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“Mister… I wanna go home.”
The words echoed in the room as Sae-byeok took what they thought was their final breath.
The room was getting blurry as their eyes began to water.
But maybe, just maybe, that was actually Gi-hun’s tears falling onto their face.
“Yah, yah, aegi, wake up, please!” Gi-hun’s voice could be heard as they felt their heart begin to slow down.
Everything was slowly starting to fade away; slowly, but very surely.
There was a slight ringing in their ears as their eyes fluttered shut. In spite of the fact that they were in the midst of losing consciousness, they still managed to feel a pit in their stomach as they heard the hysterical sobs and desperate pleas that Gi-hun spat at the guards.
After having lost consciousness, the guards had surprisingly rushed over and had gotten to work…
. . .
Life after the games was such a joy for Sae-byeok.
After everything they had endured – the loss of so many innocents, their own innocence at that, and the defeat of Gi-hun’s beloved Sang-woo, war was finally over.
Who would’ve thought that the teams were able to work the way out that they did? Not to mention they made it out with the money, and they had the opportunity to live the dream – the promise – that they and Ji-yeong made together.
And here they lay, drink in hand, on the beach at Jeju-do, right next to a very much alive and well, Ji-yeong, who’s clearly tipsy with the way she was giggling.
Seeing the shorter one so at ease and peace, they couldn’t help but wear such a warm and emotional smile. She really did deserve this so much.
Ji-yeong looks over at her partner, finally noticing their staring.
“Whaaaaatttt?” she whines, “whaaat is it? Is it something on my face?”
“Yes. Your smile. It’s pretty.”
That silly little compliment sends her into a fit of belly laughter, rolling over to cuddle into Sae-byeok.
They chuckle softly themself, holding her close and inhaling the saltwater scent that coated her hair.
“You’re being extra silly right now, and not in the way you like to be seen as.”
“Pfft, that’s sober me’s problem! ‘M cozy~”
“Good, that was the plan.” Sae-byeok hummed softly.
There was a bit of silence between the two, just for a little bit.
“You really do deserve this, by the way; just so you know.”
“Hm? What is it that I deserve?”
“Being happy,” the smaller one answers, resting their chin on her lover’s chest. “I mean, fuck, Sae-byeok, you fucking did it. Cheol’s under your custody fully now until your mom gets back – and even there, she’s already on her way back to Korea.”
“God, I know,” Sae-byeok sighs, tearing up at the thought of their family finally being together again after so long. They could finally keep their promise to Cheol. “It just… doesn’t feel real, like it’s too good to be true, y’know?”
“Oh, believe it, babe, I do know,” Ji-yeong chuckles softly, lazily reaching for her mojito and taking a sip.
Her partner, noticing she’s flying a little too close to the sun, sneakily takes the glass out of her hand.
“Easy there, watch it. You’ve been nothing but shit at keeping your alcohol down as of late, and I don't think you’d enjoy being embarrassed throwing up in public.”
“But Sae-byeooook!” she whines, putting minimal effort into reaching for it back. “It’s so good, don’t make me waste it.”
“I have a much higher tolerance than you do, I can finish it on your behalf.”
“That’s not faiiiiir!” Ji-yeong continued, pouting as Sae-byeok ingested the rest of the drink. “Meanie.”
“Oh, yes, my bad. I’m such a bad partner for caring about my girlfriend’s health, and not wanting her crying over the toilet bowl, clinging onto me for dear life and whining ‘my tummy hurts’, and ‘the only cure is a face full of boobs’,” Sae-byeok cringes a bit upon remembering their previous instances with a drunk Ji-yeong.
“...okay, fair point, but still! I deserve that little treat of getting wasted.”
“I absolutely love treating you to anything, you know that, but I'm not risking your health for a little temporary fun. I’ll make it up to you later, okay?”
“Okay…” the shorter one mumbles, snuggling into Sae-byeok’s chest again.”
“That’s a good girl.”
Hearing that was enough to have Ji-yeong’s entire face and neck to blare a deep shade of crimson, swatting Sae-byeok’s hip in response.
“D-Don’t just say things like that to me when we’re in a public setting...! You’re such a jerk.”
