Work Text:
Even if we break.
Even if you fall down.
We'll rot away together.
This was a promise. A promise they both made then they were younger. Neither of them broke it. Growing up together only intensified their relationship and feelings. Each kiss grew their love stronger for each other. They shared each other’s dreams and desires, like applying for university.
Going to university wasn’t anything like they expected though. The fun and carelessness that the media portrayed was fake. An imaginary allusion to convince young adults, that they can become anything and anyone they would like to be.
Mizi was foolish too, to think that auditioning for a K-Pop industry would make her life perfect.
If only she had realised before, that this toxic industry can’t be changed. The unrealistic, harmful beauty standards , the heteronormative portrayed images , the over sexualisation and objectification as well as the lose of freedom. No one warns anyone of that, they promote this path by showing only the best, flawless perfection.
And who was Sua, to ruin Mizi’s dreams?
That’s how they ended up here. After graduating university and going through a lot of dancing, singing training and rehearsing, they have just performed at the audition with their own song and their own choreography.
Unfortunately, only Mizi made it through the audition. Sua reassures her, that she will just support her from the shadows from now on and kisses her hand.
Under the same sky.
Craving the same dream.
You and I are connected.
Time never stops for no one and so changes are bound to happen too. Still, even while Mizi was being exploited by her contracted agency, Sua did nothing to prevent her from continuing her career.
She only made sure that Mizi stays her’s and only loves her.
Sometimes, there are some admirers from other agencies, who would gift her flowers and ask Mizi for a date. Sua was always around frowning in silence. She would like to intervene and sometimes she does, but it’s difficult to do it in public. After all, why would a “friend” intervene in Mizi’s fortune on potentially finding love?
It was difficult being in a relationship with the same gender, knowing that more than half of humanity globally is being opposed by this idea alone.
At home. Whenever Mizi is around, Sua makes sure to comment about Mizi’s luck herself. This always follows a similar pattern. Either, Mizi kisses Sua to shut up or slaps her on impulse on the cheek. Of course she would apologise afterwards and kiss the cheek better. Although, somewhere deep inside Sua, she knew she deserved it. Mizi knows she was at fault too.
But wasn’t it true somehow?
Even if it hurts, I love it.
Though everyone says I'm strange.
At least we become one.
It was known to all, that a zombie virus broke out due to many suspicious lab experiments. Thankfully, humanity had it under control.
Anyone who got infected was put under surveillance and got restrained. Still, the first weeks were difficult to contain the virus and that’s why, there were a lot of casualties and deaths unfortunately.
Mizi and Sua had a fateful fight during it.
Mizi was getting more and more psychologically and physically drained and therefore started to neglect her own health, by smoking cigarettes. Sua opposed to that ,since it didn’t fit her Mizi’s image, but continued to cling on Mizi like always.
Many other arguments ensued afterwards.
The environment was draining them. The industry was draining Mizi and Sua wasn’t ready to accept anything else, but her own personal desires. She always hugged Mizi tightly, kissed her on the mouth and reassured her that everything would be okay, while caressing her pink hair slowly.
That was until Mizi pushed her off and run away. Sua could only watch in silence. Mizi was crying and venting all her emotions out in frustration,while Sua stayed silent. She stayed silent, even after she noticed an infected zombie walking after Mizi.
It was like she was stuck in time for a while and after she finally managed to move and run after Mizi to warn her, it was far too late.
Her face was torn apart and one side of her shoulder was bitten into brutally.
Sua could only watch helplessly as the zombie was detained and her girlfriend was lying on the ground breathing heavily while crying. She tried to hold her hand to reassure her that everything is fine, that she is not alone right now.
Instead she only whispers a small “I love you, my god, my universe.” to Mizi, before she was pushed away from her, as they started to detain Mizi too.
Sua knew, she couldn’t live without Mizi. Life doesn’t matter if she isn’t by her side.
In their shared bed, she was hugging Mizi’s pillow tightly while sniffing out her smell. She couldn’t handle to lose Mizi forever. She wouldn’t do that.
That’s why she sneaks in past the guards surveillance and into the forbidden territory that is used to contain all the infected.
At first glance, she was worried if Mizi was even still conscious but after she noticed her slight movements, she sighed a sigh in total relief. She took her mask off and smiled widely after seeing Mizi again. Her Mizi still looks pretty even while she’s infected.
She kneels down in front of her infected girlfriend. Her hand goes to her lips, to open them slightly before she gets closer to kiss her. Sua knows that she will get bitten, but she doesn’t care as long as she can continue to stay by Mizi’s side.
No one can stop her now from leaving her Mizi alone, ever again. She won’t let them do that. Mizi took the bait and bites Sua’s eye, shoulder and leg out. All, while Sua only holds her hand tightly and keeps kissing her all over, even in pain.
She loves her dearly.
She really does and even if their love was different, it was still love regardless.
Now they will be together, forever.
Proof of love that makes us tingle.
Melting completely, just like this.
At least we become perfectly whole.
Now after graduation, after the audition and after everything else that occurred between them, they both were finally standing by each other’s side on stage.
Becoming zombies has its advantages and disadvantages. They were both being exploited in the circus and the fans were only there to objectify and fantasise their fetishes on them. At least now, Sua doesn’t have to pretend to be a friend to Mizi. She doesn’t care what the crowd and society would think of her. She isn’t conscious enough anyway.
They were dancing and singing by each other’s side like they used to. Sua keeps invading Mizi’s space to give her a kiss and Mizi, after a while, gives in and always returns the favour.
Since loving the same gender is not globally accepted , the TV censors their intimate and affectional interactions. To forcefully hide and remove this evidence of possibility, to love someone so dearly even in such a twisted environment and situation.
They won’t live it out without any kind of punishment.
It’s usually Sua who tries to protect Mizi from any harm by biting anyone who tries to get closer. Behind closed doors, this reality looks different. Mizi, even as a Zombie, is still being sexualised and harassed by staff members and some VIP Fans.
No matter what, if you look slightly appealing to someone, you will always get targeted. That’s the life in the K-pop industry and the reality, but people like to stay ignorant instead of facing reality.
Mizi has known this since her depute or maybe even before that, she has always known it. That’s why she finds men very disgusting, although not every fan who is a women, is any better.
The misogyny in the K-pop industry is deeply rooted by the patriarchy and the impossible standards, that are especially held towards women.
Sua knew that from the beginning, but just like everyone else in society, she viewed Mizi as somebody perfect. The more they spend time together, the more she was blinded by an image which ended destroying Mizi.
Maybe in another life, they were able to work it out. Maybe in another universe,
they were both in an environment that allowed them to be happy. Maybe in another world, their love wouldn’t be viewed as something forbidden.
87/86
Sua kissed Mizi one last time,before she was dragged away to her final death. She loves Mizi. She never wanted to win if that means loosing Mizi completely. She knows it’s selfish but at least she graduates life, knowing that she won’t have to live a life without Mizi.
Those bound by iron chains now.
They still stare toward the night.
Wounded souls still breathing.
Glory be upon them both..