Chapter Text
Young-mi and Gyeong-su gawked as they watched Hyun-ju effortlessly and efficiently explain the mechanics of the guns to the other men.
“Did…did you know she could do that?” Gyeong-su asked in befuddlement.
“She’s so cool…” Young-mi muttered. She snuck a glance at Gyeong-seok, who was equally as starstruck. She could practically see the hearts in his eyes watching her complete expertise.
Thanos whistled, impressed. “Damn, good thing I never messed with that chick.” he looked around, giddy. “ Oh man, this is going to be so fun to watch.”
Mi-na smacked his shoulder. “Shut up! This so isn’t funny.“ Se-mi watched a few steps away, arms crossed and silent. She kept looking at Min-su. She seemed on edge still, but Young-mi couldn’t blame her. She didn’t even have any time to process her death or anything that had happened before they were being thrust into the rebellion plan.
Sae-byeok, who had joined them along with the others in Gi-gun’s group, looked on in concern. “They don’t have a lot of people in their group.”
“And it seems like some of them aren’t familiar with guns…” Ali noted, frowning. “Didn’t Dae-ho say he was a marine? Why does he struggle so much?”
”Maybe he lied.” Ji-yeong said casually, laying upside down from a bed and seemingly not as interested in the rebellion as the others.
”What?” Young-mi gasped, shaking her head. “No way! He’s not that kind of guy…” She did think it was odd, though.
Sang-woo stepped up, an analytical glint in his eyes. “ It seems like Gi-hun has gained experience with guns, based on his words. With Jung-bae and Hyun-ju also having experience, and assuming Dae-ho and some of the others do, they aren’t completely doomed. However… I don’t have the best feeling.” His eyes trailed, and Young-mi followed them to In-ho, standing innocently.
She raised her glance to him, confused. “In-ho?”
Min-yeo groaned. “Not this shit again. Your jealousy is showing~” Sang-woo scoffed, brushing her off, but Young-mi saw a hint of something in his eyes.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I just don’t trust him. You remember how he knew Gi-hun’s last name? How did he know that?”
“Hah?” Thanos interjected. “ I don’t like that guy either. He's bad news.”
“You’re only saying that because he beat the shit out of you and your boyfriend.” Se-mi spoke up finally. She seemed to find comfort in belittling the older man…not that it wasn’t hard to do.
Thanos turned to glare at her. “You think you’re so funny, huh? He’s not my-“
“Oh shit, they’re leaving,” Sae-byeok said, interrupting the two. She turned to Ji-yeong. “You sure you don’t wanna come?”
“Nah, I’ll stay behind. There’s bound to be something interesting here,” Jiyeong shrugged, then smirked. “Worried without me in your sight?”
Sae-byeok frowned, but her red face gave her away. ‘Shut up. Let’s go.”
.
Gyeong-su was about to follow Young-mi and the other out the door, when a hand grabbed his wrist. He turned, confused, only to see Mi-na pouting.
“Come on, you really wanna see them all shoot at each other and die? Let’s stay here.” She said, batting her eyelashes. “Anywhere that freak Thanos goes we should like, totally avoid.”
His voice got caught in his throat. She… kind of had a point? Why would he want to see all that bloodshed, even if they succeeded (they will, he tried to tell himself). Does he want to be standing next to Thanos again while the man laughs at death? But, on the other hand… he wants to see them win. Young-mi was so hopeful, and he wanted to stick by her side. Maybe it was some lame way of attempting to atone for the blue patch on his jacket, but he couldn’t shake the feeling he had to go.
A cough caught his attention, and he looked past Mi-na to see Se-mi, who was also apparently staying behind. Her only attachment was still in the room, he supposed. She looked to the two of them, then to Thanos, then back at him with a raised eyebrow that said “You’re gonna let this girl boss you around like Thanos did?”
…Man Gyeong-su had a problem.
With difficulty. he severed their contact, waving his hands around. “I-It’s not that I don’t want to be with you, trust me! And I’m not going to be with Thanos. I just… wanna do this because I want to.”
Mi-na looked at him for a moment, then sighed. “Fine, do what you want,” her demeanor then changed, turning and walking to Se-mi. “Hey, goth girl!” Se-mi’s eyes then widened in panic, trying to send a look to Gyeong-su that said nevermind, come back. But Gyeong-su was already gone, catching up to Young-mi.
.
The group was eerily quiet as they followed the rebellion. Young-mi watched on as Hyun-ju effortlessly located and cut out the cameras, making sure that the group couldn’t be watched. It was something she wouldn’t have even thought of.
“Genius!” Ali smiled. “That Hyun-ju is smart. We have hope.”
