Chapter Text
Again and again, Gi-hun had watched as the light turned blue over and over again. People that had voted “no” before, suddenly switched, changed their minds.
One.
More.
Game.
Gi-hun knew all about gambling, but this was beyond him to understand. There was cruelty and inhumanity amongst them here. They were all victims, no doubt, but clearly some more than others. Some of these folk would fit right in with those that sat and watched the games. If they could just band together, they could put an end to this - say “no” and just go home. Gi-hun wished they would just listen to him.
Nobody won the games, not really, and yet these fools still believed in it. Hell, maybe they were right. Maybe they were different. Maybe there was something wrong with Gi-hun. Who knew.
“Everything alright?” Young-il asked as he showed up behind Gi-hun whilst they walked up the stairs to the fourth game.
“Hmm?” Gi-hun perked up and glanced over his shoulder briefly before nodding his head, “oh -- mhm. Just thinking.”
“As long as we stick together, we’ll be alright,” Jung-bae shrugged next to him. He gave Gi-hun a smile, and he really did try to return it. Gi-hun wasn’t entirely sure if it was convincing.
A part of him didn’t want to admit it, but at times it felt wrong to be around Jung-bae. It reminded him too much of Sang-woo. Somehow, a tie to the outer world felt… strange in here. It was surreal and Gi-hun knew how it ended already. At the same time, it kept him grounded in a way. Selfishly, Gi-hun needed Jung-bae in order to keep his head. Sometimes he wasn’t sure what he would do if he wasn’t here, or if he hadn’t grown close to Young-il.
After spending such a long time alone… well, it was nice to be in good company, even in these circumstances. But Gi-hun couldn't help but think that some wires had been crossed in his head. Maybe it was because of how the last few years had been, how isolated and alone he had been that had made him grow so quickly attached to Young-il. Maybe it was something else. Gi-hun didn't know and he didn't intend to answer that question. To find something, anything good in this place filled with chaos and death... it helped. It helped a lot.
“Players, welcome to the fourth game. For this game, you will be divided into two teams. Before we can begin, all players must first receive their team assignments. Please step forward one at a time and draw a ball from the machine in front of you.”
Gi-hun had grown to hate that disembodied woman’s voice.
They drew plastic balls from one of those machines you saw in shopping malls. They were usually filled with toys, now it was two different coloured balls - blue and red. When it was Gi-hun’s turn, a blue one fell out. He looked briefly at it, then at Jung-bae and Young-il who were next up. They hadn’t been told anything else, and Gi-hun shrugged his shoulders a little before he went to sit on the blue side. Jung-bae drew a red ball. Young-il got blue. Gi-hun let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. He didn’t like this, but at least they weren’t entirely separated.
Game four turned out to be hide and seek. Or a perverted version of it, to the surprise of no one.
“Players on the Red Team must find the members of the Blue Team hiding throughout the arena and kill them within 30 minutes.”
“Huh? Kill us?” Gi-hun struggled out as he glanced first at Young-il and then over to the other side of the room where he met Jung-bae’s eyes.
“We have to kill them?”
“Did you say “kill”?”
Gi-hun heard the others around him ask the same question, but all he could do was stare at Jung-bae. He loved his friend dearly, and he knew full well that he didn’t have the guts to do this. In all fairness, Gi-hun wasn’t sure if he could do it, either.
The murmuring only grew and Gi-hun finally broke Jung-bae’s stare to look at Young-il. He seemed - unphased. More or less, he supposed. He never really lost his composure, except that one time. Gi-hun admired it in a way, knowing full well that his emotions often got the best of him. This time too, Young-il stared thoughtfully ahead before he must’ve felt Gi-hun’s eyes on him and he turned his head. Gi-hun almost felt embarrassed to be caught, as though he’d been doing something wrong.
“Don’t worry,” Young-il spoke quietly, “we’ll figure it out.”
