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robynlilyblack · 19 days ago

Text

But you’re over here

Fred Weasley x fem! shy! Potter! Reader

Summary: During the final game of the season, a certain redhead couldn’t care less about the trophy

Warnings/tags: swearing, friends to lovers, first kiss, getting together, mutual pining, Hufflepuff reader, potter reader, James being a good dad, Cedric being the best wing and hype man, Jess, Timothy and Joey OCs, marauders being parents

A/n: 4.4k words, ngl the alchemy plays in my head during this kiss scene, apologies for any mistakes I'm a bit ill right now, as always reader can be the bio or adopted older daughter of James and Lily, based on this and this requests ♡

Navigation | Fred Weasley Masterlist

“Oh boy, oh boy!” James claps his hands, rubbing them together in excitement as he, Lily, Remus, and Sirius reach the top of the stands

Lily giggles at her husband's enthusiasm, following him to the front row, while Remus and Sirius brace themselves at the top, catching their breaths after a quite frankly atrocious number of stairs

Today was the big game, not only was it the old rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor, but it was the final, and the first year Harry was serving as captain after Oliver passed the torch to him two years ago. It was safe to say as fun as the Triwizard tournament was the previous year, quidditch was still the marauders and co’s favourite pastime. Hell, the whole school was buzzing

“Were they always that high?” Sirius whispers, rubbing his chest “Fuck me” he breathes heavily

“I think we’re just old now my love” Remus chuckles, after all these years he still can’t help but wind up his husband just a little bit

Sirius makes a face “Fuck you! I’m not old…you’re old!” he childishly argues, wearing a grumpy pout that twitches everyone once and again, revealing the smile beneath

“And when is your birthday?”

Sirius’ mouth opens to reply but alas the man has nothing and is caught looking like a fish, though he’s a very cute fish in Remus’ mind

“We might be old…but you’re still as pretty as you were last time we were up here” Remus compliments, leaning down to peck Sirius’ tinting cheeks “Pretty boy” he whispers one last blow before pushing off the beam and joining his friends leaving Sirius flustered

“Pads? You comin?” James calls out, head shooting over “Ohhhh” James barks a knowing laugh, whispering something to Remus and patting his back as he sits down

Sirius can’t help but let out a small smile as they turn away “He thinks I’m pretty” he mutters all giddy to himself before joining his friends, taking a seat between Remus and James, with Lily on James’ other side

“See! I told you we were smart coming early, it’s already beginning to fill up” Lily points out, smiling to herself as she shrugs off her jacket, grabbing the others as well, before laying them on the seats behind them to save room for when the McKinnon’s made their fashionably late appearance

James smiles, hand finding the top of Lily's head “That we were, hun” he agrees, patting her head and soaking up her proud little smile as she smooths out the rest of the coats

“Who are you looking for?” Remus asks, pulling James’ attention back to find Sirius squinting off into the distance

“Our goddaughter, I haven’t seen her in ages” Sirius pouts, squinting harder

“You saw her at Easter break” James chuckles

“Oh yeah” Sirius nods, remembering “Still, I miss her” he confesses, warming the men's hearts

Sirius and Remus decided against children, not that they didn’t want them per se, more they couldn’t confirm the child's safety with Remus’ furry little problem. As such, they filled that hole with you and Harry. Sirius took an extra shine to you though, maybe it was your shy yet cheeky nature that reminded him of Remus, or maybe it’s the little bit of himself he saw in you, watching you get sorted into Hufflepuff when everyone else in your big, wonderfully weird family was Gryffindor. Whatever it was, though today was Harry’s day, he still had to make sure you were alright

“Do you want your glasses?” Remus offers, sighing as he watches his husbands sorry display and reaches for his bag

Sirius swats his hand away “I don’t need glasses moony, I’m fine. It’s just the wind, it’s blowing stuff in my eyes” he gestures around his face, scrunching his nose before attempting to subtly squint again

Remus’ eyes meet James’, shaking his head as he mouths ‘why can’t he admit defeat?’

James smirks, shrugging as he turns away, now interested in where you were, as is Lily after overhearing the debacle. The four searched for you as the student body make their way to the stands. Glancing around Remus’ spots a wild Weasley, smiling as he watches Ron attempt to hold back his blushes as Hermione fixes the red paint on his cheeks. Lily spots Neville, Ginny and Luna in another stand wearing their handmade lion mains. Sirius spots well…nothing, but your father on the other hand is the one to finally find you.

He watches as you enter the stand diagonal to them with Cedric, Jess and two other boys he doesn’t quite recognise but based on their green scarfs must be Timothy and Joey, which would be two out of the four very few Slytherins in this world he accepted were good, the others being his best friends’ brother and the one and only Dorcas Meadows

“Found her” he points with joy “There she is, ain’t our little fawn beautiful” he shines, causing all their eyes to fall on you as you all worm your way to the front of your own stand

“It’s funny seeing them in red and gold” Remus notes, an amused look as he observes yours, Cedric, and Jess’s Gryffindor scarves, most likely stolen from your brother and his friends…or perhaps secretly gifted from one particular Weasley

Lily nods, but her head tilts to the side as your head taps the taller of the other boy's shoulders “They seem close, which one is he again, Tim or Joe?” she ponders trying to remember

“Tim, she said he was tall in the letters” James confirms “They aren’t together” he says with confidence

“And how would you know that Captain Oblivious?” Remus’ laughs, eyeing his friend but then his gaze drifts to peak at his husband, who's been unusually quiet, realising he’s still very much struggling to see you

Remus slowly collects the glasses from his bag again and holds them up in offering

“Dammit” Sirius sighs accepting the truth and putting them on, looking grumpy until his eyes widen, like he’s seeing a brand-new world

“Better love?” Remus teases while pointing you out again

“Shut up moo…aww there she is, beautiful as ever” he adjusts them smiling “Wait…whoa” he looks at James doing a double take as everything is now in high definition “You’ve aged so well” he notes

James’ smirks “Why thank you, I steal Lily’s muggles products” he admits unapologetically, not that it’s much of a surprise to the girl next to him who just rolls her eyes, accepting the fact she now buys two of every product just for him

“It’s the one with lighter hair, not Cedric, the taller one” Remus points out to Sirius

“Oh…” Sirius eyes the boy, judging “...nah”

“What do you mean nah?” everyone jumps a little at first turning around to see Marlene, Dorcas and the cutest little lion there had ever been joining them “Holy shi… sugar those specks are something” Marlene laughs, catching herself before glancing at her wife, mouthing an apology while their daughter looks up at them confused

“Suu’gar” the little cub repeats before pointing at Sirius “Specky!” she says excitedly “Unkie Jams t‘win” she claps, pointing between James and Sirius before jumping and clapping again all happy with herself

Sirius’ quickly pulls the glasses off, cheeks heating while the others struggle to hold in their giggles

“I don’t need them” he looks straight at Marlene, trying his best to be convincing

She just gives him a ‘really’ look in return before smiling softly

Sirius half chuckles, half sighs as he admits defeat, flashing the women a genuine smile “It’s good to see you Marls, you too Dorca darlin” he then looks down at little Lacy “Hello little cub” he coos

“Rwah!” Lacy holds up her hands in a claw motion, doing her best lion impression

It was well known the Marauders had one brain cell between them, but when that cell fired it was magical, all including her mothers and godmother pretended she was the most fearsome thing they’d ever beheld, even a couple other parents who had taken seats little ways down joined in. After some pleas and chocolate offered to calm the beast, the group settled in again, catching up as they waited for the game to start.

You rocked on your feet, eyes continually flicking to the players entrance in anticipation

“You good sunshine?” you feel a soft pat to the top of your head, looking up you’re greeted with Timothy's soft smile, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly as he checked in, worried the ruckus and busyness of the stand was a bit overwhelming for you

You gently tap your head into his shoulder, nodding “I’m good…just excited” you confess with warm cheeks as your nose is flooded with the scent of your scarf again

“Ahhhh” he elongates, giving you and then the scarf a look “Y/n and Freddie sitting in a tree” he whisper sings

Your eyes widen before you attempt a scowl that looks more like a puppy pouting “Shut up” you chide, fixing the scarf a little before looking away, hoping Cedric, Jess and Joey were having a more in depth conversion but instead you find them grinning “Sugar” you press your lips into a downturned smile

They all looked at each other before singing in unison

“K…i…s…s…i…n…g!”

Despite your cheeks positively flaming around the second ‘s’, you can help but break into a smile. Your friends knew about your little crush on the Weasley boy from afar. Despite your brother’s closeness with the family you didn’t have such ties, you adored Ginny on the few occasions she had visited, along with Ron and Hermione, but as for the rest of the clan your paths rarely crossed. You were meant to spend the summer with them as your families decided to holiday together, but when Cedric won the Triwizard tournament that changed, and instead, he took you and your friends traveling with the prize money

Yours paths finally crossed at the beginning of the school year, when Sprout created a seating pattern allowing everyone to get familiar with their randomised Herbology partner before the end of year assignment. You were nervous at first, as you were sure the professor was when she pulled out your names. Putting the quietest person in Hogwarts with the loudest person seemed like it would either be the worst pairing she had ever seen or the most genius

To her good fortune…and ego, it was the latter. It was surprising to see the king of mischief actually try with his assignments, but most chalked it up to the fact that while you were quiet, you were well-loved by your year, you held no prejudices, helped people with their assignments when the asked you, and was just in general sweet to everyone, to the point even the meanest Slytherins were a little soft on you. Therefore, most assumed Fred couldn’t bear to let you down either, and while that was true at first, a second reason soon bloomed for the boy

It bloomed for you as well, you slowly opened up to him each class, topics drifting to something deeper, and by the time Christmas rolled around you both were close friends. So close in fact you began inviting him to your friend’s secret hideaway by black lake, at first to study, but then to hang out both with and without your other friends. It was funny at first, with Cedric and Jess being rivals in quidditch and Timothy and Joey's Slytherin status, but Fred warmed to them, gaining their trust and, not that they told either of you, their blessing

“I hate you all” you pout, falling into Cedric’s side hug as you shake your head

“Nah” Timothy joins from the other side

“You love us” Jess chimes in, beaming at you

“Not as much as she loves him though” Joey adds cheekily, nodding towards the pitch, it seems none of you had noticed the crowds stir for the players appearances during your teasing session

Cedric and Timothy quickly retract their grasp, smiling at one another as you lunge adorably forward to see. Your friends soon join you, all cheering, while you find Fred in the small mass of people, admiring him as he laughs with the others. After a few moments, the team is finished talking, beginning to take flight and get into position. Once there, you watch as Fred’s eyes begin to scan the crowd, heart thumping as his gaze slowly draws closer, skipping a beat when they fall on you, and damn near stopping as he doubles back, face lifting

You see, a few weeks ago you had met Fred to check over your final herbology assignment, which meant a late-night picnic waiting to see if your flower would bloom under the full moon. While chatting, the topic of today's game came up. Of course, now that Hufflepuff were out for the count, he teased you with who you would be supporting, his teasing backfired however when, without missing a beat, said you would be supporting whatever team he was playing in.

