Wicked | Kang Sae Byeok | Squid Games

| Chapter Four |

| Wicked |

| Surprise |

Hana's attention was caught by the doors opening and the red jumpsuit men walking in. Everyone stood, ready for what they had to say.

"You have all made it through the first game. Congratulations. You're moving on. I will now announce the results of the first game."

The large green number at the front of the room started dropping and landed on '201.'
"Out of 456 players, 255 were eliminated and 201 successfully completed the first game."

Hana suddenly felt sick to her stomach as she realized how many people had actually died.

"Mister please!" One woman emerged from the crowd and started crying. "Listen, I'm so sorry. I swear I'll pay what I owe. I'll do it, I'll pay it all. Please sir!" She fell to her knees.
"I have a child. Oh so young. I need to register and I still need to name my child sir. Please sir let me leave! Please sir!"

Hana's breathing quickened as she tried to keep herself from doing something stupid. She was anxious to see how the guards would react to begging.

Multiple people started falling to floor in tears, begging for release.
"There seems to be a misunderstanding. We are not trying to hurt you or collect your debts. Let me remind you that we're here to give you a chance."

"Chance?" A man in the crowd shouted. "We play kids games, and you shoot us. You want me to choose that? That's some chance!"
"We may be in debt, sir..But that doesn't justify killing us all!"

"This is just a game." The guard says.

"Killing everyone out there was a game to you?"
"They were simply eliminated for breaking the rules of the game. If you just follow the rules, you can leave this place safely with the prize money we promised."

"Just keep your damn money, I don't care! Just let me go home! That's all I want."
"...consent form clause 1. A player is not allowed to stop playing."

"Come on! You think you'll get away with this? The police will bust in here any minute now. They'll be here since we all disappeared."

"Yeah. And I bet they have everybody's phones tracked here already! Look at all your hostages. You're doomed if you don't let us go!"

"We're all dead!"

A gun was fired and then silence.

"Consent form clause 2. Any player who refuses to play will be eliminated." The guard spoke.

"Consent form clause 3!" One man stood up. "If all players agreed to stop playing, the games are allowed to end. Or am I wrong?"
"...you are correct."

Hana didn't know how to feel.
She just knew she wanted Sae Byeok out or at least safe.

"So let's vote on it then. If the majority wishes to leave this place, then everyone gets to go home right?"
"...alright, as you wish. We will take a vote to decided on the termination of the game."

"Before we vote, let me announce the prize money for the game as previously promised." The guard raised a remote and pressed a button. The lights dimmed and the piggy bank lit up yellow.
Game show music started playing as money started piling into the pig.

Hana knew exactly how this worked. They would show the money and they'd all vote to stay and play.
She figured this whole thing was planned from the beginning and damn it, it was working.

"A total of 255 players were eliminated during the first game. 100 million won is at stake per player. Therefore, 25.5 billion won of prize money has been accumulated so far."

Of course. Find a game to kill the most players first so you could offer more money. It was all planned.

"Excuse me, sir?" The lady who first cried about her baby raised her hand.
"If we complete all six games, how much money do we get?"
Hana was appalled at the woman for switching her attitude at the sight of the prize money.

"Since there were 456 players, the prize money will be 45.6 billion won."

Then the group was lined up for voting.
A green O to stay
A red X to go home

It seemed like eternity before Hana was even close to the voting podium.
However, when it was finally her turn, she stuck with her gut and pressed the green button and made her way to the other side of the white line.

She then saw 067 who wore the same look she always did. Hana gave her a small smile as she held eye contact while walking past the girl.

067 broke eye contact to look forward as she felt heat rise up in her cheeks. It seemed like every time she looked at Hana, she'd eventually look back.

It was time for the last vote.
Player one, an old man, walked up to the podium and looked between the buttons.
Hana held her breathe as he finally reached forward and pressed the X and people started cheering.

"The majority of the people has chosen to terminate the game and go home. So, the game is now terminated." The guard says.
"Hey! Okay, anybody who wants to go, can. But let the ones who want to stay till the end keep playing!" A man rushed forward. "Half of us have died already! Let the rest of us play!"

"He's right! Please let us stay! We'll keep playing the game!"
"Yeah let us play!"

"It is truly a pity that we must say goodbye to you like this. However, we will not completely seal the door of opportunity for all of you. If the majority of you wish to participate again, then we will resume the game. So, goodbye for now."

Hana wanted to be disappointed but she had a feeling she'd be seeing Sae Byeok, or 067, again.

|

Hana was suddenly thrown from the van and onto the cold hard ground.
She landed with a grunt.
"You morons are on my list!" She shouted as her head pounded from the impact.

"Oh! Hello! Help, help!" She heard a man shouting.
She internally rolled her eyes and started getting herself out of the ropes, which only took seconds.
They didn't tie them well and this wasn't her first time being restrained.

She was finally able to take her blindfold off and see 456 and none other than Sae Byeok. They were all in their undergarments.
Hana smirked, only looking a little bit, as she made her way to the girl. Crouching beside her, Hana took her blindfold off. "Surprise."

Sae Byeok's face instantly went red. She sat up and turned her back to the intimidating girl, to avoid trying to keep her eyes from wandering. "Untie me."
Hana only huffed before she untied the ropes around Sae's wrist before she started putting on her clothes.

"Wait! What about me!" The man kept shouting.
"I'll leave you to deal with him. Since you two know each other." Hana chuckled. "Till next time, my little stalker."

Sae Byeok had untied the rope around her ankles and stood to fire back at Hana but she had already disappeared.
'How does she keep doing that?'
Sae Byeok thought.

|

As Hana made it home, she noticed the door was cracked open and the lock was broken.