me. His eyes were big like he didn't believe he just did that.

"You okay?" I asked concerned.

He nodded his head before looking back down at the monster. It was still grunting, making little movements.

"L....let's go." He breathed out looking back at me.

I gave him a nod before going in the direction we had to go to get to the kids.

We ran further down a hallway that led to the outside where there was another pair of stairs. With quick steps and even jumping over a step to get faster to the thirteen floors, we finally made it. Walking into a hallway I stopped for a second to see where we needed to go.

"Is there another nearby?" I hear Hyun-su whisper from behind me.

I shook my head no.

"No, I was just looking at which way we needed to go. It's my first time coming from these stairs, so it's a little confusing about where we needed to go." I explain still looking around.

I finally recognized a poster hanging on one of the walls, so I knew where we were.

"This way. Come on!" I began to run hearing his footsteps following me.

We turned two corners before finally coming to the kid's door. We both took deep breaths trying to catch our breaths before we would knock on the door. I knocked on the door hoping not to be too loud so that nothing could hear us. I bite my lip trying to hear something.

They can't be gone right? I don't want to imagine what those monsters would do to those two kids. Hyun-su raised his hand knocking again. We waited in silence again, but there was just nothing. With concerned looking eyes, I look at Hyun-su. He was still trying to hear if something was there.

He knocked again, but this time he said something as well.

"Kids. We're here to help you." His voice was low trying not to be too loud, but that only made it more scary for the kids who were all alone in there.

"Su-Yeong, Yeong-Su? It's me, Mi-na, open the door." I looked at Hyun-su thinking that the worst had happened to them when I heard quick footsteps approach the door.

Not a second later the door swung open and a pair of arms were hugging my lower body.

"Noona!" Yeong-Su cried looking up at me with his big eyes.

I gave him a soft smile caressing his head.

"Let's go inside first. It's much safer there."

The two kids nodded turning back inside. Yeong-Su grabbed my hand tightly dragging me with him. My eyes met Hyun-su's who looked at me with gloomy eyes, before following us inside. The two kids looked at him kind of scared not knowing who he was.

"This is Hyun-su. He's going to help us." The two kids nod their heads before saying hello to him with a bow.

Hyun-su had an uncomfortable smile on his face not really knowing what to do. It was pretty dark inside, so we set up some candles on the floor sitting around them. Su-Yeong made me sit close next to her, while Yeong-Su sat on my lap. Hyun Su took a seat in front of us.

Yeong-Su was the first one to speak up and to my surprise, it was a question for Hyun Su.

"Sir. Please save our dad."

My breath hitched when those words left his mouth.

"What?" Hyun-su asked, not sure what he was asking.

"Dad fell down."

A crushed look came to Hyun-su's face, before looking down.

"I know." He mutters out.

"Maybe he's still...."

Su-Yeong started but was quickly cut off by him.

"Nobody can survive a fall from the twelfth floor."

I hit his knee, giving him a scolding look.

"Seriously?" I mutter out.

The two began to cry quietly holding onto one another.

"Hey, look at me."

They looked up at me with teary-eyed faces.

"There's a man on the fourteen floor." I started.

"He has a lot of food." Hyun-su finished.

The two kids looked up at him.

"You're hungry, aren't you?"

They both nodded their head looking at him.

"You won't stay here by yourselves, will you?" I asked a second later.

This time they shook their heads at me and I could feel their grip tighten on me. I looked at Hyun-su and saw that he had the same anxious look on his face had like me. We had seen what was out there. Hyun-su and I barely made it ourselves, but now we have two kids with us.

"We need to go into the hall where monsters are running wild." He explained to the two terrified kids.

"Are you ready?" I asked them rubbing their arms softly.

Neither of them said anything back.

Hyun-su let out a deep breath before asking.

"How old are you guys?"

"I'm nine years old and my brother is six," Su-Yeong explained to him.

Too young to have to go through things like this.

He gave the two a comforting smile before speaking up.

"Those are perfect ages to fight monsters."

Yeah, imagery monsters, not these.

Also, it was the first time I saw Hyun-su smile. I was so used to his emotionless face that it surprised me to see him with one. His gaze met mine and I quickly looked away, not wanting to be caught staring at him.

I cleared my throat before speaking

"let's go then. The sooner we're there the sooner we can fill these bellies with food." With at the end

Their smiles vanished when they looked behind Hyun-su at the door. He looked behind him before looking back at the kids. His hand went to Yeong-su's shoulder saying.

"Don't worry. We'll protect you two." I nodded my head agreeing with him.

With my arms still wrapped around them I pull them closer to me giving them a little squeeze. Hyun-su tried to not look worried, but it wasn't working. I can't blame him, I have probably the same look on my face as him. The lives of these kids were in our hands, so saying that this was a big responsibility was an understatement.

All of us stood up ready to start our journey back to the fourteenth floor. Hyun-su and I agreed that I should be in the front with him at the end, making sure the kids were safe between us. I took one last breath before opening the door. Just like every other time, I made sure that nothing was there before opening the door completely.

The hall was silent, the only things you could hear were our footsteps and our breaths. We came to the stairs to make our way to Mr. Han. With creaking noise, I open the door mentioning the kids to go inside, with me following behind them.

Instead of hearing the door closing, I heard Hyun-su gasp and groan.

"Stay here," I told the kids making my way back down the few stairs.

When I came around the corner I saw Hyun-su leaning against the door holding his right arm while blood ran down his nose.

"Hyun-su." I breathe out.

He let out a groan while more blood ran down his face.

"Hyun-su? Look at me."

"Stay away from me!"

I shook my head quickly.

I don't like the idea of separating nor do I want to leave him behind like this.

"Hyun....."

I started going closer to him but was quickly cut off by him.

"Take the kids to safety! Go!" He yelled before closing the door on me with a bang.

I put my hand on the door still hearing him groan, because of the pain he was in. I really don't want to leave him, but just like he said I needed to take the kids to safety. I'll bring them to Mr. Han and quickly come back for him.

"Come on kids let's go," I said turning around.

Yeong-su grabbed my hand before we began to make our way up the stairs.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

——————————————————

Hey, guys! I’m so happy that you guys are liking the story! I love all the comments you are leaving behind and although I’m not answering them I really love them! I try to answer some of them when I have time! Thank you so much again

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 10. 03 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

I sat against the wall next to the closet door. I wasn't in the mood to be locked in there, but I needed some peace after what just had happened.

Because of the pain I took from the green blob monster, I felt so much better than before. The headache was gone completely now, which made me happy.

I was twirling the bloody bandage from my head in my hands while thinking about everything.

Why would Hyun-su react like this?

What was that guy playing at?

Something must have happened up there.

"Hey." I snapped out of my thoughts when Hyun-su spoke up.

I was actually surprised to see him here, let alone without that guy.

"Hey," I breathe out.

"Where is your new friend?" I asked with an eyebrow raised.

Hyun-su looked behind him before looking down at me.

"Somewhere."

I nodded my head slowly before looking back down at my hands.

For a few seconds, he just stood there looking down at me before speaking up again.

"I wanted to talk to you." My eyes went back to him nodding my head for him to continue.

"They probably have told you that he is just like us, right?"

"They also have told me that he killed his own men."

I watched as Hyun-su clenched his jaw before talking again. Now in a much colder tone.

"He saved me up there."

I narrowed my eyes looking at him waiting for him to continue.

"He told me that monsters and humans can't coexist together and after what had happened earlier with that green slime monster I agreed with him."

A frown came to my face before I shook my head.

"They were scared. You can't blame them for being scared?"

"What if they become scared of you and me in the future? Are you going to let them kill you or me?!" He snapped at me.

I was kind of surprised by him raising his voice.

"They wouldn't and you know that. Just put yourself in their shoes. What would you do if you were completely human in this situation, huh? Wouldn't you be scared too? Scared people do stupid stuff."

Hyun-su let out a groan shaking his head seeing that I wasn't agreeing with him.

For a few seconds, he stood there thinking before kneeling down in front of me.

"Ui-myeong he wants to leave this place to find more like us."

Good for him let him go.

He won't bother us then.

"He asked me if I wanted to come with him. Come with us, with me, away from here."

What?

Away from Green Homes?

I can't just leave here. Ji-su, Eun-yu, Mister Han, Eun-hyuk, and the kids are here? I don't want to leave any of them behind like that.

"Who's going to protect these people if we are gone?"

Hyun-su shook his head.

"They don't need us. We have been their hounds long enough. Let them do their own dirty work."

I opened my mouth to say something but closed it quickly.

I can't understand why Hyun-su turned against the people here. I know they have hurt him in the past, but they all accepted him now.

Not all the people here wanted to use him.

"Hyun-su." I started looking at how he was hopefully waiting for my answer.

"I can't. I can't just leave them like that. They are my friends. For the first time in my life, I have found some people who like me and treat me like I'm a human being."

"But you aren't human neither am I."

I don't know why he wants to leave here.

"Don't you want to be with me?"

I was surprised by those words and what they could mean.

Do I want to leave everyone that I care about and who cares about me to be with Hyun-su?

Do I want to leave my makeshift family I have created here?

I don't want him to leave at all. If I could I would go with him, but there are too many people here who I care about that I don't just want to leave behind like this.

To be honest I don't think Hyun-su wants to leave either.

I think he's just scared.

I know that he cares for the people here as much as I do. It's just that guy Ui-myeong who has planted doubts in his mind.

"No," I whisper with a shaky breath.

"No, if it means that I have to leave the people who care about me behind."

He was taken back for a second, but his shocked expression soon changed to his old emotionless gaze.

Without saying anything he stood up. This was not what I wanted.

"Hyun-su, wait." I stood up grabbing his arm, but he pulled back.

"Don't." He replied coldly.

"Hyun-su please, just listen. I don't know what that guy has told you, but it isn't true!"

He turns around to face me.

"He has shown me the truth about humans." I shook my head.

"No, not everyone is bad! Just like there aren't all bad monsters! Why are you believing this guy over the people here?" I tried to explain to him, but it didn't seem to work.

"The people who used and locked me up here like some animal?!" He yelled at me.

I clenched my jaw taking a deep breath.

"Please, Hyu..."

