𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘭𝘦 •sᴀᴇʙʏᴇᴏᴋ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ•

11

The timer had only a minute remaining. You sat with your group listening to Gi-hun.

"They'll shut off the lights soon. They may not all come right away. So we better swap out who's gonna keep watch, just to be safe, I think."

"No, two of us should watch." 218 told 456. "A pair can keep each other awake. Just one person might go leave and betray our team."

"I can... be first watch then," said the old man. You don't really sleep a lot when you're old."

"Excuse me, but are we just supposed to trust an old man like you to not sleep on the job all night?" This came from one of the other men.

Sang-woo sighed. "Let me go first."

Ali raised his hand. "I'm not tired yet. I'll go with you."

"Then I'll be next." Gi-hun turned to Sang-woo. "You wake me up the second you get tired."

"Then why don't I join you on second watch? Assuming that's okay with you." 001 spoke slowly to Gi-hun who nodded.

"Yeah, that sounds good."

Eventually, the timer had run out, causing the lights to shut off immediately.

Everyone had settled in their own sleeping areas, you beside Sae-Byeok. Her back was turned to you, and you had to fight the urge to touch the few strands of her hair that were within arms length of you.

Eventually, you were able to nod off for while, but then you heard some commotion happening behind you.

"Here. Use this." You turned to see Sae-Byeok offering 456 a water bottle.

It seemed that the old man had fell ill. While Gi-hun was tending to him, Sae-Byeok went over to the opening and sat watch. You got up, bringing a blanket with you, and sat right next to her.

She looked at you. "What are you doing? You should get some rest."

"We agreed to do pairs. Plus I've had enough rest," you yawned.

There was a bit of silence before you spoke again. "That was nice. What you did for Gi-hun."

"It wasn't free. He can pay me back tomorrow."

You smiled and uttered something by accident. "I wish you weren't here."

"What?" She looked at you, confusion taking over her features.

"I mean, I wish we met each other, anywhere but here." You thought of it as the wrong place and wrong time.

"... Me too," she replied. "But no matter what happens, you'll stick with me, right?"

"Always."

△

A few hours later, the night was over and the lights were turned back on. You were awoken by the blaring of a siren.

"Attention, all players please make your way to the center of the room." Two lines of masked soldiers walked in, their guns pointed at everyone in the room. They removed some metal to enter your barricade.

"Hey, move it," said the guard with his weapon pointed at the lot of you. You followed Sae-Byeok out of the fort and into the center of the room, where you were forced to line up with your team.