I LOVE YOU SO
Chapter Fifteen
❛ Burning bridges. ❜

DEATH FLOATED AROUND them, but so did Life. They're constantly competing against each other, and the game Tug-of-War only tested the friendship between Life and Death. No one ever really knows the true beauty behind this, until they've really experienced it.

Hwang Aera never really knew the true meaning of Life.

She only knew that it was best spent with the people she felt at peace with. When her mind connected wholeheartedly with another, with someone who could accept her flaws. With people that make you laugh so hard that it becomes arduous to breathe. With people that are there for you even at your worst.

Life is like a garden. The flowers that get the most sunlight have lived life wholly. The flowers that wilt before they can see the sun are likely to be the ones that haven't lived to the fullest. When Aera was within that elevator, she felt like those wilted flowers. She wished her brother never went missing so she could fulfil her dreams of traveling the world.

But being beside Sae-byeok and her new found friends, ones that understood her in a different way from the people she knew in New York, Aera felt like a flower that was edging nearer towards the sun. She felt somewhat happy, even if there was a chance that she could die in the Tug-of-War game.

Ji-yeong nudged Aera with an arm, "do you think I could model in your photos when you become a photographer?" Striking an awkward pose, in hopes that it would make a smile spring across Aera's face. When a light chuckle glided out of Aera's lips, Ji-yeong almost smiled triumphantly, but instead she hid it with a shocked face, "why are you laughing, I'd be a cool model!"

"Don't be ridiculous, she wants me to," joining in with Ji-yeong, Sae-byeok playfully shoved Ji-yeong aside with an eye roll.

"Aera tell them that's not true," raising her eyebrows with her bottom lip sticking out, pleading, Ji-yeong brought her hands together and shook them.

Appreciating them trying to distract her, "you both can," Aera blew a slow exhale out of her lips, trying to make her breathing back to normal, a wave of warmth entered her senses as the fear began to go away, making her feel less cold.

"All you need it a good strategy in Tug-of-War," the sound of player 001's voice, brought Aera back into reality, making her hug her arms tightly. This also grabbed Sae-byeok and Ji-yeong's attention, they spun around slowly, facing the wise elderly man. ". . . And combined with good teamwork, you'll be able to win when you are against stronger teams."

Another voice from the player in front of Ji-yeong, interrupted him, "only one thing can help us now. It's the Lord himself, I know it." The elevator whined as it carried on flying upwards.

"You mean you know how to win?" Finding the courage to lift her back off the surface of the cold walls of the elevator, Aera rubbed her right arm at the feeling of the other's eyes on her, "how we could win?"

"Yeah," nodding at Aera with an appreciative smile for letting player 001 talk, "old man, what were you going to say?" Gi-hun lowered his stance, keeping his eyes on player 001 expectantly.

"Okay, when I was young, we always played Tug-of-War-"

"Wait me too!-" Aera exclaimed with a gasp, when some of the player's eyes trailed back to her with raised eyebrows, she cowered away, "sorry I'll stop interrupting," sheepishly, she stepped away. It was always a habit of hers to try and make things more lighthearted, just so she could distract herself from the fear and worry.

Pausing, in case Aera spoke again, 001 blinked several times before continuing, "it's a game I know well. And back then, I would always win, even if there was a wrestler on the other team, and it seemed like the odds were struck against us . . ."

When player 001's words droned in and out of Aera's ears, the strategy caused her nerves to settle down, her fear dispersed until it was non existent. Tugging greatly at the corner of her lips was a brave smile, turning her head from Ji-yeong to Sae-byeok, they both sent her similar grins, causing Aera to hold her chin up with confidence.

The yellow doors rumbled open, revealing the platform that stretched out before them. The tarmac felt rough against the thin shoes Aera wore, still standing between Ji-yeong and Sae-byeok, she blinked a few times, trying not to look down at the ground below, or else she could feel light-headed from the height.

Fiddling with her jacket sleeves, Aera felt a gloved hand wrap around her arm. The supervisor brought the rope up to her level, and locked her wrists in place, it was tight, making it impossible to flee.

Letting out all of her built up jitters, that settled within her lungs, in one large exhale, Aera lowered her chin and knitted her eyebrows together, making her forehead pucker from concentration. The rope already felt slippery, from the sweat on her palms, bringing her hands up towards both sleeves of her jacket, she wiped at them, trying to make them less sweaty.

Craning her neck around slightly, Sae-byeok could only hope that Aera was feeling alright, she imagined the concentration face Aera pulled and how Aera always played with the zipper on her jacket whenever she was nervous. Knowing that Aera was behind her, a determined grin plastered itself on to her face as it encouraged her to keep going.

