Third person's pov

As the guards announced that the second round of the game would start tomorrow, the tension in the room simmered down but didn’t disappear. People scattered to their respective beds, some lying down to rest, others too wound up to even try sleeping.

Jungkook climbed up to his bunk, yanking the thin blanket over himself with more aggression than necessary. He turned his face to the wall, shutting his eyes tightly as if he could block out the chaos around him. He wasn’t tired—far from it—but he needed to shut everything out, at least for a little while.

From the floor below, Taehyung’s voice cut through. “Why are you sleeping so early?”

Jungkook didn’t even bother turning around. “Why is it your problem?” he snapped, his voice muffled under the blanket.

Taehyung chuckled softly, “Still the same attitude, I see.”

Jungkook gritted his teeth and turned his back even more dramatically, refusing to engage.

Jimin, who was sitting cross-legged on the lower bunk nearby, looked between them curiously. “Wait, are you guys… boyfriends or something?”

“No,” Jungkook and Taehyung said in unison, though Jungkook’s tone was sharp and defensive while Taehyung’s was calm.

“Ex-boyfriends,” Taehyung added.

Jimin raised an eyebrow. “Oh. That explains the tension.”

“Mind your own business,” Jungkook muttered, pulling the blanket tighter around himself.

Yoongi, who had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, chimed in, “You didn’t tell us how you ended up here, Taehyung.”

Taehyung leaned back against the metal frame of the bunk, “Someone scammed me,” he said simply.

Yoongi tilted his head, waiting for more, but Taehyung didn’t elaborate.

“What kind of scam?” Jimin asked, leaning forward with obvious curiosity.

“The kind that takes everything you’ve worked for,” Taehyung replied, his tone clipped.

That seemed to be the end of the conversation—at least for now. Taehyung didn’t seem interested in sharing more, and Jimin didn’t push.

But then Taehyung turned the question back on them. “Why did you vote to continue?”

Jimin shrugged. “I don’t really have a choice. I have debts to pay. And…” He hesitated, his gaze dropping for a moment. “Well, let’s just say I can’t go back to my old life.”

Yoongi said, “I voted to continue because I have nothing to lose. Simple as that.”

Jungkook, still facing the wall, rolled his eyes at their answers but said nothing. He couldn’t understand how anyone could willingly choose to stay in this nightmare.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the room, a different kind of tension was unfolding. Kim Minsu sat on the edge of her bunk, glaring at her younger sister, Yuna, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed with her arms folded.

“What the hell are you doing here, Yuna?” Minsu hissed, “Do you have any idea what this place is? How dangerous it is?”

Yuna didn’t even look at her, staring at a spot on the floor instead. “Oh, now you care?” she said bitterly.

Minsu’s jaw clenched. “Of course I care! You’re my little sister—”

“Don’t give me that crap,” Yuna snapped, finally looking up. “You left me. You left me with him, and you never looked back. So don’t act like you suddenly care about what happens to me now.”

Minsu flinched at her tone, “Yuna, I didn’t have a choice. I had to leave—”

“No, you didn’t!” Yuna interrupted, her voice rising. A few heads turned in their direction, but most of the players were too consumed with their own problems to pay attention. “You ran away because you were too selfish to deal with it. You left me there to deal with him all by myself!”

“I didn’t know what else to do!” Minsu shot back, her voice cracking. “I was just a kid too, Yuna. I didn’t have the strength to—”

“Save it,” Yuna said coldly, cutting her off. She stood up abruptly, “You don’t get to play the victim here. You left me. End of story.”

Minsu opened her mouth to respond but stopped herself, her shoulders sagging as Yuna walked away to the other side of the room.

────୨ৎ────

The room was eerily quiet now, save for the occasional shuffling of someone turning in their sleep. Jungkook lay on his bunk, staring at the ceiling. His mind refused to settle. The events of the first game kept replaying in his head—the blood, the screams, the sheer horror of it all.

No matter how much he tried to push the thoughts away, they wouldn’t leave. He sighed heavily and sat up, running his hands through his messy hair. He needed to calm down.

“Can’t sleep?”

Jungkook jumped, nearly falling off the bunk. He whipped his head around to see Taehyung sitting on the edge of his bunk below, looking up at him with an infuriatingly calm expression.

“What the hell, Taehyung?” Jungkook hissed, clutching his chest. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!”

Taehyung rolled his eyes. “If your heart can survive these games then don't worry you will be fine.”

Jungkook glared at him. “Go to sleep and stop sneaking up on people.”

“I wasn’t sneaking up on you. You’re the one who sat up like a ghost in a horror movie,” Taehyung replied nonchalantly.

Jungkook groaned, lying back down and pulling the blanket over his head. “Leave me alone.”

