Fun and Games

Partners

There is some commotion through the night, but nothing anyone needs to be seriously worried about. However, the morning beings something new, rather that the sweet and simple chimes that normally ring to wake them up, they are awaken up a loud blaring siren, similar to those that Opal had hear as tornado sirens as a young girl in the states. As the alarm blares, staff members walk in and the PA begins an announcement, "attention. All players, please make your way to the center of the room. Once again... please make your way to the center of the room."

All the players stay still until the staff members start to give orders, "hey, move, let's go." They shout as they wave guns in the players' faces. Sang-Woo and Opal share a look of concern and confusion, but eventually decided that the benefits of following their orders out-weigh the the consequences of staying put.

All the players line up in the center of the room and the staff members looks everyone over and start to dig through the bunks, as if they are looking for something specific. Once the staff is done looking over the players The Blue Danube begins to play, just like it does before every game. "Attention. The fourth game is about to begin. Please follow the staff's instructions and swiftly make your way towards the game hall." The woman repeats the instructions, but at this point in the games, Opal finds herself toning out the woman once she says, 'let me repeat the instructions.'

The players begin toward the game hall, but this walk to the next game is different then any other they have had before, and it's not because the path is different or the rooms are a less vibrant shade, but because in the main stair way there are four bodies hanging from the ceiling; three staff members and one player. Opal gasps when she notices the men, "oh, my God," she cringes.

As the players look up in shock and confusion, a staff member explains, "players, what you see before you is what remains of those who broke the rules for their own benefit. They tainted the pure and fair ideology everything beee has been built upon. Each and every one of you is considered an equal within the walls of this facility. You must be guaranteed the same opportunities without being disadvantaged or facing any kind of discrimination. We truly apologize for allowing such an unacceptable incident to occur."

As the players study the bodies they soon realize the player is the doctor. When she realizes this it doesn't take Opal long to realize how Deok-Su's team seemingly knew about Tug-of-War. "Well, that explains how those criminals knew about the next game."

"Yeah, let's just be thankfully it's not us," Sang-Woo nods and grabs Opal's hand before they keep going toward the game room. He doesn't know why, but as the games go on he finds himself becoming more and more protective of Opal. Maybe it's because as time goes on both of them become more of a target, even to those who they consider teammates, or maybe it's because he is learning what a strong and capable woman she is. Through just the few games they've played Sang-Woo has seen Opal; stay calm under pressure, joke and chat while focusing on the most tedious of tasks, and put her completely trust in him and the others on her team. Sang-Woo can't help but think that these are all traits that he sees in his mother, someone who has causes him to set a very high bar for the women in his life, just by doing her best.

The players are shown into another large white room and spread out, all the teams from the last game staying together. "Players, welcome to the fourth game. For this game, you will be playing in teams of two. Please look around and find someone you wish to play with. When two people agree to play together, shake hands to show you have become partners. There can only be two players a team. You will have ten minutes to find your partner." The players begin to look around looking to find someone they wish to play with, but something doesn't feel like to Opal, it feels almost like a set up.

Mi-Nyeo begins to go around to all the men in their group, trying to find someone to play with, starting with Gi-Hun, "hi handsome. Let's do this, huh? I'm better than you think. And I'm stronger than most guys too. Guess what? I know how to con just about anybody I see. I'm not a genius, but I still got it where it counts, huh?" Soon realizing she's getting no where with Gi-Hun she moves over to Sang-Woo, who is looking over Opal as the pair try to decided what to do. "Hey, let me play with you. Then I'll be your dream girl all night long, you know us Korean girls are better than foreigners anyway. I'll do anything you tell me. I'm not a regular girl."

"Hey, back off," Opal snaps at Mi-Nyeo stepping up toward her.

"Oh, are you two together, I thought it was just a causal thing."

Opal scoffs, "if I kill you are you dead or just not breathing?"

Mi-Nyeo then realizes she isn't getting anywhere with Sang-Woo either and then looks to the rest of the group, "you're pretending that you don't want me on your team, is that it? What? Can't decide? Want me to choose instead, huh?"

"Stop embarrassing yourself," Sae-Byeok calls out from her place at the back of the group. "No one will want to play with you like this. And you should all be honest. You don't want a girl to team up with or an old guy."

"Of course we don't. We could die," 196 calls out, "we already almost died in the previous round."

"This man is right," 244 nods, "and it was Adam's rib the Lord used to make Eve after all. And that's the reason that we're choosing men. They play different roles than women."

Opal chuckles, "you know it's been a while since I read the Bible, but I believe it's something like, 'the Lord fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man and brought her to the man. And the man said, 'this is now bone of my bones, flesh of my flesh; she will be call woman because she is taken from man.' But no where does God says Eve is less than."

Everyone in the group goes about finding someone to play with, Soon Sang-Woo takes a deep breath taking Opal's hand, "I already know who my partner is," he smile down to her. "We're both smart, we'll figure something out."

Opal shakes her head and looks around, "no." Sang-Woo looks down to her confused, "look, you should be with someone who is going to really be able to help you win."

"We can win, I know it."

"Look, I didn't intend on coming out of this when I came back. Other than you I have no one. You have you mother and other family I'm sure I don't know about. You have to get out of here for her, so pick someone who is really gonna help you win."

Sang-Woo takes a deep breath and moves over to Ali, "let's join forces. Most of these games here, you need to be strong or smart to win. And I think if we're a team, we'll... we'll beat a lot of the others out there." Sang-Woo holds out a hand to Ali who shakes his hand.

The players go about picking teammates and soon the only people left are 196, Mi-Nyeo and Opal. Opal walks up to 196 and holds out a hand, "looks like we're partners."

"No way, I'm not pairing up with a girl," 196 protests looking around for someone else.

"Look, it's either me or her," Opal points to Mi-Nyeo who is now begging someone to take her as a partner.

196 then wraps an arm around Opal's shoulders with a smile, "partner."