“Aigoo… can’t care about your health, and when I'm nice to you, it’s a problem, too? Goodness, Ji, I can never win with you…”
Ji-yeong snickered in response, peppering Sae-byeok’s jawline with kisses, now causing Sae-byeok themself to match the same shade of red that their partner wore.
Sae-byeok couldn’t seem to get any words to come out of their mouth, instead focusing on basking in this perfect moment of peace.
Perfect…
It was perfect, wasn’t it?
But then, why was there an imperfection in this sort of dreamscape?
The sunset looked as if it was glitching, and everything around them was desaturating.
Then, everything slowly started to fade away.
First, the sun.
Then it was the ocean.
Then it was the glass.
And the sand.
The chairs.
The clouds, the sky.
Sae-byeok began to panic, clinging onto Ji-yeong for dear life, trying to inhale her scene and remind themself she was here.
But, she too, faded away.
Sae-byeok had felt the warmth that their girlfriend provided disappear right then and there.
It was so cold.
They were hugging themself now.
. . .
After everything had gone away, it was just Sae-byeok in a blank void.
There was nothing much there. Everything was just dark.
They looked down at the wound they had endured from the glass game, then touched the stab wound that Sang-woo had subjected onto their neck.
Shit.
None of it was real…?
No, this can’t be it.
It can’t, it fucking can’t be, because they were there, on the beach with Ji-yeong. They were happy together. They had their mojitos on Jeju-do, and they got that money. This isn’t right, it just… can’t be.
“Sae-byeok…”
The softness in the familiar voice sends a shiver down their spine, falling to their knees and bursting into tears.
“Ji…”
“Shh,” she carefully shushes the taller one, slowly walking towards them.
And Sae-byeok knew she was approaching them, but they kept their head down.
All they could feel was the complete and utter embarrassment and shame they had felt for going out in such a pathetic way. For letting so many people down. Ji-yeong was right – they had so much to live for, and yet… they were left to die in such a humiliating way.
She finally approached the northerner, kneeling down next to them.
“Can I touch you?”
They wanted it; they really wanted it. Ji-yeong’s touch was so grounding and peaceful, even on what was seemingly her deathbed.
But they couldn’t speak. God knows that if they tried, they’d go into full-blown hysteria.
All they did was nod in response.
So Ji-yeong did what she always does best – love Sae-byeok.
She gently pulls the taller individual into her lap, cradling them like she would a kicked puppy.
Ji-yeong carded a hand through that shiny, short black hair, kissing the top of it. Her one arm snaked around Sae-byeok’s waist, while the other had cradled the northerner’s head, settling it on her chest. She knew her partner always found that comforting.
“I’m so proud of you, you know. You did good.”
You could almost hear something inside of Sae-byeok’s soul snap then and there, because immediately after, they had broken into a state of hysteria and sobbing uncontrollably.
“J-Ji…! I didn’t… no… no. I didn't do good. I-I failed. I failed my eomma, I failed Cheol-ah, I failed everyone. I fucking failed you, most of all.” Sae-byeok barely managed to get out through their tears.
But Ji-yeong, being the gentle soul she was with this person, simply stayed sweet with them.
“You failed no one but yourself here, Sae-byeok. I’m not upset with you, your mom’s not upset with you, and neither is Cheol. You did your best, and it’s not your fault that you got screwed over in the end, okay?”
“But… but… you threw your life away for me, Ji. For nothing. I wasted my potential, and what could have been. I threw away the shot you gave me.”
Ji-yeong scoffs softly, shaking her head.
“I wouldn’t have made it out of there, anyway. I didn’t have any intention of living in the first place, so when I did in fact die, it was as simple as a comeuppance, as I got what I asked for. I was just sad to leave behind someone who changed my life and gave me a reason to start living, and not just surviving.”
The northerner sniffled, rubbing their eyes that soon started to sting, even though this was just mere phantom pain.
“You were so brave, and so strong, my love,” Ji-yeong continues, her voice coated with a tenderness like no other. “and I'm so proud of you.”
“I love you,” Sae-byeok murmurs, letting the comfort that this girl never ceased to provide them with drown them.
“I love you too, sweetheart.”
…
“It’s time to rest, Sae-byeok.”