Jeju Girls (Squid Game AU)

6: girls just wanna have fun

"Sae-byeok, are you aware that you're a workaholic?" Ji-yeong gives her a lazy look; the mentioned gives her a blank one. 

They had switched to first names basis, after Ji-yeong found out she was born four months earlier than her seonbae during her "night interrogations", which had become somewhat of a common occurance. The other girl of course, had not agreed to this at first.

"Yah- Kang Sae-byeok," Ji-yeong's tone had sounded threatening. "Are you pushing me away?"
*A/N: if you watch Kdramas, I'm pretty sure you what this is suppose to sound like*

Sae-byeok recalled Ji-yeong's words on that fateful night.  She let out a harsh sigh, rolling to her other side to face the girl. 

"If I let you call me by my name, will you let me sleep?"

The midget nods. A triumphant grin on her lips.

"So be it." Sae-byeok gives in, back-faced to her again. She closes her sore eyes, finally able to rest in peace with the apartment now silent. Only the heater's whirring hum in the background. Ji-yeong's voice was soft like the crunch of snow in the night. 

"Sleep well, Sae-byeok." 

A warmth blossomed in the Sae-byeok's stomach that spread throughout. The girl had pulled the thick blanket tighter around her body as if she was scared it would evaporate.

"Sae-byeok?"

Sae-byeok detoured out of memory lane. The short girl on her tip toes, snapping fingers in her face. Gently, she pushes Ji-yeong's hand aside.

"We have a quota to meet," she replies, always the serious one.

"Doesn't mean we can't have fun while doing our jobs," Ji-yeong reasons.

"What are you suggesting?"

"Let's make a bet," the girl smiles.

"A bet?"

The smile widens. The midget knowing she has piqued the taller girl's interest.

"See who brings back the most profit."

Sae-byeok crosses her legs, tall frame leaning against the railings of the sidewalk. "What are we betting?"

Ji-yeong's face morphed into one of deep thought; Sae-byeok found it strangely interesting to look at.

"I'll bet half my pay for the month," her older hoobae says with confidence.

Money.

It was a sensitive topic for Sae-byeok. Those coloured bills were the reason why she's been working like a dog in the first place. They were the only solution to her family's unfortunate state. She needed the cash. Her mother's life depended on it. There was no way in hell she'd bet on something she wasn't sure she could win. 

Ji-yeong seemed to already know what she was thinking.

"You don't have to bet your pay just because I did." It seemed like the girl had already knew what she wanted from the other.

"If you lose." Ji-yeong emphasizes on the last word. "You'll have to do everything I tell you to."

"Deal," Sae-byeok says nonchalant. She didn't have anything else better in mind anyways. Plus, what was the worst that could happen?

"Prepare to lose to your unnie," Ji-yeong tells her.

The sentence is a jab to other girl's pride.

"In your dreams."

||

"How are we doing this?" Sae-byeok is the first to ask when they get off at their stop. 

She already had a head-start during their two-station ride in the underground metal tube. Her victims: high school students who too comfortable with sleeping in public. She was pretty sure the other girl had too. 

"You want to lay some ground rules?"

"Isn't that the norm?" Sae-byeok asks flatly.

Ji-yeong laughs as they ride up the escalator, "You're more competitive than I thought."

"Feeling threatened?"

The laugh fades. Ji-yeong's bright face darkens into something serious that her smugness still manages to shine through. "No way."

Sae-byeok wanted to put her hoobae in her place.

"Why don't you suggest something?" Ji-yeong passes her the mic. "I'm the who's been coming up with all the stuff."

The taller girl mulls it over in her head, saying the first thing that comes to mind. 

"No flirting."

"No flirting?" Ji-yeong gawks at her. 

Sae-byeok didn't understand why she suddenly felt so embarrassed. It sounded like a good idea in her head. Something to give her leverage over the other girl.

"You do it all the time."

Ji-yeong denies this, "I do not."

"Then you suggest something." Sae-byeok huffs, stuffing her hands in her pockets.

There was amusement in the shorter girl's eyes. It was rare seeing the usually impassive girl act so agitated. 

"The deadline is at midnight." Ji-yeong says, coming up with something much much more practical.  Sae-byeok felt stupid for not thinking of something like that in the first place. 

"And we each only get half an hour at every site."

"Spread out and meet back at a certain spot?" 

Ji-yeong makes a sound of clarification, "Sound good to you? Or you have anything else to add that you think will benefit you?"

The girl's grin was getting more and more irritating each time Sae-byeok saw it. Before she could give a proper response, they arrived above ground. The harsh winter wind blowing as snow fell heavily throughout the city streets. 

"First snow, "Ji-yeong notes. "Guess we'll have to work indoors today."

To the other girl, it sounded like the worst outcome possible.

A/N:
You know what they (Koreans) say about  the "first snow" ~

In case anyone wonders: I write these in advance & I'll only update when I already have new chapters in the works.

Also, this fanfic is seriously affecting my ability to get over 067 *cries*