"Why did I expect you to listen to me? You're just as bad as them. If you had really cared about me you would have told me and everyone else the truth about you being a monster as well, but I guess you were too scared to be used and locked up just as was. You're just like everyone else."

I was too shocked to speak.

How could he say that? He knows that I wanted to! I didn't have a choice.

For a few seconds, he just looked at my heartbroken stare before he turned and walked away. 

The moment he turned the corner tears began to spill on my cheek.

Why was he like this?!

How could he be so cruel?

He knows that I tried every time to help him!

"It's odd that you choose humans over monsters."

My head shot up when I heard an unfamiliar voice.

"It's odd you would think I would choose someone like you over people I care about." I snapped back.

He let out a chuckle before he began to walk towards me.

"So you don't care about Hyun-su? The poor boy looked devastated when he passed me a couple of seconds ago."

My eyes followed his every move not trusting him one bit.

"I do care about him, more than you think, but I won't let someone fill my head with lies."

He let out a loud laugh circling me.

"I didn't tell him one lie. I just opened his eyes so that he would see the real world, why can't you see it? Don't you see that these people are just using you two? They would be dead in seconds if you weren't here."

I let out a scoff shaking my head.

"Trust me I know what the real world is. These people are my family and you don't know one fucking thing about them or me!"

He stopped walking when he was back in front of me. My eyes followed his hand when he grabbed something from his pocket before handing me a red paper.

"Are you sure they see you as their family? Aren't you a little afraid they will sacrifice you the minute they learn they don't need you anymore?"

With frown brows, I look down at the piece of paper before opening it.

My eyes caned the page reading everything carefully. It was a military announcement. They will offer safety and shelter if you offer them a special infectie. Someone like me.

"So are you still so sure about these people?" I look back up at him seeing him smirk at me.

With a clenched jaw, I crumble the piece of paper before pushing it back into his hands.

"Yes, now why don't you just leave? You don't want to be here and we don't want you here. Be smart and go before I'll make you."

Ui-myeong raised his brows with an amused smile on his face.

"Why? Are you scared I'll hurt your so-called friends?" My hands turned into fists seeing how cocky he was.

"You better don't touch anyone here. I'll make sure you regret the moment you step foot in this building. Now be wise and go. Don't take my threat as a bluff." The smile never left his face.

It only grew.

With his hands up like he would surrender himself he took a few steps back.

"Okay, I get it." He was about to turn around when he spoke up a final time.

"Black looks good on you, to be honest." With that, he walked away leaving me behind in anger.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

———————————————————-

Hey guys! Theirs only 1 chapter left and an epilogue. The next chapter is going to be long! I first wanted to split it in two, but I didn’t really like it, so it’s going to be one long one. I hope you guys enjoy it, bye!

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 1. 03 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

The empty look in his eyes, his unkempt appearance, and standing on the edge.

It was all too familiar to me.

"Yours?" She asked the boy while peeling off the gum.

I began to put my guitar back in the case while listening to their conversation, well you can't really call it a conversation. The only thing he had said the entire time was no. I put the case on my back before walking over to them just in time to hear Eun-yu say.

"I thought handsome guys weren't loners. But maybe you're just an asshole." She chuckled in the end before putting a cigarette in her mouth.

"Eun-yu!" I hissed to her from below her feet.

I looked back at the boy to see his reaction, but he still had the same emotionless look on his face. Eun-yu spoke up again when he began to walk to the stairs.

"Don't die here." Again I looked back up at her with a scolding look on my face, but she just ignored it talking again.

"You'll just end up causing trouble for everyone else who lives here. Jump off somewhere else." It didn't seem to affect the boy cause he just walked away down the stairs.

"Eun-yu! What's wrong with you!" I snapped at her looking up at her from in front of the door where she was sitting.

She inhaled before speaking blowing the smoke out.

"I'm not wrong! These people here are already miserable enough that we don't need a dead body on top of that or on the ground seeing he was probably going to jump off."

I let out a frustrating groan shaking my head at her.

"That doesn't give you permission to be an bitch to him!" She stared down at me with an unbothered look on her face while blowing smoke out of her mouth.

"Sometimes you go too far," I mutter before running down the stairs hoping I could catch the boy before he was gone.

I thought it would be easy to catch up with him, but when I came to the bottom of the stairs he wasn't there. Quickly I ran further down the hall hoping to see him around the corner. I came to a halt when I ran around the corner only to see him walking down the hallway.

"Hey! You!" I shouted hoping to get his attention and to my luck, he came to a stop turning around.

Quickly I jogged over to him letting out a deep breath.

"Hey, I just wanted to say sorry for my friend. She can be a bitch, so don't take it too personally." I admitted hoping he would understand.

For a few seconds, he looked at me before quietly saying.

"It's okay."

Without saying another word he began to walk further again leaving me perplexed behind. Blinking a few times to process his dry answer I shook my head before walking behind him in a quick pass.

"You must be the new resident that moved into 1410. I'm Yun Mi-na. I live below you in apartment 1310." I thought he would tell me his name, but all I got was a yes not even looking at me.

I press my lips together debating if I should ask more or if he would get mad for asking too much stuff.

"What's your name?" I asked softly asked looking a little up at him.

Seeing that he was a bit taller than me. I'm 1,75 meters and he is easily about ten centimeters taller than me if he isn't even taller than that.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I understand." I quickly spoke seeing him looking at me.

"Cha Hyun-su." Just like before his voice was quiet, but I heard it and that was all that mattered.

"It's nice to meet you, Hyun-su. Do you live alone?" I could see him swallow thickly which made me think I hit something sensitive.

"Yeah, alone." I nodded my head giving him a soft smile, but he wasn't really looking at me.

"Me too. For a few months now." The last word came out as a whisper.

It was still hard to know that I was just alone. I had to blink a few times trying to get rid of the tears that appeared in my eyes before looking back up at him.

"Hey, let me give you something." To my surprise, he came to a stop when I stopped.

I grabbed my case and took a pen and some paper from the side pocket that I always had in it just in case I wanted to write a new melody down. Quickly I wrote my number down before giving it to him. Slowly he grabbed it before looking down at it.

"There, you can call or text whenever you want. I don't really sleep much so you can even do it at night." I just know what he was going through. He seemed like he needed some company.

He was just an emotionless shell right now and seeing how he was standing on the edge of the building just a few minutes ago I knew that he wasn't here for long.

"Uhm, thanks." I hear him mumble while he looks down at the piece of paper.

We began to walk again, but in silence now, which I didn't mind.

When we came around the corner we both stopped when we saw the security guard trying to look inside the peephole of a door.

"What are you doing?" Hyun-su spoke walking up to the guard.

I could see the number now and saw that it was his.

"I asked you to come by the office, but I guess you forgot."

The guard got something stuck in his nose. My best guess was because of a nosebleed, it was something I always did when I had one.

"You need to fill out a registration document."

Hyun-su looked up at him for a few seconds before answering with a short reply.

"I'll go later." Before moving to his door to open it.

He was about to go in when the guard stopped him. I could tell that he wasn't going to back down so I quickly jumped in between them.

"Hey mister, I totally forgot when I walked past your office yesterday to thank you for helping me so quickly with my door," I spoke with a soft voice giving him a big smile.

"Oh, that is nothing."

I shook my head.

"No, no, no, it is not nothing. I know that you have a lot of work here and you have to do things on your own, so I'm really grateful for it." I now thanked him with a smile and bow.

The guard began to talk about his boss and how he expected him to do work that wasn't his. So while he kept on blabbering I put my hand on my back pointing my finger at Hyun-su's door, signaling him to get inside. I kept on my big smile while the guard talked further hoping Hyun-su would get the message. The sound of the code came from behind me soon followed by the sound of a door closing shut.

The guard stopped to look behind me.

"I guess I have to try again later."

I just gave him a nod before walking past him to bump into someone.

"I'm sorry," I mumble bowing starting to walk backward.

"Wacht where you going!" The girl snapped before she continued talking on her phone and walking away.

"Bitch." I mutter under my breath rubbing my arm where we collided.

My eyes went to Hyun-su's door and saw the guard still standing there just like when we found them. Why is everybody so moody and weird today? I turned around and walked away hoping that the rest of the day would be normal. I took a look at my phone and saw that I was going to be late to meet Ji-su.

"Shit!" I cursed begging to run to my room.

The elevator would take too long so I quickly took the stairs down. Luckily I didn't need to go up, I would not survive running up the stairs. With deep breaths, I came to my door and quickly opened it. I needed to switch guitars because I couldn't go to work with my acoustic one. Taking the case from my shoulder I open it and put the guitar against the wall before taking the electric one from the stand beside it.

Trying not to damage anything I rush everything in the case before closing it and swinging back on my shoulder. Walking out the door I looked at my phone to see if I would be late, but because I was fast I had some minutes to spare. With an easy pass, I walk to the elevator pushing the bottom to get him down.

It finally arrived and to my surprise, I saw Ji-su in it together with Jae-heon standing next to her. They both had awkward looks on their faces, but it changed to relief when they saw me.

"Is there still room for me?" I asked with a smile.

Ji-su quickly nodded grabbing my arm tightly before dragging me onto the elevator.

"Hey, Jae-heon, are you going to church?" I asked while the doors closed.

Of course, he's going to church it's a Sunday he always goes, but I needed to say something because it was too awkward for a little space like this.

"Yes, do you want to join me?" He already knows my answer because I always give the same one.

"No, I'm good, but thanks for asking."

He let out a little laugh nodding his head.

The first time I said that to him he went on a whole thing that God doesn't judge and that he loves all of us. I'm thankful that he wanted to make me feel better, but religion isn't for me. Jae-heon is a nice man that had helped me a lot when I first moved here. He was the first person I met who wanted to talk to me, so I'm very grateful.

I was standing behind the two and I could see Ji-su shuffling from one leg to another which told me that she wanted to get out of there as soon as possible. The sound of salvation came together with the door opening. Before I could even mutter out a word Ji-su grabbed my arm dragging me behind her.

I turn around to Jae-heon saying a quick goodbye with a wave before Ji-su could drag me out of sight.

"What was that all about?" I asked when we exited the building where she finally let me go.

"Nothing. Shut up." She muttered walking away from me with her head low so I couldn't see her face, which made me laugh.

