V

Chapter 14: The calm before the storm

Chapter 15: Gganbu

Chapter 16: The monster they created

Chapter 17: Glass Stepping Stones

Chapter 18: The final night

Chapter 19: Victory, but at what cost

Chapter 20: Aftermath

Chapter 21: Far from over

Chapter 22: Old dreads rise

Chapter 23: Bound to collide

Chapter 24: Mayhem

Chapter 25: Maelstrom

*comments and constructive feedback are MUCH appreciated*

Tag list: @veezdiary @agaypurpletoaster @fannybell03

At this point, what was the meaning of survival? What would this psychopath want from you? What would he want you to do? And would he really not kill Jun-ho if you obeyed? Honestly, you didn’t really believe that, but what other choice did you have? You couldn’t fight him. Today, he reminded you that very clearly. Literally the only thing you could do was make things even worse than they already were. 

Yes, you couldn’t save Jun-ho. Yes, you wouldn’t know even if something happened to him. Yes, that bastard could still hunt him down, regardless of your behavior. And yes, even if he stood by his words to leave Jun-ho alone, your friend wouldn’t stop. And this was something else that started to torture your already overwhelmed mind. First In-ho, then you. Jun-ho couldn’t catch a break. Those games gave you everything, but also took everything away from him. His life had turned into a literal nightmare. Those games took In-ho away from him. They took you away from him too. 

As you thought about everything, body exhausted and hurting all over, you soon drifted into a torturous sleep.

”We have a new footage!” Shouted Han as he barged into the Frontman’s headquarters, gripping his laptop as if he didn’t dare to let go of it. 

In-ho, not able to figure out how to sift out Yoo’s followers, had decided to sit in front of the dozen of screens, hiding away from the staff, but observing everyone. His eyes were glued to the live footages, suspicion crawling through his mind as he didn’t dare to let anyone slip away from his gaze. Too bad half of the staff was supposed to arrive at the same time as the players. It made the investigation even more complicated than it already was. 

But as Han declared he had news, he immediately stood up, marching to the laptop. “What is it?” 

“Watch.” Ordered Han as he hit ‘play’. The footage from guard 009’s mask revealed Yoo on the passenger seat, beaming like a child on Christmas morning. Then, as the guard lowered their gaze, there lied a woman in an oversized pyjama, tied up, laying on the backseat, groaning silently. Unmistakably you. 

“WHAT? WHERE IS THIS? WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?” 

“Not more than two or three hours ago. There’s this one too.” And Han played a second footage, once again, inside the car. There was Yoo again, in the backseat, but his cheeks were sprayed with blood. And he pointed a gun towards a tied-up man who shook like a leaf, pointing directions. This time, no sight of you. 

“What…” Whispered In-ho. But before he had the chance to even start speculating, Han spoke again: 

“And this one is from the mask of Circle Guard 306.” A third video followed. From the POV of a guard who walks fast towards a black minivan. A triangle guard opened the door, and suddenly, the one whose mask had leaked the footage shoved you inside. Your face, with duct tape still over your mouth, was splattered with blood droplets, just like Yoo’s from the previous video. And your eyes were as wide as tennis balls, manically gazing around, trying to figure out what the heck was happening. And as your body collapsed inside the van as you were shoved in like a sack of potatoes, a groan so loud it could easily be heard despite the tape, escaped your throat. Then the video ended. 

“I can’t figure out what’s happening, but I tracked down the location of the second video. Supposedly the most recent one. I can try to hack down the traffic cameras as soon as possible. Something should match.” 

”Can you do that in motion?” 

“Sir?” 

“Get guard 011, rifles too, NOW!” 

Yoo didn’t hesitate. Although he scared you and that man enough, he couldn’t allow any mistakes. Now that those two had teamed up to find you, they had to go. So, as Woo-seok showed him the way to their gathering spot, he prepared his gun. They infiltrated the building with Woo-seok’s keys, and as he ordered the triangle guard to keep a watch on the tied-up man in the corner, he started to roam around, observing everything. 

The photos of him that were printed from the computers, sustained information of the cameras they were taken from. He needed to get rid of those cameras. If Hwang Jun-ho and Cho Sang-woo kept running around, the Frontman would easily find that place too. Which meant he would easily find Yoo as well. He had to protect himself. He was absolutely sure that the Frontman was already suspicious of what was happening and why did Yoo invite the VIPs from three years ago once again, especially since they started their ridiculous demands. 

Truth to be told, his plan was nearing perfection. But the policeman reaching out to Cho Sang-woo? Them hiring mercenaries? The VIPs not having the patience? Those things he could never predict. And yes, he told you that he would kill Jun-ho if you didn’t obey, but the truth was, he would kill him anyway. Both him and the other dog. 

Time flew too quickly. As Yoo did his best to observe and analyse all the files that contained photos of him and the places they were collected from, a few hours passed in a blur. It wasn’t supposed to take that long, but heck, they had lots of footage. Just when he thought about it and a bad feeling crept into his mind, the window near him burst into a million pieces as countless bullets perforated the wall behind him. 

He ducked right on time. Did the ‘rescue team’ get alarmed there was an intruder? But he didn’t have time to assimilate the entire situation. Grabbing his gun and gazing around, adrenaline filling his veins, he realised the fire alarm had been activated and now water splattered down from the ceiling. 

“WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?” He shouted to his left, where the triangle guard had already started to settle his Heckler. As the pink soldier had no time to answer, another dozen of bullets rained. Woo-seok screamed through his bone gag and crawled behind the corner desk, not daring to even try to understand what was happening. 

The pink triangle guard started fire too. Not that they were sure they stood a chance, but it was just two against… who knew how many? The Recruiter had no intention of getting aimed at, so he did his best to look around, searching for the quickest possible path out. 

“HANDS UP!” Suddenly shouted a modified voice as two black figures jumped trough the window, immediately rolling over the ground and behind a desk, firing at both the Recruiter and the pink guard. One had a square shaped mask, and the other - a triangle one. Yoo was fucked. A black square guard meant one thing—the Head Square In Charge was involved. And the triangle next to him - most probably, unmistakably guard 011. He had to get out of there as soon as possible. 

He quickly rolled towards the pink guard. “Fire, now!” He commanded and the other person obeyed, wrongly assuming they’d both fight. Because the moment the guard stood up and opened fire, the moment bullets flew in every possible direction, Yoo threw himself toward the nearest door, forcing it open, then ran away as fast as his legs allowed him. 

Woo-seok screamed in terror once again as the blood of the pink soldier spilled all over him and the body collapsed right in his lap. 

And suddenly, silence. 

For a good minute, silence reigned in the darkness as gunpowder and smoke filled Woo-seok’s nostrils and water flowed over him, before footsteps echoed near him and a few pairs of boots froze right into his sight. Lifting his gaze, he realized three figures stood before him—one with a square mask that carried a massive ripple, aiming at him. One with a triangle mask, who took no time and ran through the door, trying to get to the recruiter as fast as possible. The third figure had a black geometric mask, imitating a face shape. 

“What do we have here?” An artificial voice reached the trembling man’s ears. 

But just as he was about to try his best despite the chokehold between his teeth and beg for mercy, suddenly a car engine roared through the street, forcing the dominant figure to rush to the window. 

In-ho’s eyes widened behind the mask as he made eye contact with Yoo, as the said man started the engine and launched the car forward, not giving the machine enough time to warm up, as the tires made a few turns before they took a grip on the asphalt below. For a second, time slowed down and the two men stared at each other, one in disbelief, one in terror, before the natural inertia of time itself dragged them back to reality as the car Yoo drove vanished from In-ho’s sight. 

“FUCK!” The older Hwang brother cursed and turned around, trying hard to take control over his heartbeat and get a grip on his own brain, desperately searching for a string to hold onto, to force at least one thought process into work. 

“Did he get away?” Another artificial voice called out, coming from the square figure, who didn’t dare to let Woo-seok out of his aim. 

“He vanished!” A third voice came from the door as the triangular figure ran back, rifle held down, but immediately shoved up as the soldier also noticed the tied-up man on the ground. 

As the Frontman reached the three of them, he noticed the photos. So many photos of the Recruiter, his head would have started to spin if he had no idea of what the situation probably was. Squatting down and taking a pile of photos in his gloved arms, he observed them. Yoo in the subway. Yoo is in the park. Yoo entering a taxi. Whoever took those pictures, they were following him. So, as he slowly returned his gaze towards Woo-seok, he decided to not play guesses. 

Slowly reaching the trembling man, he lifted the pictures up so that the other one could see them clearly. “You have exactly 10 seconds to tell me who you are and what was that man doing here. Starting NOW!” And he removed the chokehold. 

Woo-seok, who by now was completely sure he had wet his pants, didn’t waste a second and sobbed hard and tried to say as much as he could. “I—I… We were hired to follow this man around! He had kidnapped a girl! He plays ddakji in the subway! I swear I don’t know more than that! We tracked him down and… AND… he, he…” but he couldn’t finish. 

Suddenly, a vibration was heard from where the Recruiter was hiding during the gunfight. The Frontman quickly stood up and picked up the vibrating phone from the ground. Then he shoved the chokehold in Woo-seok’s mouth again and picked up, putting the call on speaker. 

“Sir, I’m terribly sorry to interrupt… The girl begs for migraine pills. She threw up.” In-ho’s blood froze. Migraine pills and the image of you curled up in the backseat, all tied up filled his mind. Something had happened today. 

Something that he was absolutely sure that had to do with the VIPs insisting for the games to start as soon as possible. Something that had to do with the fact that Yoo had already met and recruited 456 people, unmistakably matching their demand. They had to be working together. It all suddenly clicked. Yoo didn’t abduct you for no reason, no. He wanted to introduce you to the VIPs. And the more In-ho thought about it, the more twisted this whole nightmare became. 

He had to act fast. He had no time. Giving up and accepting the demand to start the games sooner, he had dug his own grave. And he had less than 12 hours to find you and fix this mess. 

“Can you track this down?” He immediately turned towards the masked officer after hitting the ‘mute’ button, lifting the phone up. 

Han grabbed the phone, observing it. This was a regular call. He recognized the name. It was guard 053. This was an extremely careless move from their part, but it was exactly what Han needed. 

“Yes.” He answered, not wasting time. 

“Let’s go then. HURRY!” 

“Sir, what are we going to do with him?” And guard 011 pointed towards Woo-seok with her riffle. 

But as the man screamed in his chokehold and started crying, the words “please” and “mercy” escaping muffled from him, In-ho reached him fast, grabbing a fistful of his shirt, slightly lifting him off the ground. Yes, initially he couldn’t be entirely sure who hired him to search for you, but it wasn’t so complicated to figure it out. 

“Tell Jun-ho to hurry the hell up.” He hissed in Woo-seok’s face as he suddenly released him from his grip, and the tied-up man collapsed on the ground, eyes wide. 

And with that, the three figures disappeared, leaving him alone in the base. 

“Sir! She really threw up! We let her drink her pills. But we didn’t untie her, I swear-” But as the circle guards stood up from their seats and froze, not understanding why Yoo barged into his apartment all roughed up, he suddenly took his revolver out and shot them both in the heads, interrupting the explanation.

You couldn’t scream. The moment the gunshot filled your ears and two dead bodies collapsed on your right and left, you froze, staring at the Recruiter with wide eyes, not daring to even tremble, trying to calculate the situation. But he didn’t give you any attention as he barged into the computer room, suddenly calling someone. 

“JANG, I LOST MY PHONE! I NEED YOU HERE IMMEDIATELY!…” A few seconds of silence followed, and you did your best to concentrate, but before you had the opportunity to think and come up with a theory of what the hell was happening, he screamed in the background. “CHANGE OF PLANS, DAMMIT! THE FRONTMAN IS CHASING ME! COME PICK US UP! NOW!” 

Then, another pause. “YOU BETTER!” And suddenly he slammed the handset down, returning to you. 

“Change of plans, darling!” He spat, suddenly pulling you up, forcing you on your feet. 

“What happened?” You finally asked, but he didn’t waste time, dragging you towards the exit. Then towards the elevator. Heck, you were barefoot. The cold ground of the tiles made your whole body shiver. Or was it the fear? At this point, so many things happened today, in a huge contrast to the past few weeks, you couldn’t even take a grip of your own self. Not that you could do anything different even if you were adequate. 

Reaching the parter, the handsome devil quickly lifted you up in his arms, then sprinted towards a horribly familiar white minibus. But just as the minibus’s door opened quickly, before you even reached the vehicle, a black truck rolled over the road from a distant corner. Not even a second afterward, someone started firing, shooting toward you. 

“FUCK!” hissed Yoo as he increased his speed and, in one swift motion, jumped into the minivan with you still in his arms. “DAMMIT, DRIVE! DRIVE!” 

And the circle guard kicked the gas pedal, the van quickly launching forward, trying to get away from the rain of bullets. 

“WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED?” 

“HE FOUND ME! HE FUCKING FOUND ME!” 

“HOW DID HE KNOW WHERE TO SEARCH? WHAT WERE YOU DOING?” 

“I DON’T! FUCKIN! KNOW! JUST DRIVE! GET AWAY FROM THEM!” Suddenly the Recruiter slammed the floor of the minivan so hard, it was a miracle it didn’t leave a notch. 

“WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THEM?” Suddenly asked the circle guard, gesturing to the back rows. 

And you, not understanding anything anyway, turned around. A few rows of people, all put in place, all with seatbelts, all asleep. Losing your balance when the minivan turned to a corner, you froze once again. Players. Those people were players. They were being transported towards the games. 

“Sir, I HAVE to get them there! If I don’t show up, they’ll know who I am!” Rushed the guard with his modified voice after some time, as he somehow managed to lose the black truck from sight. 

“I know, I know! Give me a minute! Just drive!” 

“We don’t have a minute! The docks are here! We need to act NOW!” 

And as the Recruiter slammed his hand into the back of the passenger seat, he realised he had no way to get away from the situation with you by his side. He had to run away and get in touch with the VIPs. He had to get to them, as right now, they were his only hope. But you? You were going to slow him down. But then again, if you were the reason they agreed to visit Korea again, he couldn’t get rid of you. Not now. Not like that. Not when he needed you for his plan. 

He saw no other way. He was practically a cornered fleer who had to improvise. So, rather than trying to keep you glued towards him, he took the decision. You had to separate; otherwise, he was already a dead man. 

Grabbing you by the chin, for the first time with no gentleness in his touch, he lifted your face towards his own. “You agreed to do as you are told, no? Otherwise, your pretty boy pays the price.” 

As a few seconds passed, clenching your teeth, you frowned but nodded regardless. 

“Good. That’s the only thing I want you to focus on right now. Survive.” 

“What?” 

“You heard me, princess. You can do it again, you have what it takes. Survive.” 

“Again?” You whispered, not fully understanding where this was going. But as another few seconds passed and realisation hit you with the strength of a thousand trucks, you suddenly backed away. “NO! No, no, no! I’m not going back there!” 

“You don't have a choice.” And with that, the Recruiter suddenly reached out towards the passenger seat, quickly taking a circle guard mask and adjusting it to his face. “Release the gas!” He demanded before the oh-so-familiar white smoke appeared and filled all the air around. 

And as much as you tried to keep your breath, this was already a lost cause. But you being you, lifted yourself up, in a laughable last attempt to fight, and launched yourself towards the Recruiter, who, despite the surprise of your sudden attack, quickly regained his composure and caught you, forcing you up once again and positioning you on a seat, right next to a boy with purple hair. Then he fastened your seatbelt. 

It was too late; you had already inhaled the smoke. Your vision started to blur. 

The last thing you registered was his words, as he gave orders to be immediately dropped off at one of the warehouses. And about you - to be included in the games, in the place of the presumed player 013. 

After that, you lost consciousness. 

A/n: On to the games, let’s gooo!!!! 🥳🥳  Haha, hi loves! Any theories about what’s next? 

And the truth was, they were completely right. He needed you more than you could imagine. But those two - combining forces in order to find you? That’s something he didn’t predict. Not only had he risked starting an official war with the Frontman before he was actually prepared, but he now had the ‘rescue team’ to worry about. And his guests had just called the HQ, declaring they will be joining the spectacle in Korea for yet another year. The sudden pressure from the outside was something that forced him to act on pure impulse, now desperate to gain your obedience even faster than planned. 

But with him, the adrenaline that echoed through panic and excitement had merged those two feelings together, blurring the lines between danger and entertainment. 

So when he came back home, finding you curled up on the sofa, wearing his own favorite pajama set, reading a book, and absolutely unaware of what had just happened, a creepy smile found its way onto his face. He was enjoying this rush too much. Heck, even for him, a view like this was almost irresistible. Almost. “Hello, darling.” He greeted you, slowly reaching you. 

Slowly lifting your face up, you lifted an eyebrow. “What happened?” You asked, observing his messy hair while he breathed deeply, as if he just ran a marathon. 

“Oh, we’re going to have fun.” He manically chuckled, suddenly snapping out of the trance he fell into while observing you. And he suddenly grabbed you by the arms, forcing you on your legs. The book fell on the floor with a loud bang. 

“WHA-“ You tried to scream as he suddenly spun you around, muffling your voice with his hand. 

“Now, now, sweetheart, we don’t want to make this more messy than it needs to be.” But you didn’t listen. As he was holding you strong, you put one of your feet on the edge of the couch, then jumped backwards. The back of your head hit his jaw, and his grip loosened. But you didn’t stop. Right as he groaned and leaned down in pain, in less than a second, you repeated your action. This time, he couldn’t comprehend your actions fast enough and involuntarily slipped his hands from you, instinctively searching for an opportunity to touch his jaw. 

But oh… he was trained well. The moment you took advantage of this moment of disorientation and climbed on the couch, preparing to jump to the other side and run towards the bathroom, he suddenly grabbed you by the ankle, trying to pull you back. Yet, you had already pushed yourself forward. 