After his slight fluster, which, to this day is one of your proudest achievements, conversation returned to normal, you figured he’s forgotten about it until a first year found you this morning holding a small bundle of Gryffindor scarves, one of which had a red ribbon around it with a note for you

You bring your hands up, hugging the scarf as your eyes meet, causing the biggest smile to take over his face. It was times like this you truly believed your crush was requited, and little did you know a certain redhead was thinking the same thing

“Be brave and go for it” Cedric whispers some encouragement

He’s right, you think, Now or never

As you mouth him ‘Good luck’, you add a little extra to it, blowing him a kiss

His eyes widen in a pleasant shock, melting into a mix of joy and pride as he pretends to catch it, winking at you before kissing his balled up fist before returning his gaze to the field just before the starting whistle blows

“Way to go gal” Jess cheers, reaching over to give your arm a soft squeeze

“Aww the grew up so fast don’t they” Timothy wipes an imaginary tear from his eye while Cedric and Jess both match his energy, taking out handkerchiefs and pretending to be forlorn mothers, with Joey doing the same but with an imaginary tissue

You giggle at them, and while you would usually try to come up with some sort of witty answer, you instead break into a smile “He likes me” you say simply, swaying side to side

“If he didn’t, he’d be an idiot love” Cedric gives you a side hug while the rest of your friends’ smile, happy for you “Now let’s what your man kick snake butt”

“Hey-” Joey and Tim begin to object together but then shrug

“Oh, who are we kiddin” Timothy laughs, taking off his green scarf and pulling out a red and gold one as does Joey “Pusey’s an arsehole and I want a chance to be a bridesman at your wedding someday”

“Bridesman?” you giggle, heartwarming at the idea of you and Fred getting married someday

“Yip, Ceds already called man of honour”

The match was a whirlwind of emotion, the kind of game that left everyone on the edge of their seats. Gryffindor and Slytherin were neck and neck at every turn, every goal answered by another, and it was clear to everyone that this match would come down who would catch the snitch first

“Holy shit, this is intense!” James exclaims, practically bouncing in his seat “Merlin, how the hell did you guys watch me and Marls do this back in the day?”

“Jamie…language!” Lily scolds with a giggle, lips quirking up in amusement as she gives Dorcas a please forgive us look

“Oh, don’t worry, Lacey can’t hear a thing thanks to these” Dorcas it waves off, gesturing to Lacey’s adorable, enchanted earmuffs “Watch this” she says leaning over the little girl perched on her lap “You want some ice cream, bubs? What about a unicorn?”

Lacey doesn’t react at all, instead she stays focused on mimicking her other mothers’ gestures and waves towards the pitch

“Those are…” Lily starts but is promptly cut off

“What the hell was that!” Marlene huffs, throwing up her hands as the crowds roar once more, a mix of cheers and groans as the Slytherins risky manoeuvre pays off leading to another goal “Fucking Pusey again!”

“Did you get the earmuffs for the crowd or for Marls?” Remus whispers to Dorcas, who struggles to hold back a smile

“Oi! Gingers! Stay in formation! Godric, what are you doing?!” Marlene shouts again, shaking her head as Fred and George narrowly avoid colliding whilst going for the same bludger

“No comment” Dorcas replies with a grin before planting a kiss on Lacey’s cheek

The match grows increasingly heated after Harry lets the snitch slip through his grasp, igniting a fire under Slytherins asses causing their play to get even more aggressive

“This game is insane!” Cedric grips the railing so tightly his knuckles turn white

“Come on, Freddie!” you yell, unable to stop yourself as he whizzes by

You watch him turn ever so slightly, catching your voice over the roar before he dives back into the action, pulling off a spectacular move that has more than one person flushing

“Offt…your man’s a beast” Timothy mutters as Fred swoops in to deflect a bludger, shirt riding up a little as he does “What? I can admire” his cheeks tint as he sees all of your raised eyebrows

“Don’t worry” you say with a laugh, “He’ll never admit it, but he has a little guy crush on you too”

“Really?”

“Really” you confirm, giggling

“Did you see that?!” Sirius exclaims, pointing towards Fred after he executes a spectacular mid-air spin to block the Bludger aimed at Angelina “Can’t deny the boys got style!”

“Sure does” James agrees but then his expression sinks to a smug one as he adjusts his glasses “Almost as cool as some of the moves we pulled off ay Marls?” he tries to get her attention but is gifted a passive ‘uh huh’ instead

“Oh, please” Remus argues, chuckling “Are we forgetting in our final year when you tried to do a spin like that and your glasses came flying clean off?”

“What?!” Lily, Sirius, and Dorcas all turned to him in unison

“Moony!” James protests before his face slowly sinks as if awaiting his impending doom

“Wait…” Marlene turns slowly, looking menacingly down at James “You’re telling me. I almost lost my final match as captain because of your speckyless ass?”

James hesitates, his ears turning near crimson as he sheepishly scratches the back of his neck “…no comment”

With one final push, the final whistle blows, and the crowd erupts into cheers. You and your friends join in, your eyes look over towards Fred, who’s the first to get to Harry, pulling him into the biggest bear hug. The sight makes your heart warm, but your admiration is cut short as your friends practically pick you up, ushering you to move

“What’s happening” you ask confused

“Come on, we gotta get down their sunshine” Timothy insists, shooing you along with Cedric, Jess and Joey “You’ve got a ginger to congratulate”

Over on the other stands your family celebrates. Everyone’s on their feet, except Lacey who is now glued to Marlene’s hip as they cheer

“Yesssss!” James roars, pulling Lily into a celebratory hug…and subsequent snog

“That’s my godson!” Sirius bellows, fist pumping the air before looking to hug James then realises “Oh…well if that’s what we’re doing, come here moons!” he hithers towards Remus, arms outstretched

Remus laughs softly before indulging his husband, pulling him in for a kiss before dramatically dipping him

Meanwhile Marlene and little Lacey remain oblivious to the romance in the air, as she was too busy yelling so hard her voice will be lost come tomorrow “THAT’S MY LIONS!”

Dorcas just chuckles at the scene, pulling out Lilys camera and snapping a shot of them all (A/n: art of this bit in the future?)

As their celebrations calm down, they notice the teams beginning to land and everyone else begin to make their way down to join them

“This takes me back” Remus lets out a small laugh watching the red and gold scarfs fly around

Nostalgia fills the air as the others join him, gazing down

“Man…that used to be us” James remarks, letting out a breathy laugh before glancing over at Marlene

She nods, a happy yet bittersweet smile on her face “Yeah…good times” she reminisces before looking down at Lacey “Times are still pretty good…maybe better” she confesses watching her little cub cheer

Dorcas joins her side, arm wrapping around both Marlene and Lacy as their foreheads meet

“I think we should give them their moment” Lily suggests “We have time to embarrass them later” she giggles

The group hums in agreement. As their stand empties, they begin pointing out things only they are privy to from their vantage point. Like Nevilles and Lunas intertwined hands as they weave through the crowd with Ginny, Lee sprinting to hug George, the Slytherin team sulks, or even Snape begrudgingly handing a couple of gallons to McGonagall. None of them, however, have managed to spot you or your friends yet.

“I hope y/ns alright in the crowds” James says softly next to Lily

“As long as she’s with her friends I have no doubt shell be alright” she hums, giving your fathers arm a squeeze

“Oh, there she is…” Sirius points you out before chuckling to himself “…maybe being your twin ain’t so bad” he jokes, wiggling his glasses

James laughs, wrapping an arm around Sirius as everyone turns their attention back towards you

Down on the pitch, it’s a flurry of red and gold, so you hold back at the edge where it was quieter, encouraging your friends to head into the chaos and enjoy it. Jess, Joey and Timothy promise to be right back, while Cedric spots Cho in the crowd little ways from yourself and joins her, being careful not to drift too far from you

You beam as you take a couple of steps back, watching Harry get lifted up by Ron and Neville. Much like your parents and family above, you want Harry and Fred to have their moment in the spotlight. There would be more than enough time to talk to them after

Unbeknownst to you, one of that duo was already looking for you. Fred’s eyes scan the chaos for your figure, but finds a familiar blonde in the crowd first, and he smiles watching him kiss Cho’s cheek. Cedric feels the eyes on them, looking up and noticing Fred’s searching expression. He smiles, giving a knowing nod towards you, as does Cho who’s clearly been filled in on the situation.

Fred’s eyes follow the direction and there you are, standing apart from the rest, your gaze locked on Harry. Taking a deep breath, he hypes himself up, realising in that moment you aren’t just wearing his scarf, but the jumper he gave you to keep warm a few weeks ago as well. That along with the kiss you blew him earlier, are all the signs he needed to finally make a move

“Oi, Freddie” George calls as he moves away from the rest of the team “Where ya going?” George tries again but to no avail, Fred’s already gone, pushing through the crowd, using his broom to help manage the masses

As he breaks free, you do a double take, and he finds himself smiling as your confused expression melts into hope and joy

“You’re supposed to be over there” you tell him, taking a few steps forward as he closes the gap

“But you’re over here” he replies simply before leaning closer, eyes searching yours for permission

You bite your lip, giving him a nod, to which his own smile grows and his broom is abandoned as his larger hands come up to cradle your cheeks guiding them up towards his lips as they crash into your own. You clutch the front of his sweater, pulling him closer but Fred being the showman he is had other ideas. His hands drop down, snaking around your hips before he dips you back. You squeal at first, then laugh softly with him before your lips reconnect. After that the rest of the world fades away. The cheers and buzz around you becoming a distant hum, neither of you reacting to your friends’ cheers nor the flash of Jess’ camera

Your friends aren’t the only spectators of course…

“Wait…” Marlene points towards you and Fred “…is he about to…oh!” her mouth drops open, gently covering Lacey’s eyes while Dorcas smiles in a happy shock beside her

Remus, Sirius, Lily are next to react, eyes widening, before breaking into smiles. Remus and Sirius take a moment longer, clearly doing the ‘does he deserve her’ math in their heads first

“That’s my girl” Lilys hands come up to face, overjoyed, she had an inkling you were a little love struck from your letters, she just didn’t know with who until now

“He’s alright” Sirius begrudgingly admits while Remus nods in agreement

Their smiles and shock soon melt into anticipation as they all slowly turn towards James, who had been a bit too quiet considering the situation. But when they see him, he is…beaming?

Turns out Lily wasn’t the only one with an incline, in fact, James being the girl dad he was, has known about every crush you’ve ever had, your one on Fred being no different. Safe to say, he was ecstatic

“Yes!” he cheers “Oh the dips a nice touch, very classy” he nods in approval before looking over at the others “What?” he takes in their shocked faces

“Prongs?” Remus eyes him “You realise that’s y/n, right?” he feels the need to check

“Yeah” James shrugs before his mouth makes an ‘oh’ shape, his reply sending them into fits of laughter “I’m supposed to be mad right now, aren’t I?”

Thank you for reading ♡

931 notes · View notes

banananutmuffin28 · 20 days ago

Note

Thank you for taking one for the team! Since you are taking requests can you do a Se-mi x reader where reader is a part of Gi-hun's group and tries to get her to join the team?

A/N: (￣^￣ )ゞ Ofc ofc, more Se-Mi for the soul! I noticed you all really like her haha

Please, Come With Me—Player Se-Mi x GN! Player Reader

Se-Mi was an interesting girl.

You had seen her occasionally, but never really paid much attention to her. Sure, she was certainly attractive—you would be lying if you said that her short hair and many piercings hadn’t left you flustered the first time you laid eyes on her—but the girl quickly flew from your mind when you realized your life was at stake.

You couldn’t afford to die now, not when you had a loved one waiting for you on the other side.

But, during the Six-Legged Race, something happened that shifted your perception on Se-Mi.

As you stood there with Gi-Hun, waiting for the final people in your group to get into their respective teams, you noticed three men approaching Se-Mi.

The purple haired guy—who made it clear that his name was Thanos—smirked, looking up and down at Se-Mi before asking her to join his team. Nam-su or Nam-gyu—you couldn’t remember which—tried to get him to stop, but Thanos merely brushed him aside.

Of course, the way the men acted hadn’t thrown the thought of Se-Mi back into your orbit—it was what happened next.

Se-Mi seemed reluctant, tilting her head to the side as the beginnings of a grin formed on her lips. She didn’t seem at all impressed or intimidated by the fact that Thanos was a famous rapper. Rather, she looked amused.

