Tell me why I need you.

by PigeonChaser3

Summary:

During Gi-hun's first watch after the second game, something happens between Gi-hun and Young-il (Hwang In-ho) that leaves Gi-hun conflicted when he finds himself wanting more. After the failed rebellion, Gi-hun is forced to stay in In-ho's quarters to watch the remainder of the games. When their relationship becomes more complicated, both men fight against themselves and their trauma as they begin to sink into the deep pit of their growing obsession.

Neither were expecting to become wrapped up in each other as much as they did, and neither of them were expecting to do anything it takes to stay together.

-

Post canon season 2. Begins after the six-legged pentathlon and runs canonically through season 2 (fic was written prior to the release of season 3).

(Russian translation in progress, link in notes of chapter 1)

Chapter 1: Mingling

Notes:

Tbh don't know what possessed me to write a fkn Squid Game fic (my 2021 self would be highkey embarassed) but this ship has really gotten to me it seems... Anyways enjoy.

In-ho is referred to as his fake name Young-il for part of this fic when in third person limited following Gi-hun.

This fic was created prior to the release of S3 - I do not consider the main plot to be a prediction, I'm just running with what's been built so far with S2!

RUSSIAN TRANSLATION (WIP) by user Vinsaome- link to ficbook
copy-paste link - https://ficbook.net/readfic/0197df20-1a5b-70d6-ad0c-7339244cf37a

The loud beep rang throughout the room, bathing it in red light. The number below the X clicked over to 116, the number beside it reading 139. The guard’s voice echoed in Gi-hun’s head as the disappointment and fear washed through him. He thought back to the first games, the third round consisting of tug-of-war, where half of all the players fell to their deaths. He remembered the screams of terror as ten people dangled helplessly from a rope after each loss, the crack of their bodies on the hard floor.

“Based on the majority vote, the third game will commence tomorrow.”

He could hear both disappointed and excited whispers behind him as he stared down at the two buttons.

Gi-hun didn’t feel like eating, not that bread and milk was much for him to be excited over anyway, his ration sitting neglected on the bunk beside him. He was angry, angry with Jung-bae for betraying them and voting to stay. Now there was an ever higher chance of watching more innocent people die, his friends die, maybe even Jung-bae.

~

“Lights out in ten minutes. Please prepare for bedtime.” The female voice echoed from the speakers, the voice that practically narrated his nightmares. The team worked to move the flat mattresses down from their bunks under Gi-hun’s demand, building a makeshift wall around their lower bunks. Jung-bae wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“Is this really necessary?” He grimaced. “I don’t want to sleep under there.”

Gi-hun wrenched the mattress down underneath the bunks, where there was just enough space to lie flat. “Once the lights go out, somebody might attack us.”

“What? Who?”

“The prize money still goes up if we kill each other. It’s part of the game they designed.” Gi-hun replied bitterly. He pierced his finger on a sharp bit on the inside of the metal bed frame, feeling the anger rise.

“I think you’re overreacting here.” Young-il chuckled. “Even if that were true, people wouldn’t do that.”

Gi-hun turned to face him, his face dark. “In the previous games, dozens of people killed each other in the night.” He lowered his voice to a hiss. “You have no idea… how people change in this place.”

Young-il searched his eyes, exhaling. “Alright. I guess I don’t know what I’m talking about. I’m sorry.”

Gi-hun softened slightly, turning back to the others. “We need to keep watch after lights-out. I’ll take first watch, you should decide the order for the rest.”

Eventually, the voice over the speaker counted down the last few seconds and the room turned dark, apart from the soft purple glow from the large red and blue ‘X’ and ‘O’ on the floor that had since divided the players. The group settled underneath their respective bunks, preparing for an unrestful sleep in the small space. Young-il lay under the closest bunk to where Gi-hun was currently taking first watch behind the make-shift walls, staring up at the bottom of the bed close above him. He was listening to Gi-hun talking to Jung-bae, who had crawled out from under one of the bunks about half an hour after lights-out. They seemed to be having some sort of playful argument, Gi-hun seeming to revert back to the man he was before the first games, much to Jung-bae’s amusement.

“Alright, alright fine.” Gi-hun chuckled. “Now will you please get some sleep? We need to be ready for these games tomorrow.”

Jung-bae looked away guiltily at this. “Fine. But what about you?”

“I’ll be fine. Young-il’s taking second watch in a few hours.” he waved him off.

Jung-bae grunted as he pushed himself up, shuffling tiredly back to his bunk, leaving Gi-hun alone. The room was eerily silent, void of its usual intermittent coughs, snoring, sniffles and shifting of clothes against bedsheets. Though there were considerably less people in the room than the night before, something seemed to have shifted in the air. The tension tightening as they neared the end of the games, many not knowing if they’d even live to see the next vote.

“Gi-hun?”

Gi-hun jumped, looking back to see Young-il standing behind him.

“Young-il! What are you doing? I wasn’t going to wake you for another couple hours.” He said in a hushed whisper.

Young-il took a seat next to him, staring ahead before turning to him with a small smile. “Couldn’t sleep.”

“Why not?”

“I guess… I am nervous. I didn’t want to come this far into the games, and I fear I may not live to pay for my wife’s treatment.”

“You will, Young-il, we will make sure you do. We are all going to live to see our families again.”

Young-il smiled, looking down at his hands. He reached behind him to the end of his bunk, and held out a plastic packet containing a bread ration. “Here. I saved your ration before Jung-bae got to it, though he got to the milk before I could.”

Gi-hun frowned down at it.

“You should eat.” He continued, pushing the bread into his chest so the man was forced to take it. “You need your strength.”

Gi-hun clenched his jaw, mumbling a ‘thanks’ as he opened the packet as quietly as he could, taking a bite.

“What about you, Gi-hun? What will you do after the games are finished?”

Gi-hun sighed. “My life ended in the previous games. I have nothing left. I will not rest until I put an end to these games forever. The people up there will suffer for the thousands they’ve slaughtered in these rooms.”

Young-il studied him, his eyes drifting up to his hair and down to his lips. Gi-hun’s eyes narrowed slightly, watching the man in front of him.

“As horrific as these games are, I do not doubt what you went through in the last one. Do you know what you are doing?” Young-il said quietly.

“I… I have a plan, yes. I will tell it in time, when the appropriate moment comes. But can I tell you a secret?”

Young-il nodded.

“I’m terrified. The past three years I’ve dedicated day in, day out to trying to find the people responsible for these games. I paid teams of men to search every train station in Seoul every day for two whole years, and I paid men to search the waters for this island. I didn’t care about dying, I wasn’t scared when guns were held to my head. But now… Now it feels different.” Gi-hun finished, massaging his knuckles.

Young-il watched his hands, lips parted slightly.

“You have us now, Gi-hun. We are with you. I am with you.”

Gi-hun looked back up at the man, eyes subconsciously flicking to his lips. “You are? You will help me?”

“Of course. I will follow you, whatever it takes.”

Their faces were closer than they were before, though Gi-hun didn’t remember either of them moving forward. Young-il was staring at his lips, his tongue coming out to wet his own. Gi-hun watched it, his eyebrows knitting slightly. He could feel his own heart beating faster, quiet breaths escaping his mouth as his body involuntarily pushed him slowly forward. This was far from the first time Young-il had looked at him this way, all the memories of catching him staring coming to him in one swoop.

Their faces were inches apart. A thousand thoughts and no thoughts were somehow running through Gi-hun’s head at the same time. What the fuck was he doing? Was he about to follow through with this? To keep moving forward? He couldn’t, he had to stop this now.

But he couldn’t. He was mesmerised by the face in front of him, the eyes staring deep into his. His eyelids fluttered shut at their own accord, and Gi-hun could feel the press of soft lips against his. They were softer than he expected a man’s lips to be, though the sharp scratches of emerging stubble was foreign to him. He hoped to God, to whoever, that the others were fast asleep by now.

Young-il’s hand slowly came up, snaking into Gi-hun’s hair and palm resting just under his ear. His fingernails scratched gently and slowly at his scalp, and Gi-hun melted into the touch like it was something he never knew he needed so desperately.

A very quiet moan exhaled from Gi-hun’s mouth, and he deepened the kiss, hand coming up to rest against Young-il’s cheek. Their breaths began to quicken, mouths growing hungry. Gi-hun felt the man’s hand grasp the collar of his jacket in a fist, pulling at it desperately. He felt arousal flood through him, suddenly followed by an ice-cold flood of realisation. He abruptly pulled away, pushing away the new pang of arousal when he saw the man’s hooded eyes and shiny, puffed-up lips.

Gi-hun’s eyes were wide, and he was panting. Young-il gently loosened his grip on his shirt, leaning away to give him space.

“I…” Gi-hun breathed. “I’m not gay.”

Young-il actually breathed out a laugh at this. “Well… I’m not either.”

Gi-hun looked confused, his breaths slowing down. “You’re not? Then why did you do that?”

Young-il looked amused, studying the man’s face. “I don’t know. I guess ever since I met you, I’ve just been… fascinated by you.”

“Why?”

Young-il thought for a bit. “You seem like a man who’s seen a lot. Who genuinely cares for the people around him even though they’ve done nothing for him, like you’re protecting them from things they don’t know. I find you fascinating.”

Gi-hun swallowed, looking back down at his hands, which were back in his lap.

“Go to sleep, Gi-hun. You seem tired. Let me take the rest of first and second watch, and I’ll wake Dae-ho when it’s time for final watch.”

Gi-hun made to protest, but shut his mouth when Young-il raised his eyebrows. He sighed, resigned and too tired to argue, and pushed himself off the floor. Something about player 001 drew Gi-hun to him, something he couldn’t define.

He tried his best to fall asleep, staring up at the dark ceiling in front of his face, but his mind raced. He had just kissed a man, and a man had just kissed him. It was something he’d never even thought about doing in the slightest, let alone actually… enjoying it. Did he enjoy it? Or was he just so void of affection that even love from another man was enough for him? He glanced down past his chest, where he could see Young-il’s legs sitting crossed on the floor. He replayed the event in his head until sleep eventually claimed him.

___________________________

 

The third game was another Gi-hun hadn’t seen in the previous games; Mingle. All players stood on a circle, which rotated until the end of the song, when a number would be announced. Players would have to get into groups of said number, and get their group into one of the rooms surrounding the circle before time was up. Players who had too many, or not enough in one room, as well as players left outside, were killed.

Miraculously, everyone in Gi-hun’s team managed to survive. They reunited for the final round, stepping onto the platform once more. They swayed as it jolted to the side, the song beginning again as the platform rotated.

Dunggeulge dunggeulge (Ha!)
Dunggeulge dunggeulge (Ha!)

“What do you think it’ll be this time?” Jung-bae yelled over the music behind him.

Binggeulbinggeul dolagamyeo chumeul chupsida

“Two.” Young-il said darkly, and they turned to look at him.

Jung-bae looked at him nervously, his hair clinging to his sweaty forehead. “Why?”

Sonppyeogeul chimyeonseo (Ha!)

“There are 126 people left, and there are 50 rooms. So there won’t be enough room for everyone, only for 100 people.”

Noraereul bureumyeo (Ha!)

“The rest will be killed.”

La-la-la-la, jeulgeoupge chumchuja
Ring-a-ring-a-ring, a-ring-a-ring-a-ring
Ring-a-ring-a-ring, a-ring-a-ring-a-ring
Sone soneul japgo modu da hamkke
Jeulgeoupge ttweio bopsida

The platform jolted to a halt.

“Two.”

The room once again plunged into dim light lit by a purple strobe as people shouted and scattered. They turned to each other, and Gi-hun barely had time to think before his hand was snatched and he was roughly pulled away from the platform.

The other players seemed to work out this dilemma of numbers, and Gi-hun saw flashes of people punching, kicking, pulling and throwing people off one another. In one room lit by yellow light he saw a man holding another player in a chokehold, throwing him out of the room and slamming the door behind him. He saw another punch a man in the face, blood splattering to the floor as his partner was pulled away from him. Gi-hun’s head suddenly flicked back painfully as the back of his shirt was grabbed and pulled back aggressively. Someone threw their arms around him, wrestling him out of the way.

The person holding his hand let go, and as they turned around Gi-hun realised it was Young-il who had taken his hand. The man wrestling him tried to push him back and Gi-hun cried out, grabbing at the person’s jacket and attempting to push them back.

Rage flitted across Young-il’s eyes, and he advanced on them, grasping the man by the collar with both hands and wrenching him off Gi-hun. Gi-hun could see he was shouting, but over the noise couldn’t make out anything he was yelling. He turned to see player 406 lying on the floor, blood pooling under his head from where it had cracked against the step. Gi-hun grabbed hold of Young-il’s sleeve, feet slipping on the footprints of blood as they struggled to the closest. Another player met them at the door, and Young-il didn’t hesitate before throwing his weight against the man’s shoulder. The man lost his balance, allowing Gi-hun to slip inside the door followed closely by Young-il. Gi-hun’s heart was racing with adrenaline as the door was finally slammed shut, nearly trapping another player’s hand. The player begged through the slit in the door as they both pushed back against it.

“I’m sorry!” Gi-hun yelled at them, voice shaking.

The door’s lock clicked as the lady’s voice announced the game's end, and Gi-hun squeezed his eyes shut as a loud bang abruptly cut off the pleas on the other side of the yellow door.

Shots continued to ring out until there was quiet, replaced with the beeping of the forklift preparing to clear out the remaining bodies.

Gi-hun slumped against the wall. His hands ran through his hair, feeling the sweat on his face as his heart thundered against his chest.

“Are you ok?” Young-il panted.

Far from ok, Gi-hun nodded, attempting to slow his gasping breaths.

Young-il leant against the wall opposite him, giving him some space. They stood for a few minutes in silence, listening to the noise of bodies sliding against the floor, and the thumping of wooden coffins.

“Listen.” Young-il began quietly. “I wanted to apologise. For last night.”

Gi-hun’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“Why?” He asked, unable to look the man in the eye.

“I shouldn’t have done that. There was no reason for me to believe you’d be interested in me, and so I shouldn’t have forced myself onto you like that.”

“You didn’t… force yourself onto me.” Gi-hun shifted uncomfortably. “I was just as involved as you were. I… It felt… ” He trailed off with a frustrated sigh. He had no idea what to say, still confused about what he even felt.

“Are you angry with me?” Young-il glanced up at him.

“No! No, I’m not. I just…” Gi-hun sighed again. “I’m just confused.”

“Confused to why I did it?”

“No. Confused to why I liked it so much.”

A flash of surprise crossed Young-il’s face, his eyes widening slightly.

Gi-hun looked as though he was having some sort of internal battle with himself, before he finally looked up at Young-il. He wore the same, blank but stern expression he always did, but a spark seemed to flit in Gi-hun’s belly. He had never felt this before towards a man, and it only left him more confused.

Fuck it.

He crossed the room, Young-il standing up straighter in surprise as he was suddenly slammed against the wall, Gi-hun’s lips claiming his. Young-il made a noise of surprise before returning the kiss with equal passion. Young-il tried to grab at him, but Gi-hun pinned his arms against the wall beside him, pushing against him. Young-il suddenly overpowered him, walking them backwards until Gi-hun hit the wall behind him.

Young-il pulled away, a fire in his eyes that he’d never seen before. Gi-hun’s stomach flipped as the man sank to his knees, staring up at him with those eyes and those parted lips that were making him question his life leading up to now.

Young-il watched his expressions closely as he reached up toward his waistband. Gi-hun’s mouth went dry, his heart quickening. He wanted to swat the hand away. A part of him wanted to be disgusted, yet he could feel the arousal pooling as he watched the fingers curl around the waistband of his sweatpants and slowly begin to pull them down. He watched the man’s mouth, the small breaths that escaped it, and the tongue that came out to wet his lips. He imagined what that mouth would feel like around him, letting out a small whimper when he quickly realised he was about to find out.

Young-il smirked at the noise, pulling the sweatpants and boxers down to his thighs. He glanced up at him again for any signs to stop before he wrapped his hand around the half-hard cock, stroking his fingers up and down the length.

Gi-hun exhaled, squeezing his eyes shut. They quickly flew open again when he felt something hot and wet enclose around the tip, and looked down to see the intoxicating sight of Young-il’s mouth stretched around the head of his dick. He gave a suck, swirling his tongue around it before sucking down almost to the base.

Gi-hun let out a cut off moan at the unexpected move, not wanting any of the players in the other rooms to hear. He braced his hands against the wall behind him, knees threatening to buckle as Young-il sucked at his length almost expertly. He pushed his cock all the way to the back of the man’s throat, and Young-il moaned and swallowed. Gi-hun’s eyes rolled back. Feeling weak, he braced a hand on the man’s head, unintentionally pulling at his hair.

This seemed to awaken something in Young-il, and he growled, sucking harder, deeper and faster. The vibrations travelled through his cock, breathing hard as a substitute for how loud he would be if there weren't so many people within earshot. His hand bobbed up and down along with Young-il’s head, and the younger man looked up to meet his eye. Gi-hun could feel himself getting close, the familiar pull growing in his lower belly, though he could tell this one was going to hit him hard. His other hand covered his mouth, threatening to cry out as Young-il took him impossibly deeper, nose nestled in his pubes and tongue massaging the underside of his length.

“Fuck, Young-il, I’m going to-” He tried to warn, but the man seemed to work his tongue even harder, hollowing out his cheeks as he bobbed.

Gi-hun squeezed his hand over his nose and mouth as pleasure crashed over him harder than it had in a very long time. His cock pulsed into Young-il’s mouth, and to Gi-hun’s surprise the man swallowed with each spurt, staring directly into his eyes with his softening cock still hot in his mouth. He pulled off him with a soft ‘pop’, and wiped his mouth on his sleeve, breathing hard and looking proud. Gi-hun’s chest heaved as he began to come down from the immense high. He stared down at Young-il, still sat on his knees and staring up at him.

His mouth upturned in a smug grin, and Gi-hun couldn’t help but smile back, letting out a breath of both laughter and shock. The door clicked, and Gi-hun jumped, stuffing himself back into his pants.

It was a suspiciously convenient amount of time for this to have happened. Seemingly longer than the previous rounds despite the body count not changing much.

“We should go.” Young-il’s words broke him out of his trance, realising a lot of the other players had already left their rooms.

Notes:

stay tuned for some good stuff in chapter 2 cumming soon.

Chapter 2: That damn bathroom

Summary:

A deadly fight breaks out in the bathroom, and Gi-hun and Young-il release some pent up tension.

Notes:

Warning: This chapter briefly uses the f-slur. (Author is LGBTQ+ (obviously, I mean look at what I just fkn wrote))

Anyone else think these two could have murder husbands vibes - unrelated to the fact Hwang In-ho's actor looks like Mads Mikkelson.

When the third game finally ended, the players walked in silence down the winding pastel staircases toward the dormitory. Gi-hun couldn’t seem to get his heart to slow, confusion and flashes of panic running through him. Something had just happened that he never in a million years would have thought would happen, and never in a million years he believed he would actually like.

But now was no time to dwell on these new and terrifying thoughts. Not when another vote was looming around the corner.

“When we get back, we should count the number of people remaining.” Gi-hun broke the silence.

“Why?” Young-il’s voice answered from close behind him.

“If we count the number of Os and Xs, we’ll be able to see who’s likely to win the next vote.”

He heard a sigh. “We’ll have to hope more people from the other side died then.”

~

“Gi-hun! There are 55 people who voted in favour of continuing.” Jung-bae scrambled through the wall of empty bed frames to where the group was formed in the middle.

“Are you sure?” Gi-hun asked.

“I counted them twice”

Dae-hoe looked over Gi-hun’s shoulder, eyebrow raised. “Did you count yourself?”

Jung-bae looked down at the blue patch on his chest. “56 then.”

Dae-ho sighed. “We have 44 people on our side, so we’re outnumbered by 12.”

“Shit, that means we’re likely to lose again” Jung-bae wiped the sweaty strands of hair from his glistening forehead.

Young-il spoke up, leaning against a bed frame opposite. “It may seem like a big difference, but if 6 of them change their minds, it’ll be a 50/50 chance. All tied. If 7 of them change their minds, we could win.”

Dae-ho looked over at him. “But those that pressed X could change their minds too.”

“They probably won’t change their minds so easily. They wanted to quit even when the prize was smaller, and now they can leave with even more money. They wouldn’t want to risk their lives playing another game.”

“I’m going to press X this time, that means we’ll have a tie if 5 others change their mind. With 6, we win.” Jung-bae held his hand up awkwardly, still clearly paying for the guilt of choosing O in the previous vote.

“Then let's go over and try to convince them.” Gi-hun made to leave, feeling an arm across his chest.

“No, it’s too risky.” Young-il stopped him, and Gi-hun ignored the spark in his belly at the contact. “Most of them will want to continue these games. If we make a move, they won’t just sit back and watch.”

“So you think we should just stand there and pray they change their minds? What if we lose again, and we have to play another game?” Gi-hun spat, impatience growing.

Young-il searched his eyes. “I understand how you feel. I also wish I could leave right now. But this is the moment we need to stay calm.”

“Stay calm?” He gritted. “We’ve already taken a vote twice! If we can’t convince them, we’ll have to bring them over to our side by force!”

Young-il stepped even closer, his voice quiet and stern. “If we provoke them now, we may end up in a big fight before we even get to vote.” He twitched his eyebrow. “Is that what you want, Gi-hun?”

They stared at each other for an awkwardly long time, the group around them shifting uncomfortably.

Jung-bae inched forward. “Look Gi-hun.” He began nervously. “I’m too scared to play another game. I’m sure there are more people like me.”

“Yeah, that’s what I think too.” Dae-ho chimed in. “If it’s only 5 or 6 people, we have a shot. I did the math, and the prize is 300 million won per person. I think that gives us a pretty good chance.”

The interruption didn’t break the tense stare, Gi-hun’s eye twitching as he refused to relent his stance. A loud buzzer cut off any further conversation, announcing the arrival of the soldiers.

The square guard stopped ahead of the others, their rifles across their chest. “Congratulations to you all for making it through the third game. Now, here are the results.”

The players' heads upturned as their faces were bathed in golden light. The giant piggy bank once again lowered, the jackpot sound signalling the fall of wads of cash. Gi-hun looked up at the board.

₩356,000,000

Jung-bae leaned in toward Dae-ho. “With that kind of money, some of them will change their minds.”

The two sides were tense as the numbers clicked up, each X vote followed up with an O.

“Player 001.” The guard announced the final player. The board read X 49, O 50. If O was to receive one more vote, the games would be continued.

Young-il stepped calmly up to the podium. The way he stared at it, Gi-hun almost believed he was going to vote against them. The room lit up red, and both sides of the room erupted. Young-il turned around, smiling and flashing an ‘ok’ symbol. Gi-hun had hardly seen the other man smile before, and felt his own lips upturn at their own accord. Happiness seemed to light up from right within his core whenever he saw Young-il happy, as though his emotions depended on what the man was feeling. But his smile. It was one Gi-hun couldn’t take his eyes off, something about it that held his gaze.

“The vote has ended. Clause three of consent form, ‘In case of a tie, players will vote again.’ To give you some time to think, the vote will be conducted tomorrow. Until then, please think carefully about your future.” The guard spoke as the players disbanded disappointedly.

The group returned to their spot, speaking in hushed whispers of plans to convert more players to their side. Player 007, the son of that older lady, decided to playfully taunt the opposite side during dinner, and soon a full blown argument broke out. The tension in the room rose once more, and Gi-hun feared tonight would be the night things changed for the worst.

Gi-hun’s grip tightened around the room temperature gimbap roll in his hand, looking down at it when he felt something hard. He unravelled the foil, his breath hitching when he revealed a metal fork lying next to the gimbap.

Tonight would definitely be the night.

~

Tensions remained high as the players eventually began to wind-down for lights out. The bathroom was busy when Gi-hun entered the bathroom, Young-il close behind when none of the other men offered to accompany. They had all agreed it was safer to stick together, or at least in pairs. They did their business, brushed their teeth, becoming progressively annoyed at the ill-mannered purple-haired kid who called himself ‘Thanos’ continuously yelling and bashing on one of the stall doors. He eventually got it open, and he and his thug friend seemed to be bullying a shy, sad-looking kid sitting on top of the toilet.

“Knock it off.” Player 333, whose name Gi-hun remembered to be ‘Myung-gi’ stepped up to the stall.

Thanos turned around, looking the taller player up and down. “Mind your own damn business and fuck off.”

“You’re interfering with the vote.”

Player 124, Nam-gyu, swaggered up to defend his friend. “The amazing Myung-gi. Who do you think you are? The election commissioner?” He laughed.

“MG Coin. You’re next, so just take a piss and get out.” Thanos pushed against the man’s head with a finger.

Myung-gi’s face screwed up in anger. “Everyone on team X!” He suddenly shouted, causing more people to turn to see if this particular argument was actually worth listening to. “These guys are threatening one of us! They're forcing him to vote O next time!”

Gi-hun glanced over at Young-il, who wore a face of equal concern. A fight starting here would be impossible to escape. Not with the guards at the door. And now, Gi-hun knew most of them likely had shiny new shivs tucked away in their pockets.

Player 047 stepped up. “Is that true? That’s cheating”

“You kids are still so young, who taught you to be that nasty?” player 145 called.

Thanos waved his arms around maniacally, screaming at the top of his voice. “Hey! Team O! These Xs are about to attack us!”

“What the fuck, why would they attack us?” Another player Gi-hun did not know the name of with a blue patch on his chest stood behind Thanos.

“Shut the fuck up!” 145 shouted.

The kid from inside the stall suddenly ran out, pushing past the group of X players to stand behind them.

“Hey Min-su. Come here.” Thanos gestured, stepping forward. A few of the X players stepped in front of him, blocking him from coming any closer.

Thanos scoffed. “MG Coin. Are you high?” he waved his hand in his face “Have you lost your mind?”

Nam-gyu’s face suddenly lit up, shaking Thanos’ shoulder. “It’s because of her isn't it? We saw him with some bitch earlier. It looked like they were a thing, remember?”

Thanos thought for a second, a smirk growing on his face. “You little shit. You have time to fool around with a girl?”

Nam-gyu snickered. “I’ve been watching her carefully. She was walking a bit funny, and her belly looked-”

“Leave her alone you bastards!” Myung-gi’s hands tightened into fists, and Gi-hun braced for the inevitable.

Thanos looked him up and down again, his mouth hanging open stupidly. “You’re getting all worked up, so there is something going on. MG Coin. If you press X again tomorrow, I’m going to cut off your finger, give it to her-” He leant in to whisper into his ear “-and ask her out. She’ll love it.”

“You asshole!” Myung-gi swung violently, but Thanos dodged the blow, returning the gesture with a hard crack against Myung-gi’s cheekbone.

And that was all it took for a brawl to break out. Player’s launched for each other on the opposite side, wrestling, punching, kicking, stomping. Young-il tugged Gi-hun away roughly by the sleeve, pulling him out of the line of another player. The player made to lunge at Gi-hun, but was met with the force of Young-il pushing him back, his hand squeezing around his throat.

A spray of red in his peripheral vision made Gi-hun turn, seeing Myung-gi violently plunging a fork into Thanos’ neck from where he lay pinned underneath him. He felt nausea curl in his stomach, when he was suddenly knocked to the floor, hitting his shoulder hard on the cold tile. He cried out, looking up to see Young-il throw a punch at his attacker, throwing his arms around his back and attempting to strangle the man from behind. The man was considerably larger than Young-il, managing to throw him to the floor, straddling him and squeezing his throat with gritted teeth. Young-il instantly began turning purple, clawing desperately at the arms pinning his neck, legs blindly kicking.

Gi-hun watched as Young-il gargled and choked under the large man’s grip, his eyes staring into his attackers. There was no fear there, but a darkness Gi-hun couldn’t explain. The fear seemed to wash out of Gi-hun, replaced with a burning hot rage. He spotted a piece of a broken fork lodged in the back of a man’s neck lying face down on the floor. Without a second thought, Gi-hun tore the fork from the body, his fist tightening around it as he plunged it into the throat of the player. His grip instantly loosened on Young-il’s throat, eyes wide and body shaking. Blood sprayed onto Young-il’s face as Gi-hun ripped the fork out and plunged it in again, until the man rolled off Young-il, staring glazed-eyed at the roof. Young-il coughed and sputtered, clutching his throat and struggling to get back up. Gi-hun grabbed hold of his arm and groaned as he pulled him up, the man swaying on the spot. He glanced down at the body, blood pooling under his head. He looked back at Gi-hun, the darkness in his eyes returning. Except it looked different, it wasn’t so much as a darkness of rage but more of a… If Gi-hun didn’t know any better, he’d have thought it was desire.

“We should hide!” Young-il rasped, his voice barely audible over the chaos.

Gi-hun watched as a young man attempting to flee into an open stall was violently ripped backwards by his hair. The two struggled, and the stall was left empty next to them.

“There!” Gi-hun grabbed Young-il by the arm again, hard enough to bruise, pulling him through the crowd. They stumbled into the stall, Young-il struggling backwards to slam the door against someone’s fingers, hearing them cry out in agony, and bolted it shut.

“Fuck!” Gi-hun panted, looking down at the blood splatters staining his skin and clothes. He had just murdered someone in cold blood. Sure, he’d been the cause of death of other players before, like the tug-of-war round in the previous games, but he’d never killed someone himself before.

“Gi-hun, are you alright?” Young-il coughed.

Gi-hun nodded, neck cricked awkwardly against the base of the toilet from where he fell onto his back. “Yes, are you?”

“I’m fine.”

Gi-hun saw the angry red marks covering Young-il’s neck and scrambled to his feet, concern flooding him. His hands came up to rest on the back of Young-il’s neck, inspecting the bruises already forming. “Are you sure? Can you breathe properly?”

He looked up into his eyes, the man staring at him with a soft look in his eye. His hand closed gently around Gi-hun’s wrist, pulling it away. “Yes, I’m sure.”

A body being thrown against the stall door startled them, Gi-hun jumping back.

“Shit, where are the fucking guards? They should have intervened by now.” Gi-hun pushed the hair from his face.

They hid in the stall for what seemed like years, multiple people attempting to climb the stall walls to get to them, as though some sort of virus were turning them insane.

“Fuck, how many people have been killed out there?” Gi-hun quavered. The yelling had died down considerably until it was just the desperate pleas of one man, abruptly cut off by the horrible sound of something piercing flesh.

They looked at each other as a metal object clattered to the floor, and the sound of heavy breathing and shuffling footsteps could be heard.

“Come out, come out, little rabbit.” A man’s voice said, footsteps shuffling up to the stall door. Gi-hun looked down to see the shadow of two feet.

“I know you’re in there.” He taunted in a sing-songy voice, the sharp sounds of metal knocking on the door.

Gi-hun quieted his breathing, looking over at Young-il with wide eyes. Young-il held a finger up to his lips. The man tried the door a few more times before the footsteps could be heard shuffling away. Young-il quietly unlocked the door, cracking it open to see the back of the man limping through the piles of dead bodies littering the floor. Young-il snuck through, lunging for the man. He noticed him in the mirror last second, whirling around and swinging at Young-il with the broken handle of a fork. Young-il blocked the man’s arm, grabbing it and twisting it back with a sickening crack. The man cried out, punching him in the stomach with his opposite hand. The fork clattered to the floor, kicked across the room by Young-il as he stumbled.

Gi-hun threw himself onto the man, and they stumbled back into the sinks, the porcelain shattering with the sound of water spraying from the broken pipe. Gi-hun managed to land a punch on the man’s nose. He pushed Gi-hun back, causing Gi-hun to slip on a puddle of blood, his fall broken by the body of a dead player. The man shoved Young-il back, advancing on Gi-hun and lifting him up by his shirt. Gi-hun saw stars as a fist connected with his cheekbone, and he could feel warm liquid trickling from his nostrils. He was suddenly dropped back onto the floor, the hard tile knocking the wind out of his lungs.

Young-il grabbed a fistful of the man’s head, wrenching him back with surprising strength. The man stumbled, knocking them back against the wall and sliding down to the floor. Young-il held the man in his lap, wrapping an arm around his throat from behind and the other keeping his head from moving. The man clawed at his jacket, legs flailing uselessly and eyes darting back and forth. Gi-hun managed to get to his feet, and Young-il stared unbreakingly into Gi-hun’s eyes as he squeezed the life out of the man leaning against him. The man’s struggle began to weaken, his eyes fading. Young-il gritted his teeth as he suddenly wrung the man’s neck with a loud crack, never breaking his eye contact as the player went limp in his arms.

The action should have made him sick. To see his friend murder someone so violently. But it didn’t. They stared at each other, panting, the darkness returning to Young-il’s gaze.

There were many things Gi-hun should’ve been feeling. Anger, guilt, disgust, confusion. But what he shouldn’t have felt was arousal.

Watching Young-il squeeze the life from another man, staring at him as though it was a gift for him, awoke something in Gi-hun he felt he had long suppressed. At that moment, he wanted Young-il. He wanted his large hands around his neck, to feel his skin underneath his touch.

Young-il seemed to sense the shift and he pushed the man off him, getting up and crossing the room. He slammed Gi-hun against the stall almost painfully, his lips instantly claiming his. There was a heat in it, a desperation that wasn’t there before. Young-il clawed at Gi-hun as though they were deep underwater and he was the oxygen. The spark of arousal reared into a searing inferno, and Gi-hun clung to the man, lips almost bruising with the ferocity of the kiss. Young-il shifted, kissing and nipping at Gi-hun’s throat before pulling back. His eyes were blazing, his lips curled into an aroused frustration. The man backed him into the stall, kicking the door shut with his foot. The bathroom room was cut off from his sight, placing them into their own world as though the horrific scene on the other side of the thin wooden door was never there.

Young-il tried to sit him on the toilet lid, but something in Gi-hun fought back. He didn’t want that, he wanted to be the one to please Young-il, to see his eyes roll back in unimaginable pleasure. He pushed back against him, pinning him against the side wall. Young-il struggled, groaning as he used all his strength to try and push Gi-hun away. He managed to overpower him, backing Gi-hun into the opposite wall and wrapping his hands around his throat. He squeezed, just enough to make Gi-hun’s head swim with dizziness. Gi-hun was fully hard now, and the other man rolled his hips against his, pinning him to the wall from all points like he owned his body. Gi-hun could feel something hard press against him, moaning at the sudden friction. Young-il smirked, squeezing his hands harder. Gi-hun jerked his hips upward, and Young-il’s strength faltered as a groan escaped him. Gi-hun managed to push him back, stumbling and falling down onto the toilet.

Gi-hun dropped to his knees between Young-il’s legs, the man panting above him with hooded eyes and a sheen of sweat covering his face, an anticipation in his eye. The sight almost drove Gi-hun crazy, and he began tugging down his pants and boxers before he realised what he was doing. Young-il’s cock sprang free, noticeably larger than his own. Fear hit him as realised he had no idea what he was doing.

He’d never touched another man’s dick before, let alone ever had the desire to put one in his mouth. Young-il cupped his cheek, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked up at the man, who was staring down at him with both an adoration and a ravenous hunger. The fingers lightly scratched at his jawline, and Gi-hun was suddenly devout on pleasing him. He wrapped a hand around the cock, pumping it gently. It was softer than he expected, not really realising what a dick truly felt like, the touch of his own always overpowered by the feeling it produced rather than the touch itself. The fire burned brighter in Young-il’s eyes as his hand caressed his cheek. Gi-hun sucked the head into his mouth, careful not to scrape it against his teeth. Young-il hissed in pleasure, his eyes squeezing shut as his hand flew from his cheek to push against the walls of the stall. It didn’t really taste like anything, surprisingly, and Gi-hun sucked down further, bobbing his head up and down.

Young-il sighed, his other hand settling against Gi-hun’s head, guiding him. Gi-hun worked him with his hands, swallowing and slurping around him. He pushed it a bit too deep, the foreign intrusion causing him to gag. Young-il jolted as a strangled groan escaped him, pulling Gi-hun gently up by the hair.

“Don’t go too deep, beautiful, your throat isn’t used to it.” He breathed, voice gravelly.

Gi-hun felt his cock twitch at the man’s voice, his lips wrapping tighter around him and tongue massaging his cock. Young-il gasped and swore, struggling to keep his hips from bucking up and choking Gi-hun. Gi-hun was growing impatient, wanting more. He pulled off him, panting, a string of saliva dripping from his chin.

“Don’t hold back.” Gi-hun looked up at him.

“What do you want, Gi-hun?” Young-il rasped, wiping the spit from the man’s chin and spreading it across his plump lips.

“I want…” Gi-hun’s arousal was overtaking him, overtaking all previous thoughts of fear of this terrifying new realm. “I want you to fuck my mouth.”

Young-il smirked, showing that toothy side smile he was quickly becoming obsessed with. He pushed the hair off Gi-hun’s face. He suddenly got up, startling Gi-hun as he was pulled up by his collar and almost thrown against the wall. His pants held up on his waist, his legs widening to stand close enough to Gi-hun until his cock was hanging in front of his face. “If it’s too much for you, just tap my legs and I’ll stop.”

Gi-hun swallowed him down once more.

“Fuck!” Young-il threw his head back, his hand fisting in Gi-hun’s hair painfully.

His hips began to buck, pushing Gi-hun’s face down at the same time. He built up to a merciless rhythm, Gi-hun’s head hitting against the hard wood behind him and balls slapping his chin. He couldn’t breathe, and his mouth was so full. It was terrifying, but there was nothing that would make Gi-hun stop now. He took the assault, gagging and swallowing around his cock, moaning. Young-il’s hair was a mess, some strands sticking to his forehead as he stared down at him. Gi-hun pressed a palm against his own neglected cock, leaking desperately into his boxers. He was gasping for breath, arousal overtaking him as he fucked his mouth like he was nothing more than a toy.

“Fuck, Gi-hun.” He growled. “You like being my little hole, don't you?”

Gi-hun moaned, sucking hard.

“That’s it, take it like a good boy.”

Gi-hun’s cock twitched painfully, his breath hitching at the words. He doubled down, mouth tired and muscles screaming in pain. But he needed to see him unravel, milk him for every ounce of pleasure he had in him.

His thrusts were growing erratic, his chest heaving as he threw his head back, eye’s screwed shut. “Fuck, Gi-hun, I’m gonna cum.”

Gi-hun groaned, the vibrations making Young-il’s legs shake. “Gi-hun.” He warned again. “I’m gonna-”

His eyes flew open, his head tipping back down to stare into his eyes as a strangled moan tore from him. Gi-hun felt his cock pulse, warm liquid spurting to the back of his throat, almost choking him. He swallowed around him before it could slide down, feeling more pulses of hot, bitter cum spilling into his mouth.

Young-il was shaking as he gave three final slow thrusts, riding out his high. He pulled out, softening cock slick with saliva. Gi-hun’s hair was messy, his face shiny with sweat and his mouth and chin coated in spit. He struggled to regain his breath, throat spasming painfully. Young-il propped his hands above him, both of them trying to recover.

“Fuck, Gi-hun. I wouldn’t have expected you to be so good at that.”

Gi-hun felt a flicker of pride, slowly being overtaken by a pit of emptiness in his gut, spreading through him like ink on paper. He felt a hand gently pull up his chin, and Young-il smiled down at him, bending down to give him a slower, softer kiss. Gi-hun melted into it once more, a warmth that tried with all it had not to drown in the emptiness. A million thoughts ran through his head as the soft lips pressed against his.

Gi-hun liked women, he knew that for sure. He loved his wife once, a long time ago. He glanced at women on the street, felt aroused when he saw their naked bodies. But men? Sure, he was able to recognise a good-looking man, maybe even admire him, but he never had the desire to act any further. Or maybe he just forced himself to look away before those thoughts could ever develop? He remembers occasions of feeling a static or warmth when a man would touch his arm or squeeze his shoulder, but he always ignored it, chalking it up to how lonely he was now he had noone in his life anymore, especially in the last three years. What would his mother think? She never had much to be proud of, his selfishness, his drinking, his gambling, his ever growing debt redeemed with the blood money of four-hundred and fifty-five people. Well, four-hundred and fifty-four people. But sex with a man? That was a different kind of family betrayal, and oh how she’d be rolling in her grave. He remembered his family’s disgust when they found out one of his cousins was gay. But Gi-hun wasn’t gay. He wasn’t, because he liked women. But this action… How could he go back now?

Young-il broke the kiss, searching his eyes.

“Gi-hun, are you ok?”

Gi-hun gave a small nod, pushing himself up to stand again. He leant in, capturing Young-il’s lips again, and they drank in each other’s taste, pulling the other close until their bodies were flush.

Young-il pulled back and smirked again, and Gi-hun could feel fingers scraping down his chest down to his belly, and Gi-hun gasped when the hand cupped him gently. He was still hard, almost painfully so. Young-il pressed himself against Gi-hun again, and Gi-hun felt the other growing hard again, impressively. He continued to rub his crotch against his, and Gi-hun gritted his teeth at the friction, needing more.

“You’re so needy, Gi-hun.” Young-il chuckled. Gi-hun felt hands grasp his hips, slipping under the waistband of his sweatpants and sliding down to squeeze his bare ass. “What are we going to do about that?”

“Hah. You can talk.” Gi-hun chuckled, pushing his hips against Young-il’s growing erection to prove his point. “I thought you were supposed to be almost fifty.”

One side of Young-il’s lips upturned in a smile and he gave him one, long, desperate kiss before spinning Gi-hun around, pulling him back by the waist to press his hard length against Gi-hun’s ass. Gi-hun’s eyes widened with realisation. Did he want to-

His thoughts were cut off when Young-il dipped his hands under his waistband once more and grasped Gi-hun’s aching length. He bucked into the hand, little gasps escaping his mouth. He felt the hot breath of Young-il’s laugh on the back of his neck.

A hand on his back pushed him down, bracing his hands on the toilet, while the other began pulling down Gi-hun’s pants to expose his ass.

Fear suddenly washed over him like a bucket of ice water. Sure, the other things he’d done already he could justify, but this was too much. He wasn’t ready for this. He was too scared of what it would feel like, no idea how much it would hurt. The solidifier of his betrayal. He pushed off the toilet suddenly, whipping around and grabbing Young-il by his traps, pushing him back into the wall. He was able to do it quite easily, the other man not expecting him to do so. Young-il’s arms covered his own, teeth gritting and trying to push back against him. Gi-hun jolted him against the wall, the man’s head hitting the wood. Young-il grabbed at the side of Gi-hun’s shirt, attempting to spin him again.

Gi-hun threw him to the side, Young-il losing his balance, shoulder hitting the cistern of the toilet hard. He grunted in pain, his arms scrambling to turn and push himself off. Gi-hun grabbed a fistful of the shirt under his neck, pulling him up and forcing him into the position he had put Gi-hun in moments earlier. The man tried to fight back, though Gi-hun could swear he saw the flicker of a smile on Young-il’s face. Gi-hun pushed his head down hard, his other hand quickly grabbing hold of Young-il’s pants and yanking them down until they pooled at his ankles before pulling his own down just under his hips. The head of his cock was purple and leaking with neglect. He pushed Young-il’s shirt up his back, the man getting the hint and pulling it off over his head.

He spat into his hand, slicking up the length of his cock before spreading Young-il’s cheeks and letting spit fall from his mouth and onto his hole, using a thumb to massage it in. Young-il tried to struggle up again, standing upright and pushing back into him, trying to elbow Gi-hun from behind. Gi-hun shoved him down with more force than necessary, fueled by frustration as the man’s chest collided with the lid. He clawed up to brace himself on the cistern again.

The man gasped as Gi-hun pushed his head down and held it against the top of the cistern. “Do that again, and I’ll make you fucking pay for it.” He growled, and he swore he heard a whimper leave Young-il’s lips. He let go and spread his cheeks with one hand, using the other to position the tip of his cock at the entrance. He spat into his hand again, swirling it around the head before pressing against the hole.

It was tight, impossibly tight, tighter than anything he’d ever had. He’d never tried before this with any woman he’d had, his ex-wife strictly against it. Young-il hissed as the head finally breached it, Gi-hun pausing to allow him to adjust to the stretch. Hardly any time had passed before Young-il struggled against him again, pushing his ass back against him in an attempt to push him deeper. A moan ripped from Gi-hun, as he pushed Young-il down by his back once more.

“Fucking move, come on, fuck me!” Young-il gritted, groans coming in desperate, frustrated growls.

Gi-hun pulled his hair back, lifting Young-il’s face up and arching his back, the man gasping in pain.

“You think you can control me, huh? Turn me fucking gay and beg me to fuck you? Do you see what you’ve done, turning me into a fucking fag?” He grabbed Young-il’s hips, the feel of bare skin electric under his fingers, and slammed into him in one, merciless stroke. Young-il cried out, losing grip on the cistern and steadying himself again with shaking hands. He was going to pay for what he’d done to him, it was his fault he felt like this.

Young-il turned his head to face Gi-hun, his face flushed and sweaty, mouth hung open and eyes hooded. He could see the ghost of a smirk on his face. “I didn’t turn you into a fag, Gi-hun.” He panted. “I’m not making you do this. You’re doing it yourself.”

Anger washed over Gi-hun, and he pulled out almost completely before slamming back. It was almost painfully tight, squeezing his cock in a way he’d never felt. He was quickly becoming drunk with it, hips bucking and pushing him in and out at their own accord. The bathroom was silent apart from the gentle hiss of spraying of water from the broken sink, quickly becoming loud with the dirty slapping of skin and the groans leaving both their mouths as Gi-hun fucked him at a reckless pace. Groans and cries of pleasure were mixed with ones of pain, and Gi-hun knew this must have hurt badly, yet Young-il panted like his life depended on reaching his high. Young-il attempted to push him back, Gi-hun slapping him hard on the ass, leaving an angry red mark there. A loud moan left Young-il, and he arched his back in a way that made Gi-hun want to fuck him until he couldn’t walk. He slapped him again, seeing Young-il’s cock jump.

“You fucking like that, don’t you?” Gi-hun breathed.

Young-il arched and pushed back hard to meet the next thrust, driving him impossibly deeper than before. Gi-hun gave a loud cut-off moan, grasping Young-il’s hips bruisingly as he rolled his hips into him, able to fuck him deeper with the new angle. Young-il suddenly jolted forward, a whimper escaping him. Gi-hun thrusted again and again, clearly hitting a spot that was quickly turning Young-il feral. His arm reached back, blindly grabbing at Gi-hun’s wrist as he lowered his head to rest against the inside of his other arm. He gasped and whimpered and moaned, going crazy with pleasure as Gi-hun fucked him like an animal.

Gi-hun could feel himself getting close, intoxicated by the scene in front of him. The sheen of sweat over the muscles on his back, watching his cock appear and disappear as his hips sent ripples across his ass. He placed his hand over the middle of his back, wanting to feel the muscles contract under his touch. His other hand dipped low to reach around to Young-il’s stomach, squeezing the base of his cock.

Young-il thrashed and groaned, drunk with pleasure. Gi-hun suddenly slowed to a stop, keeping his hand unmoving on his hot, hard length.

“The fuck are you doing?” Young-il cursed, looking back at him with hair falling down over his eyes. Another sharp crack rang out as Gi-hun slapped him again before reaching down to pull Young-il up into standing by his shoulder. He stayed sheathed inside him, pressing his body against the man’s back while his hand snaked around him to stroke his chest, stomach, sides. He placed his head on the shorter man’s shoulder, watching intently at the breaths leaving his mouth, his eyes closed. He felt muscles contract under the featherlight touch, and he drifted back down to his cock once more. A shaky breath left Young-il’s mouth as Gi-hun stroked him in an agonisingly rhythm, feeling his legs quiver against him. He felt the man lean back into him, Gi-hun having to hold his chest against him to keep him upright and kissing and nipping at his ear and neck.

“Oh, oh god.” He heard Young-il whisper, barely audible. Gi-hun pulled out, urging the man to turn around to face him. Young-il instantly pulled him into a searing kiss, slow and passionate and hungry, his tongue plunging into his mouth as though tasting him was all that mattered. Their cocks bumped each other, both rolling their hips against each other to chase the friction they so desperately needed.

Gi-hun gently pushed him back. “Sit down.” He ordered, voice deep with lust. Young-il stared up at him, their faces almost touching as they breathed into each other's mouth. He slowly sat down onto the toilet lid, keeping eye contact as he kicked off his sweatpants so he could spread his legs wide. He was fully naked in front of him, and Gi-hun drank in the sight. His abs were just defined under his skin, toned muscles framing his arms and legs, veins snaking down his arms into his hands like rivers on a map.

Fuck what he thinks anymore.

Fuck what anyone thinks.

This is what he wanted, and he was going to fucking take it.

Gi-hun pulled his pants completely off, and Young-il reached out, taking the hem of his shirt and tugging at it gently. Gi-hun pulled it over his head, watching Young-il’s eyes drift up and down his body as though he was made of gold. Gi-hun picked his jacket up off the floor, folding it and helping Young-il to lift his hips enough for him to slot it underneath him, so that his tailbone wouldn’t bruise against the hard porcelain.

He smoothed his hands underneath Young-il’s thighs, urging him to lift his legs toward his chest. He spat on his hand once more, slicking up his cock before bending down to position himself. He braced himself on the cistern above Young-il’s shoulders, leaning down close to his face. This time, he got to watch Young-il’s face as he pushed inside, the man’s eyes glazing and his mouth hanging open, almost staring through him as he was overcome with pleasure once more. Gi-hun started off slow, rocking his hips slow and deep. He pulled Young-il forwards so his ass was closer to the end of the toilet, but the position was too awkward. He was far too low. He pulled out again, pulling him up to stand and turning him on the spot so Gi-hun could sit down.

Young-il wasted no time straddling his hips, reaching behind him to position Gi-hun’s cock at his entrance. He cradled Gi-hun’s face as he sank down onto him until he was against his skin. He gasped into his mouth as Young-il started rolling his hips, his hands flying up to grasp the younger man’s hips.

Tired, Gi-hun let the man fuck himself on his dick, head lolling back against the wall. He stared at Young-il’s cock, bouncing and slapping his stomach. Young-il bent down to capture his lips again, biting and tugging at his lower lip. He could tell he was growing desperate, little whimpers escaping him as he bounced on top of him

“You want more?” Gi-hun smirked, hands sliding around to squeeze his ass. Young-il looked down at him again, the familiar darkness returning, but he said nothing.

Gi-hun grabbed his lower jaw, squeezing enough to make a point. “Don’t ignore me when I talk to you. I asked if you wanted more.”

“Yes.” Young-il hissed.

“Beg for it.”

Young-il’s eyes flew down to his again, and Gi-hun could see a flicker of shock. He was growing desperate, frustrated at the man’s stillness and not able to get the right angle in order to build towards his finish. He let out a loud growl of frustration through gritted teeth, anger twitching in his eyes.

Gi-hun grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him down towards him, but he didn’t kiss him.

“You want me to fuck you?” He spoke the words into his mouth. “Fucking beg for it.” He pushed the man away from him by the throat, and Gi-hun could see the rage that crossed Young-il’s face.

Gi-hun faltered, fearful he’d crossed a line, until a hiss left Young-il’s mouth.

“Fuck me.”

Gi-hun smiled, staring at his lips. “You’re missing something.”

Young-il’s lips twitched. “Please fuck me. Fuck me till I can’t walk. I need your cock, Gi-hun.” He groaned, bouncing desperately on him. “Oh fuck, I need it.”

Gi-hun chuckled, hands running up and down the man’s flank. He grasped his hips hard, lifting his own hips just as Young-il came down. An abrupt, shocked moan left Young-il, his mouth hanging open as he rode Gi-hun, hips meeting every thrust. His orgasm was nearing again, building closer and closer as they both chased their release like rabid dogs. Young-il’s moans were growing louder, his head thrown back and eyes squeezed shut.

“Look at me.” Gi-hun demanded, hands coming up behind his head and clawing lightly at his hair.

Young-il looked down at the touch, staring deep into Gi-hun’s eyes as he clenched his jaw, shaking as his cock spurted onto their bellies, a suppressed groan tearing its way past closed teeth. His ass rippled around Gi-hun’s cock with each wave of pleasure, squeezing it from base to tip. The sight finally tipped him over the edge. Young-il’s hand flew up to cover Gi-hun’s mouth as his orgasm ripped through him, the muffled moan still loud behind his hand. He leant in close, drinking in the sight of Gi-hun coming undone. Young-il rolled his hips slowly, milking him for every last drop. Pleasure crashed over him hard, his ears ringing as his cock pulsed. Young-il’s hand dropped to his chest and he leant his forehead against his, chests heaving out of sync.

Every muscle in Gi-hun’s body was spent, lying limp against the toilet with the weight of the man on top of him, their bodies radiating heat.

Gi-hun had never had sex like that. He can’t think of another time he’d ever cum that hard before. There was a lot of rethinking he’d have to do about his life. He felt Young-il’s hand stroking his cheek and neck, and suddenly nothing else mattered.

Notes:

Hope you enjoyed, I had a lot of fun writing this one. Their dynamic is fun to write, and I think with the rest of this season's story this fic has more potential, so I might continue it for another chapter or two and explore it. It'd be a waste to end it now!

Chapter 3: The Revolt

Summary:

Gi-hun recruits a small team to carry out his revolution, and everything takes a turn for the worst.

Notes:

I know yall are hungry. This is a bit of a filler chapter, being 80% a retelling of the final episode of s2, but it is necessary for the context of the fic. Also I'm sick at the moment and wrote this while feverish so I hope it makes sense. I hope you enjoy anyways!

Chapter warning: Brief mentions of suicidal thoughts

“Where are the guards?” Gih-un said, shucking his jacket back on. “They usually intervene during a fight before too many players get killed.”

In-ho watched him from where he was seated on the toilet, blindly slipping on his shoe. He studied the way his hands moved, the way the bones flexed his fingers as he fixed his collar. Gi-hun looked down at him when he didn’t answer, and In-ho looked away, a pit beginning to form in his gut when the man met his eye. His interest in player 456 had been captured early on in his first appearance in the games. But now, as his eyes drifted across the man’s face, In-ho realised just how much he had let himself become captivated.

He shrugged, reaching down to pull on his other shoe. “There's no cameras in here. Maybe they’re just playing it safe.”

He slipped past Gi-hun, the click of the stall door echoing through the eerily silent bathroom. The bodies littering the floor seemed like nothing more than inanimate objects to him, souls long gone and offering no company in the empty room. Water crept away from the gentle spray of the damaged sink, leaking into the pools of blood, branches of scarlet seeping into the clear water.

“Five… There’s only five dead.” Gi hun’s brows knitted, turning to him after glancing around the room. “When did the others escape? We heard them fighting.”

“I don’t know, I thought there would be many more dead by the sounds of the violence out here.”

He watched as Gi-hun stared down at the man he had stabbed, and In-ho’s eyes narrowed. Gi-hun had killed many people before, well, at least indirectly. Why did this one hold his interest? The man’s gaze drifted over to the larger body lying on its side under the sinks, the one who’s neck In-ho had snapped. It was a reckless action, one that could have broken his trust with Gi-hun and destroyed everything he’d built up to this point. But the player had attacked Gi-hun, and he was blinded by anger, a true anger he had not felt for a long time. Anger that was not just related to the man ruining his plans by killing or injuring Gi-hun, but rather something more.

“The others will think we are dead.” In-ho said quietly, attempting to urge Gi-hun to forget about the body.

Gi-hun crossed the room towards the exit, raising a fist and bashing it hard on the door. “Hey!” He yelled out. “Hey, we’re still in here! What’s going on?”

In-ho looked down at the dead. His idea to introduce more clearly defined sides, indicated by the patches on the chest, had worked to create more tension between the players. But the games were nearing its end, and five deaths did not cull the numbers as much as he’d have liked it to. The number of players were still high, and that risked more people choosing to turn against the staff as Gi-hun eventually hatched his plan to overthrow the games. Not to mention he himself staying alive at night while retaining the trust of the others largely depended on how good Gi-hun’s plan to keep them all alive was. He could tell Gi-hun’s revolution was nearing. He eyed the back of Gi-hun’s head, his gaze murderous.

The door slid open, and three masked men appeared, wielding their guns at them. Gi-hun’s hands flew up, In-ho following for the sake of not appearing suspicious.

“What are you doing in here?” The main guard pointed the barrel close to Gi-hun’s face, anger clear in his voice. “All players were evacuated from the bathroom and returned to their quarters.”

“We didn’t know, we were hiding in the stall during the fight!” Gi-hun said quickly, a slight shake in his voice.

“Perhaps you should be more thorough when checking the rooms.” In-ho said calmly. “Wouldn’t want your boss to find out you did not do your job properly.”

The guard stared at him through the mask, and said nothing. He turned back to Gi-hun. “Move.” he cocked the gun. Gi-hun followed another guard out of the room. In-ho strolled past the main guard, staring into where his eyes would be and smirking before he made to follow Gi-hun. He could feel the guard staring, hesitating before following close behind.

Everyone turned to face them when they walked in, both teams on their respective sides and huddled on the lower levels of the bunks.

“Gi-hun! Gi-hun! You’re alive!” Jung-bae cried, running up to meet them as they returned to the group. He threw his arms around Gi-hun, who couldn’t help but smile at his best friend’s relief. In-ho chewed on his teeth, feeling that dark feeling in his chest grow once more as he watched the two embrace. His face dropped back to a neutral expression when Jung-bae looked at him.

“Brother Young-il! We were so worried you had been caught in the fight!” He grasped In-ho’s shoulder tightly, shaking him playfully.

“Where were you both?!” Dae-ho ran up to clap them both on the shoulder. “All these people returned to the dorm covered in blood, and there was an argument over a fight beginning in the bathroom. They said some had been killed, but they haven’t announced any players’ numbers! We thought you had been killed!”

“We are fine, Gi-hun saved my life, and we were able to hide in a locked stall until it was over.” In-ho said.

“Well, Young-il saved my life too… Twice.”

“But they said most of the players managed to escape, the guards let them out while a few continued to fight. That was at least twenty minutes ago! Where’ve you been?” Jung-bae urged.

Gi-hun scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, eyes downcast. In-ho wanted to roll his eyes at Gi-hun’s inability to come up with an excuse, and spoke up for him.

“The few remaining in the bathroom were fighting for a long time. There was one man left, he was violent, and we had to take him down.”

The group looked startled. “Are you injured?” the old lady asked.

“We’re ok.” In-ho said. “We were very lucky.”

“Lights out in 20 minutes. All players, please prepare for bedtime.” The automated voice announced, echoing throughout the room.

“Those bastards are acting suspicious. It looks like they’re up to something” Dae-ho swung himself under an empty bed frame, gesturing with his head to the O team on the opposite side of the room. “If you both are alive, that means we only lost two from our team, while they lost three.”

Jung-bae’s eyes lit up. “So that means, we have an advantage to win the vote tomorrow.”

Dae-ho looked over nervously, returning to his spot where they were all seated in a circle. “You think we’ll be ok? They were saying things got really crazy in the bathroom earlier, isn’t that right?”

Gi-hun nodded. “Once the lights go out, people on the other side will attack us.”

“Really?” Player 007, the lady’s son spoke up.

“-Because if they kill us, they’ll be able to win the vote and increase the prize.”

“So… what do we do?”

“We attack them first.” In-ho says suddenly, and the group turned to him. “They’re probably thinking we’ll just wait for the second vote. We can use it to our advantage, we’ll attack them first once the lights go out.”

Player 047 nodded furiously. “That’s right, it’s better to attack them first, we have more women and elderly on our side. If we get attacked, we’ll be at a disadvantage. I was in the bathroom too, the other team are ruthless. Attacking them first will give us a better chance of winning.”

“We can’t do that.” Gi-hun said quietly.

In-ho’s brow twitched in genuine confusion. “But we have to get out of here.” He gave a small, unamused scoff. “You said it yourself, staying calm won’t get us anywhere now.”

“That doesn’t mean we should kill each other. That’s exactly what they want us to do.” Gi-hun spat.

“‘They’?” Jung-bae questioned.

Gi-hun looked at him. “The ones who created this game. The ones who watch us play. If we’re going to fight someone, it should be them.”

There was a long pause at this. Everyone stared at Gi-hun, looking between each other nervously. In-ho forcefully hid a smirk from his face. Gi-hun was finally going to execute some insane elaborate plan to take down the games, just like he’d planned from the beginning.

“Where are they?” Dae-ho asked cautiously.

Gi-hun’s head tipped upwards, and everyone followed his gaze to the cameras. In-ho kept his gaze on Gi-hun.

“Up there.” Gi-hun whispered. “On the upper levels are the rooms they control the games from. The man in the black mask is their leader. Once we capture him, we’ll be able to win.”

“How are you going to fight them? They have guns” In-ho pressured.

“We’ll fight with guns too.” Gi-hun stated.

“But… we don’t have any.” Jung-bae stared at his friend like he was insane.

“We’ll take their guns.”

“From the masked men?”

Gi hun nods and Jung-bae’s head falls back against the bed frame, looking like he was seriously regretting his choices of friendship.

In-ho shook his head. “That’s too dangerous. Even if we manage to take a few guns, we’ll still be outnumbered.”

Gi-hun looked across at him, anger flickering in his eyes. “What then? Are you going to kill each other all night and hope you survive? Is that what you want, Young-il?”

In-ho glared at him. This plan he was concocting was reckless and stupid, and half of them would probably end up dead before they got even one gun.

“Do we… stand a chance?” Player 120, Hyung-ju looks between them.

Gi-hun backed off his anger slightly. “We do if we catch them off guard. Out of everyone, they’re the ones who would least expect us to attack first. This is our last chance to end these games once and for all.”

In-ho suppressed a sigh. Though it was the type of plan he’d expect from Gi-hun, there was still a high probability of it going very wrong. “How are you going to take their guns?”

Gi-hun paused, leaning in and lowering his voice. “Once the fight begins tonight. We’ll have our chance. Once the lights go out, get underneath the beds quietly. You mustn't get caught by them. We have to hide until the fight ends, do not get caught up in the fight.”

“But… that would put the people on our side at a disadvantage, they’ll be outnumbered without us.” Jung-bae gestured to the rest of the X team, already getting ready for bed or huddled in smaller groups away from them.

“I know. But if we fight with them, and some of us end up dead or injured, it will ruin our entire plan. We can beat those bastards with a lower headcount.”

In-ho clenched his jaw. What Gi-hun was suggesting seemingly went against everything he stood for. The very same reason he wanted to take down the games, capture the frontman - In-ho himself, and put an end to it all. Gi-hun seemed to spend most of his time in the last game and in this one trying to keep people alive. It was the very reason player 456 caught his interest in the first place. His undiscriminating empathy, his lack of greed despite how desperately he always searched for money. He was willing to quit at the very end of the game and sacrifice 45.6 billion won just to save his friend Sang-woo, but now, he was telling them to let the innocent die for the sake of their plan. This borderline delusion that the sacrifice of a few would save the many. But this… only seemed to peak In-ho’s interest more. Why did he even want to do this? Why did he care so much that he’d be willing to die for the sake of the lives of people he didn’t even know, or even those who had wronged him?

“Are you suggesting…” In-ho began “...That we make a small sacrifice for the greater good?”

Gi hun stares at him, eyes stern. “If we miss this opportunity, the sacrifice will be even greater.”

In-ho can’t stop the tiny smirk that forms on his face, if only Gi-hun could understand the irony.

“Even if it takes a sacrifice, we must put an end to this game now.”

“In that case-” In-ho clenched his teeth in an attempt to keep the smile from growing. “I’m with you.”

The others looked at each other nervously. Gi-hun gave him a small nod. “The fight won’t last long, because if all of us end up hurt or dead, there can’t be a next game. The soldiers will come to settle the situation, and try to break up the fight first and won’t pay any attention to the dead. Then they’ll scan our trackers to identify the dead-”

“Lights out in five minutes. All players please prepare for bedtime.”

“-That’ll be our window to attack.”

The group was silent, taking in the gravity of what they had just agreed to do. Even if the plan worked and they managed to reach the control room, there was an overwhelming probability some of them wouldn’t make it to see their success. Though obviously, there was still a chance the vote tomorrow would be dominated by Team O, and they’d have to risk death continuing the games anyway.

He watched Gi-hun explain the plan more detailedly in a hushed whisper, hands gesturing along with his words. The others listened intently, holding onto his words as though they were the key to their survival. Eventually everyone got up to choose a bed, putting the older or slower people on the bottom bunks and the fitter, faster people on the next levels. Gi-hun and In-ho climbed onto the next level, In-ho taking the bed in front of Gi-hun’s.

In-ho settled into the mattress, pulling the thin sheet over himself. It was the few minutes of comfort he was allowed the past few days, having grown accustomed to his new life of luxury - money, fine whiskeys, jazz, suits. It wasn’t really him, but it was something that was easy to take advantage of. The only thing he secretly enjoyed about being in the games was not having to deal with the VIPs, a bunch of dirty, insufferable people disguised by their money and power. Though many of the players could be irritating, their characters were often more interesting than that of the rich.

“Young-il?” A whisper came from behind his head. He turned his neck up to see Gi-hun through the bars of the bed frame, lying on his stomach and propped up on his elbows. He was looking down at his fidgeting hands.

“I uh… thank you for taking my side, and for listening. I don’t think I could do it, and I certainly wouldn’t have gotten this far, if it weren't for you.” Gi-hun looked up at him, his eyes genuine.

“Well… you can buy me a Soju when we get out.” In-ho mutters, and hears a breathy laugh from behind him.

There's a long pause, but by the lack of shifting sounds In-ho can tell Gi-hun is still there. He heard a swallow.

“About… earlier.” Gi-hun began, looking extremely uncomfortable. “Have you ever done that before? I mean… with a…” He trails off, hanging his head almost shamefully.

In-ho purses his lips. “No. No, I haven’t.”

Gi-hun’s head whips up, a surprised look on his face. “You haven’t? Then what-”

“I told you I wasn’t gay, Gi-hun.” And he was telling the truth, at least partially. There were many things he lost that day he won the 28th games, when pain and grief overtook his life and left him with nothing. By the time he became the Frontman, the pain and grief had been replaced with a cold, hard, calculating numbness. Where nothing mattered, not people, not money, not power. His identity no longer mattered, replaced with an empty shell wherein even his sexuality did not matter to him anymore. Sex was sex, obsession was obsession. But love was something he could feel no longer. Not anymore.

“But you… We-”

“You did those things too, didn’t you?” In-ho turned onto his stomach to properly look at him. “How is it any different?”

Gi-hun looked conflicted, staring into his pillow as though it held the answers. “I just… I don’t know why I… wanted to do those things. I’ve never felt that way before with a-” He stopped again before he could say the word, he looked away. “-With a man.”

In-ho kept his gaze on him. “I… me neither.” He muttered, and this time he was telling the whole truth. In that moment in the bathroom, and a while before that, he wanted Gi-hun. Wanted to please him. Wanted to punish him. To know everything about him. His interest in the player had only exploded since he joined the games alongside him, and now it seemed to be developing into something more. Less a curiosity and more an obsession. He remembered what Oh Il-nam had said to him that day he told In-ho he was entering the games.

There’s no way watching it can be more fun than playing it yourself.

In a way, In-ho had joined for the same reason.

The automated voice rang out again. “Lights out in ten seconds. Ten, nine, eight-”

Gi-hun flipped himself onto his back with a grunt. “Come on, we should pretend we’re going to sleep. We’ll get up quietly as soon as the lights turn off.”

“Four, three, two-”

In-ho stared at the top of the man’s head. Everything was about to come to an end, and he felt conflicted with that. He had been following Gi-hun for so long, obsessed over his every move for the past two years until he was finally able to get him back in the games. It had consumed a large portion of his life, and now it was all going to be over. But why did it feel… disappointing?

“One.”

The lights shut off, and the room fell into darkness. There was complete silence, the kind of silence that only came when everyone in the room was being as still as possible. He heard a faint creak coming from the opposite side of the room, and knew it was time to act.

He heard shifting in Gi-hun’s bed, and felt a hand shake his shoulder gently. In-ho got up, quietly kicking the blanket off and swinging his legs over the side. They managed to climb to the floor, seeing the faint outline of the others doing the same. In-ho got down on his stomach, sliding under one of the bunks, closely followed by Gi-hun. They watched as legs began dropping down from the O team’s side and slowly advanced towards them. He could see Gi-hun trembling, though from where he was slightly behind him, couldn’t see his face.

One of them yelled a war cry, and the blood-curdling scream of a woman sent the room into chaos. Screams of anger and of fear and pain punctuated the sounds of shivs plunging into flesh, people thrown onto the floor and punched and kicked mercilessly. The lights in the room began flashing in a strobe-like pattern, momentarily lighting up the scenes of horrific violence. In-ho wondered if Gi-hun felt guilt as he listened to the symphony of the sacrifice he conducted.

Suddenly, a player fell face first directly in front of where they were lying, their eyes wide with terror. The player spotted them, their hand reaching out to them before someone jumped onto their back, stabbing them over and over in the back until their eyes went blank.

In the lighting, In-ho could see Gi-hun’s trembling worsen, quick exhales escaping his mouth. In-ho felt a deep satisfaction seeing this, unable to tear his eyes from him, his own breath quickening.

The lights came on, signalling them to quickly crawl out from under their bunks and lay amongst the dead. The O team were distracted by the entrance of the guards, allowing them to do so unnoticed.

In-ho heard the telltale crack of a gunshot, followed by an uproar of chaos. He looked up from where he lay to see Hyung-ju holding a submachine gun, swinging it around to shoot a second guard. At the same time, Gi-hun had managed to grab hold of another guard’s gun, shooting one as he wrestled it out of the guards grip and executed them. In-ho glanced to the side to see a guard in front of him, distracted by the unexpected fight. He got up, throwing his arms over the soldier and wrenching the gun from his grip, shooting him under the chin as he turned to face him, and sending a bullet through another guard. He knew they had orders not to shoot him or 456.

But guards were replaceable, Gi-hun’s trust in him wasn’t.

The guards were ordered to retreat and they scrambled for the door like rats, but the door slammed shut before their supervisor was able to escape. They pounded on the door, turning around to face them with his hands up. In-ho could tell by their body language they would be the type to tell Gi-hun anything he wants, he knew most of the guards were cowards in the end.

“Stop! Hold fire!” Gi-hun screams. Everyone with a gun runs up, pointing it at the soldier.

“Hands above your head!” Jung bae orders. “On your knees!”

“You bastards!” Player 047 cries from the back of the room, shaking the gun wildly at the remaining O team.

“No!” Gi-hun steps in front of the barrel.

“Move! Do you not see this?” He gestures to the scene around him. “They’re not human, they’re like goddam vermin blinded by money!” His screams grow hysteric, and Gi-hun grabs the barrel of the gun roughly, staring into the player’s eyes. If In-ho wasn’t growing frustrated with Gi-hun’s obsession with playing the hero, he’d probably be aroused again.

“This is not what these guns are for. If we do this, we’ll be no different from those masked men.” Gi-hun spits, and In-ho suppresses another smirk at the irony.

047 hesitates and lowers it, and Gi-hun walks to the middle of the room, ordering everyone to gather.

Hyung-ju shoots the cameras with a suspicious precision, and they work to gather the guns and ammo into a pile with radios. The group lined up at the front of the room, guns across their bodies. In-ho stood towards the end of the line, watching as Gi-hun stepped forward.

“Everyone! We are going to head up to the masked men’s headquarters. We’ll capture the ones who captured us, put an end to this game and make them pay! Anyone who knows how to use a gun and wishes to join us, please step forward.”

No one moved, most of them seemingly too scared to even look at one another. Jung bae hesitates, stepping ahead of Gi-hun. “Hey, I know you’re scared. I’m scared too. But this may be our last chance to make it out of this place alive. Fight with us, so we can go home together.”

There was a short pause. “All together.”

Finally, player 015 is the first to step forward, a few more following until In-ho counted twelve people on their side. Hyung-ju gives a lesson on how to use the submachine gun, and Jung-bae passes In-ho one of the radios switched onto channel 7, passing the other two to Dae-ho and Gi-hun, keeping one for himself.

Gihun steps up to the trembling guard, on his knees with his hands behind his head, and points a revolver at him. “Take it off.”

The guard’s arm slowly drifts down, pulling his mask off to reveal a very young looking man.

“Good god, do your parents know what you’re doing here?” Jung-bae says.

Gihun clicks the revolver, lip twitching with rage. “Take us to your captain.”

Gihun shoots through the tiny glass window in the door, shoving his arm through and unlocking it. He pushed the guard ahead of him, following close with the gun still aimed at his head. In-ho steps ahead to be the next person to follow, the other players not arguing with the authority he’d managed to build. They followed him through the overlaps of brightly lit colourful stairs and were quickly ambushed by a group of soldiers on the level above. The team managed to clear them out quickly, resuming their search through the maze-like corridors In-ho now knew off by heart.

They went up more stairs, rounded more corners before reaching a flat corridor. It was framed with archways, looking across at a similar corridor on the opposite side, the winding stairs spiralling below. They came to a sudden stop, each of them nearly running into the person in front.

“The entrance to the management area is around that corner. The control room is right above it.” the guard said, holding his hands in the air.

“Well go then” Gi-hun waves the gun.

“Wait.” The soldier slowly reached for his pocket, but his arm was grabbed by Gi-hun.

“What are you doing?”

“I need my mask to pass security.”

Gi-hun backs off, and the guard tears open the velcro of the pocket on his thigh. He looks up, realising In-ho is staring directly at him, a murderous look in his eye. The guard’s eyes widen with fear and he freezes in place. He had taken his mask off, revealed his identity, and the Frontman had seen him do it.

A loud crack made them all jump, and blood sprayed from the hostage guard’s head before he dropped to the floor. The group dove for cover, bullets raining on them from the corridor across from them. They scrambled behind the walls framing each archway, occasionally sneaking looks to take a shot. A few telltale sounds of a direct hit could be heard, but there were still too many of them. There was no way forward without risking being cornered, but In-ho knew there was not enough time or ammo for them to sit here all day.

“I’ll go look for the management area!” Gi hun yelled over the noise.

A spark of excitement flickered in In-ho’s belly. “Will you be able to find it? Should I come?”

Gi-hun shook his head. “I’ll bring Jung-bae. I need you to buy us some time!”

The excitement was quickly replaced by disappointment. He struggles to hide his anger as Jung-bae crouch-runs over to them. In-ho stares as he runs past him, feeling a hatred toward him stronger than he ever had before.

___________________________

 

“Jung bae, let's go.” Gi-hun calls, and Jung-bae runs over to him. Young-il nods, Gi-hun noticing the disapproval on his face. They run into the next corridor, and groan when they see the amount of doors in front of them. They wordlessly begin opening them, the space behind each one no larger than a cupboard.

Gi-hun notices a small camera above the door at the end of the hall. He walks over to it, slipping the square mask he took from the guard from his pocket and holding it in front of his face.

Gi-hun exhales in relief as it slides open to reveal a darker, purple corridor, Jung-bae following close behind.

“Why did you bring me instead of Young-il?” He hears Jung-bae ask.

Gi-hun carefully scans the area before advancing. “Because you’re my friend.”

Jung-bae exhales a short laugh. “You only say that when you’re in a jam.”

Gi-hun holds the radio up to his mouth. “We’re in the management area. We’ll make our way up.”

Gi-hun spots a junction in the hallway ahead, carfelly approaching the edge of the wall. He hears shuffling, and swings around the corner, gun at the ready. Two guards spray bullets down at them, hiding in an intersection up a short set of stairs. Gi-hun manages to kill one, hearing his groans of pain as the bullet hits him.

He looks down, spotting the mask on the floor and swiping it up. He catches Jung-bae’s attention, pointing to the mask. Jung-bae nods, and Gi-hun pokes the mask around the corner. The guards shoot at it, allowing Jung-bae to round the corner and shoot the remaining guard.

The two men advance, diving onto the two bodied and clearing them of ammo, the clicks of the magazines loud in the quiet corridor, apart from the noise of the attack in the distance. They reach an intersection of four stairs, Gi-hun choosing the way he saw the guards come from. He sees the control room ahead, the anticipation unbearable.

His stomach drops as a large group of masked men flood down the stairs ahead, and Gi-hin and Jung-bae throw themselves out of sight. Gi-hun’s shoulder slams painfully against the wall, his heart racing as gunfire rang out once more.

“Young-il, Dae-ho, can you hear me?” Jung-bae shouts into the radio.

“Go ahead!” The crackling sound of Young-il’s voice comes through.

“We think we’re behind the control room! We need backup and more ammo!”

“We’re running out of ammo too!” Young-il shouts.

Gi-hun’s chest tightens. They’re so close, but if they run out of ammo, it’s over. They’ll all be dead.

Gi-hun fumbles with the radio in his pocket, holding it up to his mouth. “There should be spare magazines in the soldier’s pockets in our quarters! Go get them!”

“Got it!” The radio replies.

Gi-hun takes out his magazine clip, swearing to himself. He glances briefly up the corridor, seeing two dead guards at the top of the stairs. If he lay down on the stairs, he’d be able to grab the magazines from their pockets. A bullet whizzes past his head, leaving a white chip in the corner of the wall. He squashes the fear down before it can overtake him.

“Jung-bae, cover me.”

“What are you going to do?!” Jung-bae shouts.

“Take their magazines.”

The man shakes his head wildly. “No! That’s too dangerous!”

“I’m almost out of ammo! If they notice, they’ll close in on us!” We need more magazines to hold out until Dae-ho gets here.”

Jung-bae’s face settled into a look of terror, mouth slightly agape and bottom jaw quivering. He swallowed, finally giving a nod and Gi-hun placed his gun down before rounding the corner. The sound of the bullets intensified at his presence, and he threw himself onto the stairs, reaching up to pull the first guard towards him by the leg of his pants. His wrist and arm ached against the corner of the steps, frustration and fear growing as he blindly searched for their pockets. Bullets collided with the bodies trying to reach him, and he managed to get both of the magazines, slipping the gun off the guard’s shoulder and covering himself as he descended the stairs.

It felt like something big bit his arm hard, and he cried out, losing his balance and falling down the flight of stairs. His feet slipped on the floor as he desperately pushed himself behind the wall, his whole body aching from the fall. He clutched his arm as it burned with pain, pulling back to see blood.

“Are you ok?” Jung-bae looked concerned, flinching at another bullet ricocheting off the wall.

“It’s fine, it’s just a graze.”

“If you die before me, I’ll kill you.” Jung-bae shouts.

Gi-hun gives an unamused laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to outlive you.”

Gi-hun jumped at the sight of someone running up to him, swinging his gun around to see Young-il, Player 047 and Player 015 finally reach them. He welcomed the feeling of relief at the sight of Young-il’s face.

___________________________

 

In-ho spotted Gi-hun and Jung-bae, backs against the wall on either side of the entrance to the stairs. He gave a wave, and the men behind him followed. Gi-hun swung around in surprise as they approached, briefly aiming the gun at In-ho’s chest.

In-ho pushed his back against the wall next to Gi-hun, the others following suit. “Gi-hun! Did you find the control room?” He shouted.

Gi-hun gestured towards the corridor with the tip of the gun. “I think it’s right up there, but we can’t go this way, I want you to find another way!”

Perfect. This plan could not have been executed better if In-ho tried, Gi-hun seeming to read his mind and do everything In-ho expected him to. He worried that Gi-hun would insist they stay together, and he’d have to find another way to get back to the control room alone.

“I did a quick scan of the layout here. I’m sure there’s a way to go around them! I want you guys to keep their focus on you, we’ll hit them from behind.” In-ho shouted, and he could barely hear himself over the noise of Jung-bae returning the assault.

Gihun gave him a nod, and as he turned away felt the man grab his shoulder. “Wait.” Gi-hun dug in his pocket, pulling out his last remaining magazine and holding it out to him. “Here, take this, you’re going to need it.”

Something within In-ho crumbles, and he felt something he had not felt since he realised the lengths his brother had gone to to find him. He had built enough trust with this man that he cared enough for him to give him the only thing that would keep him alive.

He looks up at Gi-hun. “Are you sure?” He asks, and it’s genuine.

Gihun nods. “Dae-ho will be back with more.”

He stares at him, his hand reaching out and taking it. He felt guilt creep up, swallowing it down and resuming his plan as he’d created. This would only make his job easier anyways, there was no point in feeling this guilt.

He cocked his head for the others to follow, and they turned back the way they came.

They twisted and turned through corridors. “What way are you talking about, Young-il? The one you told Gi-hun about? I don’t think we went this way” Player 047 asked when the noise of the guns had faded slightly.

“Yes we did.” In-ho lied. “You just don’t remember, this place is very confusing. Don’t worry, I’m very good with directions.”

The sounds of the guns grew louder again, and they quickly reached the opposite end of Gi-hun’s corridor, the masked men busy shooting in the opposite direction towards Gi-hun and Jung-bae.

In-ho flattened against the wall, holding the radio up to his mouth. “Gi-hun, we found it. Start attacking and draw their attention, then we’ll hit from behind.”

He glanced at the others, gesturing for them to go up first.

“Ok, got it!” Gi-hun’s flustered voice comes over the radio, and they hear the gunfire double.

The other two players go ahead of him, glancing back for more directions as they reach the next point of cover. In-ho gestures for them to continue, and the two look at each other, confused, but follow his orders.

In-ho’s face drops back into his cold, blank expression. It was tiring, having to put emotion on his face all the time just to fit in. He raised the gun, squeezing the trigger and shooting Player 047 in the back. The man fell to the floor, the other player looking over at In-ho, his eyes wide and jaw hanging open. In-ho wordlessly turned the gun to him, and In-ho saw the player take a final sharp intake of breath before he shot him twice in the chest. The player lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, blood beginning to pour from his gargling mouth.

In-ho advanced up the stairs towards him, pointing the gun down at him and squeezing the trigger once more. The gun clicked.

In-ho took out the magazine, realising it was empty. His hand slipped into his pocket, pulling out the full magazine Gi-hun had given him and loaded it.

The radio crackled again. “Young-il, what’s going on? Are you attacking?” Gi-hun urged.

In-ho stares down at the dying player, slowly taking the radio out of his pocket and holding it up to his mouth. His mouth quivered as he modified his voice to sound scared, his expression unchanging “Gi-hun… I’m sorry. It’s all over. They got us too.” He breathed quietly.

“Young-il! What happened, are you alright?”

In-ho leant towards the player, pressing the button and holding it up to the players mouth. The player gargled and coughed and squeaked in pain as he slowly bled out, loud enough that Gi-hun would be able to hear it through the radio.

“Young-il! Young-il! Answer me! Young-il!” Gi-hun screamed back.

In-ho pressed the button again, holding up the gun and shooting the man in the head.

“Young-il! Young-il! YOUNG-IL!”

He stared down at the radio, teeth clenching. He noticed a tremble in his fingers as they came up to switch the radio to the management channel. He took a breath, holding the receiver up to his mouth for the last time.

“Start wrapping things up.”

In-ho tossed the radio onto the players chest, and headed towards the control room. He stared up at the camera to the door, and it slid open. The team turned around to look at him, a lot of them missing, either out fighting or dead.

“Keep working.” He barked. “It’s not over yet.”

In-ho entered the elevator leading to his private quarters. His ears rang loudly with the soundproof silence of the room. He pressed on a split in one of the walls, and they separated to reveal a shallow cupboard, a dim light coming on to reveal his black suit, coat and mask displayed in front of him. He ignored the suit, pulling down the coat and mask and heading to the bathroom.

He caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror. Blood stained his dirty green tracksuit, and the bags under his eyes reflected how tired he actually felt. Images of Gi-hun’s face flashed across his mind, and he gripped the edges of the sink.

What was wrong with him? This man - Seong Gi-hun - had been haunting him for the past three years, occupying so many of his thoughts. Always at the back of his mind. But now since he joined the games, and spent every waking hour of the last few days with him, something had changed.

It wasn’t the sex, no, In-ho was able to separate sex from everything else. Sex was just an act to him, as was killing, and it was an opportunity that presented itself in the moment. But even the sex was different to everyone else. He’d never let himself be controlled like that, always stopped anyone who even tried. But when he struggled against Gi-hun, he remembered the rush he got from being overpowered. From being put in his place and having to take what he was given. It was new, it was different, and it was intoxicating.

His anger burned brighter, but even the anger felt different. It felt more… personal. It felt as though Gi-hun had personally betrayed him, even though the man Gi-hun knew was not him, but rather a persona he’d created to make Gi-hun like him. His fingers gripped the side of the sink, knuckles white as his mouth curled in unbridled anger. He pulled on the coat, flipping the hood up over his hair and zipping it up to his neck.

His life had been ripped away from him. Without the games, he was nothing. He devoted himself to the Squid games, every ounce of his loyalty and every second of his life. Gi-hun was a direct threat, and he needed to be stopped. He needed to be punished for what he had done. For what he tried to do.

And oh, was he going to give him what he deserved.

____________________________

 

“Young il?, Young-il!” Gi-hun screamed into the radio. The gurgles on the other end were cut off by the deafening sound of a gunshot crackling through the bad speakers, a sound he could hear on the other end of the corridor. The radio went silent.

Gi-hun’s chest felt so tight he could hardly bear it. “Young-il! YOUNG-IL!” His voice cracked, but there was no response. The gunshots continued, Jung-bae covering the attack for him. Gi-hun fell back against the wall, his legs struggling to support him. Breaths were being pulled painfully in and out of his lungs, his arms beginning to go numb and his fingers tingling. He could sense Jung-bae looking over at him in-between his attacks.

Young-il was dead. Gi-hun had sent him over there, and he’d been killed. The deep wound in his chest that kept desperately trying to scab over had been painfully ripped open again. First with his daughter leaving, watching as every single player in the previous game was murdered, Sae-Byeok, Sang-woo, the old man’s betrayal, the guilt of his mothers death, the guilt of Sang-woo’s mother, and now this. He felt so alone, the guilt rising to an unbearable level.

“Advance team, can you hear me? We’re out of ammo. We’re surrendering!” A voice that Gi-hun doesn’t recognise yells over the radio.

Gi-huns lips quiver, his eyes widening. It feels as though an ice cold bucket of water has just been dumped on him as he realises what is happening. It aggravates the pain already there, his body almost physically aching as he realises that after everything, they’ve lost.

And he has just gotten every single person who stood up with him killed.

He could feel his heart hammering against his ribs, and no matter how much he breathed he couldn’t seem to get any air. He looked down at the gun in his hands, tempted to just turn it up to his throat and put an end to everything. He looked over at Jung-bae, the man’s face falling at the utter defeat on his friend's face. He was shaking, crouched down on the floor. He slowly lowered the gun to the floor and put his hands up, swallowing and nodding to Gi-hun.

Gi-hun let out a breath that sounded more like a sob, and his gun clattered to the floor.

“I surrender!” Jung-bae yelled out, turning into the line of sight and dropping to his knees with his hands behind his head. Gi-hun followed, the disappointment swelling within him like an inky black lake.

Two of the soldiers run up to them, and Gi-hun closes his eyes as the gun clicks.

But nothing happens, only quiet. He hears the sounds of footsteps descending the stairs towards him and opens his eyes to see a pair of black dress shoes approaching him.

“Player 456.” A deep voice says.

He looks up. It’s the man in the black mask. The man who controlled the games, the one he intended to capture.

“Did you have fun playing the hero?” The man holds a pistol up to his head, and it clicks threateningly. Gi-hun tries his best to stare into the eyes of the mask, but he’s shaking.

The masked man says nothing, seemingly staring at him. Gi-hun’s brow twitches as he spots a slight tremble in the man’s hand, seeing his fingers tighten around the grip as though there was a hesitation.

“Look closely at the consequences of your little hero game.” The voice says, and the masked man turns the revolver to Jung-bae.

Time seems to slow down as he looks over at Jung-bae, his heart skipping and his chest tightening so painfully he thought it might explode. Jung-bae stared at him, his eyes pleading to Gi-hun. Pleading for him to do something. He had never seen his friend look so scared.

“...Gi-hun” Jung-bae whimpered. A loud crack rang out, and Gi-hun squeezed his eyes shut reflexively at the noise. He opened them, seeing a growing patch of red growing in Jung-bae’s shirt as he fell backwards onto the floor. Jung-bae was still staring at him, eyes impossibly wide and mouth spitting tiny, pained breaths. Gi-hun was frozen, ears ringing as though his brain was refusing to register what had just happened.

“NO!” Gi-hun roared, lunging for the body.

He can hardly hear the screams and sobs that escape his own mouth, barely registering they’re even coming from him. Jung-bae’s gaze is glazed and blank, staring through him. He grips at the man’s jacket, throwing himself onto him as pained screams ripped from his throat. He put his hands on his friend's face, willing him to wake up, to just blink. To say something stupid like he always did.

He sees something move in the corner of his eye, and realises the masked man is leaving. His legs push himself off the floor before he even realises what he’s doing. An angry roar pulls from him, lunging up towards the man. He feels arms holding him back, and he falls backward, his tailbone smashing against the floor. He screams in frustration, clawing at the arms holding him back and his gaze glued onto the back of the masked man. He wanted him dead. He wanted to be the one to kill him. He wanted to make it painful. To make it violent. To make him pay for everyone he’d ever killed in these games. For Jung-bae, For Sang-woo, Young-il, Sae-byeok-

He clutched onto Jung-bae’s lifeless body, tears blinding him. He wanted to die. He’d been hurt too many times, and it was finally too much. Nothing was worth it anymore, he just wanted it to be over.

The two masked men began lifting him up. He thrashed and shouted in protest, throwing his arms, kicking, trying to bite them. They managed to pull him away, dragging him along his knees up the stairs. He was taken into another room, and he realised it was the control room. It was lit dimly by the light of the computer screens across the room, as well as the huge TV screen that took up the entire wall at the front of the room. Pink soldiers were sitting at most of the computers, each looking at a different thing. The floor was glass like a screen, A big triangle shape split up into diamonds, each one containing a portrait of a player with their respective number underneath. A large portion of the diamonds were black. He recognised his own face as he was dragged across it, the large number “456” displayed below his face.

He stopped fighting, but he couldn’t stop the sobs that racked his body. They came at their own accord, at an intensity he couldn’t control. The masked men turned around to look at him. Gi-hun looked up at the large screen, his body bathed in varying light as it switched between cameras.

The current camera showed the dormitory. A group of masked men were holding the players at gunpoint, all of them huddled together at the back of the room. It switched to the main room with the stairs, where the rest of the group stayed to fight. He could see soldiers dragging their bodies towards long, black, coffin-like boxes with pink ribbons. He screwed his eyes shut, the guilt rearing its head. He searched the faces below him. He spotted Dae-ho, followed by Hyung-ju. They must have managed to go back to the quarters. He searched and searched for Jung-bae and Young-il, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t find their faces.

He was pulled across the room into another corridor, another door sliding open for them. They stopped in the middle of the hallway, one of the guards swinging open a door to reveal a small dark space. The guards threw Gi-hun into the room, narrowly breaking his fall with his wrist.

He looked back, the circle guards staring at him.

“Hey, Hey wait, wait!” He shouted, but the door was slammed, plunging him into complete darkness and silence.

“HEY! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?” He roared, pounding on the door

“JUST KILL ME! JUST FUCKING KILL ME YOU ASSHOLES! YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANTED! JUST FUCKING KILL ME!” His voice cracked with the strain and he bashed his fists on the door until his bones ached, throwing his shoulder and body against it over and over. He leant his head against the door, shoulders shaking with silent sobs as he slipped to the floor.

He wasn’t sure how long he laid there, the ground under his face wet with his tears. He clutched his bleeding arm, the pain still searing through it. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Everything had been taken from him, and he had gotten everyone killed. He lay sobbing on the floor in the dark until his thoughts became too much, and his brain forced him into a restless sleep.

Notes:

Thank you so much for your support on the last chapter, I was literally so happy reading all the comments. This was originally just supposed to be a silly little smutty oneshot but now I've accidentally dug myself a bit of a hole - but I'm excited to continue this fic. Please let me know your thoughts and also if the POV changes were confusing.

I have a few 12 hour shifts + a couple night shifts these next few days, but hopefully I'll be able to have this chapter out within the next couple weeks. Thanks again for the support!

Chapter 4: The Frontman

Summary:

Gi-hun wakes up in the Frontman's quarters

In-ho was holding the gun up to Jung-bae’s head, eyes staring up at him pleadingly. Gi-hun begged him not to do it, to spare his friend and take him instead. In-ho’s eyes drifted shut and he pulled the trigger.

The gunshot was deafening, resolving into the soft sounds of gurgling and pained breathy whimpers. In-ho opened his eyes to see his little brother, Hwang Jun-ho, convulsing on the floor. Blood was gushing from his mouth, and from the wound gaping in his chest. In-ho’s stomach flipped, and he dropped to his knees in front of him.

He cradled his head, the man staring past him, choking and drowning on his own blood.

No. No, no, no, this wasn’t meant to happen. In-ho meant to miss, he meant to just shoot him in the shoulder. He didn’t mean for this to happen.

“Young-il.” the voice beside him said. And he looked to see Gi-hun standing over him. “Why have you abandoned those who loved you most? Why have you become this? Did their love mean nothing?

“I didn’t mean for this. I didn’t mean for any of them to get hurt.” In-ho said desperately. He looked back down, and his brother had disappeared, not even a speck of blood on the floor. He looked around, confused.

Gi-hun began walking away towards the control room.

“Gi-hun. Gi-hun!” He called, but the man didn’t turn around. In-ho ran after him, reaching out and grabbing his arm. Gi-hun kept walking, seemingly deaf to In-ho’s calls.

“Gi-hun, wait!”

In-ho paused, watching the man walk down the long corridor. His hands clutched at his hair, panic seeming to rise in him for no apparent reason. His breathing grew faster, chest aching as though he’d just run a marathon. His chest was really hurting now, his hand coming up to clutch at it. He doubled over in pain and his hearing became muffled with the sound of his breaths. There was a ringing noise in his ears, becoming louder and louder as the pain got worse and worse until it was too hard to breathe.

Then suddenly, it stopped, and his vision cleared. He looked up to see Gi-hun standing directly in front of him.

“Gi-hun.” He breathed.

The man stepped closer, and In-ho closed the distance in a single step, his mouth covering the taller man’s. He felt Gi-hun’s arms wrap around him, returning the kiss with equal desperation. In-ho’s pulled him closer by the hips, licking at his lower lip.

The man suddenly gasped into his mouth and froze in place. In-ho pulled back, confused. Gi-hun wore an expression of fear, his lip quivering as he held his breath. In-ho stared at him, confused as to what was wrong, when he felt something warm and wet seeping into his sleeve. He looked down to see the handle of a knife sticking out of Gi-hun’s stomach, In-ho’s own hand curled around it. He let go, stepping back in shock.

“Young… Young-il… why?” The man squeaked, a tear sliding down his cheek.

“No I- I didn’t-” In-ho stuttered, and Gi-hun dropped to the floor. He lay curled in a ball, sobbing into his chest as the pool of blood grew around him. In-ho was frozen in place. The sobbing was getting louder and louder.

In-ho startled awake. His arm came up to rub his stiff neck, and he realised he must have fallen asleep on his couch. He could hear the faint sound of a man sobbing; Gi-hun still locked in one of his rooms, having clearly woken up. He pushed himself up from the awkward angle he was lying in, looking over at the clock. It read 4:47AM, meaning he’d been asleep for almost two hours.

The players were all in bed, presumably, no fight breaking out between the two sides after the commotion that had occurred that night. He had only ordered the guards to threaten them, and to resume their clearing of the bodies in the dorms, and no further deaths had occurred that night. In-ho turned off the large flatscreen in front of him showing the live CCTV footage of the player’s quarters and grunted as he got up, making his way as quietly as possible down the corridor. The sobbing grew louder until he stopped outside the door of the room Gi-hun was in.

He stared down at the lock, jaw clenching as he debated opening it. He hadn’t decided when or even if he was going to reveal himself as the Frontman, and how he would even go about doing so if he did. He wasn’t even entirely sure why he was so reluctant. He knew how Gi-hun felt towards Young-il, but he couldn’t be Young-il anymore. His hand rested lightly on the doorknob. In-ho’s fingers curled into a fist, and he In-ho quietly slid down to the floor, his back against the wall beside the door. He listened to the sounds of Gi-huns defeated cries. They had since resolved into weak whimpers, ones so full of pain and suffering it sounded as though every intake of breath hurt.

He closed his eyes softly, head leaning back against the wall. But he had won. All In-ho’s efforts had succeeded, and he’d finally put a stop to Gi-hun’s plans, and put an end to the search of the island. Ge successfully protected the Games, and they could continue just as they had for the past thirty-six years. It wasn’t necessarily difficult, Gi-hun came to him all on his own once he found and cut out his tracker, even if it did take him two years to find the Salesman. In-ho could have easily sent the Salesman to him, but he still hadn’t given up on the idea that Gi-hun may eventually get bored and move on with his life like he had asked. He never expected player 456 to be a threat, his bravery usually marred with stupidity, but he did have to say he was impressed at just how far Gi-gun was actually willing to go.

A smile tugged at In-ho’s lips and his breath hitched at the sound of the man’s sobs, feeling an itch scratching deep in his core. A quiet, shaky breath escaped his mouth as his hand drifted to the fly of his suit pants. He slowly pulled the zipper tooth by tooth, not wanting to make any noise. He kept his eyes closed and head tipped against the wall as he pulled his erection from his pants, jaw clenching as his hand closed around it and began stroking slowly.

Gi-hun continued to cry quietly, unbeknownst to the man just outside the door. In-ho stroked himself to the sounds emitting from his mouth, each exclamation of pain sending a spark of arousal through his body. He thought of the fight in the dorms the night before, the sight of Gi-hun trembling as a player was brutally murdered in front of him. He thought of Gi-hun watching the others outside their room in the first round of Mingle. He thought of the screams that tore from him as he dove onto the body of his best friend, how it echoed down the hallway as he walked away.

In-ho breathed hard through his nose, arousal surging through him like a wildfire. His hand worked furiously, feeling the sweat beginning to form on his face and abdomen as he struggled to regulate his breathing and stay quiet. He could feel himself nearing the edge, mouth hanging open and focussing hard on the sounds coming from behind him. He imagined himself punishing Gi-hun, bringing him to the edge over and over but never letting him cum. Gi-hun would look at him with desperate eyes, crying and pleading and begging for him.

In-ho’s orgasm came suddenly, voice hitching and doubling over as it crashed over him, face screwing up in an almost pained expression as he spilled onto his hand and wrist. He slumped back against the wall, shoulders rising and falling with his breaths.

His eyes cracked open, tiredness overcoming him again.

Gi-hun should have been dead by now, In-ho should have killed him a long time ago. But here he was, sobbing on the floor of a cupboard in In-ho’s quarters. But In-ho didn’t even truly believe himself he was keeping him alive purely on the basis of punishment. Whenever he thought of killing Gi-hun or sending him back to Seoul, something within him stopped the thought in its tracks. He couldn’t risk sending him back to Seoul anyway, it was too likely he’d just come crawling back eventually, this time with absolutely nothing to lose. The idea of not seeing Gi-hun, not tracking his every move, brought a heaviness to his chest he couldn’t explain. As though his life would be meaningless. Maybe it had just been too long. He could put him back in the games too, that was always a logical option, see if his luck was as good as it was back then.

In-ho pushed himself back up, stepping into the bathroom to wash the evidence of his strange dilemma off his hand. The crying noises had stopped, likely hearing In-ho’s movement close by. He walked back to the couch in the living room, slipping his coat over his black dress shirt and clipping the mask around the back of his head. He took in a large breath, and made his way back to the locked door.

 

______________________________

 

Gi-hun had awoken, confused and delirious at where he was and his mouth and throat dry. He winced in pain, his neck and hip killing from the hard floor. His whole left arm had gone numb, the point where the bullet had entered still sending out burning waves of white hot pain. By the lack of exit wound and the searing pain, he knew the bullet was still in there. He hissed as he put his hand up to it, realising it was still wet, though it was too dark to see. He groaned, pushing himself up with his other arm, nausea curling as his head spun with dizziness. Everything came flooding back to him. Everyone that had been killed. The realisation he’d never see Jung-bae again, and it was all his fault.

It felt as though he couldn’t stop crying, his face and chest sore and his cheeks itchy from the tears that repeatedly wet them. Memories of Jung-bae played in his mind. Drinking at his pub, laughing together, clinging onto each other in excitement when they watched the horse they bet on cross the finish line first. Only for the memories to be finished with Jung-bae’s final desperate look, and his blank stare as the blood seeped through his shirt.

And Young-il. Though he’d only known the man a few days, Gi-hun didn’t think he’d ever be the same again. It was though he had a physical reaction every time he saw him, something about him drawing him to the man in a way he couldn’t explain. He couldn’t shake from his mind how it felt to touch him, to kiss him, to be inside him. He’d never felt anything quite like it, and he felt something awaken deep within him he never even knew was there. His chest ached, longing for that touch, to see his smile again. It was though he had just discovered something so new and so beautiful, only for it to be ripped from him before he could even realise it was happening.

Why was life so cruel to him? Why did it have to take everything? A part of him wished he’d just gotten on that plane, visited his daughter and forgot everything that happened in this place. That way Jung-bae would still be alive, he’d be able to keep his pub from going under or at least help him back on his feet after his divorce, and stop him from ever entering the games. He would have never met Young-il, and his life would have been straightforward and uncomplicated by these new feelings. Maybe the Frontman was right, he tried to play the hero, and he was suffering consequences for it.

Gi-hun heard something outside, abruptly cutting off his quiet cries. Footsteps, walking away from the room. He thought about yelling out, but he was too tired to even care what happened to him anymore. He knew someone would come to him eventually when they were ordered to. Either kill him or make him do some elaborate bullshit. He didn’t particularly care anymore. About a minute later, he heard them again, this time coming towards him until they stopped directly outside. The lock clicked, the noise startling him having grown accustomed to the silence. The door swung open, and Gi-hun’s eyes squinted at the brightness.

He struggled to adjust to the light, hand in front of his face as a blurred figure came into view. But they weren’t wearing pink. They were wearing grey. It was the masked leader himself. The Frontman.

Rage coursed through his veins at the sight of him, the nausea spiking as he tried to jump up towards him, weakness making his knees give way. His bad arm jolted against the floor, and his cry of pain ended in a coughing fit. The masked man didn’t seem to move or react.

“Seong Gi-hun.” The deep computerised voice came from the mask. “Come.”

The Frontman stepped back, inviting him to step out of the dark space. He looked down, the little light coming in revealing the smudges of blood he’d been lying in. His arm must’ve been as bad as it felt.

Gi-hun squinted in confusion, grunting as he used all his strength to slide his legs underneath him and stand. He swayed on the spot, steadying himself on the wall. The masked man walked down the hall.

What was going on? Why didn’t he have any guards with him?

It was several seconds before Gi-hun stepped out, the room considerably cooler outside. He looked to the left, and at the end of the hall was an elevator. Strange, as Gi-hun never recalled being taken into an elevator. He turned to the right, and saw the corridor run down into a larger room, a black leather couch in the middle. The hallway was lit with yellow light, bouncing off the golden geometric walls, though the main room was much darker, a navy grey like a room lit by the dim light of a daytime thunderstorm. In front of the couch stood the masked man, hands behind his back, waiting for Gi-hun.

Gi-hun took a step forward, making his way slowly down the hallway, studying the man with knitted brows. He didn’t move, just simply waited for Gi-hun to approach.

When he got closer, the man’s arm outstretched, offering Gi-hun to take a seat in front of him. He realised there was soft jazz music playing, looking towards the source of the sound to see a strange little diorama of a jazz bar, vaguely seeing little pieces moving along with the music. Gi-hun crossed to the front of the couch, staring the man up and down. It was just the two of them, no guards, no guns, just them. Nothing was stopping him from just mindlessly attacking the man, tearing off that fucking mask and beating him senseless until he stopped moving.

But instead he felt himself sitting onto the soft, cool leather. The Frontman stepped over to a small gold table beside the couch, which held a crystal bottle of whiskey and two glasses with ice cubes already in them. He poured two equal amounts of whiskey, the honey-coloured liquid bathing the frosty ice. He placed the bottle down with the soft, sharp tap of glass against glass, picking up one of the glasses by the top and holding it up to Gi-hun.

Gi-hun stared at him, bewildered and still swimming with rage. He wanted to knock the glass out of his hand, use the shards to slice into him until he bled out. His fingers closed around the glass, and the man took his own, sitting down on a single-seat leather couch to the side of the larger one. He crossed his legs and swirled the whiskey around in the glass. The glass was cold against his fingers.

“What do you want from me?” Gi-hun said tiredly, his voice croaky.

The man cocked his head. “Seong Gi-hun. Player 456. The first player to willingly return to the games despite being a multi-billionaire. The first to actively plan out a revolt against the games. All I want to know is why.”

“You know why.” Gi-hun spat.

“These games are an opportunity.”

“These games are a disgrace to humanity. How many innocent people have died in these walls? How many people have had their lives taken away, watched friends and family be brutally murdered for the sake of a bit of fun for some bored, rich assholes? How many?”

“Those people were given the choice to leave.”

“No they weren’t.” Gi-hun leant forward. “How many of those who died voted to leave from the beginning? That is not a fair chance.”

“It is democracy.” The masked man sat his glass on the arm of the couch, his gloved finger tracing around the rim. “These people were nothing outside. If I recall correctly, you signed a contract with your own blood offering up your organs just to pay off your debts. These people had nowhere else to turn, even death wasn’t an escape lest their loved ones suffer the same fate. Here, they’re equal. All given the same chance walk out with enough money to get their whole family out of debt.”

“At the expense of four-hundred and fifty-five other people.”

“Many of these people are among the lowest of society. It is not a great loss.”

“That’s not up for you to decide.” Gi-hun scowled.

The masked man leant back in his chair, seemingly studying Gi-hun.

“You came pretty close. I’ll give you that, even I was worried for a second. How does it feel, Gi-hun? To have everything taken from you? To have it all be for nothing? Hurts, doesn’t it?”

“You don’t know anything about what I feel.”

“Don’t I?” The Frontman laughed. “I used to be just like you.”

Gi-hun breathed a laugh, but he was not amused in the slightest. “Fuck you.”

The Frontman said nothing, impossible to tell his emotion under the blank mask.

“I’ve lost people too. The games gave me a second chance in life. I want you to see the games the way I see them. I urge you to see the goodness in them.”

Rage burned through Gi-hun, and suddenly he couldn’t keep it in any longer. His face screwed up in anger, bursting up from his seat and throwing his glass across the room, shattering somewhere behind the masked man. His arm screamed in protest, but the pain only fueled his anger.

“The goodness? You took everything from me! You’ve thousands of people! You killed everyone I grew to care for. You killed my best friend” His voice cracked. “There is no goodness in that.” He punctuated each word, hissing through his teeth.

If Gi-hun didn’t know any better, he’d think the man was smirking under the mask.

“I didn’t do those things to you, Gi-hun.”

The Frontman paused, his finger stopping on the rim of the glass.

“You did.” he finished.

Gi-hun’s blood boiled, his head swimming now that his adrenaline began to wear off. He paced around the room, his hand on his head.

“That was expensive whiskey, by the way.”

Gi-hun walked back towards him, his finger pointing at the man. “Don’t you dare fucking joke with me.” He seethed, swaying slightly from the dizziness. “You’re not even drinking yours anyway. You think you hold so much power, but you’re just a coward hiding behind a mask. What’s the matter? Too scared for me to see your face? Even after everything?”

The man’s head lolled to the other side. “In a way, yes.”

“What?”

“The truth is, Gi-hun, my interest in you was sparked very early on in the 33rd Squid Games. You were selfless and kind, and you looked after The Host, Oh Il-nam when no-one else would. I believe it was the reason he let you go on instead of him.”

Gi-hun swallowed, remembering how horrible it felt to see the old man die, and the betrayal that followed.

“Your hatred of the games was so pure, you tried to give up the money to save your friend Sang-woo. I had never seen this before. You dedicated the money we gave you to try and hunt us down, to destroy the years of effort, hundreds of lives and billions of won it has taken to maintain our anonymity here. Despite everything we did for you.”

“Why do you care so much?” Gi-hun interrupted him. “Why didn’t you just kill me when you had the chance? You were tracking me for years, weren’t you? And you could have killed me at any point in these games but yet here I am.” He yelled.

“I told you.” The man said calmly. “I wanted you to see the good in the games.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

The man paused, and suddenly sighed. He gently placed his forgotten whiskey tumbler on the table beside him, the ice jingling gently against the side of the glass. Gi-hun watched as he got up, taking a few steps towards him.

“My fascination with you has only grown since your first games, I myself am not even sure why. I had every intention of toying with you for a while before I eventually got bored and had you killed or sent you back home. But for some reason… I can’t.”

“Wow. I feel so blessed.” Gi-hun said sarcastically. “Who are you?”

“I am not a bad man, Gi-hun, I’ve only done what is necessary to protect the games.”

Gi-hun scoffed “Who are you?”

There was another pause. The masked man stared at him, seemingly arguing with himself before his head dropped slowly. His hands came up to remove his hood, black hair slightly messy from the fabric. He unclipped his mask, and Gi-hun burned with hatred and impatience.

Then he froze as the man lowered the mask, feeling as though the wind had been knocked out of him. As though all the air in the room had been sucked out.

The face of Young-il stared back at him.

Every emotion burned through him at once, a split second happiness and confusion quickly bubbling up into a deep set feeling of anger and betrayal.

Everything Young-il did, everything he said, suddenly flashed through Gi-hun’s mind. The images of him writhing underneath him, the feeling of his lips on his and the feel of his skin under his touch, the sounds he would make in the heat of his pleasure. Tears threatened to burn at Gi-hun’s eyes as the weight of the revelation crashed over him. The disappointment.

“You?” He intended for his voice to convey his rage, but instead he could only manage a whimper. Young-il stared at him, the face familiar but the expression making him look so unfamiliarly cold and distant.

“It… This whole time? It’s been you who’s been stalking me? You who killed…” Gi-hun paused, trying to stop his voice shaking.

“...Jung-bae was your friend, Young-il” he finished quietly.

“Jung-bae was an obstacle.” Young-il said calmly.

Gi-hun looked down, feeling his chest beginning to shake as he tried desperately to hold himself together. “Who are you? Is Young-il even your real name?”

The man blinked. “My name is Hwang In-ho. I am the Frontman, the overseer of the games.

Gi-hun frowned, the name sounding familiar. “That… the police officer… Hwang Jun-ho.” He looked up at him. The man clenched his jaw, clearly displeased with Gi-hun’s connection. “He said that was the name of his brother. The one that went missing. It’s you?”

Young-il, or rather, In-ho - didn’t answer.

“Why?” Gi-hun breathed. “Why did you do this? Why did you join the games just to deceive me into thinking you were my friend, my-” He abruptly stopped, looking down and shaking his head as tears swarmed his eyes. “You… you made me feel things… I haven’t felt before. I thought we- I thought we-” Gi-hun couldn’t bring himself to finish the sentence, unsure of what he was even going to say.

In-ho studied him. “I had to keep a close eye on you. I knew of your plans from the beginning. You think you are special, Gi-hun, I wanted to show you that you are not. You believe you’re the hero when in fact you are selfish, naive, and cowardly. The night before the last vote, you shut down my suggestion to attack the opposite team, claiming it was wrong, yet you planned to use the deaths of your own team as a cover to begin your little rebellion. How is it any different? The pawns in your plan for the greater good?”

“You’ve been responsible for every single person’s death in here. Not me. You and the ones that think the lives of people who are struggling are worth nothing. People fighting for their families.” Gi-hun said bitterly.

“You had your chance to leave in the first games. The majority voted to leave, and you went back to Ssangmun-dong and realised that nothing had changed. You knew what happened in here, yet you came back just as the others did. Do you think these people would not have done the same?” In-ho looked at him sternly, gloved hands behind his back. “Do you think a vote such as that has never occurred before? Almost everybody comes back. Every time.”

“Because they are desperate.” Gi-hun hissed. “You take advantage of the fact people have nowhere else to turn, where even death is not as scary as life outside.”

“But then someone gets the money, and they don’t worry any longer. Most people take the money we give them, Gi-hun, and go on to leave happy lives.”

Gi-hun turned away, his anger rising again. There was a pause.

“It was true, by the way. What I told you.” He heard In-ho’s voice behind him.

“What?”

“My wife. How she was ill, how she was pregnant. I needed the money for her medical bills, for her and the baby.”

Gi-hun turned back around, confused. “How can you need money?” He gestured around the luxury space.

In-ho smirked, but it faded quickly. “I was at rock-bottom, as I told you. I borrowed from everyone I could until one day my boss believed I took a bribe and fired me. I was a detective in the Seoul police force, I gave my life to my job and they fired me when I needed help the most. Like I was nothing but a number in their system. I joined the Squid Games in 2015 and won.”

“So you got your money. Why are you here?” Gi-hun said frustratedly.

“Because when I got home, it was too late. My wife and my unborn child were dead.”

Gi-hun stared at him, backing off his anger slightly. In-ho’s eyes glistened, but he kept the same stern facial expression.

“I finally had the money, I had more than enough to save her but now it was worth nothing. I had lost everything. So don’t tell me I do not understand what it is like to have everything taken from you because I do.”

“But that doesn’t explain why you are here? You told me to move on and build a new life when you yourself didn’t do the same.” Gi-hun asked.

“Humanity runs on greed and betrayal, it is the reason these games work so well. In here, I was given a second chance, even if it meant I’d die trying. Out there, life takes and takes from you, it is merciless, and nobody cares whether you live or die. They’ll just take from your family instead. Most people in here don’t want the money to help family or friends, they want it for themselves. Greed drives you to insanity. Did you not yourself stand over Sang-woo with a knife in your hand? You said yourself it was only Sae-byeok that stopped you that night.”

“I was not driven by greed, I was scared. I wanted to live.”

“And how is that not selfish?” In-ho finished.

Gi-hun said nothing, staring at the man with narrow eyes.

“Are you starting to see things clearer now? We provide a chance for one person to start over, and we clear out the trash left behind.

Gi-hun tore his gaze away, shaking his head. How could In-ho justify this when he himself had struggled? Would he have been happy to die if he hadn't won? Would he have been trash as well? Gi-hun was so confused, and he was hurt.

“Was… Was all of it a lie?” Gi-hun said quietly. He hated how pathetic he sounded.

“What do you mean?” In-ho asked, though Gi-hun could tell he understood.

“What happened with us… Was that a part of your plan? If it was I…” He trailed off, squeezing his eyes shut. “If it was… you are a kind of true evil I’ve never seen.”

In-ho sighed quietly, and Gi-hun saw a genuine falter in his expression, a flicker of humanity breaking past the mask for just a second.

“No… No I did not plan for that.”

“So why did you do it? Or were you just trying to break me in every way you saw possible?”

In-ho clenched his jaw, his eyes dropping down as if choosing his words. “I don’t know. I saw an opportunity for self-pleasure and I took it. That’s usually where it ends. But…”

There was a pause.

“But what?” Gi-hun pressed.

“But it hasn’t ended. I still find myself thinking of it. Thinking of you. Almost all the time.” He swallowed, his gaze returning to Gi-hun’s, and for the first time he saw the mask break, and he saw Young-il again.

“The real reason I followed you for so long, the reason I joined the games-” In-ho continued. “-Is because I haven’t been able to leave you alone.”

Gi-hun took in these words. They felt like a punch to the chest. He didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or scream. He didn’t know if this was still all an elaborate, cruel facade and that this face - the face he knew - was the real mask. “What are you trying to say?”

“What I’m trying to say is…” In-ho stepped closer. He looked between G-hun’s eyes, and down at his lips.

Gi-hun waited for a response, but it never came. In-ho’s gaze dropped to his feet, an exhale leaving his nose.

Gi-hun didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know how to feel. He was angry, scared, heartbroken, confused, alone. But for some reason he also felt comfort. The man in front of him was alive, and somewhere deep, deep inside of him, he was happy at these words. Like some last, final kick to his gut. Hope.

Because somewhere deep inside of him, he was beginning to feel the same way.

“Your arm.” In-ho said quietly. Gi-hun looked down at it. In his anger he had reopened what little work his body had done to close the wound, and the already brown sleeve of his jacket was beginning to become saturated with new blood. “You look unwell.”

Gi-hin felt unwell. The room was spinning around him, and he felt like he was going to vomit. The pain was unrelenting and he was beginning to notice again just how weak he felt.

“Come, I can clean it for you. I ordered the guards not to harm you but it seems you got in the way of a stray bullet.” In-ho began to walk slowly away, tugging lightly at his other arm.

“I don’t need your help.” Gi-hun said flatly. He didn’t know what he needed. He just wanted it all to go away.

“Gi-hun, it will get infected. Let me help, and it will feel better.”

Gi-hun tiredly let himself be led away by his sleeve until they entered the bathroom and he was sat on the lid of the toilet. He squinted at the white lighting. He felt his jacket being gently pulled off, assisting the man to take his arms out of the sleeves. He didn’t know why he was complying, he had simply just given up.

“Take off your shirt.” In-ho said.

Gi-hun looked up at him, brows knitted in disapproval.

“It will be easier if you do. This shirt is dirty. I will get you a fresh one after you shower.”

Shower? What was happening right now? Why was this man helping him? Gi-hun tugged at the bottom of his shirt, In-ho helping him to pull it over his head and wincing as he lifted his arm into the air.

In-ho pulled a wooden stool next to Gi-hun, sinking down onto it and inspecting the wound wordlessly. He got up, pulling a few things from the cupboard and washing his hands before sitting back down and scooching closer, the wood scraping against the tiles. Gi-hun caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, a black hole in his upper arm surrounded by red flesh. His arm was drenched in blood, some old, some new.

He opened a bottle of clear liquid, pressing a thick dressing to the top and tipping it. He grabbed a pair of tweezers from the vanity and wiped them down.

“Stay still.” In-ho ordered quietly. “I have to get the bullet out.”

Dread flowed through Gi-hun. He had never been shot before, and he didn’t exactly have the highest pain tolerance.

“Can’t you just leave it in there?” He whined.

In-ho gave him a look. “Even I know you are not that stupid, Gi-hun. Stay still.”

Gi-hun felt the cold, sharp metal touch his skin before it began poking around in the gaping hole in his shoulder. Gi-hun cried out and jumped back, but In-ho kept digging. The pain flared like a red hot poker being pressed to his skin, his breath hitching so much he felt like he couldn’t speak.

“Stop! Stop!” He tried, and In-ho put a hand on his shoulder to keep him still.

“I nearly have Gi-hun. You need to stop moving.”

Gi-hun tried his best to steady himself, but it felt like electricity was making his muscles spasm.

“There.” He felt the assault stop, leaving a strong ache behind. He opened his eyes to see In-ho holding a bullet up in front of him, a smirk on his face. He threw the bullet along with the tweezers into the sink with a ringing clatter. He rinsed his hands, tipping the bottle of clear liquid onto another thick dressing.

Gi-hun hissed as the cold dressing was pressed against his shoulder, the liquid stinging right to the bone. In-ho cleaned the blood around the wound before turning back to the sink, preparing something that Gi-hun couldn’t see. He turned around with a needle with some blue thread hanging from it.

Gi-hun’s stomach dropped. “No, nononono you are not doing that.” He breathed, wiping the sweat from his pale face.

In-ho sat down again, a satisfied look on his face. “I have to. Otherwise it will get infected and it won’t heal.”

“I don’t care, what’s the point anyway? Am I ever going to leave here alive?”

In-ho’s mouth made a thin line, and he looked to his shoulder again, hand coming up to squeeze it gently. Gi-hun squeezed his eyes shut, his heart hammering in his chest and his palms sweaty. Why was he even trusting this insane man?

“Do you know what you are doing? Can’t you afford a doctor?”

He heard a quiet breath of laughter from In-ho. “Yes, I know what I’m doing. I’ve done this before.”

“When? You were a police officer.”

“I did this on myself.”

Gi-hun looked over at him, shocked. “You what?”

He suddenly felt the needle pierce his skin, and he yelped in surprise.

“Seriously, don’t move.” In-ho said. “You think I have never been shot before?”

Gi-hun clenched jaw so hard his teeth could’ve broken, taking the pain as In-ho sewed up his wound. Gi-hun felt dizzier. Eventually In-ho tied it off and trimmed off the excess, pressing another cold compress to it.

It still hurt like hell, but he did have to admit the pain was duller than before. He looked over at the man. He was staring at Gi-hun, gently pressing the cloth to clean the wound. Gi-hun stared back, searching his eyes. He had taken off the coat and was still wearing a black dress shirt, though he’d rolled up the sleeves slightly. Something about the sight of it made Gi-hun’s belly spark with interest, replaced with instant disgust and shame with himself.

He didn’t notice that In-ho had stopped wiping his wound.

“Take a shower.” In-ho whispered, and Gi-hun watched his lips as they moved. He suddenly got up, pulling the door with him as he left. “Wait here. I will bring you some fresh clothes.”

Gi-hun was left in silence sitting on the toilet. He blinked, wondering what had just happened. This is the man that took everything. The one that looked him in the eye as he killed his best friend in front of him. He was evil. So why did his feelings complicate this so much? He had felt such strong emotions towards Young-il, but Young-il never existed. Only this man, Hwang In-ho. But could he and Young-il be one and the same? Was Young-il what In-ho was truly like? What he was like before his life was destroyed nearly ten years ago?

But why did he care if this man is the same person? His evil should be enough for Gi-hun to be running far from here. Yet here he sat in his bathroom nurturing a freshly sutured arm.

The sound of the door opening pulled him out of his thoughts. In-ho had returned holding a pile of neatly folded black clothes. Gi-hun looked closer and realised it was a dress shirt and pants, pretty much identical to what he was wearing.

“Make sure you wash all the blood off. I also found you a toothbrush. And please use some of the deodorant on the top shelf.” He raised an eyebrow and left the clothes on the vanity.

“Are we playing sleepovers?” Gi-hun asked unamusedly.

He saw In-ho smile before he clicked the door shut.

Gi-hun winced as he pulled the remainder of his clothes off, kicking them into a pile in the corner. He hoped he never had to wear that jumpsuit again. The hot water felt like a blessing against his skin, and he scrubbed and scrubbed far beyond being clean. Images of In-ho kept flashing behind his eyes. Him kneeling in front of him, him jolting back and forth as Gi-hun slammed into him over and over until - Gi-hun physically shook his head to clear his mind.

It took a long time before he could shake the dirty feeling, but he still felt unclean by the time he stepped out.

He dried himself, finding the deodorant In-ho mentioned and brushing his teeth. A bandage sat next to his clothes, and he swiped it up, winding it clumsily around his wound before slipping his clothes on. He began automatically tucking in the shirt before he pulled it out again. His pants began to slip, and he irritatedly put on the belt he was given. His hand came up to wipe the condensation off the mirror. Dark black circles hung under his tired eyes, his hair wet and messy and his face still paler than usual. Gi-hun pulled open the door, feeling the cool air hit him as he stepped out of the humid bathroom.

 

_________________________

 

In-ho was sitting in the chair he was before, sipping from his second tumblr of whiskey as the Jazz music continued softly in the back as he waited. Gi-hun finally stepped out of the bathroom, and In-ho saw the man glance behind him, seeing that he’d cleaned up the shattered glass from earlier. In-ho looked him up and down, taking another sip. He hadn’t tucked in his shirt, and his left pants leg was slightly tucked into his sock. The shirt fit him fairly well, but the black made his gaunt face look paler than it already did.

“Is this the only thing you wear?” Gi-hun pointed to his clothes.

In-ho smirked again. “You look tired, Gi-hun. A lot has happened today. Please, I have a guest bedroom.”

An expression of anger rose on Gi-hun’s face again. “‘A lot has happened’? You mean you killing all of my friends?”

“Once again, Gi-hun. It was your plan to drag them into that mess knowing full well there was a high chance they’d die, or are you really that naive?”

Gi-hun’s mouth twitched in anger, but his eyes seemed to be weighed down with guilt. Maybe In-ho truly was getting through to him. Besides, there was a lot less physical violence than In-ho was anticipating following his reveal as the Frontman.

“I will take you to your room.” In-ho set down the glass, rising from the chair and crossing to him once more.

Gi-hun looked away as he approached. “I don’t want to stay here. I want to leave.”

“You cannot leave, Gi-hun, you know that. You might as well stay here, or would you rather go back to the player’s quarters and tell everyone what happened?”

Gi-hun seemed to physically recoil. “You can’t send me back anyway. I’ve seen your face. I know your name.”

In-ho smiled, stopping his hand from coming up and brushing the hair from his forehead. He gestured to a closed door down the other corridor. Gi-hun turned to look at it, looking up at him before slowly making his way towards it.

In-ho smirked. He was so submissive when he was tired.

He leant on the doorframe as Gi-hun entered the room. He sat on the bed, looking up at him.

“Stop smiling.” Gi-hun said, annoyed.

In-ho’s smile grew wider, showing his teeth. “Why? You look so cute when you are like this.”

Gi-hun made a face to himself. “Don’t call me that. You’re a man.” He said.

In-ho shook his head, amused. When would the man realise that sucking his dick and fucking him senseless meant that he was, in some way, just a little bit gay?

“Goodnight, Gi-hun. The next game will start later in the day, so get some rest. There was an unexpected delay after all.”

“You’re actually going to make me play, after all this?” Gi-hun said, but he didn't sound scared. He just sounded tired.

“No. We are going to watch.” In-ho pulled the door shut, leaving the man to his thoughts.

If the Host was still alive, In-ho would probably be dead by now knowing he had willingly revealed his identity to a player.

But Oh Il-nam was dead, and In-ho could do whatever the fuck he wanted.

Notes:

11k hits??!! Thank you all so much for your support on this fic, I'm glad you're enjoying and it means so much.

Thank you for your patience on this chapter, I've been working a lot of night shifts on top of assignments, and I've also received some career-relate bad news so I'm a bit confused and down at the moment.

But I promise more smut is coming soon to a chapter near you (aka the next one). Also please AO3 do you know how hard it is to post and fix your fic with this new "You're clicking too fast!" thing 😭

Chapter 5: Shifting tides

Summary:

Two middle aged men with unrealistic sexual stamina, and a denial of the true depth of their obsession with each other.

Notes:

The smut returns. Hope you enjoy.

Gi-hun watched as In-ho closed the door behind him, giving him one last look past his brow before leaving Gi-hun alone in the room. The room was quite modern and bare, like a fancy hotel room, a light from the bedside lamp giving off a warm but bright glow against the white walls. The bed was a king-size, Gi-hun thinking it was probably the largest bed he’s ever slept on. There was a faint white noise in the air cutting the silence as though he were on a plane, seeming to make the loneliness in his chest expand even more.

Gi-hun blinked to himself, still sitting in the same spot even after several minutes. He wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry, the situation so strange, so fucked up, he didn’t know how to feel. His hand drifted up, pressing lightly on the bandage where In-ho had stitched him up. It ached under his touch.

Gi-hun stood, wordlessly pulling the black decorative pillows from the bed and untucking the tightly pulled white sheets. He slipped under the covers and turned the light off. It was too dark. He switched it back on.

He curled up on his side, pulling the covers up to his chin and holding them tight around his body as he stared ahead toward the wall. Even if he wanted to cry, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to. His body felt so weak, so exhausted, all he could do was just exist. He wished he had never joined the games again, just moved on with his life and let all these continue to die without anyone knowing. What did it matter to him, anyway? Why did he care so much? Now he’d seen things, done things that he could never take back. Now he didn’t think he could trust anyone ever again.

He hated In-ho, hated him for doing this to him. For manipulating him, toying with his emotions just so he could destroy everything. Gi-hun had been so vulnerable with him, more vulnerable that he has been with anyone in his life. He was even starting to… feel things for him. Something beyond desire for carnal pleasure that he could no longer explain with his deep set loneliness.

Gi-hun turned over, and the face of Jung-bae stared back at him. He looked so scared, his eyes pleading for him to do something, to stop them.

”Gi-hun.”

A gunshot rang out in Gi-hun’s mind, and he squeezed his eyes shut, willing for it all to go away. He opened his eyes, and the face was gone.

Gi-hun turned over again, trembling until he was eventually claimed by his exhaustion, drifting into a troubled sleep.

~

It was raining, and Gi-hun was standing barefoot in the sand, his suit saturated and dirty. Surrounding him was the white outline carved into the dirt in the geometric shape of a squid. He looked down to see Sang-woo lying at his feet, coughing and spluttering as a small trickle of blood left his mouth.

“Sang-woo!” Gi-hun yelled, dropping to his knees. His hands clutched at the man’s saturated shirt. Sang-woo looked at him lazily, too weak to move his head more than an inch.

“Sang-woo, please! Please don’t go!” Gi-hun cried. He started fixing his collar, he wasn’t even sure why, it was just crooked.

“Gi-hun… Please.” Sang-woo gasped. “I don’t want to die.”

Gi-hun cupped his cheek, thumb swiping a trickle of diluted blood that ran up into his eye. “You’re not going to die, you’re ok, you’re ok.”

The man gasped and coughed, squinting as the heavy rain hit his eyelids.

“Gi-hun!” He heard a woman yell over the beating rain. Gi-hun looked up to see Sae-byeok stumbling towards him on the other side of the court. She was limping, almost doubled over pressing a hand to a large patch of red on her side. She was almost as white as her shirt, her lips blue against her face. She stopped, looking as though she was going to faint.

Gi-hun pushed himself up, foot slipping in the sand as he told Sang-woo to wait.

“Sae-byeok!” He shouted, sprinting as fast as he could to catch her as she fell into his arms. He stumbled slightly, her dead weight falling against him. Gi-hun lowered her down to the floor.

“Sae-byeok! Sae-byeok!” He yelled desperately, looking back towards the still figure of Sang-woo still on the floor several feet away. He didn’t know what to do, they both needed help, or they’d die. Her hair was saturated, clinging to skin. He pushed it aside to see her face.

Her eyes were glazed and cloudy, her lips cracked and her skin grey. It looked as though she’d been dead for weeks. Gi-hun gasped in shock, falling back into the sand and kicking to push himself away. He looked over at her again, and turned away, the sight scaring him.

The rain was almost deafening, the cold water running down his clothes and chilling him to the bone. He remembered Sang-woo, scrambling up and running back toward where he was lying. The man was still breathing hoarsley, his eyes closed, the dark circles under them stark against his pale skin. Gi-hun looked around wildly. He needed help.