But Taehyung didn’t leave him alone. Instead, he kept talking. “You were always like this, you know. Couldn’t shut off your brain. Always overthinking things.”

Jungkook didn’t respond, pretending to be asleep.

“And you’re stubborn too. Like now. I’m trying to have a conversation, and you’re ignoring me,” Taehyung continued, leaning back against the bunk’s frame.

Jungkook bit his tongue, refusing to engage. He didn’t want to talk to Taehyung—not now, not ever.

“You know,” Taehyung said, his voice softer now, “I didn’t expected to see you here, it's been a while.”

Jungkook squeezed his eyes shut tighter under the blanket. He didn’t care. At least that’s what he told himself.

Eventually, Taehyung’s voice began to trail off, his sentences growing slower and softer. “You always were stubborn… but I guess that’s… what made you…” His words faded entirely, replaced by the sound of his slow, steady breathing. He’d fallen asleep while talking.

Jungkook exhaled, finally letting his body relax a little. He closed his eyes again, trying to prepare himself for whatever horrors the next day would bring.

────୨ৎ────

The next morning, the guards entered the room, “Breakfast will now be served. Form lines.”

The players shuffled out of their bunks groggily, many of them moving like zombies as they lined up for their trays. Jungkook followed reluctantly, his stomach already in knots.

The food was plain and uninspiring—a small portion of rice, some kimchi, and a boiled egg. To drink, there was a carton of water. Jungkook stared at the tray, his lips curling in mild disgust. This is supposed to prepare us for the next game?

But he forced himself to eat. As much as he hated it, he knew he’d need his strength. His hands trembled slightly as he picked up the boiled egg.

Taehyung sat down across from Jungkook, his tray balanced neatly in his hands. “You should eat more,” he said casually, glancing at Jungkook’s tray.

“I’m eating,” Jungkook muttered, avoiding eye contact.

“Barely.”

“Why do you care?” Jungkook snapped, his nerves getting the better of him.

Taehyung raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond. Instead, he peeled his egg and started eating.

Jungkook hated how unaffected Taehyung seemed. It was like nothing fazed him—not the blood, not the death, not the looming terror of what was to come. Jungkook clenched his chopsticks tightly, forcing himself to take another bite of rice.

He was scared. More scared than he’d ever been in his life. And the fact that Taehyung could sit there so calmly only made him angrier. But he didn’t say anything. Instead, he shoved the boiled egg into his mouth, chewing angrily as if that would make the fear go away.

────୨ৎ────

The players were led down another cold, hallway into a large, dimly lit room. At first, the area looked empty, with gray walls and no windows, but then the lights shut off entirely, plunging the room into absolute darkness.

A shiver ran down Jungkook's spine as the announcement boomed through hidden speakers.

“Welcome to the second game: Hide and Seek. The room will remain completely dark. You have five minutes to hide. After that, the seekers will enter and have one minute to find as many players as possible. If you are found, you will be eliminated. This process will repeat for three rounds. Good luck.”

A murmur of panic began spreading among the players. Jungkook’s heart raced, his breath catching in his throat. Three rounds? That meant they’d have to hide multiple times in this death game.

The countdown began.

5:00

“Let’s go together,” Taehyung whispered, grabbing Jungkook’s wrist. His voice was calm but firm, as if he’d already decided for both of them.

“No,” Jungkook hissed, pulling his hand away.

Taehyung didn’t budge. “This isn’t the time to argue. If we’re alone, we’re easier targets. Just come on!”

Jungkook wanted to argue more, but the fear of being left in the pitch-black room won out. Begrudgingly, he followed Taehyung as they moved through the darkness.

4:15

As their eyes adjusted, they began making out faint outlines of shelves, cabinets, and scattered objects. It wasn’t much, but it was something. The floor was littered with random items—blankets, blocks, and oddly enough, plush toys. The room was bigger than Jungkook had anticipated, making it even harder to guess where the seekers might come from.

“We need a good spot,” Taehyung muttered, his voice low.

They darted between large objects, feeling their way in the dark as their time ticked away. Taehyung’s grip on Jungkook’s wrist was annoyingly tight, but Jungkook didn’t have the energy to fight it anymore.

3:10

“Over there,” Taehyung whispered, nodding toward a large cabinet in the corner. It was tall and packed with shelves, the top of which seemed cluttered with toys and blankets.

“That’ll work,” Jungkook said, already moving toward it.

But just as they reached the cabinet, a rough shove sent Jungkook stumbling to the ground.

“Get out of here,” a gruff voice snarled. “You.... team up with me instead,” he said pointing towards Taehyung.

Jungkook scrambled to his feet, his palms stinging from the fall. “What the hell—”

Before he could finish, Taehyung’s fist connected with the guy’s jaw, sending him staggering back.