For whatever reason, Gi-hun believed him. Young-il had been right every time so far, and had been an important ally to have by his side. Gi-hun had known him for only a few days, but, God, it felt like years at this point. He trusted him and he felt some sliver of determination return to him as he nodded his head. Gi-hun turned to look over at Jung-bae again. The man was still staring. Gi-hun gave him that same, determined nod. Jung-bae didn’t return it and Gi-hun didn’t blame him.
The blue team were given keys, while the red got --
Knives.
A new rush of murmurs filled the room, and Gi-hun cursed quietly under his breath. He felt Young-il grow tense next to him. As Gi-hun looked around, some people looked far too happy about having those red vests on. They seemed eager for the game to start, and Gi-hun frowned a little before he hung his head. Young-il and he could stick together, but Jung-bae? They had to figure something out… they couldn’t just leave him to fight for himself.
“Before we begin today’s game, we would like to first give you an opportunity to change your fate.If any of you are not satisfied with your currently assigned role, you may instead choose to switch sides with someone from the opposing team before the game begins.
“Huh?” Gi-hun perked up as he looked at the guard, “we can switch?”
“That is correct. As long as both parties agree you may trade your vests and items with another player. However, once the game begins, removing your own vest, or attempting to switch vests with any player, is strictly prohibited. So please consider carefully before making your decision.”
What was the right decision? Gi-hun swallowed as he glanced at Jung-bae before turning his head to Young-il, “what do you think we should do? I don’t think Jung-bae will -- I don’t think he can do it.”
Young-il looked back at him, his eyes narrowing slightly and his lips a tight line. Gi-hun could almost hear the gears turning in his head. It only took a moment before the man nodded again, “I’ll do it.”
“Really? You don’t have to, I can --”
“I’ll do it,” Young-il repeated, and Gi-hun felt his hand on his shoulder for the briefest moment as the man got up from his chair, “I’ll speak to Jung-bae.”
Gi-hun sighed and nodded, leaning back in his chair as he watched Young-il leave. He couldn’t help but be a little relieved that it wasn’t going to be him that would switch. Jung-bae’s eyes remained on Gi-hun up until the point when Young-il blocked their gaze. He remembered briefly that Jung-bae had said something about Young-il yesterday. Well, he had tried to say something, but he’d never quite gotten to it. Jung-bae had brushed it off, so now Gi-hun did so as well and eased his shoulders as he twisted and turned around the key in his hand. It couldn’t have been important.
They ought to stick together - him and Jung-bae. Young-il too once he had -- Gi-hun frowned a bit and stared down at the floor. It felt wrong to say it, wrong to cheer for Young-il to kill someone, but… well, what else was he to do? They were put in this corner, and Gi-hun had little to no other choice at this point. He hated to even think it, but there were some people present that he wouldn’t mind seeing dead.
The problem was that he was quite sure many here felt the same about him. For the first time ever since they found out what the game was, Gi-hun realised his own position in it and suddenly felt far too many pairs of eyes on him. He cursed quietly and stood up from the chair, for no other reason than to stretch his legs a bit and take in his surroundings (and what he was up against), and move away a bit from the crowd.
Gi-hun was quick on his feet, and he thought he could defend himself well enough if it came to it. He could kill too. He didn’t want to. But he could , and if it came to it - he would .
The blue team would get a headstart in the arena, so they’d split up for a while, but Young-il promised to find them once he could. After he had -- Gi-hun frowned a little again, but went along with what the man was saying anyway. Jung-bae seemed nervous, quiet. He hadn’t said a single thing since Gi-hun had met up with him again, now with the man wearing a blue vest and a key around his neck.
“You now have two minutes. I repeat, two minutes until the Red Team enters the arena.”
“Come on, Jung-bae,” Gi-hun said, grabbing the man by his arm and whisking him down the hallway.
