Chapter Text
IT GOT DARKER inside the gloomy space. The room once filled with four hundred fifty-six people was now eerie silent with everyone's head hung low. Seon Mi quietly sat beside 67. She hugged her knees and laid her head on it to rest.
Her right index finger touched the cold hard floor and wrote series of letters and numbers along with shapes until she stopped at the number one.
She inaudibly gasped and raised her head as she turned to every direction she could. It wasn't doing enough job.
"What are you trying to find?" 67 asked.
Seon Mi failed to answer her question. She quickly stood up and finally found who exactly it was she was looking for. Player 001.
"Sir!" Park called and frantically waved her hand in the air to get his attention as she walked over.
The old man followed the direction of the sound and immediately noticed the girl. His aloof expression was replaced by a kind bright smile, "It's you!"
"Sir!" Seon Mi happily placed herself before him with her eyes crinkling in the dark. "I'm so glad I found you here!"
Her smile instantaneously faltered the moment she realised what she just said and bowed her head repeatedly, "I'm so sorry! That's not what I meant. This is a horrible place ㅡ you don't deserve to be in here like this!"
He chuckled, "It's fine."
"You know each other?" They both heard a stranger ask. Neither of them answered as they continued to talk to each other.
"How did you end up here?" Player 001 asked.
Seon Mi only smiled at that, "It's a long story I'd rather keep to myself."
The buzzer sound filled the room and once again, the platform gate slid up as the men in red uniform appeared.
"All of you made it through the first challenge. Congratulations. Let me announce the results of Red Light, Green Light." Each heads raised slightly upward in a turtle-like pace. "Out of 456 players, only 201 accomplished the beginning task."
Everyone gasped in shock and diverted their gazes in disgust. A woman given the number of 212 cried out loud then pushed through the participants to beg for mercy and elaborate her sob story. Seon Mi sighed and turned her attention towards Player 001 who seemed lost in thought.
"Mister," she called, only to get nothing in response. Soon enough, everyone started crying to spare their lives.
"There seems to be a misunderstanding. We're not trying to hurt you or collect your debts. Let me remind you that we're here to give you a chance."
"A chance? You call this that term when you kill us while making us play a kid's game. How is this 'a chance'?" 119 interjected.
"We may be in debt, but that doesn't mean we deserve to die." 271 yelled.
"This is just a game," the leader replied.
"You killed all those people, yet you call this a game?!"
"They were simply eliminated for breaking the rules. If you just follow the instructions, you can leave this place safely with the prize money we promised."
"I don't need that stupid prize money. Please just let me leave!"
The players followed the remarks as they complained and whined.
This pushed the squared mask guy to fire a bullet to keep everyone in order. Seon Mi covered her ears as fast as she could and turned her face away from the platform's direction while keeping herself low to the ground to avoid any more taste of a firearm's shot.
"Consent form clause number two : A player who refuses to play will be eliminated."
"Consent form clause number three : Games may be terminated if the majority agrees," the man introduced as Cho Sang-woo before said. "Isn't that right?"
Silence.
Seon Mi got up to her feet upon realising what the rule meant. She swallowed hard despite her trembling breath and sweaty palms. There, she spoke with livid confidence, "You're hesitating." She tilted her head in amusement. "That must mean he's right."
The leader nodded, "That is correct."
"Then let us take a vote. If the majority of us wish to leave this place, you must let us go," Sang-woo demanded.
"As you wish," Square guy - as Seon Mi would like to refer him as, nodded and continued. "We will take a vote to decide on the termination of the game. But, before we proceed, I would like to show you the prize money accumulated from the first game."
He raised his hand, holding the same remote as earlier and pressed a button that made the ceiling create a sound. The yellow light flashed before their eyes and the next thing they knew, stacks of moneys fell like Heaven just open its hand and gave them blessings they thought they could never get a glimpse of.
"A total of two hundred fifty-five players were eliminated during the first task. A hundred million won is at stake for each player. Therefore, 25.5 billion won of prize money has been piled up so far in the piggy bank. If you wish to give up now, the prize will be sent to the bereaved families of the eliminated participants ㅡ one hundred million won each. However, all of you will return home empty-handed."
212 stared at the cash in awe and swivelled to raise her hand, "Excuse me?" She blinked, "If we win all six games, how much do we get?"
"Since there were 456 players, the total prize is 45.6 billion won."
Without another word from the room, he carried on. "With that settled, we will now start voting."
The staff behind him and a few more from outside came into action, painting a temporary white line in the middle of the floor. A big cuboid with two circles was placed right where the line started.
The workers went back to their stations and closed the entrance. "As you can see, there are two buttons in front of you. If you wish to continue playing, press the green button with the 'O'. If you wish to stop playing, press the red button with the 'X'. And, once you finish your decision, please move to the other side of the white line. The voting will be done in reverse order of the numbers on your chest." The square guy looked at 456. "Player 456, please cast your vote."
