Chapter Text
Nayeon
The silence was enough to create a turmoil. I was with someone whom I have met since the day I lost everything: my family.
We were staying in one of the rooms of a motel. I have no idea why and how did we get here, because I was losing my sanity when it happened.
I have a companion but it feels like I'm alone because she hasn't said anything when we arrived here. She just let me clean myself because my body was full of blood and let me occupy the whole bed.
I was staring at her intently, trying to figure out what's on her mind. She was sitting on the single sofa that was facing the window.
She opened the window enough for the moonlight to illuminate her beautiful face as well as the room. The frown on her face says that she was thinking deeply.
I found myself smiling when I saw the moles on her face. It made her more look like an innocent woman, when in fact, she's the opposite. She could fight the people who were running after us without thinking about it.
I let a loud sigh when I realized that it was a dead-end for us.
I probably got her attention by sighing. She tried to get a look of my face to check if I'm awake. It took her almost a minute because she doesn't want to get close to me.
"Why are you still up?"
"I'm not sleepy yet,"
It was her turn to sigh. The previous days with me must be hard for her because of my attitude. She was ordering me things that were impossible for me to do. Like, pointing a gun on someone and pull the trigger when the person didn't obey her orders. How am I supposed to do it when I couldn't even kill a fly?
Another thing, I was not used to do what others tell me to. I used to live my life in my own will. The previous day, I was busy with my own life. Then she happened.
"I told you to get some rest because we will find another place to hide," she frustratingly rest her head against the sofa. The exhaustion was visible to her face.
"How am I able to sleep peacefully when there's a bunch of robots tailing us?" I sat on the bed. The fear of being killed by those robots has been the only reason why I couldn't sleep at night.
Her eyes turned into a soft one when she heard me. "I told you I will protect you-"
"Until when? What if they kill you first? How am I going to make it?"
The silence was not foreign for us, but this time was an exception.
"Sleep, then we'll see if we're going to make it tomorrow. I would risk my life if it means that you're going to live."
I couldn't comprehend the last thing that she said, but I didn't get to ask her about it because her eyes were closed.
**********
Interlude
Nayeon was currently searching for a dress that could fit for the theme of her best friend's birthday. It was in the afternoon and her mother called her before that they will have a lunch with their family.
Of course, she gladly accepted. It was her family that she loved more than herself.
Her phone rings for the second time, meaning that she should move faster because she's the only person that was missing.
She immediately brought the royal blue dress with her to the counter and paid for it. Nayeon looked for her phone to check the name of the restaurant, but she bumped into someone.
Nayeon bowed to the man standing in front of her and said sorry a few times. Her eyes met his and she suddenly shivered when she saw the red-eyed man.
She ran to the restaurant and she arrived there in no time. Nayeon was panting real hard as she finds the table that her family members were occupying.
Her mom was the first one to notice her presence and stood up to ask what happened to her daughter.
"I was just chasing the time so I could spend more with you," she smiled to her mother to stop her from asking more questions.
The lunch went smoothly as she anticipated. The simple bonding with her family made her love them even more. She keeps on checking her surroundings when she felt that someone was staring at her.
The uneasy feeling was confirmed when she saw a pair of red eyes piercing hers. It sent shivers to her spine when the man moved to her direction. The tall man was holding a gun that was unfamiliar to her.
It was pointed at her, and she couldn't say anything because her family might panic. She doesn't know the motive of the man so she approached it.
Nayeon wasn't able to go near the man when someone stopped her. A woman wearing a white tank top and leather pants was holding a gun larger than the man in front of them.
She jolted when she heard the gunshot from the woman's gun. Nayeon watched her shoot the red-eyed man, and she was amazed by her fighting skills.
"Go back to your family and leave this place,"
Unable to understand the situation, she kindly obliged. Nayeon took out her family outside the mall quickly but carefully. She looked back and saw the man looking at them as they made their exit.
"Shit."
Nayeon pushed them without hesitation. She needs to get them out of the establishment and go to their house. Unfortunately, the woman couldn't stop the man from chasing Nayeon.
"Get away from here, I'll be back," she said to her siblings that were crying due to the event.
"But-" Nayeon smiled sadly to her mother. Her father was busy with her siblings.
"Go, Mom. I'll be back."
Her father pulled her mother away from her. She saw her mom reaching for her hand, but she just smiled at her as her eyes started to water.
Nayeon ran to the woman who was trying to kill the man, but it seems like she was struggling. She was shocked to see the bleeding parts of her body.
The woman fought like she has no deep wounds, and somehow, it amazed Nayeon.
How could she risk her life to protect me?
"What the fuck are you doing here? Run, Nayeon!"