Previous chapter ~ Next chapter

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 3. 04 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

Ji-su was the first one to stand guard well the rest of us slept. Well not all of us. After what just happened with waking up like that, I wasn't in the mood to sleep or risk for another episode to happen and waking everyone up.

They all need their sleep. I'm used to a long time not sleeping.

"You should sleep," Ji-su whispers looking down at me.

"Sure and then I can scream everyone awake when it's time to get up, besides I'm used to not sleeping," I said with a fake smile on my face.

Ji-su let out a sigh knowing I wouldn't listen to her.

After a while, she spoke up again.

"Is this way you sometimes look really tired, because you don't sleep?" For a few seconds, I look into her eyes before looking down bringing my knees to my chest.

"Maybe," I mutter out, but she still hears it.

My eyes went back to her when she took a seat in front of me.

"Do you..."

She stopped for a second to think about what she would say next.

"Always wake up like that?"

I nodded my head.

"Pretty much yeah, but most of the time I end up on the floor because I trash a lot in my sleep. My neighbors really love me."

She let out a small chuckle looking away for a second before looking back at me.

"Did you always have those dreams?"

I bite the inside of my cheek shaking my head.

"It started a few months ago."

I pause for a second taking a deep breath.

"Something had happened before I moved here. I think that it's the reason I have them."

She nodded her head inspecting my face trying to see if she could see more that I was letting out.

"It's also the reason you moved countries."

I have never told her why I moved here, even Eun-yu doesn't know. It's not like they have ever asked me why, which, to be honest, I was happy with.

"Yes," I answer.

"It must be something big if you moved to a whole other continent instead of a new city."

I shrug my shoulders, putting my head on my knees.

"Something like that," I whisper out.

Ji-su could probably tell I didn't want to talk more about it because she stood up looking at her phone. I guess it was time to switch guards. I have offered to stand guard the whole night, but they said I had to sleep too.

"I lived in an orphanage my whole life with an awful woman of a caretaker who loved to beat the kids for the littlest thing, and that was one of the nicest things she did," I spoke up when she walked past me to wake up the next person.

She stopped in her tracks before turning around to me. I was looking at the wall in front of me, but I could see her in the corners of my eyes.

"When I was legally going to turn an adult in the U.S. she would have sold me off to one of her old church friends so I could become his wife. Those people from that church are just as bad as her. So you can only imagine what my life would have been if I had stayed there." It was the first time I have ever said it out loud and even I can't believe it.

"I'm sorry." I hear Ji-su mutter.

I shrug my shoulders.

"It's okay. You deserve to know as well, you're one of my best friends. I wanted you to know it for a long time, but I never knew how to say it." My vision began to get blurry because of the tears that were forming in them, but I wasn't in the mood to cry.

I could hear Ji-su opening her mouth to say something but spoke up before she could.

"Go, you need to sleep. Wake up the next person." I guess she got the hint that I didn't want to talk about it anymore because she turned waking up Hyun-su.

I listened to how they talked about Hyun-su being infected and asking each other to kill them if they fully turned. I was basically sitting at the door with my face toward the bathroom door, so Hyun-su had to stand in front of me where Ji-su stood a few seconds ago.

I was staring at the door thinking what we should do next. Should we stay here or go look for other survivors? Mr. Han has enough food for now, but with all of us here it would be gone soon.

Tomorrow we need to make a plan for what to do next. We can't just sit here waiting to die or for someone to turn into a monster.

"I'm kind of an orphan too."

I look up at Hyun-su when he mutters something.

I wasn't sure if he was saying it to me or not.

"What?" I asked confused.

He looked down at the ground not giving me one look.

"I heard you talk with Ji-su. My family died in a car crash not that long ago." I looked at him surprised.

I wouldn't have thought he would say that. Not that his family's dead, but him talking about his life and past. We only met one or two days ago. I honestly don't know anymore at this point.

He was never the one who would start a conversation, let alone talk about himself. All I know for sure was his name, that he loves gaming, and loves ramyeon. That's it. He looks more like a closed-off person, so I didn't expect this.

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said loud enough for him to hear it, but not to wake up the others.

It was silent for a second before speaking up again.

"Is that why you wanted to jump off the building?" He looked up, but his back was still facing me.

"You don't have to tell me, but I know why you would do it. Hell, even I have tried to end my life, but I guess chucking two bottles of vodka and a bottle of sleeping pills just won't do it for me. I woke up with a massive headache and stomach ache in the hospital the next day. Let's just say I was disappointed that I was still breathing after that. It's a wonder people had even found me."

I was looking at the wall again thinking about the time I first got here. I had tried to live on, but I couldn't do it. I was just so scared they would find me and I just couldn't forget everything that had happened. I managed to get my hands on the vodka and pills and I just did it without thinking more about it.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Hyun-su turn around to look at me. To my surprise, he took a seat beside me leaving some space so he could still see the door.

"I don't know anymore. There were a lot of reasons why I wanted to jump off."

I nodded my head looking at him.

"I get it. Life can be messed up. People are monsters if they want to be." I stopped speaking for a bit.

Who am I kidding?

My whole life was a mess.

"I guess it doesn't matter anymore now," I mutter out laying my head against the wall behind me.

"I guess not." I hear him whisper leaving us in total silence afterwards.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 1. 05 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

Quickly I turned around and to my surprise, I saw Hyun-su closing the door with a bang.

We were both taking deep breaths from what just had happened. His back was facing me, but I could tell that he probably had the same scared expression on his face as me.

Both too scared that the girl would hear us we stood there in silence looking at the door. A yelp left my mouth when his doorbell went off together with both of us jumping out of fear.

"Excuse me, are you in?" The voice sounded like the girl's normal voice again.

Maybe that thing wasn't her.

My legs were trembling while I tried to take normal breaths, but the only breaths that came out were short ones.

"Please help me. I'm so scared, please help me." Her voice sounded like she was genuinely terrified.

"Is anybody home? Please help me." Her voice pleaded.

"Hello, please help me." She cried hoping we would hear her.

My breath hitched when Hyun-su took a step to the phone that was on the wall together with the little monitor. I watch as he grabs it with a shaky hand, bringing it slowly to his ear. The screen turned on showing us that it was just the normal girl from earlier today.

"H..hallo? Are you okay?" Hyun-su asked shakingly.

A look of relief washed over the girl's face before she spoke.

"You're home." She said with a sigh of relief and a little smile at the end.

"Did something happen?"

I walked closer to Hyun-su looking over his shoulder at the monitor.

"I just came home, and the door was wide open, and it was a mess inside." Her voice was shaky like she was ready to burst into tears at any second.

"And my cat is gone." She let out a little cry before continuing.

"A...and the floor, it was covered in blood." That must have been the blood I saw in the hallway.

"Please, help me!" She cried out.

I felt bad for her and if that thing was still out there it could get her, but something felt off. The whole time she had been talking the knot in my stomach grew. I had sworn that the voice I heard, in the beginning, was her's. Yet if it was really her she had to look completely different than how she was now.

Hyun-su said that he would call the police to help because we both didn't know what to do about this.

"Can't you stay with me?" She pleaded desperately.

The moment Hyun-su put the phone against his ear a high pitch soon came through it. Quickly I took my phone while I heard him muttering 'What is this?' With shaky fingers, I dialed the number, but the moment I put it against my ear the same high-pitched sound came through.

With a scared frown on my face, I looked back up and saw Hyun-su looking at me. I shook my head, letting him know that I had the same results as him.

The both of us look back at the screen when the woman let a out whaling sound pleading with us to let her in. My heart stopped beating when I saw Hyun-su looking at the door, thinking he wanted to open it.

Quickly I grabbed his arm before whispering.

"Don't, something’s wrong."

For a few seconds, he looks at me with a scared look before turning back to the screen.

"Well....... Can you show me your arms?"

I was confused as to why he asked that, questioning what this had to do with this.

The girl's expression changed to a surprised one.

"What?"

"Your arms. Show me your arms." He repeated now a bit louder.

"What did you say?" My heart stopped beating for a second when she spoke with a more sinister voice than before.

"Your arms. Show me your arms. Show me."

Her whole demeanor changed when he was done talking.

"I told you to open the door! Open it!"

My hand grabbed the back of Hyun-su's shirt trying to hold myself up from my shaky legs. Acting crazier than before she screamed louder coming closer to the camera while blood came ozing out her nose. An eerie laugh filled the atmosphere together with a loud banging on the door.

I was hoping that the door was strong enough to hold her out. She kept on screaming while cursing at us when suddenly music was coming from above us. Apparently, she heard it too because she began to laugh again before creepingly walking away and kept saying she was hungry.

Whoever was playing the music just saved our lives.

"Oh no."

I breathe out after I recognize the melody.

"Ji-su!"

Without wasting any time I ran to the door.

"Hey, wait!"

Hyun-su grabbed my arm pulling me back before I could reach the doorknob.

"I have to go! My friend, she's in danger!" I said with an anxious voice and shaky hands.

"Yo....you'll die before you can reach her." He did have a point, but I didn't care I didn't want to lose someone else.

"I can't just do nothing!" I pleaded hoping he would understand and let me go.

With a scared look on his face, he looked down at me before letting me go. Grabbing a mop from the wall he smacked it against a corner breaking the mop part off. I was totally confused about what he wanted to do with it until he walked past me to the door.

I wanted to speak up, but before I could he yanked the door open letting out a scream, and ran into the hallway. For a moment I just stood there surprised and confused by his behavior with frown brows before shaking my head, following after him. I stopped walking when I heard him talk to someone before continuing to, making sure it wasn't the girl.

The moment I came from behind the corner I saw Hyun-su fall down onto the dirty ground.

What the hell?

My eyes traveled back up and saw a man standing there in a light brown suit, with one side of his face covered in burn marks. I opened my mouth to say something, but honestly, I didn't know what to say. The man looks up with an unbothered look.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"What?! No?! I just met him today! Besides, just because a boy and a girl hang out together doesn't mean their boyfriend en girlfriend!" I quickly rambled on shaking my head at him.

"He helped me escape from a crazy girl that wanted to kill me." I kneeled down next to Hyun-su making sure that he was still alive and didn't die out of shock and fear.

"He said something about crazy a woman as well." The man casually said.

