PAWNS [squid game]

△14△

"Seong Gihun of Ssangmundong," 456 introduces himself.

"So, then what's your name?" 218 asks Ali.

"Ali.. Ali Abdul."

"And you are from the same place?" Gihun asks Ali and Britney.

"I'm from Pakistan," Ali says.

"I'm from America," Britney mumbles.

"And your name?" Gihun asks her.

"Britney Cohen," Britney names with a hand on her chest. "And.. thanks again."

"Ah, like Britney Spears!" Ali cheers.

Britney blushes and giggles, ducking behind Gihun. She'd never been compared to someone like that.. it was always someone else. Someone bigger. A joke.

"Cho Sangwoo," 218 introduces himself.

"Min Dohyun," Dohyun speaks up.

"Ah, really.." Gihun clicks his tongue. "I've seen your face before.. I just can't place where. Are you from Ssangmundong, too?"

Dohyun grimaces. He knew he was only mildly popular.. he was still getting used to people recognizing him, though.

"He's an idol," Britney speaks up.

"You knew?" Dohyun asks her.

"Ah!" Gihun claps. "You sing the song about the stars aligning!"

Dohyun is next to blush.

"The one about love walking across the stars like a wedding aisle," Gihun recalls. "My daughter loves that song."

Dohyun, though he was sitting, bows forward. "Thank you, Sir."

"How did an idol end up here?" Sangwoo wonders.

"How did a Seoul University graduate end up here?" Aheum wonders.

Sangwoo gives the younger girl a look, but he doesn't say anything.

"What about you three? You've been close since this started.. do you know each other?" Gihun asks. "Or is it because your numbers line up? 067, 068, 069.. it's kind of funny."

"Lim Aheum," Aheum introduces.

Jiah picks at the blood under her fingernails.

"Really?" Saebyeok asks. "Do I have to?"

"We're a team now. We should know what the call each other," Gihun defends.

Saebyeok sighs. "Kang Saebyeok."

"That's a pretty name," Gihun smiles, but chuckles. "Not sure if it fits, though."

"And you?" Sangwoo asks Jiah.

Jiah looks up from the blood on her hands. Everyone in the group was looking at her.

"Min Jiah," she states.

"And were you friends before? I saw you two out there when the break happened," Gihun recalls.

"I work in a red light district," Jiah reveals with ease.

Aheum huffs and knocks her arm into Jiah's. Jiah wasn't ashamed of her work, though. She took pride in her job solely because of the family she found there.

"So that's what he meant," Gihun notes, recalling Deoksoo's words.

"And old man there?" Jiah asks, nodding to 001- if only to get the attention off of her.

Really, she wasn't thinking about the fight that broke out. She was hardly thinking about the people she hurt or even killed. All she could think about was that guard.. what did he mean by that?

Did the guard want her red light work to show? Did he want something?

The thought makes Jiah sit up-right. 001 was trying to remember his name, so her movements went unnoticed.

If the guard wanted something.. he must know she was a red-light girl. And if that's the case.. Jiah could still make him pay for her services.

It could be no different than her normal work. She provides and he pays up.. If she could make him pay up, she could use that to her advantage. Maybe she could figure out the next game. Hell, even some extra food wouldn't hurt.

A tiny voice yells in the back of her head.. Wouldn't that be cheating?

This was life or death- to hell with cheating. Jiah needed all the help she could get.

She looks across the room. The final body was being put in a gift-wrapped coffin.

She stands up abruptly and steps over Sangwoo's shoulder.

"Yah, where are you going?" Aheum asks.

Jiah puts her hands in her pockets and slowly makes her way to the guards.

"Where else would she be going?" Saebyeok asks Aheum with a scoff. "Don't be a pervert."

Jiah pushes the bathroom door open and scrunches her nose at the sight of all he stalls. She heads inside quietly and peers at the bottom of each door, though she never sees anyone occupying a stall.

Once in front of the final stall, Jiah clears her throat. She was about to say something, but the stall door suddenly open. Before she could react, a guard grabs her by the jacket and slams their gloved hand over her mouth. She slaps at the guard's side as they drag her into the stall and lock the door.

Jiah struggles in the hold. She was still physically exhausted after the recent hours' ordeal. She knew she should've brought a weapon with her. These guards couldn't be trusted anymore than the other players out there.

The guard reaches to their mask and rips it off with their free hand. Jiah has a few choice words for him, but she couldn't speak.

If he wanted sex, he doesn't have to be like this. She knew what she was signing up for when she came in here, it's not like his want was out of the ordinary for her. The guard pulls the black mask down. Jiah's breath hitches in her throat.

"Don't scream," he pleads and slowly pulls his hand away from her mouth.

"Junho.." Jiah exhales.

Officer Junho takes a deep breath. Jiah pushes her back off of the wall and grabs his face in her hands.

"What.. Are you.." Jiah struggles, poking at his cheeks to make sure he was real.

"I snuck in," he explains. "I've been trying to get you alone, but.."

Jiah's eyes fill with tears. Why was she so overwhelmed to see Junho? She hated him. She liked their cat-and-mouse game. But.. she was so happy to see a familiar face after the hell she's been through in these games. Without a second thought, she stands on her tiptoes and jerks Junho into a hug.