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Of all things, being attracted to someone should've been the last thing on Gyeong-seok's mind right fucking now.
His daughter's lying, almost lifeless, in a hospital with her illness threatening to eat her up. Any minute, any second now, something might happen that would put her precious life in danger.
As if that wasn't enough to keep him up, here he is in the asscrack of nowhere, risking his life, participating in a gory bloodbath of what should've been innocent children's games. All of them in there were forced to throw their humanities aside in order to survive.
Right now, the only indication that he's still human is the fear, the constant shake of his hands.
No one really goes back to the way they were once they experience playing a death's game.
But also, there was this...attraction. A human nature. Or he could simplify it to curiosity, or intrigue. A feeling that is shallow enough for a temporary situation with a temporary person.
The first time he noticed Player 120, it was really an unavoidable chance. Most people were shitting their pants, having just survived a rather fucked up version of Red Light, Green Light but a few of them watched as the last three person run for their lives in those five tense seconds. Gyeong-seok didn't have the extra energy to spare them a thought but as a fellow human, it was nice that Player 120, the guy yelling throughout the whole game, and the man they rescued seem to cross the finish line.
And then there was the gunshot.
They ended Player 444 despite it all.
Gyeong-seok was just relieved he gets to live for another day.
The second time was also inevitable. Especially when the usual grim mood that have been gripping them all had somehow transformed into a happy, rambunctious cheering. Player 120's team were owning the mini-games, albeit with few, small failures, but it was immediately remedied by their amazing teamwork that the crowd couldn't help cheering for them as if they were being given a taste of victory as well.
Two resounding slaps made the audience gasp, all of their attention suddenly focused on Player 120 gripping the Spinning Top toy with fury.
"If you give up," A voice, trembling with rage spoke. "I'll kill you before your gods do!"
Wow. If this was in a far better, definitely-not-deadly situation, Gyeong-seok would've let out a whistle. He was indifferent to the rest of the players but this time, he could admit that Player 120 has slightly piqued his interest. Just enough to differentiate the person from the crowd he shouldn't care about.
Not when he needed to survive in this place.
Here's the thing. As he laid in bed that night, Gyeong-seok found himself confused whether Player 120 was a man or a woman. For one, they had a deep voice befitting of a man, and then...Gyeong-seok felt his face warm up...that doesn't explain...Player 120's chest. Those were definitely a woman's chest, right?
And then Gyeong-seok got even more confused when he realized that whatever Player 120 is, he didn't care at all in the slightest.
He let out a sigh, before he turned to his side. Oh what he would give to have his phone back. He missed his Na-yeon so much. A lump formed in his throat. Another day has passed in which he couldn't see her or how she's doing.
No, this won't do. The sudden ache in his heart and his longing for his daughter would only cripple him for sure. For her, he needed to win should he be forced to stay again, or atleast, get out of here alive.
He needed something to distract him from the pain.
An angry but beautiful face took over his thoughts, followed by the crisp sound of a slap, and that voice...dropping the hardest line he had ever heard in his life.
He allowed himself a small smile. Maybe he'd have the chance to interact with Player 120 one of these days. Who knows? It could be interesting.
That opportunity would come in the next day, but he doesn't know that yet. Not that Gyeong-seok actually woke up with that as his objective. It was another day of fighting for his life, whether he lives or dies today, nobody knows. He offered a quick prayer for Na-yeon, and then for himself, before he joined the queue for the third game. Scanning the room because there was nothing else to do, his gaze fell on the familiar form on the steel stairs. Player 120 was silently watching the mother and son duo bicker with far too loud voices in the morning.
Gyeong-seok...he...he actually fell asleep with Player 120 as the last thing he was thinking about. Like an embarrassed teenager, heat settled on his cheeks, something he had never experienced for a long time. Maybe he should apologize. He shouldn't have been fantasizing about people like that even if it was just an innocent daydream of getting to know Player 120 more. None of them actually has the luxury to form deeper relationships when anyone could drop dead anytime in this madhouse. He should forget about cozying it up with Player 120. Unless the games required them to interact, watching the enigmatic person from afar should be enough for him.
Until he had to drag Players 120 and 095 with him during Mingle to save his ass.
