but she survived | sae-byeok x ji-yeong

mold and lukewarm cocoa

(warning: mentions of rape)

Getting thrown out of a car was not exactly nice. And the heavy rain that immediately started pouring onto the two girls didn't make it better. At least they were clothed this time, though. 

Sae-byeok couldn't see anything, due to the blindfold she had on, but she could hear a man yelling about God somewhere. She nudged her forehead against the ground, receiving a scratch or two in the process, before finally getting the piece of fabric off her eyes. She opened them, a raindrop immediately dropping into her eye. But she couldn't wipe it away because of her hands that had been tied together tightly. She then felt something odd in her mouth, opening it as wide as she could to get it out. On the street fell out a card, but not one like the invitations to the game, no. It was a golden credit card. 

"Ji-yeong?" she asked, struggling to sit up. She looked around, her eyes finally fixating on the girl, but something else caught her attention instead. It was a man that had taken off her blindfold, his head above hers, and staring right into her eyes as he said, "Jesus. Praise the Lord."

Ji-yeong cleared her throat, which caused the card that had also been placed in her mouth to get coughed up. She started wiggling to find out she was tied, before answering. "No, it's okay. I'm good." 

He looked a bit shocked by her statement, but he still chose to help her get untied as she stood up, muttering a 'thank you'. She looked around at her surroundings, finding Sae-byeok sitting, not too far away, on the ground, her hair dripping with water onto her face. "Need some help?"

"That would be great, yeah." Sae-byeok nodded her head, still trying to twist her wrists out of the fabric they had been bound with. Ji-yeong kneeled down in front of her, carefully untying her. "What should we do now? Do you have an apartment or a house?" 

Sae-byeok looked down, avoiding the girl's curious eyes. "No, I don't. Do you?" 

Ji-yeong stood up, helping the taller girl, too. "I came to the games right after prison. So, no. Should we find a hotel or anything?" 

Sae-byeok answered with a nod, feeling her hand get intertwined with Ji-yeong's as they started walking down the street with quick steps. 

- 

The hotel they had found was utterly disgusting. Walls were covered in spots of god knows what and the smell of mold caught the girl's noses immediately as they set foot in the building. But both of them were completely drenched and it was only for one night. 

They walked towards what probably should have been the desk, but it was just a single dinner table that was placed very weirdly. On a chair was a woman sitting; she looked to be around her mid-forties, hairs beginning to gray. Her head was supported by her hand that was holding it as she was snoring loudly, a string of drool on its way out of her mouth. 

Sae-byeok looked down at Ji-yeong, eyebrows raised in confusion and her face practically screaming, 'what do we do?'. Ji-yeong nodded her head towards the lady, gesturing for her to say something. 

Sae-byeok returned her sight to the woman, clearing her throat to hopefully wake her up. "Umm, excuse me-"

The woman let out a loud gasp as she woke up, looking at them with wide eyes before her expression turned lazy and she grabbed a pen, asking: "Yes, what can I do for you?" 

It took a moment for Sae-byeok to answer, confusion written all over her face. "We would like one room, please." 

The lady gestured between the two girls with the pen. "Double bed or two single beds?" 

"Double," Sae-byeok answered, quicker than she'd like to admit. She could feel Ji-yeong's eyes burn into the side of her face. She scratched her neck awkwardly. "It's cheaper."