Needless to say, Seong Gi-hun 'from Ssangmun-dong' chose to leave. Cho Sang-woo went for the other option, as well as Player 212. 199, who saved 456 from his death, chose to give up, along with Seon Mi and Player 101. The girl was surprised to see 67 choose green.
It was maybe the fact that she made a mistake and got confused, or she had such strong alibi to still want to join the game.
Park almost bit her thumb off her hand during Player 001's turn. The votes were tied and he was the only chance. She crossed her fingers and closed her eyes in annoyance of the suspense.
Red. The colour of blood was the one the old man pressed.
Long story turned short, the game was successfully terminated.
* * *
THE MOONLIGHT shone behind the night sky clouds with small little trinkets of stars sparkling like burning cinders. Of course, the silence had to be broken by three bodies being kicked out of a vehicle.
"Help! Is there anyone there? There's a person here! Help!" Gi-hun yelled.
"Will you shut up?" He heard.
"What?" The person helped remove his blindfold. "Who are you?" 456 tried to take a look at who it was but he only saw faint clues. "Pickpocket? Is that you, pickpocket?"
Seon Mi silently pulled her hands free from the loose rope and gained a few scratches around her wrist. The girl took a sharp exhale to endure her pain.
"Unless you want to lie here all night, untie me." She heard 67 answer the man. Gi-hun bit the only thing that kept her hands tied together and removed it.
The young woman immediately sat up, took her blindfold and untied the knot around her feet the same time as 134.
"Hey, you're here, too?" Gi-hun questioned upon noticing the quiet 134's presence.
"Pointless question," Seon Mi said. 67 frowned and turned to her before dressing up. How did she not know she was there?
"Hey. Oh, yeah. Right. Dress up first. It's freezing out here. I'm cold, too." The man mumbled.
'How did she untie herself so easily and be this quiet?' 67 questioned herself. She watched Seon Mi from a near distance and continued to ponder. 'Maybe the rope tied to her was loosened without them noticing?'
Once Park was done putting her clothes on, without a doubt, she started walking away with disappointment written across her face.
"Wait."
She stopped and turned to the young woman her age with droopy eyes and an exhausted shrug, "What?"
67 only scanned her up and down before shaking her head, "Nevermind."
'I know the jeans are too big. I just stole them, nevertheless she didn't have to look at me like some kind of fashionista.'
"Don't worry. Maybe next time, I can afford the trendy mom jeans."
"That's not what I was - "
"Are you two really going keep talking and not help me? I'm ice cold!" Gi-hun interrupted.
Seon Mi flashed a sardonic smile, "Say the magic wor - "
"Why should we?" 67 inquired.
"Because I untied you!"
Park chuckled and looked at her phone for the time. It was too late at night. She didn't even know where they were.
"Aren't you too old to be that naive and stupid? Once I let you go, you'll hassle me and demand your money back."
Seon Mi didn't care anymore. She looked around to search for a sign as to where they stood. Far from her but a little close was a tower she swore she's seen before.
'Namsan?' She thought to herself. 'Aren't hotels here expensive?'
The girl turned to her acquaintances only to find Gi-hun untied, chasing 67, and, throwing a rope effortlessly like that was going to do something. She scoffed and put her phone back in her pocket.
"God, you're pathetic," she stated and watched the former odd-numbered player leave.
"Me? Pathetic? Look at you! Oversized jeans that look like you stole from your dad."
"Bold of you to assume these jeans fit my father. Don't mention him again or I'll put that bag of clothes somewhere you won't see and you'll have to walk home half naked."
"Please don't."
"Right." She mumbled and spun towards the path of Namsan Tower. "May we never cross paths again, 'Seong Gi-hun of Ssangmun-dong'. You're too much to put up with."
"Hey! Help me! Come back here!"
"I'm not hearing anything!" Seon Mi shouted and resumed her journey. Her lips curled into a small smile.
She remembered how she used to say the same thing to her younger siblings whenever she wanted to mess around with them. It was all back when everything was fine.
* * *
IT'S PROBABLY BEEN an hour since 67 started walking to her destination. She's never been a stranger to Namsan. She always thought the place was bright and loud especially when you're at the center. But now, she didn't know where her feet led her to.
Four lampposts stood an equally well distance from one another in a street she didn't recognise. The young woman sighed and turned to another path, and another, and another, then again until she's completely lost herself.
'Maybe I shouldn't have saved the money and took a bus there,' she thought. Her palm made its way towards her forehead and cursed under her breath.
Suddenly, she heard the voice of a girl probably another turn away singing a song she recognised to be 'The Three Bears'.
67 was bewildered. Who would sing like that at 1 AM? The hairs of her body stood. Maybe it's a kidnapper trying to lure her. Or, maybe it's someone playing something from their speaker because they couldn't sleep.
Whatever it was, she wanted to find out. Even if she wanted to run away and not be dumb, she couldn't help but to feel the need the check.
"곰 세 마리가 한집에 있어."
She pulled out her pocket knife and slowly took the path to the right.
"아빠곰 엄마곰 아기곰."
A few walks closer.