But Young-mi saw the looks Sae-byeok was giving each rebel as they let out a spray of bullets. They were going through bullets, fast. And they weren’t close enough to the central control room. The guards just seemed to keep coming, two replacing each that was shot down. This couldn’t last forever.
This led to a shootout in opposing hallways, separated by a chasm of stairs. It was almost scary to Young-mi how quick she became used to the sound of gunshots. They were nearly out of ammunition. Gyeong-su watched on in shock and stress, gaze switching from person to person. His hands shook as he encouraged them as if they could hear him. When Gi-hun, Jung-bae, and In-ho went on ahead with most of the rest of the ammunition, Sang-woo was quick to follow, locked in on In-ho.
Where was Thanos? She was surprised that he wasn’t dancing around the middle, laughing his ass off. She scanned the room and found him against a wall, eyes wide and taking short quick breaths. He seemed unnerved by the whole situation, rather than pleased. She guessed that’s what being sober does to a person…
Before Young-mi could go up to him, she got distracted as Dae-ho volunteered to retrieve more ammo. There grew a strange, twisting feeling deep in her gut.
“I feel like something’s going to happen,” She spoke out loud, wringing her hands. “Something…bad.”
”Yea, they’re selling hard,” Thanos spoke up, shaking his head as if trying to wake himself up. He looked up again. “Unless that 456 guy can do something, they’re fucked.”
“They’re experienced.” Sae-byeok spoke up, but Young-mi could tell her confidence was wavering.
Every second that passed where Dae-ho did not return with ammunition, Young-mi could see dread begin to take over the expression of those still alive. Where was he? Eventually, Hyun-ju made the decision to go get it herself, despite the risk of her absence.
Young-mi immediately went to follow Hyun-ju, but not before turning to Gyeong-su. “Will you watch over Mr. Gyeong-seok for me?” She asked. “I know it won’t do much, but… but if anything happens…I want him to have someone there.” She looked about to cry at the very thought of his death, so Gyeong-su could do nothing but agree.
.
Ammunition and blood painted the ground, where teal corpses laid about. Pink guards swarmed those left living and they pleaded for forgiveness that could never be given. The rebellion had failed, and Gyeong-su could do nothing but watch in horror as Gyeong-seok was backed into a corner, gun abandoned and hands raised,
“Please, I have a daughter. She’s sick, she has no one else. I’m all she has.” He begged, voice shaking but unrelenting. Gyeong-su's heart ached with guilt. He had voted for this. For this kind man, who just wanted to save his daughter, to now be ripped from her after trying so hard. He brought his hand up to the blue patch. How he hated the feel of it.
A moment passed, and strangely, the guard had not shot him yet. Gyeong-su stepped closer, confused. The guard leaned in close, and whispered “If you want to live, do as I say.”
Gyeong-su gasped. What was happening? Was Gyeong-seok a spy? Did the guard… know him?
Gyeong-seok seemed to know as little as he did, if his confused but fearful expression was to be believed, but the man still nodded feverishly. The guard stepped back and shot him without another second passing…but in his stomach, not his head or heart. A shot meant to incapacitate, not kill. Gyeong-su was even more confused as he watched Gyeong-seok slump over. How were they going to escape with him like that? Was that just a form or torture, another sick ‘game’ for them?
He watched Gyeong-seok be hoisted into one of the black boxes. Curiously, the guard scooped a bit of blood and marked the box with a small cross. Against the black it was hardly noticeable, only if you were looking for it. What did it mean? He looked around the hallway. Other ghosts were starting to wake up, and he waved half-heartedly to them. But the others that he came with were nowhere to be found. It seems like Thanos went with Sae-byeok, much to her disdain. Some other ghosts who had died were helping the others adjust. His eyes went back to the cross-marked box that was now being walked away. He felt like that meant something… he could.. he could just…
Gyeong-su followed the guards.
.
Se-mi was trying her hardest to ignore Mi-na, who seemed intent on staring into her soul. What the hell did this girl even want? They had never spoken to each other before.
“So,” Mi-na finally spoke up. “Are you one of those chicks who doesn’t like other girls?”
Se-mi finally looked at her, appalled. “What the hell? Are you coming on to me?”
“What? No.” Mi-na scrunched up her face. “No that you don’t look the part.”
“Fuck off.”
“See? This is what I mean,” Mi-na lounged on Se-mi’s bed as if it was hers. “Those girls who think it’s so cool to hate on pretty girls for being judgemental and mean despite being as judgemental as them, if not more.”
