GAME OVER | SQUID GAME

◽️CHAPTER SEVEN◽️

ONE YEAR LATER...

"Yes, yes I'm on my way....a taxi's too expensive....I'm not doing that, Sang-woo, you know why I can't.." Gi-hun spoke with Sang-woo on the phone as he walked through thin snow and ice.

Sang-woo and Gi-hun decided to play it safe (ish) and stay in Korea. They packed up everything and moved to Busan, where Gi-hun continued to work as a driver. Sang-woo hasn't figured out anything for himself yet but started going to therapy for the past 3 months. He wasn't sure just how much progress he'd been making, considering the whole thing sounded so silly when said out loud. He wanted Gi-hun to get therapy as well but ever since they moved to Busan, Gi-hun started to live his life the way he was living it before the games and it kinda saddened Sang-woo.

Gi-hun continued to bicker with Sang-woo until a lady stopped him in his tracks with a basket full of roses. She looked worried, terrified even. Maybe it was just the cold...

"Excuse me, sir...would you like to buy a flower? Please, I've gotta sell these or they'll wilt away." She said, pleading desperately. Gi-hun turned the phone away from them and accepted one of the flowers. "Thank you so much. Have a good night." She said, bowing before walking away.

"Sorry about that, a lady was selling flowers." Gi-hun told the younger male as he admired the red flower. He zoned out for a moment, now unable to hear what the other was saying. A small black envelope with a pink bow was stuck to the flower.

Gi-hun furrowed his eyebrows in confusion as he opened the envelope and pulled out a brown card he knew all too well. Nearly dropping the card, his hand started shaking slightly. He quickly flipped the card over, seeing a message written on the back. He quickly skimmed through it and his eyes widened at the end of the note.

— FROM YOUR GGANBU

Gi-hun's breathing became uneven as he stopped in his cold tracks and let others walk in front of him. So many thoughts were running through his head, so many unwanted memories came flooding in. Was this some kind of sick joke? Was this a horrific nightmare?

"Gi-hun!!" Gi-hun jumped from the sound of his voice being yelled on the other line. He remembered he was on the phone with Sang-woo, who was worried for his friend.

"Sorry, Sang-woo..Uh-..I'm not coming home right now, I gotta go somewhere." He said almost frantically, hanging up at the phone before Sang-woo could protest.

Sang-woo sat on the couch, looking at his phone. He tried calling Gi-hun back numerous times but got no answer. He sighed heavily, wondering what was so important that Gi-hun hung up the phone so fast. Couldn't even tell him where he was going in such a hurry. Sang-woo turned on the TV of their new apartment and started flipping through channels until he found some old romance film. He sighed as he started watching it.

11:15

11:30

11:45

12:00

12:15

Sang-woo looked at the time and realized that Gi-hun had been gone for a long time. He picked up his phone and tried calling him again but still no answer. His heart started racing as he rushed to get dressed to go out and try looking for him. How could hang up the phone so fast and then not come back like he said he would? As soon as he put on a jacket, he heard the doorknob wiggle around a bit before the door opened and in came Gi-hun, looking completely out of it.

"You're back." Sang-woo said, but Gi-hun just looked up at him before looking back down towards the floor. "Are you okay?" He asked slowly, approaching the older man as he approached him and placed both hands on his shoulders.