“Don’t touch him,” Taehyung growled, his voice colder than Jungkook had ever heard.

The guy glared at Taehyung, clutching his face, but he didn’t try to retaliate. He melted into the darkness, muttering something under his breath.

“Come on,” Taehyung said urgently, pulling Jungkook toward the cabinet again. “We’re running out of time.”

1:50

Jungkook’s mind was racing, but there was no time to dwell on what had just happened. Together, they began climbing the shelves of the cabinet.

“You first,” Taehyung said, boosting Jungkook up.

Jungkook struggled to pull himself onto the top shelf, muttering, “This is a stupid plan.”

“It’s a good plan. Now hurry up!”

As Jungkook finally managed to hoist himself up, Taehyung pushed him from behind to help. “Damn, your ass takes up half the space!” Taehyung whispered sharply.

“Shut up!” Jungkook shot back, his cheeks burning even in the darkness. “It’s not the time for jokes!”

Taehyung smirked but said nothing as he climbed up after Jungkook. They quickly grabbed the blankets and toys scattered on the shelf, covering themselves with a haphazard pile. The soft texture of the plush toys felt absurdly out of place in such a life-threatening situation.

0:58

Jungkook adjusted the blankets nervously. “Are we really safe here?”

“Stop squirming,” Taehyung whispered. “If you don’t move, they won’t find us.”

Jungkook’s heart pounded in his ears as the final seconds of hiding ticked away.

0:00

A loud buzzer sounded, signaling the start of the seekers’ hunt. The room fell into silence again, save for the faint sound of footsteps. Jungkook held his breath, every muscle in his body tense.

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air, followed by a loud thud. Someone had been found.

Jungkook clenched his fists, trying to focus on staying still, but the screams were relentless. Every few seconds, another person was caught.

“Don’t move,” Taehyung whispered again, so softly that Jungkook barely heard him.

Jungkook wanted to snap back that he wasn’t moving, but his fear kept him silent. He could hear the seekers getting closer now.

One of them stopped near their cabinet. Jungkook’s breath hitched.

“Shh,” Taehyung whispered.

Jungkook bit down on his lip, trying to keep calm. He could feel the sweat trickling down his back as the seeker lingered nearby.

After what felt like an eternity, the footsteps moved away. Jungkook exhaled shakily, but his relief was short-lived.

“Still two more rounds,” Taehyung muttered, his voice low.

The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the first round, and the lights in the room flickered faintly, just enough to make the players visible to one another. Jungkook slowly climbed down from the cabinet, his limbs stiff and shaking from staying still for so long.

He turned to see Taehyung jumping down effortlessly.

“See? Told you it was a good spot,” Taehyung said, brushing off his hands casually.

“Yeah, well, you can shut up about it now,” Jungkook muttered, trying to sound annoyed but unable to hide the relief in his voice.

As the surviving players began gathering in the center of the room, Jungkook’s eyes scanned the group. To his relief, he spotted Yoongi leaning against a wall, looking completely unbothered, and Jimin sitting on the floor, wiping sweat from his brow.

“20 players eliminated in the first round,” one of the guards announced.

A murmur spread through the remaining players. Some exchanged nervous glances, others looked downright terrified. Jungkook’s stomach churned. Twenty people… gone. Just like that.

Then, with a loud hum, part of the room began to shift. A wall slid forward, cutting off a large portion of the space.

“The area for the second round has been reduced,” the guard stated. “Prepare yourselves. The next round begins in five minutes.”

Jungkook’s breath hitched. Less space meant fewer hiding spots. The tension in the room rose as players whispered amongst themselves, frantically scanning for potential places to hide.

“Come on,” Taehyung said, grabbing Jungkook’s hand again.

Jungkook yanked his hand back, glaring at him. “Stop doing that.”

Taehyung raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. Instead, he walked beside Jungkook as they began searching for a spot. The remaining players were already scrambling, climbing into cabinets, under shelves, and squeezing into every nook and cranny they could find.

Jungkook’s eyes darted around the room, trying to find something, anything. Then he spotted it—a small, narrow space beneath a set of metal storage racks, partially hidden by a tarp.

“There,” Jungkook whispered, pointing.

Taehyung followed his gaze and nodded. “That could work.”

The two of them hurried over. The space was tight—so tight that it was hard to imagine both of them fitting in there. Taehyung crouched down first, sliding into the space.

“Your turn,” he said, motioning for Jungkook to follow.

Jungkook crouched down, trying to position himself. But the space was even smaller than it looked. His shoulders kept bumping against the metal sides, and his legs refused to fold the right way.

“Move over,” Jungkook hissed.

“There’s no room,” Taehyung shot back.

“Then make room!”

Taehyung sighed, adjusting himself to press more tightly against the wall. “Try again.”

