I Love You So ✓ Squid Game

031. a sense of freedom

Struggling to wriggle out of Aera's robust arms, his forearms were secured tightly to his sides, making it harder for him to breathe. He let out another quiet chuckle as he tried shimmying his way out of his sister's iron-strong arms, Aera couldn't take the hint either, since she squeezed a little tighter and continued to voice her experience.

"Can you sort of," Jun-ho continued through gritted teeth, his forehead reddened from the efforts to breathe properly, "we can talk a little more later- can't exactly breathe and we have guards on our tails."

Jumping backwards with a sheepish grin, the stone cold water crashed against Aera's shins as she made an attempt to find her balance. Within arms reach, she took in her brother's familiar face, as if he would disappear if she were to look away, "you're really alive?"

"Of course I am," a sudden chuckle flew out of Jun-ho's mouth as he beamed once again, his shoulders moved as he did so, but he wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the ocean full of emotions he was feeling at that moment.

"You're alive . . ." Aera's voice began to trail away towards the end.

At that moment, a splatter of guilt could be seen upon Jun-ho's face as the wrinkles from his soft smile began to falter. He watched as Aera's eyes become blanketed with glistening tears, Aera's uncontrollable cries bounced off the mossy walls, creating an eerie echo around the hollow, underground cave.

Jun-ho's own tears, fell freely before him as he tried placing a comforting arm around her shoulders, whilst a hand patted her back, "stop crying- fuck sakes you're making me cry."

"I thought you left already, I thought," she went on in a hushed tone, a voice that could be carried away by the wind. Aera's bottom lip quivered tinily as she tried suppressing her weeps inside of her throat, making it sore as if it were bruised.

"Remember what you said, when we first arrived in the disaster?" Jun-ho continued to pat her back with no particular rhythm, his expression calm, but with a comforting smile on his lips. The reminiscence of much simpler times, brought a saddened smile upon his features, making it even harder for Jun-ho to uphold his strong persona.

"Hmm," Aera mumbled a response.

"You said that I was an idiot and we made it here alive, and that we'd make it out of here alive, together," a breezy chuckle followed after, he stretched out his arms whilst holding on to Aera's shoulders, making her stare into his eyes with her own eyes growing puffy and red.

"Yeah but that was before we arrived here-"

Jun-ho cut his sister off, before she could doubt their plan any further, "and that's exactly what I intend to do. We can, not only, save ourselves, but those victims in there. Even the future people who step into this place."

"You're right," Aera mumbled as she found hers gaze drifting towards the ladder, her stare wistful, as a flitter of memories flickered through her mind, memories she held dearly and close to her tender heart.

With an encouraging nod, a prideful grin fell upon Jun-ho's lips. Pointing towards the water with his index finger, "we have no control over changing the past, but we do have control over changing the future. We can still change what goes on in there, we just need extra help." Keeping his eyes on his sister, he reached behind himself to grab some scuba diving equipment.