I wanted to ask him who he was because I hadn't seen him here before when I remembered Ji-su.

"Shit!"

I stood up debating if I had the leave Hyun-su here and go to Ji-su risking my own life. My gaze went back to the man who was about to walk away.

"Hey, sir! Can you go upstairs and check on a friend of mine? I'm sure that woman went after her when she heard the music. I would go myself, but." I pointed at Hyun-su telling him I couldn't leave him behind.

The man looks up from him giving me a stern look before letting out a groan and turning around. I watch as he goes upstairs leaving me behind on my own.

Well, not really on my own.

I look down at Hyun-su's unconscious body letting out a loud sigh. Knowing I had to get him back to his room, I kneeled down and put my arms underneath his armpits trying to lift him up without letting him fall.

Jesus, this boy is taller than me and I'm here dragging him around.

With a few groans and curse words, I reached his apartment safely. First I dragged him inside before closing the door quickly afterward. I didn't want to risk leaving it open with that woman still running around here. Gathering my last strength I picked him up again and dragged him further into the room. After I placed him down, I took a seat on the ground taking deep breaths.

I'm not in shape like I used to be before. I looked up at the ceiling trying to see if Ji-su was okay or not. The music had stopped when I came back into the room, but it was oddly quiet up there. Maybe the woman went down instead of up. I was just hoping that Ji-su was alright. I know that she can take care of herself, but seeing how that woman looks I don't know if anyone can take her down without a few shotgun blasts.

I stood up looking around.

There wasn't much to do for me here, but I also couldn't just leave him here alone. Biting my nails, I began to walk back and forth thinking about what the hell was happening with the world. Was this really the end of the world? Honestly, I didn't want it to end this way, but then there is a part of me that would happen that it is.

I jerked back when there was a knock on the door.

Is the girl fucking back?

There was another knock making me more anxious than I already was. I grab the stick that Hyun-su had earlier from the ground, keeping a tight grip on it before making my way to the door. There was another knock, but a voice soon followed.

"Mi-na? Are you in there?"

Ji-su?

I wanted to open the door, but what if it was something else again? I looked through the peephole and saw her standing there with a baseball bat in her hands. Nervously she was looking around trying to see if something was there.

"Ji-su? Is that really you?"

Her head snapped back to the door when she heard my voice.

"Yeah, open up! It gives me the creeps standing out here with that crazy bitch on the loose." I let out a sigh of relief.

That was definitely something she would say.

Hurriedly, I open the door letting her in. I wanted to close the door behind her, but a hand stopped it, making me panic.

Quickly I looked up and saw that it was the man from earlier. Without saying anything I let him inside. The moment I had closed the door and turned around she threw her arms around me.

"Thank God you're okay."

I wanted to say something, but she was squeezing me a little too hard to breathe.

"Ji-su.....air.... please," I mutter out.

She let go of me saying a small sorry.

"I'm glad you are also fine. I thought that it would have killed you!" She quickly shook her head.

"She absolutely wanted to, but she didn't get in my apartment."

Thank God.

I have never thought these old doors would be this strong.

I turn around and see the man kneeling next to Hyun-su.

"He hasn't woken up yet." His voice was stern and most people would immediately think he could be a gangster, together with his looks and intimidating gaze, but I didn't think he was.

In our town, there were a lot of gangs and bad people. Some even came over to discuss something with Miss Ward. I don't know what it was or why someone who runs an orphanage would make deals with people like them, but every time they came a bad feeling filled the house. So by now, I should know the difference. 

"Uhm, no."

The man let out a groan standing up before walking to the door.

"Stay here."

Was the only thing he said before leaving the room.

"He seems charming," Ji-su said looking back at me.

"Yeah totally prince charming," I mutter out, sitting down on the mattress with my back against the wall.

I began to play with my fingers looking up at the door.

"So what now?" She asked walking to Hyun-su, poking him with the bat to see if she gets a response.

"Just like he said. Stay here and wait. What else can we do?" She sat down on the ground next to Hyun-su letting out a groan.

"This is all so fucked up."

I chuckle looking down at my hands.

"Tell me about it."

For a few minutes, we just sat there in silence until groans came from Hyun-su's mouth.

"I think he's having a bad dream."

I moved closer to see if she was right and indeed it looked like he was having one.

Ji-su put her hand on his forehead feeling as if he had a fever, I think?

"Why is he so cold?" A frown came on her face and I quickly replaced her hand with mine to feel for myself. 

"I don't know," I whispered looking up at her.

The both of us looked up when we heard a door slam shut, followed by footsteps. To my surprise, Ji-su stood up and began to walk to the door.

"Where are you going?!" I hissed standing up.

"Stay here, okay? I'll come back if it's safe and with help for him." I didn't want her to go and put herself in danger.

Ji-su is an impatient person who doesn't like to wait around. I swallow thickly watching her walk out the door.

"Ji-su!" I managed to yell before the door was completely closed.

"Yeah?" She asked poking her head back inside.

"Please be careful."

She gave me a big smile nodding her head.

"Don't worry about me, you're the younger one I should be worried about you."

I smile nodding my head.

She gave me one last wave before disappearing behind the closed door.

I turned back around and saw that Hyun-su's computer had turned on. Jisu must have bumped into it when she stood up. I made my way to it ready to close it when my eyes saw the words appearing on the screen.

"Monsters? Stated of alert? Nosebleed?" I whisper out loud.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 3. 01 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

The moment we wanted to take another step the door busted down. Shocked we turn around only to see an enormous monster looking at us.

"Protein," It growled out in a low voice.

My eyes went to the fallen door seeing Hyun-su underneath it unconscious.

"Protein!" It screams louder trying to get to us.

It began to try to fit throw the doorway, but it was way too big, but that didn't stop it. Slowly the doorway began to crumble down while slamming his body against it.

"Hyun-su!" I grabbed his hand trying to get him from underneath the heavy door.

Soon the kids started to help me, but it was no use. With a loud bang, the last bit of what was keeping it away from us came down. Instinctively I put my hands in front of the kids guiding them backward away from the danger in front of us. I wince when I see it step on the door where Hyun-su was lying underneath. I swear I could hear some of his bones crack.

At this point, I was sure that he was dead and that we were going to soon follow.

"Protein!"

The kids were hanging onto me for their lives while crying loudly.

It was about to grab us when something was holding it back. My eyes traveled down to its feet and saw Hyun-su alive and well! He was holding the monster back by grabbing his leg. I don't know how he did it or where he was getting the strength to do so. The other thing was that he had a big smile on his face together with completely black eyes.

"Run!"

I was shocked for a second too scared to move, but I quickly gathered myself together when I heard Hyun-su's voice again.

"Hurry!" I began to push the kids upstairs trying to get as far away from the monster as possible.

"Go! Go! Go!" I mutter letting them go first so that I can keep the monster away if it comes after us.

We finally came to the fourteenth floor which made me let out a sigh of relief. There are only a few steps left until we reach Mr. Han's place.

"Noona, is he not coming back?" Yeong-su asked from in front of me.

What can I say?

Is Hyun-su alive or did the monster eventually kill him after all? All these injuries he obtained are far from being treatable. Then there were his eyes. They were just the same as the girl in my dream.

"Is he dead?" He continues before stopping to look at me.

His cheeks were still stained with the tears he had let out a few minutes ago mixing with the new ones that were rolling down the steps.

How can I say this?

"I don't know," I mutter looking at the ground.

A sob left his lips which made me look up.

"We have to go on our own." I took a step putting my hands on both of their shoulders.

"But I promise I won't let anything happen to you two." Su-yeong nodded her head while Yeong-su's bottom lip began to quiver, letting more tears fall down his face.

"But..." He started but didn't finish.

Suddenly dripping sounds came from beneath us. I looked down and saw that he had peed out of fear. A look of sympathy washed over my face when I looked back up at his little face.

"It's okay. Even grown-ups peed their pants when they were scared, trust me I have seen it. It's nothing to be ashamed of." I told him while stroking his chubby cheek.

"It's okay, we won't tell anyone," Su-yeong added.

Yeong-su nodded his head at the two of us still with tears in his eyes.

"Let's go," Su-yeong said looking at me.

I nodded my head at her giving her a small smile.

The three of us took one step further when the door of the fourteenth floor swung open. My eyes widened when I saw the headless monster standing in the doorway.

Quickly I covered the kids' mouths with my hands, making sure we wouldn't make a sound. I could feel their tears running down my hand.

"I can't see." It croaks out in its usual hoarse voice.

We just stood there waiting until it would go away or attack us. My axe was on my back with a belt Mister Han had lent me. If I would try to take it out it would definitely make a sound. For a moment I thought we would be okay when he walked away, scratching his long nails on the door when walked.

When a big sound came from behind us.

I turned around and saw the big monster from earlier coming up the stairs toward us. I began to push the kids forward when I saw the headless monster appear back in the doorway.

Without thinking, I push the kids down just in time before its arm root could hit one of us. To our luck, it hit the big monster, who was not happy about it. Quickly I took the kids away from our spot in the middle of them, guiding them up the stairs.

We came on the fifteenth floor, which I hope had a good hiding spot for us or for just the kids. Maybe I can lead the monster away from them so that they have a chance to go to Mister Han's place.

"Noona, you said that it was on the fourteenth floor, that it was in room 1408. This is the fifteenth floor."

I let go of their hands before crouching down in front of him.

"I know, but we can't go there now. The monsters are fighting there."

I looked at both of them who had scared looks on their faces.

"Don't worry I'll find a way to get to 1408, but first we need to make sure that those monsters don't find us, okay?" they both nodded their head at me. I turn towards Su-yeong.

"Now hold onto each other and don't let go." I took their hands making them hold each other.

"Come on let's go." We began to walk further down the hall trying to see if there was someone here to help us or if there was a way to get down.

I was trying not to lose hope, but it began to get hard when I didn't find a way out of this place. We stopped at a crossway of hallways. I was trying to think which one we should take when heavy footsteps came from where we just were.

"Unnie?" Su-yeong whispered from behind me.

"I know," I mutter back hoping it wouldn't find its way to is.

Yet when is luck ever on my side?

From behind the corner, the big monster appeared. Its gaze was on us ready to devour us when it would get us in its grip. I took my axe from my back before pushing the kids further behind me.

