He got up with a start; he was a light sleeper after all. He was breathing heavily as his eyes scanned the dark room, landing on the person sitting at the foot of his bed, looking equally startled. "Ben…?" He called out to the figure, calming down at the familiar company. "Sorry, Gogo, I just wanted to be sure you were okay." He smiled; of course he did. "So you’re watching me sleep?" He fell back onto the bed, looking over at his best friend.
"I’m just keeping watch...?"
"I can’t sleep with you staring at me like that."
He sighed before shuffling to one side of the bed and patting the free space. "We can just sleep together," he explained. This was fairly normal for them; they grew up together, after all. Ben would also insist they share a bed whenever they had a sleepover to save the trouble of dragging extra pillows and blankets for whoever was going to sleep on the floor. It was more convenient, or so Ben would say. Not that he minded.
He felt the bed shift with Ben's weight, getting more comfortable as he closed his eyes. Truth be told, he felt much safer sleeping beside Ben.
…
"Attention to all players, please make your way to the main hall."
He further buried himself into the sheets, trying to ignore the alarm noise that followed after the announcement. He took in his surroundings, gently untangling Ben’s arm from him as he sat up and shaking him awake. "Get up; the game master wants us to get to the hall." He pried Ben’s limbs off as he got out of bed, walking towards the bathroom.
At least the bathrooms and rooms were surprisingly well maintained. Everyone had been given a room for themselves, though most of them settled for sharing a room. Clearly, out of paranoia and concern for their own and personal safety, it was clear that, separate from their own groups, nobody trusted anyone. Placing the toothbrush back into the cup as he finished brushing his teeth, he made his way back to the room to see Ben sitting at the edge of the bed with a grim look on his face.
"Something wrong?" He frowned, leaning against the door frame as he waited for an answer. "Gogo, I don’t want you leaving my side until we get out of here."
"…."
"Someone else might end up dead again today. There's no telling when we can escape, and something tells me we can’t just sit around praying the authorities will save us." Ben's tone was firm and serious. Nothing like his usual personality or manner of speech, seeing him like this sent a shiver down Alex's spine at the unfamiliar feeling. "Alright, I got it."
[The main hall, 08:24 AM]
They all stood crowded around the room once more—the same room where they all witnessed yesterday's deaths. Everyone seemed to be on edge, dreading whatever the game master had to say.
Sam Lee looked as though he was no more than a walking corpse; his eyebags looked worse, paired with the obvious signs he had been crying nonstop. Robin's broken watch was now on his wrist, as well as a few bandages on his injured hand. The watch no longer worked; it served no purpose, and yet Grape wouldn’t have parted with it even if it meant he would end up dead.
The quiet chatter in the room dispersed when it was interrupted by a familiar static buzz. "Good morning. I'm hoping everything was comfortable for you all."
"Get to the point," Jimmy snapped, clearly not a morning person, it seemed.
"In the box there in the middle of the room, there are small devices specialized for each one of you. They can help keep you all in touch as well as keep track of the cases of all the players that end up meeting a grim fate; there's also a list of all players. Though keep in mind you can't reach the outside world with them, so save your energy."
Jake walked over to it first, reaching in before pulling out a phone. It looked customized for him, with a small chain hanging from it that looked like a miniature figure of him.
"They are all personalized, so you all know which one is yours. I hope you all enjoy my gift. I’ll let everyone familiarize themselves with their gifts; today's round shall begin at 9 sharp, though unlike yesterday, you won't be timed. Goodluck!"
There was a shared discomfort at the happy tone, though they all quietly retrieved their devices. Only a few minutes before the beginning of another game of life or death.
[09:46AM]
"Jack, don’t fall behind." Said male quickened his pace, catching up to Jimmy once more. Everyone parted ways almost immediately; clearly, none of them wanted to be around each other more than necessary. He silently looked over at Jimmy and frowned slightly.
"You’re looking at me like that again, aren’t you?" Jimmy sighed, not even sparing Jack a glance; he knew his second in command too well for that to be necessary. "…" He sighed when Jack remained silent. The silent guilt of being caught was enough of an answer.
