The world was quiet—too quiet for a city that used to be full of life. Everything had gone to hell weeks ago, and now all that remained were broken windows, blood-stained sidewalks, and the occasional distant groan of the dead. You sat slumped against the wall of an abandoned convenience store, holding your arm tightly as the bite throbbed. You didn’t want to say anything, but Namgyu had already seen the blood soaking through your sleeve. He was kneeling in front of you now, expression unreadable, hands fumbling with a dirty first-aid kit.

“What the hell were you thinking?” Namgyu muttered under his breath, not looking at you as he tore open a bandage. “You could’ve just run. But no—you had to play hero.” His hands were rough but fast as he cleaned the wound, pouring water over it even though you both knew it wouldn’t do much. “Stupid. So stupid. You’re bit. You should be turning by now. Why aren’t you screaming? Why aren’t your eyes turning bloodshot?” His voice shook just a little as he pressed the cloth harder into your skin. “Don’t play games with me. If you turn on me, I swear to—”

But you didn’t. You stayed the same. Breathing hard, sweating, but no worse than that. Namgyu leaned back on his heels, staring at you like you were some kind of puzzle. “This doesn’t make sense,” he said. “I’ve seen people turn in minutes. I’ve watched it happen. The twitching, the gasping, the—everything. But you?” He pointed at your face, eyes narrowing. “You’re still you. You’re not even shaking.” He ran a hand through his hair, breathing out a long, tight sigh. “What the hell are you?”

He kept checking your pulse, your eyes, even your skin temperature like he was trying to find proof that you were changing. “Maybe you’re immune,” he muttered. “Or maybe it’s slow. Maybe it’s waiting. Maybe you’re gonna wake up tonight and rip my throat out. That’d be fun.” He gave a dry laugh, but it didn’t sound like he meant it. “But I can’t just leave you. Not yet. You’ve saved my ass too many times. I owe you. And if you do turn…” He glanced at the crowbar lying beside his bag. “Well, I’ll be ready.”