THIRTEEN                      Devil's Advocate
IF GOD IS A DOG & MAN IS A FRAUD,
THEN I'M A                        LOST CAUSE.

[LONG CHAPTER — 6k words ]

Panic. Pure, utter panic.

Air had been squeezed from Minseo's lungs, trapped between the fragile bones of her ribs as they shook with fear. The piercing screams of surrounding players had gone deaf in her ears, a distant ringing bouncing from each crook of her skull as her glassed eyes struggled to focus. Numbers were being called out at random, pleas and prayers recited as if the room was a Church, but by the blood which painted the white walls and deep crimson and the sins which were about to be committed, the circus sight of a room could be considered Hell.

Minseo's trembling hands gripped onto the beam tightly, her knuckles white and scarce of blood. Snap out of it, that same voice echoed, snap out of it.

But she couldn't. Her breathing was shallow and sharp, her head clouded with every inch of regret, anger and resentment which had ever occurred in her life. From the sweet memories of her as a baby to the bitter ones of her brother's funeral, Minseo could not snap out of it. Her tongue was trapped beneath her teeth, the taste of her own metallic blood swirling sickly in her mouth, mixing with the salvia which collected under the tension.

A body collided with hers, jarring her out of her spiraling panic, the force of the impact breaking through the fragile wall of her mind. The rush of movement shattered the barrier, its remnants scattering like ashes in the wind. In an instant, the soft pity, the quiet compassion, the instinctive kindness she had once held for others ━ all of it evaporated.

No longer did she see the world through the eyes of a lamb, gentle and trusting, surrounded by wolves. The metaphor of her existence was twisted now: the lamb no longer merely surrounded by wolves, but trapped inside a wolf's skin. Anger and self-preservation took hold, pushing her toward a brutal clarity. Survival demanded not kindness, but a sharp edge ━ a hunger to endure at all costs. She had to become something else entirely to navigate this world of predation.

No longer would she be the meek, the victim, the one to offer a hand in kindness. Her focus was now singular ━ her own survival. The barrier was gone, and with it, the last remnants of the girl who once believed she could save everyone, including herself.

She pushed herself off the beam, her feet falling under the unexpected weight. Regaining stability, Minseo stumbled out onto the battle grounds. Players were fighting for a spot, faces falling into pools of blood, bodies being thrashed out of rooms and into the barrel of a gun.

Across from Minseo was an open room. Its yellow painted walls welcomed her warmly, gleaming with interest as if to call her in directly, a personal invitation on her own accord. She picked up the pace, her legs straining with longer strides despite the ache of her muscles and scab of her skin ━ Minseo was going to make it.

But before she could make it, she was pulled back. "It's mine," gritted a voice from behind. "That's my room."

Minseo's neck was trapped between their arms, squeezing the little air left from her lungs. Her legs flailed and kicked against the weight, falling as the strength of her capturer restrained her movements. Minseo's hands clawed at their arms, their skin protected by the material of their shirt. But if her nails couldn't make a mark, her teeth could.

Sharp, dagger-like teeth which had never been perfected by braces were razored into the arms of the opponent. Hungry for survival, Minseo's teeth punctured the flesh like a rabid animal. The screams soon fell from his mouth, followed by the release of her body. The two came crashing down onto the floor, falling into a puddle of blood.

Player 238. His hair was cut unevenly, ragged jabs of scissors parting the odd places of his bowl cut look. His face was hollow and ghostly, his cheeks sharp and nose thin. His chest heaved, falling and rising rapidly under the tension of the room. Around them players continued to fight and fall for their secured spots. Player 238 did not take his narrowed eyes off of Minseo as he lunged towards her, using the last of his strength to claw into her legs.

Minseo scurried back, breathless and bruised, using the palms of her hands to push herself closer towards the room. But he was right on her little lamb tail.

It was zombie like, his movements. He crawled and cried, his outstretched hands palming her shins and digging his bloodied fingers into her flesh. "It's fucking mine," he gritted once again, blood dripping from his vulgar words. "My spot."

As he retracted his hands once again, pushing himself further up her body, Minseo seized the fleeting moment like a wolf with her prey. With the precision of a lioness striking, she raised her leg and drove the heel of her dirty shoe forward, her foot slamming directly into the side of his face.

"Fuck!" Player 238 howled, his voice a jagged cry as his hands flew up to clutch at his nose. His blood ━ thick, red, and warm ━ spilled over his fingers, dripping like a sinner's tears, the ruby liquid staining his thin lips. His tongue flicked out, greedily lapping at the blood as though it were the last drop of water in a desert of drought.

Minseo used the brief respite to push herself off the cold floor, her body unwilling, but her mind driven by a singular, undeniable instinct: survival. She staggered, uncoordinated, as her feet tangled beneath her, her legs betraying her in the cruelest of ways. Her knees buckled, but she managed to steady herself. It was only for a moment, but it was enough.

