"This is a no-kill zone, this is a no-kill zone!"

Deja vu hits me up the side of my head. RM's voice is gone this time. Instead J-hope's words pierce through the air. He's standing on a park bench. The area is on the most southern spot of Gangnam—Jin wasn't lying, and it wasn't hard to find the oasis of green among the city of gray. The park is as large as a football field. And there are others who have fought for the clue. At least a dozen crawl into my sight.

"Welcome you all," J-hope says. His smile is much too bright for a competition like this one. He's wearing a loud yellow top and a pair of pale jeans. J-hope has always been known as the dancer of the six idols. He often performs a dance piece to the others' singing. And he also joins RM and Suga in their rap performances. He's the energizer of the city, uplifting the public with his optimism and award-winning smile.

"This competition is simple," he says. "If you win League of Fame, you're going to have to be a natural entertainer. That means uplifting people's moods. So... the first person to make me laugh will win my bracelet." He wiggles his hand in the air, the silver band catching the light of the noon sun. "Line up. Everyone will have their turn."

Everyone rushes in at the same time, making a line leading up to J-hope and his bench. Jungkook and I only manage to make up the end of the line.

I overhear crude jokes, puns, different sorts of ridiculousness. But everyone is on edge. No one has it in them to be funny. Not when the possibility of dying isn't so far away.

Soon, it's our turn. Jungkook and I exchanged glances. We have nothing planned.

J-hope's face is uncharacteristically solemn. His arms are crossed, his head slightly tilted. Like he's deep in thought.

I think about Zion. It would be easy to make him laugh. He thinks everything is funny. I once dropped an egg on the ground while rushing out of the kitchen. He couldn't stop laughing for an hour.

Jungkook is quiet. He nudges me with his arm. I guess we're going to rely on my entertaining skills.

It's almost sickly wrong—standing here with our guns and daggers, trying to make this idol laugh for a chance to keep our lives. I shake my head. I'll have an endless amount of time to critique the games after I come out on the other side.

My inner comedian hasn't had much time to grow. Not when I've been so busy trying to provide for my family. But I channel the girl who always loved to make trouble in elementary school. I wasn't the class clown, but my school mates knew me as someone who didn't like following the rules. It was such a long time ago. But back then, I smiled more and laughed harder. I hadn't yet discovered how hopeless living in Seoul really was.

Zion. Jungkook. J-hope. Boys are all the same in one way or another.

"J-hope," I say, making my voice as grave as possible. "Whatever you do, don't laugh."

He stares at me, uncrossing his arms. His lips move to one side, and for a second I feel like a complete idiot. Jungkook is still beside me. Like he doesn't want to interrupt this reverent moment.

"I said don't laugh!" I say, channeling the tone of a schoolteacher.

J-hope moves a hand, about to wave me away to make way for the next contestant. His face is scrunched up, and I know I'm one move away from victory.

"I can tell that you want to laugh," I say. "Don't do it."

Maybe it's a combination of my ridiculous tone and the accosting edge that I channel. But J-hope raises a hand to his mouth. After a puff of air, laughter fills the park. He leans his head back and holds his sides like I've physically hurt him. He claps as if I told the greatest joke of the decade. There are tears gathered in the corners of his eyes.

"Wow," J-hope says, settling down. "I didn't expect that. Anyway, you won this fair and square. You have a minute to scram. Then I'm sending the pack after you."

He takes off his silver bracelet and places it into my hands. I quickly latch it around Jungkook's wrist.

I don't have time to register what just happened. All I know is that we have to get away quickly. We take off, escaping the murderous gazes and the pandemonium about to begin.

A/N: Thanks so much for reading!