“Sang-woo, I need you to get up. Can you get up?”

The man’s eyes cracked open to look at him, breaths leaving his chapped lips, but they closed again.

Gi-hun shook his shoulders lightly. “Sang-woo, please. I need you to help me get you up.”

Sang-woo didn’t open his eyes again, and his breaths seemed to stop. Gi-hun scanned his face, his eyes widening. “No… no, no please. Sang-woo!” He shook his shoulder harder. “No!” He rested his head on the man’s chest as he sobbed, fists tight around his clothes.

“Gi-hun! Gi-hun” Another voice yelled, though it was muffled.

“Gi-hun!”

A much clearer yell startled him, and he jumped back, realising he was crouched down in the middle of a random white corridor. He looked around in confusion, looking up to see Young-il standing over him.

“Gi-hun, are you ok? What are you doing?” He said gently, coaxing him up by the arm.

Gi-hun stood, eyes still scanning their surroundings. The corridor was empty, seeming to lead to more corridors on either end.

“I…” Gi-hun muttered.

Young-il cupped his face, snapping Gi-hun out of his confused daze and focussing on his eyes. “You’re cold.” The man said quietly.

Gi-hun’s hand came up to rest on the back of Young-il’s. Relief seemed to flood him at the man’s touch, and he scanned his face from the messy lock of hair that hung over his forehead down to his lips. The anxiety tightening his chest loosened, and suddenly he wanted nothing more than to lean forward and pull the man into a deep kiss.

“Young-il I… please.” He whispered.

“Please what?” Young-il stared at his lips, tongue subconsciously wetting his own.

“I think I… I think I want you to kiss me.” Gi-hun admitted. For the first time with him, Gi-hun didn’t want sex. He felt the same as he had that night in the dorms when they first shared an unexpected kiss, though now the feelings had doubled, tripled.

Young-il smiled, his fingers drifting higher to push a stray lock of hair off his face. Gi-hun melted at the touch, his face moving towards the other’s without his control. Young-il pushed forward, encompassing him in a soft, warm, slow but passionate kiss. His body pressed against Gi-hun’s as though he wanted to feel all of him, fully claim him in the kiss as though they were in their own world. A world where nothing mattered except the moving of Young-il’s lips against his, his tongue carefully swiping his bottom lip and his hand pulling him closer. A soft, relieved moan left Gi-hun’s mouth, the sound taken up by Young-il’s.

They broke apart, and Young-il rested his forehead on his, his hands settling on his waist. They were both panting, for a second overtaken by their passion and needing to catch their breaths. Gi-hun’s mouth upturned in a smile, and Young-il’s did the same. Gi-hun really liked his smile.

Young-il was suddenly violently pulled backwards, his hand tugging his jacket as he stumbled. A masked figure - the Frontman - slammed him into the opposite wall and held him by the throat.

“Hey!” Gi-hun yelled, striding towards the Frontman, who pushed him hard by the chest. Gi-hun flew back into the wall behind him, knocking the air from his lungs. Two pink guards on either side of Gi-hun held rifles to his head. Young-il struggled, hands clawing at his throat as the Frontman tightened his grip until his own hand was shaking.

“Stop! Stop, please!” Gi-hun screamed, but the pink guards cocked their guns to shut him up.

Young-il was quickly turning purple, struggling to catch any air as his lungs suffocated. Just before he looked like he was going to pass out, the Frontman slammed his head into the wall and let go, Young-il letting out a painful gasp as he slid down the wall clutching his throat. The Front man held a revolver to his head, thumb cocking the hammer down with a click.

“No! No, don't! Don’t!” Gi-hun roared.

Young-il looked up tiredly at Gi-hun, as though apologising through his eyes before they drifted shut.

“No, NO!”

A deafening gunshot.

Gi-hun woke up screaming. Someone was grabbing his shoulders. He tried to push back, confused and terrified, his heart beating at a thousand beats a minute.

“Gi-hun! Gi-hun, stop!”

“Young-il?” the face came into focus, and Gi-hun realised In-ho was standing over his bed, looking concerned. His expression settled back into a more blank one at the mention of the fake name.

“You were screaming, Gi-hun. You were just having a nightmare.”

Gi-hun tried to calm his breathing, looking around as he remembered where he was. He was drenched in sweat, probably overheating in the dress shirt and pants. He looked up at the man, forcing himself to look away again. The familiar face brought relief, comfort. But it hurt too much knowing the truth. That it was all a lie, yet the face in front of him remained the same. He missed Young-il so badly. But Young-il wasn’t even real. Anger coursed through him.

“You need to leave. I need to leave. Let me go.” Gi-hun said.

“What?”

Gi-hun glared at him. “I said you need to let me go. Why are you keeping me here, just to torture me?”

In-ho cocked his head down at him. “Torture you? Perhaps that’s what I should be doing, yes. But instead I cleaned you up, gave you this bed to sleep on. I’ve had breakfast made for you.”

“Stick your breakfast up your ass.” Gi-hun spat. “Don’t you understand what it’s like to see you, to see the face of someone I trusted knowing they were just manipulating me the entire time? Can’t you just leave me alone? I’m done trying to get back at you. Just leave me alone and I won’t come back.”

“I told you, Gi-hun. I can’t.”

“Can’t? Or won’t?”

In-ho sighed lightly. “I can’t.”

“Oh right, because you’ve got this weird obsession with me that you can’t even let me piss by myself without being there?” Gi-hun retorted.

Anger flashed across In-ho’s face. He stepped closer, pushing Gi-hun against the bedframe and holding him there by his throat and leaning close to his face.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said with a dangerous calm.

Gi hun gripped the arms pinning him, his other arm pushing against the man’s chest. “Don’t I? I seem to have understood pretty well.”

In-ho gave him a small shove against the bed frame, squeezing harder. His gaze drifted downwards, and he noticed the bulge growing in Gi-hun’s pants. He scoffed, looking back up at the man with a knowing smirk. A wave of shame washed over Gi-hun, anger at his own body.

“I think you’ll find we have more in common than you thought, Gi-hun.” In-ho stared at his lips, his other hand snaking down to press softly through the fabric over his groin.

Gi-hun whimpered, making In-ho’s smirk grow wider. He let him go, stepping backwards. “Your breakfast is getting cold.” was all he said before he left the room again.

Gi-hun was once again left in silence. He shifted against the bedhead, pulling uncomfortably at the crotch of his pants as he felt a wave of shame flow through him. He willed the betrayal to go away.

He rubbed his eyes, looking around the room. Everything was still the same, the bedside light still on. He hated these dreams that haunted his sleep almost every night. They always felt so incredibly real, forcing him to relive his memories over and over again like some personal hell. Maybe he deserved it, for everything he’d done.

Gi-hun got up, freshening himself up in the small ensuite before making his way outside.

____________________________

 

In-ho waited patiently for Gi-hun’s entrance, transferring small bowls for each of them from a tray onto the small dining table surrounded by four chairs.

“Why do you have room for multiple people, isn’t it just you who stays here?” He heard Gi-hun’s voice, looking up to see the man standing on the other side of the room. One side of his shirt was tucked slightly into his pants, and his hair was messy.

In-ho gestured for him to sit. Gi-hun looked conflicted, he looked down the hallway at the elevator. In-ho knew he’d be hungry, he’d been too nervous to eat much the night before. He looked at the large flatscreen TV, which showed the players sitting in their various groups on the bunks, currently eating their lunch rations. The atmosphere was tense and quiet in the dorms following last night's events, only Dae-ho and Hyun-ju having survived by returning to the players quarters before the end of the attack. In-ho would have had them both executed in front of the other players by now, showing them what happens to people who rebelled. But there they sat amongst Jun-hee, Geum-ja, and Young-sik, eating their Jjigae.

Gi-hun watched the players on the screen, hesitating before taking a seat where In-ho had pointed.

“I rarely have guests, no.” In-ho began. “But the Frontmen before me often liked to have people stay. Being the Frontman can get… lonely.”

Gi-hun scoffed, pulling back a chair and sitting. In front of him sat steamed rice with egg, steamed vegetables, kimchi and a small bowl of clear soup, In-ho having the same in front of him. Gi-hun picked up the glass of water, draining half of it.

“Lonely? Do you think it’s because you kill all the people you encounter?”

In-ho sniggered, gesturing for him to eat.

“Have you ever had any partners stay here? Isn’t that a breach of your precious little anonymity?” Gi-hun picked up his chopsticks, pushing the vegetables around in the bowl.

In-ho watched him. “I have had partners, yes, but I have never let anyone stay. Both of us would wear a mask for the time we were together.”

Gi-hun breathed a laugh, shovelling rice into his mouth. “Women?”

“Yes. Though I have slept with men on occasion.”

“You kept telling me you hadn’t.”

“I told you I wasn’t gay, because I’m not. I just take whatever opportunity arises to me.”

“So… You are a bisexual, then?”

In-ho’s eyes narrowed as he chewed. “If you want, I suppose. It does not matter to me.”

“Does that make me a bisexual?” Gi-hun asked, genuinely curious of what he would be told.

In-ho shrugged. “I suppose, if that’s what you want. It does not matter to me.”

“Doesn’t matter? You’re the one that made me this way.”

In-ho blatantly rolled his eyes. “Am I? I saw the way you looked at Cho Sang-woo in the first games. You could never take your eyes off of him.”

Gi-hun dropped one of his chopsticks. “Don’t talk about him. Don’t you talk about him.” He fumed. “He was my friend.”

In-ho looked away, focussing back on his food. There was a long pause before he said “Another vote was conducted this morning, while you were asleep.”

Gi-hun looked up, hopeful. “And? Everyone is going home?”

In-ho studied his face, jaw working. “The next round will begin in a couple hours.”

Gi-hun paused, his mouth full of food yet he held it in there, seemingly unable to swallow. His brows knitted, chopsticks poking around uselessly at the rice.

In-ho suppressed a satisfied smirk, the sign of complete failure of the man’s rebellion. “A large portion of the X team were killed last night, and it bumped up the prize money a fair amount. I told you, Gi-hun, humanity runs on greed. People are never satisfied.”

Gi-hun stared down at his egg, watching the orange yolk drip steadily into the rice below it.

“Don’t be upset, Gi-hun. They were given a choice, and they chose to stay.”

“Yes, but how many of them voted to leave?”

In-ho sipped from his glass. “Twenty-six out of seventy-five.”

“So twenty-six wanted to leave, but now have to risk their lives for the others. That is fair to you?”

“You make me repeat myself too much, Gi-hun. It’s the nature of democracy.”

“What about Jun-hee? Can’t you send her home? This is no place for a pregnant lady. Do you have no sympathy? What if it was your wife?”

In-ho’s lip curled, staring down at the table below him. A rush of anger boiled up in him. “Don't. Talk about my wife.”

“Why not? Do you think she’d be proud of what you’re doing here? Proud of you for forcing a pregnant lady to risk her-”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about!” In-ho shouted, his chair skidding back as he got up.

Gi-hun stared up at him, shaking his head before returning his attention to the food in front of him. In-ho wanted to strangle him, to hurt him for being so disrespectful. “I think I do, otherwise you would not be so upset, would you?”

“This is not about my wife. I don’t force these people to play, I don’t force them to kill and betray each other. They do that all on their own.” He sat down again. “Nobody helped me or my wife when we needed it most. Instead I was fired, I was harassed by loan sharks. I came here because I had no other choice. Much like you.”

“Jun-hee does not need to be here. Please, send her home, if not for her then for her child. Just her at least.” Gi-hun pleaded.

In-ho’s jaw clenched, refusing to look at him. “With what money? We cannot give her her share, it’s not fair to the other players. She would just be in the exact situation she was in before she came in here, and she will become sick, or her baby will become sick and they will die anyway.”

“You don’t know that. Give her my winnings. I don’t want them. You know where they are.”

In-ho sighed. A part of him knew Gi-hun was right. He did not mean for a pregnant lady to be sent here. In truth, he did not know she was pregnant until that day she asked to join their team before the second round. The Recruiter had failed to tell him this information whether he knew or not, though he was already dead anyway. He vowed to himself to look after her, helping her through the games, giving her his rations. The others had looked after her as well. He saw his wife in her. But unlike his wife she had no one there to help her, she had to do it herself, and for that he respected her even more. Jun-hee’s face flashed in his mind. So young and innocent, just desperate to provide for her unborn child. He never cared who lived or died in these games, Oh Il-nam made sure of that before he left him to the job alone. But not this. This was the one thing he could not bring himself to follow through with.

“Yes.” In-ho said quietly, after a long pause. “This is no place for a pregnant woman. I will have her removed before the next game and add a number to the eliminated once the dead are counted.”

Gi-hun looked taken aback as though expecting to argue a lot more, but quickly shifted his expression back into a neutral one, giving a small nod. “Good.”

They finished their meal in silence, Gi-hun draining the rest of his rapidly cooling soup from the bowl. He set it down gently, looking ashamed with himself as he pushed away the bowls which had been cleaned of every grain. He looked back toward the screen, most of the players having finished their meal and sitting in their groups talking quietly amongst themselves, or alone with their arms wrapped around their knees as the dread of the next game grew larger. In a few hours, a great deal of them would be dead.

“What is the next game?” Gi-hun asked quietly.

In-ho smiled curiously. “That’s a secret, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun glared at him, but said nothing.

“Don’t you have things to do? Is the Frontman’s job to feed and pamper their hostages all day?” Gi-hin snarked.

“I employed my head guard to stand in for me this year. I trust him to look after the VIPs for me. Betting has been good this year, you helped with that Gi-hun, not many people expected you to win, and nobody expected you to try and quit right before you did. We got a lot of money out of you.” In-ho raised his glass, taking a long sip of the cold water.

Gi-hun’s hand clenched into a fist on the table, eyes blazing. In-ho was satisfied with the reaction he provoked.

“I don’t want to watch the next game.”

In-ho felt like rolling his eyes out of his head once again, but stopped himself. “I want you to see the games from my perspective.”

“You think watching everyone else down there die while I sit up here in your little ivory tower is going to make me feel better? Unlike you, I don’t have a power complex.”

In-ho barked a laugh, a rare sound from his mouth. “Don’t you? Now that is hypocrisy at its finest, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun did not look amused. “I did what I did for the sake of everyone else.”

“At the expense of everyone else, yes. Why do you think I faked my death? It was to show you how far people were willing to blindly follow you just to end up dead.”

“You didn’t need to kill Jung-bae. That was unnecessary.”

In-ho sighed, rolling the base of the glass against the black wood. “Are we going to sit here arguing all day every day about the same thing, Gi-hun? What’s done is done, and we’ve been over why it was done.”

“You’re telling me to drop it?” Gi-hun fumed, standing up from his chair, fingers resting on the table. “I don’t care what strange obligation you feel you have towards me. I will never forgive what you’ve done to me.”

In-ho sucked his teeth with a click, rising slowly from his chair and taking a step in front of the taller man. “I think your body likes to tell me something different, Gi-hun.” He said, his voice quiet and calm.

The man’s eyes narrowed slightly. In-ho could tell he was trying to keep his expression stern. “You manipulated me into being attracted to you. But that wasn’t you, that person is gone now.”

In-ho took a step closer. “That person is standing in front of you, Gi-hun. Can’t you see? I really wasn’t acting, most of the time.”

They stared at one another, the air tense. Gi-hun’s eyes slipped for a split second down to In-ho’s lips, and In-ho suppressed a smirk at the crack in the man’s facade.

“Do you want something from me, Gi-hun?” In-ho whispered as he leaned up closer to his face.

Gi-hun swallowed, not tearing his gaze from his. In-ho could see the hunger in his eyes, bleeding through no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.

“Go on, you can tell me. “ He stepped closer again until their bodies were almost flush, and In-ho caught the feeling of the growing hardness in the man’s pants. His own arousal pooled at his groin as Gi-hun faltered for a second at the light touch. Gi-hun let out a shaky breath, eyes darting down to his lips, looking as though he was trying to restrain himself.

In-ho leaned in until he was less than an inch from his face. He could feel his breath against his lips, the taller man’s eyes beginning to flutter closed as he leaned down.

“Go and get on the bed. Now.” In-ho whispered into his mouth. Gi-hun focussed back on him, his brow furrowed again. There was a burning mix of hatred and hunger in his expression that sent a spark of excitement down In-ho’s spine. Gi-hun clenched his jaw, slowly stepping backwards from the man, keeping his eyes on him. He wordlessly turned, and made his way to In-ho’s bedroom.

In-ho was left alone in the living room. His pants were tight around his growing erection, the excitement and anticipation flowing through him like electricity. He thought getting Gi-hun into bed would be much more difficult, impossible even. But the man was so pliant when he wanted to be, so easy to toy with, so desperate for him. It made it so easy.

He let out a quiet whimper as he palmed himself through his pants, turning around to swipe up the smaller remote from the coffee table and turning on the speaker. Soft jazz music began playing as he walked over past the TV. He looked up at it, seeing the players hanging around in their various spots like little mice in a cage, some dozing, some chatting. In-ho picked up the larger remote and switched it off, tossing the remote onto the table before striding to the bedroom.

The door was half-way ajar. He pushed it open the rest of the way to see Gi-hun standing in the middle of the room, looking over at him as the door opened. The soft jazz drifted lazily into the room with them.

“I thought I told you to get on the bed, Gi-hun.” He took a few slow steps towards him, eyes boring into his like hot coals. Gi-hun said nothing as In-ho stopped right in front of him, lips slightly parted.

Gi-hun let out a small exhale, his hands coming up to tug at In-ho’s belt. In-ho held his arms up. “Woah, so eager, Gi-hun.” He gently pushed the man’s hands away and lowered his voice once again barely above a whisper. “I want to please you first.” His eyes searched his. “But if you want to be pleased, you’re going to have to listen.”

Gi-hun swallowed.

“Now, get on the bed.”

Gi-hun tentatively crawled onto the bed towards the pillows, lying back with his head propped up slightly against the headboard. His chest was already rising and falling with quickening breaths as he watched the man standing in front of him.

A thousand thoughts ran through In-ho’s head. So many possibilities. He wanted to please him, that was true. But he wanted to punish him too. Make him suffer, make him beg for him until he cried. In-ho’s cock twitched at the thought, beginning to dampen his boxers with precum.

In-ho got onto the end of the bed, slowly crawling up until he was hovering over Gi-hun. He hooked his knee underneath Gi-hun’s leg, pushing it up to spread Gi-hun’s legs further apart. The man stared up at him with a desperation in his eyes that made In-ho want to fuck him senseless. He wanted to tease him longer, but those eyes were too much for him. He dove down, covering his lips with a slow, hungry kiss. The man returned it with equal hunger, drinking him in like water in a desert. In-ho lowered his body onto his, and could feel the heat radiating off him. He rolled his hips against Gi-hun’s, both of them moaning quietly into each other’s mouth. He could feel the deep vibrations from Gi-hun’s throat.

In-ho missed that sound. He wanted to hear it over and over and over again until he was screaming his name. His real name. Completing his self-betrayal and giving into In-ho’s ownership.

Gi-hun softly tugged at his lower lip with his teeth, pushing his hips up to meet In-ho’s. In-ho made a strangled noise, growling into his mouth and snaking his hand into the man’s hair as he felt the man smile against him. In-ho kissed down his jawline until he got to his neck, Gi-hun tipping his head back to allow him to bite and suck at his throat. Gi-hun whined, hand dancing up his back to his head, fisting at the hair at the base of his neck. In-ho broke away, already panting, his whole body blazing with heat.

Gi-hun's face was flushed, his hair even messier than before. There was a light sheen of saliva on his lips, slightly parted, his eyes hooded. In-ho captured his bottom lip in his, sucking lightly as his tongue swept across it. He pulled back to see it swim a deep red. His body was telling him to screw being slow, he just wanted to rip his clothes off now, feel Gi-hun around him as they both chased their highs like rabid dogs.

But he knew that being patient would make it so much more worth it.

Gi-hun suddenly hooked his knee around In-ho’s side, attempting to flip him onto his back. In-ho fell onto his side, groaning as he pushed the man off him and forced him onto his stomach, holding his wrists against the mattress.

“Do I need to tie you up?” In-ho snarled in his ear, pressing his erection hard into Gi-hun’s ass to make his point.

Gi-hun struggled under his weight, trying to turn his lead to look back at him, but In-ho had his arms pinned by his head.

“I think I do.” In-ho breathed, pushing himself off Gi-hun and standing. “Turn over, sit against the bed frame. Take your shirt off.”

Gi-hun glared at him, doing as he was told and scooching back so that his back was against the bed frame. In-ho slid open his wardrobe, opening a drawer to take out two black rolled-up ties from their compartments. He turned around to see Gi-hun undoing the last button, pulling the shirt off behind him. In-ho watched him, imagining his tongue running along that skin, teasing those nipples. He crawled back onto the bed, straddling Gi-hun as he pushed his left wrist against the bedframe and tied him to it. Gi-hun stared up at him as he repeated the motion with his right hand, and he winced as it pulled tight against his arm.

“Does it hurt your stitches to have your arm like this?” In-ho muttered.

Gi-hun gently shook his head, eyes curious.

In-ho shifted his pillows so Gi-hun could lie back more. He bent down to kiss him again, their tongues dancing together. In-ho’s mouth drifted down his neck, and Gi-hun gasped as he nipped his collarbone, fingers stroking against his hips to his ribs. He drifted lower, his tongue swirling around one of his nipples. Gi-hun groaned, his wrists straining against the tie. In-ho focussed his attention on the other one, before kissing a line down to his navel, the dusting of hair tickling his lips and nose. He looked up at Gi-hun as he got to his waistline, his breath hot against the fabric below him. Gi-hun squirmed, staring down at him with that fire in his eyes that made In-ho’s cock jump.

In-ho tugged at his belt, expertly undoing it and pulling the fly down. Gi-hun raised himself off the bed to allow in-ho to pull them off, tossing them to the side with a loud clatter of the belt against the floor. Gi-hun’s cock stood parallel to his belly, the tip already a deep red and leaking precum. In-ho sat back on his heels and rolled up his sleeves, remembering how Gi-hun stared when he did so last night. He smirked as the man stared at him again, eyes raking up his forearms, looking at how the shirt framed his chest.

He was so predictable.

In-ho kept his gaze as he lowered himself down, slowly wrapping his hand around the base of his cock. Gi-hun’s mouth fell open, watching every twitch of his hand with great interest. In-ho breathed against the tip, watching the man squirm with impatience, before he finally wrapped his lips around the tip and gave him a long, licking suck.

Gi-hun moaned openly, his eyes rolling back. In-ho’s cock was painful against his tight pants, twitching with every little noise and breath that escaped the man’s mouth. He took him in deeper, hollowing out his cheeks and sucking at an agonisingly slow rhythm, making Gi-hun gasp and squirm. Gi-hun was warm, skin soft and velvety in his mouth. In-ho loved every second of it, every inch of it. He pushed him all the way to the back of his mouth, moaning low in his throat and stroking his tongue against the underside of his shaft. He held him there, eyes closed and focussing hard on not gagging.

“Oh fuck!” Gi-hun groaned, his hand hitting against the bed frame hard as though he was going grab the back of In-ho’s head. In-ho partially wished he wasn’t tied up, just so he could feel him pulling desperately at his hair. Letting him fuck his face like a horny teenager. Next time, maybe. He pulled off him, gasping for breath as a string of saliva connected his lips to Gi-hun’s cock for a few seconds. In-ho returned to his slow rhythm, bobbing from base to tip, tongue swirling at the head before he dipped back down.

The slow pace made Gi-hun writhe underneath him, the pleasure overwhelming him but unable to build any higher. He seemed to be becoming frustrated with the ties, having to give up all control and just let his body be milked of his pleasure. In-ho rolled his tongue, swivelling around the head before he pulled off, staring up at him as he gave the tip one long lick.

“Please!” Gi-hun moaned. “Please go faster.”

In-ho smirked. He had hardly gotten started and Gi-hun was already begging. This was going to be a lot of fun.

In-ho took him down to the base, sucking harder and faster, tongue working. Gi-hun swore, his hips bucking and arms pulling hard against his restraints. In-ho’s jaw ached trying to keep his teeth away, trying to coax every tiny noise from him. He wasn’t disappointed, and being able to hear Gi-hun groan unrestrained without worrying about the other players hearing them made it worth the wait. They could be as loud as they wanted, and In-ho was going to make the most of that.

Gi-hun’s moans were becoming louder, rising in pitch as he grew closer to the edge. In-ho’s eyes were filled with tears as he forced the cock deeper and deeper into his throat, his jaw muscles shaking and lips killing him. Gi-hun was kicking and shifting his legs, seemingly unable to figure out what to do with himself as the pleasure began to overtake him.

Just as Gi-hun’s moans began to peak, In-ho pulled off him suddenly, sitting back on his heels. Gi-hun’s eyes flew open.

“No! No, what the fuck?” He said breathlessly. His hips squirmed and bucked, chasing any sort of friction to let him finish.

In-ho wiped the spit from his mouth, fingers pinching his chin to massage his aching jaw.

Gi-hun struggled, looking up at his arms and trying to wriggle them free from the tight fabric. In-ho climbed over him, the man’s gaze snapping back to him. His hands slowly smoothed up his sides and over his chest, taking note of which muscles contracted under his touch.

“Are you… Are you going to fuck me?” Gi-hun flushed, a tone of uncertainty and embarrassment.

In-ho propped his arms beside Gi-hun’s head, leaning over him. “Gi-hun, Gi-hun.” He ran his fingers through Gi-hun’s hair, knuckles catching lightly on the small knots that had formed. “You need to learn to be patient.” He crawled back, sitting on Gi-hun’s legs, his cock between In-ho’s knees.

“If you’re a good boy, you’ll get what you want.”

Gi-hun looked conflicted at this, but when In-ho closed a hand around his erection again and pumped it slowly, he nodded wildly in agreement.

In-ho breathed a laugh, Gi-hun staring at his mouth before tipping his head back, squeezing his eyes closed and mouth hanging open. In-ho worked him slowly, twisting his wrist in all the right places to get Gi-hun to writhe and moan. The saliva made it easier to squeeze him, sliding his hand up and down the shaft. He slowly worked up to a faster speed, until he was pumping him hard and fast in his fist.

Gi-hun’s abdomen tensed involuntarily, his chest raising up as far as it would go before his arms were bent too far back. He groaned against his teeth, In-ho drinking in every motion. In-ho found himself letting out small whines, his own boxers wet with precum and his cock throbbing with neglect. He doesn’t think he has ever been this hard before, never spent enough time to play with anyone before just taking what he wanted from them. But this was different. All that mattered was Gi-hun, seeing him lose himself, his brain melt until his thoughts were occupied only by In-ho.

Gi-hun’s chest started heaving again as he neared the edge again, hips erratically bucking up to fuck into In-ho’s hand.

In-ho let go, and watched Gi-hun’s world crumble around him.

“No! No!” He yelled. “No please! I need it, please I need it!” He whined pathetically.

“What did I say about patience, Gi-hun?”

“Yes! Yes I’ll be patient! Just- please!” He gasped, head falling back against the bed frame with a long moan, staring down at his leaking cock.

A drop of precum beaded at the tip, dripping down the head. In-ho bent down and licked a stripe from where it had dripped up to the hole in the head of his cock, teasing it gently with his tongue.

“Shit!” Gi-hun gasped, his knees bending and stretching, unsure of what to do with himself. In-ho gripped his thighs in his hand, pinning them against the bed. He licked at his cock, occasionally sucking the head into his lips or teasing the head with his tongue. In-ho struggled to keep Gi-hun’s legs still, the man crying out with every rough drag of his tongue against the sensitive tip.

“Oh god, please, please I can’t take it!” Gi-hun cried, squeezing his eyes shut.

In-ho pulled back. “Do you want me to stop, or keep going?”

“Stop! No, keep going! Fuck, I don’t know! I want… I need…”

“You want to cum?” In-ho massaged up his inner thighs gently.

Gi-hun nodded wildly. “Yes! Yes! Please! I need it!”

In-ho gently rolled Gi-hun’s balls in his fingers, earning soft whimpers from the man. “I told you, Gi-hun, if you’re a good boy, I’ll let you cum.”

“I have been!”

“Do you get to judge that, Gi-hun?”

Gi-hun looked scared for a moment, before he shook his head. Fuck, he was cute when he was desperate. But he wasn’t desperate enough. In-ho wanted him to be an inconsolable mess, the only word in his vocabulary In-ho’s name.

In-ho reached over, and started roughly jerking him off, his balls bouncing. Gi-hun shouted in shock, squirming at the sudden assault. His moans suddenly quietened down to little whimpers, though his chest was still heaving. In-ho didn’t need noises to tell when Gi-hun was close, and managed to bring him to edge once more before letting him go completely.

“No…” Gi-hun sobbed. “Please… please.”

“You think you can outsmart me? Supressing your pathetic little noises so I’d let you cum by accident?”

“No! No, I didn't, I swear!” Gi-hun cried.

“Don’t lie to me, Gi-hun. I can always tell when you’re lying. I’m not fucking you in public bathrooms or at the back of games anymore. I want to hear you, understand?”

Gi-hun nodded. “Yes, I understand.”

Gi-hun’s cock was purple and throbbing, his balls beginning to turn the same colour as In-ho tortured him over and over, bringing him right to the edge and stopping right before he could fall over. There were fewer breaks in-between Gi-hun’s noises, reducing him to a whimpering, moaning mess. His body was covered in a sheen of sweat, glistening under the lamp light. In-ho straddled him, hands massaging the sweat into his abdomen, intoxicated by the man’s body.

In-ho himself was beginning to lose his mind, his cock so neglected and strained in his pants. In-ho left him without touch for a particularly long time this time, until Gi-hun began to quiet down again in exhaustion. His hair was clinging to his forehead, his hands hanging limp against the ties. In-ho couldn’t tear his gaze away.

“You’re so beautiful, Gi-hun.” He whispered. Gi-hun looked over at him lazily, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth for a second.

In-ho left him long enough to have to start building him up again from scratch. While Gi-hun’s head lolled to the side, his eyes closed, In-ho ducked down and took him in his mouth, all the way to the back of his throat. He sucked hard, tongue massaging him as he bobbed up and down, occasionally gagging.

Gi-hun’s head snapped up and he yelped, hips bucking so hard his cock hit the back of In-ho’s throat, and he choked and growled, watching Gi-hun’s eyes roll to the back of his head. Gi-hun kept rolling his hips into his throat, by the looks of it almost unaware he was even doing it, though he was in his own world. In-ho wouldn’t have that. Gi-hun had to know who controlled his pleasure.

He sucked him hard, working him like he did earlier, now knowing exactly what made Gi-hun scream. He was being unapologetically loud now, seemingly unable to control the noises tearing from his throat.

“Im- I’m gonna- I’m gonna-” Gi-hun gasped and coughed, breaths sounding painful in his chest.

In-ho pulled off once more, and something in Gi-hun seemed to snap. His eyes flew open again, wild and angry and blazing. He gritted a loud, frustrated noise and thrashed against his restraints like an animal caught in a trap.

Arousal surged through In-ho’s cock at the man’s rage, his orgasm nearly tipping over as he tried to steady his breathing.

“You, you fucking-” Gi-hun seethed through his teeth, rage darkening his eyes and making noise with each inhale and exhale from his lungs. Gi-hun looked down and noticed In-ho was sitting on one of his legs, and he pushed it upward to put pressure on In-ho’s groin. A strangled groan tore from In-ho, the friction so insanely good it made him choke and cough. Anger crossed his face, embarrassed that he nearly came in his pants like a teenager. He shoved the leg away, straddling Gi-hun’s belly and slapping him hard on the face. Gi-hun hissed as In-ho grabbed a fistful of his hair and forced his head up to look at him.

“Don’t you dare do that again, understand?” In-ho leant close to his face.

Gi-hun struggled, as though trying to buck him off. In-ho slammed his head into the bed head, just enough to shock him, but not to hurt. “I said, do you understand? You're mine, Gi-hun. You cum when I say you get to cum, and only when it’s me doing it. I own every. Single. Bit of your pleasure. Do you understand?”

“Yes!” Gi-hun sobbed, tears streaming down his face.

In-ho tightened his fist. “Say it.”

Another frustrated noise pulled from the man. “I’m yours! My body is yours!” He cried, inhaling his own snot and choking pathetically. “I need you, I need you, please touch me. Please let me cum… please…Let me…” He trailed off into a string of tired, unintelligible pleas.

In-ho groaned, letting go of his hair when he realised he was grinding into Gi-hun’s belly. The man below him reduced to sobs.

“Are you ok? Is it too much? Do you want me to stop?” In-ho backed off.

Gi-hun softened slightly from his frustrated cries, as though taking in what he just said. He shook his head softly. “No… I don’t want you to stop.”

In-ho smiled wickedly, closing the distance between them and kissing him hungrily, hand massaging his scalp where he had pulled his hair. The other man’s kisses had grown sloppy and urgent, pushing up against In-ho as far as his restraints would allow. In-ho had waited long enough, he couldn’t stand the pain any longer. He rose onto his knees, hovering over his chest, and began unbuckling his own belt, the metal jingling loud in the room. Gi-hun licked his lips, looking up at him like an excited puppy.

In-ho’s cock finally sprung from its confines, and he groaned loudly with relief, knees shaking as he closed a hand around the base.

He inched forward until he was close enough to him, his purple, throbbing cock hanging in front of his face.

“Suck.”

Gi-hun didn’t hesitate before taking In-ho into his mouth. He was a fast learner, his second ever blowjob far exceeding his first. In-ho felt weak at the mind-numbing pleasure that overtook him, a long, raspy moan falling from his mouth as he stumbled, gripping the bed frame above Gi-hun’s head.

He moved his hips shallowly, using every ounce of self control not to fuck Gi-hun’s throat like a toy. Gi-hun licked and sucked at him, and In-ho’s head fell back, hand gripping the man’s hair and guiding him up and down his length.

“Holy fuck, Gi-hun. That mouth was made for me.”

Gi-hun moaned around him, the vibrations making him hiss. He looked down at the man, who was engrossed in what he was doing, sucking him down like his life depended on it.

“Such a good boy for me.” In-ho purred, pushing a strand of hair from Gi-hun’s face. In-ho could feel himself getting close, and tapped Gi-hun to stop. Gi-hun tore himself away, disappointment evident in his eyes.

In-ho smirked down at him, taking his chin in his hand and tilting his face up. His thumb swiped across his plump lips. “I’m not done with you yet, Gi-hun.” He bent down, kissing him long and slow and passionate. He could taste himself on Gi-hun’s lips, arousal sparking through him. The only thing Gi-hun’s mouth should ever taste of was him.

In-ho swung his leg over, getting up from the bed. He opened a drawer and pulled out a bottle of lube. Gi-hun’s eyes widened, torn between getting lost in his thoughts and watching as In-ho unbuttoned his own shirt and pulled off his pants. The mattress bounced as In-ho pushed himself back onto it.

Gi-hun looked down at the bottle in his hands, and looked back up at him with a raging fear in his eyes. He pulled against the restraints again, suddenly looking very small and scared. Watching him in the games, Gi-hun’s fear always brought In-ho great satisfaction. He enjoyed seeing him suffer, fear for his life, it excited him.

But In-ho realised right now didn’t feel like that. Instead it made him… sad. Like he wanted to stop whatever was making him feel this way. To protect him from it. In-ho’s brows furrowed down at the man as this strange revelation washed over him.

In-ho hesitated before reaching up and untying both of Gi-hun’s wrists. Gi-hun rubbed the red marks that had formed, looking up at him in confusion. He sat up higher as In-ho moved to kneel in front of him, his hand gently cupping his cheek while his other hand rested on his thigh.

“I will look after you, Gi-hun.” He searched his face, his voice genuine. “But if you don’t want me to do this, I won’t.”

Gi-hun’s brow twitched, and he studied him, confusion, affection, and guilt mixing across his face. “I…” He swallowed. “I want to do it. I want you. I don’t know why, but I want you.”

In-ho rested his forehead on Gi-hun’s, thumb stroking his face.

“I don’t know what you’re doing to me, Gi-hun.” In-ho croaked, and he meant it. His eyes drifted closed.

He could hear the man swallow, a small breath leaving his mouth. They sat for a few seconds, listening to and feeling the exhales from each other’s nose, the faint jazz music seeming louder than before. He felt Gi-hun’s face shift, and by the light breath against his lips he tilted his head forward, gently meeting their lips. This kiss was unlike one they had shared before.

It was different. It felt different. It made butterflies swarm in his stomach and threatened to form tears in his eyes. Gi-hun inhaled deeply, pushing into him as though he could never be close enough. He felt Gi-hun’s hand against his cheek and In-ho’s brow twitched as he leaned into the touch, his chest growing tighter. A sob tore from him against his will, and Gi-hun broke the kiss.

Tears swarmed in In-ho’s eyes, and he hung his head down in embarrassment.

Gi-hun’s hand pulled his face back up to look at him, thumb coming across to swipe the tears that spilled onto his cheeks. In-ho gently grasped his wrist.

“What’s wrong?” He said gently.

“I…” In-ho burned with embarrassment as his voice shook. “I don’t know, I…”

Gi-hun watched him intently.

“I haven’t felt like this for a very, very long time. The games, my wife’s death, It destroyed me. I don’t think I felt… anything since that day. Nothing was the same anymore, and nothing mattered. I was numb.” In-ho let out another strangled stop, trying desperately to stop them from coming. “You are the first person I ever talked to - really talked to since then.”

Gi-hun gave a long exhale through his nose, his eyes dropping to his lap but kept the touch on his face.

A wave of emotion crashed over In-ho, and he felt hot tears spill from his eyes as his face contorted, his breaths shaky. Gi-hun looked at him again, blinking, his lips tightening. He couldn’t stop himself, the harder he tried the more tears that came, the tighter his throat became.

“I’m- I’m not a bad person, Gi-hun. I wasn’t a bad person… before.” His voice was thick. “Losing the only person I loved most in this life drove me crazy. I was so angry. I am still. So. Angry.” He cut himself off with a sob, hanging his head as his hand came up to shield his eyes.

There was a long pause, Gi-hun staring down at his lap. He gave a swallow before finally looking at him. “I… I hate myself for how I feel about you.” Gi-hun said quietly, his voice cracking slightly. “I don’t know why I feel for you so strongly, after everything you’ve done. I should leave, I should have run for my life but… A part of me doesn’t want to, and I don’t know why. I feel so ashamed for it.”

In-ho clenched his jaw, the words stabbing him like a knife. He hurt Gi-hun over and over again, and he enjoyed every second. And he will probably continue to hurt him as long as he is in his life. He murdered the man’s best friend, pretty much just because he could. Because Jung-bae was a constant threat to In-ho’s attention from Gi-hun.

He did it out of Jealousy.

“You should leave, Gi-hun. I will let you, if you want. I will let you go back to Seoul, to wherever, and nobody will bother you any more. I will let you live out your life how you want.” In-ho wiped the tears away with the base of his palm, steadying his breath and looking up at Gi-hun.

“I… I don’t know if that’s what I want.” Gi-hun whispered.

In-ho’s eyes widened briefly.

“It would be best for you if you leave.” In-ho pressed. “I don’t want to hurt you, not anymore. But I know that I will.”

In-ho was telling him the truth. For the first time in a long time, something had shifted within him, a crack in the thick calcification that had formed around his heart, and he realised he really didn’t want to hurt him anymore. For so long he’d been watching Gi-hun, studying his every move, tracking everywhere he went. Protecting the games was his top priority. He’d been given the privilege of being Frontman by the creator himself, and he poured his life into protecting it. But for the first time, he looked up at the man sitting in front of him and realised with stunning clarity, he had found something that mattered more.

Gi-hun sighed. “I know.”

In-ho gave a shaky exhale, and they stared into each other’s eyes, seeming to communicate without words how they truly felt. In-ho lunged forward, claiming his lips once more, the dampness of his tears wetting Gi-hun’s face.

He felt Gi-hun gently pushing him backwards, and he let him. Gi-hun softly grasped his side and slowly lowered him to the soft mattress, lips never leaving his mouth. In-ho whined and squirmed, still trying to become comfortable with someone taking care of him. Gi-hun placed gentle kisses along his jaw and neck, and In-ho felt himself quickly hardening again. He felt their semi-hard cocks brush against each other, and he heard Gi-hun gasp into his neck.

Gi-hun lowered his hips, pressing their cocks together. He could see the fire lighting behind the man’s piercing gaze once more as he felt Gi-hun’s rough hand close around both their cocks. In-ho tipped his head back as the man stroked them in unison.

“Look at me.” Gi-hun said, but it wasn’t order, more of a plea.

In-ho did as he was told, and they both stared at each other, studying every detail of each other’s face, heavy breaths on each other’s mouth. In-ho glanced down between them, seeing the tips of their cocks disappear and reappear from Gi-hun’s tight fist, and he openly moaned at the sight.

The pleasure was building again, heat sizzling in his belly as he neared the edge once more. Gi-hun growled hungrily, tipping his head down to nip at his lip and plunge his tongue into his mouth. In-ho moaned as their tongues wrestled, nearly biting him by accident as his pleasure began to peak.

The hand suddenly disappeared, as did the press of the other man against him. In-ho gritted a noise of frustration into Gi-hun’s mouth, and he felt the man smile against him.

“How does it feel?” Gi-hun grinned wickedly.

In-ho breathed a laugh, unable to help himself at the man’s smile. “You motherfucker.”

Gi-hun gave him a long, slow kiss before pulling back. “I want you to be inside of me. Please.”

In-ho stared at him, and a smile spread across his face. “I want that, too.”

Gi-hun grinned back. He allowed In-ho to gently spin them around as he kissed him, Gi-hun lying underneath him again. In-ho shifted off him, searching the messed up duvet for the bottle of lube he tossed aside. He found it, stretching out to grab it, also grabbing a pillow to prop under Gi-hun’s neck. He twisted the other way to dig a small towel out of his bottom drawer. He knelt in between Gi-hun’s legs and pressed his hands behind the man’s knees, urging him to put his legs up against his chest. In-ho lowered his face down, spreading him with his hands.

Gi-hun flinched back with the feeling of hot breath against his hole, craning his neck down to watch him.

“Wait!” He yelped, and In-ho froze.

“Not that…” He flushed. “Your fingers and um- other things are ok, but I don’t think I… am ready for that. Maybe next time. Sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, Gi-hun.” He breathed. “I won’t do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

Gi-hun swallowed and nodded, looking relieved.

“I’ll use my fingers first. This is your first time, correct?”

Gi-hun nodded. “I’ve never had anything… in there before” He looked embarrassed again.

“That’s ok. I want to make this good for you. I’ll use my fingers to get you ready, so it doesn’t hurt.”

“Ok.” Gi-hun replied quietly, craning his neck more to watch everything he was doing.

In-ho clicked open the bottle, squeezing the clear gel onto the tip of his fingers. He looked toward Gi-hun one more time before he gently massaged the lube around his hole. Gi-hun flinched again, letting out a tiny gasp.

“You don’t have to be so nervous, Gi-hun. Relax.”

“Sorry, no one’s ever touched me there before.”

“Well, I’ll show you what you’ve been missing out on, then.” In-ho smirked, applying some more lube to his fingers and spreading it down to his knuckles. He pressed a finger to Gi-hun’s entrance, Gi-hun watching him intently.

He slowly pushed the finger inside him, and Gi-hun made a small noise as the finger stretched him open. In-ho couldn’t stop the shaky groan that left his lips. He was so hot, so tight. He couldn’t imagine how good he would feel strangling his cock, milking him for every drop.

“Are you ok?” In-ho asked, a hint of breathlessness.

Gi-hun nodded. “It feels… strange. But not in a bad way.”

“I’m going to add another finger.”

“Another?!” Gi-hun’s eyes widened.

“Gi-hun-” In-ho smiled amusedly. “You know my cock is bigger than my fingers, yes?”

Gi-hun looked conflicted, but said nothing.

In-ho smiled to himself, slowly slipping in a second finger. He paused, allowing him to adjust. The ring of muscles were almost painfully tight.

“Gi-hun, please. Just relax. You’re tensing too hard, focus on relaxing your muscles. I will go as slow as you want me to, ok? I’m not going to rush you.”

Gi-hun lent back against the pillow, nodding. He closed his eyes for a second, breathing in and out deeply. In-ho felt his muscles relax around him. “Good, very good, just like that.”

He saw Gi-hun’s cock jump, smirking at the man’s receptiveness.

In-ho slowly pushed his fingers in and out of him, occasionally scissoring them or curling them in different directions. Gi-hun sighed quietly, taking in the new and strange sensations.

In-ho stared at his face, focussing hard on trying to find his sweet spot. His own cock throbbed in anticipation of his reaction, knowing he would be the first person to fuck his pretty little ass. The first and the last person. He pushed his fingers as deep as they would go and curled them, and Gi-hun suddenly jumped, his eyes flying open and looking down at him in confusion.

“What happened?” Gi-hun coughed. “That felt…”

In-ho chuckled, curling his fingers again. Gi-hun yelped, jumping again.

“What are you doing?” His eyes were wide.

“It’s your prostate, Gi-hun. It’s very sensitive, so it feels very good.” In-ho said.

“Can you… can you do it again?” Gi-hun breathed.

In-ho laughed. “Oh, don’t worry. We’re only getting started.”

He pulled his fingers out, and Gi-hun whimpered at the loss. In-ho squeezed a generous amount of lube onto his hand, stroking it into his cock. He wiped his hand on the towel and tossed it aside, shifting forward to position himself at Gi-hun’s entrance. He propped his hands on either side of Gi-hun, forearms gently pinning his legs up to his chest. Gi-hun looked up at him, nervousness still twinkling in his eyes.

“You ready?”

Gi-hun nodded, and In-ho reached down, guiding his cock towards the hole. “Remember to relax.”

In-ho pressed into him, the tip breaching his hole. Gi-hun groaned, making a pained face.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, yes. I’ll be ok. It just burns.” Gi-hun rasped.

In-ho allowed him to adjust before pushing in a bit more, spreading him open. They both moaned richly, Gi-hun was so tight, tighter than he’d ever felt before. He kept pushing until he was fully seated, moaning loudly as his hips pressed up against his ass.

In-ho was genuinely unsure how long he’d last. The man was so hot, so tight, squeezing his cock like a vice grip. He let out a strangled groan, using every last but of discipline not to start fucking Gi-hun like an animal.

“I’m ok, you can move.” Gi-hun gasped. In-ho gladly obliged, his arms shaking as he tried desperately to keep a slow pace rolling his hips in and out of him.

“Gi-hun-” In-ho gasped. “You feel so good, so fucking good.”

Gi-hun’s mouth hung open, adorable little noises leaving his mouth. Arousal sparked through In-ho, his hips bucking. He grunted, wanting so much to speed up, to show Gi-hun just how badly he affected him.

“Fuck me, fuck me harder, please. I want you.” Gi-hun breathed, and In-ho moaned at his words. His hips started moving faster, the sound of skin slapping growing louder. Fuck, all that mattered was this feeling, the feeling of Gi-hun squeezing him tight and pulling the pleasure from deep within his core. His arms were shaking too hard, getting down onto his elbows. He was closer to Gi-hun’s face this way, and able to gain better leverage to fuck into him harder.

In-ho chuckled as Gi-hun arched his back. “You were scared to have my cock, but now you’re so horny for it, aren’t you? You like being my little fuck toy?”

Gi-hun let out a loud moan, nodding his head wildly.

“Use your words, beautiful.”

“Fuck! Yes! I love it, I love it so much!” He whined.

In-ho shifted, rolling his hips at a different angle until Gi-hun cried out loudly. In-ho grinned down at him, focussing his assault on that spot, snapping his hips hard over and over.

“Oh fuck!” Gi-hun yelped. He convulsed as In-ho continued his ruthless pace, slamming into that spot with every thrust. His hand grasped In-ho's arm, the other his shoulder, nails digging into his skin as his moans grew in volume and pitch.

“Oh god, oh fuck, oh fuck!” Gi-hun gasped, his chest heaving and his body writing underneath him. In-ho watched him, pleasure flooding through him knowing he was the one making Gi-hun feel this way. His nails raked along In-ho’s back, sending a shiver down his spine.

“You’re being such a good boy, Gi-hun.” He breathed. “Your pretty little hole is mine, understand? And I will use it however and whenever I please.”

“Yes! Yes! It’s yours! Fuck, I need it so badly. Fucking use me. I need you, I need you.” Gi-hun sobbed, the pleasure too much for him.

“You have me, beautiful.”

Gi-hun was quickly becoming a mess of almost unbroken moans, his body squirming and his neglected cock steadily leaking precum between them.

“I want to cum so badly, please let me cum this time, please don’t stop again!” Gi-hun whined, a sob escaping him.

In-ho snapped his hips at a brutal pace, fucking him hard into the matress. His jaw was clenched so hard his teeth could break.

“Since you asked so nicely…” In-ho crooned, reaching down and squeezing Gi-hun’s cock. Gi-hun almost screamed as he began pumping him along with his thrusts.

In-ho was close, groans leaving his own mouth unrestrained. Sweat covered him, his muscles aching from his brutal rhythm.

“Look at me, Gi-hun. I want you to look me in the eyes when you cum.” In-ho demanded, and Gi-hun lazily looked at him, pupils blown.

Gi-hun’s eyes went blank as his deep inhale hitched in his throat. He spurted thick ropes of cum onto his belly, his whole body convulsing with each pulse of his cock. “Oh fuck, In-ho!” He threw his head back, giving a long, desperate and raspy moan.

In-ho let out a strangled noise at the sound of his real name rolling off Gi-hun’s lips. The tight ring of muscles rippled around his cock. His orgasm crashed over him like a tsunami wave, frying every nerve in his body with white hot pleasure. His ears rang so loud he could hardly hear the shouts that ripped from him. He buried himself in the tight heat, his cock pulsing as he milked every last drop of his pleasure inside him. He rolled his hips slowly, fucking his release deep into Gi-hun’s core.

He collapsed onto him, head in the crook of his shoulder, exhaustion claiming him. They breathed hard against each other, skin hot and damp with sweat.

“Holy shit.” Gi-hun panted.

In-ho breathed a laugh. “Holy shit.”

 

_________________________

 

Gi-hun slowly came back to himself, still riding out the aftershocks of the immense high. He was wrong before, when he thought the bathroom was the hardest he had ever cum in his life. This was something else, a new realm he never knew existed. And now he also got to feel the weight of the man on top of him, feeling his bare chest rise and fall against his, his breaths in the crook of his neck.

They lied there for several minutes in silence, both trying hard not to drift into sleep. Gi-hun hesitated, before slowly reaching up to pet the man’s hair, gently stroking and massaging his scalp.

In-ho purred, shifting himself so he could nestle further into him, wrapping his arms under his before letting out a deep sigh. Gi-hun’s heart ached, a melancholy warmth spreading through his chest as he snaked his other hand around the man’s waist to rest on the small of his back. He had not felt like this in a long time, never had someone so devoted to him.

And so as he began to fall back down from the ecstatic ignorance of his pleasure, so returned the self-hatred and shame. He had meant every word he said to In-ho earlier, he wanted him, more so than he’d ever wanted someone before. But he had no idea why he felt this way.

This man had destroyed his life, killed everyone he cared for.

Yet here he lay with his cum steadily dripping from inside him.

He hated himself for it. But he just couldn’t stop.

Before he joined the games for the second time he thought he had nothing. But he had not known what it was like to truly, truly lose everything.

In-ho had dug a deep, deep hole in his chest and filled it with himself.

Was In-ho a bad person? Yes. But was he evil? …No, Gi-hun didn’t think so. He could understand how easy it would be to turn villain after going through what In-ho had gone through. Especially since Gi-hun only had himself to blame for just how far in debt he was, for his mother’s death. In-ho only had the world to blame for the death of his wife and child.

He remembered what Hwang Jun-ho had said about his brother, Gi-hun not knowing the true identity of the man at the time.

”My brother is a good man. When I was sick and dying, he gave me his kidney. Not many people would do that, even for their family.”

He just couldn’t bring himself to forgive him after what he’d done, and he probably never would.

Notes:

THANK YOU for your continued support and patience. This one took forever to write, mainly because I've never written for such a complicated dynamic (and this smut scene was quite long).

I intentionally wrote the whiplashes between them being gentle and rough, because that's just how it seems it would be to me. Their relationship is strange, it's sweet, it's toxic, it's confusing but AHH it's so interesting. Forgive me as I'm still trying to figure it out myself.

Hope you enjoyed, pleaaaassseee let me know your thoughts as it helps me to know if everyone is liking what I'm doing or not!

Chapter 6: Burned

Summary:

The fourth game commences, followed by an unexpected development. Tensions rise as the end of the games near.

In-ho collected his clothes scattered around the bedroom floor and began dressing in silence. Gi-hun lay on the bed, blinking up at the ceiling. In-ho glanced up at him, grunting quietly as he stumbled trying to put on his pants.

Gi-hun pushed himself up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. “I’m going to have another shower.” He muttered, covering himself with his hands as he crossed In-ho, despite the man having seen him several times already. He glanced nervously over his shoulder as In-ho watched him bend down to pick up his clothes before taking the messy pile to the bathroom across the hall.

In-ho exhaled deeply, pinching the bridge of his nose as he listened to the bathroom door softly closing, and the muffled sound of the shower turning on. He turned his head towards the bed, catching sight of the small dark towel hanging off the end, stained with the evidence of their actions. He looked away, his throat tightening. In-ho sat on the bed, thumbs twiddling in his lap.

He thought back to the night before. It felt like so long ago now.

“Wait!” He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned as Gi-hun into his pocket and pulled out a magazine. “Here, take this. You’re going to need it.”

He stared down at it, looking back up at Gi-hun. “Are you sure?”

Gi-hun nodded, pushing his last magazine towards him.

Guilt burned its way into him like a hot coal, settling heavy in his gut. Guilt for Gi-hun, and guilt for the Squid Games. His plan was set in stone from the beginning; befriending Gi-hun, betraying him. But In-ho had become so far disconnected with the man he used to be, that he never expected that spark to come back. He actually liked talking to Gi-hun. He liked some of the others too, and he was actually having fun for the first time in many years but - Gi-hun was different. Gi-hun brought back something within him he hadn’t felt since he failed to save his wife a decade ago.

And when he finally felt that again, he realised how much he truly desired feeling a genuine connection with someone again. How addicting it was, after being starved for so long. In-ho had been stripped of himself, dedicating what remained of his life to the games and using it as a new foundation in the crumbling ruins.

He had become their puppet, and the worst part was that he knew this all along. He knew what he’d done to himself, and there was still a flicker of humanity inside him he could never fully extinguish no matter how hard he tried, no matter how many lives he took. Only when he had successfully extinguished this was when he could finally stop the emptiness he felt.

He felt so empty for so long he hardly knew any better. And then came Gi-hun, reaching a hand down into the great abyss he called home.

It was only when that magazine was held out to him that In-ho finally realised just how far he had drifted from himself. But he knew he had no choice but to follow through. It was his job. It was his life.

Maybe a part of him wished Gi-hun would stop trusting him before he had to betray him.

But Gi-hun’s faith in humanity stretched so far beyond what In-ho could fathom, and that was the difference between the two of them.

In-ho’s throat seemed to close, squeezing painfully as he swallowed. He hung his head, his hands in his lap beginning to blur behind the tears that swarmed. He stopped his breathing, teeth clenching in an attempt to push them back. His hands began to shake, and In-ho sucked in a painful breath, unable to stop the tears spilling onto his face as the sobs shook him against his will.

Oh how far he had fallen.

He heard the shower turn off, and his hand flew up to wipe the tears away, clearing his throat and steadying himself before quickly getting up to tidy up the mess they’d made.

________________________

 

Gi-hun opted to have a cold shower, ignoring the freezing prickles that ran across his skin and down his chest. He sighed as he let the water rush over his face and hair, instantly dimming the heat that was radiating from him.

He hissed when the water ran down his back into his private area, burning and stinging from In-ho’s ruthlessness. His stomach curled slightly in his now clear mind, a reminder of what he had done. Of what he had allowed - no - wanted a man to do to him.

His arms closed in on himself in shame as images of Jung-bae flashed across his mind. What would he have said if he ever found out Gi-hun had not only slept with a man, but slept with the man that murdered him? There were so many times he could have been there for Jung-bae, and he wasn’t. He never was. And now he still managed to betray him even after his death.

He thought of Jun-Ho, the police officer. He had told Gi-hun he never saw the Frontman’s face. Why had he not told Gi-hun of his brother’s true identity? Why didn’t he tell him his brother was the Frontman when he knew of his plan to capture and kill him? Or was he just using Gi-hun as a pawn to kill his brother so he didn’t have to get his hands bloody? Did everybody Gi-hun ever trusted turn out to be liars in the end?

Gi-hun washed himself of sweat and… other things, opting not to wash his face lest he see Jung-bae behind his eyelids, and turned off the water. He dressed himself back into his clothes, the dress shirt slightly wrinkled now, and left the bathroom.

In-ho was still in the bedroom, straightening the sheets of the bed. He glanced up at Gi-hun, barely meeting his eye before returning his attention to the bed.

“Good, you are finished. The fourth game will begin very soon.”

Gi-hun swallowed and looked away, saying nothing.

“Don’t be upset, Gi-hun.” In-ho’s body appeared in front of his downcast gaze, and he looked up. “This is what the players voted for.”

Gi-hun glared into his eyes, pushing past him to the living room. He saw the ghost of a smile on In-ho’s face as he followed him, walking over to the small table by the couch and picking up the remote. He switched on the flatscreen, and a large room came into view. Gi-hun recognised it as the same room he had played Dalgona and the six-legged pentathlon in. The players had not yet entered, random objects of varying sizes were scattered throughout the sand, each one either red, yellow, green or blue. There were tables, chairs, platforms ascending in a short spiral-like pattern, semi-circle domes, fences, large cubes, but they were set out so randomly that Gi-hun doubted it would be an obstacle course.

“What is this?” Gi-hun muttered bitterly, sinking into the couch beside In-ho.

“You will see.”

Gi-hun crossed his arms with a frustrated exhale. Eventually the players began filing into the room.

The female voice of the announcer came through the TV. “Attention players. The fourth game is The floor is lava. Repeat, the fourth game is The floor is lava.”

“The floor is lava?” Gi-hun said. “Isn’t that the game where you can’t touch the floor?”

In-ho reached to his right, pouring himself a generous glass of whiskey, and one for Gi-hun. He held it up to Gi-hun, who stared at him in disbelief of his audacity before reaching up to take it.

“Please, do not throw this one. I quite like these glasses.”

Gi-hun felt anger bubbling up again, and glared at the man.

The woman's voice again. “The rules of this game are as follows: you are free to walk around the room, but you must not touch or climb any of the objects throughout the room. When the words ’the floor is lava’ is announced, you must use the objects to remove yourself from the sand. If you are still touching the sand with any part of your body once the 15 seconds is up, you will be eliminated. If you climb any of the objects before the phrase is announced, you will be eliminated. You may not use the deceased or living bodies of other players who are touching the sand. Repeat-”

Gi-hun’s stomach squeezed uncomfortably. Seventy-five people. Many of the objects could only fit a small group huddled, others would likely only fit one person. There were even a couple thin poles and rope ladders.

“Won’t this game get easier as time goes on?” Gi-hun questioned.

In-ho smirked to himself, taking a sip from his glass and not looking away from the screen. “You think we would allow for that, Gi-hun?”

Gi-hun turned back to the TV, his chest even tighter. He spotted Dae-ho in the crowd, followed by the old lady and her son, Hyun-ju, and-

“Jun-hee!” Gi-hun stood quickly, the whiskey sloshing in his glass. He pointed wildly into the crowd on the screen. “You said you were removing her! You said you would let her go!” He bellowed.

In-ho cocked his head up at him, his expression calm. “And yet you still always believe what I say Gi-hun. Even after everything.”

Gi-hun burned with a rage that made his body shake, the heat flushing his skin. “What is wrong with you? She is pregnant! You agreed this was no place for her!”

“A player has never been removed from the games while they are still living. Nobody except winners and players in games that have been voted to stop have ever left here alive. It is the way it always has been.”

“So you lied to me so I’d sleep with you again? Is that it? You want me to fuck you so badly you lie to gain my trust?”

In-ho stood, approaching him until he was close in front of him, he looked angry. “I am teaching you not to trust so blindly. Do you not see where it has gotten you? You pour your trust into people in an instant, even those you have only just met, and those who have wronged you in the past. It always comes back against you.” He said calmly.

Gi-hun’s face twitched in anger.

“The game is beginning.” In-ho dismissed with a low voice.

Gi-hun’s eyes narrowed, and he stepped back, sitting down onto the couch wordlessly. He took a long sip from his glass, the liquid burning his throat and settling in his stomach like acid.

The players were scattered around the room, standing still. Children’s music began playing and the players looked confusedly at each other before silently making their way around the room. Some groups stuck together, trying to hang around the larger objects, others wandering around alone. Gi-hun had never seen the games from an outside perspective, never paying much attention to the others while he was focussed so much on his own group and himself.

The music suddenly stopped, and a child’s voice announced “The floor is lava!”

The player’s scrambled like an ocean of green in a storm, clattering and throwing themselves onto things. Some players were pulled or pushed roughly off things, sending them hard onto the floor whilst their attacker took their place in safety.

“Three, two, one!” A computerised voice said. The players left in the sand screamed as masked guards approached, wielding their guns and spraying bullets into the room. Gi-hun squeezed his eyes shut as the loud cracks of gunshots rang through the speakers. The screen switched between cameras, showing the bodies that now lay motionless in the sand, splatters and puddles of deep red surrounding.

“All players please remove yourselves from the objects. Round two will commence.” The announcer's voice said.

The players climbed or jumped back into the sand, and soon the music began again. Gi-hun’s gut twisted as he watched the players stepping over the bodies that littered the floor without a second thought. Some had a blank look in their eye, other’s cold and calculating, assessing where would be best to go next.

The music stopped, and three players threw themselves onto the nearest object whilst everyone else froze. Hardly any time passed before several gunshots sent all three of them hurtling over, lying limp as their green jumpsuits began to seep red.

“The floor is lava!”

Chaos followed as the players desperately clawed themselves out of the sand. A body of one of the players who had climbed onto a large yellow platform too early was dragged off and thrown into the sand whilst a large group climbed on, slipping on the smear of blood left behind. On another smaller platform, a crowd of people clawed and pulled and tore at each other, trying to wrench someone off and take their place. The camera switched to view several players climbing onto the rope ladder, however the man at the top only climbed halfway up the ladder, the people below him screaming to go higher as the man tried to shake and kick them off. Players piled onto the short stretch of blue picket fencing, crying out in pain as others tried to cling to their backs in desperation, those on the opposite side standing on their feet.

Gi-hun’s eyes darted through the chaos until he spotted Hyun-Ju pulling Jun-he up onto the small yellow dome-shape, followed by the man and his mother and Dae-ho. They all held their arms tightly around one another, clutching onto their clothes as hard as they could to keep their feet from slipping off into the sand mere inches below.

“Three, two, one!”

A lady stumbled and fell off one of the cubes, snagged by the back of the shirt by another player. Two more players turned to hold him up, the lady dangling off the side, eyes wide as she stared down at the ground. Gi-hun leaned forward in his seat as her footing began to slip, the man holding onto her crying out in fear as he began slowly skidding off. His heart quickened. There was no room for the players to pull her back up without pushing someone else off, so many of them piled onto this one platform.

They all shouted as the man began to slip, and he let go of the woman’s shirt. She screamed as she tumbled forward, the other players throwing their arms around the man to keep him from following. Gi-hun held his breath, as a guard approached, raising his gun. The lady pushed herself to her knees, pleading for her life before a loud crack silenced her, blood spraying onto the block behind. Gi-hun turned away, feeling the bile rise in his throat. He noticed In-ho staring at him, his face dark and expressionless.

The female voice spoke again. “All players please remove yourselves from the objects. Round three will commence. Please stand-by while we adjust the course.”

A line of guards marched in, and everyone backed away in fear. In teams they picked the larger sized objects, carrying them out of sight and leaving only small items, the largest only fitting about five people in Gi-hun’s prediction, if even. But there were still over half of them left.

The creepy music began again, and once again the players began to move around, some running towards the larger objects. Gi-hun spotted the remainder of his group again, Jun-Hee huddled in the middle of them. Gi-hun felt a mix of rage, guilt, and nausea as he watched her absent-mindedly clutch her belly.

“The floor is lava!”

Players tore at each other like wild animals, ripping at their clothes and using any means necessary to get a spot out of the sand. Players were climbing each other, a man clawing his way onto another man’s shoulders, both of them falling backward onto the sand.

Gi-hun watched desperately as the group struggled to find a spot, linking hands and pulling each other around the room, led by Hyun-Ju. She spotted a small group fighting over the rope ladder, leaving it empty. She pulled them roughly over to it. There were five of them, but only enough room for two. He saw Hyun-Ju say something, gesturing to Jun-hee and turning around. Jun-hee climbed onto her back, and Hyung-Ju gritted her teeth as she pulled herself up the dangerously swaying ladder. She yelled something else, and Dae-ho snapped out of his panic daze and nodded, throwing himself onto the opposite side of the ladder and climbing until he was directly opposite her and Jun-hee.

The camera switched to an angle closer to them, and Gi-hun could hear their yells over the noise.

“Jun-hee! Jun-hee stay close to me ok? Don’t let go!” Hyun-Ju screamed, head down as she watched the others. “Young-sik! You need to do the same!”

The son turned around, wildly gesturing for his mother to climb onto him. She did, and Young-sik grunted as he tried to follow the other two up the ladder. It swayed, nearly throwing them off. Gi-hun’s chest felt like lead as he watched their feet leave the floor. Now they just had to stay that way.

“Three, two, one!”

Several gunshots rang out.

The man clinging to the top of one of the poles lost his grip, sliding down into another player below him, both of them hurtling onto the ground below with a thud.

“No, NO PLEASE!” He heard one roar, holding his hands up over his head. A guard approached, shooting him in the chest. The other man quivered and whimpered as he slowly raised his head to look up at the guard, before another gunshot sounded and his body went limp.

Another man was running around the room, eyes impossibly wide and whimpering in fear as he realised there was nowhere for him to go. The guard turned to look at him, and the man ran towards the back of the room.

His eyes locked on the closest thing, the rope ladder where Hyun-Ju, Jun-hee, Dae-ho, Young-sik, and his mother were currently clinging for dear life. They stared down at him, and Hyun-Ju shook her head, as though she knew what he was about to do.

A terrified roar left the man's throat, and he threw himself onto the old lady’s back. She screamed as Young-sik cried out in pain, trying desperately to keep his grip on the ladder. The other three shouted in protest, their voices laden with desperate fear as the ladder twisted and swung dangerously. Dae-ho lost his footing and he hung by his arms off the rope, feet kicking as he tried to find somewhere to put his feet. Spit flew from his mouth as he shrieked down at the man.

“Get off! Get off!” Young-Sik screamed, his voice stretching into a terrified octave as his mother clung to his neck, almost choking him.

A gunshot made Gi-hun jump, and he watched as the man went limp, falling back into the sand.

But he had somehow managed to tangle himself with the lady, and Young-sik’s arm swung around as felt his mother’s grip loosen. He swung himself backward, holding onto the ladder with his other hand as he lunged forward to try and catch her.

His fingers grazed her shirt, closing around nothing. She fell onto the man’s body with a small cry of pain.

“Omma! OMMA!” Young-sik roared. The guard's quiet footsteps in the sand seemed deafening.

The old lady looked up at him, her hair dusty and eyes swimming.

Her lip quivered. “Young-sik-” a gunshot cut off the remainder of her sentence, replaced with the agonised screams of Young-sik as he hung limp by his arms on the ladder.

Jun-hee buried her face into the crook of Hyun-ju’s shoulder, who squeezed her eyes shut as tears spilled onto her cheeks. The other players were dead silent, all staring as Young-sik’s wails echoed through the room. Dae-ho stilled from his struggles, staring down at the body.

Gi-hun didn’t realise he had stood at some point, his body frozen in shock.

He heard the faint jingling of ice in a glass next to him, rage burning as he turned to see In-ho taking a sip of whiskey.

“What is wrong with you?” Gi-hun lashed, advancing towards the man who looked up at him with just his eyes. He waved a finger wildly at the screen. “How can you sit and watch this happen? She needed to die, did she? She needed to die for the sake of your precious-”

“Did you even know her name?” In-ho retaliated calmly.

Gi-hun stopped, hands curling into fists.

“You didn’t, did you? Had you even bothered to ask whilst you plotted your little revolt? Or did you only show interest in those who would be willing to die for you?” In-ho cocked his head curiously. “It was Geum-ja.”

Gi-hun clenched his jaw, breathing quickly in and out of his nose as the wails could still be heard behind him.

“All players please remove yourselves from the objects. The final round will commence. Please stand-by while we adjust the course.”

“Why must these people die?” Gi-hun said, his voice thick. “What had she done to deserve that?”

“It is not always about what people deserve. She simply lost the game.” In-ho said.

Gi-hun could feel the sweat beginning to cling to his dress shirt, heat fuming off him. The music started again.

He turned to see Young-sik kneeling over the body of his mother.

“Omma!” He quavered, sobs ripping from him as he clutched her.

Hyung-Ju pulled at his shoulders. “I’m so sorry Young-sik, but we need to move, now!” the other players scrambled around them. Jumping over and stepping on them to take a spot on the ladder.

“No!” He sobbed, wrenching himself from her grip and falling forward onto his mother. Hyun-Ju tried again, but he pushed her off.

Dae-ho and Jun-hee stood behind them, looking around anxiously. Gi-hun turned fully to face the screen. As much as he felt for the boy, he was going to get all four of them killed.

Jun-hee hurried forward, crouching down. “Please Young-sik!” terrified tears spilled down her cheeks. “We have to go or we will run out of time!”

Young-sik looked over at her, his face red and damp. After a few seconds, he nodded, and Hyung-Ju hurriedly helped him up. She pulled the two of them through the rioting crowd.

“Over there!” Jun-hee squeaked, pointing to a circular disc-like platform across the room. It currently had two people crouching on it, but if they all huddled, they’d all be able to fit. The camera switched back to a wider angle, and Gi-hun could no longer hear them speak.

He saw one of the players crouched on the disc wave wildly as if telling them to stop, but the group dived onto it. The platform spun around like a roundabout, sending all of them hurtling off it, dust spraying into the air. Gi-hun saw the men shouting, flailing in the sand trying to get up. Hyung-Ju wrenched Jun-hee up by her collar and they all hurtled towards it. Hyung-ju held the platform still while the others climbed on. Gi-hun wouldn’t even let himself blink, the air seeming thin.

“Three, two, one!”

Hyung-ju climbed on just as the timer hit zero. They all were crouched around the very edges of the circle holding tightly onto each other's back, trying to keep each other from falling as the platform spun.

He saw them flinch as the machine-guns sprayed through the room, killing a large number of players. Gi-hun turned away, his mouth dry.

“Congratulations players, the fourth game has concluded. You will now be escorted back to your quarters.”

The players climbed off the objects, some shouting in celebration, some hiding deep within themselves as they shuffled automatically towards the door. Young-sik fell to his knees in the sand, his face buried in his hands. The TV suddenly switched to an empty room, the dormitory.

Gi-hun stared at the empty room on the screen, still processing everything that had just occurred. He slowly hung his head. “And what now, another vote?” He asked defeatedly, voice barely audible.

“Yes.” In-ho’s voice said behind him.

Gi-hun turned back to the couch, swiping up his whiskey that sat on the seat cushion and downed it in one go. He held the empty glass to In-ho, gesturing it toward the half-full bottle next to him.

In-ho snickered, taking the glass from him and refilling it, the noise of the pouring liquid loud in the silent room. In-ho returned it to him, staring sternly into his eyes with a hint of amusement. Gi-hun snatched it, falling into the seat next to him again.

That old lady, Geum-ja, did not deserve that. She didn’t need to be here. None of them did. He felt sick.

There was an awkwardly long stretch of silence before In-ho spoke.

“What do you think the vote will be this time, Gi-hun?” He asked casually.

Gi-hun took another long sip of his glass, wishing it burned more. “You think we are friends? You think we can just have little chit-chats after everything that’s happened?” He said calmly, watching as the players began to exhaustedly file into the room.

“I am curious to hear your thoughts.”

Gi-hun managed to swallow enough of his anger to be able to look In-ho in the eye without punching him.

“It looked like half of them were killed. I hope they will finally come to their senses and leave with the money they have.”

“You hope for this, yes. But do you have faith they will actually do it? Do you think they’ll be satisfied?”

“They have to be, otherwise they will be dead. The next game is what determines the final players, and only one of them will see it to the end.”

In-ho set his glass down. “You know this, and I know this, but they don’t. Some are still delusional enough to think they will be that person, others still believe they can see the end together and split the money.”

Gi-hun’s lips tightened as he watched Jun-hee sit down on the bed, curling in on herself as Hyun-ju sat beside her with a blank expression. Jun-hee leant back against the bedhead, just as he remembered Sae-byeok doing the first time Gi-hun talked to her. He remembered his own daughter, the undying love he felt for her the second he laid eyes on her in her hospital crib. Vowing to protect her from everything bad in the world. And oh how badly he failed them all. Something wet fell onto his cheek, and he realised he was crying.

“Please…” Gi-hun whispered shakingly. “Please let Jun-hee live.”

In-ho looked at him with the same blank expression, but something behind his eyes seemed to shift.

Gi-hun sunk back into the couch, his hands coming up to his face as the tears spilled. “That is all I want. I don’t care anymore. I give up. Please… Just let her live.” He whimpered, and he heard the man beside him exhale quietly and he said nothing.

Gi-hun tried again. “There must be a part of you from before still left, In-ho, despite what you’ve become. What about Young-il? What would he have thought?”

“Young-il wasn’t real, can’t you let that go?” In-ho said flatly, staring blankly ahead.

“Young-il was you. The real you.”

“And how would you know?” In-ho turned his head to face him, and Gi-hun could see the sadness behind his expression.

“...Because it was so real.” Gi-hun said quietly.

In-ho said nothing, his eye glistening for a split second before he turned back to face the screen, his face returning to a flat expression.

The voice came from the screen once more. “All players, another vote will be conducted after your meal. Please take this time to think of your answer.”

The elevator dinged behind them, and Gi-hun whirled around, stunned to see a triangle-masked guard enter holding a large tray in front of them.

“That’ll be our dinner.” In-ho mumbled.

Gi-hun watched as the guard entered the space, stopping directly behind them. “Your meal, sir.”

In-ho did not turn around, simply waving towards the dining table. The guard set down the tray, hurriedly setting down the bowls and plates in their respective sports and promptly left.

In-ho rose from his chair when he heard the elevator doors close, and made his way to the table, the chair scraping against the floor as he pulled himself toward the table.

“How can you eat after watching that?”

“Did you not eat after every game? How is it any different?” In-ho said boredly. “Come on, I know you like fish, you always order it at restaurants.”

Gi-hun twisted around. “How could you possibly know that? Weren’t you just tracking my location?”

In-ho didn’t turn around, but Gi-hun could tell he was snickering. “Just sit, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun hesitated, but the smell wafted over to him as the steam bellowed from the plates. He hadn’t had a proper hot meal in a long time, and it smelled just like the dish his mother would make him. He rose cautiously, sitting down at the table as quietly as possible, embarrassed of himself. It was godeungeo gui with banchan, one of Gi-hun’s favourites. In-ho smiled as Gi-hun’s hand dove for his chopsticks a bit too quickly.

He glanced over at the screen to see the players lining up for their food, the process much quicker now that so many had been killed. The food tasted dry in his mouth.

They finished their meal in silence, their lack of sleep beginning to catch up to them, and sat back down on the couch when the guards entered the dorms to conduct the next vote.

“Before we begin, let me announce the prize that has been accumulated.” The square guard announced, and the room dimmed into a gold light. The players pushed themselves off their beds, striding slowly to the centre of the room and staring up at the large piggy bank. Slot machine sound effects announced the wads of cash flooding the glass pig nearly to the top.

The large white number on the board clicked down from 75 to 43 whilst the prize money shot up. The board now read:

Number of players
43
Prize per person
₩960,465,116.30
Prize:
₩41,300,000,000

The square guard spoke over the excited whispers. “Thirty-two players were eliminated in the last game. The prize accumulated is now 41.3 billion won. If you vote to leave now, each player will take home a share of 960,465,116 won. If you vote to stay, we will conduct the fifth game tomorrow.”

“How many games are there?” Someone from the back yelled.

“There are six games total.”

A murmur broke out in the crowd, and Gi-hun’s heart sank.

“Well, come on!” player 100 yelled. “There's only two games left anyway! The prize isn’t even at one billion won each! If we keep playing, a few of us could go home with billions!” half of the players murmured in agreement.

“Yeah, at the expense of 90% of the people in this room!” another player yelled, and the other half of the players nodded. Jun-hee clutched her stomach.

“We will not take any more interruptions to the voting process. The vote will begin now.”

They called the highest number first, a lady, who strode quickly down the middle and slammed the X button.

Gi-hun and In-ho watched on with interest as each loud beep signalled a new vote. The numbers under the board reading ‘X’ and ‘O’ began increasing fairly equally. A flicker of hope lit within Gi-hun when the X’s got ahead by several numbers, only to be caught up by O soon after.

The second last person pressed O, and the numbers now read:

X O
21 21

Young-sik’s number, 007, was announced last, being the closest number to 001. He walked through the crowd slowly, and the other players watched him pass with guilt in their eyes. The circle players looked defeated, Young-sik already had an X on his chest, and there was no way he would want to continue after what had happened. His expression was settled on one of profound grief and pain, his eyes permanently red and puffy. He approached the two buttons.

And pressed circle.

X O
21 22

The room lit up blue, and there was a brief confused pause before one half of the room went into an uproar of cheers. The X’s stood frozen in shock, some falling to their knees and wailing.

Gi-hun stood, his jaw hanging open. “What? Why did he-” Gi-hun’s hands clasped his head. “Did you have something to do with this?”

“Of course not.” In-ho laughed. “It was just the choice he made. But I will say I was not expecting it.”

“What… What is he thinking?” Gi-hun stressed.

“That concludes today's vote.” The square guard announced, and the cheers died down. “The fifth game will be held tomorrow. For now, please get some rest.”

The players dispersed, all except Young-sik’s group, who stood frozen in disbelief over the large picture of the red X on the floor. Young-sik walked past them with glazed eyes, when his collar was snatched by Dae-ho.

“Are you crazy!” He screamed in his face, his voice high-pitched with hysteria. “We could have gone home! We could have gone home, Young-sik! What about Jun-hee? Huh? Did you think about anyone but yourself?” He shook him roughly. The other players watched on curiously from their beds.

“Hey! Give the guy a break, he just lost his mother.” A player yelled. Dae-ho looked over to the person who had said it, his eyes trailing down to the ‘O’ patched on his chest.

He let go of Young-sik, taking a few steps towards the player. “And why do you think that is? Because you all voted to stay! We could have all been home with our families, we would have gone home with our lives and hundreds of millions of won!”

“And done what with that money?” Player 100 piped up. “For most of us that money would have been eaten up by our debts anyway! Many of us owe billions!”

Dae-ho dropped to his knees, sinking towards the floor as he wailed. “You… You’re all selfish bastards! All of you!” He bellowed.

“You think we want to be that way? We will all die out there anyway if we can’t pay off our debts! Our families too!”

Young-sik spoke up, and the room went silent. “I don’t care anymore. I don’t care if I live or die in the next game. What am I to do with the money anyway? I have nothing!”

“But some of us do!” A lady with an X on her chest screamed, and there was an uproar amongst the group of X’s. “I have children at home! I need this money to pay off my debts and look after them!”

“There’s nothing we can do about it now!” Hyun-ju roared, and the angry chatter quieted down. “Let’s just be smart and get ready for the next game!”

“Don’t you understand?” Another X player yelled. “There are only six games, and tomorrow we’ll be playing the fifth. How many people usually make it through to the finals of elimination games? Don’t you see? Most of us are going to die tomorrow!”

The volume of the room exploded again. Dae-ho still lay on the floor, sobbing and shaking into his arms as he rocked back and forth. A few of the other X players were doing the same.

Gi-hun stared in shock. That player was right, tomorrow’s game decided who went into the final. He remembered the glass bridge from the first games, how it cut sixteen people down to just three - then two, after that night. And they survived not by skill, intelligence or strength, but by sheer luck. He shouldn’t have left Sae-byeok alone. He never should have left her side in that room.

Because of the unusual lack of fights breaking out at night, forty-three players were still alive, over double compared to the end of the fourth round Marbles in Gi-hun’s first games. It would likely mean the guards would double down hard the next round in order to cut it down to the number of players needed to leave one player the winner of the Squid game. Most of them were going to be killed tomorrow.

He saw the players begin to return to their bunks when the TV screen went black.

“What is the next game?” Gi-hun spun to face In-ho.

“You know I can’t tell you, Gi-hun, so why bother asking? But tomorrow we will not watch the games here.” He threw the remote onto the table with a clatter.

“What do you mean?” Gi-hun rubbed his eyes.

“The VIPs know you are alive, and they know of the revolt you tried to lead. I told them that as a previous winner, you have been granted protection. They are interested in meeting you.”

Gi-hun’s hand dropped from his face, his eyes wide. “No. No, no, no I am not meeting those… evil, stuck-up, billionaire assholes.”

“Are you not a billionaire too?” In-ho quipped.

“Are they Korean?”

“No. Most of our VIPs are American. Some are Chinese, or French, but the Americans like to gamble very large amounts of money for fun. They enjoy it.”

“Americans? And what do you expect me to say? I don’t even speak English.”

“You don’t have to say anything, though they will probably be interested in talking to you, at least until they move onto something more exciting. They are where a large portion of our income comes from, and so we take care to treat them with the utmost respect, and I expect the same from you.”

Gi-hun scoffed a laugh, though he was not amused in the slightest. “Respect? You expect me to respect them?” He laughed. “And how do you trust I will do that? Given I know that these Americans are what keeps this place standing?”

In-ho stood and took a few slow steps towards him, his eyes studying him from head to toe. “I trust you, Gi-hun.” He said quietly, his eyes soft.

Gi-hun narrowed his eyes. In-ho suddenly leant up and kissed him deeply. He felt In-ho’s hands snake around his waist and pull him close, sending shivers through his body from the touch. Gi-hun made a quiet noise, his brow furrowed and he pushed the man away by his chest.

He knew he was just trying to manipulate him, but then In-ho smirked, doing that toothy side smile that weakened Gi-hun at the knees. He stared at his mouth, growling before surging forward and claiming his lips again. In-ho stumbled backwards onto the couch, and Gi-hun straddled him, pushing his lips against his hard. In-ho panted into his mouth, his fist bunching around Gi-hun’s collar and pulling him impossible closer. Gi-hun breathed deeply, inhaling that scent that triggered electricity shooting right down into his groin. He didn’t smell like anything in particular, he just smelt like him, and Gi-hun loved it.

The elevator dinged again, and In-ho broke the kiss, leaning his forehead on his with eyes downcast. His lip curled in anger as he panted against his lips. He pushed against Gi-hun to stand, and a worker with a circle mask stood frozen in the hallway. They took a tentative step back as In-ho turned around without his mask.

“I… Apologies, sir. I did not mean to interrupt.” He said hesitantly.

“What do you want?” In-ho commanded, his voice deep.

“It’s just… One of the players- female player- is unwell.”

In-ho frowned, his voice breathy with fatigue. “And why are you telling me this?”

“Because… the guards believe she might be having a baby, sir.”

Gi-hun’s heart leapt to his throat. In-ho glanced over at Gi-hun, his expression stern yet he could see a glint of fear in his eye.

“Please sir… I didn’t mean-” The guard said, his voice quavering at the end. There was a pause.

“Take off your mask.” In-ho ordered.

The guard's chest was rising and falling fast. Gi-hun was confused.

“Please sir-”

“Take it off.”

The guard’s hands were visibly shaking as he slowly reached up to remove his hood. He pulled off his mask, staring down at the floor. He looked to be in his late-twenties, shaggy black hair hanging over his face and a few hairs above his lip. In-ho kept his stare on him, slowly making his way around the couch. Tiny breaths left the guards mouth as he trembled.

“What is your name?”

“It’s… Jang Ji-sun, sir.”

“Ji-sun. That means ‘wisdom’, does it not?” In-ho stepped closer. The man glanced at Gi-hun a few times, recognition seeming to cross his features.

“Yes sir.”

“Jang Ji-sun, can you tell me if an employee is allowed to enter the Frontman’s quarters without permission?”

The guard swallowed, his throat bobbing up and down. “No, guards are only allowed in the Frontman’s quarters if requested exclusively by the Frontman, sir.”

“And what rank of guards are permitted to see the Frontman’s face?” In-ho cocked his head.

The guard dropped his gaze, his tremor worsening. “S-Square sir.” His voice shook.

“Correct, very good. So tell me, Ji-sun, considering these two rules, was it wise for you to come up here unannounced?” He stepped closer until he was standing in front of him.

“No… No sir.”

“No.” In-ho whispered. “It wasn’t.”

“Please sir. I was ordered to. It won’t happen again.” The man was easily a few inches taller than In-ho, but he looked so small.

“Oh, that I’ll be sure of.” He whispered in reply, before raising his voice back to normal level. “Go and stand in the elevator.”

The guard looked as though he was going to crumble any second, and Gi-hun could swear he heard a tiny whimper escape him. He turned around slowly, his legs seeming stiff as he began to drag himself to the end of the hall.

“Oh, and tidy this up and take it with you, if you please.” In-ho waved towards the dirty plates and bowls on the table. The guard stopped, turning towards the table. The bowls clattered together as he placed them on the tray with shaking hands. He took the tray down to the elevator.

In-ho stepped towards one of the black hall tables and opened one of the drawers.

The guard called the elevator, and hung his head as the numbers above ticked upwards. The doors opened with a ding, and he hesitated before stepping inside and turning around.

In-ho stepped to the entrance of the corridor, and raised his arm. Before Gi-hun could react, a deafening bang filled the room followed by the loud crashing of shattering crockery. Gi-hun looked in front of In-ho to see the guard fall back into the elevator wall behind him and slide down, the floor littered with the shattered plates. The back wall was painted with blood, a large smear leading down to his body. Gi-hun’s eyes and mouth were wide with shock, seeming frozen on the spot.

In-ho walked casually down the hall, sweeping some of the broken pieces into the elevator with his foot before stepping inside and pressing the button assumingly back down to the control room. He stepped back out and the elevator doors closed, and the numbers above began ticking down again.

“W-What? Why did you-”

“He broke the rules. It’s too dangerous to have slip ups when the instructions are made so clear.” He said simply. He assessed Gi-hun’s expression. “Don’t look so disgusted, Gi-hun. You killed many of my guards, and you would not have felt anything if this gun was in your hand.”

Gi-hun looked away, feeling the shame that seemed to lay dormant in his body nowadays rise again.

“Jun-hee!” Gi-hun snapped back to reality. “We have to help her! She needs a doctor, now!” He spotted the remote on the table and snatched it, fumbling with it before managing to turn on the TV.

He spotted Jun-hee in the middle of a crowd of people. She was sitting doubled over on the edge of the bed, face screwed up in pain as she clutched her stomach. An older lady sat next to her holding her hand, a small crowd surrounding her looking panicked. Jun-hee looked so terrified and alone, and Gi-hun’s heart shattered.

“Please, In-ho, we need to help her!” Gi-hun cried, looking desperately over at him.

In-ho glanced over Gi-hun’s shoulder at the scene behind him. He watched her for several seconds, his face beginning to change. He swallowed thickly, and turned around to the hall table again, picking up the receiver of an old yellow telephone.

He spoke into it briefly, voice barely audible to Gi-hun. He set down the receiver with a quiet click.

“What did you say, are you taking her out?”

“There is a doctor reserved for the guards and VIPs. She will go to him.”

Relief washed over Gi-hun. So they did have a doctor.

“Good. And then she will go home with her baby, yes?”

In-ho paused. “If that is what she desires… I will allow it. But if she wants to stay, then that is what will happen, and her baby will be taken into care in the meantime.”

“Right.” Gi-hun nodded absent-mindedly. She wouldn’t choose to stay anyway, Gi-hun was confident of that.

In-ho looked up at the screen, causing Gi-hun to turn around. Four guards entered the room, cocking their guns. They ordered everyone except Jun-hee to stand back before two of them helped her up and slowly made their way towards the door.

Gi-hun turned back to In-ho. He was staring at her, and Gi-hun quickly saw his eyes beginning to fill with tears. He turned away, clearing his throat.

“I want to see her. I need to know she’s being looked after.” Gi-hun continued.

In-ho rubbed his eyes tiredly. “Why? Do you not trust that my staff will look after her?”

Gi-hun made a face. “Why would I trust them?”

“Because they operate under my orders. Do you not trust me?”

Gi-hun said nothing, his eyes raking him up and down.

In-ho sighed. “Fine. But you will need to put on a mask, and you are not to speak at any point, or take off your mask. If she finds out who you are, my guards will shoot her. Am I clear?”

“Fine, whatever.” Gi-hun waved.

 

___________________________________

 

In-ho dug into his wardrobe for a black suit jacket and shoes, finding Gi-hun a square mask and hood to cover his face.

This was so far from anything In-ho had ever done before, let alone agreed for someone to accompany him as the Frontman. Making Gi-hun meet the VIPs tomorrow as Player 456 was an extremely risky, and quite frankly stupid idea on his part. There was no particular need for it beyond the fact VIPs wanted to meet him, and it was his job to make them happy. But he also wanted to show Gi-hun what it was like to be him. What it was like to be the Frontman. In truth, he had no idea what would become of Gi-hun in the near future. Would he stay with In-ho here? Would he go back to Seoul? Would In-ho follow him there? The future scared him. Right now, they were in their own little bubble away from everything else, the first time in a long time In-ho felt something, anything other than cold emptiness. And maybe he was scared to lose that.

He led Gi-hun into the golden-lit elevator, which had since been removed of all evidence by the workers below. His own face was covered by his hooded black coat and black geometric mask. He pressed the button for the control room and it began its smooth descent. Gi-hun seemed to hesitantly follow him out of the opening doors, taking in the room as if he hadn’t seen it just the night before. Though to be fair, his mind was probably preoccupied at the time.

The guards turned around to look at him, staring at the strange square-masked man with him, though they all looked away when they felt In-ho’s burning gaze through his mask.
He led Gi-hun out through the purple corridors and into the brightly coloured ones, and though he couldn’t see his face, his body language was enough to tell him he was deep in thought as they passed through the familiar halls. They winded down staircases until they reached a door leading to an overly long spiral staircase leading downwards, the concrete walls and stairs a cold grey. He took him down to the basement where the doctor resided, finally reaching the heavy grey door. There were four pink soldiers in the room with the doctor, who was wearing a plain black mask with the eyes cut out.

Jun-hee was lying on a metal table, the same table In-ho had discovered was being used in a secret organ harvesting trade. She was whimpering in fear and pain, her eyes darting over to him and Gi-hun as they entered. She looked terrified, sweat dripping from her face despite the freezing underground room.

She screwed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, a strangled noise of agony escaping her. The doctor sat on a chair at the end of the table, arms under the dirty white gown they had dressed her in.

Jun-hee looked around at all the people in the room, tears streaming down her face and her hands shaking almost violently. Her breaths were heaving and painful sounding.

In-ho seemed frozen on the spot, his ears beginning to ring as the world blurred around him. For a moment, the woman on the table wasn’t Jun-hee, but his wife. Alone, terrified, in pain. Though his wife never even got to have their child, he had left her at her worst, and she had died alone, terrified, and in pain. His chest began to ache, his throat closing. At that moment, he was grateful for the mask.

Jun-hee was so young.

He felt Gi-hun lean his body very subtly against his arm, and the room came back into focus. In-ho stepped slowly towards Jun-hee, her breathing fast and shallow and her eyes watching his every movement as he approached. In-ho carefully picked up her shaking hand into his gloved fingers, squeezing gently.

“We are not here to hurt you, we are here to look after you. You and your child will be ok.” In-ho said as gently as he could through the computerised voice.

Jun-hee looked fearfully up at him, and over at the pink soldiers. In-ho turned to them.

“Return to your other duties. You are not required here.”

The soldiers turned, leaving the room in a single-file. Jun-hee softened slightly, suddenly squeezing his hand with a painful strength as another wave of pain hit her. She cried out, resolving into sobs.

“She needs to breathe properly.” The doctor said flatly.

Jun-hee wailed, squeezing her eyes shut as tears dripped from her face onto the gown.

“Jun-hee, you need to breathe.” In-ho said gently. “In and out.”

Jun-hee tried to control her breathing, sobs seeming to escape her against her will.

“There are no pink guards here. There is nobody here that will hurt you. You are safe. Breathe.”

Jun-hee tried to calm herself, breathing in and out between sobs.

“Good.”

The doctor barked a few more orders, before eventually the time between Jun-hee’s wails were becoming shorter. Her pale, tired face poured with sweat, still gripping hard onto In-ho’s hand.

“Ok, here we go.” The masked doctor said, and Jun-hee screamed in pain. “You, get me a couple blankets.” He called to Gi-hun behind him, cocking his head toward a pile of white blankets on another table.

“Nearly there. Breathe, Jun-hee.” In-ho said over her cries.

The doctor shifted, pulling a small baby into his arms, covered in blood. He carefully placed it onto a bare part of Jun-hee’s chest. She let go of In-ho’s hand, breathing loudly as she stared dazed down at the screaming baby on her chest. The doctor took one of the blankets from Gi-hun, placing it over them.

“A boy. Congratulations, triple-two.” The doctor said.

A flash of a smile crossed Jun-hee’s tired face as she stared down at the baby’s face. The doctor took the baby aside while he cut the cord and checked him over, before suddenly dropping the baby into Gi-hun’s arms. Gi-hun stared down at it, seemingly mesmerised. The doctor went to usher In-ho out of the way, before a flicker of realisations crossed his eyes of who In-ho was.

“I would like to check over the patient, sir, if you could kindly step aside for a moment.” His tone changed completely.

In-ho stepped back. The baby wailed in Gi-hun’s arms. In-ho stepped over to him, staring down at the newborn through the tiny holes in his mask. It was so small, so fragile. Was that what his baby would have looked like? If he ever got to meet it?

In-ho felt his hands coming up mindlessly, and Gi-hun looked up at him, carefully passing the baby over to him.

He was so light in his arms, the blanket making up a large portion of the weight. The baby quietened down into little noises and sniffs. His puffy eyes opened, squinting up at In-ho’s mask and wriggling in the blankets. He cooed, and In-ho carefully shifted the blankets aside, the baby’s impossibly tiny hand curing around In-ho’s finger. It felt like a heavy weight had crushed In-ho’s chest, the deep hole opening once more as though he yearned for something he never had. Like he missed a home he’d never even had. The life he could have led if it wasn’t ripped from him so brutally. He wrapped the baby tighter, holding him close to his chest as he tried to swallow the lump in his throat. Though it’d been almost ten years, the pain for his wife still burned as bright as it did ten years ago, in the quiet moments when there was nothing to do.

The doctor moved aside, and In-ho cleared his throat. He brought the baby over to Jun-hee, her arms coming out from under the blanket to hold him.

Her eyes lit up, and she touched his tiny nose and cheeks, seemingly unable to tear her gaze away. She looked up at In-ho, instantly recoiling back into a fearful expression, absent-mindednly holding her baby closer. In-ho clenched his jaw at the sight of her fear of him.

She had trusted him, felt safe with him as Young-il. But as himself, she was terrified of him. It shouldn’t have bothered him, people often looked at him with terror in their eyes, but instead it seemed to slice a large gash into his chest.

“What… What happens now?” She croaked weakly.

“You are unfit to complete the games. You will be pardoned and will return to Seoul when you have recovered.” In-ho stated.

“Return to Seoul?” She echoed, looking back down at her baby. “But I- I came here for a reason. I won’t be able to look after him out there.”

“You are unfit to complete the games.”

“Please sir.” She looked between him and Gi-hun. “I don’t want to give my baby away. But out there I will have no choice. Please.” She implored, another tear running down her face.

In-ho stared down at her. Gi-hun stepped forward as though about to speak, and In-ho shot him a warning look.

“I want to continue the games.” She said sternly.

In-ho looked down at the tiny baby. “No.” he exhaled.

“They said these games were about equality, and freedom of choice. My choice is to continue, and that is what I will do. For him.” She glared up at him.

In-ho glanced over at Gi-hun. He sighed deeply. “If that is what you wish.”

Gi-hun stepped up to him, saying nothing, though In-ho could feel his eyes burning through his mask. He minutely shook his head.

“There is money.” Gi-hun spoke up in a voice deeper and clearer than his usual speaking voice. In-ho implored him to shut his mouth, not taking his eyes off him. “Money from a previous winner that has been returned.”

In-ho shot Gi-hun a crazed death glare that would have stopped him in his tracks if Gi-hun could see his face. He saw the doctor glance up at them from his paperwork, looking away quickly.

Jun-hee turned to him. “How much?”

“Forty-three billion.”

“You will just give me this money? Why?”

“Does there need to be a reason?”

“You would give me this? I would never be able to pay that back.”

“It is not a loan. It is yours.”

She stared at him. “Who are you people? What is this place? I don’t understand.”

“Excuse me, I need to have a word in private.” In-ho said, grabbing Gi-hun bruisingly by the arm and pulling him out of the room. He closed the heavy door behind them.

“What are you doing?” In-ho hissed. “I told you to stay quiet, but clearly you can’t go ten minutes without running your mouth.” He spat in a hushed whisper.

“There's no way in hell you’re sending her back in there, In-ho. Even I don’t believe you are capable of that.”

“I am capable of more than you know.”

“You don’t think I know that? But sending a woman who has just had a baby right in front of you to her death? You know she isn’t going to win.”

“How do you know that?” The winner is rarely who you expect, Gi-hun, you should know that.”

Gi-hun stared at him through the mask. “Send her home. Forty-three billion is more than enough, give it to her.”

“And what about you? Then you’ll just be back at square one, you’ll have nothing.”

Gi-hun leaned in. In-ho could hear his teeth grit. “What is my life anyway? Even with that money I have nothing, playing Rapunzal in your little tower.”

“I told you you could leave.”

“Yet here I stand, In-ho. So just give her the money.”

“Gi-hun, you don’t understand. There are rules I must follow, and a player’s freedom of choice must be respected. If she wants to continue the games, then we must let her.”

“You are the Frontman, you are the rules.”

“That isn’t true. The rules were set by the Host. Though he is dead, his rules are set in stone. If the managers believe the Frontman has become corrupted, they will kill me, and you, and everyone thought to be closely affiliated to me, and every single player left.”

Gi-hun didn’t say anything, and with the mask it was impossible to tell his thoughts.

“Don’t you think it’s a bit suspicious if I send a player home with forty-three billion dollars in their pocket?” In-ho continued. “It goes against everything, not to mention the doctor was in the room when you said this. Are you trying to get everyone killed? Because you seem to be quite good at that.”

In-ho heard a sharp intake of breath under Gi-hun’s mask, and Gi-hun lunged forward, grabbing In-ho roughly by the collar. “Getting you killed I wouldn’t mind.”

“I told you not to speak under any circumstances. Now, when we go back in there, you better keep your mouth shut, or you might end up getting your wish along with everyone else.” In-ho shoved the man back, and he let go of his coat.

He glared at Gi-hun, taking a few steps towards him. He turned, opening the door to the basement before Gi-hun could say anything else. Jun-hee cradled her baby closer as they walked in.

“Player 222.” In-ho began. “we have-”

“I don’t want your money.” Jun-hee interrupted, and the room went still. “I don’t believe you will just give me forty-three billion won for no reason. You kill people who are struggling. I don’t think you are capable of such charity.”

“I understand why you-”

“I know what will happen.” She continued. “You will come back eventually looking for your money, and if I can’t pay it back, my family will suffer in my place. And you will chase and chase until you’ve destroyed the life of everyone I love. I am not participating in these games for myself. I am doing it for my son.”

In-ho’s respect for her swelled. She showed more bravery than most of the players he had seen in these games, and that's what made it hurt even more.

There was a pause. “Is this your final decision?”

“Yes. I don’t want your money, even if you claim it’s mine without any strings attached. It’s too much money to gamble my family’s life with. I want to earn that money myself in the game. But you have to tell me that my baby will be looked after.”

In-ho saw Gi-hun’s shoulders tense.

“Very well. If that’s what you wish.” In-ho resigned, relieved that she had just made his life a lot easier after Gi-hun’s stupidity. “You will stay here for the remainder of the night and return to the dorms after breakfast tomorrow for the fifth game. I will ensure the utmost care for your child.”

“And if…” She trailed off, looking down at her baby as tears formed in her eyes. “And if I don’t make it to the end, please… Please make sure he goes to someone who will love him as much as I love him, and that he will be safe.” her voice cracked.

In-ho’s throat tightened again, and he nodded. “He will, you have my word.”

“Please know that Player 333, Lee Myung-gi, is his father. I just… I just don’t know if he’s ready to take on that responsibility.”

In-ho’s brow furrowed. Player 333? The cryptocurrency boy? That was news to him.

“Very well. The doctor will look after you here.”

In-ho walked over to the doctor, putting his hands on the desk either side of him and leaning in close.

“Look after her and her child. If I discover she has received mistreatment of any sort, you can say goodbye to the little deal we have with your family, and you will never see them again. Understood?” He said barely above a whisper.

Fear flashed across the doctor’s face, and he nodded quickly. “Yes sir. She will be well looked after, and her son.”

In-ho pushed himself off the desk, pulling open the heavy door and striding up the stairs, hearing Gi-hun’s footsteps hurry to follow behind him. Frustration rose in him, feeling annoyance at every noise.

“Don’t be angry with me.” He snapped. “She made her choice final. She is smart not to trust us, but she knows we will keep our word in the games.”

Gi-hun said nothing for the whole walk back up to the control room, and the elevator doors opened back to his quarters.

“I’m going to bed. I suggest you do the same, you have not slept well in many days.” In-ho said flatly, tearing off his hood and unclipping his mask and began making his way towards his room.

“Wait.” Gi-hun called after him. In-ho stopped in the doorway.

“I… I don’t want to be alone… again. I have been alone for too long and… here I am not.”

In-ho’s head turned to face him, confusion and irritation evaporating into amusement. “Are you asking to sleep in my bed?”

Gi-hun felt his face burn, unable to meet the man’s eye. “Well, yes. I think we have done enough for that to be acceptable.”

In-ho looked him up and down, seeing the man shrink in embarrassment under his gaze. He gave a surprised chuckle, cocking his head toward the bedroom. “Well, come on then.”

Gi-hun looked guilty, not looking at him as he strode past him into the room.

In-ho followed, pulling back the covers on both sides. In-ho suppressed a smirk at the man’s awkwardness, and outstretched a hand gesturing towards the side of the bed that In-ho usually slept opposite.

He began unbuttoning his shirt and pants, catching Gi-hun staring in the corner of his eye as he copied. They stripped down into just their boxers and a white T-shirt, In-ho offering him one of his. He swore he saw Gi-hun try to slyly lift the shirt up to his nose before putting it on.

In-ho climbed into his side of the bed, Gi-hun tentatively copying. He turned out the light on his side, and Gi-hun did the same on his.

The room plunged into a pitch black silence, broken by the occasional shifting of sheets, exhales or swallowing noises. In-ho turned over to face away from Gi-hun, feeling the awkwardness rise. Why did he feel awkward? He was never the type of person to feel this way. The man beside him was so confusing, but at the same time so predictable. He had expected Gi-hun to despise him after allowing Jun-hee to rejoin the games, but now he was laying in the same bed as him. Maybe he understood that it wasn’t what In-ho had wanted either.

It had been many long years since In-ho slept in the same bed as someone. Of course, he’d had sex during this time but he always asked them to leave soon after they were done. And he would never hold any of them, even if they asked.

That felt too real, an act reserved for someone he loved. For his wife.

But it had been so long that In-ho had forgotten what it even felt like. His chest ached with yearning, as though just the meer touch of someone against him would save him from death. And now Gi-hun was laying just inches behind him, the quietness of his breathing telling him he was still awake. If anything, he was relieved that Gi-hun had asked what his subconscious was too scared to.

In-ho slowly began to inch backwards, the noise of the sheets seeming overly loud in the silent room. He felt Gi-hun’s arm against his back, and he heard the man’s breathing still completely. After a few seconds he heard a hesitant movement, the arm against his back slowly shifting until he felt the press of the man’s body against his.

He heard Gi-hun hesitate again, before he felt a tentative arm snake around his side to his chest.

In-ho exhaled, a warm relief instantly washing over him as he shuffled back into the man’s heat. Gi-hun sighed, his arm tightening for a second and his face pressing into the back of his neck. He heard a shaky breath leave him, one that was enveloped with sadness.

He knew Gi-hun had been alone for a very long time, and so had he. So many nights spent in this bed, staring up at the dark ceiling wondering why he even bothered to keep going. Even more in his tiny apartment in Seoul, listening to the neighbours argue across the thin wall.

Tears stung In-ho’s eyes as images of his wife flashed across his mind. The tiny little baby in his arms.

His whole body ached, it ached so badly. A grief he’d been fighting to tame for ten years rearing its ugly head and destroying everything in sight. Gi-hun seemed to sense his tensed muscles, nuzzling further into him and his fingers tracing delicate shapes into In-ho’s chest. His breath warmed his neck as he exhaled in relief.

In-ho couldn’t shake the horrible pit of grief that enveloped him like a lead blanket. He turned over, his face directly in front of Gi-hun’s and their chests almost flush. He put his arm around the man’s waist, the other doing the same, and they pulled each other as close as they possibly could. He could feel Gi-hun’s exhales against his nose, his eyes blinking at him in the dark.

They stared at each other, barely seeing his eyes moving, and In-ho could see what he was feeling reflected in Gi-hun’s eyes.

Even if not in death, Gi-hun had lost his wife and child too, and it was a type of grief that killed part of the soul forever. But at least now, for the first time, he didn’t feel so alone.

In-ho’s eyes began to droop as the tiredness caught up to him, and felt sleep coming much quicker than it had in years.

Notes:

Thank you for your patience as always. The plan/plot for the rest of this story is really forming itself in my mind, and I'm excited to continue this for a few more (idk how many) chapters! I've been struggling to come up with a plot considering this was supposed to be just a silly little smut fic lmao.

Chapter 7: The Fifth Game

Summary:

Gi-hun is invited up to the VIPs room and the second last game before the final commences.

Notes:

Sorry to say there is no smut in this chapter - but don't worry, next chapter will hopefully quench your thirst.

Gi-hun’s eyes cracked open reluctantly, groaning with tiredness as his muscles refused to wake up and move his body. His eyes adjusted to the light, and realised In-ho was no longer next to him. He slumped back onto the pillow with a sigh, annoyed with himself for the cold disappointment that he wasn’t there.

Gi-hun pulled on the dress pants over his boxers, but left his white T-shirt on. In-ho wasn’t in the living room nor the bathroom, though a serving of rice and cold soup was left on his usual spot at the table. The TV was on, displaying a wide shot of the players lounging about the dorm. Breakfast must not have been served yet, since he could see players coming and going at the bottom of the screen to the bathroom in pairs or small groups.

With some of the players in the bathroom and the board not visible, it wasn’t possible to count them. He hoped that the night had been quiet after the scare with Jun-hee. He scanned for her on the screen, relieved when he spotted Dae-ho and the others in their usual spot, but she wasn’t there. He recalled In-ho saying she would return to the dorms after breakfast if she was well enough. He hoped she was well, though a part of him wished she would be deemed unfit to play and would be sent home anyway. Gi-hun watched them as he ate, the food settling heavy in his stomach at the knowledge that most of those people, maybe even Dae-ho, Hyun-jun, Jun-hee, Young-sik, would not be there by the end of today. He pushed away the remainder of the rice after eating half.

Young-sik was still amongst them despite yesterday's events, though he sat to the side alone, hugging his knees and staring ahead. Gi-hun empathised with his guilt-ridden grief, his own mother having died because of the debt he put them in.

After a while, Gi-hun heard the elevator doors open and In-ho stepped out, dressed in his Frontman uniform.

“The VIPs have arrived in-person for the final two games, I have just greeted them. They’re excited to meet you.” In-ho said, his voice digitally distorted until he removed his mask.

“Yay.” Gi-hun said boredly. “I don’t have to wear a mask, do I?”

“Most of the workers are unaware you are still alive, the plan was no business of theirs. But only select workers will be attending to the VIPs, so you won’t have to wear a mask in the VIP room. In the corridors and everywhere else, yes. Oh, and I’ve had a suit specially made for you. I am putting my faith in you, Gi-hun, that you won’t pull what you did last night with Jun-hee.”

Gi-hun pushed back his chair so he could face the man properly. “What, show an ounce of humanity that everyone in this hellhole seems to lack?”

In-ho sighed, tossing his mask on the couch and smoothing his hair back. Gi-hun didn’t like it slicked-back like that, it made him look cold and clinical. “Just remember what I said last night - when things go wrong here, it likely ends with the death of a lot of people. We are not afraid to clean the slate if it means the games will be protected.”

Gi-hun turned away from him, unable to look at the same face that slept so peacefully an inch away from his just a few hours prior. Everytime Gi-hun let himself get closer to In-ho, he would just be reminded of just how far he had fallen into this life. In a way, he felt sorry for him.

“Did a fight break out last night?” Gi-hun asked, pouring himself a generous amount of black coffee and setting the pot down onto the tray.

“Yes. Fifteen players were killed, from both team X and team O.”

Gi-hun’s coffee splashed as he nearly dropped the mug. “Fifteen? So that’s what… twenty-eight players now?”

In-ho hummed in agreement. “Apparently it was quite brutal on both sides. An argument broke out and the X players started a fight after one of them went crazy, blaming the O players for everybody’s death.”

“Well, they do have a point.”

In-ho scoffed. “And the hypocrisy continues, doesn’t it?”

Gi-hun ignored him, wiping the coffee spill on the table with a napkin. “Have you seen Jun-hee?”

“Yes.” In-ho pulled his leather gloves off his hands. “She is ok, as is her son Kim Eun-shin. She’ll be returning to the dorms to be with the other players very soon. Breakfast is nearly over.”

Gi-hun poked at the rice with his chopstick.

“You should get ready. Your suit is hung up in the guest room.”

Gi-hun noticed his change between calling it ‘his room’ and ‘the guest room’, wondering vaguely if that meant he’d graduated to sharing In-ho’s room, or if In-ho was mad at him enough to have downgraded him to a temporary guest status once more.

Gi-hun stood, wordlessly shuffling to the guest room and shutting the door behind him. The suit was hung up on a hook on the wardrobe door. It was a deep green, more of a very dark moss colour, clearly reminiscent of the colour of the player’s jumpsuits. There was a white suit shirt and a tie in the same green and black leather shoes. Stitched onto the breast of the jacket was an elegantly styled ‘456’ in white thread. He noticed little 456 gold cuff-links on the wrist cuffs as well. They sure did like to go overboard.

Gi-hun sighed before entering the bathroom to shower, brush his teeth and fix his hair. He put on the suit in the mirror. It was a suspiciously tailored fit, and Gi-hun tried not to think about how they got it so accurate. He twisted in the mirror, looking down at himself. He actually looked… pretty good. He shook his head, wondering what the hell was wrong with him, and left the room.

In-ho was sitting on the couch watching the cameras, though his eyes were too glazed for Gi-hun to think he was actually paying attention. He stood when he heard Gi-hun’s footsteps, and Gi-hun could hear him very quietly sucking in a breath as his eyes raked his body.

In-ho nodded, pursing his lips for a second, and Gi-hun could have sworn he saw the man blushing.

“Good-” In-ho cleared his throat. “Good, it looks…” He nodded again, sucking in a louder breath and turning away, picking up his gloves off the couch cushion. “Uh, Jun-hee is back” He gestured to the screen.

Gi-hun looked, and saw her sitting amongst the group, all of them staring at her as they obviously bombarded her with questions. Her face was pale and tired, and she had several full cartons of milk at her feet. Gi-hun smiled at that.

“We should go. We have to greet the VIPs before the game begins. Here, this is your mask.”

In-ho gestured towards the table, where a large golden mosaic mask of a horse sat. It glinted in the light, crafted elegantly with angry eyes, an open mouth and flared nostrils.

“Why a horse?”

“The horse zodiac is highly adaptable, cheerful, determined, and independent, but also very stubborn, short-tempered, and self-centred.”

“But I was born in the year of the tiger.” Gi-hun said.

In-ho hummed in unconvinced agreement. He slotted his mask over his face, clipping it into place and carefully slipping the hood over his hair.

“Well, what is your zodiac?”

“The dragon.”

Gi-hun rolled his eyes. “Of course.”

They stepped into the elevator, the mask heavy on Gi-hun’s face. He hated not being able to see properly, and it made him extremely nervous. In-ho took him through an intricate maze of corridors until they finally reached another elevator. It took a while to get to the top, much longer than it took to get from the control room to the Frontman’s quarters. The elevator dinged, and the sound of calm jazz music could be heard as the doors opened. The walls were a deep lavender, lined with all sorts of tropical plants and strange paintings. He looked at one of a naked lady sleeping on the back of a tiger, his brow furrowing in bewilderment.

The feeling only grew tenth-fold as they entered the large space at the end of the hall. If he thought the suit was overboard, it was nothing compared to this. The room was the same dark purple, various golden couches throughout the room all facing a very large blacked-out window. Large plants and palms covered the rooms, as did the strange paintings. There were women wearing deep purple skin-tight bodysuits and bird masks, laying sensually over the back of some of the couches. One was feeding a VIP grapes into his mouth, another fanning them with a large palm. They were talking and laughing obnoxiously loud. Gi-hun was appalled, clearly showing on his face as In-ho elbowed him.

There were five of them, though Gi-hun could only see the backs of their heads, clearly also wearing masks very similar to Gi-hun’s but different animals. Gi-hun looked over at In-ho, who seemed to sense his confused hesitancy, placing a hand on his arm and gesturing for him to move forward. They stepped to the front, and Gi-hun could see them all lounging lazily over their respective spots with each person having a two-seater loveseat to themselves. They were all men, dressed smartly, though some wore slightly more interesting suits. Two were quite fat, while the rest were skinny.

They stopped talking and looked over at them curiously.

“If I could have your attention please.” In-ho spoke up, speaking in strange words that Gi-hun recognised instantly as English, but Gi-hun hardly knew any English at all. It sounded strange to hear the sounds coming from In-ho’s mouth. “I would like to introduce you to a special guest. Player 456.”

Gi-hun recognised the numbers and tensed as everybody stared at him.

“Ah! There he is!” The largest man pointed a thick finger at him, one of the Americans. He was wearing a black tuxedo with an ugly yellow paisley pattern. “Hey, I thought you said he wasn’t gonna wear a mask. Let me see ‘im.”

“Of course.” In-ho said, looking toward Gi-hun expectantly. Gi-hun stared back, having no idea what either of them wanted.

“Take off your mask, Gi-hun.” He said in Korean.

Gi-hun’s sweaty hands came up to his head, slipping off the horse head. In-ho took it from him, setting it aside.

“What happened to your hair? I liked it long.” The fat American man said. The man gestured towards his own hair, and Gi-hun’s hand automatically came up to fix his hair self-consciously.

“You really caught us off guard last time, Mr 456.” A tall man with a French accent, classic black tuxedo and a gold panther mask said from across the room. “We were not expecting you to try and quit just as you reached the end.”

Another older American man in a bear mask and a beige floral suit that looked like an antique couch made an excited noise of agreement. “Now that was exciting. I’d never seen anything like that in the twenty-one games I have seen. And then that guy - what was his number? - Ah, I don’t remember, stabbed himself in the throat and you won?” He laughed. “That was something I was
not expecting.”

“Yes I was really banking on that boy winning instead of you…” A Chinese man with a tiger mask snarked, long golden teeth passing his chin. His suit was black with scarlet patterns of trees and leaves stitched into it. “I had quite a bit of money on him.”

In-ho was quietly translating for Gi-hun, whose anger was already beginning to boil in his gut. He tried to keep his expression neutral, now wishing he still had that stupid mask on.

“So, 456.” The large American began again. He tilted his head up and G-hun could see a grey beard under his angry-looking gorilla mask, it’s teeth long and sharp enough to cut. He was lying across the couch, upper body propped up with his fingers interlocked near his belly and his ugly bare feet crossed. “I think we’re all curious to know why you rejoined the games, after all, you did go home with thirty-eight million dollars. Or did you spend it already?”

They all laughed obnoxiously, and Gi-hun’s hands tensed as he stopped his fingers curling into fists. He spotted In-ho’s head move minutely towards him as though urging him not to say anything stupid. It’s not like it mattered that much anyway, he doubted any of them could understand Korean, and In-ho would probably just change his words.

“I only used the money in my efforts to track this place down and put an end to the games, I still have the majority of the money.”

They all stared at In-ho expectantly, and there was a split second pause before he spoke in English.

The VIPs all looked at each other, some leaning forward a bit more curiously.

“Is that so?” The French man sneered. “And why is that? You were nothing, just a lowly gambling addict and these games gave you a second chance.”

Oh, so In-ho did actually repeat what he said. A muscle in Gi-hun’s cheek feathered, all of his self-control going into remaining calm. “Thousands of innocent people are being murdered. They did not get a second chance, and they did not deserve to die.”

The American in the floral suit scoffed. “These people aren’t contributing to society anyway, who cares? You weren’t exactly a model citizen, I heard rumour you ended your mother’s health insurance plan for the extra betting cash.”

The VIPs broke out into shocked and excited murmurs.

“You think that because they’re struggling they deserve to be slaughtered like pigs?” Gi-hun spat, and the laughter died down.

“Tell me, 456. How many games do you think have ended before they were finished?” A skinny younger American with a booming voice called. A lady in purple held his flute of champagne for him as he sat wide-legged on the couch, his arms stretched across the back. “Because the number is a lot less than you may think. And how many games do you think continued after players went home and realised that their life was exactly the same as it was before? All of them. Even you rejoined, didn’t you? So what does that tell you?”

“Many people that would not have rejoined the games never got the chance.” Gi-hun attested.

“Well, nothing is perfect, it’s just how the games work. It’s how it has always been since the 80s.”

Gi-hun was at a loss. How was he the only person that seemed to think that this was wrong?

“Would you still think that if it were Americans competing?” Gi-hun chided.

In-ho went very still, his arms still clasped behind his back respectfully.

“Well? What did he say?” One of them asked. “I heard him say the word American.”

“He… wants to know why Americans are interested in Korean games. He wants to know if it would be more profitable to run games in America.” In-ho said, and Gi-hun could understand just enough to vaguely know what he had said instead, and suppressed a smirk.

“Well, that is a good point you have there, 456.” The fat man said, hearing a smile in his voice. “But you didn't know about the games in Korea before you were invited.”

The man leant forward in his seat. “So how do you know there aren’t already games elsewhere?”

Gi-hun felt ice run through his veins as his lungs froze. That couldn’t be true, could it? He was just egging him on. But what if he wasn’t? What if there was not only a version of The Squid Games in the US, but other places as well? How many could there be? There’s no way there could be more than one games in Korea, too many people would go missing each year to go unnoticed.

It had taken Gi-hun three years of daily searching to find as much as a breath of evidence that this place even existed. If what this American was saying was true, it would be impossible.

The games would be impossible to stop.

“So even if you somehow managed to single-handedly put an end to the games here, that’s just a small loss in a very big system, my friend.”

He could hear them all chuckle over the muffled ringing in his ears, the shock clearly bleeding out into his expression. Gi-hun glanced over at In-ho, and although the man had a mask on, he could tell he was looking at him.

“Who do you think’s going to win this time now you’re not in the running anymore?” The young American man in a white tux with black lapels and bowtie said. and they all looked at Gi-hun excitedly.

Gi-hun’s blood went back to boiling. They bet on them like horses on a track. Like they weren’t human beings with lives and families.

“I don’t wish to be involved in the betting.”

“Awww come on!” The young American pushed. “I know you gave up the gambling but come on! What do you think?”

Gi-hun’s jaw clenched, steadying his breathing. “I want player 222 to win.”

The young American stared, leaning back in his chair. “Really? What an interesting… ambitious choice.”

“Who’s that again?” The fat man piped.

“That woman who just had a baby.” The French man replied.

“Of course, how could I forget! Another first! Would’ve been crazy if she popped it out during one of the games.” He chortled, and the others laughed.

Gi-hun exhaled in rage, taking a step forward. In-ho stepped in front of him before he could do anything, his arms gesturing to them all. “How about we find out what the fifth game is?”

The VIP’s cheered, lifting up their bubbling glasses of champagne. In-ho walked towards the blacked-out window, where a strangely shaped object was covered by a black blanket. He pinched the top and pulled the blanket off to reveal a light blue table split in half by a short pink divider that resembled a brick wall. There were large gaps to the left and right of the wall before the end of the table, with a 15x15 grid directly behind and infront of the wall. Each square on the vertical axis was labelled from A-O, whilst the horizontal axis was numbered 1-15. The same grid was also painted on either side of the wall itself. There were also three small white bowls, one with small white stones, one with small red stones, and the other full of small, long flat blocks of various lengths. Gi-hun recognised it immediately.

Battleship.

The VIPs leaned forward in their chairs, the ones at the back squinting.

“Hey, what is that?” The skinny American asked.

“Battleship, it seems.” The French man at the front replied.

“Oh! I used to love that game as a kid! Good on a rainy day.” The fat American rubbed his hands together. “This is going to be interesting.”

“Correct, the fifth game is Battleship. It seems you are all familiar with the rules?” In-ho said.

“Yeah, but how’s it gonna work with people?”

“I never played this game as a kid, I think I know the rules but can you explain it again?” The skinny American called.

“How did you never play that? You young people piss me off.”

In-ho interrupted. “Of course. Allow me to explain how this game will work.”

In-ho picked up a small remote on the table, holding it up and clicking the large button. A projector began to descend from the roof until footage of a small yellow room came into view. It looked identical to the room Gi-hun was made to choose a vest numbered from 1-16 in the stepping-stones game, indicating their order of play. The same mannequins were there, a large gap in the middle indicating two teams. The vests were pink with black numbers, the one on the ends reading “CAPTAIN”. The others were numbered, two vests on each side reading “5”, two reading “4”, three reading “3”, four reading “2” and two reading “1”.

“As you can see, the players will be asked to divide into two teams, each choosing a vest. Each player is a battleship, and the number on their vest will correspond to how many squares on the grid they will take up. One player on each team will be captain. The players will be asked to sit or lay on the grid wherever they choose, however they must only lay horizontally or vertically, and they must only lay in a straight line - for example three squares in a row. They may not change their position once it has been decided. The captains will take turns calling out their chosen coordinate, and a coloured stone will be placed on the corresponding square on the opposite side, and the same spot on their wall grid will be spray painted to remind the team of which squares they have already chosen. A red stone represents a hit when a square a player is touching has been chosen, and a white stone indicates a miss. When all of the squares one player is touching have been hit, their ship is sunk and they are eliminated. The side who successfully sinks all of the opposite team's battleships wins, and the opposite team’s captain is also eliminated.”

In-ho talked for a decent time, leaving Gi-hun standing there stupidly while the VIPs listened intently. Luckily Gi-hun already knew how to play Battleship, though the more he thought about it, the tighter his stomach twisted, the acid burning his throat. If the players themselves were the ships, then by the time one team managed to sink the other, most of them would likely be dead, with one team guaranteed to die.

“Ahh, I see.” The young American leant back into the couch, taking his champagne flute from the woman beside him and putting his arm around her. “Are the team members allowed to discuss the next coordinate, or is it completely up to the captain?”

“The players may discuss with each other, however they must take their turn within two minutes to prevent players from stalling the game.”

“Wow, this could really narrow it down to a few players, I wonder who will be in the finals?” The man with the tiger mask remarked.

The young American quickly swallowed a large gulp of champagne, waving his finger. “My money’s on player 120.” he yelled obnoxiously. “An underdog, but after the other night we know she’s pretty badass.”

“Yes, but there’s only so much strategy this game can have…” The French man responded. “The players will only live due to luck. Just like our friend 456 here did in the glass stepping stones game three years ago, yes?” He folded his hands, looking over at Gi-hun.

“Oh year, I remember that! You originally chose number one didn’t you? Then that guy wanted to swap you for sixteen!” The older American in the beige suit laughed, pointing a finger at Gi-hun. “There must be some weird higher power watching over you, my friend.”

Gi-hun looked toward In-ho, who translated for him. That was the first thing Gi-hun agreed with, though he thought more along the lines of being determined to make his life a living hell rather than watching over him.

Gi-hun saw movement in the corner of his eye, turning to see the players begin to appear on the projector.

“Oh, here they come!” The fat American clapped. “You over there, bring me another one!” He called to one of the workers dressed in all black holding a silver platter of champagne glasses.

In-ho stepped aside, urging Gi-hun to follow. The players filed into the room, chattering quietly as they pointed at the mannequins in front of them.

The female announcer spoke through the screen. “Attention players. You have ten minutes to split into two teams of fourteen. Each team must determine a captain, and the remainder of the players must choose from the numbered vests provided. Repeat-”

The VIPs talked and laughed amongst themselves whilst the players fretted over what the game could be, and what the numbers would mean. He couldn’t understand what they were saying, though he couldn’t really care less. Hatred burned in him so bright his skin was hot to the touch, still somehow managing to keep a blank face, though he could feel the sweat beginning to form on his forehead. He looked over at In-ho, whose head was turned slightly to face him.

Unsurprisingly, Jun-hee, Hynun-ju, Dae-ho and Young-sik opted to be on the same team with most of the other Xs, with the more aggressive O players keeping to their own side, and the two teams formed fairly quickly.

The teams huddled closely on their respective sides, and Gi-hun saw one of the players thrust the captain's vest towards Hyung-ju, many of the others nodding towards her. She looked down at it in shock, looking around at them before slowly taking it. He saw her mouth “Are you sure?” and the others nodded wildly. She put it on nervously, staring ahead with a glazed look. The others all chose their numbered vests, the other team choosing Player 100 as their captain, though it looked like he snatched it more than anything.

The fifteen minute timer ticked to zero, and the announcer spoke again.

“Players, please make your way into the next room.”

Yellow double doors between the gaps in the mannequins swung open, and Gi-hun could vaguely see a large room with a blue floor, and what looked like the pink brick wall in the centre. In-ho clicked the remote twice, and the projector began to ascend as the curtains blocking the large window began to open.

Through the window was the large blue room Gi-hun had seen, with an almost exact life size replica of the pink wall and white grids that was on the table. Though this wall was much taller, and behind each grid was a platform at the top of a ladder, presumably where the captains were to stand. Each side also had a pile of large red and white stones beside the grid. There were several pink guards with rifles lining all four walls of the room. The VIPs cheered and clapped in excitement as the players entered the room, looking around. In-ho clicked another button, and audio from various hidden microphones around the room could now be heard.

“Battleship! It’s Battleship, I was right!” One of the O players shook their friend wildly, while other players looked down at their numbers in fear.

He could see Hyun-ju speaking to the others, though he couldn’t hear her over the yelling of a player closer to the microphone. He willed them to go away so he could hear them properly. With them all being on the same team, there was a chance that they would all be killed by the end of this game, if they were to lose. Gi-hun’s stomach ached with the constant anxiety, stabbing him in the gut.

“Attention players, the fifth game is Battleship.”

Gi-hun listened hard as the rules were explained in a language he actually understood. He could see Jun-hee wearing a vest that said “3”, seeming to be arguing with her apparent ex-boyfriend who was wearing a “5”. Dae-ho was also wearing a “5”, while Young-sik was wearing a “3”.

A triangle soldier walked towards the group, stopping several feet in front of them.

“Captains, please step forward.”

Player 100 looked over at the other side until he spotted Hyun-ju, his eyes looking her up and down with a scowl on his face. They stepped forward towards the guard, who held up a 500 won coin.

“A coin will be flipped, and the winner will go first. Ap or Dwi?”

“Ap!” Player 100 said quickly.

Hyun-ju looked over at him. “Dwi.”

The soldier flicked the coin high into the air with a muffled metallic noise. He caught it, slapping it onto the back of his other glove.

“Ap!” He called, and the other team went into a short uproar of cheers. Hyun-ju’s team looked fearfully at each other. Hyun-ju returned to the group, and a few of them patted her on the back.

“Players, please make your way to the grid on your team’s side. You have ten minutes to discuss the position of your team's ships. Once the ten minutes is up, you may not change your position. Reminder that you may not swap vests. If you are caught looking at the opposite team's side at any time, you will be eliminated. Longer ships, please place your jackets on squares you are unable to reach.”

The teams headed to their respective sides separated by the tall wall, beginning their hushed discussions and crazed pointing. Eventually the timer ticked down to the final 30 seconds, and all the players got into their chosen spots. Hyun-ju’s team were spread fairly evenly about the board, a few lining the edges and some in the middle, with no two ships touching. Jun-hee was laying vertically across her three squares along the left wall at the bottom. Dae-ho was close to her laying horizontally towards the middle across his 5 squares, using his jacket to stretch across the two squares below his feet. Young-sik was on the opposite wall closer to the top of the grid. Player 333, Jun-hee’s ex-boyfriend, lie vertically a few squares up from Dae-ho, his head touching the top of the grid near the wall. The other players, two 1s, four 2s, one 3 and two 4s, were scattered about the board, the twos sitting with their legs bent into the next square, and the ones huddled in the fetal position in their little 2 by 2 foot square. The opposite team looked quite different, though equally as randomised as Hyun-ju’s team.

Gi-hun had only played Battleship a few times as a kid, and he had no idea if there were any strategies to win. If they did exist, he prayed that at least one person on Hyun-ju’s team knew them.

“Five, four, three, two, one.” The announcer counted down as two circle guards came to stand on each side of the wall. “Planning time has ended, do not move from your positions. Captains, please climb onto the platforms at the base of your board.

Hyun-ju and Player 100 climbed their respective ladders, looking down at their board below. In-ho picked up the bowl full of flat blocks and mirrored the players position on the small replica version on the table.

