NO TIME TO DIE. Squid Game
╰┈➤ The Thief and The Thug ( Chapter Four )

NARI GROANED before she could stop herself. Her head hurt and her nose burned, feeling like she'd been sniffing acid for hours, earning raw synesis and a pounding headache.

The girl groaned again as she slowly opened her eyes, adjusting in the unfamiliar bed she was in. Her eyes were overwhelmed with bright lights and an unfamiliar surrounding. Her heart begins to pound, confusion filling her as her eyes widen despite the pain they were in.

Her body begged her to stop as she sat up.

She squinted and scanned the room she was in. It was large and housed more beds than she could be bothered to count, all stacked around the perimeter of the room. People of all heights and ages wandered within the room, most of them forming a circle in the middle. They all wore a teal tracksuit, a number on the jacket they wore.

Nari looked down at herself, sure enough finding that she wore a tracksuit of her own, the number "011" on the tag. She rose an eyebrow and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She slid off the mattress, using the bed frame to support herself.

She tried her best to hide the terror that filled her as she made her way forward.

She rubbed her tried eyes and made her way down to the center of the room where the circle of people was formed. She was amazed with how large the room was.

It housed such a large amount of people and enough beds for each one to have their own. The ceilings were high above them and there was still more than enough room for each player to stand in the center of the floor.

Nari refocused and continued forward until she reached the circle in the center of the room. She pushed lightly through the wall of people until she got a good look of what was going on. A young girl and a grown man were arguing, throwing insults back and forth.

She rolled her eyes, then the flickered her gaze to the board over head. It read 456.

There were 456 players in this room.

Only a few moments later her eyes are redrawn to the center of the circle at the sound of a punch landing, the echo bounding through the large room they stood in and the sound of people cringing joining it.

Nari looks back to see the young girl on the floor and the man pacing around her, laughing and mocking her. Nari narrowed her eyes, clenching her fists. She couldn't help but compare the man to Lee-Han.

They seemed to be the same age with the same personality and both seemed to be loud assholes with the same target of vulnerable women. Nari shutters. Granted she used to be into that. Which was the very reason Lee-Han refused to leave her alone now.

"It really is a small world." The man hisses, regaining her attention.

Narl steps closer to the center, watching intently. She hoped this girl hadn't gone through what she had.

She was so young.

What was she even doing here? How could she possibly have such debt?

"Look at this bitch's eyes. You're still the same, huh?" He spat. Nari caught a glimpse of his number. 101.

The girl was 67.

"Then again," 101 hissed, "nobody's broke you in. You know how to take a punch. I took you in. Fed you, taught you. You had nobody else. And this is what I get?"

"You already took more from me than I owe you." 67 said softly. She looked tired- exhausted and over the man before her.

"Is that true? Why'd you run then?"

"I didn't run. I went independent."

101 laughed, mocking what she said. He froze for a moment, looking the young girl over, then threw a punch.

67 dodged it, only to have her shirt grabbed by the man's rough hand. Her feet are knocked out from under her and in an instant she's on the ground groaning. Gasps throughout the circle as she makes contact with the floor.

She tried to get up, but the man shoves her.

The poor girl rolls across the floor, people stepping back as she got closer. All but Nari. She looked at the young girl at her feet, watching as 101 kicked her in the gut.

"Independent huh?" The man said. "What are you? An activist. Go on, wave your flag." He paused, wrapping his fingers through her hair and grabbing her roughly. He made her look up to him, straining the girl's neck. "Oh wait. You're from North Korea. Wave theirs." He said. His eyes narrow, his teeth gritting as he winds up for another punch.

Nari goes to intervene but is pushed aside as another man steps in. He shoved 101 to the ground, quickly crawling over to the young girl. Nari, for just a second thought he was there to help. But she was wrong. He begins to shake her by the jacket.

"You took my money. You're the damn pick pocket." He stands and pulls her to her feet. "My money- where is it?" He says. Nari can see the desperation in his eyes and broken tone of his voice.

She glanced to the girl who showed no remorse.

Yet Nari found herself stepping forward, she placed a hand on the man's shoulder and pulled him back. She didn't say a word, but met his eyes, his gaze softening.

His number was 456.

67 gets to her feet and Nari glances between her and the man she held to. His breathing was heavy as he ran a hand through his hair. Sweat built on his forehead.

Nari watched as that same man was kicked and fell to the floor, quickly getting to his feet to face the man who'd kicked him. "What the hell?!"

His voice shook and cracked as he yelled, then faded away as 101 puffed out his chest.

Nari noticed the man had a snake tattoo, crawling up his neck and onto his chin. "Who are you?" He hissed.

"Uhm." He choked. He grew nervous. "Seong Gi-hun." He said softly. He ran a hand through his hair, his fingers shaking as Nari watched. "I live in Ssangmun-dong."

That wasn't far from where Nari lived.

"Ssangmun-dong shit." The man hissed. He stepped closer Gi-Hun. "I'm not done talking to this bitch yet."

Nari stepped in front of the young girl, standing firmly as she narrowed her eyes. "Yes you are." She said.

"It's just!" Gi-Hun shouts, stopping the tattooed man dead in his tracks as he attempted to walk toward Nari. "This woman and I have something urgent to talk about." He said.

"You two know each other?" He asked, his eyes narrowing.

"What's your problem with this girl anyway?" Gi-hun shouted nervously. "What are you? Some thug who prays in girls? Take advantage of them?"

Nari's heart sank as she thought back to Lee-Han. A shiver shot up her spine.

"Did you tell her? To rob me like that?"

"You're both done talking to her." Nari hissed, intervening. It's not long before she's met with a fist to her face.

She falls to the floor, her face burning where it once had durning her game of Ddakji. She looks up to see 101 looming over her. He scowled, grabbing her by the shirt and pulling her to her feet. She panics, clawing at his hands. One of his hands frees just long enough to pull back and punch her cheek, catching her lip.

"Fuck!" She shouts, reaching up and feeling her busted lip. Blood stained her finger and she met the man's gaze, her eyes wide.

"Do I need to have a problem with you too?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.

Nari went to respond, beginning to shake her head, but slips from his hand. She falls to the floor, her tailbone aching as she looks to see the cause.

Gi-hun had shoved 101.

Furious, the man goes to swing at Gi-Hun in response. He dodges it. "Hey hey hey!" 456 shouts.

He begins to walk around the perimeter of the formed circle, a nervous bounce in each step.

"This thug is trying to hit me, huh?!" He shouts. "We need help in here!"

Not much longer than seconds later the doors open. A buzzer sounds and the doors along the front wall slide to reveal what was waiting. Behind them stood pink guards, most of them wearing a circle on their mask, but one claiming a square.

"Over here!" Gi-Hun shouted. "She'll pick all our pocket!" He pointed at 67 as Nari helped her up.

Nari raised an eyebrow. She was beginning to feel embarrassed for him.

"Him too! They'll- They'll pick..."

He trails off as his eyes land on the guards. As they flood the room Nari's heart beat picks up. It was something about them that made her feel uneasy. Her breathing quickens and sweat built on her forehead as Gi-Hun's had.

The guards said nothing.

All 456 players stood quietly. They watched. Silent. Scared.

Finally, the square guard stepped forward, separating himself from the circles. After another long moment of silence, he speaks.

"I'd like to extend a heartfelt welcome to you all."

The room falls silent and at that moment, Nari can't help but regret her choices.

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If stuff with Lee-Han is confusing, that's because it's supposed to be! You're not supposed to know very much about him until it's revealed later in act two! I hope you guys are enjoying this so far!

Lots Of Love,
Kaitlyn