EGOIST (Sang Woo x Fem!OC) [COMPLETED]

40

Each player was situated in one one table that connected to form a large square in the center of the room. Strauss continued to play in the speakers, though at this point everyone had been used to it. Candles lit the room instead of the blinding fluorescent lights, emitting this relaxing ambience that did not make them feel comfortable at all. Tuxedo-cladded, yet bloody-faced. From each side they carefully eye one another as the feast was being served.

There was a lot of food, some of which Hae Young couldn't name. Bread buns in one dish, roasted vegetables in the other. Cutlery were placed before them with ivory handles, dishes were served beneath a lace place mat. It was as if they were out of hell for a short moment. Then came the main course; steak.

"We have prepared this feast for you as a token of our gratitude for the sacrifice and efforts you finalists have made."

None of them could really tell if that was supposed to make them feel any prouder and any better.

"We're certain you'll give us a splendid performance in the final game."

Performance.

It's entertainment for them, but who's watching?

"Please enjoy the feast without any concerns."

They were all hesitant, gingerly taking the cutlery from the table to dig into the food. There was obvious worry in the first bite, figuring if the food may have been poisoned or tampered with. But the missed taste of meat made her tongue water, craving for more steak. It has been a while since a proper meal, anyway, as all four finalists gulf down their food with fervor. They weren't feasting like kings, they were devouring like hungry animals in the wild.

Wine, steak, roasted vegetables, nothing was left untouched on the table. Some glances were exchanged in between bites, from Sae-byeok, to Sang-Woo, to Hae Young, then to Deok-su. Deok-su probably had the sickest look of all; all looked as if he was ready to kill.

Weed out the weakest mindset. Hae Young already knew that, but she only stared back at him with the same aggression and fiery passion. He does not scare her.

By the end of the feast, all plates had been cleared and cleaned, with the steak bone remaining. Pink guards take over, taking cutleries and dishes, flowers and candles, clearing the table with everything but-- Hae young gazes down. In the emptiness of the white-cloth dining table, the ivory steak knife remains. Looking around at the rest of the players, the guards had done the same. This was the performance they have been waiting for. Though she only glared at one person in distrust before slowly taking the knife from the table and into her grasp. Deok-su, was glaring at all three.

********

The room was dark, lit by a single candelabra sitting in the dead center of the room. All four of them were already on the beds, watching and waiting, knives in hand. Though it was more of two pairs of eyes of Deok-su, and one on Hae Young, as Hae Young gazed into the nothingness, fidgeting with her steak knife to keep herself awake.

Everyone's head was bobbing off at this point, trying their best to keep themselves alert in case one of them decides to jump off their bed and attack. With the quietness and the ambient darkness, it was easy to doze off. She couldn't call it lucky, but it was Deok-su who was slowly losing consciousness in the six-days' worth of exhaustion they'd been put into. His head would droop to the side, lids threatening to close shut, but he'd catch himself again with an audible, surprised grunt before repositioning himself upright on his bed.

The heavy sleeper who is Sang-Woo was suppressing every urge to collapse on his bed right there and then, but he remains sitting upright, feet planted on the cold ground. Sae-byeok was the only one up and alert.

Hae Young could feel her exhaustion creeping up to her as well. If not for the blood loss and the pain, all the physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, it was her who was at stake here.

"Hae Young..."

She jolts up awake, knife armed and ready. She sees Sang-Woo looking down at her with tired eyes.

"You're falling asleep..." He says.

"How long was I out?" She asks, voice raspy.

He just shakes his head lightly. "Not very long."

His gaze then turns to behind her, and she follows it, looking at Deok-su who was inevitably sleeping on his bed. There was relief in both eyes.

"If he's asleep, then maybe it won't be a bad idea to save our energy and rest for the night." Hae Young says.

"We have to keep alert. He can try anything."

"Are you tired?" Sang-Woo asks her, though she couldn't give him a proper answer. She didn't want to say yes, though she couldn't say no as well because the answer was clear on her face. She tried to sit up from her bed, though her body felt heavy.

"Hae Young--" Sang-Woo catches her as she nearly collapses into her bed. Hands on her skin, he feels the heat she radiates.

"Shit, you're burning up."

He plants his hand on her neck and her forehead, then both of them on the space beneath her cheeks.

"Hae Young, I think you have a fever--"

They freeze at the sound of Deok-su grunting, then getting up on his bed once again. But then he stops midway, noticing the figure standing by Hae Young's bed. He turns to gaze at the two. He gives them a sinister smirk.

"She's losing her strength." He says menacingly.

"If you try anything--"

"--I'll kill him myself." Sae-byeok cuts in. Deok-su looks at the girl in disdain.

"You bitch--" He hisses, ready to get up from his bed.

"You can try, old man." She tells him. "But there are three people in here willing to kill you. You're outnumbered." She says, and that seemed to compel him to settle back onto his bed, sulking.

Sang-Woo gives her a brief look then a nod of gratitude before turning back to Hae Young.

"Hae Young." He says. "Get up, I'll take you to my bed instead."

Deok-su scoffs at them, aware that his chances of killing her had dropped low.

"Come on." Sang-Woo tried to help her get up, catching her in the brief occasions where she nearly dropped to the floor.

"Is your wound okay?"

"Yeah..." Was all she could muster at that point.

They slowly limp towards his bed with her ivory steak knife still clutched on one hand. With the room being so big, the distance between their beds seemed so large that the moment they had finally gotten there, Hae Young collapsed onto Sang-Woo's bed in an instant.

The fever made her head and body feel heavy, aching as well as the burning sensation on her upper thighs numbing out from the sickness. She had to sleep, she knew that, or else she wouldn't be better by the morning. And if she doesn't, she'll be dead meat by then.

He carefully sets her up on his bed, tucking her in as much as he can. He removed his coat and placed it on her as an added layer of warmth. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing at all.

"Here--"

Sang-Woo jumps at the sudden appearance of Sae-byeok, though she only came up to him with her coat shed off from her person. She hands it to him, and he takes it.

"Thanks." He says, and she only replies with a mere nod.

He wraps her around with the coat, keeping her as warm as possible. Then, in her fever haze, and the soft illumination of the candelabra in the room, Hae Young was asleep in an instant. This put the two players at ease.

"We can take turns." Sae-byeok tells the older man. "We can watch over her and keep guard. I hardly feel sleepy anyway." Though Sang-woo just nods, sitting on the floor by the foot of his bed. This is where he sheds all distrust, as he puts all his trust and hope in one person.