The last thing I wanted was for the kids to get hurt, so I wouldn't go down without a fight. It came closer and closer shaking the whole hallway with its heavy steps. I could hear Su-yeong telling her brother to close his eyes. I raised my weapon ready to defend them when I heard the sound of wheels coming our way.

With a confused face, I looked to my right and saw Miss Im coming our way.

I have met her a few times in the past. She lives on the floor as Ji-su, so that is how I would see her from time to time. Jae-heon had told me what happened to her, which made my heart break. So every time I saw her I said hello to her and her so-called baby.

"Miss Im get away from here!" I yelled at her, but she still made her way to us.

The monster stopped when it saw Miss Im standing still in front of it. My heart was beating in my chest so hard I was sure it would jump out of it any minute.

"Don't touch the children." She said in a soft voice like she was talking to a little kid.

I had no idea how hell she could be this calm.

"You can do that, right?" Before I could even blink the monster punched her making her hit the wall hard!

"Miss Im!" I yelled when she hit the ground.

I push the kids backward telling them to stay there. I was sure that Miss Im was still alive. I could hear little groans coming from her. The monster was about to go to her again when I screamed.

"Hey! Fatass! Leave her alone!"

Before he could fully turn around I had run up to him hitting him in one of his legs first. He stumbled on one knee, is I took the opportunity to slice him in his back. For a second there I thought I had him, but before I could even brace myself. He had turned around punching me so hard I flew to the other side of the room.

My back hit a wall, and I fell it completely break before falling down.

"Unnie, noona!"

I know those were the voices of the kids, but they sounded too distant. I felt them trying to pull me from wherever I landed, but it didn't work. I tried to tell them to run and leave me there, but all that came out of my mouth were mumbles.

There was a stabbing pain in my left side. I don't know if I had hit something or if something had stabbed me, I just felt it burning. When I tried to open my eyes everything was dark and blurry.

I'm pretty sure I was dying, nobody can survive being thrown into a wall this hard.

"Get up, please!" I don't know which one of the kids it was, but I try to answer.

"R....uuuu..r..u..n." Even trying to say that word hurts my whole body.

In the distance, there were sounds of other things approaching us.

Oh no, are there more monsters coming?

The kids beside me began to scream but it was not out of fear.

They were screaming at someone.

"Please help her!" I think it was Su-yeong asking someone, but it was all so muffled.

A groan escaped my lips when I felt someone moving my body from wherever I was lying before they scooped me up. I wanted to scream and cry because of the pain I was in, but the only sounds that came out of my mouth were groans, moans, and grunts.

I felt the person breathing very hard like he had run a marathon or two. My head was lying on their shoulder, so I wanted to see who it was, but the only thing I saw was blurry.

I heard them screaming to come to room 1408, but it all sounded like it was in the distance. More pain shot through my body when I felt the person move with me in their arms. I wanted nothing more than to just pass out and escape the pain for a second, but I was afraid if I fell asleep I wouldn't wake up again.

At least the kids are safe with the people who found us, maybe I can take a re.....eeee....sst.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 2. 03 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

Without thinking about it I nodded my head before going back inside. I was pacing around for a second or two trying to think how we were going to get safely to Mister Han's place let alone to the kids two floors down. My eyes spotted the stick lying on the floor, making an idea pop into my head.

Taking it from the ground I took it with me to the kitchen. I began to look around for a large knife, and I finally found it. I watched as Hyun-su came back inside still a little in shock.

"Do you have duct tape?" I walk to him with the stick and knife.

He had to process what I was saying for a few minutes before nodding his head. I sat down on the floor waiting for him to find it. We need to hurry to help those kids. It's too dangerous for them to be there all alone. Also if we don't get them they will starve eventually.

I put my hair into a ponytail so it would be out of my face, making it easier to see what I was doing.

"Here." I grabbed it from his hand saying a small thanks before ripping a long piece of cutting it with my teeth.

Placing the knife on one end of the stick, I began to wrap the tape around it making it stay in place. I wrapped another two long strips of tape around it making sure it was secured. The whole time Hyun-su was looking down at me probably thinking what the hell I was doing.

"Here, take it," I said standing up.

Slowly he took it looking confused.

"Why?"

I took the ponytail out of my hair and went through it with my hands before answering.

"It's to protect ourselves. You have longer arms than mine, so it is safer for you to use them so that we have a bigger chance to survive and reach Mr. Hans's place." Slowly he nodded his head still with a scared look on his face.

I can't blame him. I'm also scared shitless, but I just want to save those kids.

They need us.

"You better bring a backpack with stuff in it with you. We have no idea how long you'll be gone from here." I suggested.

I would do the same, but all my stuff is downstairs. Maybe we can pass by it if go the kids with us. Listening to my advice, he began to pack a backpack. I was leaning against the wall at the door waiting for him to be done. I'm wondering how Ji-su was doing. Did she find help or did a monster have a chance to..... kill her? I shook my head.

No!

Of course not!

It's Ji-su!

She's too smart to let some stupid monster get her.

"I'm done."

I looked away from the wall and saw Hyun-su standing there with the stick, well spear now, his backpack, and wearing a black sweater. I wish I had a sweater with me. It's still warm outside and I have long sleeves on, but I still enjoy wearing a sweater over my arms. It makes me feel safer that nobody would notice them.

"Do you have your earbuds with you?" I asked.

Mr. Han had said that if you call a random number and let it on it will make a noise when something is close by.

"I guess now we know why both our phones made the pitching sound when the woman was there." Hyun-su nodded his head taking them from his pocket.

I watch as he plugs them into his phone before putting one earbud in. We both waited for a second if he heard a noise coming from the phone after he called a number, but there was nothing.

"let's go, I guess," I mutter.

Both of us were nervous to get out of the relatively safe apartment, but if we wanted to save those kids we had to. I was about to open the door when he grabbed my wrist.

"Wait," I look back at him confused.

"Let me go first. As you said we have a bigger chance to survive if I used the spear."

He was right, but I didn't mean to put his life in danger to protect me. Nodding my head I took a step to the side letting him go first.

Slowly he opened the door, trying to see if something was there waiting to attack us. When he was sure that nothing was there, he began walking out the door mentioning me to come after him. Holding the door in my two hands, I carefully closed it behind me so it wouldn't make a lot of noise.

We should be safe.

Mister Han is literally next door. A monster should have attacked by now if we weren't safe. His door was right in front of us when I saw something hanging on the wall.

"Wait," I whisper to Hyun-su.

There on the wall was an axe. It's normally used when something like a fire happens. That would be a perfect weapon to have right now, but the only problem is it's behind glass. There should be a key hanging next to it, but it was gone.

My eyes searched around trying to find something I could smash the glass with when they landed on Hyun-su, well then the spear he was holding.

"Can I have that for a sec?" He nodded looking at me with big confused eyes.

To be honest he looked like a puppy when he looked like that. Grabbing the spear I turn it around, smashing the end into the glass. It made a lot of noise that definitely would lure the monster here, but Mr. Han's door was right there. I'm pretty sure we would be inside before they would get here.

Giving the spear back to Hyun-su I turn back grabbing the axe. I held it in my hands feeling how heavy it was and if I could use it to fight anything without getting myself killed. It's this or nothing and I don't want Hyun-su to be the one who has to protect us both with the spear. Looking back up I saw him staring at the axe before looking up at me.

I give him a small smile before walking past him to Mr. Han's door. We knocked two times waiting for him to open the door. The both of us were looking around trying to see if nothing would sneak up at us. A few seconds later the door opened for us. Hyun-su let me go first before he followed me closing the door behind him. The both of us took off our shoes before we walked to where Mr. Han always worked.

"Mister Han," I said with a big smile walking over to him.

"Mi-na, I'm glad you're okay. I know you would be too smart to let a monster get you." A Chuckle left my lips at his words.

Mister Han looked at Hyun-su, who was standing there without making a sound staring at us.

"I'm Han Du-sik and you are?"

"I'm Cha Hyun-su." You could barely hear him when he said his name.

"A slow speaker." I let out a little chuckle when he said that. It was true.

"How?" Hyun-su started, trying to find the right words.

"Can I save the kids?" He asked looking straight at Mister Han.

"You? I'm going with you!" I quickly said making him look at me.

"I...it could be dangerous." He mutters out looking at me before looking away to avoid my stare.

"Don't worry about me. I can handle it." I confidently said.

I have done more dangerous things than this. As I said, I can handle it. Before one of us could speak again. Mr. Han spoke up.

"What do you mean by how?" He looked between Hyun-su and me.

"You'll have to go." I took a step back when Mister Han began to roll my way.

He came from behind the table and I saw how Hyun-su's expression changed when he saw that Mister Han was in a wheelchair.

"Should I go?" He asked Hyun-su.

Hyun-su looks down taking a deep breath before looking back up. I guess he had hoped that an adult would come with us to the kids, but it's just going to be us.

Mister Han began to talk about back in the and how he was a legend. To be honest I can't tell how many stories he told me about his past. I love hearing them and I can tell that he loves reliving them when he tells them.

Hyun-su handed his spear to Mister Han when he told him he could transform it into something more useful. Mr.Han and I leaned back when Hyun-su pointed the knife part at us, but he quickly turned it around making me let out a sigh.

"Mi-na, you too. Give me the axe." I frown my brows but give it to him anyway.

I would have thought that it was already a good weapon, better than a stick with a knife taped to it, but I guess I was wrong.

Mister Han began to work on our stuff so I took a seat next to him to watch. I love seeing him work on things. He let me help sometimes too.

At the orphanage, I had to repair a lot of things, so I had to learn stuff on my own. Which sometimes ended in almost electrocuting myself, but in the end, the job was done.

"So, how did you guys end up together?" Mister Han asked while working.

I looked up to see what Hyun-su was doing, but it seemed like he was in his own world looking at a picture.

"He saved me from a monster attacking me last night. Ever since then, I have been in his apartment." I explain looking back at his work. I hear him let out a soft hum while continuing his work.

"But how did you end up on this floor in the first place?" I shrug my shoulders before speaking up.

