⭐️ —————— Being awoken by a bright light and music was not something Mi-ya did not enjoy.

A grumble left her lips as she sat up, running a hand over her face as her eyes adjusted to the bright light.

She tiredly dropped her arms to her sides as she looked around, watching as everyone else started to wake up.

Mi-ya brushed her hair out of her face, brushing her hair behind her ears, pursing her lips as she watched people leave their beds.

She had to pull through today's game, and hopefully more people would vote to go home. Mi-ya didn't know if she could deal with another game.

A sigh left her lips as she leaned over to the side, reaching to pick up her numbered jacket from the steps and put it on.

She pulled her hair from her jacket before she zipped it up, glancing down at her number with pursed lips.

Mi-ya looked towards the doors as they opened, seeing the guards walk in, guns wrapped around them.

"Attention, please." The woman spoke on the PA, making everyone look towards the doors. "The second game will begin momentarily." Mi-ya sighed at that, carefully getting out of her bed, looking around for Gi-hun.

She pulled her sleeve down slightly, her sleeve covering most of her hands as she leaned against the bed pole.

Mi-Ya turned around when she heard someone next to her, making her glance up with a smile on her lips. "You ready for the first game?"

Dae-ho slowly nodded his head as he put his own jacket on. "Yeah, totally." He hummed, making Mi-ya tilt her head to the side. He then let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. "Not at all."

"If Gi-hun is right, we simply pick triangle." Mi-ya softly said, pushing her hands into her jacket as she stared up at him. "And if it's not, we'll figure it out."

Dae-ho nodded his head at her words, a weary look him his face as he shared down at her.

Mi-ya sent him an encouraging smile, turning around as she felt a hand on her shoulder, looking up to see Gi-hun.

She sent him a smile, as well as player 390 and player 1, whose names she still needed to learn.

The five of them made their way to line up, waiting for their next instructions. Mi-ya hoped that Gi-hun was right.

But what if they had changed the games?

It had been three years since he played the games.

After climbing up the unnecessary amount of coloured stairs, Mi-ya kept close to Gi-hun as she looked at the doors in front of them.

When they opened, Mi-Ya instantly looked around with pursed lips. She looked down at the rainbow circle on the floor, her brows pinching together.

"Welcome to your second game." The woman on the PA called out as the players pooled into the large room. "This game will be played in teams."

It wasn't Dalgona.

"Please decide into teams of five in the next ten minutes."

Mi-ya glanced at Gi-hun, who looked just as puzzled. They had changed the games. "Is Dalgona a team game?" Player 390 asked his friend.

"Aren't we playing the Dalgona game?" Mi-ya turned around, stepping back slightly as player 100 stepped forwards, his eyes on Gi-hun.

Gi-hun hesitantly shook his head, a weary expression on his features. "No, it doesn't look like it." He uttered, hanging his head in shame.

"What's the game then?" The old man continued to pester for answers.

Gi-hun shrugged his shoulders, looking back at player 100. "I'm not sure." He uttered, sending everyone around an apologetic look.

But, player 100 wasn't having it. "What?" He scoffed, his voice growing louder. "You said you'd done this before." He pointed his finger at Gi-hun. "That triangle was the easiest. Was that all bullshit?"

"I'm sorry." Gi-hun immediately apologised, lowing his head once more, which made Mi-ya purse her lips together as she sent him a soft look.

"Sorry won't cut it!" The old man hissed at Gi-hun. "You talked like you knew everything. All these people believed your bullshit." He pointed at everyone around them. "What are you going to do now?" He rose his brow. "Will you take responsibility?"

The old man immediately shut up as player 1 moved to stand in front of him, glare on his features. "Thats enough." He quietly warned player 100, who stepped back.

"Don't waste your time talking to this nutjob." The man beside player 100 told him, shaking his head as he shot Gi-hun a look. "We shocking have fallen for his nonsense." Mi-ya narrowed her eyes at his words. "Come on, let's form a team first." He turned back to the group around him.

The old man nodded his head as he moved to walk past them, almost knocking into Mi-ya's shoulder if she wasn't pulled back by Dae-ho. "Previous winner? Damn lunatic!" He scoffed as he walked off.

The five remained in silence for a moment, all looking around hesitantly. "I'm sorry." Gi-hun apologised once more, making Mi-ya turn to him.

