Zack couldn't believe what he was seeing. His eyes were locked on her arm—her wounded arm. A bite mark.

His mind reeled, trying to piece together how this had happened. She must have been bitten earlier—when they were rescuing that survivor family. While he had been too busy helping them, she had been helping him. And now, because of his carelessness, she was the one paying the price.

Stupid. He was so stupid.

After making sure the survivors got inside the town safely, she had dragged him into this abandoned building, but she hadn't stepped inside yet. Zack knew why. This was her way of asking him to do it—to shoot her before she turned.

But how could he?

His heart felt like it was being crushed in a vice, his chest burning with something unbearable. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he forced himself to sit beside her. He managed a smile, even though everything inside him was breaking.

"Hey~ you look pretty today. Is it because you just got bitten?"

His voice was light, teasing, as if they were still joking around like always. As if everything was still normal. He reached out and ruffled her hair like he always did, but his hand lingered for a second too long, reluctant to pull away.

"And hey... I-I think... you still have time, right? You're not turning yet... maybe—maybe you won't turn at all."

His words were desperate, clinging to an impossible hope. They both knew the truth. Everyone who got bitten turned. There were no exceptions.

And yet, he couldn't bring himself to say goodbye.

His smile faded, the weight of reality pressing down on him, crushing him. His fingers curled into fists as his body trembled. Then, finally, his voice cracked.

"I'm sorry. I can't do it. I won't."

A choked sob tore from his throat before he could stop it. His shoulders shook as he struggled to hold himself together.

"Why...? It's my fault. I'm so sorry."

He wiped his tears away quickly, as if that would erase the pain, as if that would make this moment any easier. But nothing could.

And then, a thought struck him.

"Come on, let's go." His voice was still shaking, but there was a desperate kind of determination in his eyes. "I want to stay with you before you turn. Since we can't go back to town... we can roam around."

He turned to her, forcing a small smile despite everything.

"You remember when we were kids? You always said you wanted to have a night out—just the two of us. Well... now's our chance. Our night out."

His breath hitched, but he pushed through it, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions.

"Please, don't ask me to shoot you yet. Not until you turn. Let me have this—just for a little while. Let me stay with you."

His next words were barely above a whisper.

"Not like friends... but like lovers. Yeah... I love you. Even if it's too late... let me stay."