"I was on my way to the floor above us when I saw blood on the door of the fourteenth floor. I wanted to make sure that nobody was hurt so I went inside. That is where I saw the monster and that is how I ended up here." I told him putting my elbow on the table while leaning my head on my hand.

I was tired, but I didn't want to sleep. It's because we have to wait and do nothing, that my body is shutting down. The moment I will walk again I'll be fine. It's not like I could sleep yesterday. Hyun-su was passed out and there was a monster outside. Someone had to keep watch.

"Haven't seen him before. A new guy?"

I let out a chuckle.

"You rarely meet new people because you're here most of the time, I'm pretty sure you haven't seen half of the people living here and yes he just moved here a day ago I think." Mister Han laughs nodding his head.

"You're right. It just surprised me that you know him."

I look up at him with frown brows.

"Why?"

"Well he doesn't look like the type of person who is social and would walk up to you on his own for a chat and you aren't the type of person who talked to people without them talking to you first." I press my lips together and think about what he said.

I met Ji-su because of work where she talked to me first, I met Eun-yu on the roof where she talked to me first as well, Eun-hyuk I met when Eun-yu brought me to her place where he talked to me first as well. Which she wasn't happy with.

Jae-heon I met him when I was moving the only two boxes of stuff I had upstairs and he offered to help me, I met Mister Han in the elevator, where he dropped something when he got out of the elevator and I brought it back to his apartment. He began to talk first and asked if I wanted to come inside.

Maybe he is right. Over the years I have never been the one to focus on my social skills.

"I had to talk to him. My friend wasn't the nicest person to him and I had to apologize. That's it." I left out the fact that he was standing on the edge of the building and that he was probably suicidal, something I recognized when I first saw him.

"It's something you both have in commoned then." I shrug my shoulders.

"Maybe. We haven't really talked much, so maybe you're right." I said, looking back at Hyun-su.

He was still standing there, in his own thoughts.

"Hey." Mister Han spoke trying to catch his attention, but I guess he was too deep in his thought to hear it.

He took the spear and pressed a button, making electricity shoot through the knife. Hyun-su jumped when he heard the noise looking back at us.

"They still move around with their head chopped off."

Yeah, that's something Hyun-su and I have experienced. No need to tell us that.

"A kitchen knife won't work, but this will do it." Hyun-su looked amazed at the knife before speaking up.

"Can I kill them with that?" Mister Han's face when completely serious.

"No, you can't." His voice was stern like a dad telling his kids the rules.

"How do you know that?"

"I just do. Avoid them at all costs. If you come across them, run for your life. No, don't get caught in the first place." He looked from Hyun-su to me making sure I would listen to him.

Hyun-su looked scared before looking at something next to Mister Han.

"Then please lend me that canon." I looked over and saw the weapon he used that chopped off the eyeball monster's head.

"No. It isn't stable, so it can fire only a few shots. I fired earlier. I'll fire again if it breaks in. The last shot is for me. So I can go easy." It's maybe an easy way, but it's still a sad way.

This had only started and he already thought about how he could end his life if it was necessary.

"Mi-na." I look up nodding my head.

"Here's yours."

He handed me back the axe, only now it had a better handle so I could have a better grip on it with a much sharper blade. Making it much sharper and harder for the opponent to survive it.

"Thanks, Mister Han. You're probably going to be the reason we are going to survive this." I said twisting the weapon around in my hand.

Hyun-su took the spear looking at it with big eyes.

"These are for your protection, not to attack with. Use it in self-defense only." Mister Han said again in a stern voice, making sure we were going to listen to him.

We both nodded our heads before we headed to the door.

"Kids?"

We turn around after grabbing our shoes.

"Be careful. Look out for each other, you have more chance to survive if you have someone to watch your back." I nodded my head before hearing Hyun-su speak.

"W.....we will."

I have never really been a team player.

I rather wanted to be left alone or do stuff on my own, so this is going to be something new for me. We put on our shoes in silence, not knowing if we were going to come back here or not.

"Ready?" I asked looking up at Hyun-su.

He looked at the door for a second before looking back at me nodding his head.

"Yeah," He breathes out.

I gave him a comforting smile before opening the door slowly. I stuck my head outside looking around if something was there, but it was quiet. Opening the door further, I step outside still looking around.

We have no idea which kind of monster there is out there, so we have to be prepared for everything.

When Hyun-su had closed the door behind him we began to make our way to the area where the stairs and elevators were. The whole way there we didn't say anything. Not just because there could be monsters and they could hear us, but also because I had no idea what to say in a situation like this.

When we came to the place we tried some doors but most of them were locked up with chains.

We were going to the next door when I stopped in my tracks.

The ringing in my ears began again together with the knot forming in my stomach.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 2. 01 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

I took out my phone trying to see if it was working now, but when I put it against my ear the same annoying pitch sound came through.

"Goddamnit!" I groan out putting my phone next to me before putting my head in my hands.

I jumped almost out of my skin when I heard a groan from beside me. For a second I thought that somehow the girl had found a way to come in, but luckily it was just Hyun-su waking up.

His eyes flutter open blinking a few times before being fully open. I watch as his hand when to his head, probably on the spot he hit the ground with.

"A....are you, okay?"

With wide eyes, he turned his head at me. It took him a few seconds to recognize me, but quickly his expression changed to his usual emotionless one.

"Yeah." Carefully he sat up still holding his head.

"W...what happened to the woman?" His eyes went from the ground to meet mine trying to find an answer in them, but the only I did was shrug.

"I don't know. I haven't seen or heard her ever since I dragged you back here."

A frown came on his face.

"D...drag? What happened?"

Again I shrug my shoulders.

"Again I don't know. When I came around the corner you were on the ground with a man standing next to you, but I don't think he did something to you." He nodded his head trying to process everything that had just happened.

"H....how long was I out."

"Around eight hours or so."

I stood up stretching my legs while looking around the room. There was almost nothing here. A mattress and the computer from earlier, The only other thing that was in the room were empty ramyeon cups..... a lot.

The curtains were also closed making it here more darker than it should be.

"Can I open a window? I just need some air."

I don't really think he had heard what I said because he was still looking down in his thoughts, but he still nodded his head. With my socks, I walked next to him on the mattress to open the window. I was so happy I could get some fresh air, but the moment I pulled the curtains away my heart completely stopped.

"Oh my God," I mutter out of shock.

"What?" I heard Hyun-su say from beside me, but I didn't answer him.

I was just too in shock at what I was seeing in front of me with my eyes. When I didn't give him an answer I felt him stand up taking one curtain out of my hand so he could open it more to see for himself. Even though my eyes weren't on him I could feel him freeze when he saw what I saw.

The whole city was in ruins. Smoke rose up from corners in between the building. The things that were nearby and we could see from above were destroyed completely. The sound of sirens came from everywhere. It looked like the end of the world was upon us.

A dripping sound dragged me out of my thoughts and made me look down. There was blood dripping down at our feet.

Wait?

What?

I looked up at Hyun-su and saw blood coming out of his nose.

A lot just like with the girl.

"Y....you're bleeding." I croak out getting his attention.

His hand went to his nose trying to cover it, but it was no use it kept on coming out. He took a few steps back still covering his nose. His eyes were wide open looking at me like he was a kid scared of something.

"Go to the bathroom! Quick!" I told him loudly.

Listening to me, he turned around walking with a quick pass to it with his hand still on his nose. I watched as he left a trail of blood players on the ground. It reminds me of my nosebleeds and how much I have stained my floor with them.

That's when a thought came into my head. I look up at where the bathroom is, hearing the water running.

He has the symptoms I have been having for the past week. They are also the same as what they describe on the computer. My head turns back to the screen debating if I should look again. I could still hear the water running in the bathroom, besides I don't think he minds me being on the computer if it is for looking up answers.

Turning the screen on, I took a seat in front of it. There were those words again. Nosebleed, infected, and so on. I was about to click on a link when Hyun-su's made me jump back.

"What are you doing?" With my hand on my chest, I look up at him before answering.

"Searching for answers. It's not just happening here." My gaze went back to the screen finally opening the link.

I felt Hyun-su moving over to be me before sitting down. With a fast-beating heart, I began to read.

'It's not a disease, but a curse.'

What? A frown came to my face before reading further.

'Frequent nosebleeds, hallucinations.'

I don't think I had hallucinations in the last couple of weeks only nightmares.

'It just started one day and it will never stop. No known the cause.'

I bite my lip knowing that they can't find something to stop it if they don't what started it, but just like it said. It's not a disease.

It's a curse.

I took a deep breath before reading further.

'Humans will not overcome this. If you have symptoms kill yourself before it's too late. Because being alive will harm others.'

From the corner of my eyes, I watch Hyun-su tense up probably reading the same part as me. My attention went back to the screen, ready to read further.

'But if you decide to live to the end, there is something you must know.'

Quickly I scroll further down.

'That is.'

The moment I wanted to scroll down further the page disappeared.

"What the hell?" I mutter out.

A different page came on the screen telling us there was no connection with the internet. My hands let go of the computer mouse, putting them in my lap. So there is nothing we can really do about this? It's meant to destroy us all eventually. Hyun-su grabbed the mouse clicking rapidly on it, trying to refresh the page.

Swallowing hard I ran a hand through my hair shaking my head.

"That's it?" I whisper to no one particularly.

For a few seconds, we just sat there looking at the screen in front of us, until we heard one of our stomachs growl. I look down putting my hand on my belly before looking back up to meet Hyun-su's eyes.

"Sorry. I hadn't really eaten something since yesterday afternoon." I apologize.

Maybe I could go to my place and grab something real quick. I'm pretty sure he would be hungry too. This was confirmed when Hyun-su's stomach growled too. And seeing all the ramyeon packages lying around here, I'm pretty sure he hasn't eaten anything decent in a while. I stood up and began to walk to the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" I turned around and saw him standing up as well.

"I'm going down to my place to get us something to eat." I was about to turn around when he spoke again.

"No, wait." He walked up to me looking at the door.

"I think my delivery is still outside." I look at the door with a frown.

I didn't see something lying there yesterday. Then again I was almost killed by a crazy woman, so I didn't have the time to look around.

"Stay here. I'm pretty sure no one's out there." Before I could answer he walked to the door opening it slightly.

I took a step to the side crossing my arms over my chest.

