𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗗• 𝗦. 𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗚

𝑡 ℎ 𝑖 𝑟 𝑡 𝑦 𝑡 ℎ 𝑟 𝑒 𝑒

- life's not so dull now that you're in it

[n a r r a t o r]

It's quiet. There was no trace of sound being heard over the course of the hall for hours. It was just the silence of the palate card hitting the glass tables. The points being taken down by the guards standing at each table.

Ryung was on her last round. Smiling softly to herself at her winnings. She couldn't refrain herself from looking over her shoulder a profuse amount of times. Knowing that Sae-byeok is being out in the same situation.

She couldn't stand it. The quietness. The way Sang-woo folded his lips inwards everyone he calculated his next move. Even so he still lost.

Sae-byeok was winning to her despise. She hated that he was letting her. She hated that she couldn't lose against him. Somehow no matter how flimsy she was playing she still won. For once in her life, she didn't want to.

"Don't be an idiot. This is the last round. Okay properly." Her expressions blank. Letting the simple words devour her slowly. Realisation hitting her harder then expected.

She gets to go home. She can go home with Ryung. But without Gi-hun. For some reason that ached here heart.

No matter what he was there. Even when she hated it. He was there to listen. To teach. Regardless if he barely knew himself. He tried to reassure her, when he was the one who needed it. He's childish, weak and pathetic but somehow she still found a way to care for the old man as if he was her father.

She hated herself for it. For letting herself go further then she let herself venture.

Gi-hun smiled softly. Playing with the cards in his hands humorously. Pretending for a moment he wasn't going to die after this. And that'll he'll be able to see his daughter and his wife. Look after his mum. But it's slowly starting to fade.

"What do you mean? I am playing properly. It's only you who's the slow one." Gi-hun laughed harder. Setting down all his cards in a perfect array. To bad they were out of order and in the wrong suite.

"You idiot. You cheater. We have one more game right? Please tell me we have on more game? It can't end like this. He didn't even play right." Sae-byeok looked at the guard. Waiting for an answer she's knows will never be returned.

"Thank you Sae-byeok. I truely loved playing with you." He shook her hand slowly. Letting his finger wrap around her wrist. Gathering the last of her warmth before he looses all of his.

And there it went. The trigger being pulled a length of times before his body bled. The blood seeping through his shirt. Standing the Cotten sheet of his jumper until you could barely tell it was cyan anymore.

His hand loosened around hers. His grin still a faint blue through his tanned skin. "Fuck." Sae-byeok couldn't cry. Not when she knows she isn't the only one who lost a person today.

Not when she's lost the energy. The bones in her body felt limb. Felt as if they'd fall right off her skin.

She leaned back into her chair. Watching the colour of Gi-hun's face slowly fade to a grey.

Ryung slammed her cards onto the glass table confident of her win.

Tipping her tongue onto the inside corner of her mouth as she awaited for Sang-woo. She watched his eyes widen and pupils shrink. The quiver evident in his fingers as the vibrated against one another. His shoes tapped violently against the table legs. Sang-woo's breaths hit his chest rapidly.

He didn't want to lose. But at this point it was definite.

His head spun to the right. Looking at Gi-hun. His body fallen from the chair. Blood leaking from his chest downwards his torso. Drawing blood filled dots over his once coloured body. He's lost the vibrance in his tone and the laugh he only heard moments ago.

And for whatever reason. Sang-woo couldn't find a care in the world for him.

His attention wasn't set on him. Or her. Regardless if he's dead or not. Doesn't matter if he could feel the blood of his best friend tripping from the plastic seats. He needed to win.

He didn't care how.

Because if he could win his way through a child's game with Ali. He should be well off winning a babies game with a teenager. Who's brain is just barely developed.

His head calculated carefully. Placing the four cards down slowly. Gritting his teeth tightly before touching it onto the glass table.

"Last round... over."

A/N:

Four more chapters to go....