Aera made both her feet face forward, the adrenaline skidding through her veins caused her to be benumbed from the pain within her bandaged leg. Bringing her lower lip under her top teeth, she bit down, the pain was already unbearable.

The rope began arise, it levelled under everyone's armpits. Aera squeezed her arm shut, making sure it was sandwiched comfortably with her muscles. Within the first ten seconds, the guilt that stained Aera's blood, diluted itself with determination, Aera was more focused to live than to feel guilt over everything.

Bang-

The gunshot called out, telling them to begin.

Placing all of her weight on to her back leg, "here goes-" Aera leant backwards, she was almost able to see Ji-yeong's jacket, from how much she arched her back. "AHHH OWW-" A Roaring scream escaped from Aera's lips, as she felt the pressure on her injured leg, the stitch threatened to come undone. Closing her eyes shut tightly, Aera teetered slightly before holding her ground, her feet settling on to the tarmac forcefully.

Her abdomen burned as if a fire was festering within her bones. Aera's muscles tried with all their might to stay together. Almost cracking her neck from pushing her chin upwards, Aera's mouth cracked from how hard her teeth dug into her bottom lip.

"NOW'S OUR CHANCE!" Gi-hun informed in a booming voice, meaning that the other team were beginning to slide all over the tarmac.

In a rhythmic pattern, Aera felt the blisters form within her hands as she tightened her grip around the rough rope. Violently, the rope tugged backwards with such brutal force. The only sound that accompanied the sound of the rope stretching, were the choruses of grunts and bellowed screams.

"WHY ARE WE MOVING FORWARD?" Almost choking on air, a yowl tumbled out of Aera's mouth that was widened. Her jaw almost hit the floor at the surge of pain, "OH MY GOD," that was located within her leg, the stitches had ripped itself apart. Not having the chance to look at it, she could feel the warm blood trickle down her ankle.

"WE'RE LOSING!" Mi-nyeo replied in a frustrated yell, "GODDAMN IT! DO SOMETHING!" Her wails harmonised with Aera's agonised squalls, creating an ear piercing noise.

In an irregular breathing pattern, Sae-byeok briefly looked over to check on Aera, "AERA YOUR LEG," her eyes landed on the small puddle of wet blood that formed on the floor from Aera's now open wound. Panic and grimace settled upon Sae-byeok's face as she watched Aera's face scrunch up.

"IT HURTS SO MUCH- HEY ONE OF YOU GUYS SAID THAT THE LORD IS WITH US- CAN YOU HELP ME PRAY SO I MY LEG CAN STOP HURTING LIKE A LITTLE SHIT-"

"GET YOURSELVES TOGETHER AND LISTEN," Sang-woo shared his thoughts. From the side of Sae-byeok's head, Aera could see him flicking his head around to answer everyone's cries.

"LET'S LISTEN TO THIS SANG-WOO GUY, I THINK HE KNOWS SOMETHING-"

"LET'S TAKE THREE STEPS UP WHEN I SIGNAL," interrupting Aera's outburst, the rope below his arms continued to pull, Sang-woo yelled out with his whole lungs.

"UP? WHAT NOW? BUT THAT'S THE EDGE!" Spitting out a cry, Mi-nyeo did not help calm anyone's nerves.

Throwing her head backwards in exasperation, Aera could feel the sweat build up uncomfortably on her back, it felt as if her skull was going to crack open like a watermelon from the pressure. "YEAH NO SHIT MI-NYEO-" Letting out an emphasised groan, Aera continued, "YOU GUYS, I THINK WE SHOULD STOP TUGGING BACKWARDS." Taking a deep breath, before regaining her strength, "WE SHOULD LET THEM PULL US FORWARDS WHILST WE TAKE THREE STEPS FORWARD."

"YES EXACTLY," leaning towards the side, San-woo's lips tugged upwards, relief flooded his veins over the fact that they both had a mutual agreement, and that he didn't just let Aera into his team for nothing, "THAT'S THE RIGHT IDEA."

"WHY WOULD I LISTEN TO YOU SCRAWNY LITTLE GIRL," Mi-nyeo's screeching voice was equivalent to a pointy needle, it penetrated everyone's ear drums.

"LOOK, JUST TRUST ME AND THEY'LL FALL," cutting their distressed wails, a tone of reassurance filled Sang-woo's booming voice.

