The Stream Predicted My Death

The end of the world had arrived, and once again, I was making a scene, demanding my boyfriend use his precious hydro-kinesis to give me a shower.

Thats when the text scrolled across my vision.

The Stream.

[OMG lady, it's the apocalypse. Who cares about hygiene right now?!]

[This high-maintenance diva is useless. The male lead needs a woman as strong as he is.]

[Don't worry, just wait for the Zombie Tide. Once the male lead sees her selfishness, hell dump her.]

[Without the male leads protection, the canon fodder ex-girlfriend dies at the hands of the Zombie King. Brutally.]

A shiver racked my entire body.

I shoved Roman away hard. "No. I... I don't want to wash anymore."

01

Roman paused, water hovering in the air. He gauged the distance between us, looking baffled by my sudden burst of strength.

I felt a pang of guilt.

Of course, that guilt might have been overshadowed by the sheer terror of the "Zombie King" mentioned in the floating text.

Roman frowned slightly, his brow furrowing. "You really don't want to?"

I nodded frantically, my voice trembling with residual fear. "Its fine, Roman. Really. Youre the captain. You need to save your energy for the Turned."

Perhaps because it was the first time Id ever said anything remotely sensible or considerate, Roman didn't speak immediately.

After a long pause, he slowly lowered his hand. "Okay."

Even though I refused the full shower, Roman dampened a towel and gently cupped my face, wiping away the grime with careful, deliberate strokes.

I stared at his handsome face, inches from mine. My throat tightened.

But before I could lose myself in his eyes, The Stream started scrolling again.

[Blair is such a manipulative brat. Shes just lusting after him.]

[The male lead is such a stoic engineer type; it's his first time being chased so aggressively. Of course he fell for the divas trap.]

[Is no one talking about his ability? Hydro-kinesis. Thats top tier.]

[For real. The human body is 70% water. If he wanted to, he could burst your blood vessels or drain you dry in a second.]

[No wonder the villainess clings to him. Hes the ultimate safety net.]

Me: "..."

Seeing the text, my instinct was to snatch the towel and wipe my own face.

But the large hand on my waist tightened.

Romans tone was gentle, but the command beneath it was undeniable.

"Weve been on the road all day. Let me clean you up so you can sleep, okay?"

I nodded silently.

It wasn't until Roman left to take the first watch that I opened my eyes again.

The words from The Stream were still dancing in my mind.

According to them, I was the selfish villainess. The "ex-girlfriend" archetype.

Roman was going to dump me.

And I was going to die at the hands of something called the Zombie King.

I curled into a ball, shivering in the cold night air.

02

Six months ago, Earth was hit by an unknown cosmic event. Global temperatures spiked violently. Ancient glaciers melted, releasing a dormant virus. The dead began to walk.

But the virus didn't just reanimate corpses; it shattered the genetic threshold of humanity.

Most turned. But a small percentage didn't mutate into zombies. Instead, they awakened abilities.

Roman was one of them.

Ever since he saved me from a horde of the Turned, I had latched onto him like a limpet.

Maybe it was the crushing insecurity of the apocalypse.

Maybe it was just that Roman was ridiculously attractive, shattering every stereotype I had about stoic engineering types.

I fell for him. Hard.

I chased him shamelessly for three months until I finally wore him down.

Maybe the chase exhausted me, because once we were together, I became insufferable. A true diva.

I was a parasite in the squad, contributing nothing but demands.

Because Roman was the captain, the others swallowed their complaints, but I knew they hated it.

But now.

Now I could see The Stream.

I knew that all my affectations and tantrums were leading to a karmic reckoning.

Even Roman, who currently doted on me, was destined to fall for a heroine who was his equalsomeone with power.

Fear took root in my chest.

Fear of dying in this virus-ridden hellscape.

Fear of the unknown Zombie King.

I thought about it, but I couldn't really blame anyone.

Who told me to be a powerless, ordinary human in a world of monsters?

03

The next morning.

I didn't wait for Roman to wake me. I was already up, dressed, and packed.

Aside from Roman and me, our squad had two others.

Coach, a normal human like me, though far more useful.

And Jax, a straggler we picked up who possessed electro-kinesis.