"We’re going to be fine; the both of us will leave here just fine. That idiot Helmet died because he got too cocky; he should’ve just played it safe instead. I couldn’t give a shit about half the people here; just don’t go off alone without me, you hear?"
"Okay." He shook his head; he knew better than to doubt Jimmy. He was sure they’d be fine. Jimmy was with him after all.
[10:32AM]
"How’s that sound?" Dongha turned his head to look over at the quiet male that quite literally towered over him. He only let out a sigh, not giving him a verbal answer. Dongha grinned again in his usually unsettling way before turning back around. Much like all the duos in the building, the Mok-ha duo came as a package deal.
Dongha couldn’t give two shits about anyone else or their current circumstances; he was the type of person who’d do anything for the sake of survival or just for the hell of it. It wouldn’t be soon before they brought upon a storm.
[11:47AM]
"Hey Wolf…?" Hwangmo broke the silence between them. Wolf had been completely silent since they ended up there. He was almost worried; it only increased when the wolf didn’t answer, though ignoring him wasn’t out of the norm.
"Do you have a plan or something? What do you think is going to happen?"
No response. He sighed and went quiet; he knew not to bother Wolf too much.
[12:15AM]
"Jake, where are you going?"
"Just to explore the place a bit more, you three stick together; it's safer for you guys." The clementine-haired male shrugged, turning to leave the room. "Jake, it's fucking dangerous to go off alone." Dean walked over, placing a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Don’t worry; I’ll be back, I promise," he reassured before walking out.
He looked around the run-down hallway of the building; the space was completely unfamiliar. The windows were shut and boarded, making escape hopeless. He had tried prying the planks apart the day before, only to fail miserably. The game master hadn’t been joking about the building being inescapable.
He stopped in his tracks when the door to the kitchen came into view. Due to yesterday's events, everyone had gone to their dorms without eating. Not that they could’ve stomached the food after what they witnessed. He walked inside, hoping to grab a quick breakfast. Starving and having his health deteriorate wouldn’t be ideal in the current situation. After all, he had to protect his friends.
He reached for the basket of fruits on the counter in the kitchen, walking over to the sink to wash it. He ran his fingers along the smooth skin of the apple, humming to himself silently, trying to calm his nerves, before he was interrupted by a soft buzzing. Turning off the tap, he reached into his pocket.
"Probably Dean," he muttered to himself, taking a bite as he opened his device, ignoring the picture of his older brother that was set as his wallpaper. It had been unsettling when he first opened the device, and after talking with Timothy, it seemed everyone's wallpapers lined up with something or someone they held dear.
‘An unknown message?' He clicked on the notification bubble, instantly wishing he hadn’t as he doubled over in horror. His hand shook, gripping the device so tight that his hands were flushed. His eyes could barely focus on the blurry picture of Kenny sitting in a chair, tied up, and looking bruised.
His head was spinning, slowly descending to the floor as his breath quickened. His attention was drawn by a text.
[It looks like you’ve received my message.]
His shock and fear were quickly replaced with rage as he stared at the message, as if his glare would be enough to make the sender crumble in pain.
[You recognize him, right? You're dear big brother, Kenny?]
[Leave him out of this.]
He managed to respond with shaky hands, pressing way too hard on the phone screen.
[That doesn’t sound fun, but anyway, I’ve found a solution for the lack of fun!]
[What do you mean?]
[Well, the killer lacks a motive, no? So, I decided to take it upon myself to provide you with some motivation.]
[No.]
[Hmm, but I need a yes, Jake Ji. A life for a life, right? You know what's necessary to keep your brother safe, right?]
