No Way Out (Squidgame s2 x child reader)

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🌃🌃🌃

The room fell into stunned silence.

Jung-bae's mouth hung open slightly, his eyes wide. Dae-ho looked like he was trying to process what he'd just heard. Even Jun-hee, who had kept a calm demeanor so far, seemed taken aback.

The only ones who didn't look shocked were 001 and Gi-hun.

I swallowed hard, gripping my hands together. I hated that reaction—the way people stared at me like I was some fragile thing, like I needed pity. I'd learned a long time ago that pity wouldn't get me anywhere.

Dae-ho was the first to break the silence. "You're... 14?" He said it like he still didn't believe it.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"But—why? How did you even end up here?" Jung-bae asked.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "My mom. She's sick. Colon cancer. It's stage four." My voice wavered for just a second, but I forced myself to keep going. "The hospital bills keep piling up, and... I have to pay them. I don't have a choice."

Jung-bae ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. "Shit."

Dae-ho shifted uncomfortably, like he wanted to say something but didn't know what.

"So it's just you and your mom?" Jun-hee asked softly.

I hesitated, then nodded. "Yeah. It's just us."

Jung-bae frowned. "What about your dad?"

I felt my stomach twist at the question. Of course, he'd ask that.

"He left," I said, my voice flat. "When I was three. He found a younger woman and just... left us."

Silence.

I didn't look at them. I stared down at my lap, my fingers gripping my sleeve.

Jung-bae cursed under his breath. "That's messed up."

"No kidding," Dae-ho muttered.

Jun-hee didn't say anything, but I could feel her eyes on me.

I let out a bitter chuckle, shaking my head. "It's whatever. It's been over a decade. I don't even remember him."

That wasn't entirely true. I had one memory—his voice, his laughter, the way he used to call me his little star. But I had buried that a long time ago.

"You shouldn't be here," Dae-ho said suddenly.

I looked up at him. "And you should?" I shot back.

He flinched.

I sighed, rubbing my eyes. "Look, I know I'm young. But I have to do this. If I don't... my mom dies."

No one argued with that. What could they even say?

For a while, none of us spoke. We just sat there.

"Oh Young-il. That's me," said 001—no, Young-il—his voice softer than usual, as if he hadn't said his real name out loud in a long time.

"Young-il?" Jung-bae repeated, tilting his head.

"Yeah," Young-il said with a small nod. "You know, like 'Yeong-il.'" He glanced down at his lap, his fingers absentmindedly tracing the stitching on his uniform. "Zero-one in Korean. It's hard to forget." He tapped the number on his chest: 001.

Dae-ho let out a short laugh. "Oh, that's crazy! Your name literally matches the number you were given!"

I smiled, relieved that Young-il had broken the heavy silence.