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THIRTY THREE | BURN
THE LEGACY

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SOO-JIN STUMBLED BACKWARDS, once, twice, then thrice.

She wasn't expecting this.

To be honest, when she wished Minjun wasn't dead, she didn't think they'd see each other like this.

"What- why are you..." the brunette's lips hang open loosely, her hands clutching the front of her delicate blouse. "you're supposed to be..."

"Did you see me actually die?" countered Minjun, standing still in his place and clasping his hands in his front. He was wearing a very formal suit, blue and sharp-looking. One would never even think he had any financial problem with his life with how he was well-dressed at the moment. In his hand was a glass of red wine, half-full. "Or wait, even better question, did you hear I was eliminated?"

Upon hearing this, she recalled never hearing the announcer proclaiming their elimination, but she only set this aside since she thought she just missed it due to her weeping. Soo-Jin shook her head, a wave of violent fury rising inside her. She had been betrayed. Her trust had been betrayed.

"You stole another person's life." accused she. "Yang Minjun died eight years ago. So, who are you?"

The young boy tilted his head. "Why, I'm the second great-grandchild of grandfather." he quipped. "I'm Oh Jeong-Gwon, by the way, your nephew."

Soo-Jin blinked, once then twice. "You've got to be shitting me."

The woman stepped away from her grandfather and moved on to the side of her beloved. Everything that was being revealed was making her dizzy and she needed support. Oh Il-Nam and this boy in front of her were her family. She held onto Sang-Woo's arm just as she glanced at Gi-Hun.

Minjun -- no, Jeong-Gwon chortled as if amused. "Ah, it's so nice to finally introduce myself to you using my real name, auntie." He sipped his drink. It was all an act, Soo-Jin finally concluded. The boy she met at the games didn't exist. He wasn't shy, never.

"Why were you on the games?"

"Obviously, I have to keep an eye on my great-grandfather, Gi-Hun. Very basic question, next."

"How did you survive?"

The boy turned his attention to Sang-Woo. "Survive?" he repeated. "I was never part of the games, Sang-Woo. Actually," he stepped forward and Soo-Jin felt like this boy in front of him had just shed his skin and let his true colors show. "Great-grandfather, Soo-Jin, and I were never part of the games."

"What?"

"Oh, yes. The doll never scanned us three during the first game. We were an exception. In the second one, it didn't really matter what shape we'll choose because even if we cracked those candies a hundred times, we will still pass."

"But, the fight..." Gi-Hun trailed off.

"Where do you think I was?" retaliated Jeong-Gwon, airily. "I was helping clear the way for him. I had to make sure grandfather would ascend to the top of the bunker beds safely." He then inclined his head to Soo-Jin as if he was taunting all the knowledge she thought she had. She had always told herself she was smart, but she was fooled by the innocent façade of this boy.

"The third game? Our padlocks were unhinged. Didn't you notice that, auntie?"

"Don't call me that. You have no right to call me that." spat Soo-Jin, disgusted by how he was acting.

"Now on the fourth game, it was unexpected, you know. I really thought you'd partner with me, but then you instead paired with grandfather which was good since he got to play with his favorite granddaughter, and because he was eliminated, I chose to eliminate myself too. I mean, why else would I stay, right?"

Soo-Jin warily observed as Jeong-Gwon sauntered towards the hospital bed, looking at Il-Nam. "The plan was perfect, but what I didn't expect was getting close to all of you."

"Bullshit."

"You little..." her bestfriend started to berate and attack him, but Sang-Woo pulled him back. Jeong-Gwon only set aside his drink and crossed his arms.

"You two weren't supposed to live, you know," he emphasized, matter-of-factly. "but thanks to Soo-Jin, you both got out. So, be grateful to her."

He then plopped down on the seat situated on the corner, clasping his hands like he was praying. "It was supposed to be auntie first who will be pulled out, then Sang-Woo, then Gi-Hun. If that defector didn't die -- "

"She has a name." interjected Soo-Jin, vexed. "Say it."

The pristine looking boy shut his lips for a second beforw continuing, "Ah, yes, Kang Sae-Byeok," he nodded. "Well, then she would be the one who'll face 244. But, unfortunately, she died, and the VIPs wanted a very thrilling ending to the games... so, the plan changed."