“Ah, Thanos,” She started, her face growing wry, “Do you have all of the infinity stones?”

When you heard that, you couldn’t stop the giggle that burst from your lips.

Okay, Se-Mi has humor. You liked that.

After that exchange, you were more observant to the woman. You noticed how she had a type of fire inside her, one that couldn’t be put out easily by men like Nam-Gyu (or Nam-Su). And, you saw how used that very same fire to nurture the more vulnerable, like the boy who had refused to leave her side during the entire match.

She’s a good person. And she’s so pretty too.

Something peculiar bloomed inside you. It began from your chest, then spread to your collarbone, your neck, and then finally, your face.

You crossed your arms together, cheeks growing hot.

It would certainly be a shame of Se-Mi died. You wouldn’t mind helping her out a little if she needed it. In fact—

“Hey, are you listening to me?”

Gi-Hun’s gruff voice startled you from your thoughts, and you all but jumped back.

“W…what?”

He sighed and shook his head. You looked down, feeling like a kid about to hand their father their less than savory test score.

“I said, it is important that we closely observe the games so that we can note any strategies the other players use. It will be good for us.”

He turned his gaze to your direction, scooting his body closer to you.

“You shouldn’t be distracted by other things, not when you could die if you don’t do your part on time,” Gi-Hun said, before squinting his eyes. “What were you even looking at, anyways?”

You looked into your lap, feeling embarrassed.

“It was nothing!” You squeak, though it doesn’t sound convincing even to your ears.

Gi-Hun ignored you, craning his neck so that he could get a better view.

Your stomach sank as he started to grin.

“Ah, kid, were you staring at that cute girl with the piercings?”

The tips of your ears grew hot.

You debated on denying it, but knew that it would be of no use. You weren’t an idiot, you knew your body language gave it away eons ago.

Instead, you simply cleared your throat, turning your eyes back to the current race.

“Hey, what was that about observing the contestants of the race?”

Gi-Hun simply laughed, slapping your back hard enough to make your eyes water.

“Oh, don’t be shy, kid. Why, I remember how I felt the first time I met my ex-wife! I don’t know how I thought wooing her with a monkey would work…”

Letting out a groan, you covered your face with your hands.

Not this story again!

—

You decided you absolutely didn’t like Nam-Gyu.

He seemed to have it out for Se-Mi, choosing to constantly make snide comments about her to her face. Now, it wasn’t as if Se-Mi was utterly defenseless, as she would always stand her ground whenever she or Min-Su was insulted, but you still didn’t like seeing her have to be on edge so often.

You looked back to your crew, watching as Dae-ho told a joke you couldn’t quite hear. Jun-hee had doubled over laughing, spilling a bit of her milk onto the floor.

Se-Mi should be able to joke around and not have to constantly defend herself.

The boy she was protecting isn’t even trying to help her back.

You scowled, opening your milk carton with more force than necessary.

“Hey, you okay, kid?”

You didn’t even have to look back to know who it was. Instead, you frown, taking a swig at your milk carton before you said, “Hey, how would you feel if we had another member in this team?”

Gi-Hun blinked.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind.”

He turned back to the others.

“Hey, would you guys be okay if someone else joined us?”

“Heck yeah!” Dae-Ho screamed. “The more the merrier.”

As soon as those words left his lips, the another people whooped and cheered.

Gi-Hun nudged your shoulder, a smile on his face.

“I don’t think the others would mind, either. Think you can convince that girl with piercings to join us, though?”

Fuck.

At your startled expression, he let out a full belly laugh.

“Ah, I pieced a few things together. You don’t exactly have a great poker face, kid.”

You let out a small grumble, but felt relieved all the same.

At least you didn’t have two people to convince. Something told you that Se-Mi wasn’t going to be easily swayed.

Suddenly, a piece of bread was shoved in front of your face.

“Eat up, kid. I believe in you.”

—

You had to convince her. Now.

Your mouth fell open when you saw Se-Mi choose X. Now that she did that, it was more than likely that Thanos and his lackeys would be after her.

The only ally she had left was a boy who wouldn’t stand up for himself.

You tightened your fists. It would be dangerous for her to be alone tonight.

—

As the countdown for bedtime commenced, you quickly walked over to her, pretending to ignore the little thumbs-up Gi-Hun sent your way.

You couldn’t be distracted.

Se-Mi stood in the far right corner, the only indicator that it even was her being her lip piercing as it glimmered under the artificial light.

When you got closer, you put a hand in the air.

“Hey!”

She looked up from her conversation with Min-Su, startled. Her eyes seemed to narrow as you walked closer.

When the boy noticed you, he froze and quietly slunk behind her.

“Hey?”

Your heart thundered in your chest, and already you could feel doubt festering in your gut.

You pushed it to aside.

Clearing your throat, you put on your best smile and waved at her.

“Uhm, I was wondering if you would like to join my group. We’re—“

“Yeah, I know what time you’re in,” Se-Mi interrupted, eyed gliding to Gi-Hun. “I’m not interested. Min-Su and I are fine on our own.”

As she began to walk away, you could feel your chance to convince her dwindling. Hastily, you followed after.

“Wait, please!” You yell a little too loud, causing some of the players around you to give confused looks.

Se-Mi walked faster.

Cursing, you picked up your pace and tried to grab her arm.

She pushed you away.

“Is this why you were staring at me so often?” Se-Mi demanded, roughly pulling her arm away from you. She straightened up, crossing her arms together as she took a step towards you. “I don’t need your pity. I know what I signed up for when I voted X, and I’m wholly prepared to deal with the consequences.”

Despite the circumstances, you blushed.

“You noticed?”

She smiled, though it was more out of malice than humor.

“It was a bit hard not to when your eyes were glued to me, sweetheart.”

You knew the pet name was soaked in derision, but that didn’t stop your damned stomach from doing summersaults.

Determinedly, you ignored her words.

“I just want to help you, Se-Mi. You know how those guys treated you.”

She scowled.

“As I said before, I don’t need your charity. I am doing just fine with—“

“Please!”

The word burst out of your lips before you could stop it.

Se-Mi looked taken back. Behind her, you heard a soft gasp.

Fighting through your embarrassment, you continue onward.

“I stared at you for so long because I felt that you’re really pretty and I sorta-liked-how-you-stood-up-for-yourself.” The last half of the sentence was spoken in a rush.

“But when I offered you help, it’s not because I pity you, Se-Mi, it’s because I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Se-Mi raised an eyebrow. Her stance was more relaxed now, though her eyebrows were still furrowed.

“Why? We’re practically strangers.”

“Well…” You bit your lip. “I know that you probably have people who care for you outside the games, Se-Mi.”

You pointed a finger at yourself. “Hell, I do too. I’m only in this damned hellhole because I need to pay for my relative’s medical bills. They’re going to die if they don’t get it.”

You felt your eyes water.

“They’re…all I have left on this damned rock.”

Se-Mi exhaled softly. Her eyes were gentler now, and her lips pressed into a thin line. Hesitantly, she reached out to hold your hand.

You allowed it, curling your fingers around her hand.

“Se-Mi, there is no doubt that you are very strong. But, despite that, I don’t think you should get needlessly injured if you have a way out.”

You placed your other hand on the back of your neck.

“It’s not pity. Think of it more as…an alliance.”

As Se-Mi chewed her lip, your eyes traveled down to your joined hands. You focused on the warmth that radiated from her, and pressed against the callouses on her knuckles.

You knew she had been through a lot, even before she had stepped foot into death game.

Finally, she blew out a breath.

“Oh all right, I’ll join your little team,” She said at last, pulling her hand back so she could nudge you with her elbow. “I know you won’t stop badgering me about it if I refuse.”

She glanced at the boy behind her. “Min-Su, what do you think?”

He only gave a shy nod as his response.

You grinned.

You did it!

Before you could drop yourself, you practically tackled her, enveloping the woman into your embrace.

She froze for a moment, then returned your hug, chuckling.

“Thank you!”

Amusedly, Se-Mi shook her head. “Whose life are we saving again?”

Too elated to be embarrassed by her comment, you simply let go and reached out your hand.

“Come on!” You chirped.

Se-Mi took your hand.

“Lead the way, sweetheart. Oh, and by the way,” She said, drawing out the last syllable in a way that only foretold mischief.

You motioned for her to continue, trying to steel yourself.

Endearingly, Se-Mi pinched your cheek.

“What was that earlier about you finding me pretty?”

#squid game fanfic #squid game #se mi x reader #squid game x reader #squid game x you #se-mi x reader #player 380 x reader #Ask answered #My fics

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bluem1lls · 21 hours ago

Note

Hey I was wondering if you could do a se-mi fic where the reader is really sweet/kind and is apart of Gi-hun's group in the games. So when se-mi starts flirting with her the boys go all big brother/dad mode and start getting protective. I just think it would be funny to see Dae-ho and Jung-bae doing their goofy marines bit, while se-mi is absolutely unimpressed and sassy and the reader is just watching from afar happy that they're all 'getting along'. Thank you and I love your writing <3

✧₊⁺ i'd do it all again

✦ synopsis: she's very willing to flirt with you, even if there's two are always there to try to stop her from doing it!

tw: pure fluff!

authors note: hiiii, its short but its a week update and im DEAD so dhhdhdfh i hope u like it!!! tysm for the request💓💓

-> "fuck" my head hurts from the impact as i open my eyes to see a girl.. on top of me. her eyes widen as she tries to stay still. her arms keep my body trapped underneath her.

"shit- i'm so sorry" she whispers slowly, trying to not get caught by the doll from the game.

as i can hear it say 'green light' once again. she stands up quickly, lending me her hand as we start running. i can see my brother's eyes moving across the entire room trying to find me because he lost me out of his sight. when he does, he lets out a big sigh as he runs to my side, staying still as we hear the 'red light'.

-> once we're get to the finish line, i lay on the floor, exhausted. my eyes try to find the short haired girl. i stare as i see her bent over, trying to catch her breath.

"you're not allowed to leave my side, ever" dae-ho, my brother, grabs my shoulders as i rolled my eyes. "i'm serious."

"i know, i'm sorry. a girl tripped over me."

as we turned around to head to the main room, i see the girl's eyes follow me until we arrive.

-> as we're done voting, my brother, being the social butterfly he is, already got us a group.

i sit besides gi-hun as i stare the surroundings. i can feel my brother's arms around me as i groan. the girl who fell on top of me stares, quickly removing her eyes of me as i find her sight.

-> and i try multiple times to talk with her, but everytime i seem to get somewhat close, she's moving around as i frown. maybe she's awkward after the way we met but, i'm still curious.

-> as the second game begins, we get together until they announce 'group of 5'. their eyes widen as in-ho tries to move aside, i grab him as i shook my head no. i turn to leave as dae-ho grabs my arm, serious.

"there's no way-"

"listen, i'll be fine. i have an idea. i promise i'll be fine."

"no you liste-"

it's too late, because i'm already running to the pierced girl as she stares up and down at me with a smirk. great, finally an excuse to talk to her and i know she can't run away this time.

"you owe me. and i need a group" i said to her as she scoffed in amusement.

"oh? i owe you?"

"you fell on top of me!" i reply as she hums, playing with her lip piercing.

"what's wrong with your boyfriend's team?" she lifts an eyebrow as i stare wide eye. boyfriend???

"that dumbass?!" i point at dae-ho."he's my brother, ew."

her expression turns into a surprised one, quickly returning to her normal one. was that why she was avoiding me this whole time? i chuckled softly as she did too.

"oh- right. sorry. so um, let's go get three more people" she says, turning around as we see the purple hair guy coming in our direction. we both stare at eachother at the same time, smiling.

great.