Mi-nyeo thought against this, still pulling backwards. "THERE'S NO WAY I'LL DO THAT-"

"DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE A STRONG HATRED FOR HEIGHTS?" Thinking that this would distract everyone from the stress, it backfired for everyone was not relaxed, but really they were being informed about her biggest fear. Squeezing her eyes shut, the rope nearly cut through Aera's skin from how taut it was. Every nerve on her body began to shut down, they all benumbed themselves.

"DON'T LOOK DOWN," Ali yelled out from behind them all, his sentence fell out as more of a mumble for he was using all his strength to pull the others back.

"SHE LOOKED DOWN," Ji-yeong answered whilst shaking her head quickly with the corner of her lips tugging upwards as a chuckle spilled out of her lips,

"WE MIGHT AS WELL TRY," Gi-hun replied to Mi-nyeo's screeching cries. Her cries were almost as powerful as Aera's agonised yells, ones that were mainly caused by the deep wound within her leg.

"NO WAY I CAN'T-" Shaking her head furiously, Mi-nyeo began to shriek, surely bursting everyone's already damaged ear drums.

Sang-woo repeated once more. "MOVE UP OR YOU'LL DIE!"

Whimpering at this, Aera's concentration face was immediately disturbed, widening her eyes sharply, a perturbed expression illustrated onto her reddened face. "I DON'T WANT TO DIE. I DON'T- PLEASE I DON'T WANT TO DIE. I STILL- I . . . I STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN A PET BUNNY AND NAMED IT PEPERO- OR . . . HAVE A HOUSE BY THE BEACH. I CAN'T DO THAT WHEN I'M DEAD." Aera rambled on and on, her thoughts spewing out if her lips. "MI-NYEO YOU BETTER MOVE YOUR ASS OR-"

Sang-woo started with a clear voice, gulping gingerly as he did so. "ON THE COUNT OF THREE . . ."

All the players gripped the rope tightly, their life depended on each other, with fierce gazes, they awaited as Sang-woo counted down. Aera closed her eyes briefly, her mind flickered through the memories of the different people she met before in her life- with determination burning within Aera's pupils, she changed her stance so she was ready.

Swiftly, Death was beginning to overtake Life in the race they had together.

"ONE." Sang-woo began.

Dangerously, this left Life unsure.

"TWO."

Leaving Fate to decide the answer . . .

"THREE." Sang-woo finished with a grunt.

. . . As the Tug-of-War game continued.

A chorus of grunts harmonised all together, as each member of the courageous team charged onwards to their possible death, their soul glowed with bravery as the rope felt lighter, no longer taut.

"DID IT WORK?" Shuddering at the roaring thud from the opposing team's platform, Aera squeezed her eyes shut as she flinched. A series of goals she wanted to achieve in life, flew by her eyes, she wanted to meet those goals with all her might. But, with the uncertain outcome of the Tug-of-War game, it made her frown.

"PULL NOW!" Sang-woo's words set a whole new level of fire to ignite within everyone's hearts.

Gripping on to the rope with a ferocious strength, Aera bared her teeth as they gritted together from the strength used. Wild grunts left her lips, her muscles were weakened from the extreme work. Flickering her eyes open with force, a panicked shriek toppled out of her widened mouth. Her feet were slipping forwards from the weight of the opposing team being flung over the edge.

"AHHHH," tightening her grasp once more, Aera stuck her feet outwards, trying to maintain a stable stance.

THUD- The gigantic blade rolled down and sliced the rope in half, causing Aera's valorous team to collapse and fall, making them slam their backs down on to the ground. Everyone's feet flew into the air before slapping down on to the floor forcefully.

With her chest falling up and down in a vigorous manner, a pained chuckle spilled out of Aera's mouth that was agape. Some parts of her hair was soaked in her blood that painted the floor, the crimson substance came from the wound on her leg, one that was abruptly forced open. She almost mistook the blinding lights on the ceiling as the Afterlife. It glowed into her eyes, making her squint as a weak smile illustrated itself on to her face.

"We did it," Aera spoke breathlessly in a mumble, blinking slowly, a few warm tears soaked her cheeks as she shook her head in disbelief. Though, she had to stop quickly, she couldn't continue with the raging headache within her head.

"Yeah, we did," itching to reach over and thread her fingers through Aera's, Sae-byeok held a prideful smile on to her face, one that she willingly showed.

Though, it was impossible to hold Aera's palm, not when their hands were tied.

( 2567 words )

DEAR ALL,

Funny chapter for u all, honestly one of my favourites🤚🤚

Also all of you better wish cassie a happy birthday or else u're stinky‼️

See you in the next one, for more Aera and Sae content 🌈👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩🧦🍋🚲💛💚🌳🏝🦋🧺🌌🏞 (and the emoji list goes on)