niragi x m!oc

One.

  "Is this what that radio meant?"

  Min-jun looked through the binoculars his late friend had given him, staring at the hotel building from afar. There were beams of light coming out from the top of such, and almost all the windows were bright with light.

  How in the hell were they getting electricity? Had there not been a blackout?

  A gentle huff exited the boy's lips as he ran a hand through his brown hair, leaning against the iron banister. The Beach had been described to him as a paradise; a place with no worries. It sounded too good to be true. Consider it for yourself. In the midst of darkness, there's all of a sudden a light? Nonsensical, he concluded.

  The male had discovered the hotel paradise after tailing these strangers with wristbands in cars. Which was a dangerous thing to do, but it was worth it. The wristbands seemed to be numbered, as if each person staying there was tagged like an animal. It made him wonder: there had to be a Number 1. What are they like?

  With slight disappointment at this paradise, he shook his head.

  "Talk of the town doesn't seem so worthy." Min-jun said with a light scoff.

  As he opened his mouth to speak once more, a black bag was placed over his head — he struggled against it, thrashing in the person's grip in determination to escape. He fought off enough to release himself briefly, but it wasn't enough. He was soon engulfed by the strong arms again, and hit at the side of the head with something he was unable to identify. The faint view of The Beach he could see vanished into nothing.

  And with that, Min-jun blacked out.

‿︵‿︵ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ・❉・ ʚ˚̣̣̣͙ɞ‿︵‿︵

The boy woke up, a part of his head injured with a dull throbbing pain. He winced as the bag was removed from his head, him preparing his eyes to glare at the person in front of him.

He was not met with a face, but rather the back of someone. They were wearing a very over-the-top silk robe, flip flops and... from what he could see, swimming shorts.

"Now, now. Don't give me those eyes, dear. I suggest you be a little nicer to the leader."

Leader? What leader?

The individual turned around, broadcasting his face partly disguised by aviator sunglasses. Min-jun observed him carefully — he had dark brown hair which touched to his shoulders and a faint beard. He was indeed wearing swimming shorts, with floral patterns roaming the material.

"I'm sure you have many questions, so I'll start off with the basic ones, hm?" The man spoke.

"My name is Hatter, and welcome, my friend — to The Beach!"

Hatter turned around and broadcasted the room with flamboyant hand gestures, talking about the whole building as a whole.

"And we already know who you are, Min-jun."

'W- How do you know?" Min-jun queried, but received no valid answer as he was blatantly ignored.

"We noticed you've completed every game you've taken part in successfully, including the most difficult of tasks. I ask myself just how you managed to get through all of it unscathed; especially the Heart game."

The boy remained silent and listened. He felt that if he tried to speak, he'd falter in sentence structure and be unable to form coherent words. That game would be something that would most likely traumatise him forever.

"Do you see the cards behind me, Min-jun?" Hatter questioned, to which the boy replied with a nod.

"All the X's mark the cards we've already collected. Once we collect all the cards, excluding the faces, we could send somebody back to terrific Tokyo. Doesn't that sound amazing?"

In all honesty, it did. Returning to his home seemed like a dream. He missed his father nagging him to be a better son.

"Much." Min-jun agreed.

"Well, in order to do that, not only do you have to collect all playing cards, but you have to understand the three rules I have set in place as a leader. Rule 1..."

He stood in front of Min-jun, raising his pointer finger indicating the number one.

"Always wear swimsuits. It prevents the concealment of weapons, and you don't want anybody to run up on you with a gun, do you? Rule 2: After winning games, all playing cards belong to The Beach. You are to bring them to me personally or an executive member. And lastly, rule 3..."

He got close to the boy's face, which was uncomfortable considering how sweaty he was.

"Death to all traitors." He deadpanned, a serious expression on his face.

Hatter's malevolent features transitioned quickly to a comforting one instead, him stepping back to his previous position.

"We could use a person of your caliber. So, what do you say? Join me."

Min-jun raised his brow, looking at Hatter with intrigue.

"And if I refuse, Hatter?" He asked.

"You heard the last rule, Min-jun. You may as well — you've already got a bracelet. And your visa expires in.. oh, would you look at that? A day." Hatter said, tapping the scrap piece of paper between his pointer finger and thumb.

"...Fine. I'll do it."

Hatter clasped his hands together excitedly, a broad smile on his face.

"Oh, how wonderful! And here's me thinking I might have to kill you!"

This guy was a little unsettling for a leader. Would he really kill Min-jun if he didn't join The Beach?

"Niragi. Take our newest recruit to his room." Hatter ordered.

The person known as Niragi stepped in, and Min-jun's jaw visibly dropped open.

Holy heck.