"After that we...." I started speaking but abruptly stopped when the ringing in my ears started again together with the awful feeling in my stomach.

Quickly I spun back around ready to tell Hyun-su to shut the door when I saw him crouch down to the ground while two grey-looking arms came through the doorway, with one on each hand with long pointy fingers. His head was half gone making it so you could see his brain, well half his brain. That looked like lotus roots. He only had one ear, while the other one was cut off clean just like half of his face.

"I can't see." It whispers groans, walking inside the apartment. Just like Hyun-su, I put my two hands over my mouth trying to be as quiet as possible. The monster was trying to feel around if someone was there while muttering the same sentence.

"I can't see." My heart began to beat faster when I saw him walking in my direction.

Quickly, but carefully to not make any noise I crouch down. My hands were shaking over my mouth while I could feel tears filling my eyes because of fright. The monster still came closer to me, trying to feel around above me.

With my panicked eyes, I looked at Hyun-su who had the same expression on his face. I saw him look around before his gaze fell on the stick from last night.

My eyes widened when I saw him trying to grab it, which I quickly shook my head at. It would make too much noise. The beating of my heart stopped when he grabbed it and a little noise came from picking it up.

"Found you." It croaks out.

I had sworn he was about to launch at Hyun-su when a cracking sound came from one of the announcement speakers above him. My breath hitched in my throat when I saw that the monster's hand had turned into what looked like a root spearing it through the speaker above Hyun-su.

After what seemed like an eternity the monster finally began to move again. It shuffled his way past Hyun-su still muttering I can't see. A big sigh left my mouth when I fell completely to the ground. My legs were all cramped up from sitting in a crouch position for too long. I heard the door close shut, which made me feel a little bit safer.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

———————————————————

Hey, I hope you are all enjoying the story. Thank you so much for all the love you guys are giving it!

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 4. 02 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

My head was spinning, but I didn't let that stop me. I had to reach them before it was too late. There was something wrong I just knew it! The nauseating feeling in my stomach just didn’t go away whatever I did. My lungs were begging me to stop running, but I needed to keep going.

The burning smell was already in my nose the moment I ran into my street. My eyes got wider when I saw the angry blaze coming closer and closer.

My skin began to burn already when I reached my house. There were already people coming out of their houses, looking at what the hell was happening. My mind was racing with the thought of the kids being still in the house. Hoping to find them safe and well I spun around thinking they might have run to one of the neighbors, but they were nowhere to be seen.

“This happened because you left.”

With a jerk, I turned back around when I heard a voice coming from behind me.

My eyes widened when I saw myself standing there.

"What?" I mutter looking from her to the house.

“You left escaping this place, but those innocent kids were left behind. Miss Ward needed money and selling you off would have solved that problem, but you left so she needed to find a way to get that money no matter what.” The big smile never left her face when she spoke.

“She was awful, but she wouldn’t kill to get money!” I explained looking from the house back to her.

“Are you sure?”

I was about to answer her when I heard screams coming from inside.

“Oh my God…..” I mutter before running inside the burning building.

The smoke quickly hit my face making me cough hard before I put my arm in front of my nose and mouth. I was in the hallway downstairs and I couldn't see or hear them hear. I was trying to listen, but the noise of the house breaking down and the flames around me made it impossible to hear anything else.

"Miles! Anybody!" I ran up the stairs trying to see something, but to the smoke, it was getting harder to see or breathe.

Tears stream down my face because of the smoke burning them.

"Help!" A voice and banging came from further down the hall.

The kids' rooms.

Immediately I ran upstairs.

"Hello!" My voice screamed out when I reached the door.

My eyes widened when I saw that the door was nailed shut with planks. That crazy bitch! I turned to another room and saw that it was nailed shut as well. In fact, all the kid's doors were blocked

I can’t believe she would actually do this! I shook my head before reaching for the doorknob trying to open it somehow. A hiss left my voice together with my hand pulling back.

When I looked at it I saw a burn mark on them. It stung badly and I could already see the redness getting darker together with raised skin that would probably form a blister in a few minutes.

My lungs felt like they were on fire. A coughing fit left my mouth well I leaned against the door.

“Kids! Someone! It’s me Mi-na! I’m here!” I yelled trying to get their attention, but I was silent. Did they already pass out from the smoke? Who knows how long they have been here inhaling it!

Think this made me only want to open the door more. With shaky hands, I began to try pulling the planks away. My left hand stung badly because of the burn, but I shoved that to the back of my mind focusing on the door.

My hands began to bleed from using too much force, but it didn’t stop me! I wanted to get the kids out. I needed to get them out before it was too late. There was no way I would let them die in better.

Because of the blood, my grip began to slip from the planks leaving only blood behind. A scream left my mouth frustrated that it wasn't working.

Being desperate and knowing deep down that it wouldn't work I began to ram into the door and planks with the weight of my whole body. My whole body was already aching in pain, but now it felt like every muscle, bone, and nerve decided to break all at once leaving me in more pain than I already was in.

“Help!” I stopped my movements when I heard a faint voice coming from down the hall.

“Please help!” My feet began to move on their own going straight to the source of the voice!

My vision was blurry from the smoke, but I managed to reach where the voice came from.

To my surprise, it came from my old room. This door was blocked off so I wasted no time and opened the door.

Stumbling inside I close the door behind trying not to get more smoke in the room.

There was less smoke here than in the hallway making it easier to breathe. My eyes scanned the room, but nobody seemed to be there.

“Are you happy now, knowing you ran and left them behind?” I spun around and came face to face with myself again.

“I didn’t had a choice,” I mutter out.

A laugh escaped her lips before speaking up again.

“Yes, you did you could have fought, but you weren’t strong enough.” She began to walk around me with the same big smile on her face.

“Are you going to run when your new friends need you as well?”

I shook my head.

“This was different! If I had stayed I wouldn't have been able to help as well. They would have forbidden me to see those kids!” I screamed back defending my action, but it only made her smile more.

“You could just let me help and something like this would never happen again. Everyone you care about would be safe.” She taunted walking closer, but I just shook my head.

“I’ll never give in to you!”

I gasp for air sitting up straight! My eyes dart across the room not recognizing where ever I was.

"Finally."

I look at the door opening and see Eun-yu standing there with her hands over her chest.

"Wha.....what happened?" I asked out of breath.

"You almost died. That's what happened."

I frown my brows shaking my head.

"I..I do...don't remember." I whisper looking down.

"You maybe don't, but it's engraved in my mind now forever! You fell nine floors! In front of me!" I look up at her surprised at what she said.

"Wh...what?"

Eun-yu rolled her eyes before walking inside and sits on the makeshift bed, beside me where I woke up in.

"You."

"Fell."

"Nine."

"Floors." She said slowly like I was stupid.

"I get that, but how did I survive that? I should be dead!"

"You have Hyun-su to thank for that. You fell on him."

Oh, God!

I remember! Something pushed me and we both fell!

"Hyun-su, is he okay?" My voice was shaking hoping he was alright.

"That’s funny. It's the same thing Hyun-su asked when he woke up about you. He's okay."

I close my eyes letting out a deep breath.

"Did Ji-su and Jae-heon reach the first floor safely?"

I remember hearing them scream for us, but I didn't see them come down.

"The other people that came running after you guys, yeah there here."

I nodded my head happy that everything was fine.

"Mi-na."

The two of us looked at the door opening and saw Eun-hyuk standing there with his hands in his pockets.

"What do you want? Don't you see we're talking?!" Eun-yu snapped at her brother.

"I need to check if she's alright. She fell nine floors down, don't you think it's important to see if she's okay?" Eun-yu let out a sigh of frustration before standing up.

"Whatever." She mumbled walking past her brother and bumping shoulders with him.

Eun-hyuk shook his head at her before walking inside.

"So I fell nine floors huh?" I asked when he took a chair from somewhere in the security office placing it in front of me.

"Yes, how do you feel?"

I shrug my shoulders.

"I'm sore in some places, but I don't think I broke something," I told him which made him nod his head.

He took my left arm and began to inspect it before going to the other one.

"Soooo, you are the doctor here. How can a person survive a fall from a height like that?"

He let out a chuckle before going to my shoulders.

"I'm not a doctor."

I rolled my eyes at him.

"You practically are one the way you study."

He let out another chuckle, still concentrating on checking up on my body.

"So any thoughts?" I asked again.

He let out a sigh before answering.

"In a normal situation, I would say that you couldn't, but with what has been going on with the world recently." He paused for a second before continuing.

"My best guess is that Hyun-su broke your fall. His body protected your vital organs from the impact." I nodded my head.

"So you know about him being..."

"Infected, yeah. It was pretty obvious when we found you guys and he was still breathing even with all the blood he lost. To be honest I thought the both of you died." I nodded my head and watched how he inspected my neck.

"Also, It only took him three hours to wake up. While you have been out for twelve hours."

My eyes widened when those last words left his mouth.

"Twelve hours?!" I gasp.

He nodded his head, letting go of my face.

"Can you lay down?" I did as he asked and laid back down on the bed.

"Are there more people infected?" I asked when he laid his hand on my stomach.

"Mister Kim Seak-hyeon."

A little laugh escaped my mouth, but I quickly shut it.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to," I mutter.

A small smile came on his face while he was feeling around my stomach for painful areas.

"I'm not saying anything." I bite my tongue nodding my head.

Mister Kim deserves whatever he's going through right now. Just like Miss Ward Mister Kim like to beat his wife. I have seen it a couple of times and stopped it too, which made him more angry, and would yell all kinds of things at me while I walked out of the store.

I can't stand people who just abuse people because they feel like their lesser than them.

"Only two, I had expected worse," I admitted watching as he went to my right leg

"It's only the beginning. Who knows who will turn next..."

Before he could finish I let out a hiss when he wanted to start inspecting my left leg at the ankle.

"Next." He spoke pausing for a second before asking.

"Did you have this before your fall?"

I lean on my elbow looking at my ankle.

"Yes and no," I answer making him confused.

"I had an accident last year where I hurt my ankle badly. It would swell up together with some pain from time to time, but it hasn't been hurting for months now." I explain looking as he took my shoe off carefully.

It wasn't looking good. It was red and swollen and I think I could see some blue spots here and there.

