Chapter 1The One I Shouldn’t Have Met Again

The first thing she noticed was the smell.

Rotten. Thick. Suffocating.

It clung to the air like something alive, crawling into her lungs with every breath. Aya pressed her sleeve over her nose, her heartbeat pounding in her ears as she crouched behind the rusted car. Her fingers trembled against the cold metal, gripping it like it was the only thing keeping her grounded.

Silence.

Too much silence.

That was never a good sign.

Slowly, carefully, she peeked over the hood.

The street was a graveyard.

Broken buildings leaned like they were seconds away from collapsing. Burned-out cars littered the road, their windows shattered, doors hanging open like mouths frozen mid-scream. Dark stains painted the pavement—old blood, dried and cracked.

But no movement.

Aya frowned.

“...That’s not right.”

Her voice was barely a whisper, but even that felt too loud.

Usually, they were everywhere.

The undead didn’t leave spaces this empty.

Which meant one thing.

They were close.

A low sound echoed in the distance.

A wet, dragging noise.

Aya froze.

Her grip tightened around the knife in her hand.

Then—

A figure stumbled into view.

Her breath caught.

The thing was barely human anymore. Skin torn and hanging, eyes clouded white, jaw twisted unnaturally as it dragged one leg behind it. Blood—fresh this time—dripped down its arm.

It hadn’t seen her yet.

Good.

Aya slowly lowered herself, her mind racing.

One zombie wasn’t a problem.

But one meant more.

Always.

She needed to move.

Now.

Carefully, she shifted backward, her boots scraping softly against gravel. Every step felt like it echoed too loudly, like the world was listening, waiting for her to make a mistake.

The dragging sound stopped.

Aya’s heart skipped.

She didn’t breathe.

Did it hear that?

Seconds passed.

Nothing.

Relief barely had time to settle before—

A hand grabbed her wrist.

Aya gasped, instinct kicking in as she twisted violently, knife slashing forward—

But it never connected.

Her arm was caught mid-air.

Strong.

Unmoving.

Her eyes widened.

“You’re going to get yourself killed.”

The voice was low.

Cold.

Familiar.

Aya’s expression darkened instantly.

“You—”

She yanked her arm back, stumbling away from him as if he was more dangerous than the undead.

He stood there like he belonged in the apocalypse.

Tall. Unshaken. Covered in blood that wasn’t entirely his own.

And those eyes—

Still human.

But not completely.

“Stay away from me,” Aya snapped, gripping her knife tighter.

The man tilted his head slightly, watching her like she was something mildly irritating.

“Still the same,” he muttered.

Her jaw clenched.

“Still breathing,” she shot back. “Unlike the people you left behind.”

For a second—

Something flickered in his expression.

Gone just as quickly.

“Not the time,” he said flatly.

A growl echoed nearby.

Closer this time.

Aya’s stomach dropped.

“Great,” she whispered.

The first zombie rounded the car.

Then another.

And another.

Her pulse spiked.

“There’s too many—”

“Move.”

Before she could argue, his hand grabbed hers again.

Aya tried to pull away.

Failed.

“Let go of me!”

“Do you want to die here?”

The question hit harder than she expected.

Her teeth clenched.

“…Fine.”

That was all he needed.

He pulled her forward, weaving through the wreckage with practiced ease. Aya followed, her breath coming fast as the sounds behind them grew louder.

More footsteps.

More dragging.

More of them.

“Left,” he said.

Aya didn’t hesitate.

They turned sharply, slipping into a narrow alley. The walls closed in around them, dark and suffocating. Trash and debris crunched underfoot as they ran deeper inside.

“Dead end,” Aya realized, panic creeping into her voice.

“Not quite.”

He kicked a loose board on the ground, revealing a hidden hatch.

Aya blinked.

“What—”

“Inside.”

There was no time to question it.

The growls were right behind them now.

Aya dropped into the darkness, landing hard as he followed, slamming the hatch shut above them.

Silence.

Heavy.

Breathless.

Aya leaned against the wall, chest heaving as she tried to steady herself.

“…You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered.

Of all people.

Of all places.

Him.

She looked up.