"I still trust you." Player 1 spoke first, making Gi-hun turn to him with wide eyes. "I'd like to play the game with you, if that's okay?"

"All right. Let's be real men and give it a shot." Player 390 grinned as he looked at the group. Mi-ya raised her brow, making him clear his throat. "And woman." He added, making Mi-ya smile. "It's a children's game, right?" He turned back to Gi-hun. "We used to play games all the time."

"That's right." Dae-ho nodded his head in agreement, making Mi-ya look over her shoulder at him. "I'll join you." He looked at them all. "I feel like I can do anything with you."

Player 390 patted his back with a nod. "That's the Marine spirit."

Gi-hun glanced over at Mi-ya, who was already looking at him with a soft smile. "I'd like to join you as well, if you'll have me."

The older man instantly nodded his head at her words, making her smile widen slightly as she pulled her hands out of her pockets.

"Then we have five people." Player 1 nodded his head as he looked around at the four, who also nodded their heads.

"Excuse me." They all turned around at the feminine voice, Mi-ya looking at the woman in front of her. "Can I join you?" She asked, making Mi-ya pull a sympathetic look.

"Sorry, we've already got five people." Player 390 was the first to speak, gesturing to the rest of them.

"Please help me." The woman begged, a pleading look on her face. She then raised her hand to her stomach, making Mi-ya's eyes follow her hand.

Her eyes then widened.

"I'm pregnant." She told them all, making the rest of them realise. Mi-ya's lips parted as she glanced at Gi-hun.

Mi-ya then glanced back to the woman, pursing her lips as she noticed her pleading expression.

Nobody else would take the poor girl. And Mi-ya didn't want the girl to suffer.

So, Mi-ya nodded her head as she sent the girl a soft look. "Yeah, you can take my place." Mi-ya stepped forwards, only to be stopped as a hand gently grasped onto her arm.

She immediately looked up at Gi-hun, who had a worried expression on his face, his brow raising.

Mi-ya simply shrugged her shoulders, sending him a reassuring smile as she turned back to the woman, then back to Gi-hun. "I have time to find another group, I will be fine." She simply said. Her voice then grew low, so only Gi-hun could hear. "Nobody else will take her."

Gi-hun sent her a weary look, glancing back over at the woman, who still held her stomach. He hesitated at first, before nodding his head and letting go of Mi-ya's wrist. "Make sure you find a team."

Mi-ya nodded her head as she sent him a soft smile. "I will." Well, she hoped she would.

"Good luck." Player 1 then stepped forwards, squeezing onto her shoulder as she sent him a smile. Player 390 also said the same, sending her a nod.

The woman glanced at Mi-ya with a soft look. "Are you sure? I don't mean to—"

Mi-ya simply reached forwards to squeeze the girls arm in a reassuring way. "I'm sure. They'll make sure you're safe and win this game." She nodded her head, making the woman send her a smile.

"We'll see you after the games." Dae-ho sent her a smile, making her send him one back as she nodded her head. "Good luck." He sent her a reassuring nod, squeezing her shoulder.

Mi-ya soon parted from the group as she started walking past the players. She just had to find a team.

She fidgeted with her hands as she glanced around the room, pursing her lips as she looked around at the players.

Then, her eyes landed on Hyun-ju, who was alone.

Mi-ya sucked in a breath as she dropped her arms to her sides, moving to walk over to Hyun-ju.

She cleared her throat as she stood behind the woman, making Hyun-ju turn around, her eyes slightly widening in surprise.

"You need a teammate?" Mi-ya asked with a smile, raising her brow as she stared up at Hyun-ju.

Hyun-ju still had a look of surprise on her features, but she nodded her head as she looked down at Mi-ya. "Yeah."

"Well, luckily for you, I'm in need of a teammate too." Mi-ya playfully said, trying to push away the awkwardness.

Hyun-ju smiled at that, a quiet chuckle leaving her lips at Mi-ya's words. "Excuse me." Both of them turned around to see a woman look up at them. "Can I team up with you both?" She wearily asked.

Mi-ya and Hyun-ju immediately nodded their heads, smiles on their faces as they looked down at the girl.

Now, they just had to find two more people.

The three of them moved to look around, seeing that mostly everyone was in groups. Then, the three women came across the mother and her son.