She was surprised to hear her name escaped from the woman's mouth. She was a stranger for Nayeon, that's why she wondered how did she know her name.
Running was the least she could do when she saw the woman's wounds. She's trying to find something that could stop the man from firing even in a minute.
Her eyes found the long metal from the parking lot. She immediately picked it up and aimed for the man's eye.
It felt like forever for Nayeon as the metal traveled to the man. That made him distracted and Nayeon took an advantage. She immediately pulled the woman out of the man's sight and returned inside her car.
"Do you drive fast?"
"Uh, no-"
"Then I'll drive."
Nayeon was surprised when the woman insisted to drive her car. Her white tank top was almost red due to the wounds and it concerned her.
"But you're-"
She was cut off once again.
"If you want to live, let me drive,"
Nayeon tossed her car keys to the woman and started the engine.
"Fasten your seat belt."
The car moved backwards and turned right. Nayeon has her face pressed to the window because the car moved when she's fastening her seat belt.
"What the fuck was that?!"
"Not my fault,"
Nayeon glanced at the wounds on the woman's arm. The latter noticed it.
Instead of a human flesh, she saw an unusual thing inside the woman's arm. It was something that a human doesn't have.
But she was wondering, where did the blood came from?
"I know what you're thinking. I am human and not a robot," she said carefully. "My name is Mina. I'm from year 2035 and I was sent here to protect you."
Nayeon frowned. "Protect me? From what?"
"As you can see, we are being chased by the terminators that want to kill you,"
The younger frowned even more. "Why? Did I do something wrong?"
"Yes,"
"But I don't know them!"
"Exactly. Because you're just about to do it."
Mina's words kept replaying from her mind. She was in oblivion when a bullet passed right through the car's windshield.
"Oh, fuck me,"
Nayeon tried to catch a glimpse of the car that was chasing them and saw a bulldozer. A fucking bulldozer.
Another bullet passed them and it was enough for Mina to fire back.
"Can you hold this for a while?" said Mina who was pertaining to the steering wheel.
Mina opened the door and jump to the back. She was glad that Nayeon's car was a pick-up. Mina was confused when she saw the metals, but picked up a two. Her eyes calculated the distance between the terminator and her.
When she get the right aim, she immediately tossed it but the terminator was fast to dodge it. Another one was tossed and she failed.
The events were frustrating Mina even more. She wasn't used to feel frustrated because she could do anything in just a snap, but that day was a different case.
She picked up the last two pieces of metal and her eyes did the calculation. Mina tossed it first at the wheel and aimed for the eye.
Bulls eye.
Mina wasn't able to get a look at the terminator because the car's acceleration was lessened. She saw Nayeon crying and stopping her sobs.
Nayeon carefully let go of the steering wheel and let Mina drive.
The chase wasn't done and Mina knew it. Those terminators were persistent to kill the woman beside her.
Mina stepped on the gas and concentrated in driving. The cars that she's been passing by was destroyed by the bulldozer. The scene made Nayeon flinch.
The driver sighed. Mina guessed that they wouldn't able to make it if the terminator wasn't killed.
She starts driving in a zigzag way to confuse the robots behind them. Mina knew that the one who was chasing them got a companion.
Mina continued to drive until the car gave up. Nayeon was sweating hard because of nervousness.
"Oh, come on! Don't give up on us!" Nayeon talked to her car as if it understands her.
Mina kept glancing on the side mirror, and the terminators really didn't want to give up.
The older was left with no choice but to crash the car on the roadside.
"Does your car have an airbags?"
Nayeon looked at her, confused. "Yeah,"
"Are you wearing your seat belt?"
"Yeah,"
Mina nodded at her but she's still confused. "Alright, close your eyes and don't complain. You'll be fine."
Just like what she did earlier, she obliged even if she's confused. She trusted Mina when it risked her life for her and that's enough for Nayeon.
The pick-up truck was turned upside down when it landed from the air. Nayeon remained her eyes closed and reached for Mina's hand but she wasn't able to find it.
She was trying to do what Mina say, but she couldn't help but feel the fear of losing Mina by her side. The thought of her fighting the terminators alone could lose her sane.
Nayeon opened her eyes and saw Mina trying to unfasten her seat belt. Her eyes were barely open and looks like she's going to pass out in any minute.
She slapped Mina's face when she managed to get out of the car. Nayeon helped Mina to leave the car and she did.
The bulldozer was approaching their direction. Mina was searching something from her pocket and put out a grenade. Not the ordinary one but it looks like it was made from an advanced world.
Mina pulled out the pin and waited for the bulldozer to come near them, but enough for them to prevent their selves from burning.