He stood a few feet away, barely breathing hard, like running for his life was nothing to him.

Like this was normal.

Aya hated that.

Hated him.

And yet—

Something felt… off.

Her eyes narrowed.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

He didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he stepped forward, just enough for the faint light filtering through cracks above to hit his face.

Aya’s breath hitched.

His skin—

It wasn’t right.

Dark veins spread across his neck, creeping upward like something was growing beneath his skin. His eyes, though still sharp, held a faint glow—something unnatural flickering in the depths.

Her grip on the knife tightened.

“…What happened to you?”

He met her gaze.

For the first time, there was something real in his expression.

Something dangerous.

“I didn’t die,” he said quietly.

Aya’s stomach twisted.

That wasn’t an answer.

“…That’s not what I asked.”

A pause.

Then—

“I was bitten.”

The words dropped like a bomb.

Aya’s body went cold.

“No,” she whispered, stepping back instinctively.

“But I didn’t turn.”

Her mind struggled to catch up.

“That’s not possible.”

“I know.”

Silence stretched between them.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

Terrifying.

Aya’s eyes scanned him again.

The veins.

The glow.

The way he stood—too still, too controlled.

Like he was holding something back.

“Then what are you?” she asked, her voice barely steady.

He looked at her.

And for a moment—

She felt it.

That thin line.

The one between human…

…and monster.

“I don’t know.”

A distant bang echoed above them.

Followed by scratching.

They found the hatch.

Aya’s pulse spiked again.

“…Great timing,” she muttered.

He glanced upward, then back at her.

“We can’t stay here.”

Aya swallowed hard.

Of course they couldn’t.

Nothing was ever that easy.

She hesitated for a split second.

Then nodded.

“Fine,” she said quietly.

But her eyes never left him.

Because now—

The zombies weren’t the only thing she had to worry about.

Follow me pls

Chapter 2: Trapped With Something Not Human

The scratching above them didn’t stop.

It got worse.

Louder.

Faster.

Aya stared at the hatch like it might burst open any second. Dust fell from the cracks, tiny grains raining down with every violent hit from above.

“They know we’re here,” she whispered.

“Of course they do,” he replied calmly.

Aya shot him a glare. “You sound very relaxed for someone about to be eaten.”

“They’re not getting in.”

His confidence irritated her more than it reassured her.

“How do you know that?”

Instead of answering, he walked toward the far end of the underground space. Aya hesitated before following, her knife still clenched tightly in her hand.

The place looked like some kind of old storage bunker. Rusted shelves lined the walls, most of them empty except for a few scattered cans and broken boxes. The air was damp and smelled almost as bad as outside—but safer.

Safer.

Aya hated that she was thinking like that.

Especially with him here.

He crouched near the wall, pushing aside debris until a narrow passage revealed itself.

Aya blinked. “You’ve been here before.”

“Yes.”

“Of course you have,” she muttered.

Another loud bang echoed above them.

Aya flinched.

“Move,” he said.

She didn’t argue this time.

They slipped into the passage one after the other. It was tight, forcing them to walk close—too close. Aya could feel his presence behind her, steady and controlled, like a shadow that refused to leave.

Her grip tightened on the knife.

“If you try anything—”

“You’ll stab me?” he finished flatly. “You’ve already tried.”

She clicked her tongue. “Next time I won’t miss.”

A quiet pause.

“…Noted.”

They kept moving.

The tunnel stretched longer than she expected, twisting slightly before opening into another small chamber. This one was cleaner. Someone had been using it recently.

There were supplies.

Water bottles.

A small lantern.

Even a folded blanket in the corner.

Aya froze.

“…You’re living here?”

“Sometimes.”

Her chest tightened.

While people were dying out there… he had a place like this.

“You always did know how to survive,” she said, unable to hide the edge in her voice.

“I had to.”

Aya looked away.

That wasn’t an excuse.

Not for what he did.

Silence fell between them again, heavier this time.

Then—

A low, pained sound broke it.

Aya’s head snapped toward him.

He was leaning against the wall now, his breathing uneven.

Her eyes narrowed.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

“I said I’m—”

He cut himself off.

His body tensed.

Aya stepped back instinctively.