The five stared at each other for a moment, a silence between them, making Mi-ya speak up first. "Would you like to join us?" She politely asked the two. "We need two more people."

The elderly woman nodded her head immediately at that, tugging on her son's arm."Of course."

And Mi-Ya smiled. She had a group.

Mi-ya fidgeted with her hands once more as she looked around at everyone, who was not sat in the middle of the circle, lined up in their groups.

"The game you will be playing is Six-legged Pentathlon." The woman on the PA told them, making Mi-ya purse her lips. "You will start with your legs tied together. Each member will take turns playing a mini-game at every ten-meter mark, and if you win, the team can move on to the next one." She said.

"Here are the mini-games."

Mi-ya swallowed thickly as she glanced around the room. "Number one, the Ddakji. Number two, Flying Stone. Number three, Gong-gi. Number four, Spinning Top. Number five, Jegi."

Glancing at her teammates, she placed her hands in her pockets, watching as their faces contorted with worry.

"Your goal is to win all the mini-games and cross the finish line in five minutes." The woman on the PA continued to inform them. "Please decide players for each mini-game."

Mi-Ya glanced at her group with a soft smile, tilting her head to the side. "Which ones are we all best at?" She asked them all.

"I can do Ddakji." Player 95 quietly spoke up, making Mi-Ya nod her head with a soft look. "I won most times against the man."

"Okay." Mi-Ya smiled at her, then glancing to Hyun-ju beside her. "What about you?"

Hyun-ju paused for a moment as she looked over at the games. "Jegi." She said with a reassuring look.

Mi-ta nodded her head once more, looking towards the mother and son. "I will do Flying Stone." Player 7 volunteered, nodding his head.

"And I'll do Gong-gi. I use to play it all turn time as a little girl." The elderly woman told them, making Mi-ya nod her head.

"So, I'll do Spinning Top." Mi-ya breathed out, nodding her head as she flashed the four a smile.

"Are you sure?" Hyun-ju asked, turning to her with a raised brow.

Mi-ya turned to her, smile still on her lips. "Yeah, I use to play it with my brother whenever I went to see him." She told them, nodding her head. "I can do it."

"So, we are all okay with what we have?" The older woman asked everyone, making everyone nod their heads.

After a while, the first two teams went up. Mi-ya watched as the guards tied the players legs together.

"Teams one and two, get ready." The woman on the PA said.

Then, one of the guards fired a gun in the air, and the clock started to count down.

Mi-ya continued to anxiously fidget with her hands, watching the two teams as they did the challenges.

Team one was in the lead and Mi-Ya watched as the man threw the flying stone, but missed. Him and his team then went to collect the stone, only to fall down.

But, player two quickly finished the second game, moving onto Gong-gi. The room went quiet as the group sat down, and started to toss around the Gong-gi.

Team one was still on Flying Stones, arguing with each other because they couldn't get it right.

Player two quickly passed, moving onto the fourth challenge. Mi-ya intently watched as the man walked the rope around the spinner.

It took him a while, but he finally did it. But, it didn't spin. Mi-ya sucked in a breath as she watched him re-do it.

And the spinner successfully spun.

But, the clock beeper, signalling that their time was over.

Mi-ya looked away, squeezing her eyes shut as she heard guns being fired. Both teams had failed.

Then, the woman on the PA started to call off the ten's numbers. Mi-ya looked over her shoulder at Hyun-ju, who looked just as worried as she did.

"Players, please wait while we tidy up the venue." The woman on the PA said.

Mi-ya watched as the guards brought out coffins, putting the people who had failed into them.

It took them a while to clean everything up, but once they did, realisation dawned on Mi-ya.

It was their turn.

"The next teams, please get ready."

Hyun-ju stood up first, making Mi-ya quickly follow. She swallowed thickly as she glanced at her team, sending them reassuring looks.

She turned her head when she felt player 95 shake beside her, making Hyun-ju turn as well. "Look at me." Hyun-ju softly uttered, making the girl look up at her. "I'm Hyun-ju. Cho Hyun-ju." She introduced herself, then she turned to Mi-ya. "And this is Mi-ya. Kang Mi-ya."

Mi-ya sent the girl a soft smile, making player 95 nod her head at them both. "What's your name?" Mi-ya asked.

"It's Young-mi." She uttered, glancing between the two women. "Kim Young-mi."

