𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 20: 𝓑𝓪𝓬𝓴 𝓽𝓸 𝓑𝓵𝓪𝓬𝓴
💕𝓢𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓪𝓻𝔂💕: Aspiring diva Kang Mi-na takes part in this year’s Squid Games, challenged among the fellow lower class. In order to have a safe chance of winning, the aspiring fashionista teams up with former-rapper Thanos. Not only is she tested on what she is willing to risk for money, but her place as one of Thanos’ confidants.
💜𝓟𝓪𝓲𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰💜: Choi Su-Bong(Thanos) x Kang Mi-na, Thanos squad + Kang Mi-na
💕𝓖𝓮𝓷𝓻𝓮💕: mi-na lives au, se-mi dies instead tho :( , romance, angst, fluff, casual, flirty bantering, lots of jealousy on nam-gyu’s part
💜𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼💜: graphic depictions of violence, murder, mild gore, explicit language, drug usage, mentions of suicide, major character deaths, spoilers for squid game s2,
💕𝓘𝓶𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓲𝓷𝓯𝓸💕: like the original show, this is intended for a mature audience, please proceed with caution. updates will be posted biweekly at the latest, constructive criticism is welcome as long as it is dmed to me!!
💜𝓢𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓼💜: work in progress 🤭
💕 𝓦𝓸𝓻𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓽 💕: 1456 (OHHHHHH)
💕𝓶𝓪𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓻𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓽 💜𝓷𝓮𝔁𝓽 𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻
By the time Thanos and Mi-na returned to the dormitory, Nam-gyu jetted to his feet. Merely to glare upon observing their clasping appendages. That alone was pleasing to Mi-na.
Nam-gyu and Min-su had at first huddled in their usual spots. Alive, but never acting like it; with Min-su’s head hung low, and Nam-gyu vibrating with ferment.
Thanos hugged Min-su again, squeezing so tight the boy folded like a metal chair.
“My little boy, Min-su! I’m so happy to see you again, bro!” he said. “I wanted to run with you, but I owed it to my senorita. You get it.”
Min-su locked eyes at the mention of Mi-na, face squished with Thanos’s crushing weight. Then glanced away.
Still stuck in Mingle, Mi-na now a kind face morphed to another jerk that wronged him. How virtue repays you.
Time and time again, she assured herself she was justified. She gave him the chance, and he blew it. He wronged her first. That idiotic expression, or deficiency thereof, rendered fairness undeserved.
“I can’t believe I left you with this douche.” Thanos said, and pointed to Nam-gyu, who laughed even though it wasn’t humorous by any means. The vibrations seemed to double.
“Let’s play one more game, okay?” “You’ll play one more, right?” Nam-gyu said, pawing his arm on the other side.
From then they were back to waiting it out, perched in their rightful places.
No one took his seat. To be fair, no one ever wanted it. But it was still his. Even with their disinterest and carelessness paraded.
The seat was still empty; her feet felt trapped in cement. Ice cold and numbing, simple movements could leave scratches.
There would never be an icebreaker again.
He was so quiet; his face, everything about him blended into the background. Who was there, with a voice and name. He kept company; he wasn’t annoying but tolerable, the most tolerable.
How can a man be gone if no one realized he was there?
Thanos cut through the silence, saying, “What’s wrong, Flower?” He rarely regarded teammate sentiment, an eccentricity in itself. It made her prickle with delight.
She denied any trouble, not wanting to bring back fresh wounds.
“You sure?” He nudged her, so she said the name that followed.
Thanos shifted, taking a comforting arm off of Min-su. “Gyeong-su, huh?” There was a weight in his voice.
“I always forgot about him.” She said, “Now I can’t, and I want to more than ever.”
Thanos would place his arms around her waist, resting his head along the side of her own.
“Yeah, pretty heavy.” She sighed.
He was quiet for a while, pressing his chin against her shoulder.
“Don’t feel too bad,” he said. “It just means we get to play more games for our boy. You’re with me, right? One more game?”
He pressed his face close to her ear.
She couldn’t help but smirk at his words. She caressed his cheek, an unspoken appreciation. There was nothing to hide anymore.
They stayed that way for a while. She would wonder how long it would take for him to disappoint her. And for him to do the same.
Thanos rambled, drawing upon random concepts. Thoughts odd enough to prevent slumber. It made her look forward to the evenings even more, seeking companionship in the quiet. Mi-na listened. She would wonder how long it would take for him to disappoint her. And for him to do the same.
Nam-gyu cut in when Thanos was bickering like a horse, contemplating the amount of ‘su’s in the area.
