Jihyo and Taehyung's POV
(Why can they become a walker)

---

The sun was setting, painting the sky with streaks of orange and red as Taehyung and Jihyo walked hand in hand down the cracked and overgrown road. Their private camp wasn't far now, and though the apocalypse surrounded them, their world felt insulated. It always had when they were together.

"Do you think there's still a place out there like before?" Jihyo asked, her voice soft and wistful. She glanced at Taehyung, her wide eyes filled with a hope that didn't match the harsh reality around them.

Taehyung gave her a gentle smile, squeezing her hand. "Maybe not like before, but we'll make it our own. Just like we've always done."

Jihyo nodded, her sundress swaying with her steps, a soft breeze carrying the faint scent of wildflowers she had braided into her hair earlier. She looked like a dream, Taehyung thought, even in this nightmare world.

They paused when they reached an abandoned gas station, its windows broken and shelves looted. Taehyung scanned the area cautiously, his grip tightening on Jihyo's hand. "Stay close," he murmured.

She nodded, but her curiosity got the better of her. She spotted a rusted tin of something on the ground and bent down to pick it up. "Look," she said, holding it up with a grin. "It's old, but maybe it's still good-"

The sound of shuffling feet cut her off.

Taehyung's head snapped toward the sound, his other hand already gripping the knife at his belt. Walkers. Four of them emerged from behind the gas station, their guttural groans filling the air.

"Jihyo, behind me," Taehyung ordered, stepping in front of her.

But she didn't listen. She never did when it came to him. Instead, she moved beside him, her small knife trembling in her hand. "I'm not hiding," she said firmly. "We're a team, remember?"

The walkers closed in, their decayed forms moving with terrifying determination. Taehyung and Jihyo fought side by side, their movements instinctual and practiced. Taehyung slashed at one walker, the blade sinking into its skull, while Jihyo stabbed another in the eye.

They were holding their ground until Taehyung heard it-a gasp.

He turned to see Jihyo frozen, her knife clattering to the ground. A walker had latched onto her arm, its rotten teeth sinking into her skin.

"Jihyo!" Taehyung roared, lunging forward and stabbing the walker in the head. It fell to the ground, lifeless, but the damage was done.

Jihyo's eyes filled with tears as she looked down at the bite mark on her arm. "Taehyung..." she whispered, her voice trembling.

"No," he said, his voice breaking. He grabbed her arm, staring at the wound as if he could will it away. "No, no, no. This isn't happening."

Jihyo reached up to cup his face, her touch soft despite the tears streaming down her cheeks. "It's okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's okay, Taehyung."

But it wasn't. Not for him.

Taehyung shook his head, his tears mixing with hers. "We can fix this. We'll find a way. We'll cut it off, we'll-"

Before he could finish, the remaining walker lunged at him from behind. Jihyo screamed, but it was too late. The walker sank its teeth into Taehyung's shoulder, dragging him to the ground.

Jihyo didn't hesitate. She grabbed her knife and stabbed the walker repeatedly, her sobs echoing through the empty gas station.

When it was over, Taehyung lay on the ground, blood pooling beneath him. Jihyo collapsed beside him, her hand reaching for his.

"Taehyung..." she cried, her voice breaking.

He turned his head to look at her, his eyes filled with pain and love. "At least... we're together," he whispered.

Jihyo nodded, tears streaming down her face. She lay beside him, their hands still linked, as the sun dipped below the horizon.

---

The transformation was slow, agonizing.

Jihyo's mind was a haze, but through the fog, she clung to one thing-Taehyung. Even as her body betrayed her, as her consciousness faded, she felt his hand in hers.

Taehyung's last coherent thought was of Jihyo. He didn't care about the world, the apocalypse, or even the pain. All that mattered was her.

When the change was complete, they were no longer Taehyung and Jihyo. They were walkers, aimlessly wandering the world.

But even in death, they stayed together. Their hands never parted, their steps always in sync. Somewhere, deep within their undead forms, a spark of their love remained, guiding them through the endless, desolate world.

Even as walkers, they were soulmates.