As a result, you collapsed face-first on the ground, luckily, right on top of the extra soft and fluffy, fancy rug. And good, if it wasn’t for the rug, your skull would probably split open or crack right there. That didn’t happen. But the hit was still brutal. For a few seconds, your vision blurred, your ears rang, and your world spun around. Only afterwards did you realize you had hit your forehead. And as pain slowly but unapologetically crawled towards the hit point, you vividly heard him rushing next to you. 

And you didn’t have time to figure your condition out. You saw no red. Meaning, no blood. That was the only indication that you needed to start moving. And you did, despite the complete disorientation you felt. You had to; otherwise, you were absolutely sure that this man had reached his breaking point. Now was the time he was going to assault you for sure. So, not losing a second, you did your best to crawl away as fast as you could. 

Not that it did wonders. The moment you moved, he sat on top of you, as if you were a horse. “Stop struggling, darling.” He chuckled, obviously enjoying what was happening. 

And you? Your heart pounded so fast, you were surprised it hadn’t given up at this point. Adrenaline rushed through your veins in the most pathetic attempt to help you lift yourself up from the ground. As if you could outfight him. “LET ME GO, YOU SADISTIC PSYCHOTIC RAPIST!” You screamed, although you knew no one could hear you. At this point, no logic could save you. And good, because no logic found itself in your brain. You were like a feral, cornered animal. 

“Rapist? Oh sweetheart.” The recruiter only smirked. Then suddenly, he grabbed your arms, pinning them on top of your head, and then spun you around, and now your back was flat on the ground. And he was still straddling you. Then, without any further explanation, he took an injection out of his pocket and, in a matter of seconds, lowered his pajamas off your hips, stabbing the needle in your thigh. 

Not succeeding in putting up a decent physical fight, not even succeeding in screaming as you observed his actions with eyes as wide as tennis balls, you suddenly started hyperventilating, a new wave of panic thundering through your system. “What… WHAT DID YOU JUST DO?!” You shouted, trying hard to get away from his grip. All in vain. You were no match for him. 

His next move was rolling you back to your stomach and quickly handcuffing you. “W-what…” You stuttered, the drug suddenly mixing with the throbbing pain that crept in your temple and the adrenaline your body released in the last few minutes. 

“Darling…” He chuckled darkly once again, quickly turning around and duct taping your ankles together. Had you not lost half of your ability to think clearly, you would have wondered just how prepared he came to you, just how many tools he had in those damn pockets of his. “… I’m not going to even touch you unless you yourself ask for it.” 

Partly from the sudden hit on your temple and partly from what he drugged you with, your vision was starting to blur. Did you have a concussion? You weren’t sure. But your sensors were progressively giving up, and the world now spun too fast for your liking. You couldn’t even fight anymore. Your own body felt too heavy to even move. 

And as if you weren’t already disoriented enough, he suddenly appeared before you again, blindfolding your eyes. That was it; at this point, you could be completely unconscious, and it would have made no difference at all. This was even worse. And as you somehow managed to register, he had already lifted you up, bridal style; you barely heard him whispering something in your ear about having a surprise for you. 

You didn’t pass out, but you wished you had. You were shoved in a car and the driving made you even more dizzy than you already were. It was a miracle you didn’t throw up. 

Moans and shivering were exactly what filled your ears hours later. You were taken somewhere, and then you were tied up to a chair. You didn’t know what the bastard had injected you with, but the effects were probably wearing off. Key word, PROBABLY. A damn migraine was starting to creep in, due to what happened with you today. So, you stood there, weakened, not fully able to hear anything as well as you were supposed to, and your head was still spinning. You felt dizzy and disoriented, half aware of your surroundings, half fighting migraine demons. 

And suddenly, muffled screams echoed from both of your sides. Whimpering in fear, Woo-Seok and Mr. Kim gazed around as the recruiter walked around them in circles like a shark hunting its prey. Suddenly, your blindfold was taken off as well. And the sudden light stung your eyes like poison. But slowly, you lifted your gaze, unable to ask what was going on due to the duct tape covering your mouth. 

You found yourself sitting beside a coffee table with two more people. Two men. Covered in bruises and blood. They were both also tied up to their chairs, but their arms were up front, while yours remained behind your back. Also, their mouths weren’t covered in tape. Instead, they had some of those bone-shaped choking things that you could only find in a sex shop. As if the recruiter wanted to humiliate them further, as if they were part of a fight party, playing dogs. 

And when the three of you made eye contact, your brows frowned in confusion, but they both widened their eyes and started gazing around, whimpering in panic as recognition crept into their expressions. 

The Recruiter calmly walked towards an expensive record player, blasting the same classical playlist he tortured you with in those weeks when he kept you in his home. ‘Nessun Dorma’ 

Then suddenly, he kneeled down, gently putting his palms on the men’s shoulders, making eye contact with you as he was facing your frame, then turning towards them again. “The two of you are going to play a game now.” He declared. “And our lovely lady over here will get the opportunity to observe.” With that, he smirked in your direction. Your blood froze. In no reality was this good, considering who it came from. Then he resumed with his instructions. “Rick, Paper, Scissors, Minus One. I trust you know the rules. You form a shape with each hand, then take one away. The game is decided by the remaining hands. Of course, there’s a penalty for the loser.” 

Then, he stood up and picked up a revolver. “I’m sure you’ve seen this in movies. It’s called Russian Roulette. I’ll place one bullet into the revolver and close it. I’ll point the gun at the loser’s head and pull the trigger. The odds of death are 1 in 6. Your odds of survival are 5 in 6.” And suddenly, as he was demonstrating this on his very own head, he pulled the trigger. 

The younger man whimpered and trembled in panic as your captor whistled in amusement. You stood there frozen, not succeeding in reacting at all. The migraine was slowing your physiological responses so much, you couldn’t panic properly. You could only observe. 

And as the two men hyperventilated, the handsome bastard repositioned. “Not that bad, right? All right. Now, let’s play. On my count.” 

The two men shook their heads in fear, and you violently glared at the sadist, as if you could open a hole in his forehead just with your eyes. “Don’t look at me like that, darling; I brought you here to enjoy the game. Now, gentlemen! Rock, paper, scissors!” 

The older man obeyed. The younger one stood frozen. “Now, Mr.” The recruiter chuckled. “You didn’t play. You broke the rules for the first round. Disqualified!” He announced, then put the trigger to the man’s head and pulled it. And the two men screamed behind the choker bone in their mouths, now crying. First in panic, then in relief as no bullet flew. Next, the Recruiter checked the revolver, spinning the wheel again. “Now, let’s play again, gentlemen. Rock, paper, scissors!” 

This time, they both obeyed. “Minus one!” The older one lost. And he screamed as the revolver was pressed to his head and fired. Once again, no bullet flew out. 

You couldn’t believe your eyes. This was a scene straight out of a thriller movie. The tension could be cut with a knife. And even though you were so dissociated from your body, pain finally erupted. Your pupils, impossibly wide up until now, contracted, your gaze fixing on the weapon with such awareness, your heart started pounding in your chest, and you slowly but progressively started to quietly hyperventilate behind the duct tape. In no way were those men getting out of here alive. And somehow, this was connected to you; there was no other explanation of why you were brought here in the first place if you weren’t going to play. Were you going to replace the loser and play next? Suddenly, an anxiety so violent filled your mind that you were suddenly pulled back to that hellhole you somehow survived three years ago. Or did he do this right in front of you to force your submission? Either way, you were screwed. The three of you. 

“Don’t be so nervous. Like I said, your odds of survival are 5 in 6. Let’s play again, gentlemen. Rock, paper, scissors! Minus one!” This time, the younger one lost. He got aimed at. No bullet. 

“Of… it’s getting a little boring, isn’t it? Let’s reverse the odds then, shall we?” And suddenly he started filling up the remaining cells of the revolver. “Your odds of survival are now 1 in 6.” 

“Please don’t!” Managed to shout at the younger man. 

“Your odds of death are 5 in 6. Okay, let’s play again!” And suddenly, he turned the volume up, now the opera song muffling the already muffled whimpers of the men, and your eyes widened, ready to cry. The music was now blasting, hurting your already sensitive ears; the light that shined right over your head hurt your vision; the throbbing, pulsating pain in your temples was preventing you from following the action fast enough; and the panic that this scene caused… Everything was too overwhelming. 

“Let’s speed it up, shall we? Rock, paper, scissors! Minus one!” Draw. 

“Rock, paper, scissors! Minus one!” Again, draw. 

“Rock, paper, scissors! Minus one!” A third draw. They were doing this on purpose. Both of them. So much did they mean for each other. Which only made the whole scene even more sadistic. 

“Rock, paper, scissors!” And suddenly, the young one stood frozen in his place, showing two rocks. The overwhelmingly fast pace got to him. In his panic, he had made a vital mistake. And the goddamn opera made everything worse. As if it wasn’t already dramatic enough. As if it wasn’t already terrifying enough. As if you three didn’t tremble like leaves. “Minus one!” The sadist slowly whispered. 

Crying out his last breaths, the younger man shut his eyes closed, then removed one of his arms, not trembling, no. Shaking. This was too brutal. Yet, the older man just stood there, frozen in his place, unable to react. 

“Too bad. You didn’t take one away.” Sighed the recruiter, forcing the younger one to suddenly open his eyes back. Making eye contact, the two men started crying like a pair of children. And watching everything unravel right next to you, you felt tears spilling from your eyes too. “Disqualified!” As the opera music climaxed, the devil himself shoved the revolver to the man’s temple, pulling the trigger with a shot so loud, it sent thunder through every possible system of your body. When it echoed, you jumped on your seat, even if you were tied up and restricted, and as you saw the blood spattering around, spraying your face, the recruiter’s face, and the younger man’s face, you once again froze. 

Suddenly - silence. 

The music had stopped. The blood flowing from the killed man’s head formed a terrifying red circle on the ground around him, widening towards you. In an instant, as you stared at the corpse, you felt a cold fingertip below your chin that led your face in the other direction. Now you stood face-to-face with the bastard that had just put you through hell. 

“Did you like your present?” He suddenly smiled as if he hadn’t literally just murdered someone. You couldn’t react. You just stared at him in disbelief, not able to even form a single sentence in your mind. And the ‘winner’ could only watch, frozen in shock and fear. “You have no idea who those two are, don’t you?” Trembling, you shoved your head. 

“Darling…” The bastard clicked his tongue, gently placing a strand of hair behind your ear. Then chuckled. “I’ll put some light in your pretty little head. Those men were hired by your handsome policeman to find us. Well… see where it led them.” 

Your eyes widened again. Slowly lifting your gaze, you made eye contact with Woo-Seok, who now kept quiet, tears streaming down his cheeks. And as you tried to mumble something, even though you were well aware you couldn’t, the recruiter’s whole hand suddenly grabbed ahold of your face and forced it back to his. 

“Now… you don’t really want to see your precious boy here in this room, do you?” 

You quickly shook your head. As fucked up as your condition was, as slow as your mind worked, you didn’t need a second. Jun-ho was being threatened. And you didn’t need much brain function to realize that. 

“Great… Now, because I like you this much, I’ll be generous. I will let him roam around and forget about him… if you obey me. Pretty fair, right?” He suddenly lifted an eyebrow, as if he offered you an opportunity of a lifetime. “From now on, you do as I say, exactly when I say it, and you don’t fight back. If you do… you know who pays the price. Does this work for you?” 

Sighing behind the duct tape, you felt shivers down your spine. What would this bastard want from you? You could only take guesses. With him, nothing was what it seemed to be. But… if Jun-ho’s life was on the line, you were going to do it. Whatever that was. Slowly, you nodded, defeat written all over your face. 

“Perfect.” The madman slowly exclaimed, his smirk getting even wider. Then, as a few seconds passed, he suddenly stood up, turning around. “Take her back to the van.” 

Suddenly a pink triangle guard and a pink circle guard appeared from behind. If you weren’t already frozen in your place, you would have stiffened at this sight. And as the circle guard lifted you up over his shoulder and the two of them walked you out of the room, you lifted your gaze, eyes meeting with the stranger for one last time.

The Recruiter didn’t even wait for you to be carried out as he knelt face-to-face with the man now. “Congratulations on your win. Now that we’re alone… shall we have a talk?” 

“Sir.” The Head Square In Charge called out for the Frontman as he entered the control room. 

“Did you find something?” 

Approaching, the black guard got close to the mask of the Frontman, whispering. “Sir, you need to see this… in private.” 

Understanding the urgency of the situation, In-ho stood from his chair, following the black guard. They went straight to the Frontman’s private chambers. And as they took their masks off, Han quickly put a laptop on the small coffee table, immediately turning the screen to In-ho. 

“I hacked the mask. There’s footage… but it’s not long. It appears when they’re in the center of Seoul. My fair guess is that the networks there are too overwhelming for the systems, and whatever nullifier they used on the mask just failed. Anyway… look.” 

And there it was. A short video from the pink guard’s POV, who drove a van around. And Yoo on the passenger seat. 

“What are they doing there?” Asked In-ho. 

“Just watch.” 

Suddenly, the van stopped in a parking lot. A woman appeared from somewhere, a beautiful dress hugging her body, obviously heading to one of the clubs nearby. Then, the recruiter approached her, threatening her with a gun. “The heck…” Commented In-ho, but he kept watching. As the woman was obviously convicted to do as Yoo ordered, they approached the van. 

In-ho’s blood froze the moment her face got close enough to be caught by the hidden camera in the guard’s mask. (Y/n). 

“Is that…” 

“Player Thirteen from three years ago. The one who won alongside player 218.” Explained the Han, unaware of the fact In-ho knew exactly who you were. “I can’t figure out what he wants from her and why he kidnapped her. The footage only shows them driving for two or three minutes before it goes blank again.”

”Who was it?” In-ho tightened his jaw. “Who drove?” 

Sighing, the other man ran a hand through his hair. “It’s Guard 11’s mask, but she met with me that night. She even got a ticket for sleeping in her car. That’s outside of Seoul. Whoever it was, they took her mask purposely.” 

“So…” The man in command suddenly stood up, taking a few circles around. “You’re telling me we can’t even track down who works for him.” 

“I’m afraid so, sir…” 

In-ho’s blood, frozen up until now, boiled. Not only had Yoo started to creep his influence, corrupting God knows how many of his employees, but now he had you. This was exactly what Ill-Nam warned him about. And suddenly, it all made sense. The VIPs from three years ago suddenly showing interest in visiting Korea again, Ill-Nam’s warning, your sudden abduction just a few weeks before the beginning of the games. It made perfect sense. 

Yoo was preparing for war. And his target was no other than the Frontman himself. Who was going to host the games afterwards? He had abducted no other… but YOU. The creator’s granddaughter. The only legal heir of this empire. If the Frontman loses, you would be the only possible heir. Yoo had planned this too well. 

“Listen…” He started, taking a look at Han’s face. Han… the only man he trusted. His right hand. His Head Square In Charge. “Listen. I want you tracking down every single mask and every single guard around. If you really trust guard 11… talk to her too. I want her to pay attention and report everything to us. We have to track down everyone who works for that bastard. Also, your best isn’t enough anymore. I need more than your best. Track down where he keeps player 013, who helps him with everything. I need this done BEFORE the VIPs arrive. Preferably before the games even start. Understood?”

”Yes, sir.” 

As he was left alone in his room, the older Hwang brother gripped his hair, thoughts hammering inside his head as if they could burst out. 

You were in danger. A serious danger. As if that didn’t break his heart into a million pieces already, his mind raced to Jun-ho. To what happened between the brothers three years ago. And as if the shame wave that followed wasn’t enough, a realization hit right afterwards. Jun-ho obviously had footage of your abduction. There was no way in hell he didn’t. And no way in hell wasn’t searching for you now. Which only meant he would soon ask Captain Park to start searching for the island again. 

And oh God… Captain Park was the perfect choice for Yoo’s alliance. The three of them went fishing together too often in the past. They were close. FUCK… 

So… right now… he was in the middle of a war, where he had to think of three lives. Right now, just by abducting you, Yoo had full power over the three of you: you, Jun-ho, and himself… 

This mayhem… was worse than hell itself… 

Tag list: @veezdiary @agaypurpletoaster @fannybell03

A/n: Hello, loves! My most sincere apologies for taking so long to update! I just really had a lot on my plate. But starting from this week, I’ll do my best to resume the updates as normal - a chapter per week. 

“Just an ex. Forget it.” Snapped Sang-woo in annoyance before leaning in his seat, completely refusing to expose his mind to Jung-bae. 

“Gee, alright. Sorry.” Commented his friend, then after a small pause, decided to add a single comment, signalling he won’t urge for more explanations. “She must have really broken your heart if you’re so snappy about it…” But after a rather awkward silence, Jung-bae couldn’t help it but let another comment slide, now as he thought about it. “Wasn’t she a bit too young?” 

“Fuck off!” 

You stood in his living room, sat on the luxurious leather couch, coffee right next to you, still untouched. It hadn’t been long since you were kidnapped. Just a few days. 

At first, you thought you were doomed. Dragged away from the cameras in the area, just to be killed. But then, when the recruiter shoved you in a black van, tying your hands, your blood froze. A pink circle guard sat on the driver's seat, ready to take you away. 

And as the devil himself sat next to you, still aiming at you with his gun, you were taken away. To his own apartment. His own apartment—that was the whole package for someone dealing with the games, or so you supposed. Soundproof. Bulletproof windows. Titanium front door. No Wi-Fi, no other connection to the outside world, except for the computer room, which was, too, completely intruder-proofed. You were trapped. 

The first night was a complete nightmare, masked under the disgusting mask of sexual tension and threats, as all your questions were left unanswered, the gun’s aim never leaving you. Not until he shoved you in his bedroom, locking the door from the outside, and commanding you to sleep. Long story short—you couldn’t. 