“Wow, you’re so humble.” Se-mi deadpanned. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know you’re smart, because you surrounded yourself with people you thought were crazy so you’d be safe from them,” Mi-na started, playing with her hair. “But you weren’t cold enough to stick to your plan. You got close with that wimpy guy.“
“And what are you?” Se-mi shot back. “Some preppy girl who pretends she’s hot shit even though she found her way into this hellhole?”
Mi-na shot her a glare. “Nevermind. You joined them because you’re all a group of assholes.”
Se-mi was surprised by the laugh she let out. Mi-na smiled. “Fell for my trap. I knew I could get you to smile.”
”What the hell is your angle?”
Mi-na shrugged. “We’re dead. I’m bored.”
“So I’m just your entertainment?”
”Not if you participate. You need to hang around more girls anyway.”
Se-mi sighed. “True. This place is a fucking sausage fest.”
Now it was Mi-na’s turn to laugh.
.
Jung-bae woke up to the highly disorienting sound of yelling. His head pounded, struggling to recall the last few moments before he got knocked out. No, not knocked out. He was…
“You’ve gotta be shitting me.”
”You aren’t serious, are you hyung? It… Is it a misunderstanding?”
”You-you think I would lie about this shit? I-Fuck! I knew it! He was lying to them the whole time. Just stringing Gi-hun along.”
Gi-hun.
He shot up. The last he could remember he was staring at Gi-hun in fear as a gun was pressed to the back of his head. Where was Gi-hun? Surely, he had not survived the situation they had fallen into. His thoughts stopped in their tracks. How… How had Jung-bae survived? He remembered the sound of the gun going off, right before everything went black.
He tuned back into the conversation happening around him, and realized he was on the ground with the voices coming from above. He looked up, and was startled by the group he saw. Where did these people come from? He didn’t recognize anyone from their group, nevermind the fact that there were two girls that weren’t Hyun-ju. None of them had a patch, red nor blue, he noted. There were also no guards, the ammunition cleaned up and Gi-hun nowhere to be seen.
“Let’s follow him then, hm? Would that be enough proof for you that In-ho is the frontman?”
Jung-bae’s brain short-circuited. “In-ho is the frontman?” Every head was suddenly looking at him, as if just now remembering that he was there. Like this he was able to get a better look at them, where he was swiftly distracted by a slightly familiar face.
”You!” He said, pointing to a man in the group. “I’ve… seen you before. How do I know you?”
The man stiffened. “I don’t-“
”I’ve never met you…but I think I’ve seen you in pictures…” Jung-bae contemplated. “Ah! Gi-hun talked about you! SNU, right?” At that, a curly-haired woman laughed, while the others struggled to keep from smiling.
“Yes! He is Sang-woo.” A curly-haired man said. “I am Ali. We knew Gi-hun when he played the games the first time. You also knew him before the games like Sang-woo though, correct?”
Dumbly, Jung-bae nodded. “Huh, so Gi-hun really did play before…not that I didn’t believe him! But… if you’re telling the truth.. then I’m…”
“Dead, man!” A voice came from behind him. He turned, to see a more familiar face. A face that was impossible to forget. Thanos laid across one of the stairs, as if bored out of his mind. “I was waiting for you to wake up so these guys could stop yammering. Let’s go see that frontman guy, hm? I wanna see if that smart guy is serious or just delusional.”
“Sang-woo. That’s my name.”
Thanos waved his arm. “Yea, yea.”
“So… I’m a ghost? Ghosts are real?” Jung-bae wondered out loud, ignoring the other. “Then where’s Gi-hun? Was he not also killed after…the rebellion failed?”
“They knocked him out,” A girl with short hair spoke up. “I don’t know why-“
”Because the frontman is In-ho.“
“-Anyway. They took him. We need to go follow him.” She said urgently. “Who knows what they’re going to do with him.”
“But In-ho-“
“Probably has that stupid mask on again.” Sae-byeok said. “Or in that stupid room we can’t get into. I… don’t think you would lie about this. But it’s not worth it right now. Aren’t you worried about Gi-hun?”
Sang-woo paused, digesting her words. He sighed. “What a stupid question. You know I am.” He then stalked off, presumably in the direction where they took Gi-hun. As they slowly followed, Ali lent out a hand to help Jung-bae up. He stumbled, and patted himself before following.
His head was swirling. He had been force-fed so much information in the past few minutes, it was hard for him to keep up. First off, he was dead. That made sense, based on his last memories, but it was hard for him to process when he was still walking around, in fact with more freedom they had been allowed since the games began. Then came the matter of the group he found himself in. The three unfamiliar faces, the childhood friend that Gi-hun said was in finance (why was he here?), and Thanos, who was mumble-rapping as he walked behind Jung-bae. They said they knew Gi-hun in his first game, which led Jung-bae to another hundred questions. What happened to them? What were their games like? If Gi-hun won, did he… kill anyone? He thought back to how hard Gihun fought to prevent as many deaths as he could.