Of course he ended up saving their asses too. Which in turn, had his ass saved by the two players. Anyway, the three of them were very grateful to each other and Gyeong-seok was grateful to finally learn what Player 120 is.
Unnie, Player 095 had called her. Gyeong-seok's realization was still true. He couldn't care less what Player 120 is. He was just glad that he could finally have something to refer to her. It felt like one, tiny, baby step in finding something out about her.
Ah, damn. That was fast. Whatever happened to forgetting it all?
"Mrs. Jang!" Player 095 yelled as she and Player 120 rushed ahead, right into the arms of the old woman who was very elated to learn of their survival. Gyeong-seok could only follow, and watch the three lock themselves in an embrace. The emotion on the old woman's face clenched his heart. That's surely so much like the relief he felt whenever he would find where Na-yeon had wandered off.
"Goodness! I'm glad you're okay!" The old lady, Player 149 cried out. Same words he had uttered to his daughter. It was a good thing he's able to keep his face casual despite the heaviness in his heart.
"He saved our lives." Player 120 gestured at him like he had hung the moon in the sky for her. Once again, Gyeong-seok miraculously, was able to not react on the spot because did his heart just leap upon seeing her smile?
His protest was already on the tip of his tongue because as far as he was concerned, he was the one that ended up being saved.
Because even just for a moment, the weight of his burden, his worry for Na-yeon...disappeared.
"Mr. 246 here showed up when we were running out of time," Player 095 piped in. "Just like Prince Charming!" she giggled.
"Boy, you do look like a prince. Thank you so much!" Player 149 took his hands in her warm, wrinkly ones. Gyeong-seok couldn't help but picture the scene like he was a man being approved by a mother for her daughter, Player 120 and with her younger sister, Player 149 going gaga over her sister's boyf--oh wait, wait, Why's he thinking like this now? Dumbass. It must be the goddamn place. Anyone would've gone crazy.
"Not at all. These two saved my life." He shook his head. His experience with customers greatly helped as he try to retain his face in a neutral expression.
The next time Gyeong-seok saw Player 120, she was still as a statue, so unlike the practically beaming person from minutes ago. It was like...she had given up all hope.
"Two."
Panic engulfs him, not only for himself but for her who's merely standing there, waiting for death to come and claim her. Why is she doing that?
Terrified screams echoed around the room, several bodies slam into each other. Gyeong-seok makes his way to Player 120. He didn't have to think twice about grabbing her and running to the doors.
"Come on!" Gyeong-seok felt her stumble but he was quick to grip her arm to steady her, his hand automatically sliding down to take her by the hand. Time was running out but they had to make it or else.
As they run, Player 120 seem to snap out of what's keeping her frozen, her survival instinct overriding everything else. Even if she was capable of running on her own, Gyeong-seok doesn't let go, and neither does she until they finally reach a room for themselves. Player 120's back hit against the wall with a loud thud before she let her entire body sag helplessly. Gyeong-seok watched what used to be her strong, formidable form crumple to the floor.
Something hit him. A tragic realization. For if the game required 'two', she would've been with Player 095 instead.
Fate seem to find a way for them to stay close to each other since then. Or maybe it was just them, unconsciously seeking out the presence of the other. A bond, fragile and small it may be, has now formed between them. Players 456 and 001, Players 388 and 390-the two Marines, the mother and son...it's as if everyone was finding themselves a partner in which they could depend on, and Player 120 couldn't exactly intrude on mother and son's, so she was stuck with Gyeong-seok, the last person who had helped save her life. The feeling was mutual, of course. Gyeong-seok felt that he wouldn't have made it out alive without her.
During meals and hushed meetings, Gyeong-seok and Player 120 always find themselves sitting close to each other. It was so easy to reach out for her hand, to tell her that it's alright even if nothing really is. That unless he was left with no choice, he would always look out for her. Hah. Gyeong-seok allowed himself a humorless laugh. If anything, it looked like he was the one who needed her strength and support.
Yet he didn't.
Now was simply not the time and place. Now was not the time for softness. Their group was gearing up for a fight, if what Player 456 said was true, it could be more brutal than the games themselves. The Game Creators treat them as mere entertainment, but they were not desperate for blood.
The Team Circle, however, were proven desperate bastards.