"You must have hit it against the ground when you fell." He explains standing up and looking around for something.

"I have some cream upstairs that always helps against the swelling and pain, but I guess you won't let me go get it." He let out a chuckle while taking something from a cabinet in the room.

"You guessed right." He said turning back around towards me. In his hands, he had some bandages and a tube of something.

"We'll have to do with this for now." Gently he took my ankle and began to apply whatever was in the tube.

"So what now?" I asked laying back down while looking at the dirty ceiling.

"You have to stay off your foot for a few days, s...."

I cut him off by saying

"Not for me, but for all of us? What are we going to do now?"

He let out a sigh before taking the bandage from next to him.

"Trying to survive. Firstly we have to make sure that every exit is secured, so nothing can come in. We can't make others plan when a monster can just burst through them." I nodded leaning on my elbow again.

I watch as he finishes wrapping my ankle putting it gently on the bed again.

"Can I go see the others now?" I asked swinging my legs over the edge of the bed.

Before I could stand up Eun-hyuk put his hands on my shoulders preventing me from doing so.

"Didn't you just hear what I said? You can't stand on it for a few days." I rolled my eyes at him.

"Don't worry it doesn't hurt that much, besides I have done worst things when my ankle was even worse than this." His eyes scanned me up and down.

"If you want me to stay here in bed you have to tie me down to it. I don't want to just lay here and do nothing. I can handle a little pain. Trust me." I pleaded.

He let out a sigh of defeat letting go of my shoulders. Quickly I put on my sock and shoe.

"You're stubborn like my sister. That's probably one of the reasons she's friends with you." I gave him a smile nodding my head.

He offered his hand to help me stand up. Slowly I stood up testing my ankle on how much it hurt. Gently I took a step. It hurts, but I had worse.

"I'm fine," I said softly declining Eun-hyuk's help when I saw that he wanted to help me walk.

I could hear him let out a sigh and some curse words while I limped out of the security office.

Previous Chapter ~ Next Chapter

——————————————————-

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had the chance to celebrate! I am tired, to say the least! Tonight is going to be my first proper sleep in a few days. It was also my birthday on the 30th and having celebrated that and New Year Eves I haven’t gotten much sleep. So enjoy your day or night wherever you are in the world! Bye!

[wonderland-smile-stories]

~ Chapter 1. 02~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

With a jerk, my body shot up from the bed only to feel the hard cold ground a second later.

My eyes scanned around the room not knowing where the hell I was until I saw the spots of stains that I had tried to cover up with paint, yet you could still see them no matter how much I went over them. Letting out a sigh knowing I was just in my room I put my cheek back on the cold floor.

My body was hot and sweaty so I didn't mind the cold.

I flinched leaning on my arms when a banging came from the other side of my wall.

"Be quiet!" I hung my head low letting out a deep breath seeing it was only my grumpy neighbor.

To be honest I couldn't blame him. For a couple of months, I have lived here I have screamed myself awake from nightmares or more like night terrors.

"I'm sorry Mr. Choi!" I yelled back only hearing a loud grunt from the other side.

I rolled over onto my back letting out a deep breath. My hand went to my neck feeling around if there weren't any marks left from the dream, but of course, that would be impossible. You can't get injuries from a dream. I have had nightmares ever since I escaped that God-forsaken place, but for the past months, they have been getting worse. There are only certain parts I remember, the rest is so blurry and I can't remember what they were about.

The only thing that has been recurrent is the other me. She has appeared in my dreams for the past week. Always saying the same thing, trying to give in to her. I always managed to say no or suppress the urge to say yes. But today it felt like I almost gave in.

My thoughts were cut off when I heard my phone going off from above me. With stiff limbs, I sat up taking the phone from the nightstand. A smile came to my face when I saw that I had two new messages

The first one was from Ji-su asking if I wanted to meet up later on so that we could go to work together.

You see we work together, we both play an instrument she plays the base and I the guitar. A month ago she came to where I work looking for a job, luckily for her, we indeed needed one. Our work is in a bar where you can listen to live music and our bassist had quit a week before, so she was more than welcome for my boss.

Because we had to work together so much we began to talk and quickly bounded over music and other stuff we both liked. If it wasn't for our work I wouldn't have bothered to talk to her. After moving here I wasn't in a rush to meet new people and become friends with them.

I came to find out that she needed a new apartment and that she was staying with a few friends for now. Luckily for her, there were empty apartments in Green Home where I lived.

After thinking about it for a long time I offered for her to stay with me until she could move in because she had told me that she was grateful that she could stay with her friends, but the space was a little cramped for that many people. She happily said yes and from that moment on we have been friends. If I was in her situation I would want to stay somewhere else as well.

I quickly typed 'Yes! Of course!' before looking from whom I got the other text from.

I only moved to Korea six months ago so I don't know a lot of people here so not too many people have my phone number. I could have guessed from who the other text was. There are only two people who text me a lot. Of course, Ji-su and the other one is Eun-yu. It still surprises me that she talks to me let alone texts me every time she's on the rooftop.

'Need music. Come to the roof.' Rolling my eyes at the text, I quickly answer.

'Be there in ten.' She can be a real bitch. No, never mind she is a bitch, but she will do anything for the people who are close to her.

Apparently, I'm one of those people.

'Five.' I shook my head before standing up.

My whole body felt sore from the bad sleep I had. But hey at least I got some sleep. Most of the time I don't bother to sleep, too scared I will have a nightmare again about what had happened, and because I don't want to anger the neighbors more by screaming every day. I only slept when I absolutely needed to.

I didn't want to test Eun-yu's patient today so I quickly took a shower because my body was still sticky from all the sweating I had done. With a towel around my waist, I went to my dresser grabbing some shorts with an old band t-shirt I had since forever with a long-sleeved shirt that had black and white stripes on them that I put on underneath the other shirt.

I slip them on before quickly putting on my white socks. I grabbed my guitar's case from the wall with the guitar in it, swinging it on my shoulder. I was Struggling on one leg attempting to put on my black Converse while trying to be as fast as possible.

With a rush, I ran out the door to the elevators quickly pushing the buttons. A sigh of relief left my lips when it quickly arrived. I pushed the button to the highest floor before watching the door slide shut. I wonder why she needed music this time. Most of the time she wanted it so she could practice her ballet, but there were times she just wanted to sit down, smoke a cigarette, and just talk while I played the guitar softly.

Apparently, it calmed her down from all the stress she had because of school and her older brother. Eun-hyuk was in my eyes a good older brother, but I can't really tell her that without getting a load of curse words and complaints about him. Maybe it is because I had taken care of a little boy Miles back at the orphanage and felt like an older sibling to him. Deep down I know she loves him, she just has a hard time expressing her feelings in a none bitchy way.

The sound of the elevators stopping brought me out of my thoughts. Exiting the elevators I began to walk in a steady pass to the stairs that would lead me to the roof. I could already feel the light breeze coming from outside when I was at the bottom of the stairs.

Skipping steps I walked up the stairs being greeted by an impatient Eun-yu tapping her foot on the ground.

"You're late."

I let out a chuckle shaking my head.

"Only one minute."

She let out a huff before walking to the place where we always hang out.

"So what's wrong this time?" I asked taking the case from my shoulder and placing it against the edge of the building.

She sat down and began to put her ballet shoes on.

"Did it hurt or bother you when you quit ballet?" she asked without looking up at me.

My whole life I have been doing ballet and loved it. It was one of the few things I was allowed to do. A year or so ago I had to quit because of her. Ms. Ward had pushed me down the stairs when I ran after her when she wanted to hit Miles after he ran upstairs scared of her. I hadn't broken anything when I landed at the bottom, but her being the cruel person she is stomped on my feet and ankle making sure I wouldn't be able to walk for a while. In doing so she also ended my ballet life.

"To be honest. Yes." She looked up at me probably not wanting to hear that.

"It was something I loved to do since I was little, so yes it hurt when I had to quit." I didn't know why she would ask me this out of the blue.

"Why are you asking? Are you considering quitting too?"

A frustrated groan left her lips when she stood up.

"I quit my lessons." She huffs out.

"Why? I thought that your brother made enough money for your school and to live off."

She let out a groan rolling her eyes at me.

"That's just it! Not the money, but him working! Why did he have to quit his school? I never asked him for it!" I could hear the frustration grow in her voice the more she talked.

"He did that so you can keep doing what you love," I explained, knowing she wouldn't listen to me.

"Whatever." She mutters putting her other shoes to the side so that she has space enough to dance.

"Look I asked you to come for the music not to side with my brother." I held my hands up in defense before taking the guitar out of the case.

Sitting down on the ground I began to strum the strings until my hands began to make more of a melody than just noise. Eun-yu began to stretch while I played further knowing she didn't want me to stop, which I didn't mind. I loved playing the guitar and I loved watching Eun-yu practice ballet.

It's the only thing I have that reminds me of dancing it myself. I really wish my ankle would be better, but every time I try to dance it begins to hurt, and sometimes it ends up swelling so much that I can't stand on it for days. I hate that she had forced me that way to stop doing ballet. She never liked me doing it. In fact, she hated every activity I did outside the orphanage.

It didn't even cost her a penny. Every kid in the orphanage was allowed to do an activity outside the orphanage and the state would cover the costs. I'm pretty sure that she just hated to see us happy. The only reason she started the orphanage was to earn easy money. Every paycheck she got from the government for the orphanage and the children went into her own pockets. She was smart about it too. She spent just enough to pretend to take care of us and to keep the orphanage neat on the outside and if there was an inspection she would make sure that everything was okay on the inside as well.

It's not like she doesn't have enough money already. When I was fifteen I got a job to earn some money for myself. The moment she found out about it she demanded the money.

Of course, I protested at first, but she said that I lived under her roof and if I was old enough to work then I was old enough to pay her rent. Which was stupid because it was an orphanage, I had to agree with her after she locked me up in the shed for two days straight without food.

My attention went back to Eun-yu when she suddenly stopped in the middle of her dance. My nose crinkled in disgust when I saw that there was gum stuck to her shoe. With a groan, she untied her shoe and said hey to someone else which surprised me because I hadn't heard or seen anyone coming up.

There was a boy around our age standing on the edge of the building.

Previous chapter ~ Next chapter