Seeing me up so early, helping organize supplies, Coachs eyes nearly popped out of his head.

I didn't need telepathy to know what he was thinking.

I ignored his shock and helped him load the gear.

My peripheral vision, however, kept drifting to Roman.

He was discussing the route with Jax.

His profile was cold, sharp. He didn't look at me.

The Stream floated by on cue:

[Oh? Is the villainess trying the 'independent woman' arc?]

[LMAO, does she think this changes the ending?]

[In the original book, she starts acting sensible around now, but the male lead is already sick of her.]

[Just wait. Once he realizes shes stopped clinging to him, hell be relieved.]

I lowered my eyes, my chest aching with a dull throb.

Would Roman... be relieved?

I didn't know.

But every time I looked at him, the text reminded me of my gruesome fate.

So, I avoided him.

Throughout the day, I could feel the confusion radiating from Jax and Coach.

I smiled bitterly to myself.

Can you blame them?

Usually, on the road, Id be demanding snacks, water, complaining that my butt hurt from the car seat.

I was a constant source of noise.

But today, we drove for hours.

I didn't make a sound.

I even offered to drive.

Roman rejected the offer.

So I sat obediently in the back, shrinking myself down, lowering my presence.

If I stop being a burden... maybe I won't be hated.

If Im quiet, maybe when the danger comes...

Maybe they won't just watch me die.

04

We set up camp at an abandoned gas station.

I volunteered to help Coach pitch the tents and start the fire.

We worked non-stop.

Roman looked at me several times, but I pretended not to see.

Once the chores were done, I had a feeling.

Roman was going to come for me.

I grabbed Coachs arm. "Hey, can you teach me some self-defense? Just the basics?"

Coach was an ordinary human, but he used to be an MMA instructor. He was miles ahead of me in survival skills.

Id thought about it all night.

Relying on others is a gamble. Relying on yourself is survival.

Coach looked surprised.

But, likely out of respect for Roman, he agreed.

I trained for three hours until my arms were shaking jelly.

After promising Coach Id continue tomorrow, I headed to my tent.

Roman materialized out of the shadows, blocking my path.

His tall frame eclipsed the moonlight. His tone was flat.

"Blair, what is wrong with you today?"

I was a terrible liar.

So I kept my head down, avoiding his eyes, my voice airy.

"Nothing's wrong."

"Nothing?"

Roman paused, letting the silence stretch. "You haven't said a single word to me today. And you didn't..."

I bit my lip. I knew what he left unsaid.

He wanted to say I didn't give him his kiss.

Usually, no matter how dangerous the situation, Id sneak a kiss when the others weren't looking.

I knew the pressure he was under as captain. I wanted him to feel a moment of lightness.

But today.

Forget kissing.

I hadn't even made eye contact.

My brain scrambled for an excuse. "You... you were busy."

"..."

Roman was silent, seemingly processing this.

"Is this because I didn't wash you yesterday?"

My head snapped up, meeting his handsome, expressionless face.

"It's not that. I'm not mad. I just... realized you work so hard. I don't want to be trouble."

Hearing the word trouble, Romans frown deepened.

After a moment, he reached out and ruffled my hair.

"Don't be polite with me."

Then, without warning, he yanked me into the tent.

Before I could react, he was kissing meoverwhelming, all-consuming.

Just as I was gasping for air, a sharp pain nipped at my lip.

Roman pulled back slightly, his voice raspy. "Don't smile at Coach."

He planted two more soothing kisses on my lips, then turned and left to take the night watch.

The Stream exploded:

[Is it just me, or is the male lead holding back some serious urge?]

[Tsk tsk. The beast has awakened.]

[Don't get excited. The male leads first time belongs to the heroine.]

[Honestly, the villainess is really pretty. Shame shes just a powerless normie.]

[Who said shes powerless? Shes a metahuman too, okay?]

Me: !?

I forgot the pain in my lip instantly.

What?

I'm a metahuman?

My eyes widened, staring into the void, praying for the text to explain.

[Abilities are just a projection of the inner self. The villainess cares most about her appearance, so she just gets more beautiful. No one realizes it. They think shes a zero.]

Me: Fuck...

Never mind the trolls.

I wanted to call myself useless.