“When the soldier on your corresponding side raises their arm, you have two minutes to take your turn. Begin.”

Hyun-ju could see the guard on the opposite side raise his hand, though she could not see anything else beyond the wall. The room was almost dead silent, though Gi-hun could hear faint whispers of the players on Player 100’s team.

“G8!” He yelled. Hyun-ju looked down at the board.

“G8.” The announcer repeated. “Miss.”

Dae-ho propped himself up and stared down at his feet, breathing hard. Another guard went to pick up a white stone, walking across the grid and placing it at the square beneath and to the left of Dae-ho’s feet, and beside another player who was covering one square. They both looked at the stone between them with wide eyes, looking at each other. At the same time, In-ho walked over to the table, carefully picking out a small white stone and placing it on the G8 square.

Hyun-ju fixed her hair with cracking painted nails, some hairs sticking to the sweat forming on her forehead. The guard on her side raised their arm.

The team looked up at her, and said nothing. Gi-hun could see her studying the squares.

“H…. 14.” She said.

“H14. Hit.”

The team cheered, and Hyun-ju waved her arms wildly, her eyes fearful as she hit a finger against her lips.

“Shut up!” She hissed in a whisper. “Don’t make any noise, they’ll hear where you are!”

The players quieted immediately. Gi-hun could see everyone on 100’s team staring towards a man on the right side of their board as a red stone was placed next to his stomach. Another guard walked up to the wall and spray-painted a red X over square H14 on Hyun-ju’s side.

“F15!” Player 100 yelled.

Young-sik sat up, staring at the others with a terrified expression.

“F15. Hit.”

The guard picked up a red stone, crossing the grid to place it where Young-sik’s head was, his arms now behind him to prop him up.

Hyun-ju missed the next few turns, as did Player 100.

“N14!” Player 100 called.

Hyun-ju looked down to the bottom right of the board, rubbing her forehead as the player looked up at her.

“N14. Hit.”

Player 100 punched the air. A red stone was placed on one of the “2” player’s squares, Player 040. He paled. One more hit, and he would be eliminated.

Hyun-ju missed the next three turns. The players slumping everytime they heard the dreaded word “miss.”

Player 100 had since surrounded Player 040 with white stones until only one other square could be chosen. He shivered violently as he awaited the next turn.

“O14!”

“No! No!” Player 040 screamed, deafening in the silent room. Gi-hun’s stomach dropped as an armed guard approached the player, rifle at the ready.

“O14. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

The crack of a gunshot silenced the cheers of the other team, and Player 040 slumped onto the grid, dead. The guard kicked his stray arms and legs back into his squares.

“Player 040, eliminated.”

Hyun-ju gripped the railing of the platform, everyone staring wide eyed at the pool of blood forming underneath the dead player.

“Attention, 30 seconds remaining.”

“Uh.” Hyun-ju shook her head, studying the grid on the wall depicting the opposite team’s board. “D10.”

A player with a “1” vest’s head flew up from where it was tucked into his knees. He stood, turning on the spot as he checked his coordinate on the grid over and over again. His hands clutched his hair. “No… Oh God.” Gi-hun heard the words leave his mouth.

“D10. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

Some of the players on Hyun-ju’s side looked excited, most of the others looking sick.

Another gunshot rang out, cutting off a strangled cry. The D10 square was filled in with red spray-paint on Hyun-ju’s wall.

Over the next several turns, A player at the base of their board had been hit twice out of her four squares, and Hyun-ju had managed to hit one other player of an unknown amount of squares. Both boards began to fill up with misses.

Hyun-ju managed another hit, figuring out the direction one of their players were going. Player 100 missed his next two turns, swearing loudly as the spit flew from his mouth.

“C3!” Hyun-ju yelled confidently.

“C3. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

The players on her team celebrated quietly, throwing excited thumbs ups at her. According to the grid as another red X was painted on, she had sunk a 4-square ship, and had now sunk two out of a total thirteen ships.

Player 100 found one of Hyun-ju’s “2” ships, causing another player to be shot. He then found another “2” ship, calling out coordinates surrounding the player until he managed to find the direction. During this time, Hyun-ju had only managed to make two hits in separate areas.

“M4!” Player 100 said.

“M4. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

A gunshot, another dead player. Gi-hun could see Jun-hee shaking, covering her ears and as the player closest to her was murdered.

“Wow, I was bankin’ on that girl’s team to win, but now I’m thinkin’ it’s the old man that’s gonna take it!.” The young American gave a booming laugh.

“We will see.” The Chinese man glared at him.

Gi-hun looked over at In-ho, who was staring out the window. Gi-hun wanted so badly to say something but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to watch this anymore, cursing himself for wanting to go back to In-ho’s apartment. But at least that wasn’t here, at least that was cut off from the world like a house in the clouds.

Hyun-ju found another battleship she’d already hit, successfully sinking a “3” in two turns. She seemed oddly disconnected from the deaths she was being forced to cause, though he supposed it made sense.

“H4?” Player 100 faltered.

Dae-ho’s head whipped around, Jun-hee making eye contact with him.

“H4. Hit!”

The guard stepped towards Dae-ho and placed a red stone where Dae-ho’s chest was. Gi-hun’s heart sank. There were still so many turns to take, and a ship that had been found was often sunk within the next few turns.

“O7.” Hyung-ju announced.

A pained scream tore from the other side. Gi-hun looked over to see a man on a single square clutching his hair, rocking back and forth on the spot.

“O7. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!” The lady's voice echoed.

The pink guard marched towards the crying player and his head twisted to look at him. “No! No, please don’t!”

The man got up, sprinting away from the guard as fast as he could. Hyung-ju’s team whirled around as the man appeared on their side, shouting in fear. The pink guard lined up their shot and squeezed the trigger. The man flew to the ground with a yelp, skidding across the hard blue floor. They all watched his still body in silence, before two guards appeared, dragging the player back to his square and leaving a long trail of blood as they went. In-ho placed a tiny red rock down on the O7 square.

“Love it when they run.” The French man sneered. Gi-hun made eye contact with the man through his mask, and they stared each other down. Gi-hun felt a pit in his stomach he couldn’t explain, until the voice of Player 100 distracted him.

“H9.”

Dae-ho looked down where a player currently sat in the single H9 square close to his feet. The man trembled, little whimpers escaping his mouth as sweat poured from his face. “Please…” He reached towards Dae-ho.

Dae-ho was breathing shallowly, seemingly frozen.

“H9. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

The man began to shake with sobs as Player 100’s cry of celebration could be heard echoing across the wall.

The guard stepped up to him, and the man slowly looked up at him, holding his hand in front of his eyes.

Dae-ho jumped as the man was shot twice in the chest. His eyes were impossibly wide and jaw hanging open at the dead man in front of him, his whole body shaking. The guard pushed the man’s limbs towards his body until most of him was curled up in the square by Dae-ho’s feet. Dae-ho flinched violently when the guard passed him, throwing his hands over his face.

That boy was so young, Gi-hun thought. Even if he made it out of here alive, he would be haunted by this for the remainder of his life, and no amount of money would be able to fix that.

Over the next few minutes, Hyun-ju sank three “2” ships with another three hits, whilst Player 100 had managed to sink one “2” ship, one “3” ship, and one “1” ship.

Gi-hun clenched his jaw as Player 100 sunk a “4” ship, a player at the base of their board. That now left Dae-ho with one hit, Young-sik with one hit, Jun-hee, Player 333, and another player Gi-hun didn’t recognise with a “2” on her vest. On the other side, Hyung-ju still had 3 random hits, and still had two ships she needed to find, leaving five total ships to sink.

Player 100 studied the grid on his wall. His eyes fell on a random hit he had yet to continue with. “G15!”

A whimper left Young-sik’s mouth as they all looked at him. The lady sitting above him with an O on her chest looked away in shame.

“G15. Hit!” The guard placed a red stone next to where he was seated.

Hyung-ju took her go, managing to hit at J10 to make four in a row. The player was still standing, meaning she had to guess one at the top or the bottom to sink a five.

The timer restarted for two minutes as the guard on the other side raised his hand to indicate the other team's turn. If he guessed H15, Young-sik would be killed.

“E15!” He called.

Young-sik let out a groan, covering his eyes. He’d chosen the one above his head.

“E15. Miss.”

Player 100 swore.

Hyun-ju gambled between the two possible spots. “F10.”

“F10. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

Her eyes widened as a smile jumped across her face. Her team waved their fists in hushed celebration, pointing at the board as the guard spray-painted an X on the grid, indicating their first sunken 5. A scream. A gunshot.

Young-sik did not celebrate, his arms pulling his legs tight into his chest, staring ahead with glazed eyes, squeezing them shut as the gunfire echoed.

Gi-hun held his breath.

“H15.” Player 100 smirked.

“H15. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

There was silence, filled only by the quiet noises of terror escaping Young-sik’s mouth. The guard approached him.

“Wait, I…” He whimpered. The guard raised his gun. Jun-hee buried her head in her arms, Dae-ho seemingly unable to look away, still frozen in place.

“Wait, no, no no! WAIT! OMMA-” His gut-wrenching screams were cut-off by a bang, and Gi-hun flinched. He saw In-ho’s head turn to look at him. None of the players spoke or moved.

The guard raised his arm indicating Hyun-ju’s turn. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the railing, staring down at Young-sik’s body. Jun-hee was crying, player 333 watching her with a hopeless look on his face.

The American in the beige suit barked a laugh. The sound made Gi-hun’s muscles tense.

“About time that coward got what he deserved. At least now he’ll be with mommy.”

The other players snorted with laughter. Gi-hun stared glazed-eyed out the window, trying desperately to ignore them as the rage threatened to overtake him.

Hyun-ju was forced to continue, focussing her efforts on the two random hits she’d found on opposite sides of the board. After a few hits and one miss, she sunk a four and a three, whilst player 100 sunk a two, the lady who was sitting above Young-sik.

Now only Jun-hee, Dae-ho, and Player 333 remained, Dae-ho the only one with a hit. On the other side, three ships remained as well, one with a hit. Hyun-ju quickly did the math, realising she would need nine hits to win. But she still had no idea where two of the ships were.

Hyun-ju focussed on her other single hit, and missed.

Player 100 called a coordinate. One of Player 333’s squares.

Hyun-ju called a coordinate. Hit. She’d found the direction the ship was facing.

Player 100. Miss.

Hyun-ju. Hit.

Player 100. Hit.

Hyun-ju. Hit

Player 100. Hit.

Hyun-ju. Hit.

Player 100. Hit. One more hit and Player 333 would be dead.

Hyun-ju. Hit.

“You’ve sunk a battleship!”

Player 100 roared in anger as his other “5” player was sunk. Gi-hun could see Player 333 shaking, though he kept his face blank. His hands were propped behind him on A5, the only square remaining without a red stone.

Hyun-ju worked out that she still had a “2” and a “3” ship to sink before she won, but there were still so many spots where the tiny ships could be.

Player 333 closed his eyes.

“Myung-gi!” Jun-hee called quietly. He covered his face. Tears streamed down Jun-hee’s cheeks. Player 100 looked at his board.

“Um, H5!”

They all looked at each other in confusion. Dae-ho let out a noise.

“H5. Hit!” A red stone was placed at Dae-ho’s hip.

Hyun-ju covered her face with her hands. “120!” A hushed whisper called. She looked up. Player 333, Myung-gi, was pointing wildly at a gap in the top of the wall grid. “Go for A7!”

Hyun-ju looked up at A7, in amongst a sea of misses. Too many misses now would likely cost their lives. Only Jun-hee had not yet been found.

“A7.” Hyun-ju called, and Gi-hun could see her hold her breath.

“A7. Hit!”

Hyun-ju looked up in shock, her face breaking into a smile which Myung-gi returned. She threw a thumbs up at him.

“H6!”

“H6. Hit!”

Three of Dae-ho’s five squares had been hit. He seemed to be frozen again.

Hyun-ju called for A8. Miss. The team looked at her in terror.

Player 100 yelled “H7!”

Dae-ho’s leg. Now only the square at his head remained, H3.

“B7!” A hit for Hyun-ju.

“H8!”

Dae-ho whimpered. A white stone was placed at his feet. Now Player 100 knew exactly where he was. The next turn, he’d be dead. Gi-hun felt bile rising in his throat.

Hyun-ju pushed the hair off her sweaty face, panting as the collar of her shirt began to soak in sweat. She studied the wall grid littered with white and red X’s.

“C7.”

“C7. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

Hyun-ju groaned in strangled relief. But she still needed to find their final ship. If she somehow, with whatever higher power managed to find it on the first try, she would be done in as little as two turns.

The scraping of shoes against the floor brought Gi-hun’s attention back to Dae-ho. His whole body was shaking violently as he madly whipped his head around at the rocks surrounding him. Gi-hun stepped closer to the window until his nose was nearly touching the glass. He could see In-ho behind him in his peripheral vision. He wanted to scream at him. Scream that Dae-ho was his friend too, how the boy had saved his life more than once. But all Gi-hun could do was stare unblinkingly down at them, feeling utterly useless. He looked up at player 100.

The man scrubbed his face, eyes darting across the wall grid. He had Myung-gi and Dae-ho ready to sink, but he still needed to find Jun-hee. The sweat poured from his grey hair.

Somewhere deep down Gi-hun believed he wouldn’t say it. Some naive, stupid part of him.

“H3!”

Gi-hun’s lungs stopped working, the team on the other side of the wall going very still. Dae-ho looked behind him to his right at Jun-hee.

“Jun-hee.” Dae-ho’s voice shook. “What do I do?”

Jun-hee breathed hard, her eyes filling with tears.

“H3. Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

“Jun-hee!” Dae-ho twisted around on the spot, his eyes darting up to a pink guard approaching from behind her. “Oh God... Oh God.” He breathed, sitting back on his legs and bringing his arms up over his head.

“Please! Please don’t!” He sobbed, turning his head away and squeezing his eyes shut. “Please, I want to go home. I want to see my sister, she doesn’t know where I am.”

The guard raised their rifle.

“NO! No, please! I want to go home! I want to go home! SUN-HEE!”

A sharp crack cut him off, blood spraying from the back of his head as he slumped back onto the floor. Gi-hun stared wide-eyed, his lips parted, unable to look away from the pool of blood spreading out from underneath his head. Jun-hee had her face in-between her knees, her shoulders shaking with strained sobs.

“Phew! This’ll be a close one, hey?” The American in the beige suit clapped. Gi-hun was brought back to reality, realising where he was.

“Depends on how fast they can find that last ship.” The French man slumped back on the couch, clicking his fingers as a tumbler of neat whiskey was placed in his hand.

Gi-hun felt his body heating up again with anger, clamping his teeth hard in an attempt to keep his mouth shut. As much as he wanted to scream at them, throw things, punch, kick, strangle, kill, he knew it would get him nowhere.

 

Hyun-ju tore her eyes away from the body. “O…O10.”

“O10. Miss.”

Jun-hee seemed to realise something, her head whipping up to look at Player 333 at the top of column 5. Gi-hun could see a glistening of tears forming in his eyes, as though he was trying desperately to keep himself together.

“Uh… O1!” Player 100 barked.

Myung-gi let out a breath, his throat bobbing.

“O1. Miss.”

“What is that idiot doing? There’s another ship he can take out right in front of him!” The young American leant forward, his champagne sloshing in the glass and some spilling onto his pants. He swiped the liquid onto the floor.

“He can’t win until he finds that last ship.” The older American replied.

Hyun-ju searched the grid. There were so many gaps a “2” ship could be hiding. It could take ages to find it, time she didn’t have if Jun-hee was to be found in the corner. Not exactly an overly random spot either, Gi-hun thought.

“333!” Hyun-ju hissed desperately. “Please, I don’t know where to go anymore!”

Myung-gi slowly turned to look up at the grid behind him. He swallowed, clearly more terrified than he was letting on.

“I… I don’t know.”

The clock ticked down to 30 seconds.

“Please, just help me!” Hyun-ju stressed.

“I don’t know!” He looked to an empty corner. “Uh, A13!”

“A13!”

They held their breaths. “A13. Miss.”

Hyun-ju let out a frustrated sound, clutching her hair. Myung-gi grit his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut as he awaited the next turn.

“K1!”

Gi-hun felt a drop in his stomach as he searched for the coordinate, even seeing In-ho make the smallest step forward. Jun-hee froze, watching in horror as a red block was placed at her feet. She stayed as quiet and as still as possible, as though Player 100 would sense where she was if she moved even an inch.

If Hyun-ju didn’t find the last ship now, all three of them would be dead.

“K1. Hit!” Player 100 looked up in shock, letting out a laugh of surprised happiness.

“Oh shit!” The young American laughed loudly. “What a freaking guess!”

Gi-hun clenched his fists.

“Fuck, Fuck!” Hyun-ju slapped her forehead, eyes crazed. She debated between several gaps, letting out a gritted roar. “L9!”

“L9. Miss.”

Myung-gi groaned loudly, his hands covering his face. Tears began to glisten in Hyun-ju’s eyes as she shivered uncontrollably.

Player 100 gave a smug grin. Gi-hun closed his eyes.

“J1.”

Gi-hun’s eyes flew open immediately. He’d gone in the wrong direction.

“J1. Miss.”

“Shit!” Player 100 bellowed, slamming his hands on the railing. A white rock was placed at Jun-hee’s feet. She frowned at it for a slip second.

Whimpers were escaping Hyun-ju’s mouth with every shallow breath.

“Go for the top right! There’s still a huge gap!” Myung-gi called.

Hyun-ju nodded, opening her mouth to call a number.

“Wait!” Jun-hee yelled, and they both turned to look at her in shock. “I… I think they could be in the gap at the bottom right. Maybe go for M15.”

Gi-hun looked to the other side, feeling his stomach do a flip. Jun-hee was actually right, the final ship was touching M15.

“M15?” Hyun-ju repeated. “What makes you so sure?”

Just do it you idiot! Gi-hun thought, unable to take the anticipation any longer. He had felt like throwing up for the past hour.

“Just… I just have a feeling. Look at the pattern they’ve made on the wall, if I were to choose a place it would be there.”

Hyun-ju looked back at the wall, and nodded. “Ok, ok. M15!”

Gi-hun nearly groaned in relief. The team held their breath.

“M15. Hit!”

The three players looked wildly between each other in shock before going into an uproar of terrified cheers.

Player 100 swore. There were two possible squares he could choose, L1 or L2. Gi-hun prayed he didn’t choose the former.

“L1!”

Gi-hun cursed under his breath.

“L1. Hit!”

A red stone was placed at Jun-hee’s stomach, and the guard raised his arm to indicate Hyun-ju’s turn.

Gi-hun stepped as close as he could to the window.

“Oh shit, this is it!” The fat American cheered. “If she chooses the right direction, she wins. If she misses, that girl’s dead.”

Hyun-ju had already missed at M14, so the only two options were L15 or N15. She looked stressed out of her mind, the sweat having saturated her shirt.

“Hyun-ju!” Jun-hee said in a loud whisper. “L! Go for L!”

“Are you sure, Jun-hee?” Her voice wavered. “If I get this wrong he… he’ll kill you.”

“Please! I think it’s L15. If it isn’t, then my death is on me, not on you!”

A tear slid down Hyun-ju’s cheek. “Jun-hee-”

“Just do it!”

Hyun-ju wiped her face, standing up straighter.

“L… L15.”

Gi-hun’s eyes widened. A breath from his mouth fogged the glass.

“L15…”

The team closed their eyes.

“Hit! You’ve sunk a battleship!”

Silence. Hyun-ju opened her eyes. She looked down at Myung-gi and Jun-hee. A smile grew on her face and she let out a bark of shocked laughter.

Jun-hee smiled back, and even Myung-gi returned the grin.

Gi-hun couldn’t stop the smile that formed on his face, letting out a quiet breath of laughter. He swore he saw In-ho’s shoulders relax. Gi-hun’s grin quickly dissipated. If they played the final game, only one of them would be walking out of here. And if the final game was the Squid Game, Gi-hun was not confident that the player leaving would be Jun-hee.

“FUCK! NO, NO, NO!” Player 100 roared like a wild animal, spit flying. “HOW THE FUCK? NO!”

Gi-hun could hear the loud wails of the remaining player on their side, as he cradled himself and rocked back and forth on the floor. A guard stepped forward. A gunshot rang out, and the wails immediately ceased. They turned to 100, pointing the gun up at him.

Player 100 held his hands in the air. “Hey, hey wait-” A bang caused blood to spray from behind him, and he fell backwards, falling off the ladder and hitting the floor several feet below with a loud thud. The other team's cheers had stopped, and Myung-gi and Jun-hee stood from their squares as the realisation of what this meant hit them.

“Player 100, eliminated. Player 403, eliminated. The fifth game has concluded. Congratulations Players 120, 222, and 333, you are now the final three.”

Notes:

Thanks again for the patience with this one. Life's been crazy, I just finished my bachelors degree after a very challenging few years :D

I hope you enjoyed this one even though it was just a description of one of the games. It was genuinely tough to write, I hope it's understandable as I had to draw out the battleship game in front of me and play it as I wrote it haha.

Stay tuned for the next one, and thanks so much for the continued support - 1000+ Kudos and over 18k hits is absolutely insane! Love you all.

Chapter 8: 1-2

Summary:

The final vote.

Chapter warning: The smut in this chapter is NOT non-con, but it is written in a way that could be triggering to some readers.

Notes:

Sorry this one's a bit shorter after a long wait. But it has quite a fair amount of smut in it if that helps

The players said nothing, the silence filling the large blue room. They breathed heavily, avoiding each other’s gaze. Hyun-ju walked over to Dae-ho’s still body, her face scrunching up in pain as she crouched over him. Myung-gi slowly walked over to Jun-hee. They said nothing, simply pulling each other into a careful embrace. Myung-gi rested his chin on her hair, her face buried into his chest.

In-ho felt nothing as he watched.

“That concludes the fifth game.” He said in English, startling Gi-hun out of deep thought beside him.

“Well, that I was honestly not expecting.” The Chinese VIP said. “120, yes I see that. 333 has potential, definitely, though I fear 222 may not be able to keep up, especially not in the Squid Game. It is a game that requires strength and endurance, after all.”

“I don’t know, our friend 456 here seems to think she could take it home.” The fat American smirked.

“He said he wants her to win. Whether she can actually do it is still up for debate.” The French man stared over at Gi-hun from behind his panther mask. “He was, however, right about her making it past the fifth game, at the very least.”

The young American snickered. “Wonder what you’ll do with the baby once she’s dead. Maybe you can raise it to be the next Frontman.”

They all broke out into obnoxious laughter.

“Nah, they’ll probably just throw that thing in an orphanage. Who cares about that whore’s kid anyway?”

The split second In-ho felt rage rise in his chest, was a split second he was distracted from Gi-hun. The man stormed forward towards them. In-ho’s breath stopped in his lungs as his eyes widened under the mask.

“You people are disgusting!” He screamed in Korean, throwing a clenched fist. “You support this? You all deserve to rot in hell, you bastards!” The spit flew from his mouth. The VIPs stared at him, reactions hidden under the mask. In-ho was extremely grateful none of them could understand what he was saying.

He strode across the room, wrenching Gi-hun back by his shoulder. “I am deeply sorry about Player 456’s little outburst, gentlemen. The games were quite hard on his mind.”

There was silence, and In-ho’s chest felt like it was going to explode. The French man suddenly burst into laughter.

“Now that’s more like it! We have some live entertainment, don’t we, gentlemen?”

The others roared with laughter, and In-ho let out a breath. His grip squeezed Gi-hun’s shoulder hard enough to hurt. The man was red with fury.

The elevator dinged faintly down the corridor, and the square-masked manager in all black stepped out.

“Ah. Perfect. The manager is here to take over for me, and I will take our friend here back to his room to calm down.” In-ho said.

The manager crossed the room to the front. “Good morning. I deeply hope you all enjoyed the fifth game.”

The VIPs agreed.

“It has been a pleasure as always, gentlemen.” In-ho bowed. He turned his head towards Gi-hun, suppressing the urge to kick him to do the same. Gi-hun stared at them, still breathing hard, before he slowly sunk his head into a bow.

“Ah, thank you, Frontman. Great time as usual, you put on a spectacular show today.” They waved him off.

In-ho grabbed Gi-hun bruisingly by the arm, and began pulling him towards the elevator.

“Hey, what are you gonna do with him?” The older American said, pointing at Gi-hun. “You’re not gonna let him live are you, after what he tried to do by overthrowing the games?”

“I’ll have him. I think he’s cute, even with that haircut.” The fat one said, and the younger American laughed.

In-ho paused. “We do not let behaviour like this go unpunished, regardless of being a previous winner or not.”

“Excellent.” The man raised his glass. “Good to hear there’s still some discipline ‘round here.”

The VIPs turned, chattering away to each other. In-ho continued pulling Gi-hun to the elevator, not letting go of him the entire way back to the other elevator leading to In-ho’s apartment. They said nothing to each other, both fuming.

The doors chimed open, and In-ho threw Gi-hun so roughly into the room he nearly stumbled. He pushed back his hood and unclipped his mask in one action.

“What. The fuck were you thinking?” In-ho spat. He was angrier than he had been in a while, angry at Gi-hun’s betrayal of trust for something so stupid. He pointed a finger, pushing it hard into the man’s chest. “You are fucking lucky that they couldn’t understand what you said, otherwise neither of us would be standing here right now. Because our heads would be on stakes.”

“Did you hear what they said about Jun-hee? And her baby?” Gi-hun yelled into his face.

“Yes, I did. But what I didn’t do was throw a tantrum that could’ve gotten both of us killed.”

“What are those lazy assholes going to do? Throw champagne at us?”

In-ho leant close to his face, trying to calm himself from just grabbing the man’s throat. “You don’t get it, do you? They are dangerous people, Gi-hun. How do you think they got millions, even billions of US dollars? They wouldn’t kill us directly, but they have every other means of making out lives a living hell before they hire someone to torture us over and over until we beg for death. Is that what you want, Gi-hun? Because that’s where you’re headed if you keep running your fucking mouth. The Frontman doesn’t control the games, the VIPs do.”

In-ho saw Gi-hun’s cheek muscles tighten. “I don’t care anymore. Why can’t you see that?”

In-ho had to step away before he punched the man in the face. He stormed into the living room, glass clanking loudly as he roughly snatched the bottle of whiskey from the table and poured himself a very generous shot. He tipped it up, downing it in one hit before pouring another.

“How much money did you get from Sang-woo losing last year?” He heard Gi-hun say. He turned around.

“What? Why do you care?”

“Tell me.”

In-ho took a long sip from his glass, clearing his throat as it burned. “40 million US dollars.”

Gi-hun didn’t hide his shock and disgust. “How much is that?”

“Over 58 billion won.”

“What?” Gi-hun shouted. “That’s more than the prize is even worth!”

“Of course it is. How much money do you think it takes to keep these games running? Do you see how much money these people have to throw away? Do you understand now why what you did was incredibly stupid?”

“I won’t let them speak about Jun-hee that way. I understood what he said, what he called her.”

In-ho scoffed. “You let your anger control you Gi-hun, like a fool.”

“You would have let that slide?”

“Yes. And not because I don’t think what he said was disgusting, but because acting out would not have changed anything, and we could’ve been killed for such an incredibly stupid reason.”

Gi-hun scowled, waving him away.

In-ho shook his head. “You still love to play the hero, don’t you?” In-ho continued. “Still so naive.”

Gi-hun advanced on him until their faces were inches apart. In-ho took another sip of whiskey, staring up at him boredly. Gi-hun snatched it off him, downing the rest of it without taking his eyes off him.

“Did you have something to do with Jun-hee surviving today?” He said quietly.

In-ho stilled for a second, taking the empty glass from his hand and placing it down on the table with a sharp tap. “No. Of course not. She just got lucky.”

“Lucky?” He laughed unamusedly. What about Dae-ho? What about Young-sik? Were they just unlucky?”

“Well… Yes. They lost the game. Just as Geum-ja did, and just as Jung-bae probably would have in the Lava game. He wasn’t the most athletic man, was he?”

Gi-hun’s face flashed with anger as he suddenly swung a punch at him. In-ho saw it coming a mile off, but stood his ground, allowing the fist to collide painfully with his jaw. The force knocked him onto the floor, his hand hitting the table on the way down and smashing an empty glass. He winced as he felt it slice open the back of his hand.

Gi-hun grabbed the back of his cloak, pulling him upright and pushing him a few steps backwards into the wall, the back of his head colliding hard against it. He felt warm blood trickle down his chin.

“You fucking asshole!” Gi-hun roared, flecks of spit landing on In-ho’s face.

“Me the asshole?” In-ho laughed, his teeth stained with blood. Gi-hun was holding his coat tightly at his throat, making it hard to breathe.

“You’re nothing but a fucking coward! Making everyone else pay because you couldn’t save your wife!”

In-ho’s smile disappeared, replaced with white-hot anger. He threw himself against Gi-hun with a loud growl of rage, pushing him backward swinging a fist at his face. The man stumbled back, holding his jaw with a look of shock. He checked his hand to see blood staining his palm.

Gi-hun strode towards him, and they grabbed at each other, In-ho’s hands pushing against his strength and trying to come up to his throat. Gi-hun swung another punch, but In-ho caught his arm, twisting it behind him and spinning him around. Gi-hun cried out in pain, and In-ho walked him forward until they collided with the table. The chair clattered aside as he pushed Gi-hun face down onto the table. Gi-hun’s ass rubbed against his crotch, and In-ho felt a rage-filled arousal flood through him.

He grunted as he held the struggling man down onto the dining table, his other hand reaching around to tug at the man’s belt. Gi-hun growled against his teeth, blood smearing on the wood and body thrashing against In-ho’s surprising level of strength. In-ho managed to unbuckle it, letting out a frustrated noise as his fingers worked to loosen it and undo his pants. He tried to wrench them down over his ass, but they were still too tight. He let go of Gi-hun’s back to try and use both of his hands.

As soon as Gi-hun felt the weight leave him he turned around, hitting him between the eyes so hard In-ho fell back against the back of the couch, blinking in a daze. His head swam with dizziness when Gi-hun pulled him into standing by his cloak, finding the zipper at the top and tugging it down to the bottom. In-ho’s brain caught up as Gi-hun pushed off his cloak, and he shoved the man away. He took advantage of the man’s unsteadiness and they collided with the table. It rocked dangerously and the sounds of smashing crockery could be heard as the bowls and cups from Gi-hun’s breakfast flew from the table. In-ho kicked the chairs away, and they loudly skidded and clattered onto the floor a few feet away.

“I’ll make you pay for your carelessness, Gi-hun.” In-ho snarled, the blood steadily dripping from the cut in his hand and onto Gi-hun’s white shirt. He tugged roughly at the man’s tie, pulling it off and tossing it aside and unbuttoning his jacket. Gi-hun grunted as he pushed it off his shoulders, twisting his arm as he pulled it off of him and pushing Gi-hun back to sit against the table.

He couldn’t deny that Gi-hun looked hot like this. His top button of his white dress shirt undone and half untucked, his sleeves slightly pushed up from In-ho’s roughness with the jacket, his hair messy and his mouth panting. His pants tightened as he roved his hands up and down the man’s sides and chest, aroused grunts leaving his teeth and sweat clinging to his face.

“I wanted to fuck you as soon as I saw you in that pretty little suit this morning.” In-ho breathed against his lips, squeezing his waist and pulling him towards him. He pushed his hips up into Gi-hun’s groin, and he heard a tiny cut-off groan escape his mouth. In-ho’s hands drifted down to the man’s pants again, tugging them down past his hips. He smirked as the man began kicking off his shoes.

“Eager, are we? You want it? You want to feel me inside you again?” He said into his mouth, drawing back when the man leant forward to kiss him. He smirked. Gi-hun’s hands came up to In-ho’s belt, and In-ho let him undo it with a breathy laugh. When he’d managed to undo his pants, Gi-hun looked up at him with a fire in his eyes. He clearly had gotten what he wanted, because he suddenly shoved In-ho back, pushing himself off the table and grabbing a fistful of his shirt. His hand plunged into In-ho’s pants wrapping his fingers around his length and squeezing.

In-ho’s knees weakened, making a strangled noise.

“You act so tough, In-ho, with your words and your little Frontman act.” Gi-hun said, his voice rough with lust. “But deep down I know you love being my little bitch.”

In-ho’s cock throbbed in his large hand, and Gi-hun snickered. A wave of anger coursed through In-ho, and he grabbed the man’s sleeve, tearing his hand out of his pants.

“Get back on the table, Gi-hun.” He said calmly.

Gi-hun leant down until his lips were brushing against his. “Oh, no, no. You’re mine. Understand?” His hands snaked around to In-ho’s back, and he shivered at the touch. Gi-hun’s arms tightened, and he spun them around, pushing In-ho to the table. In-ho grunted, using all his strength to try and stop him. He kneed Gi-hun in the stomach, and he coughed in pain, doubling over. In-ho launched onto him, and Gi-hun met him with equal force.

In-ho kicked at him again, but Gi-hun caught his leg by the thigh, lifting him up and slamming him onto the table. His back and head hit the wood hard, and he gasped as the wind was knocked out of him. He lay there, dazed, feeling Gi-hun pulling off his shoes and pants. He looked down to see the sight of Gi-hun flushed with angry arousal, the veins in his arms below his sleeves popping from his skin. In-ho groaned, feeling his erection twitch in his boxers. He stared down at the bulge in the man’s dress pants, and suddenly he wanted nothing more than what was underneath that fabric. To feel Gi-hun fucking deep into his belly while he squirmed and writhed underneath him.

He tensed his abdomen, pulling himself up to a seating position to grab Gi-hun by the collar, wrenching him towards him. Their teeth clashed together in a kiss, and In-ho could taste the metallic tang of blood in his mouth. Gi-hun shifted against him as he kicked off his own pants, a noise vibrating in his throat.

In-ho broke the kiss, breathing hard as his arousal began to overtake his mind in a fog of desire, precum already dripping from him. “Fuck me, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun’s gaze flew up to look at him, his eyes darkening. “Say that again.”

In-ho growled, releasing Gi-hun’s collar with a small shove and leaning back against his arms. A wet spot had formed on his shirt from where his cock had leaked.

“I want you to fuck me. Until I’m screaming. Until I can’t walk for the rest of the week. Give it to me, Gi-hun.” In-ho loathed himself for the words that just came out of his mouth, but just the mere thought of Gi-hun buried deep inside him made his mouth water and stomach flip.

Gi-hun moaned, his head falling into In-ho’s shoulder with eyes squeezed shut. In-ho shifted, his clothes unintentionally brushing against Gi-hun’s tip. Gi-hun gasped.

“Don’t. Don’t move.” He groaned.

“What?”

Gi-hun pulled back, capturing his lips in a heavy, wet kiss. “Fuck, you nearly made me cum.”

In-ho sneered up at him, but was quickly cut off when Gi-hun grasped him by the hips and pulled his body towards him so that his ass was nearly hanging off the table and rolled his hips forward.

“Fuck!” In-ho gasped at the feeling of Gi-hun’s hot, hard length sliding in between his cheeks and against his hole.

“I need to go and get the lube.” Gi-hun breathed, pulling back. In-ho reached forward, grabbing his sleeve.

“No, no, fuck, just use your spit, I don’t care. I need you now.”

“But it will hurt.” Gi-hun sounded concerned.

In-ho let out a groan. “I don’t care, I want it to. Fuck, I want it to.”

Gi-hun paused for a second. “Alright.”

Gi-hun reached towards In-ho’s mouth, pressing two fingers to his lips. In-ho let them pass, sucking and swirling his tongue around them. Gi-hun’s hips bucked against him. “God, I love that mouth.”

He pulled away and teased his hole with his wet fingers, rubbing it gently. He breached it with one finger, his eyes locked onto his. In-ho pushed himself down, taking it to the knuckle. Gi-hun slipped in a second finger and began curling them against that spot that made In-ho see white.

“So tight for me.” Gi-hun purred.

In-ho’s cock was painfully hard and neglected, and he could feel the wetness through his shirt. He quickly grew frustrated with the pain and the overwhelming desire for more. It clouded his every thought, destroying all rationality and replacing it with raw, desperate need.

“I don’t want your fucking fingers.” He hissed out of his teeth. “Hurry up!”

Gi-hun grabbed the man’s hair and slammed him into the table, his other hand putting a painful weight against his belly.

“You get what I give you, when I give it to you. And you’ll take it.”

Dark desire heated In-ho’s body. He heard movement, as Gi-hun released him, looking up to see Gi-hun on his knees. He felt hot breath on him as Gi-hun paused to allow In-ho to protest if he wanted. In-ho only moaned.

Gi-hun pushed his legs up to his chest and spread his cheeks with his hands, his hot, wet mouth enveloping his sensitive hole. In-ho hissed, jolting forward when he felt Gi-hun’s tongue swipe and press into him. He squirmed as the strange feeling sent waves of pleasure through his body, Gi-hun kneading his ass in his hands as he worked. He gave a shaky groan against him, and stood, his erection standing tall and proud.

He was taking too long. He was taking too long and In-ho needed him now. If he wasn’t going to give him what he wanted, he would just have to take it for himself.

In-ho launched himself up and grasped his shirt, throwing him to the side. Gi-hun clattered against one of the chairs, crying out as his hip and shoulder hit the hard wood. In-ho jumped off the table, wrenching the back of his shirt so hard it nearly ripped, and throwing him face down onto the table. Gi-hun snarled, and In-ho had to put all his weight into keeping him down. In-ho spat loudly onto his hand, slicking up his length as he positioned it at Gi-hun’s entrance, the head pushing inside. In-ho shivered in pleasure, but the lack of weight on the man below him allowed him to easily overpower him, pushing In-ho backwards and elbowing him in the ribs.

In-ho swore, clutching his side before he felt himself being roughly grabbed and thrown onto the table in the same position he just had Gi-hun in. His hand slipped on some of the blood from In-ho’s hand and his chin collided with the table as his cock pressed painfully into the wood.

They snarled and growled like wild animals in heat, the blood having made a mess of their clothes and the furniture. Though for some reason it only made In-ho want him even more, seeing his white shirt covered in blood, while his own stained his face and teeth, panting over him with an inferno roaring behind his eyes. Gi-hun frantically pushed up In-ho’s shirt off his ass.

“You little shit.” Gi-hun spat. “You’re going to fucking pay for that.”

In-ho’s chest fluttered in excitement as he heard the sound of Gi-hun spitting on his hand, his body involuntarily grinding against the wood. He felt Gi-hun grasp his hips along with a pressure against his entrance. A smirk crept its way across In-ho’s face.

Gi-hun forced himself all the way to the base in one brutal thrust, moaning loudly out of an open mouth. In-ho shouted in a shocked pain, the sudden intrusion feeling like a burning fire. His arms flew up to grip the other end of the table. It hurt, it hurt so fucking badly.

And In-ho loved it.

“Fuck yes.” In-ho growled past his teeth, pushing himself back into Gi-hun with each thrust. The pain seared like fire.

Gi-hun started at a ruthless pace, allowing no time for In-ho to adjust. His hips slapped against his ass over and over again as Gi-hun stole what he wanted from him. Used him for his own pleasure. That is how In-ho loved to be fucked.

The table creaked, cracked and rocked with each merciless thrust, In-ho’s knuckles white against the edge of the table in front as his muscles tensed in an attempt to keep himself steady. Gi-hun was moaning, grunting, growling louder than he ever had before, each exhale sounding guttural.

In-ho loved it, the tearing burning, the pure carnal desire with no purpose but to just chase that desperate release. His cock was rock hard against the wood, each push against him providing friction against his shirt.

Gi-hun slapped his ass hard, making In-ho jolt forward with skin stinging.

“Yes, fuck yes, do that again.” In-ho snarled.

Gi-hun slapped him again, and again in the same place, grabbing a fistful of his skin in each hand and pulling him towards him as he snapped his hips even faster.

In-ho cried out, the sweat dripping off his nose onto the table. He didn’t think sex with Gi-hun could feel any better than it already had, but he wanted this so badly he could hardly take it. It consumed every cell in his body and every thought in his mind. He couldn’t think of anything else except Gi-hun, the feeling of his cock pounding him over and over again.

“You’re just a fucking slut aren’t you? Look at you.” Gi-hun panted. “You love my cock so much you can’t do anything else but lay there and take it.”

In-ho looked back at him, his mouth hanging open.

Gi-hun stared down at him with dark eyes, his chest shiny with sweat.

“Fucking look at you.” He panted, and his voice was laden with both accusation and adoration.

Gi-hun stuttered, shifting to lift his foot onto the table. He pushed In-ho’s ass up, pressing down on his back and forcing him to arch it. Gi-hun moaned loudly at the sight as he began slamming into him, the new angle driving him deeper than In-ho thought he could go.

In-ho’s head flew back with a yelp, feeling as though he’d just been shot with ecstasy. He sucked in a breath as pleasure hit him over and over to an almost unbearable degree.

“Oh, I found your little spot, did I?” Gi-hun grinned wickedly in response to the abrupt moans that left In-ho’s mouth with every thrust. Gi-hun leant forward, snaking his hand around In-ho’s throat and pulling his head back. In-ho’s mouth hung open, the pressure of Gi-hun’s fingers making it hard to breathe.

“You love this don’t you? Look at you, tell me how much you want it.”

In-ho snarled in response, clenching his teeth.

Gi-hun dropped his leg down, laying his chest over In-ho’s back and slowing his thrusts to a deep and slow rolling. The building pleasure suddenly disappeared, leaving In-ho angry and aching with need. He roared in frustration.

“Tell me how much you want it.” Gi-hun’s breath was hot in his ear.

“Fuck you.” In-ho spat.

Gi-hun pulled out all the way, stilling his hips. In-ho gave a louder roar at the loss. He tried to push himself up, but Gi-hun was pinning him against the table with his body. His cock was being crushed under the weight of both of them, an involuntary whimper escaping him stifled immediately with a growl.

“So pathetic, In-ho. You have so much pride you can’t even admit to how much you love it. But your body doesn’t lie to me.” Gi-hun panted into his ear, rubbing his cheek against the back of In-ho’s hair as his hand ghosted against his waist and down to his ass.

In-ho’s abdominal muscles tensed at the light touch. Gi-hun smirked, softly pushing the hair out of In-ho’s eyes with his fingers. Just as In-ho looked up at him, confused at the sudden gentleness, Gi-hun pushed all the way back inside him. In-ho let out an unapologetically loud moan, his body screaming in happiness at that feeling of fullness once more. Gi-hun propped himself up on his elbows so that he was hovering close over him, and began grinding against him. With every upward flick of his hips, his tip would brush against that spot inside him, the precum pouring from his neglected cock underneath him.

In-ho’s body jolted against his will with every bit of contact against his prostate, a whimper, gasp, or yelp escaping him each time. Gi-hun laughed breathily above him.

“I love those noises you make. I could listen to them all day.”

In-ho dropped his face against the cool wood, panting hard. It felt so incredible, but it wasn’t enough, he couldn’t build any higher and he wanted more. He pushed himself back into Gi-hun, trying to rock himself in and out.

Gi-hun propped himself up on his hands, looking down at where they met as one. “So desperate, fucking yourself on my cock.”

In-ho made an impatient sound. He just wanted to cum, he needed to cum. He needed it more than anything else in life.

“Ah, just- Fuck, Gi-hun, I need it, come on-”

Gi-hun ground his hips deeper, his cock stroking his prostate hard. In-ho gave a groan that seemed to end in a sob.

“You need what?”

“Gi-hun, God- Please-”

Gi-hun grinned. “What did you just say?”

In-ho rocked back and forth, desperately seeking the sensation he needed. “Fuck! Please! Please Gi-hun, I need it!”

Gi-hun gave a hard thrust, caressing his waist lightly, his fingers dancing across his skin. “Such a good boy. Do you want something?”

In-ho snarled angrily. “Yes! Yes, please, I want to cum!” He wailed, becoming overwhelmed at the constant sparks being ruthlessly sent through his body. He was drenched in sweat, quickly becoming a dumb mess of nothing more than sensation.

“You want me to make you cum, pretty boy?” Gi-hun slapped his ass hard.

In-ho cut off a yelp in his throat. “Yes, yes make me cum, make me cum, Gi-hun. I want to cum on your cock and only your cock. Give it to me!”

Gi-hun moaned. “That’s right, and I’ll always give my pretty boy what he wants.” He snapped his hips hard, starting his brutal pace again. Though this time it was much harder, angrier, deeper.

In-ho let out a shout that was borderlining a scream, the table rocking underneath them to the point where it had moved several inches from its original position, creaking loudly. A small plate that remained stubbornly on the counter finally slipped off the side, falling to the ground with a crash.

In-ho finally felt that build of pleasure he so badly needed. His release was so close, desperately reaching out to grab it as Gi-hun slammed into him again and again. In-ho’s moans were getting louder until he was shouting, Gi-hun making noises of a similar volume as they both used each other for pleasure.

“Oh fuck! Gi-hun, I’m so close, I’m so close, please don’t stop, please- I need it, I need it-” He babbled almost incoherently, overtaken by crazed desire. His cock throbbed and ached, begging to be touched. He reached back to grasp at Gi-hun’s forearm, nails digging into the flesh.

“Cum for me, beautiful.” Gi-hun purred, staring down at him as he dripped with sweat.

In-ho squeezed his eyes shut as his orgasm was ripped from him so hard he couldn’t even scream. He couldn’t make noise, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do anything as the sensation dominated every nerve and cell in his being. His eyes flew open, not even realising he’d shut them, and he let out a long, anguished groan, feeling his cock spurting underneath him into his already soaked shirt. He screwed his face up with every shockwave of pleasure, each wave almost painful.

Gi-hun swore, baring his teeth as In-ho’s hole fluttered and clenched around him. He continued at his merciless rhythm pounding into In-ho.

“Fuck, In-ho, you’re so fucking gorgeous when you cum.”

In-ho’s pleasure was quickly being replaced with pain, his nerves burnt-out and stinging. He gasped, trying to push himself up and clawing at the table.

“Shhh. I know, I know, beautiful. It’s ok.” Gi-hun breathed as In-ho squirmed with wide eyes. “I’m not finished with you yet.”

In-ho’s body felt like it was on fire, the feeling so overwhelming it was unbearable. He could tell Gi-hun to stop, he knew the man would immediately. But for some reason he didn’t want him to stop, as painful as it was. He wanted the man to use his body for his own pleasure.

Gi-hun pushed himself upright again, grasping his hips and pulling him back onto him, his head tipping back with his jaw hanging open.

He moaned loudly, over and over, using In-ho like a toy.

“I’m so close. Ah, fuck! Being so good for me-” Gi-hun gasped. He tipped his head downwards to look at In-ho’s sweat-covered body, his head turned to look at him.

“Fuck, such a pretty boy.” Gi-hun said, voice deep and gravelly.

In-ho’s chest lit up, feeling his screaming cock twitch. He gave a pathetic little whimper that made Gi-hun smirk.

Gi-hun began pounding harder, his thrusts starting to grow crazed and erratic. He didn’t realise he had been pushing himself across the table away from Gi-hun until the man tightened his grip on his hips painfully and wrenched him back down towards him, his sensitive cock sliding across the table. In-ho gave a loud, pathetic whine, the pain and the pleasure beginning to swirl around each other like honey and syrup until they became almost indistinguishable. His eyes began to roll into his head, face pressed against the table and unable to hold himself up lest his arms shake violently. In-ho gave an exhausted sob as Gi-hun slapped him hard again. He’d never been fucked like this, and he never wanted it to end.

In-ho took the assault, managing eventually to prop himself up on his elbows and looking back at the man. The feeling was too much, it was so much, it was so much he couldn’t breathe. They stared deep into each other's eyes, watching Gi-hun become more and more unravelled as he drank in the sight of the man he was fucking. Gi-hun’s breaths tore out of him louder and louder until he came with a snarl, pushing himself as deep as he would go whilst pulling his hips towards him hard enough to bruise. In-ho gasped at the feeling of hot liquid pulsing deep within, feeling Gi-hun twitch inside him.

Gi-hun gave an animalistic groan, his hands trembling against In-ho’s stinging and aching skin. He pulled out and took a couple steps back to sit against the back of the couch, chest heaving as he inspected his work, watching his release begin to drip from In-ho.

“Fuck, look at that.” He said breathlessly. “You’re something else.”

In-ho’s nerves were fried, panting against the table while Gi-hun watched him like he was some sort of exhibit in an art museum. He twitched his leg to move, instantly met with an intense feeling of overstimulation that made him freeze with a whimper.

Gi-hun pushed himself up, his slick, softening cock still semi-hard. He wrapped his hands around In-ho’s middle and chest and pulled him up to standing, pressing his warm body against his back. He sat his chin on In-ho’s shoulder, hands roaming over and under his shirt and across his stomach and chest. He dipped his head into In-ho’s shoulder, kissing up to his neck.

In-ho’s skin crackled with electricity, letting out a soft, tired moan. Gi-hun reached around and stroked his cock a few times, and In-ho jolted violently away from the hand with a shocked sound, feeling like he’d been shot. Gi-hun turned him around and kissed him deeply, the back of In-ho’s legs pressing into the edge of the table. In-ho pulled back, staring into his eyes. He moved his head back as Gi-hun’s lips chased his. In-ho smiled.

“You think that you have all the power. But really you’re wrapped around my finger so much tighter than you think you are.”

Gi-hun faltered in a way that made the grin on In-ho’s face widen. His hand caressed Gi-hun’s cheek, and he kissed the look off his face. His hand dropped to Gi-huns, and he stepped away, lightly pulling the man with him.

“Let’s get cleaned up. The final vote is starting very soon.”

 

_______________________

 

Gi-hun allowed himself to be led wordlessly into Inho’s bathroom, and he realised it was the first time they’d ever actually held hands. The skin was tougher and more leathery, the hand much larger than a womans, and Gi-hun fixated on the feeling. In-ho turned on the hot water before gently beginning to unbutton Gi-hun’s bloodstained shirt, and Gi-hun watched him sternly and silently. He pushed the sweat-soaked shirt off and dropped it in the corner, doing the same with his own. Gi-hun could smell the faint musky smell of the shorter man’s sweat, ignoring the spark he felt in his chest as he silently inhaled deeper. In-ho grabbed his hand again and pulled him under the warm water.

Gi-hun felt the water wash over him, instantly relaxing his impossibly tense muscles. He tipped his head back, allowing it to flow through his hair and over his face. The water didn’t sting his stitches too much anymore, but it was still enough for him to be aware of it, especially after being slammed against a table multiple times. In-ho’s fingers brushed over them, inspecting his handiwork and seeming satisfied with how it looked.

“Your hand…” Gi-hun’s voice was quiet and croaky. He gently picked up In-ho’s hand to inspect the jagged cut from where he’d smashed the glass. The water washed away the blood, exposing the pinkish flesh inside it, the coppery blood swirling around their feet in the water.

“It will be fine.” In-ho gently pulled his hand from the man’s grip. “It will heal by itself.”

Gi-hun pursed his lips and said nothing.

In-ho picked up one of the bottles from the shelf and squeezed it into his hand, the steam wafting the smell of gentle cologne around them. He placed the bottle down, looking up at Gi-hun before he began gently lathering it into Gi-hun’s chest and stomach. Gi-hun still said nothing, his eyes drifting up and down the man’s naked body. He was quite fit for his age, muscles and abs quite defined with a small dusting of hair. Gi-hun was quite lean, especially since he had not been eating as much as he used to these past three years. A few years ago Gi-hun probably would have been self-conscious standing next to him, but he was too old now to be worried about how he looked anymore. He allowed In-ho to massage the soap into his body and arms, around his ribs and over his shoulder blades and waist. A sigh fell from his mouth at the feeling.

Gi-hun cocked his head down at the man, the care and gentleness in his touch only confusing him more. He picked up the same body wash, squeezing an equal portion into his hand. In-ho smiled to himself as Gi-hun began mirroring his movements, working the soap into a lather over his skin. Gi-hun slowly crouched down, looking up at him as he washed his legs, fingers snaking slowly up his thighs and ghosting over his cock before standing again. His hand rested on In-ho’s hip while his other slid around to his ass, pausing. In-ho nodded, and Gi-hun worked the soap over In-ho’s intimate area, the man wincing quietly as the soap stung from Gi-hun’s previous roughness. The skin on his ass was still red from where Gi-hun had slapped him repeatedly, and although he knew In-ho liked it, he still felt bad for it.

He had been so caught up in the moment, so filled with unbridled rage for In-ho, for the VIPs, for the games, for Dae-ho and the others, he wanted nothing more than to punish him. And the way In-ho responded to his punishments made him want to do it again, and again. He was a different man during sex, when he was desperate, as though the pleasure was too much to keep his mask on. And it gave Gi-hun such a rush of satisfaction, of adoration.

Distracted, he felt In-ho’s fingertips slowly sliding down his abs until he felt a warm wet hand close around his soft cock. Gi-hun stilled, running soapy hands up his back before resting them on In-ho’s hips and looking at him dangerously. The corner of In-ho’s lip twitched upward, and his hand began moving slowly up and down along his shaft. Gi-hun’s breath caught. In-ho had never been so gentle with him, usually just using each other’s bodies for their own pleasure or pleasing the other in such an abrupt, hungry way.

Gi-hun could feel the blood rushing down to his groin, feeling slightly dizzy under the heated water as he began to harden in the man’s palm. In-ho stepped closer to him, their bodies still mostly covered in foamy soap. Gi-hun’s hand slipped down the man’s waist, fingers curling around In-ho’s already semi-hard erection. In-ho’s eyes went blank for a second as his lips parted with a small breath.

They worked each other slowly, synchronised, until they were both fully hard once more. Gi-hun’s hand sped up at its own accord, as though he was the one touching himself. A breath escaped him as In-ho mirrored him, studying each other’s face like it was a renaissance painting.

“You really are beautiful, Gi-hun.” In-ho breathed.

An ache formed in Gi-hun’s chest. His brows twitched slightly.

“I mean it.” In-ho added. “You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever met.”

Gi-hun gave a shaky breath as the man’s hand twisted over the overly sensitive head of his cock.

“I… I don’t know what to say to that.”

In-ho smirked. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m just telling you.”

Gi-hun squeezed slightly harder, making an effort to twist his wrist in a way he knew In-ho would like.

In-ho’s knees buckled for a split second with a quiet moan, and another tired side grin split across his face. Gi-hun stared down at his smile, feeling himself building.

“Are you close?” Gi-hun panted.

In-ho nodded, and their wrists began working faster. Gi-hun could feel his breaths on his face as they panted together, and Gi-hun pulled him closer by his waist.

“I want to cum with you this time. At the same time.” Gi-hun groaned, his stomach beginning to tighten in that familiar, deliciously sweet way.

In-ho gave a strangled moan in response, his face contorting in pleasure. His hand came up to grasp the forearm that was holding his waist, his nails digging into Gi-hun’s skin. In-ho had this desperate, puppy-dog eyed expression that Gi-hun hadn’t really seen. He looked up at him like he was everything in the world and more, and it looked so strange on his face yet so… cute. Gi-hun could tell he was just as close as he was, though if the man in front of him kept looking at him like that, Gi-hun would only last a few more seconds.

“Gi-hun, I’m so close, I’m so close.” In-ho whimpered. The shorter man’s face looked pained with pleasure, eyes hooded and tired and droplets of water clinging to his face. Gi-hun couldn’t take his eyes off him like it was the most incredible thing he’d ever seen.

“Fuck, you’re so cute when you want it.” Gi-hun moaned low in his throat, hand twisting and stroking faster and faster and making In-ho’s abdomen twitch hard. In-ho gave a short chuckle at the use of the word Gi-hun had told him off about just the other day but it was quickly swept away by a moan.

“Fuck, I’m going to cum. Are you close?” In-ho was breathing roughly, mouth hung open and eyes hooded.

Gi-hun nodded breathlessly. Gi-hun’s knees buckled against the relentless pace of the man’s hand, feeling himself beginning to peak. His mind went blank, his pleasure driven by the sight of the man in front of him. He let out a long moan as he spurted onto In-ho’s hand and stomach, threatening to collapse as the pleasure crashed over him unexpectedly hard.

His hand hooked underneath In-ho’s arm, trembling wildly and holding onto the back of his shoulder as he doubled over. It felt so sweet, so powerful in a different way than the others had. Drawn out of him slowly and passionately.

In-ho swore, giving an adorable shaky moan and Gi-hun felt his cock throbbing under his grip as it pulsed onto him. They painted each other in their release, moaning and breathing into each other’s mouths as their chests collided, clutching at each other in a desperate attempt to stay standing.

In-ho’s hand came up to his cheek and his mouth pushed clumsily against his, their teeth clashing. Gi-hun clutched his hair, pulling him up into the sloppy kiss. They struggled for breath, breaking apart and panting heavily. They leaned their foreheads together, watching their chests heave out of sync, slick with water and soap.

In-ho breathed out a lazy laugh, as though he tried to stifle it but couldn’t hold it back. Gi-hun felt his lips upturn automatically at the man’s smile.

“No more, I can’t do any more.” In-ho waved his hand with a breathy chuckle. “We seem to fix all our problems with sex, don’t we?” He said, his voice raw.

“Problems? You say that like we have a normal… whatever this is. I think our differences go a little deeper than that, In-ho.”

“And you say that whilst I stand here covered in your cum.” In-ho smirked. “So we can’t be that different.”

Gi-hun gave him an unserious glare, pushing him back gently under the water and rinsing off the soap. His hands slid over every inch of In-ho’s body, making sure he washed part of him. Gi-hun glanced up to see In-ho watching him intently, a ghost of a smile on his face.

“Your turn.” He said quietly, squeezing Gi-hun’s hips and turning them around so that Gi-hun was under the water. The water felt hot on his quickly cooling skin. In-ho’s hands felt so amazing on his body in a way he couldn’t explain. The man was just touching him, not even sexually, yet In-ho didn’t want him to stop. He heard the man give a deep sigh, watching his shoulders relax.

“You do things to me, Gi-hun.” He began in a low voice still laden with desire. “Things that I can’t explain and things that scare me.”

“Scare you?”

“Yes I… I am so used to being in power, of being in control at all times. I haven’t known any difference for a long time but… with you all sense of my control seems to disappear in a way I cannot explain. But the thing is, in the moment I don’t care, I want my control taken away, and that’s something that has never happened to me before. Not with anyone.” In-ho swiped his hands over Gi-hun’s chest and down his flank, watching his own actions intently.

“I thought you said it was me that was wrapped around your finger.” Gi-hun said in a low voice.

In-ho gave another chuckle. “And you are, Gi-hun, look at you. Look at where we are. But that isn’t to say, like you said, that it doesn’t go deeper than that.”

“So what you’re saying is that… I’ve changed you just as much as you think you’ve changed me?”

“I have changed you, Gi-hun. Even if you somehow don’t see it now, you will.”

What did that mean? Even if he didn’t see it now he will? Sure a lot had changed in the past few days, but the way Gi-hun felt about the games was still the same.

Gi-hun stared down at him, feeling the large, calloused hands roaming across him still. “What do you want from me?” He said quietly, a pang of sadness in his voice.

In-ho’s hands stilled, and slowly fell to his sides with a sigh. “I… don’t know anymore.”

Before Gi-hun could respond to that, In-ho reached behind him, turning off the water. Gi-hun still had a bit of soap on his leg.

“Come, the vote will be conducted soon.” He muttered without meeting his eye, stepping out onto the bathmat and passing Gi-hun a clean dark grey towel.

In-ho only dried himself enough not to drip water onto the hardwood floor, fastening the towel around his waist. Gi-hun glanced up every now and again, eyes wandering down the curvature of his spine, the broadness of his shoulders up to his wet tousled hair.

Fuck, Gi-hun thought. He really was hot. How had he never noticed men like this before?

“I’ll leave clean clothes on my bed for you.” He said before he left the bathroom, leaving Gi-hun alone and still holding the towel dumbly.

He dried off, covering himself with the towel as he walked into the next room to a clean black T-shirt, boxers and plain grey pyjama pants lying on the bed, In-ho not in the room. In-ho’s dress pants were always a bit uncomfortably tight, but at least these had an elastic waistband. Though they still sat above his ankles.

He walked out into the living room to see their lunch had already been brought and was sitting on the table, the mess of glass and broken crockery already cleaned, the table and chairs back in their place and all the blood cleaned up. Gi-hun flushed crimson at the realisation that a worker must have done it whilst they were in the shower, and they weren’t exactly being quiet. In-ho seemed very reserved as they ate, even more reserved than he normally was which basically meant he was completely silent and wouldn’t look at him at all. Gi-hun refrained from asking him why. Was his plan for Gi-hun - whatever that was - beginning to crack before him?

Eventually In-ho finished his meal first, taking his place on the couch and topping up the whiskey that he had poured earlier before turning on the TV to the dormitory. Gi-hun quickly noticed all the beds were gone to just three, one on each wall of the room, just like it had been for him, Sang-woo and Sae-beyok. He couldn’t take his eyes off the bed on the left wall, where he once sat at Sae-beyok’s side, unbeknownst to the wound she was hiding from them. Now it was Jun-hee that sat in her place. Three guards were already entering the room to announce the final vote to the remaining three.

Gi-hun cleared his tray, his chair scraping back as he got up to sit next to In-ho on the couch. He sat quite close to him despite the couch being able to fit about three or four people on it comfortably. He cocked his head down at the whiskey and looked up at In-ho. The man looked over at him as he took a large mouthful, a small breath escaping his mouth as he swallowed and passed the glass over to Gi-hun. He could smell the liquor on his breath. Gi-hun took the glass, taking a swig of the rusty brown liquid.

In-ho was staring down at his mouth, lips slightly parted. Gi-hun searched the man’s face, returning the stare. He looked down as In-ho’s hand slowly raised towards the glass, though instead of taking it, he carefully dipped the tip of his finger into it. Gi-hun frowned, leaning back slightly as In-ho pressed the finger to his lips, gently rubbing the whiskey into them.

Before he could react to what he was doing, In-ho surged forward, locking their lips together so suddenly Gi-hun nearly dropped the only remaining glass. The man’s tongue pushed forcefully past his lips, swiping across his teeth and tongue and his hand grasping just under his ear. He tasted like whiskey, like smokey wood. Gi-hun’s tongue struggled to fight back against the man’s determination, a crazed hunger in his kiss as though they hadn’t seen each other in months.

In-ho’s lips kissed roughly down his jawline, and he snatched the glass of whiskey off Gi-hun with heavy breaths. He pressed it to Gi-hun’s pulse point, and Gi-hun could feel some of the cold liquid running down his neck. In-ho put the glass down on the floor quickly before lunging for Gi-hun’s throat, licking, sucking, kissing. Gi-hun’s head leant back, giving a quiet moan through a closed mouth. In-ho’s hand snaked up the back of Gi-hun’s neck, a fist closing in his hair and tugging his head further back and causing Gi-hun to give a short moan. He opened his eyes and looked at the TV.

Hyun-Ju was stepping up to the panel. She stared down at the red X and blue O before her. A loud beep sounded.

X O
1 0

Gi-hun didn’t pay a great amount of attention. He knew they’d all be going home anyway with over fifteen billion won in each of their pockets. In-ho sunk his teeth into his throat, not enough to hurt but enough to make him hiss and clutch the back of the man’s head. Gi-hun pulled his hair away from his neck, earning a growl from In-ho, teeth bared and hungry. Gi-hun locked their lips again, and they pushed and pulled at each other’s clothes as though needing to be even closer than they already were. Their breaths were loud and sharp as they struggled for air, both unwilling to break apart.

The sound of another beep made Gi-hun open his eyes to look over at the screen. He barely managed to catch the sight.

X O
1 1

Weird, but not unsurprising from that tall boy, Jun-hee’s ex-boyfriend.

What an asshole. He thought. What kind of man votes to put the woman pregnant with his child into a game that would probably end in her death?

It was ok though, because Jun-hee just needed to vote X and it would be two against one.

In-ho’s hand pulled him closer with a hand on his ribs, and he made a noise that went straight to Gi-hun’s cock. There’s no way he could get hard again though, not at least for a few hours. A few years younger and his erection would already be pressing against his pants at the first touch of their lips. His hand rested on In-ho’s inner thigh, and he could tell by the tightness that In-ho was hard.

How does this man still have the libido of a teenage boy?

Gi-hun broke the kiss, and they panted heavily, In-ho’s hand sliding from his hair to rest on his shoulder.

“Are you usually this horny all the time? How do you even do that, we’re the same age.” Gi-hun laughed.

In-ho returned a laugh, but it quickly fell from his face. He looked down, his thumb gently swiping back and forth across his jaw. “I’m not I just…”

He looked extremely conflicted for a second, so much so that Gi-hun frowned at him.

“I just… I think I… I-” In-ho looked up at him with wide eyes, words dancing on the edge of his lips.

Beeeeep

The sound cut In-ho’s sentence short, and they both turned to look at the screen to see Jun-hee’s hand planted on the blue button, her face expressionless.

Gi-hun threw himself out of In-ho’s embrace and stood.

X O
1 2

The room was deadly still. Myung-gi stared down at the floor, whilst Hyun-Ju wore a face of complete and utter shock, betrayal, fear, and anger rolled into one. Gi-hun felt he wore the same expression.

“Wha… What?” Gi-hun’s hands flew up to his hair, grasping tufts of hair in his grip. “What the fuck? Is this actually happening?”

He whirled around at In-ho, who was staring blankly at the screen, though Gi-hun could tell by his eyes that he was equally as shocked as he was.

“Why? Why would she do that? Are they crazy? They could’ve all gone home with fifteen billion each!” Gi-hun gestured wildly at the screen. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Jun-hee’s eyes looked so empty as she walked back to her bunk, the guard announcing something that just sounded like buzzing in Gi-hun’s head.

He heard noise behind him, and turned around to see In-ho tearing his cloak and mask out of the wardrobe in the hall along with a pair of shoes.

“Where the hell are you going?” Gi-hun called.

“I need to speak with someone.” In-ho said darkly, taking the items into the elevator.

“Hey, wait!”

“Stay here, Gi-hun.” Was the last thing In-ho said before the doors closed.

Gi-hun swore, turning back to the TV. The guards had left, and the three were now sat on their separate bunks, not saying a word and not looking at each other. He could vaguely see Hyun-ju quickly wipe tears off her face. He turned away, unable to look at them anymore.

What were they thinking? How could they do this to themselves? To each other? Is fifteen billion not enough? How can that not be enough?

Gi-hun paced the room like an animal in a cage. Where the fuck had In-ho gone? Probably to talk to this manager or the VIPs that had his balls in a vice-grip and prevented him from making any decisions actually worth something. Unless that was a lie to keep Gi-hun from asking all the time.

Gi-hun made a frustrated noise, hitting the heel of his palm against his head. Why the fuck was In-ho still letting this happen? He was going to send a pregnant woman to her death for what fucking purpose? Because his pride meant more to him than her? Than the life of her child who had no reason to grow up without a mother or father other than In-ho’s unwillingness to step down from his high horse even just one time?

Rage flowed through Gi-hun like a prickling heat, feeling like he wanted to punch something, to pick up In-ho’s only fucking stupid whiskey glass and throw it as hard as he could into the wall just out of spite. His breathing became shallow and ragged as his rage ascended so far it began to turn into panic, and he clutched at the shirt that felt so hot and tight around his body. He let out a noise he wasn’t expecting to hear in this state, and that’s when he realised.

 

He was hard. He was rock hard, the loose pyjama pants tenting. Gi-hun groaned in anger and frustration as he fell back onto the couch, hands covering his face. He just felt so angry. His hand plunged into his pants, and he moaned as he wrapped his hand around himself. His other hand pushed down his waistband to free his erection from his boxers and began pumping himself hard and fast.

He hardly started before he felt himself teetering on the edge of orgasm, already so close from the intense emotions he was feeling. He slowed down his strokes, head falling back against the back of the couch as he drew out his own pleasure.

He felt his stomach tightening again, the feeling beginning to overwhelm him as he neared the feeling of sweet release, his nerves searing with overuse. Just as he got to the edge, he let go of himself. He groaned, having to push his hand hard against the couch to prevent himself from touching. His cock jumped at the loss, and Gi-hun felt another wave of anger that only seemed to send more blood to his groin. Pre-cum dripped from his erection, desperate for any friction that could help him to finish.

After a couple minutes, he closed his hand around it again, pumping slowly and meaningfully, twisting around the head. He moaned, hips bucking up into his own hand as the feeling returned. He sped up, building himself to the same point before using all his remaining self-control to let go again. His hips chased the feeling, rolling into the air as his teeth gritted. He growled, fingers curling into fists and using all his power not to get up and punch a hole in that fucking TV.

He edged himself again and again, letting the anger build even higher. His cock dripped onto his stomach, the tip purple and glistening. He began working himself again, almost cumming before letting go once more. He let out a roar of frustration through closed teeth, feeling as though he could tear In-ho in half with his bare hands. He wanted to feel that anger, to feel that rage. At least it filled the void in his chest. He started stroking his aching cock at a ruthless pace, knowing he wouldn’t be able to stop himself this time even if he tried.

In-ho ruined his fucking life. He ruined his fucking life and loved every. Second. Of it. Gi-hun fucking hated him. He hated him so much. But then it hit him. The realisation hit him so hard he nearly sobbed.

Gi-hun was in love with him.

He cried out as he came so hard his vision went white.

Notes:

Sorry for the wait, I've been pretty busy lately! Hope you guys enjoyed and your hunger for smut is satisfied for a bit. Let me know what you think (looking at you Sean).

I bring more good news about my life though! I just got my dream job! And I may be moving across the world at the end of the year, which is insane. Stay tuned for next chapter. Thanks for all the love.

Also random note: I just realised I've been spelling Hyun-Ju's name as Hyung-ju for like 50% of this entire fic and I'm so sorry about that lol

Chapter 9: The Squid Game

Summary:

The final game commences with Hyun-ju (player 120), Jun-hee (player 222), and Myung-gi (player 333).

Notes:

CW: This chapter contains minor gore, a brief mention of suicide, minor non-con, and brief use of the f-slur.

In-ho was gone for quite a while, leaving Gi-hun in silence listening to the faint white noise the whole apartment seemed to have. He’d since turned off the TV, unable to watch them sit there waiting for their deaths any longer.

It was several hours before In-ho returned, and Gi-hun was still sitting on the couch, not having moved at all except to clean up the evidence of his previous act. It was the longest Gi-hun had been alone - well more specifically, not with In-ho - in the past four days. His brain fought between things to think about. Jun-hee, her baby, his newly discovered feelings for the man that caused all this in the first place.

“Where have you been?”

In-ho took off his mask with a sigh. He looked significantly more tired than he had before he left.

Gi-hun tracked his movement toward the couch, the man sinking down with a frustrated sigh. Gi-hun watched him expectantly. “Well?”

“I cannot talk to you about it, Gi-hun. It is a private matter between myself, the VIPs and the manager.”

Gi-hun shifted his body on the couch to face him front on. In-ho did not turn to face him. “What do you mean you can’t tell me? You’ve had me locked up here for days keeping me as your little fuck toy and teaching me about the ‘goodness of the games’, and now you’re saying you can’t tell me anything because it’s ‘private’?”

In-ho huffed out a sharp breath of air. “First of all, don’t spit that bullshit about me holding you hostage for my personal pleasure because you’ve been all over me just as much as I have been, and you know I gave you the option to leave. Secondly, do you think I can just gossip to you about the games like a little schoolgirl? You staying here, meeting the VIPs, even having any inclination about the behind the scenes of the games is already so far beyond the line it’s not even funny. Oh Il-nam would’ve had you shot the second you even started planning your little revolution. Our anonymity here is already at risk because of you and I was willing to take an insanely big risk by letting you leave here alive. So don’t get upset about me not being able to tell you everything because you’re lucky to even be sitting there with your brains still in your thick skull.”

Gi-hun chewed his teeth in anger. “You’re so high on your fucking horse that you can’t even see me down here. Can’t you tell me anything at all? Is the final game still going ahead?”

“Yes, of course it is. The VIPs have a lot of money riding on the results of this game.”

“Ah, of course. It’s all about the money isn’t it? Not the lives of three innocent people, two of which have just had a child who wasn’t even old enough to see his mother before he was taken away?”

“I think you should take a step back and look at your life Gi-hun, if you think all I care about is money at the expense of other people.” In-ho cut him off sharply.

“Whatever, I’m not talking to you about this anymore.” Gi-hun turned back to the blank TV screen.

In-ho gave a humourless laugh, and to Gi-hun’s surprise didn’t say anything else. The tiny, naive part of him that believed there was still a chance for Jun-hee to walk out of here alive with her child had just been extinguished with frigid water. And he was going to be forced to watch her downfall, to watch all of their downfalls. As if every inch of his mind wasn’t already riddled with nightmares. He feared that this would finally be the thing that would finish him off.

Gi-hun realised in horror that there were tears forming in his eyes, too fast for him to will them away before they spilled onto his cheeks. Mortified with himself, his hand flew up to wipe them away before In-ho noticed, but he could already see the man staring at him in his peripheral vision.

“You have to believe that I tried, Gi-hun. I fought to have her removed, but it just cannot be done.”

“How could you look at that little baby-” Gi-hun’s voice cracked “-and send his mother to her death?”

In-ho’s face shifted ever so slightly from its natural emotionless expression, but Gi-hun was coming to know his face quite well. He was still so hard to read, but Gi-hun could detect an air of sadness in a way that In-ho wanted to tell Gi-hun something but just couldn’t.

“There are rules. And they must be followed.”

Gi-hun huffed out a quiet sob, face contorting in an ugly cry as his hands came up to cover it. “Please…” He squeaked out in a whisper. “Please don’t make me watch.”

In-ho’s eye glistened, something so quick Gi-hun only just caught it. “It’s the way of the Games. Everybody is equal. And everybody has a chance to win.”

Gi-hun got up, walking as fast as he could towards the guest bedroom and letting the door slam behind him. He sunk down onto the bed, unable to stop the sobs that wracked his body. He felt so terrible, the ever-growing pit in his chest radiating its deep darkness.

He lay there for hours, not coming out when In-ho eventually knocked on his door to inform him lunch was there, though he didn’t try to enter the room. Dread hung over him like a blanket of lead, his brain coming up with all sorts of images of Jun-hee being brutally murdered, beginning to spiral into flashbacks of all the other players he saw die in front of him.

Eventually Gi-hun found he couldn’t even move from where he lay face-down on the bed, his body overcome with exhaustion. Eventually sleep tore him down into its depths against his will.

 

**

 

Gi-hun opened his eyes to a metal bed frame above him. He blinked, rubbing his eyes in tired confusion. Realisation hit him, and he sat up so fast he hit his head painfully on a metal bar. His breath quickened as he held his arms out in front of him, his sleeves green with a white stripe down the shoulder. He tore off the white sheet, revealing that he was fully dressed in a green jumpsuit, sat on the lowest bunk in a room full of multi-storey bunk beds.

Gi-hun stared down at himself in horror, movement to his left shocking him out of his daze. He looked up to see other players waking up and groggily making their way down from their bunks as if it was a normal day.

“No. No, no no no I can’t be back here. I can’t do it anymore. Not again” He whispered to himself.

A small battalion of pink guards entered the room, informing them to follow to the first game.

Gi-hun swung his feet around, pressing them to the floor. When he pushed himself upright, the ground changed to sand. A large statue of a little girl was standing at the far end of the huge outdoor room, surrounded by walls painted as blue as the sky above. It’s head spun around to face the other way.

“Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida!”

Everyone began moving forward. Gi-hun was still frozen in place. He flinched as gunshots accompanied the fall of several players.

“Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida!”

Everyone moved several steps forward again before freezing in place. Gi-hun was left standing behind them. Fear tore at Gi-hun’s skin, and he could feel himself beginning to tremble. He whimpered as several more people were shot.

Gi-hun could see someone standing far away from him, except he could tell that strangely enough, they were facing directly towards him.

“Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida!”

Gi-hun turned his head. A wave of relief and happiness was quickly squashed completely by unbridled fear and dread, the shock hitting him like a bullet.

“Omma?” Gi-hun’s mouth hung open. His mother was standing in the middle of the crowd, staring at him unblinkingly.

“Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida!”

Gi-hun almost tripped on his own feet as he raced as fast as he could over to her, skidding to a stop several feet away as the doll’s head turned toward them again. He swung his arm to cover his mouth.

“Omma? What are you doing here?” His voice shook as he tried desperately to stay still. “Don’t move, ok? Please, whatever you do, don’t move.”

“Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida!”

Gi-hun ran up to her, grabbing her shoulders and spinning her around so that his body shielded her from view of the doll’s motion camera. He froze again, hands still gripping her by her shoulders. She stared at him blankly, as though her eyes were looking through him.

“Omma?” He quavered. “Omma, say something, please!”

“Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida!”

Gi-hun looked behind him, realising the group was already halfway across the field whilst they still stood at the beginning. He looked up at the timer.

1:02

1:01

Fuck, how was there only a minute left already?

“Omma, we have to move, please, we have to or we’ll die!” He shook her by the shoulders, but she just stared blankly ahead. He froze as he heard the doll’s head turn towards them once more.

“Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida!”

Gi-hun grabbed her hand and pulled her. She moved a few steps, but he couldn’t manage to move her more than a few feet. He stumbled, bracing is leg forward and body doubled over as he froze in place.

“Omma, what are you doing?” He said in a crazed whisper, trying to move his lips as little as possible. “We have to get to the end before the time runs out or they’ll kill us!”

00:46

00:45

Gi-hun stared up at it through his eyelashes, trying to steady his breathing. His leg was killing him. Some of the others had already crossed the line.

“Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida!”

Gi-hun pushed himself up, wrenching his mother forward. He nearly fell over when her legs remained glued to the spot.

Gi-hun roared in frustration. “Omma! What are you doing?! Come on!” He screamed, tugging hard at her sleeve. She just stared ahead, not even acknowledging him.

0:30

0:29

“Oh god. Oh god, please. Omma.” Tears streamed down his face, still holding tight onto his mother’s hand.

“Mugunghwa kkoci pieot seumnida!”

He tried again, dropping to his knees and sobbing into his hands when she didn’t move. He looked up to see the rest of the players had crossed the line, all staring at him blankly though he could hardly make out their faces from so far away.

00:01

00:00

A high-pitched beep rang out as the timer clicked to zero. Gi-hun wailed, throwing himself forward, elbows hitting the sand hard.

A person was approaching his mother from behind. Gi-hun looked up to see In-ho walking up to them.

“In-ho! In-ho, please spare her! Please! Kill me instead! Kill me!” Gi-hun swung his legs underneath him, begging with his palms pressed together above him, bowing his head over and over.

He looked up to see In-ho stop directly behind her, his hand snaking up to fist in her hair. His other hand wrapped slowly around her, a long silver blade held tight in his fingers. It rested on the side of her neck.

“No! No! Please! In-ho please don’t! Kill me instead! Kill me, don’t kill her please!” Gi-hun roared.

In-ho said nothing as he stared down at him, lips curling as he slashed the knife across her throat.

Gi-hun screamed as blood spurted onto him, squeezing his eyes shut. His palms slammed over his eyes, hitting himself in the head repeatedly as he wailed, rocking back and forth in the sand.

“Shh, shh, Gi-hun, it’s ok.”

Gi-hun opened his eyes, and he was kneeling not in the sand, but on In-ho’s bed. Through the blur of his tears he recognised In-ho sitting beside him in his pyjamas, a warm hand gently rubbing circles on his back.

Gi-hun tried to slow his breathing, hot and wet tears still streaming from his eyes. He blinked away the tears and saw him clearer, the man wearing a concerned, soft, comforting expression he had never seen on his face. Gi-hun instantly felt himself calm, focussing on the gentle touch. He took a deep breath, allowing the feeling to wash over him as he exhaled and leaned his head on In-ho’s shoulder. In-ho’s hand slowly rose up, fingers tilting Gi-hun’s chin up to look at him and pressed soft lips against his. Gi-hun melted into the kiss, pulling him closer with a fist around his shirt.

Gi-hun felt a hand tracing down his stomach, and shivered at the touch. It pushed past his waistband, and fingers wrapped around his cock. Gi-hun moaned into the man’s mouth, pressing forward as In-ho stroked him. He felt himself nearing the edge so quickly, breaking the kiss and leaning his head back with mouth hung open.

“Gi-hun?” a familiar voice said. One that hurt just at the mere sound.

Gi-hun’s eyes flew open and he pushed In-ho’s hand away, scrambling from him. Jung-bae was standing by the door.

“Jung-bae! What are you-”

“What are you doing, Gi-hun?” The shorter man looked disgustedly at them. “Is this what I died for? For you to turn into a faggot?” He spat.

“No, no it’s not like that, Jung-bae! I’m not-”

“You’re disgusting. What would your mother think? What would she think if you hadn’t killed her, you selfish prick?”

The words sliced deep into Gi-hun. In-ho watched them silently, blinking innocently.

“No, no I-”

“You’re nothing but a selfish, lowlife, fucking faggot.”

“Stop calling me that!” Gi-hun fumed, the words and anger sounding so foreign from Jung-bae’s mouth. He never even saw the man truly angry in all the time he’d known him.

“You killed your mother didn’t you? Just like you killed me, and Sang-woo, and Sae-beyok-”

“Stop!” Gi-hun yelled.

“-and Ali, and Geum-ja, and Young-sik, and Dae-ho-”

“STOP!” Gi-hun noticed a long, curved blade on the bedside table.

“-and Jun-hee, and Hyung-ju-”

Gi-hun roared in anger, throwing himself off the bed and grabbing the knife. He plunged it into Jung-bae’s side, and the man’s eyes went wide as his breath caught. Gi-hun felt rage course through him unlike he’d ever felt before. He held the handle tight in his fingers, and wrenched the blade across, slicing his belly and gutting him like a pig. Blood gushed out of the huge open wound, dousing his feet in warm liquid. Jung-bae shook violently, breaths shallow and uneven, staring at Gi-hun in frozen shock.

The man fell to the floor with a thud. Gi-hun screamed, the anger boiling him from the core. He turned around to see In-ho still watching him from the bed, expression unchanging. The sight only made his rage double, and he stormed over to him, pushing him hard onto the bed and straddling him. He raised the knife above his head and In-ho shouted in fear, hands shielding his face. Gi-hun drove the knife into his chest, prying it from the bones that lodged it and stabbing him again and again. In-ho coughed and spluttered, eyes impossibly wide as blood began to leak from his mouth. It wasn’t enough. His anger couldn’t be satisfied.

So he stabbed him in the face.

Gi-hun stabbed again, and again, and again, and again, until he could no longer recognise the man underneath him. His body went limp, face a bloodied mess. After the final stab, blood splattered into Gi-hun’s eye. He gritted, wiping his eye on his sleeve. When he opened them again, he froze in horror when he realised the body below him no longer belonged to In-ho. It was Jun-hee. Her face bloodied.

“Oh god, no, no, no what have I done?” He panicked, dropping the knife to the floor with a clatter. He gripped his hair.

“No, no, oh god, oh fuck, FUCK!” He roared, panic rising like an inferno and he stumbled back. He lost balance, falling backwards off the bed and onto the floor.

Pain erupted through him, and he realised he couldn’t breathe. He was screaming, screaming and writhing on the floor.

“Gi-hun! Gi-hun!” A voice said. In-ho’s voice.

He opened his eyes, disoriented. He was on the floor of the guest bedroom, his chest and back aching. He must have fallen out of bed.

In-ho looked scared, kneeling beside him with a hand on his shoulder.

“Gi-hun, are you alright?”

Gi-hun’s heart felt like it was going to explode, pounding in his chest.

“You were screaming, I tried to wake you but you were screaming and writhing around, then you fell out of bed and I-”

Oh shit, he actually did look worried.

Gi-hun dropped his head back to the floor, breathing hard. Tears came at their own accord, and his face contorted. He pressed the heels of his hands to his eyes. He could hear shuffling, then felt a hand close around his upper arm and pulling him upright.

In-ho was sat leaning against the bed, pulling him to sit beside him. He pulled Gi-hun into his embrace, and Gi-hun wrapped his arms around the man, burying his head underneath his chin. He sobbed into the man’s chest, unable to stop himself. He cried for a long time, and In-ho held him tight against his body, chin resting on his head.

Gi-hun’s throat burned, painfully tight and chest aching with each uncontrollable sob. He cried and cried until he seemed to run out of tears.

He cried until the emotion bled away, and there was nothing left but an empty shell.

He cried until he could feel no more.

Eventually, he pushed himself off of In-ho, his face wet. He looked up to see In-ho’s eyes were puffy and glassy. He’d been crying too at some point. Why would he be crying too?

He laid his head back down on the man’s shoulder with a sniff, and the two sat there in silence for a long time. Eventually In-ho stood and asked him to accompany him to the living room for dinner.

Gi-hun refused to get up, his body heavy. It was as though he couldn’t get up.

“Gi-hun, please come and eat with me. You didn’t have lunch today.”

Gi-hun said nothing, slumped against the bed. He didn’t really feel sad, or angry anymore. He didn’t really feel much of anything at all.

In-ho looked at him worriedly. “Gi-hun, please. Please come.”

Gi-hun’s legs slowly swung around, and In-ho grabbed him firmly by the arm, helping him to stand. He swayed on the spot, feeling exhausted and threatening to collapse back onto the bed. In-ho supported him upright, taking them to the dining table in the next room. In-ho sat him in the chair carefully, eyeing him with concern. Gi-hun wasn’t even sure why he went with him, it certainly wasn’t for himself.

In-ho hurriedly placed a large bowl in front of him. Sundubu-jjigae. Gi-hun loved Sundubu, but right now he had never wanted it less.

 

___________________________

 

In-ho placed his own bowl in front of him, pushing the tray aside. Gi-hun was staring into the broth with glazed eyes. He pushed the bowl towards the man, picking up the wooden spoon beside and holding it out to him.

In-ho’s chest flickered with worry. After everything Gi-hun had been through, he’d never been like this. Had it finally been too much for him? Had he finally broken him beyond repair?

Relief simmered his thoughts when Gi-hun slowly took the spoon from him and poked around in the stew. In-ho started until the man finally took a small bite of tofu. He smiled, looking down and starting on his own bowl.

Gi-hun managed to eat three-quarters of his before he pushed it away with a nauseated look on his face. In-ho was satisfied with the amount he ate, though he’d have been much happier if Gi-hun had finished it, but he didn’t press.

“The final dinner party is soon. Do you want to watch?”

Gi-hun didn’t answer, not even looking up at him. In-ho exhaled, leaving him at the table and sitting on the couch. He turned on the TV to the dorms. The players were in the bathrooms, ordered to change into their finalist tuxedos whilst the guards quickly worked to set up a large triangular table that took up a large portion of the centre of the room. It was elegantly laid out, white table cloth, wine glasses, shiny silverware, china plates. He looked behind him to see Gi-hun still staring blankly into the wood table below him.

The players re-entered after a while, dressed in their personalised tuxes and looking around confusedly. They all cautiously took their seats and were soon served a steaming hot steak and vegetables, red wine poured into their glasses. They all looked nauseated, glancing up at each other and looking away when eyes met. Myung-gi was the first to pick up his knife and fork and begin cutting into the steak, the others quickly following after they watched him chew the first bite. In-ho smiled to himself as they quickly gave up their reluctance and shoved large bites into their mouths like starved animals and slurping down glasses of wine as though it was water in a desert.

He glanced behind him again, seeing that Gi-hun’s narrowed eyes were now fixed on the screen. They watched the players eat in silence, all of them focussing on the plate in front of them as though not even daring to look up.

After the table was cleared, all was removed but the steak knives, cleaned off and placed gently in front of the player. They stared down at it for a long time, hands eventually coming up to close around the handle and pull it down under the table or tuck it into their inside pockets. In-ho strongly doubted any of them would actually use these, he counted on it even. This was just how this part of the game was played.

The table was removed, and Hyung-ju, Jun-hee and Myung-gi immediately returned to their respective bunks on each side of the room. No one moved from their position, even after lights-out, though no-one slept either.

A while after lights out, the players eventually began to drift off, all of them still holding onto enough trust in each other to sleep.

A scrape behind In-ho startled him, and he looked back to see Gi-hun get up from the table.

“Going to bed?” In-ho asked.

Gi-hun didn’t acknowledge him, though he made his way towards In-ho’s room, rather than the guest bedroom. He stopped at the door, turning and looking back at In-ho for the first time in hours. His expression was tired and broken, seeming so much older now than he did this morning.

In-ho got the hint and followed him into the room, watching as Gi-hun very slowly and tiredly undressed himself, In-ho having to help him put on his pyjamas. It was strangely intimate, despite all they’d done together. Gi-hun crawled into bed, blinking up at In-ho. In-ho clenched his jaw as he looked down at him, a sadness in his chest he couldn’t get rid of.

He crawled next to the man, shifting so that Gi-hun’s head could rest on his chest and he could swing an arm around him. Gi-hun’s hand rested just above his belly, his leg hooking over his knee with a sigh. In-ho reached for the light, turning it off and listening to the man’s soft breathing. After a few minutes, In-ho realised he could feel the man trembling against him, his breathing growing shaky.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” In-ho asked quietly into the dark.

Gi-hun gave a quiet sob, and In-ho pressed him closer to his body.

“Talk to me, Gi-hun. You haven’t said anything since this morning. I’m worried.”

“I…” Gi-hun’s voice was croaky. “I don’t want to have another nightmare.” He sounded so small, avoiding his eyes.

In-ho rubbed his shoulder soothingly, Gi-hun seeming to tense for a second under the touch. That was something In-ho understood completely, nightmares haunting him most nights since his wife’s passing. His heart ached that this was something he couldn’t help him with.

And that In-ho was probably a big subject in most of Gi-hun’s nightmares.

“You won’t have any more nightmares tonight. And if you do, I’ll wake you as soon as I notice.”

Gi-hun sniffed, and In-ho could feel tears dripping onto his shirt. “Promise me you will.”

In-ho clenched his teeth. Suddenly the man looking up at him in the dark was not Gi-hun, but his baby brother Jun-ho. He used to say the same thing, curled up in his bed after a nightmare so many years ago, when he believed monsters were real and were hiding in his closet. Tears stung at his eyes and his throat tightened.

In-ho’s hand came up to stroke the hair off Gi-hun’s face before he realised what he was doing.

“I promise, Gi-hun. Go to sleep.”

Gi-hun’s head shifted, pushing himself upward. In-ho tilted his head down and felt soft lips press against his. He kissed him back, capturing his bottom lip and sucking gently. They broke apart, and Gi-hun laid back down on his chest.

In-ho held him tight until the man’s breathing quickly became slow and deep, and In-ho drifted off.

**

Gi-hun was still asleep when In-ho awoke the next morning, head no longer resting on his chest but still snuggled into his side, and arm hanging lazily over In-ho’s middle. In-ho shifted himself down so that he was face to face with the sleeping man. He looked peaceful, as though he was finally getting the rest he needed, undisturbed by bad dreams. Their noses were almost touching, and In-ho wanted nothing more than to close that distance, but he didn’t want to wake him. He carefully reached down toward the sheet bunched at their hips and pulled it up to their shoulders, encasing them together.

Gi-hun took a sharp inhale, and his eyes opened slightly. He blinked at In-ho, his eyelids twitching as he searched the face less than an inch from him. Gi-hun leant forward, and In-ho felt butterflies swarm his stomach when their lips met in a soft kiss.

They kissed slowly and gently, their faces slotting together perfectly and lips dancing in a beautiful rhythm. Gi-hun rolled on top of him, too tired to hold himself up and his weight crushing In-ho, but he didn’t care in the slightest. Gi-hun kissed down his jaw to his neck, gently sucking and licking at his pulse point. In-ho exhaled, tilting his head back as adoration flowed through him like sweet honey. The man rolled his hips and In-ho could feel the growing bulge press against his, a surge of bliss radiating from his groin through his body. In-ho gasped, the noise swallowed by Gi-hun’s mouth on his again. He was growing hungrier, lips moving faster against his and tongue teasing his, eagerly tasting him.

Gi-hun broke the kiss, groaning as he stretched over to the bedside table and pulled out the lube from the top drawer. He pulled the sheet over his shoulders again so that only their heads remained outside. In-ho’s erection hardened in his boxers and the man quickly recaptured his lips like the few seconds he was gone was far too long. In-ho felt his pyjama pants and boxers being tugged off, lifting his hips to allow him. Gi-hun kept his mouth on his whilst he shifted under the sheets, and soon In-ho felt a warm pressure against his hole. He opened his eyes to Gi-hun staring down at him, breaking the kiss and panting against his lips.

In-ho nodded, and Gi-hun slowly pushed in, In-ho revelling in the sight of the man’s pupils dilating and his mouth hanging open. Gi-hun stretched him so deliciously, and In-ho’s eyes rolled back the deeper it went, until it was fully seated. Gi-hun stared down at him like he was carved by Michelangelo himself, pausing to allow In-ho to adjust. It burned and stung, mainly because of Gi-hun’s roughness yesterday morning, but the pain only turned him on more. The dull ache a bittersweet reminder of having pleased the man before.

He nodded again, and Gi-hun began to slowly pull out, before pushing back in. He did it over and over agonisingly slowly. Beautifully slowly. All they could manage was shallow, quiet breaths into each other’s mouth, not having enough brain capacity left to even coordinate a kiss. Gi-hun pulled his hips up so that his legs were hooked over his back as he pushed in again, and In-ho moaned loudly as he pressed right into his sweet spot. His nerves tingled with warmth, body growing greedy and desperate to feel it again and again.

Gi-hun fucked him slowly and passionately, rolling his hips expertly into that spot with every carefully calculated thrust, as though he was taking note of every tiny movement that drove In-ho crazy. The man was propped up on his elbows, face barely inches from his. He kept up the slow pace for so long that In-ho began to squirm underneath him, Gi-hun’s belly brushing In-ho’s aching cock with each movement. In-ho grasped at his arms and shoulders absent-mindedly, his thoughts consumed by the feeling.

A sob escaped his mouth, desperate for Gi-hun to move faster and fuck him to completion, but the other part of him loved the slow, sweet, all-consuming torture of Gi-hun fucking him slow and deep.

“Shhh, I know. I know, beautiful.” Gi-hun breathed when another desperate sob left In-ho’s mouth. “I’ve got you. I’ll take care of you.”

In-ho stifled a sob and his arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him down into a sloppy, uncoordinated kiss. Gi-hun sped up ever so slightly, breaking apart for air as he very clearly was trying his best to stay composed as he neared the edge. He hung his head, threw it back, squeezed his eyes shut, as though unsure of what to do with himself as the feeling became overwhelming. It turned In-ho on so much he could hardly bear it.

“You feel… so good.” Gi-hun whimpered. “So tight around me. Squeezing me… So good.”

In-ho moaned, swearing under his breath. Gi-hun pressed his hips harder against him with each thrust, going even deeper. The tip of his cock slammed into his prostate each time, and In-ho’s mouth hung open with wide eyes, the feeling so good he couldn’t even make noise.

“F-Fuck, Gi-hun.” He forced out, his lungs empty of air. “That feels so fucking amazing. You feel so fucking amazing.”

“You like it?”

In-ho groaned, his nerves sizzling to the point where it was almost too much. He could feel his belly tightening as Gi-hun moved in and out of him. “Yes, fuck yes, I love it.” He squeezed his eyes shut. “Oh god, I love it.”

Gi-hun groaned, staring down at him with hooded eyes. “You’re such a good boy, In-ho. You take my cock so well, like you were made for me.”

In-ho moaned openly at the praise, butterflies ravaging his stomach. His own cock twitched and leaked between them.

“Ah, fuck. I can feel you getting close.” Gi-hun grimaced, hips stuttering. “Are you gonna cum for me? Are you gonna be a good boy and cum for me?”

“Fuck! I want it. I want it!” In-ho clawed at his back, Gi-hun still going at a pace so slow he had to fight to keep In-ho’s legs still. It was so good, so overwhelming. He was building towards his release so slowly and so powerfully he was almost scared of how it would feel when he finally reached it.

“I asked you a question, beautiful.”

“Yes! Yes I’ll be a good boy! Please, I want it so fucking bad.” In-ho sobbed.

Gi-hun smiled lazily, thrusting hard and deliberate but still rolling his hips slowly, coaxing his orgasm out of him patiently. In-ho’s lungs were on fire, seemingly unable to breathe with how strong the feeling was. He felt like his brain was melting. He was so close. Part of him didn’t want it to end, but he felt like he would die if he didn’t finish soon.

“Then take it. Cum for me, In-ho.” Gi-hun pushed In-ho’s hips even further upward, fucking into him faster and deeper.

All In-ho could manage was a strangled shout as he came so hard his body nearly shut down, his muscles thrashing under the man’s weight as it struggled to contain the almost ethereal levels of his orgasm. His throat spasmed out a few more strangled moans, his eyes open but unable to see anything. His cock spurted all the way up to his chest.

“Oh, fuck” Gi-hun said loudly, thrusting deep into him and holding his hips painfully hard against him. In-ho could feel the hot spurts of his release inside him, his hole clenching rhythmically with his own orgasm and milking him for every last drop.

Gi-hun shook above him, mouth hanging open and eyes staring unfocused into his. The man’s hips stuttered, moaning obscenely loud with every twitch of his cock. Gi-hun collapsed on top of him, their chests heaving together as they came down from their highs.

After several minutes, In-ho ready to fall back asleep again, Gi-hun pulled out with a soft hiss and his face went blank. He said nothing as he tucked his flaccid cock back into his waistband and pushed himself off the bed. In-ho watched him take a fresh dress shirt, pants and underwear from the closet and leave the room.

In-ho was left lying on the bed, a strange emptiness growing inside him. It felt cold and wet between his legs, now just feeling gross more than anything else. He pulled the sheet tight over him and rolled onto his side, unable to stop the tears that flowed. Gi-hun was still in the bathroom when he eventually left the room, skulking to the guest bedroom ensuite and taking a very long, very hot shower, the water disguising his tears.

The feelings he had for Gi-hun had only exploded since their time in the apartment together. It was as though spending every minute of everyday with him wasn’t enough, and they were standing on opposite sides of a rapidly moving river, In-ho trying to build a bridge over to him with nothing but matchsticks. It killed him that they weren’t something more. They fucked like they loved each other, but the hole in their relationship was still cavernous. Today was the final game, and In-ho knew they wouldn’t be able to keep this up forever.

His skin was bright red by the time he turned off the water.

Gi-hun had already eaten his breakfast, not bothering to take In-ho’s serving off the tray. He wasn’t in the living room, and In-ho looked into the door of his bedroom, seeing Gi-hun now lying down on the bed, fully dressed in a dress shirt and pants and staring up at the ceiling. In-ho sat down at the table. The broth was cold, the rice gluggy in his mouth, the vegetables bitter.

He turned on the music on a low volume, unable to stand the silence any longer. The melodies sounded empty and soulless. He went to the hallway closet and shucked on his Frontman coat, gloves and shoes, leaving his hood down and face maskless. He hid behind the layers like a child under a blanket, but it served as a reminder of his commitment to the Games.

Hours passed, lunch came and Gi-hun ignored it again, and it sat neglected and cold on the table. The time until the final game seemed to stretch into eternity. The players were still sat on their respective bunks, only having left one by one for the bathroom before returning to their bed. Myung-gi attempted to talk to Jun-hee over at her bunk, but she stared ahead like he wasn’t even there. She even played with the steak knife at one point, spinning it slowly in her hands and between her fingers. He wondered whether he’d have to worry about her after all. After all, there was nothing scarier than a mother protecting a child.

In-ho still had no idea why the couple chose to stay. Though he knew Myung-gi’s debt was extremely substantial, thirty billion won was still enough to support a single child. A part of him hated them for it no matter the reason. Maybe if they all left alive there would be a chance Gi-hun would stay with him. But now… Now the option seemed to be blowing further away like paper in the wind.

There was still a while until the final game, knowing the VIPs were probably sitting on their golden leather couches right now sipping champagne and betting on each player’s demise. In-ho felt himself get up, not even really knowing why. His head automatically turned towards his room, only able to see Gi-hun’s legs at the end of the bed. He quietly walked over to the room, stopping at the open door and leaning in.

Gi-hun was awake, blinking up at the roof.

“Gi-hun?” He tried. The man didn’t answer. In-ho exhaled, walking over to the other side of the bed and carefully climbing on. He lay next to him, watching him carefully whilst Gi-hun continued staring ahead of him.

In-ho hesitated, before gently rolling to his side, fitting his body into the man’s side and carefully placing a hand onto his chest.

Gi-hun pushed his hand off, immediately swinging his legs over and leaving the room. In-ho was left lying on the bed alone, hand settled where Gi-hun’s was lying. The sheets were warm, but In-ho felt cold.

In-ho didn’t come out until it was time for the final game. Gi-hun was sitting in his usual spot on the couch, an almost half full glass of whiskey sitting in his hand. In-ho sat next to him, further away so as not to scare him off again, though the man still didn’t acknowledge him, like he wasn't even there. In-ho was grateful for the jazz music that was still softly playing from when he had turned it on earlier, penetrating the silence between him and the man less than a foot to his left.

The pink guards had already gotten the players out of the dorm, and were currently on their way to the red light green light arena where the final game always took place. The squid game. The camera sat on the empty, dusty room, and just like in Gi-hun’s round and even his own, it was raining. Must it always rain during the Squid Game? Maybe it made it more dramatic, more powerful. No matter who played the squid game, no matter how in-tact their moral compass, they always ended up turning into killers. It was the way it always was, and they never really had to encourage them. Fear of death was a driver of this, of course, but the idea of leaving with 45.6 billion won made the fight so much more aggressive. Knives swung and plunged into flesh by people who’d never hurt a fly.

And the final players. Player 120, Hyun-ju. Player 222, Jun-hee. Player 333, Myung-gi. An interesting selection, he had to admit, but by far one of the most interesting ones. Besides Gi-hun’s of course. He thought back to his own game, so many years ago now. How he had been out for blood just like the rest, so desperate to save his wife he did anything in his power to make sure he got out of there alive with that money. That man was the first person In-ho had ever killed, and in such a brutal way, stabbing him over and over until his suit was drenched in blood. It didn’t feel satisfying, it didn’t feel horrible. It just felt like nothing. It felt necessary. Like washing a plate after a meal, or ironing a shirt to wear the next day. In-ho still had most of his winnings, the reason he needed it no longer alive and left to sit in his bank account, each note and coin stained with the blood of four-hundred and fifty-five people who had died for nothing. Maybe he should’ve just given it to his brother and his mother and killed himself like he originally planned to all those years ago.

A change in the TV screen in In-ho’s unfocused gaze brought him back to reality. The camera had switched to a lower quality one in the corner of the hallway leading to the room. A square guard stood by the closed doors, the three players facing each other. Audio played through the speakers.

“Player 120, Player 222, and Player 333.” The voice of the guard said. “Welcome to the final game. Before we begin, there will be a coin toss to decide offence and defence. Two of you will be defence, while the other will be offence.”

The players looked at each other briefly before dropping their gaze once more.

The guard held up a 500 won coin, just like they did when they chose a captain for Battleship. Hyun-ju swallowed.

“Ap or Dwi?”

Nobody spoke.

“Ap or Dwi?”

“Dwi.” Myung-gi said.

The guard flicked the coin high in the hair, trapping it between his hands with a clap. He removed the top hand to reveal the side of the coin depicting a crane.

“Dwi. Player 333, please choose offence or defence.”

Myung-gi’s eyes searched the ground as he thought. He squeezed her eyes shut as though guilty for his choice. “Offence.”

“Player 222 and Player 120, you are the defence.”

Myung-gi and Jun-hee looked up at each other, their expressions unreadable.

The guard turned on his heels, opening the double doors leading to the arena, and the camera switched back to the wide shot. They stepped out into the low-light of the rain. The wall and grids used for Battleships had been removed, replaced with the large court of the squid game. It depicted a geometric squid-like shape consisting of a large square making up most of the space with a triangle on top, like a cartoon drawing of a house. Where the line connecting the two shapes would be instead were two thin rectangles that were nearly connected in the middle, leaving a small gap between. At the end of each rectangle at the bottom two points of the triangle were two small circles. Two larger circles were drawn around the top point of the triangle, and in the middle of the bottom line of the square.

Hyun-ju’s mouth dropped open for a second before she closed it, staring at the floor. Myung-gi looked over at Hyun-ju and over at Jun-hee. Hyun-ju was bigger than he was, highly trained in combat, and likely played squid game as a child. Little girls often did not play squid game back then, and so it was very likely Jun-hee had never played before. In-ho doubted Myung-gi was much of a sporting type, recalling that purple-haired moron saying he was a bitcoin trader and Youtuber, but he seemed to hold his own fairly well.

The square guard led them towards the court, speaking as he went.

“The sixth and final game is squid game. Allow me to explain three simple rules. One: the attacker must enter the squid grid, run past the defenders and tap their foot on the squid’s head to win. Two, the defenders must push the attacker out of the grid to win. Three, if by any chance two players are unable to proceed with the game, the last one standing wins. The attacker begins in the circle at the squid's head; house one. They will hop on one foot to either circle on the squid’s neck. Once there, they must hop across the neck to the other circle, where they can then use both feet. Next, the attacker makes their way around to the bottom circle, called the gate. From here, the attacker must cross the court by any means necessary to return to house one. If the attacker is pushed over any of the outside lines by the defender, they are eliminated. If the attacker manages to reach house one, all defenders are eliminated. If the defenders win, the game will be repeated with one offence and one defence until a single winner is crowned. Any questions?”

Jun-hee, Hyun-ju and Myung-gi took one last look at each other, before turning towards their respective areas. Their eyes were blank and soulless, as though they had no more fear to give. Myung-gi stepped into the circle around the top-most point of the triangle; house one, whilst Jun-hee and Hyun-jui stood a few feet apart in the main square. Myung-gi removed his suit jacket, throwing it far out of the grid. Hyun-ju said something to Jun-hee, too quiet for them to hear. Though by the hand gestures, it was likely she was telling her to hang back. The guard stepped well out of the court, standing with his hands behind his back.

“Begin.”

By this time, their suits and hair were already drenched, no other noise apart from the soft noise of the rain against the sand. It was calming, oddly enough.

Myung-gi stared at them, breathing heavily for a long time before he finally turned, hopping on one foot along the outside of the triangle to the next circle. In the circle, he’d be safe, but as soon as he left to get across to the next circle, Jun-hee and Hyun-ju would be able to try and block him. Hyun-ju circled him, Jun-hee hanging back, looking nervous. They stared at each other, the innate hatred in them rising and beginning to show in their eyes. Myung-gi made a run for it, met with the force of Hyun-ju. She quite easily managed to shoulder barge him, pushing him back several feet, shoes struggling for grip in the loose sand. He managed to regain his footing, meeting her with equal force and shoving her back, allowing him enough time to get to the opposite circle just before she was able to reach him again.

“Secret inspector.” He muttered, and Hyun-ju glared, fingers curling into fists.

They watched as he walked slowly down along the outside of the squid to the bottom circle, where the true game would begin. In-ho found it satisfying when two players who previously helped each other as part of a team were forced against each other. At one point or another, they always dissolved into hatred and aggression. It was human nature.

They never took their eyes off each other, anger bleeding from their expressions as they readied themselves. Myung-gi’s hand creeped towards his pocket, pulling out the steak knife. Hyun-ju straightened, disbelief flashing across her features before she too pulled a knife from her pocket. Jun-hee’s breathing sped up, taking a couple slow steps backwards subconsciously.

The rain drenched their clothes, hair clinging to their faces and dripping into their eyes. The water ran down their hands and over the serrated blade, making it shine threateningly in the low light.

In-ho could see Gi-hun in his peripheral vision, expression unwavering. His fingers were playing with the thick scar on his palm and the back of his hand, where Sang-woo had plunged the same knife three years prior. Brutal, sure, but far from the worst In-ho had seen in that very room.

__________________________

 

Gi-hun didn’t have it in him anymore to even feel fear for the players on the screen in front of him. They stood, staring at each other like street dogs from rival packs, just waiting for one to make the first move. At the very least Hyun-ju was protecting Jun-hee, but if she failed, would Myung-gi be willing to give up the fight for her? And if the defenders won, would Hyun-ju let her win the next round?

Gi-hun was hyper-aware of In-ho’s presence next to him. The man had been trying to get close to him all day, but Gi-hun was angry. Angry that the games were continuing, angry that Jun-hee was a part of it, angry that he was in this situation. The anger sat in the void of his body like a hot stone, glowing a soft red into the blackness.

The sex they had this morning was slow, raw and passionate. When their bodies were tangled together Gi-hun never wanted it to end. He felt so full, so vulnerable, so loved. But as soon as he came, the emptiness would return, sinking back into the inky depths.

Myung-gi ran at Hyun-ju, and she held her ground with the knife at the ready. He slashed at her, barely missing her chest as she dodged and grabbed the back of his arm. She twisted it behind him and shoved him to the floor. He scrambled out of the way, pushing himself up as fast as possible. He narrowly dodged a slash in his direction, taking the opportunity to launch himself onto her, grabbing her around the middle with enough force to knock them over onto the floor. Her knife skidded and rolled across the ground. Jun-hee watched on in fear as Myung-gi straddled her and attempted to plunge the knife into her throat. She held his forearms back, both of them shaking and gritting with the effort. She rolled to the side and he drove the knife hard into the floor. In his attempt to pull it out, she managed to overpower him, pushing the man off her and punching him hard in the face.

Hyun-ju walked up to where he lay, jacket askew and covered in wet sand, panting heavily. She reached down and grabbed him by the back of the collar, dragging him towards the edge of the grid. He shouted and struggled, grabbing blindly at her forearm above his head. Hyun-ju didn’t realise she pulled him across the path where her neglected knife lay. He spotted it, lunging for it and plunging it into her calf. She dropped him only a foot from the edge of the square, crying out and falling back onto the floor clutching her leg. She pulled the knife from her calf, the blood oozing out against the black pants. Myung-gi appeared above her, punching her hard in the jaw. She flew back against the sand, and he kicked her in the stomach, crying out with the effort of each blow. She grabbed his ankle on his next kick and he fell backwards.

Dazed, Hyun-ju gripped the knife in her hands, stumbling towards him. She tried to stab him, but he grabbed her arm, the knife cutting deep into the back of his arm. He kicked her in the injured leg and she dropped the knife in a flash of pain. Myung-gi managed to get up, grabbing the knife. Hyun-ju blocked his wild stab towards her, the tip of the knife cutting below her collar. They wrestled against each other's strength with loud grunts and gritted teeth, until she managed to push him back and swing a closed fist at his face. In his disorientation she pulled the knife from his grip and drove it into his side. He screamed, stumbling back and holding onto the handle sticking out of him, the blood seeping into his rain-soaked shirt.

Gi-hun felt nothing as he watched this. A part of him was unsure if he’d ever feel anything again. He was tired of caring. It cost him so much, it was easier just to let it happen. To stop trying.

It dawned on him that In-ho probably thought he had finally won. And in a way he had. But In-ho did not have all the power he thought he did. Gi-hun wanted to show him that.

Gi-hun turned his head to look at In-ho. The man was quite engrossed in the screen, hearing the whimpers of Myung-gi as he stumbled away from Hyun-ju. Gi-hun reached out and tugged on his collar, and the man’s head snapped towards him with wide eyes as though shocked Gi-hun was interacting with him. He stared at him, confused.

Gi-hun pulled his collar gently, and In-ho shifted towards him. He pulled his collar down towards the floor in front of the couch, using his other hand to tug at his sleeve and guide him onto his knees in front of him. In-ho obeyed with a puzzled look on his face, kneeling on the floor. Gi-hun spread his legs, using his foot to guide In-ho to shuffle forward between them.

He reached out, grasping In-ho’s chin between his finger and thumb before dragging a thumb across his lips. They were soft and damp, feeling his hot breath against his fingers. Gi-hun felt himself hardening in his pants, feeling a thrill at the idea of controlling him. Of having The Frontman himself suck him off during the finale of his own game, dressed in his little uniform and completely at his mercy. Gi-hun’s hands slowly retracted to undo his belt, staring into his eyes. In-ho still looked confused, but Gi-hun could see his pupils expanding. He suppressed a smirk at this.

He pulled his erection out of his pants, stroking it slowly. In-ho watched his hand moving, his lips parting slightly. Gi-hun reached out, cupping the man’s cheek. He pulled In-ho towards him, and the man instantly wrapped his lips around him without hesitation, like he was hungry for it. The wet heat instantly enveloped him all the way to the base, giving him a hard suck and bobbing his head up and down.

Gi-hun’s head fell back with a long exhale. He spread his legs wider, leaning back into the cushions and stretching an arm over the back of the couch, his other hand snaking into his hair.

A shout from the screen brought Gi-hun’s attention back, and he watched as Myung-gi managed to slice across Hyun-ju’s shoulder with the bloodsoaked knife he had pulled from his stomach. His hand was drenched in blood, the rain struggling to wash the growing stain of blood on his white shirt. Myung-gi clutched his wound in his hand, and Jun-hee ran forward, only to be pushed back roughly by Myung-gi. He yelled for her to stay away. A bit useless coming from him, because if he managed to kill Hyun-ju, unless Myung-gi gave his life for her, she’d be dead anyway. Maybe he would, Gi-hun wasn’t sure, but the man did seem like a bit of a coward.

In-ho swirled his tongue around him, holding his head all the way down to nestle his nose in his pubes and lap at the base of his shaft. Gi-hun cut off a groan, trying to stay silent, not wanting In-ho to feel anything other than like an object used for his pleasure. He played with In-ho’s hair, feeling the soft locks between his fingers and inspecting them. The man gave a hard suck and licked at his tip, causing his fist to tighten in his hair and make In-ho groan around him, the vibrations heavenly.

Myung-gi and Hyun-ju slashed and dodged at each other, managing to get a few deep cuts into each other’s arms and chest. Myung-gi stabbed her hard in the arm, the knife driving all the way to the hilt before he ripped it out again. She screamed in agony, clutching at it as her black jacket began to seep red alarmingly quickly.

In-ho was beginning to grow impatient with Gi-hun’s lack of vocalisations, seeming to make it his life’s goal to make it feel as amazing as it possibly could, almost out of spite. Gi-hun didn’t give him any satisfaction for his work, even as In-ho relaxed his throat and pushed him past his tonsils, gagging around him. Gi-hun continued to pet at his hair, clenching his teeth so hard they could break. He used every cell in his body to stay composed, focussing on the screen as In-ho massaged the head of his cock with his throat.

Hyun-ju threw herself at Myung-gi, the force causing both of them to drop their knives as they fell to the floor. His head was just above the outside line. Hyun-ju laid heavy blows to his face, his fighting back beginning to become weaker as he lay there taking the punches. Jun-hee put her hands over her face, screaming for them to stop.

Hyun-ju’s eyes were red, teeth gnashed and breathing hard. She slowly rose to her feet, limping over to one of the steak knives that lay bloodsoaked in the sand. She grunted as she bent down to pick it up.

Gi-hun could feel his belly tightening, the pleasure consuming him. His fist tightened again, holding the man’s head in place as he began thrusting his hips into the tight, wet, gorgeous heat around him. In-ho struggled for a second, before giving in and relaxing, allowing Gi-hun to fuck the back of his throat. He choked and gagged, making obscene noises as tears began to flow from his eyes and nose. Gi-hun gritted his teeth to stop himself moaning, feeling himself building. It felt so fucking good. His throat was so tight around the head of his cock, and he was so close. It took just as much power to stop himself from pinning In-ho down against the floor and fucking his mouth as hard as he could until he pumped cum directly into his stomach.

Hyun-ju limped towards Myung-gi, her chest heaving and grunting with each breath. Though the rain was drenching her, Gi-hun could tell she was crying. Myung-gi stared up at her tiredly, face bloodied and bruised. He closed his eyes as she held the knife high above her head in both hands.

Gi-hun gripped In-ho’s hair hard enough to hurt, thrusts growing merciless. In-ho’s nails dug into his thighs, hurting even through his dress pants.

Hyun-ju screamed as she used all the weight to throw her arms down.

“NOO!” Jun-hee gave a blood-curdling scream, and launched herself onto Myung-gi’s body. Hyun-ju was unable to stop the force behind her heavy swing, and the knife plunged into her upper chest.

Jun-hee froze, eyes wide with fear.

Hyun-ju let go of the knife, mouth hanging open and bottom lip quivering, stunned at what she had just done. She stepped back slowly, and Gi-hun realised Hyun-ju also had a knife sticking out of her stomach.

“Jun… Jun-hee… No…” Myung-gi struggled.

Jun-hee began to roll to her side, blood flowing from the wound.

“NO! No Jun-hee wait!” Hyun-ju coughed, but Jun-hee rolled off of Myung-gi and over the line of the edge of the squid.

The square guard stepped forward, pulling his gun out of its holster. He stepped up to her and raised it.

“NO! NO! JUN-HEE!” Hyun-ju’s screams were cut off by a deafening gunshot.

Gi-hun held In-ho’s head hard against his pelvis, staring at the screen as his pleasure peaked, pumping his release down In-ho’s throat. The man clawed at his thighs, whimpering and moaning as he was forced to swallow around Gi-hun. Gi-hun growled low in his throat, riding out his high to the blood-curdling wails of Hyun-ju dropping to her knees and tearing at her hair, she fell forward onto her hand, the other holding the knife sticking out of her belly. He released In-ho’s head, and the man fell back onto his feet, face red and covered in spit, snot and tears, clutching his throat and gasping for breath.

In-ho turned around to look at the TV, wiping at the tears that clouded his vision. Jun-hee’s body lay limp outside the line.

“Player 222, eliminated.”

Myung-gi rolled onto his side with a grunt, muscles shaking as he pushed himself into standing. The room was filled with Hyun-ju’s broken, strained cries and Myung-gi began to shuffle over to Jun-hee, tears flowing from his eyes.

His feet began to cross the line, when he was suddenly pulled back hard by Hyun-ju. She threw him back into the square, tearing the knife out of her own stomach and holding it up to her throat.

Myung-gi’s eyes widened, reaching an arm out to her in an attempt to grab her arm.

She sliced across her throat, blood spraying onto Myung-gi’s face. He blinked in shock, and the blood poured out onto her white collar, her eyes wide and unblinking. She dropped to her knees, gargling and clawing at her throat. She fell onto her face, and a pool of scarlet quickly began to surround her, soaking into the wet sand. Myung-gi stood in shock.

“Player 120, eliminated.”

Gi-hun did up his fly and his belt, standing. He shook images of Sang-woo from his mind, choking on the blood filling his throat as his eyes went blank.

“Congratulations Player 333. You are the winner.” The female announcer’s voice echoed in muffled ears. He picked up a black suit jacket and pulled it over his arms. The shuffling noises distracted In-ho from the screen.

“Where are you going?” In-ho coughed, his voice coming out croaky.

Gi-hun’s chest tightened. He had drifted so far from himself he feared he wouldn’t even recognise his own reflection in a mirror. He needed to get out now, otherwise he feared that reflection would never be his again. He had done things his past self would never forgive him for. He had become just like them.

“I need you to call a boat to take me back to Seoul.” He said, voice flat.

In-ho said nothing, his jaw working. Gi-hun could see a hint of a glisten in his eyes. They stared at each other for a few seconds, before In-ho nodded.

“Very well. If that’s what you want.”

“And once I’m there, I never want you to contact me again. I don’t want to be followed, I don’t want to be tracked. Just leave me alone.”

In-ho gave a quiet, shaky breath, holding his hands in fists. “Very well.”

Gi-hun crossed into the bedroom, taking a pair of shoes and sitting on the bed to put them on. He could hear In-ho talking on the phone outside.

Gi-hun left the room to see the man standing in the middle, staring at him. In-ho walked hesitantly over to him, searching his face until his gaze landed on his lips. In-ho’s hand came up to gently stroke his cheek. An ache squeezed in Gi-hun’s chest, and he pushed the hand away. In-ho looked hurt, his eyes glistening.

“Your boat will be here by the time we get down to the port.”

Gi-hun nodded, and turned away from him, making his way to the elevator.

Notes:

I know you guys are probably going to be upset with this chapter, I sincerely apologise. But this is not the last chapter. Thank you guys for the support on the last one and helping me to hit 20k hits and 1k kudos!!! That's insane!! Hope you enjoyed this one and as always let me know your thoughts.

Stay safe everyone <3

Chapter 10: The Green Bench by the River

Summary:

Gi-hun moves back to Seoul alone. He struggles in his new life after everything he's been through, but also makes an unlikely friend.

Notes:

Thank you so much for your patience, I wanted to release chapter 10 and 11 together since they are both within the same area of the story. Hope you enjoy!
And yes, I've changed my username to PigeonChaser3, previously known as Justabiddafun

CW: This chapter contains mentions of depression and related factors, as well as suicidal ideations.

ONE YEAR LATER

The weather was nice this time of the afternoon, just as the sun began to set over the river, bathing the water in white, yellow, and orange light. It was just as nice yesterday. And the day before. Gi-hun would sit at the same green park bench overlooking the water at the same time every day, even when it was freezing cold or scorching hot, rain, sun, or snow. He hadn’t missed a single day since he started almost a year ago.

When he returned to Seoul, Gi-hun couldn’t bear the thought of moving back to Ssangmun-dong. Any reminder of his old life before the games, before… that man… brought him so much pain he didn’t last more than a couple weeks. Only having been missing for about a week, the hotel he had lived in was still the same. He honestly thought that the others would come sniffing for the cash, though hardly anyone knew it was there, all sitting on the table just behind one of the doors. Gi-hun had walked quietly through the corridors, finding his key in his jacket pocket that had been returned to him on the boat, along with his phone and other clothes. He unlocked the door, pushing it open to see the cash untouched in their neat piles.

So he moved away, to the opposite side of the city. He always said one day he’d live in a rich district like Gangnam or one of those upscale, nice neighbourhoods like Seongbuk-dong, but now the idea left a bitter taste in his mouth. So he rented a small apartment in Mangwon-dong in Mapo-gu in the West of Seoul, just north of the river. It was fairly similar to Ssangmun-dong as far as the neighbourhood went, it was pretty quiet for the most part, and there was plenty to do. Though Gi-hun didn’t do much. He occasionally went to the market, but the crowds would sometimes stress him. A lot of young people lived in and visited Mangwon-dong, so there were lots of overly expensive cafes and restaurants and shops to go to.

Gi-hun mainly liked to walk around. Staying in his apartment meant his thoughts were allowed to run wild, his mind free to show him memories he would rather forget. So he would spend many days just walking around for hours on end, even venturing out into other parts of Seoul hours away from his home. At least outside there were things to look at, things to distract him.

But no matter how far away he ventured, he always managed to return in time to sit on his park bench. If it was taken, he’d simply just stand in front of them, hands in his pockets until they felt awkward enough to move, and he’d sit. But the locals knew to keep it free when the sun began to dip towards the horizon, knowing that he’d always show up to watch its descent.Then, a while after it had gotten fully dark, he’d trek the seven minute walk back to his apartment, and up the spiral stairs to the third floor. The streets were quiet after dark, listening to the crickets or the cicadas in the summer, and the distant traffic and sirens of the city. His apartment wasn’t all that big, but there was enough space in the main room for a two-seater couch, a TV and a small kitchen with a washing machine, and it had a bedroom just large enough for a small double bed, and a bathroom. The main room also had a large window with an old air-conditioning unit, which looked down into the street below. It was smaller than his mother’s apartment, but it was more than enough space considering he didn’t spend much time in it. He quite liked it, it was cozy and he liked opening the big window as wide as it would go, listening to the sounds below and watching the sheer white curtains flutter in the breeze. Perhaps he should spend longer inside, by the state of the mess.

He never really used the kitchen apart, usually eating leftovers from dinner for breakfast and then either skipping meals or eating out somewhere. He wasn’t even sure he’d ever actually opened the oven door before. There was a place down the street that did really nice Godeungeo-gui. It tasted like the one his mother used to make for him.

Though as much as he tried to run away from his thoughts, trekking endlessly through the city, not a single day could go past where he didn’t think of In-ho. He tried drinking, but that only seemed to make it worse. He tried getting a job, thinking that keeping busy would keep his mind occupied, but that didn’t work either. The routine of a job was hard for him to keep. Gi-hun felt as if he had no purpose in the world anymore. He didn’t need money, so he didn’t need to work. He’d seen so many horrific things, the nightmares that kept him up every night made him sluggish and slow like a zombie.

He started getting panic attacks more frequently than he used to. A door slamming would be accompanied by the vision of Jung-bae getting shot in the chest. A spill of beetroot juice at the market caused him to hallucinate a crumpled body, green sweatsuit drenched in blood.

Generally, Gi-hun would go unnoticed, apart from the fact many of the locals had noticed his habit of sitting at the same park bench at the same time everyday for an entire year. People would sometimes say hello to him as they passed, and he’d say hello back, but no one ever stopped to talk. Nobody knew the strange man by the river was worth several billion won. A few hellos was the only interaction he had with other people since he moved to the neighbourhood, apart from the few seconds of interaction with market vendors and wait staff.

Until one afternoon, about a month ago, when a girl approached him at his usual spot at the river. She was holding several notebooks to her chest, ones that clearly didn’t fit in her tote bag after she’d stuffed her jacket in there. She stood at the end of the green bench, staring at Gi-hun for too long for him to keep ignoring her.

“Why do you always sit here every night?” She said to him.

“Excuse me?” Gi-hun looked shocked at the slight rudeness, equally as shocked that someone was talking to him.

“I see you every time I come home from university. I thought it was just a coincidence, but then I saw you other nights as well, going out with my friends.”

“Why are you watching me?”

“I’m not watching you, I just noticed.”

She had sat down next to him, her tote bag making an obnoxiously loud bang on the bench indicating that she had some sort of overly large metal drink bottle. He glared at her, eyes trailing down to her bag, which had far too many keychains on it, Hello Kitty, some purple blobby looking character, a crocheted cat, a miniature bubble tea. She had hair down to her shoulders, and was quite pretty, with large eyes and long eyelashes, light pink lip gloss.

And from that moment, that same girl joined him at the green bench several times a week. Her name was Ji Eun-ae, she was 19, and studied design at Hongik University in the same district. She moved to Seoul alone from Inje-gun in the North East of South Korea, and now lived with two roommates in a tiny apartment down the street from Gi-hun.

At first, Gi-hun was quite irritated by her. She said what she thought without any filter between her brain and her mouth, she was quite pushy and invasive, but Gi-hun could also tell she was very bright. Over time, Gi-hun actually grew to like her company, and even looked forward to seeing her every other night. He had no idea why she would sit with him, and would often ask her.

“Why do you want to come and talk to some random old man all the time? Don’t you have friends that are more interesting to talk to?”

“I told you, I don’t know. I like talking to you. And you’re here all the time. Besides, you’re not that old, you’re like what, 57?”

”Wow, thanks. I’m 51.”

They would talk most of the time he was there, mostly about her life. Eun-ae insisted they talk more about his life, but he was reluctant to share more than a few details. They’d talk until the daylight began to dim, and she’d bid him goodbye, grab her things and walk home. If it got too dark and they were still talking, Gi-hun would walk her home.

Today, Gi-hun had run a few errands, picking up some food and a few other things he needed like laundry detergent and shampoo, then spent the rest of the day walking around the district of Seodaemun. At quarter to six, he made his way down the river until he reached his usual spot. It only took about 15 minutes until he heard the familiar voice beside him.

“Hi Mr Seong! How was your day?” She bowed to him and threw her tote bag down with its usual metallic bang and sat beside him.

He couldn’t help but smile as he saw her as he nodded his head in response. She made him miss his daughter so much it hurt. “It was good, Eun-ae, how was uni?”

“Meh, same old. Got a thousand assignments as usual.”

“Well, shouldn’t you be at home doing them?”

She shrugged with a smile. “It’s more interesting talking to you. They’ll get done eventually.”

“Your assignments must be pretty boring if I’m more interesting.”

She laughed.

“Oh, I brought you something!” She pulled out a plastic container full of little dark orange, flower-shaped cookies. “My friend made so much Yakgwa we can’t eat it all, so this is for you.”

“Why for me?”

“Because you’re too skinny.” She gestured to his belly and he looked down, pulling his jacket over himself. “My omma would freak out if I was that skinny, so you should eat all of these before they go bad.”

He took the container, inspecting them and feeling a warmth in his chest he hadn’t for a long time. “Thanks.”

“That’s ok, but I want that container back when you’re done.”

He chuckled, looking up at her and falling silent.

“What’s wrong?” She cocked her head.

“Nothing it’s just…” He looked up at her hair, in a perfect braid nestled at the back of her head. “I used to do my daughter's hair like that before school. She’d always beg me to, she liked the way I did them.”

Eun-ae’s eyes widened. “You have a daughter?! Since when?”

Gi-hun looked down at his lap. “She moved to America with her mother about four years ago. I haven’t talked to her since then. I miss her very much, she’d be 14 now.”

“Why haven’t you spoken to her if you miss her?”

“It’s very complicated. I wish I had been more of a good appa when she was here. I loved spending time with her, and I loved her more than anything. But I was just… selfish.”

“If you loved spending time with her, I’m sure she could see that.”

“I hope so.”

“Do you think you’ll see her again someday?”

He exhaled, staring out at the orange and pink sky.

“I hope so.”

Very slowly, Gi-hun began opening up to her. It took him quite a long time, but it was the first time Gi-hun had talked to anyone since he left the island. The first time he said any of his thoughts aloud, the ones that swirled around in the dark when he tried to sleep at night. She was actually quite funny too, even if sometimes it was unintentional. The first time he laughed the noise sounded foreign in his ears, like smelling a smell from your childhood.

By a few weeks later, he had told her about his daughter, his ex-wife, his gambling addiction that started it all. He told her about the death of his best friend, though he was much more vague about the details. She told him about her father’s death, her wish to earn money in a good job to help her mother and four younger siblings. She came from a small farm close to Inje-gun, and sold fruit, vegetables, milk and other things at the market in town, though they barely made enough to get by. Gi-hun felt guilty when she told him this, knowing that he was sitting on a fortune she had no idea about. She worked as a waitress at a small cafe close by, and occasionally Gi-hun would visit to buy a coffee of a morning.

