Even with his energy drained, Ryan had trouble falling asleep. He kept tossing and turning, unable to find the perfect spot. Ryan had shut his eyes prior, drowning out the others and pretending initially. Heat rose from the back of his eyes; he struggled to keep it together and not to shed any more tears. He had a lot on his mind and no idea how to proceed forward from now on. Just imagining going through the same stuff as yesterday, like nothing happened, made his head spin.

  Ryan rose from his sleeping bag and rubbed his head, which was still warm. He didn't think it was a fever, but the sweat wasn't helping him think straight. He rested his hands on his lap and looked out the window. Now that it wasn't windy through the cracks, he noticed how hot the room could be.

  Ryan glanced at Mike and Taylor, both sound asleep, as if the heat had not affected either of them. Either they were used to it since they had stayed here longer, or it was just Ryan who had this issue.

  "I need some air..." He muttered to himself. It was then that he realized how hoarse his throat truly was. It must've been from all that crying, he guessed.

  Ryan craned his neck and slowly got out of the sleeping bag. He waited for movement from the other two before tiptoeing toward the windows.

  Thanks to the moonlight, he knew where to walk and see his reflection. Ryan finally noticed the dry tear marks on his red eyes and the bruises on his hands. Had it really been that bad since he left the factory? Moving his knuckles stung, but only a little, but that didn't make his heart ache any less.

  Ryan turned and walked to the door, his desire to leave growing stronger with each passing moment. He looked back at the room one last time before closing the door behind him.

  .-.-.-.

  Walking down the halls, Ryan placed a hand on his neck and attempted to clear his throat, to no avail. He dragged his feet across the halls. Even though he didn’t want to move, his body had a mind of its own. Before he knew it, he was already at the bathroom door.

  Ryan then went inside to wash his face with water, but forgot the sinks were inoperable. He opened the bathroom closet, finding a few bottles stashed on the shelf. Ryan grabbed the closest one and used it to wash his face and hands. It didn't take him long, so he put the bottle away, dried off with a towel, then left.

  His next stop was the kitchen, where he figured a drink would calm his nerves and cool his body. As for what to do after that, well, he wasn't in the mood to think at the moment, and would save it for another day.

  Ryan went down the stairs and then turned the corner. He jumped, noticing a redhead sitting in the living room. In front of her, the table had a few cups and plates placed around a teapot. The steam from the pot let out a pleasant aroma that hit his nostrils. When she turned to face him, her face lit up as she waved. He hadn't expected anyone else to be out of their rooms, much less Yuna.

  "Oh, hey, I didn't know you were still up," Ryan said once he calmed down.

  "Yeah, I couldn't sleep, so I came down to get something to drink," Yuna replied, motioning to the tea set in front of her. "Care to join me? I made more than intended, and I don't think I can finish all this alone."

  "Sure, I don't see why not," Ryan said with a shrug. It wasn't a cold drink like he wanted, but it would do.

  "It helps clear my mind whenever I feel stressed."

  "Right now, I could use something like that." He grabbed a seat across from her as she poured a. It's been a long day. I can't even hear myself think."

  "Sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk about it?"

  "Not really."

  "I understand."

  The two drank silently; not even the broken clock ticked or made any noise.

  "I didn't even know you could make tea," Ryan spoke up, resting the cup on his lap.

  "It's been a while since I made some," Yuna said, staring at her reflection in the tea. "It still tastes just as good as I remember. Nobody else likes this stuff, so I don't mind."

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  "Oh well, their loss."

  "Right." Yuna couldn't help but giggle at the remark. "Nice to know I have a tea buddy to share this with. Now I've learned something new about you."

  "Yep, feelings mutual."

  It had been a while since he had a pleasant conversation with someone like this. It'd been some time since he got to have a nice one-on-one with someone, period. As much as he enjoyed the company, memories from his time spent with Carl and Daisy lingered in the back of his mind. That made his heart ache again. What Yuna said next caught him off guard.