-> as we pass the second same, i sit with them, waiting nervously for my brother and the group's return. i see them arrive with a smile as i get up to throw myself into his arms as he hugs me tight. i hug every one of them, happy to see them again.

-> as the night comes, i eat my food while chatting with the group until i see a someone in front of me. i lift my gaze to meet her brown eyes.

i lift my eyebrow as i slowly smile. "hi"

"hey.. thought you could use the company" she said with amusement, sitting next to me. "and, you never told me your name.."

as i tell her, she replies with hers. se-mi.

"pretty name for a pretty girl" i chuckle at her poor attempt to flirt as she laughs with me.

i feel arms wrap around me as i turn my head. of course. i roll my eyes as i sigh.

"hello ladies. i'm dae-ho" he says (to se-mi, mostly) with a serious expression as she stares unfazed and gives him a head nod. "her brother, but you probably guessed since we have the same 'pretty face', like you said." he tells her, trying to put his most 'older brother' face as i elbow him on the ribs.

"get out, oh my god you're so annoying" i said removing myself from his grip as he stares, offended.

"i'm trying to look after my little sister! you can't date someone from this game"

"we're not dating! leave!" i whisper/shout at him as he stares like a puppy while i push him out.

"i was in the marine, by the way!" he tells to her, turning around one last time as she smirks.

i sit again besides her as i huffed. she smiles, amused.

"so that was.. interesting" she plays with her lip piercing, the smirk never leaving her lips. i nod as i stare away, too embarrassed to meet her eyes. "does that mean every time i'll try to talk to you, you'll have a bodyguard?" she chuckles as i nod, embarrassed.

"i mean.. probably"

she hums as her gaze meets my eyes.

"i can do that."

and she means it.

-> and as the days go by, we become closer and closer. hugging eachother everytime we see the other one survived the game, teaming together and staying all night talking.

and she's so pretty, that it doesn't feel surprising when she's making me blush from staring too much, or when i get butterflies everytime she whispers sweet things to me because she knows i love it.

-> and after one specific hard game, i realize i wanna spend every little minute with her. too scared to loose her, i'm asking her to bring her mattress besides mine. as i'm helping her to move it, i can see two people standing in front of us, staring to see what we're doing.

"are you two sleeping together? i don't think thats a good idea." jung-bae says as my eyes widen. "you look like a good young girl, but we can't trust too much" he says to se-mi as this one stares and gives him a soft chuckle.

"that's true. sleeping together is a step too far. are you two dating?" my brother nods at jung-bae's words as i cover my face in embarrassment.

"not yet" she smirks at my brother as his eyes widen.

"can you two just... shush away?" i murmur to them, staring at both.

they look at each other as i move them softly aside.

"i can't believe the disrespect we face. from two young girls" jung-bae says as dae-ho nods.

-> and as the night comes, we lay side to side while talking.

"i really like this.. spending time with you" she says, making me smile. i feel her cold hands with the rings cup my face as i stare at her. "do you think your brother's awake?"

my expression turns into confusion. "um.. no? i don't think so?"

"good" she mumbles against my lips as she kisses me. i let out a soft moan in surprise as i melt into the kiss.

"i knew you weren't a good girl!" my brother jumps from the bed, his finger pointing to se-mi, making us break from the kiss to stare him.

"oh my god where you spying this whole time? you're a fucking-"

"hey careful!" he says, his finger now pointing at me. "now. if you want my sister, i will make your life a living hell" he warns se-mi as she lifts her arms, smiling.

"she's worth it" she says as we both stare at her.

-> and he means it. because even when we leave the game after voting 'x', she warns me many times i'm not allowed to disappear now that she's attached. not like i was going to. but wherever i go, he's also always there too.

and all the guys are also there. even gi-hun, jung-bae and in-ho, warning her every step of the way, as me and jun-hee chuckle. and se-mi starts loving them too, because she's sure she won't be able to get rid of them (she tried!)

with our poor relationship with our father, jung-bae ends up turning into more of a father figure to us, being the one supporting my brother through everything, but also being there for me everyday.

and with time (a lot of family dinners we have together) they start to soften up for her.

-> so it's not a surprise when a few years later, at our wedding, she takes a video of how our life together has been and a video of my brother and jung-bae shows up.

"are you- are you asking us for our blessing?" dae-ho sobs as jung-bae seems to be suppressing his tears. i can hear her laugh, although i can't see her because she was the one recording the video.

"i don't think i would be able to go through it if i didn't" she says, softly.

they're both crying now as they hug her.

"i knew you were the one!" jung-bae says, sobbing like a baby while she laughs.

"we knew it! that's why we went easy on you!" dae-ho says, wiping away his tears.

"yeah, i figured" se-mi says, her tone dripping in sarcasm.

i turn to the side to hug her while i kiss her, laughing as dae-ho and jung-bae stare at the video, blushing red.

"we agreed that was a secret!" jung-bae says, embarrassed as gi-hun hugs him with a chuckle.

"that's-that an edition. se-mi! you said you wouldn't play that" dae-ho says to her as she shrugs.

i cup her face on my hands as she laughs. her gaze meets mine. "i love you so much." my stare filled with love like the first day i met her.

"mh, i love you so much too. happy family, happy wife and happy life right?"

#se mi x reader #player 380 x reader #se-mi x reader #player 380 #se-mi #se mi #squid game #squid game 2 #lesbian #se mi squid game #won ji an #squid games smut #squid games x reader #se-mi squid games #wlw

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07jeongguk · 14 days ago

Photo

#sehun #exo #oh sehun #se hun #exok #oh se hun #my edit #130606 #oshbw

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luxerians · 10 days ago

Text

The Last Mask (11)

Hwang In-ho/Oh Young-il/Player 001 x Reader

Chapter 11 - 50/50

Story Masterlist

NEXT : Chapter 12

PREV : Chapter 10

You brought your fingertips to your lips, tracing the delicate, swollen skin. The warmth of his kiss lingered there, a memory etched so vividly that it made your cheeks flush every time you thought about it. Ever since that moment, you couldn’t bring yourself to meet Young-il’s gaze. Embarrassment bloomed every time you saw even the faintest glimpse of him.

You’d spent some time trying to understand it. Why had he kissed you? Was it to take your mind off everything you’d seen him do to Min-jae? The thought made you pause. It was a caring gesture, or perhaps a manipulative one. Either way, it had worked. It had calmed you. The kiss pulled your thoughts away from his ruthless act. Whether intentional or not, his actions had eased the storm inside you.

The third game was over, and you descended the labyrinthine stairs again. The line of players moved slowly. At the very front of your group were the mother and her son Yong-sik. Just behind them was Hyun-ju, her face distraught, with Gyeong-seok walking behind her. Player 333 followed close behind.

Then came Jun-hee. Behind her was Dae-ho, and then Se-mi. Gi-hun tailed behind. You were next, with Young-il just behind you like your shadow. At the very back of the line was Jung-bae.

As you descended, you focused on the steps in front of you, avoiding any accidental glance backward. You couldn’t risk catching Young-il’s eye again. Every time the memory of his lips on yours surfaced, you felt the heat creeping back up your neck like lava.

That’s when Gi-hun glanced over his shoulder and spoke up solemnly, “When we get back, let’s count the number of people remaining.”

You blinked at him questioningly as Young-il replied from behind you, “Why?”

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

You stayed silent as Young-il responded, “We’ll have to hope more people from the other side died.”

You couldn’t stop your thoughts from drifting back to Lee Min-jae and his friends. You briefly recalled that they had been among the players who voted for O. The memory of them lingered, but it was overshadowed by the shocking scene you had witnessed. His strength, his ruthlessness. It was unsettling. If he wanted to, you realized, he could probably take down half of the O players without breaking a sweat. The sheer intensity of his combat prowess was terrifying.

I never had the chance to ask him what he did before coming here, you thought. Was he in elite forces or something?

You finally reached the dormitory, and as you stepped inside, you immediately noticed them. Player 333 discreetly yet gently pulled Jun-hee away from the group. Your heart skipped a beat as worry crept in. You observed them from a distance, concerned about the pregnant Jun-hee and whether she might be taken advantage of.

After a few moments of watching them converse quietly between the bunk beds, you relaxed. It seemed innocent enough. Satisfied that Jun-hee was okay, you turned to follow the rest of your group. That was when you noticed Se-mi had strayed away. She walked off from everyone. You wondered why she didn’t stick with your group. For a moment, you considered calling her, but you hesitated. It felt too soon to cross that line; after all, you had only just met her.

“[Your name].”

You heard your name and turned to see Young-il. He had stopped walking with Gi-hun and the others and was now standing a few paces away, waiting for you. A small, warm smile curled his lips, and his face softened as your eyes met.

“Come,” he said simply.

You walked toward him, and together, the two of you headed back to your group’s usual corner. As you walked, Young-il’s left hand lifted, and he tucked a stray strand of your hair behind your ear. The gesture made you blush, and you stole a sneaky glance at him. You didn’t expect him to be so openly affectionate, even in front of others, especially after his confession. But then again, you hadn’t stopped him, had you?

The two of you reached the corner and immediately noticed a change. Many of the beds had been removed due to the dwindling number of players. Your group’s corner now consisted of stairs leading up to a few remaining beds. Beneath the stairs, a clear space offered an ideal spot for the group to sit around on the floor. Gi-hun and Dae-ho wasted no time claiming it as their own.

As you arrived, you couldn’t help but notice Jun-hee’s absence. She was likely still talking with player 333. Maybe he likes her, you mused to yourself, thinking about how adorable Jun-hee could be.

You and Young-il sat down on the lower bed tucked under the stairs right beside your group's spot. It offered a clear view of your group’s corner. Not long after, Jung-bae rushed back to the spot, ducking under the stairs to join the others.

“Gi-hun,” he began, “there are 55 people who voted in favor of continuing.”

Gi-hun stood straighter. “Are you sure?”

“I counted them twice,” Jung-bae reassured him.

Dae-ho, standing in between them, pointed at the O patch on Jung-bae’s chest. “What about you? Did you include yourself?”

Jung-bae glanced down at his patch, his expression momentarily blank. Then, looking back up at Gi-hun, he said, “It’s 56.”

You couldn’t help but smile at his antics. Dae-ho sighed heavily, closing his eyes as if counting in his mind. “We have 44 people on our side. That means we’re outnumbered by 12.”

Jung-bae leaned his head back in mock despair. “Shoot, that means we’re likely to lose again.”

That’s when Young-il stood up from beside you and walked over to the group. “It may seem like a big difference, but if six of them change their minds, it’ll be 50/50, all tied. If seven of them change their minds, we could win.”

“But those who pressed X might change their minds too,” Dae-ho pointed out.

Young-il met his gaze and replied, “They probably won’t change their minds easily.”

“Why not?” Dae-ho asked, curiosity evident in his voice.

Everyone’s eyes fixed on Young-il, waiting for his explanation. He didn’t keep them in suspense for long.

“They wanted to quit even when the prize was smaller,” he said evenly. “Now they can leave with even more money. They wouldn’t want to risk their lives playing another game.”

Jung-bae spoke up, “I’m going to press X this time. That means we’ll have a tie if five others change their minds. With six more, we win.”

You cast your gaze to the floor, feeling a tiny sense of hopefulness in your heart. You really wanted to leave this place. Young-il’s words made you feel hopeful that maybe… the next voting process would end with a majority of X votes.

You heard Gi-hun say, “Then let’s go over there and try to convince them.”

“No, that’s too risky,” countered the calm Young-il. You brought your gaze back to him. You noticed Gi-hun also staring at him in surprise, not expecting such direct opposition from Young-il. The latter continued, “Most of them will want to continue the games. If we make a move, they won’t just sit back and watch.”

Gi-hun frowned in displeasure, his voice carrying an edge as he said to Young-il, “So you think we should just stand here and pray they change their minds?”