They had agreed to hide - both of them seemed more confident with that choice. From what Gi-hun understood, they didn’t have to find the exit, but it sure wouldn’t hurt to get that extra security. At the same time, only he and Jung-bae could leave through there, and Gi-hun didn’t feel all too right about leaving Young-il by himself. Maybe Jung-bae could go and Gi-hun would stay behind... just to make sure that Young-il was alright.
The arena was intricate and quite pretty, if Gi-hun had ever let himself stop and look around. What he was noticing most was that there were so many doors, so many hallways, and he wasn’t at all sure what the layout was. Gi-hun thought they were already lost by the time they were notified that the red team would now enter the arena. That was a good thing, he supposed, as he used his key to open another door for them to head through.
“I’m glad Young-il switched with you,” Gi-hun spoke as they both climbed up some sets of stairs.
Jung-bae had briefly suggested they just find a good spot and hunker down, but Gi-hun disagreed with that idea. It seemed best to keep moving. Especially now, when the red team was likely not too far behind. Gi-hun couldn’t figure out how big this arena was, and it bugged him.
“Yeah… yeah, me too,” Jung-bae responded and Gi-hun could hear him hesitate, “I’m not really surprised, though.”
“Well, of course he wanted to help. I told him that -- eh... sorry, Jung-bae, but --”
“No, that’s not what I mean.”
“What do you mean?”
They’d gotten back to this after all, and Gi-hun didn’t really want to hear it, but Jung-bae continued.
“During Mingle - remember when the number was two and Young-il and I went together?”
“Mhm.”
“Well -- someone else was in the room, and -- and --” Jung-bae stuttered a little as he stopped in his tracks and stared up at Gi-hun, “he killed him. He didn’t hesitate, he just -- did it. Snapped the guy’s neck -- and the look he had in his eyes, Gi-hun, I --”
“Stop.”
“And I wasn’t going to say anything. I wasn’t going to after the vote, you know? I thought maybe I was wrong, maybe I was mistaken, but -- I don’t know, Gi-hun, I just… I have a bad feeling about him.”
“I said stop.”
“You didn’t see him.”
“Jung-bae. Stop ,” Gi-hun raised his voice slightly and shook his head.
His friend seemed to be taken aback by that, and Gi-hun felt momentarily embarrassed as he murmured an apology. But Jung-bae didn’t understand… this wasn’t normal life, they couldn’t judge peoples’ decisions with the same lense. Young-il had probably been scared, just like everyone else. He’d saved himself and Jung-bae, and that was the only thing Gi-hun was hearing. Gi-hun thought he would do the same if it came to it.
“This place changes you. You have to do things you never would’ve done before,” Gi-hun continued quietly as he started to walk again, “you’re probably just in shock after seeing that. I promise you, Young-il is a good man. He’s done nothing but help us.”
“I --” Jung-bae stopped for a moment and his shoulders sank slightly, “you’re probably right.”
Gi-hun glanced over to the man briefly, and chose not to say anything more. There was no need to dwell on it, and he wasn’t sure why he was so adamant in protecting Young-il. Probably just because he felt like he owed it to the man after everything. It didn’t feel right that Jung-bae was speaking ill of him behind his back. Gi-hun did consider them both his friends, after all.
Someone screamed and Gi-hun froze, then cursed and grabbed Jung-bae by the arm again, “come on.”
The woman’s voice would announce deaths, and the seekers that had succeeded. Gi-hun waited to hear that Young-il had survived the game, but the announcement didn’t come. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it. A part of him felt guilty that he hadn’t taken the red vest - especially after what Jung-bae had said… clearly there was something bugging the man, and Gi-hun worried that when Young-il would finally do what he had to, Jung-bae would use this as another example.
Why was he so concerned what Jung-bae thought of Young-il? Gi-hun felt stupid, and he felt absolutely ridiculous thinking about this now . There were definitely more important things at hand. Like the fact that Jung-bae had found a door.
Not one of the regular ones that lead to more hallways or stairs - no, a door with a big EXIT sign above it and three keyholes. Each of them were different shapes - a triangle, a circle and a square. They had two circles.
