The reply came faster than Lily expected. Dr. Alba sent no letter this time she came in person. Late in the evening, a quiet knock echoed at their apartment door. Finn tensed, ready to fight, but Lily touched his arm. Slowly, she opened the door.
Dr. Alba stood there, her coat heavy with snow. She looked tired, older somehow, as if the weight of the city sat on her shoulders. "May I come in?" she asked.
Lily hesitated, then nodded. Finn angry but stepped aside.
Inside, Dr. Alba did not waste words. "I have kept your secret as long as I can," she said. "But it is slipping through my fingers. If you don't take control, the city will take control for you."
Lily folded her arms. "And what does taking control mean to you?"
Dr. Alba's eyes softened. "It means speaking. Telling your story before others twist it. Showing that love, real love exists without the formula. If the city sees you, it might heal. If they see you, it might end the madness."
Finn shook his head sharply. "Or it will destroy us. You want to parade us like test subjects."
Dr. Alba's face turned hard. "You think I want that? No. I have made enough mistakes. I don't need new ones. But whether you like it or not, the world is already looking. The only question is will you hide until they drag you into the light, or will you step forward on your own?"
The words hung heavy in the air. Lily felt her chest tighten. Part of her longed to hide forever, to live quietly in the shadows with Finn. But another part smaller, braver, wondered if Dr. Alba was right. Maybe they couldn't just live for themselves anymore.
That night, after Alba left, Finn sat at the window, staring out at the frozen city. Lily curled beside him. "What do you think?" she whispered.
"I think," he said slowly, "that she's dangerous. But I also think she's right. And I hate that."
Lily leaned her head on his shoulder. "I don't want to be their symbol."
He took her hand. "Then let's promise each other one thing. Whatever happens—we'll stay human. Not symbols. Not proof. Just us."
Lily closed her eyes and whispered, "Just us."
Days passed. Rumors spread faster than snow melting in the sun. Whispers of "immune ones" filled the air. Some said they were a lie, others that they were angels sent to fix the city, others still that they were devils who had cursed it. Lily and Finn kept their heads low, but every day, it grew harder.
Then, one morning, their apartment door was splashed with red paint. Across it, in crooked letters, someone had written: "I KNOW"
Finn scrubbed it clean, his face tight with anger. "This is only the beginning," he muttered.
By evening, their names would be known anyway. Someone had seen them leave the warehouse, someone had spoken too loudly in a bar, someone had guessed and whispered until it spread. Their faces appeared on screens in the streets. Two grainy photos, circled in red.
"Lily. Finn. The immune ones."
Lily's heart dropped as she stared at the screen. "It's over," she whispered.
Finn grabbed her hand. "No. It's just starting."
Dr. Alba returned the next day, bringing with her an offer. "There will be a gathering," she said. "The city council, scientists, journalists. They want to hear you. They want to see you. If you speak, you can shape the truth. If you refuse, they'll shape it for you."
Lily's voice shook. "And if we say no?"
Dr. Alba didn't blink. "Then you will run for the rest of your lives. And you will never stop running."
Silence filled the room. Finn turned away, pacing. "She's pushing us into a corner," he hissed.
"Maybe," Lily whispered, "but maybe the corner is already here."
The night of the gathering came. The hall was full of faces some hopeful, some angry, some desperate. Cameras flashed. Reporters leaned forward with hungry eyes. Lily's hands shook as she and Finn walked onto the stage.
Dr. Alba stood to the side, her expression unreadable.
Lily gripped Finn's hand so tightly her knuckles turned white. The room fell silent.
She took a deep breath. Her voice trembled but carried. "My name is Lily. This is Finn. We… we didn't ask for this. We didn't want to be different. But we are. We felt nothing when the formula swept through this city. While others lost themselves, we stayed the same. And then we found each other."
The room buzzed with whispers. Cameras clicked.
Finn stepped forward, his voice steady. "We are not proof of failure. We are not miracles. We are people. We're not here to give you hope or answers. We're here to say that love is more than a formula. Love is messy, uncertain, painful. And it's real."
A hush fell again.
Lily's throat tightened, but she forced the words out. "We are not perfect. I've spent most of my life hiding from feelings. But with Finn, I feel something I can't explain. It's small, but it's real. And that's enough."
The hall was silent. Some faces softened. Some remained cold.
Then, slowly, someone began to clap. One, then another, until the hall filled with applause. Not thunderous, not wild but steady. Real.
For the first time, Lily felt seen. Not as a symbol, not as proof, but as herself.
But outside the hall, the city was not so simple. Some people cheered the next day, holding signs of support. Others shouted angrily, accusing Lily and Finn of being frauds, of mocking their pain. Crowds gathered, chanting in the streets.
Dr. Alba met them again in private. "You did well," she said quietly. "But this is only the beginning. You've given them a spark. Now you must choose what to do with it."
Lily looked at Finn. She saw the same fear in his eyes, but also something else strength.
She took his hand. "We choose each other," she said.
Finn nodded. "Always