#hwangjunho

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The girl woke up to a loud melody. A bright light hit her eyes. Eventually, her vision adjusted, and she looked around — the room was huge and filled with people. The melody stopped, and the silence was quickly broken by the chatter of the crowd. The brunette pushed off the blanket and sat up on the bed, her feet dangling down. She looked at herself and saw she was wearing a green tracksuit like everyone else. On the jacket — the number “247”.

Suddenly, the metal doors opened with a screech, and seven people in pink suits and masks entered the dormitory. Six had circles on their masks, and one had a square in the center. Was that their leader? People began crowding in the middle of the hall.

— I would like to welcome you all from the bottom of my heart, — the one with the square began. — Over the next six days, you will participate in a series of games. Those who win all six games will receive a large cash prize.

Silence filled the room, until:

— Excuse me, — many turned toward the voice, including 247. It was Player 120 who broke the silence. — We were told this was just a game. You really expect us to believe you after you kidnapped us?

All eyes turned to the guards.

— Apologies, we were forced to take those measures in order to protect our confidentiality, — the Square calmly responded.

She wondered why his voice sounded so strange…

A woman’s voice rose in protest, supported by a man, and then others joined in. 247 didn’t care about them. She looked around the room. Her eyes drifted to the drawings on the walls. Somewhere in the background, she heard a guy talking about sneakers. She glanced over. Purple hair. Looked kinda cool.

Then some girl started complaining that her uniform was too big. The masked man calmly answered all the questions, still apologizing.

— I’m sorry, that’s not possible, — he replied to the girl who asked for a new uniform. — To ensure the smooth running of the games, you must wear this attire.

— What about my phone? — another guy interrupted, stepping forward. — Why did you take my phone and wallet? Please, give them back.

— Your belongings are in a safe place. They will be returned to you after the games end, — the Square replied with the same calm voice.

“How can he stay so calm… I’d lose it,” thought 247. She drifted off again and missed what those two were saying. Then she heard:

— Player 333 — Lee Myung Gi, — a guy appeared on the screen playing ddakji and getting slapped. — Age: 30. Owner of the YouTube channel “MG Coin.” Debt: 1.8 billion won.

Other players started appearing on the screen.

“Oh God, please don’t say my name,” thought 247. Her hands began to tremble.

A few names later:

— Player 247 — Cho Hyo Rin. 17 years old. Debt: 78 million won.

That was it. The girl froze. People nearby turned to look at her, many with pity in their eyes — likely because of her young age.

But one gaze stood out too much. A man, around fifty? She wasn’t sure. He looked surprised, but quickly turned away when he realized Hyo Rin was staring back.

She nervously fiddled with the sleeve of her jacket, and all she wanted was to disappear. A soldier began speaking roughly, saying they had all agreed to this voluntarily.

The lights dimmed, casting the room in an orange hue. A sharp sound echoed as a giant piggy bank began descending from the ceiling.

— You are now seeing the piggy bank that will collect your prize money.

Everyone looked up.

— There will be a total of six games. After each game, more money will be added to the piggy bank.

People stayed quiet until:

— Tell us, how much is the prize?

— The total prize money is 45.6 billion won.

— Forty-five billion… that’s a lot, — Hyo Rin muttered.

Others started whispering about the amount of money too.

Then the masked man said that the players would have an advantage: after each game, they would be given the chance to vote on whether to continue or end the games.

— If the majority decides to stop the games, they will end, and you will be allowed to leave with the prize money earned up to that point.

Whispers spread through the crowd again. Hyo Rin was already thinking — maybe she could win just enough, like 90 million, and leave.

— So that means… — the girl looked toward where the voice came from. It was that strange man who had been watching her earlier.— So we can actually get some money even if we decide to leave after the first game?

The masked soldier looked at him and replied just as calmly:

— That’s correct.

Voices started rising again in the dormitory. Hyo Rin noticed the man’s face twist in confusion. He turned and looked up. The girl followed his gaze — he was staring at the camera mounted on the ceiling. Then more voices joined in, along with a wave of commotion. The man turned again and caught her watching him. She quickly turned away, pretending to focus on the argument between a woman and a man — who, as it turned out later, were mother and son.

A couple of soldiers left the room and soon returned carrying papers and small folding tables.

— If you wish to participate in the games, please sign the consent form.

Players began forming seven lines, each signing the form one by one.

— If you wish to decline, please notify us now. You will be given the chance to leave.

Hyo Rin’s turn came. She took the paper and began reading the terms. Then she looked up at the soldier in front of her. He simply nodded, but she didn’t rush to sign. She looked around and noticed the man with the number “456.” He was reading carefully, but seemed to sense her gaze and looked back at her. Cho quickly turned away and reluctantly signed her name, stepping aside and heading to her bed.

After some time, they were led into another room. A voice over the speaker instructed them to approach the booth for a photo, and then to follow the staff. As others were being photographed before her, she glanced around at the strange staircases and the beautiful design of the place. Hyo Rin didn’t notice it was her turn until someone gently nudged her from behind — it was the elderly woman who had argued with her son. She gave a sweet smile and gestured that it was the girl’s turn.

The brunette apologized for the delay and stepped up to the table. A smiley face appeared on the tablet, and a voice said, “Please smile.” The girl quickly smiled and stepped aside, following the others. The speaker kept repeating the instruction for everyone to be photographed and to follow staff directions.

As she climbed the stairs, she overheard two men arguing — or just talking too loudly — on the staircase beside hers. It was again the man with number “456” and a heavyset man.

When they reached the designated gates, the players stopped. A moment later, the gates swung open, revealing a spacious outdoor area. As she stepped out, she noticed the open sky and the fresh air — it felt better than ever. The female voice spoke again from the speaker, asking players to pause for a moment. Cho Hyo Rin looked ahead and spotted a giant doll. The gates slammed shut behind them, making many of the players jump.

The voice from the speaker announced again:

— The first game is called “Red Light, Green Light.”

Some players whispered, others said it was a childhood game, and some commented that it sounded easy. The teenager stood near the starting line, where the game would begin. Hyo Rin tried to calm down — something was bothering her, her heart was pounding wildly.

Then a man suddenly ran out in front of them and shouted:

— Attention!..

Cho looked toward the source of the voice.

“That man again,” she thought.

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