Killer Addiction - (Squid Game)

Chapter 2 - All In

The shop bell rang as Dae-eun entered, making her way past empty tables with chairs upside down, walking right up to the bar. She crossed the threshold to the kitchens and into a backroom, ascending up some stairs and turning the corner to the first door on her left. She pulled out her keys, fit the right one to the lock, and entered.
"Grandpa, I'm home." She called as she entered, slipping off her shoes.

"Dae-eun! You're late! What have you been doing?" His voice called from deeper in the apartment, echoing slightly.
She guessed he must've been in the bathroom.
She walked over to the kitchen, depositing the bags of ingredients next to the fridge-freezer to begin sorting them.

"Sorry, got held up at the station." She replied.
"So what's with the red mark on your face, hm?" His voice was suddenly a lot closer, and Dae-eun whirled around to see her grandfather standing just behind her.
He was an elder man in his late 60's, prominent wrinkles and dimples etched into his face.

He also sported receding grey hair, short stubble and kind, darkened eyes.
"You get into a fight on the way? Some of those casino thugs? Don't tell me the ingredients got damaged." His voice was raspy and hoarse, likely strained from his long day working.

"No, no, nothing like that. The ingredients are fine. I got the red mark from working." She stated.
"Working? Did you finally find a job, Aein?"
(A/N: Aein means Sweetheart)

Dae-eun paused for a moment with ingredients in her hands, pondering the question before giving him a nod and a small smile.
"Mhm! And look!" She drew out the wad of cash she had gotten, holding it out for him. "Look what I earned, Grandpa!"
His smile was warm as he took the money with frail hands, cracked nails brushing over the bills.

"Oh...Dae-eun. Well done, child. I'm sure your Grandma would be very proud of you." He said sadly, glancing over at a picture sitting on the countertop.
A deep sadness ran across his face briefly and then was gone as he moved to help her pack the ingredients away.
"Do you mind if I leave you while I go wash up?" She asked. He shook his head slightly and gestured over his shoulder, letting the woman head to the bathroom.

"Mackerel, Salmon, Tuna..." he listed as his voice faded from her ears.
She went into the bathroom and swiftly shut and bolted the door, pressing her back against it and heaving a sigh.
She turned to the sink, gripping it and giving herself a hard stare in the mirror.

He was so happy when I gave him the money...
Her thoughts whirred like video tape.
If I earned more... I could pay off my debt, and help him with the shop... maybe even give him money instead of the other way around...

Her gambling addiction had caused her to lose everything.
Her parents, her college life, friends, finance... everything.
The only one who had taken pity on her was her grandfather.

A kind soul, who's stubbornness would not allow him to let his granddaughter to freeze when she appeared on his doorstep begging him to help her.
She was forever in his debt, and not the kind of debt one could simply pay off with money.
Though the extra thousand won would certainly help to show her appreciation.

The young woman slipped out the card the salesman had given her at the train station, peering down at it through narrowed eyes.
Even despite the sketchy appearance and the unknown intent behind the ddakji game, the card intrigued her.
A square, triangle and circle in black ink on one side, on the other, an eight-digit phone number.

"Give me a call." He had said as he packed up and left her.
Curiosity was a deadly lottery. She knew that. It was the reason she started gambling in the first place.
And she was good for a time, until those who used dirty tactics sent her spiralling down into debt, a debt she couldn't pay off on her own.

If getting slapped a few times was the price she had to pay for 400,000 won.
What would be the price for paying her debt off?
Or even more cash than that?

A knock came at the bathroom door.
"Are you alright in there, Dae-eun?" Her grandpa questioned.
"Yes!" She replied, though sounding slightly startled. "I'm fine!"

"Alright... I'll be cooking dinner soon, so be out in a bit."
"Yes, Grandpa!"
She loved him dearly, he was a kind man, generous and hearty.
And possibly the only one Dae-eun could say she truly cared about after all he had done for her.

This card...
This was her chance to pay him back for all his kindness, for everything he had done for her.
And her chance to give him a legitimate reason to be proud of her.

...

She waited until her grandfather went to bed before sitting up in her futon. The windows were draw shut, with only hints of the street lamp lights shining in.
The room was cast in darkness.
Until a white light entered belonging to a cell phone.

Silence was replaced by eight button clicks and the quiet noise of dialling as the call was placed.
The woman held her breath subconsciously, almost nervous as the phone rang over whether someone would pick up.
The click of an acceptance appeared and a voice came through.

"Hello? Who's calling?"
Dae-eun cleared her throat quietly before replying.
"I was given a business card at the station today with this number?"

"Do you wish to participate in the game?"

The woman ran the question through her head again.
She huffed.
All in.

"Yes."
"If you wish to participate, please state your name and birthdate."
"Song Dae-eun. September 10th, 1998."

"Your pickup will be tomorrow at midnight. Please wait at your street corner for pickup. The password is 'Red Light, Green Light."
The call was ended before Dae-eun could answer.
She had a day to wait.

...

Song Dae-eun stood on her street corner, seeming to check her phone every few seconds out of pure impatience.
11:59
It seemed it had been that minute for hours.

It wasn't until headlights appeared in the distance that she felt the hour had finally arrived.
A grey minivan rolled up before her, the blacked-out passenger window rolling down to reveal the driver.
A man dressed in a hot pink jumpsuit, wearing some kind of fencer-like mask with a white circle emblazed across it.

Odd uniform...

"Miss Song Dae-eun?" His voice was clear as he addressed her from behind the wheel.
She nodded her head slowly. "Yes, that's me."
"Password?" He asked.

She cleared her throat, it having become suddenly dry due to her nerves.
"Uh...Red Light, Green Light." She stated.
The masked man gestured behind him.

The minivan's door clicked and slid open, allowing her to step inside and take a seat.
She quickly noticed she was not the only one there, the other passengers seemed fast asleep.
"Hey, so how long will it take to get-" Dae-eun was cut off as the van door closed and the air around her began hissing white with some kind of smoke.

Her senses became hazy and unfocused quickly and she was dragged towards unconsciousness.
The very last thing she saw was the driver's masked face staring at her, now equipped with a gas mask.