The next morning he unlocked the door, shoved a few towels in your direction, told you to help yourself around the place and take a shower, and then disappeared for a whole day. You researched every possible cabinet in this place. No spare keys, no phones, not even hidden cameras anywhere. It felt like a very luxurious prison. Expensive coffee machine, food, utilities, everything. But he had removed all the knives. The supposed “drug cabinet” was also emptied, except for a few migraine pills and painkillers. Spending the whole day jumping from pure panic to a calculated observation, at the end you felt like you had lost your mind. At last, you really did take a shower, changing back into your graduation dress. 

When he returned, he tied you up on a chair, leaving one arm free, and positioned you on one side of the dining table, practically forcing you to eat dinner with him. But once again, you kept asking question after question, him just smirking, not answering anything, just blasting classical music, obviously enjoying the way you completely gave up and at the end just ate your food. Borderline psychotic. Then he untied you, threw a large pair of pajamas in your lap, obviously one of his own, and then once again shoved you in his bedroom, locking the door from behind. 

This time, you slept. As strange as it was, he obviously wasn’t planning on assaulting you, or at least it seemed like he wasn’t, so this was a slight relief. 

When you woke up, the door was already unlocked. He stood behind the kitchen counter, brewing coffee. “Good morning!” The corners of his lips lifted upward as he observed you walking around barefoot in his long pajamas. That’s how you found yourself sitting on the couch, the coffee he placed in front of you teasing with its rich aroma. But your eyes stayed locked to him when he sat across from you, sipping from his own mug. You kept coldly gazing with disgust, not succeeding in figuring out what to say. Wasting your breath was meaningless; he wouldn’t give you answers anyway. 

And dang, if looks could kill, he would be already buried six feet under. “What? No sass today?” He smirked, expecting a reaction. 

But you had taken the decision. You weren’t going to give him the satisfaction of toying with you. Two can play this game. If he wasn’t responding to you, you wouldn’t respond to him. So rather than a snappy comment, you simply leaned forward, taking your own coffee cup, bringing it to your lips, and inhaling the scent. 

“Good morning to you too.” You quietly answered, taking your sweet time, turning your gaze outside, through the big French window, observing the city view. 

He succeeded in hiding it, but the sudden lack of any attitude at all caught him off guard. Yet, as a few minutes passed and you didn’t do anything else apart from demonstratively taking slow sips from your cup, he understood what you were doing. And it excited him more than he liked to admit. You were challenging him. And he enjoyed every second of it. It was game on. 

“Mr. Cho? Cho Sang-woo?” A voice echoed from behind his back as the man stopped and turned around. 

A younger male stood in front of him, hair messy, dark circles around his eyes. “Yeah?” Sang-woo asked, unaware of the nightmare this young one would unravel in the following minutes. 

“Mr. Cho, I’m Detective Hwang Jun-ho. I need your help.” 

Taking a few seconds, the other one took a step back. He knew where this was leading. “I paid everything back. If you have any questions, you should contact my lawyer.” 

“This isn’t a trial case.” Rushed Jun-ho, putting his police badge away, then proceeded to take something from his pocket. 

“Whatever it is, there’s a set work hour for it.” With that, Sang-woo turned around, speeding up. 

But Jun-ho chased. “Sir, it’s urgent! It’s about Oh (Y/n).” 

Suddenly, both of them froze. Sang-woo slowly turned his head back, eyes widening. He had seen you, but he hadn’t heard your name in years. And as his heartbeat quickened, panic erupted in his mind. For a second, he thought that this boy was sent from them. But then… he remembered him. This was the boy that hugged you in the photo, miserably failing to not blush like a tomato. So this meant one thing. That this encounter was too dangerous on too many levels.

“I…” He stumbled into nothing. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.” 

And as he rushed away once more, Jun-ho caught up with him again. “Sir, please! You’re my last resort.” 

“I don’t know her, okay! Leave me alone!” 

“Sir, do you know this man?” Suddenly, a piece of paper was shoved up, revealing a photograph from a security camera.  And Sang-woo’s blood froze in his veins, burst through his heart, and rang in his ears all at once. The Recruiter. He would never forget this face. 

“I… I have never met any of those people.” 

Jun-ho expected such a reaction, considering what you had told him, that you were forbidden from seeking any contact with this man, but this was really his last resort. He needed to find you. He needed any possible information he could get. He needed money to hire mercenaries, too. This wasn’t a game. Your life was on the line, and whatever it took, he would risk it. He couldn’t help but connect it with In-ho. And his hope relied on the feelings he suspected his brother had obviously started to develop for you years ago, seriously hoping he wouldn’t harm you. But whatever In-ho was thinking, Jun-ho wouldn’t sit and surrender, not knowing where the heck you were. He would find you, even if it was the last thing he did. 

So, rather than trying to predispose Sang-woo and slowly explain what was happening, he grabbed him before he could run away. “She was kidnapped.” 

“WHAT?” Sang-woo quickly shouted, his demeanour suddenly changing from the complete denial. 

“This man kidnapped her five days ago. I obviously have lots of explaining to do, but I saw you there. In the games. Cho Sang-woo. Player 218. I know you know her. And I need your help. I’m not going anywhere before we talk.” 

Grabbing the photo from Jun-ho’s hand, Sang-woo took a closer look at it, starting to shake. This wasn’t real. “Who the hell are you?” He whispered. 

“(Y/n)’s… best friend.” After a heated pause that weighed with confusion and uncertainty, the boy rushed, “Will you help me or not?” 

“Fuck…” Exhaled the older man. And as if electricity ran through his body, he quickly glanced around. “Not here.” He whispered. “They’re watching.” Then, without an explanation, he grabbed the boy’s jacket by the shoulder and quickly dragged him towards the entrance of his building. “They’re always watching.” 

A whole week passed. The silence was almost unbearable. Almost. At first, the Recruiter obviously enjoyed what you were doing. The way you rebelled, it did things to him. But as a few days passed and you hadn’t initiated a single conversation, always answering shortly to his greetings, you noticed it. He was slowly, but surely, cracking. 

If you didn’t know better, you would have said he was winning. But what he did wasn’t victorious. Those were desperate attempts to annoy you, which, in the end, always backfired. Was it turning the volume of the music up? You simply watched him absently, just waiting for him to give up and tone it down. Was it not unlocking the door in the morning? You simply waited, not letting the hunger get the better side of you, until he finally just had to make sure you hadn’t done something stupid and unlocking it, entering his own bedroom, pretending he had just realized the door was locked as he simply needed to grab a pair of boxers or whatever. Was it not putting new toilet paper? You simply decided to take another shower instead of calling out for him, occupying the bathroom completely. 

This was the most ridiculous form of a domestic battle of characters. And for days, you had pushed him too much. You had turned the tables so ridiculously swift that, at the end, it seemed more like you were toying with his patience rather than him playing with yours. And the worst part? The bastard was actually enjoying this. Never in his life had a woman pushed his buttons like that. 

But as his amusement grew and grew, he knew what self-control was. He needed you for his own ambitions. His plan wasn’t going to fail simply because he got carried away. And as much as he liked the idea of keeping this game up until it escalated, he knew he had to get under your skin in a different way. Before you manage to push him too much. Before he would do something stupid. So, as you had developed that routine of sitting on the couch right against him for your morning coffee, he finally spoke. 

“You know… I wonder, what did your grandfather tell you two years ago?” 

This caught you off guard. So, not really trying to hide that, you lifted your eyebrow. “Oh… I didn’t know you’re aware…” You whispered, only to receive a sarcastic laugh. 

“I knew everything about your life before we even met. You thought I didn’t know about that?” 

“It did cross my mind, but I never really needed to confirm it. Didn’t care enough. I told you, I won. That’s all that there is to say. I still don’t understand what I am doing here and what do you want…” 

“I told you. I want you.” 

“That, you already said. But you didn’t kidnap me for my charms. What do you want from me?” 

“You don't give up easily, huh?” He smirked. 

“Oh, fuck off.” You cursed under your breath. “So if you knew… why did you recruit me in the first place?” 

Then, silence. 

For a few minutes straight, he just stared at you, not entirely sure if he really needed to see your reaction. You were too entertaining, but your knowledge was also dangerous. He needed to do what he had planned, all while keeping you in the dark. But, right as he decided he wouldn’t take that risk, you provoked him just by giving up on doing so. 

“Fine then, keep your secrets. See if I care.” You leaned back, having had enough of him, demonstrating a relaxed pose on the soft couch, taking a sip from your coffee. You knew he wouldn’t answer anyway. Why did I even bother at the first place? You thought, completely surrendering. 

But for just a moment, his mouth betrayed him as it spoke faster than his mind, letting a dark chuckle out. “You do look like your dad sometimes.” 

“Oh… that was low.” You chuckled back. “Didn’t know you knew him too.”

“Well, he wasn’t exactly a pleasant acquaintance.” 

“I can imagine… getting in such debt, despite being no other but the freaking creator’s child… I suppose he really was an abomination.” Frowning, you couldn’t determine your feelings right now. Talking about your father was never enjoyable. 

But much to your annoyance, rather than keeping the conversation, he simply stood up, prepared the ddakji suitcase, and then turned to you. “Buckle up, sweetheart. You’ll find out what I want from you very soon.” Then, after a sadistic wink, he got out, locking the apartment from the outside. 

“So the person we're looking for is this guy.” Woo-seok explained as a picture of the Recruiter talking to you appeared on the screen behind him. “He’s tall, according to Mr. Cho, around as tall as him, probably a bit taller. Normally with a briefcase in hand. And in that briefcase he’s got stacks of money and ddakji. He plays ddakji with strangers at the subway stations, and afterwards, he gives them a card like this. Did I sum it all up?” He gazed around at the room full of men, then returned to the two sitting in the very front row. 

Two men, on first glance, completely different from each other, but just as bothered, anxious and snappy. 

“Pretty much yes.” Nodded the older one, standing up. “The moment you spot someone like that, call any of the numbers we gave you. Take a picture of him.” 

The whole squad lifted their phones, taking a shot of the recruiter’s face. 

“There’s something else.” Called out Jun-ho, approaching the computer, immediately projecting a picture of a woman his age, sitting on the couch in his mother's apartment, hugging a 13 years old child whose face was now blurred. “If by any chance someone spots her, drop everything else. Call us, get her, whatever you’re able to do. She was kidnapped by that man. She’s our top priority.” 

“Shouldn’t we inform the police, then?” Someone asked from the back rows. 

“We already did.” Sighed Jun-ho. “But we can’t risk it. The police won’t do shit, mark my words.” 

“Aren’t you with the police yourself? What are you telling us, that you guys are useless?” 

Jun-ho was stunned. He had just admitted that, did he have to really say it out loud even more directly than he already did? As if he didn’t beat himself over the fact that he was never actually able to protect you. Not when you struggled while getting involved with the freaking mafia, not when you were taken for the games, not even now. 

“Guys, we need your help, okay?” 

“You want us to risk our lives without even relying on the police if things escalate! What is—“ 

“Do you want the money or not?” Suddenly hissed Sang-woo, not willing to play moralistic. That shut everyone up. And as Mr. Kim started explaining everything about how they’ll communicate and report, the two men who were in charge of everything just stared at each other. 

The tension between them could be cut with a knife. Sang-woo and Jun-ho had combined forces, all for the purpose of finding you. Yet, as they slowly figured out who is who and the fact that both of them were at some point involved with you in a way that was far from platonic started to become more obvious, despite not being verbally confirmed, a silent battle formed between them. Not that any of them could allow this to stop them. Like Jun-ho said, they had no other choice but combine forces. 

And so, the hunt for the Recruiter had begun. Days had passed. Jun-ho was torn between waiting for any updates from the mercenaries and loan sharks, and his own research for the island, as he resumed with it, not sure if there was a chance of you being kept there. Anything was possible. Meanwhile, Sang-woo handed the investigation over, not daring to leave it completely to Mr. Kim. Yes, he had promised him to pay up Gi-hun’s debt too, on top of the agreed payment, if only the mission was successful. But he couldn’t really rely on trust here. He needed to make sure the job was actually done. 

And they both tried to balance everything with keeping up with their jobs. They couldn’t risk getting too suspicious. 

Then one day, it all escalated quicker than expected. “MR. CHO, WE’VE FOUND THE GUY! IT’S HIM!” Mr. Kim’s voice echoed in Sang-woo’s ear as he immediately tensed up. 

“WHAT?” He shouted. “Are you absolutely sure?” 

“THE DDAKJI, THE SLAPPING, THE MONEY! JUST LIKE YOU SAID!” 

Immediately grabbing a gun from the glove compartment, Sang-woo wasted no time. The engine roared around the small alley as he started driving, not waiting a second more. “WHERE ARE YOU?” 

“Jonggak Station, but he’s leaving!” 

“Follow him carefully and keep me updated on his location! Don’t you dare lose sight of him!” Then, as the driving man hung up, he immediately dialed Jun-ho’s number. 

Woo-seok and Mr. Kim had followed the Recruiter to a bakery, then to a park. It didn’t make sense; he had stopped playing ddakji and now carried a huge bag of freshly baked bread. What they didn’t know was how euphoric this man was. Having you in his place, completely unaware of what is happening, opposing him, rebelling against him, challenging him, all while being covered by just his own pajamas. He had to pour that excitement elsewhere, or he was sure he’d lose control. And he couldn’t risk it. Not now. Not ever. The stakes were too high. 

“He’s gone to Tapgol Park.” Mr. Kim reported. 

“I’m heading towards you. Do not approach him; wait for me! Jun-ho is on his way too.” 

“Okay. Hurry!” 

As the two men observed the Recruiter offering bread and lottery tickets to homeless people, they couldn’t figure out just what was happening. But at the end, they did take the first glimpse of the madness that consumed him. “I gave you a chance, and you made your choice.” He shouted at the homeless crew that observed in horror the way he spilled the bread on the ground. “I’m not the one here who threw these away. It’s you, ladies and gentlemen.” And suddenly, he jumped all over the bread, completely ruining every single package like a madman. Mr. Kim immediately took his phone out and started recording a video to send it to Sang-woo. 

It was a sign too ridiculous to be described. For those few moments, this man looked almost possessed. Like he was trying to take a frustration too huge out on the bread. Almost a comical scene. And that’s exactly what made it too terrifying. 

But… just as it seemed like madness had completely consumed him in the matter of seconds, he, also in the matter of seconds, regained his composure, fixing his hair and turning around, ready to grab a taxi. 

Woo-seok and Mr. Kim immediately took another car and followed after him. “WHERE ARE YOU? ARE YOU COMING?” Kim shouted over the phone. 

“I’m almost there!” Snapped Sang-woo, speeding up. 

“This guy is a total nutcase! He’s in a cab right now! I’ll keep you updated, but please hurry!” 

“Turn right there!” 

“All right.” The taxi driver answered Woo-seok as they drove after the other car. Then, just as they took a turn, they saw the salesman get out of his own taxi and get lost in a small alley. 

“Drop us off here!” 

“Okay.” 

“WHERE ARE MR. CHO AND JUN-HO?!”

”They'll be here in a few minutes, but… we might lose him if we wait. Let’s just get him by ourselves!” Shouted Mr. Kim. 

“By ourselves?” 

“Yes. Are you scared? It’s two against one! Don’t be a coward now that you’re married!” 

“It’s just that something seems off with that guy! Besides, Mr. Cho told us to wait for either him or Jun-ho!” 

“But what if we lose him? What if Cho doesn’t give us the money? Woo-seok, it’s a billion won! That, plus Seong’s debt! I’m not losing this!” 

“… You’ll give me half, right?” 

“Don’t you trust me? I officiated your wedding, for God’s sake!” 

“Okay, okay! Let’s go!” 

It was a mistake. A big, fat mistake. The moment they caught up to him, a hard briefcase collided with Kim’s forehead, sending him backwards, and his back got smacked in a huge pile of junk. 

“BOSS!” Woo-seek screamed and backed away, taking out a knife. “Come on! Come at me, damn it!” But he made another mistake, jumping forward towards the man in the suit, who swiftly grabbed him by the bicep, pulling him out of his trajectory, then swung the briefcase to his head and then punched him in the stomach. 

As Woo-seok fell to the ground, the Recruiter finished the fight as quickly as he had started it, completely knocking the two men who had fallen on the ground one after another with nothing else but that very same briefcase. 

“Come on, Kim, COME ON!” Grunted Sang-woo as he stopped the car, quickly jumping out of it, gun in hand, following the location. But as he reached the exact spot, no one was there. No updates so far. “WHERE ARE YOU?” He whisper-shouted, dialing his number. 

A phone rang from somewhere, and shivers ran down his spine. This wasn’t good. Keeping his guard up, Sang-woo quietly followed the noise. And right as he approached and noticed the phone, preparing to get to the corner and start a gunfight, he suddenly got face-to-face with Jun-ho. 

As the two men didn’t move for a few seconds, pointing guns at each other and panting heavily, realization set in. The plan failed. And now… even if they kept low up until now, they fucked up. The Recruiter knew what they were up to. The organization knew what they were up to. Heck, the fucking organization knew. 

And you were still missing. 

And as they slowly lowered their guns and looked around, gazing at Kim’s dropped phone and Woo-seok’s knife, both of them panicked. 

“W-wh-“ Jun-ho stuttered. 

“He…” Whispered Sang-woo, slowly kneeling down, grabbing Kim’s phone. “He got them…” 

“Well, well…” Smirked Yoo, observing the scene from a nearby rooftop. Just in time. He dragged the two unconscious men away from the street just in time.  Had he lost even one more minute down there, he would have gotten caught. 

Chuckling in relief, he suddenly turned his head towards the sky, the thought of you immediately filling his mind. “Darling, you really are something else.” 

Remembering the game that you two had started, and now, just barely escaping those who obviously united their forces to search for you like a pair of hounds, his heart started beating even faster, adrenaline racing through his veins. This was too entertaining. 

“Game on, dogs…” 

And now, a few months later, you were preparing for your graduation. It was supposed to be the party of your life. The start of a new chapter. And you were excited; you really were. It almost felt like the numbness of your heart was finally melting. It’s what you felt when you received a call from Jun-ho’s mom, who, even more excited than you were, now ironed Cheoul’s shirt, chuckling in joy, preparing to come to the ceremony. Jun-ho, for the first time in what seemed like forever, had asked for a free day. How could he not? If not for you, then for whom? They were all going to be there for you. 

