In Other Words ✔

Among The Stars

She smiled to herself, satisfied.

...to the moon

"Please group yourselves into two for the next game. We'll begin shortly after everyone's found their partners."

"Let's partner up," Jiyeong said to 067, trying to sound casual and not to give away the hopefulness and nervousness she felt.

"I promise you'll win no matter what we play," Jiyeong said, genuinely meaning every word and coaxing 067 to accept her offer of teaming up. Jiyeong mentally added her promise in her list of purposes, writing it in the third place.

She accepted.

And let me play

"Play against your partner. Play any game with the use of those marbles and the one who gets all twenty marbles wins the game. You may begin."

The world seemed to slow and narrow down on Jiyeong. She took in a sharp breath, mind racing as the instructions repeated in her mind. She glanced at 067 and saw her already looking at her. Her eyes held some unknown emotion, her expression looked strange.

I need to resort my list of purposes, Jiyeong thought faintly. Not knowing what to do - since she didn't really want to panic right then - she rapidly resorted and edited her list mentally:

(1) Get 067's name.
(2) Get the answers to all my questions about 067.
(3) Do everything to make 067 win the game.

She glanced at 067 once more and immediately recognized the expression on her face.

She looks pained. Like she cared that I would die from this game.

Despite the situation, Jiyeong felt ridiculously happy. Because for the first time, she didn't feel lonely. Someone cared about her. And for the first time, she had a very significant purpose in her life.

Do everything to make 067 win the game.

...among the stars

"Kang Saebyeok. Ne ireumi (my name)," 067 finally said.

Jiyeong whipped her head towards her and opened her mouth in surprise. She immediately closed it and smiled.

She rolled the name around her tongue silently. Kang Saebyeok. Her name is Kang Saebyeok.

"What a pretty name. It suits you," she said with full honesty. She felt pleased when Saebyeok took her compliment to her heart. 067 still looked cold but the way her eyes softened at Jiyeong's words made Jiyeong immensely happy.

I did that. I made her happy even though she's not showing it.

Then Jiyeong mentally checked her list:

(✓) Get 067's name.
(✓) Get the answers to all my questions about 067.
(3) Do everything to make 067 win the game.

One last thing to tick off the list.

"Come on, let's play."

Let me see what spring is like

"Your turn."

Jiyeong glanced briefly at Saebyeok before focusing her attention on the wall. She played with the marble between her fingers for a moment before she closed her eyes and breathed.

Here goes my everything.

Then she dropped her marble.

She straightened her back and stared at the marble before turning to Saebyeok. She looked furious and more dangerous. But this only made Jiyeong warm inside.

She really cares about my death.

"Win the games and reunite with your family, Saebyeok-ah."

...on Jupiter and Mars

She was walking away from me now. I could feel the wetness on my cheeks but I ignored it and smiled.

"Kang Saebyeok. Gomawo."

This made her freeze. And her tense back was the last thing I saw before I was shot in the head.

In other words...

"...come on..."

"Did you..."

"-shut up and get me the reviving thingys!"

"...ou really think she'll survive..."

"She looks like a lost case to me..."

"...if she survived that head shot then she'll survive this!"

"Such a miracle that the bullet only lodged itself in a noncritical part of her skull..."

"Still, she was close to dying earlier..."

"She'll be dying again if you're not gonna pay attention!"

Jiyeong went in and out of consciousness. Garbled words that didn't make sense were heard and there were a lot of other noises. Then she blacked out once again.

A high-pitched sound resonated in her ear as everything came into focus again. This time, she remained awake.

She groaned as a sharp pain shot through her head like a bullet. She vaguely recalled that she did get shot by a bullet.

But... I'm still alive?

She opened her eyes, confused.

"Hi."

She stared at the man, shocked, her mouth dropping open. She glanced at another familiar man beside the first man.

"Welcome to the club," the Pakistani told her brightly.

⏺️🔼⏹️

Guess whose part will be next.

Btw, to those who are reading my other squid game story, "Chances, Changes", I'm not sure if I'm going to update it today. I haven't even started writing the next chapter yet.