He didn’t respond, leaning back against the cabinets as he sat helplessly on the floor. Another notification sound [Unknown sent an attachment]. Against his better judgment, he clicked on it. He needed to know. Regret hit him like a bus. What could he do? Nothing. Glued to the screen as he watched the footage of the big brother he admired so much being reduced to a corpse of a man,
Kenny struggled against his restraints, with ropes digging into his limbs as he struggled. His words muffled against the cloth gag. There was the sound of metal behind him, and he immediately struggled harder, reacting violently. A masked figure came into view, removing the gag around his mouth. The male spoke up; his voice was gravelly as he did. "What the fuck did you do with Jake...." He was breathing heavily and still struggling. Despite his state, he was concerned for his little brother; he had been taken under the pretense that Jake was in danger. No answer.
The man didn’t speak; he only raised his arm so the blade in his hand was brought into view. Kenny’s questions were interrupted by an intense pain in his leg. He screamed out in pain, tears soaking his blindfold as he struggled. He continued screaming, his voice breaking as he gritted his teeth when the pain continued. He could feel it traveling up his left leg and consuming his whole being; he was blacking out. It was getting harder to breathe. He went limp, giving into the physical exhaustion. Was he losing blood? Jake was okay, right? It was harder to keep conscious, just for a minute. A little while. Was he dying? Oh well...
He covered his mouth, trying to control his gag reflex, as he watched the footage go black. Tears flowed down his face as he trembled.
[You understand now, right?]
[Go on, Jake Ji, give me a show.]
[Else I have to entertain myself; I mean, he looks a bit odd with only one leg, doesn’t he?]
He let out a quiet sob as a twisted smile made its way into place on his face. He lifted his head, letting out a bitter laugh. "I’m really going to be a killer, aren’t I?" He took a deep breath, closing his eyes momentarily before opening them again. It was imprinted in his mind. The way he struggled and the sounds of his screams His brother would never walk normally again. And if he didn’t obey, he may not even be alive.
[I’ll do it.]
[Wonderful, I’ll be sure to set him free once you hold up your end.]
He stood up, wiping away the tears, and placing his phone back into his pocket. His eyes landed on a knife in the kitchen, retrieving it as he stared at the sharp blade. His hand trembled, gripping the blade way too tight. "Sorry Dean. I won't be coming back."
[02:55PM]
"Are you okay?"
Jake turned around, and a tall male with green hair looked back at him, confused. Gerard Jin. He clenched his fist harder around the knife before placing it on the counter. "May I ask you a favor?" He looked over at Gerard with no emotion, a blank look on his face. "…Go ahead."
[04:24PM]
Blood decorated the floors and counters. He stepped to the side, catching the kick that was thrown at his face with ease. Gerard was breathing heavily; blood dripped from his nose and down his chin. His hair was pushed back and in a mess; he was reaching his limit. He couldn’t give in so easily. It was a fight to the death, after all. "I need to kill someone. Please stop me." The words rang louder in his head as he continued trying to hold his own against the man.
There had to be more behind those words. Jake Ji didn’t seem like the type to take his life without reason. His attention was brought back to the fight when a kick connected with his chest, and he lost his balance, flying back against the counter. He coughed up blood at the impact, holding onto the counter as he tried standing again.
Jake walked over silently, reaching to grab the knife he had placed down earlier before looking down at Gerard, who was on the floor. "I’m sorry." He met Jake's eyes, and fear and guilt swirled in them briefly. "I have to save my brother." He slashed at Gerard. There was the sound of metal clattering as Gerard scrambled to barely escape the blade. Blood ran down his face where the knife had made contact. ‘So that’s why...
He sat up, pressing his back against the wall he had backed into. "I bet I look fucking insane." He let out a sad laugh while walking over to Gerard before crouching down. He raised the knife, his hand still shaking, as he got ready to do it. He wasn’t sure how. He had never killed anyone before. "I’m sorry." He brought the knife down, aiming for his neck. He winced when Gerard let out a strangled gasp, more blood splattering.