The one thing he never told her about - besides anything to do with the games - was In-ho. It was one subject he couldn’t even bear to think about, let alone tell someone about him. And what would he even say? Their relationship was so destructive, so poisonous, one that they both needed to stay far far away from yet the mere thought of him brought an ache to Gi-hun's chest.

Talking to Eun-ae made him feel better. But he wasn’t so sure talking about In-ho would help at all. But lately the thoughts had been cutting him so deep he couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat. He cried almost every night, lying in bed until 3am when sleep still hadn’t come and the exhaustion sent him into a spiral. He had even started walking at night too, through the empty streets and by the river, hoping the faint lapping of the water would drown the volume of his mind.

He also thought about Myung-gi, vaguely wondering what he was doing now. Did he take his child, Eun-shin, with him, wherever he was? And if he didn’t, where was he? He hoped wherever Eun-shin was he would be growing up loved, fed, sheltered and happy. He wondered if In-ho knew, or if he thought the same thing. He knew he cared for that child, he saw it in his face that night he held Eun-shin in his arms, instantly protective over a baby that wasn’t remotely his. Gi-hun never in a million years would have picked Myung-gi as the winner, would have much rather seen his dead body in place of Jun-hee’s. But then again, if he was able to choose who won and who didn’t, wouldn’t that make him just as evil?

Eventually it got harder and harder to get out of bed. His apartment was a mess, and his lack of eating combined with his endless walking made him skinny and gaunt, his clothes starting to hang off him. He kept forgetting to do the washing, just picking up something he had already worn off the floor and putting it on. He knew he smelled, but he struggled to find a reason to care. He always showed up at the green bench at the same time everyday, however.

Gi-hun could tell Eun-ae had noticed this change, but she seemed too nervous to say anything. She was beginning to bring him containers of food more often, even meals. He declined a lot of it, guilty for taking a broke university student’s food when he had enough money to buy a chain of restaurants. But she always insisted, always saying her roommate “made too much” and they “couldn’t eat it all before it went bad”. So he took it, knowing it wasn’t true because it made her happy, and he liked seeing her happy. He would take it home, eat it, and return the container to her next time she saw him, telling her it was delicious but not to bring anymore. She always did.

Then one day, for the first time in over a year, Gi-hun didn’t show up to his spot on the bench.

Instead he lay in bed, his sheets tangled and smelling of musky sweat, staring up at the ceiling. He had been there since this morning, not having slept at all the night before and not caring enough to move. The next day, he left his apartment for the first time at 5:30pm, making the seven minute walk down to the river. When he got there, Eun-ae was already there. She had never been there before him.

As he approached the bench, she turned around at the sound of footsteps. She lept up at the sight of him, and threw her arms around him. He stumbled back slightly in shock, a vague embarrassment at the back of his mind knowing he must smell.

“Mr Seong! You’re ok!”

He patted her on the back, pulling her gently off him by her shoulder.

“Of course I am ok.”

“You didn’t show up yesterday! You always show up!”

He said nothing, taking his usual spot. She sat next to him, and he could feel her stare.

“Mr Seong, please tell me what’s wrong. I know something’s wrong, you’ve been getting skinner, and your clothes are all stained. Are you sick?”

He looked down at his lap, feeling his throat tighten. “No, no I’m not sick. I’m ok.”

“Then what’s wrong? And don’t lie and say nothing.”

He could feel tears burning at his eyes, and turned away, embarrassed. “I… I don’t want to talk about it.”

“It’s ok Mr Seong, you can tell me, I-”

“I don’t want to talk about it! Ok?! Just drop it!” He snapped at her, feeling a tear run down his cheek. He wiped it away as soon as he noticed.

She looked stunned, and slightly hurt. Gi-hun felt guilt drop onto him like an anvil, and hated himself even more.

“I… I have to go.” Gi-hun said, getting up and walking away as fast as he possibly could without running.

“Mr Seong, wait!” He heard her call, but he didn’t turn around. She didn’t follow.

Gi-hun went straight back to his apartment and slammed the door, falling onto his couch and sobbing until the sun had disappeared from the sky and he was left in the pitch black room. He wanted the pain to go away, for his thoughts to just leave him alone. He wished he had never met In-ho, or that In-ho had just killed him when he got the chance. Before he fell in love with him, even though he betrayed him over and over. The band-aid had been ripped off violently, revealing the deep, oozing gash beneath. Sleep eventually claimed him out of pure exhaustion.

He awoke the next morning, the sun having just risen. His head was pounding, his muscles sore from sleeping on the couch and his mouth dry. He pushed himself up with a grunt, nearly tripping on a pile of clothes on the floor and making his way over to the kitchen sink, tipping his head and drinking out of the tap for almost a minute. His stomach contorted with hunger, and he realised he hadn’t eaten for two days. He turned to the fridge, opening it to a dismally empty space, apart from a few types of sauces that were quickly drying up, a bowl of leftover steamed veggies that had gone brown and slimy, and a gimbap roll that you’d have to pray before eating it for it not to kill you. He closed it again, checking the cupboards. Moldy bread and a singular packet of Shin Ramyun. He took the packet and a small pot to boil the water. Gi-hun cleared out all the old food into a trash bag, leaving his cupboards and fridge virtually empty. He cleared out all the takeout boxes and other trash off the table, floor and couch, then took the bag out to the dumpster. He stripped the sheets off his bed, picked up his clothes off the floor, took his own off and washed them. A glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror caught his eye, wearing nothing but his boxers. His ribs were showing, his pelvic bone beginning the stick out and muscles looking sinewy. The waistband of his boxers were loose, barely hanging on his hips.

Gi-hun felt slightly better having cleaned his apartment, but the relief was short-lived when he found himself standing in the middle of the room, the thoughts returning. With every article of clothing he owned currently drying on the clothes rack and on the ledge of the open window, he couldn’t leave his apartment until mid afternoon. He swiped his keys off the kitchen counter and went to the market, buying some groceries and other necessities. He caught the bus back to his apartment, now holding a fair amount of bags, and the bus dropped him off near the river. The sun beginning to set, he saw Eun-ae sitting on his usual bench, staring out at the water. The guilt rose again, and he hurried down the next street.

He wasn’t even sure why he was avoiding her, he had no reason to, and he knew she wouldn’t be mad at him. But he knew he owed her an explanation, and he was still too scared to give one.

So he didn’t go to the bench for a week. He didn’t visit her at the coffee shop. In fact, he just avoided Mangwon-dong altogether, taking his walks in another district if he wasn’t sitting in his apartment.

He did a pretty good job at avoiding her, until a week later, when he heard a knock at his door. He had not long been home, having got Doenjang-jjigae from a place down the street for dinner and brought it back home in a takeaway container and a bottle of Soju. He rolled his eyes, having just sat down and taken the lid off the thing, and got up to answer it.

Gi-hun froze when the person standing on the other side was Eun-ae, looking a bit sheepish.

“Eun-ae? What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here? I thought you were dead! You haven’t come to the river in a week. Why have you been ignoring me?” She looked hurt.

Gi-hun softened, unable to meet her eye. “Do you want to come in?”

“Ok!” She smiled, walking straight past him into the apartment. He shook his head, suppressing a smirk.

“Oooh, is that Doenjang?” She looked down at the steaming hot plastic bowl and sunk onto the old black, leather couch.

Make yourself at home. he thought.

“Yes. I have an extra serving, do you want it?”

“Who’s it for?”

“I usually buy two servings and put one in the fridge to have tomorrow.”

She held her hands up politely. “Oh, no, no it’s ok. You have it.” Her stomach growled loudly, and she looked up at him, embarrassed.

He exhaled a laugh, and fished the other portion out of the plastic bag on the counter. “Please, I insist. I owe you an apology. Please eat with me.”

“Ok.” She said shyly, and he put down the bowl in front of her, picking up his own and sitting down on the couch.

“How do you even know where I live?” Gi-hun cocked an eyebrow, mouth full of food.

Eun-ae looked embarrassed for a second, mumbling something.

“What?”

“I followed you…” She said into the bowl. “I… knew you lived somewhere down the street from me, and I saw you walking just now, so I followed you back here.”

Gi-hun pursed his lips in disapproval, the idea of it bringing back bad memories. “Why do you care so much?”

“Because you’re my friend, aren’t you?” She said, and she sounded so much like a child it felt like a punch to the gut.

He softened, guilty again for snapping. “Yes, yes of course we’re friends, Eun-ae.”

There was a few seconds of silence, filled with the awkward slurping of their meals.

“I wanted to say sorry for snapping at you last week, and avoiding you. It was shitty of me to do that.” Gi-hun said awkwardly.

“It’s ok, I should apologise too, it’s none of my business and I shouldn’t have been so pushy. I’m just worried about you.

“No, no that’s ok. You don’t need to apologise. I really appreciate that you care.”

She looked around at the small apartment, which was still in a considerable mess apart from the freshly washed clothes. “You were telling the truth when you said you moved here alone?”

“Yes.”

“You don’t even talk to anyone on the phone from Ssangmun-Dong?”

“No… I haven’t really talked much at all, not for a long time. But I told you, it’s very complicated.”

“I’m sure I would understand.”

Gi-hun poked around in the broth “I know you would. But it really is very complicated, all of it. There’s no one really left anyways, they’re all dead.”

Eun-ae’s brows twitched in interest for a second. “Oh… I’m sorry… Wait, were you like… In a gang? Or a drug ring?”

Gi-hun laughed. “No, nothing like that.”

She relaxed again, taking an unnecessary bite out of a small cube of potato. “But you miss them?”

Gi-hun stared into his soup, a rapid fire of images of everyone he knew being murdered flashing across his mind. “Yes, I do. But I’ve slowly begun to move on.”

Eun-ae looked a bit confused, and he knew what she was thinking.

“It’s just…” He continued. “I saw most of them die. In very horrific ways. I can’t… I can’t tell you why or how. But it’s been-” He trailed off, trying to find the right words. Her soup was sitting neglected in her hand, her full attention on him. “-hard for me to deal with. Especially lately. I’m not sure why.”

Eun-ae thought to herself for a second, her eyes searching the floor like she had a million questions, understandably so. “Have you ever talked to anyone about it?”

“No… A lot of it happened just before I moved here, and over the past four years.. I tried to run from it, leave it all behind. But you can never run from something like that. And the guilt for their friends and family. They don’t know they’re dead, just missing. But I know they’re dead, I watched it happen.”

“Why can’t they know?”

“Like I said, it’s very complicated. Please don’t tell anyone I told you this, or anything I’ve told you.”

Eun-ae nodded, deep in thought and still not eating any more stew.

“I have… Nightmares a lot. Of the things I’ve seen. They’ve been getting worse lately.”

“Do you know why?” She asked gently.

Gi-hun sighed, looking out the window at the low-light of the early night, occasional distant conversation or car driving past heard below. He contemplated his words. He should stop, but if he kept it inside any longer he feared he’d implode. It was like the words were spilling out of his mouth, desperate to come out after suffering in silence for so long.

“There was… someone. Someone I met last year, someone I grew to really like. Then they betrayed me worse than anyone had ever betrayed me before. I never forgave them for it, but things became complicated and somehow against all odds we grew even closer. I hated myself for it, but I just couldn’t take myself away from them.”

“So you… loved this person?”

Gi-hun felt tears sting his eyes. He clenched his teeth and slowed his breathing, trying to stop them. “I think… I think I did, yes.”

“What happened?”

“Things happened, I forgot myself and became the very thing I’d been fighting against. So I had to leave. To save myself. The thing is, all I can think about is what we could’ve been, in another lifetime. Or in another universe. Maybe if we met under different circumstances, things could have been different. I can tell their soul, underneath all the darkness, is good. Maybe if we weren’t who we are, things would be different.”

“But you’re still… in love with her?”

Gi-hun smirked, but it quickly disappeared. He looked back at her, tears blurring his vision.

“Yes, I think I still love him.”

Eun-ae’s eyes widened for a second, but she said nothing. “Does he love you?”

Gi-hun scoffed a tired laugh. “Yes, yes I think he does. He never said it but… There was something strange between us that made us almost inseparable. I can’t describe it, I’ve never had that with anyone before. But you have to understand that what he did before was very, very bad. That’s what makes it so complicated, and I hated myself for wanting to be with him.”

“He hurt you?”

“Yes, in a lot of ways. He is a good man who lost everything, and was made evil by grief and a system that took advantage of that. But his loyalty to it was embedded so deep he still hurt me even if he wasn’t trying.” He sighed. “I’m sorry, I don’t expect you to understand what I’m going on about, even if you were older than you are.”

“No, I understand. But do you think-” She hesitated, looking conflicted. “-Do you think he might have… manipulated you into loving him?” She winced, as though she thought he was going to be angry.

“No, I don’t believe so. He is manipulative, yes. But not with that. He never asked or expected me to love him back. And the thing is- I think I loved him from the moment I met him. I just was too caught up in believing it wasn’t possible for me to love a man.”

“You never liked a man before?”

“I’ve been alive for fifty years, I think I’d know if I liked men before.”

She gave him a disbelieving look, but said nothing.

“Can I ask what the horrible thing he did was?” She asked. “You don’t have to tell me if you can’t.” She added frantically.

Gi-hun chewed on his teeth. “He killed my best friend.”

Eun-ae choked on her food, coughing. “What?!”

Gi-hun didn’t repeat himself, poking at a piece of radish.

“And I’m not judging but I just want to be clear, you fell in love with him after this happened?”

Gi-hun couldn’t meet her eye as he nodded, feeling incredibly stupid.

“Ok, uhh...” She frowned confusedly, not knowing what to do with herself. “Sorry, it’s just a lot to process.”

“You’re telling me.” He said sarcastically.

“And he did it on purpose?”

“Yes.”

“Ok…” She leant back into the couch, eyes searching in front of her as she thought. “Ok I suppose it’s starting to make sense.”

“It is?” He said in disbelief.

“Yeah I mean, a man you loved, or at least thought was your friend, betrayed you horribly but you still held onto that love you had for him before that even after what he did. It makes sense that you hated yourself for it, especially in guilt for your best friend. And it’s obvious that you would’ve run away from that. Do you think you could ever forgive him for what he did?”

Gi-hun thought for a while, soup growing cold in his lap. “I don’t know. I don’t think I could but…”

“But what?”

“But I think I love him enough that it wouldn’t matter if I didn’t. I don’t even know why I love him, there’s hardly anything that should push me towards loving him, and a million things that should push me away. There’s just something we share that I can’t explain, something that intertwines us. I thought by running away, eventually I’d forget about him, or at least grow not to care. It’s been over a year now, and it seems the longer I’m away, the more I think about him, and the harder my life becomes. I just… I can hardly take it anymore.”

“Do you think, maybe he could have changed since you’ve been gone?”

Gi-hun laughed unamusedly. “I honestly have no idea. I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing. I don’t even know if he’s still alive. I could probably get to him if I wanted to, but I’ve just never tried. It’s not just him though, I’ve hurt him too… I think about what I did the day I told him I was leaving. He betrayed my trust that day, but he didn’t deserve what I did. I think about it a lot, and I wish I could take it back.”

“Well, I have no idea what I’m really saying, and there’s obviously a lot you haven’t told me but… But maybe you should try to see him again. At least then you’ll know what to do going forward. If you keep running with no answers, it will probably eat at you for the rest of your life.”

Gi-hun thought for a long time. There was something deep inside him that was almost relieved at her words. Like he wanted her to tell him to see In-ho again.

“But if I see him, and things go wrong. I don’t know what I’ll do. I have nothing.”

“Is your life here really so bad?”

“No.”

“Well then come back knowing you tried. Or move somewhere else. Start fresh again, properly. Or move to France or something.”

If he did see In-ho and it went wrong, he truly wasn’t sure if he would want to come back after that. Or come back anywhere. He wasn’t sure he’d even want to continue living after that. There was nothing else for him in this world. In-ho had been the cause of most of it, and been the only thing left at the same time.

But his life now was pitiful. Even with all the money in the world, he had nothing to live for. Spend his days wandering aimlessly like a soul lost in a void, the only thing he had to look forward to was a chat with a teenage girl at a park bench. He hardly ever watched TV, he didn’t read, he didn’t have hobbies. He just existed. Like moss on a rock, or dust in the wind. He was terrified to lose the little of what he had in favour of nothing at all.

“But that wasn’t the only thing he did that’s stopping me from finding him.”

“He did something else?!”

“There was a person, someone he promised to look after. And he didn’t. She got killed, and she didn’t need to be. A lot of people got killed that didn’t need to be.”

“So you’re not in the military?”

“No.”

“But you weren’t part of something illegal?”

“I told you, I can’t tell you anything. I’ve already told you too much. But what I’m trying to say is he betrayed my trust and got an innocent person killed just to prove a point. His loyalty for his work went much deeper than his love for me. And his love for me was just a facade over what it mostly really was: obsession.”

Eun-ae said nothing, looking very conflicted. “So remind me of why you love this guy?”

“I… I just do. I told you, I don’t know. When we are together and he lets the mask down for just a second and I can see him, the real him, it’s so much different. How he is is a product of what happened to him, but I’ve seen the real him. And it’s like we are connected somehow. Drawn to each other. It’s strange.”

“So you’re soulmates then?”

“What?”

“Soulmates. You know, someone your spirit is connected with, and who understands you and cares for you more than anyone else in the world.”

“Yes, I know what a soulmate is, thanks.”

“So do you think you’re soulmates? You talk about him like you are, even if all that… weirdly vague and horrible stuff is mixed in.”

Gi-hun frowned and turned away. They sat in silence for a bit.

“So this is why you’ve been like this recently? Because you’ve been thinking about him?” She asked.

He nodded.

She suddenly stretched towards him, dumping a large portion of her pork into his bowl. He tried to pull it back, but she had already dumped it in. “With all the walking you say you do I’m surprised you haven’t withered away, please eat.”

“You sound like my mother, and I’m old enough to be your father twice over, I should be telling you to eat.” He smiled. “Thank you. For wanting to help. I’ve never told anyone about this before.”

“It’s ok. I’m glad you told me. I was really worried about you. You’re my friend, Mr Seong, I want to know that you’re ok.”

He smiled, feeling that warmth in his chest that felt so foreign nowadays. “You don’t have to call me Mr Seong. My name is Gi-hun.”

She somehow seemed to look even more shocked than when he had told her the man he was in love with killed his best friend, to his amusement.

“Really? Are you sure?”

“Like you said, we are friends.”

She looked extremely pleased, focussing back on her Doenjang and taking a few oversized bites. He smiled, picking up some of the meat she’d given him, now slightly cold.

“So what are you going to do?” She asked, voice muffled as she caught a bit of green vegetables hanging out of her mouth.

Gi-hun gave a long exhale. “I don’t know. I left for a reason, and I want to honour that. I’ve been fighting against everything he stands for for the past four years, and I feel like going back to him would be giving in. I can’t do that. I worked so hard it almost killed me. Several times.”

“Well, I’m always here to talk about it if you need. Now you have somebody that knows, and I want to help.”

Gi-hun smiled at her. “Thank you, Eun-ae.”

Eun-ae grinned happily. She reminded him so much of his daughter. It was nice to have someone like that in his life, though she made him miss his daughter very much.

“I should probably go before it gets too dark. Thank you very much for the meal Mr- uh, Gi-hun.”

“That’s no problem. I still owe you for all the food you’ve given me.”

She waved him off. “Promise you’ll be at the river tomorrow?” She held out her pinky to him.

He looked down at it, and suddenly it was his daughter standing in front of him, six years old, pinky outstretched to him.

He smiled, and wrapped his pinky around hers. “I promise.”

“Good.” She grinned. “See you tomorrow then, Gi-hun!”

She picked up her bag and he let her out the front door, shutting it quietly behind her and leaving the apartment in silence. For the first time in months, he felt a little more at peace, like a massive weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He cleaned up the trash from the table, put the unopened Soju in the fridge, and gathered all the clean, dry clothes. He opened the door to the empty closet, revealing the one hanger he had pushed far to the back. A black dress shirt and black dress pants that were slightly too small for him. They were In-ho’s clothes, the ones Gi-hun had worn the day he left the island. He hung up his clothes as fast as possible and slammed the door, focussing on putting the sheets back on his bed. His sleep that night was uninterrupted by nightmares.

The next few weeks, he saw Eun-ae almost everyday, sitting at the green park bench by the river. She only missed days now if she was working on the days the cafe was open late, or if she had an assignment due that she needed to complete. Other than that, she always made the time to come and sit with him. He always smiled when he saw her coming, and she always greeted him with enthusiasm.

They didn’t talk much about what Gi-hun had told her since that night, and she never pried, hoping Gi-hun would say something if he needed to.

At night Gi-hun would return to his quiet apartment, the gentle breeze blowing through the window and the cicadas singing.

He’d always think of In-ho.

 

__________________________________

 

The night was cold and windy. It was always windy when you were on an island.

Though it wasn’t windy the last time In-ho was up here, the night he shot his brother, letting him fall into the depths of the ocean and leaving his life in the hands of the fisherman. He knew there was an extremely high chance he’d hit the rocks and die anyway. But he let it happen anyway. That was how far In-ho had fallen into this life.

The 38th Squid Game was complete. Another player, Player 184, had been crowned the winner. A girl who was quick, smart, and light on her feet, sneaky and distrustful. She won fair and square, a line of four-hundred and fifty-five bodies behind her.

That’s how the games go, and that’s how it always has been.

Except now that statement felt different. It swirled in his mind like a rumbling storm, carrying with it an air of tiredness and disappointment. He sat and watched four-hundred and fifty-five more people die, just like he did every other year. The gore was becoming harder to stomach, the screams louder in his mind.

The Frontman’s quarters felt like a prison now, ever since Gi-hun left. For weeks he couldn’t sleep anywhere but the couch, the bed reminding him of Gi-hun, and the space beside him cold and empty like a cavern. He had the sheets changed several times before they stopped smelling like him.

Day and night, rain or shine, In-ho’s mind was occupied with one thought and one thought only. Gi-hun. It was like a parasite in his mind, slowly eating away at his brain tissue until it drove him insane.

It had been one year, five months, and three days since Gi-hun left, and In-ho had felt every minute. He had returned to Seoul once, steering clear of the district he’d been informed that Gi-hun now lived in alone, which wasn’t too far from the area In-ho lived in at the time he joined the games.

He was happy that Gi-hun had fallen into what In-ho had planned and left. He did what he did on purpose so that GI-hun would leave and start a new life somewhere else. In-ho was too toxic for him, and it was best if Gi-hun stayed as far away from him as possible. He mostly honoured Gi-hun’s wish of not being tracked, apart from knowing where he lived. But he stuck to his word of not falling into his obsession of watching his every movement that controlled In-ho’s life for three years, and as a result, he hadn’t seen Gi-hun’s face since that day. The memory of him ate away at him relentlessly, keeping him awake or plaguing his dreams. He never even touched himself anymore, unless it became unbearable not to, but he couldn’t stand the images of Gi-hun that drove his thoughts whenever he did. He always finished feeling worse than he did before.

In-ho approached the top of the cliff, the exact spot he had shot Jun-ho over four years ago. The night was quiet, quieter than usual, not even a cricket. Just the sound of the light breeze rustling through the trees.

In-ho craned his neck to look up at the stars, the sky clear and dark, dotted with thousands of stars. He liked that about the island. It was far away from the city, and so you could see more stars. He remembered a night he took his wife to a picnic one summer afternoon. They had talked and laughed for hours, not even noticing when it had gotten dark. She insisted they lay down on the blanket and look at the stars, pointing out funny shapes and constellations.

He saw one that was shaped like a cat. She would have liked that one. Maybe she made it for him.

He stepped closer to the edge of the cliff. Gi-hun’s purpose was to live in Seoul, away from him.

For In-ho on the other hand, he didn’t really have a purpose anymore. His purpose had died ten years ago, replaced with the Games, giving up his life and every ounce of loyalty in his bones. But he knew that wasn’t his true purpose, just something to fill the void and completely reset his brain into an emotionless drone. And then came Gi-hun, an obnoxious, stubborn, naive man from Ssangmun-Dong that flipped his life completely on its head. He had found another purpose, only for it to be ripped away from him again. And now he’d finally burnt out his ability to recover, there was no point to it anyway, and perhaps long overdue.

He looked over the edge, watching the inky black water swirl onto the dark cliffs below. The moon was full and bright, bathing it in just enough light to see how far it was. His foot slipped, sending loose rocks hurtling over the edge. His heart beat in his chest. Now there was no fisherman, no boat coming.

He hoped that whatever Gi-hun was doing, he had moved on, and was living a better life without him. It was best for him that he stay out of his life forever.

Chapter 11: Doseonsa

Summary:

Gi-hun turns to spirituality in one last desperate attempt to rid his life of his obsession with In-ho, and instead finds something he was not expecting.

Thoughts of In-ho were beginning to infiltrate Gi-hun’s every waking thought. For the past year and a half, Gi-hun didn’t go a single day without thinking of him, but now, he couldn’t seem to go five minutes. It was as though his body craved him, like he was something important his body needed to survive. Every thought was punctuated with a heavy drop in his chest, and endless rollercoaster ride that he’d been begging to get off of for an eternity.

He had shared this with Eun-ae.

“Maybe you should try getting a job or something. Not in a mean way but like, if you’re bored all the time then your brain will always try to think about it, right? I mean, how do you even pay for that apartment anyways?” She suddenly gasped, “Did you actually win the jackpot when you used to gamble? Or did you get a big inheritance?”

Gi-hun gave her a disapproving look, though he was more than used to the way Eun-ae talked by now. “You shouldn’t ask questions like that, you and your mouth are going to get in big trouble some day.”

“So you did get a big inheritance? Do you have a castle in Scotland or something?”

“No I do not, my money is none of your business and I did have a job here for a bit but it didn’t help at all.”

“I mean I don’t know, I know you’ve explored the entirety of Seoul by foot so I can hardly say try exercising or finding a hobby.”

“It’s ok, Eun-ae, I don’t expect you to try and help me. Just talking to you about it helps me a lot, I’ve found out.”

“Well, you’re welcome for that. But I really want to be of more help, I just don’t know how. How do you forget about someone you think about all the time?”

Gi-hun sighed. “I don’t know.” He picked at his nails, peeling a bit of skin off the side of one and instantly regretting the little sting. “I just can’t stop wishing things turned out differently. That he wasn’t… That I wasn’t…” He sighed again, louder. “I don’t know.”

“I know, that’s understandable. But things aren’t different, they are the way they are and honestly by the sounds of it, it’s probably for the best. Maybe it will take a long time, and I know you say you’re ‘too old’ but you really aren’t. You managed to find love last year, how do you know someone won’t come along later?”

Gi-hun stared out at the sinking sun. “I suppose you’re right.” He said, but what he was really thinking was:

How could I ever feel about someone else the way I felt about him?

After a while, the sun bade them goodnight and he walked Gi-hun home down the street from his apartment, insisting on buying her a few servings of tteokbokki to take home for herself and her roommates from a street vendor that had popped up nearby.

The empty corridor echoed with the sounds of his shoes on the cold concrete staircase, then with the jingling of keys as he unlocked his door. He shut it behind him.

And there was silence. There were the thoughts that reared their head and doubled in volume, just like they did everytime he retired back to his home of a nighttime. He took out some leftover godeungeo-gui from the fridge and shoved it in the microwave. He heated it a bit too long, and it was somehow dry and mushy at the same time. He ate half of it and went to bed early.

But sleep was once again a luxury he couldn’t seem to afford. Gi-hun tossed and turned, glancing at the old digital clock every now and then to see the hours drip by slowly. He couldn’t seem to quiet his thoughts enough to sleep. His grief for his mother seemed to rise out of nowhere, and the guilt that always followed with it. She’d probably call him an idiot for what he was doing with his life. Finally had money he didn’t earn and still chose to spend his days doing nothing productive. He hadn’t spoken to his daughter in four years, he didn’t even know if they had moved from where they originally moved to. He hadn’t been to a temple in about fifteen years and even then it’s only because his mother forced him to go with her after she found out about his gambling addiction.

Maybe that was it.

Maybe everything that was happening to him was just bad karma for everything he’d done. Maybe he needed to go to a temple, and then he’d finally rekindle the strength to lead a better life.

He supposed it was worth a shot. What else was there to try?

With that thought, he gave up trying to sleep, getting out of bed and pulling on the same clothes he wore yesterday.

He turned to the clock.
4:27AM

Even if he managed sleep he’d automatically wake up in a couple hours anyway.

Gi-hun washed his face, the water doing nothing for the dark circles under his eyes. He ate some cold, overcooked and unseasoned rice out of a takeout container, pulled on his shoes and left the apartment.

The breeze seemed to go right through his jacket, the chill biting at his skin. It was dark and quiet since it was a Saturday morning, most people not having to get up for work. Distant traffic and sirens faintly broke the silent breeze, as it did all hours of the day and night. It was a lonely noise, but also peaceful.

He quietly opened and closed the squeaky gate of his apartment complex and turned right, letting his feet carry him. His thoughts loomed over him like dark clouds, and he tried his best to push them away, focussing hard on the sights, smells and sounds around him, the feeling of his feet against the ground. He’d gotten pretty good at it, considering he had been doing it for so long now.

The sky began to turn into a milky blue-grey above the buildings surrounding. He didn’t pay much attention to where he was going, making random choices when he came to an intersection. The sun began to rise on a cloudless day, a deep orange blanketing the horizon, fading up to a pale yellow and then a deep blue still tinted with night. It was beautiful. The streets began to get a bit busier as people began about their days, though Gi-hun barely took notice. He crossed through a park of hanging trees and up some stairs. The path he walked along turned to coarse sand, and Gi-hun stopped.

He looked up, and he realised abruptly where he was. Jogyesu Temple stood directly in front of him, the bright orange circular sun beginning to peek over its roof. He stared at it almost unblinkingly until the sun had almost fully appeared, bouncing off the curved wooden eaves. A Lacebark pine towered over him, donned with hundreds of pink, yellow, magenta and white flowers that had been placed over its bark. He walked up towards its large green doors and slipped off his shoes, entering a room with three giant golden statues of Buddha along the wall. Gi-hun had been to this temple before, of course, it was quite well known and respected. But he’d only ever seen it packed with people and tourists during the day. He’d never seen it empty. Hundreds of small orange lanterns hung from the roof and the floor was lined with neatly folded cushions. The sun had already risen, and so the monks had already left the main hall, and by the looks of some of the cushions, some others had already been there as well. But now it was just him, the soft sounds of nearby traffic, the gentle rustle of the wind through the lacebark, and the melodic twittering of birds.

Gi-hun rolled out one of the mats and pressed his hands together, kneeling down and bowing his head to the floor.

He had nothing on him to offer. His mother would be angry with him that he went to the temple with nothing to offer. So he walked down the street. A lady asked him to buy a flower for ten thousand won. He didn’t know what kind it was, he wasn’t very good at that. He couldn’t decide between the red and the pink one, so he bought both.

He walked down the street and passed a jewelry store. It still wasn’t open for another two hours. Gi-hun sat in a nearby park until his watch read 10 o’clock, and he returned to the store. A security guard greeted him, looking him up and down, eyes settling on a coffee stain on the front of his tattered old wind jacket, and the random flower in his left hand.

“Good morning sir.” A well dressed, very beautiful woman with long black hair greeted him from behind the long glass counter. “May I be of any assistance today?”

“Uh…” Gi-hun’s voice was croaky. He cleared his throat. “I’m looking for… diamond.” He walked up to the counter, overwhelmed as he surveyed the range of luxury gold, diamond, ruby, silver, and sapphire jewelry that glinted up at him.

“Certainly sir. We have an excellent diamond collection ranging from fourteen to eighteen carat, as well as blue diamond. Were you looking for earrings, necklaces, bracelets, rings-”

“I uh…” He thought to himself. “What is the most expensive item you have?”

Her eyes narrowed for a split second, subconsciously looking down at his aged casual clothes, hands dug in his pockets, but she kept the smile on her face.

“That would be in our private collection, may I escort you, sir?”

“Ok.”

The lady walked around the long square counter to the end, opening a small gate. “Please follow me, sir.”

He followed her into a back room, one of the security guards accompanying. The room was dimly lit with bright glass cases of very expensive looking jewellery and watches. She walked over to a shorter case that came up to her chin sitting atop a black felted stand, containing a necklace gently placed around a black necklace display stand.

“Currently we have this piece, a six-row 18 carat white gold diamond necklace. It has 384 stones totalling to 39.44 carats and belongs to one of our most prestigious collections. It has an openwork structure that catches the light with perfect fluidity.

Gi-hun looked at the necklace, consisting of six connected rows of circular diamonds pressed into a frame of white gold. It shined like glittering drops of water.

“Ok. I will take that.”

The lady looked taken aback, stumbling over her words for a second. “Oh, of course, would you like to know the price before we continue, sir?” She eyed him with confused suspicion, her red-lipstick smile still shining.

“Ok.” He muttered.

“So this piece here is in our high jewelry collection, and is priced at 162 million won.”

“Ok.”

She stuttered again, “Of course. I’ll get that sorted for you immediately, sir. Please follow me back to the counter.” They walked back to the main area, and she pulled out a few pieces of paper and a black fountain pen.

“So, I just need a bit of information from you before we make the purchase. May I have this special lady’s measurements?”

“No measurements, I’ll just take it as it is. I’d like to take it now if that’s ok.”

She stared at him for a few seconds before blinking. “That should be more than possible, sir. May I see your ID?”

Gi-hun fumbled his wallet out of his pocket and took out his ID, handing it to her. She inspected it, writing down it’s details. She asked him a fair amount of questions, many more than Gi-hun thought she would probably asked a rich-looking customer, though to be fair his eagerness to just take the necklace immediately was a bit suspicious. He filled out a short form, signed it and clicked the pen against the table when he was finished.

“Excellent, and you will be paying with card or cheque, sir?”

“Card, please.”

“Certainly. Now, we normally deliver items over nine million won-”

“It’s fine, just put it in a box. I live near here.” He said.

“We can potentially arrange a discreet security escort if you believe that would be appropriate.” She looked at him nervously, picking up a small box out of a drawer under the counter and changing it for a larger one.

“No, it’s fine. I will take it.”

She made him sign yet another liability document after this, took a suspiciously long time to get the necklace from the back room and returned with a thin dark navy blue box. A tall, stocky man wearing a black suit came out and shook his hand a few too many times, offering him all sorts of prestigious loyalty agreements which he denied. Gi-hun left with the necklace in a plastic bag as though he had just bought something from the supermarket and not something worth two-thirds of a billion won.

Gi-hun decided he wanted to see Samgaksan Doseonsa Temple again. It was quite a ways North by foot on Samgasksan Mountain, but he always liked going to that one with his mother as a child. So that’s where he walked. After about two and a half hours he reached the National Park, and had to hike another three hours up the mountain. His legs were killing him, his clothes soaked and clinging to his skin. He hadn’t eaten or drank anything that day, and felt dizzy as he climbed the endless, steep winding path. The plastic bag was sweaty in his fingers, the passerbys unbeknownst to the contents of it. A young American tourist offered him a bottle of water, and he took it with many thanks, and gave her one of the flowers he’d been holding for quite some time.

He gasped for breath as he finally reached the top. The temple was just as beautiful as Gi-hun remembered, the backdrop of the green mountains and granite peaks behind the curved green roof tiles of the temple. It was quiet up here, a break from the constant noise of the city even if it wasn’t a noise Gi-hun minded all that much. He crossed into the courtyard sheltered by overhanging pink, purple, green, and orange lanterns, bathing the sand below in a pinkish light. He remembered playing here with the other children, running around and shouting until their parents told them off for disturbing the peace. There were quite a lot of people now that it was mid-afternoon. Gi-hun climbed the steps to the main hall and took off his shoes. The pink glow reflected off the three gold shrines of the main hall, people knelt on mats, bowing, or standing at the back, the sounds of hushed conversations and chants. Gi-hun walked around to the altar and quietly removed the thin navy box from the bag and placed it there. He placed the red flower on top, bowed, and left.

He stuffed the small plastic bag into his jacket pocket and made his way back the way he came. He had done what he wanted, and he needed to go back to Mangwon-dong if he was to make it to the green bench by the river in time for sunset.

Gi-hun rounded the corner of the courtyard, eyes automatically catching sight of something. His feet came to a sudden stop.

He felt like cold water had just been poured over him. He froze unable to move.

There were lots of people coming and going up and down the stairs, walking around or conversing on the cobblestone floor underneath the large leafy tree by the temple, but a particular couple caught his eye, standing and conversing happily, the woman holding a baby of nearly 2.

It was Jun-hee and Myung-gi, holding their son.

Gi-hun’s throat closed so tight he couldn’t breathe, his chest frozen and seemingly unable to take any breaths. He stared at them in disbelief, a continuous cycle in his head of thinking he was dreaming, or that he was mistaken and then realising he wasn’t. He forced himself back to reality, throwing himself back behind the building and out of sight. He pressed his back against the wall, the surface cold against his hot skin.

Gi-hun couldn’t escape his confusion, his disbelief. Jun-hee was alive. But he saw her get shot, and if that was a hoax, she definitely got stabbed, that much was certain. Was it a lie? How could she be alive? He wanted to go up to them, but he couldn’t. It was too dangerous to affiliate, moreso for them than Gi-hun. But he wanted to know how. And who?

But who else could have done this, but In-ho?

A million thoughts rushed through his head to the point of a headache. In-ho must have wanted her to live after all. He saved her, and reunited their family.

He peeked around the corner about ten more times, convinced what he saw was just a hallucination.

But if he staged her death, why didn’t he tell him? Why would he want Gi-hun to think she’d been killed?

His chest ached, his mind overwhelmed. He pressed his hands to his eyes. He turned and peeked around the corner one more time to see them walking up towards the tree, Myung-gi holding his son Eun-shin and pointing up at a low-hanging pink lantern. Eun-shin flapped his arm and laughed, and Gi-hun felt his mouth upturn in a sad smile. Jun-hee was beaming. She looked good. She looked healthy.

She looked alive.

He took the opportunity of their distraction to walk as quickly as possible towards the steps and down the mountain path.

Notes:

Hope you enjoyed 10 and 11! (sorry I know 11 is my shortest chapter yet). I know it's very different from the rest of the story, but I promise there will be some familiarity soon.

Chapter 12: The smell of rain (I think of you)

Summary:

Gi-hun's simple life in Mangwon-dong is flipped on its head.

Notes:

CW: some mentions of weight loss and light descriptions of depression.

Gi-hun’s heart was pounding out of his chest as he winded down the path. He slipped a couple times on the sandy rocks, sweat pouring off him. Strangely, he felt relief when he finally reached the edge of the national park and returned to civilisation.

Jun-hee was alive, and she was with her baby and Myung-gi. Did this mean that In-ho hadn’t betrayed him like he thought he had for the past year and a half? Was In-ho still alive after this? Did he still work for the Games? If he didn’t, where was he? The two and a half hour walk back to Mangwon-dong felt like ten minutes, lost deep in his mind. He was overjoyed to know that she was alive and well after all, looking after her child, but he still felt sick in the stomach. It raised too many questions about what he had believed to be true for so long.

Gi-hun really didn’t feel like going to the bench today, but he did anyway. There was still a half hour before sunset, and he was grateful for the bit of silence overlooking the river. As the sky began to change from dusky blue to orange and pink, and eventually to black, it was evident Eun-ae wasn’t coming today. He was a bit grateful for that too, too tired to talk to anyone now, but also slightly sad and disappointed he wouldn’t get to see her today.

The next day he spent mostly in his apartment, letting the endless thoughts roll over each other, lying on the couch in the breeze of the open window. His calves and knees were killing him. At quarter to six, he locked his door and made his way down the alleyway leading to the river. After a few minutes he heard the familiar cheerful voice.

“Hi Gi-hun! How are you?” She beamed.

He returned the smile warmly. “I’m good Eun-ae, how are you?”

“Meh, same old. But my roommates and I went and saw that rom-com movie Forever. It was a bit cheesy but I didn’t mind it. I won’t stay for long today, I have exams coming up soon so I should probably study as much as I don’t want to.”

“Ha. I would tell you studying is important but that would be hypocritical of me. I didn’t do too well in school. I would have dropped out but my Omma threatened me with death if I dropped out and didn’t go to university.”

“You went to university?”

“No.” He gave a smug grin. “I assembled cars for sixteen years. That’s where I met…” His smile faded. “Where I met my friend.”

Eun-ae looked at him sadly. “And then you became a chauffeur?”

“Yeah, there was a massive strike because of our pay and working conditions, and it turned nasty. We lost the fight and everyone lost their jobs. Chauffeuring was the first job that came up after that. I didn’t mind it, but it turns shit after a while, sitting in traffic for nine to twelve hours with rich do-gooders yapping in your ear.”

“Yeah gross. That’s why I just catch the metro everywhere. Well, that and I have no other choice.”

They talked for a while as they normally did, and they stared out at a sunset that seemed particularly beautiful. Gi-hun fell silent after a while.

“Is something up, Gi-hun? You’re very quiet today.”

Gi-hun looked down at his fidgeting hands, silent. Eventually he resigned his secrecy and sighed.

“Remember how I told you that In-h… I mean- the man I was… with, did something that betrayed my trust and got an innocent person killed?”

“How could I forget something like that?”

“Well, I was out yesterday in the Northern districts, and… well, I saw her.”

“Wait, saw who?”

“The person I thought had been killed. I saw her get killed. But she didn’t, I saw her alive. Yesterday.”

Eun-ae turned her body to face him, her jaw hanging open. “Are you serious? Are you one-hundred percent sure it was her?”

“Yes. It was definitely her, and she was with another person I knew from then as well.”

“Wow…” She trailed off, deep in thought. “So, what does this mean? Why would this happen? Do you think you just mistook her death or maybe she got medical help and survived?”

“I saw her get shot. She was lying there. It’s possible that it could have been faked, but only one person could have coordinated it, and that would be him.”

“Why would he do that? Why would he want you to think she was dead if he knew it would betray your trust?”

“I don’t know. That’s all I’ve been able to think about since then. He wanted me to stay with him, but then he did that. Well, I think he did at least, but that’s the only way this could have happened. I’m just confused, and everything I thought was true has just been flipped on its head and I’m questioning everything. I didn’t know what to do before but now I really don’t know.”

“Can you see him again to ask him?”

Gi-hun laughed shortly. “What if he did it for a reason? Besides, it could be impossible to try and find him.”

“I thought you said you knew how to find him if you tried?”

“That’s only if he wanted to be found, though. If he doesn’t it’s near impossible. Last time I tried to find him it took me three years, because he didn’t want me to find him.”

Eun-ae made a face. “The more you tell me about you two, the weirder it gets.”

Gi-hun chuckled. “Tell me about it.”

“Would it be dangerous to try and find him? Like would you get hurt? Or killed, considering that seems to be an option in your not-gangster-or-other-illegal-activity-but-still-secret-underground world.”

“I know he doesn’t want to hurt me anymore.”

“Well then I think you should give it a shot, don’t you? Like I said at your house the other day if you do nothing it’ll just keep eating away at you forever. If you can’t find him after a while then you know you have to move on. And maybe then it will be easier to.”

Gi-hun exhaled deeply.

“Disregarding everything, all the complicated crap - do you want to see him again?” She continued.

Gi-hun peeled at his nails. He looked up at her with a sad look in his eye, and hated himself for his next words. “More than anything.”

“Well then think about it?”

Gi-hun sighed and nodded.

Eun-ae seemed mildly satisfied with that, and threw her tote bag over her shoulder. “Sorry Gi-hun, I’d really love to talk more but I really have to get this assignment done due tomorrow.”
He waved her off. “Of course, Eun-ae, that’s far more important than my lame middle-aged love life.”

“Definitely not lame, it’s crazy.” She smiled. “See you tomorrow?” She asked.

“I’ll be here.”

She went to turn away, and spotted a newspaper on the floor beside the bench and grabbed it, flipping it back to the front page. “Did you see this?” She pointed to the large letters under a picture of a group of monks holding a long thin box containing a six-row diamond necklace.

CHOSUN ILBO: ANONYMOUS MILLIONAIRE LEAVES ₩642 MIL NECKLACE AT DOSEONSA

“Apparently someone offered a 650 million won necklace at the altar at Doseonsa temple yesterday. Isn’t that insane? Apparently one of the monks nearly had a heart attack when he found it.”

“Do they know who left it?” He asked quietly.

She flipped a few pages until she found the story and read for a bit. “Nah, they journalists questioned the jewellery store where it came from and they just said it was a man in his 50s but refused to say anything else.

Gi-hun nodded, relieved. “What did they do with the necklace?”

“Uhh… It says they’re using what they need to go towards the temple and the grounds, and are using the rest to help the poor.”

“Good, that’s good.” He nodded, staring vaguely into the distance. Her brows furrowed suspiciously and she bid him goodnight with a wide smile.

Gi-hun remained at the river until much later than usual, mulling over what she just said about In-ho. Maybe she was right. Maybe trying to see him again was worth a shot. Maybe In-ho thinks he hates him and is staying away because of that. Though he hates a lot of the things In-ho has done, he doesn’t think he could ever hate him. In reality, he’d been fighting against the complete opposite this entire time.

If Gi-hun couldn’t find him, he’d just be in the same boat as he was now, but at least as Eun-ae said, he might actually be able to move on.

His stomach twisted in hunger and nausea. He hadn’t had anything except that water that lady had given him, and that tiny bit of bland rice almost seventeen hours ago. He went and got something plain, and another serving to have tomorrow, and went home.

Not having slept at all the night before, Gi-hun fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

*

The next few days were dull and overcast, and everyone seemed slow and distant on the normally lively streets of Mangwon-dong. He swore it was quieter than usual. The mood of the city reflected how he was feeling, and the thoughts of In-ho had surged ever since the events of the day before. Now the pain had gotten so bad it felt like he was always on the verge of tears. He had been crying almost every night, holding himself in his cold, empty bed. He thought of the day he left, what he did to In-ho. How he used him like an object just to make a point. To struggle for his grip on the little power he had left over him. He was disgusted with himself, and he couldn’t think of it without the bile rising in his throat. That had only gotten worse since he found out he had saved Jun-hee and had likely already planned it when Gi-hun did it.

He ate and drank for the first time at five-thirty in the afternoon, then made his way to the river. Eun-ae returned late from a day at uni, and they talked and laughed. She didn’t mention In-ho since he didn’t, and he was grateful for that. She left early to go and study with her friends at the library, and left Gi-hun to watch the light slowly fade behind the thick clouds. He heard a few soft patters, and looked on the bench beside him to see it was beginning to rain. It hardly gave much warning, turning into a downpour by the time he even crossed the road. He didn’t bother hurrying back home, already soaked, and went for a walk.

Gi-hun used to hate the rain, but now the sound brought him peace, even if his clothes clung coldly to his skin. He liked how the city looked in the rain, how headlights and traffic lights bounced off the wet road, how the water steadily dripped off the iron shelters over shops with people huddling below them. People running with jackets, bags and books over their heads. How the gloom allowed you to see into all the brightly lit cafes and restaurants full of friends and families talking and laughing over dinner. Sometimes he liked to see that, but sometimes it just reminded him of how badly he screwed up his life in his endless pursuit of money. All the people he hurt so badly on the way. His family.

He turned onto his street from the long end and made his way back towards his apartment. It was quite late now, probably close to midnight. The rain was still heavy, streaks of water illuminated by the streetlights hanging over the cobwebs of power lines. He watched it as he walked, the street long and empty and dark, the light reflecting off the puddles forming on the road.

He saw movement in the corner of his eye and looked back down to watch where he was going. He swore he saw a person move down an alleyway, the one right next to the gate of his building. He slowed down, staring at the corner he just saw the streak of movement come from. Gi-hun had never really felt unsafe walking around the area at night, but it was a big city. And bad things happen in big cities all the time. He decided to walk in the middle of the road rather than the sidewalk right next to it, slowing right down so that he could see into it.

Gi-hun’s heart skipped a beat when he realised someone was standing all the way down the other end. They were too far to make out any features, but he could tell it was a man.

And that he was staring right at Gi-hun.

Gi-hun’s feet came to a stop in the middle of the road, his brain screaming at him to just keep walking and get into his apartment as soon as possible. But instead he just stood there, staring at the man. And the man stared at him back.

He wasn’t sure why, but his body began to turn towards the alley, and he took a step towards it.

What the fuck am I doing? I need to get out of here, now. he thought, but his body kept going. I just want to see who it is. Why? Why do you need to know?

Gi-hun realised he had entered the alleyway, and the man still hadn’t moved. Gi-hun squinted, but the only light was coming from the streetlight behind him, and it hardly did anything to illuminate the figure. Gi-hun’s fear spiked and he came to his senses, turning around and walking as fast as he could around the corner and over to the gate of his building. He fumbled with his keys, his fingers cold and wet.

Gi-hun swore in fear as he heard footsteps fast approaching, given away by the splashing of puddles on the wet concrete. As he jammed the key into the lock, someone appeared around the corner in his peripheral vision, his heart jumping into his throat as adrenaline surged through him. He looked over and saw the figure from the end of the alley.

And then he instantly felt dizzy. The man was shorter than he was, his hair covering his forehead from the rain. He was panting as though he’d just ran from the other end of the alleyway, and his black jacket was completely saturated. They stared at each other, and Gi-hun felt like his world had stopped.

In-ho.

After over a year and a half of trying to forget, of trying to destroy his feelings for the man. Of wishing desperately to be with him again.

Here he was, standing ten feet away from him.

He looked the same as the day he left, though his eyes looked older.

Gi-hun was frozen, his hand still on the key in the gate. He was feeling a million things at once, confusion, anger, relief, anguish. He wanted to say something, but he couldn’t, his throat was closed.

“In.. In-ho?” Gi-hun croaked, barely audible over the sound of the rain.

“Gi-hun.” He breathed quietly, panting. The words, so short and simple, instantly brought tears to his eyes.

Gi-hun was convinced he was dreaming. He couldn’t be here right now, it was not possible. He let go of the keys and took a few tentative steps towards him until they were only a couple feet apart. His familiar features came into focus, his eyes soft and seeming to be filled with an incomprehensible amount of pain, the corners glistening. Gi-hun felt as if the breath had been stolen from his lungs. It was really him. His face no longer in his mind or in his dreams, but right there in front of him.

“I’m-” In-ho croaked. “I’m sorry.”

Gi-hun’s heart shattered, and he surged forward, grabbing the man by his jacket and pushing him into the alley out of sight. He let out a small ‘oof’ as his back forcibly hit the wall and Gi-hun’s mouth was on his before he could even react.

Gi-hun drank him in like he needed him more than anything else in the world. Because he did. The slide of their lips together made them sob into each other’s mouth, and In-ho clung to him to the point it hurt, their arms wrapped so tightly around each other neither of them could breathe. They didn’t seem to need to, they were each other’s air. Their kiss was messy, desperate, sloppy, but every fibre of Gi-hun’s being sighed in relief, as though he’d been holding a boulder above his head for nearly two years and he finally was allowed to drop it.

They broke apart for air, Gi-hun annoyed that breathing even existed. He saw tears fall from In-ho’s eyes as they kept their grip on each other, foreheads pressed together. The man couldn’t look at him, and he sobbed harder than Gi-hun had ever seen before. His shoulders shook and Gi-hun had to hold him upright as his knees buckled.

“I'm sorry. I’m so sorry.” He whimpered.

“Shhh. It’s ok,” He stroked the man’s hair, pressing his lips against his in a long kiss whilst his other thumb stroked his cheek. “It’s ok. I’m sorry too. I’m sorry for what I did.”

In-ho shook his head, more tears falling. He couldn’t seem to get any more words out.

In-ho sucked in a painful sounding breath and Gi-hun could feel him trembling. The man pushed forward and pulled him into another hungry kiss, their teeth chinking together as they tried to get impossibly closer. In-ho moaned and Gi-hun could feel hands trying to undo his belt. He broke the kiss, gently placing his hands over In-ho’s.

“Not here. Why don’t you come inside? It’s cold, we should get dry.”

In-ho let out a shaky breath as though he was trying to stop the tears from coming. He nodded, too embarrassed to look up at him. Gi-hun gently slotted his hand into his, and the simple touch after being alone for so long felt so foreign, so incredible, he could barely believe it was real. He pulled him gently with him and unlocked the gate, leading him into the building. He didn’t let go of his hand until he had to use his keys to unlock his apartment door.

In-ho looked around as they entered, Gi-hun slightly embarrassed of the mess.
Their clothes were dripping onto the hardwood floor.

“Come.” Gi-hun said, holding out his hand. In-ho focussed back on him, and took his hand. Gi-hun led him into the tiny bathroom.

They stared at each other for a very long time, both of them in their own disbelief that the other was actually standing in front of them. Gi-hun reached up slowly, and In-ho looked down to watch the hand as it slowly pushed off the sopping wet jacket. It was heavy with water, and In-ho allowed him to take it off and drop it into the shower, wearing just a black T-shirt underneath. In-ho’s arms were covered in goosebumps, held tightly against his body.

“You’re cold.” Gi-hun whispered.

“I’m fine.” He muttered automatically in response. In-ho’s eyes were glued to him, watching every single movement with utmost adoration.

“Take off your shirt. It’s wet.” Gi-hun tugged at the bottom, and In-ho allowed it to be pulled over his head. Gi-hun’s eyes travelled across his body, the spatterings of hair, the scars. He was definitely more built than he was last time Gi-hun saw him, and he was quite muscly back then.

“I never forgot how beautiful you are.”

Sadness flooded In-ho’s eyes, and he sucked in a quiet breath as though trying not to cry again. In-ho reached up and began pushing off Gi-hun’s jacket. He let him. That was all he managed to do before Gi-hun’s hands landed on the man’s jeans, carefully unbuttoning them as he stared into his eyes. In-ho helped him tug them down his hips before reaching down to take them completely off, along with his boxers, standing naked in front of him.

Gi-hun took no shame in studying every corner of the man’s body in front of him, his lips parted and heart beating hard against his ribs. He looked up at In-ho again as Gi-hun very slowly began to drop to his knees. The man watched him, mouth slightly open and pupils expanding. Gi-hun’s jeans were tight and uncomfortable from being wet, and his shirt was freezing cold, but it hardly mattered. He grasped In-ho’s waist gently, and pressed a kiss to his navel, placing kisses all over his belly. His hands ghosted featherlight touches, causing the muscles underneath to contract. In-ho’s cock was quickly filling out as Gi-hun placed kisses near it, worshipping the body in front of him. His skin tasted like heaven, like he was finally allowed to eat after weeks of starvation. Maybe he was moving too fast, but his body wanted him more than anything else in the world. Almost two years of pent up frustration. And In-ho definitely was not protesting.

He kissed the tip of In-ho’s cock, and the man let out a small gasp. Gi-hun took it in his hand and kissed down the shaft until the man was beginning to buck into it.

He looked In-ho in the eyes as he placed the cock onto his tongue and closed his lips around it, giving it a slow suck. In-ho’s eyes softened, almost black with desire, and he let out a long breath of relief. Gi-hun dragged tight lips up and down the length slowly, never breaking eye-contact with the man above him. He kept it simple, warming him up before he started to use his tongue, rippling and massaging it along the shaft and swirling it around the head. In-ho gasped, his hand fisting into his hair suddenly and giving a pained expression as though he was oversensitive.

Gi-hun backed off a bit, keeping it slow and simple, the man above him seeming to be quickly overcome with the feeling. In-ho put a hand on his shoulder and stilled Gi-hun’s head. He cupped Gi-hun’s cheek, thumb stroking it as he looked down at him with eyes so full of love Gi-hun felt like he was going to cry. In-ho began moving his hips, slowly and only deep enough to still be comfortable for Gi-hun. He rolled his hips into the tight wet heat of Gi-hun’s mouth, suppressing a strangled groan and contorting his face in pleasure. He held Gi-hun’s face so gently, and Gi-hun wanted nothing more than for them to just be here forever. Just stay in this apartment together, not needing to eat, or drink, or sleep, just be with each other for an eternity, separated from the world. His cock was hot and hard in his mouth, jaw beginning to grow tired as he carefully thrusted in and out. His thrusts began to grow slightly faster, and In-ho cut off a moan as though embarrassed to make noise. Gi-hun could feel the hips stuttering as he grew close to release, but the man pulled out of his mouth.

He was breathing heavily, and suddenly he smiled down at Gi-hun. That toothy side smirk that drove Gi-hun insane. He’d imagined that smirk late at night in bed sometimes, when he rarely allowed himself to think of In-ho whilst he stroked his cock to the images in his mind. He hardly let himself do this however, because when he’d eventually gasp into the darkness and the cum dripped from his hand he would feel so much worse than he did before. It didn’t take long before the smile got distorted in his mind, and he struggled to remember what it really looked like. But he didn’t have to imagine it anymore. There he was, standing over him, eyes dripping with pure desire and smiling down at him. His heart stuttered as arousal surged through him and he got up so fast In-ho barely had time to react before Gi-hun pressed him against the sink and attacked his mouth, kissing down his jaw and throat before claiming his mouth again.

“Oh fuck, you’re so fucking gorgeous, In-ho. So fucking gorgeous.” Gi-hun gently scraped his teeth down In-ho’s neck, causing the man to grip and tug at his hair. “I missed you. Fuck, I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too. I missed you so much I couldn’t take it anymore.” In-ho gasped as Gi-hun lightly bit his pulse point before leaving a sucking kiss. “I tried to forget. You’re all I thought about Gi-hun, from the moment you left until the moment I saw you again. All day, every day, every night, every minute you’re all I thought about.”

“Me too.” Gi-hun breathed in between kisses, voice coming out as a whimper. He knew how that felt, how hard it truly was. “I couldn’t get you out of my head no matter how hard I tried. Oh god, I missed you so much. I’m sorry I left.”

“No…” In-ho began, but Gi-hun cut him off with a kiss. They could discuss everything they needed to later, but right now Gi-hun was too drunk with lust to process anything. Their tongues danced together, tasting each other like they needed it to survive. In-ho pulled GI-hun’s shirt over his head and began working at his belt again before he broke the kiss. He looked down at Gi-hun’s body, and his hands fell away, taking a small step back. His face looked shocked.

“Gi-hun…”

Gi-hun’s hands came up automatically to fold over his chest, covering himself and looking away sheepishly. Gi-hun’s lanky, bony frame stood in front of him, fragile bones and muscles wasting away.

Gi-hun reached out and took his hands, pulling him back to him until his chin was tucked over his shoulder. In-ho hesitated before wrapping his arms around him tightly.

“It’s ok. I’m ok now, don’t worry.” Gi-hun whispered. In-ho squeezed tighter and buried his face in the crook of his shoulder. “Don’t worry, we can talk later.”

“I’m sorry.” He let out a small sob.

Gi-hun was unsure as to what he was apologising for, but shushed into his hair anyway, gently stroking the back of his head. In-ho’s cock brushed against his when he shifted, and he coughed out a muffled moan. He pulled back and attacked Gi-hun’s lips again, tongue teasing his.

In-ho pulled away and rested his forehead against his. “I want you inside me, if that’s ok.” In-ho whispered.

Gi-hun nodded eagerly. “Fuck, I want that too. So badly, you don’t even know.”

In-ho kissed him slowly and passionately, breathing deeply through his nose. “I do know. I do.”

He managed to undo the belt and tug down his jeans, seemingly stuck to his skin. They both struggled to take the sopping wet pants off, laughing at each other as Gi-hun tried to wiggle out of them. The sound of In-ho’s laugh seemed to fill a hole in Gi-hun’s chest that had been steadily getting deeper for so long.

He never felt so happy.

They finally managed to get them off, and Gi-hun was so hard it was almost unbearable. It took everything in him not to just stroke himself to the mere sight of In-ho standing in front of him. He held out his hand to In-ho. “Please, not here. I want to take you to bed.”

In-ho nodded, and intertwined their fingers. Gi-hun led him into the next room, quickly pushing the clothes littering the unmade bed onto the floor before turning on the small bedside lamp. At least he had changed his sheets recently. In-ho didn’t seem to even notice the mess, or care despite his tendency to keep everything pristine.

Gi-hun gently pushed In-ho down onto the bed, both of them staring at each other like looking away would wake them up from this dream that was too good to be real. In-ho shifted up until his head was on the pillow, and Gi-hun climbed over him and pressed their mouths together. They kissed for a long time before In-ho arched up into him, pushing their erections together. Gi-hun groaned into his mouth, and felt In-ho’s smug grin against his lips. Gi-hun pressed their hips together and grinded into him, causing them both to gasp and moan, forgetting each other's mouths and just revelling in the feeling.

“Please.” In-ho whimpered, and that was all Gi-hun needed. He lowered himself onto his side and rolled In-ho so that Gi-hun’s head was propped up against the pillows and In-ho was straddling him.

“Top drawer.”

“What?”

“There’s lube in the top drawer. And a towel.” Gi-hun breathed.

In-ho bent across and opened the top drawer, digging until he found the skinny bottle. It was probably out of date, but it was better than nothing. In-ho clicked it open and squeezed some onto his hand, and slowly began stroking Gi-hun’s cock, slicking it up. Gi-hun’s mouth hung open. He poured some more over his fingers and closed the bottle, tossing it back into the open drawer. In-ho reached down beneath him and inserted a finger into himself, slowly working it until he could add a second finger. Gi-hun couldn’t tear his eyes away, watching the man’s fingers disappear into his hole, mouth agape and eyes hooded. It was a sight he never wanted to forget, erection twitching as it drove him crazy. Gi-hun’s hands snaked to the man’s ass and squeezed, letting him know that he was desperate for him.

In-ho took the hint, and took his fingers out, wiping them on the towel. He got up onto his knees and hovered over Gi-hun. Gi-hun had been dreaming of this moment for almost two years, convinced it was a sight that would never get past his dreams. His chest was tight with emotion, his cock throbbing and leaking with anticipation of how much he needed him.

In-ho positioned himself, guiding it with a hand behind him, and Gi-hun felt the tip of his cock breach the impossibly tight, wet heat. Gi-hun’s jaw hung open in silent pleasure as the man slowly lowered himself until he was sitting on him. Gi-hun’s back arched and his hands flew up to grasp his hips, keeping the man still as a guttural moan tore from deep within him.

The man stayed still for a minute, more for himself than for Gi-hun, but Gi-hun was already so close just from thinking about having him this way. Eventually he managed to calm himself enough to move, wanting it to last as long as he could manage. The sight of In-ho straddling his hips, his cock deep inside him and his own leaking against his stomach was almost too much. The last time he had sex was with In-ho, that morning of the final game, his cock leaking with the relief of finally being inside him again.

“Come forward, I want to be near you.”

In-ho fell forward, propping his elbows by Gi-hun’s head so that their faces were close. Gi-hun rolled his hips up inside him. In-ho moaned when he did it over and over, eyes rolling back.

“I missed your cock so much, Gi-hun. I didn’t think I’d ever feel it again.”

“I know.”

“I never wanted anyone else but you.”

“Me too.”

Gi-hun thrusted slowly, both of them overwhelmed with emotion of finally being with each other, and how good it felt. In-ho took his face in his hands and kissed him, tongue licking deep into his mouth and vibrating with his moans. Eventually In-ho grew needy and desperate, Gi-hun’s slow thrusts not enough to satisfy his insatiable hunger. He whimpered pathetically into Gi-hun’s mouth, and Gi-hun squeezed the man’s ass in arousal. He loved the noises he made so much, like a beautiful melody he hadn’t heard since he was a child.

“Fuck, I missed your little noises so much. Sometimes I’d think about them at night and I’d drive myself crazy.”

In-ho breathed a sad laugh. “I won’t hold back for you, Gi-hun, but I don’t think I’d be able to if I tried.”

In-ho squeezed himself tight as he pushed down onto him, causing Gi-hun to throw his head back and give a loud strangled moan. In-ho grinned wickedly as Gi-hun gripped his hips tight enough to leave marks.

In-ho pushed himself back up to straddle Gi-hun and began to bounce on top of him, ass slapping against Gi-hun’s hips. The man’s head tipped back in overwhelming pleasure, Gi-hun torn between watching his face and watching his cock slapping against his belly. He met the man’s every thrust, and In-ho’s abs contracted when he hit his prostate with each one. Gi-hun pushed himself up as well, In-ho shifting so that Gi-hun could sit comfortably against the bed frame. In-ho brought his knees closer to his hips so they could press their chests together. Their lips met once more, occasionally stopping to moan and gasp as In-ho rode him. In-ho’s hands were in his hair and on his neck and Gi-hun’s hands were on his ass, guiding him and pushing him down harder. Their skin began to shine with sweat, the room filled with their hungry gasps and moans. Gi-hun gave a particularly loud moan, and felt In-ho’s hand press against his mouth.

“Aren’t your neighbours going to hear?” In-ho laughed.

“Fuck them, let them hear. They’re assholes anyway.” Gi-hun breathed. “Let them know how good you feel, beautiful.” He rolled his hips hard and deep, dragging the tip of his cock across In-ho’s sweet spot.

“Fuck!” In-ho gasped, squeezing his eyes shut and smirk wiped from his face. Gi-hun did it again, and again, pausing in between each one. In-ho’s eyes flew open, as wide as saucers and jaw hanging open as gi-hun slammed into his prostate over and over.

His chest was still as though he couldn’t manage to pull a breath into his body. After a few seconds he finally sucked in a long breath and moaned obscenely loudly, eyes rolling back. “Oh fuck, you feel so good Gi-hun. You’re so deep, it feels amazing. Fuck, it’s better than I ever imagined.”

“Did you think of me when you touched yourself?” Gi-hun tugged the back of his hair, pulling his head back slightly so he could speak the words into his lips as he continued his slow, hard thrusts.

“You’re all I thought about.” In-ho breathed, eyes rolled back and giving a quiet yelp with every thrust.

“Did you cum with my name on your lips?”

In-ho nodded wildly, unable to make any noise except whimpers. “I… It was never the same. I couldn’t bear the thought of not being with you anymore. I stopped after a while because it was too painful.”

Gi-hun nodded. “Me too. Oh, fuck, but this is so much better than I ever was able to imagine.” His hands fell from his head to his ass, squeezing him and forcing him down with every upward thrust. In-ho cried out and Gi-hun could feel his muscles shaking.

In-ho made a noise that sounded a lot like a sob, and Gi-hun opened his eyes to see In-ho’s squeezed shut, a tear falling. Gi-hun backed off his hard thrusts back to slow, deep rolls of his hips and returned his hands to his cheeks, wiping the tear away with his thumb.

Gi-hun gently shushed him, stroking his cheeks gently with his thumbs. In-ho’s hands came up to gently cradle his wrists, eyes still closed. His sobs mixed with moans, overwhelmed with pleasure and emotion.

“Shh baby, I know.” He pressed their foreheads together and closed his eyes as well. “I know.”

He felt In-ho nod against him. “I’m sorry, it’s just so much. I never thought I’d see you again.” His voice cracked.

“Shhh.” Gi-hun comforted, pressing their lips together. “You don’t need to tell me. I know, I feel the same. Please know I feel exactly the same.”

In-ho nodded again, giving him another slow kiss and moaning loudly into his mouth. “Oh fuck, please. I can’t take much more.” He begged and Gi-hun delved into the crook of his shoulder, licking and sucking at his neck. He could taste the faint bitter taste of cologne.

“What do you want, beautiful? What have you been dreaming of? What do you see when you touch yourself to thoughts of me?” Gi-hun whispered against his skin, biting him softly with each word.

In-ho’s head tipped backs, breaths escaping his mouth in quick succession. “I think about… That night in the bathroom. The first time we fucked. And that time you took me over the kitchen table.” He groaned.

“Oh yeah? You like it when I’m rough, don’t you?” Gi-hun teased, hands massaging his chest and ghosting across his belly, causing In-ho to shudder. He nodded, a glint of excitement in his eye that made Gi-hun smirk.

Gi-hun was more than happy to give him what he wanted. He doesn’t think he’d ever deny him of what he wanted ever again. He pushed In-ho off him forcefully so that he fell onto his back, and Gi-hun pushed himself onto his knees and grabbed In-ho by the shoulders. He flipped the man onto his stomach, grunting with the effort, and laid down flat on his back, pressing his panting mouth against his ear.

He found In-ho’s hands and pinned him beside his head. “You like it when I pin you down and fuck you until you can’t breathe?”

In-ho groaned, nodding again. Gi-hun let go of one arm to guide his erection, pushing the head inside him, still so tight Gi-hun struggled to bite back a moan. In-ho gasped and wiggled against him, his body restless underneath him.

“Just relax, baby. I’m going to make you feel so good.” He purred into the man’s ear, who swallowed with a groan.

Gi-hun pushed in, beginning slowly before building up to a faster pace. He leant all his weight over his back, focussing on pulling out almost all the way before slamming back in. In-ho’s moans were muffled against the mattress, his hands white-knuckled around the sheets. Gi-hun groaned unapologetically into his ear, and he swore he could feel In-ho grinding against the mattress.

Gi-hun pulled out and knelt on the bed, In-ho sobbing at the loss. He didn’t leave him for long before he wrenched him up by the hips onto his hands and knees and slammed back into him. In-ho yelped, tipping his head back and moaning openly as Gi-hun fucked him at a rutheless pace. He stabbed in at a few angles before he found In-ho’s sweet spot again, each thrust pulling a shout out of the man. Gi-hun loved looking at his back when he fucked him. The muscles that rippled and contracted, and by the noises he always made he knew In-ho loved being fucked from behind too. He pushed him down so that he was propped up on his elbows, back arching into him. It was so hot, so dirty, Gi-hun wouldn’t last long like this. He could tell In-ho was close too. The man writhed under him, hands pulling at the sheets and noises blending into one.

Gi-hun’s pace grew faster, beginning to lose himself in the incredible feeling of In-ho surrounding him.

“Oh fuck In-ho, I’m so close.” He could feel his orgasm within reach, hips beginning to stutter.

“Wait!” In-ho suddenly said. Fear washed over Gi-hun and he instantly froze, the feeling disappearing and guilt dropping onto him as memories of the night he used In-ho pushed their way into his brain.

“I… I want to see you, I want to finish together.” In-ho breathed.

Relief flooded him. “You scared me, I thought I did something wrong.” He gave a breathy laugh.

In-ho turned around and knelt in front of him, wrapping a hand around the nape of his neck and pulling Gi-hun into a kiss. “No, no of course not.”

Their tongues danced together, just enjoying the feeling of their lips slotting together perfectly. In-ho pulled back to move, but quickly recaptured his lips again, as though the few seconds they weren’t connected was too long. Eventually he moved to the side so that Gi-hun could stretch his legs out, and In-ho straddled them.

Gi-hun’s cock had dried in the air, he leaned to reach for the top drawer but yelped when he suddenly felt In-ho’s hot, wet mouth on him. He sucked him hard, licking at him desperately. Gi-hun bent his knees and gripped his hair, doubling over on top of him as the sudden, incredible feeling hit him like a truck. In-ho took him to the back of the throat, letting the drool coat him. It was gross, but Gi-hun had never been so turned on.

He pulled off him, and got up on his knees, hovering over his erection until he guided it to his hole one more. He slowly sank onto it, arms resting over Gi-hun’s shoulders. Gi-hun held his waist, and he could feel the man’s hot breath on his face as he tipped his head back to look up at him. In-ho began moving straight away, a hunger behind it that let Gi-hun know he desperately wanted to finish. He let In-ho ride him for a bit before he pushed his hips up to meet his next thrust. In-ho froze for a split second and swore, feeling his hand tighten in his hair.

“You feel so good, Gi-hun.” In-ho studied his face, eyes raking over every crevice as though purposefully committing it to memory. “You’re so gorgeous. I never want to go without seeing you again.”

Gi-hun felt his lips upturn at the praise, a warmth spreading through him. “I know. Me neither.” Was all he could manage despite all he really wanted to say. He had been teetering on the edge of orgasm for too long, the pleasure melting his brain and taking his words. “In-ho, I’m not going to last much longer. Fuck, you’re so tight.”

In-ho nodded breathlessly in response. Gi-hun reached down and wrapped a hand around In-ho’s neglected cock, stroking in time with his thrusts. In-ho growled and screwed his face up, his cock steadily leaking pre-cum.

“Oh fuck, Gi-hun, I’m gonna cum.” He struggled out, beginning to lose his rhythm.

Gi-hun was so close, summoning every ounce of willpower to slow his thrusts to a slow, steady roll, making sure to go deep. He wanted to draw out In-ho’s orgasm like a sweet drip of honey. Make him remember why he came back. To show him how much Gi-hun wanted him to.

In-ho’s eyes went blank as Gi hun gave him a squeezing stroke, his mouth hung open but no noise or breath leaving. Gi-hun felt the cock in his hand pulse and warm liquid coat his stomach as the walls surrounding him tightened rhythmically to an almost painful level. Gi-hun’s own orgasm hit him so hard he swore he blacked out for a second, the pleasure crashing over him and knocking every last particle of air from his lungs. He held In-ho’s hips bruisingly as he drove up into him and came deep inside him. His cock seemed to pulse for a long time, after not having an orgasm for so long. In-ho gave a shaky strangled exhale into his mouth, the hot air seeming to bring Gi-hun back to his body and giving a loud, high-pitched, open-mouth moan. The noise seemed to tear its way out against his will, the pleasure too much for him to bear. In-ho’s muscles rippled around him, milking him for every wave of intense ecstasy. In-ho groaned loudly, his arms trembling against Gi-hun’s shoulder.

“Fuck.” In-ho panted. “Fuck. It won’t stop.” He whimpered, eyes rolling back in pleasure and hanging his head back, moaning openly as his cock twitched out another dribble of cum.. Gi-hun stared at the sweat that shone across his chest, defining every muscle, and thrusted slowly and gently a few more times to help In-ho ride out his high. His belly and In-ho’s were coated in a large amount of release, more than he thought possible. After a few seconds the man seemed to come back to himself, leaning forward and kissing him deeply and passionately. Their noses breathed heavily, starved for breath but neither wanting to break apart.

“Shit, I’ve never cum for that long before.” In-ho gave a tired breath of laughter.

Eventually In-ho slowly and carefully slid off of Gi-hun, both hissing with oversensitivity. Gi-hun’s orgasm leaked from In-ho and onto the sheets, and if Gi-hun was young enough, he’d have probably cum again at the filthy sight. In-ho grabbed the towel from the bedside table, leaning over and wiping Gi-hun’s belly and cock, being careful to avoid the oversensitive head.

In-ho smirked wickedly and began stroking Gi-hun’s still mostly hard cock, and Gi-hun cried out as he saw stars, his nerves searing. In-ho laughed and let him go, and Gi-hun automatically returned a laugh at the beautiful noise.

“You fucker.” Gi-hun grinned tiredly, no malice behind the words. He took the towel off In-ho and encouraged him to lie down next to him, cleaning his stomach before carefully wiping between his legs. He tossed the towel onto the floor and dropped down next to him with a small sigh. He pulled the light sheet over their heads, encasing them in their own world. In-ho pulled him close, resting his hand on his hip and pressing their lips together again. His tongue swiped across Gi-hun’s bottom lip and he parted them to let him pass.

Gi-hun felt a pleasant exhaustion overcome him, as though something he’d been working tirelessly on for a long time had finally succeeded, and he could rest. The flutter of happiness remained in his chest, buzzing away warmly and spreading through his body like a soft flame.

He couldn’t wipe the small smile off his face, and In-ho returned it, sliding his hand up and down Gi-hun’s side before settling it on his face. Their gaze poured with adoration, flowing into the other’s eyes, and something felt different. Different than it had when they were together almost two years ago. Gi-hun eventually closed his eyes in exhaustion, just letting himself feel the warmth of the body next to his, the thumb stroking his face, the noise of their breathing in the quiet room.

He could hear the man breathing, not slow enough to be asleep, but a bit too fast to be relaxed.

“Gi-hun.” he whispered.

“Mm?” Gi-hun hummed quietly. The man was silent for several seconds, enough for Gi-hun to open his eyes.

In-ho was staring at him, a hint of fear behind his eyes and the smile gone from his face.

He opened his mouth as though struggling to get the words out, eyes studying every detail of Gi-hun’s expression.

“I love you.”

Notes:

Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the support on the last two chapters! I was nervous that the change would be too boring. I hope you liked this one - the boys are back in town (and they are horny). I know it's been very Gi-hun POV-centric, it is predominantly his story but there will be more In-ho POV.
As you can tell this story is beginning to draw to a close, but I'm still vague on the details of the remainder of the story so I still don't know exactly how many more chapters there will be! I'm still motivated to write for this story though, I just don't want it to drag on for too long.

As always, let me know what you think!

Chapter 13: The lamb that sleeps between the wolf's teeth

Summary:

Gi-hun struggles to come to terms with everything

CW: This chapter contains mentions of suicidal ideation

Notes:

Hey everyone! I'm happy to let you know that I'm putting out two chapters today! The next ones a little short and basically just smut so I thought I should just write them together. Hope you enjoy.

In-ho felt the words roll off his tongue before he even knew he was saying it. He saw Gi-hun’s eyes widen ever so slightly, suddenly looking fully awake now despite being on the cusp of sleep a few seconds earlier.

In-ho stopped breathing, frozen as he awaited Gi-hun’s reaction. Time seemed to slow, and the few seconds Gi-hun took to react felt like minutes.

Gi-hun stared at him.

And then he started to cry.

In-ho felt his world shatter, millions of glass shards falling over him and cutting into his skin. Gi-hun was crying. Tears had filled his eyes and spilled onto his cheek, and his bottom lip quivered as he failed to keep back a broken sob.

In-ho’s vision blurred with his own tears, and he dropped his hand from Gi-hun’s face.

He doesn’t want me. He’s crying because he doesn’t love me and I never should have come back. I never should have done this. I am such an idiot. Why did I think he could ever love me? I’m so fucking delusional. In-ho’s thoughts raced around his head, and he began to turn away from Gi-hun when he felt a hand clasp his wrist.

“In-ho.” Gi-hun whispered.

In-ho turned his face back towards him, but couldn’t bring himself to look him in the eye. Hot tears began to streak down his face, unable to hide the heartbreak in his expression that didn’t even truly reflect an ounce of what he felt.

Gi-hun tugged his wrist towards him, sliding his hand up to intertwine with his fingers. He pulled his hand gently towards him and kissed the back of his knuckles with soft lips. In-ho closed his eyes, face screwing up in pain.

“I love you too.”

The words were so quiet In-ho thought he misheard them, his eyes opening to look up at him.

“I love you. So much.” Gi-hun repeated in a whisper.

In-ho’s heart whiplashed from one extreme to the other, and he let out a quiet sob, almost a laugh of relief. “You do?” He asked, hope glistening in his eyes. He felt so small, so fragile, like a lost puppy in a rainstorm asking for someone to take him home.

Gi-hun nodded, pressing his knuckles to his lips again. “You think I don’t?”

In-ho’s gaze dropped. “After everything I’ve done to you? All the lies I have told and the lives I’ve destroyed. How could I ever expect you to love me?”

Gi-hun studied his face. “I thought that leaving you was the best decision for me. That I could move on and forget everything and just start again… But this year was the hardest year I’ve ever had. I had nothing to live for anymore, and it was completely my fault-”

“It wasn’t your fault-”

“Please. Let me finish. It was my fault. It is. And it took me too long to come to terms with that. My wife, my daughter, my mother. My friends. Even if you weren’t the Frontman, I took Jung-bae to his death. I haven’t spoken to my daughter since that day I refused to get on that plane. That was all on me. I had nothing left, and then I left you. And that was another one of the worst decisions I’ve ever made. I missed you so much I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. I couldn’t do anything. Without you I just existed. A shell of myself. I could never love anyone again as much as I love you.”

“Do you think…” In-ho began, choosing his words carefully. “Do you think you’d feel the same way if you did still have all of those things?”

Gi-hun softened sympathetically. “Yes. Yes I would. I’ve never felt about anyone the way I feel about you. I loved my wife once, yes. But I never felt back then the things I did in the time I spent with you. It was so hard for so long for me to recognise that. I don’t know many things, but… I know now, and I think I’ve known for a while… that what I feel so strongly for you is love.”

In-ho couldn’t help the smile that cracked across his face. He hadn’t smiled like that in a very long time, long before his wife got sick. He felt genuine joy radiate across his entire body, amplified when Gi-hun’s mouth upturned in a smile, his eyes sparkling.

In-ho lurched forward, the sheets ruffling loudly in the quiet room, and their lips met in a deep, genuine kiss. In-ho inhaled his scent like it was oxygen, cradling his face in his hands. Gi-hun made a relaxed noise and leant his body into him, and In-ho’s skin buzzed.

They broke apart, happy to just look into each other's eyes. Gi-hun’s hand gently pushed the hair out of his face, and In-ho melted into the touch he’d been starved of for so long. He didn’t think he could ever bear to let Gi-hun go again. Even just laying side by side wasn’t enough. He needed to be touching him.

Gi-hun’s eyes began to droop again, and he exhaled deeply. “Can we talk more tomorrow?” He croaked tiredly. “I want to talk now but I haven’t slept in two days. It must be nearly 2am now.”

In-ho stroked his face, tilting it down as he brought his lips to Gi-hun’s forehead. Gi-hun smiled at the contact, hand caressing the wrist holding his face.

“Of course.” In-ho whispered.

Gi-hun tiredly shifted closer and tucked his head into In-ho’s chest, cradling his arms into himself as In-ho held him close.

He felt Gi-hun fall asleep within seconds. His heart ached as he held the man. Guilty for everything he’d done. Guilty that he let Gi-hun go. He agreed that the time away did Gi-hun some good, but almost two years? He never expected the man to be struggling as much as he himself was. Gi-hun felt so bony in his arms, and a tear slid down In-ho’s cheek. He had kept his word of leaving Gi-hun be. He never sent his guards to him, never ordered them to find any information on him beyond his current place of living. But he never knew Gi-hun was struggling like this.

The past two years were so hard on In-ho he thought they’d be his last. He planned it to be his last. But now the man he’d been yearning so terribly for was wrapped in his arms, breathing deeply as he slept peacefully. By the looks of it, for the first time in a long time.

In-ho pulled him tighter, closing his eyes as he inhaled the scent of his hair. The scent of Gi-hun that had lingered on his pillow until it finally faded away and In-ho had forgotten what he smelt like.

He never wanted it to fade from his skin again.

 

**

 

In-ho woke up to a dimly lit room. The bedroom didn’t have a window in it, but the window in the living room at the end of the bed was so big it managed to light up the whole apartment. In-ho squinted, stretching his arms and disoriented to where he was for a second.

He looked down at the man sleeping peacefully beside him and felt the adoration light up his chest. A smile quirked on his lips as he admired him, bundled sheet only covering his groin and leg, the other exposed like his bare chest and stomach. In-ho propped himself up on his elbow, studying the man’s every feature, every freckle and birthmark, and every dip of muscle.

Another thing he’d noticed was the tented sheet below his navel. In-ho smirked, gently reaching out to pull the sheet down as carefully as possible as not to wake him, exposing his tall, sleeping erection.

He studied that too, admiring it’s slender curve and spattering of hair at the base. In-ho looked up at the sleeping man and grinned wickedly, his mouth watering at the sight of the thing he’d spent so long dreaming about.

He leant down quietly, and took the tip gently in his mouth, giving it a soft suck and massage of his tongue. Gi-hun stirred, his face frowning for a second. In-ho bobbed his head shallowly and heard a quiet moan pull from Gi-hun’s throat as the man’s legs began to shift.

In-ho took him slowly deeper, dragging up and down the shaft.

Gi-hun frowned with another moan through a closed mouth and his eyes cracked open, looking directly down at him. In-ho felt his own cock twitch as Gi-hun watched him through tired, hooded eyes, squeezing them shut again and breathing,

“Fuck.”

Gi-hun’s hand snaked into his hair, stroking it lovingly as In-ho bobbed faster. He spat quietly into his hand and worked the base of his cock with it as he sucked hard, tongue teasing him. Gi-hun groaned, arching into the mattress and shifting his legs absent-mindedly. In-ho worked him with everything he had learnt that Gi-hun loved, putting every cell in his mind towards pleasuring him.

“Oh fuck, baby. Just like that.” Gi-hun scratched soothingly at his scalp, voice thick with sleep and egging him on as he tilted his head back into the sheets.

In-ho’s chest blazed with the affirmation, trying to stop himself from smiling as he relaxed his body and took Gi-hun as deep as his throat would allow. Gi-hun hissed and tightened his fist in his hair, squirming underneath him. In-ho put his hands on Gi-hun’s legs, forcing his thighs open and pinning them to the bed while he sucked harder and faster.

“Ahh, fuck!” Gi-hun hissed. “Oh fuck you’re so incredible.” His chest heaved. “So incredible.”

Gi-hun’s moans began to grow in pitch, his body twitching violently under him. All In-ho wanted, all he was focussed on, was making him feel good. In-ho kept up his pace, trying his best to steady his breathing and relax his throat, his jaw tired from holding his teeth away.

Gi-hun held his arms by his head, naked body writhing down to his wide open legs, In-ho’s head buried between them.

“In-ho.” He moaned. “I’m gonna- oh fuck, I’m gonna cum-” He warned In-ho, but he kept sucking, taking him deep and swirling his tongue.

“In-ho, fuck!” Gi-hun shouted as his abdomen tensed so hard he sat up, hand’s gripping the sheets by his hips. In-ho pinned down Gi-hun’s hips as he bucked, spilling into his mouth. In-ho choked with the intensity of the spurts, quickly swallowing around him.

He pulled off, spit connecting his lips to Gi-hun’s cock, and he panted hard with tearful eyes. He barely had time to breathe before he felt himself being pulled upwards and lips crashing against his. Gi-hun moaned loudly into his mouth, tongue plunging into his and kissing him messily. Saliva glistened on their lips when they broke apart, and In-ho’s cock jumped at the dark desire in Gi-hun’s eyes.

“That was…” Gi-hun panted. “So fucking good. You’re so fucking good.” He wiped the saliva off In-ho’s lips with his thumb and kissed him again. In-ho smiled, kissing Gi-hun’s palm softly.

In-ho made to get up, but Gi-hun caught his wrist. “Hey, what about you?”

Gi-hun’s head gestured down, and In-ho looked down at his own erection, a bead of precum glistening at the tip.

“It’s ok, you don’t have to. I just wanted to make you feel good.”

Gi-hun tugged at his wrist. “Please let me touch you? I want to.”

In-ho smiled warmly, and he climbed back onto the bed. “Alright.”

Gi-hun grinned boyishly, and urged In-ho to sit against the bed frame so that he could straddle him. He looked into his eyes as he spat into his hand, a dirty thing he knew In-ho liked, and wrapped it around his painfully hard cock, beginning to stroke slowly.

In-ho’s eyelids drooped, warm pleasure flowing through him like sinking into a bath. Gi-hun pumped him from base to tip, twisting at the head in a way that made In-ho struggle to keep his legs still even under the man’s weight.

Gi-hun leant in close, kissing the corner of his mouth, across his jawline and down his neck to his collarbone, In-ho tilting his head back with closed eyes and groaning at the gentle touch.

“You’re so gorgeous, In-ho.” Gi-hun whispered into his ear, his voice gravelly with pleasure and hot breath tickling him. “I love seeing you like this.”

In-ho moaned loudly, struggling to get his breath back as Gi-hun worked him hard. He felt the familiar, sweet tightening feeling in his groin building slowly and powerfully. With it came insecurity and doubt like a parasite in his mind.

“Do-” In-ho stuttered in pleasure, “Do you really love me?”

Gi-hun’s other hand raked through In-ho’s hair and settled on his cheek. “Yes.” He breathed into his ear. “I love you. I love you so much. I love how you can tell what you’re feeling just by looking into your eyes. I love how gentle your soul really is, and how you care for me. I love when you smile, fuck I love your smile so much, it drives me crazy. I love you so much.”

In-ho let out a strangled moan as he came into Gi-hun’s hand, feeling the man’s aroused pants against his neck. “Fuck, there you go. Such a good boy.” Gi-hun stroked him through it, whispering affirmations into his ear. In-ho felt himself light up, his lips quirking into a tired smile. Gi-hun held up his arm between them, In-ho’s release dripping down the back of his hand. He leant close to In-ho and licked it off his own hand with a flat tongue, locking eyes with In-ho as he did. In-ho stared down at the tongue with parted lips, mesmerised by how aroused he was by what he was seeing.

In-ho growled and grabbed the back of Gi-hun’s head, pulling him into a rough kiss, teeth chinking together. He could taste his own cum on Gi-hun’s tongue, and his cock twitched with arousal. When he pulled back, Gi-hun was grinning smugly, and In-ho gave a short breathless laugh.

“Fuck, you really know how to toy with me, don’t you?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Gi-hun smiled, getting up from the bed and leaving In-ho spread eagle against the bed head, cock still semi-hard and still recovering from his orgasm. “If you want something to eat we might have to go out. I don’t know how much I have in.”

In-ho pursed his lips disapprovingly, swinging his legs over the bed and searching the floor before remembering where his clothes were.

“Can I have something to wear? Mine are probably still wet.”

“Oh, yeah sure.” Gi-hun looked around the room, going over to his wardrobe. “Uhhh-” He pulled out black jeans, a dark khaki button-up shirt and his grey-green jacket. It was his favourite jacket, and a bit tattered, but it was at least in a bit better condition than his other jacket, and with less stains.

“I’ll wash your clothes today for you… I’ve also got this, if you want.” He pushed all of the hanging clothes with a metallic scraping noise to reveal a black dress shirt and dress pants hanging neatly on a coat hanger. “They’re yours, technically.”

“You still have them?”

“Well, yes. I couldn’t bear to look at them, that’s why I put them at the back, but I couldn’t bear to throw them away either. They were all I had of you.”

“I thought you were trying to move on from me?”

“I was… But we can all see how well that went.”

In-ho snickered, catching the old jacket that was tossed to him, holding it up and inspecting it.

“Multi-billionare and you still wear this?”

“My daughter picked that out for me. Besides I told you, I don’t deserve that money, and so I don’t spend more than I need to live.”

In-ho said nothing, not wanting to start a fight, but he really did think Gi-hun should just do what he wanted with the money he always begged the gods for. In-ho could walk from one end of the apartment to the other in a few strides, the bathroom could barely fit the two of them in even with the door open, and In-ho think’s you’d hit your elbows on the wall whenever you tried to wash yourself in the shower. It was more than comfortable, especially for one person, but a bit strange for someone who could afford to live somewhere like Gangnam or Cheongdam-dong, or even Seongbuk-dong if he wanted to. There were at least a few previous winners living up there. As far as In-ho knew, Gi-hun was the only winner that didn’t actually use his winnings.

“But you bought that nearly seven-hundred million dollar necklace.”

Gi-hun whipped around. “How do you know about that?”

In-ho rolled his eyes. “Do you think I’m stupid, Gi-hun? Who else would have just randomly done something like that? Anonymous man in his fifties, it had you written all over it.”

“Is that how you found me?”

In-ho chewed his lip. “No. I knew where you were.”

Gi-hun slammed the pile of clothes he was holding on the bed. “You were stalking me again? After I specifically told you not to?”

“No, no I didn’t.” In-ho cut him off immediately. “I swear that the only information I knew about you soon after you left, is that you moved to Mangwon-dong close to the river. That is the only bit of information I requested. I couldn’t bear the thought of letting you go, and so I wanted to know where I could find you, even if I never actually saw you again.”

Gi-hun looked unconvinced, despite In-ho telling the absolute truth, but he dropped it. He picked up his clothes again and began dressing. In-ho copied, looking in the mirror and amused to see himself dressed like Gi-hun, the sleeves and pants slightly too long for him. Gi-hun went into the bathroom for a while whilst In-ho searched his cupboards and fridge for something to eat. He clenched his jaw in disapproval when he found the cupboards as empty as the day he probably moved in. The fridge only had a half-drank bottle of soda, a bottle of soju, some sort of sauce with mould on it, a small takeout container of rice, and a takeout container of some sort of Japchae.

He took the two containers out and stuck them in the microwave, getting out two plates and pouring the majority of it onto one plate, and a small portion on the other. It smelled fresh, so he likely only got it yesterday.

Gi-hun came out of the bathroom, hair messy and wet, throwing a pile of clothes in the washing machine. His hand reached for the significantly smaller plate. In-ho slapped it away and Gi-hun looked startled before In-ho pushed the large portion across the counter towards him.

“Eat. All of it.”

Gi-hun looked sheepish as he took it, looking over at In-ho’s tiny portion. “What about you? You can have some more of mine.”

“No, it’s fine, I’m not that hungry. And besides, I don’t need to eat, you do. From now on you’re having a proper meal every meal until you stop looking like a greyhound.”

Gi-hun’s lips tightened into a thin line and he took the plate, poking around with the fork before taking a large bite. They ate mostly in silence, In-ho satisfied that Gi-hun finished his plate.

“We need to talk about what happened.” Gi-hun wiped some sauce from the corner of his mouth.

“What do you mean?”

Gi-hun scoffed. “What do you mean ‘what do you mean’? I’m talking about the fact that Jun-hee is alive? And living with Myung-gi and Eun-shin?”

In-ho inhaled a bit of rice, coughing and spluttering. “You know about that? Since when?”

Gi-hun glared at him. “Since two days ago. When I went to Doseonsa temple I saw them there.”

In-ho stared at him, pushing away the shock from his expression. For fucks sake, he told Jun-hee and Myung-gi to move away. Out of Seoul at the very least. But he never told them Gi-hun was alive.

“Did they see you?”

“No, they didn’t see me.” Gi-hun said irritably. “But that’s besides the point. The point is that she is alive, and she has been for the past two years and I had no idea. Why didn’t you tell me? I begged for you to keep her alive and you faked her death? Why?”

In-ho sighed deeply, staring into his plate as he poked at the noodles. He was not expecting Gi-hun to be aware of this, at least it took the burden of having to tell him now that they had seen each other again.

“What was the reason you left me?” In-ho asked.

“I asked you a question first.”

“And I will tell you, after you answer mine.”

Gi-hun blinked at him, annoyance evident on his face.

“I left because you- I thought you betrayed me again. It was a miracle I was even still there after Jung-bae but I stayed because I was in love with you. But when I thought you let Jun-hee get killed after I begged you to save her, it snapped me out of that daze and I realised…” Gi-hun shook his head. “I realised I needed to get out. To save myself before I fell even deeper than I already had. It showed me that no matter how much you claimed to care for me, the Games were always your priority. To the point where you allowed innocent people to be murdered. That’s what I thought from the moment I left until two days ago. A year and a half, I thought that. And now I don’t know what the fuck is going on.”

“Well, that’s why I did it.” In-ho said simply.

“What?”

“What you just said. That’s why I did it. The only person that knew was the manager standing in as the Frontman. I threatened him enough if he was to disrupt my plan. I told the players I’d save Jun-hee, but she couldn’t be the winner, and so two of them would end up surviving. All they had to do was vote to stay in the game.”

“Why the fuck did they agree to that, when all three of them could have gone home?”

“I told them if they voted O in the next game I’d give the winners an extra three billion won each, so two of them would be getting an extra ten billion, six hundred million won each than if they left now. Myung-gi and Jun-hee agreed, but Hyung-ju wanted to go home, surprisingly. That didn’t matter though, all they needed was two votes.”

“Surprisingly? Why would they agree to that?”

In-ho shrugged. “Greed always prevails.”

“Where did you even get that money?”

“I still have the majority of my winnings. And before you say anything - this was the safest possible way I could save Jun-hee at that point in time. Everybody except the manager believes she’s dead. I trusted the manager to be the one to pretend to shoot her, and to deal with the ’body’.”

“Why couldn’t Jun-hee just win? So that Myung-gi could go with her?”

“Well, if he won, yes he could have. But I couldn’t care less whether Hyung-ju or Myung-gi ended up winning, it made no difference to me, but they’d have to split the winnings. It only worked out that Myung-gi managed to win. All I cared about was that you had to see Jun-hee get killed, and believe she was dead. It was my plan all along that you’d react the way you did and leave.”

Gi-hun looked hurt. “Why? Why would you want me to do that? Did you not care for me then?”

“Gi-hun, I knew I loved you just as much as I do now. All I wanted in life was you. To be with you forever.”

“So why would you do that?”

“Because I’m not good for you, Gi-hun. I’m a broken man. Grief destroyed me and turned me into a monster. I’ve killed many with my own hands and have overseen thousands more. I felt nothing when I shot Jung-bae because I saw him as an obstacle to get to you. Because I was obsessed with you and he took your attention away from me.”

Gi-hun stared at him, the pain evident in his eyes. “What?” he breathed.

“I’m not trying to justify what I have done. To Jung-bae, to you, to every person who ever stepped foot on that island under my rule. But I’m sorry. What happened between us after that, I never expected to happen. I never expected to fall for you so hard, and I never expected for you to love me as much as I love you. You made me realise how far I had lost myself, how deep I’d fallen and how much Oh Il-nam had taken advantage of how broken I was after the game I competed in. I became a completely different man to the point where I couldn’t even remember what I was like before. I knew I needed to get away from the games, and saving Jun-hee was the only way I could save the last bit of humanity in my body. I needed to get away, but it couldn’t be with you. I was too toxic, too broken, too… poisonous for you. I could see that in just a week with me you were changing, and at first that’s what I wanted, because I wanted you to become like me. Be by my side as head of the Squid Games. And then I realised what I had done, and during the last game when you treated me like that… I knew for sure you were drifting too far and I had made the right choice. I still believed deep down that you still had a chance to salvage your life just like I wanted you to four years ago. I’m sorry, Gi-hun, for Jung-bae, for everything. I don’t see saving Jun-hee as an attempt at redemption, and I don’t expect you to ever forgive me for what I’ve done.”

Gi-hun took all this in, eyes unfocussed. He didn’t say anything for a long time. In-ho watched him nervously, usually the man was so easy to read. But since he’d seen him again, something was different. His expression blank and eyes emptier than when he first met him.

“I… I don’t really know what to say to all that. I’m- I’m so sorry. For what I did to you that day, during the final game.” Gi-hun said quietly. “I never should have done that. It was wrong, and disgusting and I hate myself for ever doing it.”

Gi-hun looked away painfully, shaking his head with a disgusted expression on his face.

“It’s ok, Gi-hun. I pushed you beyond yourself and for a second I saw myself in your eyes, and that’s when I knew I had made the right decision to make you leave before you turned into me completely. I don’t blame you for what you did.” He said, and Gi-hun still couldn’t meet his eye, still looking disgusted with himself. In-ho tried to lighten the mood. “Between you and me, I actually found what you did so fucking hot.”

Gi-hun’s head whipped up with wide eyes. “Don’t joke about stuff like that!”

In-ho laughed at his shock. “What? I’m being serious! I wouldn’t object to more things like that in the future - maybe just a bit more consent involved.”

Gi-hun looked mortified, much to In-ho’s amusement.

“But what changed? Why see me now?” Gi-hun asked.

In-ho’s mood dropped slightly as he suddenly became very interested in a grain of rice that had fallen onto the counter top. “After you left, I thought I made the right choice for you, and maybe you could build your life back up again. But for me, I had nothing left. You were a light after a lifetime of darkness, and my life was in blackness once again. But this time I knew there were no more lights coming, you were the last one. I visited one of the cliffs of the island quite frequently at night, and I’d look over the edge at the waves crashing against the rocks so far below. I never had the courage. I drove myself crazy until one day I gave my job to the manager, and found myself in Seoul with nothing but the clothes on my back. I knew you lived in Mangwon-dong near the river, but I didn’t know where. I had planned to sleep on the street, then I saw you. At the end of that alley, staring at me. And it was like the light had come back. I think that coming back to see you again was one last selfish act I felt I needed to do.”

There was another long pause as Gi-hun took in the information. “You left your job?”

“Yes.”

“Forever?”

“Yes.”

“You… were going to jump? From that cliff?”

In-ho’s eyes saddened, the bags evident underneath them. “It was a part of my plan after saving Jun-hee and you leaving. But it was the only part I had failed to do. I couldn’t bring myself to, even though I had nothing.”

Gi-hun nodded. “I understand.”

“You do?”

“Yes. I regretted leaving as soon as I got back to Seoul. My life since then has been a meaningless blur, each day longer than the last and even more empty and pointless. I’m too much of a coward to end it so I just kept going, trudging through life like an empty shell. I thought of you every second of every day since the second I turned around on that boat and saw your face on the shore for the last time. In the last few weeks especially, it’s just been getting too much. I could hardly do anything. I tried my hardest to move on from you, but my body, my mind, wouldn’t let me.”

In-ho’s heart squeezed painfully, his throat tightening.

“You… you’ve really left the games? For good?” Gi-hun asked quietly.

In-ho clenched his jaw and nodded.

“But they’re still going on?”

In-ho nodded. “Of course. I couldn’t stop them even if I tried. If anyone else was in charge when you revolted, Gi-hun, you would have been shot instantly. You tried, and you failed. But it was a fool's game from the beginning. Do you think you found the recruiter at the station that day by accident? Why do you think it took you so long to find him?”

“Yes, yes I understand all of that. But there’s still people being recruited? There’s still people dying in those walls every year?”

In-ho nodded again.

Gi-hun looked conflicted.

“There's no way of stopping it, Gi-hun. It is what it is, and like I said to you on the phone that day you were getting on the plane, it’s better if you just forget it ever happened. And even if you managed to stop one, there’d always be another.”

“Forget it ever happened?” Gi-hun scoffed. “Even if I wanted to, that place haunts my dreams every single night - on the nights I can even fall asleep. And how can I rest knowing there’s struggling people on the streets being unknowingly recruited to their death right now?”

“There’s nothing you can do, Gi-hun. I spent those three years, and even joined the games with you to try and get that point across. And now that point still stands even if my perspectives have changed. I know everything about those games, and trust me when I tell you, I was just an ant in the grand scheme of things.”

Gi-hun shook his head with a frustrated sigh, angrily turning away from him and sinking down onto the couch. He chewed on his fingernail as he stared out the window. “I got pretty far with just twelve people, what if I had more?”

In-ho used every cell in his body to stop himself rolling his eyes. He let his hand fall to his leg with a soft slap. “Gi-hun, come on, please. You’re not getting it. That was my entire plan all along. You think we didn’t have other measures in place in case something like that happened? We made it seem like you were getting further, but really you were just walking right into the trap I planned from the beginning, Gi-hun, don’t you get that? I, as the head of the games, was at risk of getting killed at a mere wrong turn of my head. It is an unstoppable force bigger than you can imagine.”

“That night, all those soldiers, all those people. You sent them knowingly to their deaths?”

“Gi-hun.” In-ho laughed a little too loudly. “Don’t make it sound so horrible, since if you recall correctly: you were the one that killed them.. And don’t you remember that conversation we had that night you told us of your plan? Where part of it was to use the deaths of other X players as a distraction? Or have you conveniently forgotten that part?”

Gi-hun turned his head to glare at him. In-ho felt the anger bubbling up in his chest.

“So don’t make me out to be the only person here whose done bad things, Gi-hun.” In-ho continued. “Because you’re not exactly a saint, even if your intentions were good.”

“So why did you leave the games then?” Gi-hun snapped.

In-ho laughed again, unamused. He raised his voice slightly. “Because of you Gi-hun. I nearly killed myself because I thought I would never see you again. I don’t care about the games any more. I don’t care about anything. I dedicated my life to those games, I changed myself beyond recognition, and I gave all of it up for you. Don’t you get it? You are the only thing I care about.”

Gi-hun pushed himself off the couch. “So now you’re trying to manipulate me into being with you? So you don’t go and kill yourself? You’re trying to convince me you’re a good person now? It’s not like quitting smoking, In-ho. You quit years of overseeing the cruel, violent deaths of thousands of innocent people, which, need I remind you, you said was ‘no real loss’.”

In-ho felt like he’d been kicked in the stomach. “I’m not trying to manipulate you. That’s not what I meant. And I don’t think those things anymore.” He croaked, trying to keep his voice steady. “I never said I was a good person. I am far from it. I can’t come to terms with all I’ve done, because the weight of it would crush me.”

“Should I remind you that, without all the other bullshit that’s gone on, we’ve actually only really known each other for a week?” Gi-hun spat.

In-ho felt tears pricking his eyes. “You said… I said I loved you… and you said it back. You made love to me when you said it.”

“Yeah, well, I say a lot of things I don’t mean. We don’t make love, we just fuck because we’re both starved, lonely old men who’ve ruined our lives beyond repair.”

In-ho’s body froze, and he could feel his heart shattering behind his ribs, caging in the shards so they could slice him from the inside out. His world began to fall around him as he stared up at the enraged man’s face.

Gi-hun swiped his keys off the table. He stormed towards the door, and slammed it behind him.

In-ho jumped at the noise, and the tears poured onto his face as he sank to the kitchen floor.

_____________________________

 

Gi-hun didn’t even know where he was going. He was furious, at In-ho, and at himself. Above everything else however he felt guilty. He shouldn’t have said what he did, he didn’t even mean it at all, but it just slipped out of his mouth before he even knew what he was saying.

He loved In-ho. Gi-hun knew that. But what In-ho had done still lingered over his head like a toxic fog. He needed fresh air, time to process everything he’d just been told, and everything that had happened in the past twelve hours.

The day flew past, Gi-hun hardly realising it had happened. It wasn’t long before the sun was beginning to set, and Gi-hun found himself at the green bench by the river. He was scared to go home, embarrassed, confused. He prayed that Eun-ae would come today. She was the only other person in Gi-hun’s life, even if she was a teenager.

Sure enough, he heard “Hi Gi-hun!” chirp from behind him, and he turned around to see Eun-ae, her ponytail swaying as she skipped up to him. “How are you today?”

“Hey, Eun-ae. How was your exam today?” Gi-hun could hardly even bring himself to smile.

Her grin faltered. “I think it went pretty well, but don’t worry about that, what’s wrong?” She sat down beside him and threw her tote bag aside, staring at him with concern. “Did something happen?”

Gi-hun huffed a laugh. “The word ‘something’ is a gross understatement.”

“Really?” Her eyes widened, a flicker of interest behind her concern. “What happened?”

Gi-hun looked out at the sinking sun. “He came back.”

Eun-ae nearly fell off the chair, her eyes bulging out of her head and her mouth dropped open. “‘He’? As in him? THE him?”

“Yes, the him. He came back last night, waiting near my apartment when I got home.”

“OH MY GOD, tell me EVERYTHING?!” She said obnoxiously loudly, and Gi-hun signalled for her to keep her voice down.

“Please take this seriously. I’m not gossipping about my highschool boyfriend or something”

“Mmm, I kinda beg to differ but ok sorry, I’ll calm down. But please start from the beginning, don’t be like a typical man and miss all the details.”

Gi-hun rolled his eyes. “Well, I went for a really long walk last night, after you left early. I didn’t get home until about one and I saw this man standing at the end of the alleyway by my building in the pouring rain. I thought I was going to get stabbed or something but when he came closer I realised it was him.”

“Holy shit, that’s insane! He just randomly found you?”

“He knew I lived in the area, but he didn’t know where. It’s just a coincidence we crossed paths, I suppose. Anyways we were both sopping wet, and I told him to come inside and get some dry clothes. He lived quite far, but he was wandering the streets with nothing, not even his phone.”

Eun-ae made a face. “Ok, that’s a little weird. So he was actually actively looking for you? He didn’t just run into you on an off chance? And why no phone?”

“Yes he was looking for me, and I don’t know, I guess he didn’t want anyone to know where he’d gone. I didn’t really ask about it.”

“Right… Ok so, what happened after that? Did he stay the night?”

Gi-hun knew she was implying more than just him sleeping on his couch, and he nodded sheepishly. He could see her suppress a slight smirk.

“And?”

“He… told me he loved me.”

“He WHAT?” Eun-ae’s mouth dropped open again. “And what did you say?!”

“I… I told him I loved him.”

Eun-ae gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth exaggeratedly, muffling a scream behind her hand. “Ho-ly. Shit. And you meant it, yeah? You told me you did.”

“Yes, I did. I meant it. I love him more than anything.”

“Ok, so what’s wrong? Did you argue about that girl you thought was dead? Do you know why he did that?”

“He did it because he believed he wasn’t good for me. He knew if he did that I’d leave, and I left because I believed the same thing. It was a lot for me to process, but I’m not angry at him for that. What matters is that she’s alive and she’s with her family. I am just still struggling with the person he is, or was… He’s done some really bad things. When I close my eyes at night I see my best friend getting shot, and it’s him holding the gun.”

“But if he’s done so many bad things, why did he save her?”

“He said that… His love for me made him realise what he was doing, and how far he had drifted from the person he was before to become this new, cold, savage monster. And that’s what I’m stuck on as well. It was me that made him realise that. I knew how brainwashed he had allowed himself to become. I saw it with my own eyes, and the whole time he spent with me he was trying to brainwash me as well. But now his admittance to opening his eyes and giving up his life just to be with me…”

Eun-ae looked conflicted.

“Look,” Gi-hun continued, “I know how it sounds, any normal person would have been long gone by now, I know that. But I’m not a good person either. I’ve made some dumb decisions and I’ve gotten people killed. I’ve used people as pawns. In some ways, I’m just as bad as him, so why should I be angry with him for some of the very things I’ve done too? It’s taken me a long time to realise that, even though he’s tried countless times to tell me as such.”

“I don’t know you very well beyond what you’ve told me, and I don’t know what the hell situation you both have been in and I don’t know what you’ve done in the past, but… I don’t think you’re a bad person Gi-hun. I can tell you’re a good man and you care for people. You care for me and I’m just some random stranger off the street. You always make sure I’m fed, and you always talk about my day and my problems. And didn’t you say that you can tell that this guy is a good person too despite everything?”

Gi-hun didn’t say anything for a bit, staring out at the water. His life had been going so painfully slow, every minute dragging, struggling to find ways to make the days not feel like years. Then in a single night, everything had changed. He turned to see Eun-ae watching him expectantly.

“I did, yes. I didn’t know him before, but I know he’s a good man at heart, trying to battle with life like everyone else. He told me about what it was like to live after I left him, and now I know he yearned for me just as much as I yearned for him. It seems like… we just can’t live apart. I just have no idea why, we’ve only known each other a short time, and half the time we did know each other he lied to me, borderline kidnapped me, and killed my best friend. And that was just the things he did to me. Oh, and by the way, I just found out he killed my best friend out of jealousy. Because he got in the way of us being together, so that’s another thing I’m angry about. He did apologise, which I was not expecting.”

Eun-ae made a severely confused ‘what the fuck’ face to herself.

“-But we got into an argument over all that, and it got a bit heated, and I said something I really regret and now I don’t know what to do. I just…” He put his face in his hands, feeling the weight on his shoulders returning. “I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“What did you say?”

“I sort of… shut him down, when he tried to tell me he’d changed. And I know what he said was true because, well, here he is. If he didn’t mean anything he said he would have never come back, and he’d still be doing what he was doing. I said a few other things I really regret, but anyway, I shut him down and he said he loved me, and he thought I loved him. And…” He looked away from her. “I said ‘we all say things we don’t mean’.”

“Oh Gi-hun…” She whined. “You didn’t say that, did you?”

Gi-hun nodded, and she sighed.

“I didn’t mean it. What I said about not meaning it. I do love him, I was just angry, and still processing everything. I still am.”

“Ok so, let me summarise. You meet man. You develop crush on man even though you thought you were straight, and he develops crush on you. Man lies to you and betrays you, and also kills your best friend, and is also the face of some weird mafia empire you were against, but then he falls in love with you. Then somehow, miraculously, you fall in love with him.” She made a face to herself but continued, “there is a girl who’s going to get killed and you ask him to protect her. He does but makes you believe she’s dead so you leave him for your own sake. You both spend the two years apart depressed and lonely and yearning for each other and nothing can fix your lives except by being with each other, and you both love each other more than anything else. He leaves his old life behind to be with you, but the only thing holding you back is his old life. Am I correct?”

“That’s a pretty fair summary, yes.”

“So… can’t you just try? Moving forward with him, I mean.”

Gi-hun took his face out of his hands and looked up at her.

“I mean,” She continued, “if he’s saying he’s left his old life for good to be with you, and you believe him, and you believe he’s a good man. You said the reason he changed in the first place was because he was trying to escape his grief, but now it seems you’re starting to heal him from that, right? So why not just… try? I’m not saying you have to forgive him, I mean, the stuff you’re describing is-” she gestured, “-actually insane-”

Gi-hun laughed.

“-but it’s clear you love him, and you keep saying as such. Besides everything that’s gone on, how did you feel seeing him again?” She asked.

Gi-hun looked out at the sunset. Gold shone off the overcast clouds, fading out into oranges and pinks. Cars on the bridge turned on their headlights as though trying to be a part of the beauty behind them.

“It felt like I had been drowning, slowly sinking to the dark depths and the weight of the freezing water crushing me, then someone pulled me out, wrapped me in warm blankets. It felt like I had been wandering aimlessly in a dark tunnel, twisting and turning with no end, then I saw the sun piercing the darkness. I felt more like myself than I had in a very long time. The last time I felt like that was when I was with him, nearly two years ago.”

Eun-ae smiled. “Well, then isn’t that worth something? I want you to be happy, Gi-hun. And since I met you, I know you aren’t happy. I can tell the hole in your chest is deep, and something’s missing. Do you think with him in your life, it would be filled?”

Gi-hun blinked down at his lap. “Yes. I think it would. I’ve never met anyone I feel connected with more than him. He completes me, and I think I complete him. That’s why it’s been so hard to let him go even after all he did.”

“Well then, maybe stop talking to me here and go and apologise to him?”

Gi-hun scrubbed his face with his hand, groaning. “What if he’s not there? I’ve been gone the entire day, what if I go back and he’s left for good and I fucked up and I’m stuck here forever walking aimlessly in circles like a fucking merchant’s donkey and-”

“Alright calm down.” Eun-ae held a hand out to him. “If he’s come this far and has no money or phone I’m sure he’ll be there. And if he isn’t I’m sure he’ll be back.”

Gi-hun took in a huge breath. He dreaded going back there, but he knew she was right. He had tried to live without In-ho, and it destroyed him. He needed to try. And he needed to apologise.

“You’re right. I should go talk to him.” He exhaled. “Thank you, Eun-ae. I’m sorry to dump this on you. I know you have more important things to worry about.”

“Hey. That’s what friends are for, right? You’ll be fine. Let me know how you go, and maybe get me to meet this guy sometime?”

Gi-hun laughed. “Maybe.”

She threw her arms around him, and he patted her arm affectionately. “Love you, Gi-hun. As a friend, obviously. As your totally cool, way younger than you, weirdly unlikely friend.”

Gi-hun smiled and gave a laugh. “Alright. Love you too then. As your totally cool, way too old, weirdly unlikely friend.”

She beamed at him, wished him luck, and they went their separate ways.

Gi-hun watched her go, shaking his head amusedly. He trudged back home, dragging his feet the entire way. He took a deep breath before he jammed the keys in the door to his apartment and pushed it open. He looked around the empty apartment, fear rising until he caught sight of the man laying on the couch.

He was asleep, and Gi-hun carefully shut the door and walked over to him. His eyes were shut but they were red and puffy, his cheeks covered in dried tear tracks, some still damp. It had been almost nine hours since Gi-hun stormed out and the tears were still damp on his face. In-ho was curled in on himself like a child, arms tucked under his armpits and half sitting up. Gi-hun’s heart broke, and he felt the tears sting his eyes, the guilt dropping on him like an anvil. The man had opened up to him, bared his heart to him, told him his deepest, darkest secrets and Gi-hun had snatched it and thrown it in his face.

Fuck, he felt like the biggest asshole to walk the Earth.

Before Gi-hun could do anything, the man’s eyes cracked open, looking up at him exhaustedly. “Gi-hun?” He croaked. And he sounded like a child.

Gi-hun suddenly felt the emotion hit him like a tidal wave, and he threw himself onto the man and began sobbing.

“I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry-” He repeated, wailing into the man’s neck. “I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry I left you here. I love you. I love you so much. Please believe I love you so much.”

He felt In-ho’s hand come up to his back and squeeze him almost painfully tight. “I’m sorry too, Gi-hun. I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you. I’m a fucking monster, and I’m a coward, and I let myself be that way because I was too weak to face my life. I’m sorry and I love you too, more than anything else in the world.”

Gi-hun pulled back and kissed him hard. It was wet, and their teeth clashed painfully, but Gi-hun needed him to know how much he meant to him.

“You’re not a monster, In-ho. I know you aren’t.”

“How can you love me after what I did? To Jung-bae and everyone else?”

Gi-hun squeezed his eyes shut, tucking his head back into the crook of his shoulder. “I’m not myself when I’m without you, In-ho. My life is meaningless without you. I tried, we both did, but we just can’t seem to live without each other. It's weird, it’s unhealthy, it’s toxic. But it is what it is, and I feel so complete, so happy, when we’re together. It’s like I’ve found a piece of me that’s been missing - not just the past few years - but my entire life. It’s like my whole life I’ve been waiting for you.”

“I… I feel the same.” In-ho gave a sob. “I loved my wife. I loved her so much, and her death destroyed a part of me I never thought I could get back. But then I met you, and I could feel that part of me clawing its way out of the cavern in my soul. You complete me, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun gave a sad smile. They shifted to lie down on the couch, Gi-hun lying flat and In-ho half lying on top of him, their arms wrapped around each other.

“You know… I never cried for my wife in the ten years she’s been gone?” In-ho croaked into his neck. “I don’t know why. It destroyed me so much I became an empty shell. Oh Il-nam saw the darkness in me and thought I would be perfect for the job.” He swallowed thickly. “So I turned myself into a machine, and I hated humanity. I loved her so much, and I never even cried for her or my baby.”

Gi-hun put a hand in his hair, gently scratching soothing circles into his scalp, his other hand rubbing his back. Tears blurred his vision. “You can cry now, if you want.” He whispered into his hair.

In-ho began to tremble, as though holding back. He squeezed Gi-hun tight, and Gi-hun felt the man shaking with almost inaudible sobs. He took in a large shaky breath and gave a gut-wrenching cry, filled with so much unimaginable pain that Gi-hun began crying with him. In-ho wailed and wailed for hours, the cries so agonising they seemed to wrack his entire body, almost choking on them as they tore out of him after a decade of being stowed deep within him. In-ho would clutch at his shirt, as though the thoughts he were experiencing were actually causing him physical pain. Gi-hun just held him, letting him cry until he was exhausted. The sobs eventually fizzled into weak whines and sniffles, and Gi-hun was holding up his full weight on top of him.

“What… What has become of our lives, Gi-hun?” He croaked, voice wet and hoarse.

“I don’t know.” He replied, and he was telling the truth. “But what I do know is that we’re here now. I’m here now, and I’m never leaving again.”

In-ho’s shirt was drenched, and his face was covered in tears and snot. Gi-hun’s shirt was soaked in tears, and he carefully stood them up and took them both to the bathroom. He carefully took off In-ho's clothes - or rather - Gi-hun’s clothes, and turned on the shower to hot. In-ho let him do it, too mentally exhausted to care. Gi-hun led him into the shower, and washed him gently. He took care to do it slowly and properly, caressing him, hugging him, whispering words of affirmation into his ear, kissing him. In-ho let him do it wordlessly, occasionally sniffling, or giving a shaky breath.

Gi-hun turned off the shower, and dried them both. He gave him fresh clothes, and not wanting to leave him alone again, ordered takeout for delivery.

In-ho didn’t want to eat, but he eventually did when Gi-hun threatened not to eat any of his own unless In-ho ate at least half. He hadn’t said a word since they were on the couch together, barely even looking up at him, his eyes still puffy and tired. Gi-hun put the rest in the fridge, made sure he brushed his teeth with the spare toothbrush Gi-hun luckily had under the sink, and took him to bed, slipping under the sheets beside him.

In-ho exhaled and closed his eyes, snuggling into Gi-hun’s side with his head on his chest..

“Thank you.” In-ho whispered, barely audible. And it was filled with so much sincerity it almost made Gi-hun cry again.

Gi-hun kissed the top of his head, and they fell asleep holding each other.

Chapter 14: The sunset on your face

Notes:

OK I will be honest not that much happens in this chapter besides SMUT but I felt a little slice of life was necessary since I realised these two actually hardly know each other lmao. I promise more plot will be coming.

For all you In-ho top fans this ones for you - since the majority of the smut scenes in this fic are In-ho bottom (which I prefer but I'm sticking to my belief that they switch).

In-ho was different after that night. Gi-hun couldn’t really pinpoint exactly what had changed, he just noticed a lot of little things about his behaviour. It was like he was trying to revert back to being himself, but he was struggling to do so. It was more than fair enough in Gi-hun’s mind, considering he’d likely spent the better part of ten years purposefully forgetting the man he used to be. Sometimes he’d snap, or have a short temper, or get upset easily, but Gi-hun was patient with him, and he could tell In-ho was grateful for that. He had also gotten quite touchy, always finding ways to touch Gi-hun even if it was just a hand on the arm, fixing his collar, or gently touching his hips as he squeezed past him, pretending he never did it. Gi-hun would always smile when he wasn’t looking.

In-ho had been staying in Gi-hun’s apartment for almost two weeks, and Gi-hun’s life had been completely flipped. He looked healthier, his skin brighter and the heavy bags under his eyes lighter, he’d put on a couple pounds thanks to In-ho’s diligence making sure he ate a decent meal three times a day. He would even buy Gi-hun dessert if they walked past the street food stalls at night. In-ho looked happier too, he smiled more, he looked well rested, which they both should have been considering the amount of naps they’d take just so they had an excuse to hold each other.

They were also having sex, a lot. They’d find themselves bored, and In-ho would quirk his eyebrow and Gi-hun would roll his eyes with a smile. He could never resist it. They’d have sex in the morning, or at night, or during the day, or sometimes all three of those.

The more and more time they spent together, the further Gi-hun fell in love. They genuinely loved spending time with each other. It didn’t matter if they were doing their own thing or nothing at all, they just liked each other’s presence. It made it easier that he was actually quite easy to live with. He would wash the dishes and do the laundry, write out a list of groceries they needed, and tidy the apartment. Gi-hun remembered how clean In-ho’s apartment was on the island, and he knew that it wasn’t always workers that would clean it for him. If anything it was Gi-hun that was the harder one to live with. He wasn’t naturally the cleanest, most organised person, but at least now he had a reason to try. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows of course. Gi-hun still had trouble getting out of bed sometimes, or sometimes he’d fall silent as the dark thoughts that kept him company for so long reared their heads again. He still had nightmares frequently. The difference was, In-ho was always there when it happened, to get him out of bed or to just lay next to him when he couldn’t.

He also had more time to actually get to know In-ho, considering In-ho knew a lot more about Gi-hun than Gi-hun knew about him. They had a lot in common, but there was also a lot that was different about them. They were almost polar opposite in character. The sun and the moon, the light and the dark, the forest and the fire. In reality he was actually quite funny. Sometimes his humour would catch him off guard; it was so random, monotone, and witty. He was empathetic, he could always read Gi-hun’s feelings better than anyone else ever had, and he was so attentive. Not just with Gi-hun, but with everything. In-ho was a little reluctant to talk about details of his personal life, and his past, but he was trying and that was all that mattered. Gi-hun almost found it hard to believe In-ho was ever the man he knew. The Frontman. A murderer. At times, Gi-hun’s smile would fade and he wondered if he should just run for the hills. But the man in front of him now was the real In-ho, and he loved him so much it almost hurt. After all, how reflective was it of Gi-hun’s own character if the man he was before was the one he fell in love with?

The only thing that concerned Gi-hun were the Squid Games. But not in the same way as they did before, but about them letting In-ho go without any trouble. In-ho had told him All the other Frontmen were in charge until their deaths, or rather, until they got killed. In-ho was the first Frontman to continue after the creator’s death, but things were still kept the same. He worried the manager In-ho had placed in charge would betray them, find In-ho and kill him or kill them both, or find Jun-hee and kill her.

He expressed this concern to In-ho on numerous occasions, but In-ho always assured him he had ‘no reason to do those things’.

Gi-hun met up with Eun-ae a few more times, but he hadn’t yet brought In-ho with him, much to her protest. He had told In-ho about Eun-ae, how she was his only friend and the only person who knew about him, though she didn’t know his name or any specific details. In-ho was reluctant to meet her, knowing that she knew the things he’d done, but eventually, after two weeks of being in Seoul he agreed to meet her.

So Gi-hun brought him down to the green bench by the river as the sun began to set. Today’s sunset was particularly vibrant, they sat down and In-ho looked out at the river. He commented that it was beautiful.

Gi-hun looked over at him, and couldn’t take his eyes off him. The orange and pink sky shone off In-ho’s face, the clouds reflected in his eyes and a content smile on his face. So many days.
So many days Gi-hun sat at this very bench looking out at this very river, looking next to him to see an empty spot he wished with every fibre of his heart was occupied by In-ho. And now, Gi-hun could hardly believe that it was. The man that he yearned for for so long, that had driven his every thought until he couldn’t even get out of bed, was now sitting next to him, looking out at the very sunset that kept him company so loyally in his absence. Gi-hun smiled, exhaling every bit of tension he seemed to still harbour in his body. He was truly happy.

He could finally allow himself to be truly happy.

Gi-hun’s eyes were glued to him as the man watched the sunset contentedly. Gi-hun’s hand slipped across the bench until it covered his, and the man looked over at him at the touch. They stared at each other for a while until Gi-hun finally said,

”You’re so beautiful.”

In-ho’s eyes sparkled, and he smiled. Gi-hun could feel their faces gravitating towards one another, and he was starkly reminded of something.

“Do you remember our first kiss?” Gi-hun said quietly.

“How could I forget? You looked like you had just seen a ghost afterwards.” In-ho smirked and his eyes flicked down to his lips.

Gi-hun chuckled, looking down at the man’s lips he wanted to kiss so badly. “I think that was when I fell in love with you.”

In-ho thought for a moment. “I think I fell in love with you… in your first game, on the very first day. That thug had killed a man, and you lost it. You looked up right into the camera and started yelling, and it was me on the other side, watching the screen. It was then I knew you were different, and though I didn’t know it at the time, it was then I fell in love with you.”

Gi-hun tightened his lips and squinted, “Interesting.” He said mockingly.

In-ho laughed, and surged forward, pressing their lips together. It was the first time they had ever shown any affection in public. In-ho was more than happy to show affection in public, after all, he did suck Gi-hun off in the third game whilst he knew the guards were watching, and Gi-hun wasn’t sure if there were cameras in that bathroom but they were definitely loud enough to be heard from the door. But Gi-hun still battled with himself internally. He had never been in a relationship with a man, and he grew up in quite a traditional household. Though he had nothing against it whatsoever, it was still sometimes hard for him to accept himself.

But now they were kissing. Like a couple. In public. And Gi-hun felt his chest light up. He could feel In-ho smile against his lips when Gi-hun kissed him back and Gi-hun nearly lost it. He clutched at the man’s jacket before breaking apart, eyes dark and panting with heavy breaths.

“I want you. Can we go home?” Gi-hun breathed quietly.

In-ho laughed. “What about your friend?”

“She’s never this late, so she’s not coming today. She’ll probably come tomorrow or the day after.”

“Hah. Alright then.” In-ho stood and pulled Gi-hun along by his wrist. They walked hand in hand to the apartment. Gi-hun smiled when he realised it was the first time they had ever held hands before.

In-ho had barely even closed the apartment door when Gi-hun was on him, pressing him against the back of the door and kissing him deeply, hands roaming anywhere he could touch. In-ho moaned and kissed him back, walking Gi-hun backwards into the apartment and falling onto the couch. They laughed as Gi-hun nearly fell off the side onto the floor, In-ho holding him up by the shirt. Gi-hun felt an embarrassing amount of arousal at the fact the man was able to hold him up with just one arm.

“Fuck, In-ho, how are you so fucking hot without trying?” Gi-hun groaned and kissed him a bit too aggressively, and In-ho laughed into his mouth.

“What’s gotten into you?” In-ho kissed down his jawline and sucked on his neck. “You’re particularly horny today.”

“What do you mean? We haven’t even had sex today.”

“No, but I can see it in your eyes. The way you look at me, practically begging me to fuck you.”

Gi-hun moaned embarrassingly loudly, and In-ho snickered.

“You want that, baby? We haven’t done that in a very long time.”

Gi-hun’s eyes widened and he nodded enthusiastically.

In-ho laughed. “Yeah? You want to feel my cock inside you? I know how much you loved it when I did it for you the first time.”

Gi-hun groaned. “Fuck, yes I loved it. Please do it again. Can we do that again?”

In-ho kissed up his neck and back to his mouth, breathing deeply into the kiss. He pulled back and frowned with a smirk. “Of course we can.”

In-ho got up and walked over to the window, slamming it shut and pulling the sheer curtains across.

“What’s that for?” Gi-hun asked.

In-ho climbed over him, leaning close to his face as he pressed his groin against Gi-hun’s. “I don’t want people to call the police over how loudly I’m going to make you scream, Gi-hun.” He breathed, eyes black with lust. “Those noises are mine.”

Gi-hun’s mouth hung open as he willed himself not to cum all over himself at that. In-ho bent down again, kissing down Gi-hun’s throat and across his collar bone, opening each button of his shirt slowly and kissing every bit of exposed skin as he went. Gi-hun writhed underneath him, until In-ho had done the last button and pushed his shirt open, diving down and swirling his tongue around his nipple. Gi-hun hissed, arousal radiating off him he could hardly keep his hips still. In-ho kissed down his belly again and palmed through Gi-hun’s pants. He groaned loudly and ground into the hand, desperate for friction. He felt like a teenager with how aroused he had become so quickly, he could feel himself leaking already.

In-ho undid the button and slid them down his hips, wasting no time before he dove down onto the hard outline of Gi-hun’s cock behind his boxers, licking and sucking at the fabric with a hot mouth. Gi-hun swore, nails digging into the couch. He enthusiastically helped In-ho take his pants the rest of the way off, much to In-ho’s amusement, and held his breath as In-ho’s fingers came up to the waistband of his boxers. His hands feathered over his belly first, the muscles contracting as it tickled him, the feeling intense. In-ho pulled the underwear down purposefully tight as to make Gi-hun’s erection spring from his boxers, watching the man staring up at him as he breathed against the tip.

The anticipation was killing Gi-hun, but he was well rewarded for his patience when In-ho sucked him all the way down so quickly Gi-hun yelped, swearing and bucking into the hot, tight, wet hole around him.

