"I don't know…" she said, sitting on the floor. "The things I see are so fractured—I don't know what will happen and what won't."
She rested her back against the wall, then faced Min-ho.
"Most times, I just take a guess and pray for the best," she said, smiling still.
Min-ho lowered his gaze and balled his fist.
"We should…" Sae-wee tried to get up, but ended up crumbling to the ground.
"Sae-wee," Min-ho said, rushing to his knees and helping her up.
She looked deathly pale—like every drop of blood in her body had been sucked dry.
"You should rest," he said, leaning her against the wall.
She shook her head. "No… no, we need to keep—"
"You need to rest," Min-ho said, unwilling to take no for an answer.
Sae-wee paused for a moment, then reluctantly obeyed.
He summoned the last canteen of water into his hands. His stomach dropped when he felt how light it was.
They had just purchased this one, and it was already nearly gone. No matter how much they rationed it, it wouldn't last. They'd have to buy a new one soon.
"Drink this," he said, opening the canteen and handing it to her.
She took it with shaky hands and raised it to her lips, downing the contents without much thought.
Min-ho stared for a second, then turned to the passageways.
"I need to make a routine check—"
Sae-wee grabbed his arm just as he was about to stand.
"Don't leave me…" she said, her eyes filled with fear. "Please."
Min-ho stood still. He didn't like the idea of not securing their perimeter. But truthfully, it wouldn't change anything if he saw a Spector. They'd be dead either way.
"…Okay," he said, then sat beside her.
Almost immediately, a question came to mind—but he hesitated to ask.
Sae-wee leaned against the wall, exhaling softly, comforted slightly by the water she drank.
Taking in a deep breath, Min-ho spoke.
"You never told me if Shin-ji and his team were to be trusted," he said, remembering how everyone had taken a vote—except her.
She thought for a moment. "I didn't need to," she coughed. "You already know… don't you?"
His heart thumped.
He knew, alright—but hearing it confirmed wasn't comforting.
"You could have said something. Perhaps we could've come up with a way to bring them down," Min-ho said, dreading the idea of ending someone's life.
"We need them… for now," she said, breathing heavily.
Min-ho remained silent. Then another question clawed at his mind.
"How much do you know about the others? Ji-su, Dok-su, and Jang-book?" he asked, trying to fully grasp the extent of her powers.
"Truth be told? Not much," she said—but Min-ho found it hard to believe. "I've seen glimpses of them. Their lives, our future together… but nothing much."
Min-ho exhaled slightly.
"And… what about me? Were you being truthful when you said you only knew bits and pieces about my time here?" he asked, his body tensing.
Sae-wee paused—which did nothing to ease his nerves.
"Was I being truthful?" she asked, echoing his words.
A second later, she began to cough again. Violently.
She bent over, black blood pouring from her mouth.
Min-ho held her, trying to soothe her any way he could. He didn't know what else to do.
Several seconds passed before the coughing subsided. She felt brittle in his arms—like old paper ready to crumble.
This isn't good, Min-ho thought, dread rising once more.
Sae-wee wiped her mouth, then smiled again.
Min-ho couldn't see it directly, but he noticed her cheek move slightly.
"That wasn't true… I actually know too much for my own liking," she said, causing a frown to form on his face.
He instinctively let go of her, suddenly feeling unsafe.
"I'm sorry I lied to you… but you wouldn't have trusted me if I said otherwise."
Min-ho got to his feet, distancing himself.
"And I'm supposed to trust you now?" he asked, anger swelling.
Sae-wee forced her head up to meet his gaze.
"You've… you've seen what I've done for you… for the team," she said weakly. "I'm not your enemy. I'm not theirs either. I want you to know… you never have to be afraid… of me hurting you."
She began to wheeze, each breath thinner than the last.
"I swear it," she said—and then collapsed onto her back.
His heart pounded.
"Sae-wee," he called out, dropping to his knees.
She continued wheezing. Her pupils rolled upward.
Min-ho grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. She was cold. Dangerously cold.
"Damn it," Min-ho cursed, scrambling for a solution.
Blood Burner echoed in his mind over and over, but he didn't know if it would work. Now that she was this weak… it could even kill her.
He should've tried it earlier. But that ship had long sailed.
'Shit,' he cursed inwardly, holding Sae-wee tightly. He could feel her life slipping away.
"Shit, Sae-wee, don't die like this," Min-ho said, his stomach knotting. His hands trembled, and his throat ran dry.
Looking at her, a memory flashed in his mind—two people, in a living room. Dead.
That was the last time he felt this helpless.
He gritted his teeth.
"Damn it, Sae-wee! Don't fucking die like this!" he yelled, his heart swelling, eyes welling up.
'Not again. Not again.' He held her tighter, but she began to shake uncontrollably.
He couldn't do anything but watch as she slipped further away.
"Sae-wee!" a voice echoed. It was familiar.
'Im-hee?' Min-ho thought, lifting his head.
There she was, a few feet away, Ji-su by her side.
The moment he laid eyes on her, he felt like mush—like some deity had descended from the heavens to fix his broken world.
While he still reeled in disbelief, Im-hee ran to them.
She dropped to her knees beside the barely conscious Sae-wee. She didn't even need to be told—she immediately began healing her.
Min-ho gently laid Sae-wee down and gave Im-hee room.
"Ah!" Im-hee cried out almost immediately.
"What happened to her?" Ji-su asked, but Min-ho couldn't answer. He just watched, his heart too full of pain.
"Ahhh!" Im-hee cried again, writhing in agony.
Min-ho could see it—her arteries turning black, the death crawling up her arms.
Despite the pain, she continued. Not relenting. Not stopping.
The seconds dragged like hours. Sae-wee passed out. Im-hee kept going.
Ji-su held his breath.
Min-ho didn't even feel time anymore. His mind flickered between Sae-wee… and the corpses he once knew.
"AHHHH!" Im-hee screamed one last time—then was jolted back, like something had exploded inside her.
"Im-hee!" Ji-su cried, catching her before she hit the ground.
She was out cold. Her arteries were visibly blackened.
There was a chance… both of them were—
"She's alive," Ji-su said, his ear pressed to her chest. He could hear a heartbeat.
Min-ho didn't respond. He was still frozen.
But then—his eyes lit up.
Sae-wee blinked.
Her eyelids slowly rose halfway.
"Im… Im-hee?" she whispered, barely audible.
Hearing her voice, something broke inside Min-ho.
He lowered his head, placing a hand over his mouth as tears streamed silently down his cheeks.
Though he was overcome with relief… he couldn't escape the sting of the memory he'd fought so hard to forget.
He shut his eyes.
And let the tears fall.