BURY A FRIEND ♱ squidgame

030. safe and sound

𝐍𝐀𝐁𝐈 𝐅𝐄𝐋𝐓 𝐒𝐀𝐄-𝐁𝐘𝐄𝐎𝐊 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄, 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 𝐈𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘 𝐖𝐎𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐔𝐏. Nabi had fallen asleep on the floor, leaning on the bed where Sae-byeok was lying.

The taller girl's eyes fluttered open, looking at her surroundings, her mind still in the fuzzy can of amnesia. "Sae", Nabi whispered, brushing her fingers lightly on the girl's cheek. Sae-byeok looked at the brown-haired girl, her eyes widening a little, the memories and questions were starting to float in. Nabi could see the panic taking control.

"Hey", Nabi called, setting her hand on the girl's hair, stroking her hair, trying to comfort the girl. Something about Nabi's hand in Sae-byeok's hair made the girl feel safe and sound like she was supposed to be here, with Nabi. But then it hit her.

"You're dead", Sae-byeok said, frowning at the memory of the gunshot, and the female voice announcing Nabi's elimination. She had so many questions, she needed answers. The panic in her chest and the pain in her stomach weren't helping. Nabi's eyes softened even more, as she looked down at the girl. Their faces were only inches apart, Sae-byeok could feel the girl's breath on her skin, it calmed her down.

"I'm going to tell you everything, but not now", Nabi promised, her voice was like music to Sae-byeok's ears to hear. She had missed it more than she had realized.

"Now all we need to be grateful for, is that we have the same blood type", Nabi added, smiling a little, although there was something different in that smile. It wasn't the usual careless toothy smile Nabi had given at Sae-byeok every once in a while. It had something sad in it.

They had missed each other so dearly. It tore them into pieces, that they couldn't hold each other right now properly. They both pleaded for skinship from each other, they pleaded for affection. They needed to scream their feelings from the top of their lungs, but they couldn't. Not right now.

Nabi leaned down a little, just so her lips could brush Sae-byeok's. She hesitated, before pressing her mouth to the girl's, letting the butterflies erupt in Nabi's stomach. Sae-byeok didn't even think twice, before answering, letting their lips move in sync, as the kiss carried on. It was sweet and innocent, full of worry and sadness. They both needed it, and more, but this had to do for now. Nabi propped her chin up with her hand, looking at the girl. This was not the first kiss either of them had hoped for, but you can't always have everything the way you want it, right?

They just stayed there for a while, staring at each other. Nabi's hand stayed in Sae-byeok's hair, as the younger girl's eyes started to feel heavy, and she fell asleep again.

The next time Sae-byeok woke up, was an hour later. Nabi had fallen asleep, her position looked uncomfortable, as she leaned her head to her hands, resting it on the edge of the bed. Nabi's hand was brushing the side of Sae-byeok's neck, her fingers tracing down her jawline, as Nabi mumbled something in her sleep.

Sae-byeok took this time to look around the room, she couldn't sit up, and turning her head was hard too. The room didn't quite match the hospital feeling Sae-byeok had first gotten when she woke up. Where was she? Why is Nabi here? How is Nabi alive?

Nabi moved a little, waking herself up accidentally. "Oh, you're awake", Nabi said, rubbing her eyes and propping herself up. Sae-byeok was still staring at the medical machines next to the bed. "What is this place?", Sae-byeok asked, she tried to cover the fear in her voice. Nabi looked around the room, thinking how to answer properly.

"I think we're still where ever the games were held. It's just a different part of the building, I guess", Nabi answered honestly. Sae-byeok looked at her arm, a tube was attached to it, and so were her stomach and nose. "But we won't be here for long. We're going home", Nabi said, pushing herself up from the ground. "What?", Sae-byeok asked in shock, her eyes widening. Nabi nodded, rubbing her eyes. She hadn't got proper sleep in days.

"When?", Sae-byeok asked, trying to sit up. Nabi helped the girl to sit properly, supporting her back. Nabi shrugged, looking at the door. "When they have a winner, I guess", Nabi said, her voice coming out as a whisper. Nabi looked at the younger girl, brushing the girl's short hair behind her ear. Sae-byeok swallowed, she liked the affection she was getting, but she wasn't used to it. The kiss they shared before still made her feel a bit weird. She didn't know what it meant. Sure, it could've been an act of care and longing, but the Kang girl wanted it to be more than just that. She didn't want it to be an impulsive thought or a thing that just happened once, and then it's forgotten.

"What then?", Sae-byeok asked, matching the volume of her voice to suit the girls. Nabi eyed the girl's face, not sure what she was talking about. "When we get out. What then? Where are you gonna go?"

Nabi trailed her fingers across the girl's collarbone, feeling the warmth radiate from her. "I don't know", Nabi confessed, looking down at her hand, which was resting in the crook of the girl's neck, her thumb still hovering on the collarbone. She hadn't thought about what would happen after the games. The only thing on her mind had been getting Sae-byeok safe.

The taller girl's hand slipped to grab the girl's cheek, bringing her face closer to hers. Sae-byeok pressed her lips to hers, for the second time that day. Sae-byeok stroked the girl's cheek with her fingers, tilting her head a little more. The kiss was shorter this time, but most of the innocence was gone. It left Nabi's lips burning and wanting more, but Sae-byeok didn't kiss her again. She looked the girl, dead in the eye, and said, "You can stay with me."