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𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒐𝒃𝒗𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏
WHEN MOST PEOPLE HAD FINISHED eating their breakfast, they all stared up toward the speaker system on the walls that started playing that same classical music again, not even a moment later a female speaking over the PA system.
"Attention," she spoke. "The second game will begin shortly. Please follow the staff's instructions and swiftly make you way towards the game hall."
She then repeated the instructions.
But everyone had heard it.
If the second game was to be starting, then it meant that when it was over, people would be dead.
(Y/n) stood up with a stretch and smacked Sang-woo on his shoulder, watching as he looked up at her with a grimace while she said, "Alright. Let's go. The faster we finish this game, the faster we can get to that prize money, isn't that right?"
"You are..." Sang-woo stood up as well. "...but that doesn't mean we'll be as excited as you."
"What makes you think I'm excited?"
"For one..." he swallowed thickly as he took in her features, from her (e/c) eye that sparkled with mischief to her dazzling smile that clearly spelled trouble, having to look away quickly once he did. "...your expression of eagerness clearly gives you away."
"Should I be less eager, then?"
He didn't answer.
Sang-woo knew she had been too large of a distraction recently, and it was clear to him now as it was when he first had spoken or looked at her. When seeing her patched eye and scar along her jaw, he had first been quite wary of her, but the more he started to observe her, the more he started to notice that he would keep trying to seek her out. Even though he was sure she was younger than him by many years, he couldn't help but be drawn to her and her unique perspective on the world, wanting nothing more than to learn everything about her.
But he couldn't.
It was either her, or him.
And out of everything he had been through, he knew to choose him.
But even as he told himself to focus on that outlook, (Y/n) didn't seem to get the hint, following and standing behind him in line, only smiling innocently at him when he turned to look at her. Working his jaw, he faced forward again and walked as the masked guards led them through that same winding and colorful room that they had taken them in before the first game, this time not having to have their picture taken.
Sang-woo didn't want to speak with (Y/n) again, but he knew he had to.
"That girl you were with last night..." he began in a hushed whisper, eyes tracking the guards all around them. "I happened to hear your guys' conversation, so... what did she see? Did she tell you?"
"She did... but why should I tell you?" She hummed in a sickly sweet tone.
"All the games that they made us play in here are all games I have known since I was a young boy," he started as they walked up a flight of stairs. "The next game will be too, I'm willing to bet. You tell me what she said... I might guess what it is."
"Very well then..." she smirked. "She said that she saw those masked men melting sugar... and that there were pictures of a circle, a triangle, a star... and an umbrella."
The last part wasn't true.
But he didn't know that.
And since she was behind him, she was able to see the subtle shift in his character—from the twitch of his fingers to the way his head bent ever so slightly—that told her he knew exactly what game they were playing.
Look at that.
"So... what is it?"
"I... I'm not sure... that's too little information," he sighed.
She blinked.
Is it?
They didn't speak anymore as they were led out by the triangle-masked guards to a room with walls painted like the sky complete with clouds while the ceiling even had a sun, the light glaring down on them to reveal an oversized slide, swing set, jungle gym, and a spherical spinning roundabout. And on the wall directly in front of them were doors each painted with the symbols that (Y/n) had specified, four triangle-masked guards already standing in front of them.
"Players, welcome to the second game," the woman on the PA announced. "We will begin shortly. So, before the game begins, please choose one of the four available shapes you see on the wall. Once you've chosen your shape, please stand in front of it."
No one moved for a moment.
(Y/n) glanced up at Sang-woo and saw that he was staring at the triangle, making a guess that that would be the door he would stand in front of.
She was the first one to stand in front of the door.
"Hey, Triangle 001," she greeted the man that was standing to her left before turning to the one on her right. "And Triangle 002. It's nice to see you both again. By the way, Triangle 002... you're not traumatized after what happened in the bathroom, right?"
He coughed, not expecting her question.
"I'll take that as you were traumatized," she gave him a sympathetic look before turning back to Triangle 001. "This dude didn't listen to me after I told him not to go in the bathroom where two of the women players still were. One was constipated, and he still went in there anyway and even opened the stall door! It's obvious that he was immediately cussed out by the one that was constipated. It was the funniest thing I ever saw."
Triangle 002's grip on his gun tightened.
"It's okay Triangle 002," she pat him on the arm and quickly drew away before he could swat her away. "Anyone would do the same in your position."
It was quiet, but (Y/n) heard Triangle 001 snicker.
And it made her smile.