𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐄 | 𝘬𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘦 𝘣𝘺𝘦𝘰𝘬

𝐕𝐈𝐈

"You alright there, 67?" 23's voice sounded from beside her and Sae-Byeok startled to find her there. Had she really been so deep in thought that she hadn't noticed her move?

The way 23 had asked that question made her even more startled than before. Her voice was agitated, but genuine. It seemed as if she was actually worried and the clear concern in her tone had almost made Sae-Byeok suck in a trembling breath. The mere fact that anybody cared, especially in a place like this threw her off for a few long moments, left her surprised and baffled.

She could feel 23's burning gaze on her. She did her utmost to ignore her.

23's presence was unnerving, confusing. It was the exact opposite of what she'd prepared herself for when entering this place.

"Fine." She kept her voice quiet, hopeful 23 wouldn't hear, but the silence around them made it stand out.

"It's okay if you're not, I mean we did just see like a 100 people die." Though she had evidently tried to cheer her up, 23's voice was still deadpan. It seemed that even she had lost that cheerful and curious tone she had spoken with before.

Sae-Byeok felt like she could burst from the confusion rising within her. What was this girl's deal? What was she trying to accomplish talking to her? Asking her if she was okay?

"What's it to you if I'm alright or not?" She asked, kept her voice low.

23 shrugged, "I was just asking."

The rest of the walk back to the bunk-bed room was mostly silent, save for the scuffle of shoes and the occasional mutter of words. 23 was still ahead of her as they walked through the door and faced the vast room they had woken in earlier. 23 walked in a certain manner, like a weight was pressing on her from above. Sae-Byeok watched as she slipped between two players, then disappeared in the sea of blue.

It seemed easy enough for her, to disappear. Given her small figure and her ability to weave between people as if they were nothing but objects blocking her way. Her moves quiet and smooth, making her almost invisible, like a ghost.

Sae-Byeok moved as well.

She didn't know why she did. It was as if her feet started walking on their own. Though, her mind didn't object, just merely complied. 23 kept getting lost in the crowd, but after a while seemed to navigate her surroundings with an ease that only people who had been on the run their whole lives have. Sae-Byeok knew, because she was a runaway too. It made her interest spark even more.

She didn't need to follow 23 to know where she was going. Sae-Byeok had a notion that 23 would end up in the back of the room. And like many times before, her notion was right.

She watched as the girl sat down on the steps, leaning against one of the beds. An almost secluded place, given that almost all the players had been standing by the door rioting about the game. And again, 23 didn't seem to care about that. She was such a curious person, it puzzled Sae-Byeok why she was not down there.

23 didn't notice her, she was too busy twisting that same piece of thread around her fingers. It was just that now her moves were frantic. The tremble in her hands was enough of a giveaway of her anxiety.

Sae-Byeok approached closer, put her hands in her pockets. She didn't sit, instead stood before 23 and looked down at her.

Though 23 must've known she was there, she didn't make any move to make a remark or ask a question. Or even look at her. Her eyes stayed on the blue string, seemingly unaware of Sae-Byeok's presence.