Annyeongz One-shots

55. Game ( 2 )

The argument didn't end because they solved anything. It ended because fear won.

Their phones buzzed again, louder, harsher, the screen flashing warnings that made their hands shake. No one wanted to be the mafia who "failed." No one wanted to risk the system choosing one of them.

So they stopped thinking.

They stopped caring who.

They just tapped.

Karina closed his eyes and pressed a random name.
Minju followed.
Momo and Mina hesitated only a second before voting together.
Liz's thumb hovered... then dropped.
Even Ryujin, jaw tight, voted without looking.

The moment the final vote went through, the hallway lights stopped flickering.

Everything went quiet.

Too quiet.

Then, like a switch had been flipped, exhaustion slammed into them. Their knees buckled. Their vision blurred. One by one, even the mafia collapsed where they stood, dragged into the same forced sleep as everyone else.

-

Morning.

A sharp, metallic ringing sound echoed through the entire building.

Every student gasped awake at the same time.

Wonyoung shot up in bed, breath ragged, heart racing like she'd been running for hours. Her clothes were damp with sweat. Across from her, Leeseo jolted upright, eyes wide with leftover fear from the dream. Winter clutched her chest, whispering, "It felt so real..."

Liz sat up slower, hand already on her phone.

A voice came through the speakers, clear and emotionless.

Day phase has begun.
The student eliminated during the night is... Jaeho.

Silence.

Then confusion.

"Wait-Jaeho?" Hitomi's voice echoed from the hallway. "That's not-he wasn't-"

Footsteps thundered as everyone rushed out of their rooms, panic pulling them toward the main hall.

Wonyoung's stomach twisted as she ran, Liz and Leeseo close behind her. The air felt heavier than yesterday. Colder.

They reached the hall-and froze.

Jaeho was lying in the center of the floor.

He wasn't moving.

His eyes were closed, face pale, body completely still. His uniform was stained dark, and the sight alone made several students gasp and look away, horror spreading through the crowd like a wave. No one needed to get close to understand-something had gone terribly wrong.

"This isn't a dream," Winter whispered, voice breaking.

"No, no, no, this isn't possible..." Karina muttered, backing away.

Ryujin stood stiffly near the back, face blank, hands in his pockets, pretending calm. Minju crossed her arms, looking shocked but quiet. Momo held Mina's hand tightly. Liz covered her mouth, eyes wide, playing her role perfectly.

Wonyoung felt her chest tighten. "We can't just leave him like that," she said, voice shaking but firm. "We need to move him somewhere proper."

Most of the students just stood there, frozen.

So Wonyoung grabbed Liz's wrist. "Help me."

Liz blinked. "M-me?"

"Yes! Please!" Wonyoung turned and pulled another student nearby. "Soobin, help too!"