"Turn around," Nayeon sighed but did what Mina said. She clung her arm onto Mina's and the latter didn't complain. Nayeon felt Mina tossed the grenade to the bulldozer.
Mina immediately pulled Nayeon into the woods before the grenade exploded. She could feel her slow heartbeat.
The older sat down and leaned against the tree. "Are you okay?" said Nayeon.
"Want me to answer it honestly?"
The younger nodded.
"No, I'm not okay. I need water and antibiotics to keep myself alive."
"But how can we find a clinic?"
Mina smirked. "That is for us to find out,"
Nayeon's mouth opened and shook her head because of the admiration for the older.
They keep walking around until they found a parked car in front of a wooden house.
"Do you think what I am thinking?"
"No,"
Mina frowned and looked at her. "We're going to steal the car-"
"What the hell?"
Mina acted like she's badly hurt to convince Nayeon. The latter sighed in defeat. But the truth is, the pain was killing her and she wants to vanish it so bad. She doesn't want Nayeon to see her struggling.
After a couple of trials, they succeeded in starting the car. Mina immediately stepped on the gas and made their way out of the woods.
Nayeon's heartbeat was erratic due to nervousness. It was her first time doing something crazy, stealing a car wasn't belong to her bucket list.
"I could hear your heartbeat. Why are you nervous? They are not behind us anymore, well, maybe later,"
"You mean they are still alive?"
Mina flashed a tired smile. "Yeah, and they are kind of hard to kill because of the power they possessed."
"It means you're like them, too,"
Mina chuckled for the first time since the day started. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but I am not like them. You see, I am running out of energy and needs to be recharged as soon as possible."
The car pulled over in front of a small clinic. Mina brought her gun along with her and Nayeon frowned.
"Why are you bringing that?"
"For a proposal,"
Mina and her words. Nayeon shrugged it off and let the woman enter the clinic. A man in his early 20s approached them.
"Good morning, what can I do for you?" His face flashed a worried look when she saw Mina's wounds.
The older walked straight and ignored the nurse. She headed to the cooler and opened two bottled waters simultaneously. Mina finished it in less than a minute.
"What the hell? Mina!"
Mina didn't pay attention to whoever called her name. That time, she was busy ringing the bell placed on the counter.
"Where is the goddamn doctor?" she was getting pissed. The other patients and customers were looking at them strangely. Nayeon smiled at them awkwardly and said that her friend was dying and needs some assistance.
The nurse went to Mina and asked what she needed. "I need antibiotics, pronto!"
A 50 year-old man wearing his lab gown entered the scene. He fixed his eyeglasses and looked at Mina carefully.
"Hi, how may I help you?"
"Give me antibiotics,"
"Where is your prescription?" asked the doctor who smiled even if Mina was trying to improve her anger department.
Mina smiled forcefully and put the gun on the counter. "Here is my prescription."
The doctor stepped back and raised both of his hands, so did the nurse.
Nayeon was in total shock when Mina handed her the gun and said the most terrifying thing in her whole life.
"Kill them if they tried to do anything,"
Without further ado, Mina entered the room that full of different kinds of medicine. She didn't have a hard time on finding the antibiotics because her eyes scanned the whole room.
She immediately injected it in her veins and felt the rushing feeling as she close her eyes. Mina was walking out of the room, but she wasn't fully recovered. Her vision was barely clear and she needs something to hold to keep her standing.
Gladly, Nayeon helped her even if the latter was shaking. Mina didn't know why. She's going to ask her later.
The younger tried to smiled to them as they took their leave. It was a smile that wasn't looked like a smile at all.
She has done a two consecutive robbery. Great.
Nayeon didn't let Mina drive and pushed Mina's body on the back seat. The younger sighed.
She didn't know where to go, so she just drove straight until they reached a deserted place. Mina was still unconscious and she was getting worried.
They passed a motel and she thought about staying for the meantime. She drove back and parked the stolen car carefully.
Nayeon opened the door of the back seat and saw Mina sleeping. There's no way she's going to carry the woman. She slapped Mina's face with a force that enough to wake her up.
The older cracked her eyes open and it met Nayeon's warm brown eyes. The latter smiled tenderly, and Mina swore that it made her heart skip a beat.
"Where are we?"
"It's for us to find out." Mina smirked when Nayeon imitated her words earlier. She shook her head and bit her lip to prevent herself from smiling. Smiling should be the last thing they shouldn't do that time, but she can't help it.
Mina followed Nayeon as the younger made her way to the reception. Luckily, the woman has her wallet with her so they didn't need to break out.
She immediately sat down on the sofa and her mind was blank.
"What are we going to do now?"
"Let's just rest and wait for the perfect time to find another hide out. We can't stay in one place, it would be easy for them to find us."