“Oh fuck! Oh, my god In-ho, fuck!”

In-ho was sucking with more enthusiasm than he ever had, and that was saying something. He had Gi-hun gripping the couch, holding the wall, pulling In-ho’s hair, pulling his own, neck hanging over the armrest and pressing the man’s head into his groin. It was so overwhelming he didn’t know what to do with himself. It felt so incredible Gi-hun never wanted it to end. He was already moaning so loudly, and they’d hardly even started. He was building fast, and he was going to cum hard.

In-ho pulled off him and Gi-hun sobbed, hips chasing the delicious tightness as it left.

“You’re so receptive, Gi-hun. I love it so much.” He panted.

Gi-hun gave a shocked laugh. “How the fuck can I not be when you give blowjobs like that? Where the fuck could you have possibly learnt that?”

“I’m learning you, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun felt a pang of melancholy in his chest at the comment, and he pulled In-ho down towards him by his shirt and kissed him hard. How the fuck was he so lucky to have a man like him?

“Take off your shirt.” Gi-hun pulled at the offending fabric covering the beautiful sight below.

“So impatient.” In-ho rolled his eyes, but he was grinning wickedly. He pulled off his shirt, and Gi-hun ran his hands over his abs, hardly embarrassed when his cock jumped as he did so. He tugged aggressively at In-ho’s jeans, groaning frustratedly. He sat up to get a better handle on the button and zipper, but In-ho shoved him back onto the couch with a hand on the chest. He straddled Gi-hun and undid his fly, pulling his cock out of his jeans and stroking it to the sight of Gi-hun laying flustered below and begging for him. Gi-hun was going crazy at the sight of the man towering over him, playing with his cock as he stared down at him with dark eyes. He could tell by the look on In-ho’s face he was going to give it to him bad, and Gi-hun was reeling with excitement.

Gi-hun reached up and tugged his wrist away. “Why don’t you put your hands to better use?”

In-ho grinned and got up to tear his pants and boxers off as fast as he could. He climbed back over him and pressed his cock into Gi-hun’s, wrapping a large hand around both of them. Gi-hun arched as In-ho began thrusting slowly into his own hand, and Gi-hun’s hips began to do the same. They gasped into each other’s mouth, kissing hungrily as they both fucked In-ho’s hand. In-ho was rock hard against him, and it made him shake with excitement for what he knew was coming.

“Please…” Gi-hun gasped. “I want to feel you. I can’t wait anymore.”

In-ho moaned against his tongue, plunging his own into Gi-hun’s mouth. He sat up, pulling Gi-hun’s arm to sit up with him. In-ho’s hands roamed over his chest and sides, ghosting agonisingly over his cock.

“Come to bed. You deserve more than the couch.” In-ho whispered, squeezing his hips.

“In-ho I’d let you fuck me bent over the fucking trash can if you wanted to.” Gi-hun smirked.

In-ho laughed, swinging his leg around and getting off him, offering him a hand. Gi-hun took it, and yelped in shock when In-ho suddenly bent down and lifted him off the ground with strength he was not expecting. Gi-hun wrapped his arms around the man’s neck and his legs around his hips, laughing as he did so.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been picked up before.”

“Well then now's a good time to start.” In-ho smiled, and Gi-hun ached at the fact the man’s face was slightly too high for him to kiss without pulling a muscle in his neck.

Their cocks rubbed together as In-ho walked him into the bedroom, and he could feel In-ho’s legs faltering at the touch. He threw Gi-hun down onto the bed, both of them laughing as he bounced on the mattress. The sound of In-ho’s laugh made Gi-hun light up with joy every time he heard it. A sound that was becoming more frequent, and Gi-hun could never get enough of it.

In-ho climbed over him, attacking every ounce of skin with his lips with new found purpose. Gi-hun squirmed at the feeling of his mouth everywhere, his belly, his chest, his nipples, his neck, the sound of In-ho growling with arousal.

“You’re so perfect, Gi-hun. So fucking perfect.” He moaned, licking a stripe up Gi-hun’s cock and causing him to fist the sheets. “I can’t get enough of you. I want you all the time, it drives me fucking crazy.”

“Have me all the time then.” Gi-hun groaned. “Just spend the rest of our lives fucking in this room.”

In-ho chuckled darkly, breathing in deeply against Gi-hun’s twitching abdomen. “You’re such a little slut.” He squeezed Gi-hun’s sides, causing him to buck. “But I might take you up on that.”

Gi-hun half moaned, half sobbed at the word, arousal surging through him.

In-ho smirked at this, taking Gi-hun’s wrists together and pinning them above his head as he bent down to bite at Gi-hun’s pulse point gently. “I thought you’d be the type of man to like being called a good boy. But it’s always the sweet ones that like being degraded isn’t it? You like when I degrade you?”

Gi-hun nodded, hissing as In-ho sank his teeth into his neck, he tried to pull his arms down, feeling a thrill of excitement as In-ho’s strength pinning him down.

“Yeah?” In-ho licked, sucked, and bit at the other side of his neck. “You like being my little fuck toy, don’t you?”

Gi-hun moaned loudly and nodded again, and In-ho chuckled.

“I like…” Gi-hun panted, the breath seemingly absent from his lungs. “I like both, I like being called a good boy as well.” His skin heated with embarrassment.

“Is that so?” In-ho licked at his lips, sucking his bottom lip. “Well that one you’re going to have to earn, beautiful.” He pushed against Gi-hun’s wrists, and he arched into the man’s weight above him. His cock was dripping with precum. He’d never had sex with anyone that could turn him on as much as In-ho could. Someone that could make him as desperate as he could.

In-ho released his wrists and got up to get the towel and lube. Gi-hun flipped onto his stomach and looked over at In-ho with the most ‘fuck me’ eyes he could muster, and revelled in satisfaction when In-ho nearly dropped the bottle of lube.

“You can do that thing… with your tongue. That you wanted to do to me last time.”

Gi-hun suppressed a smirk at the complete deer-in-the-headlights look he gave Gi-hun, before he smiled.

“Whatever you want, baby, I’ll give it to you. I would love that.” He grasped Gi-hun by the hips and pulled him hard towards the end of the bed, slapping his ass as he pulled Gi-hun up onto his knees with his ass in the air.

“You treat me like a lady.” Gi-hun laughed.

In-ho took a handful of Gi-hun’s asscheeks as squeezed, rubbing his cock against the hole and making Gi-hun shudder. “I don’t treat you like a lady, Gi-hun. But how else would I treat my beautiful man?” In-ho let his cock curve underneath Gi-hun and rub against the erection hanging under Gi-hun’s stomach.

Gi-hun’s stomach flipped at being called his. He wanted nothing more than to be In-ho’s, and for In-ho to be his. They belonged to each other and nobody else.

His thoughts were cut off when he felt a wet heat envelop his hole, and the feeling of a tongue desperately trying to breach the tightness. Gi-hun flinched, the feeling so strange and foreign.

But so good.

“Oh fuck.” He moaned into the mattress. “Why did I wait so fucking long to try all this?”

Gi-hun liked women, loved women. He loved their bodies, how beautiful and pretty they were, and he loved fucking them. But the feeling of a cock inside him, the feeling of being inside a man, the feeling of a tongue against his hole, the feeling of his hands over hair and muscles, the curve of an erection. It was a whole world he’d gone more than half his life without. In-ho’s tongue rolled inside him, loosening him up and making Gi-hun squirm. He shouted into the pillows when In-ho pushed a finger inside him, keeping up the assault with his tongue. His other hand squeezed his ass, pulling his cheeks apart as he devoured him.

Gi-hun saw his own cock drip onto the bed when In-ho curled his fingers, nearly seeing stars. He’d almost forgotten how it felt to be touched there, remembering how much he loved it when In-ho introduced him to the feeling he hardly knew existed. In-ho was quickly reducing him to a hot, moaning, sloppy mess, sheets bunched in his hands and crying with pleasure.

“In-ho, please…” He whined.

“Please what?”

Gi-hun cried into the mattress. “You know what.”

In-ho tutted, squeezing up Gi-hun’s cock in one stroke with a lubed hand. “That’s not good enough.”

Gi-hun shouted in pleasure, electricity shooting through him.

“Ah, In-ho. Please, please fuck me. Make me your little bitch. Fuck, please, I want it rough, I want it now. I want you, In-ho.”

In-ho groaned, squeezing the base of his own cock which was quickly turning purple and dripping.

“Whatever my beautiful boy wants. You want me to treat you like my personal little fuck toy? Use you like you’re nothing more than my little hole?”

“Yes!” Gi-hun moaned. He was so turned on he could hardly stand it. His hips were rolling against his will, crying when he was meeting nothing but air. “Oh fuck I want you so bad! Please touch me, please I can’t stand it!”

In-ho’s eyes were almost black, staring down at him with parted lips, sweat shining on his forehead. He was breathing hard.

“What are you doing?” Gi-hun whined frustratedly, the man above him doing nothing but massaging his ass and playing with his hole as he stared at him.

“Give me a fucking second.” He chuckled. “You’re so fucking hot I nearly came just at the sight of you begging for my cock. Lay on your back. I want to see your face when you beg for my cum inside you.”

Gi-hun nearly pulled a muscle flipping himself onto his back, bringing his legs to his chest and wiggling his ass towards In-ho.

In-ho pressed his thighs to his chest, massaging them as he ground his hips into Gi-hun’s bare ass. He sucked in a breath, staring down at Gi-hun’s neglected cock. Gi-hun watched as the man squeezed lube onto his hand and stroked himself, circling the rest over Gi-hun’s hole.

Butterflies ravaged Gi-hun’s belly as the man guided himself towards his entrance, and Gi-hun felt the pressure against him. He held his breath as In-ho pushed in, a shaky breath falling from his lips until he was fully seated.

Gi-hun moaned louder with every inch that stretched him, feeling impossibly full. He shuddered, relishing in the feeling of In-ho deep inside him, stretching him to the limits. It burned, the feeling still so new to him. He needed a couple minutes to adjust, but In-ho didn’t mind, he’d give him forever if he wanted it.

Gi-hun nodded, unable to find enough breath to even form a few words, and In-ho exhaled deeply as though he was holding his breath and began to move shallowly.

He quickly built up to a faster pace until he was pulling almost all the way out before slamming back in, propping a leg up on the bed and fucking him as hard and as fast as he could. Gi-hun was being very loud, he knew that, but he couldn’t give a fuck. In-ho felt so good inside him he couldn’t even quiet down if he tried. In-ho hit the spot hard, and Gi-hun screamed his name.

“Let everyone know who you belong to.” In-ho growled, gripping his waist painfully as he drove his cock over and over into that spot.

Gi-hun’s hands flew down to grip the man’s wrists, tears flowing from his eyes with pleasure. It felt so good he could hardly breathe. All he could think about was that feeling.

“That’s it, take it beautiful. It’s yours.” In-ho cooed, voice surprisingly steady.

“Dont s-stop, don’t fucking stop-” Gi-hun wailed, the feeling getting so overwhelming he couldn’t see, hear, or think.

In-ho’s thrusts were getting slopper, and his dominant facade was beginning to slip as he pounded into him. His moans were getting higher in pitch, almost matching Gi-hun’s volume.

“Oh fuck, Gi-hun, I’ll never stop. I’ll never stop loving you. You feel so fucking good.” He squeezed his eyes shut, scrunching his face. He started panting heavily. “I’m gonna- I’m gonna- Gi-hun, Gi-hun, please-”

“Yes, yes, please! Finish inside me, I want to feel you drip out of me.” Gi-hun’s chest heaved as he neared the edge, In-ho digging his nails into his waist and hips slapping into Gi-hun’s ass so hard he’d be slipping up the bed if In-ho wasn’t holding him so tightly. Gi-hun was wailing openly, teetering on the edge of pure ecstasy.

In-ho gave a few heaving breaths before he went silent, hips stuttering before he let out a strangled moan so loud it could probably be heard from the street below. Gi-hun could feel him pulsing, hot liquid seeping deep inside him. In-ho drove into him one more time and Gi-hun screamed his name, back arched and throat sore with his rough, loud breaths. His ass squeezed In-ho’s cock so tightly the man swore, and Gi-huns cock spurted into the air as he was destroyed by such an intense orgasm he couldn’t even hear himself anymore.

In-ho rolled his hips as he kept moaning, pulling Gi-hun’s legs down before collapsing on top of him. Their chests were hot and wet with sweat and Gi-hun’s release coating his skin, but Gi-hun was too high up in the clouds to think it was disgusting. Instead he tiredly wrapped his arms around the man’s body, his arms numb and tingling along with his legs. His ears were still ringing, and they lay like that for twenty minutes, utterly spent.

“Fuck, Gi-hun. That was- fuck.” He breathed, and Gi-hun laughed.

“Well, I think the whole of Mangwon-dong knows your name now.” Gi-hun flushed, embarrassed.

“Good.” In-ho kissed him lazily, playing with his hair.

In-ho treated him to a very nice dinner that night.

Chapter 15: Payphone

Summary:

In-ho meets Eun-ae and finally makes a decision to do something he'd been avoiding.

Notes:

Hello everyone! Thank you for your patience and sorry to post a short one after a long wait, I've been busy and have had less motivation to write recently. Will try and get the next chapter out asap!

The next morning was drizzly and grey once again, beckoning all the waking population to stay in bed before they dragged themselves up to dress for the working day. Gi-hun and In-ho however, disconnected from the rest of the city, the rest of the world, and even time itself, just stayed in bed. In-ho had awoken first as he usually did, a glimpse of the cold and rainy outdoors through the window just making the warm bed more comfortable. He inhaled deeply, turning over to snuggle into the sleeping man next to him. The man stirred, peeking over at In-ho through tired eyes before he wrapped his arms around him and sighed contentedly. In-ho’s head rested on the man’s chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart under warm skin. They slept for another hour before In-ho could sense they were both awake.

In-ho’s fingers danced gently over Gi-hun’s body, rising and falling with the defined muscles and prominent bones. He drew pictures and words of adoration into his skin, sealing them with featherlight kisses that made Gi-hun breathe shakily. He could feel Gi-hun lightly tug the back of his hair, urging him to look up. His eyes were overflowing with love in a way that made In-ho giddy, and In-ho returned it the best he could, though it was hard to express even a fraction of the love he felt just through his eyes. They spent forever just gazing at each other, In-ho’s hand gently petting his abdomen and chest. Their lips were a hair's width apart, and they tickled with Gi-hun’s breaths. In-ho’s tongue came out to wet his own lips, and Gi-hun’s eyes followed it’s movement. Gi-hun pushed forward and kissed him deeply, inhaling as he did.

Gi-hun slowly rolled on top of him, licking and kissing down his neck and squeezing his chest in his hand. In-ho vaguely thought of Gi-hun doing that to a woman, though he supposed he was the first man Gi-hun had ever fucked. It did still humour him slightly. The man ground into him and he could feel the pressure of Gi-hun’s bare hardening cock pressing into his through the sweatpants In-ho had put on when he got cold during the night. In-ho moaned quietly, but he just felt too tired to even feel himself hardening.

“Maybe later, Gi-hun. I’m not really feeling it right now.” He breathed over the man’s shoulder.

Gi-hun’s hips stilled and he pulled back to look at him, a flicker of fear in his expression.

“Oh, sure, sorry. Are you ok?”

“Yes, I’m fine, don't worry. I just don’t feel it right now.”

Gi-hun nodded “Oh, of course.” and climbed off him. He sat up against the headboard and pulled the blankets over his erection, somewhat embarrassed. “What do you want to do today?”

In-ho sniggered at his obviously flushed face, pupils still blown and the thin sheet poorly hiding his arousal. He loved how quickly he could affect Gi-hun, and he also loved how Gi-hun never pressured him.

“Just because I don’t feel like getting off doesn’t mean I don’t feel like getting you off.” In-ho snickered.

Gi-hun’s eyes widened for a split second. “Oh, you don’t have to, we can just relax if you want.”

In-ho leant over, kissing his cheek softly. The man closed his eyes and leant into it. “Gi-hun, I just want you to relax.”

“Are you sure?” Gi-hun asked with hooded eyelids, and In-ho suppressed a smirk at the obviously aroused breathlessness.

In-ho leant close to his ear, breathing gently against it while he slid his hand down the man’s stomach and under the sheet until he wrapped it around the man’s cock. It was hot, hard and velvety under his grip. “I’m very sure.” He whispered, and Gi-hun shuddered.

He slowly began to stroke Gi-hun, licking and sucking at his neck, his collarbone, and his jaw. He kept the slow pace until Gi-hun began to writhe and whimper, which didn’t take long at all.

“What do you want, Gi-hun?” He breathed into his ear.

Gi-hun gave a whine. “Mouth.” He breathed out, as though struggling to say even just one word. “P…Please, In-ho, I won’t last long.”

In-ho let go of his cock, and the man’s hips bucked slightly, chasing the lost friction. “You really are obsessed with my mouth, aren’t you? You can’t get enough of it.”

Gi-hun nodded wildly, eyes still closed and breathing hard. “Your mouth feels so good.”

In-ho pushed the sheet aside and climbed over the top of Gi-hun, surging downwards into a heated kiss. Gi-hun’s lips chased his as In-ho pulled away and kissed down his chest, tongue swirling around Gi-hun’s nipples and making him whimper.

“Don’t worry about not lasting long, Gi-hun. Forget about everything. I just want you to relax and feel. Feel me, focus on how good it feels.”

Gi-hun exhaled and nodded.

“Good boy.” In-ho smiled, pressing just below Gi-hun’s navel. He whined at the praise, hips pushing upward.

In-ho straddled one of Gihun’s legs and leant down until he could almost feel the heat radiating off the man’s cock. Gi-hun stared down at him in anticipation, and In-ho didn’t make him wait long. He held up the man’s dick while he buried his nose into the base, lapping between his balls and the base of his cock with a skilled tongue. Gi-hun was already squirming and In-ho had hardly done anything. He loved Gi-hun’s receptiveness. He suddenly realised he was achingly hard, and he knew Gi-hun could feel it pressing into his leg. He licked a stripe up Gi-hun’s length and sucked the head into his mouth, and Gi-hun’s hand flew into his hair with a gasp.

In-ho suckled at the head, feeling the precum on his tongue. He eventually managed to look up at Gi-hun, who was staring down at him. His eyes weren’t dark and fiery with desire like they usually were, but instead sparkling with nothing but pure love and adoration. The man smiled as their eyes met, and he cocked his head, watching In-ho bob shallowly and gently stroking his hair. He pushed the hair out of In-ho’s eyes, dragging his nails gently across his scalp before stroking his cheek.

In-ho poorly suppressed a whimper, love crashing over him like a tidal wave of warmth. Gi-hun was fast coming undone, he could tell in the way the man’s eyes were beginning to glaze, his skin flushed and breaths coming in pants.

“You look so pretty like this.” Gi-hun muttered, running his hand through In-ho’s hair. “You treat me so well.”

In-ho moaned in response, taking him deeper. Gi-hun swore and bucked hard, thrusting suddenly and making In-ho gag.

“Shit, sorry, sorry!” Gi-hun panted.

“What did I say, Gi-hun? Don’t worry, just feel. Don’t hold back. I want you to feel good, ok?”

He didn’t give the man a chance to respond before he sucked him down and Gi-hun shouted, bucking into his mouth and grabbing a fistful of his hair. In-ho sucked him messily, slurping and gagging obscenely, just doing whatever made Gi-hun moan and tighten his fists in his hair.

“Oh fuck, In-ho, I’m not gonna last. I’m so close.”

In-ho hummed in encouragement, and Gi-hun choked on a moan as he did so.

The noises he was making were so pretty, so intoxicating, the way he couldn’t string together anything but profanities. In-ho was absent-mindedly grinding against Gi-hun’s leg, not even realising he was doing so. It was like he could feel the pleasure he was giving, like they shared their pleasure as one.

Gi-hun was quickly becoming more incoherent, finding it harder to control his hips as though his body was intent on chasing it’s carnal desire. He was reducing to shallow breaths, whimpers and unfinished words, his eyes screwed shut and expression nothing but thoughtless bliss. In-ho moaned at the sight of the man lost in pure pleasure, shooting straight down to his cock pressed hard against Gi-hun’s leg. Gi-hun’s balls were growing taut and drawing up, and In-ho knew he was about to come. He doubled down, focussing on his breathing as he massaged the head of his cock using the back of his throat. It’s like his gag reflex had disappeared entirely, lost in the pure animal desire to please.

Gi-hun arched his back as he came, and In-ho choked and coughed on the cum that filled his throat. He loved how Gi-hun’s cum was beginning to taste so familiar on his tongue. In-ho gently sucked him through it, drawing out his high as long as possible. He pulled off him, panting hard, and the softening erection fell wetly onto the man’s stomach. Gi-hun looked spent, lying back on the pillows and eyes wistfully closed, a relieved look on his face.

“Feel better?” In-ho grinned smugly.

Gi-hun breathed a laugh and nodded.

In-ho felt an unusual amount of wetness in his pants, his cock sizzling with sensation and he realised with a flood of embarrassment that he had come in his pants. He hadn’t done that since he was a young man. He looked up and realised Gi-hun was looking down at the dark spot on In-ho’s light grey pants, and he gave a lazy smile.

“So much for someone who wasn’t feeling it.”

In-ho flushed, pulling the sheet over his crotch. “It’s those fucking noises you make, Gi-hun.” He muttered.

“Don’t be embarrassed, In-ho.” Gi-hun pushed himself up and pulled him into a kiss by his neck. “I like that I can affect you so much.”

In-ho smirked, face still hot, and got up to shower.

The afternoon was cool and breezy, carrying a sweet scent on the wind as they walked along the quiet river. It had stopped raining, and most of the clouds had cleared, allowing them to see the colours beginning to form in the sky. Gi-hun suggested they go to the green bench, which was just a couple minutes walk ahead, and In-ho agreed. In-ho wasn’t jumping at the idea of meeting some random girl who sounded nosy and quite frankly, obnoxious, but Gi-hun always talked about her with such warmth in his eyes In-ho thought it best to just swallow his pride. Gi-hun had taken him to this bench a few times before, late at night, and he noticed it was always that specific bench they’d sit at, overlooking the Seongsan bridge. Even if all the other benches were free and they had to walk a fair way just to get to it, they’d always have to sit at that exact one, and curiously, it was never occupied.

In-ho never questioned him about it, just like he was reluctant to question most things about Gi-hun’s life here, because often whenever he did he’d watch the sadness dampen his expression, his eyes seeming older than he was. Maybe he simply just liked to watch the sunset here. He must have done it quite a lot, because In-ho had noticed how he had a strange habit of checking his watch with increasing frequency whenever it got to about 4PM, or checking the light of the sky above. They sat for about a quarter of an hour, engaging in pleasant conversation before they heard the scrape of feet stopping against the concrete. In-ho looked up to see a young girl with a round face and long black hair with the front pieces held back by small pink butterfly clips standing a few feet away. She was holding an overstuffed linen tote bag with an alarming amount of pins and keyrings on it, and she was wearing annoyingly baggy khaki cargo pants and a baggy white T-shirt with a cartoon cat eating noodles on it. He couldn’t keep up with kids' fashion trends, a few years ago it seemed in to wear the least amount of clothes possible, and now it seems to be the most amount of clothes possible. She also wore an expression of shock on her face, clutching the strap of the bag against her shoulder.

“Hello, Eun-ae.” Gi-hun greeted warmly.

“Hi…” She responded automatically, still staring at In-ho. “Are you… The Man?”

In-ho chuckled. “The Man?” He looked over at Gi-hun amusedly, who pursed his lips.

“Eun-ae, this is my… this is In-ho.”

“In-ho…” She shook her head, snapping herself out of a daze as she shook his outstretched hand. “It’s nice to meet you, sir.”

“Please, sit.” Gi-hun gestured to the space next to them, and she sat, In-ho nearly flinching at the unexpected bang her tote made against the wood. She was still staring at In-ho, which irritated him slightly.

“Sorry, it’s just… I didn’t think I was going to meet you sir, I’ve heard a lot about you.”

“Have you now?” In-ho glanced over at Gi-hun with raised eyebrows. “All good things, I hope?”

“Err, yeah, sure.” She looked away nervously.

“Eun-ae’s from Inje-gun but now she studies design at Hongik, and lives just down the road from us.”

Us, In-ho’s mind highlighted, and he hid his smile behind his interest. “Inje-gun? Beautiful, lovely place.”

“You’ve been there?” Eun-ae’s eyes widened cartoonishly.

“Yes, yes my wife had a great grandmother who lived there. She took me to visit a few times in the main village. That was a long time ago now.”

“What was her great grandmother’s name? Maybe my family knows them, we are farmers and we work often at the markets, so we know lots of people.”

“She died a while before your time, but her family were fishmongers. We would often visit in the winter for the ice fishing festivals. Yong was the family name.”

“Yes, yes! I know the Yongs, their family have been fishermen and fishmongers for generations!”

“Small world, then.” In-ho laughed.

Eun-ae smiled brightly, but then she looked sad.

“You miss home?” In-ho asked.

“Oh yes, very much. When I finished school I was excited to leave, and I love it here in Seoul but… I miss my family and my home very much.”

In-ho smiled sadly. “I understand. I do too.”

He saw Gi-hun glance over at him in the corner of his eye.

“Do you plan on moving back to Inje-gun after your studies?” In-ho continued.

“I would like to, but I don’t think I could get the job I’d like there. I want to be able to get a good job so that I can help my family. We have nearly lost our house many times, and our house has been in our family for a very very long time. A lot of my cousins and other family members are moving away after school and so there's more work to do, and my oldest brother is only twelve. I don’t want them to have to worry all the time anymore, you know?”

“Of course. That’s very noble of you.”

“I don’t think so. I just love my family very much.”

In-ho smiled, feeling an ache in his chest. He wondered if his baby would’ve been a girl. He always had a feeling it would be. “And I’m sure they are lucky to have such a great person in the family.”

Eun-ae grinned, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “What about you, sir? Where is your family?”

In-ho sensed Gi-hun’s head fully turn to face him behind him.

“It’s just my stepmother and my younger brother now. I haven’t seen either of them for a few years now. It’s complicated, I just… I cut ties to protect them, and I tried my best to scare my brother away when he came looking for me, and I really regret that even if it was necessary. But it’s been almost four years since that happened, and I haven’t seen him since.”

“You haven’t tried to see them again?”

“Like I said, it’s very complicated. And it’s been so long I fear they would not want to see me again.”

“You think they’d be angry with you?”

“My mother? No, she doesn’t know what I’ve done, she just believes I’m missing. My brother however, knows a lot more than I ever wanted him to. It’s him whose eyes I fear looking into again.”

“Well, I was the one who told Gi-hun he should try to see you again, and it’s clearly worked out very well. So maybe you should just try. They love you very much, don’t they? That’s why your brother came looking for you in the first place.”

“Well, yes.”

“Well then true family would forgive you for your mistakes.”

“Ha. My mistakes are quite significant.”

“Regardless. I think you should try talking to them again. I don’t think I could ever bear not seeing my family ever again, regardless of what I had done. And I’m certain they’d always be there to welcome me back.”

In-ho looked away, thinking. Gi-hun was staring at him, and he feared what he had to say when they were alone. He’d never talked about his brother to Gi-hun, but he knew Gi-hun he knew who he was. He knew that Jun-ho had worked closely with Gi-hun for a short while before Gi-hun’s second games, but whether or not he was doing it to bring In-ho back home, kill him, or throw him in jail, he wasn’t too sure. He was quite certain Jun-ho would never have any other intention than to bring him home, but In-ho had done horrible things. He was a mass murderer, a vicious leader, and he had shot Jun-ho. How do you come back from that?

He sighed. “Maybe you’re right, Miss Eun-ae. Family is the most important thing, isn’t it?”

“Yes, of course.” She said.

Gi-hun looked away, staring out towards the bridge before looking down at his own hands. In-ho glanced over at him and could see his jaw working as though holding back his emotions.

“I should probably go, I promised my roommates I was cooking tonight and I still need to go to the markets. I’ll see you both again?”

“Sure.” In-ho smiled, and she got up, swinging her bag over her shoulder. “It was very nice to meet you, sir.” She held out her hand, and In-ho shook it politely.

“Gi-hun.” She turned to him, and the man snapped out of his daze and looked over at her, humming in question.

“I like him very much.” She smiled, and Gi-hun stared up at her before he exhaled into a gentle smile and nodded, like they both just silently communicated something to each other.

She skipped away, leaving Gi-hun and In-ho alone once more. In-ho watched her go with a smile. He had never met Gi-hun’s daughter, but he was quite sure she played a big role in the reason he liked Eun-ae.

“I like her. I’m glad you had her to keep you company.”

“Yes, yes. She’s great.” Gi-hun agreed distractedly, eyes glazed with thought.

“What’s wrong?”

“Your brother. He’s Hwang Jun-ho, correct?”

“Yes.”

“He told me he snuck onto the ship in the first games I was in, disguised as a pink guard. I remember a guard secretly asking me if there was a Hwang In-ho in the games. So he did find you that time?”

“...Yes, he did.”

Gi-hun thought for a minute, fiddling with his hands. “So he knew you were the Frontman?”

“He found out, yes.”

“So he lied to me. He told me he didn’t know who the Frontman was or what he looked like.”

In-ho thought about this. So his brother never told Gi-hun he had found him, or who he was. Why would he do that, if he knew Gi-hun wanted to kill the Frontman? Did he want to protect In-ho? Did he think Gi-hun wouldn’t trust him? Or did he want to face In-ho himself? Or was it all three?

In-ho swallowed, staring out at the sparkles of sun against the gently lapping blue water. A gunshot rang out in his mind. The sight of his baby brother’s face frozen in shock as the bullet drove into his shoulder. The sight of him falling backwards off the edge of the towering cliff.

“I… I wanted him to join me. He had seen what I was, what I had become, he’d seen the games. I didn’t want to kill him, but he refused my offer. So I shot him.”

Gi-hun’s body turned to face him, but In-ho did not look up. “What?!”

“I shot him in the shoulder, and he fell over the edge of a cliff into the ocean. To show my loyalty to the games I had to kill him, or at least let the others believe I had.”

“You shot your own brother?”

“Yes. Because the alternative was killing him.”

“How did you know he’d live? You said he fell off a cliff!”

“That cliff was a straight drop, I knew that. He’d be badly injured, it was highly likely, but there was a very good chance he’d survive if he was found straight away. There was a fishing boat captain I hired as a watchman, warning us of any ships or helicopters that came close, I contacted him immediately to ‘collect the body’ and await further instruction. As soon as I was alone I contacted him again and he told me Jun-ho was still alive. I told him to take him back to Seoul to a hospital immediately, and to keep an eye on him, and that I’d pay him handsomely for it.”

“Wait…” Gi-hun frowned. “The fisherman? Park? The one Jun-ho had employed to help him find the island? He’s been working for you this whole fucking time?”

“Yes. No matter how close he got to the island, Park would never take him there, so it would seem hopeless. It was the easiest way to keep him away.”

Gi-hun was speechless, seemingly reflecting on everything he knew to be true.

“You have to understand Gi-hun, I did it because I love him.”

“What do you mean? He’s been looking for you for four years! He probably still is!”

“No, you don’t get it. He was believed to be dead. Unless he actually wanted to be he needed to stay away from that island. I knew how much of a risk it was sending him back to Seoul with the information he now knew. I made sure the fisherman destroyed his phone and any evidence on his person, but what I couldn’t erase was the fact he knew the identity of the Frontman. But I sent him back anyway. To protect him.”

“Do you know where he is?”

“No. I haven’t contacted Park in a while. Last I heard Jun-ho was still looking for me and for you. That was during the games but I imagine he’s probably still looking.”

“Can you contact him?”

In-ho thought for a few seconds. “Yes. I know his number. I could use a payphone, one far from here so as not to trace my location.”

“Well why don’t you do that?”

“It’s dangerous, Gi-hun. I abandoned the games, and I told you, no Frontman has returned to the world with all the information they know. They either die on that island or they’re killed. The manager knows what I’ve done, he knows who I am. Contacting anyone from that world not only puts the both of us at risk but Jun-ho as well.”

“Do you… think they’re looking for us? The guards?”

“I really don’t know. I would say it’s likely.”

“What!? Why didn’t you tell me this before?” Gi-hun whipped around, looking behind him as though a pink guard was going to be there holding a knife.

“Gi-hun, I faked my death there. I trusted the manager enough to help me and to let me go and he did, but he only did it because he would then become the Frontman permanently, not because he’s loyal to me. He knows that if it gets out that I’m actually alive and he can’t convince them he wasn’t involved, they’ll kill him. I hardly expect him to risk his life for me further than what he already has, and I wouldn’t blame him for that. I didn’t want to worry you. We’re happy here, aren’t we?”

Gi-hun pressed his hand to his forehead. “You ‘didn’t want to worry me’? In-ho, you’re talking about it like you’re hiding a speeding ticket from me. You didn’t tell there is a chance of them hunting you down and killing you, or the both of us. And are you also basically telling me that we have to move?”

“I…” In-ho sighed. He knew what Gi-hun was saying was true, and he knew that if they wanted to be together they couldn’t stay here, not in Seoul, probably not even in South Korea. In-ho had destroyed his phone, left that place with nothing but the clothes on his back. Even if they wanted to find him it would be incredibly hard, but the fact In-ho was staying in the place they knew Gi-hun was last reported to be living was incredibly stupid. In-ho knew this, he’d just been so scared to tell Gi-hun any of this. “I’ve been wanting to tell you, truly I have. But then I got a taste of our life here together and I was scared to throw it all away. It’s like we’ve been living in our own little world together, and I… I really am happy. I haven’t enjoyed just living for so long and to feel that again… I didn’t want to lose it again so soon. I would have to tell you sooner or later because it’s not safe to stay here but I was worried you were too happy here and you’d prefer to stay without me.”

Gi-hun laughed, clearly amused by something. In-ho frowned.

“Have you been listening to anything I’m saying?” Gi-hun chortled. “My life here, my life anywhere was horrible. It was only horrible because I was living it without you. Don’t you get that? I don’t give a shit if we live in a dirt hole if we’re together.”

In-ho looked over at him, his eyes softening. “You really think that?”

“Of course I do, In-ho, I love you. I’m just upset that you still feel the need to hide things from me.”

In-ho flushed with guilt. “I’m sorry.”

Gi-hun smiled sadly, and cupped his cheek, stroking the beginnings of stubble on his jaw before kissing him.

“You really would come with me? Because it’s not you they want, it’s me. You could live out the rest of your life here safely, never having to worry. But if you come with me, they’ll want to kill you as well.”

“In-ho, wherever you go I’ll follow. You are my life now. I have nothing here, or anywhere if you aren’t there too. I don’t give a shit about them.”

In-ho felt warmth rush through his chest, butterflies swarming his stomach like he had some schoolgirl crush. He kissed Gi-hun deeply, resting his fingertips just behind his ear.

Gi-hun pulled away. “But what about your brother and stepmother?”

“I believe I could still see them, but I fear I may not get to see them often, or even only once. It’s not safe for them to be affiliated with me.”

Gi-hun looked at him, his brows etched with sadness.

“Where would we move? We can move to America.” Gi-hun looked at him hopefully. In-ho knew it was so he could see his daughter again, but America was far too risky. He gave him a sympathetic look.

“America is too obvious. I think we should go to Europe, somewhere like Spain or France.”

“But I don’t speak French, or Spanish.” Gi-hun looked worried.

In-ho gave him a funny look, “You don’t speak English either.”

“Yeah, well, do you speak French?”

“I get by.”

Gi-hun rolled his eyes. “Of course you do.”

 

**

 

The next day, Gi-hun and In-ho went to the south of Seoul so that In-ho could make a phone call from a randomly chosen payphone. Over the course of the day he rang Jun-ho’s number three times, but he didn’t pick up. After the third time, In-ho was beginning to grow nervous. He didn’t really want to, but he decided it was best to try and call Park, the fisherman. He sighed, leaning his head against the phonebox and pressing the numbers with his knuckle. It rang seven times before someone finally picked up.

“Hello? Who is this?” A deep impatient voice sounded on the other end.

“Hwang Jun-ho, where is he?” In-ho said.

“In-ho?”

“Is Jun-ho still with you?”

“Is that you, In-ho? Where are you?”

“Answer my question.”

“He’s not with me right now, no.”

“But you know where he is?”

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds before the man spoke again. “He and his crew are on one of the islands off the coast, they wanted to use the night as cover. He’s still looking for you and Seong Gi-hun.”

“Go and get them, bring them back to Seoul. Tell him to go to the place he found Gi-hun before the games.”

There was another beat of silence. “Come to the dock, In-ho. I’ll take you to him.”

In-ho’s heart felt like it froze. “No. No, just tell him what I told you. Go and get him now.”

Silence.

In-ho inhaled, his mouth feeling dry. “Park. Where are you keeping him? I don’t care how much money you fucking want. Tell me where my brother is.”

“Money is not an issue anymore. Come to the boat In-ho, I’ll take you to him.”

In-ho took the receiver away from his ear for a second, his breath quickening. He put a hand on his forehead, feeling the sweat forming underneath his palm. He put the phone back to his ear.

“If money is not the issue then what do I owe you in return for bringing him to me?”

“We can discuss that in person. Come alone, I’ll be waiting.”

In-ho growled into the phone. “If you do anything to him, Park, I swear I will cut off every fucking finger and toe one by one before I kill you, do you understand?”

The line went dead.

In-ho breathed heavily, pushing down the panic that was rising like bile. “Fuck!” He slammed the receiver down and kicked the phone box hard. A few people passing by sped up, side glancing at him.

“What happened?” Gi-hun hurried up to him from where he was waiting.

He couldn’t meet Gi-hun’s eye. “They have him. They’re using him as a way to get to me.”

“Fuck! What are we going to do?”

“He wants me to come down to the dock on the coast of Incheon.”

“Well, we have to go then, don’t we? He has him there?”

In-ho pushed past Gi-hun and began walking down the street, his mind racing. He heard Gi-hun jog to catch up behind him.

“What do you mean ‘we’? I’m doing this alone, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun huffed a laugh. “Yeah, like that’s ever going to happen.”

In-ho stopped suddenly and turned to him, causing Gi-hun to nearly run into him. “Gi-hun if they see you they’ll just kill you. To them you’re a risk that’s better off dead than alive. You can’t come with me.”

“In-ho, I don’t care if there’s a risk of me getting killed. As long as we live there will always be a chance they will get to one of us eventually. But if you go and they kill you what am I supposed to do? I’m coming with you.”

“No. It’s safer for you here.”

“You don’t have a choice in the matter. I’m coming with you and that’s it.”

In-ho stared at the man, searching his stern gaze. He turned and continued down the street, not saying anything. He hailed a cab and gave the address to the apartment. Once they were there, In-ho went straight to the closet in Gi-hun’s room, digging in some old drawers Gi-hun never used until he found his revolver.

“Where did you get that?” Gi-hun looked down at the gun in In-ho’s hand.

“It was the only thing I brought with me. I hid it in the bathroom the night I got here. Do you have one?”

Gi-hun went over to the closet and pulled back the clothes, reaching into a coat he never wore and pulling a pistol and a box of ammo from the inside pocket.

“Well, great minds think alike then.” In-ho muttered. “Come on.”

Gi-hun stuffed his gun into the inside pocket of his jacket whilst In-ho tucked it into the waistband of his jeans. They hailed another cab on the main road and In-ho paid the driver extra to drive as fast as possible.

Chapter 16: The water that prise us apart

Summary:

In-ho and Gi-hun attempt to save Jun-ho.

CW: this chapter contains a scene of minor gore and torture.

The drive to the dock was the longest of In-ho’s life. They had run right into rush hour on a weekday, it didn’t seem like they were getting very far for the amount of time they were in the cab. He cursed every single car on the road, feeling the guilt consuming him like black ink.

He was so stupid to assume his brother would be fine, that Park wouldn’t turn on him with just a little bribe from the Manager. How long did they have him for? Days? Weeks? The whole time In-ho was in Seoul playing domestic life with Gi-hun whilst his little brother was locked away having God knows what done to him. In-ho loathed himself in that moment, but not as much as he loathed the games. It was the first time he felt pure anger like that towards The Squid Games, and it had only taken him ten years. He didn’t care how much the games had hurt himself, because he genuinely believed he deserved everything he got. He gave his devoted loyalty in return for the satisfying punishment of a disconnected identity. But as soon as they hurt someone he loved, he didn’t care about how colossal and monstrous the system was in reality, he would slaughter every last one of them. He’d do it with his own hand. Every death caused by him and him only.

Laying even a finger on his little brother was a mistake they’d be begging for forgiveness for.

Shooting Jun-ho in the shoulder and risking his survival that night on the cliff was the gamble he had to take with the alternative being guaranteed death. In-ho’s own shoulder seared with the reminder of his betrayal, and he pressed a fingernail into the old and toughly scarred bullet wound, amplifying the pain before it began to seep away again. He allowed the memory of his brother’s face to haunt him as punishment.

“Fuck, we’re not getting anywhere.” Gi-hun suddenly said, and In-ho looked past the passenger seat of the cab to see the line of extensive traffic lining the expressway for as far as he could see, the car crawling along.

“Shit.” In-ho hissed under his breath. He glanced over at the taxi meter, slowly ticking upwards. He reached into his wallet and pulled out double the amount as an apology for getting the driver stuck here until the next exit. He threw it onto the passenger seat, thanked the driver, and opened the door.

“In-ho, where the fuck- we’re in the middle of the highway!” He heard Gi-hun’s yell from inside the backseat.

“Come on.” He urged, holding open the door until Gi-hun climbed out. The other drivers looked very confused as he slammed the door and wrenched Gihun by his sleeve over to the side of the road.

“What the fuck are we doing? We can’t walk there, it'll take hours!”

“We’re not walking.”

“What?”

In-ho spotted something in the distance, and ran against the crawling traffic, hearing Gi-hun yelling behind him. A motorbike was cutting through the middle of the lanes. A car sounded its horn as In-ho jumped in front of it, cutting in front of the bike. It swerved and slammed to a halt right in front of him, nearly taking out a car’s side mirror.

“Hey, what the fuck are you doing, man?” The rider flipped up the visor of his helmet, his voice muffled underneath it.

“Get off.”

“What?”

“Get off the bike, I need it. It’s an emergency.”

“Fuck no. What the hell?” The man tried to ride past him but In-ho stepped in front, the wheel knocking into his shin painfully.

“I have a gun in my back pocket. Get off or I’ll show you what a bullet looks like when it’s lodged in your fucking eyeball.”

“In-ho! What are you doing?!” Gi-hun hissed, looking nervously at the staring drivers and passengers of cars around them.

The man looked scared, holding his hands up. “Come on man, please. This bike cost me a lot of money, you know it’s a 2019 YZF-R6, right?”

“That’s great. There’s an abandoned warehouse in Incheon, near Songhyeon-dong. Pick it up from there tomorrow, and don’t tell anyone about this because I am very good at finding people.”

“And why the fuck should I do that?”

In-ho grabbed the man’s hand and dug into his own pocket. The man flinched as he pressed a folded wad of twenty 50,000 won notes into the man’s palm and closed his fingers around it. The man looked down at the money in disbelief.

“Your bike will be fine, I think that’s a pretty fair deal for a day's rental. That, and the fact the alternative is a bullet in your head.”

The man still looked reluctant to give up his bike, but he got off it anyway.

“What am I supposed to do? You can’t just leave me here!”

“You’ll figure it out. There’s an empty cab about twenty cars up that way.” In-ho swung his leg over the seat of the bike and revved the engine. He gestured for Gi-hun to sit behind him. “Oh, and I’m gonna need your helmet too.”

The man slid off his helmet, revealing his sweaty red face and messy black hair. In-ho took it and shoved it down onto Gi-hun’s head, who yelled in protest. In-ho ignored him. “Hold onto me. Hurry up.”

Gi-hun nearly fell backwards as In-ho sped off, hearing a “Please be careful with it!” Yell distantly behind him. Gi-hun clutched his waist hard and leant into his back with fear. In-ho swerved in front of a car to go onto the shoulder of the road, void of cars and allowing him to go full throttle past the traffic.

“Do you know what you’re doing?!” Gi-hun shouted over the roar of the engine and the whipping of wind in their ears.

“Of course, Gi-hun. I actually liked riding a lot when I was a cop.” He shouted back.

Gi-hun swore repeatedly as they went faster, his voice shaky. “You still like riding now.” He quipped.

In-ho actually laughed out loud at the unexpected dirty joke, brightening his mood for a second.

“That was stupid though, how do you know the police aren’t coming after us right now after that?” Gi-hun yelled.

“Who gives a fuck? They’ll probably be coming for us eventually anyway. We’ll be able to get out of here quick enough before they can even get onto this highway.”

They got to the dock in half the time it would normally take without traffic, and In-ho rode to the warehouse he was speaking of. He hid the bike remarkably well, likely only able to be found by someone who was really looking for it, and left enough money to refill the tank since he’d barely have enough to make it to the nearest gas station. It was beginning to get dark, the sunset reflecting off the puddles on the concrete of the port. In-ho forced Gi-hun to run almost the entire way to the place they needed to be, Gi-hun panting wildly behind him. Soon they were near the marina and In-ho forced Gi-hun behind a shipping container. There was no one else around, surprisingly, the marina having only a few of the parked boats missing.

“There, I can see his boat.” Gi-hun whispered, pointing to one of the battered old fishing boats at the very end of the dock.

In-ho looked around, breathing shakily. He pulled the gun out from his jeans and looked over at Gi-hun, his back pressed against the cold metal. “Stay close to me. Do everything I say, when I say it. Don’t fucking hesitate. If we get stuck, run. Run as fast as possible and don’t look back.”

Gi-hun stared at him before he finally nodded, his brows stern but fear still flickering in his eyes. He pulled out his own gun and held it tight in his hand.

In-ho breathed deep before he came out from behind the container, setting into a crouched run. He didn’t like how exposed this place was. How vast and empty. There was no way of knowing who was watching them and where. They just had to get to the boat as fast as possible. He knew he was walking directly into a trap, he wasn’t stupid. But there’s no way their trap was going to succeed. Not with the rage that burned bright in In-ho’s body.

They tried to quiet the hollow sounds of their footsteps on the old wood, fast approaching the boat at the end. In-ho crouched as low as possible, inspecting the dark and seemingly empty vessel that bobbed gently on the water. The sounds of water lapping and the soft bumps of hulls against the wood seemed ominous. He gestured for Gi-hun to follow as he jumped over the edge and onto the boat as quietly as he could. He pressed his back against the wall by the closed door of the main cabin, holding his gun to his chest.

“Watch the outside. People may come from behind.” In-ho whispered, barely audible.

Gi-hun nodded, and In-ho cocked his head towards the door. Gi-hun kicked the door in as hard as he could and It burst open, In-ho swinging out from behind the wall into the room with his gun held out in front of him.

It was dark.

And it was empty.

In-ho checked every corner of the tiny cabin and swore under his breath. The room smelt dusty, of fish and salt.

A muffled yell could be heard, seemingly from under the floor.

“Jun-ho?” In-ho said, looking around until he saw a trapdoor under his feet by the door. He scrambled over and wrenched it open, revealing the dark interior of the hull. Inside he could see his little brother, tied up with tape bound around his mouth in amongst large wooden boxes.

“Jun-ho! Fuck, Jun-ho!” In-ho swarmed with relief. His brother was alive. He was unharmed. The man’s eyes were glistening, looking up at In-ho in a way that shattered his heart and made him want to throw up.

But Jun-ho was alone. That only confirmed one thing. And In-ho didn’t know how many people were currently sitting and watching them. Or it could mean one other thing.

“Jun-ho, listen to me. Is this place rigged?”

Jun-ho shook his head wildly, but he was trying to say something, his eyes wide with fear and sweat pouring from his face. So it was option one, then.

In-ho stood, leaning out the door and grabbing Gi-hun hard by the back of his jacket and pulling him inside. He slammed the door. Trapping them inside the boat was silly, but it was the only cover they had from the spray of bullets that was undoubtedly about to occur any second. In-ho jumped down into the hull with a dull thud, pointing his gun around the dark, damp and musty interior. He was satisfied it was empty, and turned his attention to his brother. He threw himself to his knees in front of him, clicking open the switchblade from his pocket.

“Jun-ho, Fuck. You’re ok, you’re ok. Oh God, Jun-ho I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Tears were pouring from Jun-ho’s eyes, his cries muffled by the tape. In-ho ripped the black tape off that went right round his head, Jun-ho suppressing a hiss as his hair was pulled out. His eye was black and swollen, his eyebrow and lip split with a trickle of dried blood underneath. By the colour he could tell they were a few days old.

“In-ho.” He panted, his voice rough and struggling to get the words out. “In-ho.”

“Shh.” In-ho began slicing into the tick rope binding his hands. “You’re ok, we’re going to get you out of here. I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry I didn’t come for you earlier.”

“The- They-” He panted. “They’re coming. It’s a trap.”

“I know, I know.” the knife was sweaty in In-ho’s shaking hands as he sawed at the rope. It eventually gave way, and In-ho began working on the one binding his legs. “Fuck, come on.” In-ho gritted his teeth. Jun-ho rubbed at the red raw sores that wrapped around his wrists.

“In-ho!” Was all he heard Gi-hun yell before a gunshot snapped the air.

In-ho’s blood ran cold and bile rose in his throat. He launched up into the cabin to see the bullet had come from Gi-hun’s gun.

“They're here, In-ho!” Gi-hun yelled, ducking underneath the window. The window shattered as a loud bang rang out, and Gi-hun covered his head from the glass that showered him.

“Shit!” In-ho swore, reaching down into the hull and hauling Jun-ho into the cabin. A gunshot shattered the other window, and In-ho threw himself underneath it, glass crunching under his shoes.

“Gi-hun! You’re alive-” Jun-ho was cut off by another gunshot that made them all flinch.

Jun-ho crawled on his stomach across the floor, wrenching open a door under the boat’s console.

“The fuck are you doing?” In-ho yelled over the noise of Gi-hun taking a few shots, a distant cry could be heard.

“Gun!” Jun-ho scrambled onto his back, and pulled down a pistol that was taped to the inside wall. “I saw it by accident when we broke down one time!”

Jun-ho crouch ran over to them. In-ho glanced up over the edge of the window. He saw several people running in the dark, one person crouched on the boat opposite them. He ducked down before taking a shot, satisfied at the shout he heard as the bullet slammed into them.

“Fuck, there’s so many of them!” Gi-hun shouted. “We don’t have nearly enough bullets for this!”

Jun-ho sat against the wall, eyes darting like he was thinking hard. He hurried back over to the console, looking underneath. “Give me your knife!”

In-ho slid the knife across the floor. Jun-ho picked it up and pried open one of the panels to expose a mess of wires.

“Park used to get me to help fix his boat sometimes! I think I could get it running without the key!”

“Well hurry up, then!” In-ho yelled, ducking as a bullet whizzed over his head. His heart was pounding so hard in his chest he thought it might stop. He took another shot, a bullet narrowly missing his head.

A man tried to make a run for the boat, jumping onto it and pulling open the door, gun raised. Gi-hun shot him in the neck before In-ho could even react, the man dropping to the floor, scratching at his throat with wide eyes before falling onto his face. In-ho dove for the pistol that skidded from the body. Jun-ho swore as a bullet nearly hit him from the open door, and In-ho wrenched the feet of the dead body aside, slamming the door. He managed to shoot three more, Gi-hun managing two.

“Jun-ho hurry, they’re going to swarm us when they think we’re running low on ammo!” In-ho yelled.

“I’m fucking trying!” The younger man snapped. “Fuck!” He pulled his hand back fast as he was electrocuted by the exposed wires.

Gi-hun gritted his teeth. “I can help you! I used to work with wiring on cars when I worked in the factory!” He threw himself onto the floor, crawling towards him.

“Well hurry up because I can’t hold them back alone!” In-ho screamed. The two men huddled under the console, leaving In-ho to defend the boat. He took a few shots, alternating between both windows to make it seem like he wasn’t doing it alone. He peaked up over the edge, and a quick high-pitched buzzing noise was quickly followed by a searing feeling in his left ear.

“Shit!” He clutched the side of his head, pulling back to see blood soaking his hand. Pain throbbed but he didn’t care, it was suppressed by the anger that boiled him alive.

“Fuck, I’ve nearly got it!” Gi-hun breathed, gritting as he was electrocuted as well.

The boat sputtered a few times, before it roared to life.

“Holy fuck I actually did it!” Gi-hun laughed in shock, and Jun-ho grinned in response. In-ho spotted someone crouching close by, and his heart leapt into his throat.

“Gi-hun, get here now!” In-ho screamed. “Jun-ho, hold it for a second. Go when I tell you!”

“What are you doing?” Gi-hun came over. In-ho thrusted a second pistol into his hand.

“Cover me!”

“What!?” Gi-hun screamed, and In-ho burst through the door, leaping onto the marina. “In-ho no!”

In-ho grabbed the arm of the crouching man and threw it upwards, narrowly dodging a bullet from the gun in his hands, and his ears rang. He hit the gun from his hand and pulled the heavy man upwards with all his strength, using him as a human shield as he pulled him onto the boat, pressing the gun to his temple. His muscles screamed as the man struggled. He scratched In-ho’s eye and he yelped in pain.

“Jun-ho, now!” In-ho roared, and the boat spluttered and coughed as Jun-ho used all its power. In-ho threw the man into the cabin, bringing his gun down hard onto his head and knocking him out cold.

“Shit, what the fuck!” Gi-hun yelled. “Is that Park?”

In-ho bent down, flipping the man onto his stomach. They ducked as gunshots continued to spray into the cabin as the boat sped as fast as the old shitbox could. He could hear men yelling in the distance.

“Where’s that rope they tied you up with?”

Jun-ho stared at him.

“Jun-ho!”

“It’s in the hull!”

In-ho dropped down, looking around until he found a bundle of thin rope. And jumping back into the cabin. He tugged the man's wrists together behind his back. “Help me!”

Gi-hun bent down, holding his wrists together while In-ho wrapped the rope tight around them several times, tying it off and slicing it with the knife, doing the same to his ankles.

“In-ho, what are you doing?” Jun-ho fretted.

“He knows too much. The asshole betrayed me. He nearly killed you. Do you need any more reasons?”

“What are you going to do to him?”

In-ho thought back to his conversation on the payphone. It seemed like hours ago now. “I can think of a few things.”

“In-ho, what the fuck have you been doing? I just… I have so many questions I have no idea what the fuck is going on.”

“Like what?” He said bitterly.

“Where do I even start? Maybe with what the actual fuck? You disappeared for years without a single word, and then I find out you’re the head of some insane fucking mass murdering, organ harvesting cult with billions, even trillions of won? Maybe let's start with that? Or how you shot me and left me to die? Maybe who the hell Park actually is?”

“I will answer all the questions you have, Jun-ho. Now’s not a good time.”

“No, you don’t get to speak to me like that after what you’ve done. You’re lucky I haven’t taken this gun and shot you in the fucking face. Do you understand what you’ve put me through, what you’ve put Amma through?” He held up the gun, pointing it at In-ho.

“What are you doing?” In-ho said calmly.

Tears swarmed in the younger man’s eyes. “Why shouldn’t I shoot you? Give me one good reason.”

“I can’t. There isn’t one.”

The man failed to keep in a sob, sucking in a long, wet-sounding breath. “Why did you do this, In-ho?” his voice cracked.

In-ho felt tears blur his own vision. The guilt was crushing him so hard he could hardly bear it. “I’m sorry.” He croaked.

Jun-ho started sobbing, the gun falling slightly as he pressed his free hand over his eyes. In-ho carefully started walking towards him. Jun-ho cocked the gun at him and In-ho froze, hands held in front of him.

“Don’t come any fucking closer.” He cried. “I’ll shoot you. I don’t care.”

In-ho inched closer, and the man did nothing. His hands came out slowly and took the gun from him. In-ho tossed it to Gi-hun and pulled his brother towards him, who sank into the embrace and began sobbing hard into his shoulder. In-ho squeezed him tight, his breath shuddering as he failed to hold back his tears.

“I’m so sorry Jun-ho-ya. I’m so sorry.” He buried his face into his younger brother's shoulder, who squeezed him tighter.

In-ho pulled back, holding the man’s face in his hands and inspecting the cuts and bruises on his swollen face. Anger flashed through him. “Did they hurt you?”

“No. I’m fine.”

Gi-hun suddenly cocked his gun. “In-ho. Park.”

In-ho gently pushed Jun-ho off and turned to see Park stirring, eyes cracking open and moaning in pain and confusion. In-ho burned with anger, crouching down and pulling the man up by his hair, throwing him against the wall so he was sitting up against it.

Park groaned in pain, going to move his hand to his head and looking down to see his hands bound. “What…”

In-ho grabbed his long hair again and slammed his head into the wall. “Had fun, did you? Enjoyed yourself? I hope whatever fucking petty cash the Manager gave to you was enough.” He spat.

“In-ho… Fuck.” He looked around and swore, seemingly both out of pain and realisation of what was happening.

In-ho grabbed the knife from his pocket, holding it in front of the man’s eyes and opening the blade with a soft click. “I had a little promise I told you on the phone. Do you remember?”

Park stared at him, eyes wide with fear. He shook his head wildly.

“You don’t remember, or you don’t want me to?”

“No! Please don’t Please!” He begged, chest heaving. Gi-hun and Jun-ho looked at each other.

“Oh captain, captain. Shouldn’t you know by now I’m a man of my word?” In-ho grinned. “It doesn’t look like you kept your slimy, fishy hands off my brother. Look at him-” In-ho pointed the knife at Jun-ho behind him. “-He’s got a black eye, doesn’t he?” He said mockingly.

“No, no please! Please!” The man screamed, thrashing against the rope. “I’ll do anything! I’m sorry! I needed the money! The Manager paid me to do it! I was never going to kill him!”

“Shut up.” In-ho slammed his head against the metal wall again. He sat back and pulled the man’s feet towards him. “These boots look a little restrictive, don’t they?”

“No! NO!” He squirmed at In-ho untied his shoelaces. “Stay still, or I’ll cut off your whole leg next.” He pulled the boots off and tossed them aside, removing the man’s socks and holding the knife against one of his big toes, using the free hand to pin his shins down as the man screamed in fear and protest.

“In-ho, what-”

“Quiet, watch where the boat’s going.” In-ho cut off his brother. Gi-hun watched on in horror.

“So the Manager’s looking for me? Why?”

“The- The VIPs found out In-ho left alive. They’re threatening to cease all funds if he’s not found and killed. Jun-ho was the only connection they had to you and they knew you’d come looking for him. They- They know about Gi-hun too.

“For fucks sake.” In-ho muttered, knowing all the chances of him and Gi-hun living a peaceful life together knowing his family was safe was just squashed under his shoe.

He pressed the knife harder into the man’s toe, drawing blood.

“Wait-wait-wait-wait! I told you what you wanted? I’ll tell you anything!”

“It’s nice to know how loyal my employees are to me. Screaming and babbling out information over a little toe.”

“No! No! Please!”

His cries cut into screams as In-ho pushed the knife with all his strength. Park’s toe rolled onto the floor with a sickening thud, blood pouring onto his foot.

“In-ho! What the fuck!” Jun-ho gasped.

“Jun-ho. Be quiet, please.”

“What do they know about me? About Gi-hun?”

“I don’t know, I swear!”

Blood curdling screams pierced the air as another toe fell onto the wood.

Rage coursed through In-ho, seeing red. “Uh oh! That’s another one. Don’t worry, you’ve still got eighteen more chances.”

“No! I don’t know! All I know is that they know you live in Seoul and you’re with Gi-hun! This only happened recently I swear! They wanted me to bring you back to the island and execute you in front of the VIPs! They knew you’d be stupid enough to bring that man you’d been fucking for the rest of the games. Everyone knows it.” Park grinned smugly, looking over at Gi-hun. Gi-hun glared back, and Jun-ho looked between them, confused.

In-ho punched Park hard in the mouth, and the man laughed, blood staining his teeth. In-ho burned with hatred, digging his nails into the man’s feet and cutting off three toes until his left foot was just a bloodied stump. The man screamed, thrashing.

“There goes five. What was their plan if they didn’t get to me here?” In-ho pressed the knife to his other big toe.

“Why the fuck should I tell you? Even if I did know you’re just going to cut them off anyway!”

In-who sank the knife into the man’s thigh, and the man jolted and cried out. “Because I can make it so much worse.”

“I swear on my life I don’t know. Why would they tell me? I’m just a fucking watchman, it’s not my job!”

In-ho growled in frustration.

“In-ho! I can see lights!” Jun-ho called, and In-ho looked up to see him pointing out the back window. He stood and looked to see multiple headlights coming their way in the far distance.

“Shit.” In-ho spat. “We need to get off this boat, now.”

“Get off? And go where?” Gi-hun looked around at the empty blackness surrounding the boat.

“We’re going to have to swim to shore.” He pointed to the glittering lights of the city in the distance. “If we go now they won’t see us. It looks to be only a few miles.”

In-ho grabbed a gun out of Gi-hun’s hand and held it up to Park’s head. His teeth gritted as his finger shook against the trigger. The bound man hung his head and squeezed his eyes shut.

“In-ho…” His brother said.

He turned to see Jun-ho staring at him, a sadness in his eyes. In-ho faltered, his jaw quivering.

“Please… No more.”

Tears blurred In-ho’s eyes. He wanted Park dead, gone, erased from existence through pain and suffering. His hand shook.

Then he lowered the gun.

A loud bang rang out from inside the cabin, and In-ho flinched hard. But the sound didn’t come from his own gun.

Park was slumped over, blood pouring from a hole in his head. In-ho and Jun-ho looked up with wide eyes to see Gi-hun pointing the gun in front of him, staring down at the dead body.

“Holy shit, Gi-hun-” In-ho was cut off by Gi-hun grabbing him hard by the jacket and pulling him towards the broken windshield on the front of the boat.

“Come on, we need to go. Now.” He said.

In-ho bent down and ripped the knife out of Park’s thigh. They clambered over the console and out the broken windshield onto the bow. Jun-ho was first before bullets began spraying over the ship and surrounding water.

“Shit! Where did they get a fucking machine gun!?” In-ho ducked behind the console, pulling Gi-hun down with him. Gi-hun pushed him up, and In-ho rolled out the windshield onto the bow. It was so dark he could hardly see, not having put on any of the boat lights to avoid being seen. He got up as fast as possible, grabbing Gi-hun by the shoulders and helping him out. Bullets sprayed again, and In-ho felt something thwack into his bicep, and he let go of Gi-hun, the man falling hard onto the floor with a yelp.

“Fuck! Come on! We need to go! They still can’t see us properly, it’s too dark but if we go now they won’t know we’ve jumped!”

“Gi-hun, hurry!” In-ho practically fell onto the man, still on the floor, and pulled him up hard. The man cried out and In-ho let go in fear.

It was so dark. “Gi-hun, what-” In-ho stopped dead when Gi-hun rolled on his back, a patch of black visible in the moonlight growing just over his hip. “Gi-hun…”

In-ho threw himself onto the man. He could feel violent trembling, but he didn’t know if it was from himself or Gi-hun. Gi-hun’s breaths were fast and shallow, his eyes wide and terrified.

“Gi-hun, fuck, Gi-hun!” In-ho pressed his hand down onto the patch of black, hot and wet under his hands. Gi-hun cried out, trying to push his hands away.

Jun-ho stared in shock, crouching by the edge of the bow.

In-ho couldn’t help the tears that started pouring down his cheeks. “Gi-hun, oh fuck, I’m so sorry. Oh God this is all my fault-” He pressed down on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. The pain knocked the air out of Gi-hun and his nails dug painfully into In-ho’s wrists, a harsh and terrible groan tearing from his throat. The man was staring up at him, eyes impossibly wide and mouth hanging open in desperate attempt to gasp for breath. Little breaths and whimpers escaped him, as though he was trying to speak but couldn’t.

“In-In… In-h..” The man spluttered, body twitching violently. More bullets clanged off the metal hull and smashed the remaining window.

“Shh, shh, you’re going to be fine, we’re going to get you off this boat. Ok? This will hurt, and I’m so sorry but we need to do it.” He pried Gi-hun’s hand off his wrist and placed it on his shoulder. He tore a wide strip from his own T-shirt and wrapped it as tight as it would go around Gi-hun’s wound and tied it off. Gi-hun whimpered and cried, shattering In-ho's heart with every noise.

“In-ho, In-ho we have to go, they’re getting too close.” Jun-ho looked nervously.

“G…G-Go. Go.” Gi-hun shuddered.

“Shut the fuck up, let’s go.” In-ho wrenched him upwards into him, and Gi-hun screamed in protest.

“I know, I know, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry baby.” In-ho’s voice was thick. Gi-hun was heavy, almost dead weight until he managed to put the man on his feet. He swayed dangerously, looking as though he was going to pass out.

“Stay awake, you hear me? Stay awake, Gi-hun.” In-ho clicked his fingers in front of his face. He yelled for Jun-ho to go, and heard the splash of the man diving into the water.

“Hold your breath, ok Gi-hun?” In-ho gritted his teeth, pulling the man towards the edge. He hurled himself over the railing, bringing Gi-hun with him and braced himself as he hit the water.

Notes:

Sorry for another short one, but I'd thought I'd tease a bit with a bit of a cliffhanger! I actually enjoyed writing this chapter more than I thought I would. Hope you enjoy the change of pace! See yall soon <3 thanks for the love

Chapter 17: In sickness and in health

Summary:

In-ho and Jun-ho fight to keep Gi-hun alive, and they take him to a safer place to get help. In-ho is also forced to come out to a lot of people in a short period of time.

Notes:

CW: graphic imagery, brief minor homophobia

The water was so cold it knocked the air from his lungs, consuming his whole body and stinging his skin. He was too late in suppressing a gasp of shock, choking on the water that entered his throat. It was so dark he couldn’t see anything, he didn’t know which way was up. He held onto Gi-hun like his life depended on it. He heard more gunshots but they didn't reach them.

His head broke the surface, and he gasped, the cold air both painful and relieving. He turned his body to allow Gi-hun’s face to break the surface as well. The man gasped, much to In-ho’s relief, and he let out an anguished moan.

“Shh, Gi-hun. You’re going to have to be very quiet now, ok?” In-ho said breathlessly, spitting the water that filled his mouth.

“Jun-ho! Jun-ho!” He called quietly into the dark, whipping his head around wildly. It was too dark to see anything. He could hardly tell where the boat was, now drifting away. He pushed down the panic of being alone in the middle of the freezing ocean in the pitch black night, clutching onto the dying body of the person he loved more than anything else, the next person currently missing in the dark depths. Gi-hun was so heavy, there was no way In-ho would ever be able to get him over to the shore by himself, lights blinking mockingly in the distance. He could hardly even hold him up above the water.

“In-ho!” A strangled voice said to his right, and In-ho threw himself towards it. Jun-ho was a few feet away.

“Jun-ho! Help me, help me with him, please!”

Jun-ho swam over and hooked an arm under Gi-hun’s and they began to swim one-handed towards the shore, Gi-hun trying his best to help, but he was weak.

The boats were still a ways off, but they were much faster than they were swimming. They needed to put as much distance between them as possible, so their lights would be unable to reach them. They swam as hard as they could, gasping and groaning. In-ho had swallowed a lot of water already, weighing heavy and cold in his stomach. The current was pushing them away from the boats at least, though they had to fight against it to get to the shore. Another set of three boats were approaching the others, these ones much faster.

In-ho swore, wincing as salty water splashed in his eyes.

“Yes! It’s the coast guard! Someone must have reported the gunshots!” Jun-ho laughed in relief.

In-ho looked again. He was right, those lights and formation did resemble that of the coast guards. Relief flooded him.

“We have to get their attention!”

In-ho whipped his head around. “No, don’t even think about it.” He hissed.

“What the fuck are you talking about? They’ll pick us up! We’ll die out here before we make it to the shore, or at least Gi-hun will.”

“We will make it. All of us. Think for a second, how the fuck do you expect us to get away from the coastguard after what’s happened? We cannot. Be seen.”

“In-ho-”

“Do as I say.”

Jun-ho grunted as he pulled Gi-hun along. The boats had reached their attackers, and all of them were now stopped in the water. Now it was only a matter of time before the coastguard, with even brighter lights, came to investigate the empty, dark boat.

Relief crept up the further the three of them managed to get away. In-ho’s whole body was searing like fire, his muscles seizing as he forced himself to push as hard as he could. His lungs were burning and his throat was tight with desperate gasps of cold air and salt water. He was not losing Gi-hun because he was too weak to get him to safety.

He was not losing Gi-hun.

He was not losing Gi-hun.

In-ho gritted his teeth, suppressing a frustrated roar. They could hear the wailing of sirens coming from the mainland, undoubtedly swarming the port after the gunfire. They were getting closer, and Gi-hun was becoming weaker.

“Ah, come on, Gi-hun. Come on. We’re nearly there, Gi-hun. We’re nearly there.” In-ho said hoarsely between gasping breaths. Jun-ho took a sharp breath and gurgled on water, coughing violently.

“In-ho, In-ho I can’t.” Jun-ho gasped, and In-ho roared behind clenched teeth as he began to pull both their weight.

“We’re nearly there, Jun-ho. Don’t give up. We’re so close.” In-ho’s voice was dripping in desperation, clawing at the water and kicking hard. He looked over and saw Gi-hun beginning to drift off, his mouth dipping under the black water.

“No, no, nononono-” He slapped Gi-hun’s cheek gently a few times, and the man cracked open his eyes tiredly. He was deathly pale, and his lips were blue and so chapped they were almost bleeding. “No, no, come on Gi-hun. Nearly there.” They needed to get to shore now. Gi-hun was in a bad way, and they needed to get to shore now. He looked up at Jun-ho, who was so tired he was struggling to even keep his head above the water.

“Jun-ho.” In-ho’s eyes filled with tears and he was too tired to stop the sobs that escaped him. “Please… Please.” He clutched at Gi-hun’s dead weight, refusing to let go.

Jun-ho looked at him tiredly. He gritted his teeth and his face screwed up in pain as he put all his remaining power into getting them to shore. They finally hit a wall at the edge of the port, on a side of it that was dark and unoccupied. They could see the bridge of one of the highways in the distance, small lights travelling across it. They slammed hard against the wall, In-ho feeling his hand scratch harshly across the concrete and beginning to bleed.

“There!” Jun-ho coughed. In-ho looked to wear he was pointing to see a ladder built into the wall. He groaned as they wrenched Gi-hun over to it. Fuck. This was going to be almost impossible.

“Gi-hun, please, you have to wake up.” He slapped Gi-hun’s cheeks again, and the man looked at him lazily. “You have to help us, ok? You need to help us otherwise we won’t be able to get you out of the water.”

Gi-hun slowly looked up at where In-ho was pointing. He closed his eyes again and nodded.

“Ok, ok, Jun-ho, stay here and hold him. I’ll get to the top and help pull him up.”

Jun-ho agreed, and In-ho untucked himself from Gi-hun, putting the man’s hand around the rung of the ladder. He climbed up, his muscles shaking violently with fatigue.
He lay on his stomach at the top, dangling over the edge. Luckily, the wall was only about eight feet tall from the water. “Gi-hun, Gi-hun climb up to me, I’ll help you, ok?”

Jun-ho encouraged him up, trying his best to help the man with what little energy and little traction he had. Gi-hun managed to pull himself up slowly, wincing in pain but too weak to make any noise louder than a whine. In-ho reached down as far as he could, almost pulling the muscles in his shoulder, his stomach bruising against the edge. He grabbed a hold of Gi-hun’s clothes and used all his remaining power to pull Gi-hun up with a loud roar of exhausted frustration. Gi-hun instantly dropped onto his hands and knees and rolled onto his back hard.

In-ho grabbed Jun-ho under the arm, who had climbed up under Gi-hun, and pulled him up. The relief was fleeting when he saw how pale Gi-hun truly was under the dim light of a distant streetlamp. In-ho looked around wildly, confirming there was no one around. They were underneath an overpass, a lot of old, rusting shipping containers shielding them from view. They could see the light of the coast guard boats beginning to tow the fishing boat and the boats that attacked them along behind them in the opposite direction.

Jun-ho was shivering violently, lying face down on the concrete in a puddle created by his clothes. In-ho threw himself over to Gi-hun, so tired he was nearly going to collapse. He was so cold he could hear his teeth chattering loud in his ear. He was so cold it hurt to move even a muscle.

“Gi-hun… Gi-hun.” He clutched at him and began tugging off his sopping wet jacket. He ripped his shirt down the middle, the buttons scattering. The strip of fabric In-ho had tied around him was still fastened, slightly bunched and wonky now. It was saturated in blood. Gi-hun was breathing shallowly.

Fuck.

This was not good. And they were here in the middle of nowhere with nothing. If they went to the hospital, the Manager and his guards would find out, and they’d be there within the hour. In-ho looked around. They’d have to break into somewhere. Somewhere he could fix Gi-hun. But he had to find it, then he somehow had to get Gi-hun there. He pushed down the panic of his overwhelm, pressing a hand to his forehead. He looked under the overpass, and saw the outline of a closed gas station in the distance.

That would have to do.

“Jun-ho. We need to take Gi-hun to that gas station. If he doesn’t bleed out here he’ll die from the cold, we need to get him there.”

Jun-ho looked exhausted beyond repair, but he nodded without complaint. Gi-hun gave a weak shocked cry as the men pulled him up and carried him. Though he was heavy, Gi-hun was still not as heavy as he should’ve been, and for once In-ho was happy about that. They got him there in a few minutes, having to pull him awkwardly through a break in a wire fence. They took him around to the back of the gas station to the back door. The area was mainly industrial and mercifully secluded at night. They hid their faces from the CCTV as In-ho shoulder barged the door a few times until it finally burst open. He disabled the alarm before returning to help Jun-ho carry him inside. They placed him on the floor and Jun-ho ran to the old 2000s computer to disable the CCTV.

“Jun-ho, find something to warm him up, I need to find something to clean and stitch that wound.”

Jun-ho burst into the main store, In-ho switched on the lights, not caring if anyone could see them. He hurried around the store, panic rising. He felt nauseous from all the saltwater he swallowed, his lungs still burning. He almost laughed when he found an ‘emergency sewing kit’ in the tiny travel section, also picking up a bottle of the highest percentage whiskey he could find, hand sanitiser, paper towels, a lighter, and a couple small, shitty travel first aid kits. He hurried back to Gi-hun, a dark and terrible fear looming over his shoulder that he’d return to a dead body. But Gi-hun was still breathing. Shallowly, but steadily.

The items he brought clattered to the floor as he knelt beside him. Jun-ho returned with a couple small car blankets and several packets of those hand warmer things. It wasn’t much, but it would help at least. Jun-ho helped him properly remove Gi-hun’s wet clothes down to his boxers.

“Go and find the thermostat and turn it up warmer.” In-ho asked, and Jun-ho got up without a word.

Gi-hun was drifting in and out, sometimes looking around or looking at In-ho tiredly.

In-ho cut off the fabric with his switchblade, wiping the area clean so that he could finally see in the light. Gi-hun had been shot twice, the wounds quite close together near where his appendix would be. They were still slowly oozing blood, and In-ho mopped it up with the saturated fabric. He turned Gi-hun onto his side, the man moaning in protest. There was one exit wound. One bullet was still inside. He cracked open the bottle of whiskey and ripped open the packet of paper towels. He opened the first aid kit and found some large tweezers. He glanced up at Gi-hun, whose eyes were closed again, the whiskey bottle in his hand. If he wasn’t awake now he was going to be.

He poured a generous amount of hand sanitiser over his hands. Then he held the lighter up to the tweezers, sterilising them and dousing them in whiskey for good measure. He poured the whiskey over Gi-hun, and the man jolted awake, eyes wider than he’d seen since before he was shot, a sharp inhale tearing into him.

“I’m sorry, this is going to hurt Gi-hun, I need to get the bullet out.”

Gi-hun moaned, shaking his head. Jun-ho returned, and In-ho could feel the room beginning to warm up.

“Jun-ho, I know he’s weak but if he thrashes I’m going to need you to hold him still.”

Jun-ho nodded, and Gi-hun moaned loudly again in protest.

He dug as gently as he could into the open wound with the tweezers, and Gi-hun tensed, almost convulsing. His hand grabbed In-ho’s wrist with surprising strength. Jun-ho pried him off with clenched teeth.

Gi-hun gasped as the pain knocked all air out of his lungs, and thrashed as In-ho dug until he hit something metal. It was hard to see anything past the blood, and In-ho took a few attempts to finally grab the bullet and pull it out. Gi-hun shouted, resolving into constant whimpers and moans. The bullet was whole. That was good. He dropped it, pressing a thick wad of paper towel against the fresh blood that oozed. Gi-hun clasped his hand over In-ho’s breathing hard. In-ho opened the sewing kit, having to get Jun-ho to ready it for him as he grabbed the whiskey bottle once more.

Gi-hun shook his head wildly.

“I need to clean it, ok? It’s nearly over.” He lied, glancing over at the thick, straight needle designed for sewing. He poured the whiskey gently over the wound, using some fresh paper towel soaked in whiskey to wipe it. He sterilised the needle, a long, clear fishing line hanging from it.

Gi-hun looked down, eyes widening at the sight of the needle. “N..No..”

“It will be over soon, ok?” In-ho promised, and Gi-hun screwed his eyes shut tightly. In-ho pressed the needle against his skin, and pushed it through. Gi-hun gasped, his hand grabbing at In-ho’s sleeve again. Jun-ho ended up having to hold the man’s arms down to keep him from grabbing repeatedly. He made breathless sounds of pain that hurt In-ho just to listen to.

In-ho had let Gi-hun come with him. It was his fault this had happened. It was his fault Gi-hun was in so much pain and on the verge of death in front of his eyes.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, beautiful.” In-ho croaked, and he felt Jun-ho look up at him for a second.

Gi-hun jolted, eyes wide and terrified as In-ho began on the second wound. He made quick work of it before tying it off. They had to roll him to the side, cleaning and stitching the exit wound on his back and sticking a large dressing over it before rolling him back down. In-ho cleaned the surrounding area of blood, sticking a dressing over the two wounds on the front before getting Jun-ho to help him sit up. Gi-hun threw up onto the floor out of pain and exertion, and In-ho wiped the vomit off his mouth before helping Jun-ho to wrap his abdomen in bandages. They laid a few blankets on the floor for Gi-hun to lie on, and wrapped him in the foil blanket from the first aid kit. Jun-ho brought a few bottles of water, and In-ho helped to pour some into Gi-hun’s mouth before he chugged the rest of the bottle, washing it down with a long sip of whisky.

Jun-ho left to grab a few things to eat, and he came back to see In-ho lying next to Gi-hun, stroking his hair and whispering things into his ear.

“We can’t stay here all night, this place isn’t abandoned.” Jun-ho said cautiously, handing him a few oat bars and some shrimp flavoured rice crackers when he sat up, the ones he knew In-ho liked.

“I know, but he needs rest. We need to rest. Turn the lights off, we have a few hours at least, this place doesn’t open until 5AM.”

In-ho cleaned the dried blood from his ear, Jun-ho promised only a small chunk had been removed from the top of his ear, and he bandaged up the gash on his hand. Jun-ho was surprisingly unharmed apart from a few cuts and bruises, and the old injuries he’d sustained by Park’s hand.

They sat in darkness for a while, eating in silence. He could tell Jun-ho was waiting for him to speak first. The man was still shivering, and In-ho threw him one of the fleece blankets.

“Thanks…” He caught it, wrapping it over his shoulders.

“I owe you an apology. An apology I’m not sure will be able to extend over everything I’ve done.”

“Is that where you were? That week Hee-young was very sick? I never pried because you were grieving, but you disappeared the week she died, In-ho. You had the games on that week and couldn’t make it to see her? Is that it? Too busy maiming, killing, burning bodies-”

In-ho felt a flicker of rage, and he clenched his jaw. “How dare you assume that? How dare you imply that I didn’t love her enough and that I’d put something in front of her, that I’d go off somewhere else and leave her to die alone. I wasn’t at the games as the Frontman, I was there as a player.”

“What?”

“Isn’t that obvious? You knew how much debt I was in. I had loan sharks hanging off my shoulders and I couldn’t borrow any more than I already had. I was desperate, Jun-ho, and then a recruiter found me outside the hospital the day she told me she wanted to keep the baby and I knew…” His voice cracked. “I knew how bad it was. She needed surgery now or she was going to…” He trailed off, shaking his head as tears formed again. “I told her I was going away for a bit, and I’d come back with the money and she’d be ok.”

“But you survived… So you won?”

“Yes. I won. 45.6 billion won. But by the time I got out of there it was already too late, and the money was useless to me. You saw how I lived those years after she died. I didn’t care anymore. I’d lost the one thing I loved the most.”

“So you went back? As the Frontman? Why?”

“I was approached by the man who created the games. He was dying, and wanted someone to take over. He knew what had happened to me, he knew how broken I was. To him I was like a ball of clay he could easily mold into anything he wanted. And he did. I knew what he was doing, I am never saying I didn’t. I was numb. Killing felt like nothing, just like everything else felt like nothing. But now I had a job to do and I did it with all I had. I can’t take back the things I’ve done. I would be dead before I even atoned for half of it. But now I can at least try to move on, like I should’ve done a decade ago.”

Jun-ho thought for a while, taking in this information.

“I’m sorry for what I put you and Omma through. I can apologise a million times and I know it can’t be enough.”

“Omma thought you killed yourself.”

“In a way, I had.”

“You tried to kill me.”

“No. No I didn’t.”

“You didn’t? Then what the fuck was-”

“I did that to protect you.”

Jun-ho gave an unamused laugh. “I was in a coma for nearly a year, In-ho. I fell off a fucking cliff. Omma thought she lost both her children, and she still blamed herself for Hee-young. How the fuck did you expect me to survive that?”

“I was supposed to kill you, you had too much information on the games, and you knew who I was. Letting you live was an incredible security risk. I needed everyone to think I had killed you. I shot you in the shoulder on purpose, so you’d survive the shot but fall from the cliff. That cliff is straight down, and there's no submerged rocks there. You just had to be found and picked up before you drowned.”

“I was told Park found me. He worked for you the whole time?”

“Yes. I had hired him as one of the fishing boats that kept watch of the island in exchange for money and allowing them to fish in the surrounding waters. They all jump at the idea since those waters are so abundant. All it took was a generous portion extra on his pay check and he kept an eye on you under the radar, and he kept you away from the island. If you came back, they’d kill you, then they’d kill me. It obviously didn’t take much for Park to reveal to the Manager that you were still alive and to use you as a way to get to me.”

Jun-ho shook his head angrily. “In-ho, I spent four years of my life looking for you. I nearly lost my job a hundred times.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

“How do you expect me to react to all this?”

“I don’t expect you to forgive me.”

“Well, of course I forgive you In-ho but I don’t understand how-”

“What?” In-ho interrupted, his brows furrowed.

“You’re my brother, In-ho. We’re family. I’d do anything for you and I know you’d do anything for me. You gave me your kidney for fucks sake.”

In-ho sat, blinking for a while. “But you understand all I’ve done…”

“Yes, I understand. I was on that island for almost a week. I saw everything that was being done. I mean, except at the time I didn’t know it was all being coordinated by you, but-.”

In-ho blinked again. Jun-ho actually forgave him. He forgave him.

They sat in silence for a long time, the quiet room only punctuated by the sounds of them chewing and the crinkling of foil packets like they were just having a casual hangout.

“So…” Jun-ho began awkwardly, and he glanced over at Gi-hun. “What Park said is true? About you and Gi-hun? You keep… calling him things.”

Despite the inevitability of the question, In-ho went still. Though he had had tendencies towards men as well as women for a long time, he never told anyone about it. Not even his wife. The only people that knew were the men he bent over tables and fucked and now of course, Gi-hun. He never intended to tell his family because he never intended to meet anyone else after his wife. That and his plan to die young on that island.

“Well, Park’s description was a bit graphic.”

“How in the fuck did that even happen? Gi-hun was hell bent on killing you. He spent three years preparing, he trained with the fucking military.”

In-ho hid his amusement at this, even if he already knew it. “It’s a long, very complicated story.”

“Tell me.”

“No.”

Jun-ho gave him a look. “In-ho, I don’t think you’re in the position to refuse me right now.”

In-ho sighed. “Fine.” He told Jun-ho how he tracked Gi-hun for three years. How he joined the games disguised as a player. His intention to stop Gi-hun’s little revolution and show him how hypocritical his ideas were. How it changed when things got complicated, and he wanted to convince Gi-hun to join alongside him as the Frontman because his loyalty to the games ran so deep he couldn’t just accept his love for the man. How Gi-hun left and the almost two years they spent apart.

“It was him Jun-ho. After the day I shot you I began to doubt, but then Gi-hun came along and my life flipped so hard I didn't know what to do. It was him that finally made me realise what the fuck I was doing. I had completely forgotten myself, and he reminded me who I was.”

“So you… you love him?” Jun-ho asked awkwardly.

In-ho exhaled, looking over at the sleeping man, covered up to his chin in blankets.

“Yes. Yes I love him.”

Jun-ho nodded, thinking.

“Is there a problem with that?”

“No, of course not. I mean, I always kind of suspected.”

“Huh? Suspected what?”

“That you liked men.”

“How?”

“In-ho you’re my brother. Of course I noticed. I mean, I wasn’t sure but…” He suppressed a grin. “Well, I saw the way you used to talk to Officer Lee before you met Hee-young.”

“Oh my God-” In-ho was mortified. “Why the fuck did you have to bring him up?”

Jun-ho laughed openly. A sound In-ho didn’t realise until now he had missed so badly. “Did you actually sleep with him?”

“Jun-ho! You can’t ask me that, you’re my brother!”

“Did you?”

“I’m not telling.”

“Did you?”

There was a long stretch of silence. “...Yes.”

Jun-hee laughed, eyes shocked. “Oh my God! In-ho!”

In-ho tried to look annoyed but failed to hide the grin that formed on his face. After he finally met Gi-hun again, and that huge void was finally filled, there was still a piece of him missing. Laughing with his baby brother, he could finally feel that void being filled.

 

**

 

When it reached 3:30AM, In-ho decided they needed to get far away from there before the sun rose. He awoke his brother and Gi-hun with an apology, and they cleaned up the mess of bloody tissues and blankets as best they could, wrapping it all in a blanket along with something heavy and tossing it into the ocean. In-ho left an apology note for breaking into the store and left enough money to pay for all the items they used. Gi-hun was very weak. They forced him to drink a small amount of water. As In-ho grabbed his head to help him drink, he realised Gi-hun was burning hot.

“We need to get Gi-hun to a doctor. But we can’t take him to the hospital.” In-ho said nervously, as Gi-hun looked at him through hooded eyelids, skin stark white against the blackness of his under eyes.

Jun-ho thought to himself for a while, before he looked up suddenly. “I have an idea, but you’re not going to like it.”

“Just tell me.”

“Officer Jeong Ho-jin. He owes me big time and I know he used to be a surgeon before he became a police officer.”

“Ah, fuck Jun-ho, you know what that guy did to me. He’s a dick.”

“Yeah, but can you think of anyone else? He was a practicing doctor, and I know he won’t tell anyone, he’s helped me out before and I’ve helped him.”

“Fine. But we can’t take him back to Gi-hun’s apartment. They’ll be watching it.”

“Take him back to Omma’s. She isn’t your biological mother, they probably don’t know or care that she exists.”

In-ho thought about having to face his stepmother after going missing for all these years. He dreaded it, but he wanted to see her again. “Ok, ok yeah.”

“It’s just the problem of getting him there.”

They looked down at Gi-hun, still and breathing shallowly through his mouth. “He’s getting an infection. The bullet might have nicked his intestines or his appendix. He may still be able to move before he becomes any sicker.

“We can use the motorbike, if it’s still there.”

Jun-ho looked at him like he was insane. “What motorbike?”

“Nevermind that now. It’s parked not far from here. I’ll sit Gi-hun on the back, and you’ll have to get a cab. Bring Ho-Jin to Omma’s place and don’t let him refuse, I’ll pay him whatever the fuck he wants I don’t care. And do it discreetly, don’t tell him where you’re taking him.”

“Are you sure you’ll be ok?”

“Yes that’s the best option, do you think sticking him in a cab like this is a good look? All our clothes are torn, Gi-hun’s got no shirt under his jacket, I’ve got no fucking ear on my head, and you look like shit.”

“Alright fine, I get it.”

Gi-hun was able to walk slowly, the men ending up having to just carry him over to the warehouse they left the bike at. It was still there, and In-ho left a folded note with the large letters “YAMAHA MAN” written on it detailing the new location of his bike, and two enclosed 50,000 won notes for his troubles.

They put the helmet on Gi-hun’s head and Jun-ho helped him onto the bike behind In-ho, the man practically lying on In-ho’s back.

“Gi-hun, make sure you’re holding on, ok? Gi-hun?” He called behind him, and he saw the man nod.

The journey to where his stepmother lived in Gwanak-gu was long and painful, having to stop multiple times; once for gas and three times to help Gi-hun sit properly on the bike when he was nearly falling off. They took so long that Jun-ho had already managed to find Ho-jin and bring him to the building.

“What took you so long? I thought something happened.” Jun-ho greeted when the loud engine ceased.

“You try taking someone who can barely sit upright on the back of a motorbike. Now be quiet and help me.”

Jeong Ho-jin was standing on the steps, looking much older than when In-ho had last seen him when he was in the force, now with glasses and greying hair. He was holding a dark blue duffle bag.

“Hwang In-ho. Never thought I would see your face again.”

“Ho-jin.” In-ho greeted blandly. “How’re the kids?”

“Oldest is twenty now, youngest just turned sixteen.”

“Well. Doesn’t time fly.”

Jeong Ho-jin became an officer a few years after In-ho, In-ho had helped train him when the rookie’s partner was absent. He never had anything outwardly against the man at the time beyond the fact he could be a bit of an asshole, until nine years later. When In-ho was struggling, borrowing every cent he could, someone had told the chief In-ho had borrowed money from a criminal. At the time, In-ho was desperate, and he knew the man he was borrowing from well. He later found out it was Ho-jin that had told his superior In-ho had taken a bribe, and In-ho was fired on the spot. He knew Ho-jin knew the situation he was in. How sick his wife was. He used to be a doctor for fucks sake. He could have easily ignored it but he didn’t. Though he was still drowning in debt, now he had no job, no income at all. It was the reason that finally drove him over the edge to stand on the side of the road that night ten years ago, picked up by a black limousine to wake up in a green sweatsuit the next day with the number 132 plastered across his chest.

But that didn’t matter now. No one could change what happened. Right now it was about Gi-hun. Gi-hun needed him, and he would do anything to make sure he was ok.

“You told Omma we were coming, right?” In-ho called to Jun-ho.

“Of course, you know how she has the tendency to be out everytime we call in. I only told her I was bringing someone who needed some help, so she might be a bit shocked.”

In-ho rolled his eyes, grunting as he helped Gi-hun off the bike. “Nearly there, Gi-hun. We’re going to get you some help. Nearly there, don’t worry.”

Ho-jin took one look at Gi-hun and said, “Bring him inside, now.”

Gi-hun sagged against him, and he allowed Jun-ho to help Gi-hun up the narrow, creaky stairs to the second floor whilst In-ho explained to the doctor what had happened. His stepmother answered the door a second after he knocked, looking at the man hanging off Jun-ho’s shoulder and ushered them in confusedly.

“Jun-ho! Jun-ho what is going on? Who is this man, is he an officer? What happened to him? There’s blood all over his clothes.”

Ho-jin entered the apartment. She stared at him for a second, looking him up and down.

“You didn’t tell me you were inviting this man into my house. And everyone’s got their shoes on.” She said bitterly.

“Omma, stop-” Jun-ho began, but everyone froze when In-ho entered the room.

She looked at him like she was seeing a ghost. They stared at each other, In-ho’s chest growing tighter and tighter the longer he looked in her eyes and saw all the pain behind them.

“Omma…” He whispered, and his voice broke.

She walked over to him and threw her arms around him, her head only up to his chest. He buried his head in the crook of her shoulder and squeezed her tight, face screwed up in pain. How did he leave the people he loved so dearly? How did he trade it for what he did?

“My boy. My boy…” She cried, cradling the back of his head in her hands. “My son… You’re ok.”

“I’m ok, Omma. I’m home.”

She suddenly pulled off him, slapping him hard on the chest and causing him to flinch.

“I thought you were dead, In-ho. Your brother’s been looking for you, where have you been?”

“I’m sorry Omma. I had to leave. I had to. Hee-young… I couldn’t take it anymore-” He bit back a sob, and she pulled him into another hug.

They broke apart, and she turned back to the men in her living room. “Now, what is happening? Who is this man and why isn’t he in a hospital? He looks like he’s going to drop dead on my floor.”

“Omma, please.” Jun-ho stressed. “Just trust me. It’s a long story that we can’t tell you but this man needs help urgently and we can’t take him to a hospital. Ho-jin’s a doctor.

“Well he better not be a criminal, I don’t want police showing up on my doorstep and don’t say something sarcastic, Jun-ho.” She held up a finger to the younger man and he opened his mouth and closed it.

Jun-ho cleared the kitchen table and they lifted Gi-hun onto it while Ho-jin unzipped his duffle bag and removed what he needed. In-ho took off Gi-hun’s jacket and they laid him down.

“Alright, give me a look.” Ho-jin stretched some blue gloves over his hands, leaning in close to inspect the wounds. The stitches were still intact, but already growing tighter from the swelling and the red bruises around them were beginning to turn a dark and angry purple. It already looked worse from how it did a few hours ago.

“Pretty good work on the stitches despite having to use… what is this, fishing line? Technique needs some work. You removed the bullet, yes?”

“Obviously.” In-ho said, and Jun-ho glared at him. “He had one exit wound. I removed the other bullet. It was in one piece.”

The doctor examined Gi-hun’s wound closely, taking his blood pressure. Gi-hun winced and whined tiredly when Ho-jin gently prodded at it.

“Alright, it’s likely he’s got an infection, and he’s showing signs of shock. His heart rate is going quite fast as is his breathing, and his blood pressure is concerning. I’m glad you brought him to me when you did because this man is not in a good way. It’s highly likely he will develop peritonitis and potentially sepsis as well.”

In-ho chewed on his fingernails whilst the doctor grabbed a couple bags of clear fluids and an IV line.

“Gi-hun is going to ideally need a lot of monitoring for a while, are you sure you don’t want to take him to a hospital?”

“I can’t.” In-ho said bluntly. “It’s not safe. For him or for me. Please, can’t you come and check up on him here? He will stay here until he’s well.”

The doctor looked at Gi-hun and sighed. “Alright. But just know that it’s risky that he’s not monitored constantly in a hospital setting. These are fluids and antibiotics, sorry Gi-hun, this will sting a bit.” He explained, swabbing the crook of Gi-hun’s elbow and inserting a very large cannula that made Gi-hun squeeze his eyes shut and turn away. In-ho stroked his forehead and hair, shushing him gently. He could feel the sweat under his palm. The doctor hooked up the fluids in one arm, and the antibiotics in the other, getting In-ho and Jun-ho to hold the bags.

“Ideally I’d give him blood, but obviously, I’m a bit limited here. I’ll give him something for the pain” He held up a vial, drawing it up into a syringe. “This is fentanyl, it’s less likely to drop his blood pressure than morphine.”

“Fentanyl? Where did you get this stuff?” Jun-ho asked suspiciously.

Ho-jin looked over at him. “Just be grateful I have them in the first place, boy. It’s the medical kind of fentanyl.”

He pushed some of the syringe through the IV line and put the rest aside. “I’m going to have to reopen the wound to clean and remove some of that dying tissue, it will help it heal.”

In-ho held Gi-hun’s hand as the doctor removed the stitches, irrigating it and beginning to scratch around inside the wounds. Gi-hun moaned loudly, squeezing In-ho’s hand so hard he thought he’d break his fingers. In-ho whispered to him as best he could, stroking his hair whilst Jun-ho helped to pin him still. Ho-jin looked up at them a few times, looking over at Jun-ho with a look of question, who glared down at the wounds repeatedly as though to tell him to pay attention.

“Jun-ho, shine a light please.” The doctor leant in close while he inspected the wound. “I believe there's a small tear in his intestine.”

“So what does that mean? Can it heal on its own?”

“No. The intestines are full of bacteria. If I leave it open he will almost definitely die of infection. I will need to do a minor surgery to repair it. Luckily I came prepared but I don’t have more than a local anaesthetic.”

“So he’s going to have to be awake? How long will it take?”

“Not long. I’m good at what I do, and I’ve done this before. I only quit practicing as a doctor because I wanted a change.”

Gi-hun looked over at In-ho with wide eyes, shaking his head. “N-no… please…”

“I’m sorry, he has to do it, Gi-hun. I’ll be right here. I’m not going anywhere. Just focus on me.”

The doctor laid out a scalpel and a few other tools In-ho didn’t recognise on a sterile pad. “I’m not going to lie and say this isn’t going to hurt like hell, but I’ll work as fast as I can.”

He injected the local anaesthetic, and soon began making a small incision in Gi-hun’s abdomen. Gi-hun gasped and squeezed In-ho tight. In-ho felt sick watching the man work, his chest aching as Gi-hun writhed in pain, barely able to breathe.

“It’s ok, Gi-hun, you’re doing so well. You’re doing so well.” His voice shook, and Gi-hun’s eyes were wide and crazed, the vein in his head and the tendons in his neck popping.

“In-ho. In-ho please make it stop, make it stop-” Gi-hun said breathlessly as Ho-jin sutured him from the inside, fingers buried in the man’s body. In-ho’s throat was tight.

“I’m sorry baby, I’m so sorry. This should never have happened. I'm so sorry.”

Gi-hun gave a shout, his other hand grabbing one of the dining chairs, knuckles white as he made endless agonising sounds and breaths. His eyes rolled back and he passed out for a minute before he came to again, swearing and moaning in pain.

“G…Ga-yeong… Where… He took her…”

“What’s he talking about?” Jun-ho asked.

“His daughter.”

Jun-ho furrowed his brow, obviously unaware of the fact Gi-hun was ever married or had a child.

“It’s the fever, and the drugs.” Ho-jin said flatly.

A fairly short time later Ho-jin was as satisfied as he could be, stitching up the wounds only a bit neater than In-ho’s, which he was smug about. He showed In-ho how to properly clean and dress the wounds and gave him a few extra dressings and bandages.

“Please… Please stop.” Gi-hun cried exhaustedly.

“It’s over now. He’s not going to do anything else, ok?” In-ho kissed his forehead and stroked his hair. “He’ll be alright?” He asked the doctor.

The doctor sighed. “I believe he will be ok, but I can’t guarantee it. This place is far from sterile but I did the best I could. I’ll keep him on antibiotics for a few weeks, I know a place I can get them, and he’ll need proper wound care. He’s going to be bedridden for a while and weak for a few months. We have to be diligent, but if we do it right we’ll give him the best chance we can without taking him to hospital.”

In-ho nodded, thinking. “Thank you. Thank you for everything Ho-jin.” He never thought he’d ever hear himself say that. But saving Gi-hun made him at least alright in his book. “How much do I owe you?”

“You owe me nothing, In-ho.”

“No, no please take it, take at least something.”

“What I did to you ten years ago was wrong. I shouldn’t have done that. I heard about Hee-young soon after. I’m sorry for your loss In-ho.”

In-ho swallowed, and nodded. “I wouldn’t have had the money anyway, even with a job.”

“No really, it’s eaten me up a lot for the past decade, it really has. This is the least I could do, besides, I owe this asshole.” He cocked his head at Jun-ho.

In-ho was slightly annoyed by this. Everything always had to be about him, even now. “Well, don’t worry about what happened anymore. What’s done is done, it’s no one’s fault.”

Ho-jin looked down sadly, his mouth tightening into a thin line. “Who is he? Is he your… uh…” He looked over at In-ho’s stepmother who had gone into the bedroom to get away from the sight, and lowered his voice. “...boyfriend?”

In-ho’s eyes snapped up and he looked slightly embarrassed. “What? Uh, no, well.. He’s-”

“In-ho, calm down, I was just curious. I never thought you’d be that type but I guess you never know these days.”

“What do you mean by ‘that type’?” In-ho’s brows furrowed.

“You know…” Ho-jin gestured as though he was struggling to find the words before he whispered “ttongkkochung”

In-ho felt rage instantly boil in his chest, but he could hardly react before Jun-ho drew his gun and cocked it at the man’s head.

“Woah, calm down kid, I was just joking.” Ho-jin laughed.

“Don’t fucking call my brother that.”

“I think if you want me to keep coming back to look after his friend then I’d put that gun down if I were you.” Ho-jin stared down at him, he had several inches on the both of them.

“Jun-ho.” In-ho said, and Jun-ho lowered the gun with a glare.

“I’ll be back tomorrow morning with more antibiotics. Call me if you’re concerned.” He said, glancing over at Gi-hun and looking back over at In-ho before taking his coat and leaving.

“I’m sorry In-ho, he’s a fucking prick.” Jun-ho said.

“Nothing’s changed then.” In-ho pursed his lips, uncrossing his arms with an exhale. “Help me move Gi-hun onto the couch.”

Gi-hun groaned loudly as they carried him, placing him as gently as they could on the couch and throwing a blanket over him.

“Would either of you boys care to tell me what is going on?” Their mother appeared in the room, looking at the man lying on the couch.

“I’m sorry to burst in like this and dump everything on you Omma.” In-ho pinched the bridge of his nose. He hadn’t slept since the night before and his eyes were stinging. “This is Seong Gi-hun, he’ll have to stay here for a while until he gets better.”

“Why? Why can’t he just go to a hospital?”

In-ho exhaled, walking over to Gi-hun. “The place I’ve been for the past few years… I did some bad things and now we aren’t safe here in Seoul. But then Gi-hun got hurt last night and we had nowhere to go that was safe.”

“He was shot, wasn’t he? I heard Ho-jin say so. Please tell me you weren’t involved in that gang thing on the port in Incheon last night, were you? It was all over the news, the coast guard arrested seven people.”

In-ho said nothing, not looking her in the eye.

She threw her head back, pressing her hands to her face. “Oh, In-ho…”

She looked at Jun-ho angrily, and he cowered slightly. “And what about you, boy? You weren’t involved too were you? Look at your eye. Where have you been? You didn’t answer my calls yesterday.”

“I’m fine Omma, I just got into a scrap.”

“Don’t lie to me boy. The only reason I’m not beating you right now is because you helped your brother home. In-ho, what do you mean Seoul isn’t safe, you’re leaving?”

“I will have to, Omma. As soon as Gi-hun’s better, we're leaving Seoul.”

“And where would you go?”

“I can’t say. And I’m not sure yet, anyways.”

“And why is that man going with you? Why do you care for him so much you’d risk your life for him? I’ve never even met him before!”

“I…” He began, and Jun-ho looked over at him. He really didn’t need to tell his stepmother anything, but he loved her very much, and he felt he owed her what little truth he was able to give. “We’re together, Omma. I… I love him.” He said awkwardly.

She froze halfway through her sentence, and she looked stunned at his words, as though it was the last thing she was expecting.

“You… you what?”

“I love him, Omma.”

“He is your boyfriend?”

“I… Yes.” In-ho finally said. He felt Gi-hun squeeze his wrist and he looked down at the man to see a tired smile tug at his lips under closed eyes.

She looked between them, and turned and went to the kitchen. In-ho and Jun-ho watched in nervous silence as she moved a few things around, dropping something on the counter and stopping to put her hands over her face.

“Is this why you ran away?”

“What? No Omma. And I didn’t run away.”

She turned around, looking irritated. “And what about your wife?”

In-ho frowned “Hee-young?”

“I never remarried after your father died, I was loyal to him only. It didn’t matter if he’d been with another woman before me, my loyalty lies with him. What about Hee-young? I know how much you loved her and now you’re running off with a…” She lowered her voice as though embarrassed of people overhearing, “a man!”

In-ho felt like he had just been stabbed in the heart.

“Omma, Hee-young died ten years ago.”

“And why does that matter?”

“I’m forty-eight, you want me to spend the rest of my life alone grieving for her? I thought you’d be happy for me.”

“But he’s a man, In-ho!”

“And? So what if he is?”

“In-ho, you don’t really love him, you’re still grieving. Everyone grieves in strange ways.”

In-ho clenched his jaw, feeling tears threatening to come up but pushing them down.

“That’s not true, Omma, I tried to move on after Hee-young died. I pushed my grief away so far I turned into a monster and I didn’t even recognise myself anymore. And when I met Gi-hun, I felt happy again for the first time. He showed me that my life didn’t end with hers, and that I could still be happy like she wanted me to be. Doesn’t that count for something?”

His stepmother pursed her lips disapprovingly. “I want you to be happy, In-ho. I love you, you’re my son. But this…” She gestured between him and the man asleep on the couch, “it’s not healthy, In-ho. I don’t think Hee-young would have wanted this…”

In-ho stepped closer to her, rage flashing across his face. His voice shook as he spoke. “You have no idea what Hee-young would have wanted.”

He needed to get out. He needed to go somewhere else, anywhere else before he punched a hole in the wall or said something he regretted. He turned and stormed towards the door.

“Where are you going?”

“I need some air.” He responded, and shut the door behind him as she called out to him.

He could hear Jun-ho yelling at her as he jogged down the stairs, but he didn’t care to listen. He went out onto the street, all the morning commuters now out and about. The air was cold and crisp against his skin, his jeans, shoes and jacket still damp and cold, zipped up to cover his torn shirt. It was a sunny, cloudless day, reflecting the exact opposite of how he was feeling.

He didn’t make it too far before he could feel the tears coming, tucking his chin into his chest to hide his face from the busy passing crowds. He turned into an alleyway between two apartment buildings and found a small, quiet dead-end area, which was empty apart from two overflowing dumpsters that stank of old fish. He threw himself against the wall and sat behind them, sobbing into his hands. To think that this time yesterday, he was waking up with Gi-hun in his arms, smiling at his tired waking face and kissing him softly, lovingly. And now, he had no idea if Gi-hun was even going to live, and his only parental-figure had rejected his love for him. Sometimes In-ho wondered why life was so cruel to him and others lived their lives without any of this. Perhaps he deserved it, after all, how could he ever expect to leave the games and live happily after everything he did and all the lives he took? Maybe he deserved it, yes, but Gi-hun didn’t.

All Gi-hun ever had was faith in humanity.

And at first he despised him for it. But now - He loved him because of it.

And maybe one day, In-ho could love people again as much as Gi-hun did.

He sat and cried into his knees for a long time. All his feelings seemed to build and build until it finally spilled over and he couldn’t stop crying. He grieved for a life he and Gi-hun never had, probably never would have. Even if Gi-hun survived this, they’d have to spend the rest of their lives living in fear. In-ho wasn’t scared of dying, he was long past that. He was scared of living without Gi-hun. He was scared of what Gi-hun would do if he was forced to live without him. Maybe at this time in a different life they’d be kissing each other goodbye as they left for work, coming home in the afternoon and cooking a nice dinner. Gi-hun would put on the laundry, and they’d watch TV together until they fell asleep in each other's arms.

As much as he hoped with everything he had that Gi-hun would live he just couldn’t come to terms with the fact there was a chance he wouldn’t. It was as though In-ho carried with him the long, blackened, shrivelled claws of death, feeling them reach towards anyone he loved with all his heart.

He heard a soft noise, and he untucked his head from his knees to see a black cat sitting in front of him by the opposite wall. It meowed at him.

“What do you want?” In-ho said tiredly. “I don’t have any food.”

The black cat meowed again, its whiskers bobbing and showing its perfectly white teeth and little pink tongue.

“Go away. I don’t have anything.”

It meowed at him again, standing up and sniffing the air. In-ho crossed his legs and leant forward, beckoning the cat towards him.

The cat walked over to him, sniffing his hand before rubbing the back of its head against his knuckles. It rubbed against his knee, tail flicking in the air before it crawled into his lap and nestled between his legs. In-ho stared down at it.

It meowed up at him, flipping onto its back and stretching its paws out to yawn, claws white against black fur. It purred loudly as it nestled itself into him.

In-ho laughed quietly, scratching it on the head. He hadn’t had a cat since he was very young, and he wasn’t really sure what he was supposed to do. It purred, the sound soothing In-ho along with the feel of its soft, fluffy fur.

He sat with the cat for a while. He didn’t want to go back and face his stepmother again, but he knew he had to. Not for her, but for Gi-hun. In-ho didn’t have a phone, Jun-ho had no idea where he was. What if something happened to Gi-hun while he was out and he couldn’t contact him? He apologetically coaxed the sleeping cat from his lap as he got up, and it grumbled with annoyance.

He stopped by the corner store on the way back, buying Gi-hun some soft, bland, low-fibre foods for him to eat while he recovered, as the doctor had advised.

The cat waited for him outside the shop and followed him all the way to the front door of the apartment.

“Go. Go on. You can’t come in. Go away.” He shooed the cat away, but still saw it standing at the bottom of the steps as he went inside.

He stood on the stairs for several minutes, preparing himself to go back in. He had no idea if his stepmother would still be annoyed with him, if she had anything else to say that would make living there for the next few weeks very painful. But he had nowhere else to take him, not without drawing suspicion. Even just leaving the house during the day like he just did was risky. He took a deep breath, and entered the apartment.

A person flew at him and grabbed him, his heart skipping a beat before he realised it was just his stepmother.

“Oh! Oh, In-ho-ya! I’m sorry, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to hurt you! Oh, In-ho.” She cried into his chest. He patted her back and looked up at Jun-ho, who was sitting on one of the couches. He raised his eyebrows and looked away.

“Oh, In-ho, please forgive me. I just got you back after losing you and I nearly ruined it!”

“Omma, Omma please calm down.”

“I am just upset because I still blame myself for Hee-young, I should have helped you more! I still think I owe something to her!”

In-ho grabbed her by the shoulders and gently pulled her off him. “Don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault.”

“Oh but, I didn’t mean to hurt you with what I said.”

“It’s fine.” He said flatly, and walked past her to go over to Gi-hun. He crouched by him, stroking his hair. He was still pale, but he looked slightly better than he did, and his breathing was looking a lot more normal. His eyelashes fluttered as he dreamed.

“In-ho, if you say you love him and he makes you happy, then I am happy.”

In-ho looked up at her. Jun-ho had his face buried in a book he clearly wasn’t reading.

“Are you? Or are you just saying that?” In-ho said boredly.

“No, please son. I just… I just wasn’t expecting it and I’ve never really had to deal with that before, I mean, Ji-woo our old neighbour had a son who was gay but other than that-”

Jun-ho dropped the book to his lap and rolled his eyes.

“-I’m just confused… Didn’t you love Hee-young? How can you be gay?”

“I’m not gay, Omma. I did love Hee-young. She was the love of my life. And Gi-hun is too. But Hee-young isn’t here anymore, and I think I deserve to find love like that again, don’t you?”

“Of course son, of course I think that.”

“Well then, what’s the problem?”

“There isn’t one! If you want a boyfriend then that’s fine! I am happy!”

“Alright then.” In-ho didn’t overly believe her, but he did know she loved him very much. She had always loved him just as much as Jun-ho, even though Jun-ho was her biological son and he wasn’t. He just wanted this conversation to be over.

“I’m going to make you boys some breakfast. Oh, it’s been so long since I had both my sons home!” She clasped her hands together excitedly, and hurried off to the kitchen.

In-ho and Jun-ho made eye contact, his eyes wide in a ‘that was embarrassing’ sort of look.

In-ho smiled. “What did you say to her?”

“I just told her to pull her head out of her ass, in a slightly nicer way. I mean, I spent four years and survived a coma looking for you to bring you home and she goes and says all that after you finally come back.”

“In…ho…” A weak voice came from behind him. He whirled around to see Gi-hun, opening and closing his chapped lips, eyes slightly cracked open.

“Gi-hun.” In-ho smiled, and Gi-hun looked up at him, a smile tugging at his lips.

“What… What’s happening?”

“You’re safe, don’t worry. I’m here. We’re at my mothers house. It’s safe here for us until you get better.”

He hummed in response, swallowing dryly.

“You want some water?”

Gi-hun nodded, and In-ho grabbed a bottle from the fridge, helping to keep his head up while he pressed it to his lips. He wiped the bits that trickled down the side of his mouth with his jacket sleeve.

“How are you feeling?” In-ho asked.

Gi-hun huffed a laugh, his brows furrowing in pain after he did so. “Fucked. But I’ll be ok.”

In-ho smiled, pushing the hair off his forehead and leaning in to plant a long, soft kiss on his forehead. Gi-hun hummed.

In-ho looked down to see Gi-hun was still wearing the same clothes as the night before. He clicked his tongue angrily, and looked over at his brother, who’s eyes were still fixed on the same page of his book, feet on the coffee table.

“You didn’t get him new clothes? He’s still wearing that fucking wet jacket!”

“What? I didn’t want to fucking undress him while you weren’t here.”

In-ho sighed irritatedly and pushed himself off the floor. “I’m taking some of your pyjamas.”

“Fine. Not the blue pants please, I like those.”

In-ho rolled his eyes and entered Jun-ho’s bedroom. It smelled like him, and it still had the dark blue walls he insisted on painting it when he was eleven.

He brought back some soft, comfortable pyjamas and threw them over the side of the couch.

“Gi-hun, I want you to sit up, alright? I’ll help you put on some more comfortable clothes that aren’t wet.”

Gi-hun groaned, but helped In-ho sit him up anyway. He hissed, pressing a hand over where his stitches were. He looked down, inspecting the thick white bandage that wrapped around his body. He allowed In-ho to undress him, the man watching him the entire time. They’d done a lot of intimate things together, but somehow, this felt the most intimate. He pulled his pants from his legs, which took quite a long time considering they were sticking wetly to his skin, and he barked at Jun-ho not to look whilst he quickly changed Gi-hun’s boxers. He slid on the new pyjama pants. As he readied Gi-hun’s long-sleeve shirt his stepmother walked in.

“Ok boys, breakfast is- oh.” She looked over at them extremely awkwardly as In-ho gently helped Gi-hun into his shirt. Gi-hun looked up at her tiredly, his hair adorably messy.

“Sorry to intrude, Mrs Hwang.” He muttered.

“It’s Park.” In-ho said.

“Oh. Sorry Mrs Park.”

“That’s alright. I am glad to have a guest. I haven’t in so long, and now my sons are home. I am more than happy for the company. It gets quite lonely here on my own.”

She set down a bowl on the small table by the couch, and the other on the coffee table in front of Jun-ho. She slapped his shins with a rolled up newspaper when she saw his feet on the table, and he dropped the book on his face.

“I made Mr Seong some plain rice with some of the broth from the soup. It will keep you well.” She offered it sheepishly to him. He looked down at it, and took it with a bow of his head.

“Thank you, Mrs Park.”

In-ho took his own bowl from the table, Dak Gomtang. His mother always did make the best Dak Gomtang in the colder months. It warmed his chest in one sip.

He encouraged Gi-hun to have as much of his as possible, but the man complained of nausea. In-ho stayed close by for the rest of the day, watching the man’s eyes move under his eyelids as he slipped into feverish dreams. He dabbed the sweat from his forehead, he pulled the blanket tighter over him, he kissed his hair when the dreams seemed to get dark. When Gi-hun woke up and vomited, In-ho cleaned it up and dabbed his mouth clean with a tissue. He whispered things into his ear as he comforted Gi-hun back to sleep.

His stepmother watched as he did so, wearing a face of melancholy. Both herself and Jun-ho seemed to be realising how much Gi-hun actually meant to him. He was treating Gi-hun just like they saw him treat his wife when she was sick all those years ago. And it killed them to watch him going through it for the second time.

Gi-hun was his life now, and he’d stay on this floor until he was better.

Notes:

Hope you enjoyed this one! Dialogue heavy chapters always take forever for me to write, but I liked writing the sort of brotherly interactions between In-ho and Jun-ho. This fic is also officially the longest fic I've ever written, which is crazy considering I've been writing my 2nd longest fic for a year...

Notes:
- I named In-ho's wife Hee-young, but we don't know her actual name in canon. I didn't want to name her in case we found out her actual name in S3 but I mentioned her too much to keep calling her "His wife" or "In-ho's wife".
- The word Ho-jin called In-ho is a Korean word used similarly to the f-slur and translates to "anus bug" which is kind of wild.

Chapter 18: Kim Min-Jun

Summary:

In-ho cares for Gi-hun as he recovers from near-death. In-ho seeks the help of a man who may be able to help them change their identities and leave Korea.

For the next few weeks, life was largely slow and unchanging, sitting and waiting in hope that Gi-hun wouldn’t get any worse. For the first few days Ho-jin was visiting several times a day to check on him, set up more fluids and antibiotics, give painkillers and occasionally help In-ho to clean and redress the wounds. It was one of the scariest weeks of In-ho’s life, Gi-hun’s recovery was rough, and the infection raging in his body fought with all it had to take control and very nearly succeeded. He was barely waking up at all, and when he did it was a short lived struggle to get him to eat, drink, and use the bathroom, though he always refused any food offered to him. He would mutter things in his sleep, his face grey and sweaty, his memories haunting him. His clothes were constantly drenched in sweat from the fever that refused to break and when he was awake he was almost constantly moaning in pain despite the painkillers. Ho-jin only had a limited supply of the stronger stuff, and so was forced to use it sparingly. The two men had never mentioned the altercation that had occurred on the first day. In-ho quite frankly couldn’t care less about his opinion, he just needed him to help Gi-hun.

Jun-ho was taking leave from work on In-ho’s insistence and his stepmother was retired, meaning someone was home with him and Gi-hun almost constantly. The living room of the apartment was quite small, fitting a two-seater couch and an armchair with a long coffee table in front of them. On a small unit on the opposite wall sat a small TV his Omma had had since about 2008. The room was connected by an archway to the small kitchen, though the archway was wide enough that it was basically in the same room. A small hallway at the end of the couch led to his mother’s room and Jun-ho’s room as well as the bathroom. It only had two bedrooms, having moved out of their slightly larger apartment when In-ho had moved out. Jun-ho was about six at the time, and he remembers him chucking a tantrum when his mother told him his big brother wouldn’t be sharing a room with him anymore. He always was a big softie for his big brother.

With Gi-hun taking up the two-seater all the time, In-ho would often just sit on the floor in front of him, and Jun-ho would sit on the armchair when his stepmother wasn’t. The days were long and quiet. At night when the living room was dark and he was alone, In-ho would sometimes kneel in front of Gi-hun with his head resting gently on his chest. Sometimes he’d move Gi-hun’s arm so that it was resting in In-ho’s hair, just so he could at least pretend for a second that things were normal. Other times In-ho would just cry, the tears silently dripping as he pressed a fist to his mouth to keep himself from making noise. On one occasion Gi-hun even woke up enough to give his hand a weak squeeze.

After about a week Gi-hun was awake for longer and able to eat and drink very small amounts, the fever beginning to finally break from its incessant wrath on Gi-hun’s body and mind. Ho-jin was mostly happy with how he was progressing despite not being in a hospital, though he attributed a lot of it to luck and the fact Gi-hun was fairly fit and healthy for his age. In-ho was also happy he only had to see Ho-jin once a day now. In-ho hired three bodyguards to alternate shifts watching the building from the outside. By the end of the second week Gi-hun was finally able to walk to the bathroom with help from In-ho, which everyone was highly grateful for, particularly In-ho since he was the one that had to empty and clean his bedpan they had created from a shallow dish. He had several arguments with his mother about the bedpan situation, which was understandable though there wasn’t much In-ho could really do about it. Gi-hun, as lucid as he was, was by far the most mortified about the situation.

In-ho looked forward to whenever Gi-hun awoke, excited to talk to him even if he only managed a few words, or even just a faint smile. He just liked interacting with him. He’d help him change his clothes, brush his teeth, dress his wounds. He’d brush his hair and put chapstick on his lips and deodorant under his arms. He’d shave his beard and wash his face. There was nothing Jun-ho or his stepmother could think of that In-ho wasn’t doing for him. As much as In-ho hated seeing Gi-hun like this, he actually liked caring for him. It made him feel like he was doing something good in his life.

At the end of the third week, In-ho was sitting in the armchair he had moved to face opposite him, when Gi-hun actually asked for food. In-ho almost fell out of his chair getting to the kitchen. He was even beginning to be able to walk around the house by himself for short distances. He was stubborn, and although deathly tired all the time In-ho often had to force him to lay back down, or to stop picking up heavy items or reaching for things above shoulder height. When Ho-jin was satisfied, he took out the stitches, and Gi-hun was finally beginning to look a bit brighter, even making a few jokes that would catch In-ho off guard. In-ho hadn’t left the house since the day he stormed out after the argument with his stepmother, only writing a list of what he wanted from the market and refusing to let her pay for anything. Even in the house, he barely left Gi-hun’s side, usually sleeping on the armchair even when Jun-ho offered his bed. He only took the offer a couple times when his back finally had enough.

In-ho showered him every two or three days depending on how Gi-hun felt. His stepmother never outwardly said anything about this but she always wore a thin-lipped face of disapproval whenever he said he was going to give Gi-hun a shower.

Showering Gi-hun, weirdly, was the thing In-ho looked forward to most. Because that was what felt the most like he was really caring for him. Luckily his mother had one of the detachable shower heads, so he could have Gi-hun sit in the bathtub while he turned the water to warm and gently sprayed the soothing water over his skin. Gi-hun would close his eyes while In-ho lathered the soap over him, scratching soothing circles into his scalp and talking to him, even if the man didn’t always reply. And with Jun-ho and his stepmother being home almost all the time in the tiny apartment, it was also among the only times In-ho got to actually be alone with Gi-hun. Where he didn’t have to feel awkward or judged for showing affection. Sometime around the three week mark, In-ho was showering Gi-hun when the man managed to capture his lips in a quick kiss when In-ho had leant close enough. It had caught In-ho by surprise, not having kissed Gi-hun since before he was injured. He looked at him, shocked, and Gi-hun wore a boyish smirk of mischief. He kissed him again and In-ho melted into it, gently caressing Gi-hun’s wet hair and kissing him like it was the only thing he needed after all the emotional pain of the past few weeks. Gi-hun smiled weakly when they broke apart, and Gi-hun pulled his hand back against his cheek and caressed it, looking up at him with a look of so much yearning In-ho couldn’t look away.

Gi-hun’s voice was croaky, and if the room wasn’t so quiet In-ho would have barely heard it. “What did I do to deserve a man like you?”

Gi-hun was beginning to feel better everyday, well enough for In-ho to finally bring up the thing that had been eating at his mind for a while.

“Gi-hun, I need to talk to you about what we’re doing. I mean regarding where we’re going to go, and how we’re going to get there.”

Gi-hun looked over at him from where he was slumped on the couch, a small container of those peach cubes in juice you’d put in a kids lunchbox in his hand. He’d eaten a school's worth of those in the past week alone, and In-ho let him. He could probably also build a house out of the sticks from all the honeydew melon ice cream bars he ate.

“I’ve been using my Omma’s painfully slow, shitty laptop that she uses to Skype family in the US to do some research.”

“And? What have you found? Please say you chose somewhere nice.” Gi-hun sipped the last of the juice from the container.

“I was thinking… Switzerland.”

“Switzerland?” Gi-hun made a face as though he wasn’t expecting it. “Why?”

“Switzerland is full of tiny villages in the valleys and mountains. I have heard they’re quite private people and their privacy laws and data protection is very good. I think it’s a good option for us to consider. Plus, it’s a beautiful country, isn’t it? It’s expensive but we obviously don’t need to worry about that.”

“I wouldn’t know, I’ve never left South Korea.”

“Really?”

“Well, where have you been?”

In-ho thought back. “Well, Omma, Jun-ho and I went to visit family in California and Australia when I was in high school but I suppose that’s all.”

“Wait, so you’ve never been to Switzerland?”

“No.”

“So how do you know it will be good for us?”

“I don’t, Gi-hun. But it seems like a fair shot. I think it could give us a real chance to live out our lives without worry that we’re being watched all the time. Some fresh air. A fresh start, just the two of us. I mean, we have to do it anyway so we might as well choose somewhere nice.”

Gi-hun thought about it, fiddling with the empty plastic cup in his hand. “Will we have to learn… What do they even speak there, Swiss?”

In-ho laughed. “No Gi-hun they speak German mostly. But I think some also speak French, and I can speak a bit of French. I also speak English quite well and I believe many people there also speak English.”

“German?” Gi-hun clacked his spoon on the plastic. “How will we move there without them finding us?”

“That’s the annoying part. Well, one of the annoying parts. We’d have to fake our deaths here and change our names. The Manager will probably know that our deaths were likely faked but if we do it properly we’ll be long gone to a new country with new names… untraceable. It will be almost impossible to find us, especially the more remote we go. Villages that hardly anyone knows about let alone visit. That only means we will have to get new passports, new IDs, new everything.”

“How the fuck are we going to do that?” Gi-hun scratched his neck.

In-ho sighed, staring towards the empty kitchen, his Omma and Jun-ho currently out at the market. “I do know one person. It’s risky and I haven’t spoken to him for over twelve years. I knew him as a detective, he was arrested for identity fraud several times, and I know he used to help make passports and IDs for North Korean defectors. If he’s even still alive, there’s a chance he could help us.”

“Are you sure he will? What if he doesn’t?”

“We’ll worry about that later. Right now he’s our best bet. I was always nice to him as a detective but he might have more respect for me now as a criminal.” In-ho joked, but Gi-hun looked worried. He stared down at the empty cup in his hands, poking and prodding at it with the spoon.

In-ho got on his knees in front of Gi-hun. When the man didn’t look up, he gently cupped his cheek, urging him to look at him.

“Hey…” He began gently. “What are you thinking about?”

Gi-hun clenched his teeth. “I’m just scared it’s going to fail. That they’ll find us and kill you. I don’t want to lose you, In-ho.”

In-ho’s brow furrowed with sadness, and he stroked Gi-hun’s cheek. “Hey. Hey… I’m not going anywhere. I will make sure this is done properly and before you know it we’ll be sitting in front of a fireplace listening to the sheep and cows grazing outside on our massive property in the Alps. No one else for miles, just us.”

“We have sheep and cows?” Gi-hun cocked his eyebrow amusedly.

“Yep. And a mountain dog. Or mountain dogs, plural.”

“Can we have a cat as well, then? And you’re going to be the one shearing all these sheep, by the way.”

“We can decide on that later.” In-ho smiled, and Gi-hun’s eyes twinkled.

“I love you.” Gi-hun smiled back.

In-ho stroked a hand through the man's hair. It was getting quite long now, almost as long as it was when In-ho first saw him four years ago.

“I love you too. So much.”

Gi-hun leant forward and kissed him passionately, and In-ho breathed into it, eternally grateful to whatever higher power that he still got to do so. Images of the life he imagined for them played in his mind. Just them, together and no one else for the rest of their lives. He made a tiny whining noise into Gi-hun’s mouth, and the man drank it in, kissing him deeper, hungrier, his tongue licking into his mouth.

“Calm down, Gi-hun.” In-ho grinned, the other man panting hard just from kissing. “The doctor said not to exert yourself.”

Gi-hun snickered and rejoined their lips, pushing against In-ho.

Then the front door opened.

“In-ho I’m back! I bought- Oh!” His stepmother and Jun-ho walked in at just the right time to see them break apart and look over.

She looked extremely embarrassed, already turning red. “Oh! Um, sorry boys. I mean- Uh, I was just going to say I bought ingredients for fried chicken tonight and I also got Gi-hun more melon bars. But I can see you’re busy. Well, not busy that’s not what I mean but-”

“Omma, please, stop.” In-ho rubbed his eyebrows. Jun-ho looked very amused.

“Thank you Mrs Park. For the melon bars.”

“That’s alright I’ll just… Go put them in the freezer.” She shuffled off with her plastic shopping bags hurriedly, leaving Jun-ho grinning stupidly.

In-ho was irritated at her reaction, she had seen him kiss his wife multiple times and she never reacted like that. It was hard not to smile however, when he saw Jun-ho trying to hide his laughter. The man walked towards the kitchen to deposit the shopping bags.

“I’d get you to help unpack, In-ho, but clearly you’re already busy.” Jun-ho laughed.

In-ho grabbed the empty peach container from Gi-hun’s lap and threw it, bouncing off Jun-ho’s head with a hollow noise, the man unable to swat it away with his hands full of shopping.

“Shut the fuck up Jun-ho. Maybe you should try getting a girlfriend for once so you don’t have to practice kissing on a mirror like I caught you doing that time.”

“Wow ok, thanks for telling Gi-hun that, asshole. I was thirteen.” Jun-ho flushed and went into the kitchen, where he could hear his stepmother muttering very fast.

“Sorry.” Gi-hun looked at him sheepishly. “I know your stepmother’s a bit weird about us.”

“Don’t apologise. She just has to get used to it.”

“Still, she’s probably a lot better than my Omma would’ve been.” Gi-hun looked away sadly.

In-ho exhaled. He brought Gi-hun’s knuckles up to his mouth and kissed them, closing his eyes. They sat for a minute.

“I miss you.” Gi-hun said quietly.

In-ho opened his eyes. “I’m right here.”

“I know, I mean - I miss what we had. Just us, alone. I miss… being with you. Holding you, being with you in that way…”

A smile tugged In-ho’s lips. “I know. I do too. I’m sorry it can’t be like that right now.”

“It’s not your fault. I was the one that couldn’t get out of the way.” He gave a quiet laugh.

In-ho’s brow twitched, looking down at where Gi-hun had been shot under his shirt. He placed the gentlest hand over the bandages, and Gi-hun didn’t even flinch. He knew he’d never hurt him.

Gi-hun took the hand and held it in his own. “I know you blame yourself. Please. I don’t want you to. It was my choice to go with you, and even if you refused and dumped me somewhere I still would’ve made it there.”

In-ho looked away, but Gi-hun pulled his face back by his chin. “Please, In-ho. I don’t blame you in the slightest for what happened. You saved my life, and you’ve been caring for me more than anyone ever has in my life.” He stroked In-ho’s face, and he smiled sadly.

“You’ve really… been thinking about us?” In-ho flushed. “I mean… being together.”

Gi-hun smirked. “Of course I have. I don’t know what you’ve been doing but I’ve been on this couch for six weeks, so I’m feeling a little… pent up.”