"I’m sorry." He repeated the motion a bit harsher; he was on his knees, grabbing the knife with both hands still trembling. "Hey..." He opened his previously closed eyes, now making eye contact with Gerard. His eyes were dazed, barely focusing. "I forgive you, man," he said. Jake held the knife tighter before delivering another blow. "Thank you… Thank you so much…"
[05:14PM]
"GERARD!! LET GO FUCK, I TOLD HIM NOT TO GO ALONE FUCK." Alex thrashed violently in Ben's hold, desperate to make his way to Gerard. "Gogo, please. You don’t have to see that." He shook his head stubbornly; he needed to see him. Just once more. It was his fault. He had been hungry but hadn’t wanted to go off to the kitchen. It should’ve been him. He should be the one dead.
They had gotten worried and went to check, only to see the bloody mess. Ben had taken the affirmative, having been the first to see Gerard's body. Following the bloody trail to the man that was hidden by the counter After recovering from the shock, his only idea was to keep his friends from witnessing the brutal scene. Having to hold back Gogo from running to see the body was the only thing keeping him from flying into a fit of rage.
"Gray…?" He looked up when he saw Gray step forward from the corner of his eye. "Are you sure you want to see that?" Gray stopped in his tracks. "We can’t let them get away." Ben stared at Gray, who was shaking. He thought it was out of grief, but he now could see the anger that was barely contained in the small body. He could feel Alex eventually settle, shaking with emotion. He just held him tighter. Even Big Ben himself was at a loss for how to comfort his friend. He looked to his side; Eugene was crying and being comforted by Rowan, and Teddy looked as if he were no longer there mentally; he looked lost.
Their devices all vibrated in unison, disrupting the sorrowful silence. Gray was the first to check what it had been. "…" He silently read the announcement before turning to them. "The game master has started the investigation timer, and Gerard..." He turned the phone to them; the announcement was there, and attached to it was a picture of Gerard crossed out in red.
[Investigation Time]
"There were multiple stabs to his neck; one of the kitchen knives had been used."
"Right, why are you?"
Donald tilted his head, looking over at Ben, who digested the information with a look of mistrust directed at him. "The same way a surgeon doesn’t operate on a loved one, having someone close to the victim examine the body and run the investigation can open up more chances for error." He sighed, looking at Ben as if he were beyond stupid for even asking.
Ben glared, turning to look at Gray. His gaze softened when he noticed how red Gray's eyes were. Had he been crying? He walked over to place a hand on Gray's shoulder. "This was in his hands." Donald spoke up again, extending his hand to Ben, who cautiously offered his hand to Donald. He looked at whatever Donald had offered him, freezing when he saw what it was. He wanted to storm off. Beat the shit out of the killer. And he would have if he hadn’t been interrupted by the sound of a loud bell announcing it was time for trial.
[The Trial]
The room was silent as the Eunjang gang piled into it. A grim look set on all of their faces. There was a quick headcount done by Timothy before Donald stepped forward. It was clear he was running the trial this time.
"It was you, wasn’t it, Jake?" He simply sighed, not bothering to drag out the trial. "What? Why the hell would it be Jake?!?" Dean stepped in front of the orange-haired male, who remained quiet, staring at the ground. He gritted his teeth, glaring at Donald. "What fucking proof do you have?"
Donald sighed again, tossing the evidence he had shown Ben earlier towards Dean. He caught it, looking down at the small keychain figure of Jake that was tossed at him; it was covered with blood. "It was in the victim's hand." He answered the unasked question. "You-"
"I did it. I killed him." He stepped forward, cutting off Dean as he walked towards the Eunjang members, eyes still on the ground. "What..." he looked up; half of them stared back at him with horror, the others with disgust. He opened his mouth to speak before a fist came in contact with him; he didn’t fight back, letting himself be beat. He deserved it, after all.
The hits came to a stop when Dean suddenly stepped in, grabbing Alex by the collar, though he didn’t stop trashing and throwing hits. "Dean, let him go; I deserve it."
"YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! "I'll FUCKING KILL YOU!" His screams were filled with grief and anger. "YOU HAD NO RIGHT! NO FUCKING RIGHT TO TAKE HIM FROM US, YOU MONSTER!"
"I know." He looked down at Alex, who continued to hit him; his punches barely hurt. The male was clearly exhausted mentally, with tears streaming down his face. "It’s time for my execution, right?" He gently pried Alex away from him as he walked to the center of the room. "You may all vote with your devices."
