The room was cold.
Too cold.
Gi-hun’s eyes flicked open.
The bed beside him was empty.
No arms.
No warmth.
No whisper of breath.
He blinked once. Twice. Then sat up in a panic.
He’s gone.
Now was his chance.
His legs hit the floor before his brain could even catch up.
Barefoot. Silent. He crept past the bedroom door—open for the first time.
The hall beyond was long. Dimly lit. Empty.
No guards.
No cameras.
He’s letting me go, Gi-hun thought wildly. He’s not watching.
But deep down, a voice whispered:
He’s always watching.
Still, he ran.
Down the marble steps. Past portraits of masked men and luxury soaked in death. His breath caught. His pulse thundered.
He found the main door.
Unlocked.
He threw it open—and stepped into the freezing wind outside.
Snow.
It was snowing.
Hard.
He stumbled forward, half-naked, feet burning against the ice.
But he didn’t stop.
Run. Just keep running.
Behind him, the door creaked.
And then—
“Gi-hun.”
That voice.
Gi-hun’s blood turned to ice.
He didn’t turn.
“Come back inside.”
In-ho’s voice was low. Calm. Dangerous.
Gi-hun started to move faster.
“I said—don’t run from me.”
The next moment happened too fast.
Hands. Strong. Unyielding. Arms wrapping around his waist from behind—pulling him back with violent grace. He kicked, yelled, fought—but it didn’t matter.
In-ho lifted him off the ground like he weighed nothing and carried him inside.
Back into the warmth.
Back into the silence.
The door slammed shut.
---
Gi-hun thrashed against him, but In-ho didn’t speak.
Not until they reached the bedroom again.
He threw Gi-hun down on the bed—not hard. Not soft.
“I trusted you,” In-ho said, voice shaking. “You slept in my arms.”
Gi-hun spat, “That doesn’t make me yours.”
“No,” In-ho whispered. “But it made me think you were mine.”
The words sent a chill down Gi-hun’s spine.
“I didn’t lock the door. I didn’t tie you down. I gave you a choice.”
“And I chose to leave!”
“Then why are you crying?” In-ho asked suddenly.
Gi-hun’s fingers touched his cheeks.
They were wet.
He hadn’t even realized.
In-ho moved closer, kneeling by the bed.
“You don’t want to be free, Gi-hun. You want to be saved. There’s a difference.”
Gi-hun whispered, “You’re insane.”
In-ho smiled sadly. “Then why does part of you want to stay?”
Silence.
He reached forward, brushing Gi-hun’s hand with his own.
“Let me show you something.”
Gi-hun blinked. “What?”
In-ho stood. “Put your coat on. We’re going somewhere.”
“…Where?”
“To the Game.”
YOU ARE READING
No exit, just us.
Romance"I told you, Gi-hun... there's no leaving me. Not anymore." After escaping the games once, Gi-hun thought he was free. But nightmares don't end-they evolve. He wakes up trapped, again. But this time, the games are different. No masked men. No contes...