“Yo, hyung, hyung. Look at those two.” Two individuals rose from shadowed bunk coverings in the space. One of whom was none other than MG Coin, and a small girl Mi-na had never seen.
“What’s going on?” Thanos said
“Maybe they’re a thing,” Nam-gyu said.
Hardly. The girl looked like she wanted to crawl out of her skin. MG Coin clutched his hands, as if amid a declaration of love.
“That bastard sure is lucky, even in a place like this,” Thanos said, before smiling at Mi-na cheekily. “Not the only lucky bastard, though.”
“Okay, sweet talker.” She swatted his arm in good-nature.
The girl walked off, leaving a desolate MG Coin and Mi-na with an itch to know more. An itch Mi-na was eager to scratch. An untold story, a lovers’ quarrel perhaps? Or something worse. The greatest entertainment.
“I can get some dirt,” she decided.
“What are you gonna do, spy on them? How low.” Nam-gyu said.
“Don’t you want to know too? It’s gossip about your favorite person.”
Thanos laughed. “You’re always up for some drama.” He said. “Go for it.”
She rose from her seat, smoothing perspiration from her pants, finally, something to occupy herself.
“I’ll be back.” She said, tilting Thanos’ head up to kiss him. Long enough to look Nam-gyu right in the eye and rub it in.
“Don’t take too long,” Thanos called after her, visibly brighter in tune.
Then, Mi-na departed the dormitory. If she had to guess, MG’s mystery girl went to the bathrooms. She had the pathway memorized by now.
When she entered the bathroom, it was quite empty, just as she had hoped. It had a clean and sanitary scent. Running water greeted Mi-na with blasts from the faucets.
Amidst the din, softer sounds persisted; they remained audible. Almost like sniffling. Mi-na knew those sounds.
So, like any great person, she waited it out, avoiding any uncomfortable situation.
Arguably, she had seen better days but the games have favored her. Circles were forming from the lack of sleep, sweat stains in the most unfortunate places. No question, reeked. Other than that, she pulled it off.
Soon enough, the stall door opened. That girl reappeared. Player 222, with an ‘X’. A tiny girl with a round body, blonde highlights fading at the trim of her wolf-cut. Sculpted features form the perfect visage. Riddled now with exhaustion.
Mi-na clasped her hands in delight, feigning excitement. “Oh my gosh, hiii! You were in there forever; I thought you’d never come out.” Mi-na said. “You'd think they’d have some pads. Another reason this place sucks, but it’s fine cause money.”
The girl snapped up, her immaculate face wiring as she tried to take in the welcoming greeting. Mi-na didn’t stop yet as she leaned against the sink.
“And you’re soo cute! What’s your name, sweetie?”
“Now, that's pretty. I’m Mi-na. It’s so nice to talk to another girl here. No offense to the boys, but we need a break, don’t you think?”
Love-bombing, compliment the looks, create a sense of security. Throwing people off a rail is such a thrill.
“Love the piercings too. I’ve thought of getting a pair, but I just could never pull it off.”
She smoothed out her face, checking from all angles in the mirror.
“It’s no wonder that ‘3’ guy has his eye on you.”
Jun-hee paused, droplets of water half soaking the paper towel used to wash her face.
“Everyone's talking about you two, and the man is not subtle.” Mi-na said. “You can smell the desperation from a mile away; it’s almost cute.”
Jun-hee sighed, turning off the faucet.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” She said.
“You can’t blame a girl for being curious.”
“There's nothing going on!” she said, her eyes getting puffier with every word squeaked out.
What MG Coin did to the unfortunate woman proved worse than Bitcoin fraud. No one can cry harder than heartbreak.
“..Was he the one that made you cry?” Mi-na asked, taking on a more serious tone.
When the girl said nothing, it was the strongest answer provided.
“I thought as much. You'd think a guy would know how to treat his girlfriend by now.”
“We’re not together, not since..it’s none of your business. Can we please drop it?”
Usually Mi-na would push more, but the woman looked destroyed.
“Fine. But if he bothers you again, I can see to him getting beaten up. No one asks for negative attention, so..it’ll be our little secret.”
Jun-hee paused, as if considering, then she shook her head.
“I can handle him on my own.” She turned to leave, then the woman gestured to Mi-na’s patch. Now in strength and disgust.
“If you want to help me, then let us leave. Don’t pretend that you care when you’re handing your own life away.”
Finding drama wasn’t as fun as she had hoped, and she didn’t feel any better in the end.
The woman was gone, and the itch still festered.