Then came the issue of In-ho. His brain hurt when he thought about it too hard, as if refusing to let him believe it. Part of him thought ‘How could In-ho, who was so kind and wise, who was so supportive of Gi-hun, be this evil mastermind?’. he would think of the time they spent together; cheering others on in the second game, eating together, and even planning the rebellion. He remembered the complete trust Gi-hun had in him, giving him the ammunition. Then he would remember Mingle. That last round, watching as In-ho strangled the unfortunate other man in the room with them. Nothing but determination and some dark emotion in his eyes, no hesitation as he so intimately ended a life. Jung-bae should have known something was up when he said that. Should have said something to Gi-hun.
He sighed. Not much to do about it now. Except…
Jung-bae gently moved past the other, up next to Sang-woo. The taller man looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. “So… it’s really true?” He started. “In-ho is…how did you find out?”
Sang-woo sighed, annoyed at having to discuss this again. “We all split up during the rebellion as your group split. I decided to go with In-ho when he went alone because I’ve been suspicious of him for a while. He… met up on the other side of the stairs with some of the guards and changed into the frontman’s clothes before meeting you and Gi-hun. You know the rest.”
Jungbae frowned, rubbing the back of his head. “So we were all doomed from the start huh? We made all these plans but our biggest enemy was right next to us learning our every move so he could be two steps ahead.”
Sang-woo looked to the side. “It appears so. Gi-hun tried his best, I’ll give him that. He’s always been good at rallying people together for one cause or another.”
Jung-bae peered up at him. “You’re not exactly what I expected. He talked about you a lot, you know. At least, when we used to hang out he did.”
“…And?”
Jung-bae shrugged. “Just thought a childhood best friend would want to know he’s still thought of. You would’ve thought he was your wife, the way he talked you up.” He laughed, not catching the clench of Sang-woo’s fist.
“Doesn’t matter,” Sang-woo replied, matter-of-factly. “That’s over now.”
“Over? What if he… you know?” Jung-bae dragged a thumb across his throat, mimicking a corpse. Instead of replying, Sang-woo shot him a tired glare, before walking ahead. Jung-bae stayed behind, confused.
“Don’t take it to heart,” A voice said from behind him. He turned to see Ali’s apologetic expression. “Gi-hun is a… tender subject.” Sae-byeok rolled her eyes.
“…Oh. I see.” Jung-bae didn’t really understand, but he didn’t have the brain power to pry further at the moment. “ So… how did you all become a group? Odd bunch, but I can’t really judge there can I?”
.
While the walk back to the main room had been a nice distraction from the reality of their situation, the group was harshly brought back to the scene of guards with guns pointed at the rest of the players. Jung-bae pinpointed Hyun-ju being held back by a fearful Guem-ja, while Yong-sik looked on. Jun-hee was with them, but she kept sending looks back, worry etched across her face. What was going on? It seemed like her going to get the ammunition had spared her from the bloodbath of their failure. He was glad… but if she was here and not on her way back where was Dae-ho? He began to think the worst.
“Oh shit. Gyeong-su!” Thanos shouted. “Where you at! Se-my girl Young-mi! What are you doing by the wall?”
Jung-bae was reminded of the shy frazzled girl who was friends with Hyun-ju, who had unfortunately passed away in Mingle. “Young-mi is here?”
“She’s back there… What the hell is that boy doing?” Min-yeo pointed, confused disgust written across her face. Jung-bae followed her direction and his face fell. There Dae-ho was, curled up against the wall as if he were trying to disappear. He was shaking, and he stared out into nothing.
Quickly, the group made their way over. “What’s going on? Why isn’t Gi-hun here?” Sang-woo asked as soon as they came closer, staring at the three girls surrounding him. Some other ghosts lingered around, confusion or disappointment written on their faces. Jung-bae glared at them, ushering them away with waves of his hands.
“I… wait, I’m sorry, Gi-hun isn’t here?” Young-mi answered, confused. “I ran back here with unnie, and we… We found him like this. He’s unresponsive.”
“What a chicken.” Mi-na spat.
“Couldn’t take the heat,” Se-mi shrugged. “She turned to the rest of the group. “I’m guessing everyone else is dead then? Where’s Gyeong-su?”
“I would have to assume…” Jung-bae answered, frowning.
”Gyeong-su ain’t here? What the hell!” Thanos exclaimed.