Jungkook crouched lower, contorting his body awkwardly as he tried to squeeze in. His frustration grew with each failed attempt, his breathing becoming faster.

“This isn’t going to work,” Jungkook muttered, panic creeping into his voice.

“It’ll work if you stop panicking and just focus,” Taehyung said firmly.

“Don’t tell me to focus!” Jungkook snapped, trying again.

0:39

“Jungkook,” Taehyung said, “you need to hurry. We don’t have time.”

“I’m trying!” Jungkook hissed, finally managing to wedge himself into the space. It was an awkward, tight fit, but he slid in, closing the tarp behind him as the buzzer sounded.

When he finally stopped moving, Jungkook realized just how cramped the space really was. He was practically lying on top of Taehyung, his head resting against Taehyung’s chest. One of Taehyung’s hands was pressed against Jungkook’s back, keeping him steady.

“This is ridiculous,” Jungkook muttered, his cheeks flushing.

“Shh,” Taehyung whispered, his breath brushing against Jungkook’s hair. “They’ll hear you.”

Jungkook froze, his face burning as he realized just how close they were. He could feel Taehyung’s heartbeat beneath his cheek, steady and calm, while his own was racing uncontrollably.

“Move your hand,” Jungkook whispered.

“Where do you want me to move it?” Taehyung whispered back, “There’s no space.”

“Ugh,” Jungkook groaned quietly, burying his face in the blanket draped over them.

The sound of footsteps filled the room as the seekers began their search. Jungkook tensed, his breathing shallow.

Then, to his horror, he felt a tickle in his nose.

No. No, no, no.

His eyes widened as the urge to sneeze grew stronger. He tried to hold his breath, but it only made it worse.

“Jungkook,” Taehyung whispered, “What’s wrong?”

“I… need to sneeze,” Jungkook whispered back.

Taehyung’s eyes widened, and without hesitation, he clamped a hand over Jungkook’s mouth. “Don’t you dare,” he hissed.

Jungkook’s face turned bright red as he struggled to suppress the sneeze. Taehyung’s hand was warm against his face, and the combination of panic and embarrassment was almost too much to handle.

The footsteps grew louder, stopping just a few feet away from their hiding spot. Jungkook’s entire body went rigid, and he squeezed his eyes shut, willing the urge to sneeze to go away.

Taehyung’s other hand pressed gently against Jungkook’s back, as if silently reassuring him. “Stay still,” he whispered.

Jungkook nodded faintly, his cheek brushing against Taehyung’s chest. He could feel the rise and fall of Taehyung’s breathing, and it somehow helped him relax—just a little.

The seeker moved on, their footsteps fading into the distance. Jungkook let out a shaky breath, and Taehyung slowly removed his hand from his mouth.

“You almost got us killed,” Taehyung whispered.

“Shut up,” Jungkook whispered back, glaring at him.

The second round was finally over. Taehyung and Jungkook emerged from their cramped hiding spot, struggling to untangle their limbs.

If squeezing into the space had been difficult, getting out was an entirely different challenge. Jungkook cursed under his breath as he nearly tripped, and Taehyung was too focused on his own stiff joints to tease him for once.

“All players, gather in the center,” the guards announced.

The remaining players shuffled into the middle of the room, “The space has been further reduced for the third and final round,” he said.

At his words, the ominous clang of descending walls echoed through the room as another section was blocked off. The remaining players exchanged nervous glances. There was barely enough room to hide now.

“Round three begins now. You have five minutes to hide,” the guard stated before stepping back.

Chaos erupted immediately. Jungkook, Taehyung, and the others scattered, searching desperately for hiding spots. The limited space made the task feel impossible. Every time they found a potential spot, someone else had already claimed it, and arguments broke out among the players.

“Over here!” Taehyung grabbed Jungkook’s hand, dragging him toward a corner.

But as they approached, another pair of players darted in front of them, claiming the spot. Taehyung cursed under his breath.

“Let’s keep moving,” he said, his tone tense.

The clock was ticking, and they were running out of options. They darted from one side of the room to the other, searching frantically.

“Climb here!” Jimin’s voice cut through the noise. Jungkook and Taehyung turned to see him pointing toward a cabinet he had already climbed onto. He was crouched behind a stack of crates, gesturing for them to join him.

Without hesitation, Taehyung climbed up first. The space was small, but it was well-hidden. He positioned himself quickly, then turned back to help Jungkook.

But Jungkook wasn’t there.

“Where did he go?” Taehyung muttered, his eyes scanning the room. His heart was pounding.

“Maybe he found another spot,” Jimin suggested also looking around.

“He wouldn’t do that.”

────୨ৎ────

Did you liked today's chapter ?

Did you guys liked the game ? I know it's simple but I wanted to do different games.

Where do you think Jungkook went ?