05

I woke up the next morning in Romans arms.

He must have switched shifts with Jax in the second half of the night.

I stared at his sleeping face, unable to resist tracing his features.

My finger had just grazed the tip of his nose when his hand shot up, gripping mine.

He opened his eyes slowly and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"We picked up a distress signal last night. About two hundred kilometers out. We need to pass through your old university."

I hadn't even processed the words before The Stream went nuclear.

[Holy crap! The Heroine is coming.]

[Oh my god, the male lead is three years older than the heroine, right? Age gap supremacy!!]

[Finally! Shes a Healer. Now the male lead wont have to tank all the damage alone.]

[Later on, the heroine undergoes a secondary evolution and becomes the first Dual-Class user. I live for this power couple!]

[Two alphas! So delicious!!]

I lowered my eyelids, hiding the misery in my gaze.

Seeing my flat reaction, Roman asked, "You always said you missed your school. Why aren't you happy?"

I forced a smile, pulling myself out of his embrace and dodging his touch.

"I am happy. Let's pack up."

Behind me.

In the blind spot I couldn't see.

Romans face went rigid, his eyes darkening dangerously.

But his tone remained gentle.

"Alright."

06

Two hundred kilometers took most of the day.

My alma mater, the Teachers College in City C, sat on the edge of the university district.

The once lively campus was now a desolate ruin.

I stared out the window at the lecture halls.

The Stream was spamming the chat:

[Here we go! Heroine countdown!]

[Healing ability. The male leads fated wife!]

[Wait, what was the heroine's name in the book? Shen... Iris?]

[Yes! Iris! Third-year med student. Cool, rational, gorgeous!]

I gripped the hem of my shirt.

My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise.

I was already trying so hard to suppress my feelings for Roman.

Why did seeing the text make it hurt so much more?

The car stopped. Cold wind rushed in.

Roman glanced back at me, extending a hand.

Normally, I would have launched myself at him.

But this time, I jumped down myself, pretending I didn't see his hand.

I jogged over to Coach. "Hey Coach, what are we learning today?"

Romans hand hung in mid-air for two seconds before he casually retracted it.

He seemed... fine.

I looked away and followed them into the building.

07

We thought the survivor was just Iris.

We didn't expect her to have a boy standing next to her, looking vaguely similar.

Her brother, Ezra.

An ordinary human, like me.

Roman didn't say much.

Jax, on the other hand, practically vibrated when he heard Iris was a Healer.

"Holy shit!" Jaxs eyes went wide. "A Healer?!"

I stood by the window, looking out at the familiar campus, but my ears were tuned to their conversation.

A Healer was a rare treasure.

No wonder Roman changed the plan to come here.

I looked at him instinctively.

But he was looking at Iris. His gaze was focused.

I knew that look.

He used to look at me like that.

Back when my face was covered in blood and I looked like a stray dog.

Now, Iris stood there, calm, commanding, full of potential.

My chest felt tight, like someone was crushing my lungs.

I lowered my head, forcing my voice to remain steady.

I walked over to Coach. "Coach, let's help move the supplies."

Halfway through moving boxes, someone blocked my path.

It was the brother, Ezra.

"You were staring at the school earlier. Did you go here?"

I nodded. "Graduated two years ago."

Ezra nodded thoughtfully. "What's your name, sister?"

"Blair."

He repeated it, complimenting it.

We chatted idly while moving boxes.

The Stream floated by:

[Ooh, is the puppy crushing on her?]

[Was this guy in the book?]

[Yes! He awakens a Strength ability later! He always had a secret crush on the villainess!]

[What?! He liked the villainess? How did I miss that?]

[Because she dies so early in the book, idiot. He never got the chance to confess.]

Me: "...?"

Well, that was new.

Ezra seemed the complete opposite of his icy sister.

Warm, open.

After we finished, he pulled a packet of compressed biscuits from his pocket and shoved it into my hand.

"You're too thin," he said earnestly. "Eat up."

I stared at the biscuit, at a loss for words.

Then, I felt a gaze burning into me.

I looked up.

Not far away, Roman was staring right at us.

His expression was blank.

But the water bottle in his hand was crumpling, collapsing in on itself at a visible speed.