That strange feeling of warmth filled your heart as your name got called out, applause echoing in the big ceremonial hall as you reached the headmaster on the podium, taking your so-desired diploma, then smiling for the official photos, scanning the crowd. That’s what you felt as your gaze stopped at the Hwang family, Mrs. Hwang crying in joy and pride, Cheoul faintly smiling as he took photos, and Jun-ho, who met your eyes, a big bouquet of pink roses in his arms, waiting for the ceremony to end and to finally embrace you and probably make a few jokes about the graduation cap. There, that was your family. In this moment, as bittersweet as it was, you didn’t dare to wish for more. 

And as the ceremony ended, you rushed toward them, quickly hugging Cheoul first. Gosh, he grew up so much. If only it wasn’t for the remarkable resemblance to his sister, you wouldn’t even be able to recognize him. Now, standing taller and stronger, the boy even looked happy. He had also prepared a small bouquet for you, a mixture of different flowers. “For you.” He simply stated, lifting it up. 

“Thank you!” You almost teared up at the sight and hugged him again. Somehow, you still hadn’t settled your emotions about this boy. You still felt uneasy around him, yet some strange sort of sisterly feeling nestled in your heart. That’s probably the best way to describe what you had become for him. 

Next, Mrs. Hwang. She hugged you so tightly, it almost hurt. “I’m so, so proud of you, dear!” She cheered. “You made it!” 

“I made it.” You chuckled. 

Jun-ho, despite how smoothly he hoped to handle this, was a blushing mess. Damn, he knew you’d look stunning as always, but seeing you, beaming in happiness, made his heart beat so fast it could really explode in his chest. Almost shaking, he lifted the bouquet towards you, chuckling awkwardly. “I hope it’s not too much.” He whispered, rubbing the back of his neck. 

And you, completely aware of how embarrassed he was to initiate any sort of affection in front of his mom, especially after the last time in the hospital, especially after she once confronted you both, asking, ‘Won’t you start dating already?’ you simply smiled. Then quickly shortened the distance between you, wrapping your arms around his torso. “No, it’s perfect,” you simply stated, feeling him tense and relax at the same time as he returned the hug as his nose awkwardly pushed away the damn graduation cap. 

What you were completely unaware of were the few pairs of eyes that scanned the entrance of the ceremonial building, waiting for you to come out. A few pairs of eyes, each with their own intentions. Eyes that would soon turn your world upside down. 

No one knew what the hell had happened to Cho Sang-woo as he returned home, hair greasy, beard unshaven, and eyes so defeated. Like he had just returned from war. He didn’t even bother to wear his glasses anymore. All that his mom could recognize was the shell of her son, once lively and full of ambitions, now completely shattered and refusing to explain just what was going on in his life. 

The first thing he did, of course, was visit his mom. And it wasn’t exactly pleasant, because it was definitely not what it was supposed to be. The woman was more worried about his health and well-being than her own. Had she screamed at him, declaring him an embarrassment, it would have been easier. Support was worse. Support meant there was still something to lose. Then, as a few days passed, he learned that Gi-hun’s mom had passed away, the date matching with what he supposed was the Glass Bridge game. Not that much out of guilt, rather than obligation, he paid for her funeral.

The second thing he did was try to clear out his debt. But it wasn’t an easy task. He faced some serious legal challenges, allegations, and so on. It was, honestly, hell. That hell was even harsher than the games. Because, in that cursed place… there was you. You, who kept him grounded, and afterwards, accepted him as he was. Here? Heck, his mom wasn’t enough. But he couldn’t just end it all. Not when she needed him, now more than ever. 

After almost a whole year of fighting charges, taxes, loan sharks, and god knows what else, he couldn’t even remember everything he went through properly; he finally succeeded in taking a breath. And that breath was the agony he postponed, as now, his mind kept racing brutally between hope and despair, then to you, and the painful silence of your absence. It wasn’t fair; you two didn’t even have the chance to say goodbye. He wasn’t sure if it was love, desperation, or a simple survival instinct that made you cling to each other back then, but the feelings were certainly, unmistakably there. 

They were probably the only thing that occupied his mind at night, the torture of everything unfinished, unsaid, and uncompleted serving as his escape from the hell of debt and finance. He couldn’t live in the office world anymore. He simply couldn’t. So, as fast as he really could, he quit his job. Or did they fire him? What was the exact chronology of events, he wasn’t really sure. Either way, no one wanted to see the other anymore. 

What he did when the nightmare, at least the financial one, was over, was to move his mom’s store. It was still right in the middle of Ssangmun-dong, but it wasn’t a small street stall anymore. He bought a nice place, renovated it, brought those special fish refrigerators, installed a nice heating system, found the best fishermen around, and made contacts with them; he even hired a few girls to help his mom. What really surprised him was how easy it was for the store and business to bloom. Heck, money really solves everything. He even bought a small apartment nearby so that he would stay closer to his mom and the store. Not wishing to get an office job again, he simply accepted the idea of being the store’s owner, starting to slowly learn everything he could about seafood, fishing, and so on. 

But his torture never ended, not truly. Especially after Jung-bae divorced his wife and started visiting Sang-woo at the store, begging him to join him after work for a drink. Simply out of misery (and his mom’s pleas to start going out), he oftentimes agreed, but as they both got drunk, he always kept silent while his friend rambled about his divorce and how women were all the same. 

At the end, he couldn’t take it anymore. One day, when he heard that the graduation ceremony for the medical faculty was approaching, he gathered himself. He needed to see you, even from afar. Even briefly. He needed to at least know you made it. Then, perhaps he could finally forget about you. The man in the black mask had forbidden you to reach out to each other? Fine, so be it. He wouldn’t compromise either of your lives. But he could simply walk in the tall hotel near the ceremonial building, get a coffee from the bar of the higher floors, sit near the window, and simply mind his own business, pretending to read a few contract documents. 

What he didn’t realize was that he was watched more carefully than anyone. What he didn’t notice was the fact the Frontman himself sat in that specific bar, watching him, watching you, watching his brother. It was the first time in three years that the three of you would stand so close together, and In-ho needed to make sure that no one else had their eyes on you. And oh, how wrong he would turn out to be…

When Sang-woo reached his home, an envelope had already been pushed under his door. An envelope so small, it almost didn’t look real. Thick black paper, with a pink ribbon wrapped around. 

His heart skipped a few beats. This wasn’t supposed to happen. He simply drank coffee. He didn’t even reach the building you were in. Heck, with how far he was, he almost didn’t even recognize you to begin with. The Frontman himself acknowledged the possibility of you two randomly running into each other without planning it. So… why?

With shaking hands, he lifted the envelope, almost tearing it apart. There was a picture of you. Even more beautiful than he remembered. In your graduation robe, two bouquets in your arms, a young boy, probably around your age, wrapping his arm around your shoulders, blushing like a tomato, an older lady, and a young child, around 12 or 13, smiling next to you. And you? Your eyes shone, your smile melting not just his heart but obviously everyone else’s. In your other hand, there was a diploma. Heck, he thought seeing you from afar was tough enough, but this? This was beyond. 

But he didn’t waste more time to stare at you. There was another picture. And he literally froze. It was his mom. Both pictures were taken today. He recognized the outfit she was wearing. The hairstyle. On top of that, she stood right next to the calendar of the shop. She was talking with a client. Then, right under the picture of his mom, was a letter. 

“It would be a shame if something happened to them just because you can’t control yourself.” 

That was it. Literally that was all that was written. No further explanation, no less threatening. That single warning sent shivers all around his body. This wasn’t a joke. Even years later, they still tracked you. And from now on, he had to be extremely careful. Because, now he realized, it wasn’t his life that he just gambled with. This was honestly, wholeheartedly, the most agonizing nightmare of them all. 

The devil himself, Yoo. The moment he heard the Frontman postponed his arrival to the island by a week, he knew something was up. Not just that. Ever since the games 3 years ago, he has requested a list of the possible players at least a month before the games start. It was not just odd, but it created more work for him. Like the Frontman was intentionally keeping him busy. 

Yet, that required more and more visits to the island. Which was perfect for Yoo. Now that Mr. Chairman was dead, his presence was more impactful. The Frontman may had inherited it all, even taking the role of the host, but that only meant he had more on his plate as well. With him being busier, Yoo had the opportunity to spread his influence among the guards. It was a battle of power. A battle that soon would unleash a mess that no one could really follow up on. 

And as the Frontman kept an eye on the three of you, the Recruiter pretended to visit the island just for a player report. And this time, without being watched, hiding behind the excuse of waiting for his boss, he went to the archive room. And there, he found it. Or to be more correct, he didn’t. Your files were missing. This wasn’t right. In those documents, the winner from 3 years ago was just one. Player 218, Cho Sang-woo. You weren’t there. Not just that, the whole list of players was missing. This wasn’t right. Yet… this meant one thing. He had to strike now. Now or never. 

With a strange sense of excitement, Yoo rushed to his private chambers, quickly getting to the phone, dialing that one number… making the crucial call that immediately and unquestionably spun the wheel of memories, corruption, animalism, and power. 

“Hello, sir.” He smirked on the telephone. “Would you be interested in visiting Korea once again?” 

Now, back to you. You had graduated. You did your research on what the options are to start a residency program at a few hospitals. It seemed like it won’t be too hard to get there; you had the highest scores in all your exams. Everyone said it was almost impossible. But, you being you, actually stood a chance. 

As a week passed, it was finally time for the graduation party. You were actually pretty excited. Not because you were eager to get drunk or anything. But, this time it was going to be a little different. Jun-ho was going to be there. You were honestly shocked he agreed to go. But here you were, dressed even more nicely than you expected, happy that you’ll both at least try to forget about everything and just party like you used to. 

Originally, you didn’t plan to invite him, simply because you didn’t think he would come. But ever since the graduation, the girls you got relatively close with didn’t stop asking about, quoting: ‘the handsome oppa with the big rose bouquet’ and whether you were together or not. Also, why didn’t you tell them you have such an attractive boyfriend? And then, when you told them he was not your boyfriend but your best friend, they started asking ‘Just when are you going to get together, then?’.

Honestly, as awkward as you felt getting asked those questions, given that you weren’t sure what was happening between you and Jun-ho, or if anything was happening at all, it felt nice to return back to the time when the love drama was such a big part of everyone’s social life. It was refreshing. Plus, that would be the first night where you weren’t just going to meet for a quick dinner at his mom’s house or for Cheoul’s school ceremonies. 

Truth be told, you missed each other. Painfully. Those two years after his drunken confession, had put a big distance between you. And both of you hated it. Especially him. And tonight… it really meant a lot. He was perfectly aware that he would soon crack. His heart had been through too much. He couldn’t keep searching for In-ho forever. He just needed a little reminder of what he was missing out on. His feelings for you, once put aside two years ago, were starting to bloom again, with a force even more brutal than before. Enough was enough. He deserved to finally chase happiness. And you? You deserved so much more than someone who obsessed over searching for something that, as you said, didn’t even want to be found. And he was finally ready to accept that and move on. Toward happiness. Towards you. 

As you drove to the bar and parked your car, you checked yourself in the mirror, hoping that tonight, you were going to AT LEAST get provoked to explain your relationship to the others. And that this would be both of your breaking points. Slowly, you had started to dream about Sang-woo less and less. Time really could heal almost anything. And as much as you hadn’t forgotten about him, not even the slightest, you really thought you had calmed down enough to finally try and give Jun-ho a chance. That is, if he still wanted it. You weren’t a fool. Feelings could fade. And you realized that you had pushed him away for too long. Well, he did prove to you that this wasn’t the case, not even in the slightest. But your friendship had reached its peak, bordering on an actual relationship too many times. Like it bounced between love and friendship so much, you weren’t sure what to do anymore. 

Those thoughts occupied your mind as you walked your way out of the empty parking lot, almost bumping into a tall man. “Oh, I’m sorry, sir.” You quickly apologized, not really making eye contact. 

“It’s fine, I’m not.” Suddenly, that voice made your body freeze. Slowly turning back, your gaze met his. A person who you never expected to meet again. The handsome devil that had given you the card three years ago. The one who recruited you to the most horrific, yet merciful, experience in your whole life. The one that opened the door—that was the very start of the chain reaction that ruined it and rebuilt your life from scratch. The Salesman. The Recruiter. 

And he stood there, with his sarcastic, sadistic smile that you could swear reached the very debris of your soul. “Missed me? ” he asked, lifting an eyebrow. 

Your body shivered. That handsome, creepy smile. It was bad news. Like, really bad news. “Wh—“ You stuttered but quickly regained yourself. “What are you doing here?” You asked, voice now as steady as you could possibly force it. 

“I can’t park here? ” He tilted his head. 

“No… you can, just…” You thought a bit. It was that time, right? You were recruited around the same time of the year. That must be it, right? He wasn’t here for you. This was just a coincidence. So, you once again tried to get ahold of yourself. “Pardon. I just got surprised. You’re on duty, I guess. Well… have a nice evening.” 

And just as you bowed your head and turned around, ready to get the hell away from him, you heard the clicking sound of him cocking a gun. “Stay right where you are, darling.” And you really froze. Your mind couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Did he aim at you? “Slowly turn around.” He commanded. As you did what he said, his eyes scanned your body up and down. “Nice dress.” 

But you didn’t acknowledge his compliment. You could only stare at the gun in his hand. “What do you want?” You whispered, voice shaking. 

“You.” He just smirked.

”I’m serious. What do you want? I won the games and never looked back. Why are you doing this?” 

A sarcastic laugh escaped from his mouth. “Still as curious as back then?” 

“What do you expect? You appear out of nowhere and aim a freaking gun at me.”

”Fair point. Come closer and make no noise.” You didn’t have a choice. You subdued him, and he grabbed you by the bicep, pressing the gun to your waist. “Now be a good girl and follow my instructions. Walk.” 

“Hey, Oppa!” One of your friends greeted Jun-ho. “I’m glad you could make it! But why’s Unnie Y/n not with you?” 

“That’s what I was going to ask! ” Shouted Jun-ho over the loud music. “Where is she? We were supposed to meet outside 30 minutes ago!”

”What?” Shouted the girl back. “She never came in; she said you’ll come together!” 

Jun-ho’s blood froze. Not that it was impossible to be late in this traffic, but it definitely wasn’t your style. You were always at least 15 minutes earlier. This wasn’t right. Not just that, you didn’t answer his calls. You always answered. Even when you drove. Even when you were sleeping, your exhausted voice always picking up and asking if everything was alright. This wasn’t about his policeman instincts. This was about something clearly wrong. Not waiting another second, he rushed back outside, immediately starting to call you again and again, running around, looking for either you or your car. 

Then suddenly, right as he was about to lose his mind, a black minivan that was way too familiar passed by him. And gosh, for just a second he swore he saw the pink suit and the face mask of a triangle guard. 

This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. 

This was a nightmare. 

But soon, both of you fell into your own routines. You started the academic year almost enthusiastically, finally getting to enjoy the aftermath of the horrors you lived through, at least a little bit. Your new colleagues were nice. A lot younger than you, but still, nice. Some of them didn’t believe you were older, and some found it cool. While studying so hard, the little coffee breaks you all had in the university cafeteria, filled with laughter, cursing at the professors that were too strict, debating on medical topics, and exchanging books, notes, jokes, and life advice, trivial things like your age differences just faded away. 

Differing from two to three nights a week, you took some night shifts at the casino. Your boss had noted how good the uni life was affecting you. The conversations with you were now lighter and friendlier; your smile shined around, no matter if you conversed just with him, with the other employees, with the clients, or with his wife, when she sometimes visited just out of boredom. Gosh, you loved that family. 

A few months after the start of the master’s, you had finally found a nice apartment in a very convenient location, a good neighborhood, practically getting as close as you possibly could to SNU, the hospital that you had your practical exercises in, Jun-ho’s place, and his mom’s place. An apartment that you could finally feel at home in. Comfortable, spacious, light, and safe. You also brought yourself a car. Decent one. Nothing fancy, but reliable. Good quality. Just what you needed. 

Every single Saturday you visited Mrs. Hwang and Cheoul, bringing a little present for the boy and a sweet small bouquet for Jun-ho’s mom. Cheoul was slowly getting accustomed to his new life. He liked his new school and new classmates, already finding a few friends. Of course, every Saturday ended with a sobbing session in your own home, bordering a panic attack, as you just couldn’t help but think of how much he looked like Sae-byeok. Then the memories always flowed. The games, the blood, the cruelty, the horrors, the gunshots, Sun-ho, Ali, Sae-byeok, Gi-hun, Jin-woo and Mi-nyeo, Deok-su, your grandfather, Sang-woo, everything. 

That was your new routine. And even though the terrors remained as nightmares filled your night, you were slowly getting used to it. All that a heart needs is time. Time, time, time. 

Jun-ho? His wound healed. His attitude calmed down. He slowly returned back to work. Just paperwork, at the beginning. Then he chose to go to the streets. He wanted to keep a watch, guard up, always wandering around, keeping an eye open for suspicious activity or anyone that plays ddakji dressed as a salesman. And during the weekends? He started visiting Captain Park, pleading with him to help him search for the island. In-ho threatened your lives? Making sure to keep the other winner away too? Fine. So be it. But he couldn’t follow Jun-ho in the ocean. This was the only way he could actually keep searching without putting your life at risk. 

And speaking about you? He hated himself for once again putting his feelings for you at the side. How could he confess now, when his mind was occupied with nothing else but his brother? How could he get into the relationship he always dreamed of without actually dragging you into the investigation that devoured his whole everyday life now? It wouldn’t be fair. Not like that. He had to figure everything out first. That’s what sometimes lingered in his mind while riding in Captain Park’s boat, while waves made it lightly jump up and down. Something that you would have probably enjoyed. If only he could bring you along. Make you put on some nice swimsuit, find a sweet small island with a nice beach, bring some food, and spend the day there, together, away from the world. But then, the image of In-ho always appeared, with every surface his eyes scanned, heart beating in anxiety, thinking he’s finally getting closer to all the answers he searched for. 