“I’ve been sitting here watching you for six weeks, that's what I’ve been doing. At least you’ve slept through most of it. I've had to sit here talking to Jun-ho.”

Gi-hun laughed. “Jun-ho’s not that bad.”

In-ho smirked. “Yeah, he’s a good kid. I honestly don’t believe I could have saved you if he wasn’t there. I owe him forever for that.”

Gi-hun looked down with a soft smile, playing with their intertwined fingers.

In-ho watched him for a minute. He looked around the corner to see that Jun-ho was still talking to his stepmother in the kitchen while they unpacked the shopping.

“Tell you what.” He lowered his voice, cocking his head towards the kitchen. “Next time they go out, I’ll give you something else to think about.”

Gi-hun’s eyes widened, an adorable grin spreading across his face. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, but I’m keeping it simple. I don’t want you to overexert yourself.”

“That’s more than fine with me.” Gi-hun grinned excitedly, and In-ho laughed.

He got up, grabbing a cushion from the couch and placing it over Gi-hun’s lap. Gi-hun looked confused before he looked under the pillow and realised he had an erection. In-ho laughed again and went into the kitchen to help.

 

**

 

It took In-ho five days to find out where this man he wanted to create passports for him was hiding. It didn’t help that he’d changed his name to Kim Min-jun, considering there were tens of thousands of people who shared the same name. In-ho had nearly given up when he stumbled across a man who supposedly owned a small used car dealership, his limited details seeming promising. The best and most annoying part was that the dealership was just down the road in the same neighbourhood of Gwanak-gu. He had visited quite a few Kim Min-juns in the past week, but this one he had a good feeling about. He left the apartment under the cover of the peak rush hour crowds like he normally did, making it a lot easier to enter and exit the building without being seen by anyone who paid attention.

He entered the small dealership, where a man in a cheap beige suit was currently handing over the keys to some beat-up looking 1997 Hyundai Excel to a young couple. In-ho recognised him immediately.

The man smiled somewhat crookedly and waved at the couple as they drove off in the car whose engine already sounded like it had sawdust in it. He shook his head and looked down at the contract in his hands, counting a wad of cash. The man looked up at In-ho.

“Hello Sir! Welcome to Gwanak Motors! Are you looking for anyth-” The man stopped in his tracks, and the smile faded from his face.

“Detective Hwang. Never thought I’d be blessed enough to see your face again.” He said bitterly. “Though I suppose I was naive to believe the cops would ever leave me alone. Always gotta come sniffing don’t you? I’ve cleaned up my act, can’t you see?”

The man was almost a head shorter than In-ho, a bit pudgy with greying teeth and hair. He began walking away.

“Mr Kim. I need your help.”

Min-jun froze on the spot, and turned around to face In-ho. His confused face suddenly burst into laughter.

“You need my help? Holy fuck that is the funniest shit I’ve heard in years! What the fuck could you possibly need to even find me here?” He shook his head and continued on his way.

In-ho jogged up to him, walking alongside. “Please. I wouldn’t be asking if I wasn’t desperate.”

Min-jun stopped again and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“I don’t do any of that stuff anymore. Haven’t since the last time I got thrown in jail. You looked a lot younger then, might I add. Looks like the years haven’t been kind to you, Hwang.”

“I need passports. Please. For me and one other person.”

Min-jun looked him up and down. “Are you deaf? I told you I don’t do that shit anymore.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Min-jun looked at him like he had some crazy audacity even talking to him. Mostly because he did, since In-ho was one of the officers that put Min-jun in jail in the first place. But he was his only option.

“Even if I did do it, why the fuck would I help you, you’re just a pig.”

“I’m not a cop anymore, Kim. I’m not here to incriminate you, I couldn’t give a fuck what operation your running. I will pay you as much money as you want.”

Min-jun thought for a few seconds, looking around at some of the shitbox cars he was selling for less than a million won. “What the fuck have you done that’s so bad you need to run away anyway?” He beckoned In-ho to come inside, and flipped the ‘open’ sign to ‘closed’.

“It’s a long story.” In-ho began.

“So how do I know you’re not here to trap me and take me in?”

In-ho sighed impatiently. “I was fired on the spot ten years ago even though they knew my wife was dying. Trust you when I say I owe those motherfuckers nothing. I’ve done some very bad things and I have people looking for me and my friend. I need to leave Korea before they find us.”

Kim narrowed his eyes, inspecting him carefully in a way that made In-ho feel slightly self-conscious. “Come. Sit.” He gestured towards one of the two chairs across from a dingey brown desk littered with papers and a computer that looked older than the both of them.

“Where is this man you plan on going with? Why didn’t you bring him?”

“He was injured by these people that are after us nearly two months ago. We’d have been long gone by now but his recovery has been hard. We need to go soon because it’s not safe for us here.”

“How's the wife?”

“What?”

“Your wife. She get better?”

In-ho stared at him. “No. She died soon after they fired me.”

He pressed two steepled fingers to his lips and hummed in acknowledgement. “Sucks, doesn’t it? To be treated like that by the police force. What did you do to get yourself fired anyway?”

In-ho stopped himself from rolling his eyes. “Why does that matter? I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Kim chuckled. “That’s exactly what I told you at the time. Because it was true. All I did was help families escape the North. Give them a fresh start somewhere else. Is that so wrong?”

“No, it isn’t. But I was just doing my job. And like I just told you, I owe them nothing. Sorry we got off on the wrong foot, Kim, but there’s nothing I can do about that now. I told you, I’ll pay you handsomely.”

He hummed again. “It’s not going to be cheap, you want to move internationally, don’t you?”

“Yes. And that doesn’t matter, name your price.”

“So you’re going to need passports, new birth certificates, new nationalities, new IDs… And just faking your death alone you’re going to need death certificates, and evidence that you both are actually dead depending on how it was done, you know, hair, blood, nails at the scene. It will be a nightmare. That’s not my area though, the deaths you’ll have to deal with yourself or hire someone else to help you.

“But you can help us with the documentation, yes? The passports I saw you create, even our system struggled to identify they were fake.”

“Yes, yes, I’m good at what I do”

“So you’ll do it?”

Kim sighed, taking his fingers from his lips and studying In-ho. He moved some papers around his desk uselessly.

“I’ll do it, because I like you, Hwang. You’ve always been a charmer.”

In-ho felt relief wash over him. Not only was Min-jun his only option but he was good. And despite their opposing relationship at the time ten years ago, In-ho did trust him. He saw first hand how he protected the identities of the people who went to him for help. They could never fish a single name from him.

“Thank you, Kim. Thank you.”

“Yeah, whatever. Bring your friend tomorrow after about 9PM. He well enough to move? Because we’re going to have to get started very soon if you want to leave as soon as possible.”

“Yes, I’ll bring him.”

“Have you thought of a country you want to move to? I’ll need to do some research.”

“Switzerland.”

“Switzerland?” He made a face, then shrugged. “I suppose that’s a decent choice from what I’ve heard. I’ve only ever really sent people to China or Southeast Asia, though I have prepared Canadian and UK passports in the past. I’ll look into it.”

“Thank you, Kim, truly.” In-ho bowed.

“Just consider yourself lucky I’m even helping you in the first place.”

In-ho was in a good mood when he got home. He awoke Gi-hun and told him everything.

“So how are we going to fake our deaths?” He rubbed his eyes and stretched, wincing when he stretched too far.

“We’ll do that last, right before we leave Seoul. I was thinking suicide. It’s stupid if we were supposedly murdered and the Manager knew it wasn’t by his hand. Suicide is more realistic.”

Gi-hun nodded.

“What about us?” Jun-ho said, and In-ho turned to face him. “Me and Omma?”

“Omma should be safe, though I’ll get her to change her name anyway. They know who you are, Jun-ho, they know they can use you to get to me.”

“So what does that mean?” His stepmother looked worried. “He will have to go with you?”

“He will have to change his name at the very least. But he can’t be in the force anymore.”

“What?!” His stepmother looked mortified. “You’re saying he will have to quit?”

“Yes, at least from the Seoul police.”

Jun-ho didn’t look surprised in the slightest, he’d likely been expecting it.

His Omma scoffed. “How did I have two sons with such an honourable career, and now I am a mother to criminals.” She shook her head, covering her eyes.

Jun-ho and In-ho made eye contact and rolled their eyes, knowing not to take any offence to what she was saying.

“But will Jun-ho have to leave?”

“Like I said. He will have to quit the force. If he wants to be a detective again he’ll have to move somewhere else. Otherwise just get another job here, something low profile. If he moves you can go with him. That’s Jun-ho’s business to work out.”

She looked over at Jun-ho expectantly.

He held his hands up. “I need to think about it Omma. I enjoy being a detective, and I’m good at it. I only demoted myself to traffic cop so I’d have more time to look for In-ho.”

“Well, maybe we can go to Jeonju.” She suggested.

Jun-ho looked at her “Jeonju? That’s random.”

“I used to go there a lot as a child with my parents. I always loved it there.”

“Alright well, I’ll think about it.”

“And what about you, In-ho? Where will you and Mr Seong go?” She asked. “Not too far?”

“We have to go far, Amma.”

“But will you visit?”

In-ho sighed. Gi-hun looked at him with a sad face and squeezed his hand in encouragement.

“I don’t know Amma. Maybe one day we will be able to. But the more we move around the more attention we bring to ourselves.”

“Well then, Jun-ho and I will come to you then. I’m sure with all the money you have you will be able to afford enough space for us to visit.” She said with finality.

In-ho smiled weakly and said nothing. He hoped with everything he had that this wasn’t the last few weeks he would ever see his family again. But the beast they were up against was great, and it would destroy until nothing remained. If never seeing them again meant they would be safe, he’d do it in a heartbeat.

**

 

The next night, In-ho took Gi-hun to see Kim Min-jun. Gi-hun was very excited to leave the house for the first time in nearly two months. When got onto the street, Gi-hun pointed out a black cat staring at them on the sidewalk. In-ho furrowed his brows, the cat looking awfully familiar.

Though it was only a few blocks away, In-ho forced Gi-hun into a cab, raising an eyebrow when Gi-hun said he could walk all the way there despite being breathless from just exiting the building.

Min-jun ushered them inside after they knocked on the closed office door, pulling the blinds down after they entered.

“You’ll be the friend then.” Min-jun looked Gi-hun up and down before gesturing for them to sit.

Gi-hun side glanced In-ho for a second before he nodded. “Yes. Seong Gi-hun.”

“Not anymore you aren’t. From now on you’re both going to have to go by a different name. What you call yourselves and each other I don’t give a fuck, but it will be your legal name from now on. Now, Switzerland is extremely hard to try and forge a citizenship but what I can do is I can create a fake naturlisation file for the both of you, claiming you are a citizen through ancestry. It will say you’ve previously been living abroad hence why there will be no Swiss tax records, work or schooling. I’ll forge all that history as well so don’t worry about that. Now, first I recommend you choose your new names.”

“Right now?” Gi-hun asked.

Min-jun held his hands out and clapped them together. “No time like the present.”

“Ok, uh…”

“Since we’re claiming you came from Swiss ancestry and also to make it a bit easier for your records to blend in I highly recommend choosing a Swiss name.”

“A Swiss name? I have no idea-”

“Google it then, I don’t give a fuck.”

In-ho and Gi-hun looked at each other using Min-jun’s phone to use Google whilst Min-jun typed away on his laptop. Gi-hun seemed to be taking choosing a new name more seriously than In-ho was, In-ho couldn’t really care less.

“Gabriel. That's my given name.” In-ho pointed at the phone.

“You chose like the second one on the list!” Gi-hun looked over at him.

“So? Good to choose a common one anyways.”

Gi-hun shrugged. “I suppose you look like a Gabriel.”

Gi-hun scrolled through the list “Top Boys names in Switzerland” and looked at him confusedly. “I don’t even know how to say half of these. You choose one for me.”

In-ho took the phone and looked at it for a second. “Noah.”

“That’s literally number one above Gabriel.”

“So? We’ll still call each other by our real names in private.”

“Yeah but this will be my name for the rest of my life or at least until I change it! Choose another one.”

In-ho looked down at the phone again and saw Min-jun roll his eyes in his peripheral vision.

“What about Alessandro?” In-ho suggested.

Gi-hun butchered the pronunciation and In-ho decided to just keep it short.

“What about this one? Leon.”

“Leon?” Gi-hun repeated, deep in thought. “Leon… Leon. I like it. Do you think it suits me?”

“Yeah I think so.”

“Ok fine then. What about last names?” He waved his finger at the phone. “Google some last names that are common there.”

In-ho clicked on the first website that popped up. He pointed to a sentence that read “The most common last name is Müller, followed by Meier, and Schmid.”

“Well, just choose the most common one. How do you even say that one? It’s got those dots over the second letter.”

“I think it’s pronounced like Moo-luh”

Gi-hun took several attempts to try and say it correctly.

Min-jun piped up, “Well, you boys better practice how to say your own fucking names properly otherwise you’ll not only look suspicious but stupid.”

Gi-hun opened his mouth to say something back but In-ho glared at him not to.

“Ok so is that my last name or yours?” Gi-hun asked.

In-ho stared at him for long enough for it to be awkward. “Oh… I was thinking that… we could have the same last name.”

Gi-hun, who was looking down at the phone, snapped his head up to look at him. Even Min-jun was staring.

“You… You want the same last name?”

“Well, yeah, why not? Unless you don’t want to, then that’s fine I just-”

“No, no. I like that idea.” A smile tugged at his lips.

Min-jun spoke up once more. “You want to be like brothers then? I can do that, I mean you don’t really look related but whatever.” He began typing on his laptop.

“No, no, not like brothers. We’ll just have the same last name.” In-ho said.

Min-jun deleted a sentence on his laptop and looked up at him with narrowed eyes. He looked between them suspiciously before he shrugged. “Whatever. So what was it? Lebron and Gregory?”

“No, Leon Müller is Gi-hun, and I’m Gabriel Müller.”

“Mm. Suits you.” Min-jun smiled to himself sarcastically like he was in on some private joke.

In-ho had to show him how to spell it several times before they finally moved on. Min-jun helped them forge believable histories, having lived in Busan, South Korea for most of their lives, and gone to school there. He had to make fake rental contracts and bank statements saying they both had lived in Switzerland for many years, and were made naturalised citizens some years ago. There also were many other forged documents, certifications and registrations to be created. It was a big job, likely to take at least a few weeks, and it was going to be hard. But Min-jun was good at what he did, and he was confident he could get it done, well enough that they’d be able to live out their lives there on the down-low without being bothered by the authorities.

Min-jun took pictures of them for their IDs and passports and sent them on their way, telling them to come back when he contacted them.

It was well past midnight when the cab dropped them home, and In-ho saw one of the bodyguards he had hired a few buildings down across the street.

“How long had you been planning that?” Gi-hun asked randomly.

“Planning what?”

“Suggesting we have the same last name.”

“Oh.” In-ho blushed in the dark. “I guess since… the moment I realised we would have to change our names in the first place.”

Gi-hun laughed. “So, was it out of convenience?” He turned the key and they entered the apartment building foyer.

“In a way, yes. I mean, then we wouldn’t have to change it again when we-” In-ho cut his sentence off abruptly, his eyes growing wide and giving an embarrassed cough.

Gi-hun grabbed his shoulder, turning him back to face him when In-ho tried to just leave and go up the stairs. He had a ghost of a smile on his face.

“When we what?”

In-ho scratched the back of his head, his face burning. He’d really dug a hole now. “When we- Well, you know. One day we might decide we want to… get married or something.” Gi-hun’s eyes grew wider, even though he was obviously expecting what In-ho was suggesting. In-ho backtracked quickly. “Sorry, that was probably way too forward. I’m not saying right now I’m just saying, you know if we’re living in Switzerland together for the rest of our lives well then I thought maybe we’d want-”

In-ho’s tangent was cut off abruptly when Gi-hun grabbed him roughly by the shoulders and pushed him back to the dark space underneath the stairs. He was weaker than he normally was, but he caught In-ho so off guard he was quite easily able to slam him into the wall. Gi-hun’s mouth was on his, breathing fast and deep as he licked and sucked at his bottom lip. In-ho made an embarrassing noise of surprise, taking a couple seconds before he began kissing Gi-hun back with equal ferocity.

They were hungry for each other, and In-ho could tell Gi-hun wanted him as much as he wanted Gi-hun. Gi-hun instantly confirmed it when he slotted a leg between In-ho’s thighs and dragged it up against In-ho’s crotch gently. In-ho cut off a moan, loud in the dark and quiet corridor.

“Shit, if we still had our own place I’d be fucking you so hard right now for saying that.” Gi-hun breathed into his mouth.

In-ho felt his cock twitch, desperate for any touch after going without for so long.

“Ah fuck.” In-ho swore. “Gi-hun, if we can’t go any further we should stop before we get too worked up.”

Gi-hun pushed off him, eyes dark and hungry and lips swollen and shiny from being kissed and In-ho wanted nothing more than to see that face stare down at him while he swallowed his cock. But Gi-hun was still weak, still too sick. It would have to wait.

“Come on, it’s late. I’m sure you’re tired after all that walking, you’ve been lying down for 6 weeks straight.”

Gi-hun’s face softened, and he smiled. “You care for me so well.”

In-ho smiled, and gave him a long, soft and loving kiss before he took his hand and led him gently back to the apartment. Only the kitchen light had been left on, bathing the living room in dim yellow light. Jun-ho and his stepmother had already gone to bed.

They brushed their teeth as quietly as they could, which proved extremely difficult when they resolved into a fit of silent giggles when they kept elbowing each other in the tiny bathroom. He helped Gi-hun lay back down on the couch, the man trying to hide his winces as he did so.

“What’s wrong? Does it hurt more than usual?” In-ho looked concerned.

“It’s alright.” Gi-hun croaked tiredly. “Just sore from moving around a lot.”

In-ho smiled sadly, and stroked his cheek. The man exhaled deeply and leaned into the hand.

He went to go over to the armchair opposite the couch, when Gi-hin caught his wrist.

“Sleep here tonight?” Gi-hun croaked, eyes already closing.

“Gi-hun, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Please.” Gi-hun looked up at him with the most puppy-dog eyes he’d ever seen.

In-ho gave a playful exaggerated roll of his eyes and smiled. “Alright.”

Gi-hun grinned lazily, and In-ho went and turned out the kitchen light before carefully climbing over the top of him and settling against his back. He gently slipped an arm around him, high on his chest to avoid the area of his injury. Gi-hun snuggled back into him and held onto the arm hugging him.

“Goodnight.” Gi-hun slurred with fatigue.

“Goodnight, beautiful.” In-ho said into his hair, breathing in his scent as he drifted into a peaceful sleep.

Notes:

Thank you so much for the support on the last chapter!! I know Switzerland is kind of random but I feel a lot of fics that I've read of Squid Game or Hannibal they always end up moving to France, Italy or Spain, so I thought I'd choose somewhere else.

Chapter 19: Scopophobia

Summary:

In-ho and Gi-hun get ready to leave South Korea.

Notes:

Apologies in advance if this chapter is a little choppy or has mistakes. It's a bit of a boring filler chapter because I wrote it in my notes app at work since I was working long hours this weekend lol. Anyways I'm already halfway through chapter 20 so that should hopefully be out fairly soon. Thanks as always for the support <3

When In-ho awoke, he was in the exact same place he was when he fell asleep, face buried in Gi-hun’s hair. It’s like his sleeping body knew not to move in case he hurt Gi-hun, though it did also mean he was quite stiff.

He cocked his head up tiredly, and realised a blanket had been placed over them. He could hear quiet conversation and the gentle noise of mugs against the wood, meaning Jun-ho and his stepmother were already awake and sitting at the kitchen table. In-ho struggled as he tried to remove himself from in-between Gi-hun and the couch without waking him. He tucked the blanket higher over Gi-hun’s shoulders. The man stirred but didn’t wake.

In-ho rubbed his eyes tiredly as he entered the kitchen.

“Ah! Look who finally decided to wake up!” His stepmother joked. “It’s almost eleven!”

“Is it?” In-ho yawned, looking over at the clock reading 10:47. He was usually one to sleep late and rise early. Maybe his body just needed the rest.

His Omma rose from her chair and shuffled over to the kitchen counter, where she began spooning something into a bowl.

“Go and wake Mr Seong. He needs to start eating more if he wants to get his strength back.”

As much as he wanted Gi-hun to sleep, he didn’t argue with her on that and went into the next room to gently shake Gi-hun awake. They sat at the table while his Omma fussed around them.

“Did you put that blanket over us?” In-ho quietly asked Jun-ho whilst their Omma was talking to Gi-hun.

Jun-ho shook his head and pointed it towards his Omma. She had put the blanket over the two of them while they were asleep. Together.

“Oh, Mrs Park, thank you but that is too much!” Gi-hun waved his hand as she placed large portions of rice, banchan and clear soup in front of him.

“Eat.” She gestured to them. “You are too skinny. Ho-jin said you can start eating normally now.”

Gi-hun thanked her again and smiled to himself as he picked up his chopsticks. In-ho couldn’t help but smile as well as his Omma muttered to herself about Gi-hun being too skinny, just like she would do with himself and Jun-ho.

 

_______________________________________

 

It had been three weeks since Kim Min-jun agreed to take on the challenge of forging Gi-hun and In-ho’s documentation, longer than any other country he’d forged documents for on top of his work in the dealership. Kim didn’t complain much however despite how hard it was to send someone to Switzerland illegally, since he knew the pretty pay-check he’d be receiving at the end of this, and for his agreement to be their financial liaison in South Korea. In-ho was grateful for that, since getting quite a lot of Korean won over to a bank in Switzerland was going to be quite painful to do without raising any suspicion. Kim had forged high-paying jobs as well as inheritance from In-ho’s non-existent late father as a believable excuse as to why they had so much money. Gi-hun still had the majority of his winnings as did In-ho, in addition to the substantial amount he was paid for in his position as Frontman. As a result, even with Swiss currency being worth a lot more than Korean won and with the amount they were leaving for Jun-ho and his stepmother, they were still worth a substantial amount.

They only left the house a couple more times, when Kim Min-jun needed to see them, though Gi-hun noticed that every time they did leave the house - a black cat would be waiting for them at the door. She would follow them most of the way before she wandered off, but then she would always find them again on the way back, following them all the way up to the door. In-ho began to leave food out for her, and she always butted her head against his shins gratefully.

They spent a lot of their long and boring days attempting to learn Swiss German online. In-ho had to purchase a new laptop for his mother when the slowness of her previous one caused him to rage and slam the laptop shut so hard he broke the screen. In-ho was evidently quite good at learning languages, but Gi-hun was quickly becoming frustrated, often saying all his sentences backwards with very improper grammar.

“Are you sure no one over there speaks Korean?” Gi-hun asked him once, earning a disappointed look from In-ho.

“Gi-hun. We’re moving to a remote village in the middle of nowhere. No, no-one is going to speak Korean. And if we meet someone who does I’ll fucking give you a billion won.”

“Well that’s useless since one: we’re sharing money, and two: I don’t really need a billion won. You’ll have to reward me in a different way.” Gi-hun raised his eyebrows.

In-ho smirked. “Playing like that are we? Alright, fine. How about if we meet a Korean-speaking person in the village we move to, I’ll let you do whatever you want to me, whenever you want and as often as you want for a week. And if you lose it’s the opposite. How about that?”

Gi-hun’s eyes brightened and he smirked childishly. “I feel like we already do that.”

“Yeah but if I win you know I won’t let you rest.” In-ho put his hand on Gi-hun’s knee and slowly slid it up his inner thigh.

“Ok deal.” Gi-hun said a bit too quickly, and In-ho laughed. The longer they were together without being able to do anything together, the more reactive Gi-hun was becoming to every touch. The man ghosted a hand near Gi-hun’s crotch and smiled when he heard his breath catch.

In-ho quickly pulled his hand away when his stepmother walked into the room to give them some fruit she’d bought from the market this morning. Gi-hun felt guilty for being spoiled by Mrs since they were living there, but he knew all she wanted was to look after her two sons once again, and she reassured him she was more than happy to have Gi-hun there too. They thanked her and she returned to the kitchen.

“You need to stop teasing me, In-ho” Gi-hun pulled the crotch of his pants down uncomfortably. “You know we can’t do anything about it.”

In-ho grinned wickedly. “But it’s fun.” He leaned in close, breath hot against his ear. “And just think how good I’m going to make you feel once we’re finally alone together. You won’t be able to stop screaming once I’ve got you to myself again.”

Gi-hun felt an electric shock shoot straight down from his stomach into his pants, and he let out a shaky breath. “See, this is what I mean. You can’t just say stuff like that and then expect me to just wait.”

“But you’re so good at being my patient boy.” In-ho pressed a hot, wet kiss to the curve of Gi-hun’s ear, biting the cartilage playfully.

Gi-hun nearly bit his tongue in an effort not to let out a moan and pushed him off. “Alright enough. Save it, I don’t want to traumatise your stepmother anymore.” He said angrily, though there was a poorly supressed smile on his face. In-ho grinned boyishly and they returned to their research of various regions and villages that would be safest for them to live.

A few days before their documents were complete, Gi-hun awoke to In-ho’s stepmother arriving home bearing a very concerning story. She told them of a man that had approached her at the market. She described him as extremely polite, asking her about her living situation, and if she lived alone. He claimed he was offering free inspections and basic repairs for houses and apartments. When she declined he kept insisting, telling her he worked for a charity that paid for them to do repairs for free for people who lived alone, as well as the elderly and with disabilities. She said she thought nothing of it except when the man kept insisting he come to her house.

“He eventually left me alone and I continued my shopping and I came back here.”

“Why didn’t you call me?” In-ho said frustratedly. “You should have rang me, what if someone followed you here?”

“No one followed me, In-ho you’re being paranoid.”

In-ho scoffed. “Paranoid? Omma do you realise the shit Gi-hun and I are in? This isn’t some loan shark looking for his ten-thousand won, these are people who want us dead.”

“Well, no one followed me. I saw your bodyguard man down the street, he was watching me.”

“How can you be so sure no one saw where you went, Omma? Right, until we leave here no-one is allowed to leave this house anymore. Understand?”

Jun-ho groaned loudly.

“How am I supposed to get food for us?” His stepmother said with a hint of hysteria.
“I’ll get one of the guards to go and get it, I’ll just text him a list and he’ll bring it to the house.”

She pursed her lips disapprovingly.

“It’s only for a few more days, Omma. We can’t risk anything happening to you or people finding out where we are. We don’t know for sure that the man you met today wasn’t working for the Manager.”

Gi-hun hoped it was nothing, just some over-eager religious person trying to do good, but it still weighed on the back of his mind that they were being watched.

Then finally, after exactly three and a half weeks, they received word from Kim Min-jun that all their documents were completed.

“One thing I know for sure,” Kim began when they got down to the dealership, “is that I’m never fucking sending anyone to Switzerland ever again.” He passed In-ho a large, thick envelope. “That passport and citizenship nearly killed me to make.”

“We’re grateful for your help, Kim.” In-ho took the envelope and passed him a backpack. Kim unzipped it and began counting one of the many wads of cash inside.

“More than happy to help.” He placed the wad back into the bag. “All there, then?”

“100 million won, made up of your fees plus a decent amount extra to take everything you know about Gi-hun and I to the grave. And that’s still not including what you’ll keep from my bank account after you’ve sent over all the money. Count it if you like.”

“I trust you, In-ho. I promise your secrets are safe with me.”

“Yes well, I’m trusting you and your skill that these will work.” He waved the envelope.
“Of course. I’m very confident, I worked very hard on those. And I don’t really want my entrails hanging from this building if you discovered they didn’t work or that I blabbed to whoever these people are. I will say though, that I can control how legit these documents look but I cannot control how hard the authorities look into them, especially if you do something to raise suspicion. You need to stay on the down-low at least until you can eventually get yourself some real documentation in however many years.”

“I understand. We’re taking every precaution.”

They thanked Kim for his work, and he wished them both luck, and they left. In-ho hid the envelope in his jacket, though the walk back home via an overly complicated route was uneventful. Now that they had the means to leave the country, all that was left was book a flight under their new names, fake their deaths, and be well over the Chinese landscape before the Manager even found out they were supposedly deceased in the system.

Jun-ho and his mother were going to Jeonju after In-ho's funeral and burying an empty casket. With Gi-hun having no next of kin left in Korea, they didn’t have to organise a funeral for him. They booked an 8:30AM flight to Zurich for the following day, giving them enough time to go through with their plan through the night. The doctor, Ho-jin, had agreed to help them by confirming their Korean identities at the scene of their death, at a price for the risk it posed to his job as a detective. His stepmother was extremely quiet after they told her they’d booked the flights, and Gi-hun noticed In-ho had become more quiet than usual as well. His chest ached for them, Gi-hun missed his own mother terribly.

Gi-hun had to rest on the couch for a while after their extended walk home, and In-ho lay with him on the couch, playing with his hair. Gi-hun leaned into the touch, forgetting about the dull pain that throbbed in his side.

“So, when we are put down as legally deceased,” Gi-hun said quietly, “they’re going to contact my wife, yes? She and my daughter are going to think I’m dead.”

“I’m sorry Gi-hun.”

“Eun-ae will believe I’m dead too.”

“She might not. She’s a smart girl, and she knew you were involved with bad people once.”

“But Ga-yeong… She’ll think I died hating her.”

“She doesn’t think you hate her.”

“How do you know? How else would she explain me never getting on that plane and never contacting her again?”

“Your daughter…” In-ho’s stepmother began. “Where is she?”

“She lives in the US with her mother and stepfather.” Gi-hun said sadly.

“Ah.” She gave a sympathetic nod. “But who says you cannot contact her again?”

“Well…”

“You know her phone, yes? Or her mother’s phone?”

“Yes, but-“

“Then who says you cannot talk to her again? You can call her from a payphone or one of those phones you can buy from the gas station, and she can keep it a secret.”

Gi-hun felt the same familiar pang of grief he felt for his daughter everyday, sitting like a permanent stone in his stomach. “How do I know she won’t hate me? Or that she’ll even want to talk to me?”

“Well, there’s only one way to find that out isn’t there? I don’t mean to pry, but do you really truly think she will ever hate you?”

Gi-hun sighed. No, he didn’t think Ga-yeong would ever hate him. But to think that one of their last moments together was her watching her own father punch her stepfather. And the last birthday gift he gave her was a fucking gun-shaped lighter he won from a claw machine because he was too irresponsible to save a few thousand won to buy her a real gift.

She deserved the world, and he couldn’t even give her the food she wanted on her birthday.

“No… She’s a good girl. She has a bright and kind soul, and she’s empathetic and she always loved me no matter how shit of a father I was sometimes. I miss her more than anything. I’m just… Scared to face it.” He looked away. “I rang her, a couple years ago before I… met In-ho. I didn’t say anything but she guessed it was me. I just wanted to hear her voice.”

Mrs Park looked at him sympathetically. “I know my sons would give anything to talk to their father again. But you aren’t dead, Mr Seong, you’re very much alive. And if I know anything, I know that your daughter wants to see you again, even if she’s angry at first.”

Gi-hun gave a sad smile, and In-ho’s hand rubbed the back of his neck empathetically.
“Thanks, Mrs Park. Either way, it will have to wait. It’s too dangerous at the moment. But I hope I will see her again.”

In-ho pressed a kiss to the back of his head and pushed himself up with a grunt. “I should probably start getting things ready. We need to be a hundred percent prepared before we have to leave in the morning.”

Gi-hun turned his head to look at him. “What do you mean ‘you’, I’ll help you.”

“Gi-hun, you rest. You’re still weak and you need all the rest you can get before tomorrow, ok?”

“But I-“

“-Rest” In-ho stressed, staring down at him, and Gi-hun closed his mouth grumpily.

In-ho grabbed his coat and left, taking Jun-ho with him. The room was awkwardly silent, just In-ho’s stepmother sitting across from him.

“Thank you Mrs Park, for having me here. And for everything.”

“It was a pleasure having you here, Mr Seong. Even with that… improvised surgery they did on my kitchen table.”

He winced.

“I am sad that my son is leaving, but I have faith in the universe that I will see him again. I can tell you are a good man, Mr Seong. You are kind and well-mannered and I know you are going to look after my son very well.” She gazed at him, her eyes sad.

Gi-hun could feel tears threatening to form, and he pushed them away.

“In truth… I haven’t seen him this happy since his wife was alive. After she died, I thought I’d never see that again but you, I can see how happy he is when he’s with you. Thank you, Mr Seong.”

Gi-hun’s vision began to blur with the tears he worked hard to fight. He nodded, looking down as he swallowed. “Thank you Mrs Park. For saying that.”

She gave him a genuine smile, pulling herself up. “I will leave you to rest.”

Gi-hun gave into his tiredness, In-ho not here to argue wanting to help him. His eyelids drifted closed at their own accord before he even realised it was happening.

 

**

 

Gi-hun looked around the vast halls of Incheon airport. It was strangely, empty, emptier than he had ever seen it. There were a few people around, but their faces were blurred and distorted. That didn’t seem to bother Gi-hun. He dawdled around, waiting for In-ho to come back from wherever he’d gone. He checked his watch and felt his stomach drop - their plane was already boarding.

He looked around hurriedly, trying to remember where In-ho said he had gone, but he couldn’t remember. Maybe he was at the gate already. His breath quickened as he began striding down past the empty gates, he knew they were at gate 37. He looked at the gate next to him, gate number 12.

He jogged down as fast as he could.

Gate 13

Gate 14

Gate 15

Gate 13

Wait, hadn’t he already passed that?

Gate 14

Gate 15

Gate 15

Gate 15

Gate 16

Gi-hun ran faster and faster but it felt like he wasn’t going anywhere. He stopped, putting his hands on his knees and panting heavily. He checked his watch again. 3 minutes until takeoff.
If he and In-ho didn’t get on this plane. They would die. The Manager would find them, and he’d kill In-ho in front of him before he finally killed Gi-hun too. They needed to get on that plane now, or there’d be no other chance. His heart was pounding a million times a minute, his chest tightening as the walls seemed to close in on him.

“In-ho? In-ho!” He screamed, his voice echoing off the white walls and fading into nothing.

Oh fuck, what if In-ho was already on the plane?

“Appa!” A girl’s voice screamed. He recognised that voice. He whirled around to see the distant figure of his daughter standing all the way at the end of the hall. She waved at him wildly.

“Appa!”

“Ga-yeong!” Tears instantly filled his eyes as he ran towards her as fast as his body would allow.

“Appa!”

“Ga-yeong! Stay there!” He cried. It’s funny, he knew she was fifteen now, but she seemed to look the same age she was when he last saw her. He ran and ran and ran but she didn’t seem to get any closer. Her figure stayed the same size, her features blurred. She turned and began running away.

“No no no! Ga-yeong! Stay there! GA-YEONG!”

She disappeared down the hall, and Gi-hun slowed to a stop. He swore loudly. Where was she going? He’d definitely missed his flight now. He was fucked. They were fucked. They were going to die. They were going to be killed.

He wanted to leave, and suddenly he found himself outside in the street. He heard someone behind him, and turned to see In-ho approaching him breathlessly.

“Gi-hun! Why didn’t you tell me the plane was boarding?!”

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I tried to find you but-“

“We missed it! They’re going to find us, Gi-hun, we have to go now!” In-ho looked him up and down and realised Gi-hun wasn’t holding anything. “Where are the documents?”

“What?”

“Our documents, our passports and all that, where are they!” He said hurriedly, looking around nervously.

Gi-hun looked down at himself, holding out his empty hands. “I- I…”

In-ho looked at him with the most terrified expression Gi-hun had ever seen on his face.

“Gi-hun, no, no, no, no, Gi-hun…” He pressed the heel of his palms into his temples. “Gi-hun, how can you lose them? They were the only chance we had left!”

“I don’t know, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Gi-hun panicked. He felt sick. “What should we-“

He was cut off by a loud crack that made his stomach fly into his throat. In-ho cried out, clutching his stomach. He pulled his hand to reveal blood coating his palm and fingers. Gi-hun’s eyes widened in shock when another crack rang out. They both ducked.

“Shit!” Gi-hun swore, grabbing In-ho roughly by the jacket and pulling him to an alleyway. In-ho fell onto the concrete with a pained grunt. They could hear footsteps rapidly approaching but there was nowhere to go, nothing to shield behind. An armed group of pink masked soldiers appeared around the corner, wielding their rifles. Gi-hun put his hands up, stepping in front of In-ho, who was staring up at them from where he lay, clutching his stomach with fear in his eyes.

“Please…” Gi-hun whimpered.

A guard in all black and a square mask walked through the middle of the group to the front.

“Player 456. It’s time to end this game.”

Gi-hun opened his mouth to say something, when a loud bang accompanied a burning punch to his side. He looked down to blood spreading from underneath his shirt. He was dripping wet. His clothes were dripping wet with water. When had he been in water? It seemed to be coming from his very skin, pouring from his sleeves and soaking his clothes.

The manager pushed him against the wall with immense strength, and Gi-hun struggled against him. He felt his hands going up his shirt and Gi-hun screamed in pain when the manager began digging into the bullet hole with his gloved fingers. He screamed and pushed against him, but all his strength seemed to have disappeared. Gi-hun begged him to stop but he dug deeper and deeper as though he was searching for something. He saw In-ho on the floor, lying on his side and reaching up towards him. He was begging the Manager to stop. It hurt so bad. It hurt so bad his vision was beginning to turn white.

“Gi-hun!”

“Gi-hun!”

“Gi-hun!”

Gi-hun’s eyes flew open and he sucked in a breath. Someone was shaking his shoulder. His side was killing him, and he clutched it with a gasp. Confused, he looked in front of him to see In-ho’s features come into focus, kneeling in front of him. He looked scared. The room was dark now, and no-one else seemed to be there.

“Gi-hun, we have to go. We have to go now.” He said quietly, and Gi-hun could hear the quaver in his voice.

Gi-hun crashed back to reality. He pulled himself up, ignoring the pain that shot through his belly. “What’s going on?”

“They found us. They know where we are. We have to go.”

Notes:

Next chapter coming soon - Happy Easter to everybody who celebrates!

Chapter 20: The mouse in the cat's claw

Summary:

Sh** hits the fan at the airport and Gi-hun and In-ho's original plan of how they were getting to Switzerland goes down the drain.

Notes:

Content Warning: Graphic depictions of violence and homophobia

“They found us. They know where we are. We have to go.”

In-ho tugged at his shirt, looking nervously at the door. He helped him up, and Gi-hun grabbed his favourite jacket - the only thing he had left from his old apartment - and they left quietly. Jun-ho and Mrs Park were standing in the hallway holding the small bags that In-ho had forced them pack several weeks prior in case they had to leave quickly.

They hurried down the dark stairs, In-ho leading them.

“What happened?”

“We saw them. The Manager’s guards. We’re not sure if they saw Ho-jin but it’s unlikely. He’s dealing with our fake deaths. Suicide, off the bridge. DNA evidence, he’ll put us in the system as deceased. He’s got a friend who’s a coroner that’ll help him out, he’s apparently done it several times before.” In-ho stated.

“Did the guards see you there? Did they see what you were doing?”

“No, I don’t think so, we saw them later. They were watching us at the end of a street. They spotted us getting in a cab, we made the driver drop us off somewhere else but we’re pretty sure they know we are staying here.”

“I’m sorry In-ho.” Mrs Park said, pressing hand to her mouth in an attempt to hold back tears.

“Omma, please. I said it’s not your fault.” In-ho waved her off.

So it must have been a man working for the Manager that day, the man that approached Mrs Park in the market. “Where are we going?” Gi-hun asked.

“To the airport, there’s a cab outside. We might still be ahead of them, if we get out of here fast enough. I’ve organised to bring Jun-ho and Omma’s flight forward to tonight.”

In-ho checked out of the door, all three of the bodyguards positioned close by. They nodded to him and he waved for Gi-hun and the others to follow. Even with the three men, Gi-hun still felt exposed standing on the street. Like there was a sniper on every rooftop. In-ho ushered them into the back of the cab, Jun-ho sitting in the middle. Something meowed at In-ho’s feet, and he looked down to see that black cat curling around his ankle, meowing up at him.

“Sorry old girl.” In-ho opened the door to the front seat. “You’ll have to find someone else to look after you.”

The cat meowed loudly, and In-ho got into the front seat, slamming the door and turning to the driver.

“Incheon Airport. I’ll pay you double if you get us there in an hour.”

The driver pulled away. “Late for your flight, sir?” He laughed. “I can take you to the subway station, the express train is much faster.”

“No, no just take us to the airport, please.”

“My wife is terrible at being ready in time for flights, we even missed one to France, once, cost us a fortune. But you don’t have any bags?”

“Last minute decision.” In-ho said bluntly. The driver caught onto his shortness and stayed quiet for the rest of the drive.

He got them there in an hour fifteen, and In-ho paid him double anyway, and he ushered them hurriedly out of the cab.

In-ho was extremely tense as they waited in the security line, looking around wildly.

“In-ho, you need to stop thrashing around like a fucking fish. You’ll make it look like we’re trying to smuggle something.” Jun-ho said in a harsh whisper.

“I’m trying to keep my entire family from getting murdered, Jun-ho.” He spat bitterly, but then he softened guiltily. Jun-ho backed off.

In-ho dug into his jacket and pulled out a South Korean passport, passing it to Gi-hun. “That’s yours. I’ve still got your Swiss one. Don’t lose it.”

Gi-hun recalled his nightmare and clutched it tightly, tucking it into his pants. They made it through the first security check into the main area. In-ho stopped dead and turned to Jun-ho. The younger man looked into In-ho’s eyes once, and Gi-hun saw a pained look beginning to cross his features.

“Jun-ho. I’m trusting you to take yourself and Omma to the Domestic terminal, down that way. Don’t stop for anyone, don’t talk to anyone, stay on your guard, and get on that plane. You’ve got your tickets?” He fixed Jun-ho’s backpack and his shirt collar as though he was sending him off to his first day of Kindergarten.

Jun-ho nodded, unable to meet In-ho’s eye.

“Jun-ho look at me.”

Jun-ho looked up, and he could see the man’s eyes beginning to glisten. “Look after yourself, alright? Look after Omma.” He placed his hand on Jun-ho’s cheek, and a tear rolled down to it.
“Jun-ho promise me you will.”

“I will.” Jun-ho croaked, and In-ho’s lips tightened, pulling the man into a hug. Jun-ho clutched at his brother tightly, burying his head into the crook of his shoulder. “I love you, Hyung.”

In-ho exhaled over his shoulder, blinking rapidly as his eyeline began to sparkle. “I love you too, Jun-ho-ya.”

In-ho stroked the back of his head gently before he pulled away and turned to his Omma. “Be safe, son.” She put her arms around his shoulders, and he bent down to hug her.

“I will, Omma.”

They hugged for a long time, before she looked over at Gi-hun, taking his hand and squeezing it. “Look after my boy.”

“I will, Mrs Park. Be safe.”

She smiled at him, her eyes glistening. Jun-ho wiped his nose, swallowing hard. He shook Gi-hun’s hand with a firm nod, taking one final look at the two of them before turning around and leaving.

Gi-hun looked over at In-ho, who was staring as the two of them left. He could see his jaw muscle clenching through his cheek, sparkles along his eyeline, his expression that of a man who was trying desperately not to break down. Gi-hun gently took his hand, and felt In-ho squeeze it.

“Let’s go.” In-ho muttered, when Jun-ho and his stepmother finally disappeared.

They let go of each other’s hand and began making their way to the international gates with nothing but their new identities and the clothes on their back.

In-ho bought Gi-hun a bottle of water, and he skulled it down gratefully. “How are you feeling?” He pointed down to where Gi-hun’s scar was.

“I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

In-ho looked around nervously, and Gi-hun could swear he could see his hands shaking. He’d never seen In-ho worked up like this. He seemed like the last person to be visibly scared, even without the whole ‘Frontman’ demeanour, it was just his personality. It seemed like he was trying to keep it together, pushing down the panic that was quickly setting in, his breaths fast and shallow through his nose.

“In-ho.” Gi-hun said. The man didn’t hear him, still scanning past Gi-hun.

“In-ho.” He repeated, and he looked up at him.

“It’s going to be ok. Take a deep breath.” Gi-hun frowned empathetically, placing a hand on the man’s arm. In-ho nodded and tried to slow his breathing.

“I promise we’ll be on the plane soon. All this will be over.” Gi-hun smiled, and In-ho looked at him, returning a small smile. He glanced down at Gi-hun’s lips.

“I wish I could kiss you right now.”

Gi-hun grinned, staring down at his lips as butterflies fluttered in his stomach. It had felt like years since they were alone together, and a time that could happen again couldn’t come fast enough. “Me too.”

They had every right to kiss one another in the middle of the busy airport, it wasn’t overly frowned upon, but any public display of affection between them would likely still draw unwanted attention. And that was not something they could afford at the moment. Gi-hun squeezed his shoulder and dropped his arm back to his side.

They made their way to the terminals, where the first passport check was going to take place. It was one of many moments of truth, and he hoped they wouldn’t pat down his chest and ask why his heart was beating so fast. If this didn’t work, they were fucked. The queue snaked around barriers like a river on a map, of people holding their backpacks and other carry-on items. They anxiously joined the end of the queue, awkwardly empty-handed.

They stood in silence, waiting impatiently for the lengthy queue to move forward. Gi-hun turned around, and the flash of a face turned towards him in the corner of his eye made him look back. In amongst the crowd of waiting and lounging people in the main area, was a man, staring right at him.

Gi-hun’s stomach dropped. He didn’t recognise the man, he was fairly tall and skinny, wearing normal casual clothing. Gi-hun looked to either side of him and back, confirming that the man was just staring, unwavering, at him and In-ho. Gi-hun’s heart skipped a beat and he turned towards In-ho calmly.

“Don’t look yet, but two o’clock, man in a navy shirt and grey pants staring at us.”

In-ho’s jaw tightened, and he tried as casually as possible to look in the direction Gi-hun had told him. He watched his eyes search until they fixed on a certain point, and Gi-hun could swear he turned grey. He inhaled deeply, and turned back as if he didn’t see anything.

“Fuck. Ok. Uhm-“

“What? You know him? Does he work for the Manager?” Gi-hun fought against everything not to look at the strange man again, trying to keep his expression neutral.

“Yes.”

“Shit. Fuck. What do we do? Do we leave? We can’t stay here.” Gi-hun could feel sweat breaking through the skin on his forehead.

“They won’t be able to get through security.”

Gi-hun looked ahead at the extensive queue. “How do you know? All they need is a passport and a ticket. Plus, the line’s too long to wait. What if they alert security about us?”

In-ho exhaled, his mouth tightening into a thin line and his eyes darting around. Gi-hun quickly looked back towards the strange man, and saw that he was slowly making his way towards them.

“In-ho, he’s coming.”

“There’s another one, over behind you.” In-ho said, quietly. His fingers wrapped around Gi-hun’s bicep and squeezed almost painfully. “We need to go.”

“They can’t do anything here, there’s too many people around, and security.”

“Gi-hun, these people don’t care whether they live or die. They are more than happy to kill us, and then kill themselves. They will likely be killed anyway if they don’t catch us now. We need to go.”

In-ho suddenly ducked under the barrier, pulling Gi-hun roughly by the arm. They walked briskly away down the expansive hall, and Gi-hun caught a glimpse of the man speeding up to follow, two more of them coming from the side through the crowd.

“Fuck, there’s more of them.” Gi-hun muttered to In-ho.

In-ho spotted a fire escape down the hall through one of the food courts, and suddenly grabbed Gi-hun’s forearm tight and broke into a run. The men behind them copied. People dodged them confusedly as they ran past, knocking into passers-bys who called out angrily at them. In-ho’s nails were digging into his skin, and he slammed into the fire escape door, leading into a tall stairwell. They flew down the stairs as fast as possible, hearing the door swing open again as they got a few flights down, followed by a heap of heavy footsteps. Gi-hun’s heart felt like it was going to explode as they fled from the thundering sounds growing closer and closer, the adrenaline in his body struggling after being dormant for so long.

White hot shocks of pain were shooting from Gi-hun’s scars with every reverberating slam of his heels against the concrete. They burst through a door at the bottom of the stairs into the cold, breezy night. It was loud with the roars of planes passing by and Gi-hun realised they were on the tarmac. In-ho pulled him in a direction towards the nearest fence, his grasp insistent and painful.

“We have to lose them.” In-ho said breathlessly.

They stumbled towards the fenced perimeter of the tarmac where they'd be partially cloaked by darkness.

“Where the fuck are we going to go? These walls all have barbed wire!”

“That side over there!” In-ho pointed to the streetlights all the way across the airport tarmac. “We should be able to get into the parking lots over there and get onto the road!”

Gi-hun’s tired body screamed for him to stop, his lungs aching from heaving cold air. He looked over at where In-ho was pointing and nearly threw up. But the fleeting adrenaline spurred him on, and they kept running full speed into the intermittent darkness of the runways. A gunshot rang through the air, and they both nearly stumbled as they ducked. The shot sounded fairly far off, and Gi-hun hoped with everything that they weren’t as fast as them and their aim was poor enough for them to cross over a mile to the carpark. There was nothing to hide behind, no obstacles to weave in-between, nothing to protect them as they ran from the gunshots through wide open plains. The only thing that could get them away was themselves, and the fear was making Gi-hun run even faster than he seemed to be able to.

“Hey!” a man hauling luggage onto a trailer screamed, his colleague looking up at them. Gi-hun and In-ho ran past them.

“Hey you can’t be out here-” A loud crack cut him off, and Gi-hun glanced over his shoulder in terror as he watched the man fall onto his knees and flat onto his face. The colleague cried out in fear and dove behind the trailer, yelling shakily into a radio. They could hear him asking for police.

One of the men chasing them circled around the trailer, the worker dropping the radio and looking up at him, shaking hands raising above his head. Gi-hun felt sick as another loud bang accompanied the thud of the worker against the bitumen, blood pouring from his head.

“Don’t look back, Gi-hun.” In-ho heaved, still pulling him along. In-ho was faster than him, nearly pulling his arm out of his socket and bruising his arm again and again with his grip.

One of the men was significantly faster than the others, and was quickly catching up to them. They ducked as a bullet whizzed way too close to their heads.

“Come here, motherfuckers!” He roared. The voice echoed in Gi-hun’s head, looking behind him to see the man only about thirty feet away and gaining on them fast. He was going to catch them. Gi-hun’s lungs were stuttering, the fear almost painful and beginning to trip on his own feet.

He looked behind again to see the man nearly on top of them, his arm stretching out to point the pistol directly at his head. Something in Gi-hun switched, and he threw In-ho’s arm from him, skidding to an immediate stop. The man stumbled, not expecting Gi-hun to do so, and Gi-hun shouted as he tackled the man to the floor, slamming him on his back. The pistol clattered to the concrete. His hands flew to his throat, gritting his teeth and pushing the man’s head into the cold, hard tarmac. He struggled, clawing against Gi-hun’s punishing grip, drawing blood from the back of Gi-hun’s hands with his nails. In-ho swiped the pistol and pointed it down at the man’s head, Gi-hun’s ears ringing from the deafening noise as the man went limp under his grip.

In-ho tore Gi-hun up by the back of his jacket, holding the pistol tight in his hand as they kept running. The rest of them continued their pursuit, jumping over the dead body without as much as a glance down at him. They were about three-quarters the way to the parking lots, but the men were still close on their tails. An alarm began to echo through the vast area, the noise overlapping from several sources and the noise sending a chill down to Gi-hun’s bones.

“Fuck, they’re going to lock this place down, we need to get out!” In-ho panted, barely able to get the words out. “The cops are going to come through there, we need to go!”

Gunshots continued to crack over the noise of the distant alarms, each one seeming closer and closer to hitting them. In-ho swung around to take a couple shots. He missed, but it managed to slow them down slightly.

They got to a short fence, In-ho roughly helping Gi-hun over the top of it before hauling himself over. The parking lot was large and quite full of empty cars.

“We can hide here!” Gi-hun gasped. “The fence isn’t barbed, we can hide from them and climb out!”

In-ho nodded breathlessly, grabbing his wrist and urging him to run crouched. Gi-hun’s legs burned, and In-ho pulled him behind a large black SUV. The parking lot was well lit, and In-ho hoped their shadows wouldn’t betray them.

They could hear the metal jangling of the fence signaling their pursuers entrance to the parking lot. Their footsteps skidded to a stop on the concrete.

“Fuck, did you see where they went?” One of them panted.

“Search the area, they might be hiding in here.” A deeper voice said. “Jong-soo, Han-jae, search the perimeter. Dong-woo, keep an eye on the gate and fence line, make sure they don’t escape if they’re still in here. Orders remain the same. If you find them, kill them. But make sure their faces are intact enough for the Manager to confirm that it’s them.”

“Yes sir.”

Gi-hun’s heart was beating so loud and fast in his ears he was almost scared it could be heard from the outside. The footsteps scattered, and In-ho flattened quietly to look underneath the car. He gently tugged on Gi-hun’s sleeve, signalling him to be quiet with a finger on the lips. Gi-hun nodded. They quickly crossed to the next car, trying to make their way over to the darkest corner of the fence. Gi-hun’s nerves tingled at the sound of a soft scrape of shoes against concrete. A man was a few cars down, quietly searching under and between cars, and heading straight for them. He felt sick.

Gi-hun pushed at In-ho and they crossed to the next car down, where another man was currently searching from the opposite way. They were soon going to cross over each other, right where they were hiding. Gi-hun was almost turning blue in an effort not to breathe loudly, his lungs screaming for more air.

In-ho spotted a large rock underneath the car and stretched under to retrieve it, waiting for the men to look away. They were getting closer and closer, until they were both behind the cars right beside where they were hiding. Gi-hun held his breath, and the men finally ducked at the same time, and In-ho threw the rock as hard and as quietly as he could. It smashed into a windscreen towards the middle of the parking lot and set off the car alarm, the men scrambling up to point their guns towards the noise.

“What the fuck? Shit, they’re still in here somewhere. Did you see what direction it came from?”

The car alarm blared, and In-ho pulled Gi-hun in the opposite direction closer to the fence, able to crawl on their stomachs under another four-wheel drive, partially shielded by the piercing cry of the car.

In-ho and Gi-hun ran as low as they possibly could down several rows of cars until they were one row out from the fence, where a man was currently keeping watch.

“Shit. We need to get rid of him.” In-ho whispered.

Wailing sirens began to rise from the distance, over the noise of the blaring alarm and the lockdown siren. “Fuck.” In-ho hissed under his breath.

“For fucks sake. The fucking pigs.” One of them swore loudly.

“Shit we need to find them, now. Start running, use yourself as bait, I don’t give a fuck, the rest of us will deal with it if they attack you.”

In-ho turned to the man at the fence, a few cars down from them. He raised his head slightly over the bonnet of the car, putting his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice.

“Dong-woo! I think I found something!” In-ho called in a hushed voice, ducking behind the car.

“The fuck are you doing?” Gi-hun hissed. In-ho signalled for him to be quiet.

“The fuck?” Dong-woo whirled around. “Jin-sun, is that you?”

Dong-woo began walking slowly towards them, gun raised. “Where are you? Jin-sun stop fucking around.”

In-ho and Gi-hun circled the car to stay out of sight as the man passed them, In-ho sneaking up behind him. He lunged, slapping a hand over Dong-woo’s mouth, the other arm locking his throat in the crook of In-ho’s elbow and pulling him backwards behind the car. The man struggled, eyes wide with terror and scratching In-ho’s arm and swinging blindly to claw at his face.

“Shut the fuck up.” In-ho growled in his ear. Squeezing tighter. Gi-hun watched as the light began to fade from the man’s horrified eyes and he slumped in In-ho’s arms. In-ho laid the body on the floor, and they ran for the fence.

They had nearly climbed over it unnoticed when a shout of “Fuck! They’re over there!” made Gi-hun’s stomach clench nauseatingly. A shot was fired, and In-ho toppled over the fence, falling seven feet flat onto the floor. He gasped, the wind knocked out of him. Pain shot through Gi-hun’s ankles from the shock of landing hard on the dirt.

“Fuck, did they hit you? In-ho did they hit you?”

“No, no, they didn’t.” In-ho’s voice strained, trying to get up. Gi-hun looked up and saw the men hurrying over to the open gate by the road, and he grabbed a handful of In-ho’s jacket and wrenched the gasping man, his hands slamming hard against the floor as he struggled to get up. The wails of the sirens were getting closer. At least out here there were no streetlights for a while, and they’d be covered by the darkness of the night.

Overlapping red and blue lights flashed across the dark plains, dizzying Gi-hun. Cars surrounded the road, screeching to a halt outside the parking lot. They screamed for the men to put their hands up, their guns clattering to the floor. three of the men had managed to follow them over the fence, barrelling towards them.

“Kill them! Fucking shoot them!” One of them yelled, voice drowned out by the sound of another gunshot. In-ho and Gi-hun sprinted into the night, the grass soaking their shoes in cold dew.

A bullet grazed Gi-hun’s shoulder with a searing sting, and he tripped from the shock, hands not doing much to prevent his face from slamming into the ground. He instantly felt blood dripping from his nose.

“Gi-hun!” In-ho shouted, and Gi-hun could feel him pulling hard at his shoulders. He quickly gave up, picking up the gun that fell from his pocket and whirling around to shoot one in the throat. He gurgled, clutching at the blood spurting from his neck and falling backwards a few feet away. The other two skidded to a hold, pointing their guns at them. Gi-hun stretched out and ripped the gun out of the dead man’s loose grip, rolling onto his back and pointing it as he got up.

Now all four of them were armed. If someone took a shot, they would be killed anyway. They could hear gunshots and shouting in the distance, the men fighting back against the police. Gi-hun thought selfishly that it would at least keep their focus away from them for the time being.

“Put your fucking guns down, and I’ll let you live.” In-ho clicked the pistol.

“You know they’ll kill us anyway if we let you live. We have our orders. Put your guns down and get on your fucking knees.”

“You know who you’re talking to, right?” In-ho spat.

“You have no authority over us anymore, Frontman.” He spat. “Get on the floor. I’m sure you’re used to being on your knees now, aren’t you?” He waved the gun towards Gi-hun. “Running away to be with your little boyfriend.”

The other man laughed. In-ho’s teeth were clenched so hard the muscles by his temple were shaking.

“So which one of you is the one that takes it?” The shorter man said. “I bet it’s that one, Player 456. He has a cute face made to be buried in some pillows.”

“I’ll shoot you in your fucking face.” In-ho gritted, the red and blue light bouncing off his furious expression.

“Ohh, the Manager’s gonna be so happy when I bring back your mangled bodies to him. I guess it’s what you deserve for being a slimy, disgusting fucking ttongkkochung.” The other man spat, voice laden with hostility.

Gi-hun shot him in the thigh, and the man screamed in pain, dropping to the floor. In-ho shot the other man, but he was fast, dodging just enough for the bullet to lodge in his shoulder instead of his chest. He grunted, so filled with rage it barely slowed him down. He threw himself onto Gi-hun, tackling him to the floor and putting his hands around his throat. Gi-hun tried to take in a breath, but it caught in his mouth, unable to get past the squeezing of his airway. His head felt like it was exploding, wildly kicking at the heavier man on top of him. A couple shots rang out and he could hear In-ho fighting the other man. Gi-hun thrashed against the weight on top of him. He had to help In-ho.

Gi-hun’s vision began to fade, his desperate struggle weakening.

No no no no it can’t end like this. I need to save him. I need to-

The man atop him cried out at another loud crack of the gun, and his grip loosened on Gi-hun’s throat. He gasped for breath, cold air filling his sore lungs. He furiously wiped tears that kept blurring his vision from his painfully itching throat. He punched the man in the face, pushing him off. The man toppled to the floor, eyes wide with terror as he clutched at his legs, trying to crawl away on his elbows.

The other man was kneeling on In-ho’s chest, throwing heavy blows to his face, his expression crazed and eyes red in a frenzy of hatred.

In-ho’s face was bloody, one hand clutching the wrist that held him down and the other limp by his side.

Rage coursed through Gi-hun unlike he had ever felt. He could hear his heart beating in his ears and the air that rushed in and out of his hoarse throat. He crossed over to them, the man so deep in his hatred he didn’t even see Gi-hun coming.

He wanted him dead. He wanted him to suffer. He wanted to make it as long and as painful as possible.

Gi-hun grabbed the man by his hair and pulled him back so hard he nearly felt them rip out of his head. The man screamed and clutched desperately at the hand pulling him back. He was heavy, but the weight was nothing with the rage that fuelled him. In-ho coughed and sputtered, pushing himself up as the man was dragged off him.

A flash of light from the distant police cars illuminated the gun lying neglected in the grass, and he grabbed it as he dropped the man onto his back. Before he could get up, Gi-hun shot him in the knee, his other thigh still bleeding. The man screamed and clutched his leg. Gi-hun knelt behind him and threw his arm around the man’s neck, holding him in a tight headlock. In-ho slowly got to his feet, watching them intently

“You’re going to fucking pay for what you just said.” Gi-hun seethed, and the man gargled and whimpered under Gi-hun’s adrenaline-fuelled strength.

“P-Please.” The man struggled.

“Oh, now we’re begging are we? You want me to stop?” He kept him in a tight headlock, reaching around in front of the man towards the bleeding bullet hole in his thigh.

“No, no, no, stop! Please, don’t-”

His screams cut off his sentence as Gi-hun dug his fingers into the oozing wound, the blood warm on his hand. The man thrashed wildly.

“Stop! Stop! Please- Fuck!” He cried out again, and Gi-hun clasped his bloodied hand over his mouth, muffling the cries.

“Gi-hun.” He heard In-ho’s voice in front of him. He looked up, expecting to meet a gaze of concern, a gaze that asked him to stop.

Instead, he was met with something else. A glint of crazed fire in In-ho’s eyes, a ghost of a smirk on his face.

And suddenly, it felt like they were back in the Games. The fury Gi-hun felt in that bathroom when In-ho- or Young-il- was being attacked. The fury that clouded Gi-hun’s every thought and made him plunge that fork into that player’s throat. The fury that made him kill another human being like it was nothing.

The fury that made him want nothing more than to please him, to show In-ho he was just as capable of this as he was. To show him that deep down, no matter how hard Gi-hun tried to suppress it, he was just as capable of emotionless, remorseless murder as he was. That he had just as much darkness inside him as he did goodness.

Just like In-ho.

Gi-hun never believed In-ho when he would say they were the same, back in the apartment on that God forsaken island. But he was right. They were more alike than even Gi-hun would like to admit. Because it scared him.

He held the man’s eyes, burning them into him as though searing the very mark of his gaze onto his skin. He squeezed the man’s neck tighter, and tighter, and tighter.

Until he wrung it to the side with a sickening crack and the muffled cries stopped.

In-ho’s lips were parted, panting quietly and heavily. He looked down at the body in Gi-hun’s arms, and looked back up at him.

And he gave him a look that confirmed In-ho knew exactly what Gi-hun was trying to show.

A small cry made them both turn their heads. Gi-hun had almost forgotten about the other one.

He was still lying on the grass, propped up on one elbow and still clutching his leg.

Gi-hun rose, letting the body under him fall to the floor, they crossed over to him slowly. The man looked terrified, his breaths fast and shallow, looking between them.

“Please! I’m sorry! I- I can’t- I can’t feel my legs! Please, I won’t follow you anymore just please let me go!” He pleaded pathetically, tears streaming from his face.

Gi-hun and In-ho said nothing, staring down at the man. In-ho looked over at Gi-hun, and down at his hand that was still clutching the pistol. He gently wrapped his fingers around his wrist, pulling the gun from his grip. His fingers ghosted across Gi-hun’s knuckles.

“Let me deal with this one.”

The man cried out in fear, trying to push himself backwards, his legs dragging uselessly. “No, no, no please! Please!”

In-ho squeezed the gun tight, walking slowly towards him. Gi-hun felt a thrill rush through him at the blackness of In-ho’s eyes as he circled the man like a tiger toying with his prey. He placed a foot on the man’s chest and pushed him down hard, pinning him to the floor. It was the same thrill he got, that one time he watched In-ho snap a man’s neck to protect him in that bathroom. The thrill he tried to ignore, terrified of what it could mean about him. It felt like so long ago now.

The man gasped, his breaths hoarse, desperately trying to get into his lungs as In-ho put more weight on his leg. He clutched In-ho’s jeans, trying to lift it off him.

In-ho watched the man struggle for a few seconds, as though entertained by it, before he finally raised the pistol, and shot the man in the face. The arms fell heavily to his side, and it was quiet again, apart from the distant gunshots and sirens from the parking lot.

In-ho turned around to Gi-hun, and just like that, the fire in In-ho’s eyes was gone, and the softness returned. The change was instantaneous, like flicking a light-switch. In-ho walked over to him fast, throwing his arms around him.

He pulled back, wildly searching Gi-hun with his eyes. “Fuck, are you ok? Did they hurt you?”

“I’m ok, In-ho. I’m ok.” Gi-hun clutched the forearms holding his waist, nails digging into the skin as though too scared to let him go again.

“I thought you got shot.”

“No, it just grazed me.” Gi-hun said, and In-ho looked down at the slice in Gi-hun jacket on his upper arm, the surrounding fabric dark with blood.

“Oh, fuck. Oh fuck” In-ho panted, pulling him into a hug again.

“We need to get the fuck out of here.” Gi-hun pulled back, and In-ho nodded. They ran as fast as they could, shrouded by darkness.

“We’re the fuck are we going to go? The airport’s on an island!” Gi-hun called.

“Back to the mainland! We can hide at the port!”

“The port? Fuck me i’d be happy to never see that fucking port again.”

In-ho gave a short, breathless laugh. “We can’t go by plane anymore. But maybe we can try something else.”

Gi-hun frowned in confusion, trying to keep up with In-ho’s speed. Incheon Port. Cargo ships.

“You want to go by boat?” Gi-hun questioned, his heart sinking slightly.

“We can try, we don’t have much choice left. Ships come and go all the time, it might be the fastest way out of this fucking city.”

Gi-hun didn’t reply, partially because he didn’t know what to say and partially because his lungs were on fire. After being physically unable to move for over two months, even just walking took a lot out of him, let alone running several miles as fast as they could to get away from armed people that wanted them dead.

They ran until Gi-hun pleaded for them to stop. He felt like he was going to pass out, his head spinning. He dropped to his knees on the dark sidewalk and threw up painfully into the gutter.

He felt In-ho’s hand on his back, his breath beside his head.

“Please…” Gi-hun gagged. “I can’t run anymore.”

In-ho nodded breathlessly, looking around them. “That’s ok, it's ok. I think we’re in the clear.” He looked over ahead of them, but this part of the island had no buildings, only a road and small plots of nature beside the airport. He pointed to a pitch black plot of trees next to a golf course. “We’ll have to rest in there, but we need to get of this island soon, alright? There’s a chance they might put roadblocks up and limit entry and exit.”

Gi-hun nodded, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. In-ho helped him up, allowing Gi-hun to lean on him as they carefully made their way down the steep hill beside the road. Gi-hun sat against the tree, the place so dark he could hardly even see In-ho sitting in front of him. It took several agonising minutes for Gi-hun to stop hyperventilating from the effort of their escape. He slumped against the tree, the reality of what just unfolded quickly catching up to him now that the threat of immediate death had gone.

“Oh God… What the fuck are we going to do now? How the fuck are we going to get there by boat? We’ll have to cross through several countries, it’ll be almost impossible not to raise an alarm” Gi-hun put his hand on his own chest, feeling his heart rate beginning to finally slow from it’s bounding pace.

“We’ll figure it out. If we’re careful about it, it won’t be too much harder than going through the airport, in fact it will probably be easier. Let’s just focus on getting the fuck out of Korea, the cargo ship is our best bet for longer distance. Seoul and Incheon are going to be crawling with his soldiers, and the airport will be a death zone. We still have time until they guard the ports too.”

There was a tiny stream in the long grass, and In-ho used it to clean the blood from their faces and hands. Gi-hun’s nose had stopped bleeding, and In-ho inspected it to be still intact. In-ho’s however, looked broken and swollen, a large gash below his right eye and a split in his lip. His cheek around the cut was already starting to bruise.

They rested for a few more minutes before In-ho insisted apologetically that they get a move on. The only way they could leave however, was via the Incheondaegyo Expressway, an extremely long bridge that curved like a snake over the ocean back to the mainland of Incheon. The bridge was only minorly busy due to the time of night it now was, and Gi-hun’s heart sank as he gazed into the horizon, the bridge seeming to stretch as far as he could see into the fog.

“Fuck me, how long is it going to take to cross this bridge?”

In-ho cleared his throat, looking away. “Sorry, it’s our only option.”

“I know, but that doesn’t answer my question.”

“Um, maybe… five, six hours?”

“What?” Gi-hun choked, looking ahead at the vast stretch of road. He’d driven on it many times before, both as a passenger and chauffeur. It was an impressive bridge for sure, but he never even thought about walking it, why would he?

“I don’t know, I’m guessing about six hours, and then it’ll be another few until we reach the docks. That’s why I wanted to leave, if we’re fast we will get there before sunrise.”

Gi-hun groaned.

“Gi-hun, stop being a fucking baby, would you rather we stay here and get murdered?”

Gi-hun blinked, feeling a twist of hurt in his gut. “No… No, I'm sorry.”

In-ho looked instantly guilty. “Sorry. I’m just scared.”

“I know. It’s ok.”

“I just want to be in the clear. That was way too fucking close, it’s a miracle we even survived that. I don’t want to have any more close calls like that.”

“I know. Let’s just get to the port, and we can rest there until we figure out what we’re doing.”

In-ho agreed, and they walked on.

**

Eight hours later, Gi-hun collapsed against a shipping container in the dark. They had walked all the way to the main docks, finding a weak spot in the fence and climbing through into the cargo area. There were still a few night shift workers around, though a lot of the place was dark and easy to hide in. A nice change from the nightmare that was the airport tarmac. His legs were killing him, his feet screaming and knees destroyed. In-ho joined him on the ground wordlessly, massaging his knee with a grimace on his face.

“We need to find out when the next exports are, and where they’re going.”

“There might be an office somewhere, they might have those temporary site offices.” Gi-hun suggested.

“Yeah, yeah ok.” In-ho nodded. The darkness made it easy to float between the tall stacks of shipping containers and empty cranes, until they found what Gi-hun had described. The lock was easy for In-ho to pick, leading to a small, dishevelled office with two desks strewn with stacks of papers. They searched through them, straining their eyes in the dark, their only light source a distant light coming through the window. There was a huge map in between the two windows, covered in thin red lines leading all over the map from the pinpoint of Incheon towards the northern border of South Korea.

“Here.” In-ho found a piece of paper on one of the piles, and brought it over to Gi-hun. It had a complicated looking table on it, in a tiny print that Gi-hun could hardly read.

“Ok, ok here, look.” In-ho pointed to the fourth on the list. “Bulk cargo, departure to Port Kuantan, Malaysia at 0823.”

“Malaysia? We might as well go to fucking Australia at that rate. Aren’t there any that go to Europe?”

“That’s the last big one until 6PM tonight, and that one goes to Panama. Think about it, Gi-hun, if we go to Malaysia we might be able to get into a cargo plane. We can’t go somewhere like the US because their security is too high. And we can’t go somewhere too far because it will take weeks to get there.”

Gi-hun winced. He did not want to spend a month hiding on a cargo ship in the middle of the ocean.

“Does it say how long until we arrive in Malaysia?”

In-ho read the sheet. “Twelve days.”

“Twelve days?” Gi-hun said a bit too loudly, and In-ho shushed him. “Twelve days?” He repeated quieter, “What are we supposed to do for two weeks? We have no food and water!”

“Like I said, we’ll figure it out. We only have just under two hours until it leaves, we need to find the ship and find a way to get on unnoticed. And look, there’s a mini-fridge in the corner, we might be able to find some shit in here to take.”

Gi-hun stared at him nervously. This was insane, but they didn’t have much choice. As long as they stayed on the downlow, anywhere on Earth was safer than here, besides the Squid Games island itself. He swallowed, and nodded. In-ho nodded back. “Alright.”

The fridge only had someone's neglected sandwich, three bottles of water, and a container of stew and rice with someone's name printed on a sticky note. There was a cupboard with a few dry snacks, and Gi-hun had found a blanket in another cupboard. They piled it into a small duffel bag they found, taking out the workwear and hardhat, and keeping the coat and boots that were inside.

“Oh shit, look at this!” In-ho took an old lantern-looking thing from the top of a filing cabinet.

“What?”

“It’s one of those camping lights, battery powered.” He threw the blanket over the top of it, and switched it on to muffle the light. “Still works.”

“Take it then, we might get stuck somewhere dark.” Gi-hun took it from him, shoving it in the bag.

“For fucks sake, can’t we get a minute of peace?” In-ho said bitterly as they re-locked the office door and realised it was starting to rain.

“No, no, this is good.” Gi-hun said, pointing out at the dark ocean. “Look how foggy it’s gotten.”

Gi-hun caught movement in the corner of his eye, and fear shot through him. He grabbed In-ho by the shoulder and gasped. A cat walked calmly around the corner, staring at them with big, yellow eyes.

“Holy fuck.” Gi-hun laughed, relief filling him. “Sorry, it’s just a cat.”

In-ho swatted Gi-hun’s hand off his shoulder angrily. “You scared the shit out of me.”

“That kinda looks like the cat that kept following you at your Omma’s.”

In-ho looked at it. “Hey, yeah, it really does.” His smile faded, and he narrowed his eyes. He walked slowly up to the cat, crouching in front of it. It didn’t run, but just watched him.

“What?” In-ho leant closer to it.

“What’s wrong? In-ho we should go, the sun’s rising soon.”

“This cat!” He pointed to it, turning around and looking at Gi-hun with a look of disbelief. “It’s the same cat!”

“What? How do you know?”

“She has the same scar on her face, and the same shaped notch in her ear! And look, her back leg has that missing bit of fur.”

“Are you serious? Are you sure?”

“Yes!” In-ho laughed, pointing at the cat, which was now cleaning it’s paw. “I’m fucking positive! How the fuck… Gwanak-gu is like an hour from here!”

Gi-hun grimaced. “She can’t have followed us, we went to the airport first. That is fucking weird.”

“That is weird. We should go, we’re losing time.”

Finding the ship listed on the sheet in the dark was a headache, but they finally managed to locate the massive freighter, getting as close as possible to it whilst still being hidden in the shadows. The sky was beginning to turn a dusky blue, and the ship was still being loaded, a crane stacking the white, red, yellow and blue shipping containers onto its vast deck. They had to move now before it got any lighter. The strange cat followed them the entire way, always silently a few feet behind.

“Cat, please, you need to piss off.” In-ho hissed. The cat stared at him, blinking its glowing eyes.

“The crew are probably still coming and going. It’s a huge ship, but there will probably be less than thirty people on board, so it should be fairly easy to hide.” Gi-hun whispered. “There, look.”

He pointed to one of the long bridge-like constructions leading up to the ship, where a person dressed in fluro orange was currently crossing to the ship. They crouch ran closer and closer, until they were close enough to hear faint conversation between some of the workers over the mechanical noises of the cranes, and the banging of metal as the ship was loaded.

“What are you going to do about that cat? Its going to follow us onto the ship and get us fucking killed.” Gi-hun whispered harshly.

In-ho had tried multiple times to scare it off, to no avail. “I have no idea, the thing is obsessed with me! I don’t even know how it got here.”

The cat looked up at them, tail curling in the air. In-ho and Gi-hun looked at each other. In-ho raised his eyebrow, and Gi-hun rolled his eyes.

“Fucks sake, just pick her up.” Gi-hun waved.

In-ho picked up the cat, and it hung from his arm without protest. The three workers were deep in conversation, shouting over the noise. They studied the bridge and ship until it looked clear enough to cross, and waited until the three workers turned around. When they did, In-ho grabbed Gi-hun’s sleeve and they sprinted as quietly as possible onto the ship. They could hear someone rounding the corner at the top, and dove behind a wall. A man walked right past them, too engrossed in a clipboard to notice. Gi-hun let out a breath, and they continued on in between the shipping containers. They were stacked tall, rising far over their heads like skyscrapers, though there was space between every second container, organising them into long rows. Occasionally there were also rows running across the length of the ship. It created a sort of grid-network of long corridors, though without many corners, it made hiding more difficult.

“I don’t know about this, In-ho. It’s way too open here. If someone comes around the corner there’s nowhere for us to hide, they’ll see us.”

In-ho looked around, and up at the milky purple sky. “We’re going to have to hide inside one of them.” He dropped the cat, and it hung around nearby.

Gi-hun chewed his teeth. Bringing a cat with them was the most insane thing they could do. That thing was going to get them caught.

They chose an area that they decided would be least likely to have foot traffic, and began opening the containers. The doors were loud, the metal clanging as they opened it, though with the constant noise from the cranes, it helped mask it.

“Fuck, these are all full to the brim.” Gi-hun said nervously when they tried their sixth one.

“Look on the second level, here I’ll help you.”

In-ho knelt down, gritting his teeth as Gi-hun stood on his shoulders to try and reach the container on top of the first row. Gi-hun stretched as far as he could, his side searing in protest. His fingers brushed the handle, and he managed to slide the first one, taking several minutes to finally do the second one until he could open it. He swore when that one too was packed to the door with pallets of boxes. They tried another one. The same.

“Fuck, In-ho, I can’t do this.” Gi-hun clutched his side. “They’re all full.”

In-ho looked at him, worry in his eyes. “No, no Gi-hun, please.” He spun on the spot, pointing to a red one behind them. “Let’s try that one.”

“In-ho, I can’t-”

“Please, we can’t give up.”

Gi-hun searched his eyes, resigning with a nod. In-ho boosted him up, and he grunted as he pulled every muscle in his aching body trying to open it. He opened the door, and nearly fell backwards when he realised it was only half full.

“Holy shit! This one! Come on!” Gi-hun breathed quietly, and In-ho looked up at him, a grin spreading across his shocked face.

In-ho groaned as he boosted Gi-hun up, the edge of the metal digging painfully into his stomach. He pulled himself up. It was at least a few degrees colder in there than it was outside. A shiver ran through him as he rolled onto his stomach and hung his arm over the edge.

The cat meowed quietly, and In-ho looked down at her. She pawed at his leg.

“Fuck, this is fucking crazy.” He swiped her up and passed her up to Gi-hun. Her dark fur was sleek and soft. He put her behind him and hung his arm out again.

“Are you sure?” In-ho whispered, a concerned look crossing his features.

“Yes, yes, hurry!”

In-ho jumped and grabbed Gi-hun’s outstretched hand, his shoes banging loudly against the metal. Gi-hun gritted loudly through his teeth as he poured all his remaining strength into pulling In-ho up, the man swinging an arm and grabbing onto the ledge, pulling himself up onto his forearms. Gi-hun hooked an arm under his shoulder and pulled him the rest of the way. He held tightly onto the back of In-ho’s jacket as he dangled over the edge, stretching to grab the doors and shut them in. Luckily, these containers had the ability to lock and unlock from the inside.

The only downside was that it plunged them into complete darkness. They panted, staring at the closed door, he heard In-ho breathe a laugh of relief.

“Fuck me, we actually did it.” In-ho breathed.

Gi-hun huffed a laugh, relief flooding him. They were nowhere near safe yet, but at least they were out of sight. He took off his wet jacket and threw it over a box to dry.

“It’s fucking pitch black in here.” Gi-hun held his hand right in front of his face, and he couldn’t see it at all. Pinpricks of sun shone through seams in the door, though they did almost nothing to light the container.

“I got that camping light, remember?” In-ho said, and Gi-hun could hear the smug smile in his voice.

“Oh shit, I forgot about that.” Gi-hun fumbled over the floor in the dark until his hand met the fabric bag, feeling for the zipper and scrounging around until he found the light. He turned it on, illuminating the container in dim white light. The cat was already lounging in the corner, licking her back leg.

“Welcome home, I suppose.” In-ho grimaced, looking around the dingey, tiny space, pallets at the back taking up most of the room.

Gi-hun smirked at In-ho’s disdain. “Come on, it’s not that bad. I think you’ve gotten too spoiled, living off whiskey and hot meals on demand in your little fancy apartment.”

In-ho snapped his head to look at him, frowning. “Hey, that’s not true.”

“And your little suits, and your jazz and your maids-”

“Alright, alright- maybe I got a bit used to it. But I know you would’ve too.”

“Not bad for a first house together.” Gi-hun grinned. “We’ve even got a cat.”

“Shut the fuck up.” In-ho laughed

Gi-hun beamed smugly, turning to the pallets. “How heavy do you think these are? I think we should move two of them in front of the door, that way if a worker opens it it looks full.”

Turns out, the pallets were extremely heavy, taking them right until the ship sounded its foghorn and left the port smoothly for them to successfully move two to the door. They moved some of the boxes at the back, so it was easier for them to get to the door if they needed to, while still appearing full from the outside. All they had was a single blanket between them, a rolled up coat to share as a pillow, a hard, metal floor, no space to piss or shit, and a couple days worth of food and water.

What an exciting two weeks they were going to have.

When they moved one of the boxes in the corner and pressed their face right against the metal, they could see a tiny slither of the outside. Gi-hun could see the corner of the container opposite them, and a tiny portion of the ocean off the end of the boat. As the boat began to pull away from the port, he could see a glimpse of the land getting further away, the flicker of blue becoming larger.

He watched it sadly. It didn’t really hit him until now that he was actually leaving South Korea. Korea was his home, he was born there, and he had every intention of dying there. And now he watched it fade into the distance.

At least they had light, though Gi-hun dreaded the inevitability of having to sneak out to find food and water. For now at least, they sat down on their blanket, turned off the light, and sat in silence, huddled together as they shivered from the cold rain that clung to their clothes, a random cat now sleeping beside them.

Notes:

I've been replaying the last of us lately and accidentally wrote the parking lot hiding scene exactly like a stealth level in the last of us LMAOO whoops

Hope you enjoyed! Bit of a faster change of pace after the last couple. I wanted to delve a bit more into Gi-hun and In-ho's character a bit more, since I've showed a lot of how In-ho can be a lot like Gi-hun in the way he's kind and caring, but Gi-hun can also be like In-ho, dark and violent, and how In-ho still harbours some of that inside. It's an interesting dynamic that I intended to explore more originally, but the plot got away from me haha.

Oh, and thank you so much for all the love and support on the last chapter! I wasn't too happy with it when I posted it and was expecting people not to care for it, but I was so happy and surprised to receive all those comments!! Currently writing the next chapter, see you all in the next one <3

Chapter 21: Hitchhiker's guide to life in a 20 foot box

Summary:

The first few days on the boat to Malaysia. In-ho has to sneak out on a supply run, and it puts them in a VERY good mood (spoilers they smash and its pretty freaky 😔)

Notes:

Brief statement from the Author - 30th April 2025
As many of you may have heard, AO3 was recently scraped once again for ai training purposes by a user of the name nyuuzyou. All 5 of the works I have published on this site including this fic was a part of this theft. I make my works available to anyone and everyone who wants to read it, and therefore I understand that makes me a target for easy thefts such as this, however it is disappointing to see the level of disrespect enacted by some people to take advantage of this and use millions of people’s works for their own personal use. I want to keep honouring the accessibility of ao3’s works, so if you are wondering, no - I am not going to lock any of my fics. It is upsetting to see that all my works including two of my largest fics which are both over 100-150k words and have taken months/over a year of my life to write have been stolen, and I sympathise with authors that have dedicated months and years of their lives to write free content for the purpose of other’s entertainment. But anyways, the show must go on and I won't let these kinds of people ruin our fun! (fun being me writing smut about a Netflix show for no reason)

All I know is that poor AI is going to be TRAUMATISED lmao. Is this what will finally cause the events of Detroit: Become Human?

If In-ho thought sitting around in his stepmother's living room with nothing to look at but Gi-hun’s sleeping figure on the couch for two months was boring - it was nothing compared to the uncomfortable, pitch dark, hungry, thirsty, cold, aching, tired nightmare that they were in now. If Gi-hun wasn’t here with him, he’d be convinced he had died and gone to hell.

The early hours of the morning had become their new daytime, because that was when the least amount of workers were around, and when those that were working usually became tired and sloppy. It was when they were able to sneak out and run a few feet down to the end of their row and do their business off the edge of the ship. They were both strictly against any piss or shit in the container with them, though they sometimes had to use plastic packing bags and other containers they’d found inside the boxes stored in there. They’d try their best to close them up to prevent the smell getting out, then they would empty them off the edge of the ship when they went out there. Luckily, they had never seen any of the workers in the rows or at the end of the ship at night, and they were always careful to stay in the shadows of the huge floodlights that illuminated the majority of the ship.

They had managed with some difficulty to get the cat to use one of the plastic bags as a litter box, as In-ho did not want to sit in the rancid stench of cat piss for two weeks. The cat was very quiet, and only ever meowed when they were about to give it some of the limited food they had. Though it never seemed to complain. Most of the time she just lounged around, or purred in one of their laps, seeming to have a slight preference for In-ho. They spent most of their time sleeping or just sitting around, simply because there was absolutely nothing else to do. Gi-hun had stayed awake for the entirety of the first day out of fear of being found, until In-ho finally forced him to sleep and recover from the night before with a promise of keeping watch. He did, and Gi-hun slept for almost fifteen hours straight.

It was dawning on the third day they had spent in the shipping container, and the tiny amount of food and water between them had run out. A few flattened out cardboard boxes had made the floor slightly more bearable, at least taking away the chill that never seemed to dissipate. They only sometimes used the camping light so as to not waste the battery, only ever turning it on when they needed to find or fix something. All they had besides the boxes to keep warm was the single blanket they took from the port, and although In-ho was slightly more tolerant of the cold, Gi-hun was not. He shivered like a chihuahua day and night, tucking himself into In-ho’s body in a struggle for warmth.

“What are we going to do for food and water now?” Gi-hun’s croaky voice broke the silence a few hours after the light began to seep through the cracks in the door.

In-ho’s eyes searched the dark room uselessly. The darkness was already irritating him, it was like his eyes were constantly trying to focus on something that wasn’t there. “I guess… I’ll have to go out and look for some. I’ll go down to the kitchens tonight, about the time we normally go out.”

“You? What about me?”

“You stay here.”

He couldn’t see Gi-hun but he could tell he was making a face at him. “What if you get caught? You need to stop treating me like I’m a kid or something, or like I’m incapable of doing anything.”

“I’m not Gi-hun, I don’t see you that way at all. I just… I can’t sit around here waiting for you to come back and worry that you never will. I don’t think I can handle that. Please, let me go.”

Gi-hun opened his mouth to speak, and he huffed in frustration.

In-ho sighed. “We’ll have to go more than once, we can’t steal too much in one go. At least let me do the first one, then either one or both of us can go.”

“Alright, fine.”

He could hear Gi-hun shuffling around, before a small click lit the room up in white light. In-ho squinted at the light, taking a minute before he could actually open them without hurting. Gi-hun squinted up at him, a hand coming up to feel at In-ho’s cheek. It was freezing against his skin.

“How is your face feeling? It looks a little less swollen today.”

“Aches like a bitch. But I’ve had much worse.”

Gi-hun gave him a sad smile. “That fucking asshole. Shouldn’t have let him go so fast.”

In-ho looked over at him, giving a shocked laugh. “Wow, how the tables have turned. Who was it again that lectured me time and time again about murder being wrong?”

“Were you not there listening to what he was saying?”

In-ho smirked. “And that makes him deserving of death?”

Gi-hun looked away, jaw working and shame dampening his expression. His eyes seemed to glaze like he was deep in thought. In-ho pulled his chin back to face him.

“Hey, I’m just playing. I don’t actually care, he was a fucking prick and he deserved what he got. For what it’s worth-” In-ho felt the corners of his mouth twitching as he fought to suppress a laugh. “-watching you choke and torture him… I’ve never been so jealous of some poor prick in my life.”

Gi-hun’s head whipped back to face him with an appalled look, and he shoved In-ho playfully. “You’re so weird.”

“What?” In-ho laughed. “It was hot.”

“Shut up.” Gi-hun said, but in the dim light In-ho could see him smiling. It slowly faded from his face. “Have you… Ever been talked to like that?”

In-ho looked down, softening his voice. “No. I mean, not really. I never told anyone about how I felt, I kept it a secret. I did tell my wife about it, she was the first person I ever told. I did have some assholes attack me and this other guy one time. I was in a bar in my early 20s, got a little too drunk and began making out with this guy. I never did that sort of thing, I was usually pretty secretive about being with men. Anyways these guys came up to us saying all these things, saying they were gonna beat our asses.”

“And? What happened?” Gi-hun looked at him curiously.

“Well, I beat them to it.” In-ho smiled. “Took them out into the alley. Four of them all bloody on the floor and crying like little bitches, two of them ran off. Made them apologise to the man I was with.”

Gi-hun snorted. “And did you get what you wanted, that night?”

“Ha. Well that guy thought it was ‘so hot’ that I ‘protected him’ like that, and yeah, I had a pretty good night.”

Gi-hun snickered. “And you call me a slut.”

“Hey!” In-ho laughed. “I’m not a slut, I only ever slept with a few men in my life, even as the Frontman where prostitutes were readily available of both sexes.”

“Oh, so you were a good boy then?”

“I was.” In-ho sniggered.

They sat in silence for a bit, before In-ho spoke again. “I’m sorry. For what he said.”

“Don’t apologise on behalf of assholes like them, it’s not your fault.”

“I know. But… I know you’ve probably never had to deal with that before.”

Gi-hun sighed. “Well no, I haven’t. I didn’t even know I liked men until I met you. It makes me feel horrible for all the times I heard people saying things at work, about other people. I never told them to shut up. I even sometimes laughed at jokes Jung-bae would make.”

In-ho tensed. Gi-hun never brought up Jung-bae, and he felt the shame and guilt creeping up. “Do you think… he, would’ve been ok? With it?”

Gi-hun tipped his head against the back of the container, eyes searching the roof. “I think he would’ve been confused, and a little weirded out, probably. But I think eventually he would’ve come around. We were best friends for a very long time.”

In-ho looked away, unable to meet his eye. He could sense Gi-hun looking.

“Don’t worry about that anymore. We can’t change anything now.”

It did little to dissipate the shame, but In-ho appreciated the little bit of forgiveness nonetheless, even if he knew Gi-hun would never fully forgive him for it, and he never expected him to.

“Are you sure you want to look for food tonight?” Gi-hun looked at him worriedly. “We could last another day or two without anything.”

“Gi-hun, I barely got weight back on you before you got shot, and I wasn’t able to feed you barely more than you needed to survive for weeks. I don’t want you going for days without food. Besides, it’s not fair to do that to the cat. She’s a street cat, she’s already skinny.”

“Have you thought of a name for her yet? Since I suppose she’s ours now.”

“I thought you wanted to drop her somewhere in Malaysia?” In-ho raised an eyebrow.

Gi-hun pouted. “Well, I did… But it’s a bit slack to ship her several thousand miles from home then abandon her.”

In-ho rolled his eyes playfully, he was so predictable. He knew the cat would grow on him.

“I don’t know. We have to name her something cool, though.”

“What, like throat-ripper?” Gi-hun glanced down at the cat, stretched out and playing with the corner of the blanket in her paws.

“No, I don’t know, like I used to have a cat called lang-i, short for tiger.”

“Alright but it should be related to her somehow. Like Bam-bam. Because she’s black like night.”

In-ho raised his eyebrow. “That is so lame.”

Gi-hun rolled his eyes. “Well then why don’t you come up with something?”

“I don’t know, I’m shit at these kinds of things.”

Gi-hun stared at the cat for a while, thinking. “How about Sinbi? Because that’s what she is, isn’t she? She’s a mystery, like magic.”

In-ho smiled, petting the cat’s soft, sleek fur. “Sinbi. I like that. I think it’s perfect.”

“Look at us.” Gi-hun snarked. “Got a cat before we even have a place to stay.”

In-ho chuckled, lacing his fingers with the other man’s, ignoring how cold they were. “Isn’t that just metaphorical for our entire relationship?”

Gi-hun laughed, and they settled into comfortable silence again. Gi-hun turned the light back off to save its power.

“We still have ages until nightfall.” Gi-hun said into the dark after a few minutes. “What are we going to do until then?”

In-ho smirked at the easily suggestive question, though he wasn’t sure Gi-hun meant it that way. He didn’t seem all too keen on doing anything together beyond kissing since they got on the boat, though they hadn’t talked about it, nor had they tried anything more. In-ho supposed he’d try anyway. Their laced fingers were sat atop Gi-hun’s thigh, and in-ho snaked his other hand over their hands and underneath them to massage the man’s thigh.

“I can think of something.”

He heard Gi-hun snigger in the darkness, but he didn’t gasp or tense under his touch like he usually did. It was always extremely easy to tell when Gi-hun wanted something, he was always so receptive.

“Ha, maybe you are a slut after all.” Gi-hun quipped, amusing In-ho.

“Only when it comes to you.”

He felt Gi-hun’s hand over his, squeezing it. “I don’t know, In-ho. I don’t really feel like I can. I just… a lot’s happened, especially in the last few days and now the constant fear of getting caught, and what we’re supposed to do in Malaysia and if we’ll ever be safe… It’s just a lot right now.”

In-ho instantly felt silly. Of course, that was a more than logical way for him to be feeling, probably how In-ho should’ve been feeling too. But here In-ho was acting like nothing was wrong, like they weren’t stowing away on a cargo ship in the middle of the East China sea with no food, no water, a shit plan and relying on nothing but luck, and his only priority was getting in Gi-hun’s pants.

He felt like an asshole.

“Oh, of course. I mean, that makes a lot of sense. Sorry, I should have thought of that.” He began to pull his hands away. “I shouldn’t have asked, it’s obviously not the right time for either of us.”

Gi-hun felt for the hand that was slipping from his and pulled it back, feeling his shoulder leaning against him. “You’re so cute when you’re freaking out.”

In-ho gave a nervous laugh, and Gi-hun squeezed his hand.

“Just because I don’t want sex right now doesn’t mean I don’t want you here In-ho. I still want to hold you.”

In-ho sighed contentedly and leaned into the touch, resting his head on top of Gi-hun’s. He played with the fingers in his hands until they both drifted into a bored sleep.

**

An unknown amount of time later, In-ho awoke suddenly, his neck killing him. He should’ve known better than to let himself drift off with his neck at such an odd angle. He still wasn’t used to waking up in complete darkness all the time, it was disorientating, and it was frustrating in a way he couldn’t really explain.

A loud meow broke the silence, and he realised why he had woken up so suddenly. The cat meowed again, loud enough to make In-ho’s heart start to race.

Gi-hun stirred beside him, giving a small tired groan. “What?”

The cat meowed again.

“Shh! Sinbi!” In-ho snapped as he fumbled for the light and switched it on. Sinbi was standing in front of them, eyes glowing green in the darkness.

“What’s going on?” Gi-hun croaked, shielding his eyes from the light. “Why is she making noise?”

Sinbi meowed again, her mouth wide and showing all her tiny sharp teeth.

“Sinbi, please shut up!” In-ho stressed. He looked towards the door, and by the light in the corner it was either beginning to get dark, or it was just an overcast day.

“Why is she doing that?” Gi-hun pushed himself to sit upright, waving wildly at the cat as if it was going to help.

“I think she’s hungry.”

“Shit, is she going to do that until we find something? We have nothing!” Gi-hun’s eyes were wide, almost glowing in the dim light.

In-ho heard what sounded like the scrape of a foot nearby, and got up to crouch by the door, listening hard. Another one confirmed someone was walking past outside. Sinbi meowed again, the sharp noise echoing around the metal walls. In-ho stretched and grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, muffling her mouth when she began to grumble in protest. He wasn’t holding her tight enough to hurt her, but she pawed at his arm anyway, In-ho ignoring the tiny sharp needle-like nails digging into his skin.

The footsteps scraped to a stop directly outside their door. In-ho looked back at Gi-hun, and they stared at each other in terrified silence. Eventually, he heard the footsteps leaving, and let out a breath. The cat squirmed in his arms and he let it go, she sprinted back towards Gi-hun.

“For fuck’s sake. That was way too close, that cat is going to get us caught. What are we going to do?”

“I think it’s getting dark. It won’t be safe enough to sneak out for at least six or seven more hours. We can’t go now, we’ll hold her if we have to, she’s too loud.”

In-ho had to hold In-ho for a full hour until she finally settled and gave up on her declarations of hunger.

In-ho exhaled in relief when she curled into a ball in his lap and went to sleep. “Fuck me, this is the craziest fucking situation I’ve ever been in.”

“It is? Need I remind you about the entirety of the Squid Games?”

“You have a point, but no, this is still up there as the strangest thing I’ve ever done.”

As it got darker, Gi-hun began to shiver again. Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, warning them of its impending wrath.

The next several hours went by like years, until In-ho finally estimated the time to be between 1 and 3AM. About an hour prior it began to rain, until it was pelting down on the metal around them, and soon after that the boat was being thrown by the waves, swaying violently and causing boxes to slide around them. Luckily there were several containers above them, preventing the rain from hitting the roof and deafening them, loud enough as it was.

Gi-hun never seemed to become seasick, but ironically, In-ho was never good with boats. He sat there with a constant pale expression of nausea as his stomach churned angrily. At one point he launched himself forward, startling Gi-hun as he switched on the light, grabbed the nearest box and threw up into it. His stomach heaved painfully with the lack of substance in his stomach, choking up acid. Gi-hun held him against his chest sympathetically, offering a cool hand to his face.

Despite how shit he felt, In-ho moved the boxes aside, pressing his ear against the freezing metal and listening for a few minutes before he determined as best he could no one was walking around nearby.

“Are you sure you want to go? I can go if you are too sick.” Gi-hun offered.

“I’m fine. I won’t be long.”

“Please, please be careful.” Gi-hun pleaded, looking extremely worried from where he was still sitting cross legged under the blanket. He looked adorable, and In-ho felt guilty for leaving him to worry in the dark by himself. He pulled the duffle bag tighter over his shoulder.

“I will.”

In-ho opened the door as quietly as possible. The process always took several minutes, trying to move the metal bars as slowly as possible. The row was dark, apart from some light coming from the end from one of the floodlights at the edge of the boat. He jumped down, and Gi-hun came over to close it behind him, wishing him luck. In-ho shivered, grateful their doors kept out the wind that seemed to chill right to his bones. He was completely drenched within seconds, the raindrops fat and heavy to the point a thin layer of water flowed across the floor. It had gotten considerably colder since they were both able to get warmer clothes, seeing that it was approaching the end of the year with only a thin jacket. It made the nights long.

In-ho took a deep breath, looking around him. He couldn’t help but feel scared. Ever since he met Gi-hun, he was scared almost all the time. Before that, In-ho couldn’t care less about anything that happened to himself. He was so far gone emotionally he went through life like it was a video game - completely detached, not caring about anyone else, because he had nothing to fight for, nothing to lose.

But now he did, and oh did it make life much scarier. It had been so long since he was afraid of dying, it almost felt strange. He ran in the direction of the bow, stopping at every intersection of the aisles of containers towering over him in the dark to check for workers. He saw one walking in the opposite direction, flashlight in hand and the hood of his rainproof jacket fastened over his head. The storm was good. It was loud, it made it harder for them to see, made them lazier and complacent in want of a place that was warmer and drier. He could see the man’s shoulder high and tense on his body, his elbows drawn in as he walked. People that were freezing cold and wet usually had thoughts largely occupied by that fact.

In-ho pressed his back against the wall, peeking around until he was far enough away for In-ho to cross. The vessel was huge, and it took a surprising amount of time for In-ho to finally reach the cabin. He didn’t know much about ships, but if this one was anything like the ferry they would use to get to the island for the Squid Games, the kitchen and mess hall would be below deck. He found a door at the same level and entered, nearly flying into the wall as the ship dipped over a large wave. He scrambled to catch the door before it slammed. The corridors were empty, the sound of the rain muffled. His heart was racing as he hurried, searching for some stairs.

He found a set of narrow, switchback stairs, a large blue sign against the wall with floors labelled from A at the bottom, to H at the top. The kitchen and pantry was located on the C deck, and the dry storage on B deck. He bounded as quietly as possible down the stairs, the rain becoming less of a cover the deeper he descended. The only noise apart from his feet against the metal floor was the dull, ominous crashing of waves against the hull, and the buzzing of the fluorescent lights. He held desperately onto the railing as the ship swayed.

The corridor was fairly short, and In-ho chose the door at the very end, praying it was the correct one. He exhaled in relief when he was met with an empty mess hall on the other side, the lights still on. He closed the door quietly and crouch ran to the double-swing door that lead to the kitchen. Luckily, he had managed to successfully come early enough that the cook didn’t have to prepare breakfast, and the kitchen was empty. He found the pantry and began taking a bit of everything he could, not wanting to make it too obvious things were missing. He stuffed the duffle bag with fruit, noodles, dried meat, canned food and dry snacks. There was a large tray of pre-made gimbap in the fridge, and he took a few, wrapping them in plastic and placing them in a spot they wouldn’t be squashed. He took as much raw fish as the cat could eat before it went bad, as well as a few cans of fish and processed meat for her.

In-ho swung the considerably heavier bag over his shoulder, listening at the kitchen door before he entered back into the mess hall. He listened at the main door, and felt his heart leap into his throat when he heard two men conversing, heading straight for the door.

He swore under his breath, running back to the kitchen as fast as he could. The ship rocking violently nearly threw In-ho to the floor, and he stumbled into the kitchen.

Three men entered the hall, and he heard the scraping of chairs and the noise of tupperware against the wood. In-ho breathed hard from where he was hiding behind the stoves, listening hard. They talked for a while as they ate, and In-ho waited impatiently for them to leave so he could get the fuck out of here.

“You know, when I was walking around on deck earlier today, I swear on my life I heard a fucking cat.” One of them said, and In-ho nearly threw up again.

“A cat? Man, you really are losing it.”

“We hardly got a break at port before we had to come back on, this ship’s driving me crazy. But it sounded so real, like it came from one of the containers.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time an animal got on board. Just let it die.”

“Aw, you don’t want a little bunkmate?”

“Nah, I fucking hate cats, they make me sneeze.”

The third man piped up, “It was probably just one of the containers settling, they make noises like that all the time.”

The ship swayed to the other side, and the noise of something hitting the floor outside startled In-ho. One of them swore loudly as the other two began laughing.

“You fucking idiot. You think you’d know to hold onto your fucking drink by now.”

“Fucking hell, there’s water everywhere. Of course it had to fucking roll all the way across the room. ”

“Go grab the mop. The cook will kick your ass if she sees the mess you’ve made.”

In-ho’s head whipped up, and he looked wildly around the room until his eyes landed on a mop and bucket in the corner.

“Shit.” He hissed as he heaved himself up, darting towards the pantry. The door swung open before he could make it, and he threw himself behind a bench as one of them entered the room. In-ho clasped a hand over his mouth, trying to quiet his loud breathing. The man continued to yell and swear at the men outside, grabbing the mop and leaving the room. In-ho hid in the pantry through several games of cards until the men finally agreed to retire to bed and left the hall, the sounds of their voices travelling down the corridor outside.

In-ho waited a minute before he left, making his way down to the next level. Unlike the deck he was just on, this corridor was much longer, and contained not only several dormitories, but also the ship office and the captain’s office. Luckily for him the offices were labelled, as well as a luggage storage. Maybe he’d be able to find something warmer for them to wear. He pushed open the door into the dark room.

He put down the duffel bag and began searching through some of the luggage, which were mostly empty. Stealing a jacket or raincoat was too major to go unnoticed, but he did steal a few towels and blankets from a linen cupboard. He hoped it would be enough to take away at least some of the cold that chewed at their skin day and night. He found the dry storage room, taking a couple rolls of toilet paper, a few more dried foods and crackers, two spare toothbrushes and a tube of toothpaste, some trash bags and several bottles of water. They had a whole shelf of flashlights and an entire tub of spare batteries, and In-ho dug out a handful of batteries that would keep their light on for the entire trip. This find in particular brightened his mood significantly, after just a few days of almost constant darkness he hated the idea of two weeks of it. The duffel bag bulged with his finds, the zipper snagging on the blankets he stuffed on top.

He wrestled with the zipper until it finally closed and he swung it onto his back. The boat swayed as he stood and In-ho stumbled with vertigo. The room smelt musty and stuffy, making the nausea bubble in his stomach. He almost fell out into the hallway, the added weight and bulk of the bag making it even harder to try and walk straight. He climbed the stairs back to the main deck and exited the door he came from, back into the whipping wind and downpour coming from all directions. Combined with the crashing waves it was almost deafening, and even with the light he could hardly see anything past the rain in his eyes. If it wasn’t for the feel of gravity under his feet he would’ve thought he had fallen into the ocean.

In-ho looked around and saw two men walking around the edge of the cargo deck. He crouched out of sight until he could see their lights pointing in the opposite direction, making a break for the closest corridor of shipping containers. He entered the first row, the water running thickly over the floor.

He felt his foot lose grip, and it slid out fast from underneath him, sending him flying onto his back. The cans that had fallen to the base of the bag smashed into the ground with a thunderous crash. His tailbone throbbed with pain as he tried to scramble upright.

The men’s voices were becoming louder, and a streak of light hit the corner of one of the containers at the end as they approached.

In-ho tore the bag from the ground and sprinted as fast as he could to the next intersection about seventy feet away. He dove around the corner just as light shone down into the corridor, the heavy rain illuminated in its beam. His heart was pounding in his chest as he made his way a few rows over and all the way down to the end. He counted back until he found the red one they were in, and he knocked on the door.

His head whipped around anxiously, the several minutes it took for Gi-hun to open the door quietly making him more and more anxious. In-ho tossed the duffel bag to him before heaving himself into the container, Gi-hun pulling the door closed behind him. In-ho fell to the floor in an exhausted heap, Gi-hun staring down at him worriedly.

In-ho broke out into a breathless laugh of relief as the adrenaline began to peak, and Gi-hun gave a nervous smile.

“No one saw you?”

“No one saw me.” In-ho replied smugly, pushing himself up. “Wait till you see all the shit I got.” He leant forward excitedly, unzipping the bag quietly.

“Why did you take so long? Did something happen?”

“No, some guys came into the dining hall and I had to hide. They took forever to leave. Six fucking rounds of cards I had to sit through.”

“Unlucky.”

“As far as luck goes I’d say I did pretty well.” He tossed the blankets at Gi-hun and he caught it against his chest.

“Oh fuck yeah! I’m freezing.”

In-ho unpacked all the food and other things he stole onto a box, and Gi-hun got more excited the more things he produced from the bag.

“Oh my God, toilet paper.” He held it up like it was gold. “My ass has been ripped to shreds by these bits of cardboard. Oh fuck yeah, batteries!”

“So we don’t have to sit in the dark for twenty-three out of twenty-four hours.”

“Oh, In-ho you are a fucking genius.”

“I try.”

Gi-hun pulled on the shoulder of In-ho’s jacket and bent down to pull him into a grateful kiss. He pulled back with a grossed-out look on his face. “In-ho, you’re dripping wet. Aren’t you cold?”

“I’m ok.” He replied, but a shiver that went through him gave him away, and Gi-hun gave him a disapproving look. He began pushing off In-ho’s jacket.

“What are you doing? I’ll dry.”

“You’re dripping all over the floor. C’mon we’ll hang up your clothes to dry and you can just wear one of the blankets. You’re not sitting anywhere near me when you look like you’ve just fallen overboard.”

In-ho let Gi-hun undress him, vaguely wishing it was under different circumstances, until In-ho was just in his boxers. The rain had been heavy enough to soak them too.

Gi-hun went to tug those down too, and In-ho caught his wrists. “Woah there, what are you doing?”

“In-ho you can’t sit over there with wet pants on, it’s where we practically live. I’ve seen you naked a hundred times before.”

In-ho pouted, but let go of the man’s wrists anyway, and he lifted his legs to help him take them off, and Gi-hun hung them up to dry over a box along with his other clothes and the duffel bag. In-ho’s arms automatically came up to his chest, his body vibrating with the cold.

Gi-hun dried him off with one of the towels he had gotten. In-ho was more than capable of doing it himself, but it was clear Gi-hun wanted to care for him, and In-ho did admit he liked it. Somebody actually caring for him had been a privilege long since lost until he met Gi-hun, and now he wasn’t going to give it up for the sake of pride.

Gi-hun wrapped him tight in the blanket, and a warmth spread through In-ho that had little to do with the blanket itself.

“Come on, let's have something to eat.”

They both had a large gimbap roll to themselves, considering In-ho had gotten enough of those that they didn’t have to share before they spoiled. It was dry and flavourless, but to them tasted like gold and In-ho had to restrain himself not to hork it down in three bites. They both broke off an equal amount off the end to give to Sinbi, and she wolfed it down before headbutting against their legs gratefully.

“One of the men heard Sinbi. I heard them talking about it in the kitchen.” In-ho said with a mouth full of food.

Gi-hun nearly choked, a grain of rice flying from his mouth. “What? Are you serious? What did they say?”

“I don’t think they thought much of it. But we need to be extremely careful from now on. How was she while I was gone?”

“She meowed a bit at the door after you left, but she quietened down pretty quick. She threw up over there as well, luckily I snatched the blanket out of the way just in time. I don’t think she’s use to being on a boat.”

“Neither am I.” In-ho said nauseatingly, though the food had helped a bit. “Nearly fell through a window several times.”

In-ho scoffed down the last of his gimbap, and pulled the extra blanket tighter to his neck. The had every blanket and towel they had over them, still cold but significantly better than what they had. When Gi-hun finished his, they nestled further into each other as they always did, trying to use each other’s body heat for warmth. In-ho’s mood had lifted now he had food and water in his body, and they didn’t have to worry about the camping light running out anymore, and they sat in comfortable silence listening to the thundering rain and crashing waves. The violent swaying of the ship had calmed slightly, no longer sending the boxes flying across the container. Sinbi had curled up in a towel they formed into a small nest for her and she dozed contentedly.

In-ho told him of all the places he had to go and how to get there, agreeing for them to go together for the next supply run so that one person could keep watch while the other gathered the supplies. Their conversation drifted to various places, their body heat heating up the blankets and creating their own little cocoon or warmth.

In-ho’s skin always seemed to run hot, and Gi-hun held onto him like he was his personal hot water bottle, his skin always cool. Gi-hun shifted and buried his face in the crook of In-ho’s neck, muttering something about how warm he was. In-ho scratched his cheek across Gi-hun’s hair, still somehow soft. It was long now, probably longer than when In-ho first saw him in his first games. In-ho’s was starting to get long too. He hated having unkempt hair.

Gi-hun’s face was beginning to turn upward as they nuzzled their heads together, until their cheeks were touching, both tingling with cold. Their stubble scratched their faces from not being able to shave for a few days. In-ho liked when Gi-hun had a bit of stubble. He heard Gi-hun exhale shakily into his ear, and arousal sparked through him, pressing harder into the side of his head. Gi-hun pushed his lips against his so hard the back of his head nearly hit the wall.

Warm, fed, and happy, In-ho felt the arousal rising faster than it had in a while. They had little else to do besides talk, sleep, and make-out, and In-ho was usually able to keep himself at bay when they did, but now, Gi-hun had barely touched him and he could already feel all the blood in his body pooling at his groin. Gi-hun’s teeth bit gently into his bottom lip and In-ho moaned embarrassingly loud to the point where Gi-hun pulled back with a boyish grin on his face.

“Sorry.” In-ho said breathlessly, trying to turn his hips away to hide his erection. “I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”

Gi-hun laughed, and In-ho could feel his breath on his lips. Gi-hun surged forward again, kissing hungrily and pulling him into it with hands in his hair. In-ho gasped, Gi-hun’s fingers feeling like pure electricity against his scalp. The blankets were becoming hot and tight around his body, and he wriggled frustratedly, accidentally pressing his arousal into Gi-hun’s thigh. He heard a small intake of air from the other man and pulled back, shifting his weight off of him.

“Sorry- I didn’t mean to do that. I know you don’t want-”

“In-ho, relax.” Gi-hun smirked, searching his face fondly. “You’re so fucking cute.”

Gi-hun kissed him passionately, his large hands feeling up his abdomen through the thick blanket, and In-ho longed for the touch against his bare skin.

“Shit, why did I wrap you in this blanket so tight?” Gi-hun panted amusedly as he tugged at the blanket wrapped around In-ho’s body.

Gi-hun accidentally pulled the blanket tighter across In-ho’s lower body, and the friction against his cock made him groan, pushing his hips against it. He felt a cool wet smear of precum on the fabric.

In-ho saw Gi-hun’s eyes shift from playful to dark and lustful in a split second. “Fuck, you want it bad, don’t you?” His voice was growing breathless.

The words hit In-ho like a truck, and his cock throbbed almost painfully with neglect. In-ho could see through the man’s pants he wasn’t hard, and he hesitated. He nodded at Gi-hun, “But you…”

Gi-hun shushed him gently, fingers scraping lightly down from his ear across his jawline, making In-ho shiver. “Don’t worry about me. Just because I don’t want to doesn’t mean I don’t want to please you.”

Gi-hun finally managed to tug the blanket from around In-ho, tossing it aside in a heap and revealing In-ho’s naked form. In-ho didn’t feel the cold anymore, his skin almost radiating with the heat of his anticipation. Gi-hun placed a cool hand on his stomach and slid it back and forth, the touch sparkling on his skin and going straight down to his cock. In-ho abs tensed as his cock tried to chase the touch so close yet so far.

“You want me to please you, baby?”

In-ho moaned, squeezing his eyes shut and nodding wildly.

“You want me to touch you?”

In-ho nodded again, his lungs so empty he couldn’t form words.

“Use your words, baby. Tell me how bad you want it.”

In-ho panted, staring down at the hand gliding through the hair on his pubic bone and barely grazing the base of his cock. “Fuck. I want it. Please, please touch me.” In-ho could barely take it anymore. Gi-hun had gotten him so worked up in so little time he was worried how long he’d last once he finally touched him.

“Fuck, Gi-hun. It’s been so fucking long. Please touch me, it’s all I could think about for weeks. I missed you so much.”

Gi-hun smiled, propped up on his elbow next to In-ho, face a little lower than his. In-ho stared into his dark eyes, trying to communicate how much he felt for him. So many emotions he just couldn’t express with any words in the Korean language, or any language. His thoughts cut off when he finally felt those long fingers wrap around his cock and begin stroking him slowly.

In-ho threw his head back and groaned almost like he was in pain, face screwing up as the rough hand dragged over the sensitive head.

“It’s all I could think of too.” Gi-hun whispered into his ear. His breath tickled his skin, his voice deep and rough with lust that made In-ho want to burn it into his brain forever. “When you kept teasing me, telling me how badly you wanted me…” Gi-hun lent closer, sucking his earlobe gently, mouth so hot and wet. “All I could think about was pinning you down and fucking you into that couch.”

In-ho’s breaths were coming hard and fast. All he could focus on was the feeling of overwhelming need, on the filth spilling from Gi-hun’s lip, on the hand slowly gliding up and down.

“I thought about fucking you stupid, until you sobbed, until all you could think about was me. I thought about how tight your little hole feels around me, how it swallows me so greedily because you want it so bad.” Gi-hun squeezed him tighter, working him slowly from base to tip. Not fast enough for him to come, but enough to drive him crazy.

“Oh, fuck, Gi-hun.” In-ho groaned, his hips beginning to buck and push himself into Gi-hun’s hand.

He heard a breath of laughter from the man beside him. “Fuck, look at you. So desperate for me you’re fucking my hand. I don’t even have to put my cock in you to fuck you stupid.” Gi-hun let go of him and In-ho whimpered at the loss, before he felt Gi-hun’s hands pinning his hips to the floor. “You better stay still if you want me to let you cum. Do you understand?”

In-ho growled, trying with everything he had left not to rock his hips into nothing.

“I asked you a question.”

“I understand!” In-ho said quickly. “Just please, Gi-hun!”

Gi-hun chuckled darkly. “I missed watching you beg for it. Begging like a little dog.” He wrapped his hand around him again and began pumping him hard and fast.

In-ho’s breath hitched hard and he bit his tongue trying not to make noise, feeling his orgasm coming hard and fast.

“You like being my little dog, In-ho? Begging for me like a whore?”

In-ho’s breaths were heaving, legs spreading and toes curling, staring down at the hand pumping him. Precum was practically pouring from him, slicking up Gi-hun’s fingers.

“You’re so wet for me, aren’t you? Dripping for me.”

All In-ho could manage were desperate little ‘ah’s rising in pitch with every breath. His release was right on the edge, so close to it he could feel his vision beginning to white. His hips bucked hard, and Gi-hun let go.

“No! No!” In-ho whined desperately. He hated how easily Gi-hun could dissolve him into a pathetic, whining mess. His past self would be seething at him for it.

But oh how he fucking loved it.

“What did I say about moving?” Gi-hun growled, wiping a smear of precum across his stomach.

“No! I’m sorry, I won’t, I promise I won’t do it anymore!”

Gi-hun massaged the oversensitive head with his calloused fingertips, and In-ho suppressed a yelp and squirmed.

“You’re moving right now.”

“I can’t help it!” In-ho gasped. “It feels- it’s so much.”

“Am I going to have to pin you down?” Gi-hun threatened, a ghost of a wicked smile on his lips.

In-ho looked at him excitedly. “I… I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep still.”

Gi-hun’s face split into a grin, and he pushed away the blankets and swung a leg over In-ho’s, straddling his thighs.

“There, are you going to be a good boy now?”

“Yes, yes, please-”

In-ho could see the bulge in the man’s dark pants, and his cock twitched. He respected Gi-hun’s wishes of not wanting anything, but a selfish part of him still hoped In-ho would let him help him with it.

Gi-hun wiped the forming bead of precum onto his other palm, and began working him with both hands. In-ho tipped his head back, moaning a little too loudly.

Gi-hun leant forward and covered his mouth with his hand, and In-ho could smell the musty scent of sex on his fingers. “Shhh. Don’t want people outside to hear your pretty little noises, do we?”

Gi-hun rolled In-ho’s balls in his fingers, letting go of his cock and letting it twitch and leak all over himself. The head was a deep red, and a string of clear liquid dripped slowly onto his stomach. In-ho could taste blood in his effort to keep quiet as Gi-hun’s hands explored his body, raking across his thighs, his flank, his abdomen, ghosting across his nipples. In-ho wanted to move his hips so badly he could hardly take it, and Gi-hun smirked at the feeling of In-ho’s muscles clenching below him.

“Such a good boy. So patient.” Gi-hun purred. “Are you my good little boy?”

In-ho nodded wildly with a moan through a closed mouth, jaw clenched hard. He felt embarrassed with himself in the back of his mind, but he was too far gone to care.

“What are you?”

“I’m… I’m your good boy, I’m yours, Gi-hun. I’m yours.”

Gi-hun pressed a thumb to the slit in the head of his cock, rubbing small circles into the hole. In-ho let out a sob, throwing his head back and forward, hands fisting the blankets beside him. “Oh fuck! Gi-hun, Gi-hun please- please. I’m so close, I’m so close, please touch me, please.”

“I am touching you.” He sneered.

“No, no, more- I need more. Please, ah, fuck.”

Gi-hun chuckled again, and In-ho’s cock pulsed more precum than he thought possible, almost steadily dripping onto his stomach from the purple head. Gi-hun bent down and licked the dribble of liquid from the head, tearing a choked noise from In-ho’s throat.

“You’ve been such a good little whore for me, In-ho. Good whores get to cum, don’t they?”

“Yes! Yes! Please! Please let me cum, please Gi-hun. Fuck, I need to, I need to, I need it-” In-ho sobbed, feeling tears running down his cheeks and mixing with the sheen of sweat on his face. His legs were vibrating under Gi-hun’s weight. Gi-hun cocked his head, watching In-ho with dark eyes and a devilish smirk.

Fuck, he loved him so much.

Gi-hun squeezed him hard at the base, dragging it up the shaft and twisting it over the tip, slow and calculated. In-ho’s eyes rolled back in his head as he was plunged into that delicious, terrifying build of pleasure once more. His skin seared like he’d been struck by lightning, destroying every coherent thought in his head and turning him into a mumbling, whining mess.

“You want to cum, beautiful?” Gi-hun purred.

“Yes- Oh fuck, Please Gi-hin, please Gi-hun, I’m yours, my cum is yours, it’s all yours-” He was so close to the edge again, brought on so agonisingly, so expertly by Gi-hun’s hand.

Gi-hun shifted his hips back and leant down so that he was hovering over In-ho’s aching cock. His eyes were almost black as he opened his mouth and waited for In-ho to fill it.

“Then cum for me, baby. Give it to me.”

In-ho opened his mouth in a silent scream, whole body shaking as pleasure crashed over him and destroyed every nerve in his body. He locked eyes with Gi-hun as his cock spurted onto his tongue, and Gi-hun moaned as the hot liquid pumped into his mouth. After he drew out the last spurt with a slow, twisting hand, Gi-hun closed his hot, wet lips over the head and sucked, milking him for everything he had to offer.

In-ho bit down on his hand, trying to keep from screaming. Gi-hun swirled a tongue around the overworked tip, pinning his hips down with strong hands. In-ho tried to buck, his body desperately trying to escape the overwhelming feeling.

It was like the worst and best pain on Earth, so unbelievably unbearable but so fucking good.

“Gi- Gi- Gi-h-” was all In-ho could manage as Gi-hun swiped a flat tongue on the underside of his shaft, before pulling off. His eyes were black, his glistening lips curled almost in a snarl.

“Fuck, you taste amazing. I missed that so much.”

In-ho barely had time to recover from his incredible high when he heard the sound of metal jingling. He looked down to see Gi-hun straddling him, sitting up on his knees as he undid his belt. A spark of excitement shot through In-ho, and his eyes sparkled in anticipation.

“Get up. Bend over those fucking boxes, now.”

In-ho looked up at him, concern on his face. “Are you sure? We don’t have to-”

“Get up. Don’t make me repeat myself.” Gi-hun ordered, his voice rough with lust. In-ho scrambled up unapologetically enthusiastically from underneath Gi-hun, making his way over to the boxes stacked on one of the pallets closest to them, leaning his elbows on it so that he was bent over slightly. He looked back at Gi-hun to see him standing behind him, staring down at his body with his belt loosened and fly undone, revealing the tented boxers underneath. His shirt and jacket were thrown aside at some point when In-ho had been turned around, jeans hanging just below his hips under his lean frame and small waist. In-ho shivered, drinking in the sight behind him, feeling proud of himself in the way the man stared at him like he was starving. The rain began to pelt down harder.

“Fuck, look at you. Such a fucking slut you’ll do anything I say if it means you’ll get my cock.”

In-ho breathed hard, staring back at him. He loved when Gi-hun was aroused like this. When he was so far gone he was almost growling like a fucking animal. And he fucked like one too. And In-ho treated every second like it was oxygen.

Gi-hun walked up to him slowly, almost swaggering, taking in the sight of In-ho bent over, presenting himself to him. He rubbed a hand across In-ho’s ass, spreading his cheek and circling a thumb over the hole. In-ho bit his lip, arms shaking.

He felt Gi-hun’s clothed crotch press hard against his ass, the belt digging into his skin as he pressed his chest to In-ho’s back, hands grasping his waist and fingers pressing hard into the soft spot just above In-ho’s pelvic bone and making him jolt forward.

“I’m going to fuck you so hard you’ll be feeling me inside for a week.” Gi-hun snarled into his ear, and In-ho nearly fucking came again.

“Fuck, Gi-hun. You keep promising me, yet you’re not fulfilling it. Do it then, fuck me.”

“So eager. So cock-hungry.” Gi-hun slapped his ass, enough to sting but not enough to be loud. He jolted forward with a whine. In-ho longed for a time they could be as loud as they wanted, screaming each other's name as they rode out each other’s pleasure. His mouth watered at the thought of his taste.

Gi-hun snickered. “You want me to prep you? Or you want to feel it? I know you love when I fuck you raw.”

In-ho groaned with arousal. He loved the burn, the unbearable stretch, the feeling of being torn in half. When Gi-hun would bend him over and take him, too horny to waste any time preparing him. The constant ache a reminder of whose cock was buried in his ass.

“No, I want it now. I want your cock, please Gi-hun. Fuck me. I want to feel all of you. I want it hard.”

“Oh, you’re going to get it hard, baby.” Gi-hun leant forward, putting a hand close to In-ho’s face.

“Spit.”

In-ho spat into his hand, and Gi-hun slicked himself up, rubbing the rest over his hole. In-ho felt the press of his tip against him, and let out a shaky moan.

“Tell me to stop and I’ll stop.” Gi-hun said, and In-ho nodded.

Gi-hun thrusted into him hard, burying himself in one, ruthless stroke. In-ho bit his hand so hard he drew blood, feeling like he was on fire. Gi-hun gave him no time to adjust before he was fucking him, hard and fast and relentless. Their skin slapped together, and In-ho hoped to God the rain was enough to cover the noise, because there was no way in hell he was asking Gi-hun to slow down. The room was filled with the noise of them breathing hard, panting like wild dogs, unable to risk making a noise louder.

“Shit” Gi-hun swore. “So fucking tight. Feels like you’re choking me. I missed you, fuck I missed being inside you.”

In-ho’s chest fizzled and he clamped a hand over his nose and mouth, Gi-hun slamming his prostate with every brutal thrust. His almost fully hard cock was leaking steadily, and miraculously he could feel another orgasm mounting. It hurt so bad, In-ho never wanted it to end.

Gi-hun’s nails dug into his hips, pounding into him, sweat beginning to form a sheen on his body. In-ho looked back at him, locking eyes as Gi-hun fucked him sensless. His mouth was hanging open in ecstasy, a trickle of sweat down his temple, face flushed, ab muscles clenching with every thrust. It was so fucking hot.

“Holy f-fuck” In-ho breathed. “You feel so fucking good, Gi-hun. You’re so deep, I can feel you in my fucking stomach.”

Gi-hun moaned, hips stuttering. In-ho smirked. He liked the thought of that. In-ho wanted to push him further, make him spit filthy things he’d be appalled at saying if he wasn’t so drunk on In-ho’s body.

Still locking eyes, In-ho hung his jaw open, relaxing his eyes to look at him seductively. “You like that? You like pounding into my fucking insides? You gonna fill them with your cum?”

Gi-hun growled, staring him down like a panther stalking a deer. “I’m gonna pump you so full I’ll be leaking out of you all night. You want that, baby? You want to feel my cum dripping from your pretty hole?”

In-ho gave a devilish grin as a bolt of arousal shot through him. “Fuck yes, give me your cum. I want to feel it in my belly, I want to feel it filling me up.” In-ho moaned, and the way Gi-hun’s eyes glazed over he knew he liked that. Another thing discovered about Gi-hun that he could use to his advantage.

Gi-hun pulled his hips back and began slamming into him at a new angle, and In-ho jolted forward as he assaulted his prostate with every thrust.

In-ho bit his tongue, tasting blood. It filled his mouth and he spat onto the floor, breath ragged.

“Fuck, Gi-hun- I need- I need something. I can’t, I need something.” He gestured to his mouth, and Gi-hun seemed to understand, bending down and swiping up the towel he used to wipe In-ho down and twisting it into a rope. He grabbed both ends and flung it over In-ho’s head, allowing In-ho to put the middle of it in his mouth and bite down.

“So horny for me you need a gag to keep you from screaming. Can’t even keep quiet can you? Little fucking slut.”

In-ho moaned against the makeshift gag as Gi-hun began his merciless pace again. He wrapped the towel around his wrists and pulled back, arching In-ho’s back and using it as leverage to fuck him harder. The towel pulled against the corners of his mouth, feeling the stretch in his throat. His eyes rolled back as he allowed himself to take the ruthless assault.

“Fuck, baby, look at you. Like a sculpture in a fucking museum.”

In-ho whimpered in response, feeling his aching, overstimulated cock staggering forcefully towards another powerful orgasm. His body protested, but his mind screamed for it, desperate for his release.

Gi-hun was fucking him harder and faster, his breaths fast and shallow. His thrusts were stuttering, growing sloppier.

“Fuck. Fuck In-ho, I’m gonna cum. I’m gonna fill you up, baby. You want that? You want to feel me? Fuck, oh fuck, I love you. I love you so much, please, please, please, please-” Gi-hun’s dominance began to dissolve, hips stuttering.

In-ho wanted to push him over the edge, muttering filth in the most desperate voice he could, not that he had to try very hard. “I love you too, don’t stop, baby. Yes, oh fuck yes. Give it to me. I’ve been such a good little slut, I want you to fill me, baby. Pump me full of you. Please!”

Gi-hun buried himself so deep that In-ho’s chest pressed hard against the box he was leaning on, and he could feel the corner denting under his weight. Gi-hun gave the shaky groan of someone who was trying desperately to keep themselves from crying out, and In-ho felt the cock inside him twitch and pulse. Hot liquid seeped into him, it felt like a lot, so much it felt like it was seeping around Gi-hun’s cock and threatening to spill. The feeling of it sent him hurtling over the edge with a second, painfully good orgasm, his exhausted cock dribbling a sad amount of release as his body burned with pleasure. Gi-hun tugged hard on the towel, arching his back even more and sending another throb of arousal through him.

Gi-hun let go of the towel and In-ho let himself fall over the box, panting hard into the cool cardboard. They panted heavily, before he felt Gi-hun’s hands softly close around his waist and guide his body to face him. He was so fucking spent he could sleep and wake up when it was time to get off the ship. He pulled In-ho’s body against his, his skin hot and damp. In-ho rested his head against the taller man’s shoulder, and they swayed together along with the ships rocking.

Gi-hun eventually took his face in his hands, kissing him softly and gently.

“Was that ok?” Gi-hun asked.

In-ho breathed out a laugh. “Ok?”

Gi-hun looked genuinely worried for a second, and In-ho rolled his eyes. “Gi-hun you’re the only person on this Earth that can fuck the brains out of me like you can. I swear everytime I think I can’t cum any harder than I have you fucking prove me wrong. Yes, it was Ok”

Gi-hun beamed, and In-ho couldn’t help but smile back. “You don’t mind that I call you things like that? Things like… whore and all that.” He whispered the bad word like he was ten years old.

