Changbin sat with his back against the supply shelf, his eyes focused ahead on the door.

As if he was waiting for someone.

Felix.

Waiting for him to walk through and tell him everything would be okay.

Tell him it was just a sick joke.

But the wounds on his chest reminded him that it was real. That wasn't Felix anymore.

His Yongbok was gone.

He had used up every last tear in his body, and now he just stared forward, unable to feel anything.

Everything hurt. And yet, nothing hurt.

He was numb.

He didn't even know if he wanted to get out of here.

What was the point?

If everyone he'd ever loved was gone, what reason did he even have to keep living?

If he left the closet, he would know for sure if the others had died. And he didn't want to know. He wasn't sure he could handle it. After losing Felix...

And he couldn't face the Ateez members after leaving Yeosang behind.

He knew in the moment he wasn't thinking...but it didn't change the fact that he left him all on his own.

If he never stepped outside, he wouldn't have to face what he'd done.

He wouldn't have to face anything.

But he knew he had to.

He had to keep going.

He promised Felix.

And he promised Chan.

He was supposed to keep those two safe. And he'd failed. But if he could just keep himself alive...it had to be worth something.

He knew he deserved to face whatever horrible things he'd done. He knew he deserved to see the wreckage he'd caused.

If he'd just gotten Felix out of there sooner, they might've gotten to their dressing room in time to meet up with the others.

But then Chan would've gotten bitten.

And if he'd gone after Han, he would've left the other two to take on the masses all by themselves.

No matter what he'd done, he couldn't have saved everyone.

He did his best.

It was just such an unsettling feeling to know his best was so fucking worthless.

In the end, the only one he'd been able to look out for was himself.

How was he the one left standing? Felix deserved so much more than him. Felix deserved the world. If anyone deserved to make it out of here, it was him.

He knew if Felix hadn't been injured, he would've gotten himself hurt trying to keep everyone else safe. With or without the injury, Felix wasn't focused on making it out of this hellhole.

He cared more about others than he ever did about himself.

Changbin knew it wasn't his fault. He couldn't have saved him.

He'd known all along.

He knew this would happen.

He knew Felix wouldn't survive.

He just wished...

They could've had just a little bit longer.

Suddenly he jumped back as the closet door swung open and he fumbled for some semblance of a weapon from the shelves behind him.

But as quickly as it had opened, the door shut, and two figures pressed against it.

For a moment, his eyes lit up.

Was it Han?

He almost saw Felix, smiling at him in reassurance.

But he knew it wasn't them.

As his eyes adjusted, he gasped in relief, seeing Yeosang and Jongho, both looking at him in concern.

"Yeosang...I'm so..."

He tried to speak but his throat hurt from crying. Yeosang looked down, avoiding his intense eye contact.

"It's okay. I understand."

Changbin shook his head.

"I knew Felix was already infected...I should've taken you to safety, not him..."

"Changbin, we understand," Jongho whispered, his eyes watering a bit.

Changbin set down the pail he'd grabbed in his haste, fidgeting with his hands.

"Did you...did you see Han?" he asked quietly.

Yeosang looked down, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Changbin nodded, straightening and moving to grab something to help the other two fight, knowing they'd have to make their way back down the hallway.

Jongho inspected the cuts on his chest, unsure how to respond. He turned to Yeosang but he was already looking at him, shaking his head.

"It was probably Felix," Yeosang whispered. "Leave him be. He would've turned by now."

Jongho nodded, clearing his throat.

"The control room isn't far. I took out a lot of the zombies so there aren't nearly as many as before. We should be able to make it if we run. I'll reload my gun just to be safe, but it's only a few doors away."

Changbin strapped up, grabbing a heavy metal pail and a hammer. Yeosang eyed the mop at the front of the closet and Changbin stared at it, looking at the claw marks on its handle.

"Do you think this is in better shape than the one I have already?" Yeosang asked Jongho, moving to test the new mop.

"That ones already pretty banged up. You should probably just stick with the one that got you this far," Changbin said and Yeosang nodded slowly.

He and Jongho noticed the condition of the broom and made their assumptions.

Finally, the group was ready to head out as Jongho finished putting a new cartridge of bullets in his gun. He held the other two back as he slowly opened the door, listening to the hallway.

"Alright. On three," he whispered.

The others nodded.

"One, two...three!"

With that, the trio took off, praying they could run fast enough to make it all the way to safety.