“So we have to find a triangle and a square… we have to work together with everyone else,” Gi-hun mumbled and then frowned a little.
Or take them. Corpses didn’t need keys, but Gi-hun wasn’t exactly thrilled about that idea. If they wouldn’t find any other blues then… he supposed they had no other choice. Gi-hun figured they could survive without leaving, but he’d feel a lot better if he could get Jung-bae through that door.
“Shame we have matching keys…,” Jung-bae said, “we just need a triangle and a square. But do you think anyone will share?”
“Maybe someone’s missing a circle. Come on, let’s go. We should look for Young-il too,” Gi-hun nodded.
They didn’t find any squares, triangles or Young-il, but someone did find them .
Apparently they weren’t the only ones who had decided their team should work together more. No, some of the reds seemed to be changing tactics, twisting the odds to fall more in their favour - teaming up with one another. He had no other word for what happened, it was just an ambush.
All Gi-hun heard was Jung-bae yell behind him and suddenly he too was thrown to the floor on his back. They must’ve been snuck upon, and hell it was easy to do - you could never really tell where a sound was coming from with how the arena was built. The fall knocked the air out of Gi-hun’s lungs, and he let out a wheeze as his hands shot up to block the attacker that was now sitting firmly on his stomach. He grasped the blade out of desperation, and Gi-hun let out a groan as the steel sank into his skin.
The man above him had a wild look in his eyes, and Gi-hun vaguely remembered seeing him before. He was happy, joyful about what he was doing. He laughed. His long hair was partly covering his face, already bloody from an earlier kill, Gi-hun reckoned. Maybe some people didn’t stop after one… Gi-hun had failed to consider that. The man's name escaped him, and it didn’t really matter. Gi-hun was far more preoccupied with the thought that he was being pinned to the ground with the knife shaking between their hands and inching closer by the moment.
Somehow everything happened both in fast forwards and in slow motion. Gi-hun turned his head just in time to see the other man sink his blade into Jung-bae’s chest, and their eyes met for a moment. No. No.
They’d left to try and save Jung-bae, to make sure he could get through the door and that this wouldn’t happen. Now Jung-bae was staring at Gi-hun, his entire body shaking as the man on top of him breathed heavily and pushed the knife deeper, then ripped it out only to slam it back in between Jung-bae’s ribs again. And Again. As it went, Jung-bae let out a sound that Gi-hun couldn’t quite describe. It was horrible, rattling and shallow. It just sounded wrong . The knife must’ve pierced a lung on its way in.
Gi-hun felt sick and his arms grew limp and the knife pushed against his chest --
And suddenly the weight on top of him was gone; the knife fell on him, landing with the flat side of the blade on top of his chest. Gi-hun still stared at Jung-bae. It didn’t occur to him that there was something else going on, because it didn’t feel as though it was important anymore. Voices started shouting, and they sounded so far away, drowned out by that horrible, rasping sound that Jung-bae had let out earlier. Over and over again, it looped in Gi-hun’s ears.
Jung-bae’s eyes were still on Gi-hun, but he was no longer looking at him. Through him, towards him, somewhere, but it wasn’t the same anymore. Something was gone from those kind eyes of his.
Gi-hun should’ve been paying more attention. There must’ve been some tip-off that they were being hunted, stalked, and he hadn’t noticed. If he had, then Jung-bae might not be staring at him like that. Gi-hun couldn’t rip his eyes away from him.
“Help me, Gi-hun. Gi-hun. ”
The strained voice barely cut through the ringing in Gi-hun’s ears. Barely, but it did. He heard him, and Gi-hun snapped his head to look at where Young-il was wrestling with his attacker - the man that had been on Gi-hun at one point. It felt like hours had passed, and yet it must’ve been only a few seconds. Gi-hun couldn’t understand, he only knew that he had to do something before he lost Young-il as well. It was too late to save Jung-bae, but he could save Young-il.
Please, let me save him.