"아빠곰은 뚱뚱해."
Another.
"엄마곰은 날씬해."
Another. 'Come on, Sae-byeok. It's probably just someone pulling a hoax on you.'
"아기곰은 너무 귀여워."
Peeking from a corner, she saw the same long-haired girl she swore to her ancestors she was going to sue. Sae-byeok sighed in relief and hid behind a corner, putting her knife back to her pocket.
'What's she doing here?'
"으쓱 으쓱 잘한다."
Her forehead was shiny from the sweat that covered her nervous face. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the dark to cross the street and ignore the girl who's probably gone mad.
"Oh! Player 67!" She heard.
Sae-byeok stopped and exhaled her frustration, turning to her as if she was being forced to even have eye contact.
She saw Seon Mi laugh in awe as she laid on her back in the middle of the road with shiny streaks looking like tears on the side of her face. "Hey! I never thought I'd see you again!"
Seon Mi sounded merrier than usual. Come to think of it, Sae-byeok did see the half-empty bottle of cheap alcohol in her hand and the plastic bags next to her.
"What are you doing in the middle of the street?" The short-haired girl asked.
"Just . . . hanging out."
"I know you're sober. It's impossible for a person to get drunk with only half a bottle unless it's vodka."
"You're right," Seon Mi answered. "But, I am getting a little light-headed. I've never actually drank for almost a year now so I'm not immune to the effect."
"You'll get ran over if you stay there."
"Who cares? Besides, cars rarely come. This part of Namsan is always almost empty."
Sae-byeok sighed and planned to leave but she couldn't. Even if she looked like she didn't give a damn about everything, she wanted to do something good.
"Give me your phone. I'll dial your family." She held her hand out to receive what she was asking for but Seon Mi only laughed.
"You'll be dialing no one, then."
"What?"
"My mom's in America with my younger siblings. My dad's lying in a hospital bed in Myeong-dong. Who are you going to call? The janitor?" She sat up and fixed her gaze towards Sae-byeok. "Besides, this isn't my phone and I don't remember their phone numbers."
"So you stole it?"
"Don't be rude. I just . . . borrowed," she said and stared at it in defeat.
"Nevermind, then. I'll get going," the short-haired woman breathed out.
"I found an affordable hotel with a nice view," Seon Mi suddenly stated. "It's just that I used my money to buy all of these."
They both looked at the plastic bags full of bottles, meat, and noodles. "I wish I saved them up. I was going to invite someone to eat with me, even if they're a stranger with bad intentions, but I remembered there isn't a stove in the streets. I guess I was too exhausted to think right."
Feeling bad, Sae-byeok snaked her hand in her pocket to feel a thin stack of money she saved from earlier.
"Where are you headed anyways, 'Player 67'?"
"Don't call me that."
"Then what should I call you?"
"Nothing. Don't call me at all." She stuck her hand out with the money making Seon Mi furrow her eyebrows and give her a questioning look. "What's this for?"
"For your affordable Namsan hotel with a nice view," she sarcastically replied.
"But - "
"Shut up and take the money. I can walk."
"Aren't you tired?"
"Sleeping is wasting time," Sae-byeok mumbled. "Take it or I'm withdrawing it back to me."
Seon Mi gently grabbed the money and bowed her head to show her gratitude, "Thank you."
The woman quickly swivelled back to her own route and started walking away. Seon Mi bit her lip and looked at the building next to her. The hotel she's been talking about.
What if?
She put the bottle down, stood up and ran to catch up to her companion. "Hey!" She ended up in front of her, waving her hand like crazy.
"You want to have a sleep-over?"
Sae-byeok rolled her eyes, "Move aside."
"You're tired, I know. And, I really can't finish all of those alone."
"You shouldn't have bought so many, then."
"Come on, it's going to be fun!"
"Leave me alone, 134."
"I'm getting so embarrassed here, 67. I don't know how to pay you back. You had to give up your money to me just because I was carelessly buying stuff as if I'm a billionaire in a Jeju yacht," Seon Mi rambled and continued to walk backwards as Sae-byeok took more steps forwards. "This is the only way I could repay you and I really feel bad. Come on!"
"Did you feel bad when you stole that phone?"
"I told you, I'm just borrowing it."
"Right," she nodded. "Get out of my way."
"Fine," Seon Mi gave up, but before anything else, her foot didn't feel the ground from behind, just three steps of stairs that made her and Sae-byeok's eyes widen.
The woman grabbed the girl by the shoulder but the weight and added pressure was too much for the both of them to end up falling.
Soon enough, groans escaped Seon Mi's lips. Just like the first game of Red Light, Green Light, they both ended up on top of each other but this time, it was her below Sae-byeok's weight.
They were both breathing deeply, glaring at each other as if competing as to who shoots daggers the most.
Sae-byeok wasn't sure as to what just happened, but the view she had of Seon Mi made her feel some type of way.
The ventured moment was cut short when their ears heard each other's stomach let out monstrous growls.
"Do you know how to cook?" Sae-byeok asked.