And that’s what he thought about, absentmindedly drinking soju shots, one after another, when his colleagues invited him for a drink after work one Friday night. The bitter taste in his throat felt like heaven. The absurdity of the jokes that were told helped in distracting him at least a little bit. But then, before he knew it, he was drunk. And drunk, meaning drunkdrunk. He lost count of the drinks he had. 

That’s how you received a phone call at 4:30 AM, right as your shift in the casino ended. “Jun-ho? Aren’t you sleeping? Everything alright?” You asked, worried. 

“I *hiccup*. We were waiting for your shift to end.” 

“We?” 

“I’m with the boys, at… uhhh….” He couldn’t finish, confused.

“Oh, gosh, give the phone.” You heard right before a familiar voice filled your ears. One of his colleagues. You had met a few times. “Y/n, hey! It’s Dong-wok, remember me?” 

“Oh… oh, hi! Yes, what are you guys doing?”

”Nothing much, just blowing off some steam after work. But look, Jun-ho had a bit too much. We all did, but he kind of overdid himself. Didn’t want to take a taxi, repeating he wants to visit you at work. So we kind of just kept drinking up until now. Look, we’re at BOUND BAR… Can you please come pick him up?” 

Hearing all of this, you just laughed. Jun-ho? Drunk? That was always a piece of cake. “Why did you let him drink that much?” 

“Uh…” Dong-wok just drunkenly laughed too. “Well, you see…” 

“Okay, okay. I’m on my way. Give him some water.” 

Your place was closer, so you just drove home. He was going to sleep on your couch. Then, the next day, you planned to help him with whatever his hangover included and convince him to visit his mom and Cheoul with you. Good plan. So, the moment you helped him get his shoes off and walked him to the couch, helping him sit down, you just chuckled. “Okay. I’ll get some clean sheets and a pillow; just wait for a second.”

Yet, drunken him had decided it’s talking time. Quickly wrapping an arm around your waist, not giving you enough time to even stand up, he pulled you into his lap, into the strongest bone-crushing hug. “Had I ever told you you’re the best?” 

“Just 4 times already.” You giggled. “Now let go; I’ll prepare some sheets and water. You’ll need some hydration after drinking so much.” 

“No, wait.” He whispered, snuggling his nose in your neck, voice almost shivering. “Stay like this for a bit.” Then you felt him tense up. Like he was trying hard not to start crying. 

“Hey… everything alright?” You asked, suddenly worried. Was this finally the crash out after everything he’s been through? 

“Just… I hate all of this…” 

“Jun—“

”This. This moment, you know how many times I have imagined it?” He hoarsely tightened his grip around you. “Having you like that? In my lap, and me finally confessing my feelings for you?” 

“Jun-ho… You’re drunk.” You whispered, kind of worried of where this was leading. 

But, him being him, immediately noticed your discomfort. But he didn’t relax his grip. “I’m not going to try anything. Just let me speak.” And when he resumed his speech, it seemed like it wouldn’t end. 

“Heck, I’ll never do anything like that. I just… I love you, goddamn... I love you!“ There, he finally said it, forehead dropping to your shoulder. “But I can’t do this. Not now, not like that. Every damn time I start thinking I’m ready, his face appears right in front of me… In-ho…” Then, right as he was about to spill the secret out, he suddenly realized he was drunk and took just a little more hold of himself, but it was already too late to back down; he had started to splurge his soul out. “I… I remember you helping him with the funeral, when no one else did. Oh, how I wish I could just stop getting sick and help as well… Then I wouldn’t hate myself so much… I wouldn’t be able to still not hate him after everything…” 

“Jun-ho… Where’s that coming from?”

”From…” He struggled. “From… I’m still searching for him. I hadn’t stopped. I need closure.” He confessed. 

Silence filled the air for a moment. “Jun-ho… After so many years, I don’t think he wants to be found. He wasn’t at the games either; I don’t know…” You commented, not knowing what to say.

“He won them though…” 

“Wait… what?” 

“He won. In 2015. I saw the files. He won the money and came back… but it was already too late.”  There, he dropped the bomb. One of the bombs. He wouldn’t spill it all and tell you his brother was the damn Frontman. But everything else? He needed to share it with someone. Desperately. 

“Oh boy…” You whispered, finally losing hold of yourself. If you weren’t already sat in Jun-ho’s lap, you would have collapsed over him, for sure. You didn’t even know what to think anymore. 

“And… after knowing what happened to him… I can’t just keep up with my life like I never found out. I need to find him. Ask him why he left. Why did he do this? Heck, I know my mom pushed him too far. I know I wasn’t able to step up. I know, I know…” And he finally sobbed, a real cry escaping his throat. “And yet. He left too much after himself. He left us, he left you… How can I continue like this? How can I wholeheartedly love you without feeling like the worst possible piece of shit?” 

“Jun-ho…” You now whispered. “Nothing happened between us.” 

“And yet, you were his anchor, not me. Not Mom. You.” He now lifted his teary eyes, gaze meeting yours. “And the same shit happened to you too. Just… Y/n, please don’t go. Don’t disappear like he did. Just not you too. I need time. I swear to god, I will figure myself out. I will either find him or eventually get over it, just… please stay. Even if you don’t wait for me, I can’t expect you to; I know it’s not fair. But please don’t leave. I need you. Stay.” And with that, he finally buried his face back into your neck, frowning so hard you practically felt his forehead grimacing against your skin. Then, just as you finally returned his hug, burying your face in his hair, you realized you had been crying too. 

Gosh, you two always cried together. Literally no one else could make you so emotional. With him, it almost felt like you could finally allow yourself to remove that damn mask of strength, letting yourself be vulnerable. Breakable. Because you were. Heck, you were. So, leaning in, you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer. And despite your suspicions that he probably wouldn’t remember the whole conversation in the morning, you felt like you had to say it, even though you knew he was already drifting asleep. “I’m not going anywhere, stupid. Not without you.” 

Two weeks later, you drove home after a study session with two girls from your class. When you parked your car and walked to your building’s entrance, a woman approached. 

“Sweet girl, do you wish to buy a rose?” 

“Uh…” 

“Please, miss. I need to get rid of them tonight, or they’ll end up wilting away.” Sighting, you just decided to buy three roses, telling her to keep the rest. “Thank you so much!” She beamed, handing you just two. Then, as she observed the bucket, she picked up the one with the biggest petal, carefully handling it too. “Have a good night!” 

As she bowed and proceeded with her own business, you observed the rose, blood running cold. It had a note attached to it. A little black envelope with a pink ribbon that seemed menacingly familiar. Taking a few seconds, breath starting to tremble, you opened it slowly, pulling out a golden card. 

There were three geometrical figures. Circle, triangle, square. And on the other side of it: 

DECEMBER 24, 11:30 P.M.

SKY BUILDING, 7TH FLOOR 

The said date came. Christmas Eve. You had spent it in the hospital, covering a nursing shift as part of your master’s. You had luck; they didn’t need you on the 25th, so you were going to spend it with the Hwang family. You had already brought Cheoul, Jun-ho, and his mom nice presents. 

You just wished you would actually be able to really gift it to them. You didn’t know what to expect. With your heart beating so fast you wondered how the heck it hadn’t exploded yet, you slowly walked your way to the 7th floor. You took the stairs. You fixed your sleeves. Zipped and unzipped your jacket 50 times. Scratched the back of your neck 30. Nothing helped in calming yourself down. 

You followed the pointers that were hung on the walls to a private room. And you froze in your place. There he was, lying on the bed, no one else but the man that crushed your whole world in less than 30 minutes, one year ago. 

Your grandfather. 

As you stood completely frozen, he removed his oxygen mask and sighed. “Please pour some water in there.” He whispered, taking a good look at your face. “Please, Y/n.” You took your time. You moved slowly. But you somehow managed to do what he asked for. Then you helped him drink. Leaned the glass to his lips. Supported his head. Professionally. 

And as he was finally done drinking and you returned the glass to its place, you finally whispered. “Who the heck are you? Explain!” 

But your grandfather changed the topic quickly. “You see him?” Then he pointed at a man outside that stood on the ground, passed out. “He must be drunk… because he’s been sitting there for hours. He looks homeless too. If I had to—“

“How are you still alive?” You suddenly interrupted, voice sharp and cold, hands shaking. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together. And when he finally returned your gaze, you hit him with a tone even colder than before. “You’re the one who’s behind it?” 

“He’s going to freeze to death—“

”ANSWER!” You screamed, voice thundering around so loud, for a moment it seemed like the walls shook. 

“Listen, Y/n. Let’s play something tonight. That man out there… If he remains out there until midnight, I win. If anyone goes to help him before then, then you win.” 

“Oh, fuck off.” You now whispered. “Who the hell are you?” 

“I earn a living lending out money.” You reached closer, arms crossed, squinting your eyes. There, the cold mask of strength. You had put it again. “You know what making money is like… it’s not so easy—“ 

“Don’t tutor me about economics.” You interrupted. “Was any of what you said true, Oh I’ll-nam… if that’s even your name?” 

“It is.” He admitted defeat. “With you… it was the first time I ever let it slip out in that place. That’s real. The tumor in my head is also real. And it also had gotten larger too. That’s true. And the house I used to live in with my family was almost exactly like the one in the alley. That’s all true. You being my granddaughter… this is also true.” 

“How did you end up… behind all of that?” 

“Do you know what someone who doesn’t have any money has in common with someone with too much money to know what to do with? Living is no fun for either of them. If you have too much money, then it doesn’t matter what you buy, or eat, or whatever. Everything, well, it all gets boring.” 

“Ever heard of finding a hobby? Charity? Actually doing something with your life? Money doesn’t prevent you from being useful. It only gives you the excuse for living with no meaning at all, rotting in your own filth.” 

Chuckling, he continued. “All of my clients started to eventually say the same things whenever we talked. Everyone said that there’s no joy in their lives anymore. And so, we decided to get together. We did a little bit of thinking. What we could all do, to finally have some fun—“

”Fun?” You let out a dry laugh. “You put us through all of that… so you can have fun?” 

“You’re forgetting that you all put your signatures on the agreement. And that you all made the decision to come back on your own.”

”Forced decisions.” You snapped. “Desperate ones. What you do for fun is humiliate people in their most desperate, vulnerable moments, having the audacity to mask it as free choice. Tell me, Ill-nam...” You hissed, refusing to call him a grandfather. “What happened with those who didn’t return after the second game? Did you let them live freely?” After he fell silent, you chuckled darkly. “Yeah… though so…” 

“But you… you surprised me… You knew the two sides of the coin. Pure mystery and filthy luxury… And yet… you’re the only winner that actually thrives… You didn’t fall into depression. Didn’t run away, didn’t fall into addictions. Makes me wonder… how the heck did my son manage to create such a perfect creature… his blood… my own blood… and suddenly, there’s no us in you. You surpassed us. Must be your mother… the poor thing-” 

“Speaking of that, you deserve that damn tumor. You knew you had a granddaughter all along but decided to sleep on it. And I’m not sorry for saying this… do you know how many nights I convinced myself that you also had it rough? And now suddenly you crush that image too.” 

After a few seconds of silence, he weakly smiled. “As I said… thank you for the reality check.” 

“Never mind that.” Your gaze suddenly sharpened even more. “Why did you forbid me from seeing Sang-woo?” 

Now, that took him off guard. He didn’t expect that question. But, after a good goddamn minute, he finally sighed. “I have my reasons for this.” 

“Playing the oh-so-worried grandpa who doesn’t want his precious little girl with an older man?” 

“No. I have no right to an opinion about who you’re with to begin with. Though, you two… you shocked me. The way you clung to each other… was something I had never seen in that place. I wonder—“ 

“Answer my damn question.” You demanded. 

“There are people who have their eyes on you. On all the winners. What would have happened if they saw the only ones that won together, actually together? Hm?” 

“It doesn’t make any sense.” 

“For your own safety, that’s all that I’ll say.” Truth be told, he himself wasn’t so sure. But as In-ho had declared the decision, he was too concerned about your safety to dare question it. But your next question shattered his mind completely. Made him question everything from the very start. 

“Just… just fuck off then. But I have another thing to ask. In 2015, Hwang In-ho won the games. You obviously keep track of us. Where is he now?” 

“What?” Ill-nam snapped his head up, eyes widened. 

“Don’t ‘what’ me. Answer.” 

With shivers running down his spine, the old man trembled. “No…” Just how the heck… how the heck did you strike like that? He didn’t know you knew In-ho’s little brother. Didn’t know you knew In-ho to begin with. “I won’t answer anything about him.” He declared. “This man was dangerous. Is dangerous.” 

“Of course…” You commented. “You won’t answer anything, huh? You only invited me here to satisfy your own curiosity.” 

After a long pause, he finally answered. “Let it be like that, then. I just wished to see you for one last time.” 

“Hah. And are you satisfied, Granddad?” 

“After everything? Yes. Yes, I’m so proud of you, even if you don’t want that. But Y/n, please tell me, I’m curious about something else.” 

“What?” You snapped, clearly disturbed once again. 

“This man, he’s still out there. What I said about the game earlier, if no one goes to help him, then… tell me, you speak about living meaningfully, but I saw so many people pass him like he’s nothing. Tell me, do you trust… in humanity being good? If in 10 minutes no one saves him, then I win, you know? What’s the meaning of meaningful in this doomed society?”

You snored a laugh. “When did I agree to play that idiotic game? You want me to sit and watch when I can simply go there and help him myself?” 

“But then, our bet won’t be fair.” 

“There’s no bet. There’s nothing to prove. Heck, there’s nothing I even think of that bullshit you’re trying to analyze. Society can kiss my ass. I’m going there. I have nothing to prove to you.” And with that, you turned towards the exit.

”Y/n.” Ill-nam called out, sensing the presence from the other entrance of the room. When you turned back, face emotionless and cold, he simply smiled. “Don’t come back. I have no time left. I just wanted to see you for one last time. And thank you. Out of everyone that I saw, it was YOU who opened my eyes. Regardless if you believe it or not.” 

Not succeeding in defining if what you felt right now was anger, annoyance, or sorrow, you blinked. You didn’t get any answers. You didn’t know where Sang-woo was. You didn’t know where In-ho was. You only knew that you were constantly being watched. Remembering that, thinking of how those games fixed your life yet now started to destroy it little by little, you just tightened your jaw, trying hard to suppress the storm of emotions you felt. Then you spun on your heel, rushing downstairs towards the freezing man. 

“How long have you been listening?” Asked Ill-nam as In-ho approached from behind. 

“Long enough.” The tired voice of the older Hwang brother echoed. He reached the bed, where you stood just seconds later. “I heard everything. You didn’t tell me she’s your granddaughter.” 

“You didn’t tell me you know her, either.”

”We could have extracted her from the games. It would have been easier. She wouldn’t be the centre of attention of the VIPs now.” Whispered In-ho, his eyes catching you running towards the homeless man, immediately calling an ambulance, then starting to rub his shoulders and arms as fast as possible, trying to warm him up as much as you could, or at least wake him up. 

“Well… I didn’t think you would show such mercy to a random girl… Tell me, In-ho, how do you know her?” 

After a long pause, the younger man answered. “She’s my brother’s best friend.” 

“Aha… then… please be honest, why did you really forbid them from meeting? They had something going on. Something that seemed real.” 

In-ho’s jaw flexed. The only man that he was willing to allow to have you was his own brother. But… He was a widower when he last saw you. How could he explain his complicated feelings to your grandfather? It was too fucked up. Not to mention the age difference. So, rather than speaking about himself, he simply spoke about Sang-woo. “I care for her. A man that allowed himself to get into a 6 billion won debt, 17 years older than her, is something that I couldn’t just sit and accept.” 

“Huh.” Chucked the older male. “So then, it wasn’t out of your own jealousy?” 

Their gazes met. 

“You don't know me at all.” Simply whispered, In-ho. 

“It’s fine, son. Don’t be ashamed. But never mind that. Since everything’s already out, I want to ask you to do something about her. Can I count on you?” 

After a long, long minute, In-ho nodded. 

“Yoo. He digs better than anyone. I’m sure he knew everything. But he recruited her anyway. He’s up to something. Please don’t let him get close to her. I’m not going to be here much longer. His ambition… is something that amused me, but now that her well-being is on the line, it terrifies me. Protect her… please…” were the old man’s last words before he let out a quiet snore that took his last breath away. 

Once empty, In-ho’s eyes filled up with tears that failed to roll down his cheeks, then he returned his attention to you. The ambulance had arrived. You entered after the EMT staff. It drove away. 

Then, he once again returned his gaze towards the dead man and reached out, slowly closing his eyes. “You don't have to tell me.” He whispered, knowing full well he was only talking to his own self now. “I will, even if it kills me…” He declared, not able to suppress the emotion, shivers running down his spine from the terrible thought. 

The recruiter… the devil himself… Yoo. If he had something on his mind, In-ho had to prepare for battle. The nightmare was far from over. 

END OF SEASON 1

Tag list: @veezdiary @agaypurpletoaster

You weren’t allowed to give in to the self-destructive depression, though. Not even for a day. You had collapsed on your small couch, tears dried up between your long lashes, nightmares starting to creep up. Then, the moment sunlight crept through the curtains, your phone rang, forcing you out of your torturous dreams. 

Jun-ho’s mom. 

So much for mourning your own situation. If she herself was calling you out of nowhere, something was happening. Not wasting any time, you picked up. 

“Miss Hwang?” You couldn’t even recognise your own voice. It was rough, raw, as if you had been screaming your lungs out for days. 

Not that she addressed it. Her own sounded exactly the same. “Y/n, dear. Where are you?” 

“Home. Is everything okay?” 

“No, dear. I…” She sobbed through the phone. “It’s Jun-ho.” 