He quietly took out his own device, with the keychain now missing, as he entered his vote against himself. He knew that Gerard's friends wouldn’t forgive him—not that he would ever deserve that forgiveness. The hatred they had for him was valid.
"For the murder of Gerard Jin, it is now time for you to face the music, Jake Ji."
His friends immediately protested against it, unable to believe he would do such a thing. If he were being honest, he couldn’t believe it either. "I’m sorry, guys. Dean, say goodbye to Kenny for me."
"No…"
"Wouldn’t you like to bid farewell to him yourself?"
He felt his blood running cold, turning around to see his brother coming into view at the end of the room, tied to the same chair he had seen him in. "Kenny? KENNY!" He ran over to him, adrenaline running through his veins as he kneeled down in front of the man in a chair. He looked pale from the amount of blood lost from his dismembered leg.
Everyone else in the room remained frozen in shock and fear. Jake removed his brother's blindfold, looking up at him, ready to cry. "Jake…? Are you… "You shouldn’t be here." His voice sounded so close yet so distant, as if Kenny were detached from his own body. He rushed to untie his brother when a small device on Kenny's chest got his attention. His eyes widened as he connected the pieces.
"you…YOU BASTARD, YOU SAID YOU’D FREE HIM!"
"Oh, but I am; once that explosive on him goes off, he's going to be set free. Now wouldn’t you like to be set free with him?"
"YOU FUCKER! I GAVE YOU YOUR SHOW!!"
He desperately clawed at the ropes; there was no way. He couldn't free him in time. He should’ve known it was a sick trick. "Jake… It’s okay…"
"No! It’s not; just give me just."
"Jake, it’s a big brother's job to protect his little brother, not the other way around."
He shook his head stubbornly. "Dean, stop him." The male snapped out of his horrified trance at Kenny’s voice, immediately walking towards him hurriedly.
"BEN PARK!" Jake turned around with a yell, looking at Ben with desperation. He stepped forward, grabbing Dean to restrain him. "Let go." Ben shook his head, keeping a firm grasp on Dean. "I’m sorry; I took your friend away from you, and I’m selfish enough to ask you for favors even now." He gave him a sad smile before turning back to Kenny.
He watched the timer go down, but he couldn’t save him. He knew, so he gave in. He let his façade break as he looked up at Kenny with a look of desperation.
He couldn’t care for anything else; right now, he was just a little brother who wanted to be by his big brother's side. A little brother who was scared to die was scared to watch his brother go. He stood up, wrapping his arms around Kenny in a hug. He was just a scared child who wanted nothing more than to feel his brother's warm, safe embrace. He could only wish his friends would forgive him for it.
"LET GO! JAKE! JAKE, COME OVER HERE, YOU CAN'T DO IT! JAKE!"
The rest of his voice was drowned out as the explosive went off. Blood splattered as they all shuffled back. Timothy closed his eyes, turning away as he felt the acid at the back of his throat, clinging to the wall as he threw up tears running down his face. Eunchan had gone into shock. Back pressed against the wall, eyes dilated as tears streamed down his face, he barely felt Grape clinging to his side. ‘There was no way... Someone like Jake had...
Dean continued to try to pry Ben away. "Snap out of it! Jake's gone; your friends fucking need you!" He stopped, going slack as Ben's words sunk in. He looked back to see Timothy and Eunchan, shaking Timothy off to rush to his friends instead. The room was quiet; only the sound of sobbing from the two could be heard as Dean pulled them close.
He wasn’t an affectionate person; hugging wasn’t something he did. But he was also horrible at comforting; he didn’t know what to say. There wasn’t anything he could say to lessen their pain; both brothers were gone side by side in the blink of an eye. He could only respond to their pain by keeping them close. He couldn’t say anything, but he was able to do this much, right?
"Congratulations! Two correct guesses in a row, hmm? Well then, you may all rest up for tomorrow."
[People: 19/24]