"Sang-Woo's elimination was not announced on purpose so that you'll keep on looking for him, auntie," he expounded. At that moment, she held Gi-Hun's hand which was trembling madly. She couldn't tell if it was because of his anger or because of his shock. Truthfully, it was like opening a gift and slowly unwrapping it to see what inside. One will never know if they'll like what was inside.

"And when we finally had the perfect timing, we took you and left Gi-Hun instead, declaring your elimination. We knew it will fuel his anger and give his best performance. Sometimes, we all need to be provoked."

At that, Gi-Hun marched over to him and snatched his collar, lifting the boy off the ground. "You used us our desperation for your own entertainment and profit!" He bellowed, shaking Jeong-Gwon. Sang-Woo left Soo-Jin's side and pried him off the boy.

"Gi-Hun!"

"You wanted to have fun, huh? Don't you all feel even an ounce of guilt? Thirty-three years! How many people have you murdered already?"

By that, Il-Nam interrupted, voicing out his reason. "It seems that you all forgot how no one had to play, and you all put your signatures on the agreement, and that you all made your decision to come back on your own."

Another long, thick silence.

Only the ticking clock and the heart monitor beeping were the only things Soo-Jin observed carefully. Her own flesh and blood were the ones responsible for the atrocity. The surname Oh was stained with the blood they had killed.

"Well, he's still out there, Se-Ri." remarked her grandfather. She really hoped he'd stop calling her that. "It looks like you've run out of luck. Tell me, you still trust in humanity being good?"

"There is this term in psychology that is called the bystander effect." Soo-Jin shot back. "It is when a person will basically test humanity by doing nothing on the assumption that someone else will come along and help. The individual excludes himself from the collective humanity to bet on the rest of humanity. I will not stand in here and do nothing when I know I can help. Please, excuse me."

"Ah, ah," tutted the boy. "You are not allowed to go down there, Se-Ri. Don't you want to see if there are other good-hearted people out there who will help him?"

"I don't -- "

"Stay here and just watch."

Soo-Jin was about to lash out when Sang-Woo spoke up, "What I really want to know is that," He pushed his glasses up, glancing at the old man. "why did you joined us? Why did you let Soo-Jin join and go through all those games?"

Il-Nam inhaled, "Oh, well, in my childhood I always had so much fun out doing things with all of my friends. We'd lose track of time for hours." He explained. "I wanted to just feel something just one last time before I die, and you are not going to get that feeling if you are just going to spectate, and I desperately wanted that."

"And so, did playing do that then?"

"Hell yeah. You asked why I let you live. By joining, and playing with you, Se-Ri, I got that chance to feel again." he spoke. "Thanks to you, I got to remember all these things that I had forgotten long ago. We bonded so much, my little girl. I got to play with you again, and that is all I've ever wanted. It had been such a long time since I was able to have that much fun."

Soo-Jin snarled, "How hard was it to just approach me and say, 'Ya, I'm your grandfather.'. You all really had to make me suffer!"

"We wanted to test you," finally breathed out Jeong-Gwon. "to see if you are worthy to continue the legacy."

The three raised their eyebrows, wanting to hear more.

Jeong-Gwon rose to his feet and started pacing. "You were supposed to be taken away before the fifth game, Soo-Jin -- no, Se-Ri," he smiled, but not the type that was kind. The one that was menacing. "but we decided not to because we wanted to see if you were capable of doing what is best not only for yourself, but for others. You were almost supposed to kill that pastor, right, during the fifth game? And then, you finally did in the Squid game."

She stayed silent. The pastor's death still haunted her, it was a like shadow looming over, one she couldn't remove no matter how she tried. Her hands were still stained with his blood.

"We -- grandfather and I wanted to know if you have what it takes to take over everything, auntie. All of grandfather's assets has been named to you." The boy adjusted his tie after reaching the mirror hanging on the wall. He was staring at his own reflection and Soo-Jin wondered what he truly saw himself as. "After this, you'll become the fifth richest person in South Korea. You know the business industry is a dog-eat-dog world, auntie. You need to be driven and brutal."

He took a few steps closer to her. The woman stayed planted on her ground, and put up her bravest face. "These games are our family's greatest legacy, Se-Ri. Do you think you have what it takes to lead and continue?"

Her lips curled in disgust and she wrinkled her nose. 263 people died and somehow, it was a test for her. Were they out of their minds? "And what makes you think I will continue this fucking legacy?"

