Work Text:
Jiyeong stared at the glass in front of them. She then looked back at the timer, realizing there was only a minute left, shifting her perspective to Saebyeok, one tile behind her.
The two of them were the only ones alive, and the view of the height made her palms sweaty, the blinding lights not helping.
Staring at the glass tiles in front of her made her dizzy, as well as the fifty-fifty chance that she’d make it out.
“Jiyeong?” She heard Saebyeok call out to her from behind, “are you okay?”
She remained speechless, not uttering a word as she looked at her options.
It didn’t take her long to realize she didn’t have many.
Saebyeok jumped forwards, meeting Jiyeong on the same tile.
“I can go first,” she offered, about to jump forwards to the next square.
Jiyeong forcibly used her hands to block her. “No. Don’t you dare move,” she said in a pain-filled voice, a tear slipping from her eye.
Saebyeok couldn’t help but feel torn, she looked back at the timer, realizing thirty seconds had passed. There was only one last tile, all they needed to do was pick the right one, maybe they could both live.
“Please, Jiyeong, I insist,” she pleaded. The latter stayed silent for a second, letting the tears that were welling up fall down.
“I promised you’d win, no?” She pointed out, her voice breaking up as if it was on a broken record. “If I don’t survive, it’ll be okay. Go out, save your mother, go to Jeju Island. Have fun.”
She stepped forward to the tile directly in front of the two, the glass shattering on impact.
Saebyeok was horrified.
As the workers came in with a casket, reality hit her like a bullet train.
“Jiyeong?” She screamed, a ticking sound started, signalizing 10 seconds left on the clock.
“Jiyeong! I’m coming,” she yelled out one last time, jumping to the panel she had just fallen from.
Even with all the money, Saebyeok knew living with the guilt would be too much for her to bear.