In-ho laughed, pushing the hair from Gi-hun’s eyes. “What, you say it all so confidently when you’re drunk on sex but now you can hardly say the word whore?”

Gi-hun reddened. “But, you don’t mind? I can stop.”

“I think you should know by now that yes, I like it. I like everything you’re doing. You know I like when you’re rough.” He snickered, “remember the old days? Remember that time we beat each other up and you fucked me over the kitchen table?”

Gi-hun’s eyes widened. “Oh… I-”

“You know that was one of my favourite days of all time? Well… excluding what caused said fight.”

Gi-hun smiled shyly, “I had never really done that sort of thing before… My wife didn’t like being rough so I always honoured that. I tried calling her words like that during sex once… she got really upset so I never did it again. I don’t actually mean those things though.”

“It’s ok, Gi-hun, I understand.” In-ho sniggered. “Well, at least you know that with me you can be as rough as your heart desires, because I fucking love it.”

Gi-hun grinned and kissed him again, before In-ho pulled back with a hum. “Oh, and what was that you did before, waiting for me to cum on your tongue?”

Gi-hun flashed with embarrassment for a second before he composed himself and smirked mischievously. “Oh, well… I didn’t want to waste it. I like how you taste. I mean, gotta get all the protein we can get, right?”

In-ho made a playfully disgusted face. “Gi-hun, that is feral.”

“What?” Gi-hun laughed. “You usually just shoot it directly down my throat, so what difference does it make?”

“No difference, I just wanted to embarrass you.”

“It didn’t work.”

“I think it did.”

Gi-hun smiled fondly, pulling him into a long, sucking kiss before taking his hand and leading him back to their nest of blankets. They wrapped their bodies together, pressing as much skin together as possible, and drifted off into a comfortable sleep in each other’s embrace.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Notes:

Just another episode of confident, forever horny bottom and his shy subby dom

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's been a while since I treated you guys with some smut so I thought I'd give you a healthy dose. I hope I didn't make In-ho come across as too naturally subby, because I want to write him in a way that he kinda secretly loves being such a bottom, even if he appears more of a top in everyday life and he knows full well what he's doing when it comes to making Gi-hun give him what he wants.

Thank you for all the support on the last chapter! I appreciate each and every one of you reading!

Chapter 22: Just trust me

Summary:

Gi-hun and In-ho's love for each other begins to be tested now more than ever. Another supply run occurs, but it doesn't go exactly as planned.

Notes:

How have I only JUST figured out that AO3 has a dark mode?????

The next week was a blur to Gi-hun, just like a lot of the past several weeks had been since he was injured. He easily lost track of time though luckily In-ho was a lot more perceptive than he was, he could have told Gi-hun it had been two weeks or two years and Gi-hun would’ve believed him. The supplies that In-ho had gathered had managed to get them through the week, though they still had a few days to go and rations were beginning to run thin. Gi-hun was starving and thirsty all the time, the snacks and crackers not nearly enough to sustain him.
In-ho was clearly trying to avoid having to go out again due to the risk of being caught, but their patience was beginning to wear thin. All Gi-hun had eaten in the past three nights was a handful of raisins and four tiny rice crackers, and a single bottle of water.

On the dawn of the seventh day, they ran out of water. On the dawn of the ninth day, they had officially run out of food. Apart from a tiny amount of each they saved for the cat.

In-ho’s face was dark when he finally accepted it wouldn’t be possible for them to reach the end of the twelfth day if they didn’t go out again. If it was just food they needed, they could have done it. But neither of them had drank anything in two days, and the food they were eating was dry. If they wanted to leave this ship alive, they needed water.

Gi-hun and In-ho agreed to do the next run together, so that one person could keep watch. Gi-hun knew In-ho didn’t really like the idea of Gi-hun going out, but Gi-hun snapped at him before he could argue any further. They had begun to bicker in the past few days, the incessant, unrelenting hunger and the boring, cold, dimly lit metal box driving them further into insanity. They still had enough toilet paper and toothpaste to maintain at least a bit of their hygiene, but they were still stuck in a confined space without the ability to shower.

In-ho seemed to mind a fair amount more than Gi-hun did about hygiene, and pushed Gi-hun off the next time he suggested they try to relieve some stress. As a result they hadn’t been intimate again since the last time, In-ho far too distressed about the fact he smelled despite Gi-hun’s reassurance that he didn’t care and that Gi-hun smelt just as bad. Though their last time had left In-ho walking funny for two whole days afterward. Gi-hun couldn’t help but feel bad about it, to In-ho’s amusement. Luckily it wasn’t hot, though at times when the ship and the sun were in the right spot it would shine around the corner onto the front of their container, and make it humid and sticky in the room. Their clothes and blankets stunk and Gi-hun’s hair was itchy. They felt disgusting, and it only added to the constant air of discontent.

In-ho had gotten enough trash bags for them to only have to leave the container once every couple days to throw their bags of waste over the edge of the boat. Gi-hun was grateful they didn’t have to hold onto their bladder for almost a full day anymore, though they still had to reopen the bag every time they needed to go, making the room stink of piss and shit for the next half hour.

In-ho’s beard had gotten a lot coarser as had Gi-hun’s, though In-ho was able to grow a more full and even beard than he was. Gi-hun’s seemed to concentrate more on his chin and upper lip. He liked In-ho with a beard, as he told him frequently. It made feel giddy like a fucking schoolgirl whenever Gi-hun looked at him. It sometimes made it hard to keep his hands off him. He vaguely wished he had made up for the lack of intimacy in their first few days, since now the tables had turned it was In-ho who was the uninterested one.

Gi-hun was almost convinced he’d been shot back at that airport and he was stuck in some fucked up lost spirit realm forever. Maybe all of his bad karma had finally caught up to him.

Gi-hun and In-ho sat in the spot they had since the first day, though now their nest of blankets and towels looked a lot worse for wear. The sun had risen and done its course, sinking into darkness again, closer to the time that would be safest for them to leave.

“Alright, so we should discuss a plan.” Gi-hun said, breaking the silence after several hours.

“Same as it was when I first went. We go out under the cover of the early morning, about 2AM. I think it must be getting close to that time now. I know where to go now, so we get in, we get out, and we stay quiet, and we stay hidden. Though now we don’t have the cover of the storm. Since I know where everything is, you will keep watch for me. There’s a shitload of corridors and rooms under deck, I need you to make sure no one’s coming.”

“Right, ok. Well, we should make some hand signals or something. So that we can communicate without speaking.”

“Yeah, yeah ok, good idea.” In-ho nodded, holding up a fist just over his shoulder. “This means stop immediately and crouch down.” He flicked two fingers in the air. “Keep going ahead” He flicked four fingers, “Go ahead as fast as possible.”

Gi-hun nodded, banging a fist into a flat palm, “This will mean someone is coming, and-“ He flicked both hands outward, “This will mean hide now.”

In-ho agreed, and Gi-hun continued, “What’s the plan if we get separated?”

“Don’t waste time trying to find each other, if we get separated, just be careful, get out as quick as you can and make it back to the container. Don’t do anything irrational, just play it safe, even if you have to hide for a while.”

Gi-hun gave him a conflicted look. “But what if I come back here, and hours pass and you still don’t show up?”

“Well, don’t come looking for me. Just stay here.”

“What? What if you’ve been caught? If it was you here and me stuck out there would you come looking?”

In-ho frowned. “Of course I would.”

“Then what the fuck? Why do I have to abandon you when you’re not even going to follow the same rules?”

“Because I don’t want you risking your freedom or your life for me.”

“Why the fuck not? You would do it for me so why am I not allowed to do it for you? Is your life less important than mine?”

In-ho didn’t answer, just resigning with a frustrated sigh and a shake of his head, turning away.
Gi-hun stared at the back of his head, his hair becoming longer and shaggier.

“In-ho.”

In-ho didn’t answer, and Gi-hun tugged angrily on his shirt, causing the man to look at him irritatedly.

“In-ho. Do you think your life is worth less than mine?” He said sternly. The man studied his face, his brow fixed permanently.

Gi-hun shook him lightly. “In-ho answer me.”

“Well of course it is. Of course your life is worth more than mine. I would sacrifice my life for you in a heartbeat but I don’t want you to do the same. If I am caught, or killed or whatever the fuck, I just want you to go on. Move on and live out your life away from everything.”

“In-ho, sometimes you can be a real fucking asshole.”

“What?”

“How the fuck do you expect me to agree with that? Do you even know me at all? It’s like you haven’t listened to a word I have said over the past few months.”

“I don’t expect you to agree, I expect you to do as you’re told.”

Gi-hun stared at him in disbelief. “Excuse me? And who the fuck are you that you think you can control me? Huh, Frontman?”

In-ho frowned. “That’s low, Gi-hun. I’m saying it because I care about you.”

“Well, fuck that. And fuck you for saying that. ‘Do as I’m told’ like I’m some fucking dog. That’s what you think this is, isn’t it? You still think we’re in your little Frontman penthouse and you’re keeping me like your little dog. You still see me like that, don’t you?”

In-ho shook his head in annoyance, “Gi-hun-“

“You do, don’t you? You say you think your life is worth less because of everything you’ve done but you still see yourself as superior to me, don’t you?.”

“That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it? You expect me to believe you dropped that God complex so quickly?”

“Gi-hun, I don’t think I’m superior to you. I never did, even then.”

Gi-hun gave a humourless laugh. “You never did? You are many things, In-ho, but a liar isn’t one of them.”

“I’m not lying. My fascination with you then was never marred by a sense of superiority. In many ways you are so much more than I could ever be.”

“Cut the shit, In-ho, seriously.” Gi-hun pinched his nose and sighed. “I don’t know why I really thought you could change so much, so quickly. Maybe I really am as naive as you say.” Gi-hun began to question himself, question In-ho, question everything, reality beginning to bleed through like attempting to stop a flood by shutting the door. What if his love for In-ho, his unwavering trust, really was his naivety? Gi-hun knew In-ho wasn’t always the man he knew as the Frontman, that he was so much more than that. Gi-hun had no belief that In-ho still meant him any harm or betrayal in the slightest. But what if a part of him still held onto his past? After all, he had enough in him to become the Frontman, didn’t he?

A flash of hurt crossed In-ho’s features, before it changed to anger. “Fine! Come looking for me then if you want to so badly! Risk your life! Get thrown in fucking prison for all I care. I wanted you to be happy but clearly that doesn’t matter.”

“I want to be happy with you, how can you not understand that now? Clearly it’s only ever about what you want.”

In-ho gave a shocked, unamused laugh. “What I want? I put my fucking family in danger, I forced them to leave their home because I wanted to be with you, and I wanted to keep you safe. Otherwise my family would have moved on and lived out the rest of their lives safely in Seoul, never knowing what happened to me. But I paid millions for illegal documents so that we could finally live out our lives together somewhere safe. So yes, I want you to be safe and move on without me if something goes wrong otherwise this will be all for fucking nothing!”

“Oh, so now you’re trying to guilt trip me into this being all because of me? It’s my fault that your family are in danger and we’re stuck in this godforsaken fucking box sitting in our own filth in the middle of the fucking ocean?”

In-ho made an exasperated noise. “No- I- You’re fucking impossible. And keep your fucking voice down.”

“What’s the point? If you want me to move on without you so bad we might as well just let them know where you are now.”

“Gi-hun, seriously. Stop. I know you know that’s not what I meant.”

Gi-hun felt the frustration rising, his stomach curling with hunger and sending a fresh hot wave of anger through him. “Maybe this was a mistake.”

In-ho laughed outwardly. “A mistake? What was the alternative, Gi-hun? I’d like to know.”

“Maybe you should’ve just stayed on that island, never looked for me. Your family would’ve been safe in Seoul.”

“Gi-hun you know I’m not blaming you for that and I would appreciate if you didn’t fucking blame me. I told you what I would’ve ended up doing if I didn’t decide to see you again.”

“Yeah, well maybe that would’ve been for the best.”

In-ho looked hurt, and Gi-hun instantly felt horrible. He didn’t mean what he implied at all, and the silence began to stretch, too angry and too cowardice to apologise.

“I need to piss.” Gi-hun said suddenly, pushing himself up. In-ho said nothing, and Gi-hun didn’t look back at him.

He grabbed the trash bag they were using and started picking at the knot. He swore irritatedly under his breath when his weak, shaking hands were struggling to undo the knot.

“Why the fuck do you do this up so tight?” He spat.

“Just pass it here.”

“I’ve got it.” He picked at it angrily before it finally came loose, the smell hitting him like a wall.

He sighed and held his breath, working at his fly.

He began peeing, the noise loud in the quiet room.

“Hurry up, will you? It fucking stinks.” In-ho snapped.

“The fuck do you want me to do, pee faster?” Gi-hun retorted. In his effort to glare at the man behind him, Gi-hun lost grip of the bag. The side of it folded over, and Gi-hun’s stream began splashing off the side and running onto the floor. “Ah, shit.” He scrambled to fix the bag, getting it all over his fingers.

In-ho looked over. “Oh for fuck’s sake, Gi-hun! What are you doing?”

“You’re the one fucking telling me to hurry up!”

“Clean it up.” In-ho threw him a towel, and it landed close by.

Gi-hun turned around and glared at him, grabbing the towel. “Oh, so you don’t still think I’m your little dog? The way you order me around?”

“No Gi-hun, I’m telling you to clean up your fucking piss before it stinks up the place. I don’t know if you realise, but we have to spend three more days in here.”

Sinbi walked over curiously. The little bit of extra water they were saving for her was quickly running out, and she padded over to the puddle of liquid enthusiastically.

“No, Sinbi!” Gi-hun grabbed her and held her in the air before she reached it. He tried to wipe up the mess, holding Sinbi with one hand and the towel in the other. She hissed and meowed angrily, wriggling out of his grip. Gi-hun’s non-existent patience had officially run out.

“Don’t let the cat fall in there.” In-ho watched the struggle, making no attempt to move over to them.

Sinbi thrashed until Gi-hun lost grip of her. She ran away from him, directly through the puddle and leaving piss footprints everywhere. “For fuck’s sake! Well maybe if you could get off your fucking ass and help that wouldn’t have happened!” Gi-hun hissed.

He wiped up the now extended mess, catching Sinbi and wiping her feet before tossing the towel into the bag and tying it up.

“Don’t complain to me when you’re cold tonight when you’ve pissed all over our towel.” In-ho muttered.

“Are you still fucking going on about it? We can just pick up another few blankets tonight.”

“Oh, on the fun little shopping spree you think we’re going on? Yeah, sure, let’s get some lobster tail to cook up while we’re at it.”

Gi-hun threw the waste bag aside into its corner. “What is your fucking problem? Will you stop being such an asshole?”

“You’re the one that said you’d rather we both had just died instead of seeing each other again. So you tell me.”

Gi-hun sighed loudly. “In-ho, I didn’t mean- This is stupid, we’re both just hungry and tired and–”

“Whatever, it’s fine. It’s getting late. We need to go before it gets too late and the next shift begins.”

“You know I didn’t mean–“

“Just–“ In-ho held his hand up impatiently. “Don’t worry about it. We need to get going.”

Gi-hun shut his mouth, and they began preparing to leave in awkward silence. In-ho went over the hand signals again, and pulled the empty duffel over his shoulder. They left out the remainder of the food and a small amount of water for Sinbi and left whilst she was distracted, hoping she wouldn’t react badly to them leaving, but she didn’t seem to care about much when food was in front of her.

“Got your gun?” In-ho asked, tucking his own into the back of his pants.

“Yes, but we’re not going to use them, right?”

“Sure hope not.”

Gi-hun made a face, and In-ho jumped down first, telling Gi-hun to hold until he confirmed it was safe and Gi-hun jumped down as well. He was grateful for the breath of fresh, cold night air. Gi-hun grunted as In-ho’s shoes pushed against his shoulders as he heaved the shorter man up to close the door behind them.

“Alright, let’s go.” In-ho whispered, and Gi-hun began following him close behind. They could see one worker on the opposite side, but they quite quickly and easily made it into the cabin where In-ho led him down a set of stairs until they reached a door labelled ‘B Deck’. Gi-hun thought he heard something, and grabbed the back on In-ho’s shirt. The man froze, turning around. Gi-hun held a hand up to his ear and pointed towards the door. They sat in silence, listening closely. Gi-hun heard the sound of shuffling coming towards the door, and In-ho suddenly grabbed him and pulled him down towards the next set of stairs leading down. They ran as fast as they could whilst being silent and made their way to the floor below. They just got to the bottom when they heard the B Deck door swing open, and footsteps beginning to descend towards them.

Gi-hun felt his stomach fly into his throat and they scrambled towards the A Deck door, feeling the anxiety rise as In-ho cracked it open to see if anyone was on the other side. The footsteps were getting closer, and Gi-hun almost whimpered with the suppressed urge to tell In-ho to hurry up. They entered the corridor and shut the door behind them, and In-ho waved hurriedly at him as he lead him to a door reading,

‘LUGGAGE STORAGE
DRY STORAGE’

The room was almost completely dark, and for a second Gi-hun thought they had entered a dormitory by accident. Gi-hun pressed against the door, listening intently. He could hear In-ho’s quickened breaths close by in the darkness.

Footsteps, heading down the corridor.

“Fuck, fuck, hide!” Gi-hun said in a crazed whisper, looking wildly around the room. He could vaguely see the outline of suitcases and other bags stacked on shelves.

“Hide behind a suitcase! On the bottom shelf, quick!” He heard In-ho hiss.

Gi-hun severely doubted he’d be able to pull that off as a six-foot man if anyone entered the room, but he hurried over anyway, wrenching a large suitcase from the shelf level with the floor and diving into the space. The shelf was quite deep, allowing him to squeeze himself uncomfortably behind a few of the bags and pray it was enough to hide him. In-ho did the same on the opposite wall.

A few seconds passed, and the door opened. The room plunged into light at the small click of a light switch, and two men, one short with shoulders as wide as the door and the other tall with a greying beard despite not looking over forty. Gi-hun could hear his heart pounding in his ears, willing every cell in his body to be still.

The shorter man yawned. “Fuck, I’m exhausted. Last time I’m letting Won-shik take the day off. Next time I’m pounding on that asshole’s door before I take a double shift for his ungrateful ass anyways. He’s probably not even sick, he just doesn’t like getting up early.” He walked over to the shelf on the side wall as the tall man gave a short laugh.

“You still working tomorrow morning? Or did Lee give you the day off?”

He began digging into his bag, and Gi-hun’s quiet breath hitched when he saw the taller man put his hand on the exact bag In-ho was hiding behind.

“Pfft. As if that prick would give me a day off. I gotta get up in three hours. It’s fucking bullshit. I’ll die of fucking exhaustion before we even get to port.”

“Ha, yeah, he- the fuck?” The taller man stopped in his tracks, looking at the shelf, and Gi-hun closed his eyes. It was definitely over now. “-You ever seen this bag before?”

“Huh?”

The tall one took a bag off the shelf, and Gi-hun realised with a jolt it was the blue duffel bag.

“This bag, who's is it?”

“I don’t know, who gives a fuck? I’m tired.”

“I’ve just never seen it in here, and it’s empty.” He grimaced. “Kinda stinks of piss.”

“Well then maybe it’s Won-shik’s.” The shorter man snorted.

The taller man laughed and threw the bag back down onto the shelf with a sharp clack of the metal zipper against the shelf. He began digging into his suitcase, pulling it out just enough for Gi-hun to see In-ho’s hair. Gi-hun was trying to stop himself from shaking, praying that the man would not remove the suitcase from the shelf. Eventually he pushed it back in its place so hard he saw In-ho’s head hit the wall, though luckily the two men didn’t seem to react to the noise as they chatted and left the room, switching off the light and slamming the door.

The voices faded, leaving them in quiet darkness, though Gi-hun was still scared to move. He didn’t until he heard In-ho pushing the suitcase out, and they climbed out from under the shelf.

“You ok?” Gi-hun whispered.

“Fine. Come on, the dry storage is in here. We can get extra blankets if you want.” He said sheepishly.

The dry storage might as well have been packed with gold to Gi-hun, and he had to keep himself from taking more than they could fit in the bag. “There’s only shit food in here, and no water. Where do we find that?”

“Kitchen, floor above us. If some people are finishing their shifts now we need to get there before the cook has to get up to prepare breakfast.”

Gi-hun nodded worriedly, and they listened at the door before making their way out into the corridor and up the stairs to B Deck once again. In-ho him into the empty but still lit dining hall and kitchen, where they stuffed their bag with only enough to last the remainder of their time. Gi-hun also put a couple gimbap rolls in his pocket and a couple handfuls of dried fruit. In-ho cracked open a bottle of water and downed the whole thing, tossing Gi-hun one. He downed it in a few loud gulps, instantly soothing his dry throat and tasting like liquid drugs to him, wiping the bit that trickled down the side of his mouth when he was finished.

Gi-hun gestured towards the tray of fresh gimbap, staring at In-ho with almost a plea in his eyes. Normally, In-ho probably would’ve said it was unwise, but driven by hunger he stuck his hand in, grabbing one whilst Gi-hun grabbed another. They sat on the floor wolfing down the gimpab like starved dogs, even picking up the rice that had fallen onto the floor. If only clean, well-groomed, hot-meals-on-demand In-ho could see him now, eating food off the floor of a dirty cargo ship with a player that was also his number one sworn enemy. He guessed you could never really predict where life would take you.

They had hardly eaten a couple bites when the door of the dining hall could be heard outside. The men froze, staring at each other with wide eyes. In-ho threw the end of the gimbap under the bottom shelf and zipped up the bag as quietly as possible.

“Shit, fuck.” In-ho whirled around the room. There was nowhere to hide in here. It was just them, in a tiny room. If someone opened the door, that would be it.

They pressed themselves against the wall either side of the door, listening intently. Gi-hun looked over at In-ho, who was staring ahead of him as he listened. His eyes were wide, and Gi-hun could see his hands trembling. He felt a pang of guilt in his heart. The kitchen door could be heard swinging open, heavy footsteps entering. They both jumped as something was dropped down onto the metal table, with a frustrated sounding sigh from the person. It sounded like a woman. In-ho and Gi-hun looked at each other, and In-ho pressed a finger to his lips.
There was the sound of pots and pans, utensils against the table, shuffling footsteps and grunt-like coughs. She suddenly yelled out to someone, her voice only slightly muffled by the door.

“What do you mean?” She called. Neither of them could hear what was being said by the other person.

“No, I didn't, I haven't been down there since yesterday afternoon. No. What? No.”
There was the muffled noise of a man’s voice responding to her, but they couldn’t make out what he was saying.

“I’ll look later. It’s probably just one of the boys.”

Her voice sounded extremely close, and Gi-hun and In-ho pressed back against the shelf when the door suddenly swung open.

No one entered. Gi-hun was holding his breath so hard it felt like his lungs were going to implode, his eyes impossibly wide and waiting for the inevitable.

“What? For fuck’s sake Lee I couldn’t do anything about it last week what do you want me to do about it now?” She yelled into the dining hall, her voice a lot louder in their ears.

The muffled voice of a man answered, and she sighed agitatedly, swearing under her breath. She slammed the door again. “This better be worth it, I don’t have time for this shit unless you want to be hearing from the boys when their breakfast isn’t ready.”

Gi-hun let out a shaky breath, and they looked at each other once more, the stress bleeding out of In-ho’s eyes. He cocked his head towards the door after the voices had faded down the hallway, and Gi-hun slowly pushed open the door to reveal an empty kitchen.

“Alright, come on.” In-ho whispered, a quaver in his voice as he led Gi-hun back out to the corridor and up the stairs, bag rustling a bit too loud for comfort against his clothes. The night air was crisp, occasional tiny needles of sea spray against their skin. In-ho peeked around the corner of the wall to see multiple workers working in the night, flashlights in hand. He swung back out of sight, back pressed against the wall, deep in thought.

“Fuck. This was a mistake. One of us should’ve just gone out to get water and come back. We’ve taken too long and the next shift has started.” In-ho muttered, barely audible over the constant faint roar of the ocean.

“We just need to get over there.” Gi-hun pointed towards the closest row of shipping containers, where the light only managed to reach past the first few. “It’s not far. We can do it one at a time. I’ll go first and you keep watch, then I’ll guide you over.”

A steady exhale left In-ho’s nose and he nodded. Gi-hun crouched by the corner, peering out from behind it. Three workers, two in conversation and one roaming. It took several minutes before Gi-hun found a window where all three were facing a different direction. He ran as low and as fast as he could, practically throwing himself behind the first row and out of sight. Gi-hun spun back around and gripped the edge of the freezing metal, looking over at where In-ho was crouched, staring at him from behind the cabin wall.

Gi-hun looked over at the workers, who didn’t seem to notice them. Gi-hun waited and waited, but there always seemed to be at least one flashlight pointing, or one man looking in their direction. Gi-hun looked back at In-ho, and felt his stomach sink. A figure crossing by the window inside the cabin, heading straight for the door In-ho was next to.

Gi-hun waved his arms wildly, pointing behind him. By the time In-ho looked, the door was already opening. In-ho stood and grabbed the man, spinning him to press his back against In-ho’s chest and clasp a hand around the flailing worker’s mouth. He could hear In-ho shushing him, the man’s cries of fear muffled under his hand. It was too loud.

Two of the men were fast approaching, flashlights in hand.

In-ho and Gi-hun made eye contact for a split second, before In-ho released the man, sending him stumbling around from the corner. In-ho ran in the opposite direction towards the front of the boat and rounded a corner out of sight. There was yelling, and the men began to run towards them.

Gi-hun swore under his breath and began sprinting down into the dark corridor. The rows were so long, it made hiding near impossible, and their container was a few rows down, all the way at the end of the boat.

“Hey!” He heard a man scream behind him in Korean, and nausea curled in his stomach. He turned to see a set of flashlights running in the direction In-ho had gone, though no one seemed to have noticed Gi-hun. He flattened himself against the wall as much as possible as they passed the end of the row, his heart pounding in his ears.

Fuck. They knew they were there. They knew In-ho was there. There was no way he wasn’t going to be caught. They were going to be deported back to Korea and handed over to the police. If they were caught it would be impossible to escape, and the Manager would be able to get to them in a second. If they were caught, it would be game over. If they weren’t captured now, they’d have to survive three days and somehow leave the ship without anyone seeing them.

Gi-hun could quite easily make it back to the container, shut himself in and barricade the door. All the attention was on In-ho, at least for now. It was what In-ho wanted him to do.

But fuck him, as if he was ever going to follow through with that.

Gi-hun ran down to the next intersection, searching each direction before he cut around to make his way back towards the front of the boat. The wind was picking up, seeming to force its way through his thin jacket. He shivered, and jumped at the sudden screech of an alarm cutting through the air. It blared across the entire ship, echoing out into the vast, black ocean. It sent a chill straight to his bones that had little to do with the cold. Huge spotlights flicked on from atop the ship, shining down onto the cargo hold and swinging in multiple directions. The blinding light shone down the corridor, illuminating it in a sweep of bright white light.

“For fuck’s sake.” He muttered under his breath. The light couldn’t reach the crossroads between each row, so as long as he got to the next one before the light swept across again, he wouldn’t be seen. The only issue now was that he had no idea where In-ho was. He could hear distant yelling, and supposed he could try getting as close as possible without being seen. Maybe they would have eyes on where he went, and Gi-hun would be able to find him before they did.

Fuck, this was fucked. What if he never saw In-ho again? What if there last moments together was a stupid fucking argument fueled by something as shallow as being hungry, cold, and fucking uncomfortable?

What if the last thing he truly said to In-ho was that their being together was a mistake?

The light swept down the rows again, and Gi-hun followed it in the shadows, running as fast as he could down to the side of the boat. He heard the metallic buzzing of someone speaking through a radio, and nearly fell backwards. The noise was coming closer, and Gi-hun looked around. There was nowhere to hide. His heart thumped as he snuck up to the corner, waiting for the worker to appear.

“A1 and A2 are clear.” The man spoke, followed by a harsh beep of the radio as he released the button.

Light from a flashlight illuminated the wall, and Gi-hun crouched, preparing himself. The worker rounded the corner, though Gi-hun couldn’t see his face from the bright light that filled his vision.

“Woah!” The worker startled, jumping back as he saw Gi-hun. Gi-hun lunged forward, grabbing the man and clasping a hand over his mouth.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Gi-hun whispered frantically, the smaller man struggling against Gi-hun’s strength. “But I will if you tell anyone I’m here, understand?”

The man nodded wildly, eyes wide and terrified.

“There’s another man. Have they found him?”

The man shook his head.

“Alright. Sorry about this, but I don’t have time.” Gi-hun pulled the flashlight out of his grip, bringing it down over the man’s head hard. His eyes rolled back and he dropped to the floor. Gi-hun grunted as he pulled the weight around the corner and out of sight, a sudden, crackling noise startling him. It was the radio on the man’s belt.

“I’ve found a duffel bag on the deck near life boats D. No weapons, but at least we know who’s been stealing from the stores.”

“Copy, Jung. Search the area. Baek, Kang, search the starboard life boats. See if any are missing.”

“Copy.”
“Copy.”

Gi-hun unclipped the man’s radio from his belt and clipped it onto his jeans, lowering the volume.

“Fuck, what a fucking mess.” Even if he managed to find In-ho, their whole trip had achieved nothing but making it a thousand times harder to get off this ship without getting caught. He waited for the spotlight to return once more before he made a break towards the front of the boat. He managed to make it back to the cabins, ducking underneath a short wall when he heard footsteps on the level above him. The metallic thunk of a door opening could be heard over the screeching of the alarm, that seemed to have doubled in volume the closer he got.

“What the fuck is going on? I’ve been asleep for ten fucking minutes.” A voice said, Gi-hun recognised the voice as one of the men from the luggage room.

“Stowaways. At least one, but there’s likely more of them. Captain wants everyone in the search.”

The other man groaned in response. “I can’t catch a fucking break this season, I’m telling you. I don’t get what the fucking emergency is, it’s not like they can go anywhere. If they wanted to hijack us they would’ve done it by now.”

“What can I say man, captain's orders. Shouldn’t be too hard to find them if we’re all looking. Did you see the bag they found? It was the same one I found in the luggage storage just before. Remember?”

“Fuck, they were probably in the fucking room! That’s insane, we didn’t even know.”

The radios on the men’s belts cracked to life, Gi-hun’s doing the same. He swore and fumbled to turn it down, his chest seizing as he awaited the men’s reactions. They didn’t seem to notice. A garbled mess of yelling came through the radio. The alarms turned off, though Gi-hun’s relief was short-lived.

“Did you hear what he said?”

“No.”

“Kwang, repeat.” A harsh beep.

The radio roared to life again. “Jung-min! Jung-min’s been attacked! I found him between A2 and A3! He’s been knocked out!”

“Shit” One of the men said under his breath. “Alright stay calm, stay there and two of us will come to help you take him down to the infirmary. Stay alert.” A harsh beep again.

“Copy.”

“Come on, let’s go. Last thing I need is to do paperwork after the new guy gets decked by a fucking stowaway.”

“You think these guys are dangerous?”

“I don’t know, let’s just–” the voices began to fade as the men hurried off. At least it was two less people for now that Gi-hun would have to worry about. He turned up the volume of the radio just enough to catch the end of a sentence.

“-backup to the forecastle on their way.”

Backup? Shit. There was no way that didn’t mean they’d found him. What the fuck was a forecastle? Fore usually meant in-front, didn’t it? He prayed he was right, and set off in the direction he’d been going.

“Suspect’s been apprehended. Repeat, suspect’s been apprehended. Weapon seized, suspect is combative and to be considered dangerous. Kang is injured, he needs to be taken to the infirmary, now.” A voice crackled over the radio.

Shit. They had him. They had him and now it was only Gi-hun that could save him.

“Copy, Baek. ETA two minutes on backup. Remain as you are.”

Gi-hun swore, looking around uselessly. He continued to follow the edge of the wall until he began to hear voices, though the crashing of the waves made it impossible to make out any words. He could hear a roaring groan of frustration he instantly recognised as In-ho’s. He reached for the gun tucked into his pants. He only had one bullet, though he was not planning to actually use it.

Gi-hun looked around the corner to an area at the very front of the ship, a rounded triangular shape where the side railings met at a point. The area was open, but littered with large mooring winches of thick greying rope that Gi-hun could use to get closer. In-ho was on the opposite side, face down on the ground with his hands behind his back, two men holding him down. In-ho was thrashing, one more overlooking the scene and another crouched over the limp body of a worker. Rage instantly coursed through Gi-hun’s body, and his teeth clenched as his fingers tightened around the gun. Blood ran hot in his veins.

Four against two. The odds weren’t too bad. Though if Gi-hun didn’t hurry up it was soon to be many against two. Gi-hun ran low and fast to the closest cover, though with the angle they were facing it didn’t take him long to get closer. He hoped the intimidation would be enough persuasion.

Gi-hun’s heart was in his throat, his chest tight with fear and anger. But this was their only shot at getting away, it was at least worth a try. He inhaled deeply, and stepped out into view, gun wielded in front of him.

“Hands up!” He yelled, voice surprisingly firm and steady. The four men whirled around to look at him, their eyes widening. One of them had a heavily bleeding nose. In-ho turned his head, his expression falling from anger to disbelief to horror.

“I said put your fucking hands up! Let him go. Now!”

The two men holding In-ho down released him, slowly standing up with their hands above their heads.

“Woah man, we’re just doing our jobs, there’s no need for this.” One of them said, the fear evident in their voice.

“Quiet. Take a few steps back.” Gi-hun gestured, and the men backed away. Gi-hun kept the gun trained on them as he bent down and blindly helped In-ho to his feet, squeezing his bicep harder than was necessary. He pulled him back to stand behind him.

“Drop that radio.” Gi-hun waved the gun at a mousey looking man, and the radio clattered to the floor. “Let us walk away and no one will get hurt.”

“There’s only so many places you can go.” Another one piped up. “We’re not the cops, we have to give you food, water, and shelter until we get to port. There’s no use running, they’re going to find you. There will be cops waiting at the port, you can’t run, so you might as well give up now–”

“Shut up! Gi-hun screamed, and the man ducked as the gun swung in his direction. “I won’t hesitate to put a bullet between your fucking eyes. You’re going to turn around, and we’re going to leave, and you’re not going to follow us.”

“Hey!” A shout made them all turn. Flashlight beams flew through the air. The others had arrived.

“Fuck! Go, Gi-hun, run!” In-ho pulled at his sleeve, and they made a break for it. Several people were shouting after them, and Gi-hun felt like his lungs were frozen with anxiety.

“Stop! Don’t! One of them has a fucking gun!” He heard one of them scream, and the thundering footsteps clattered to a halt. In-ho pulled him down the ship, their feet far too loud against the ground.

“Stop where you are!” A yell from beside them, a worker began running towards them, and Gi-hun pointed the gun in his direction. The man stumbled to a stop immediately. In-ho launched onto him, pulling him into a chokehold. Gi-hun brought the gun down over his head, and the man slumped in In-ho’s arms. In-ho laid the man down on the floor.

“Come on.” He said breathlessly, setting off towards the cargo hold once more. The alarm sounded again, this time a different tone. They sprinted into the first row of shipping containers.

“Is it safe to go back?” Gi-hun said as they stopped at the intersection, In-ho looking around wildly before gesturing for them to keep going.

“What choice do we have? I say we get there now before the search party makes its way down here. We barricade the door with the pallets so the container looks full, and we fucking stay in there until this ship docks.”

They made their way as fast as possible to the last row, a few containers from the end on the second level. In-ho climbed Gi-hun’s shoulders and wrenched open the door. He nearly tore Gi-hun’s shirt off his back trying to get him up and into the container as fast as possible, clambering into the room as In-ho shut the door behind him.

Gi-hun fumbled around for the camping light and switched it on. Sinbi was laying in the corner, looking up at them, the end of her tail flicking.

“Oh fuck. Holy shit.” Gi-hun’s breathlessness seemed to catch up with him instantly. He doubled over, propping his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He did it. He actually fucking did it. He fucking failed at everything else in his Godforsaken life but he did this. He got In-ho back.

He looked up at In-ho, who was staring at him, chest heaving and his forehead glistening in the dim light.

“Sorry.” Gi-hun panted. “I know I broke your rule, but I–”

In-ho suddenly charged at him, and for a second Gi-hun felt a tiny flash of fear, but instead of anger he was met with lips crashing against his, the force of it sending him stumbling back into the boxes behind him. In-ho kissed him hard before pulling back, both of them panting into each other’s mouth. Tears began to well up in Gi-hun’s eyes.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry In-ho. I shouldn’t have said what I said. I thought it was the last thing I’d ever say to you and I would never–”

“Shh. I know you didn’t mean it. I’m sorry too. You were right, I was treating you like you were inferior and it was wrong. I just wanted to protect you.”

“I know. I know.” Gi-hun kissed him again. “We should probably barricade the door.”

“Right.”

They filled up the two pallets in front of the doors with boxes as quickly and quietly as possible. They worked in silence to unpack two of the others so that they could move the empty pallets behind the other two to give the appearance of a full shipping container from the outside. They stacked the boxes back onto it before finally stepping back to inspect their work.

“You think that’ll work? If they open the door?”

In-ho sniffed, wiping his nose on the back of his knuckles. “I think so. Unless they’re searching containers in detail. But there are thousands just on the two base levels alone, they don’t have enough time or workers for that.”

“I hope you’re right.”

“What a mess. I’m sorry, I lost the bag. The whole fucking thing was for nothing.”

“It’s alright. We’re both ok and that’s what matters. We had some food and water inside, it should tie us over until we get to port. Hey, wait–” Gi-hun suddenly remembered the weight in his pocket, and pulled out a squashed gimbap roll, digging a bit more for the dried fruit.

He presented them to In-ho with a grimace. The man shrugged.

“Better than nothing I guess. Luckily we drank that water, otherwise we’d probably die from fucking dehydration before we got to port, and I’d rather die than drink fucking piss.”

Gi-hun winced. “Who’s piss are we drinking? Mine or yours?”

“Well, I’m definitely not drinking yours. Mine would taste better anyway.”

“It fucking would not.”

“Yeah it would.”

“Why?”

“Because I eat better than you.”

“In-ho we’ve been eating the same shit for the past month.”

“...Ok, but mine would still taste better.”

Gi-hun rolled his eyes. “Agree to disagree.”

“Fine.”

Sinbi had only drank a small portion of the water they left out for her, much to their relief. They’d be able to ration it to her over the next few days. Although they’d be able to last three more days with no water, they weren’t so sure Sinbi could. They’d have no choice but to let her go and let a worker find her and take her in. Gi-hun wrapped up the gimbap and fruit in plastic and hid them in a box out of her reach.

Gi-hun tossed In-ho the radio, and they set it close to the light on a low volume.

“Right, we should turn off the light. I don’t want to risk anyone seeing, especially at night. We only use it unless absolutely necessary.”

They turned off the light, plunging them into complete darkness once again. They awkwardly found their way into the blankets in the dark and wrapped themselves up as best they could. At least now, because of all the fuss, Gi-hun didn’t feel as cold. Though he knew that would be short lived.

They sat in silence, listening to nothing but the sound of each other’s breathing, straining to hear any noise from outside. Footsteps crossed once, accompanied by the faint glow of a flashlight through the crack in the door. It made them hold their breaths, but it passed quickly without stopping, and no one else came. They listened to the workers clear each section of the ship until they confirmed there was no sign of anyone. They did however, find the empty bottles and gimbap crumbs in the kitchen. They knew it wouldn’t be over so easy, but at least for now they could relax, even if just a bit.

“I don’t, by the way.” In-ho said quietly, his breath close to Gi-hun’s ear.

“What?”

“Think you’re my ‘dog’. I know why you would think that. And I don’t blame you at all. But please. Please know I don’t see you like that.”

A pang of guilt in Gi-hun’s chest made him grimace. “I know, In-ho.”

“And I was telling the truth earlier. I never saw you as less than me.”

“In-ho, I don’t care if you did before, honestly. I know you don’t think like that anymore.”

“No really. I know it may seem like I’m lying but I’m not. I never saw you or any of the players as less than me. I genuinely believed I was giving them, and you, an opportunity. I genuinely convinced myself of the lies they told me but I never lost myself to the point of seeing the players as inferior.”

Gi-hun frowned, turning his face to look at In-ho’s, though he couldn’t see it in the dark. “But… you called the other players… trash. The day you revealed your identity to me. You called their deaths ‘no real loss’.”

In-ho inhaled deeply, and exhaled. “You have to understand that my goal was to get under your skin. I was confused of my feelings for you. It went against everything for me to keep you there so I decided early on that I wanted to… to brainwash you. To have you be the Frontman with me. That way I wouldn’t lose you and I wouldn’t lose everything I had come to know. You have to understand that I was terrified. Overseeing the Games had become my life, it had saved me from my lowest point and fed my hatred for humanity at the time. And then suddenly you were there with me. Someone who had showed so much love, and trust, and humanity. Showed me things I hadn’t felt in a long time. I knew how the players felt, how they lived. The one thing they could never truly convince me to stop believing in, was the players. In the beginning I wanted to squash that love and trust out of you, just like the world did to me. But instead you showed me that maybe, just maybe, I could find it in myself again.”

Gi-hun said nothing, taking in his words. He couldn’t help but feel anger. What happened to In-ho was horrific, but could he himself ever hit a place so low he would do what In-ho had done?

“I know I’m weak.” In-ho continued. “And I know I can justify my actions all I fucking want. But I…” He trailed off, and Gi-hun blinked into the darkness.”I don’t know. You brought me out of a very, very dark place, and I finally had a reason to change. I know you might not believe that I don’t see you that way anymore because of how our dynamic began but– I… I just don’t know how to show you.”

“You’re not weak. I don’t think I can ever fully understand why you did what you did, In-ho. But your loss is a pain I haven’t felt, and maybe I can be too trusting in people. But I never truly had a reason to hate humanity like you did. Everybody turned against you when you needed it most. I believe you have changed, In-ho. You don’t need to ‘show me’ that you've changed. I can see it, because I trust you. And I trust you, because I love you.”

He felt In-ho’s face nuzzle closer into his neck, and the man sighed. “I wish I met you earlier. Before I had the chance to destroy everything. And now I can never take it back, even in death.”

“You have me now. All we can do is look forward.”

Notes:

I'm sorry this one took so long to come out. I hope it makes sense because I wrote it in a lot of different places at a lot of different times. Thank you so much for your patience and continued support.

Chapter 23: Intan

Summary:

In-ho and Gi-hun escape the ship and find themselves in Malaysia, so far from where they want to be so desperately.

Neither Gi-hun nor In-ho spoke for the majority of the final three days on the ship. The workers were on high alert considering they had both managed to get away and remain hidden in a limited space in the middle of the ocean where there was quite literally nowhere else for them to go. Luckily, they still had the radio to let them know of a large amount of the worker’s movements.

The first morning after the incident, they had all workers searching the first two levels of shipping containers for stowaways, opening every single one and searching inside. Gi-hun and In-ho knew they were doing this, and prepared accordingly by pushing every pallet that was in there with them up to the door. It took fucking forever to unload the pallets, move everything quietly and then repack them, but they did it. And their container was right at the back of the ship, so they had some time before theirs would likely be searched.

They came in the early afternoon of the first day, and In-ho awoke to Gi-hun shaking him wildly, a hand clasped over his mouth so he wouldn’t startle.

“They’re coming. I can hear them.”

In-ho’s heart skipped a beat until he remembered where he was and what they were waiting for. Gi-hun turned down the volume of the radio all the way and shut off the camping light. Sinbi was snoozing in a nest of blankets by In-ho’s side, and he didn’t dare disturb her lest she start making noise again.

In-ho strained to listen, and heard the distant muffled conversation of what sounded like two men a few containers down, followed by the telltale metallic screeching of the doors opening. They listened in silence for several minutes as the sounds got closer and closer. The floor shook under them as the container below them was opened.

The doors were being opened and closed quite fast. Too fast for the men to be actually searching them properly. In-ho prayed they were growing complacent considering the amount of time it had taken them to search the ship.

“Yep, clear.” The man said in between sentences of their conversation, slamming the door and making Gi-hun jump. His hand squeezed In-ho’s arm in the dark, and In-ho’s hand snaked up until he felt Gi-hun’s hand and placed his own over it.

Sinbi awoke with a soft growl, and In-ho threw the blanket gently over her, scratching her head gently so that she’d calm.

Metallic clanking of a ladder against the door made them both hold their breaths, In-ho’s heart pounding. A loud series of short bangs made them both jump, and the container door opened. Light spilled in causing In-ho to squint, and the hand around his bicep tightened almost painfully. He could hear Gi-hun give a shaky breath. A flashlight shined over the top of the pallets.

“This one looks full too.”

“Are you sure? Did you even fucking look?”

The light from the flashlight bounced off the roof as the man grunted, shifting on the ladder. “Man I can’t fucking see, yeah it looks full. I’m gonna pull a muscle in my shoulder if I have to keep stretching like this. This is such bullshit, we should just wait until we dock and the cops can deal with it. I didn’t sign up for this. Guy’s gonna blast my head off if we actually find him.”

The voice dropped lower as the man descended the ladder and the door slammed. In-ho heard a small gasp of shock beside him, and they both held their breaths until the door was finally locked again from the outside. Neither of them spoke until long after the voices had gone, still trying to stop their hands trembling. They weren’t bothered again, though there were now a lot more people on patrol passing by through their row. With the amount of staff they had versus the amount of work to be done, search parties weren’t exactly a viable resource to create.

They had tried their best to ration the single gimbap and the handful of dried fruit over the three days, but a portion had to be saved for Sinbi as well as them. It wasn’t fair to the cat to starve her, and she put them at risk of being caught when she’d complain she was hungry. Now more than ever they had to be quiet, not even risking getting up besides to use the bathroom, and they did not even exercise the thought of leaving the container again. They only had a tiny bit of water left and they saved it for Sinbi. Luckily both of them had chugged that bottle of water in the ship’s kitchen, otherwise both of them would probably be dying of dehydration by the time the ship docked. Three to four full days without water was still pushing it, but they’d survive unlike Sinbi, so they opted to keep it for her.

Dawn was fast approaching on the final day, and In-ho had no idea what time the ship was set to dock in Malaysia.

He also had no idea how the fuck they were supposed to get off this ship. They were both weak and tired, and Gi-hun had been complaining of a headache and dizziness for the past night. He was asleep now, as he had been for a lot of the time since they were last nearly caught by the workers, leaving In-ho in silence once more. His stomach was cramping in hunger and his mouth and throat felt like it was full of cotton.

He hadn’t stopped thinking about the argument they had that night. Where Gi-hun had accused In-ho of thinking he was his dog. What he told Gi-hun was true, he never thought of him that way. But a part of him couldn’t help but think that maybe a part of Gi-hun’s accusations were true. Not in the sense that he thought of Gi-hun as lesser, but how he thought he had this responsibility over Gi-hun he couldn’t get rid of. Gi-hun was more than capable. After all, it was Gi-hun that got them both back to the container after In-ho got caught, but he couldn’t help but feel like it was his job to protect Gi-hun. To get him to safety. In-ho was the strong one, the rational one, the one that always knew what to do.

Maybe it was guilt for everything he put Gi-hun through. Maybe it was a type of penance he was inflicting on himself. But the pressure of getting them both off this ship was crushing him, dread filling every corner of his body and every waking thought. And now the time was ticking ever closer to the ships docking and In-ho still had no idea what to do.

He looked down at Gi-hun, face lit up dimly by the glow of the camping light. It made him look pale. His neck was bent at a strange angle, his lips parted and breathing slowly. In-ho’s hand gently and quietly came up to stroke his hair, and Gi-hun shifted tiredly, sighing deeply. His face was pale and gaunt, the skin around his eyes shadowy and his lips chapped and scabby.

But he looked so peaceful.

But in a few hours he could be ripped from him, taken back to Korea never to see each other again. The Manager would find him and kill him. Maybe this would be the last time Gi-hun ever looked peaceful.

The weight crushing him became heavier and heavier until the tears welled in In-ho’s eyes, his bottom lip quivering as he let out a shaky exhale. He stroked Gi-hun’s hair, closing his eyes and revelling in the feel of the strands under his fingers, wiry and knotted from weeks of being trapped without being able to wash it. He tried desperately to stop his body shaking as his throat closed up, trying not to wake him as the tears flowed freely. In-ho clasped a hand over his mouth, trying to steady his breathing through his nose. He calmed himself, trying to shake some sense back into his mind.

Their time was drawing to a close. And In-ho had to get them both out of here safely or accept that this was the end.

**

“Gi-hun. Gi-hun wake up.” In-ho shook the sleeping man awake several hours later around the mid afternoon. Gi-hun startled awake, looking around groggily before pressing the heel of his palm to his forehead.

“We’re here.” In-ho said darkly.

“How do you know?” He croaked, rubbing his eyes.

In-ho didn’t tell him about the huge banging noises and shaking created by ship docking at the port, concerned at the fact it did not even slightly stir Gi-hun from his sleep.

“The radio. Come on, we should get ready.”

In-ho tightened the knots in the small sack he had fashioned out of a blanket, where he was going to put Sinbi. She wouldn’t be happy being trapped in there, but she’d be safe and warm at least. They had already given her the last of the water and gimbap, so she’d be content enough for the journey. At least the cat had given them something else to focus on, rather than the imminent threats of capture and death that faced them constantly.

They sat around the radio, the small blinking box in the corner indicating the battery was on its last legs. After a while a worker confirmed the ship was docked and the bridge in place.

“Won-shik, are you in position?” A man’s deep voice crackled through the radio.

“Yes sir.”

“Alright, clear to evacuate. Everybody is to leave immediately. Don’t loiter. Won-shik make sure you’re keeping tabs on the ID of everyone leaving. Remember these people are armed and to be considered dangerous. The police are in position at the dock.”

“Copy, sir.”

“Shit, this is going to be impossible.” Gi-hun wiped a hand over his face. “How do we know they aren’t going to storm the ship once the workers are off? They could have an army waiting for us down there.”

“What matters right now is that for at least a short period of time, there’s going to be nobody on this ship.”

“Yeah, but the only exit is guarded.”

“I know, Gi-hun. Let’s focus on getting the fuck out of this box. We cannot get stuck in here, they will find us.”

The radio crackled to life again. “Beginning evacuation sir.”

“Copy.”

In-ho clipped the radio to Gi-hun’s belt and positioned the blanket over his own shoulder.

“Come on Sinbi. Sorry girl.” Gi-hun muttered as he picked up the sleepy cat and placed her gently into the sack before tying it up. She didn’t seem to protest, at least for now. They had removed all the boxes they needed to get out this morning in preparation to leave, and Gi-hun worked on quietly opening the door just as they had many times before.

The air was hot and muggy, not at all refreshing like In-ho had hoped but at least it wasn't the same air they’d been breathing for two weeks, even if there was still a hint of diesel in the air. They hurried through the rows of containers, avoiding any main strips or areas out in the open.

“Evacuation is complete. Everyone on list- H- Marked- S-” The radio crackled.

“What did he say?” In-ho whispered. Gi-hun unclipped the radio and turned up the volume. They crouched down and held it close to their face.

“Copy- Won- The- S- Are- C-” The radio stuttered.

Gi-hun smacked it against his palm. “Fucking hell, I think it’s running out of battery. He gave it one final smack and static came through once more.

“-on board now. Stand-by.”

Gi-hun and In-ho looked at each other, realisation dawning on their faces. In-ho snatched the radio and tossed it aside, and took Gi-hun’s hand in his. They ran to the closest end of the row they could take cover, overlooking the side of the ship closest to the dock. They couldn’t see very far, but it was better than nothing.

He felt a hand hurriedly tapping his shoulder. “In-ho, look!” He hissed.

In-ho turned to where Gi-hun was pointing in time to see multiple police officers armed with rifles storming the ship. In-ho felt his blood run cold.

“Shit. Shit.” He didn’t know what to do. They had nowhere to hide. There were far too many of them, and there were more waiting on the port.

Gi-hun suddenly grabbed his hand and dragged him back the way they came. “Gi-hun, what are you doing? Gi-hun!”

Gi-hun didn’t answer, too busy trying to hurry back towards the opposite side, checking each row before crossing. The ship bobbed on the water and made In-ho ill. They got to the final row once more. “Gi-hun, we can’t go back. They’ll search these containers eventually before they move them out!”

“We’re not going back!”

“What?”

Gi-hun looked around wildly before crossing over to the side barrier, bracing himself on the rails looking over into the water. Realisation suddenly crashed over In-ho, and it was like the world zoomed out around him as the water seemed miles below them. He instantly began shaking his head in protest.

“No, Gi-hun. No fucking way.”

“What? We’ve done it before, haven’t we?” Gi-hun looked around nervously. Any second cops were going to come around the corner.

“Last time we did I nearly lost you, Gi-hun!” In-ho pleaded, stepping backward until his back hit a container. His heart was beating out of his chest, his lungs beginning to heave for air. The metal was freezing against his back, bleeding through his clothes.

“Last time I got shot, and we both still made it. I’m fine, In-ho. We can do it!”

In-ho shook his head, feeling the colour drain from his face. His stomach churned. Water that wasn’t even there began filling his nose and throat, stinging his eyes, clawing for Gi-hun’s limp body in the freezing, unforgiving waves. He couldn’t breathe, there was water in his lungs. He wanted Gi-hun to stop talking. He didn’t want to do it. He couldn’t do it. But they were coming.

“No, Gi-hun, please–”

“Will the documents get wet?”

“What?”

“Will our passports and documents get ruined by the water?”

“N-no, they're in a watertight sleeve.”

“So let’s go! Come on, they’re going to find us!” Gi-hun pulled desperately at In-ho’s arm, but he wrenched his arm out of his grip, slamming it against the metal.

The noise in In-ho’s ears were melding together into a muffled, ringing mess, the edges of his vision blurring. He could hear his heartbeat in his ears, yellow paint gathering under his nails as he gripped the container behind him. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t. His feet were stuck to the floor, suddenly feeling as though he’d fall over the edge if he stopped leaning against the wall.

“In-ho.”

Suddenly Gi-hun’s face was in front of his.

“In-ho, In-ho look at me.”

In-ho pulled himself back into his body just enough to look up at the man. Gi-hun slowly pried one of In-ho’s hands away and gripped his hand tightly.

“It’s going to be ok. I’ve got you. Don’t let go, ok?”

In-ho felt his head shaking in protest, barely aware of what Gi-hun had even said. He couldn’t move.

“In-ho, I’ve got you. We have to go.”

In-ho swallowed and nodded. They didn’t have much of a choice. He carefully dropped Sinbi from his shoulder and opened it, placing it on the ground.

“Go on, Sinbi. You can’t come with us. Get off this ship, someone will look after you.” In-ho scratched her behind the ears, and Gi-hun grabbed his hand again, tugging him up. He led him over to the edge.

They were so high up. The waves crashed against the hull below and the image blurred in In-ho’s mind, standing on that cliff on that godforsaken island.

“In-ho, we have to go, ok? In-ho!” Gi-hun said in his ear.

In-ho’s chest was hurting. He was so scared. He felt his head nod.

And then they were falling.

And falling.

And falling.

In-ho’s stomach dropped and his lungs froze in fear. They smashed into the water below, enveloping them in the all-encompassing, churning waves.

His limbs scrambled, disoriented and confused. He felt his head break the surface and sucked in a huge breath, tearing at his throat.

“Gi- Gi-hun! Gi-hun!” He screamed, water filling his mouth and causing him to cough and splutter. He flailed, confused and half blind and terrified. So cold. “Gi-hun!”

“Here! I’m here!”

In-ho turned towards the voice and flung himself over to him, mashing the water uselessly. Gi-hun collided with him hard, and they gripped each other like they’d lose one another forever if they let go even for a second.

“S-Sinbi!” Gi-hun shivered.

“What?”

“Sinbi!” the man pointed, and In-ho looked to see a small black mass in the water, trying its best to come towards them in the brutal waves.

“Holy fuck! Sinbi you’re fucking insane, cat!” He reached out and grabbed her roughly by the scruff of the neck. She scrambled onto him like he was a rock, her nails digging into his neck and shoulders as she lay flat and terrified on top of him.

“We’ll go against the wall, we can’t swim out in the open or they’ll see us!” In-ho grunted. And so they started making their way around the ship towards the wall of the port, staying as close as possible towards any large object to avoid being seen. The water was cold, but it wasn’t as cold as it was when they had saved Jun-ho, and that he was highly grateful for. And also for the fact Gi-hun wasn’t currently bleeding out, and was able to swim by himself. That he was definitely grateful for. He did however, have a crazed, soaking wet cat clinging to the back of his neck.

“Look! Under the dock!” Gi-hun pointed to the space under the tall port, a maze of wooden beams and barnacle covered concrete. In-ho nodded and began pulling him towards it, feeling like they were putting twice the effort into getting half the distance. There was a ledge of concrete at the very back, dark and wet but good enough to hide. In-ho clenched his teeth with a frustrated groan as he pushed Gi-hun up onto it before Gi-hun pulled him up. They were both tired and their muscles weak, and In-ho swore as his shin hit an oyster and sliced open, tearing into the fabric of his pants, blood spreading through the water in the cracks of the concrete.

“We did it. Fuck.” Gi-hun panted. In-ho pulled him behind a wooden beam where they could sit against the wall, out of sight from anyone who would come past on the outside of the dock. Sinbi was still clinging to him, and In-ho pulled her off, wincing as her claws dug into his skin and left small bleeding pinpricks all over his neck and shoulders.

“This cat is fucking crazy.” In-ho said as she jumped off him, looking extremely uncomfortable with ears flat.

“What is with her?” Gi-hun asked, looking down at the animal.

“I have no idea. But what matters is that we’re fucking out of that place. We actually did it.”

“Well, we’re not out of the woods yet, we’re still in Malaysia.”

“I’m just trying to be optimistic, here.”

Gi-hun looked at him with raised eyebrows. “That’s a change.”

In-ho gave him a look, ignoring the comment and continuing. “We should wait here until the search calms down, maybe a day or two. They don’t know who we are, they just know we’re average stowaways, so I don’t imagine they’ll waste resources. Then we’ll have to swim out to shore and find somewhere safe.”

Gi-hun agreed, sitting back against the wall. His arms were held tight against him and he was shivering. “I’ll be honest, I was glad to finally get into the water.” Gi-hun commented. “I was starting to itch.”

“I know. My hair was driving me crazy.”

Gi-hun laughed, and winced.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just feel like shit. My head’s pounding.”

“I know, me too. We need to find water soon. We’re dehydrated.”

Gi-hun tore a strip off the bottom of his T-shirt.

“What’s that for?”

Gi-hun gestured towards his leg, and In-ho pressed his lips together, bringing his foot over to him so Gi-hun could push up the sodden fabric wrap his shin. He had forgotten about the wound, but now it began to ache and throb.

“You didn’t have to do that.” He inspected the tightly wrapped fabric, blood beginning to seep through.

Sinbi had curled in In-ho’s lap for warmth, though there wasn’t much In-ho could do to keep her warm and dry. He laced he and Gi-hun’s fingers together, and they waited.

The sun dipped lower in the sky, though they couldn’t see it on this side of the coast. The sky began to grow darker and darker until night claimed it. They held each other as boats rumbled past, flashing bright lights over in their direction and everywhere else. Multiple boats came over several hours, until eventually, they just stopped.

The water lapped quietly against the concrete, the moonlight shining in lines across the dark water. Gi-hun had drifted off to sleep again. In-ho hadn’t slept in a long time, he felt like shit, but he feared Gi-hun was doing worse than he was. He looked sick, pale and gaunt. They needed to get somewhere safe, with food, water, and shelter.

After a while, when In-ho knew there were no more boats coming, he awoke Gi-hun once more. “We should go tonight, whilst it’s dark.”

Gi-hun nodded tiredly, and In-ho helped him to his feet. He put Sinbi on Gi-hun’s neck this time, and jumped into the water. He helped Gi-hun lower himself into the depths, clinging onto him hard. He led them against the wall for what seemed like miles, until they finally reached a set of old stairs that descended into the water.

“In-ho… I don’t feel well.”

“Shhh, we’re nearly there.” In-ho comforted, pulling Gi-hun with all his remaining strength towards the stairs.

“Nearly where? We have nowhere to go.”

He dragged Gi-hun up to the top, their clothes heavy with water that made it feel like their limbs were made of lead. Nausea curled in In-ho’s stomach with the exertion, more than he had done in weeks, and with no remaining energy. Sinbi jumped from Gi-hun’s shoulders and ran up the stairs and out of sight.

They both collapsed at the top of the stairs, and In-ho felt bile rise in his throat. He choked out a small amount of sea water and acid, his stomach contracting painfully as he coughed and spat onto the ground. He felt so weak.

“In-ho… In-ho are you ok?” He felt a hand on his back. Gi-hun was lying on his stomach next to him, his lips blue from the cold, salty water.

“I’m… I’m fine. We can’t stay out here.”

Gi-hun nodded tiredly, and groaned as he forced himself into standing. He swayed on the spot, steadying himself on the railing.

“Do you still have the documents?” Gi-hun croaked.

In-ho nodded. They were still tucked tightly into his jeans where he’d been keeping them since they were given to him. Gi-hun took the gun he had zipped up in his jacket pocket, hitting the water out of it.

“Where’s Sinbi?” In-ho looked around, but it was far too dark to see anything but lights in the distance of nearby factories.

“I don’t know, maybe she ran off, I don’t blame her.”

In-ho said nothing. But it wasn’t like her to do that. She followed them off the edge of a cargo ship for fuck’s sake.

“Where are we?”

“I have no fucking idea.”

“Have you ever been to Malaysia?”

“No. Have you?”

“No.”

They looked around. It was pitch black, barely any wind and no noise except the sound of cicadas and distant waves. At least no one was around. Fuck, In-ho felt really sick. They dragged themselves down a dirt road towards the lights of what they assumed was a village, but it was still a ways away. In-ho’s feet felt heavy, hardly able to lift them as he took each step. His mind and body screamed at him to stop but he kept going, his head pounding. He licked his lips and tasted blood, dry and cracked from the seawater.

Something was wrong.

He felt strange. He felt sick. His head was swimming with dizziness and the edges of his vision blurring. He swayed and Gi-hun looked over at him, his tired face instantly lighting up with concern.

“In-ho, are you alright?”

In-ho stopped walking, eyelids heavy. His ears were ringing. Fuck, he was actually about to pass out. No, no, no, no, no–

“No… Gi-hun…” Was all that he could force out of his mouth before he swayed again, his body toppling to the side as his legs gave out from underneath him. He felt Gi-hun grab him.

“In-ho!” was the last thing he heard as everything faded to black.

**

When In-ho came to, the room was bright, the sound of traffic and people outside the window. In-ho squinted, the light going straight through his sore head as he looked around in confusion. He was lying on a mattress on the floor in a small bedroom packed with stuff everywhere.

He was confused, and scared, and Gi-hun was gone. “Gi-hun?” He croaked, voice hoarse and sore.

“In-ho! In-ho, oh, you’re ok!” He looked to the side to see Gi-hun hurrying towards him from where he must’ve been seated on a small chair. He picked up a cup beside him and crouched beside the mattress. Relief flooded him. He was ok.

“How do you feel?”

In-ho groaned, covering his eyes with a cool hand. “Like shit.”

“You need to drink, here, here, please.” He pushed a cup of water towards him. In-ho felt capable of giving it to himself, but he let Gi-hun help anyway. He drank greedily, the water soothing his dry mouth and throat.

“I’ll get you more soon, you should have a bit at a time. Here, I brought you some bread, it’s plain.”

He took the bread, shoving a piece in his mouth, still starving despite the nausea. “Where are we? How did you get me here?”

“A lady found us.”

“A lady? In the middle of the night?”

“She was out walking in the village and she said a cat came up to her, and wouldn’t leave her until she followed it.”

“A cat? Sinbi?”

“I don’t know, she said it was black but she said it ran off, and then she saw me trying to drag you down the road.”

“It must have been Sinbi, who else would it be?”

“I don’t know, does it matter? Anyways, I don’t speak Malay and she doesn’t speak Korean, but she went and got her bike and helped me bring you here, and she gave us food and water.”

“How did she tell you about the cat if you can’t understand her?”

“There were a lot of hand gestures and noises involved, but I understood her eventually.”

In-ho hummed. “Where is she?”

“She’s in the kitchen, I think she’s cooking us something to eat. Her name’s Intan, I believe. I’ll go and tell her you’re awake.”

Gi-hun left the room for a few seconds and returned with a tiny elderly woman who looked to be in about her early 70s. She was even smaller than his mother, and his mother was quite a small woman.

“This is the lady that helped me onto a motorbike?”

She pressed her palms together when she saw him with a smile, saying something neither of them could understand. She left the room once again and they could hear noise coming from the kitchen.

“Yeah. Well, I helped of course but she kept slapping my hand. I had to walk behind the bike back here, I nearly collapsed like you did.”

“Where are we?”

“We’re in a village in a place called Balok I think, I saw it on a few of the markets and shops walking here.”

In-ho looked down and realised the clothes he was wearing were not his own, but some linen shirt and pants that seemed to belong to a man slightly bigger than he was. “Where are my clothes?”

“They’re being washed with mine. They were soaking wet and dirty, and she fixed up your leg too. Put some weird stuff on it and wrapped it for you.”

In-ho realised his boxers were also dry, and felt a bit strange. “Who… took off my clothes?”

“Don’t worry, it was only me. I put the new ones on too.”

In-ho nodded, and Intan returned with two steaming bowls, passing one to Gi-hun before hurrying over to In-ho. She gestured for him to sit up, and she propped a pillow behind his back. She passed him a bowl of what looked like broth mixed with porridge, with chicken, vegetables, and an egg. He bowed to her in thanks, and she passed him a spoon and gestured for him to eat. In-ho’s mouth watered and he realised how truly hungry he was.

She left again, and he took a generous bite. It was warm and comforting and smooth, with an obviously very generous portion of ginger. She returned with a large glass of water, placing it on the floor beside him. She pointed at the base of the glass and made a drinking motion, and In-ho nodded and bowed again. Gi-hun bowed twice as she left the room for the last time.

“She’s very nice. Damn, this is good.” Gi-hun pointed at the bowl. “Lucky I like ginger.”

In-ho felt considerably better after the meal, his first hot one in weeks, and drank the entire glass of water like she asked. His stomach actually felt full, and it almost instantly made him tired. He looked over at Gi-hun, who looked a lot less pale, the dark circles under his eyes gone. He still looked quite skinny, like he had when In-ho first saw him a few months ago.

“How are you feeling?” In-ho asked him, placing the scraped-clean bowl beside the empty glass.

“I’m ok. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if Intan didn’t come. I was too weak to carry you, and we would’ve been screwed if I collapsed too.”

“She hasn’t told the police, has she?”

“No, no I don’t think she has any idea why we were out there in the first place.”

“We were dripping wet! Next to a port! I’m sure we aren’t the first starving people to stumble through the dark from that direction.”

Gi-hun shrugged, and took their plates to the kitchen. Intan returned with two thick blankets and a pillow, throwing one over In-ho.

“Oh, thank you, ma’am, but it really is very hot here.”

She fussed the blanket over him, obviously not understanding. He let her. The other blanket she folded on the floor, placing the pillow on top.

“She wanted me to rest in the other room, but I refused, I was too worried about leaving you here by yourself.”

“Gi-hun, you should’ve rested.”

“I’ve been sleeping for two weeks, I’m fine. It was a hot meal I needed. I’m fine now.”

The lady spoke to them again, gesturing for Gi-hun to lay down and for both of them to sleep.

In-ho caught her wrist as she was leaving, and she turned to him. He put his hand to his ear as to indicate a phone, then he pointed to her, and then shook his head.

“Please. Don’t call anyone.”

Intan blinked at him, and nodded. He pulled at her wrist again when she tried to leave. He looked at her sternly, pleadingly. He shook his head gently.

“Please.”

She studied him for a second, eyes narrowing, before she put a finger and a thumb to her lips and made a zipping motion across her mouth. In-ho nodded and bowed, and she left once more. Gi-hun laid down on his makeshift bed, shifting the pillow underneath him.

“Finally can put my head on a fucking pillow, don’t have to prop my head against a metal wall anymore. I don’t think my neck will ever be the same.”

In-ho chuckled, guilt crossing his features. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For putting you through that. That it didn’t go to plan.”

Gi-hun turned to face him properly, a stern look on his face. “That was not your fault. And the plan is still going, just in a bit of a different way than we thought.”

In-ho didn’t look convinced, making a pained expression.

Gi-hun shuffled closer and reached over, stroking a thumb over Gi-hun’s cheek. “Hey, we will get there, ok? We’ll get to Switzerland, and we’ll have a nice house on a beautiful mountain and we’ll have sheep and goats and it will be just us two for the rest of our lives.” He offered a warm smile, and In-ho couldn’t help but return it.

Gi-hun leaned over and pressed their lips together, and In-ho breathed him in, pulling him closer with a soft hand on his cheek. They parted and rested their foreheads together gently.

“Get some sleep, ok? We’re safe here.” Gi-hun whispered, and In-ho nodded.

He pulled his hand back so that Gi-hun could lie back, longing for his touch again. They had slept on top of each other for the past two weeks, and now sleeping separately felt strange.
Even if there was only a foot between them.

In-ho thought about Sinbi. How it must’ve been her that brought the old lady to them. He had no idea what was up with that strange cat, but he found himself feeling empty without her. Maybe it was the fact he was their only comfort in that shipping container but he couldn’t help but feel like there was something else. And why had she run off now? After all that?

He listened to the occasional passing car or motorbike outside, the birds and the muffled voices. The gentle sound of the TV in the next room. In-ho’s body was weak and tired, and he could only fight off sleep for so long until it finally claimed him.

**

They stayed with Intan for another three days until they felt well enough to get up without feeling dizzy and sick. She would have let them stay as long as they wanted, it was clear she lived alone and just wanted someone to look after, but they didn’t want to take advantage of her hospitality. In-ho seemed to be worse off than Gi-hun, run down from the lack of sleep and water and food and all the stress they’d been through for the past several weeks. The first hot shower was heaven, and finally being able to put on fresh clothes after Intan kindly washed them for them was even better.

It was difficult communicating with someone who knew zero Korean, and themselves in turn knowing zero Malay, but at least it avoided any probing questions about what they were doing and why they came here. On the third night, In-ho found an atlas on the bookshelf in the living room, and flicked through until it showed the region of Malaysia they were currently in. He laid it out on the kitchen table and pointed to his best guess of where the house was, and pointed to himself and Intan. She moved his finger an inch to the left.

“What are you doing?” Gi-hun looked down at where In-ho’s finger was pressed against the glossy paper. “Does she know where the airport is?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out. How do I say I want to know where the cargo planes are?”

Gi-hun shrugged. He pointed to where the port was on the map, and then stretched his arms out to imitate a plane. Intan blinked at him. “Do you know where the airport is? Planes?” He made an airplane noise that sounded more like a cat falling off a cliff, and In-ho slapped his arm down.

“She’s not stupid.”

“I know that.” Gi-hun said angrily. “But how else are we supposed to ask?”

In-ho made a pen and paper gesture in the air, and she went over to her cupboard, passing him a small notebook and pen. He flicked it open and drew a very poor drawing of a plane, and what looked like a rectangle with lines through it next to it.

“Is that a prison cell?” Gi-hun cocked his head at the drawing.

“It’s supposed to be a shipping container.”

“She’s going to think we’re going to jail.”

“Well why don’t you try then?” In-ho thrusted the pen at Gi-hun and he took it with a raised eyebrow.

Gi-hun thought for a few seconds before drawing a few cubes, that with a few details became clear were cardboard boxes, and an envelope next to them. He drew an arrow leading to the plane. Intan studied it.

“Ahh, pesawat kargo.”

In-ho and Gi-hun looked at each other. She pointed to the port and did an airplane motion with her arms.

“Yes, yes, uh- that.”

Intan nodded, and looked at the map, she flicked to the page before showing the whole country, and pointed to a spot on the opposite side.

In-ho and Gi-hun stared down at it. In-ho felt his stomach clench. “Kuala Lumpur?”

Intant nodded.

“Is there not one… closer?” He pointed to where they were.

She shook her head, pointing to a few other spots on the map that were all further away than the first one. In-ho wiped a hand over his face. “But that’s on the west coast. We’re on the east coast.”

She flicked ahead several pages until she found a map of Kuala Lumpur. She tapped on the coastline south of the city, where there was a small plane symbol.

Gi-hun pointed to himself and In-ho, and pointed down at the airport on the map. “How do we get there?”

Intan flicked back to the country map, dragging a finger from where they were down the main highway leading to the northern end of Kuala Lumpur.

“Well I suppose that’s pretty straight forward. It’s basically one road.”

“That’s all well and good except for the fact we don’t have a car.”

Gi-hun looked back up at Intan, making a steering wheel gesture and pointing at his watch. “How long?”

Intan made a thoughtful noise before holding up three fingers. “Tiga.”

“Three?”

She made a gesture and a face of give or take three maybe and Gi-hun and In-ho made eye contact.

“Could be worse.” Gi-hun shrugged.

In-ho sighed. Nothing was ever easy was it? He supposed Gi-hun was right. It could be worse.

“How long does it take to walk a three hour drive?”

“I don’t know. We don’t know what the terrain is like. I would say a few days.”

In-ho pointed to the map before Kuala Lumpur, where the smooth green became a lot rougher-looking. “Look, there’s a fucking mountain range we have to cross through. We’ll need food and water, luckily it’s not too cold at night, we might be able to get by just sleeping on the street somewhere.”

Gi-hun made an expression of disapproval. “Have you seen the amount of bugs there are here? Not to mention snakes and huge spiders and all that shit. Mosquitos.”

“It’ll be fine. We’ve dealt with worse than bugs.”

Intan scrambled off into her bedroom, sounding like she was rummaging through something. She returned with an old, worn-looking backpack with one strap barely hanging on. She held up her hand to tell them to stay, and left the house. In-ho and Gi-hun looked at each other.

In-ho sucked in a breath, memorising the roads leading down to the airport. “Worst comes to worst, we can walk for a few days. Walk for fourteen hours rest for ten. Try and catch a ride on the way. We can borrow some Malaysian money from Intan in exchange for some won, get something to eat, maybe even a place to stay. I have a feeling Intan’s gone off to get some things for us to take.”

Gi-hun looked worried, and it reflected exactly how In-ho was feeling. But he was confident they could do this, no problem. What was a few miles compared to what they’d already been through?

In-ho exhaled and fixed Gi-hun’s hair. “What are you thinking about?”

“I’m just… What if the Manager knows we’re here? What if the police report back to the Korean police about the stowaways on the ship, and the Manager suspects it’s us?”

“Well, then maybe it’s a good thing we didn’t go straight to Europe. But honestly, I don’t even think they’ll report it, and if they do it’ll likely be swept under there rug or shoved in the file cabinet with all the other reports anyway. Don’t worry about it, Gi-hun, we’ll be alright.”

Gi-hun looked down at their feet, taking In-ho’s hand and playing with his fingers. “I just want this to be over. I want us to be safe.”

In-ho flipped the hand Gi-hun was fidgeting with and intertwined their fingers. “I do too. We’re getting closer everyday.”

“What are we going to do once we get to the airport? How are we going to get on a cargo plane without anyone seeing?”

“We did it with a ship, didn’t we? Hopefully we can find a flight timetable just like we did at Incheon port, and try and get as close as possible as we can to Switzerland. We’re out of Korea, we’re dead there, and we have Swiss documentation. The hard part’s over, if we get deported there, it will be to Switzerland, not South Korea, ok? We just have to be patient, we’ve got the rest of our lives to be in Switzerland. Are you feeling alright? Are you up for the journey?”

Gi-hun nodded, still staring at their feet. In-ho scooped his face in his hands, tilting his head up and kissing him deeply. Gi-hun made a noise of surprise at their first kiss since they were on the ship and leaned into him hard, inhaling deeply. They broke apart, staring at each other in silence for a few seconds. Gi-hun’s dark eyes switched between his, communicating all the longing and pain that matched In-ho’s. Gi-hun reconnected their lips, pushing In-ho’s neck back with the sudden force. He felt his tongue tease his bottom lip, and In-ho parted them to allow it past. In-ho caressed the back of Gi-hun’s neck, pulling them bruisingly close. Their tongues slotted together perfectly, and In-ho felt that familiar pull at his belly that never subsided from when he first kissed Gi-hun as Young-il. He doubted that feeling would ever go away.

They broke apart reluctantly, and In-ho couldn’t help but feel irritated. “I can’t wait to be with you properly. Actually alone. We can be as loud as we want. For as long as we want.” In-ho panted against Gi-hun’s lips.

Gi-hun snickered. “Well, we still have that bet, remember?”

In-ho smirked and slid his hand from Gi-hun’s neck, swiping a thumb over his kiss-swollen lips. “Oh I haven’t forgotten.” He growled, feeling amused satisfaction at the obvious effect it had on him.

Gi-hun pulled away, focussing his attention back on the map. “Calm yourself down. Intan normally doesn’t take long when she goes to the market.”

In-ho awkwardly shifted his pants, the tightness growing. Gi-hun laughed, his adorable smile just making his situation worse. He wanted nothing more than to bend Gi-hun over this table right now, but he forced himself to look away lest he wanted to make the situation more difficult to calm down from.

Just as Gi-hun said, Intan returned shortly after, the backpack now considerably heavier. She unzipped it and pointed inside, revealing several bottles of water and some various packaged foods, only some of which In-ho could identify. Some snacks, and what looked to be dried meat and fish that would last them at least two or three days. They wouldn’t ration this time, not after the consequences it reaped last time, and now they weren’t going to just be sedentary in a metal box in the middle of the ocean for two weeks.

In-ho bowed several times, thanking her profusely. He dug into the pocket of his jacket where he kept a ‘small’ stash of Korean Won on him at all times and passed her a large amount. By the look on her face, it was obvious she didn’t know how much it truly was. She said something in Malay, pushing his hand away. He grabbed her hand and pressed the cash into her palm, closing her fingers around it. She tried to give it back but In-ho refused.

“We owe you our lives.” He pressed his palms together. “Thank you.”

She seemed to understand what he was saying, and hugged In-ho, her head barely reaching his chest. She hugged Gi-hun and he returned it happily. He squeezed her tight, a glisten on his eyeline. In-ho looked away, remembering Gi-hun’s own mother, how he was too late to reverse what he did.

Notes:

Hey guys, sorry to give you a fairly short and uneventful chapter after over a month. I lost a job, moved house, got sick, and had a close relative die all in the same week, so that was fun.

Also I binged all of season three on Saturday and I plan on sharing some of my thoughts in the notes of next chapter when I'm not so tired! Love you guys thanks for all the continued support.

Chapter 24: The quiet breeze carries your name

Summary:

The struggle to get to Switzerland finally comes to an end, and Gi-hun and In-ho's dreams of peace and quiet finally becomes plausible.

Notes:

I wrote this entire chapter at a 15 hour shift yesterday (I have a job where I basically am on standby somewhere with nothing to do until I am required for something). The fact a fairly significant portion of this fic was written at work where no one around me had any idea I was writing a multi-chapter squid game smut fic is so funny to me.

Some thoughts on S3 of Squid Game in the end notes!

They left in the darkness of the next morning, backpack slung over one shoulder and enough Malaysian Ringgits Intan had lended them to buy some food and a couple bad hotel rooms. Gi-hun was reluctant, but In-ho insisted they return to the port to see if Sinbi was there.

“It’s in the opposite direction! It took me almost an hour to walk alongside Intan’s bike to her house.” Gi-hun complained.

“I know that cat means something to you, I like her too. But it was crazy enough risking our lives to keep her with us on that ship. What if someone from that crew is there?”

In-ho looked over at him with a pleading in his eye Gi-hun rarely saw. “Please, Gi-hun. It’s only a couple hours. We can’t just leave her. That ship and crew will be long gone.”

Gi-hun sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose and thinking. “What makes you think she’ll even be there?”

“Where else would she have gone? She’ll be there.”

Gi-hun wasn’t convinced in the slightest, but he agreed nonetheless. He had to admit that cat was weird, how she found them at the port in Incheon, and how she jumped off the damn boat just to follow them. And she clearly meant a lot to In-ho, and that was enough of a reason for him.

After only a couple wrong turns on Gi-hun’s part – considering In-ho was unconscious when they first made the journey to Intan’s – they found their way back to the exact stairs they had lugged themselves out of the water from. In-ho looked over the edge to the churning waves below, and Gi-hun could see his face pale before his eyes. He snaked a hand over the man’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. In-ho turned to him and gave him a small smile.

“Don’t worry, where we’re going, you’ll never have to see the ocean again.” Gi-hun offered. He had no idea if In-ho had a fear of the ocean before the incident where Gi-hun was shot, but he just knew that he never wanted to see In-ho panic like he did on the ship ever again. His eyes were glazed like he wasn’t even there, breaths escaping his mouth in shallow gasps, Gi-hun debating whether or not he was going to have to haul In-ho over the side of the ship himself. Even now after they had grown to understand each other better than ever before, seeing In-ho panic was something he’d never seen, and it saddened him greatly.

In-ho’s knuckles tightened on the rails and he nodded, jaw muscle working. “That works for me.”

Just as Gi-hun predicted, Sinbi was nowhere to be found. In-ho was growing restless the longer they searched, and Gi-hun was becoming nervous at the fact they were going to have to leave before In-ho could find her. They had a long way to walk and limited food, water, and money. They called out to her in the quiet of the still morning, to no avail. In-ho clicked his tongue and ruffled his hair frustratedly.

“It’s alright, In-ho. Someone will look after her. She’s a sweet cat, someone will take her in.”
In-ho said nothing and looked around him, unable to see too far in the dark. He called out to her again. Gi-hun decided he’d let him look for a little longer before they really had to get a move on. They stood in silence for a few seconds before In-ho suddenly whipped around and began storming off in the direction of the stairs.

“In-ho! Where are you going?” Gi-hun jogged to catch up. “In-ho, wait!”

“I thought I heard something.”

Gi-hun sighed frustratedly, “Heard what? In-ho there’s nothing out here.”

“Shh!”

In-ho stood at the top of the stairs, hands braced on either hand rail and leaning over the edge.
Gi-hun strained to listen, and after a few seconds he heard what sounded like a tiny meow. They made eye contact at the noise, which seemed to have come from the base of the stairs. They bounded down until the remainder of the steps descended below the waves.

“Where is she? She can’t be in the water.” Gi-hun squinted into the blank inky water, but it was so dark.

The meow came again, and In-ho pointed to a flash of green. “There! Look! On that ledge.”

Gi-hun leant forward as far as he could, and sure enough, he saw the silhouette of a cat cowering on a tiny ledge of the concrete wall just above the water line.

“How the fuck did she get there? We have to get her out, the tide’s coming in.”

“How? She’s too far away and you are not swimming to her.” Gi-hun stated, and In-ho scrubbed a hand over his beard.

In-ho demanded for Gi-hun to wait there while he sprinted back up the stairs, and returned several minutes later with a long tree branch he’d fished from the side of the road. Gi-hun helped him stretch it out to her, both of them having to stand up to their ankles in water to reach far enough. After several infuriating minutes, they managed to get her to cling to it and bring her back to the stairs. She darted up to the top in fear.

“No! Don’t run off again.” Gi-hun chased her up to the top, where she was waiting for them. She headbutted In-ho’s legs, purring loudly. Her dark fur was barely visible in the low light.

“Hello Sinbi.” In-ho bent down, stretching the top of her head and down her spine as she curled under his touch. “Crazy girl. You think we were going to leave you behind after all that?”

She growled in annoyance at Gi-hun, but allowed him to stroke her anyway.
In-ho was considerably more cheerful after he’d reunited with Sinbi, and they began making their way in the direction they needed to go. The sun began to rise a couple miles into their walk alongside the highway, the golden light dancing off the lush green all around them, the occasional small building or corrugated fence with the paint flaking off. It would be their view for the next several days, maybe even a week.

The sunrise was beautiful, but it made Gi-hun think of everything he’d left behind. Eun-ae will have had no idea what had happened to him, and his own daughter probably didn’t even care. Not that he blamed her in the slightest. He’d never been a good father. But as he watched the sun peak over the horizon, the man he loved in step alongside him and the unfamiliar birdsong, he hoped one day he would be able to make it up to her. But even in the slim chance he was able to see her again, it would never be safe enough for them to be together again. But that was a difficult feat even before he destroyed his life with gambling.

But In-ho was here with them. They were both uninjured, no one was dying, and the risk of them being hunted down had significantly reduced, finally. Running away to another country was hard enough without so many guns trained on your head that you had no choice but to starve on a boat like a fucking plague rat. That hellscape was over, and at least Gi-hun had that as a reason to be optimistic about their current situation.

Four sunrises and three sunsets later, they were halfway there. To Gi-hun, this lifestyle wasn’t too hard for him. After all, it was basically how he lived for several months in Mangwon-dong. Walking all day without eating, dawn to dusk, not stopping lest the nightmares catch up. At least now they had food and water. In-ho on the other hand was not so used to it, he seemed to be dripping in sweat almost all the time. The humidity never wavered, even at night, and they kept their rest times in the middle to late afternoons, when the heat was at its worst. The scenery had largely remained unchanging, but Gi-hun quite liked the rainforest, even if there were a lot of insects. A man was kind enough to take them half an hour into the next village on his scooter, and gave them a couple pieces of fruit.

Gi-hun felt extremely guilty for taking rides and food from people who had no idea the two men with dirty, sweaty clothes, no belongings and no phones were actually billionaires - but In-ho encouraged him to just accept their hospitality. They had gotten a couple cheap hotels, one of which had nothing but a single mattress on the floor they had to share, but it had a ceiling fan at least and was better than sleeping on the street. Sinbi would always walk alongside them, sometimes a few steps behind. When they rested she’d rest too, though sometimes she’d go off for a while and return with a dead bird or fish in her jaws. They never fretted when she ran off suddenly, because she always came back. For a lot of the walk In-ho would carry her in his backpack, and she’d loll her head contentedly from the unzipped side.

As they got closer, they finally hit the mountains they’d been dreading. The roads became a never ending climb and their legs begged for forgiveness from whatever sins they did to deserve it. In-ho drank almost all of their water, sculling it like he was addicted and causing an argument between the two of them when they ran out of water five hours away from the next village. The argument didn’t last long, both too tired to be angry, and both too scared to stay annoyed at each other after learning how fast things could go downhill. They slept in a slightly nicer hotel that night with hot water and unlimited complimentary tea, when the rain had made their clothes wet and uncomfortable. Sinbi was always quiet, and they were always able to sneak her in quite easily just by zipping up the backpack. After a while, she had grown accustomed to being carried around.

A few long, excruciating days later, trees finally turned to houses and houses turned to shops and businesses and apartments. The airport of course was on the opposite end of the city, but they had enough cash left for a few bus tickets and a hot meal. Now was approaching the task they had been avoiding talking about for the past week – how they were going to get onto a cargo plane.

On the fifth attempt of asking someone, In-ho managed to borrow a woman’s phone at a convenience store and looked up the timetable of the cargo planes leaving Kuala Lumpur, and found a cargo flight leaving tomorrow night to Frankfurt, Germany, which seemed to be the closest they could get distance-wise. Neither of them had ever been to Kuala Lumpur, and despite their aching legs and blistered feet, they were happy for at least a bit of time to explore.

“Is this technically our first holiday together?” Gi-hun said as he took another sip of rice wine over the meal they ordered at a small restaurant with the last of their cash.

“I suppose it is. And I suppose this is our first meal at a restaurant too.” In-ho smiled amusedly.

“Backpacking across Malaysia. Hiking. Camping. Not really my usual kind of holiday but you know what? It wasn’t as horrible as I thought.”

Gi-hun laughed, clinking their bottles together and taking another sip. “I never really went on holidays. Never had the money, always too busy worrying about other stuff, or working or gambling. I took Ga-yeong to Japan once, she’d been begging me for years because one of her favourite shows was Japanese. We only stayed a few days, she wanted to stay longer but I lied and said I couldn’t afford it.” His face began to fall, staring into the bottle. “I had the money to stay a few extra days, but I didn’t want to spend it. I wish more than anything that I did.”

In-ho watched him carefully. “My wife wanted a child many years before she fell pregnant, but I always said I wasn’t ready. My career was my life, and it took up so much of my time I thought that maybe in a few years time, I’d be ready. If we had the child when she wanted, we would have gotten to raise it together. Maybe I would have never joined the Squid Games. And if I did, I would never have become the Frontman and I’d have enough money to give my child a decent life. We can’t change the past, Gi-hun. All we have left now is each other, and we can do nothing but move forward together.”

“I know.” Gi-hun chewed his teeth, fidgeting. “Do you think I’ll… I’ll ever get to see my daughter again?”

In-ho looked away, and Gi-hun could see his nostrils flare as he exhaled. “I don’t know, Gi-hun. I hope so.”

Gi-hun twirled the bottle in his fingers, pushing away the stinging he could feel on his eyeline. “If you had had the baby… What would you have liked to have?”

In-ho leant back in his plastic chair, thinking. “I’m not sure, I didn’t really care all that much but I think… I think I would have liked to have had a little girl.”

Gi-hun smiled. “Yes, I think you’d be a good father to a little girl.”

In-ho returned his smile warmly, and Gi-hun could see the tears gathering rapidly in his eyes. The man blinked them away, and took another long sip from his bottle.

They spent the next day from early morning hovering around the airport. Getting onto the tarmac before dawn was a feat in itself, but they managed. All they had to do now was stay hidden, find where their flight would be loading up, and get on without anyone seeing. When the sunrise gave enough light to see past the night, Gi-hun managed to sneak into one of the aircraft hangers and found a radio in the office. The computer needed a password, In-ho skimmed through the unorganised mess of papers on the desk but couldn’t find any information on their flight. They had the radio, and they had memorised the flight number. Gi-hun hoped they would give them enough warning to find it before the plane was scheduled to leave at 10PM. They hid in the the dark in a cleaning closet at the back of one of the warehouses, which by the smell of it, wasn’t used very often.

Sure enough, when the sun travelled across the sky and the night had come for several hours, they heard talk of their flight number on the radio as the plane was in place and ready to be loaded. The warehouse was empty when they finally left the dark, musty closet. In-ho crossed over to the office, grabbing them two bright yellow hi-vis vests.

Gi-hun took one, holding the bright garment up to the light. “Wouldn’t it just be better to go in the dark? These things are like beacons.”

“Airports have a lot of workers, if anyone sees us they’ll likely just ignore us.” He gently pushed Sinbi’s head inside the backpack, muttering to her in a high-pitched tone.

“But we don’t even know which gate the plane is at, we’ll be wandering around like idiots.”

“Stop worrying so much, Gi-hun. Just act natural, clip the radio on your belt.”

Gi-hun reluctantly slung the vest over his jacket and clipped the radio onto his pants. In-ho appeared much more naturally confident than him, and he hoped it would make up for Gi-hun’s nervous slouch. The noise of a plane taking off nearby pierced the air deafeningly as they exited the warehouse and made their way across the tarmac to the gates.

Gi-hun’s heart fluttered in his chest when another man wearing hi-vis approached in their direction. He glanced at them as they passed and said nothing, and Gi-hun exhaled in relief.

“Stop looking like that.” In-ho hissed in a whisper.

“Like what?”

“Like they’re going to bite your head off if you get too close. You look terrified.”

“Well I am terrified!” Gi-hun snapped, and In-ho shushed him as a few more workers passed by them, too engrossed in doing what they needed to do to notice them. Gi-hun was not used to doing anything like this, they had been forced to hide many times, sure, but never just walk out in the open.

“There, over there.” In-ho pointed to three identical planes lined up at gates. “That’s the company, the one with the blue on the tail.”

“How do we find out which one it is?”

“I don’t know, let’s just–”

A voice calling out behind them startled them. And they whipped around to see a shorter man in an orange vest looking towards them. Gi-hun’s chest stuttered as he froze, In-ho still beside him. The man said something in Malay, walking towards them. In-ho and Gi-hun looked at each other.

The man stopped in front of them, giving them a confused look, eyeing them head to toe. He repeated himself, and In-ho seemed to snap out of his daze.

“We… We’re lost, we’re new here and can’t find the plane we’re supposed to be loading.”
The man stared at him, squinting. “Korean?”

They both nodded. The man sucked in a breath with raised eyebrows, muttering irritatedly to himself and flicking through the pages of his clipboard. He said something else they didn’t understand, looking up at them expectantly. He sighed when they stared at him and he thrusted the clipboard at them, the flight schedules. In-ho took it and began flicking through the pages until he found the number he recognised, and the number 16 in a box of the table that appeared to be the gate numbers. In-ho tapped his finger on the paper, giving the clipboard back to the man. He eyed them suspiciously, and they both stood there like they were new recruits at boot camp, and he gestured with the clipboard in the general direction of gate 16. The man said something else and tapped his watch, flinging his arm to tell them to go. They left as quickly as possible in the direction of the gate.

 

“Alright, let’s keep our luck running, we’re nearly there.” In-ho said breathlessly, walking as fast as they could without running.

“That’s all you, I’m the unluckiest bastard to walk this Earth.” Gi-hun grumbled, and In-ho laughed, a sound Gi-hun hadn’t heard in a long time.

“Well maybe now is the time your luck will turn around.”

The plane towered over them as they got closer, the door at the tail of the plane wide open and bustling with workers and beeping forklifts.

“We’ll go into the warehouse, pretend we’re doing something in there until the plane’s loaded.”

“What’s your plan?” Gi-hun turned to him, but the man didn’t turn to face him. He would never look him in the eyes when he didn’t have a plan.

They scrambled as casually as possible past the other workers to the open warehouse, when a woman called out to them. They stopped, and Gi-hun saw In-ho close his eyes and exhale before he turned to the woman. She spoke to them in the language they couldn’t understand.

They stared at her, before Gi-hun spluttered, “I’m sorry… we can’t understand you.”

The lady furrowed her brows in confusion. She said something else, seeming frustrated. They stared at her, and she huffed and pointed to a stationary forklift parked at the entrance of the warehouse. They both looked over at it, and back at each other in sync. The lady barked at them and pointed exaggeratedly to the forklift and flung her arms so as to tell them to get a move on and walked off.

“I don’t know how to drive a forklift.” In-ho muttered.

“It’s ok, I do. I worked in a warehouse for nearly twenty years. You do something else, maybe this way it will be easier for us to get on unnoticed. We’ll sneak on when it’s nearly finished loading and hide, ok?” Gi-hun said hurriedly. “Put Sinbi inside, we will get her later.”

In-ho nodded with a long breath from his nose, eyes flicking to Gi-hun’s lips a few times and face stitched with nervousness. They took one last stern look at each other before turning separate ways, Gi-hun making his way over to the forklift.

A few months ago Gi-hun was sitting on a green bench in Seoul pining for a man he thought he’d never see again, now he was in Malaysia driving a forklift so they could stowaway to Switzerland together.

Interesting how life works.

Gi-hun loaded a few pallets, the job almost identical to some of the things he had to do in the warehouse and making it fairly easy to go unnoticed. With In-ho, however, it was quite evident that he had been a police officer his whole life and not a labourer, getting yelled at a couple times. In any other situation Gi-hun would have found it amusing, but right now, he just wanted this to be over as soon as possible. After half an hour, Gi-hun loaded the last pallet, In-ho pretending to guide him into place.

“You stay here and hide.” Gi-hun hissed. “I’ll try and get rid of this thing and get on.”

“Alright, but don’t let anyone see you. Hurry.”

Gi-hun made his way off the plane and nearly tipped the forklift in his haste to get rid of it.
Fuck, there were way too many workers outside, surrounding the plane. How the fuck was he supposed to get up that huge ramp without anyone seeing him? He hurried into the warehouse, looking around wildly, heart pounding in his ears. He needed something to lure them in here and away from the plane. He went into the office, seeing a lighter on the desk and swiping it before he even knew what he was going to do with it. A fire would certainly lure them in. It was the only thing he could think of, and the plane was going to leave any minute. He grabbed the backpack, hearing a soft trill from inside. He saw a bottle of hand sanitiser on the office desk, and dumped it onto the pile of papers. His shaking thumb took several attempts to get the lighter going, each unsuccessful flick making his nerves sear. The soft glow of the flame illuminated the room in dim light, and he tossed it onto the desk. The puddle of sanitiser lit up in flames, and Gi-hun backed out of the room.

“Hey!” Gi-hun waved his arms as he jogged out of the warehouse. The large group of workers turned to look at him.

“Fire! There’s a fire!” He pointed wildly towards the office. They looked at each other, clearly not understanding what he was yelling about and looking at him in embarrassed confusion.

“Fire! In there! Fire!” He gestured for them to follow, and some of them followed, mostly out of curiosity. The worker closest to him saw the flames peaking through the gaps in the blinds, and began freaking out, shouting in Malay. Everybody came rushing in, allowing Gi-hun to slip away with the workers distracted by the fire. He tore off his hi-vis and sprinted towards the plane, looking behind him to ensure nobody was leaving the warehouse. He threw himself into the plane and behind a pallet, his ribs aching from the stress and adrenaline making his whole body tremor.

The engine of the plane was already roaring, and he could barely hear the distant shouts of the workers trying to deal with the fire. He heard the loud metallic noises of the door lifting, and he peeked out to see the line of night sky getting narrower and narrower until the door clanged shut and the noise of the engine surged.

Gi-hun actually laughed out loud when the plane began to taxi across the tarmac, barely audible in his ears over the noise. The cargo hold lit up in dim light from small bulbs lining the inside walls illuminating the room packed with pallets and boxes slotted and stacked into each other like a game of Tetris. A figure flashed by and he looked up to see In-ho running past where Gi-hun was hidden. He slowed to a stop, staring towards the doors. By the rise and fall of his shoulders Gi-hun could tell he was panicking. His hands flew to his head, gripping his hair in his hands as he hyperventilated.

He thought Gi-hun was still outside. Gi-hun’s heart clenched, and he pushed himself out from behind the pallet, unzipping the bag and allowing Sinbi to leap out and bound over through the legs of the man turned away from him.

“Sinbi?” He looked down at the cat at his feet, and whipped around to face Gi-hun. Tear streaks were lining his face, his hair messy from where he had been clutching.

“Gi-hun!” His eyes widened, and he turned, charging towards him.

Gi-hun nearly had the wind knocked out of him from how hard In-ho collided with him, throwing his arms around him and letting out a sob into his shoulder. “Gi-hun.” He squeezed him tight.
“I thought… I thought you didn’t make it.” His voice broke. Gi-hun pushed him back so their eyes could meet and chuckled.

“As if I would let you get away that easily.”

In-ho gave a half laugh, half sob and pulled Gi-hun into a hard kiss, teeth chinking from the desperation. In-ho stared at him with red, tearful eyes, grasping and stroking his face in both hands like he’d disappear if he let go.

“It’s nearly over, In-ho. We’re nearly there” Gi-hun smiled.

In-ho grinned, one that showed his teeth and a sight Gi-hun had missed so much. It made him grin automatically in response.

The engine roared louder, and they both lurched forward as the plane began takeoff. Gi-hun tripped on In-ho’s feet trying to steady himself, and they both fell backwards onto the floor, Gi-hun landing hard on top of In-ho.

“Shit! I’m so sorry!” Gi-hun gasped.

In-ho began laughing loudly, one that came right from his gut and shook Gi-hun. Gi-hun could feel his breath on his face as he did, and they laughed as they clung onto each other, giddy with their triumph. The plane angled upwards, signalling that they were finally in the air.

“How did you sneak on? There were workers everywhere when I looked out, but I couldn’t see you from where I was.”

Gi-hun flushed with slight shame. “I may have um… I may have set fire to their office.”

In-ho stared at him, and suddenly burst out into laughter, even louder than his last.
“Only you could figure out how to start a fire that fast, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun stifled his smile, but couldn’t help but chuckle against him. In-ho leaned up and claimed his lips again, hooking his leg over Gi-hun’s and rolling them over until In-ho’s weight was resting on top of him. He attacked Gi-hun’s lips with ferocity, kissing down his jaw and his neck in an exaggeratedly fast string of kisses. His beard was tickling Gi-hun’s neck, and he laughed, pulling playfully at his hair.

“Stop! You’re tickling me!” Gi-hun squirmed under him, but In-ho had him pinned.

“No.” In-ho smiled against him, placing hundreds of little pecks up and down his neck and over his face, Gi-hun pushing against him with his laughter filling the large room.

Gi-hun threw his weight sideways, pushing In-ho off and trying to roll him back. In-ho fought back, and they ended up on their sides, pulling and pushing at each other’s arms and chest as both tried to gain the upper hand. Gi-hun managed to pin his shoulder, climbing on top of him and pressing his lips hard against his, tongue licking into his mouth and eliciting a moan from the shorter man.

Gi-hun pulled back with a smug grin. “I win.”

“I let you.”

Gi-hun rolled his eyes amusedly and gave him another small peck.

“What are we going to do for the next eighteen hours?” In-ho tipped his head back and looked around the cargo space.

“Well, we’re definitely not having sex, because I know now how you get around planes and boats and I do not want you throwing up all over me.” Gi-hun cringed.

“Gi-hun, you always think I want sex. You know I like spending time with you without doing that.” In-ho grinned.

Gi-hun raised an eyebrow. “You literally always want sex.”

“Is that such a crime? That I want to be with my handsome boyfriend all the time?”

“Boyfriend?” Gi-hun laughed.

“What?”

“You’ve never called me that before.”

“Well, that’s what you are, aren’t you? I think i’ve dropped enough hints for you to catch on. You don’t like it?”

“No, it’s not that… it’s just…”

“What?” In-ho’s face fell from amusement to concern, searching Gi-hun’s eyes.

“Well, remember that conversation we had? At your Omma’s place? When you made our new surnames the same?”

Realisation crossed In-ho’s features, and Gi-hun could see a sparkle in his eyes as he stared up at the man on top of him. “What are you saying, Gi-hun?”

They gazed at each other, and Gi-hun’s eyes softened, gently raking across of the face of the man below him. “I think you know what I’m saying.”

In-ho’s face broke into a genuine smile. “Alright.”

“Yes?” Gi-hun smiled.

“Yes.”

Gi-hun breathed a happy laugh, and In-ho surged upward. The kiss was long and loving, their affection pouring off each other in a way that was impossible to put into words, but they could try their best to show it.

“But I don’t have a ring.” Gi-hun pulled back, climbing off him and sitting back to allow In-ho to get up from the floor.

“We can get one for each other. Once we settle in.”

Gi-hun smiled. “I can’t wait to live with you. In a place that’s ours.”

In-ho sat close enough to push the hair from Gi-hun’s eyes, stroking down to the now long stubble on his face. “I love you.”

Gi-hun touched the hand against his cheek, gently pulling it away and interlocking his fingers with his. “I love you too.”

***

The plane landed some unknown hours later to refuel before it was up in the air again, signalling the halfway point of the trip. Gi-hun was getting flashbacks to the cargo ship, their view and position on the cold hard floor pretty much the same, as was the cat curled up inside the bag beside them. It made him miss Intan’s single blanket on the hardwood floor, and for the first time in his life — it made him miss his bed in Mangwon-dong. If life in Switzerland was anything like those peaceful few weeks with In-ho in Gi-hun’s apartment, he could die happy. But he knew that the reality, when they finally succeeded, would be so much better. He hoped this would be a fresh start for In-ho as much as it was a fresh start for him, the younger man so marred by guilt and shame and his difficulty transitioning back to normal life after losing himself to the Frontman identity for so long. Gi-hun hated to see him struggle with himself, but he knew he’d probably never see the day he would truly be free from his past.

But at least now, they could make their future worthwhile.

 

_______________________________________

 

In-ho awoke to Gi-hun shaking him gently. He blinked groggily, nausea grumbling in his stomach, his mouth dry and his ears aching from the pressure.

“Wha-“ He slurred, rubbing his eye and squinting in the low light.

“I think we’re landing.” Gi-hun said, and In-ho sat up quickly, the pounding in his head protesting. His heart skipped a beat and his chest tightened, both out of fear and excitement.

It was another two hours after landing before the unloading began, and they managed to slip out of the side of the door and hide behind the nearest building wall, bag slung over Gi-hun’s shoulder. The engine roared in their ears, the cool wind whipping through their clothes. By the feel of the air it was morning, the sky a deep blue without a single cloud. They crossed between to the back of the buildings, the noise of whirring machinery and distant planes taking off. In-ho interlocked their fingers and pulled them down the fence line further away from the cargo plane until they broke into a jog. A passenger plane had landed, and was currently unloading their passengers onto the tarmac. In-ho stopped so hard Gi-hun ran up the back of him, and before Gi-hun could splutter his annoyance he pulled the taller man down an alleyway towards it.

“What are you doing?” Gi-hun said in a harsh whisper.

“We can wait for the bus, sneak into the crowd like we were on the flight.”

“In-ho, sometimes I wonder how you got so fucking smart.”

In-ho huffed a laugh and pressed his back to the brick wall. The bus rumbled towards the growing and tired-looking crowd in the distance, and In-ho and Gi-hun stepped out into the open, slipping into the crowd whilst the security guard’s back was turned. A few people looked at them funny, and In-ho glared at them with enough intimidation for them to mind their own business. The bus was hot and crowded, exactly what they needed right now after such a stressful and seemingly never-ending journey. They walked with the crowd into the air-conditioned airport where it was finally time to test Min-jun’s handiwork. In-ho pulled the document holder out from the back of his jeans and fished out their brand new Swiss passports.

“Showtime.” In-ho passed the small red book to Gi-hun, and he took it with a glimmer of anxiety in his eye.

They waited in line, trying not to let their nervousness bleed through to the outside. Gi-hun was in front of him, and stepped up first to the lady behind the glass. In-ho heard him say some very poorly accented German, and the woman surprisingly responded. She took his passport and opened it. In-ho could feel sweat beginning to form on his brow, and shifted impatiently on his heels.

Relief flooded him when she brought down the stamp hard onto the page, and passed it back to him. He bowed and thanked her in Korean and stepped through the gates, looking back at In-ho.

She stamped In-ho’s passport, and he joined Gi-hun on the other side.

“In-ho, we’re in Germany!” He whispered happily as he slapped In-ho’s arm, his excitement adorable to him.

“We’re in fucking Germany.” In-ho whispered back, unable to wipe the smirk from his face. They strolled past the baggage terminals and past the sign with the train symbol and an arrow pointing forward. In-ho’s German was much better than Gi-hun’s, though luckily In-ho could also read and speak fluent English, which allowed him to read most of the signs anyway. Gi-hun waited patiently whilst In-ho asked the lady at the information point if they would be able to get a train to Switzerland from here.

The next train to Switzerland was in half an hour, and would take them to the city of Basel on the country’s northern border. They made their way to the station and presented their passports to the man at the ticket station.

“Coming home from holiday?” He said in German as he looked over their Swiss passports.

“Yes. We’re glad to finally go home.” In-ho smiled, and Gi-hun caught enough of the conversation to smile.

The man printed them two tickets and slid them through the gap in the glass.

Sinking down onto the fabric seat of the warm train, the air quiet apart from soft conversation and the clicking and banging of luggage being hauled onto racks made In-ho instantly relax. Gi-hun sat opposite him, a small table between them. He slid his hand across it, and Gi-hun smiled, bringing his hand up to squeeze his. A few people looked at them curiously, though it was mainly because of the head of the sleeping black cat sticking out from the top of the backpack.

The train barrelled through the German countryside, the warm glow of the late morning sun bathing the hills and trees and mountains, bouncing off the rivers and lakes and country homes. Gi-hun leant his head against the window, looking out at the scenery. In-ho leant back and watched his eyes follow each thing as it passed by, the sun yellow on his face. He took a deep breath, and felt himself relax.

They did it. The weeks of stress and suffering and running and fear were finally coming to an end, and In-ho could finally be with the man he loved so dearly. No more clinging onto each other as they slept out of fear of losing each other, or to protect each other from the freezing cold elements, but just because they wanted to. Because they could. No more crippling terror that one of them was going to be ripped violently away.

The thought made a unwanted vision flash across his mind, the memory of Gi-hun sobbing over his childhood friend Player 218. In-ho realised in self-disgust he didn’t even remember the man’s name. The memory of Gi-hun wailing as he clutched the lifeless body of Jung-bae. How he cried just as hard for Sae-Byeok, a girl he had only just met that week. In-ho had ripped those people from Gi-hun. He had ripped them away violently.

And Gi-hun knew that. And yet his fingers still interlocked with his. And yet his thumb was stroking the back of In-ho’s hand with a gentleness he would never deserve but still he received along with nothing but pure love.

And yet here they sat on the train to a second chance that Gi-hun deserved and In-ho didn’t, but still Gi-hun pulled him along with an iron grip. Because his heart was pure and his love was unwavering, no matter how hard In-ho himself had tried to squash it out of him so cruelly.

Gi-hun glanced over, catching In-ho staring. He smiled, and In-ho felt him give his hand another squeeze. He continued to stare long after Gi-hun had looked back out the window, before he finally resigned to rest against the glass too.

When the train came to its final stop a few hours later and they stepped out into the cool air, In-ho watched as Gi-hun turned on the spot, looking up at the buildings and the blue sky and the criss-crossing tramlines overhead. An awed grin formed on his face and he looked down at In-ho, and he had never wanted to kiss the man so badly.

Their first stop was the closest bank to open an account in their name, and then to the closest payphone, where In-ho could finally make the call he’d been waiting to make for nearly a month. Calling Min-jun to begin transferring their earnings over from Korean Won to Swiss Francs, keeping the generous share he had earned for all his work. Combined they had enough money to buy a mansion dead smack in the middle of the biggest city. But In-ho couldn’t think of anything he wanted less. All he wanted was a small country house in the mountains, just like they had dreamed of as they hid themselves away thousands of miles from here, clutching onto each other as the threat of death loomed over them almost constantly.

“Congratulations boys.” The man said over the phone at the end of their conversation. “I honestly believed you two had been killed. It’s been nearly a month since you disappeared.”

In-ho looked back at Gi-hun through the glass of the payphone, watching the man look around him like an excited puppy, hands buried in his pockets. A few people passing by were staring at Sinbi as she glared at them with her green eyes. “We had to go a more difficult route than expected, but the point is we’re here.”

“I was honestly hoping you guys had been shot, that way I would’ve been left with all this cash.” He chuckled

“Yeah, you wish. You should be more than happy with the share I’m leaving you.”

“Oh, I am. I’m just glad you’re not a tightass cop anymore. Think I’m going to go to the US this year and see my family over there. Take them to Europe. Don’t worry, I won’t visit.”

In-ho smirked, and there was a few seconds of silence, the soft crackling of the phone against his ear. “Thank you Min-jun. For everything.”

“Anytime.”

In-ho hung the phone gently onto the hook, the gentle smile still resting on his face.

“So, where are we going to live?” Gi-hun appeared behind him. In-ho dug his hands into his pocket and sighed, looking around at the bustling city, the soft rumble of the tram passing by.
“Dunno. Never been here before.” In-ho smiled.

Gi-hun chortled, and looked around until his gaze fell on a small red shop front, the window full of maps and travel brochures. He raised his eyebrows at In-ho.

“Better place to start if any.”

In-ho held his hand out, “Lead the way.”

The little bell above the door jingled as it swung open. “Good afternoon sirs, how are we today?” A tiny, slightly pudgy man with brown curls looked up at them past his glasses from where he was seated at a computer.

“Good thank you. We have a few questions for you, we were wondering if you could give us a short list of villages. Anywhere in the country, small, preferably doesn’t get many tourists in peak season, fairly… uh, lonely, sorry I don’t know the word in German, I mean lots of space around, no cities. Would you be able to help us?” In-ho asked.

“Where are you from?”

“South Korea.”

The man eyed him curiously. “Your Swiss German is very good… Do you have family here?”

In-ho blinked at him, before smiling politely. “Yes. Would you be able to help us?”

The man looked him up and down, returning his gaze to his computer. “Of course I can help you. Let me grab a map and have a think.” He turned behind him and flicked his fingers through a small self of maps until he found the one he was looking for. He spread it out on the counter and pushed his glasses up his nose.

“Alright, let’s have a look.”

He pushed his finger further down to an area south of Interlaken. “Wengen. It’s at the top of a mountain above the village of Lauterbrunnen. The only way up there is by train or by cable car, because they don’t allow cars up there. It does have tourists come and go, but most just pass through or stay in Lauterbrunnen. Similar to that is Grimmelwald nearby, very nice people. Bit further south there’s Ernen, very quiet, lesser known to tourists. Nearby to that there’s Ulrichen. More central there’s Bremgarten, very old, medieval, but quite bigger than the others I’ve pointed out. North east we have Stein am Rhein, very pretty, medieval too. Back in the south we have the smallest village in Switzerland with only 11 people, Corripo. Very beautiful. Probably will have no one living there soon though. And—“

“Ok, ok, wait one second.” In-ho held up his hands with a laugh, overwhelmed. “There’s a lot of choices here. Well, you’ve given us a lot of options in this region—“ In-ho circled the small area in the south of the map. Can you tell us more about… This one?”

“Ah, Ernen? Yes of course, this municipality lies in a mountain above the Fiesch valley in the canton of Valais. It’s small but dense with a very beautiful town square and its famous gothic church built in the early 16th century. It is often called the musical village because of the annual classical music festival. It’s surrounded by beautiful countryside and close to a few other municipalities, all quite small as well.”

“How many people live there?”

The man tipped his head back, thinking. “Not sure. Less than a thousand.”

In-ho hummed, staring down at the map.

The man stepped out from behind the counter, walking over to the large wall of brochures and pressing a finger to his lip. “Ah, here we are.” He reached down and plucked out a small brochure, passing it to In-ho.

It read Canton Valais, over the top of a picture of a small town of brown wooden buildings situated in a grassy valley surrounded by snow capped mountains and blue skies. Gi-hun looked over his shoulder.

“Woah.”

“In that canton you also have the Matterhorn, and the ski town of Zermatt. Quite popular for skiing and hiking.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“Is there anything else I can help you with?”

In-ho shook his head, looking down at the brochure. “No. I think we have all the information we need. Thank you.”

Gi-hun thanked him in German, having only some clue as to what they were saying prior to that.

“May I ask a question?” The man called to them as they were leaving. In-ho looked at him expectantly.

“You talk as if you are looking for a place to live. Are you planning on moving to one of these towns?”

In-ho took a few seconds to answer, before a simple, “Yes, we are.”

The man gave a short hum. “Land is very expensive. It is better to rent. Make sure you keep a nice garden, and grow some vegetables, yes? Don’t be upset if the locals do not talk to you for a long time. Communities such as this are very close, and sometimes it can be hard to become included.”

In-ho nodded. “We will be ok. Thank you, sir.”

“What is this? Are we going to this town?” Gi-hun pointed at the picture on the brochure as they stepped out into the street.

In-ho flicked through until he recognised the word Ernen, and they both looked at the picture of the small mountain-side town, the steeple of the old white church towering over the rest of the buildings.

“I was thinking, we could get some land in this region. Close enough to the towns to get what we need and for the train, but far enough that we are alone. What do you think?”

“Can we go? Now? Where is it?”

In-ho chortled at Gi-hun’s eagerness. “It’s in the south. Come, let’s go back to the station.”

The man at the station advised them on which trains to catch to get there, and In-ho decided to spend a couple hours taking Gi-hun to the town of Bern on the way since they wouldn’t get to Ernen until night anyway, and Gi-hun loved it. They climbed an endless amount of spiral stairs to the steeple of a church overlooking the city, and Gi-hun couldn’t get rid of the stupid smile plastered on his face. In-ho felt a warmth settle in his chest, rubbing his shoulder affectionately.

They got to Ernen in the early night, staying at a hotel near the station of Fiesch. They both were desperate for a hot shower, and In-ho fell asleep the second his head hit the pillow. When he awoke, Gi-hun was seated by the open window, overlooking a vast hill covered in tall, dark trees. His hand was gently stroking the black cat seated on the window sill, her tail flicking slowly. The sound of birds drifted through the breeze, and the sight of Gi-hun gazing out at the early morning sun made him feel at peace. He stretched, pulling back the sheets and strolling tiredly over to Gi-hun. The man didn’t turn to look at him when he slipped his hands around him from behind, settling his chin on his shoulder. He placed a soft kiss on Gi-hun’s neck, and the man hummed contentedly.

“I think the kitchen has a free breakfast. It’s still on for another hour if you want to go.” Gi-hun looked up at him pleadingly.

In-ho laughed. “A multi-millionaire in Switzerland, and still the cheapskate of Ssangmun-dong.” He regretted saying it as soon as it came out of his mouth, always reluctant to ever bring up anything that would remind Gi-hun of Jung-bae. He felt Gi-hun shift under him, and In-ho pulled away.

“Shit, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.”

He could tell Gi-hun looked a bit conflicted, but offered him a gentle, reassuring smile anyway. “Well, maybe I’ll always be the cheapskate of Ssangmun-dong at heart.”

“How about after breakfast, we see what we can do about a house?”

Gi-hun nodded. “That sounds good.”

Notes:

As you can probably tell, this fic is coming to an end soon. I'm not sure exactly how many chapters, but unfortunately it won't be very many :(. Hope you enjoyed this one as usual, and I PROMISE there is more smut coming before this fic finishes.

SQUID GAME SEASON 3 SPOILERS!!!
SQUID GAME SEASON 3 SPOILERS!!!
SQUID GAME SEASON 3 SPOILERS!!!
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Ohhhhh myyyy goddddddd I spent half the night binging s3 the day after it was released, WHAT THE FUCKKKKK
Overall, I did enjoy the season, I think it ended in a realistic way sort of way. I was not surprised that Gi-hun died in the end, I honestly couldn't really see a happy future for his character, and if there was, it wouldn't be as realistic because everybody deserves a happy ending, but that's not how it works. I think it was very in character for Gi-hun to sacrifice himself, after all, his whole character is based around his love and and faith in humanity, and his need to protect. I loved that Gi-hun was the sole protector of the baby, I would have loved to see him leave the games alive with the baby and start again :(. I was shocked that Hyun-ju died in only episode 2, she was an amazing character and I loved her representation as a trans woman. I am a trans man, and I usually dislike a lot of trans rep in media because it's either super shallow and superficial, cringe, or the whole character's personality is based around it. Hyun-ju was a badass and I loved her. I was definitely NOT expecting what happened with Geum-ja and Young-sik, that scene was the one that nearly made me cry out of all the others, surprisingly.
I know a lot of people were very angry with how they made Gi-hun kill Dae-ho. I actually LOVED how they made Gi-hun descend into insanity in the first couple eps, for example how they implied that Gi-hun stayed up the entire night staring at Dae-ho sleeping without looking away. And he was so focussed on him that he didn't even look up at Jung-bae's body when it was suspended from the ceiling. I'm a bit upset that Dae-ho's character had zero further development past the setup he had in season 2, and his whole character in season 3 was being pissed at Gi-hun. Dae-ho did not deserve what he got for being scared, and how Gi-hun blamed him wholly for what happened when it was completely his own white knight mentality.

I wish they went into more detail about Gi-hun's guilt of what he had caused, I feel like he was a background character in his own show this season, and Dong-hyuk had gotten us invested in too many characters in season 2 that were still alive, and so he had to spend a large portion of the season focussing on everything else. Gi-hun had like 5 lines in the entire season. ABOVE ALLL I WISHHHH the scene where In-ho was revealed as the frontman was longer!!!!!!!! I was hoping for at THE VERY LEAST a conversation, but Gi-hun asked ZERO questions, he still knows nothing about In-ho's backstory or WHY he did what he did.
Like, we got the line from In-ho "Do you still have faith in people?" But that's literally all the context that Gi-hun is canonically given as to why he did what he did. Gi-hun doesn't know that Young-il's backstory was true, and how it makes them the same.

I love how In-ho presented him with the same knife Oh il-nam had given him, and that was the point of difference between Gi-hun and In-ho's charater. In-ho killed them all, and Gi-hun didn't. I really liked that part. But I wish we got more interaction between Gi-hun and In-ho, because why else was there SO MUCH SET UP of their relationship in season 2 (and I mean their canon platonic relationship haha) just for it to be hardly even touched on in season 3?

And can we quickly talk about what the fuck purpose Jun-ho served? He spent 2 seasons on that shit and all he said was "Why?" through a window and then left. Dafuq. I love Jun-ho and I wish they at least talked before In-ho just turns and leaves. I was not expecting Jun-ho of all people to end up with the baby, I thought they might give it to the guard 011. Not sure how I feel about it since 011's backstory is so sad and she deserved a second chance, but I think Jun-ho having the kid is cute. I'm happy the father of the sick girl actually lived, I'm glad they gave us at least that to be happy about.

Overall, I liked it, though there are a few things I really wish they'd done. It felt a bit rushed, and I think a bit less focus on something and a bit more time spent going into depth about the main characters would've been better.

Please let me know your thoughts on season 3!!!!!! I'd love to hear your opinions whether you loved or hated it!!!

Chapter 25: Through time with

Summary:

In-ho and Gi-hun finally start the beginning of the rest of their lives.

Notes:

I'm actually really happy with this chapter, probably some of my favourite moments of the entire fic. Hope you enjoy.

Min-jun had sorted all of the annoying bits and pieces for them - insurance numbers, tax numbers - everything they would need to finally be able to buy property and live in peace. They had come too far for it to fail now, but this would be the most difficult task for them to get past if they wanted to live under the radar. They left Sinbi in the room with some food and water and a ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door, and went downstairs to breakfast.

Their first stop was to finally buy themselves a phone each, before making their way to the real estate agency.

In-ho had to take several deep breaths before pushing open the door to the shop front, a small cabin-like building supervised by only one elderly man. He looked between them, a clear look of judgement on his face.

“Can I help you?”

“Yes, we were looking to buy some land, preferably in the Ernen municipality. Do you have anything for sale at the moment?”

The man raised an eyebrow at them, looking bored. “Do you have a residence permit?”

“We are citizens.”

The man looked up at them properly, eyes raking from head to toe. “I will have to see proof of this.”

“We have all the necessary documentation.”

The man hummed uninterestedly, and began typing on a very old-looking computer.

“I have land available, though you’ll have to build on it yourself. Otherwise I have an elderly lady looking to sell her chalet in the northeast along the river. Her husband died a few years ago and it's become too hard for her to maintain alone. It’s 52 acres, only a few minutes out of town by car.”

“That sounds perfect, may we have a look at that one?”

The man blinked at them, his lips tightening. In-ho clenched his jaw.

“Let me call her to see if she’s home. One moment please.” He held up a hand and picked up the receiver of a yellowing landline, pressing a few numbers before holding it up to his ear.

“What’s happening?” Gi-hun whispered in Korean. The man eyed them in his peripheral vision as he began talking over the phone.

“He’s got a property for us, 52 acres in the mountains. He’s seeing if she’s home so he can take us there.”

“Really? What are we supposed to do with 52 acres?”

“We can have a few animals, grow some food. Whatever we want.” In-ho smirked mischeviously, “Best part is that there's no neighbours, no one for miles that will hear how good I’m going to fuck you every night.”

“In-ho!” Gi-hun said through his teeth, flushing pink as he looked wildly between him and the man on the phone.

“What?” In-ho laughed. “He can’t speak Korean.”

“Still, you can’t just say things like that in public.” Gi-hun urged, but couldn’t hide his amusement. “Besides, if I recall correctly, you're the one that loves to be controlled.”

“Well, now we’ll have plenty of time for both.”

“Alright we can’t be having this conversation here.” Gi-hun’s cheeks were pink, much to In-ho’s amusement.

“Sir?” The man behind the counter hung up the receiver and stood. “Would you give me five minutes, then I will take you out to see the property. Esther is very pleased somebody is interested, this property has been on the market for over a year now.”

“That’s good to hear. We’ll be outside.” In-ho thanked him, and the man came outside after a few minutes, flicking a ‘back soon’ sign on the door and locking it behind him.

“The name’s Andreas, I’m the estate agent for this municipality.” He held out his hand, and In-ho and Gi-hun shook it.

“Just you?” Gi-hun asked.

“There’s not a lot going most of the time. And you are?”

“Gabriel. Gabriel Müller, and this is–”

“Leon Müller.” Gi-hun said quickly, obviously trying not to butcher the pronunciation of his own name he’d butchered so many times practicing it.

“Brothers?”

“No.”

Andreas narrowed his eyes, and gestured them to follow as he fumbled with his car keys. “Well that’s a coincidence then. Where did you say you were from?”

“South Korea.”

“But you have Swiss names?”

They got into the backseat of the man’s old car. “Mine and Leon’s parents were very close, they lived in Geneva together for a long time, where they had us. My father is of Swiss-Korean descent and has a Swiss surname. We moved to South Korea and grew up there.”

“I see. So what made you come back?”

“Our parents loved it here, and always insisted that we keep close to it. So he and I decided last year that we’d move over here.”

“Your friend does not know much Swiss German.” Andreas chuckled.

“I can hold a conversation.” Gi-hun snapped, and the man laughed.

“My parents were a bit more insistent than his.” In-ho resigned. “And he’s not my friend, he’s my husband.”

Andreas nearly reversed his car into a pole and slammed on the breaks. “Oh… Well… I suppose that explains the matching surnames then.”

Gi-hun stared at In-ho with wide eyes as though to say ‘why the fuck did you tell him that?’. In-ho smiled smugly and shrugged, and the man began the drive down the narrow road.

Gi-hun was staring out at the countryside, the vast vibrant green hills and distant snow capped mountains that looked so far it made the horizon seem endless. It was beautiful. After a few minutes Andreas turned right onto a dirt road until he reached a stone wall with a metal gate. He got out briefly to open it and continued the drive uphill into the property. In the centre of the grassy gradient dotted with fir trees was a two storey chalet, much larger than they needed. The first level was made of white painted stone, whilst the second level was dark wood with lighter coloured wooden shutters on either side of each window. Below each window was a flower box filled with red, pink and green. The black roof steepled into a point, and In-ho noticed a chimney sat atop it on the right side.

“That’s not the place, is it?” Gi-hun looked around as the car began to slow to a stop, gravel crunching under the tires.

“What, don’t like it?” In-ho joked as he exited the car.

“In-ho–” Gi-hun shut the door hard, looking around at the never-ending, breathtaking view behind them. “-This is… Insane. In a good way, an amazing way… But insane.”

A tiny swiss lady in a white and beige cardigan and short grey hair shuffled out onto the porch. She stared at them as they approached, brows stern and mouth a thin line.

“Andreas, who are these men?”

“These are the people who are interested in buying, remember? We only spoke on the phone about ten minutes ago.”

“Yes, but I was not expecting these foreigners. Do you think I want my house turned into a tourist hotel? No.”

“Esther, this is Gabriel and Leon Müller, and they can understand everything you’re saying.”

The lady looked taken aback, and studied them. “Müller?”

“We have no intention of turning your house into hotel, Mrs…?”

“Huber.”

“Mrs Huber.” In-ho smiled warmly. “My friend and I here think your home is beautiful. Did your husband build it?”

She stared at In-ho, apprehensive. “He did.”

“Wow, the craftsmanship is amazing. You must be very proud of your home.”

She pushed back her shoulders. “I am. I don’t want to leave but I’m afraid it’s becoming too much for an old lady to handle. My useless sons have moved to England, and left me here.”

“Well, would it be ok if Leon and I had a look around? We’d love to see the inside if the outside is so well taken care of.” In-ho smiled.

Esther looked at Andreas, who raised his eyebrows.

“I suppose, then. Come in.” She gestured for them to follow as she turned and went through the open door.

“Nice one.” Gi-hun whispered.

“What can I say? I’m good at charming old ladies.”

The place was well kept and clean, the walls the same dark wood against some very old-looking furniture. The main room was dominated by a huge window overlooking the mountains and grassy hills.

“Holy shit.” Gi-hun whispered.

“This is a lovely place you have here, Mrs Huber.”

“My husband and I lived here for 62 years. We made a living through our cattle and goats and our produce. I wanted to die here like he did, but it seems that won’t be happening. I’ve been having to sleep on the couch most nights, too hard for me to do the stairs all the time. Too big a house for me to clean. Like I said, if my useless sons were around I might’ve been able to die here like I wanted.”

In-ho hummed, looking up at the roof that kept the shape of the point, held together by wooden beams. Behind them was a balcony beside some stairs leading to the second level landing. They took a small tour around the house and finished back in the living room. In-ho pulled Gi-hun aside whilst Andreas talked to Esther.

“What do you think?”

“In-ho…” Gi-hun scoffed. “It’s beautiful. But are you sure you don’t want something… smaller?”

“We can more than afford this place. If you want something smaller than we can do that. I know it’s daunting to make a decision like this but, do you like this place?”

Gi-hun looked around, gaze settling on the birds flying by the distant mountains. He nodded.

Esther yelled across the room, “And I want cash for this, by the way. I’ve still got the original deed to this land, we bought it with cash, and that’s how I want to sell it!”

“Cash?” Andreas whipped around. “Esther, we’ve talked about this–”

“I don’t care, Andreas, I want to do things the proper way.”

“That’s perfectly alright, Andreas.” In-ho smiled. “How much are you thinking of selling for?”

“I want four million Francs.”

Gi-hun coughed, and In-ho shot a glare at him.

“I think that’s perfectly reasonable for this property. I can get you cash if that’s what you wish, Mrs Huber.”

Andreas stared at him with glazed eyes, clearly shocked. Esther herself looked taken aback. She glanced over at Gi-hun’s tattered looking green jacket.

“You’re going to pay me four million in cash?”

“If that’s what you wish, then yes.”

She blinked, thinking to herself for a while. “Well then, I think you’ve got a deal, Mr Müller.”

“We do?” Andreas choked.

In-ho could see Gi-hun’s head whip around to face him.

“Yes, Andreas. I’m sick of waiting around, and all the other people you’ve brought didn’t want to pay me what I wanted. You can keep most of the furniture too. I’m going to rent a much smaller place so I only want to take a few things.”

“That’s very kind of you, Mrs Huber.”

They spent the better part of the next hour doing paperwork, and In-ho promised a portion of the money by tomorrow afternoon, though she agreed to allow them to pay her the rest later, until they were able to withdraw such a significant amount from the bank.

Several hundred signatures later and many documents and contracts, In-ho and Gi-hun’s new names were listed on the Swiss registry as homeowners.