He paused to take a step closer to Young-il, as if daring him to challenge his view. “What if we lose again? We march down, hand in hand, to play another game?”

“I understand how you feel,” responded Young-il. “I also wish I could leave right now. But this is the moment to stay calm.”

You slowly got up from your seat on the bed, feeling the tension rising between these two.

“Stay calm? We’ve already taken a vote twice,” retorted Gi-hun with a scowl. His voice rose slightly as he said, “If we can’t convince them, we’ll have to bring them over to our side by force.”

“If we provoke them now, we may end up in a big fight before we even get to vote,” countered Young-il. He refused to back down. Though he seemed calm, you could detect a hint of frustration in his tone. “Is that what you want, Gi-hun?”

You, Dae-ho, and Jung-bae stared at them quietly as the unpleasant tension crackled between the two men. Young-il and Gi-hun locked eyes, their glares daring each other to relent and concede their own view.

You hated this kind of argument, especially within a group of close friends like this. Simple disagreements had the potential to spiral into something bigger, risking unnecessary conflict and possibly breaking the group apart. You wanted to stop that from happening.

“Look, Gi-hun,” Jung-bae said softly, trying to diffuse the tension. “I’m too scared to play another game. I’m sure there are more people who feel the same way.”

Dae-ho stepped closer to the two men, his voice calm. “That’s right. If it’s just five or six people, we’ve got a shot. I did the math, and the prize is now over 300 million per person. I think that gives us a pretty good chance.”

It was clear that both Jung-bae and Dae-ho were siding with Young-il. Their reasoning seemed to chip away at the growing tension.

Hoping to help ease the atmosphere further, you added, “Let’s not forget about those we’ve acquainted with recently. Like Hyun-ju, Yong-sik, and Se-mi. They all voted for O before, but after that last game? I don’t think they will want to continue playing.”

Gi-hun and Young-il remained locked in their tense stare, but you noticed the atmosphere had started to shift. The pressure between them lessened slightly, thanks to the combined efforts of Jung-bae, Dae-ho, and your input. The argument hadn’t dissolved entirely, but at least for now, it felt like the group was pulling back from the edge of something worse.

The familiar blaring noise echoed throughout the dormitory. The double doors slid open, revealing the pink-clad guards as usual.

The square guard in the middle stepped forward and announced, “Congratulations to all of you for making it through the third game. Now, here are the results of the third game.”

After much announcement, the TV screen finally displayed all the necessary details. There were 100 players remaining. The accumulated prize money stood at an astonishing 35.6 billion won. Distributing all of that equally would mean that each player would earn 356 million won.

Your eyes widened in astonishment as the weight of that number settled in. With that amount, you could finally wipe away your family’s crippling debt and pay off the mounting hospital bills. Now you were more enthusiastic to quit this game, to take the money and leave. You couldn’t bear the thought of risking another game.

Your group, along with the other players, gathered at the far back of the dormitory’s clear center. The square guard’s announcement had concluded, and the guards were now setting up the voting counters.

Standing in the throng of players, you were lost in thought when you heard a familiar voice beside you.

“I’m glad,” Young-il said, his voice calm yet carrying an undertone of sincerity. You turned to him, catching the small smile tugging at his lips. “At this amount, you can pay all of your debts.”

A grin spread across your face as hope bloomed in your chest. “Yeah. Now I want nothing more than to go back home. My little sister must be worried.”

Young-il’s gaze lingered on you. He seemed curious but hesitant as he asked, “What are you going to do with the remaining millions?”

You looked away briefly, a genuine smile gracing your lips. “I’d use it to give my family a fresh start. My parents have endured so much. They’ve sacrificed so much for us. I’m going to give it all to them.”

Turning back to him, your warm smile deepened. “They deserve it.”

Young-il stared at you for a moment, his small smile growing as a glimmer of admiration flickered in his eyes.

He said softly. “It’s rare to see someone who thinks so selflessly, even in a place like this.”

That’s when a thought crossed your mind, and you glanced up at him, your voice soft and a little hesitant. “Young-il, if we manage to get a majority of X votes and we get to leave… will we still keep in touch?”

Young-il’s lips curved into a subtle smile, and he held your gaze for what felt like an eternity. His expression was calm and thoughtful as if weighing something significant. Then, with a reassuring nod, he said, “Of course. Once we win the majority vote, give me your phone number and address. I’ll contact you.”

Your face lit up with a wide smile, warmth spreading through you. Standing so close to him, it felt like the world around you faded, leaving just the two of you in this quiet moment.

You knew what he had done this morning should be a red flag to you. His capability to kill with such decisiveness and lack of hesitation should have terrified you. Yet, despite it all, your heart betrayed you. This wasn’t just a crush anymore. You were falling for him. For the man who had shown you his strength, his vulnerability, and a side of himself that he seemed to reserve only for you.

Then you heard Jung-bae say to Gi-hun, “356 million. With that kind of money, some of them will change their minds.”

Dae-ho continued, “If we get six more people, it’s a tie. If it’s seven, we win.”

Gi-hun nodded in response. Now that you were looking at them past Young-il, who was standing beside you, you took in your friends’ positions in the crowd. Starting from the far left were you, Young-il, Dae-ho, Jung-bae, and Gi-hun. Behind you all were Jun-hee, the mother and Yong-sik, Hyun-ju, and Gyeong-seok. You noticed the distance between both Young-il and Gi-hun, and it wasn’t hard to discern why. After all, they had come close to arguing moments ago.

“The vote will once again be conducted in reverse order of your player numbers,” the guard announced. “Player 456, please cast your vote.”

Gi-hun stepped forward and headed toward the counter. Along the way, the guard reminded, “To ensure fair and democratic voting, we will not tolerate any disruptions from this point onward.”

Without hesitation, Gi-hun pressed the X button, emitting a deep beeping noise. He then went to stand in the X zone.

After a few players took their turns, it was finally yours. You sent a glance at Young-il before stepping out of the crowd. When you reached the counter, you pressed the X button decisively and then walked over to stand beside Gi-hun in the X zone.

Next was Jung-bae’s turn. True to his promise, he pressed the X button, replacing the O patch on his chest with the X one. He then went to stand on the other side of Gi-hun.

Right after him came Dae-ho’s turn. He pressed the X button and joined you, standing beside you in the X zone.

The next player was someone you had gotten acquainted with during the last game – Se-mi. You were pleasantly surprised when she stepped up to the counter and pressed the X button. After replacing her O patch with the X one, she headed toward the X zone.

As Se-mi approached, Jung-bae reminded aloud, “Five more.”

Se-mi made her way to the X zone and caught your eye. You gave her a warm smile, which she returned with a friendly smirk before she positioned herself in front of your group.

A few minutes passed, and Jun-hee took her turn. Without hesitation, she pressed the X button. Shortly after, an O player stepped up. She hesitated at the voting counter, glancing between the X and O buttons. Finally, she pressed X. The sound of the deep beeping noise echoed, and Jung-bae and Dae-ho jumped in delight. Dae-ho exclaimed, “It’s four people now. Four more, and we win.”

Next was the mother’s turn. She pressed the X button. Then, another O player, player 125, followed suit, pressing X after a brief pause at the counter. The combined cheers from Dae-ho and Jung-bae echoed through the room. They turned to you and Gi-hun, saying in unison, “With three more people, we win.”

Your heart raced as you watched the process unfold. Young-il had been right. O players were changing their minds, one by one. Your mouth hung slightly open as the realization of leaving this game began to feel more and more tangible. This could be it. You could be free of this nightmare.

Then it was Hyun-ju’s turn. She approached the counter slowly. She stood there, staring at the buttons, her inner turmoil visible to everyone. After a few agonizing moments, she pressed the X button. The sound of the deep beep was like music to your ears. Cheers erupted around you. Dae-ho clapped enthusiastically, while Jung-bae, unable to contain his excitement, threw an arm around Gi-hun in a side hug. You found yourself grinning uncontrollably.

“Only two more now!” reminded Jung-bae, his voice filled with hope.

Hyun-ju replaced her O patch with an X and walked over to the X zone. Her movements were slow, her head hung low. The weight of player 095’s death clearly still lingered heavily on her. As she approached Jun-hee’s side, the mother came to her and gently patted her shoulder, offering silent comfort.

Soon enough, every vote caused either cheers or groans, depending on the outcome. When another O player pressed the X button, the O voters groaned loudly, while the X voters erupted into cheers.

“He switched to X!” effused Jung-bae, his excitement palpable. “That’s six! It’s a tie now! If we get one more person, we win.”

You bounced on the spot in pure delight, earning a pleased glance from Gi-hun. His expression reflected a mix of relief and hope.

Dae-ho, elated yet still astonished, said with a trace of disbelief, “Are we really going home?”

The anticipation mounted as Yong-sik’s turn came. As he approached the counter, Jung-bae couldn’t hold back and asked his mother, “Your son will definitely vote X this time, right?”

The mother nodded reassuringly. “Don’t worry. My Yong-sik will definitely press X this time.”

True to her words, Yong-sik pressed the X button firmly, his determination evident as he immediately ripped off his O patch. The screen updated to [X: 49 | O: 49]. The X zone exploded with cheers, the noise almost deafening. You jumped in happiness, your cheers blending with those around you.

Yong-sik turned to the X zone, proudly displaying his new X patch, and effused, “Let’s go home!”

The cheers from the X voters grew even louder. You felt an overwhelming sense of joy and relief. Glancing to the back, you counted the remaining unvoters. There were only player 006 and Young-il left. Both already had X patches from the previous vote. You grinned widely, filled with the certainty that these two would solidify the majority and secure your return home.

But then, as player 006 reached the counter, she pressed the O button.

A shocked silence fell over the X zone, quickly replaced by gasps and groans of disbelief. The O zone, however, erupted into cheers like fireworks. You froze, staring in shock as the voting results shifted to [X: 49 | O: 50].

You couldn’t believe it. Everyone in the X zone wore expressions of frustration and disappointment. Your earlier happiness crumbled, replaced by a gnawing dread as the reality of the situation set in.

“Lastly, player 001,” announced the square guard. “Please cast your vote.”

All eyes turned to Young-il. The dormitory fell silent as he began his solemn walk towards the counter. You watched intently, your breath catching in your chest. Dae-ho whisper-called his name, using his hyungnim honorifics. When Young-il glanced his way, Dae-ho raised a supportive fist and said, “Fighting!”

Young-il didn’t respond verbally. Instead, he gave Dae-ho a brief glance before shifting his eyes to you. Your heart thumped in anticipation as he turned his attention back to the front and continued walking. Dae-ho leaned toward Jung-bae, Gi-hun, and you, muttering, “It’s going to be 50/50, so it’s still a tie, isn’t it?”

You nodded slightly, unable to tear your eyes away from Young-il. The tension in the room was almost suffocating. As he reached the counter, he paused, standing silently in front of the buttons. You could see his gaze fixated on the large TV screen above. Seconds stretched for so long as he stared at the screen, his expression unreadable.

What is he thinking? Why hasn’t he pressed the button yet? Your frown deepened as worry gnawed at you. Could he… could he be considering voting for O?

The entire room seemed frozen, holding its collective breath. Young-il finally shifted his gaze to the buttons before him. His hand hovered over them, and the suspense was unbearable. Then, at long last, he pressed the X button. The deep, resonating beep confirmed his choice.

You exhaled loudly, your relief palpable. Around you, the X voters erupted in cheers and applause, their earlier anxiety melting away into joy.

Young-il turned around, his face breaking into a wide smile. He lifted his hand, forming an ‘OK’ sign as he looked directly at your group. He let out a visible sigh of relief and began his walk back to the X zone. The X voters at the front parted to let him through.