Something changed.

She saw it.

His hand clenched, veins darkening under his skin, spreading faster now—like ink bleeding through paper. His eyes flickered, the faint glow growing stronger for just a second.

Aya’s pulse spiked.

“…Don’t lie to me.”

He didn’t answer.

Didn’t look at her.

That scared her more.

“Hey,” she said sharply, raising her knife. “If you’re turning—”

“I’m not.”

The words came out strained.

Forced.

Aya didn’t lower her weapon.

“Then what is this?!”

Silence.

Heavy.

Unstable.

Then, quietly—

“I get… urges.”

Aya’s stomach dropped.

“What kind of urges?”

He finally looked at her.

And for a second—

She regretted asking.

“Don’t make me say it.”

Her breath caught.

No.

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head. “You’re lying.”

“I wish I was.”

Aya backed away further, her heart racing now for an entirely different reason.

“You’re telling me you’re walking around like this—like some ticking bomb—and you didn’t think that was important to mention earlier?!”

“You didn’t give me time.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she snapped, voice rising. “Next time I’ll ask if my enemy is secretly half a monster before running for my life!”

His expression darkened slightly.

“I told you I’m not turning.”

“How do you know?!”

“I just do.”

“That’s not good enough!”

Her voice echoed in the small space.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then—

Another sound.

Not from above.

From the tunnel.

Aya froze.

“…Did you hear that?”

He did.

She could tell by the way his posture shifted instantly, all weakness gone like it had never existed.

Focused.

Dangerous.

Aya slowly turned toward the entrance of the passage.

Darkness stared back at her.

Then—

A shape moved.

Her grip tightened.

“That’s not possible,” she whispered.

They didn’t follow this fast.

They shouldn’t have found them.

A low growl echoed through the tunnel.

Closer.

Closer.

Aya’s breath came faster.

“We need to go,” she said.

“No.”

She looked at him like he’d lost his mind.

“What do you mean no?!”

He stepped forward, placing himself between her and the tunnel.

Aya blinked.

“What are you doing?”

“Staying.”

“…Are you insane?”

“If we run, they’ll follow. This space is too small.”

Aya’s stomach twisted.

“So what? You want to fight them here?”

“Yes.”

Her laugh was sharp.

Unbelieving.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“Stay back.”

Aya hesitated.

Every instinct screamed at her to leave.

To run.

To survive.

But—

Her eyes flickered to him.

To the veins.

To the thing he was becoming.

“…If you lose control,” she said quietly, raising her knife again, “I won’t hesitate.”

He didn’t look at her.

“Good.”

The growling got louder.

Closer.

A hand appeared in the darkness.

Rotting.

Reaching.

Aya held her breath.

And then—

The first zombie lunged into the light.

Everything happened fast.

Too fast.

He moved before she could even react.

Faster than any human should.

Aya’s eyes widened.

He grabbed the zombie by the throat, slamming it into the wall with brutal force. The crack echoed as its skull hit concrete.

It went still.

Aya stared.

“…What the—”

Another one rushed in.

Then another.

He didn’t hesitate.

Didn’t falter.

He moved like something born for this.

Not human.

Not anymore.

Aya’s grip on her knife tightened.

Her heart pounded.

Because now—

She wasn’t just trapped with zombies.

She was trapped with something far worse.

And she didn’t know which one she should be more afraid of.

Follow pls

Chapter 3: The Line He’s Losing

The first body hit the ground with a dull, sickening thud.

Aya didn’t move.

Couldn’t.

Her eyes were locked on him.

The way he moved—

It wasn’t normal.

It wasn’t human.

The second zombie barely had time to react before he twisted its neck with a sharp crack. The sound echoed through the narrow chamber, followed by the heavy collapse of lifeless flesh.

Silence.

Just for a second.

Then—

More growls.

Aya’s stomach dropped.

“They’re still coming,” she said, her voice tight.

“I know.”

He didn’t look at her.

Didn’t even breathe heavily.

That was the worst part.

Anyone else would be exhausted.

Anyone else would be struggling.

But him?

He looked… steady.

Too steady.

Another shadow moved in the tunnel.

Aya snapped out of it.