Everything happened so quickly. Player 456 had warned them to expect bloodbath as soon as the lights go out but Gyeong-seok didn't expect how it was all so quick and done without hesitation. These people truly had turned into monsters.
Before he knew it, he was hiding under the bed with Player 120 at his side. He didn't have the chance to marvel at the fact that they ended up tangled with one another again. That would be stupid of him. He's trembling in fear, who wouldn't? There was a bigger chance that they would be found. Team Circle killed without remorse, without caring who they caught. it wouldn't be impossible if those sons of bitches ended up killing someone from their side.
But the way he and Player 120 pressed into each other had brought him a little bit of comfort and hope. Atleast he could afford a few seconds to realize that whenever he was in her presence. They're both afraid, anxious. Despite how headstrong Player 120 is, she's still human. So the two of them waited it all out, unconsciously huddling together to ground themselves, hoping against hope that no bloody fork would find it's way into their bodies.
And when the time came to carry out the second phase of the plan, the two of them stayed close as they lay side by side, with each other's warmth the only thing differentiating them from the mangled corpses.
Playing dead was one of the most nerve-wracking things Gyeong-seok has ever done. He had to still his quivering form and he does so splendidly. If it wasn't for all this fucked up shit happening, he would've pat himself on the back for being such a good actor. A guard crouched down to check his pulse. Gyeong-seok then gripped the guard's hands before Player 120 shot the bastard right through the head.
"Great shot." He found the time to compliment her.
"Thanks." She barely managed a smile. "Watch out!" Another shot rang from behind him, and Gyeong-seok berated himself for not picking up a gun sooner.
He and Player 120 moved in tandem during the next tense minutes. Sometime during the shootout, they had taken cover amongst the skeletal bed frames, unknowingly working together back to back. Player 120 would cover him, Gyeong-seok would do the same for her whilst taking out the other soldiers harming their allies.
"Retreat. Retreat." The usual female voice came from the speaker. The soldiers started pulling back as the main door started closing until one was left behind.
The guard threw his useless gun to the floor, and he could do nothing else but to keep pawing on the closed door. It was almost pitiful how pathetic they could be as soon as they were unarmed.
Gyeong-seok followed Player 120 out of their hiding spot but they did not join the others who rushed forward to interrogate the captured guard.
"Get the guns and ammo from the dead." Player 120 instructed him. He nodded.
As if Player 120 wasn't full of surprises enough, Gyeong-seok wasn't the only one who looked up in shock when she demanded their attention in a voice that was full of authority and confidence. The idiot that Gyeong-seok was....he almost tuned out Player 120's words as she was demonstrating how to operate an MP5 in favor of gawking at the incredibly marvelous woman in front of them. So instead of asking for more vital, life-saving questions, like say, more information on how to handle a submachine, Gyeong-seok's mouth just went agape, excitedly waiting for Player 120 to return to his side.
"How do you know so much about guns?" He asked as if it was merely a small talk during dinner. It wasn't even a question that was relevant to their situation. Come on, who would've cared how she knew? She shared what she knew. Gyeong-seok should've just nodded like everyone else did but no, he just couldn't help being in awe of her.
"Ah." Player 120 let out a quiet chuckle. Barely there, but it was laughter. "I was a sergeant first class in the ROK Special Forces."
Gyeong-seok's mouth was open for a few seconds, and then he nodded in understanding. "O-Oh." Compliment her! Say something! But his brain's still reeling from the fact that this woman is a total badass. A first class in Special Forces?! Gyeong-seok should really say something, and quick. So he tried to smile but it ended up looking like a wince instead. For sure, he looked like a dumbass. Player 120 was smiling, it was the first time she smiled since the tragic death of her friend, and he looked like a malfunctioning dumbass in response. His eyes lingered on her even when she bowed her head as if she was embarrassed.
Unfortunately, they were out of time for such trivial matters. The little bubble they were in burst at once as the reality around them immediately resumes. Gyeong-seok and Player 120 were forced to focus on the main event, which was the unmasking and interrogation of the guard.
Questions were asked. Demands were made. And a heavy silence echoed all around as the impromptu rebellion group marched out the room.
That was the last peaceful moment Gyeong-seok will have of her. Perhaps the only regret he'll have is not asking for her name.