They stayed in a nearby hotel for a week, until Esther was able to move out into her new place in town. Andreas kindly offered to drive them up to the house to collect the keys, and Esther greatly enjoyed the sight of Sinbi looking out at her with her huge eyes from the backpack.

“Thank you so much Mrs Huber. We promise to look after you and your husband's house, don’t worry.”

Gi-hun nodded and offered her a smile. “Thank you, ma’am.”

Andreas congratulated them, and helped Esther load her last suitcase into the back of his car, waving as he drove off.

They watched the car crunch down the gravel road down the hill and out of sight. They stood in silence for several minutes, noticing just how quiet it was. Only the sound of the breeze in the nearby forest, and the trickling of the stream that ran close by.

Gi-hun turned around and looked up at the house, squinting in the sun. “Did we actually just buy this?”

“You know what?” In-ho grinned. “I think we did.”

They slowly looked down at each other, and burst out laughing.

“In-ho, In-ho this is crazy. Look-” Gi-hun grabbed his shoulder hard and turned him back towards the view, pointing out at it. “Look at this. We live here. There’s no one else here, it’s only us for miles.”

In-ho couldn’t wipe the grin off his face, excitement dancing in his gut.

“I’m…” In-ho shook his head, lost for words as his throat began to tighten.

Gi-hun’s brow wavered as he looked at him, and he stepped closer, placing his hands on In-ho’s waist.

“Are you ok?” Gi-hun whispered as In-ho saw tears beginning to blur his vision. He nodded.

“I’m… I’m just so happy, Gi-hun.”

“Happy tears?”

In-ho gave a laugh that sounded like a sob. “Happy tears.”

Gi-hun gave him a melancholy smile, leaning in to kiss him. He pulled In-ho’s waist closer, their lips pressing together softly but lovingly. He pulled back and intertwined their fingers.

“Come on, let’s have a look.”

Sinbi leaped out of the backpack, sniffing the air. In-ho bent down and picked her up, cradling her close to his chest.

“This is your new home, Sinbi. No more living on the streets. No more backpacks. This whole thing is yours.” He stroked her ears, and she purred loudly. He turned on the spot, pointing out the huge window. “And see that? That’s yours too. You can run to the mountains if you want, or past them.”

He looked up to catch Gi-hun smiling fondly at them, stepping closer to wrap an arm around In-ho’s waist and look out at the beautiful view together. Sinbi meowed and stretched out of In-ho’s grip, sinking her claws into Gi-hun’s chest and using him to climb onto his shoulder.

“Ow! Ah! Sinbi! What–” She scrambled onto his shoulder, walking behind his neck and sitting on his other shoulder, tail tickling his neck.

In-ho laughed loudly, smile going right to his eyes.

Esther left most of the furniture like she said, only a few gaps here and there. The master bedroom had a huge glass door and balcony overlooking the back of the house and the forest behind, the peaks of a couple mountains peeking through the top. There was a king sized bed still in the room.

“Let’s go into town, get some food for a few days. And I’m buying some new fucking clothes and a razor to shave this itchy ass beard.”

Gi-hun agreed enthusiastically, and they had to walk half an hour into town since they didn’t yet have a car. As they left, Sinbi followed them out on to the porch, and kept following them past the gate and down the road. They shrugged, allowing her to follow. After all, she didn’t know any better, she’d followed them across Seoul, across the seas and across Malaysia, so why would Switzerland be any different? The people in town stopped to look, many completely turning around to stare, both at them, and at the cat following. Many people were delighted at the strange black cat following them so closely, a few people asking to stroke her. The young girl selling dairy products at the farmers market even asking to take a picture with her.

“Maybe Sinbi’s going to help us fit in here.”

With it brought many questions about their origins, and everyone seemed to already know they had bought Esther Huber’s chalet, like it was the hot topic of conversation. Some glared at them irritatedly, while others just seemed curious.

By the time they got back, it was late afternoon, the sun beginning to set over the horizon and bathing the land in golden light. It seemed to bounce off every blade of grass. They decided to have a closer look at the stream by the house, light icy blue water rushing over flat grey stones. The water was so clear as they cupped it in their hands. Gi-hun threw a handful onto In-ho and he gasped as the freezing water hit the front of his shirt. He splashed Gi-hun and the man laughed, covering his face.

“Oh, you’re gonna get it now.” Gi-hun chuckled, splashing him again.

In-ho grabbed his wrist when he went to slap the water a second time, Gi-hun strained against his grip, laughing. He grabbed at In-ho’s shirt, and In-ho shouldered him, wrapping his arms around his middle and tackling him to the floor. They hit the soft grass and In-ho pressed his lips firmly against his, both smiling into the kiss. Gi-hun tried to roll them, but the momentum made them roll several feet down the hill, their legs tangling and falling into a bundle of laughter. Sinbi jumped onto their backs, meowing loudly.

“Come on, let’s go make some dinner. I think someone’s hungry.”

Gi-hun made a simple stew for them with the beef they had gotten from the butcher and the vegetables they had gotten from the farmer’s market, and made a tiny unseasoned portion for Sinbi to go with the cat biscuits they bought. In-ho went outside to chop firewood, and Gi-hun nearly burned the whole dinner watching In-ho swing the axe down hard onto each log, splitting it in two. He had taken his jacket off, his muscles flexing with each swing and the sweat glistening on his forehead. In-ho looked behind him and caught Gi-hun staring from the window, grinning smugly and shaking his head.

Gi-hun was still confused on how much he liked men, but one thing he knew for certain is that he loved what he saw. His masculinity, his strength and his gentleness. The musky smell on his skin and clothes drove him mad.

They showered and shaved their beards and ate in front of the fire In-ho had made in the fireplace, the room only lit by its warm, flickering glow.

“This is pretty good, Gi-hun.” In-ho pointed to the stew with his spoon. The older man thanked him with his mouth full, breaking off a piece of the fresh bread they had gotten in town.

When they were full and content, Gi-hun stacked their bowls in the sink and returned to the carpet in front of the fireplace, staring into it. They sat in comfortable silence for a long time. Sinbi had finished her food, jumping up onto an armchair and cleaning herself loudly before curling up into a purring sleep.

“Do you… Do you think you will like it here?” In-ho said quietly.

Gi-hun turned to him, exhaling a soft laugh. “In-ho, anywhere you are, I am happy. But yes. I think I will be very happy here. I think we will be very happy here.”

In-ho smiled. “Good. Good, I think so too.”

“You told Andreas we were husbands.” Gi-hun grinned.

In-ho felt his face heat. “Oh… Yeah, I’m sorry for doing that. I should have said fiancè but, well, we’ve already got the same last names so that wouldn’t really make sense–”

“I like it.” Gi-hun placed his hand over In-ho’s and In-ho bent his fingers up to stroke his. “It made me happy.”

“It did?” In-ho asked, still feeling the doubt and insecurity plaguing him.

Gi-hun nodded. “So… you’re my husband, then?”

“Well… yes. I’m your husband, and you’re mine.”

“I’m yours.” Gi-hun echoed quietly, gazing deep into his eyes, and In-ho knew just how much he meant it.

A smile split across his face, and Gi-hun’s eyes followed it. He surged forward, kissing In-ho with surprising softness. The hand that wasn’t on his came up to stroke his face, deepening the kiss. Gi-hun shifted, lying down on his side on the carpet in front of the fire, gently tugging In-ho’s shirt to do the same. They laid face to face, the soft crackles and pops of the fire behind.

In-ho closed the distance between them once more, his fingers grazing underneath Gi-hun’s shirt and ghosting across his stomach as he held his waist. He pulled the man closer until they were flush, tongues swirling together in a perfect dance. He felt Gi-hun’s fingers on his shirt, pulling it upwards. He helped him take it off, the carpet slightly scratchy against his skin. The orange glow flickered from his skin, and Gi-hun stared down at him like he was the best thing he’d ever seen.

“You’re… so beautiful.” Gi-hun whispered, and he said it with so much certainty In-ho felt his heart clench.

Gi-hun’s hands raked slowly up and down In-ho’s body, watching his fingers ripple over his ribs and down the gentle curve of his waist. In-ho watched him intently, eyes burning into him and the blood pooling quickly in his groin. He helped Gi-hun take his shirt off, tossing it aside before focussing his attention back on the man in front of him. He grasped his waist, circling a thumb over his flat stomach. Gi-hun pushed his body against his, and their erections pressed into each other through their pants, making them both gasp into each other's mouth.

They rocked against each other, seeking that friction that felt so good. Gi-hun gave a gentle whimper, curving his hips to meet In-ho’s. They kept their rhythm until Gi-hun began to grow desperate, little moans escaping his lips and In-ho drinking in every sound like he needed it to survive. In-ho’s hands danced up the other man’s body, wanting to touch every inch of him, feel everything. Gi-hun’s hands found his ass and urged him forward, pressing them harder together. He slid his hand down the older man's chest, turning his hand and dipping it down into Gi-hun’s pyjama pants, grasping his hot, hard length in his hand.

“Ohh.” Gi-hun closed his eyes, breathing stuttering against In-ho’s lips. He began rocking into In-ho’s hand, and In-ho watched intently, drunk from how turned on the sight of it made him.

Gi-hun came back to himself enough to dip his own hand into In-ho’s pants, feeling his fingers curl around him and give him a gentle squeeze. In-ho’s grip wavered as a strangled noise pulled from him, pleasure shooting through his body. They rocked into each other’s hands, breaths growing heavy and not enough brain function left to do anything except hold their mouths together.

“Please.” In-ho whimpered, the level of arousal making him desperate.

Gi-hun pulled back enough to look him in the eyes.

“Please… Let me make love to you.” In-ho said, and Gi-hun gave a short, sudden exhale. He nodded.

In-ho kissed him, plunging his tongue deep into his mouth, wanting to taste him. He pulled his hand away and Gi-hun whined at the loss, hips chasing the sensation.

“Where… Where do you want me? Do you want to go to bed?” In-ho panted, his voice gravelly with lust.

“No… Here… Right here, I want you now.” Gi-hun exhaled, and In-ho moaned, pulling his hips forward again to grind against him.

In-ho tugged at the thin, loose fabric of Gi-hun’s pants, wanting them gone. Gi-hun chuckled at In-ho’s noises of frustration, and helped him pull them off.

“You too.” Gi-hun dipped his fingers into In-ho’s waistband, pulling them past his hips until his pubic hair peaked through. They pulled them off his feet, tossing them somewhere onto the old couch.

They stared, naked bodies presented to one another in the soft orange glow. The distance was too much, he needed to feel him, all of him. He shifted forward, pressing their bodies together, tangling their legs and arms until hardly an inch of skin was left untouched. In-ho sighed into his shoulder, revelling in the warmth of the man’s body against him. He could feel Gi-hun’s fingers in his hair, stroking with a gentleness that made the nerves of his scalp tingle.

They laid like that for a long time, exactly how long no longer mattered. It could’ve been years, neither of them cared. The battle was finally won, and they could hold each other in front of the fire for as long as they pleased, their heads buried in each other’s shoulders so not even the skin of their face went untouched. In-ho pulled back, kissing him passionately, their lips sucking and sliding together for what seemed like hours. Eventually Gi-hun’s head began pushing his back, mouth moving faster against his and struggling for breath. His hips hooked upwards, rubbing their erections together and causing them both to gasp. In-ho moaned, pushing Gi-hun onto his back enough for him to lay most of his weight on top, not breaking their kiss as he found enough purchase to grind against him properly. Gi-hun’s lips went slack against his kiss, small breaths escaping him and eyes closed.

In-ho pushed himself up, the man’s eyes still closed and arms lazily coming up to see where the weight had gone. In-ho crawled back, hovering over his cock and taking the head into his mouth.

Gi-hun gasped loudly, his eyes squeezing as In-ho began dragging his mouth shallowly up and down Gi-hun’s length. The man gave a quavering moan, one so full of pain and desperation it made In-ho’s eyes prick with tears. He hollowed out his cheeks, sucking agonisingly slowly from base to tip over and over until Gi-hun was writhing under him.

Gi-hun gave a loud, impatient moan, filling the quiet room.

“In- ah, In-ho, In-ho…” Gi-hun gasped, his abdomen twitching and chest stuttering. “Fuck.”

In-ho was painfully hard, laying on his stomach between Gi-hun’s legs and feeling the dampness of his precum on the carpet under him. He wanted to worship every part of Gi-hun, make him feel incredible, make him desperate.

Make him forget everything except for him.

Make him beg and scream his name.

Make him come over and over and over until there was nothing left. Until he was exhausted.

He wanted to show Gi-hun just how much he fucking loved him.

Gi-hun’s hands found In-ho’s hair, fingers curling around the locks and pulling. In-ho grunted, smiling around him. He knew In-ho went feral when his fair was pulled, and he always used it to his advantage when he wanted to speed things along.

In-ho took him deep, a new surge of arousal pulsing through him like branches of lightning in the night sky. Gi-hun arched when the head hit the back of In-ho’s throat, the fingers in his hair tightening to a painful degree. He kept the slow pace, wanting to milk him for every drop of pleasure. It took everything in his power not to flip him over and fuck him, but he wanted to stretch this out at long as humanly possible.

“Oh. Oh. Oh God–” Gi-hun whimpered. “In-ho it feels, it feels… shit!” He swore, seemingly unable to keep his legs still as they tightened and loosened around In-ho’s body.

In-ho ran his hands up and down Gi-hun’s thighs, sliding up to his hips and pressing his thumbs into the soft flesh above his pelvic bone and causing Gi-hun to buck into his mouth. He swirled his tongue around the length, teasing the vein that pulsed angrily and lapping up the precum that poured freely from his arousal.

“I m-missed you so much.” Gi-hun gave a sob, squeezing his eyes shut again. “I want to make up for all the time we lost. All the time we n-never had, ah fuck! I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. Oh god, In- In-ho, I’m so fucking close. I’m so close.”

In-ho dragged his mouth back up the length and pulled off him, and a sob left Gi-hun’s mouth. In-ho climbed over him once more, dipping down and claiming his mouth hungrily, wanting Gi-hun to taste himself on his tongue.

“I want that too. We could have spent the rest of our lives locked up on that ship, on that plane, I don’t care. It wouldn’t have mattered if it meant I was with you.” In-ho said between kisses, placing them on his mouth, his cheek, his jaw, his neck, his collarbone. Gi-hun’s arms wrapped around him with a soft moan, holding him tightly to his chest.

In-ho felt hands on his cheeks, urging his face back up. Gi-hun stared at him, corners of his eyes crinkled with adoration. A smile danced on his lips.

“I don’t think I’ve loved anyone as much as I love you.”

In-ho felt a smile split across his face, and he stroked the hair from Gi-hun’s eyes. He thought of his wife, how much he loved her, so much so that he destroyed his life after she had died. He never tortured himself with hypotheticals, of the ‘what if she was still here’, because she wasn’t. And Gi-hun was. And he adored Gi-hun with every fiber of his being.

Gi-hun’s smile faltered, his brow quavering for a second. “I don’t expect you to say the same. I know for you… it’s different.”

“Gi-hun.” In-ho silenced him gently. “I love you with everything I have. I love you more than I can give. My love for you doesn’t diminish what I once had with my wife… but I don’t want you to feel like that makes me love you any less.”

“I understand. And I don’t expect you to struggle with yourself of who you love or loved more, I know there’s enough love in your heart for the both of us. I just want you to be happy.”

In-ho felt tears pricking his eyes again, his breath shaky as he stroked Gi-hun’s hair. His chest shook as he held his breath to stop himself sobbing. It was like he’d been released from a cage he didn’t even realise he’d been locked in.

“Thank you. You don’t understand how much it means to hear you say that.”

Gi-hun offered him a somber smile, and Sinbi purred loudly from where she slept.

In-ho felt a calloused hand close around his cock, stroking him gently. His mouth fell open, every drag of the rough skin singeing his nerves. Gi-hun watched him closely, his smile fading and his eyes dark. In-ho pressed two fingers to Gi-hun’s lips, and he allowed them past, sucking and swirling his tongue around them in the same rhythm he twisted his hand around In-ho’s cock. The action made a strangled noise escape him, and he retracted his fingers, pushing Gi-hun’s legs up gently. He pressed the slick finger’s to Gi-hun’s hole, circling the tight ring and making Gi-hun’s breath hitch. He pushed one inside slowly, gently working him open. Gi-hun moaned quietly, staring down at him as he pushed in a second finger and gently dragged them in and out. He curled them, and Gi-hun twitched as a sudden, short moan burst from him. In-ho smirked triumphantly, massaging the spot over and over until Gi-hun grew desperate, before withdrawing them.

Gi-hun whimpered, sighing frustratedly. His cock was leaking against his stomach, a line of slick on his belly from where it had dragged over the skin.

In-ho rolled off him gently onto his side, propping himself up by his elbow and urging Gi-hun to roll against him. The taller man pressed his back into In-ho’s chest, Gi-hun’s ass against his cock. He slid his hands over his body, pulling him flush.

He quietly spat into his hand, wishing he didn’t leave the bottle of lube they bought in the bedroom and making a mental note to keep a spare downstairs. He took his cock in his hand and slicked it with saliva, sliding it up and down Gi-hun’s entrance. The man squirmed in his grip, pressing back against him impatiently.

“In-ho…” He whispered. “Please.”

In-ho pressed his erection against him, the head breaching the right ring of muscles. They both gasped as In-ho’s cock was enveloped in tight, slick heat. Gi-hun ground his ass against him, urging him deeper. In-ho moaned loudly as the man sank himself deeper, his fingers digging into the skin of Gi-hun’s hips.

“Oh Gi-hun…” In-ho whimpered, pressing his chin over Gi-hun’s shoulder. “You feel… so fucking good.”

He began moving slowly, allowing Gi-hun to adjust as he pulled almost all the way out before pushing back inside at an agonisingly slow pace. Gi-hun gasped quietly everytime he pushed back inside.

“Baby… Let me hear you. Please let me hear you.” In-ho said quietly. “There’s no one for miles. It’s just us here together. No one else to hear us, those noises are ours, all ours, no one else's.” He moaned, burying his head into the crook of Gi-hun’s shoulder.

He ground his hips hard into Gi-hun, pressed against the soft skin of his ass. Gi-hun moaned openly, and In-ho lit up at the sound, hips stuttering as his slow rhythm began to falter. He kissed Gi-hun’s neck, and the man tipped his head back, breaths leaving his open mouth as he allowed In-ho more space to kiss, lick, leave soft bites. The fire was hot against In-ho’s back, the body against him just as warm, wrapping him in an all-encompasing warmth

In-ho began to grind his hips in circles after every thrust, grinding against the sensitive spot inside Gi-hun. The man whined and sobbed, pushing back to meet each thrust. In-ho could feel him beginning to tremble.

“Please.” Gi-hun exhaled. “More, I need more, I can’t stand it, please, In-ho, please–”

“Shhh.” In-ho shushed him gently, kissing below his ear. “I’ve got you.”

Gi-hun relaxed, and In-ho began moving faster, pushing his hips up and deep each time. Gi-hun moaned, his arm flying up to grasp In-ho’s waist from behind. In-ho slid his arm up to his chest, the other under Gi-huns ribs against the carpet, and held him as he thrusted harder and faster.

“Oh god, oh, oh fuck!” Gi-hun whimpered.

In-ho groaned at the sensation overwhelming his senses, his whole body alight. He panted into his shoulder, snapping his hips faster.

“Oh fuck, right there.” Gi-hun sobbed. “Right there, yes. D-don’t stop. Don’t stop.”

In-ho fucked into him, the sound of skin slapping becoming louder as the noises from Gi-hun became louder and longer. In-ho groaned and grunted, loud breaths escaping him and hot against Gi-hun’s neck.

Gi-hun was beginning to grow limp in his arms, taking what In-ho was giving him. His moans were becoming a string of long whines and he could feel the ring of muscles tightening around him. In-ho was beginning to grow tired, his thrusts losing momentum.

“Can I ride you?” Gi-hun breathed, and In-ho huffed a laugh.

“Yes please.” He pulled out and rolled on his back, and Gi-hun turned to face him. His face was red and flushed, his hair messy and his cock a deep red and dripping.

He looked down at In-ho lying on the floor and smiled amusedly.

“Here.” He said, grabbing a cushion from the old couch and placing it under In-ho’s head. In-ho laughed, another swell of adoration for the man.

Gi-hun straddled him, positioning himself and sinking down onto him once more. He tipped his head back as he lowered himself slowly, eyes fluttering closed as the tight heat enveloped him once more. In-ho had to stop his eyes from rolling back, intent on watching the man as he began to bounce on top of him. The room was filled with the sound of their breaths, coming in short, sharp exhales.

In-ho’s hands circled his hips, sliding over his stomach and up to his ribs, savouring every touch of his skin, the soft hair, the bones underneath and the muscles stretched over them. He thought that if he ever drew Gi-hun, he’d be able to draw every muscle from memory. Every mole and every spot.

“Beautiful.” In-ho breathed quietly, and Gi-hun’s eyes sparkled.

He could feel himself getting closer, Gi-hun’s pace too slow to help him build. He snapped his hips upward as Gi-hun came down, slamming hard into him. Gi-hun yelped, his knees shaking as In-ho began to meet every thrust hard.

“In-ho! Shit! Oh fuck! Oh fuck!” Gi-hun moaned louder and louder, breaths tearing from his body as he began to curl in on himself in pleasure, legs starting to close on their own accord as In-ho pounded into him. His eyes rolled back, taking the force of it, cock jumping.

“You- You like that baby?” In-ho said breathlessly.

“Oh In-ho. It feels- it feels so good. I can’t- I don’t- I need–”

“Shh, baby, just feel it. Feel me.”

Gi-hun tipped his head back and gave a long, echoing moan as his body jolted from the force of In-ho’s thrusts. His cock was slapping against his stomach, leaving spots of slick on his skin. In-ho stared down at it, up at him, his chest flushed and his adams apple exposed. He wanted to bite that soft skin on his throat he was presenting him so openly. In-ho pushed himself up, propping himself back on his hand and using the other to grab the back of Gi-hun’s head. He pulled him close and sunk his teeth into his neck. Not enough to hurt but enough to shock him. The man gasped, not realising In-ho had sat up and arms automatically wrapping around him to press their chest together.

“You feel so good, In-ho. It feels so good. I don’t want it to end. I want to feel you all the time. Every second of every day.”

“Then that’s what we’ll do.” In-ho breathed. “I’ll give that to you if that’s what you want.”

Gi-hun moaned, holding him tight and grinding against him. He tugged Gi-hun’s hair gently and kissed him, tongues sliding together in a hot, dirty embrace. In-ho’s back was beginning to ache, and he cursed himself.

“Can we… move to the couch? My… my fucking back is killing me.”

He heard a huff of laughter leave Gi-hun’s lips. “You fucking old man.”

“Hey! You’re older than me.” In-ho grinned.

“Yeah, and my knees are killing me, so let's move to the couch.”

In-ho laughed, playfully slapping his ass before Gi-hun climbed off. He watched Gi-hun walk over to the couch, staring unashamedly.

“Well, aren’t you coming?”

“I will if you keep waving your ass at me like that.”

Gi-hun rolled his eyes. “I mean to the couch.”

“Aren’t I allowed to enjoy the view?” In-ho pushed himself off the floor, sinking onto the couch. Gi-hun climbed onto him without a beat. “Eager, are we?”

“Shut up and fuck me.” Gi-hun grinned.

“Oh, I intend to.” In-ho growled, grabbing his ass in each hand and forcing him down the rest of the way, pushing his hips up at the same time. Gi-hun swore loudly, and In-ho began fucking into him at a relentless pace, a new surge of arousal-fueled adrenaline.

“You’re so deep. I can feel you so deep.” Gi-hun whined, squeezing his eyes shut. His whole body was shaking. In-ho’s fingers dug into his hips, hard enough to leave dark marks in his skin tomorrow. He wanted that. He wanted it to show, wanted the reminder of how good he’d been fucked.

“Yeah? You like me in your stomach?” He pressed his fingers into Gi-hun’s belly. “You feel me in here, baby?”

Gi-hun moaned and nodded, and In-ho laughed breathlessly.

“I want- I want it so bad. I want you so bad, I need it, I need it In-ho. Please.”

“Then take it, beautiful. It’s all yours. I’m all yours. Take everything you want. It’s all yours.” In-ho groaned, and he meant it.

Gi-hun’s moans were quickly turning into desperate whimpers, and In-ho bent forward, licking and sucking at Gi-hun’s neck as he fucked into him. He scraped his teeth along the soft skin, growling into the crook of his shoulder. He was getting close, growing desperate, the feeling overwhelming. Gi-hun’s arms rested on his shoulders, hands in his hair, he pulled In-ho’s head back, exposing his throat.

“That’s it. Take it, beautiful. You’re doing so good.” In-ho said, voice laden with deep lust.

His dominant demeanour was beginning to slip as his orgasm grew closer, his own deep grunts beginning to turn high-pitched and whimpery.

“Oh fuck, Gi-hun, I’m so close. Are you?”

Gi-hun nodded, seemingly unable to form words, mouth hanging open.

“You feel so good baby, you feel so good. So good. Oh god, I need it, I need it, I need it.” In-ho moaned loud, hearing it echo from the tall ceiling.

His cock was sizzling with pleasure, consuming his whole body like his skin was on fire. The feeling of the hot tightness clenching around him, the weight of the man on top of him, the musky smell of his sweat, the noises he was eliciting from him.

It was so much. It was so much and somehow not enough. It was everything, it was all that mattered. All that mattered was the man in front of him, all that mattered was that he wanted to come so fucking badly.

“Gi-hun! Oh Gi-hun, please! Please, pleasepleasepleaseplease–” In-ho whined, sucking in a harsh, loud breath as his hips fucked into him brutally, chasing his own high.

Gi-hun was rocking hard against him, falling into a rhythm that was sloppy but exactly what they both needed. “In-ho! Fuck! Please don’t stop! Don’t fucking stop! I’m so close! I’m so close, I want you so bad. I can’t– I can’t take it! Let me come, please let me come, let me come let me come let me come–”

In-ho’s chest was hurting with the force of his breaths, sucking air desperately into his lungs. “Yes! Come for me baby, please come for me, beautiful. I want to feel it. I want to see you. I’m gonna– Oh fuck, I’m gonna, I’m gonna–”

Gi-hun opened his eyes, black with desire as his whole body shook. His breathing stopped and he went silent, and In-ho drove into him hard, bringing his hips down to meet him. Gi-hun’s cock spurted onto his stomach, another pulse coming each second as his flushed cock twitched. He let out an anguished, deep moan that borderlined a scream, and it sent In-ho over the edge, throat scratching with the volume of his groan as he buried himself as deep as he could. His cock pulsed, filling Gi-hun deep as he held the man hard against him, not letting him move.

“Oh fuck, baby! Holy fuck!” He yelled as the feeling overwhelmed him nearly to the point of pain. The pleasure crashed over him like he’d been struck by lightning. In-ho’s head fell back over the edge of the couch, chest heaving. Gi-hun collapsed onto him, his skin hot. They calmed down together, feeling each other’s breathing and heartbeat against their skin. When the hard, fast thumps of Gi-hun’s heart had slowed into a steady rhythm, Gi-hun pulled back, kissing him hard.

“I love you, In-ho.”

“I love you too, Gi-hun.”

“My husband.” Gi-hun grinned boyishly.

In-ho beamed, chuckling softly. “My husband.”

Gi-hun lit up adorably, kissing him again with fingers scratching through his hair. In-ho hummed into the kiss, his cock giving another lazy twitch inside him. Gi-hun gently climbed off him.

“Shit.”

“What’s wrong?”

Gi-hun looked around the dark, empty house. “We haven’t got towels. We haven’t got anything.”

In-ho laughed. “Oh no, I guess we’ll just have to have a shower, then.” He quirked his eyebrow, and Gi-hun rolled his eyes.

“You really do have the refractory period of a seventeen year old.”

In-ho laughed again, and got up from the couch, his cock still half hard as he recovered from his high. He took Gi-hun to the ensuite bathroom upstairs, turning on the water until the steam began to rise.

“I can… feel it… inside.” Gi-hun flushed pink.

“What?” In-ho grinned.

“I can feel you inside. It feels weird.”

In-ho chortled, opening the new bottle of body wash and washing Gi-hun’s release off his stomach. “You’re so awkward, it’s adorable.”

“I’m a grown man. I’m not adorable.” Gi-hun frowned.

“You are adorable. And I love it.”

Gi-hun pursed his lips disapprovingly, but let the comment slide for the flattery. He allowed In-ho to wash him without complaint, doing the same for him when he was finished.

“I like it.” Gi-hun said randomly, after a long stretch of silence.

“Like what?”

“When you call me ‘beautiful’. I like it.”

“Well, I only ever tell the truth, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun laughed, pulling his face in gently for a soft kiss. “Can you call me it more often? You usually only do it when we have sex.”

In-ho smiled. “Of course, beautiful.”

Gi-hun grinned, eyes falling to In-ho’s body as he washed him gently. He cocked his head, feeling In-ho’s abs under the tips of his fingers.

“Like what you see?”

“Your ego is bigger than your dick, In-ho.”

“Oh, that’s pretty big then.”

Gi-hun laughed, and In-ho smiled at the warmth that spread through him at the sound. He’d gone so long without seeing him even smile. They got out of the shower, having to dry themselves with a sheet they found in the cupboard, promising to do some more shopping tomorrow.

The fire was beginning to die, and In-ho poked and prodded at it, adding more wood and old newspaper until it flared once more. A noise behind him startled him, what sounded like music. He turned to see Gi-hun walking towards him, phone in his hand playing a slow song he recognised. An American song. Gi-hun turned the volume on full and tossed it onto the couch. The soft, gentle words began to play.

If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I'd like to do-

“What are you doing?” In-ho stood quietly, turning his body to face the man as he approached slowly. Gi-hun held out his hand.

Is to save every day, 'til eternity passes away, just to spend them with you.

“Dance with me.”

In-ho exhaled a gentle laugh, taking his hand and allowing Gi-hun to pull him close, resting his hands on In-ho’s waist while In-ho rested his on Gi-hun’s shoulders.

If I could make days last forever, if words could make wishes come true-

 

In-ho allowed himself to be gently swayed to the music, the sweet sounding guitar and the soft voice. They gazed at each other, the music swirling around them against the cracks and snaps of the fireplace.

I'd save every day like a treasure and then again,
I would spend them with you.

In-ho sighed, resting his forehead against Gi-hun’s and closing his eyes “If the rest of our lives together is like this, I will be a very happy man.”

Gi-hun’s eyes crinkled, and he leaned in, lips brushing In-ho’s.

But there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do, once you find them.

 

They kept their gaze on each other, lips barely touching. He could feel the soft, warm air against his lips, their noses rubbing together. Gi-hun pressed forward, and In-ho pulled back slightly, teasingly. He wanted to look at him longer.

 

I've looked around enough to know
That you're the one I want to go
Through time with.

 

“I waited. We waited so long for this.” In-ho whispered.

 

Gi-hun’s eyes searched his, a sadness behind them.

 

“I know.”

 

In-ho brushed their lips together, so soft it barely registered their lips were touching before he pressed forward, breathing deeply. They continued to sway to the gentle guitar, turning slowly on the spot as they breathed each other in, neither wanting to break apart.

 

When eventually they had to, In-ho leant his forehead against his once more.

 

“Why did you choose that song?”

 

“I like how it sounds. It sounds romantic.” Gi-hun whispered.

 

“Do you understand the lyrics?”

 

“No. No, I just think it sounds nice.”

 

In-ho smiled, bringing his hand up to stroke his cheek. “Play it again. I will tell you.”

 

Gi-hun picked up his phone and restarted the song, In-ho taking the phone from him to put aside and swaying to the music once more.

 

He translated each lyric into Korean as it played. Gi-hun listened in silence, letting In-ho lead him. When the song had ended once more, they continued to sway long after the room had fallen into silence, only the noise of the fire. When In-ho opened his eyes, Gi-hun was crying, tear tracks down his face.

 

In-ho pulled back, concerned. “What’s wrong?”

 

Gi-hun gave a choked laugh. “Nothing’s wrong. The exact opposite.”

 

In-ho’s lips upturned in a bittersweet smile. “Happy tears?”

 

Gi-hun smiled. “Happy tears.”

 

In-ho wiped the tears away, cradling his face in his palm. “Play it one more time.”

If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I'd like to do,
is to save every day
'Til eternity passes away
just to spend them with you.

Notes:

Song: Time in a Bottle - Jim Croce

Hope you guys liked this one, literally was on the verge of tears writing the dance scene - just made me realise how much I want love like that 😭
Thank you for all the support on the last chapter, your comments mean more than you can imagine. As always, stay safe, love you all 🫶

Chapter 26: Andromeda

Summary:

A year after Gi-hun and In-ho move to Switzerland together. In-ho surprises Gi-hun, and someone finally wins the bet.

Notes:

CW: Canon-typical violent imagery

 

This chapter is probably the longest one I have written in this fic (just under a whopping 17k words), and it's also technically the finale. It's a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions.

There is also **drumroll please** a LOT of smut. And it is mostly **drumroll please** BOTTOM IN-HO!! I thought I should give a generous dose since this fic was originally intended to be a PWP lol!
But there are also a couple romantic scenes I hold near and dear to my heart.

Enjoy, my friends.

One year later

The streets of Lucerne were cold and empty, carrying only the chittering of sparrows and the trickle of a nearby fountain. A man with messy black hair splayed across his forehead walked across the snow-dusted cobblestones, orange glow of the sunrise bouncing off white. He didn’t normally prefer to have his hair this way, but that was the way his partner liked it, and so that was how he kept it. After all, he had also made his partner wear the same long curls he used to have when he had first seen him all those years ago.

It felt like so long ago now.

Tucked away in the man’s pocket was a small, blue velvet box. In-ho pulled his jacket tighter around him, a content smile settled on his face. He crossed the long wooden bridge that wound over the turquoise water, only a few morning commuters out so early, and boarded the next train to Fiesch. He sat at the back of the nearly empty carriage, shivering as his cold skin met the warm air of the heated carriage.

As the train began to pull away, In-ho fished the small box out of his inside pocket, and opened it. Inside was a golden wedding band. It was embossed with the curves and creases of a mountain range, stretching all around, the tops of the mountains a soft grey-black dusted over the gold. Lining the very top of each peak was a slither of real emerald, Gi-hun’s favourite colour, peaking through the gold like branches of lightning.

It was the mountain range outside their window. The view Gi-hun would spend hours just looking at, sometimes early in the morning before In-ho had awoken, when he’d wake to find the bed empty and the man curled up with a steaming mug on the couch downstairs. In-ho would smile, pour himself one too, and join him, head resting on his shoulder and watching the sky change colour. Doing the same in the late afternoon as the orange sun descended below the peaks and the white birds looked like stars moving across the sky.

He twirled the ring in his fingers, engraved on the inside was a date. The day they reunited, standing in the rain at the end of the alleyway, written in perfect cursive. He smiled and placed the ring gently back into the box. In the back of his belt was a document holder, now sitting across his lap so as to not crease it. Inside was a marriage certificate, and two Swiss passports. Real passports. In-ho had finally managed to get them done after lying low for a bit over a year, and so now, they no longer had to hide in the country in fear of being caught if they tried to leave. So, inside each passport was a plane ticket.

The sun had fully risen by the time In-ho had gotten to Fiesch, finding where he’d parked and driving through the countryside to their home. Gi-hun would probably be waking up around now. It wasn’t unusual for In-ho to be out before he woke up, usually taking a walk or at the market in town, so Gi-hun wouldn’t be worried that he was gone. The hill in which their house sat atop was covered in snow, covering the garden In-ho worked so hard on in the warmer months, usually filling the front of the house with flowers and greenery, just like Andreas had advised them to the day they bought it.

He detoured around the back of the house to the old barn, quietly opening the flaking red doors.

“Morning girls.” He rubbed his cold hands together, breath leaving his mouth in puffs of fog.

A deep rumbling moo came from Strawberry, he and Gi-hun’s dairy cow, and he scratched her fondly on her huge, brown head. They also had another cow, Cinnamon, and four goats – Poppy, Yumi, Miso and little Jag-eun. Gi-hun insisted on naming them all, sometimes taking several days to choose one. They also kept a group of chickens which Gi-hun had named, and he always knew which one was which, though In-ho was never able to get it right. In-ho topped up their hay, making a note to clean the stables later, and collected all of today's eggs in his jacket before making his way inside.

A quiet meow made him look down, and a black cat swirled at his feet. In-ho grinned down at her.

“Hello my sweet one. Look what I got you–” He put the eggs away safely and dug into a plastic bag he was holding, pulling out a small fillet of fish wrapped in paper he’d gotten on the way home. She meowed loudly, showing her tiny white pointed teeth. He broke it up into her bowl in the kitchen whilst she headbutted his knees lovingly. She was never one to eat cat food, though they had tried many different types and brands. He supposed it was due to their accidental spoiling of her during their journey here, having to give her whatever they were having, gimbap, jjigae, fish. He didn’t blame her for not wanting to eat that canned shit. Now they just made her an unseasoned, cat-friendly version of whatever they were eating, and she’d lap it up greedily. But he noticed her coat was much softer and shinier since they’d lived here.

He washed his hands and started a fire in the fireplace, and he didn’t have to wait for long before Gi-hun shuffled in.

“Morning, beautiful.” In-ho smiled, and Gi-hun returned it tiredly.

“Morning.” He kissed In-ho, a greeting peck on the lips. He pulled back, brow furrowing for a second. “What are you looking so pleased about?”

“I’ve uh… I’ve got something for you.”

Gi-hun lit up excitedly, “Ooh, is it that fish I wanted you to get?”

“Well, I did get that, yes. But that’s not what I wanted to show you.”

Gi-hun’s smile faltered when he noticed just how nervous In-ho looked, to the point of his hands trembling. Why the fuck was he so nervous? It’s not like what he was about to do was anything new. But it just seemed so formal than anything he’d done before. He took Gi-hun’s hand and led him over to the vast open window, the gentle sound of the fire crackling in the quiet room. In-ho let go and slipped a hand into his inside pocket, pulling out the small, blue velvet box with shaking hands.

He opened it facing Gi-hun, and the man’s eyes widened, his lips parting as his gaze darted between In-ho and the box.

“I thought… Well, we always say we’re married but… We’ve never made it official. I thought I’d… yeah.” He said awkwardly, blushing crimson.

Gi-hun stared down at it, mesmerised. “In-ho it’s… oh my god.”

“Do you like it?”

“Like it?” He took the box carefully, inspecting it closer. “In-ho it’s beautiful.” His eyes narrowed and he looked out the window at the mountain range, and back at the ring.

“It isn’t. Is it?” Gi-hun asked, the corner of his lips upturning.

In-ho nodded.

Gi-hun huffed a laugh. “Oh my god, In-ho. I… I love it.” his smile faded. “But I don’t have one for you. You should have told me you were getting rings now.”

“I wanted to surprise you. You can surprise me with one too, later.” He took the box from Gi-hun’s hand, carefully taking out the ring and holding his palm out expectantly. Gi-hun placed his fingers on his and allowed In-ho to slip the ring on his finger, the man pulling his hand back to inspect it with a sparkle in his eye.

“And look–” In-ho pulled out the document holder tucked in the back of his pants and slid out a single sheet of paper, passing it to Gi-hun.

His eyes darted back and forth as he read it. “Is this real?”

“Real and legal.”

“So we’re… actually married? Legally married?”

“Yep.” In-ho beamed, and Gi-hun laughed excitedly, throwing himself at In-ho and kissing him passionately. They smiled into the kiss, Gi-hun squeezing him tight as In-ho stumbled back.

In-ho pushed him back gently. “Wait, I’m not done.”

“How much have you been planning?” Gi-hun laughed, his smile dropping in shock when he pulled out two, real Swiss passports.

“Are those…”

“Completely, one-hundred percent real.” He passed Gi-hun his. “But look inside.”

In-ho felt butterflies swarming his stomach, skin prickling with anticipation. His breaths were quick and shallow as he watched the man open to the page containing one long slip of paper.

His brow furrowed when he recognised it as a plane ticket. “In-ho… What–” He slid it out and turned it over to read it, and In-ho held his breath.

Gi-hun stared at it, eyes wide and frozen. A smile tugged at In-ho’s lips. The man slowly looked up at him, his eyes beginning to glisten.

“...Los Angeles, California?”

In-ho nodded, eyes crinkled with happiness.

Gi-hun stormed forward, throwing his arms around In-ho so hard they both stumbled back and fell onto the couch. He felt the man’s body shake as he gave a sob into his chest, pulling back to hold the ticket in front of his face once more, as though he thought he’d imagined it.

“Oh my god, In-ho. In-ho I love you so much.” Tears ran down his cheeks, and In-ho couldn’t rid the smile from his face. Gi-hun leant up and kissed him hard, desperate. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me, Gi-hun, I love you.”

Gi-hun beamed, and they sat there, Gi-hun in his lap. After a few minutes, Gi-hun rose, looking at him with a fire in his eyes.

“I’m going to go have a shower. Come?”

In-ho smiled, taking the hand Gi-hun offered him and followed him wordlessly upstairs. He could feel himself twitch in interest, knowing how Gi-hun usually liked to repay him for things.

He let Gi-hun slip his jacket off, his shirt over his head and unbuckle his pants. He snickered when he pulled off In-ho’s boxers to find that he was already half hard.

“Expecting something?”

In-ho snickered, tugging lightly at the bottom of Gi-hun’s pyjama shirt.

Gi-hun turned the water on and allowed In-ho to help him undress, getting in when the water was warm. In-ho stepped close to him, his arousal boiling in his gut as his hands came up to stroke Gi-hun’s sides and pull him close. He stared down at his body, the water that trickled over his skin, the v-line that led to his flaccid cock. He turned him on so much.

“Turn around.” In-ho mumbled.

Gi-hun smirked, and began slowly turning on the spot. In-ho stared shamelessly, eyes darkening as they drifted down the curve of his spine to his ass. He reached out, squeezing a handful of the soft flesh in his palm. Gi-hun completed the turn, facing back towards In-ho with the smugness still painted on his face.

“You’re the most gorgeous man on this fucking Earth.” In-ho whispered, a smile playing on the corner of his mouth.

The man advanced on him suddenly, pushing him back against the freezing tiles and attacking his lips roughly, In-ho struggled for breath, the wind seemingly knocked out of him as Gi-hun pressed his water-slick body against his. Gi-hun swooped for his neck, licking and sucking at the sensitive skin of his throat. In-ho was achingly hard, hips rolling into Gi-hun’s leg and his groan echoing across the bathroom.

Gi-hun sank to his knees, hands raking all the way down and In-ho felt excitement shoot through him. Gi-hun wasted no time taking him into his mouth, sucking hard and massaging him with his tongue. In-ho screwed his eyes shut, hand coming up to brace against the wall at the sudden, all-consuming feeling. He moaned, deep and guttural, other hand snaking through Gi-hun’s wet hair and guiding him up and down his cock. The man sucked and lapped at him eagerly, staring up at him with a gaze that drove In-ho mad. He buckled at the knees, feeling like his legs were going to give out any second.

Gi-hun grew in confidence, taking him to the base and holding him there. In-ho gave a shout, fingers tightening in his hair and his whole body beginning to shake. Pleasure shot through him in pulses of electricity, consuming him and setting him alight. He wanted to move his hips so badly, wanted to fuck into the gorgeous, tight heat wrapped around him. He opened eyes he didn’t realise he’d closed and looked down, seeing Gi-hun still staring at him, lips around him. He growled at the sight, tugging at his hair to speed up. He began to move his hips shallowly, and Gi-hun moaned around him, the vibrations making him buck.

“Oh, Gi-hun- Please, I want to- Please, I want to–” He gasped breathlessly, unable to get any words out, his brain turning to mush.

Gi-hun pulled off him, stroking him gently. “Tell me what you want. I’ll give you anything.”

“Want to- Want to fuck… ah, your mouth. I want to feel your throat. Will you let me?” He said in between gasps, seemingly unable to catch his breath, the arousal making his heart pound a thousand beats a minute.

Gi-hun turned off the shower and stood, and In-ho looked at him confusedly. “What? No–”

Gi-hun shushed him, taking his hand and stepping out of the shower. “Come.”

Gi-hun led him out of the ensuite and into their bedroom, bed still unmade. They were dripping water everywhere and it was freezing, but In-ho was too far gone to care. He watched with dark eyes as Gi-hun laid down on his back, his head hanging over the side and looking up at In-ho.

In-ho stepped towards him, erection hovering over his face. Gi-hun reached up and interlocked their fingers, pulling him closer.

“Go on, take it then, take what you want.” Gi-hun breathed. The sight of him sprawled out on their bed, body presented to him and hot breath against his cock nearly made In-ho come at the sight. He wanted it bad, wanted to fuck him until he pumped him full, but he wasn’t sure he’d be able to be gentle.

“I… I don’t want to hurt you. We’ve never tried it like this.”

“You won’t hurt me. I want it, I’ll stop you if I can’t.”

In-ho nodded, whispering “Okay.”

He slipped the head past Gi-hun’s lips, resting his fingertips lightly on the man’s chest, the other hanging by his side. He watched his cock disappear and reappear into his mouth, moaning richly as the hot, wetness enveloped him once more. He started off slow, allowing Gi-hun to adjust to the new position. He’d given In-ho hundreds of blowjobs, but he’d never given one upside down. In-ho loved it, able to brace his hands against his chest as he slowly fucked in and out of Gi-hun’s mouth.

Gi-hun made a noise of frustration, urging him to speed up. In-ho pushed his hips deeper, feeling the head of his cock go past Gi-hun’s tonsils. He hissed, the feeling so incredible he didn’t know what to do with himself. He pushed it in again, and again. Gi-hun gagged, the sudden contraction of the muscles around his cock making him buck and causing Gi-hun to gag again, more violently. In-ho’s eyes flew open and he pulled out, cock dripping with saliva. Gi-hun coughed, his eyes full of tears.

“Why’d you stop?” Gi-hun panted.

“You gagged. I don’t want to choke you.”

“In-ho.” Gi-hun’s eyes were blazing. “Don’t stop if I gag. I don’t want you to stop unless I tell you. I want you to choke me. Give it to me. Use me to come, baby.”

“Fuck” In-ho growled with unbearable arousal, silencing him with his cock and plunging deeper inside his mouth. He started thrusting hard, obscene noises leaving Gi-hun’s mouth as he tried to keep up with the brutal pace. It felt so perfect, so good, he couldn’t think. He squeezed Gi-hun’s pecs in his hands, stroking his ribs and stomach as he snapped his hips into him. Gi-hun gagged a few times, balls slapping against his face and letting In-ho use him for his pleasure. Saliva dripped down the sides of his mouth. Filthy. Messy.

“Oh baby, you’re so beautiful.” In-ho worshipped Gi-hun’s body with his hands, moaning loudly when he realised he could see the slight bulge in the man’s throat with each push of his cock into the tight space. “Holy fuck, you’re so hot. Taking me so well. Look at you taking it like such a good boy.”

Gi-hun groaned hoarsely, skin still glistening with dampness from the shower and his cock now fully hard and neglected on his stomach.

“I’m nearly there, beautiful. Fuck, I’m so close baby. You’re doing so well.” In-ho whined, throwing his head back and squeezing his eyes shut.

Gi-hun coughed and gagged, In-ho so far gone in pleasure he hardly noticed until Gi-hun began tapping his legs frantically. His orgasm right on the edge of release disappeared and he pulled out instantly. Gi-hun coughed and spluttered, panting hard.

In-ho looked down to see his face flushed, snot and saliva running down his face.

“Fuck, Gi-hun, are you ok?”

Gi-hun nodded breathlessly. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I know you were going to finish. I just couldn’t breathe.”

“No, don’t worry about me, thank you for telling me. Do you want to do something else?”

Gi-hun wiped his face with his hand, breaths slowing. He shook his head. “No. Do you like it like this?”

“Yes but not if you can’t do it.”

“I can do it. Do you like it like this?”

In-ho chewed on his teeth. “It feels fucking incredible.”

Gi-hun smirked, reaching up and wrapping a warm hand around the saliva-slicked cock. In-ho’s abdomen twitched violently, letting out a shuddering moan.

“Well come on then, finish it off.” Gi-hun smiled, and In-ho whimpered at the sight of Gi-hun reaching down to pump his own cock, mesmerised by the sight.

“Are you going to stick your cock in my mouth or are you just going to watch me jack-off?”

“Can’t I do both?” In-ho grinned, lining himself up once more. He slipped back inside, bracing his hands on Gi-hun’s chest and rolling his hips again. A strangled groan left clenched teeth, his attempt to hold back quickly crumbling around him.

“Ah, fuck! Gi-hun, I can’t- I can’t be gentle. I need… oh god I need to be rough.”

Gi-hun moaned around him, nodded enthusiastically as he jerked his own cock. In-ho couldn’t tear his eyes off it.

“Oh fuck, I’m so close, I won’t have to be rough for long, ok?”

Gi-hun nodded again, sucking hard and swirling his tongue in a way that destroyed the remaining self-control In-ho was holding onto. He swore loudly, holding Gi-hun’s head and fucking into his mouth brutally.

He panted like an animal in heat, snapping his hips hard and fast like it was the only thing keeping him alive. A moan escaped him with every shallow breath, Gi-hun’s throat so perfectly hard and tight around the sensitive head of his cock. Gi-hun gagged obscenely, and he squirmed, hands dropping his cock and closing around In-ho’s wrists and digging his nails into the skin. In-ho hissed in pain, and it only spurred him on, taking what he wanted.

“Oh Gi-hun. Gi-hun, Gi-hun, Gi-hun, I- I’m gonna come, I’m gonna come baby, fuck I’m gonna pump it down your throat, fill up your stomach full of me. You want that?”

Gi-hun gave a shaky whine, clutching hard onto the arms that squeezed his chest.

“Yeah? You love this, don’t you? You love being used. You love getting my come pumped into you. You love every fucking second, don’t you beautiful? Fuck, this throat was made for me to fuck.” In-ho slurred a string of filth, barely aware of the words even coming out of his mouth. He needed to come so bad, the feeling overwhelming. The tightness so perfect. Gi-hun’s cock suddenly twitched violently, a stifled, broken whimper tearing from him as he painted himself without even being touched.

In-ho’s orgasm hit him suddenly like he was hit by a speeding train, slamming into every muscle, nerve and bone in his body and strangling him of air. He strained against a long, shuddering moan, his body shaking violently as he shot his release down Gi-hun’s throat.

The man made a surprised noise, fingers tightening on his wrists. The throat tightened as he swallowed forcefully, milking In-ho for everything he had. In-ho couldn’t move a millimeter lest it shoot a bullet of overstimulation through him. He had to pull out when Gi-hun gagged again, his cock still twitching and dripping with saliva.

Gi-hun panted, flushed all the way to his chest, his pecs red and angry from how hard In-ho had scratched and squeezed the flesh. His eyes trailed down to see the sticky mess of semen coating Gi-hun’s stomach, his semi-hard cock twitching lazily.

“Fuck, you really enjoyed it that much?” In-ho snickered.

“You’re so fucking hot In-ho. The things you say, I can’t help it.”

In-ho grinned, bending down and giving him a filthy, open-mouthed kiss. He tasted the bitterness of his own come on his tongue.

“That’s too bad. I was looking forward to your come down my throat.” In-ho growled against his lips.

Gi-hun whimpered, pushing himself up. “Later.”

“Alright, but just know I have a very good memory.” In-ho slid a hand on Gi-hun’s waist, feeling the muscles flutter under his touch, other hand cupping behind his head and pulling him into another long, sensual kiss.

They finished off their shower, getting dressed and tossing the damp sheets into the wash.

Gi-hun went to tend to the animals, milk the cows and goats in preparation for the weekend markets. In-ho would turn some of it into cheese, and they’d sell their milk, eggs, cheese and vegetables in town for very cheap. In-ho had gotten quite good at making cheese and now put a lot of pride into it after receiving a lot of criticism from the townsfolk. Many of the older residents loved Mr and Mrs Huber’s handmade cheese, and so he’d taken it as a challenge to make his cheese even better.

Fitting in with the residents was no easy feat, and it had taken several months before anyone had even said hello to them in the street. Groups would stare as they passed, talk about them, thinking they couldn’t understand. But they made an effort, went into town regularly and attended all the public events that happened every now and again, and of course sold at the market. Sometimes In-ho would make little ornaments out of bits of wood or scrap metal, and sell them alongside their produce. In-ho had never had time for anything of the sort as a detective, and found he enjoyed it quite a lot.

After a while, overhearing the rumours that they were a gay couple, they decided to stop hiding and hold hands in town. Gi-hun was extremely nervous at first, not used to people staring just for something so small, but after a while he stopped caring, and soon everyone else did too. They were quiet, and polite, and they kept Mr and Mrs Huber’s house nice and neat, and so eventually they began to become a part of the community.

Gi-hun talked about his daughter Ga-yeong for the rest of the week, counting down every day until they’d get to fly out to California and see her for the first time in seven years. He talked about how he missed her to the point of his bones aching, but now that he would actually physically be able to see and talk to her again - it was all he thought about. By moving here and tossing his phone back in Seoul, he no longer had any pictures of her. He was grateful he at least still had his favourite jacket she had picked out for him one night he took her out for street food, so he told In-ho. And he wondered what she’d look like now, at sixteen.

When it was late at night and the house was quiet, Gi-hun would whisper to him in the dark how he wished he’d been a better father. How sometimes he feared to picture her in his mind's eye lest he realise he’s forgotten something.

Gi-hun had paid an elderly jeweller in Bern a very generous amount of money to sculpt him a gold ring for In-ho, going and picking it up one morning without In-ho knowing. In-ho insisted on having the same mountain range as Gi-hun’s depicted on his, but left the design up to Gi-hun. It was black gold, two thin lines of real gold either side of a small band of glass. Inside the glass was a carving of the mountains, though instead of emerald he used ruby to encrust the peaks.
Engraved on the inside were the words “Through time with.” in Hangul, reminiscent of the song Gi-hun had played to him on the first night of their new life together.

Gi-hun decided to take him on a late afternoon walk to present it to him, waiting until the sunset was at its prettiest over the vast valley to take it out of its small red velvet box and slip it onto his finger as a surprise.

“Gi-hun…” He stared down at it, holding it close to his eye to see the details. He didn’t finish his sentence, pulling Gi-hun into a slow, deep and meaningful kiss. When they broke apart, In-ho leaned his forehead on his, tugging his hand up to look at their rings together. Despite their different designs they went together perfectly, each joined by the mountain range that oversaw their brand new life together, and would do so for the rest of their lives.

Gi-hun shucked off his jacket and laid it in the snow, much to In-ho’s protest, and they sat atop the highest point of the mountain and watched the sun descend over the horizon. As the sky turned from yellow to pink and orange, the small golden lights of the town in the valley flicked on one by one, twinkling in the moonlight. The sun caught the water of the river perfectly, almost glowing as it twisted through the valley far into the distance.

They stayed there until long after the darkness had fallen.

Gi-hun’s head rested against his shoulder, he looked up at the stars and thanked them for the second chance at being happy.

They walked home in tired silence, hand in hand in the parts that were easy to trek, and In-ho cooked him dinner. In-ho found he quite enjoyed cooking. Back when he was a detective, his wife often cooked for them, and that was just how it was. Gi-hun would sometimes cook too, but he wasn’t the most skilled chef in the world, often getting too distracted to keep times and serve half the meal burned and the other half raw. After dinner In-ho sat on the couch in front of the fire with a book, Gi-hun lounging across the other end playing some match three game on his phone until they were tired enough to trudge to bed.

Sinbi curled up at the end as she always did, and Gi-hun slipped into bed behind In-ho, putting his arm over him and pulling him tight against his chest as he always did. In-ho nestled into the warmth with a content sigh, and fell into a restful sleep.

 

______________________________

 

In-ho was seated in the frontman’s quarters, staring down at his trembling hands folded in his lap. They were crusted with blood, as was his temple, the dark crimson having dripped down his ear and cheek. It stained the white collar of his tux, black jacket buttoned neatly at his front and the number 132 stitched into the breast.

He couldn’t look at the man sitting opposite, a large, golden-jewel encrusted eagle owl mask sat atop his frail, skinny frame. By the sound of his voice and the skin of his hands he was old. Very old. In-ho could easily overpower him if he wanted, but he was too scared. Too terrified to even look at him. He had slid a large dagger across the table, blade covered by a sleek black case that matched the handle, the tip and hilt a matte gold engraved with various patterns.

“Tomorrow they will come after you and kill you.”

In-ho’s lip trembled as he stared down at the blade. There were five other men remaining, all having formed an alliance that he himself had not managed to penetrate. Despite keeping his head down and not making acquaintance with anyone for the entirety of the games, he had managed to get to the final six. But tomorrow was the final game, and he feared now he might not be so lucky.

“Kill the trash. That is the best decision you can make right now.”

In-ho gained enough courage to look up, the beady black holes of the mask staring right at him. He only managed to look for a few seconds.

Why was their leader offering him an advantage out of everyone else? Was it pity? Did he see potential in him? In-ho had never killed anyone before, not even as a police officer. He didn’t know if he was capable.

But if he didn’t, his wife would die in hospital. Alone and scared. He would lose her forever, and his baby too. He would have to go through the rest of his life without her.

And that thought terrified him so much more than taking five lives did.

His lip curled in silent anger as his fingers closed around the knife.

The leader said nothing as he silently accepted the offer, and he took it as a cue that their brief meeting was over. He stood slowly, making his way back down the black geometric corridor to the golden elevator at the end. The walk back to the dorms was long, a hundred voices in his mind making the empty corridors seem deafening. The guard unlocked the door for him, and shut it behind him.

Six metal-framed beds lined the left wall of the vast room, all holding five sleeping men, apart from the first bed - his bed. No one had noticed he was gone, no one had awoken. His breaths left him in shudders, his whole body shaking. His knuckles tightened around the knife as he crossed the room.

He approached the player on the far end. Player 144. He’d never spoken to him. Didn’t know his name.

In-ho’s eyes swam with tears as his body began to wrack with silent sobs. He unsheathed the blade carefully, holding the pointed end up to the player’s throat. All he had to do was push it forward.

All he had to do was push the blade into somebody’s throat.

All he had to do was watch the light leave his eyes.

All he had to do was take another man’s life in cold blood.

He gripped the knife with two hands, an attempt to stop the violent shaking. Tears ran down his face, tiny whimpers escaping him as he battled with himself.

He dropped to his knees, covering his eyes as his throat tightened painfully with the strain of trying to contain his cries. He clamped a hand over his mouth, squeezing his eyes shut when he forced himself to look at the peacefully sleeping man again.

He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t take someone’s life.

But he had to. It was a small price to pay if it meant saving his wife’s life. Saving his baby’s life.

Unless he wanted to see her die, he would have to man the fuck up.

In-ho sucked in a breath, steadying himself as he got to his feet again. He felt rage course through his veins. Rage at his job for ditching him in his time of desperate need after all he’d done for them. Rage at the system for letting the one thing he loved most in this world die before his eyes because he didn’t have enough money for them to save her.

Rage at the world for being so fucking cruel.

He plunged the knife into the man’s neck, watching as his eyes flew open and his hands gripped at In-ho’s arm painfully. The man spluttered weakly, his vocal cords severed and rendering his voice useless. Terror overcame In-ho as he pushed the knife deeper, watching the fear in his eyes until it faded to nothing. He wrenched the knife from his flesh and his vision blurred at the sides, a ringing in his ears apart from the sound of his horrified, gasping breaths. Blood dripped from the blade onto the floor.

He was dead. The man was dead. In-ho had just killed him. He looked down at his shaking hands, the blood that coated them. His lungs spasmed painfully as he stifled his sobs, hardly able to move his legs as he made his way to the next bed.

It took him ten minutes to finally stab the blade into his throat. Another two for the man to finally die.

The next one In-ho managed to kill straight away, gagging at the feeling of cartilage crunching under his hands as he drove the knife into him. When he pulled it out, the man gasped and coughed loudly. In-ho slapped a hand over his mouth, looking up at the other players. One of them shifted in his sleep, but nobody awoke. In-ho looked down at the man, his eyes wide and pleading. The man struggled against his grip, kicking the blanket off himself and attempting to stand. In-ho wrestled him, nails digging into the flesh around his mouth in desperation to keep him quiet. He lifted his arm and stabbed down into his chest hard, twisting as he tore it out and stabbed him again and again. Blood sprayed his face and clothes, the player’s white shirt now a saturated scarlett. The body went limp, head and arm lolling off the edge of the bed. In-ho panted heavily, hissing shakily through clenched teeth. He wiped his sweat and blood slicked hand on his pants and curled his fingers around the blade, tearing it from the player’s chest.

The fourth one died quickly, a North Korean man trying to get his parents and siblings across the border. Blood oozed from the deep, jagged hole in his abdomen, eyes glazed and lifeless. In-ho frantically wiped the tears from his face, the salted water smearing the blood on his cheeks.

The final man was barely a man. More of a boy, couldn’t have been over twenty. Player 427, Seo-hyeon. Quiet, kept to himself. What could make a man so desperate for money at such a young age? He never asked him. Maybe he should have.

Seo-hyeon had attempted to befriend In-ho on the second day, perhaps seeing him as a protective figure. He was a kind soul, and In-ho had taken to him fairly quickly even if he didn’t show it. So he looked out for him, ensuring he was eating, making sure he stuck close in each game, in his team. In-ho had told himself he wasn’t going to waste his time on others, he was here for his wife, not for anyone else. But when he saw the quiet horror in the boy’s face, he felt a strange sense of obligation.

He reminded In-ho of Jun-ho. And from that point of realisation he vowed to keep him safe.

And now he stood over his sleeping figure, the shadow of a knife over his face. Tears blurred his vision, his fingers aching with his ruthless grip. He held the point to Seo-hyeon’s jugular, the blade trembling.

Do it In-ho.

Just do it.

Kill him.

Kill the trash.

In-ho pushed forward, gasping as the blade crunched into the boy’s throat. His eyes flew open, his gaze immediately meeting his eye. In-ho could see it. The shock, the confusion, the betrayal, the heartbreak, the pure horror.

In-ho shook as he leant his weight on the knife, pushing it deeper. Seo-hyeon’s mouth gaped for air, soft clicking noises as his body tried and failed to pull air in. In-ho could hardly look at him, teeth clenched so hard they could break. He tore the knife from him, a sickening wet metallic noise. Adrenaline shot through him as he raised both arms and drove the dagger into his chest. He stabbed him again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

Nausea curled in his stomach as the knife clattered to the floor. He stared down at the limp body of Sae-hyeon, his chest and stomach a bloodied mess. In-ho stumbled backwards, panting hard, a sheen of sweat covering his face.

Anger coursed through his veins, his whole body on fire. He pressed his back against the cold tiles, the room now eerily silent as the bodies of five men lay dead and bloodied by his hand.

“Player 132. Winner.”

In-ho awoke with a start, disoriented, scared and confused. The room was dark and cold, and it took him several seconds to realise where he was. He looked beside him to see the dark figure of Gi-hun, asleep, chest steadily rising and falling.

In-ho was drenched in sweat, his heart pounding so fast he could hear it in his ears.

He hadn’t dreamt about that in years. It felt so real, every detail identical like he was actually there. He could smell the sickening iron scent of blood. He looked at his hands and saw the black shine of blood dripping from his palms. His heart fluttered but when he blinked, the blood was gone.

Tears filled his eyes and he clamped a hand over his mouth, his shoulders shaking as he began to cry uncontrollably.

He sucked in a shaky breath, checking Gi-hun was still asleep. He quietly removed the covers and swung his legs over the edge of the bed and left the room. The air was cold and lonely. The old house creaked gently as it settled.

He descended the stairs, not even sure where he was going, and sat in the dark on the couch. It was cold. He should have brought a blanket. He hadn’t put socks on. Gi-hun got upset when In-ho would walk around the house without socks, his feet would be too cold.

In-ho couldn’t stop the sobs that wracked his body, whole frame shaking with the force of them. He sucked in a breath, a strangled, agonised noise escaping him, painful with the effort of keeping quiet. He covered his eyes with his hands quickly putting them back on his lap when the dead face of Seo-hyeon stared back at him.

He remembered that night like yesterday, and the days that followed. He’d been dumped on the street with nothing but a plastic bag of his clothes and out-of-charge phone, and a golden credit card containing 45.6 billion won. In-ho went to the hospital immediately. He walked all the way there despite having enough money for a taxi. He wasn’t used to having money.

When he had burst into her room, he was met with the angry stares of three strangers, a young boy in the bed his wife was in a week prior. He apologised, and left, and walked up to the nurses station.

“Uh, um- Excuse me… Hwang Hee-young. She was in bed 222, has she been moved?”

“Hwang hee-hee young?” The nurse frowned at him.

He nodded. “Yes, where is she? I need to see her immediately. I need to speak with her doctor.”

The nurse stared at him. “I’m sorry sir, Hwang Hee-young died yesterday afternoon.”

He had stared at the nurse for several seconds, his eyes glazing over as her voice sounded like echoes in his ears. No. No she must be confused. She must be thinking of someone else.

”Sir?”

”Sir?”

”The… The baby, what about the baby? She was pregnant.”

The nurse looked at him sympathetically.

”We did everything we could.”

In-ho hung his head as he sobbed on the couch, trying desperately to stay quiet so as to not wake Gi-hun.

 

________________________________

 

Gi-hun awoke suddenly, unsure of what even woke him up. The room was dark, so it was still night. He went to roll over to put his arm back around In-ho, when his arm was met with a cold, empty space. He lifted his head, realising the man was gone. Sinbi was still curled up at the end of the bed, fast asleep.

He rolled over and checked the watch on the nightstand. It read 3:19AM. It wasn’t unusual for In-ho to get up on market days to prepare, but never this early. Gi-hun got up groggily, pulling on some socks and opening the bedroom door quietly. When he got to the top of the stairs he froze.

Crying. The sound of someone crying. Not just crying, but gut-wrenching, painful sobs.

Gi-hun descended the stairs, looking towards the sound to see the figure of In-ho on the couch facing away from him in the dark, his body shaking with each horrible sound pushed from him.

“In-ho?” He rounded the couch, and In-ho looked up at him. His bottom lip was shaking, and Gi-hun could see the sparkle of tears in his eyes in the low light. He turned on the lamp on the coffee table. It looked like he’d been crying for a long time, his eyes swollen, layers of tear tracks on his face. He looked utterly broken.

Gi-hun sat beside him, putting an arm around his back, face etched with deep concern.

In-ho buried his face into Gi-hun’s chest, a loud sob escaping him. Gi-hun held onto him as the man grasped his shirt, leaving damp patches on his shoulder. He held the man tight, confused and concerned and aching.

“In-ho, In-ho what happened? What’s wrong?”

In-ho let out a few more seemingly uncontrollable sobs before he pulled back, wiping his face on his own shirt collar.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“You didn’t wake me and I don’t care if you did, what’s wrong, baby?”

“Sorry, I just… I had a nightmare.”

A nightmare? What nightmare could have gotten him this upset? He knew In-ho had a dark past, but what did he see in his dreams that haunted him so completely?

“Do you… Do you want to talk about it? Or do you just want me to hold you?”

In-ho sniffed, lying back against Gi-hun’s chest. Gi-hun stroked his hair, feeling the man relax into his touch.

It was several minutes until In-ho finally spoke. “Do… Do you remember Oh Il-nam?”

Gi-hun froze. In-ho never brought up the games, never brought up anything about being the Frontman.

“Of course.” He remembered the betrayal, finding out the man he’d protected throughout the games he hated so much was the creator himself. He could have killed him when he had the chance. He never would have had the guts anyway, and it wouldn’t have made the slightest of difference.

“When I was a player… In 2015, I made it to the final round with five other players. The night before the last game, I was called to see the Host. Alone. I was taken to his office where he gave me a… a dagger.”

Gi-hun listened carefully. In-ho had never told him about the games he was in, though he knew of course of the events that followed.

“He said the others were plotting to come for me in the final game. I knew this to be true. He said I needed to kill them. Kill them all in their sleep if I wanted to survive. Kill the trash, he said.”

In-ho stopped, and Gi-hun could feel him shaking against him. “I need to leave there alive. I needed the money for my wife.” He swallowed. “So I…” He trailed off, and more silent sobs tore through him.

Gi-hun had stopped stroking his hair, eyes wide and concerned.

“I had… I had never killed anyone before. The- the last one. He was… he was so young.” In-ho hid his face in his chest, a pained noise escaping him. “He was so young. And I stabbed him… twenty times.”

Gi-hun didn’t know what to say. He was angry. Angry at what that place did to him. What they manipulated him into doing using the love he had for his wife. If Gi-hun was put into the same situation, if he had to kill five men to save his wife or his daughter, he probably would have done it too.

“It was before dawn when they dumped me back in Seoul. But when I went to the hospital, she… She… and my baby… my baby–” He let out a gut-wrenching, strangled noise, unable to control his tears. Gi-hun held him tight.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry In-ho.” Gi-hun said into his hair, shushing him gently.

“Killing those men was just a fraction of the true scale of the things I’ve done, Gi-hun. There’s a room just for me in the depths of hell. But I was just… So broken, so… Angry. And the worst part is... I planned to give you the same opportunity.” He sniffled, unable to lift his head out of shame. "I planned on giving you the knife when you got to the final round, telling you the same thing he told me all those years ago. I knew you were different to me but a part of me hoped we could be the same."

Gi-hun shushed him again, dragging his fingers through his scalp, taking in the weight of his confession “But why… Why did the Host want to save you? Why did he give you the knife?”

“I found out my wife had passed away the afternoon before I went to the hospital. That means Oh Il-nam called me to his office only a few hours later. He must have found out, and saw it… saw it as a way to get to me. I was the best candidate for the job, and now he had an easy way to manipulate me into doing it.”

Gi-hun’s blood ran hot in his veins, another wave of pure loathing for that fucking system. The one that destroyed tens of thousands of lives and forced innocent men like In-ho into lives of evil. He hated them. Despised them. And he hated that he couldn’t do anything about it but attempt to comfort two of the broken souls it left behind.

He cradled In-ho until the tears finally stopped flowing. In-ho tilted his head up to look at Gi-hun for the first time in an hour, his face red and swollen. He pressed his lips against Gi-hun’s, a small, desperate noise escaping his mouth. He tilted his head higher, pressing into Gi-hun and coming up to cradle the back of his head as his mouth worked eagerly, face damp. He felt In-ho’s hand press against his crotch, palming him through the thin fabric. Gi-hun leaned back, making a strangled noise of confusion, and In-ho pulled back, panting as the hand disappeared.

“Sorry, I’m sorry.” He wiped his face. “I don’t know why I did that.”

“Hey.” Gi-hun stroked his cheek, the skin damp and warm. “Don’t apologise. You did nothing wrong.”

In-ho’s eyes filled with tears and he hugged Gi-hun again, nuzzling his nose into the crook of his shoulder. “I’m sorry for being so weak. You’re probably wanting to leave now you’ve seen me like this.”

“In-ho, you’re the strongest person I know.”

 

***

 

Gi-hun had let In-ho fall asleep in his arms, still on the couch several hours later when they awoke to prepare for the markets. Gi-hun gathered the week’s bounty of eggs and added it to the collection, alongside glass bottles of pasteurised milk and the cheese In-ho had made and wrapped into small or larger paper packages.

They made their way into town, unloading the car and setting up their usual stall. Sinbi followed, as she always did whenever they went into town. Erika, the lady who ran the butcher stall right next to them, greeted them happily. She had taught In-ho how to make Rösti and handmade sausage, and so In-ho had taken to her fondly, and she always gave them the freshest meat of the day. She had two boys under the age of ten who often liked to run amok, Erika having to pause her conversations to scream at them across the street fairly frequently.

They sold most of their stock, putting In-ho in a very good mood. They sold their stock for next to nothing, always donating the money they didn’t use to buy food for the animals, or they’d buy things from other people’s stalls. People loved giving gifts to Sinbi, and the cat seemed to revel in the attention. She was quite well known around town, and everybody knew her name.

As they were about to pack up a woman approached their stall. In-ho didn’t look up, letting Gi-hun serve her as he began to pack the boxes below their table. Her Swiss German had a strangely familiar accent, and suddenly Gi-hun was slapping his arm, urging him to stand.

“What?”

In-ho looked at the woman, blinking when he realised why Gi-hun was hitting him.

She was Korean.

“Oh my god.”

Gi-hun laughed loudly at In-ho’s disbelief and the woman looked very confused.

“I’m so sorry, ma’am, it’s just- before we moved here we made a bet, you see. A bet that we’d never see a Korean-speaking person in this town.” In-ho explained in Korean.

The woman laughed, replying in Korean as well. “Well, you both are the first Koreans I’ve met, and I’ve lived here for five years.”

“You live here?” Gi-hun asked.

“I live in Lax, yes. I came to study and now I live and work here. I love it.”

“Really? We live East of here, in the chalet just off the road a few minutes that way.” Gi-hun pointed. “Please come by sometime, my husband will cook you any Korean food you want. He’s very good.”

The woman smiled. “Oh, well that sounds nice. There’s only one Korean place where I live and it’s not very good. I haven’t had Korean food in years, I’d love to.”

“Good, great. Well… We’ll see you around then?”

“Sure. My name’s Soo-jin, but here they call me Ginny.”

“My name’s… Leon, this is Gabriel.”

“Nice choices, suits you.”

“Oh, well thank you.” Gi-hun blushed.

“Is this your cat? She’s adorable.”

“Yes, her name’s Sinbi.”

“Sinbi, that’s so cute. It means mysterious, right?” She scratched her behind the ears.

“Yes, exactly.”

They bid Ginny goodbye after In-ho had insisted she take the eggs for free, and try some of the cheese to go with it. She thanked them profusely for their kindness and left.

As soon as she’d gotten far enough away, Gi-hun turned to In-ho, a huge grin split across his face, shaking his shoulders roughly.

“I fucking win!”

In-ho rolled his eyes playfully. “Remind me of the bet again? I want to see if I left any loopholes.”

“You said ‘if we meet a Korean-speaking person in the village we move to, you’ll let me do whatever I want to you for a week, and if we never do it’s the opposite. And would you look at that?” He smiled smugly.

“Hey well that’s not fair, you had forever for someone to come along. When were we going to say time was up?”

“I don’t know, you’re the one who came up with the bet, maybe word it better next time. You should know better than to make a bet with an ex-gambler. Besides, it’s only been a year. That’s not very long.” He beamed excitedly, and saw a small flicker of a smile on In-ho’s face.

“Alright, I guess you won fair and square. A week is a bit excessive though, don’t you think?”

“A bet is a bet, you can’t change it now.” Gi-hun crossed his arms. He looked around, most of the street beginning to empty out now that the market was closed. He leant close to In-ho’s ear with a mischievous smirk. “And you’re not going to be able to walk for a week when I’m finished with you.”

In-ho turned to face Gi-hun, his face flushed and lips parted. He stared down at Gi-hun’s lips. Gi-hun laughed at how easy it was to get him going, and turned away to finish packing their stall. They packed the car, sticking around to talk to some of the townsfolk before returning home. Gi-hun slid a hand across his inner thigh while he was driving, squeezing the flesh through his pants, fantasizing of all the things he could do to him over the next seven days.

Gi-hun had barely got the last box inside when In-ho was on him, pressing him against the wall and attacking his lips hungrily.

“What are you doing?” Gi-hun pushed him away, though there was a smile dancing on his lips.

“You’re the one feeling me up in the fucking car. I want you, Gi-hun. Don’t you want to fulfill your end of the bargain?” He pushed at Gi-hun’s jacket until it fell to the floor, diving for his neck with his mouth.

Gi-hun moaned when his teeth scraped against his pulse point, and grabbed him by the collar, bunching the fabric in his fists and pulling it tight near his throat. “So eager.” He growled into the man’s mouth, eyes fixed on his panting lips. A fire flashed across In-ho’s eyes when Gi-hun pulled his shirt tighter, enough to make it harder to breathe.

“Get upstairs. Now. On the bed.” Gi-hun shoved him back roughly and let go of his shirt, and the man stumbled back, an aroused snarl on his face and his shirt collar wrinkled. Gi-hun smiled smugly to himself when the man stormed off without a word, ascending the stairs to the bedroom.

Gi-hun put out an early dinner for Sinbi and followed a couple minutes later, finding In-ho lying on the bed just like he asked, and shut the door behind him. “You must really want me badly, if you're actually listening to me.” Gi-hun chuckled. He noticed the bulge straining against In-ho’s pants and snickered. He had hardly done anything and the man was already desperate for him.

Oh, this was going to be fun.

“Look at you, already hard in your pants and I haven’t even touched you.” Gi-hun sat on the edge of the bed, reaching behind him to slide a hand up In-ho’s leg. The man’s stomach clenched as he ghosted across his crotch, palming him with a touch far too gentle to give him any relief. He feigned sad eyes and pouted, “That must be uncomfortable. You want to take them off?”

In-ho’s hands worked impatiently at his belt, practically tearing the pants from his body. His cock slapped against his stomach as he pulled his boxers down, already fully hard. “Shirt too.”

In-ho removed his shirt, lying fully naked before him.

 

“Wow, such a pretty boy, aren’t you?” Gi-hun slid the hand up the inside of his leg again, around his groin and up his stomach and chest. In-ho suppressed a groan, muscles tensing at the touch and hips arching to seek the friction Gi-hun wasn’t giving him.

“Gi-hun–”

“Shh. Go to the wardrobe. Get me two of your ties.”

In-ho chewed his teeth, before he got up, getting Gi-hun two black ties.

“Lie back. Arms up.”

In-ho stared at him hungrily, excitedly. He crawled onto the bed and put his arms against the bed frame, allowing Gi-hun to tie the ties around his wrists, wincing as he pulled them tight.

“Good boy. That’s better, isn’t it?” Gi-hun snaked two hands up his thighs, rubbing the skin so close to his cock, but not touching it. In-ho tried to double over, straining against the ties and giving a frustrated noise. Gi-hun smirked, revelling in the way his muscles quievered under his fingers.

“Now–” Gi-hun looked down at his T-shirt and jeans. “This isn’t a very nice outfit to please my handsome man, is it?” He squeezed In-ho’s thigh. “I want to look nice for you. Would you like to choose something for me?”

In-ho stared at him hungrily, devouring him with his eyes. “The… The dress shirt I got you. The black one. And the black dress pants, the ones I like. I- I like how you look in them.” In-ho flushed, and Gi-hun grinned at his embarrassment.

Gi-hun got up wordlessly, making a show of taking his clothes off and slipping on the one’s In-ho had requested. He made sure In-ho could see the bulge that strained against his boxers. When he checked to see if In-ho was watching, he was met with a gaze of pure fire and lust, lips almost twitching in a snarl and eyes raking down at his body. His body lit up in excitement, in pride. No one had ever made Gi-hun feel good about himself like In-ho did. He felt a surge of confidence, knowing how much he could affect the man with little effort. He tucked his shirt into his pants and put on his belt. The pants were uncomfortably tight over his arousal.

“That’s better.” Gi-hun walked slowly over to the bed, swinging a leg over In-ho’s legs until he was sitting atop his thighs, the man’s erection between Gi-hun’s knees. “Now, since I won the bet, I can do whatever I want to you, right?” Gi-hun squeezed his waist hard, making the man below him suck in a hissing breath.

He nodded enthusiastically, and Gi-hun smiled wickedly. “Look at you, look how much you enjoy being controlled. Are you going to be a good boy for me tonight, In-ho?”

In-ho swallowed and nodded.

“Ah, ah.” He tutted, “Words, baby.”

His first attempt came out cracked, and he cleared his throat. “Yes. Yes Gi-hun.”

“Good.” Gi-hun smirked. He stretched over to the bedside drawer, pulling out their bottle of lube, a towel and box of condoms. He dumped the box onto the table, about ten packets scattering.

“Aw, we might have to stock up after this.” Gi-hun joked wickedly. “I don’t think that’s going to be enough for how many times I plan on ruining you.”

In-ho looked mesmerised at the pile of small square packets on the table and gave a trembling groan, wrists straining against the bed frame. Gi-hun opened the bottle of lube with a soft crack and squeezed some onto his palm.

He spread it across his hand, In-ho’s eyes glued to his every movement as he moved towards the man’s aching cock. In-ho hissed and bucked as Gi-hun began gently massaging the flushed, sensitive head with his fingertips only.

“Ah, Gi-hun!” In-ho gasped, writhing against the restraints.

“Oh baby, we’re barely getting started and you’re already desperate for me.” Gi-hun cooed, rubbing soft circles under the bulbous head.

Precum beaded at the tip, dripping down the side and slicking Gi-hun’s fingers.

“Don’t even need the lube, baby. You’re dripping for me, aren’t you? So wet, all for me.”

In-ho tipped his head back, a frustrated, shaky moan tearing from his chest.

“Please, please Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun closed his hand around the head, squeezing it down and letting go halfway. He did it a few times until In-ho moaned loudly, bucking hard each time the touch disappeared.

Gi-hun let go, pressing his hands against the bare thighs and pinning him against the bed, digging his nails into the flesh to make his point. “Are you going to stay still? If you don’t, I might have to rethink letting you come tonight.”

“No! No, I’ll stay still, I’ll stay still.” In-ho’s eyes were wide and wild, legs trembling under Gi-hun’s grip.

Gi-hun continued his slow, torturous worship of In-ho’s cock, carefully stroking every vein, squeezing in all the places that he knew drove him wild. The muscles of In-ho’s arms were bulging, his teeth clenched hard as he forced his hips not to buck.

“Being such a good boy for me.” Gi-hun breathed, his own boxers damp with precum leaking from his restrained erection. “When you listen to me, I’ll give you a reward.”

In-ho’s eyes flashed with excitement and pride, a boyish grin flickering over his lips. Gi-hun loved reducing him to this. Like a desperate little puppy, all of his guards down and his true fantasies bared to Gi-hun. He revelled in excitement knowing he was the first person ever to see this true side of him. A hardened, tortured man who deep down just loves to be dominated.

Gi-hun gave him what he promised, locking eyes with In-ho as he slowly bent down until he was hovering over his cock, making sure to ghost his breath against him. In-ho didn’t even blink, not wanting to miss the moment Gi-hun’s hot mouth closed around him and gave him a long, wet suck. In-ho’s mouth dropped open, his eyes rolling back. He quickly composed himself, wanting to watch every second.

Gi-hun took him all the way to his throat, slowly and meaningfully, before dragging back up to the tip. He dipped his head again, and again, far too slow for In-ho to build to his high. Gi-hun kept the pace for several minutes, watching as In-ho began to grow more and more frustrated, gripping the ties to the point of shaking and noises becoming more animalistic.

“Gi-hun, Gi-hun fuck, I need- I need more. Faster, please. Fuck, please Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun kept his pace, hollowing out his cheeks and flattening his tongue as he dragged it up and down the length. In-ho roared through clenched teeth and bucked into Gi-hun’s mouth.

Gi-hun pulled off, and In-ho’s eyes shot open.

“No! No! I didn’t mean to!”

“Getting cocky, are we? Do I need to remind you who’s in control here?” Gi-hun squeezed In-ho’s balls in his hand, and the man yelped.

“You! It’s you! I’m sorry! Please just- I need it- Please! I won’t do it again.”

Gi-hun snickered, releasing him from his grip. “You sound so pretty when you beg. I think I want to hear more.”

In-ho groaned, squeezing his eyes shut and panting hard.

Gi-hun wrapped a hand around him again, but didn’t move. In-ho panted as he stared down at it, hips shaking, but he didn’t move.

“Good boy.” Gi-hun praised, a deep, lustful growl. “You want to fuck my hand, pretty boy?”

In-ho nodded enthusiastically, not daring to move until he was given permission.

Gi-hun swung his leg to sit beside him again, hand still squeezing him. “Go on then. Take what you need.”

In-ho began to buck his hips up into Gi-hun’s fist, ass nearly lifting from the bed with each thrust. He whimpered, eyes closed tight and a look of pure, aching need on his face. His feet scrambled against the sheets, desperate for enough leverage to be able to buck his hips harder.

“Gi-hun, Gi-hun please. It’s not enough, it’s not enough.” He whined. “I need more baby, please.”

Gi-hun let go, and In-ho groaned loudly, hips chasing the touch.

Gi-hun straddled his stomach and leant forward, bracing his arms either side of the man and kissing him deeply. “Oh, don’t be like that, baby. After all, you lost the bet.” He grinned evily, holding the man’s chin in his grip.

“M-more.” In-ho’s gaze dropped to Gi-hun’s pants, tongue automatically flicking to wet his lips.

Gi-hun followed his gaze and lowered his hips against the man’s stomach, pressing his hardness into the soft flesh.

“You want this, don’t you?”

In-ho licked his lips again and nodded breathlessly.

“Can you feel it? Can you feel what you do to me, beautiful?” He growled into his mouth, taking the man’s lower lip between his teeth teasingly.

In-ho moaned. “I want it. I want you- inside. I want to feel you.”

Gi-hun smiled and kissed him again, nipping, sucking. “Oh, don’t worry baby. You’ll get it. Good boys are patient. Are you patient?”

In-ho nodded. “Yes.”

Gi-hun crawled back, straddling his thighs once more. He smirked as he bent down and took the man in his mouth again, sucking more eagerly.

“Fuck!” In-ho swore, wood creaking as he tensed hard against the restraints. “Oh fuck, Gi-hun. I’m not going to last. I’m going to come.”

Gi-hun sucked him like his life depended on it, obscene slurping noises that made In-ho shout and squirm. When his moans began to peak, Gi-hun pulled off, a string of saliva connecting his lips to In-ho’s dark flushed erection.

“No!” In-ho sobbed. “Why did you– I need it!” His hips snapped up into nothing, chasing friction that wouldn’t come. Gi-hun throbbed in his pants. He waited patiently, and In-ho quickly calmed himself down, staring up at Gi-hun quietly through puppy-dog eyes.

“Look at that.” Gi-hun praised his recovery. “So good for me.”

He suppressed a satisfied smirk when In-ho’s cock jumped, squeezing the sensitive flesh of his groin in his hands.

“I think you deserve a reward for being so good.” Gi-hun smiled, and climbed off of him.

In-ho looked confused, watching Gi-hun go over to the wardrobe once more, and dig until he pulled out a sleek, black box.

“What is that?” In-ho stared down at the boxes in his hands.

“I did some shopping. Wanted to surprise you.” Gi-hun sat beside him and opened the black box. The shorter man’s eyes widened at the sight of a dark blue stick-like object, the end of it rounded. It was thinner than Gi-hun was, but longer.

“Is that…”

Gi-hun cut off his question by clicking the button on the side, a soft buzzing noise filling the room. A breath escaped In-ho’s mouth as he stared.

“I charged it already, and don’t worry, it’s clean. I know how you are.”

“I’ve- I’ve never tried one before. Does it feel good?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never tried one either. But don’t worry, I can help you find out.” Gi-hun smirked.

In-ho went to say something, and Gi-hun cut him off, holding the buzzing object against the underside of his cock, just under the head.

“Oh, FUCK!” In-ho shouted, his abdomen tensing hard. “Oh fuck, oh god Gi-hun- Gi-hun! Gi-hun, shit!” He hissed, eyes squeezed so tight his face was turning red. His hips bucked uncontrollably as Gi-hun closed his hand around his cock and the vibrator, holding it to him. The bed creaked in protest as he thrashed.

“Oh my god, Gi-hun. Ah, fuck, it feels so- so fucking good, ah! It’s so much!” In-ho’s voice was strained, unable to keep his convulsing body still.

A large amount of precum poured from the slit, and Gi-hun took away the vibrator. In-ho’s body sagged, held up only by the ties on his wrists. He was panting hard, subconsciously rolling his hips.

“You like that?”

In-ho nodded, eyes closed tiredly.

A string of precum dripped from the man’s cock, almost purple with need. His belly was glistening with slick. Gi-hun swiped it with his fingers, holding it up to In-ho.

“Such a dirty boy. Made a mess of yourself, haven’t you? Is this all for me?”

In-ho moaned. “Please, Gi-hun. Touch me. Please touch me.”

Gi-hun allowed him a few minutes to calm down from the edge before he flicked on the vibrator again, holding it up to his tip while his other hand pumped him at the base. In-ho shouted in shock of the sensation, settling into long, desperate moans. If they had neighbours, there’s no way they wouldn’t be able to hear how loud In-ho was being.

“Gi-hun, I’m gonna- Fuck, I’m gonna come. Please let me. Please let me come baby, I need it so bad. I can’t- I can’t-”

Gi-hun led him right to the top, dangling him off edge before ripping him backward once more. In-ho roared in frustration, hair clinging to the sweat on his flushed face and chest. He sagged and began to sob pathetically as his hips thrusted into nothing, and Gi-hun throbbed in his pants. Gi-hun cracked open the lube and squeezed a line onto the dark blue wand, slicking it up.

“Put your legs against your chest. Hold them there.”

In-ho absent-mindedly lifted his legs, holding them against his chest by his knees. He looked down at the now lubed vibrator and shuddered. Gi-hun bent down between In-ho’s legs, licking a stripe over his hole. In-ho tensed, giving a long, shaky moan. Gi-hun sucked and licked and kissed it, prodding his tongue inside until he was satisfied. He pulled back, pressing the head of the blue wand to his entrance, and watching In-ho’s face as he slowly pushed it inside.

In-ho’s eyes rolled back, mouth hanging open.

Gi-hun stroked it in and out a few times, watching it closely. He never got to see anything fucking him, and found the sight intoxicating. How it disappeared and reappeared deep into his body. He angled it a few times until In-ho jolted and yelped. He paused, holding it still against that spot, memorising the angle of the wand.

“What are you doing?” In-ho panted. “M-more.”

Gi-hun flicked on the vibrator and the buzzing filled the room again, followed quickly by an agonised shout from In-ho as he held the vibrator directly against his prostate.

“Gi-hun!” He screamed, eyes wild as he began to thrash against the restraints like an animal in a trap. A string of groans and growls left him, legs kicking, feet trying to find purchase against the sheets. He alternated between pushing himself away from the sensation and trying to rock it deeper. He howled and screamed, writhing and thrashing.

Gi-hun watched him, eyes black with crazed desire. His boxers were soaked in his pants, and he wanted nothing more than to tear that vibrator out and fuck him until he lost his voice, almost jealous of his pleasure.

“Gi-hun, oh god, holy fuck, yes, yes, please- it feels- don’t stop, don’t fucking stop, I’m gonna come, yes, I’m gonna come. It hurts, please it hurts! I want to come, I want to come, I want to come-”

“What’s that? You want to come, baby?”

“Yes!” In-ho wailed.

“You gonna make a mess of yourself? Come all over that pretty stomach?”

“Yes! Yes! I’m so fucking close! Don’t stop! Deeper! Fuck me with it! Fuck me, please!”

In-ho’s cock poured clear slick, the vein on the side pulsing angrily. Gi-hun clicked off the vibrator and stilled his hand, pulling it out slightly.

“NO!” In-ho roared. “Gi-hun! Fuck! Why did you fucking stop!? Oh god, it fucking hurts, it hurts so bad I need it, I need it, Gi-hun give it to me, please!”

Gi-hun let go of the wand, leaving it inside him. In-ho’s anger reduced to sobs, tears pouring from his eyes.

“Please Gi-hun, I need it so bad. No more.”

Gi-hun burned with arousal, biting back a moan just looking at In-ho sobbing for his cock.

“If I untie you, are you going to behave?”

“Yes! Yes, I promise?”

“You’re not going to touch yourself, are you?”

“No! No I won’t, please!”

“Because if you touch yourself,” Gi-hun warned, “you’ll have to go the whole night before I let you come. I’ll torture you until you can’t even beg anymore.”

In-ho shook his head, fear flashing across his eyes. “I won’t.”

Gi-hun straddled his stomach, reaching over to untie In-ho’s left hand. It dropped to the pillows, and Gi-hun untied his right.

He sat back against his abdomen, beginning to slowly unbutton his shirt. In-ho watched him, mesmerised with each inch of skin that peaked through the dark fabric. He left his shirt open as he moved onto his pants, unbuckling his belt, the metallic chinking filling the room.

He tipped his head back and moaned loudly with relief when he opened the fly wide enough to release his desperately aching cock. His chest and neck glistened with a sheen of sweat, and In-ho could almost see his pulse through the skin of his throat. He stared at Gi-hun like a panther stalking its prey.

“See? See what you do to me?” Gi-hun breathed. “See how hard you make me, baby?”

In-ho swallowed a groan, staring down at the dripping erection. Gi-hun was so aroused he needed to catch his breath, leaning back slightly, his chest rising and falling fast. The sheen of sweat covered his chest and stomach, the shine peeking through the open shirt. The tip of his cock was peeking over the waistband of his unbuttoned pants.

A darkness flashed across In-ho’s eyes, a deep hunger lighting in his blown pupils. His lip twitched, and he snarled, launching towards Gi-hun.

He smashed into him full force, lifting Gi-hun from his waist and slamming his body against the bed. In-ho pinned him down with a strength Gi-hun couldn’t even budge against, teeth bared. Gi-hun thrashed against him, and In-ho laid an arm across his collarbone, pushing it up just enough to press against Gi-hun’s throat. His vision began to swim, and In-ho’s mouth curled into a smile.

“You think you can look so fuckable sitting on my cock and expect me not to ruin that pretty little hole?” He growled, biting Gi-hun’s lower lip.

Gi-hun smiled, arousal shooting through him.

In-ho loved being dominated. But what In-ho loved just as much - was earning it. Gi-hun had learned that very early on.

Gi-hun used the fresh bolt of adrenaline rushing through his veins to muster up all his strength, throwing his body weight up with a loud growl of effort. He pushed In-ho off him, and the man lost his stability on the soft bed, falling back onto his ass. Gi-hun dived for him, closing his hands around his throat and squeezing. In-ho’s arms came up to grasp and scratch at his forearms, body thrashing under him.

In-ho rolled them, spinning Gi-hun hard onto his stomach as he felt the heat of the man’s body lying against him.

He felt the short, hot bursts of breath of In-ho’s laugh in his ear. “I’m going to fuck you so hard baby. Use this pretty ass for myself.”

Gi-hun snarled as the man leant all his weight into Gi-hun’s back, positioning himself at Gi-hun’s entrance. He pushed inside, and Gi-hun hissed at the searing burn, his cock pouring with arousal.

In-ho growled through clenched teeth, biting the skin of Gi-hun’s neck as he began fucking into him.

The man panted in his ear like an animal in heat, snapping his hips hard and crazed. It burned so bad, the stretch unbearable, like he was being torn in half. He had treated In-ho like this before, but In-ho had never treated Gi-hun like this before.

It felt incredible.

But he wasn’t going to let him have the satisfaction of winning. He was going to put him in his place. He won the bet, after all.

Gi-hun bucked him off, feeling the burning stretch disappear into an aching emptiness. In-ho nearly rolled off the bed and stood. His fists clenched, deep in sexual frustration, but he paused, checking if Gi-hun had pushed him off because he was hurt.

“Oh baby… you’re going to fucking regret that.” Gi-hun growled, and he saw the ghost of an excited smile flicker across In-ho’s face.

Gi-hun advanced on him, pushing him back into the wall. He collided against it with a small ’oof, and Gi-hun pinned his hands against the wall.

Gi-hun bit and sucked at his neck. Enough to hurt. He panted into his ear, breathing “I should tie you up again. Leave you there and let you leak all over yourself until you’re screaming for me to come and finish you off.” He bit his earlobe, and In-ho hissed. He could feel the man’s cock pressing into his groin, impossibly hot and slick. “Let you hump the air like a pathetic little dog until you come from the sheer desperation. It’s what you deserve, isn’t it?”

In-ho moaned loudly, straining against Gi-hun’s grip.

“Tell me you want my cock. Tell me, and I’ll give it to you baby.”

In-ho snarled through his teeth. “Give it to me.”

Gi-hun kissed him, biting his lip hard enough to draw blood, leaning all his strength into In-ho’s wrists.

“Beg.”

Anger flashed across In-ho’s face, his lip dripping blood onto his chin, some of it on Gi-hun’s lips.

“Go on,” Gi-hun dropped a hand, squeezing In-ho’s cock hard. The man weakened at the knees, held up only by Gi-hun’s body. “Beg.”

In-ho’s anger faltered, desperately humping into Gi-hun’s fist. “Give me your cock, Gi-hun. Fuck me. Come on, fucking ruin me. Please. I need it. I need to come so bad. It feels- it feels like I’m going to fucking die I don’t. Put your cock in me, baby.”

Gi-hun groaned, sucking the blood that had pooled on In-ho’s lip. It was metallic against his tongue. He dropped In-ho’s wrists, locking their lips as he put his hands on the backs of the man’s thighs and hoisted him up with surprising strength. In-ho straddled his waist, held up against the wall. He positioned himself and finally sheathed himself inside, loose from the vibrator but still impossibly tight, and wet, and hot, and delicious.

They moaned into each other’s mouths, lazily kissing as Gi-hun began to move, rolling his hips up into him. It felt incredible. Hot, damp breaths against his face. Arms on his shoulders, his own shaking as held the man’s weight. The scent of sweat and sex on his skin. The scratch of his stubble against his jaw. The squeeze of his body around his cock. The noises that were pulled from deep within him. If he told Gi-hun he had died and gone to heaven, he would have fucking believed him.

“Yes.” In-ho hissed, rolling to meet Gi-hun’s every thrust. Gi-hun began to snap his hips, hard and fast and merciless. In-ho yelped with every slap of his hips against his ass, legs jolting over Gi-hun’s waist.

“So tight. So wet for me.” Gi-hun moaned. “I can feel you sucking me in. So greedy for it, aren’t you? Greedy for my cock.”

In-ho wrapped his arms around Gi-hun’s neck, fingers tightening in his hair. Gi-hun fucked him against the wall, the room filled with the filthy sounds of their desperate noises and skin slapping hard.

Gi-hun pulled out, arms screaming against the weight of the man. He dropped In-ho’s legs to the floor.

“Bend over the bed.” He said, voice low and commanding. In-ho bent over, propping his elbows on the bed and looking back at Gi-hun expectantly.

Gi-hun walked over slowly, admiring the sight of In-ho’s used ass presented to him. He kicked the inside of In-ho’s ankle, forcing his legs open wider.

“Such a pretty hole. Begging for me to use it.” He swiped a thumb over it before grabbing a handful of the soft flesh of his ass. He drew back and slapped him hard. In-ho jolted forward with a broken noise.

“You want me to use it, beautiful?”

In-ho groaned, trying to press his ass against Gi-hun’s groin. “Please.”

“Please what?”

“Please. Use me. Come inside me.”

“Do you deserve it after your behaviour?” He pressed the pad of his thumb into him, shallowly teasing him.

In-ho made a noise of pure desperation, reverberating in his lungs.

Gi-hun snickered. “Sounds like you know the answer. Tell me.”

“No. I don’t.” In-ho said in a small voice. “Please, Gi-hun. I- I can’t.”

Gi-hun thrusted all the way into him, the man shouting in surprise and falling from his elbows. He propped himself back up as Gi-hun began to fuck him, hard and unrelenting.

“That’s right. You don’t fucking deserve it. But I’m generous aren’t I?”

In-ho moaned pathetically. “Yes!”

“Are you going to thank me for being so generous?” He fucked his hips deep, pulling In-ho towards him by his waist.

In-ho growled back at him. Gi-hun slapped him again. Hard. Stinging. He jolted forward.

“Ah! Thank you! Thank you Gi-hun!”

“That’s right, thank me for my cock. Thank me for fucking you so good.”

“Thank you! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou-” In-ho slurred with each drive of Gi-huns cock inside him. Gi-hun grabbed his hair and pulled, arching his back.

Breaths left In-ho’s open mouth, hoarse and loud, his noises mixing into a desperate cacophony that was music to Gi-hun’s ears.

“You’re s-so deep!” In-ho sobbed. “It’s so much! It feels so fucking good!”

His hole clenched around him, and Gi-hun couldn’t contain the string of loud, wrecked noises tearing from him.

“I’m close baby. I’m gonna come inside you. I’m gonna come so deep. F-feel it drip out of you.” Gi-hun panted, kicking his legs even further apart and slapping him hard again.

“Ah! Yes! Do it again! Hit me again!”

Gi-hun smacked him again, the sharp crack echoing through the room.

“Fuck! Again!”

Gi-hun slapped him again, and again, and again, each slap harder than the last. Each slap driving In-ho more feral.

“You gonna come for me?” Gi-hun dug his nails into the flesh of his ass, bringing him towards him hard with each ruthless slap of his hips. “You gonna come?”

In-ho wailed, the next slap making his arms buckle, falling onto the bed as Gi-hun released his hair. Gi-hun pressed forward, arching his ass higher into the air and allowing him to fuck him deeper into the matress, his face pressed against the sheets.

The loud moan leaving his mouth was unbroken, voice only jolting with each thrust.

In-ho grabbed at the sheets, knuckles white and shaking. His eyes were wide, almost scared.

“Gi- Gi-hun!” He screamed, and Gi-hun felt the hole around him flutter as In-ho’s cock spurted onto the sheets. He howled with each fresh pulse of come, his cock jumping as his orgasm crashed through him violently, loudly.

“Fuck, baby.” Gi-hun gasped, the sight so arousing he could barely breathe. He wrenched In-ho up, holding him against his chest as he drove into him with one last snap of his hips and emptied himself into him. He squeezed the man’s chest in his hands, body flush against his.

He moaned, low and rumbling in his ear, pleasure crashing over his whole body. He rolled his hips, fucking his release into him. His skin tingled, whole body hot. His ears rang, vision blurring at the sides. He felt frozen in place, the feeling so strong, so overwhelming he couldn’t move.

He swung an arm around In-ho’s throat, holding him against him as he reached around and began to jerk In-ho’s still hard cock. His hips bucked as the man cried out, arms flying up to grip at the arm holding his throat.

He yelped, writhing with overstimulation, barely able to breathe. Gi-hun growled with the effort of containing his strength, still buried deep inside him.

“Gonna give me another one? Huh? Paint the fucking sheets for me?” He bit the back of his neck, In-ho’s voice hitching as he tightened his arm around his throat.

In-ho sobbed, letting out an anguished whine, voice breaking as he twitched violently. Gi-hun released him, letting him fall to the bed in a panting, gasping mess. Gi-hun collapsed next to him, taking several minutes to catch his breath. After a while, he heard the sound of shifting sheets as he felt himself rolled over. In-ho’s lips claimed his, licking into his mouth.

“Oh Gi-hun.” He panted. “I loved that so fucking much.”

Gi-hun exhaled a tired laugh, heart still pounding.

“Oh–” In-ho pointed to the mess of condoms on the nightstand. “Looks like we still have enough.”

“Yeah well, you didn’t allow me much time to put one on.” Gi-hun laughed.

“You should know by now not to trust me to behave when I’m untied.” He grinned wickedly.

“I suppose that is my own fault.”

In-ho bent down and kissed him again, long and passionate.

“You hungry?”

 

***

 

The next week provided a good distraction for Gi-hun having to wait to fly out to California. The next morning, In-ho awoke to the sweet, confusing ecstasy of an orgasm. He was half-asleep as he moaned and grabbed at the thing causing him so much pleasure, gripping onto hair and thrusting into the hot, wet mouth around him.

The same night when In-ho was washing up the dishes from dinner, Gi-hun pressed his body against Inho’s back, erection digging into his ass. In-ho scoffed a smile and shook his head. Gi-hun wiped the smile of his face however, when he gripped the seat of In-ho’s pyjama pants with two hands and tore them apart at the seams, pulling himself out of his pants and burying himself inside him. In-ho dropped the plate he was holding into the sink with a loud crash, bracing his arms on the counter as Gi-hun fucked him from behind.

The night after that, Gi-hun sat on the couch in front of the fire, arms spread over the back of the couch. His shirt was still on and pants were unbuttoned, pulled down enough to free his erection, and he watched the desperate man fuck himself on his cock. In-ho was straddling him, eyes squeezed shut and gripping the back of Gi-hun’s neck as he bounced. Gi-hun cocked his head and watched his face, gently tucking the man’s hair behind his ear lovingly. In-ho was too far gone to notice, strings of nonsense leaving parted lips.

”Please, pleasepleasepleaseplease. Feels so– need… more, more, more. I want– I want it, please, please, please.”

Gi-hun kept his hands away, letting the man take what he needed until he began to cry for it. Eventually, he slammed his body weight down onto his lap and ground into him. He made a strangled noise as his cock pulsed onto Gi-hun’s shirt, whole body trembling. Gi-hun held him down by his waist, continuing to roll his hips, drawing out his high until the man turned to mush.

”Did you enjoy that, darling? Feel better?” Gi-hun smiled, softly running his fingers through the man’s hair and fixing it over his forehead. In-ho huffed a laugh, eyes half-lidded with pleasant tiredness, and he nodded.

The next day, both of them came three times. The day after that, Gi-hun thought their stamina would waver, but he found it to be stronger than ever. He felt like a teenager again.

While Gi-hun finished clearing up from dinner, In-ho had brought down the dark blue vibrator from the bedroom, waiting for Gi-hun on the couch by the fire. Gi-hun laughed openly when he saw it. In-ho stood, and they kissed deeply, clothes falling to the floor around them. Gi-hun felt a hand sliding down his stomach, gasping into In-ho’s mouth when it closed around his cock. Gi-hun squeezed the man’s ass in his hands, sliding around to grasp the man’s cock as well.

They moaned quietly as they rocked gently into each other’s hands. In-ho pulled back, guiding him to kneel on the couch, cocks sliding against one another perfectly. In-ho closed a hand around both of them, stroking gently. He placed the vibrator against both of them, wrapping his fingers around all three. Gi-hun panted as he stared down at it, anticipating how it would feel. He’d never used a vibrator before.

In-ho clicked it on, and both their knees buckled, falling into each other’s embrace. Gi-hun gripped onto his back, unable to control the whimpers that left his mouth at the incredible feeling. It pulsed through his entire body, frying his nerves and turning his brain to liquid. He clutched onto the hot, heavy weight in front of him, In-ho panting over his shoulder as he kept his grip on their cocks. In-ho pushed him back so he could kiss him, teeth clumsily clashing and tongues swirling together. They rocked into In-ho’s hand, leaning their foreheads together when kissing became too complicated for their fried brains to keep up with.

“Gonna- gonna come.” Gi-hun choked out, his voice gone.

In-ho nodded breathlessly, and it wasn’t long before they both finished together, clutching desperately onto each other as their release dripped down In-ho’s hand, swirling together until they became one.

The next day, Gi-hun finally asked the question he’d been curious to hear the answer to since the first night of the bet.

“What did it feel like? The vibrator… inside you.” He turned beet red.

In-ho smirked, not looking up from the book he was reading.

“Wasn’t it obvious from how I reacted?”

Gi-hun recalled his face, eyes wide and overcome with searing pleasure. He shifted uncomfortably against his growing erection.

“I was wondering if… You could do it… on me?” He asked sheepishly. “I want to know what it feels like.”

In-ho finally looked up from his book, studying Gi-hun carefully in the flickering orange glow of the fire. He slammed the book shut, standing slowly and offering a hand to Gi-hun. He led him to their room.

In-ho kissed him all over. Not an inch of skin forgotten. He pulled Gi-hun’s clothes from him with the gentlest touch, worshipping every newly revealed part of skin. Gi-hun’s nails raked against his back in growing arousal. In-ho parted his legs, tongue coming out to press into him, slurping and moaning like he was starving for it.

He squeezed lube onto their new favourite toy, and pressed it to Gi-hun’s entrance.

“Ready, baby?”

Gi-hun nodded, and In-ho pushed it inside. Slow. Agonising. Gi-hun tipped his head back and moaned loudly. It wasn’t as big as In-ho, the stretch not as burning. But it was deep, and it was delicious.

In-ho pumped it in and out a few times, opening him up. When he found Gi-hun’s spot, a jolt of pleasure shot through him and he yelped. In-ho smiled and pushed it deeper, slamming into the spot and holding it there.

Gi-hun’s legs shook as he prepared for what was coming. If it was anything like how it felt against his cock, he was going to have to be held down. His hole clenched around the smooth plastic, cock steadily throbbing with anticipation.

In-ho clicked the button, and the buzzing was instantly accompanied by a pleasure unlike he’d ever felt. A shout tore from him, back arching as a strong hand pushed his hips back against the bed. Arousal flooded through him, and In-ho held the vibrator inside him, the tip pressed hard against his prostate.

“Fuck!” Gi-hun screamed, feeling like he’d just been thrown into boiling water, into ice, his nerves singing. In-ho’s teeth clenched as he worked to contain him, but Gi-hun couldn’t stop himself from moving even if he tried. He kicked, and squirmed and thrashed, the pleasure so overwhelming he didn’t know what to do. He wailed and cried, barely aware he could even see or feel anything except the relentless buzzing inside him.

It reverberated in waves through his body, ripples of ecstasy being pulled forcefully from deep within his core. In-ho began to stroke it in and out, massaging it against his prostate. Gi-hun slapped a hand to his wrist, and In-ho grunted as his nails broke the skin.

“In-ho! In-ho!” Was the only word he could form. The only thought his brain could muster. He screamed desperately for him, unable to decide if he wanted the feeling gone or shoved impossibly deeper inside him.

His orgasm was building. Hard. Fast. Unrelenting. It was coming on so hard he was actually scared. It hurt, it hurt so bad. But he needed it.

In-ho groaned, fucking him with the vibrator and slamming it right into the spot perfectly every time.

“You’re ok baby, you’re ok. I’ve got you.” In-ho soothed. “Let go, baby.”

Gi-hun arched his back and wailed as he came, eyes rolled back into his head as stars burst across his vision. He convulsed, unable to control his own body as every muscle seized, his cock shooting his release high into the air.

“That's it beautiful, that’s it.” In-ho growled, fucking him through it with the toy. “Fuck, good boy. What a fucking good boy.”

Hoarse groans rumbled in his chest as he came down from the high, cock still throbbing from coming untouched.

“Fuck, this is the fifth time I’ve had to wash these sheets this week.” In-ho gazed down at the come that painted the bed, and Gi-hun laughed half-heartedly, ears still ringing.

“Well, you’re the one who insisted on buying only one set.”

***

When the week was over, In-ho could barely walk without wincing, Gi-hun wearing a permanent smugness on his face. His own body ached, his age protesting against what Gi-hun had put it through. He had had his husband in every position, in every corner of the house, and they both loved every second.

On Sunday night, Gi-hun made them hot chocolate, pouring it into a thermos and stowing it carefully in a bag stuffed with fluffy blankets. He took In-ho to the top of their property, where the sky seemed the biggest and laid out the blanket on the snow. He wrapped them both tightly in the other two. Gi-hun grinned as dug into the backpack - the same one with the worn down strap Intan had given them and that they carried Sinbi across the country with - and pulled out the tall thermos and two plastic cups.

“What’s this?” In-ho chuckled, taking the empty cup Gi-hun passed him.

“Hot chocolate. I made it French style, the way you like it.”

In-ho looked down at the thick, velvety liquid pouring from the thermos excitedly. He laughed when Gi-hun pulled out a container of freshly hand-whipped vanilla cream to put on top.

“Wow, you really came prepared.”

They drank the hot liquid greedily, instantly warming him from the inside out. In-ho pulled him close, sliding an arm around his waist under the blankets. It was too dark to see the view, but it didn’t matter. They didn’t need a view to enjoy being together. When all the hot chocolate was gone and they were both contentedly full, In-ho laid back, tugging Gi-hun to join him on the blanket. He threw the other one over their bodies, their sides pressed closely together.

The sky here was dusted with stars unlike Gi-hun had never seen growing up in Seoul. The sky wasn’t black but rather a deep indigo, shards of glinting white scattered across the darkness.

They seemed so far away.

Gi-hun heard the gentle rustling of In-ho’s wind jacket as he lifted his arm out of the blanket, pointing above them.

“Do you see that one?” He drew a shape with his finger. “The one that looks like a stick person lying down.”

“There?”

“No, there.”

Gi-hun squinted, trying to follow the shape In-ho was making with his finger until he saw something that resembled that he was describing.

“Oh, yes I see it.”

“That’s Andromeda.” In-ho rested his hand on his chest, head turning to Gi-hun.

“What’s that?”

“It’s Greek mythology. You know - Zeus and Poseidon and all of those ones.”

“Oh, yes I know those ones. But I don’t really know any of the stories.”

“Well, Andromeda was the daughter of a king and queen, and her mother would often boast about her daughter’s beauty. But one day, she claimed Andromeda was more beautiful than the Nereid sea nymphs - who were protectors of the sea known to be very beautiful. Like sirens, but not as creepy. Anyway, Poseidon, the God of the sea, heard about this and was furious and unleashed a huge sea beast called Cetus to go and destroy the king’s kingdom. The king and queen decided to sacrifice their own daughter to Cetus to save their kingdom, and chained Andromeda to a rock by the sea.”

Gi-hun listened closely, blinking up at the constellation. He loved In-ho’s voice, he could listen to him talk for hours about anything.

“Perseus was the son of Zeus who was prophesied to be the killer of King Acrisius, his grandfather. Acrisius banished him to an island as a baby, and later tricked him into agreeing to bring him the head of Medusa in hopes that he would be killed. But instead, Perseus managed to slay Medusa, and on his way to bring her head to Acrisius, he saw the chained woman Andromeda. He fell in love with her at first sight, slayed the beast Cetus to save her. They marry, and Perseus kills anyone who disagreed with their love at their wedding.”

Gi-hun hummed. “So are you saying that I am Perseus and you are Andromeda?”

In-ho’s head whipped to face him. “What? Obviously I’m Perseus.”

“In what way can that be true?”

In-ho thought to himself. “Well, because… because…”

“You just don’t want to be the princess chained to the rock. But it sounds as though Andromeda was a victim of those who used her for their own benefit then dropped her like she was nothing, and Perseus was a broken man forced to prove himself just to live. And he saved her from a life of being taken advantage of and they moved on together. Maybe she saved him just as much as he saved her.”

He turned to face In-ho, who was blinking up at the sky. It was a while before he mumbled, “Maybe you’re right.” He looked at Gi-hun, their faces an inch apart. “You’re so smart, Gi-hun. I wish I knew how to read people like you do.”

Gi-hun felt the same butterflies he did the first time he ever kissed In-ho, sitting on the floor of the dorms of that horrible place. The same butterflies that persevered the man’s betrayal and blossomed into a deep love that Gi-hun had never felt towards anyone.

The same butterflies that felt different now, more pure than they did before, like there was nothing left holding him back. Staring into his eyes he realised with stark clarity what it was he’d been freed from.

He stroked the man’s cheek, cold fingers against his skin. Gi-hun’s lips parted, the words dancing on his tongue but the weight of it sinking in his throat.

“I forgive you.”

The words were nothing more than a whisper, the sound carried away by the wind. In-ho’s eyes widened, barely noticeable, and a twinkle began to form on his eyeline as he took in what Gi-hun had said. In-ho tilted his head down, not wanting to tear their eyes apart as Gi-hun felt their lips brush. Gi-hun ghosted across them again before the other man pressed forward. His eyes fluttered shut at the softest touch of lips against his. In-ho pulled him close by the small of his back, the touch gentle and soothing. Their mouths moved together perfectly, slowly, gently, and the butterflies fluttered deep within him.

They were quiet as they kissed, focussing on nothing except the feeling of each other and the loving warmth of their bodies. The moon moved across the sky, the stars continuing on their never-ending journey, and In-ho and Gi-hun stayed behind on the snow.

When they finally pulled back, Gi-hun could see the stars reflected in his dark eyes, and all the pain of his past behind them. When Gi-hun stared back at him, his eyes glimmered the same. A ghost beneath the surface that would spend the rest of its life haunting them except now they knew,

They could move on together.

Notes:

I included the canon s3 scene of In-ho killing the five players as a flashback, because it's actually one of my fave scenes in the show and I really wanted to include it!

Chapter 27: Epilogue

Notes:

This is it, boys.

Gravel crunched as a yellow taxi pulled up slowly against the curb. Two men got out, one tall, one shorter, one thanking the driver in English and one thanking him in a language he did not understand.

The taller man looked nervous, adjusting his shirt several times and fidgeting with his hands as he looked up at the building he’d been brought to. The other one laid a comforting hand on his shoulder, stroking soothingly with his thumb.

“It’ll be alright, Gi-hun.” In-ho reassured in a soft voice.

Gi-hun chewed his lip, staring up at the white building. Cars drove by behind them, a dog walker glanced at them as she passed. There had been few times he’d been as nervous as this. His palms were sweating, his chest impossibly tight and his stomach heavy.

“I don’t know about this, In-ho, what if she doesn’t want to see me? It’s been seven years that I haven’t even tried to contact her. She’s going to hate me, and if she does I’ll never forgive myself.”

“She’s not going to hate you. She might be mad at first, yes. But she won’t hate you.”

Gi-hun sighed impatiently, looking at the other man and giving a small nod. He returned it, placing a gentle hand against the small of his back as they walked up the stairs to the front door. In-ho stepped back, and it was another minute before Gi-hun managed to muster up enough courage to ring the doorbell.

A voice came from behind it, someone yelling inside the house. It sounded like a young girl, but she was speaking in English. He couldn’t understand.

The noise of clicking from the door was followed by the face of a girl. A teenage girl. One that looked so familiar and yet, so different. She froze at the sight of him, mouth slightly agape and eyes wide. Gi-hun stared down at her and his heart stopped, instantly forgetting everything he was planning to say.

“...Appa?”

Her voice was so small, the same little voice he still heard in his dreams, but with a deeper maturity to it that made his heart ache.

He huffed a laugh, eyes filling with tears. “Ga-yeong.”

Tears glistened in her eyeline, and her face contorted into anger. She tried to slam the door, and Gi-hun caught it, the wood slamming painfully against his hand. “Wait! Ga-yeong! Please! Let me talk to you.”

She opened the door again, and tears began to pour on her face.

“You come… You come here after… seven years, and you expect me to talk to you?” She said, her voice strained as she tried not to cry.

“I know, I know, I’m so sorry. Please know that I’m so sorry Ga-yeong.”

She pushed hard against his chest, and Gi-hun stumbled back, heartbreak evident on his face. “Seven years, Appa!” She sobbed, hitting him again. “Seven!”

A sob left Gi-hun’s lips as he bent down, scooping her into his arms. She buried her head into his chest.

“Seven, Appa. Seven. Seven” She cried into his shirt, and he held her tight. She wasn’t so little anymore.

“I’m sorry sweetie, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He cradled the back of her head as they both sank to their knees. All he could do was whisper into her hair, “My baby. My baby.”

“Ga-yeong, what’s going on? Who was at the-” A woman emerged from the hallway and froze at the sight of them. She took a step back, an expression of pure disbelief. His ex-wife.

“Gi-hun.” She breathed.

“Eun-ji.” He stood slowly, still holding his daughter in his arms.

She composed herself after several seconds of shocked silence. “What makes you think you are welcome here?”

“I know, and I won’t stay, but I– I needed to see Ga-yeong.” He looked down at her. “I needed to apologise. For being such a horrible father. For not being there for you. I was a deadbeat loser and I did some horrible things, Ga-yeong. I’m so sorry. Please- Please forgive me.”

She stared up at him, heartbroken. He squeezed his eyes shut as grief overwhelmed him, and he sank to his knees in front of her, gripping her hands.

“Forgive me Ga-yeong. Forgive me. I love you so much. Watching you grow up were the happiest years of my life. And I missed you more than you could ever imagine.” He sobbed, unable to contain the guilt and shame that coursed through him. He promised himself he wouldn’t cry, that he’d be strong for her. But how could he when he abandoned his baby girl?

“But… But where have you been, Appa? Why didn’t you even call me?”

“I was ashamed, Ga-yeong. And… And I can’t tell you everything I’ve done because it’s… I’ve been in… bad places, Ga-yeong. But I’m better now. I’m better now and I wanted to see you, to apologise to you.”

Ga-yeong looked down at him, bottom lip quivering as she tried to compose herself. In-ho was standing near the still open front door, jaw clenched hard.

“Please.” Gi-hun looked up at his ex-wife. “And I’m sorry to you as well, Eun-jin. For not being there when you needed me. For being such a shit husband.”

“But why now, Appa? Are you dying?” Her eyes widened for a second.

Gi-hun gave a half sob, half laugh, stroking her shoulders. “No baby, I’m not dying.”

He cradled her face in his hands, stroking his hair and inspecting her face. “Look at you. You’ve grown so much. You’re so beautiful, Ga-yeong.”

Fresh tears filled her eyes and he pulled her into a hug, closing his eyes with the relief of finally having her in his arms again.

When they broke apart, she finally looked up at In-ho. “Who is your friend?”

Gi-hun glanced at him, wiping his nose on his hand and standing. “Oh, um… This is Hwang. Hwang In-ho. He’s not my friend, he’s um…”

Ga-yeong waited expectantly. Nervousness coursed through Gi-hun. He had never told his family about anything like this. Mainly because he had no idea himself until a few years ago.

“He’s my… my husband.”

Ga-yeong’s gazed snapped to In-ho, and back at Gi-hun, and down at the rings on their fingers.

Eun-ji stepped forward. “Your what? Husband?”

He felt In-ho’s fingers gently touching his supportively, and he interlocked their fingers. “Yes.”

“Well, I suppose I’m not completely surprised.” Eun-ji shrugged.

“You’re not?” Gi-hun frowned.

Eun-ji gave a humourless laugh. “Gi-hun, I was married to you for years. You don’t think that I suspected sometimes? Even your mother told me that sometimes she thought too.”

Gi-hun studied the floor. Why the fuck did everyone know except him?

Ga-yeong looked up at In-ho with guarded curiosity. “So that makes you… My other stepfather?”

In-ho blinked down at her, as though he had never thought about that before. “I suppose it does.”

“Do you have kids too?”

“No.”

“Were you married before?”

“Yes.”

“To a woman?”

“Yes.”

“And my Appa makes you happy?”

In-ho smiled. “Very much so.”

She looked at Gi-hun. “And Mr Hwang makes you happy?”

Gi-hun nodded. “Very much so.”

A flicker of a smile spread across her face, and Gi-hun couldn’t help but return it.

“Oh, and by the way.” Gi-hun reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small, black envelope, the name Seong Ga-yeong written in gold pen on the front. “It’s your birthday in a couple weeks. I’m sorry I haven’t been there for so many of them, but I was hoping this might make up for that a bit.”

He passed it to her, and she stared down at the gold letters. She began to open it, and Gi-hun stilled her hand. “Open it on your birthday.”

She looked slightly disappointed, and nodded.

Eun-ji allowed him and In-ho to stay for dinner, much to the shock of her husband when he arrived home from work to see Gi-hun standing in his house. They seemed to make amends, as much as they disliked each other, and they all got along with In-ho as well. Though In-ho was quite talented at getting along with anyone. He even made Ga-yeong laugh, and that was all Gi-hun needed.

He put his new number in Ga-yeong’s phone, and made his ex-wife send him all the pictures she had of her on her camera roll, including his favourite one. Ga-yeong when she was seven, a huge smile on her face and holding a peace sign to the camera.

It took Gi-hun a long time to leave, unsure of when he’d be back. He told her he loved her several times, and finally turned to leave out of the front door as Eun-ji shut it behind him. As he descended to the bottom of the stairs, he heard the door open again, and Ga-yeong ran down the stairs. She threw her arms around his middle, and Gi-hun stood in shock for a few seconds before he put his arms around her.

“I love you too, Appa.”

_______________________________

Gi-hun fiddled with the back of the photo frame, nearly breaking his nails and swearing to himself about how much he hated these things. When he finally managed to clip the back on it, he placed it on the hallway table, straightening it until he was satisfied.

He smiled down at his favourite photo of Ga-yeong, beside a photo of him and In-ho together by the town square fountain, and beside that a photo of In-ho’s wife. He had just finished putting up all their photos around the house, many of them lining the staircase. Their favourite photos they’d taken of each other. Their favourite photos together. And it finally began to feel like the home was theirs.

His phone buzzed in his pocket. And buzzed again. And again.

He pulled it out, confused as to who was texting him so frantically. It was Eun-ji.

Gi-hun, call me NOW.

Gi-hun this isn’t a joke I need to speak to you right now.

He looked at the time and realised it was the morning of Ga-yeong’s birthday.

Gi-hun WHERE DID YOU GET 36 MILLION US DOLLARS?!!!

He smiled down at the phone, letting it buzz a few more times before he switched it off and put it back in his pocket. A coffee cup was placed on the counter beside him with a soft thud.

“Your coffee’s ready.” In-ho said, giving him a light peck on the lips. “They get the money?”

Gi-hun nodded.

“Good. You gonna milk the goats today? My back’s killing me.”

Gi-hun smirked, taking a sip from the mug.

“It’s a nice day, I’m drinking this outside.” In-ho’s voice echoed as he walked into the next room, Sinbi close at his heels. “Are you going to join me?”

“Of course.” Gi-hun called, and he looked over at the photo frames once more before following his husband out the front door.

_______________________________

A young girl of about twenty shoved her key aggressively into the keyhole of the small apartment mailbox. Sighing at the amount of bills that sat inside, she grabbed the small pile and shoved them into her bag, slamming the door shut. Her footsteps echoed up the spiral staircase until she reached her door.

“Hey Seo-ah.” The girl said boredly, tossing her keys onto the table. Another young girl looked up from her laptop at the kitchen table.

“Hey Sang-mi. How was uni?”

“Shit. Went and got the mail.”

“Oh, thanks. I’ve been meaning to do that.”

Sang-mi dug the letters from her bag and dropped them onto the table. Among the usual boring white ones was a sleek, black envelope that caught her eye. She frowned at it, picking it up and holding it up to her face. There was a name written in golden pen on the front.

“Anything interesting?” Seo-ah said without taking her eyes off the screen.

“I don’t know. Is Eun-ae home?”

“Yeah, she’s in her room.”

“Eun-ae!” She yelled. Silence. “Eun-ae!”

A door opened down the hall “What!? Why are you yelling? I just got to a good part in this TV show I’m watching! The main characters are kissing right now!”

“Something came in the mail for you.”

“What? I didn’t order anything.”

“Well I don’t know what it is! It has your name handwritten on it!”

Eun-ae frowned, walking up to Sang-mi and taking the black envelope.

“It must be a birthday card.” Seo-ah stopped typing, her interest piqued.

“I never get birthday cards.” Eun-ae flipped it over, and began to open it. Inside was a birthday card, some cute Japanese animal characters on the front, much like she had on her tote bag.

She opened it confusedly. Inside was a small amount of writing and another, very small black envelope.

“Read it!”

“Dear Eun-ae. Sorry for running off so suddenly without saying goodbye. I’ve left you something to help you and your family. Study hard, and thank you for being a friend in a time of need. Love, Mr S.” She squinted at the smaller writing under the signature. “P.S, we got married. Thank you for all your dating advice.”

Eun-ae squealed happily, clasping a hand over her mouth.

“Who the fuck?” Seo-ah made a face.

“Is it that man? That random old guy you used to be friends with?”

Eun-ae didn’t answer, her heart quickening in her chest. Mr Seong Gi-hun had disappeared over a year ago. She found out he had jumped off the bridge and cried for a week. She wasn’t sure if it was actually true, or a cover up by whoever he was running from. Or she hoped that he had just run off with that man he was in love with. And now she knew the latter to be true, and her chest lit up with happiness. And they actually married each other? This was like a real life K-drama, and Eun-ae loved everything about it. Besides the whole mafia thing, but she had to admit it was pretty cool.

But what she also suspected about him was that he was much richer than he let on, and the small envelope was suspiciously credit card shaped.

She picked it up with trembling fingers and opened it. Inside was a golden bank card, her name printed at the bottom.

“Woah, that’s one of those gold class cards or something. How much is on it?”

“How am I supposed to know?” Eun-ae snapped.

“I think there’s an atm at the end of the street.” Sang-mi said. They all looked at her, then looked at each other before scrambling to the door to put on their shoes, giggling loudly.

They all but sprinted to the end of the street where the old atm sat out the front of a corner store. They crowded around Eun-ae as she slipped it in the card slot, and was met with a screen that read enter PIN number

She looked at the card again, on the front, on the back. “He didn’t tell me a pin number!”

“Try your birthday.”

“What if it’s wrong?”

“Just try it!”

Eun-ae began to input the numbers slowly.

“Who did you say this guy was again?” Seo-ah asked.

Sang-mi shrugged. “I don’t know, she said he was some kind of mafia guy.”

Eun-ae shushed them loudly, inputting the last digit and holding her breath as she pressed enter.

They whispered excitedly as the PIN was accepted and began to load, but all laughter cut off when it finally did.

₩20,000,000,000

The numbers staring back at them were all Eun-ae saw before she fainted.

 

END

Notes:

Author’s note:

 

Hoooolllyyy shit guys, it has been a wild ride. I don’t even know what I’m going to do with myself now I’m not writing for this fic. I actually grew quite attached to the story and my portrayal of Gi-hun and In-ho in this canon-divergence.

I really hope you guys enjoyed this story and how I ended it. I genuinely enjoyed writing it and I am proud of how it turned out. I was originally planning to write a one-shot: The first kiss and mingle scene followed by the bathroom scene. But then I saw potential and 27 chapters and hundreds of hours later: here we are.

I wanted to thank all of you who’ve stuck around for the past seven months from the earliest chapters, those of you who’ve stuck around from whatever point you began from, and all the new readers. I had so many regular commenters, and I want to thank all of you (you know who you are) as well as all other commenters from the bottom of my heart. I loved reading them, and it was your comments above all else that pushed me to stick with this fic in times I felt like abandoning it. You were all so kind and I will forever appreciate it.

I was never expecting this fic to gain the level of popularity it has, and I feel so honoured that so many people have read my fic.

Fun fact: I would often write smut scenes while listening to smooth jazz. I never listen to jazz.

Another fun fact: This fic is 514 pages on google docs, and is longer than Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. So if you imagine how thick that book is, add a bit on top and you have Tell me how I need you. WTF

Anyways. I love you all, and I’d love to hear your thoughts on the ending. I try to reply to all comments, but if I don’t just know I have read all of them.

Much love, stay safe, and thanks again <3

 

-PigeonChaser3