Hearing that, you immediately stood up, finding a pair of clean clothes from your wardrobe with the speed of light. “Where is he?” 

“I got a call from the hospital. He… he was taken there last night; they just contacted me. They say he was shot, and he’s in a coma. I… I don’t know what to think… I’m on my way there.” 

“I’m coming too. Which hospital?” 

It was really a disaster. For more than two weeks (you lost count of the days), Jun-ho was completely out. Your heart sank every time you arrived at the hospital, meeting his mom, and every time you left, having so many tasks to check out of your own table. 

First thing first, you paid your rent. Then, you had to deal with both of your bosses. The cafeteria one, as much as she didn’t actually like you that much, was disappointed you decided to quit. You just accepted to do a few shifts up until she finds someone else to hire at your place. 

Next, your casino boss. The guy actually loved you to the pulp. For so much time, you had become his favourite employee, almost feeling like you were the daughter he never had. His wife also seemed to have had a liking towards you, which made everything so much easier for you. You didn’t really want to completely quit. The agreement was rational. You would still work there but reduce your shifts. Well, so much for the promotion, but since salary wasn’t such a big deal anymore, you were completely alright with this arrangement. 

Then, you checked what you had to do for the masters. You did everything for the documentation. You didn’t want to wait and waste any more time; your youth would slip away if you allowed yourself to dwell and postpone what you dreamed for. You were staring this exact same year. No more delays. Good thing you had a shit tonne of money; it made the documentary work much faster.

Last, you searched for Cheoul. The moment you locked eyes with him and recognised Sae-byeok’s gaze, you broke down. Explaining to him that his beloved big sister passed out in a tragic accident was the harshest thing you ever experienced. Even harsher than actually killing her yourself. Gosh, you felt disgusting. But you started the research of what was required for an adoption immediately. You owed it to them both. 

What really enraged you was the tonne of requirements you had to face to really adopt a child. And you did not meet them. So firstly, you had to look for an apartment. Which was a huge headache; you lost your sleep. Your life had become a hellish circle of closures, mountains of paperwork, switching between the maniac joy of finally doing something that at least had meaning, guilt every single time you visited Cheoul, anxiety every time you went to the hospital to check on Jun-ho, and a never ending heartbreak every time you passed by a man with a grey suit.

Now, long story short: Jun-ho’s mom was falling apart; you had become her anchor. So, seeing the life draining from your eyes, remembering the very same situation with In-ho, she finally snapped. She wasn’t going to force you into depression the way she forced him. The guilt she felt, understanding that she was the main reason he disappeared, made her want to do everything in her power to prevent this from happening to you too. After all, she couldn’t let you go. Not when you were probably the only reason In-ho somehow managed to deal with everything that was on his plate. In her eyes, you were the only thing, apart from his kidney, that he left after himself. In her eyes, you were also the only woman who she ever wanted for Jun-ho. 

So, when she finally asked you what was really on your mind, you told her about Cheoul. You obviously hid the fact that it was you who killed his sister, but you did explain to her the situation you were facing. So, led by guilt and touched by the Kang sibling’s story, she immediately intervened. She faced all the requirements. Cheoul would stay with her. It was really for the best. She had the time to actually raise a child right. She would give him all the love he deserved. Not the late-night study sessions that would follow when your master’s program started. Not the night shifts he would have to attend to at a casino, since you still needed a legal explanation for the money you were going to use. Not the sobbing outbursts, bordering with panic attacks, you were going to start having soon, almost every night, for more than a whole year. This child would be loved, cherished and taken care of the proper way. 

For so many days, your routine was practically all over the place. You ran errands around the town, literally going crazy. You had mental breakdowns every single night. You were surely losing your mind. And just when you thought you couldn’t take anything anymore, you received a call from Jun-ho’s mom. He had woken up. You had just run an errand, buying Cheoul a backpack for his new school, preparing everything he needed for when you were going to pick him up from the orphanage next week. 

And suddenly: “(Y/n), dear! Jun-ho woke up!” 

“WHAT?” You shouted midway, the new backpack hanging on your shoulder. 

“He asked for you. He didn’t believe me when I tried explaining where you are, and… dear, please come here.” 

You didn’t waste a second. “I’m on my way.” 

Relief. That's what filled your mind when you ran through the hospital halls, heart beating so fast it felt as if it was going to burst. That’s just how quickly you entered his room, not giving yourself any time to catch your breath. 

There he was, half sat on the hospital bed, his mom sitting on the chair next to his bed, face still red from crying out of happiness. 

As you suddenly burst into the room, his gaze shot up, eyes widening when they met yours. You panted, struggling to catch up your breath, approaching him quickly. “Gosh…” You only managed to force out, taking a few moments to observe his face. Now that he was awake, he looked even worse. Sure, his breathing wasn’t supported by the system, and he was obviously starting to recover, but the dark circles around his eyes were more visible now that he actually gazed around. 

A little moustache found its way over his lips, him obviously not aware of it still, as he absolutely hated leaving any facial hair to grow out. His hair had grown too, still unwashed, now greasy around his forehead. And yet, in this moment, you couldn’t help but think of how perfect he always was. Not that he gave you much time to think about that. Just as tears started to fill your eyes, he lifted his right hand that wasn’t wrapped up in bandages, then called out for you, voice quiet and raspy. “Come here.” He only managed to whisper. 

And gosh, the moment you were in his reach, his arm slipped around your waist so desperately, it seemed almost impossible to force out so much straight from a body that had just woken up from a coma, as he did right now, pulling you into the most yearning embrace you ever felt. 

You couldn’t wrap your arms around his bandages, so the only thing you could do was wrap them around his head, burying your face in his hair, and for God knows which time this week, you sobbed uncontrollably. “What the hell happened to you?” 

“I…” He hesitated. How could he explain that when he himself didn’t know? “I…” He once again tried to explain whatever, but failed again. 

His mom, watching the scene between you two, couldn’t help but tear up herself too. She got up from her seat, ready to explain that he didn’t remember anything. But you collected yourself surprisingly fast. 

“Okay.” You whispered, tightening your arms around his head. “Okay. Amnesia is expected, I guess…” And as you both refused to let go, his mom could only sigh in relief, thinking of how, whatever happened to Jun-ho, you would always be by his side. 

Another week passed. You were now preparing for the academic year, deciding to slow down the hunt for a new apartment, even though you kept checking some opportunities here and there. You didn’t want to get something too expensive, yet you did want to finally have a nicer place to call home. Things were finally settling down. Or at least that’s what you thought. You were so occupied with fixing your life and creating a routine, building a stable environment, that you didn’t prepare for what was coming. Not that you could, even if you weren’t so busy. 

Cheoul had just settled with Jun-ho’s mom, and she, really not wanting to bother the young boy with too many hospital visits, had talked with you to get Jun-ho to his place. And you did, of course. But the ride to his place was silent. Too silent. You drove his car carefully, worried that the slightest bump in the road would affect his health. Which right now only annoyed him.

What he hadn’t told anyone was that his memory was slowly returning, piece by piece. When his boss came to talk with him, he had told him of the absurd story Jun-ho tried to pull out, about an island and people getting kidnapped. That’s when Jun-ho’s mind started racing and memories started to flicker. And it was all over the place. But he had slowly put them all together. 

He followed Mr Seong while searching for In-ho. He penetrated the strange island by sneaking in, disguised as a guard. He searched for his brother, without success. And suddenly, there were you. Shaking like a leaf. Blood everywhere. You were in a group of men that all surrounded you protectively, thank goodness, but you were all covered in blood and what strangely resembled the grey substance around the brain. It was a disaster. Then, he sneaked into the documentary, finding out In-ho had won those games in the same year his wife passed away. He put two and two together now. He was late to save her because she died when he was fighting for both their lives in that very same hellhole. Then it came the terrible experience with that one VIP…

Then, he remembered In-ho’s face, as he removed the mask, right before they shot each other. That’s when his memory REALLY went blank.  So, it wasn’t just In-ho. The same thing happened to you. That’s what spun in his head as he gazed at your figure while you drove, not saying a word, not sure if he should feel relieved you're finally safe or angry that you went there. But he remembered what Mr Seong had said in the station. You were kidnapped. Yet, he seemed to go willingly the second time. So, you also did. Did you really hate your life that much? And so, his anger was redirected towards his own self and the way he had let you struggle on your own for years, just out of fear of rejection. It was honestly farcical. And yet, you did give him false hope, only to run back to that hell. As his shame and anger flickered, he just sat on the passenger seat, not sure how to properly address all of that. 

“Okay.” You started, quickly moving towards the fridge as you both entered his place and took off your shoes and jackets. “I managed to cook something myself yesterday, and your mom gave us meals too, so there’s a lot of food. I brought it here earlier. What do you want to eat? There’s a lot to choose from; let’s see – “ 

“(Y/n).” His voice cut through yours. And as you turned around, you were caught off guard. He stood there, staring at you with the most serious expression he ever had. Just as serious as he was staring at you back at your place last time when you fought. 

“Y-yeah?” You stuttered in confusion. 

But that only annoyed him. There was only so much he could actually take. He did realise that this was a sensitive issue, but he couldn’t help it. Not when his own mind was a mess. “Don’t give me a ‘yeah’! What the heck?” 

“What?” You frowned. “What are you—“ 

“WHAT WERE YOU DOING AT THAT PLACE?” 

“At what place?” 

“(Y/N), FOR GOD’S SAKE!” He screamed. “I saw you there! Don’t lie! Player 013, that’s what I’m talking about!” 

“What…” You suddenly whispered, backing away. “H-how did you—what?” 

Sighing, he didn’t let you go further, following after you. “I asked you if there’s a player named Hwang In-ho… Remember?” 

“That was you?” You shouted, placing a hand over your mouth. 

“That was me.”

”WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU DOING THERE?” 

“ME? WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU DOING THERE? HUH? I WAS SEARCHING FOR IN-HO! WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE?” 

“EXCUSE?” You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. But, understanding that you were both not exactly heading anywhere right now, you lowered your tone, rubbing your forehead. “Oh gosh…” You commented, trying to calm down. “Okay, look. Let’s… let’s sit down. We obviously have a lot to talk about.” 

Realising that he was right about to fuck up again and that you actually stopped the fight before it escalated, he took a deep breath, really trying to let you lead him. You were right; you had to at least sit down. “Okay…” He mumbled, following you to the couch. 

“Look.” You rubbed your temples. “Let’s start from the beginning. How did you end up there?” 

“I… alright… When we went to In-ho’s place, I found a card there. The same one that Mr Seong brought to the station. That was just when you disappeared for 24 hours, so… I suppose you were already there. I am talking about Seong Gi-hun. I saw you were in a group, so I guess you know each other, right?”  Not able to say anything, you just nodded, and he continued. “I thought… you know, that In-ho would be there too. So I followed and disguised myself as a guard. Then I suddenly saw you there and…” You could see the shivers that ran through him as the hairs on his arms stiffened up. 

“Huh…” You just commented. 

“I tried to intervene, but they caught me… They chased me down and…” Suddenly remembering In-ho pointing a gun at him, he found it hard to continue, but he forced himself to. “I was shot. Then I fell in the sea. A fisherman found me and got me to the hospital. I can’t remember that part, but he came to see me a few times at the hospital. He had lost his way and… I guess I got lucky…” 

“Oh boy…” 

“Your turn.” 

“Huh?” 

“Don’t ‘huh’ me!” He snapped. “What the hell were you doing there?” 

“I… isn’t it obvious…” You whispered, defeated. Then, Jun-ho remembered your file. 

“You didn’t tell me you were so indebted… why?” And when he didn’t receive an answer, but you only lowered your gaze ashamed, he finally shouted. “Y/N? WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?” 

“I… You don't know who I owed money to.” 

“Jang Deok-su. I read your case.” 

“So… you know I couldn’t. Jun-ho, a mafioso is not who you want to mess with.” 

“Y/n! I’m with the police, goddamn it. There were dozens of options.” 

“Really?” You clinically lifted your gaze, meeting his. “Jun-ho, I love you and all, but… when did the police really do something?” And oh, damn… This was the exact same word In-ho had told him right before shooting him. Or something along those lines. 

“WHAT THE HECK?” He now screamed. “Y/N, YOU… AFTER EVERYTHING – “ 

“OH FOR FUCK’S SAKE!” You interrupted. “I called them, Jun-ho. That bastard followed me around, demanding I do the EMT’s job for his guys. Do you know how many times? Do you know what happened when I called the police?” It was now the time that you chuckled darkly. “They practically told me to fuck off. Do you know how much I messed up with the mafia back then? How did that snake beat me up? And do you know how much influence he had, even in your groups? Don’t get me wrong, Jun-ho, but you’re the only policeman that I actually trust, just because it happens that you’re one. The police was useless.” 

“You can talk all you want… tomorrow at the station… WHERE I AM TAKING YOU FIRST THING IN THE MORNING.” 

“NO!” 

“YOU DON’T GET TO REFUSE!” 

“So you really want to screw up my life again?” 

“What?” 

You now laughed again, this time, almost hysterically. “What ‘what’? You want to get me behind bars? Do you realise what will happen to me if I go and say I killed people to survive?” And it struck him like thunder. He obviously didn’t have the time to think it out; he would have probably come to the same conclusion during the night, but oh… how ashamed he immediately felt when those words left your mouth. 

“I…” He hesitated. “I… what happened there?” 

“At the end… we were forced to fight each other in two teams. Me and the guy that I paired up with… we killed Gi-hun. The girl he was with was… it was Cheoul’s sister. Her last wish was for me to get him out of the orphanage…” You whispered, your face getting as red as it possibly could. The shame was unbearable. 

“What…” He muttered. Heck, he wondered where the fuck you knew Cheoul from… now it made sense. And oh… how awful this sounded. He could only imagine the guilt you felt right now. He could read it all over your face. As enigmatic as you were, he did know you too well. So, instead of saying anything about that, he sighed, deciding to ask the other thing that came to his mind. “So then… There’s another winner?” 

You suddenly tensed up, but you nodded regardless. You had already let that slip up. You couldn’t lie about it anymore; you knew Jun-ho wouldn’t buy it. 

“Okay then. Who was he? We’re going to find him and figure out what to do.” 

“No.” 

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN ’NO’ AGAIN? NO TO THE POLICE, NO TO THE OTHER WINNER? THEN WHAT THE HELL WILL WE DO?” 

“We continue to LIVE OUR FUCKING LIVES!” 

“ABSOLUTELY NOT! WE’RE GONNA-“ 

“ABSOLUTELY NOT TO THAT!” You interrupted him, angry at how he raised his voice, not actually asking you why, but trying to outshout you. “THE FUCKING FRONTMAN THREATENED TO KILL US ALL IF WE REACH OUT FOR EACH OTHER, YOU HEAR ME?” 

“OH, FOR FUCK’S SAKE!” Jun-ho barked. “YOU WILL BE WITH ME; STOP BEING SO STUBBORN!” 

“JUN-HO! FOR ONCE IN YOUR LIFE, SHUT THE HELL UP AND LISTEN! HE THREATENED YOU TOO, YOU HEARD THAT? THOSE GUYS KNOW ABOUT YOU TOO! YOU’RE VERY MUCH IN DANGER AS WELL! SO SHUT UP, SIT ON YOUR ASS AND JUST FOCUS ON RETURNING BACK TO YOUR FEET!” 

That shut him up. The Frontman, In-ho, had threatened you all. That’s when he realised you weren’t playing. This was a game too dangerous to dig around. Truth to be told, even if it was just your life on the line, he would stop and think about what he was starting, but now? Now that In-ho had gone too far? He couldn’t believe it, once again. Like he didn’t even know his brother anymore. 

“Oh fuck…” He groaned after a very long pause, rubbing his forehead, just the way you did when a migraine attack was starting. His heart literally ached right now. He couldn’t do it. Not anymore. Not to you. But, not even sure if he was talking to you or to himself, thinking about In-ho, or probably talking to the both of you all at once, frustration taking over, he made the comment that right at this moment made the whole fight shift. “It’s getting harder to keep loving you like this…” 

The moment this phrase left his lips, you froze. Why did he have to bring this up? Why now? Now, when you had your emotions all over the place. It wasn’t fair. And as he hadn’t actually realised what he had just said, after a good minute, you regained your composure, completely now. And… the moment your face got stone cold was the moment he realised his own words. But it was too late now. Nodding, you gave him no time to correct himself. “I can make it easier very quickly…” You hissed, offended. 

But, as he heard what you said, he groaned, the coldness in your voice, in turn, provoking him. “Oh fuck off…” 

“Exactly.” Was the only thing you whispered before quickly standing up and rushing towards the exit, grabbing your jacket and shoes on your way out. 

And Jun-ho, after sitting on the couch for the good amount of 10 minutes, wondering what the heck had just happened, suddenly curled forward, gripping his hair so hard it started to hurt. What have you done? He thought, scolding himself now. “JUST WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? IDIOT!” He suddenly shouted, realisation settling in, then jumped from the couch, barely managed to put his sneakers on and rushed out, not even caring to put a jacket on, as quickly as his weakened body allowed him. 

There you stood at the bus stop, trying hard to suppress the tears that fought hard to fall out of your eyes. It wasn’t fair. You only wanted to fix your life. This sacrifice was too much. For you, he was everything. The very definition of home itself. And now… you hadn’t even been able to get over Sang-woo when your feelings for Jun-ho were forced back, thinking you had lost him while praying that he wakes up. And now you had to accept that he was going to hate you forever now. It was too much. Heck, it was too much. But, you being you, put on that mask of strength, just staring blankly at the departure board. 

But as your gaze flickered, it suddenly stopped on him. He had rushed after you and was now standing right next to you, panting. 

“Wh- WHAT THE HECK?” You shouted, quickly unzipping your jacket. “WHY DO YOU NOT HAVE YOUR JACKET ON?!” And as angry as you were, you quickly wrapped yours around him. Not that it made any difference; he was huge compared to you. 