“Behind you!”

The zombie lunged.

This one faster.

More aggressive.

But he was faster.

He sidestepped it, grabbing its arm mid-lunge and slamming it down onto the concrete. The force alone made Aya flinch.

Before it could move again—

He drove his hand straight through its skull.

Aya froze.

Her breath caught in her throat.

That—

That wasn’t possible.

Not like that.

Not with bare hands.

The zombie twitched once.

Then went still.

Aya took a step back.

Then another.

Her grip on the knife tightened so hard her knuckles turned white.

“…You’re not human.”

The words slipped out before she could stop them.

This time—

He heard it.

Slowly, he turned toward her.

There was something different in his eyes now.

Something darker.

Aya’s pulse spiked.

“I told you,” he said quietly. “I don’t know what I am.”

Another growl cut through the tension.

But it was distant.

Fading.

The rest were gone.

For now.

Silence settled again.

Heavy.

Oppressive.

Aya swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing.

“Say something,” she demanded.

“About what?”

“About that!” she snapped, pointing at the bodies. “You just— you just—”

“I killed them.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Her voice cracked.

Frustration.

Fear.

Something else she didn’t want to name.

“That wasn’t normal!”

“I know.”

“You didn’t even hesitate!”

“I couldn’t.”

Aya stared at him.

“What does that mean?”

He didn’t answer right away.

Instead, he looked down at his hands.

At the blood.

At the dark veins still crawling faintly under his skin.

“…It means,” he said slowly, “when they get close…”

He clenched his fist.

“…something in me responds.”

Aya’s stomach twisted.

“Responds how?”

His jaw tightened.

“Like I’m one of them.”

The words hung in the air.

Heavy.

Unsettling.

Aya shook her head immediately.

“No.”

“It’s true.”

“No, it’s not,” she insisted, taking another step back. “You’re not like them.”

His gaze flickered toward her.

For a moment—

Something almost human returned.

“Then why does it feel like I am?”

Aya didn’t have an answer.

Didn’t want to think about it.

Didn’t want to accept it.

Because if that was true—

Then staying with him was a mistake.

A dangerous one.

Silence stretched again.

Then—

“You should leave.”

Aya blinked.

“What?”

“Take the supplies. Go.”

Her expression hardened instantly.

“And what? Just walk away?”

“Yes.”

“Are you serious right now?”

“It’s safer.”

“For who?” she shot back.

“For you.”

Aya let out a sharp laugh.

“You don’t get to decide that.”

“I already did.”

Her jaw clenched.

“Of course you did,” she muttered bitterly. “You always do.”

That hit something.

She saw it.

A flicker.

Gone just as quickly.

“Nothing’s changed,” she added coldly.

“That’s where you’re wrong.”

Aya looked at him.

Really looked.

At the exhaustion hidden behind his calm.

At the tension in his shoulders.

At the way he kept his distance now.

Like he was the one afraid.

“…Then prove it,” she said.

His brow furrowed slightly.

“Prove what?”

“That you’re not the same person who left everyone behind.”

The words landed harder than anything else she’d said.

For a second—

He didn’t move.

Didn’t breathe.

Then—

“I didn’t have a choice.”

“Everyone always says that.”

“This time it’s true.”

Aya shook her head.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Then don’t.”

Silence.

Sharp.

Cutting.

Aya looked away first.

“…Fine.”

She walked past him, grabbing one of the water bottles and stuffing it into her bag.

“Good,” she said flatly. “Less talking, more surviving.”

He watched her for a moment.

Then—

“Stay here tonight.”

Aya paused.

Her grip tightened slightly.

“I just told you I don’t trust you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“…Then why?”

He glanced toward the tunnel.

Then back at her.

“Because they’ll come back.”

Aya followed his gaze.

Her stomach tightened.

She knew he was right.

And she hated it.

“…One night,” she said finally.

“That’s all.”

He nodded once.

“Fine.”

But neither of them relaxed.

Not really.

Because the truth was—

They weren’t just sharing a space.

They were sharing a line.

A fragile, dangerous line between human…

…and something far worse.

And Aya could already feel it.

He was getting closer to crossing it.