Chapter 14 - The Illness

Han carried Miss Kim away from the room where they were and brought her to the upstairs. He put her down on the bed and covered her with a cloth before leaving to clean up the bodies downstairs.

The dispenser containing the REACH drink sat at one side of the room and Han began thinking of what to do with it. He couldn't just pour it down the drain or out into the soil, that could cause more people to become infected. In the end, he decided to simply bury the entire thing, dispenser and all.

He dug a hole outside in Miss Kim's backyard that was large enough to fit both the dispenser and the bodies of the carnivores he killed. He put them all inside and covered it up.

Once this was done, Han just stayed outside there with his head resting on the shovel. He couldn't believe that this drink was the cause of all this. From the very first time he ever heard about it, he already knew that the advertisement would be the cause of pointless struggle for him. How is it possible that one advertisement would not only destroy his life but cause the apocalypse as well.

There was a crack of thunder in the sky and rain began to drop on top of Han. He still didn't move even when the rain became a large downpour that made him almost invisible in it's curtain. He just stood there, trying to get his mind under control again.

After a long time, Han finally entered back into the house. The power box in the basement was trashed and Han didn't have any hope of finding a generator around here, so he simply turned on a torch and used it to find a first aid box.

In the bathroom near the exit, Han found a new shirt to change into as well as a box on the wall with many first aid tools inside it, it was attached to the wall so Han just tore it right out and took it with him to the room he put Miss Kim.

Miss Kim was sweating and shivering when Han entered the room. He sat beside her and shifted the collar of her shirt. The bite mark was no longer bleeding but it was now purple and looked very ugly. Han grimaced and grabbed some disinfectant from the box. He tried his best in cleaning the wound from the knowledge he recalled when he helped his sister. He then wrapped the area in a bandage and secured it in place.

"H-Han.."

Miss Kim squeezed her eyes in her sleep before shivering and laying still once more. Han watched her with pity. She looked like she was in great pain. He wondered why she still hasn't changed into a zombie yet. Was it because a carnivore bit her instead? What would happen to her?

Han stood up to go drop the first-aid box but a hand stretched out and latched onto his shirt. Miss Kim tightened her fist on Hans shirt and pulled him back. She didn't want him to go!

Han sighed and dropped the box on the floor before crawling into the bed beside Miss Kim. He usually had fun imagining what it would be like to lay with this woman! He was a lowly labourer at her company and she was the CEO and he never thought he would even get to touch her in his life, but that did not mean he didn't have his imagination running wild whenever he was alone in bed. He would have done anything to have a moment like this before!

But now all he could think of was how much she shivered throughout the night as he held her close.

...

Four days. That was how long Miss Kim had been sick. Everyday her condition just grew worse, and no matter what Han did she didn't seem to be improving. Han was thinking of leaving the house to find some medicine outside, but Miss Kim refused to let him go.

She didn't want to be alone in this house and she knew that she would not survive this. It was something they both argued about a lot. Whether she would live or die. Han wanted her to keep fighting but she knew her body better than anyone else. There was nothing that could save her life now.

"What did you think of me before?"

Miss Kim suddenly asked this one day. She was lying in bed and had a wet cloth over her head. Her temperature had spiked again and Han was busy making some tea for her to drink.

Han looked at her in curiosity. What was this woman talking about all of a sudden? He walked up to her and took the wet cloth to change it.

"You won't answer me?"

"Get some rest"

Han said while turning away from her, but Miss Kim suddenly lurched up and grabbed him by the waist. She did not like the way things were with them. He was so cold towards her nowadays and she feared she would die with the regret of not knowing why!

"Please talk to me! I don't know what I did, but I just want you to talk about it with me! I'm sick you know, you shouldn't let a sick person beg you like this!"

Han sighed. This woman loved to make expensive jokes with her life!

Miss Kim thought Han would leave, but she was shocked when he turned around and pushed her down to the bed before he sat down beside her. He wet the cloth again and Put it on her head.

"I hated you and wanted to get revenge on you. You destroyed my life and everything I worked hard for when you threw me away from the company. I thought it was the end of my life"

Han's response made Miss Kim feel like crying. Was this the sort of person people saw her as before? No wonder people always called her a spoiled child! Even REACH used her to ruin people's lives. She had been so happy about that contract that she didn't care what she had to do to get it. She just wanted people to see that she was a strong woman. How selfish!

Han saw Miss Kim's tears and he frowned. This was why he didn't want to talk to her about this. He could not lie about how he felt, even right now he still hated her a little. She shouldn't have asked him what he thought of her.

He reached his hand out and took the cloth off her head.

"If you could say one thing to your past self, what would it be?" Miss Kim asked this with teary eyes.

Han was conflicted. What would he tell his past self? Maybe that he should try harder at finding a girlfriend! Because he definitely wasn't going to be a virgin till twenty six again if he went back!

But he would also tell him to try enjoying his life a little more. There was too many things to do on earth for him to get sad because of a little thing like bad luck. He had the problem of giving up too easily. There were many times when he had opportunities when he was younger but he was not patient. He rushed and then he started to only get bad luck as time went on.

He would tell himself to be daring and try things that he would never think of before. Reach for the stars and all that, you know.

Han told these things to Miss Kim and she brought a small smile for him. She didn't expect someone so strong to even have any regrets. It was nice to think he was at least a little human! She had started to think he was some unstoppable force of nature!

"I would tell myself to let go of the past." Miss Kim looked Han in the eyes with a smile, "I would tell myself that there is more time for me to gain the world. I would tell myself to live more and worry less"

Han smiled back and she got lost in his eyes. Miss Kim then did something daring. For once she did not want to hold back, she was going to give in just this once.

When Miss Kim took Hans head in her hand and began bringing him down to her, Han became confused. He looked at her in shock and saw her only smiling at him as she pulled his head even lower.

His lips tasted sweet. Like candy. They were soft and perfect and Miss Kim groaned as Han grabbed the back of her head and deepened the kiss.

A few minutes later they finally separated and Miss Kim tried to catch her breath. That was amazing! It was her very first kiss, but it was amazing!

Han saw Miss Kim close her eyes and he sighed as he saw her breath even out. She had fallen asleep. The kiss was everything he thought it would be. Her lips were so soft that Han thought he had been kissing a marshmallow in his dream!

But what did it mean!?

Han stood up to go clean the towel and basin. He would just ask her when she woke up. He still had time after all.

But then something showed up in his vision that shocked him so much that he dropped the basin to the ground!

[Departure time - 24:00:00]