But he ignored your question completely, wrapping his arm around you, making you freeze at your spot. “I’m sorry.” He sobbed in your neck. 

“You’re always sorry.” You answered, unable to move. You didn’t even hug him back. 

The chuckle that escaped his throat mixed with a sob. “Can’t argue with that… but really.” 

“Just go home…” 

“No. Not without you.” And as you were about to start protesting, he grabbed your face, forcing you to look at him. You didn’t even realise that you had avoided his gaze up until now. “I didn’t mean it.” He confessed, eyes redder than ever, voice shaking. 

“Yeah? Didn’t exactly sound like it.” 

“I’m sorry…” 

“I’m not going to the police. Your apology will mean absolutely nothing if you keep insisting.” 

“I know… I know.” He now released your face and pulled you into another hug. “I won’t make you, alright.” This finally made you relax just a little bit. “Let’s… let’s just go back, please. Don’t leave.” 

“After that… I think we both need some space.” 

“We already did that. Look what it led to.” He sighed, releasing your form just enough to make eye contact. “Please… let’s do it our way again.” 

“What is our way?” 

“Sleep it off. Then we will talk it out. It’s us against this, okay? Gosh, I’m sorry for being like this; I promise to start listening more and shout less. Just come back, please.” 

After a whole minute, your composure finally broke, a tear finally battling its way out. Letting out a sigh, you gave in, quickly leaning into the hug for a quick second. “Gosh, okay. Just let’s go before you catch a cold.” 

Tag list: @veezdiary @agaypurpletoaster

“Players 013, 067, 218, and 456. Welcome to the final game.” Announced the square guard as you stood in front of a metal door. “Before we begin, we need to distribute your positioning. First, because of the host’s generosity, you’re allowed to team up based on your preference. Or you can flip a coin and team up with whoever you get paired up with.” 

“We already have two teams.” Sang-woo answered as Gi-hun gripped Sae-byeok’s waist, supporting her body. She just stared at you, not daring to say a single word. 

“Any objections?” And when no one spoke, the guard continued. “In this case, we continue to point two. Before we begin, we’ll flip a coin to decide who plays offense or defense. Please choose a shape. Triangle or square?” He lifted a coin with the said shapes. 

“Square.” You whispered shakily, too focused on returning Sae-byeok’s stare. 

After flipping the coin and it landing on triangle, the honor of choosing the position was given to Gi-hun. After taking a few seconds to think about it, and him observing Sae-byeok, he finally decided that for her own good, it was best if they played defense. 

“Players 067 and 456 will play defense. Players 013 and 218 will play offense.” The square declared in his walkie-talkie, turning around, ready to lead you towards the arena. 

And oh, it was the same field you played Red Light, Green Light on. Full circle, huh… You thought, heart pounding heavily in your chest as you walked after the guard, trying hard to understand what you will play. You couldn’t figure it out from the drawings on the walls, and yesterday, with what happened after the game and what happened with Sae-byeok, you didn’t even try anymore. The adrenaline that constantly flowed in your system was making you feel almost dizzy. 

And as if hearing your thoughts, the guard spoke: “For the final game, you’ll all be playing Squid Game. Let me explain the rules: One, the attackers must enter the squid-shaped court, run past the defenders, and then tap the area inside the squid’s head with their foot to secure the win. Only one player getting to the head is enough for the game to end. Two, the defenders must block the attacker’s advance and force them outside of the court's bounds in order to win. If one of the attackers gets pushed out, the other continues alone. Three, if a situation arises in which neither player from a team is able to continue playing the game, the team with a remaining player will be the winner.” 

“A player’s unable to continue. Could you explain that?” Asked Gi-hun. 

“That would refer to the player’s death. And now, with that, let the game begin.” 

“Squid Game? What an odd name…” Commented the lion-like VIP. 

“It was originally a children’s game that was played in Korea many years ago.” Explained In-ho, staring at your back, cursing and screaming in his mind at the thought that it should have been you who played defense. “Among all the games that kids played back then, it was the most physical and violent.” 

“So any kind of violence is allowed?” 

“Sure, there are no restrictions.” 

Whistling, the deer-like VIP observed you all taking your positions. “Didn’t number 013 do a medical procedure for number 067 last night? Is this allowed?” 

“It is, if a player requests it. We allow this to see what they will do.” Answered In-ho. 

“Aha…” Whispered the deer. “Well, last night really took me by surprise. For a moment it seemed like any alliance between the players was equally possible.” 

“It sure seemed like it.” Laughed the lion. “This year the interactions between the games are even more interesting than the games themselves.” 

“Shut it, both of you.” The board VIP whispered. “It’s starting.” 

As both of you stood in the squid's head, you exchanged glances with Sang-woo. “Whatever it takes.” He whispered, determination filling his voice. Nodding, you simply whispered the same phrase back. Then, without saying anything else, you turned your backs to each other, both hopping on one foot to get to both circles of the squid’s neck. 

That’s when the battle really began. 

Getting face-to-face with Sae-byeok was the harshest thing you ever experienced. You had just treated her wound last night. And now, here she stood, gripping her stomach with one hand like she was already dying, because, fair enough, she was. And with her other hand, she squeezed her knife. At the other end of the field, the two men faced each other. For a moment, none of you dared to move. 

“You said I should fight to the very end.” The other girl whispered. 

“I meant it.” Your voice trembled. “Still… I’m sorry it had to be like this.” Then you took a small jump on one foot, heading towards the other side, towards the circle Sang-woo was standing in. 

“I know.” Was the last thing she whispered before she quickly took a step towards you, lifting her knife. But you reacted on time, kicking her with your free leg, hitting her hip.

The painful shout that left her throat broke your heart. As she fell on the ground, her breath hitched. This was pure torture. No human being should have been forced to go through such an amount of pain. But you had no choice. Either that, or kill yourself. There was no in-between. 

Hearing her cries, Gi-hun couldn’t stay still. Quickly turning around, his heart sank just as much as yours. “SAE-BYEOK!” He screamed, for a moment completely forgetting about Sang-woo’s existence, rushing towards her. 

That was the perfect moment for Sang-woo to take advantage of the opportunity you provided, quickly jumping on one foot towards you, in the few seconds Gi-hun was distracted. As he reached your side of the field and you took a step back, both of you were now in one circle, facing Gi-hun and Sae-byeok. 

The girl still stayed on the ground, gripping her wounded stomach, but Gi-hun quickly snapped back to reality, standing up. “Sae-byeok.” He whispered. “Hold on, please.” And he stood up, ready to fight. Sang-woo had crossed the neck of the squid. He didn’t have to hop on one foot anymore. Now would the real battle begin.

”Are you proud of yourself?” Gi-hun spat, voice trembling. “This could be different. It could have—“ 

“SHUT UP AND FUCKING PLAY!” Snapped Sang-woo as he lifted his knife up and attacked. That was your moment. When the two men gripped each other and wrestled, you quickly turned towards the other circle, crossing the neck while hopping on one foot. 

But right as you turned towards them again, Sae-byeok almost regained her composure, trying desperately to stand up. To block your way. Whatever it was that made her push past that unbearable pain, in this moment, you couldn’t help but admire her will to fight. 

“Remember what you promised?” She coughed. 

Taking a second to realize what she asked, your heart broke. There she was, struggling like a sacrificial lamb, the two men fighting like wild beasts behind her back, but her eyes met yours with a plea so strong, you couldn’t help it. Your eyes watered, and tears started to roll over your cheeks right before a thunderstorm echoed, rain suddenly starting to pour down, as if the weather itself reflected your soul. 

“It… it wasn’t a promise.” You whispered, fighting hard to regain your composure. “It was a vow.” You concluded at last. “But Sae-byeok… Stand up.” And as her gaze softened and hardened at the very same time, yours got filled with determination. You were going to finish this quickly. Her struggles were reaching their end. “I’m not going to fight a corpse.” 

“Good rain knows the best time to fall.” Whispered the deer-like VIP. 

“Oh, it sounds so romantic.” Commented the bear VIP.

And In-ho. Oh, god, In-ho. He couldn’t even hear them anymore. All that filled his mind was the image that was playing in front of him. The look of your eyes. Those captivating eyes, which enchanted his brother when you were all too young and innocent, and then enchanted him too, when you were the only person that he could really rely on, when his own family had abandoned him in his own personal hell. Those same eyes, now darkened and tortured, had every single emotion that he himself felt when he was winning the games. Anger, sadness, regret, anguish, shame, determination, brutality, and hope all mixed into an ugly mess, only held together by the adrenaline your body surprisingly kept producing without a break. 

For one so young and so small, you were too strong. So strong, it almost seemed like your breaking point was nonexistent. That’s what filled his mind as he watched you finally attack. 

And oh boy. When you attacked, you didn’t hold back. You couldn’t. Not when you had lost all rights to express your regrets. You were going to kill a person. You had no right to dwell. You had to do it quickly. But heck, Sae-byeok was fast too. Suppressing the pain, with a swift motion, she acted too fast, doing her best to actually fight back. You reacted on time but only managed to barely dodge a fatal blow. Her blade sliced your arm, almost cutting through your bicep. 

This single action took all of her strength as she collapsed back to the ground, using the opportunity of the moment you hissed in pain, stabbing her blade into your thigh. And you, due to the adrenaline flowing through your body, finally stabbed yours in her neck all while now grunting in pain. 

When you collapsed on your knees, eyes now on her level, your voice betrayed you, physical and emotional pain now mixing together. “I’m… I’m sorry.” You sobbed as she suddenly coughed blood. 

“Kang… Cheoul…” She managed to whisper, her body starting to slip down. 

“Namsan-won.” You finished, shaking. This was the last thing you said to each other. Then her body hit the ground. 

“SAE-BYEOK!” Screamed Gi-hun as he suddenly turned around, both of your screams reaching his ears, forcing him to stop punching Sang-woo in the face. 

“SAE-BYEOK!” He screamed again, now turning around, ready to crawl towards you, but Sang-woo used that opportunity to grab him by the collar of his shirt and take the knife that was laying on the ground next to them. Before Gi-hun was able to even register what was happening, a knife was stabbed in his chest. 

A few seconds passed. No one moved. Suddenly, blood spilled out of Gi-hun’s mouth too, as he slowly leaned to his side, his lifeless body falling over Sang-woo, who stood frozen, not able to even assimilate what had just happened. 

“Oh…” Chucked the deer. 

“Okay, THAT was one hell of a show.” Cheered the lion. 

“You really DID get lucky, huh? Who would have thought 013 was such a fighter?” Laughing the bear in amusement.

“It’s not over yet.” The boar commented. “Let’s see what they will do in round 2.” 

“There will be no round 2.” Mechanically announced In-ho, eyes widened behind the mask. It was a huge luck that damn thing modified his voice. He was almost on the verge of tears. 

“Wait, WHAT?” Shouted the lion, not able to hide his shock. “Wait… that can’t be… The last game always ends with one winner. That’s the fundamental idea here!” 

“The creator of the games… said that this year is special.” 

“How so?”

”Personal matters.” 

“Doesn’t that go against the rules?” 

“The rules that he himself created.” Explained In-ho, not fully understanding Mr. Chairman’s reasoning but accepting everything, nevertheless. How could he not accept those orders, as he himself had wanted to achieve the same thing anyway? For now, his curiosity had to wait. For now, he was just happy to take it and do everything in his power to really keep you alive. This was all that mattered right now. “The rules that only he, and he alone, is allowed to change.” 

For a good minute, none of you dared to do anything. You just stared at each other, grunting heavily, trying hard to snap back to reality. 

You had won. You had really won. It was surreal. And you were both alive. This never happened. Fate has always given you hell. This wasn’t what you were used to. You didn’t believe it. 

“I told you.” Sang-woo grunted, finally pulling Gi-hun’s body down, next to him. “We're both getting out of here.” 

“Huh…” Was the only thing you managed to say, body still frozen next to Sae-byeok’s lifeless one. 

“Player 013. Player 218. Congratulations for finishing the last game.” Was the last thing your ears registered before the white smoke appeared, fogging the whole arena? 

“S-Sang-woo…” You managed to whisper, body, soul, and mind collapsing due to your own exhaustion and the soporific filling your lungs, before finally, fully collapsing on the ground, losing your consciousness. 

You woke up slowly. This wasn’t what you expected. Or was it? To be fair, nothing could surprise you anymore, yet everything was a shock to your system. You were tied up. And everything around you vibrated, like you were in a car. 

As your gaze cleared up, what caught your attention was the masked man that sat across from you in the big limousine, legs crossed casually, comfortably leaning in his seat. And even through the creepy black mask, you could feel his intense stare. It burned you alive. It undressed you without even touching you. It read your mind, even though your thoughts were blank. It reached the very debris of your soul. 

“Wh—“ your voice hitched. “Who are you?” You finally managed to whisper. 

“You should celebrate.” The man simply stated. 

“What happened?” 

“You won.” Seriously? You thought. Well, it was a good thing that was confirmed, but still… It didn’t exactly explain anything. 

“I meant…” You started but stopped. Yet, when the man just leaned his masked face to one side, expecting you to ask your question, you decided to continue. “Where am I? Where are you taking me?” 

“To Seoul.” 

“Aha… then… What happens next?” 

“You get your money and finally fix your life.” 

A long and silent minute followed. Then you finally asked the question that snapped the Frontman’s composure. Not that he couldn’t hide this. But it really got to him. “Where is Sang-woo?” 

“Shouldn't you be worried about your own self?” 

“We both won. Is he getting dropped in another part of the city? Both times when we were collected and when we were dropped off after the first game, we were always together.” 

“And again, shouldn’t you worry about yourself right now?” 

After another pause, you regained the courage to ask something again. “Am I in danger?” 

Taking a few seconds, he finally answered. “No.” 

“Then… is he in danger?” 

“Enough of this.” 

“Answer at least something, then.” You whispered. “I am not asking you why you do all of this or who you people are, okay? Just tell me where he is and what will happen to us from now on. Please.” 

Sighing, the masked man finally chuckled. “It would have been easier if you asked those.” 

“How so?” 

“You’re always too rational…” 

That took you aback. “Do we know each other?” 

“I know all of my players.” 

“No, I meant—“

”If you were at least a little bit more emotional, you would almost reach the level of a normally functioning human being.” 

“Uh…” You mumbled. Okay, fair, you were too rational, where was he going with this? It was almost as if he was just talking to his own self. “Still…” You continued. “Can’t you give me a little bit of an idea about the situation?” 

Suddenly, he chuckled. “You’re unbelievable…” Was the comment he made, as he fell silent. 

Another whole minute passed before he finally spoke again. “It should go without saying, but knowing you, you’ll insist you should have been warned.” 

“About what?” 

Then, without a warning, he stood from his seat, then reached you, lowering himself, squatting right in front of you. It wasn’t like you could run away or fight him; you were still tied up. It was surprising that he hadn’t covered your eyes. This position was… almost intimate. Almost. If you weren’t so convinced that your life was still in danger, if you weren’t still in survival mode, your face would have probably flushed. With one of his gloved hands, he reached toward your face, slightly lifting your chin. 

“Alright, since you asked so politely, I’ll give you a hint.” He whispered, voice filled with something you couldn’t determine. It almost sounded like he was suppressing torment deep down. Almost. “He’s alive, yes. I can’t kill a winner; we’re obliged to return you both without doing any harm. Remember, we never wanted to harm you.” He referred to one of the first things the square guard told you before the very first game, when the players begged for mercy. 

“This is a bit of an ironic thing to say.” You chuckled darkly, holding the eye contact with his mask. 

Returning the energy, he chuckled too, leaning his head down. But he quickly regained his composure again, gripping your chin a little bit harder. Not hard enough to hurt you, but it was obvious what the message he was sending was. “What isn’t ironic, though, is the fact that for some reason, the host grew pretty fond of the finalists this year.” He said, gaze returning to your eyes. 

This sent shivers down your spine. “How so?” 

“It doesn’t matter how so. What matters is that this is the first year that we don’t have one, but two winners.” Your eyes widened like tennis balls now. But he didn’t let you express your shock any further. “And the only thing that you need to know from now on is that you’re forbidden any contact with each other. No calls, no texts, not even random searching for each other in the streets. If you ever cross paths, you’re to turn around and act like you had never met.” 

“What?” You whispered. “Wait… why? ” 

“It doesn’t matter why.” He hissed. “The only thing that matters to you, is that the moment you try to reach out for him, or he for you, would be the moment you die. Both of you.” 

Breath hitching, you blinked painfully. “But… I don’t understand… we…” 

“There’s nothing to understand. You do as I say. Besides… you don’t want us to involve your sweet little policeman in this mess, right?” 

This time, you couldn’t even ask ‘What?’. Jun-ho?  This was too far. They really knew everything, huh? They just knew that threatening Jun-ho would be your breaking point. The only thing that would really shut you up.

“Wh- what does he—“ 

“No more questions. Open.” He now gripped your chin painfully hard, forcing your mouth open, then shoved a credit card between your teeth. Suddenly, the limousine stopped, and the masked man forced you up on your feet, dragging you to the door.

“Focus on fixing your life. That’s the only option you have left.” 

And with that, you were thrown out of the car. 

Tag list:@veezdiary@agaypurpletoaster

A/n: the fanart was taken from Pinterest. I don’t know who the artist is, but credits to them! ❤️

But soon after your high wore off, your mind started working again. So much were you used to resting. You physically just couldn’t shut the world down. So, rather than allowing yourself to fall asleep against his warm body, you tensed up once again. Noticing the change, Sang-woo leaned his head, trying to get a look at your expression. “What are you thinking about?” He asked. You found it funny; it seemed like him asking you this very same question was always the conversation starter. 

“You’ll find it stupid.” 

“Try me.” 

“Okay…” You inhaled nervously. “Apart from everything, I just wonder…” After a slight urge to continue, you decided to ask the one question that, right at this moment, seemed absolutely ridiculous. Completely unimportant and insignificant to your situation, yet you had to ask. You just had to. “Why did you pull out?” You finally blurted it. 

