Testing Ground

Small games

Washing up pretty much ended with me asking Jiyong about himself and he would shut me up by asking if I was interrogating him or somewhere along those line, and minutes later the same cycle would happen.

I sent him to the door and went straight to my bedroom after that. I guess I was a little drunk yesterday when I wake up with a slight headache. I slowly but groggily made my way down the stairs and to the door to get the mail. Most of it was for the owner besides from a small note. It was from Bom.

It wrote:

Come over for breakfast, Seunghyun ordered me to feed you well and bring you for grocery shopping later. See you.

I smiled at how caring the owner is and decided to change into a more presentable outfit compared to my sweater and sweatpants. I threw on a white sweater and a ripped jean. Grabbing my wallet and phone, I locked the doors behind me and made my way to Bom's unit.

Upon ringing the doorbell, Chanwoo opened the doors for me to enter. Their house layout was the same as mine, just mirrored image. I walked into the kitchen with Chanwoo and greeted Bom who was making eggs.

"Is western okay? I can cook your usual meal if you want." Bom smiled, walking towards the table with the cooked eggs in her hands.

"It's fine. Do you need any help?"

"Nah, just sit with Chanwoo." I sat down beside him and watch him do his work.

"Noona! If I win you give me $5, if you lose, I get $10. Deal?" Chanwoo hand me a paper with the tic tac toe grids drawn. This kid is probably just bored. Just play with him, Dara.

"Deal!" I made my first move at the top centre of the grid. Passing the paper back to Chanwoo, I noticed the intense look in his eyes. Damn if only this kid was as focused on his work. He made his move on the top right hand corner of the grid which led me to putting my move below his. He placed his move on the bottom right hand corner and I place mine beside his. The game was really silent and tad bit of intense. He placed his move right in the centre, making his victory.

"Noona, $10." He grinned widely with his hands out in front of me. I sighed as I took out a $10 note and placed it on his hands.

"Mom! I got $10," Chanwoo ran to his mom and waved that $10 note in the air.

"Dara, never play with him, he extorts, even if you want, make sure you win, less damage." Bom knocked Chanwoo's head. "Breakfast is ready."

Chanwoo ran to sit on his chair while Bom got us the plates and cutleries and I slowly made my way to the dining table. Bom offered all of us orange juice which I gladly accepted and start our breakfast. I finished my last mouth of sausage and orange juice which was when I suddenly felt the room spinning. I held onto the wall for balance. I could see Chanwoo in front of me speaking words I could not comprehend. At last, my vision blacked out.

When I awoke, I could not open my eyes. There was a wave of light that struck me, restricting my ability to open my eyes. Every time I try to open them, it was only forced back closed. Panic was starting to rush through me as I tried to move. I was bounded to a chair, tied up with metal chains.

Relax Dara, this is your room. Relax. I tried to calm down to the sounds of the spinning fan and I could hear two men talking.

"Hyung! You really have a good eye for these women eh." The voice was really familiar.

"It all comes naturally."

"So what are we going to do with her?" My breathing quickens.

"Test her first."

There was a short moment before I could hear a heavy metal scraping the surface of the floor as I start to struggle.

"Stop struggling, it will hurt your arms."

"Who are you?" I ignore the guy's advice.

"It's like a quicksand, the more you struggle, the faster you sink. As for this, the more you struggle, the more cuts you get." He was right, I was getting cuts every time I make a move but I just wanted to get out. I do not want to take any tests.

"What are you gonna do to me?" I stopped struggling, my chest was heaving up and down as my breathe gets heavier.

"Promise me that you will not run away if I set you free from these chains." I vigorously nod my head hoping that he would really let me free.

I heard some fiddling with the chains before I was completely free. My breathing hasten as I made a dash for it. With my eyes still unable to open, I ran towards where I heard the voice from earlier. But I was only met with a cold hard wall and a heavy blow to my head. Falling back was the last thing I felt and 'shit' was the last word I heard.

I woke up for the second time back in the same spot, tied to the chair again. I tried to open my eyes this time, and it worked. Although I was still squinting, I could make out that the room was now dark and there was a figure standing in front of me.

"You promised me, why did you run?" The familiar voice was gentle.

"I have completely no idea what you are going to do to me, obviously I'll run." Instead, I was screaming and shouting at him, tears started to fall from my face.

"I'm scared." I sounded more peaceful this time.

"I said to let you go and I did, I didn't even question our trust yet you broke it."

"Free me this time, I promise not to run." I sounded desperate.

"How will I know you will not run again, Dara." The way he called my name sounded ever so familiar.

"I promise." More tears flowed down my cheeks.

"Free yourself. The chain is undone." I held the chain and untied myself from it. I could feel his eyes staring at me watching my every move.

"What are you gonna do to me?" I asked, scared.

"Nothing much, just a game. If I win, you stay with us, no contact to the outside world. If you break your promise, heads will be shot, hands will be chopped off, limbs will be severed, and organs will be dug out. All for money in exchange." This scene felt very familiar, just with a change of people, and fouler outcome. The previous one left me a choice, this, I have to win.

The lights were turned on and dimmer from the one before. A lot dimmer. I looked at the guy before me. He was wearing shades and a mask. Even so, he looked familiar. He handed me a paper of 15 lines formed in a triangle, and the rule is to cancel only one to three sticks at a time and the person that cancels the last stick loses.

We started our game and as time ticked, I knew I was at the losing end. This guy had played this game so many times before me and it was only my first time.

"Sir, sir Youngbae is looking for you." The door opened.

"Give me a minute." He looked at me and left. As I stare at the half played game before me, Chanwoo walked in.

"Chanwoo? Why are you here?" I asked.

"Mom told me to follow you and make sure my uncles don't hurt you."

"Your uncles?"

"Yea, you were with one of them just now. Let's continue, hyung gave me an order." His eyes suddenly turned cold. We continued the unfinished game and of course, Chanwoo won. It seems almost to me that he is a born hustler. He got $10 just by winning a small game. And now, he just put my life in danger just by winning another useless game.

"Chaerin is probably really worried about me.." I voiced out my thoughts.

"You know CL noona?" Chanwoo asked.

"CL?" Chanwoo nodded.

"Whenever I'm sick, mom will always bring me to CL noona, and she will take care of me."

"Lee Chaerin? The one always bickeri-"

"Bickering with Seungri hyung." He finished my sentences.

"Where is she? Do you know where she is? Can you bring me to her?" I pleaded, down on my two knees, in front of the 10 years old boy.