Dead End | Jun-ho

14 | Promise in Pieces

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"Where have they been?" the guard in front of him said. The square's arms were crossed, his fingers tapping just above his elbows.

J gulped, trying his best to conceal the reaction of his heart dropping. The guard couldn't have found out that was impossible. Well, he could've. What if a triangle or circle had said something? Although, it's most likely he would have been caught by now. If his br-, the front man had found out, he would surely be dead by now, and her. The man scratched the back of his neck nervously, generally worried, not about himself, but about Aera.

"The guard?" he spoke again, shaking his head and pointing to the yellow doors.

A sigh of relief escaped J's lips, his worries disappearing as he realised the man was taking about the guard that had supposedly gone missing.

"Sh- He, came to me yesterday and said that he wasn't feeling too well so he went back to his room for the night. I brought him here with me today but I wanted to ask a favour-" J began, but was soon rudely interrupted.

"Slacking? God, nobody in this damn place will do their job properly." The guard said angrily, craning his neck.

"He wasn't-" J tried to cut in.

"I'll send him to the top, he needs to guard the elevator."

The man's eyes widened, knowing that he'd promised Aera she didn't have to work in the games. The plan was to tell the guard that 'he' wasn't feeling well and so needed to do an easier job, like working in the kitchens. He was a square mask himself, but he couldn't authorise who was working where, so he needed to speak to the main guard working for the third game to get the approval.

"Wait, no! You can't do that!" J sounded desperate, half-shouting to the guard walking off. If he hadn't of informed him then he would have for sure been questioned. Why would he be so concerned for a triangle guard that meant nothing to him?

Before J could try to stop him any further, the button had been pressed once again and the yellow doors slid open. The guard walked up to Aera, roughly grabbed her hand and told her to go up in the elevator to guard the top.

To J's surprise, she didn't fight; she didn't scream nor shout. Aera just looked over to where J was standing and slowly shook her head. Unable to see her face, but he knew she was disappointed in him.

He'd promised her.

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Aera gulped as she took shaky steps out of the elevator, eyes darting around the scene in front of her. She'd arrived at the top, along with the team members on the right side's platform for the next game. The girl was supposed to be controlling the players, but she was so stiff and could barely move from how scared she was.

This couldn't be happening; it was just like before, front seats to watch people die in front of her. She felt the need to relax, knowing she was going to be fine because she was a 'guard' but her mind wouldn't let her. First of all, J had promised her that she wouldn't have to work in the games and would find her a less gruesome job.

Secondly, she was deadly terrified of heights. Finding herself in too high of places had never had a great outcome.
It wasn't exactly her strong point.

Aera suddenly had an epiphany, remembering her newly acquainted friend, Mi-sun. She'd only realised as she was trying to find something to distract herself with, being so high up would usually result in a panic attack. It seemed a little rude that she'd only just remembered her friend again, but Aera had been so caught up with everything that it had slipped her mind.

Shortly after Mi-Sun gave her explanation, Aera had changed her mind about her. The girl felt awful. Her parents may not have ever been there for her but at least they were alive. Mi-Sun had personally watched them die in front of her and Aera couldn't imagine what trauma that would come with.

She'd realised earlier that she needed to change but maybe it was already happening before she could even think to do it. Aera had unknowingly been nice, felt guilt and worry for someone. The girl was already improving and it made her happier that she'd succeeded in doing something good for once.

Aera darted her eyes to the platform below her, where all the players waiting to go next were located. A sharp breath came from her mouth as she accidentally looked beyond it, noticing how far down the floor was. She shook her head, continuing to look for her new friend. To no luck, Aera couldn't find her, which meant that she was playing in the first round.

Her pink-streaked hair wouldn't be difficult to find, so she looked for the girl on the right side first. Mi-sun wasn't there, but then looking over to the left platform, Aera spotted her. Mi-Sun looked strangely happy, smirking as the guard came to check her handcuffs for the last time.

Aera knew her well enough that it was classic behaviour from her to be joyful, even in a situation like this.

"I don't like showing people my true emotions, so I put up a wall and act all brave, like I don't care at all."

The girl knew that underneath Mi-Sun was petrified, and just wanted to prove to her team mates that she was tough and not some weak person that was going to easily lose. If only Aera could let her know she was there for her; watching her as close as a platform away. She crossed her fingers behind her back, praying that Mi-Sun would be okay. Aera gave her credit though, she'd gotten through the first two games and still managed to have a smile on her face.

"Where's your gun?" a stern man's voice came from in front of her. Aera quickly removed her crossed fingers from her back and brought them to the front, hoping to come off as more authoritative. The girl was stuck on what to say, or to speak at all. She sounded nothing like a man and Aera knew it was rare to hear a women's voice come from behind a mask.

The guard huffed, "Take mine." he shoved it into her chest, Aera being forced to grab it. She looked at the tip of it, exactly where the bullet would shoot out. It had ended up right in front of her masked face and she quickly pulled it away. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to shoot anyone, otherwise she didn't think she could take it anymore.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a guard wave a yellow and black checkered flag before a loud gunshot went off, bringing her right back to the first game.

Both sides started harshly pulling on the rope, their feet gripped on to the floor to keep balance. Aera clutched the gun in her hand, adjusting the grip. If she could've crossed her fingers again, she would've. The girl was praying for both sides, for everyone. But she knew how it was going to end, only one team could win.

Once all praying for each other, now two sides of antagonists. Each platform, left and right, fought to see who's strength was better than the other. The left side seemed to be winning, Aera giving a nervous smile under her mask because she knew Mi-sun was on that team. The girl didn't want anyone to die, but she was definitely rooting for Mi-Sun's team. She felt awful picking a side, betting on them like horses. Aera just couldn't bare to witness her friend dying.

Both sides pulled and pulled, each player having a sizeable amount of sweat trickling down their foreheads.

Finally, the last tug, and a team had won.

The girl almost let the gun slip out of her hand as she looked over to the left sides team; Mi-sun out of breath and smiling on the floor. She'd won, thank god.

To busy being thankful for Mi-sun, she'd been distracted the whole time. Suddenly, a loud thump echoed from beneath her, as she realised it was the players from her side. One big mistake later and she'd looked over the edge. Why? She didn't know.

Aera knew what was about to happen. Her breath seized as she felt herself go light-headed. The gun dropped out of her hand, the noise of it falling to the ground unheard as her hearing blocked out. Before anything else could happen, Aera felt herself fall into someone's arms.

"Oh, Aera."

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