"Why not? We're family. Aren't family members supposed to help each other?"

"My real and adoptive parents died years ago. My only family is Hana, and these two." She retaliated, standing face to face with her rival.

"You have no choice, you know. You murdered someone."

She scoffed. "I think you're forgetting. Murder requires pre-meditation. What I did was self-defense."

He hummed. "But, you did declare you'd kill him."

"Murder or not, I will bring you all down."

Soo-Jin knew in herself she will always do the right thing no matter how hard it was. The right choice will never be wrong. Even though she will be thrusted with the shittiest choices, she'll consider which weighed better and choose it.

At this, the true colors of Jeong-Gwon showed up. "You are an Oh!" His face grew red with fury and his nostrils flared. "Are you willing to put your family to shame with your constant need to do what is right?" he jabbed a finger to her face, but Soo-Jin slapped his finger away.

"Do not ever point your finger at me, Jeong-Gwon. I am -- "

"You'll only not shame us, but also yourself." he growled, his saliva spitting on her face and she winced. "The same blood runs in our veins, aunt. We are an Oh. I am Oh Jeong-Gwon and you are Oh Se-Ri. Think about it. Together, we can continue our family's legacy and expand it even more."

She stood equally to his position, chin high. She will never cower to someone like him. "Maybe you're forgetting again. I am Chang Soo-Jin, not Oh Se-Ri. That will be the name I will bring until I die. I will never condone such wrong action."

Jeong-Gwon scoffed and without removing his gaze from her face, he said, "Gi-Hun, did somebody already tried to help that stinky, drunk man over there?"

"No."

"You see, no one is willing to help, Soo-Jin, but we can. We are offering people like them one last chance to fight fair, to finally let them have what they really desired: Money."

She shut her eyes, repulsed by what he used to convince her with. "I don't know where you got your dictionary, but that isn't the definition of help. You could have helped that person yourself if you really wanted to without expecting anything in return, but, of course, you wanted to benefit from it as well."

"Ya, won't you look at that. There's someone who cares." reported Gi-Hun, glaring at Jeong-Gwon and Il-Nam. "There are still a few good people in the world."

Sang-Woo cocked an eyebrow. "You still believe that humanity is evil?"

Her grandfather grunted as the heart monitor beeped loudly. Frantically, Jeong-Gwon stood up and rushed out of the room, calling for a doctor. "I hope... you can... forgive me, Se-Ri."

The green line in his monitor drew a straight line and Soo-Jin knew he flatlined. Even though he had just revealed himself as the mind behind the games, the woman still couldm't help, but feel sorrow. He was still family. The only one she had gotten very close with, and the main thing was she didn't know if she could forgive him for what he had done.

The room felt cold and empty. Soo-Jin turned herself to Sang-Woo as the bitterness in her face faded to weary sadness. Her eyes glistened with tears as the doctors declared her grandfather's death.

This was going to be a long night.

"Grandfather wanted you to continue the legacy." Minjun -- Jeong-Gwon professed, glancinv at them while they slowly walked away, feeling empty.

Why would she ever continue something so inhuman? Turning around, she looked straight into his eyes, letting him see the fire dancing wildly in her own. "I will burn this legacy to ashes and feed it to you."

She spun around her heel and entwined her fingers with Sang-Woo, feeling multiple stabs in her heart.

"I meant what I said. I meant it when I said that I was thankful that I met you. Every word I said that time was true."

"Goodbye, Oh Jeong-Gwon."

Soo-Jin, Sang-Woo, and Gi-Hun exited the Sky Building, forlorn and weary. Who wouldn't be? The people they thought they trusted the most were the ones behind it all. The woman felt empty and all she could think about at that time was: sleep.

Her lover soothed her weariness by holding her hand and letting her head rest on his shoulder. He murmured comforting words in her ear, letting her know he was there to support whatever her next decision will be.

"Soo-Jin!"

The brunette lifted her head to see Hana and Jun-Ho waiting at the alley they said they'll meet after. A female stood beside them, her hands inserted in her pockets. She had a kind smile in her face.

"Soo-Jin, Sang-Woo, Gi-Hun, this is Agent Kim Ji-Wong from the NIS. She's going to help us. Did you get what we needed from them?" Jun-Ho asked.

"I had it all recorded." Sang-Woo declared, pulling out his phone.

"Are you okay, Soo-Jin?"

"Let's bring it all down."