You smiled widely at Young-il as he arrived and stood beside you. His wide smile and reassuring nod brought a wave of relief that washed over you. His expression was a stark contrast to the solemn demeanor he had while deliberating in front of the voting counter.

“The vote has ended,” declared the square-masked guard.

“Wait, it’s a tie,” asked player 100, his voice laced with confusion. “What happens now?”

“Clause three of the consent form. In the case of a tie, players will vote again,” reminded the guard.

An X voter raised his hand, his voice breaking the growing murmurs. “So when are we going to vote again?”

“To give you some time to think, the vote will be conducted tomorrow,” the guard explained. “Until then, please think carefully about your future.”

A mix of sighs and quiet conversations filled the dormitory as players began to process the announcement. Slowly, everyone dispersed from the X and O zones. Disappointment hung heavy in the air, but there was also a sliver of hope. You felt it, too. The tie meant another chance tomorrow, another opportunity to sway the outcome.

Young-il nudged your arm softly, a subtle gesture that snapped you from your thoughts. Without a word, he turned and started walking. You followed him immediately, weaving through the crowd. Your steps took you past Gi-hun, who stood motionless in the middle of the dispersing players, his downcast gaze told you he was lost in a labyrinth of thoughts.

The quietness between you and Young-il as you moved toward your group’s corner was calming. It was as though the weight of the day’s events didn’t feel as heavy when you were walking beside him.

Still, you couldn’t hold back your curiosity and asked with a raised eyebrow, “Why were you taking so long to vote X? You nearly gave me a heart attack.”

Young-il chuckled softly, his amusement clear. You added with an exaggerated frown, “If you’d voted O, I would scream and die on the spot. That would’ve been my way out of this game.”

He laughed at your dramatic response, the sound warm and light. Glancing at you, he noticed the pout on your face and shook his head gently. He lifted his left hand and caressed the back of your head, brushing your hair as well.

“Sorry,” he said, the smile lingering on his lips. “I was just thinking about something else.”

“What were you thinking about?” you asked immediately.

As the two of you slowed your pace, nearing the corner where your group usually gathered, his gaze shifted around the room purposefully, almost as if looking at every surviving player. Then, his smile faded slightly as he explained, “I was wondering why so many people still insist on staying. They already have a share of 356 million. It’s enough to start over, right? I don’t know their reasons, but… it says a lot about this world.”

You stared at him silently, your mind catching onto his words and lingering on their weight. He looked down at the floor, his expression turning into something more thoughtful.

“It’s frustrating,” he continued, his voice quieter. “If everyone got one billion, would they finally vote to leave? Or would they insist on staying here?”

Young-il paused, bringing his gaze to you, and added solemnly, “If everyone knew about Jun-hee and her pregnancy, would that change their minds? Would they vote X for her sake? Or would they judge her for being here?”

His words sank deep into you, leaving a heavy pause in their wake. You found yourself thinking about Jun-hee, the fragile girl carrying a life within her. Would revealing her situation stir compassion or make her a target for scorn?

“This place exposes who you really are,” he said. “People can’t hide forever when they’re pushed to their limits. Even those who think they’re good, moral people find out just how far they’re willing to go when it’s their life on the line.”

You thought back to everything you’d seen so far. The alliances formed and broken within seconds. The violence when everyone’s lives were on the line. Even Min-jae and his friends revealed their true nature in their desperate, violent attempt to survive.

Then, you felt the gentle brush of Young-il’s hand against the back of your head, his fingers weaving softly through your hair in a way that made you feel safe. His touch was tender and when you turned your gaze toward him, he was already smiling at you.

“This place also shows who can hold onto kindness, even when everything around them turns to chaos,” he said.

His words lingered in the air, resonating deeply within you. You found yourself smiling warmly, his sentiment striking a chord you hadn’t expected. He slowly withdrew his hand, the warmth of his touch still lingering.

But then you remembered something. You looked up at him, your wide, doe-like eyes shimmering with sincerity, and said, “That’s you, though.”

Young-il’s gaze lingered on you, his expression shifting. His faint smile faltered and then disappeared entirely as he stared at you. You kept your smile, unwavering and genuine, as you continued, “You’re kind, too. You stay calm when everyone else is panicking, and you’re always the first to tell us to stay grounded. When player 333 was being bullied, you stepped in...”

You paused, lifting your hands in a playful yet subtle attempt to mimic his combat moves from that moment. “You were like a police officer in this place. Fair and protective.”

Young-il’s eyes remained fixed on you, his astonishment evident. The silence between you grew, stretching into something heavy yet unspoken. You tilted your head, puzzled by his reaction, but your smile remained intact.

Finally, a small smile returned to his lips. His eyes softened, glimmering with something you couldn’t quite name. Admiration? Gratitude? Both? His gaze flickered between your left and right eye, then briefly to your lips before dropping to the floor. A quiet chuckle escaped him, and he gently placed a hand on your back, guiding you forward.

“You’re too kind for this world, really,” he murmured, almost to himself, though you heard every word.

***

Minutes after the voting, dinner time arrived. The line to get your meal moved steadily, and you soon received a single roll of gimbap wrapped neatly in aluminum foil. You were puzzled when you unwrapped it and found a fork included. While a fork could work, gimbap was typically eaten with chopsticks or even just your hands. The choice felt unusual. Adding to your confusion was the glass water bottle handed out with the meal. Why a glass bottle? Wouldn’t plastic have been cheaper?

Seated at the staircase of your group’s corner, you unwrapped your meal and glanced around. Young-il was on your left, eating quietly, with Dae-ho next to him. Behind you, Jun-hee, Hyun-ju, and Gyeong-seok sat on the upper staircases, and to your right, the mother and Yong-sik settled in, their quiet bond evident.

Before long, Jung-bae and Gi-hun returned with their meals. Jung-bae, ever animated, grinned widely as he addressed Young-il. “I’m glad Young-il gave us another chance to vote again.”

“Same here,” added Dae-ho. “I was nervous, though. I thought he might vote to stay, like on the first day.”

Young-il chuckled lightly. “The money’s enough for me now. So it’s time to get out of here. Alive.”

Gi-hun took a seat on the lower staircase in front of the mother and Yong-sik. His gimbap remained unopened as Gyeong-seok spoke up, “But do you think we’ll be able to win the second vote?”

Young-il’s eyes shifted to the O players gathered on the other side of the dormitory. “We’ll have to go for broke. Like Gi-hun said earlier, we should try to convince some of them to change their minds before the second vote.”

You took a bite of your gimbap, savoring the familiar taste despite the tension. Yong-sik chimed in, “Will they, though? They seem to have lost their minds over the money.”

His mother, ever nurturing, offered her perspective. “The way I see it, we’re more likely to win. All we’ve got to eat is this roll of gimbap. Tomorrow, everyone will be hungrier. And when you’re hungry, you start to miss home.”

That’s when Yong-sik got up from his seat and stared directly at the O players across the dormitory. He called out boldly, “Hey!”

The chatter among the O players quieted as they all turned their attention to him. Holding up his opened roll of gimbap, Yong-sik continued with a wide grin, “Don’t agonize over your decision while eating this dry gimbap. I just want one of you to come over to our side.”

You noticed his mother and Dae-ho exchange amused glances, their expressions mirroring pride and encouragement. Yong-sik’s voice took on a friendlier tone as he added, “If we get out of here tomorrow morning, we could get Korean beef! I’ll tell you what. It’s my treat!”

His mother’s face lit up as she shot up from her seat and chimed in, “And after that, the noodles are on me!”

“Come on!” shouted Dae-ho, gesturing with an enthusiastic wave of his arm. “Come over to our side! Anyone!”

The atmosphere shifted, and for a moment, it seemed like the X side’s lighthearted plea might sway someone. But then, player 100 stood up abruptly from his seat on the staircases, his voice booming, “Once you all die in the next game, we can all leave with 800 million each! With 800 million, we could buy a freaking cattle ranch!”

Your eyes lowered as a sense of unease crept over you. They’re already counting how much they’d get if all of us X voters die? That’s ruthless.

The O voters erupted in agreement, cheering loudly like a united front of villains rallying behind player 100’s words. Their confidence was palpable, and now it was their turn to call out, trying to coax X players into switching sides.

Out of nowhere, Dae-ho stood up. He took a few steps forward and shouted, “Oh, really? 800 million? Who are you kidding? You really think you’ll still be alive after the next game? If you don’t get out now, you’re all going to die!”

Player 226, the man you recognized as player 100’s right-hand man, stepped down from the staircases with an air of defiance and retorted, “So let’s play one more game to see who dies. Stop trying to run away like a goddamn coward.”

Dae-ho let out an irritated laugh. “What did you say? Hey, come here.”

He surged forward aggressively, and Jung-bae scrambled to his feet to intercept him.

“Come here, asshole!” Dae-ho shouted again.

Player 226 grinned provocatively, taunting him further, as Jung-bae latched onto Dae-ho and tried to drag him backward. But Dae-ho, fueled by anger, pushed Jung-bae away and rolled up his sleeve to reveal a bold tattoo. “I was in the Marines, fucking asshole!”

The O players roared with laughter, their mocking voices filling the air. Player 226 smirked and shot back, “Oh, yeah? Then I was in the air force, fucker!”

Before the tension could escalate further, another O player shouted crudely, “Hey, if you want to go home, why would you even bother eating? Just starve!”

His taunt struck a nerve among the X players. You noticed many of them stand from their seats and they approached the middle of the dormitory. Jung-bae, clearly triggered by the comment, marched forward, pointing accusingly at the man who had spoken. O players began rising in turn, meeting them head-on in the center of the room. The verbal onslaught intensified as insults and curses flew back and forth.

The red and blue lines between the X and O zones were the only things keeping the situation from boiling over into a physical fight. Despite the yelling and chaos, you observed that neither side dared to cross the line in the middle.

You let out a quiet sigh of relief. At least it’s just words, not fists, you thought.

Amidst the escalating noise, your attention was drawn to Gi-hun. He unrolled the foil around his gimbap and froze, his mouth slightly open as if in shock.

Curious, you leaned closer to get a better look at what had shaken him so deeply. Before you could see anything, Gi-hun picked up the fork from his foil and held it up, his gaze fixed on it with apprehension.

“Gi-hun?” you called softly, tilting your head in concern. “What’s wrong?”

From the corner of your eye, you caught Young-il glancing at Gi-hun. Gi-hun remained unresponsive, staring at the fork as though it carried a weight only he could feel. Despite the escalating chaos of the shouting match between X and O players, your focus stayed on Gi-hun, your bewilderment growing with every passing second.

***

Eventually, the heated exchange between the X and O players fizzled out without resolution. You finished your roll of gimbap, the salty taste lingering on your tongue. Though your water bottle was still half full, you decided to conserve it for later.

Standing up, you scanned the dormitory for a trashcan and spotted one near the door to the women’s bathroom. Clutching the crumpled aluminum foil in your hand, you began to make your way there.

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Young-il jogging to catch up with you. Assuming he intended to toss his trash as well, you smiled faintly and continued walking. But before you could reach the trashcan, he placed a hand over yours, halting you mid-step. His gaze locked on yours, serious and unwavering.

“What’s wrong?” you asked, tilting your head in innocent curiosity.

Without answering, he gently took the crumpled foil from your hand and began to unfold it. Inside lay the unused fork that had come with your meal. He carefully removed the fork, crumpling the foil back into a ball with his other hand.

Holding the fork out to you, he said in a low, deliberate voice, “Judging from how tense things are getting, it’s better to keep this with you.”

You blinked, startled by his grave tone. The realization of his words and his past as a winner of this horrific game clicked into your mind. He’d been through this before. He knew things you didn’t. Raising your eyebrows, you asked cautiously, “Why? What would I need this for?”

