No Way Out (Squidgame s2 x child reader)

|7|

🌃🌃🌃

I hadn't slept well. Hell, I don't think I slept at all.

Every time I drifted off, I was yanked back into reality—either by the distant murmurs of people shifting in their bunks or by my own restless thoughts.

By the time the familiar blare of classical music filled the room, I was almost relieved.

At least I didn't have to lie there doing nothing anymore.

I pushed myself up, rolling my shoulders and stretching my stiff muscles. My back, shoulders, and neck cracked in protest, but it felt good. A small sigh of relief left me, and I made sure to keep a smile on my face. I needed to stay positive.

Climbing down from my bunk, I stretched again, just like I always did before work. Well... former work? My manager was probably losing their mind right now. I hadn't shown up in, what, two days? Maybe more?

Were people even looking for me?

The principal probably called Mom, right?

I barely had time to dwell on it before the sharp, mechanical hum of the metal doors filled the room. That same monotone female voice echoed overhead:

"Your attention, please. The second game will begin momentarily. Please follow the staff's instructions and swiftly make your way toward the game hall."

'Swiftly'... I recognized the word, but couldn't quite remember what it meant. I'd ask Gi-hun later—he'd know.

Speaking of which, I needed to find him. Or 001.

I had no clue where Jung-bae was, and I didn't know Dae-ho well enough yet. So I scanned the crowd, searching for the old man instead.

There.

I spotted him a few feet away and quickly made my way toward him.

Swinging my arms back and forth, I fell into step beside him, matching his pace.

"Good morning?" 001 greeted, his tone light.

I shrugged. "Yeah. I mean, it's kinda cool not going to school."

I flashed him a grin, but instead of laughing, his brows furrowed.

Did I say something wrong?

"You go to school?" he asked, voice tinged with surprise.

Shit.

No point in lying now. He already knew.

"Yeah..." I hesitated, scratching the back of my neck. Might as well explain. "You know that businessman? The one that made you play Ddakji?"

001 nodded.

"I think he thought I was an adult," I admitted, voice dropping slightly. "I mean, I work like one. I'm a model. Part-time. But... I'm actually 14."

I felt my cheeks burn. Saying it out loud made it sound so much worse.

001 looked surprised, but his reaction wasn't quite what I expected. He let out a dry chuckle, but his eyes—his eyes were sharp. Angry. Not at me, but at the situation itself.

"Stay close to 456, then," he said, his voice lower than before.

I nodded, falling into step beside him just as the guards started herding us toward the game hall.

Climbing the stairs was a brutal wake-up call.

Why were there so many?

By the fourth set, I let out a wide yawn, rubbing my eyes as I forced my legs to keep moving. Every step felt like a reminder of how little sleep I'd gotten.