This took him aback. “What?” 

“I mean… Look:” You rushed to explain. “I'm not complaining at all. A baby is the last thing that I want right now. Yet! The possibility of us both getting out of here is low. Let’s say, hypothetically, I make it and you don’t. Then that would be my own problem to deal with, anyway. If you make it, but I don’t… well, it just wouldn’t matter anyway too. So, why? Once again, I’m not complaining. I’m just curious of what your thought process was.” 

He couldn’t believe his own ears. You, of all people, who fought for your life here more fiercely than almost everyone. Who splashed a head open while being attacked and didn’t even have a breakdown over it. Who didn’t even mourn Sun-ho after he abandoned you like a dog, who cried while imagining this place wasn’t even real, and who swore wholeheartedly to “eat them all alive” was asking him this? Like your own wellbeing didn’t matter at all? But to be completely fair, you were right. Your question was completely logical. 

Yet, after everything that happened, he simply couldn’t imagine going home without you. Not after you held onto each other for so long, even when you didn’t know where you two stood. Not after building the relationship between you so agonizingly slowly. Not after you got vulnerable with each other and you poured your soul out. Not after he told you about his actual financial situation and about what he had done to Ali in order to save his life. Not after you exposed yourselves and the darkest sides of your souls. Not after you accepted each just as you were. And definitely not after what had just happened between you two. After developing such strong feelings, he would soon realize that he refused to live in a world where you didn’t exist. 

But, much like he couldn’t confess his feelings two nights ago, he once again found all of this hard to verbalize. So, rather than pouring his heart out, we sighed and simply tightened his grip around your bare shoulders. “We're both getting out of here. One way or another, we are. We will kill the others tomorrow, no hesitation this time. After that…” His voice almost trembled. “After that… if you want a baby, I’ll make you a dozen. But not now. Not in this hellhole.” 

Hearing this, your heart surely skipped a few beats. But just as you were to start crying, not sure if it was out of desperation or hope, the artificial voice snapped you back to reality. 

“Player 013 and player 218 shall return to the dormitory immediately!” 

After you quickly dressed yourselves and returned to the main hall, a group of pink soldiers stood at the entrance, with Gi-hun and Sae-byeok awkwardly waiting for you. 

“Where have you been?” Asked Gi-hun, approaching you. He didn’t look at Sang-woo; it seemed like he was only determined to speak with you now. “What—“ His voice hitched as he observed your clothes, almost torn apart. “What did you—“ 

“Players…” The square guard interrupted, thankfully. “We sincerely congratulate and commend you all for successfully making it through the first five games. The four of you are now the finalists, and as such, we prepared a special gift for each of you. Before we reveal the gift, please take a moment to change into the outfits we have brought. To ensure there will be no violence tonight, we ask you to go change in the opposite order of your number.” 

With that, it was the men who changed first, then Sae-byeok. But what caught your attention was the way she had started to limp. Was she cut by the glass shards? And where? But, you couldn’t check on her. Not now. The guards remained in the room, guns ready to point at you at any given moment. Something had changed; you could figure that out. Something had happened that wasn’t supposed to happen, and they were cautious, ready to gun you down if you didn’t obey. 

Much to your knowledge, this was the exact moment when In-ho chased Jun-ho and caught up to him. “POLICE! PUT DOWN YOUR WEAPONS. YOU GOT THAT?” Shouted Jun-ho. “The coast guard will be here soon!” 

“I don’t know; have the Korean police ever been quick to act?” Asked In-ho, still having the mask on. “And besides, you barely get any signal around here. I don’t know what you tried to send, but I doubt it went through.” 

“Come and turn yourself in. You’ll get a plea bargain with that.” 

“If you drop your gun right now and hand over the phone, I might let you live.” 

“STOP RIGHT THERE!” Screamed Jun-ho as the Frontman started approaching slowly. 

“That gun of yours holds five bullets. But for police regulations, one chamber must remain empty, and one must be filled with a blank. That leaves 3 rounds. You’ve already used one to kill a man and another to break a lock. Which means that there’s only one bullet left in your gun.” 

“One bullet is more than enough to kill you.” Answered Jun-ho as he loaded it. 

In-ho tensed up but tried to remain calm. His little brother, whom he had raised as a father, was now pointing a gun at him, all while the pink soldiers had Jun-ho on point. He had to navigate this well. But realistically, this situation was too tough to regulate. Leaving him no choice but to do whatever it took to get Jun-ho out of here. No matter how. So, he just chuckled darkly, trying his best to provoke him without getting killed in the process. “And how do you plan to save herafter that?” He asked. 

“What…” Whispered Jun-ho, now terror filling his mind. Just when did they notice him? And screw his life; did he put a target on your back too? “What are you—“ But before he could finish his sentence, the Frontman approached. “S-STAY BACK!” 

“Give up…”

“I warned you! Take another step and…” But his words did nothing. As the danger approached him even more, he quickly redirected his aim and shot the Frontman in the shoulder. But, much to his surprise, not only did he not collapse, but he also lifted his arm up, signaling to the soldiers to hold their fire still. 

And after panting a bit, he lifted his head back up. “This is over. Now come with me.” Just with that, Jun-ho took a small step back, now standing at the edge of a cliff. But this was the best place he could have been, anyway. He had shot him. Now In-ho couldn’t take him to the island and let him live, even if he used all the power he had. It was too risky to even think of trying that. “Do as I say. Or you die.” 

“Who the hell are you?” Asked Jun-ho, finally lowering his gun down. 

In-ho didn’t know why he did it. It was probably a desperate need for closure. Of having his little brother see his face and getting a reaction out of it. Probably it was a strategy, wanting to shock him too much so that he wouldn’t try to run away, as his position on that cliff was right over the water. Whatever the reason was, he took his mask off. And after they both stared at each other for a few seconds, Jun-ho couldn’t believe his own eyes. His brother, whom he searched for for years. “In-ho…” He whispered. 

“Let’s go. Make this easy.” Said his brother, lifting his hand. He hesitated, of course. He thought of every possible outcome. Probably… just probably… If Jun-ho came willingly… 

But… Jun-ho wondered, how was he supposed to save YOU now if he joined this organisation? Quickly shaking his head, he frowned, trying hard to come up with a plan. 

In-ho couldn’t postpone this any longer. As he heard the guards loading their rifles, he quickly lifted his own gun and shot Jun-ho in the shoulder. 

Back to the games, you had gathered your present shaped box and went to the bathroom alone. And as you took a look in the mirror, you almost didn’t recognize yourself. Last night, when you came to floss your teeth, as shattered as you were, you still looked decent. Right now, with the old blood, now brown, over your uniform; sweat spots showing underneath it; t-shirt torn almost open from not more than 30 minutes ago; and hair all messy and dirty, you looked like you had just returned from a war zone. But your eyes, they seemed even sharper than before. Ironically, the dark circles around them had reduced in the past week. Even in this cursed place, you got more physical rest than out there, in the normal world. Which made you chuckle darkly. Right… You thought, starting the water, deciding to wash yourself as much as you could. Taking a final look at yourself, you sighed. You now wore a black tuxedo, with “013” written almost proudly on its white shirt and over the back. 

When you entered the dormitory, a big table shaped as a square had been set up, and the circle guards had started to light up candles. “Please, all of you take a seat.” The artificial voice demanded. 

And you all did. They put a few meals in front of you. The table was set perfectly. Every single utensil was placed perfectly, like it was supposed to be placed at a business dinner. It was ironic, like you didn’t just push and kill each other all day. On top of that, there was wine. A guard poured some in your glass, as you observed with eyes full of hunger and thirst. Was this even real? Then, the main meal was served. Steak. And it looked so delicious, your mouth literally watered at the sight. 

But none of you dared to move at first. You all stared at each other so intensively, the tension could be cut with a knife. Then, the square guard arrived. “Tonight's feast is prepared as a token of gratitude for the sacrifice and effort that you finalists have made, and to encourage you all to perform even more splendidly in the final game. Now, please relax and enjoy your feast.” 

Sang-woo was the first one to start eating. Then, almost synchronously, you started to eat at the same time as Gi-hun. And damn… this wasn’t even an exaggeration; this was really the best meal you had in your own life. It was cooked just how you liked it. It was seasoned so well, like it was prepared by a professional chef. To think of how much money was spent here, right, for this performance. Your body, after the last game you played, felt like it was being spoiled in every possible way; it almost didn’t feel fair. You started cutting big bites from your steak and chewed slowly, enjoying the flavour like it was your last meal. Because the chance of this being the truth was high. Despite what Sang-woo said. 

And speaking of Sang-woo, it seemed like he and Gi-hun had accepted this as a battle of characters, swallowing as much as they could, as fast as they could, and drinking as much wine as they could, like children competing to see who would eat their meal first. If it wasn’t actually a scary sight, it would have been a funny one. But what caught your guard soon was Sae-byeok. She didn’t really eat. She cut her meal into small bites, trying her best to put something in her mouth. 

As she lifted her gaze, she met yours. Frowning, you gestured to her, asking if she was alright. She simply nodded, then forced herself to actually eat something. Not that you were buying it. But honestly, you were too hungry to stop eating yourself. You continued until you realized you had lifted up the remaining bone and chewed every last piece from it too.  The feast continued until late. You had your wine glasses refilled, and the side dishes kept coming until your stomach was so full you almost felt physically sick. 

At the very end, when the guards started to clear up the table, they purposely left the knives in front of you all. Quickly exchanging gazes with the others, you grabbed yours and slid it into your pocket. This was it; it was more than obvious. They purposely gave you so much wine. They wanted you drunk. They wanted you aggressive. 

This night, someone had to die. 

However… you had other plans. This night, everyone had to live.

The lights were out. But this time, rather than joining Sang-woo in his bed, you first reached Sae-byeok, receiving surprised and concerned looks from the men in the room. “Hey…” You whispered.  Right as she appeared like she was about to fall asleep, you snapped her out of her trance. She lifted her knife up. “Put it down.” You sighed. “I didn’t come here to kill you. You’ve been dozing off. I’d have killed you already if I wanted to.” 

“You have yours out too…” She commented. 

“True. I’m not risking it.” You admitted.

“If you’re not here to fight… then why aren’t you already with him?” Sae-byeok asked, gaze quickly shooting toward Sang-woo, who observed you from his bed, then back to you. 

You sighed once again. “You’re not holding up too well, huh?” Then you did something bold, sitting on her bed, carefully staying out of her hand’s reach. 

“No, it’s okay. I feel fine.” 

“So how come you barely touched your food?” 

“It wasn’t very well cooked.” 

“Sae-byeok. You’re sweating like crazy, and your lips are as pale as your face. Don’t lie.” 

She chuckled. “And if I’m hurt? Are you going to try to treat it?” 

“Yes.” As you answered, she finally met your gaze directly. “Was it a glass shard?” 

“You have to think about yourself. Just leave me be; I’ll be okay.” 

“You know I graduated medicine, right?” You frowned. “Sae-byeok, I don’t know how much blood you had lost, but you’re barely standing. Let me intervene.” 

“What for?” Chuckling again, she finally snapped. “You’re just going to kill me tomorrow anyway…” 

That shut you up for a while. She was right. You did plan to kill her tomorrow. But still, how could you let an injured person lie in the same room with you and do nothing about it? How were you supposed to do so? You had willingly turned into a monster, okay, true. But you weren’t heartless. And as fucked up as it was, you couldn’t help but try to treat her. Yes, then kill her afterwards, but still. And… when you thought about it, what you wanted to do was far more cruel than simply killing her on the spot. However, you needed to keep the number even. You didn’t know what game you were playing next, anyway. 

“Would it be better if I lie and say that’s not true?” Taking a few seconds to regain your composure, you finally answered. Which earned her attention. “Look.” You started explaining. “I can’t lie to you. We already formed two alliances; that’s obvious. I want to keep our numbers even. And against you tomorrow, I won’t hesitate. Not even for a second. But right now, I’m your only option. And I know it’s cruel. I know you don’t stand a chance. Heck, you know you don’t stand a chance. But you still lifted your knife against me, didn’t you? You’re still willing to fight until your last breath. Am I not right?” 

She went silent. For almost a whole minute, none of you spoke. But soon, she nodded in defeat, lifting her shirt up. And oh boy… it looked bad. Really bad. It didn’t seem like an organ was pierced, but heck, it was a huge wound that reopened with every deep breath she took. 

“Fuck…” you cursed. Your hands immediately soaking with her blood. “Sae-byeok, get your knife again. I’ll ask them for a surgical kit. This has to be sewn.” And with that, you ran to the door that Mi-nyeo had banged on the very first night. 

“HEY!!! HEY! GUARDS! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!” You screamed. Gi-hun and Sang-woo stood from their beds, not daring to move towards any of you girls, as they were too busy having each other on strike. 

As you banged on the door, a triangle guard appeared, just like on the first night. “What do you want?” 

“A surgical kit! And adrenaline shots! Player 067 is injured.” 

“It’s after curfew.” The guard answered, shutting the small window down. 

“NO NO NO, YOU ASSHOLE! YOU GOTTA GIVE ME A KIT! GET ME A SQUARE GUARD! FUCK, GOD DAMMIT!” You screamed, starting to bang on the door even more. 

After a few seconds, a square guard finally appeared. “We don’t answer any requests after curfew.”

”Don’t give me that!” You snapped. “You gave 111 a surgical kit, and it was after curfew! I demand fairness! Wasn’t this what you said the other day? Provide player 067 medical help, or give me a chance to treat her!” You were pissed. But as a few seconds passed and the guard lifted two fingers towards his ear, as he received orders from above, he simply nodded towards you.

”Wait here.” And as you did, you turned back, exchanging gazes with both Gi-hun and Sang-woo, realising just how much you had fucked up. If only you didn’t get so distracted in the bathroom, you could have treated the girl earlier. But you had no time for regrets. As soon as you got the first aid kit, you rushed towards Sae-byeok, and the main lights were back on. “I’m back!” You declared, not even waiting for her to give you a second approval, immediately starting to work on her wound. 

“There.” You finally said, doing the last knot. “I wish I could do more for the blood you had already lost, but…” 

“It’s okay…” She whispered. “Thank you.” 

“Yeah… I’m only doing this so I can kill you tomorrow, right? Don’t thank me…” Your voice echoed, dark and bothered. 

“Do you…” She started, a single tear battling its way out of her eye. But she held it. “Do you know what you’re going to do with all that money?” 

“I’d clear out my debt. Then, I’ll finally go for the master’s degree…” 

“Deok-su is already dead. You don’t have to pay anything.” 

Chuckling in pain, you lowered your gaze. “I wish it was like that…” 

“How so?” And just like that, she also learned the truth about your situation. It wasn’t like you liked her that much. But you were literally standing next to a person you knew you were going to kill. It kind of unleashed an emotion you couldn’t determine. So, you told her everything too. Her reaction wasn’t like Sang-woo’s. She just listened and nodded at the end. “I’m sorry.” She simply commented. 

“Don’t be. Whatever happened, happened. As you can see, I’m trying my best.” You inhaled. “What about you? What’s your plan?” 

“My brother… He’s 10 years old. He’s staying in an orphanage now. I promised that he’d get out of there soon. Our mother is stuck in the North right now. I said I’d get her once I was able to make enough money, and I’ll get us all a house.” 

“That’s a nice goal…” 

“My brother… His name is Kang Cheoul; he’s in Namsan-won. I… I know I won’t make it out…” Sae-byeok struggled. Tears finally started to roll down her cheeks as you just sat next to her, gaze hardened, too fixated on the floor. This was too harsh. She couldn’t even finish her sentence. 

“I’ll get him out.” You blurted, finally turning your eyes towards hers. “Kang Cheoul. Namsan-won. 10 years old. I got it.”

”Do you really mean it?” 

“I don’t have anyone to look after. I might as well take care of him.” 

The silence that followed was agonizing. Yet, at the end she sobbed. “Thank y—“ 

“It comes with a condition.” You interrupted. “You have to hold on. As much as you can. I won’t abandon him, even if you can’t make it. But I want to know you’re trying.” Receiving a defeated nod, you squeezed her hand. 

After you did everything that you could and Sae-byeok’s wound was closed and bandaged properly, you finally let yourself relax. She wasn’t going to die now, but her wound was still too deep. She wouldn’t be able to move at all tomorrow. Like an injured gazelle, surrounded by lions. She didn’t stand a chance. Realising that… was the hardest part of everything. This reality you were currently experiencing… it would be an understatement to call it brutal. There was no word that described it. 

That’s what you thought of as you let her sleep, slowly approaching Sang-woo’s bed. He had stayed awake, waiting for you. 

“What happened to her?” He quickly asked, immediately scanning your white shirt, which was now covered in blood from where you wiped your hands. Honestly, at this point he could wonder just what was with you always immediately blooding all of your clothes. 

“The glass shards. She was stabbed. It’s not vital, but she lost a lot of blood, and it’s deep…” 

Sighing, he rested his head on the wall. “Couldn’t it have been him…” 

Frowning, you simply sat next to him, searching for his embrace. “She has a little brother. 10 years old. He has no one else…” 

“Hey… Are you having doubts now?” 

“No. But if I’m going to kill her, I have to take care of that kid. I have to; otherwise… otherwise I don’t know how I will ever be able to forgive myself.” You whispered, your voice finally betraying you, for the second night in a row. 

Sang-woo didn’t know what to really say. He was once again taken aback by the duality of your nature. Just yesterday, you said, “eat them all alive,” and right now, you cried, undertaking the obligation to take care of a kid you didn’t even know. It was a strange sight, yet so understandable, it made his heart ache. You claimed to have abandoned your humanity, but you couldn’t really do so. Not fully. And from what he understood, you were the only anchor he had that reminded him of his own. Deciding against saying anything, he just pulled you into his embrace, Sae-byeok’s blood soaking from your shirt to his. 

The last thing your gaze registered before falling asleep in his arms was how Gi-hun approached the other girl, right at the other side of the huge room, sitting next to her bed, guarding.