Young-il’s eyes darkened slightly, his expression unreadable. “It’s for your protection.”

Before you could probe further, he turned on his heel and strode to the trashcan, disposing of the crumpled foil. Returning to your side, he rested a hand lightly on your back and began guiding you back to the corner where your group was sitting. His touch was steady, reassuring, but it did little to calm the apprehension bubbling in your chest.

Slipping the fork into the pocket of your green pants, you decided to trust him. He had seen more of this place than anyone else in the dormitory, and if he thought this was necessary, there had to be a reason.

***

For the rest of the allotted free time, you found yourself caught up in animated conversations with your groupmates. Laughter mingled with lighthearted banter as the tension of the dormitory seemed to momentarily ease. You noticed Gi-hun lingering nearby, his posture still tense but his ears clearly tuned to the ebb and flow of your discussions. Gradually, he drifted closer, his guarded demeanor softening as he joined in here and there.

At one point, Young-il excused himself to attend to something, leaving you momentarily alone in the corner. Before long, Gi-hun appeared by your side, settling down on the staircases next to you. You turned to him with pleasant surprise.

“Are you free if I ask you something?” he began, his tone tentative.

You smiled warmly. “Of course. What is it?”

Gi-hun’s gaze dropped momentarily as he stared at the floor. He was evidently thinking about the best way to convey his question to you. After a few seconds, he looked back at you, hesitating for a beat before finally speaking.

“I’ve noticed something about you and Young-il,” he said, his voice carefully measured.

A wave of warmth crept up your cheeks, and you fought to maintain your composure.

Gi-hun leaned slightly closer, his expression earnest. “You two seem so close. So, I just want to know… what is it between you two?”

Your gaze shifted shyly, your fingers brushing against the fabric of your pants as you considered your words. “You could say that we are close. We talked a lot during our time keeping watch together.”

Gi-hun’s eyebrows lifted slightly in acknowledgment. “Oh. So, did he tell you about his wife?”

At his question, your smile faltered, and your gaze dropped. “He did.”

The memory of Young-il’s confession lingered in your mind. The sorrow in his voice when he spoke about his wife, and the depth of his pain, felt so real. But as Gi-hun’s words registered, a thought began to nag at you. Gi-hun had mentioned Young-il’s wife before, but it was clear he didn’t know she had passed away. That meant Young-il hadn’t told him everything.

Why hadn’t Young-il shared the full truth with Gi-hun? The man seemed to trust him. Or was it something else entirely? Or was he lying to you?

Doubt began to creep into your thoughts. Had Young-il been honest with you, or was there more to his story than he had let on?

You hesitated, wanting to tell Gi-hun the truth about Young-il’s wife but knowing it wasn’t your place to share. It was something deeply personal – a story only Young-il should tell. So you stayed quiet, even as the weight of the secret pressed against your chest.

Your silence must have spoken volumes because Gi-hun, ever observant, spoke up gently, “I’m sorry if my question upset you. I didn’t mean to pry.”

You gave him a faint smile, though it felt forced. “It’s okay. You’re just being thoughtful. I hope that, in time, Young-il will share everything with you himself.”

Gi-hun studied you, his curiosity evident in the way his eyes narrowed slightly. You could see he had more to ask, but before he could say anything else, a familiar voice cut through the tension.

“May I sit?”

You and Gi-hun both jolted slightly, startled by the interruption. Looking up, you saw Young-il standing there, smiling at the two of you. But there was something about his smile. A subtle edge that made you wonder if he had overheard your conversation.

Gi-hun quickly scooted over to make space, gesturing to the empty spot beside you. “Sure.”

Young-il lowered himself onto the step, sitting where Gi-hun had been moments before. He turned to you with a smile that seemed expectant, almost playful. “So, what were you two talking about?”

You froze, caught off guard by the question. Words failed you, and for a moment, you could only stare blankly. Thankfully, Gi-hun stepped in to fill the silence.

“I was just asking about you two,” he said, his tone neutral. “You seem much closer now.”

Young-il’s gaze shifted to Gi-hun, his expression unreadable. Then, he replied, “I hope that’s alright with you, Gi-hun.”

Gi-hun’s lips pressed into a thin line. He nodded solemnly as he answered, “It’s alright. I’m just surprised, that’s all.”

The air between the three of you felt heavy, but Young-il’s calm demeanor didn’t waver. His presence alone seemed to assert that the conversation had reached its natural conclusion, leaving you with more questions than answers.

The familiar melody of the school bell echoed throughout the dormitory, silencing every murmur and drawing all attention to the speaker system. You assumed it was another announcement signaling bedtime. But this time, the voice that followed shattered that assumption.

“The following players have been eliminated: Player 230, 268, 212, 331, and 401. End of list.”

Your eyes widened in shock. The air seemed to freeze around you. What? How? The immediate question that ran through your mind was whether some hidden game had occurred without your knowledge. What else could lead to eliminations?

Gasps and murmurs filled the room as players turned to one another. The tension escalated as the sound of money dropping into the piggy bank reverberated above. Everyone’s gaze shot upward, watching as stacks of cash piled into the transparent bank, the accumulated prize money growing visibly larger.

The TV screen updated almost immediately:

Accumulated Prize Money: 36.1 Billion Won.

Prize Per Person: 380 Million Won.

Your mind reeled. Around you, players were standing in silence, their bewilderment palpable. Despite the bombshell announcement, you remained seated on the staircase beside Young-il, who exuded an unsettling calmness.

Jung-bae turned to Gi-hun, his eyes wide with disbelief. “What’s going on?”

You shifted your gaze to Young-il, seeking answers. His face remained composed, but his eyes carried an unspoken message. His expression wasn’t one of confusion or surprise – it was resolute, almost knowing.

You could feel the weight of his gaze, the subtle tension in his jaw. Whatever this was, it wasn’t good.

NEXT : Chapter 12

PREV : Chapter 10

Story Masterlist

Please feel free to leave comments and feedback about my story, the characters, the "you", and practically anything! I love reading your comments, especially long ones! It motivates me a lot, even got me thinking on what Hwang In-ho fanfic should I make next. So what do you think about you and Young-il's conversations here? Do you notice that you chose to ignore Young-il's past chapter's ruthlessness? What about your conversation with Gi-hun? What do you want to happen next?

Leave a comment on the masterlist post to be added to the taglist.

#hwang in ho #hwang in ho x reader #hwang in ho fanfic #in ho #the front man #player 001 #squid game #squid game season 2 #squid game s2 #front man x reader #front man x you

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sbutterflly · 2 years ago

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Birthday Boy 👑🎁🎂🎉❤예쁜막내

#예쁜 #막내 #sehun #oh sehun #oh se hun #exo #exol #maknae #kpop #korean boy #korean guy #handsome #cute #birthday #birthday boy #south korean #cake #candles #aries #april #2023 #1994

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wlvlurvsfimmia · 11 days ago

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squid game men this, squid game men that,,

OH MY GOD. PLEASE. I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH THANOS, NAM-GYU, SALESMAN, DAE-HO, GI-HUN, IN-HO FICS, JUN-HO, GYEONG SEOK. HOW ABOUT US SCISSOR GIRLIES. WHERE ARE MY HYUN JU, NO-EUL, JUNHEE, SE-MI, SAE-BYEOK, AND JIYEONG?? (omygod everyone forgets my girl ji-yeong🙏)

jk guys write whatever you want BUT FUCK oh my god. Give me my dosage of se-mi fics.

#squid game x reader #squid game season 2 #player 380 x reader #player 380 #wlw post #squid game #squid game smut #squid game fanfic

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fandomobbsessedb · 12 days ago

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Your Favorite Players Favorite Player

Young-Il/ Frontman / In-Ho/ Player 001 x Gi-Hun's Sister Reader)

Chapter 2 : Sibling Rivalry

Warnings- Swearing, yelling, people being upseti spaghetti. Gunshots, guns.

The comforting music lulled you back to sleep in contrast to the glaringly bright lights, you groaned and pulled the blanket farther over your head till the loud metal clunking above you woke you up. Why is there a metal clunking anyways?

Creeping one eye open you looked around, realizing you weren’t in your bedroom at your own house.

“What the hell?” I questioned out loud to nobody in particular, I sleepily ran a hand down my face with a groan, already developing a tight headache from the lights. Hearing shuffles around the room I slowly opened my eyes again, using one hand to cover my face from the light. I was met with a sea of green jumpsuits and the only difference in where the outfits started and a person ended was their neck.

Sitting up I leaned over the side of the bed, seeing I was a good couple feet off the ground, my bed being on a third level while two to three levels more sat above me. There was a small platform on the left side, with stairs going both directions. Kicking my feet out and over I stood up from my bed, realizing I too was placed in this green monstrosity. With a sigh I started patting myself down to see if any thing I went to the meeting spot with had come in on my person, nothing in either of my pockets, but my hair was still tied back. I felt the back of my head and realized my (fav/color) hair tie was still in place, along with the hair comb I had put in.

I took a breath knowing I at least had something familiar, even if it was simple hair accessories. I felt down to my ears and realized my earrings were still in place. Okay, so I still had some things.

The swoosh of a giant metal door broke my focus on myself and turned it to the front of the room where a handful of these men in pink uniforms and masks now stood, addressing the room before us. Some people where in outrage about what had happened why they where here. I crawled back into the bed to get a better view from the open side of the bunk.

While they were all talking I looked over the side to get a further look around when I saw another girl below me, a patch with bold numbers reading 380 attached to her jumpsuit.

“Oh hi.” I said, flipping my head upside down on the bunk.

“Oh, hey.” She replied, looking back up at me, her nose ring shining in the fluorescent lights.

“I’m y/n, what’s your name?” I introduced, taking my hair tie out to let my hair hang down the side of the beds.

“I’m Se-Mi.” She said nodding up at me and reaching a hand out. As I reach my hand out to shake hers back I started slipping off the side of the bunk. I felt my center of gravity shift down, quickly I reached my hands up to grab whatever I could under the bunk. As I flipped over my arms where yanked from the wight change. The sudden shift almost caused me to fall, until Se-Mi grabbed at my jacket and pulled me backwards, laying me down on the bed.

“Oof, thanks for gabbing me.” I smiled up at her from where I laid.

“Thanks for dropping in.” She said with a soft chuckle. I laughed at her joke and sat back up. “So, what do you think of all this.” I asked looking around listening to a few people speaking to the pink guards and asking questions.

“I mean, I don’t know, these people who think they’re entitled to everything don’t seem to understand what we’re doing here.” Se-Mi shrugged and leaned against one of the support beams. We both turned back to the guards who were lining people up to sign the consent form.

After everyone signed their consent forms we were led to a room with camera stands.

“….come on, okay how about you pretty girl.” I look to my left to see that purple haired guy from before beckoning me over with his fingers making a “come here”. I glared at him and stepped up to take my picture. The girl in front me me though with her cropped up shirt looked back at me and rolled her eyes. I met Se-mi’s gaze who looked confused. I just shrugged back at her.

———————

“Cross the finish line without getting caught within five minutes, if you do you pass…”

As I listened to the instructions from the middle of the group, I found it hard to hear what was being said as everyone around us was whispering and making little noises that where pissing me off. If this is a game I’m here to play, and win, not chitter chatter. Someone yelled from the front honing in everyone’s attention. That sure made em quiet.

I couldn’t see where or who was at the front, his voice sounded kinda deep even though he was pretty far from me. Se-mi who was further up came back towards me and regaled what he had said.

“This guys spouting off about how we’re all gonna die if we move at all when they say red light.”

“Wait, are you certain he said we would die if we moved?” I asked, nervously picking at my nails now… how would someone know that? Unless…. No, there’s no way my brothers here, he was making up how he got all his money, I’m sure of it.