  "So, what are your plans after this?"

  "Um, going to bed?"

  "You know that's not what I meant. I mean, what are you doing to do tomorrow?"

  "Honestly, I don't know." Ryan stared at his drink and frowned. "I'm kind of in limbo right now..."

  "With what's happening with the world right now, I don't blame you."

  He was going to tell her not to remind him of that, but when he thought about it, it was hard not to have that reminder slapped across the face every day. Also, compared to them, he still wasn't used to the changes that were happening around him. He refused to accept this new reality.

  "So, was the reason none of you have any phones, because...?"

  "Yeah, we couldn't get any signal, no matter where we went. They died before we got the chance to call for help."

  "Just like with me..."

  "I don't mean to pry, but was that why you felt dejected earlier?"

  "How'd you know it's because of that?"

  "I don't; you hadn't said anything since yesterday, but we wanted to give you space until you were ready to talk. Mike told us a little about what happened at the factory. We didn't want to assume, though..."

  "Mike..."

  That reminder hit him like a ton of bricks: how Mike showed no sympathy for him when he made it to the roof. Ryan finished the drink in one fell swoop and then got up from his seat.

  "Done already?" Yuna raised her head, noticing him heading to the entrance. "Where are you going?"

  "I don't know," Ryan said, stopping at the front doors. He lowered his head and stared at his hand. "Maybe I'm not wanted here."

  "Is it because of Mike?"

  "......"

  "I know things haven't gone well between you two since you first showed up, but try to understand, he doesn't hate you."

  "Yeah, right. He doesn't trust me at all."

  "I can't argue there," Yuna said with a light scoff. "I can't speak for him, but I believe he's more wary of what you'll do. Or don't do."

  "So you're saying it's my fault for not opening up sooner?"

  "I didn't say that. He should be more considerate and wait for you to regain strength. But the way I see it, he's looking out for his friends and wants to ensure nobody harms that personal circle. That's also one reason he made himself the leader; we never question it. It's not that he hates freeloaders or downers; rather, Mike wants a reason to put his faith in you, like we do."

  I guess I can understand why you'd think that, but…

  She wasn't there when he told him all those horrible things.

  "How can you be so sure?" Ryan asked, anyway.

  "You don't need to rely on my word. All I'm saying is give him a chance."

  "How? How can you stay so positive at a time like this?"

  "It's all we have to keep moving forward. I would've crumpled under the weight of it all if I were alone. But I'm not."

  "Even if there aren't any more people out there?"

  "We won't let that deter us. I won't let it deter us.” Yuna said, her voice filled with resolve. “Every day, we strive to live and go through each day with a smile. We hope that someone will find us and take us away from here. But with each day passing, we never waver or lose our spirit either. I don't believe we’ve lost all hope or civilization has completely vanished. After all, it helped us find you, didn't it?"

  "!!!" Ryan's eyes widened. He turned around and looked back at her; she gave off a hopeful and teary smile.

  "So until that day comes, we'll do whatever it takes to survive and thrive."

  "Yuna, I didn't know. You were going through so much. I kept thinking about myself for so long. I'm sorry."

  "I may not know your story, but I don't believe you're a bad person, from what we've seen from you. What I do believe in, though, is that we crossed paths for a reason. You don't have to be alone anymore. We can tackle whatever challenges lie ahead together. But I won't force you to stay, either."

  Ryan inhaled and exhaled before smiling at her. "Thank you for the talk. I needed that. No matter what Mike throws at me, I'm not going anywhere. And I won't take your guys' kindness for granted."

  "You're welcome. I'm glad to hear that. I'm sure the others would be delighted to know about this."

  "Maybe don't tell Mike? I'd rather let him know personally."

  "Sure thing."

  The two spent more time in solitude, enjoying their drinks in peace. Yuna wanted to stay and relax a little longer. Ryan offered to help put the tableware, but she politely declined. He understood and wanted to respect her decision. After a while, Ryan and Yuna went their separate ways to their respective bedrooms.