Hyun-ju swiftly stood in front of Young-mi, moving to gently hold onto her hands. "Young-mi, when you spoke to us earlier, I could tell right away. I could tell how brave you are." And Mi-ya nodded her head in agreement, gently squeezing Young-mi's arm.

"You can do this. We all can." Mi-ya added, slowly nodding her head as her smile didn't falter. "Just believe in yourself. Can you do that?"

Young-mi looked between them, nodding her head as she let out a shaky breath. "I'll try." She muttered.

"That's right." The older woman nodded her head, squeezing her son's hand. "I, Jang Geum-ja, survived the Korean War." She looked at the three. "I will not die playing some kids' games." She confidently said.

Geum-ja then turned to her son, then the other three, pulling them closer. "Everyone, let's pull ourselves together and do this." She nodded at them all, making Mi-ya smile.

"I'm the son of Ms. Jang Geum-ja, who survived the Korean War." Player 7 also added, pulling his mother into his side. "I'm Park Yong-sik."

They all nodded their heads as they looked at each other. They could do this. Mi-ya stopped fidgeting with her hands, placing them at her sides. "I believe we can do this." Hyun-ju spoke up once more. "Let's show everyone else here that these games are no big deal."

Mi-ya nodded her head, sending them all looks of encouragement. "We can all do this, okay." She smiled at them.

She really hoped they could.

Mi-ya let out a heavy breath as she glanced down at her ankles, that were tied to Hyun-ju's ankle and Geum-ja.

The group then linked arms with one another, uttering words of encouragement to each other.

Mi-ya shared a look with Hyun-ju, who send her a reassuring smile, which made Mi-ya nod her head.

She then glanced over at the other players, looking for one team in particular. Her smile slightly widened as her eyes landed on Dae-ho, who sent her an encouraging smile and a thumbs up.

She then glanced over to Gi-hun, who had a wearily expression on his face as he looked at her. She sent him a reassuring smile, which made him nod his head, sending her one back.

She turned back to her team, slowly nodding her head as she looked at them all. Then, the gun was fired.

The five immediately moved forwards to the first game, keeping their steps the same. When they stopped at the first game, everyone stopped as they turned to Young-mi.

"Go. Get it." Yong-sik nodded his head, gesturing for Young-mi to pick up the cards. Mi-ya watched with pursed lips, watching as she picked the blue card.

The guard set the red one down on the ground, stepping back slightly. The girl then sent her arm flying, throwing the blue card into the red.

But, the red card didn't flip.

Mi-ya bit her inner cheek as she watched Young-mi tried again, but failed. She tired again, and failed.

Young-mi started to panic, her breaths heavy. "Hang on, Young-mi." Hyun-ju softly called out as the girl picked up her blue card. "Try it with the other side." She suggested.

Young-mi immediately listened to her advice, turning the paper around as she nodded her head. She lifted her arm once more, throwing the blue card onto the red one.

And the red card flipped.

Mi-ya let out a cheer with her team, clapping her hands as she stared at Young-mi. "You did it!" She said, making Young-mi frantically nod her head with a smile.

They quickly linked arms once more, moving forwards to the next game. They made it in a couple of seconds, the guard moving to stand in front of Yong-Sik.

The man took the rock, slightly crouching down as he lowered his hand, looking at the stone.

He moved to throw the rock, only to just miss the stone. Mi-Ya sucked in a breath, squeezing her eyes shut momentarily.

"I'm sorry!"

"It's okay." Mi-ya nodded her head, turning to the man as she nodded her head. "We just need to pick it up." She quickly said.

They linked arms once more as they moved forwards, their steps careful as they moved towards the rock. Yong-sik crouched down as he picked up the rock. "All right, now walk backwards." Hyun-ju instructed them.

And they did.

They moved to stand behind the white line, turning their heads to Yong-sik. The man shook as he uttered to himself, making his mother speak up. "Yong-sik, look. Imagine the stone is the face of the crook who scammed you."

"That asshole ruined my fucking life!"

He raised his arm, throwing the rock at the stone and hitting it down, making the five cheer. Even the crowd did too.

"Pass."

They swiftly made their way to the third challenge, their steps still the same. The guard was stood in front of them, tray in his hands.

Geum-ja immediately grabbed the Gong-ji. They all crouched to the floor, carefully watching the older woman.

