Tuesday is an absolute failure for me and Jungkook. After the disaster of the morning, we walk the streets of Gangnam with no plans but to hope running across another clue. Two fireworks erupt throughout the day. The first is across the district, too far for Jungkook and I to catch in time. By the time we shuffle our way to that part of the city, the second firework flies in the place we were earlier in the day.

Jungkook is quiet. There's a solemn in his face that wasn't there before.

"I'm—"

Jungkook pivots with such force that reminds me of a tree turning in a hurricane. "If you say you're sorry one more time, I'm leaving you for yourself."

Stunned, I say nothing. I only follow him when he takes off in the direction of the sunset. We've long deserted the idea of pursuing a certain destination. By this point, we're wandering aimlessly. The fireworks pop up at random. There's no real strategy to hold onto—and there's no way to find Sophiya and the man who stole our book. They are both probably in hiding. Counting down the seconds until Sunday approaches and they're crowned as winners.

When night falls, we almost run directly into an alliance. Jungkook and I duck into a stairwell in an apartment complex. We stay quiet as they pass. It's an alliance of four, and their argument is almost as loud as a firework itself. They seem in distress. The desperation that lingers in their words are from people who might stare death in the face in only a couple days.

The same desperation is like a poison within me. I wonder if Jungkook feels the same. He hides it well. His face is almost like a statue's, emotion subdued.

"It's time to sleep," I say, when it's long past midnight. We haven't moved from the staircase, tired from our day-long search.

"Should we really be sleeping?" Jungkook says.

I shrug. "Okay. I guess you're right. There's no point in sleeping at this point. There's only a few more days until we could be executed." The distance in my voice to the idea shocks me. "I mean, there's no time to waste."

"Let's try to find them," Jungkook says. "Sophiya or the other guy, I mean."

I exit the staircase with Jungkook. As we walk past the area of luxury apartments, we look for clues. Doors that are opened slightly, sheds where a person might be hiding. My eyes are tired, but there's no time to waste. If we sleep, we might miss an opportunity that can save our lives.

I almost don't believe my eyes. Turning a corner to a grocery store, I squint. What's before us doesn't make any sense.

Jin is standing in the middle of the street, between two street lamps like the main character of an anime. The lighting makes him look almost ethereal.

There's a golden ribbon tied onto his head.

I grab Jungkook's hand, dragging him with me. This could be our chance. We could win an item right here—then at least his life would be saved. I'll ask him to take care of Zion and my parents. I'll make him promise. That way my death in this competition wouldn't be in vain.

"Ah," Jin says, clasping his hands together. "Looks like I've found a pair of gamers."

"Gamers?" Jungkook asks. But his face isn't so solemn anymore. There's a glimpse of hope in his eyes, shining through like the moonlight behind a layer of cloud.

"Yes." Jin takes out his gaming tablet. He opens an application, and soon music that sounds like a carnival rings through the night.

I look around, scared that a team is lurking by. But it seems that no one is here. We've stumbled upon Jin out of sheer chance.

"Beat me at this game," Jin says, "and you'll win this tablet. It's simple, really." He shows us the screen, pointing at a rabbit in the forest, rain whipping past and dripping off the animated leaves. "The rabbit will run across the screen. You have to tap him when he reaches a spot with no rain. Tap him quickly, or else he'll be trapped in the rain instead of a safe place. Whoever misses the rabbit first will lose the game. Here. I'll go first."

Jin starts the game. The rabbit begins to run throughout the forest, so cute compared to the idea of death that lurks between us. Jin taps the rabbit once there's a break in the rain. The rabbit jumps in happiness at reaching a safe place.

It's our turn now. Jungkook's finger looms above the rabbit as it runs. It must only take a dozen seconds for Jungkook to press the rabbit. It feels like an eternity where the idea of our lives hangs in the balance. But Jungkook is successful. The rabbit stops in its tracks in a dry spot where the foliage is plentiful and not a drop of rain drips through.

"Ah!" Jin claps his hands, a smile on his face. "My turn now." He starts the game again. This time, he takes longer to press on the rabbit. A whole minute must pass. I look over my shoulder, anxious that a participant of the games might shoot me or Jungkook. Jin is successful, leading the rabbit to safety.

"Your turn," Jin says, handing me the tablet.

Nerves make my vision blurry. I must look at the rabbit speeding through the forest for two minutes in total. I can't do it. I pass the tablet to Jungkook. "Here. I'm bad at games."

Jungkook doesn't complain. He taps the rabbit. I think he has it. But the rabbit jumps in fear. A portion of rain seeps through the big leaf the rabbit is under, wetting its fear.

You have failed. A depressing cymbal sounds through the tablet's speakers.

"Sorry," Jin says. "Looks like you've lost a chance at the tablet."

A part of me feels like he rigged the game. There's no way Jungkook could've known that big leaf was faulty. "Wait!" I take a risk, tapping Jin on the shoulder.

He turns around, eyebrows raised. "What is it? You lost the game."

"Give us a hint," I say. "About the other idols. We have no way of knowing where they are, how to win them over."

"Why should I?" Jin says. "I gave you a chance and you blew it."

I push aside my pride. "Because I know you have some kindness within you. You know what it's like to fight in League of Fame, of all the sacrifices it takes. I hope you can lend some grace to us."

Jin crosses his arms, taking us both into account. "Fine. I'll give you one hint. J-hope is going to have a contest tomorrow around noon. It'll be on the southern border of Gangnam. That's all I'll tell you."

When he turns to leave, the ribbon on his hair flutters in the wind. We've lost another chance, but we also gained our last.

A/N: Thanks for reading! Votes and comments are very appreciated!