⭐️ ——— Mi-Ya fidgeted with the wire of her headphones, watching as people passed by. She was currently sat in the subway.

She didn't have enough money to pay for gas for her car, she was literally in debt. All the money she had spent on finding her siblings had made her riddled in debt.

But, she didn't regret it.

She was finally closer to finding out where they were. After three years, she had a lead. But, she needed to make more money.

Mi-Ya pursed her lips as she glanced down at her phone. The broker hadn't gave her any information yet, but she knew it would take a while.

A quiet sigh left her lips as she leaned her head against the wall, continuing to listen to her music.

Mi-Ya was about to relax, but she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She immediately sat up, thinking it was the broker.

She took her phone out of her pocket, looking down at the unknown number. Mi-Ya took off her headphones and moved them around her neck. She was about to answer the phone but a voice made her pause. "Excuse me."

Mi-Ya looked up, seeing a man in a suit, a brief case in his hand. He smiled down at Mi-Ya, making her politely smile back. "Could I take a moment of your time?"

"Uh." Mi-Ya looked back down at her phone, watching as the call stopped. She figured she could call them back after. "Yes, of course." She nodded her head, putting her phone back in her pocket. "How can I help you, sir?" She politely smiled up at him.

"Would you be interested in playing a game? It won't take long." The man asked, making Mi-Ya raise her brow. Before she could answer the man placed his brief-case down on the bench beside her, opening it up.

Her eyes widened as she looked down at the mass amount of money in the brief case. Her lips parted as she looked down at the Won. "Have you ever played ddakji?" The man asked her.

Mi-Ya hesitantly nodded her head as she tore her gaze away from the money, looking back up at him as she pursed her lips. "Yes." She replied, moving to stand up.

The man simply smiled at her response, pulling out the blue and red cards. "So, you know what to do." He hummed, watching as she nodded her head once more. "Would you be willing to play a few rounds of ddakji with me?" He asked, the smile still on his face. "If you win, I will give you 100,000 won each time. And if I win, you pay me back."

Mi-Ya's brows remained furrowed together as she glanced up at him, then the money in the brief case. She could really do with that kind of money. More money to find her siblings.

"Would you be interested?" He asked, holding out the coloured cards.

A heavy breath left Mi-Ya's lips as she nodded her head, glancing up at him with a smile. "Okay."

The man gestured for her to take a card, holding them out for her. She pursed her lips as she looked between the cards. Mi-Ya always used to play the game with her siblings. And she always seemed to win. So this shouldn't be too hard.

Mi-Ya reached out to grasp the blue card, standing back as he placed the red card down on the floor.

She took another step back as she raised her arm with the card, purring her lips as she aimed for the red paper.

With a swift motion, she threw the blue card onto the red one, successfully flipping it over. She grinned at that, looking up at the man who nodded his head. "Good job." He told her, reaching over to hand her 100,000 won.

She smiled at him as she took the money, thanking him as she did so. They continued to play a couple of rounds, Mi-Ya loosing twice, but payed him back the money she had earned.

After five rounds, Mi-Ya was left with 300,000 won. The woman happily placed the money in her jacket pocket, zipping it up as she glanced up at the man. "Thank you." She politely said, bowing her head.

When she lifted her head back up, her brows furrowed as he held out a card with shapes on it. She reached out for the card, flipping it over to see a number. "What's this?" Mi-Ya asked, glancing up at him.

The man smiled at her once more, moving to close his brief case, turning back to her. "An opportunity to make money." He simply said, making Mi-Ya tilt her jest to the side. "You sign up and play some games." He added, picking up the brief case. "Thank you for your time, Miss."

Mi-Ya smiled at him once more, watching as he left as quick as he came. She pursed her lips as she glanced down at the card and the number.

An opportunity to make more money? How could she turn that down?

Mi-Ya sat down in her apartment, sitting at her table with a bowl of ramen in front of her. She held the card in her hand, twisting it in her hand as she looked at it.

She was desperate for more money to find her family. This could be her chance. She hadn't spent the money she had won, keeping that safe for the broker if he needed more money.

Mi-Ya glanced away from the card and to her phone, that was sat on the table beside her bowl of ramen. She looked at her lock screen, staring at her siblings faces.

She let out a heavy sigh as she picked up her phone, going to her call app. Mi-Ya remembered the number that called her, making her go to recents.

Mi-Ya hesitantly hovered her thumb over the number, biting her inner cheek as she clicked on the number, bringing it to her ear.

But, nobody answered.

She slowly shook her head, breathing out as she pulled back her phone, glancing back at the card.

That's when she made up her mind. She would do it.

She looked down at the number, turning back to her phone as she typed in the number and immediately called the number.

It rang a couple of times before she heard them answer. Mi-Ya sat up in her seat, biting her inner cheek as they spoke. "Do you wish to participate in the game?" The robotic voice asked.

"Yes." She immediately answered, fidgeting with the card in her left hand, staring down at it.

There was a brief pause the voice spoke up again. "State your name and your birthdate." The voice said.

"Kang Mi-Ya, 14th of December 1999." Mi-Ya stated, placing the card down on the table as she placed her hand on her lap.

Then, the voice told her a time and a place to go before hanging up. She didn't understand why it seemed so secretive, but it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.

And she needed this money.

Mi-Ya let out a heavy sigh as she brushed her bangs out of her eyes, staring down at the bowl of ramen in front of her.

She would do this, play the games and win more money for her family.

It couldn't be that bad, right?

It was just a bunch of games. What could possibly go wrong?

But, only if she knew.

— madeleines notes

IF GI-HUN HAD ANSWERED HIS PHONE!!

Yeah that's who called her.

Spoilers but aye well.

She would have never gone into the games if he had answered because he would have told her EVERYTHING!

But my baby is so soft and adorable.

It's so funny bc I'm writing her so different to Sae-Byeok, but they're so similar so just you guys wait!!

but another short chapter before it gets into the ACTUAL drama.

Baby just wants her family back, CRIES.

Lord, she's gonna go through it and I feel so BAD.

But, I hope you all liked this chapter! And getting to know Mi-Ya more and her personality. She is literally a pure soul.

10th January 2024
1401 words