She threw the five pieces onto the tray and started to pick them up, throwing them in the air and catching them one by one.

But, she didn't catch the green one, making her sigh.

She immediately re-started, picking the pieces up once more. And failed once more. Mi-ya bit her inner cheek as she looked at the woman next to her.

"You said you played Gong-hi with bullets during the Korean War." Yong-sik started to encourage his mother, holding onto her arm.

Geum-ja nodded her head as she put the pieces back on the tray, doing the steps once more.

She re did all the steps, successfully catching them all and throwing them onto her back hand.

She remained frozen as she kept them still on her hand. "Mom, just imagine the stone is Dad's mistress' face." Yong-sik uttered to his mother.

Mi-ya sucked in a breath as she watched her carefully. "Rotten bitch!"

She then threw her arm up as she yelled, trying the pieces in the air and catching them in her hand.

"Pass."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Mi-ya turned to Geum-ja, grin on her lips as she clapped her hands together. "You did it!" She cheered.

The rest of the group cheered in realisation, helping each other to their feet's as the rest of the players cheered them on.

Then, they swiftly made their way towards the fourth game. Mi-ya's game.

Mi-ya carefully unlinked her arms from Hyun-ju and Geum-ja, looking up at the guard in front of her as he held out the spinner and the rope.

She pursed her lips as she took the two objects. A heavy breath left her lips as she looked down at the spinner. "You can do it." Hyun-ju uttered, nodding her head with an encouraging smile.

Mi-ya nodded her own head, watching as her hands stopped shaking slightly. Then, she tied the rope around the axel first, then wrapping it around the spinner.

She didn't rush it, her movements careful. She could do this.

Once she had successfully tied the rope around the spinner, she squeezed it in her hands.

She lowered herself slightly, leaning forwards as she threw her arm forwards, quickly pulling it back as the spinner swung out of the rope.

"Pass!"

Her lips parted as she watched the spinner spin on the ground, making her group cheer, practically shaking her as they did so.

The rest of the room continued to cheer, jumping up and down at her success. "Come on!" Hyun-ju grinned at them all, making Mi-ya link her arms with them once more.

They rushed forwards to the last game. Everyone was cheering for them, getting closer to the edge as they watched them.

Hyun-ju instantly picked up Jegi, swallowing thickly as she glanced at their team. "You must kick the Jegi five times." The woman on the PA told them.

"Please, look away." Hyun-ju politely asked them, pleading look on her face.

Mi-ya didn't question it as she turned around, carefully making Geum-ja turn around as well. The rest turned around, their backs to Hyun-ju.

"You guys too." Hyun-ju quickly asked the players, who were watching them.

"Don't look!"

"Turn around guys!"

Mi-ya squeezed her eyes shut as she rested her hands on Geum-ja's shoulders. And knew Hyun-ju could do it.

Then, Mi-ya heard the clanks of the Jegi hitting Hyun-ju's foot. She counted in her head each clank.

And when she heard the fifth one, Mi-ya waited for a moment before turning around, grin on her face as she squeezed Hyun-ju's arm. "You did it!" She cheered.

"Pass!"

Everyone else cheered for them as they turned around, clapping their hands together. "Come on!" Mi-ya linked arms once more, the rest of the group following.

They quickly made their way to the finish line, chanting 'one, two' as they did so. They moved towards the pink finish line, walking through it.

Then, the timer went off.

They did it.

Mi-Ya cheered, clapping her hands together as she looked at her group, grin on her face as she did so.

They all pulled each other into a hug as they celebrated, everyone else cheering behind them.

And the other team also won.

Mi-ya felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She had survived another game. And she wouldn't have been alive if it wasn't for her group.

She glanced over at the crowd, watching as Gi-hun and the rest of the group cheered for them, making a grin.

Before Mi-ya and her group left the room, she sent the group a thumbs up, mouthing a 'good luck' to them all before following her group.

— madeleines notes.

Sorry this chapter took me AGES to write.

I was just figuring out how to have it work out, and I think I did it good?!? I DONT KNOW.

But damn a long ah chapter.

GETTING CLOSER TO THE END.

Cries.

But HYUN-JU AND MI-YA ARE BACK YAY

MY BABIES.

I hoped you like this chapter!

Nee one should be out tomorrow after I finish college!

13th January 2025
4428 words