“Maybe he’s helping Gyeong-seok!” Young-mi supplied, before frowning. “Poor Gyeong-seok…”
Ignoring Thanos, Se-mi ran a hand down her face in frustration. “Damn! I was hoping they could actually pull it off.”
“They could’ve,” Mi-na said. She gestured to Dae-ho. “This guy got here in plenty of time, all twitchy and shit. He couldn’t even pick up the ammo without dropping it and he just freaked. When that tall lady arrived she was yelling at him to come on and he didn’t even do anything.”
“I guess he was a fake after all.” Ji-yeong said, popping in from behind Sae-byeok. The other girl jumped before smacking her shoulder.
“N-No that’s not… he wouldn’t..” Young-mi tried to supply an answer for Dae-ho’s behavior.
Jung-bae quickly came to his defense. “It’s probably some form of PTSD. I saw it all the time when I served. and after. Don’t go speaking ill of Dae-ho, he’s a good man! I trust him.” He puffed his chest, patting his arm where his tattoo lay.
“His timing still sucks,” Se-mi said. “Now there’s no way Min-su and the other X’s can leave.”
“Well, it doesn’t really matter in the end,” Ali spoke up. “You see, In-ho was…“
.
It wasn’t until later that they found out where Gi-hun had gone. When four guards brought in a black box with a bow. When Hyun-ju walked up with Jun-hee and the others and opened it to reveal a very much alive Gi-hun. Jung-bae almost cried in relief. As the small group carried him to a bed, Jung-bae took in the scene around them. The room and many of the players were. covered in blood. There was fear and confusion thick in the atmosphere. And there was Dae-ho, once so strong but now cowered as weak as a kicked puppy and avoiding the others as if they had a disease. Jung-bae’s eyebrows furrowed. What was he reminded of that made him react this way? He was never one to judge how other ex-marines acted when it came to things like this but it seemed… off.
Then, another ghost that Jung-bae didn’t recognize appeared. However, he had a patch so Jung-bae had to assume that he was a part of their games. He was soon confirmed to be the man Thanos called “Gyeong-su” as he and Young-mi ran up to him.
“Where did you go?” Young-mi worried. “Where’s Gyeong-seok?”
“My boy, going on his own side quests.” Thanos laughed.
“That’s the thing!” Gyeong-su waved his hands around. “I did as you asked Young-mi, I watched him. But when the other guards shot at other guys and killed them instantly, this one guard said they were going to help him! And shot him in the leg!”
”What?” Mi-na walked up “That guy didn’t die?”
“Why?” Jung-bae asked. Part of him was relieved that Gyeong-seok was not dead. He was a good man, and seemed to love his daughter dearly. But this was strange. After In-ho, he couldn't take another betrayal.
Sang-woo looked over. “Was the coffin marked?”
”Wha-How did you know that?” Gyeong-su gaped.
“There was a man in our games who was executed because he worked with the guards to harvest organs,” Sang-woo began. “While I never saw it, I learned from others that these individuals were shot in places that avoided vital organs and put in marked coffins so they wouldn’t be cremated.”
”They’re doing that shit again? You think they’d learn from that dumbass.” Min-yeo scoffed.
”So… they’re going to harvest his organs?” Young-mi asked quietly.
“Well…I followed them.” Gyeong-su said. “And what I saw was crazy! That guard, who turned out to be a girl our age, turned on the other guards and shot them! She held this other doctor at gunpoint until he stitched up Gyeong-seok’s wounds, then killed him too!” Gyeong-su's voice then went down to a conspiratory whisper. “He’s now dressed up as a guard. Number 16."
The group was silent for a moment.
“Is… Is Gyeong-seok a traitor too?” Jung-bae asked. “Why else would she…”
”No!” Young-mi exclaimed. “He can’t be! Why would he save Hyun-ju, and help the rebellion?”
”The same things In-ho did.” Sang-woo replied. Young-mi frowned, but couldn’t deny it.
“I guess we’ll have to keep an eye on that too.” Sae-byeok said.
Sang-woo dragged his hand over his face. “Everything has gone to shit.”
Ji-yeong nodded. “Not much to do but wait until Gi-hun dies.”
”He could win again!” Ali said.
“No way,” Thanos interjected. “Nam-su is winning.”
”Go to hell.”
”So mean, Se-mi.”
Jung-bae sighed. Just a few hours ago, their group was so full of hope, determined to win as a unit. Now, they were all divided. Some physically, some emotionally, and others by planes of existence. He had no idea where In-ho had gone, but now Gi-hun believed his two closest allies were dead. He would undoubtedly blame himself.
What do they even do?