“Let the game begin” ……… “Green Light……… Red light!”

The doll whipped around as I was fixing my posture, it would help me stay stiller for longer but that was close. After we ran a few more times Se-mi got stuck in a really compromising position, our eyes met again and neither of us where doing very well at holding still, we where so close to laughing when a gun shot sounded off. I gazed past her to see the girl who was glaring at me earlier laying on the ground now, a pool of blood dying her hair for her. A woman standing next to her slowly turned to see her and let out a scratchy scream. People started panicking and making a run for it. As gunshot after shot sounds reverberate across the room I found it harder to keep still wanting to duck and cover my head, but holding as still as I could. Once everything had quieted down the PA system went off again.

“Allow me to repeat the rules…”

At the next light we both crouched behind a much taller man. As we ran I tied my hair up and out of my face, however when I was almost done I got stuck at a red light. Taking a deep breath I tried to still my shaking arms. I heard a gunshot go off and sucked in a breath, thinking it would be my last. When I heard a body drop next to me. I shifted my eyes down to see a body next to me.

We crossed the finish line with about a minute to spare. I stood up straight and took a deep breath, glad that this game was over. Taking a look up at the snipers they didn’t move like a mechanical sniper, but it moved and shifted like a person controlling it.

Behind the snipers a few locked their sights onto the girl who was staring at them incessantly.

“The game has ended”

They had to turn away to put their guns away, but the girl stayed watching, endlessly curious about who was behind the weapon.

Gi-Hun and Hyun-ju stared at each other as the witnessed the man they tried to help die in their arms, the players around them seemingly unaware.

As the top of the enclosure mechanically shut its players from the outside world, a bright beam of light hit his eye sight. A brightly (fav/color) hair tie caught his gaze. The sun reflecting off the little charms and dangles coming from the accessory. Doing a double take he quickly stormed over grabbing at the girls shoulders and whipping her around.

“y/n?" He asked, his sunken eyes staring into your matching ones.

Looking up at him you huff back, confusion wrinkling your face, (almost as much as your brothers).

“Gi-Hun?” You sneered, “What the hell are you doing here?” You asked backing away from him and looking him up and down, he in turn doing the same.

“What- what am I DOING HERE? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” He shouted shaking my shoulders. Taking my hands and putting them on his wrists, I squeezed tightly around them.

A moment passed between us of silence as a few other players watched the interaction. I finally found my strength and shoved him off of me. In a quiet shaky breath I spoke soft enough that it would only be the two of us to hear it.

“……. Get away from me.” I said in a low voice. Confusion now a familiar friend on my face.

“Y/n-“ he started to say trying to reach for my shoulders again.

“GET AWAY FROM ME GI-HUN.” I yelled now not caring about spectators or his response. As he tried once more to ask me something that guy from earlier, Thor? Uhhhhh Mikanos? Whatever his name was he came up from behind with two other plays and interrupted us.

“Hey there pretty girl, this old man bothering you.” He said softly glaring at GI-hun, before he put his hand around my shoulder. Shrugging him off I took a step back only to bump into another one of his buddies.

“That’s none of your business.” GI-hun said stepping up to be face to face with Thorn. As the two had a glare down I looked to the side to see Se-mi looking between the two confused. I snuck my way around from the guys blocking my way to Se-Mi. When I met up with her she gave me a bewildered look and I just shrugged back at her as we followed the guards out the door in the back.

I heard Gi-hun calling my name from behind me as those other guys got upset at each other. I simply ignored him and kept walking away.

—————

Intrigue plagued the man sitting in a leather chair watching the game. He knew Gi-hun was here to try and help other players, but why was he so interested in player 432?

What made her so special?

—————

As she sat on the edge of Se-Mi’s bunk waiting for the other to return from looking around. She felt a pull on her ankle. There stood Gi-Hun accompanied by Jung-Bae who was following him around in turn.

“Woah, (y/n), is that really you? Heh, I haven’t seen you since you were little, right before I shipped out.” Jung-Bae smiled and gazed up at me. I simply looked at him, then turned back to Gi-hun.

“What do you want?” I asked glaring at him.

“The same thing I was asking you before, what are you doing here?” He asked, releasing my ankle and resting his hands on the bed.

“I don’t really think that’s any of your business oppa.” I sneered in mock respect and shoved his hands off.

“It is when you suddenly left home, didn’t tell me what you where doing, where you where going, and why your involved in the very thing I told you kept me up at night, all the blood money, why I’ve been gone so much.” He accused counting on his fingers.

“Mhm, okay well it’s not your business because one, it’s my life, two you leave home all the fucking time, and three how in the hell was I supposed to know this-“ I shook my hands around gesturing to the room around us, “was the thing you where talking about, I didn’t believe you because it sounded crazy, which by the way. YOU STILL DO, I don’t see any money just dead people!” I yelled at him as I put my foot to his chest to move him away from me. As he went to retaliate, the whoosh of the doors drew my attention away. I walked to the front of the opening with the two older men tailing behind.

“Congratulations for making it through the first game. Here are the results of the first game.” The square man said, raising a remote to the ceiling as we watched the money fall into a piggy bank.

“Out of 456 players, 91 players have been eliminated. Three hundred sixty five players have completed the first game.”

As I watched the golden bowl fill with cash I went to look at Gi-hun.

Shit, he was right.

As I turned my face was met with his chest as he had moved himself closer to me while we watched, as though he was meaning to stand in front of me.

“Congratulations again for making it through the first game.”

All I could do was stare at the bowl, the money almost being a physical representation of the phrase “what is your life worth” I certainly felt like mine was worth more then 100 million won.

…” Clause three of the consent form!” Gi-Hun shouted, startling me from my daze. “The games may be terminated upon a majority vote, correct?” He yelled. I rolled my eyes at his need to be correct.

I snuck around behind Jung-Bae who was also seemingly in a daze, I crawled and wiggled my way around people and bunks, pretty sure of myself as I hadn’t bumped into anyone yet…

Until I bumped into someone… well more like

Stepped on….

“WAHH!” I yelled as I slipped my way down, it had been so dark I didn’t see this man’s leg sitting in front of me on the bunk. My foot rolling over his shin as I heard the man sitting up and hissing.

“Oof, oh my gosh I’m so sorry sir.” I bowed as I had landed on my knees on the mattress. I was almost parallel with the mattress itself.

“It’s okay, I didn’t see you either, it’s so dark in here without the lights on.” He replied rubbing at his leg, sitting up to look at him I couldn’t see most of his features, all I could see was his side swept hair and square jaw line. Though it was dark it wasn’t dark enough that I couldn’t see his number.

“I’m 432” I said teaching my hand out. He chuckled and softly reached out grasping my hand. “Player 001.” He said.

“Ohh lucky, #1” I said sitting my legs over the bed. Another chuckle left his lips as he leaned back on the bunk. “Oh I wouldn’t say it’s so lucky. It’s the lowest number” he said looking at his number.

“NUH-uh,” I shook my head “there’s negative numbers.” I giggled. With a sigh he shook his head, “I guess you’re right there.” He said. Our conversation got interrupted suddenly as we heard an alarming sounding buzz.

“Player 453” quiet footsteps receded away from us as another buzz sound resonated in the open area.

“wait, what are we doing?” I whispered to 001 as he leaned forward. “We’re voting to go home or to stay and keep playing.” He hushed back.

“ohhhh okay.” I responded.

“Player 432.” As I heard my number called I hopped off the bed. I saw Gi-Hun watching me walk as I made my way to the front. As I felt everyone’s eyes on me. I leaned forward trying to look past the mask of the guard.

“Uhh, which one is which again?” I whispered unsure what the votes meant.

“Press X if you wish to end the games here, Press O if you wish to continue playing.” It replied.

“Ohh” Taking another look behind me, I saw Gi-hun referencing the X beneath him, I rolled my eyes and slammed my hand on O. The guard handed me my pouch and I went to stand on the blue side. Gi-Hun looked at me confused and made a shocked gesture. I turned my back from him to go stand in the back of the room once again. A few voters came and went and as our side gained more and more votes Gi-Hun spoke up from his side.

“Wait a minute, everyone! You can’t do this. Come to your senses! Don’t you see? These aren’t just any games. We will all die if we keep playing! We have to get out of here now. With a majority vote, we can!” Gi-Hun exclaimed, I rolled my eyes at his antics and looked away trying to distract myself… I believe him now… but that doesn’t mean HE has to know that.

As people around us shouted and went back and fourth on their views of what was happening, I wiggled my way to the side where Gi-Hun was standing.

“Come on now. Please don’t do this. Listen. None of us would be alive if it weren’t for this gentleman. So enough with the greed. Let’s put our lives first and get out of this place! Okay?” An old lady rested her hand on his arm and looked around to all the people, he looked at me with an ‘I told you so’ look. I just glared and pressed my O patch harder onto my chest to make sure it was stuck.

As more people clamored around us I heard some calling my brother a fraud, I stepped towards them and shoved at their shoulder.

“Hey he may sound like a nut case but there is some point in what he’s saying.” I shouted over the group as this X player just looked me up and down.

“Please, I’m begging you. We have to get out now! If we keep playing, more people will die.That could be you. We have to stop this now and get out of here. Everyone.” As I watched Gi-Huns exclamation I felt my pulse quicken when one of the guards held a gun to his back. Wisely he put his hands up and backed onto his side. “From here on, we will not tolerate actions that disrupt the voting process. Now, let’s resume the vote.”

After everyone had voted it was left down to player 001, I looked at him and noticed he was looking between me and Gi-hun in the crowd, when he met my eyes he started to walk down the isle. As our side chanted O the other side chanted X. In the middle of the chaos I looked over to Gi-hun looking at me with a disappointed look, I paused my cheering for a moment. I looked back at my acquaintance and shouted O over louder than before The ring of the O buzzer echoed in the room, me and the others cheered in exuberance. I looked back at Player 001, to see him looking at my brother again. In confusing I directed my gaze to him and saw him staring at the floor in disappointment.

Later on they told us dinner would be in 10 minutes, feeling emotionally exhausted I went back to my bed, only for Gi-hun to block my way again.

“Move ass, I want to take a nap.” I said trying to push passed him.

“Not until you tell me why you joined.” He said grabbing at my upper arms.

“Ugh, FINE okay you want to know so bad? I pick pocketed someone I shouldn’t have and now I have to pay them back, there, do you feel better now that you know?” I replied with a snark, talking down to him like an upset toddler.

“What? Why didn’t you come to me?” He asked, “I would have helped you.”

“I don’t need your help, I’m a grown fucking woman, and it’s about time you acknowledge that fact, I didn’t need you when I was little, I don’t need you now.” I huffed.

“Clearly you do, otherwise you wouldn’t be in this position.” He said releasing me, rubbing my shoulders to make up for the tough grip he had before.

“NO, I DON’T, you’ve never let me just be on my own, the only time I felt like I was actually in control was stealing because it was a choice I made, your only around when YOU want to be. I’m done Gi-Hun, this is another level of ridiculous behavior.” I yelled, stomping my foot like a child.

“What do you mean ‘your done’” he asked in air quotes, as Jung-Bae walked up behind us.

“When we get out of here, I’m moving.” I said, poking my finger into his chest. “You can live in mom’s house all by yourself, I don’t need you in my life 24/7, that’s not a normal grown sibling thing to have. I’m gonna move to my own place, without you around.” I proclaimed moving past him and stomping up the stairs to my bed, leaving him speechless on the steps.

Other players awkwardly coughed and diverted their gaze to give the siblings so space, except for player 001 who just stared on, a new resolution cooking in his head.

AN: Part 2! Sorry it took me longer, hopefully I’ll have part three this same time tmr. Thanks for reading and stay tuned!

Yours truly

~ FandomObbsessedB

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