Enough to find the direction she needed, to feel the pull of the light ━ the false warmth of the yellow walls that bathed the room. They were still waiting, still beckoning her, but Minseo knew their warmth was not meant for her. Nothing in this world had ever been meant for her.

Her chest heaved, her breath short, as she turned toward the room, eyes locked onto the door she'd seen only in dreams ━ the one that would free her, but not before she made her mark on the world that had tried so hard to break her.

Behind her, Player 238 was still alive. Still breathing. Still yearning to dominate her like a ravenous wolf who had tasted the scent of blood. He was no lamb, despite the illusion he'd tried to create. No, he was a predator ━ a soulless beast driven by hunger. And the lambs did not fight back.

Minseo's head spun as she glanced over her shoulder. His bloodied figure rose from the ground, a grotesque symbol of the endless cycle of violence they were both trapped in. His teeth gritted, his eyes narrowed, and his hands balled into fists that dripped with a mix of his own blood and hers. He would not stop. Not until one of them was nothing but a memory. Minseo's breath slowed. Her heart beat with purpose now. She had to finish this.

In the silence of the room, the only sound that remained was the faint hum of the lights overhead, like the echo of God's judgment. The flood of violence was its own baptism, and only one would be cleansed.

"Come on then," she whispered under her breath, a prayer born of desperation and strength. Player 238 moved, faster now, charging at her like a devil himself. His footsteps thundered against the floor, the echo a warning in the air, a pulse that synchronized with the blood in her veins. Minseo stood firm, bracing herself.

The moment before impact stretched in the air like a divine pause, the world holding its breath. He came at her with the force of a storm, his body a blur of fury. But Minseo was no lamb. Her instincts rose, her body moving with a fluidity that only years of survival could foster. She sidestepped, her foot lifting as she evaded his savage grasp.

The hunter had become the hunted. With the precision of a serpent striking its prey, Minseo spun, her knee colliding with his ribs. The sickening crack of bone shattered the air like a prophecy fulfilled.

Player 238 gasped, a strangled cry escaping his lips. His body faltered, and for the first time, Minseo saw fear in his eyes ━ a glimmer of weakness where there had once been only the dark hunger of a predator. But Minseo was no lamb, and she would not be swallowed by this wolf.

With a final surge of strength, she drove her elbow into the back of his neck, the sharp impact sending him crashing to the floor like a fallen angel, broken and forgotten. His breath was shallow, his body limp, as he gasped for air that would never come. She stood over him, panting, her hands trembling.

The fight had ended. The room was still, and the walls, once so welcoming, now felt like the tomb she had just sealed for him. Minseo turned, her steps slow but resolute. She crossed the threshold of the door, leaving the bloodied corpse of Player 238 behind her, and into the next chapter of her fight for survival.

The lamb had killed the wolf.

As she stepped through the door, Minseo pulled the wolf's tattered cloak around her shoulders, the weight of it no longer foreign ━ now it was hers, and she wore it as a second skin, the lamb no more.

Minseo hadn't bothered to acknowledge the other two players in the room as she shut the metal door forcefully. The second the door shut, bullets sliced the air.

Minseo didn't look back, forcing herself to ignore the still sobs of the players behind as she watched, waited through the slip of the door.

Bodies after bodies collapsed, but Minseo couldn't shake it ━ they weren't dead. The shots scarred their legs and shoulders, sometimes their stomachs, but they were alive. They were breathing, sharply but still, breathing. Their voices lost through the pain, but minds still moving, the little limbs of their fingers or feet twitched and flinched to show ━ to prove ━ they were alive.

The pink haired woman watched as the breathing bodies were limply lifted into dark coffins, her eyes narrowing as a guard knelt down, abandons their gun and swept their clothed finger through a drip of blood, their movements instinctively marking a cross on the coffin.

Her gaze shifted, as if called upon, and lifted to the door opposite. Distant and blurred, but still visible, in the crack of the door stood Young-Il. He was watching, just like her, waiting. But his eyes weren't as curious nor confused as hers, they held that same cryptic expression which Minseo hadn't been able to name before. Now, however, the name came to her like her mother tongue.

Revenge. Vengeance. Enmity. Young-Il had harboured a look of such animosity in his eyes the second Minseo stumbled over his foot that first day. She hadn't recognised it then, despite its clarity, for she had never felt such deep emotions. She had been frustrated, angry and upset over all sorts of things, discovering new sentiments when she discovered her dead brother, when she suffered the abuse of her father, even when being fired from her first job, but no feeling had ever compared to the pure ferocity which fired her when fighting for her life.

Minseo stared unforgivably as clarity cleared her head, acknowledging the hostility swarming in Young-Il's darkened eyes. But why? The next step, whilst battling the games, was to discover why Young-Il festered such hatred, such antipathy whilst coming off as the most selfless and softest of souls to ever be found. Perhaps he was just like her, a lamb in wolves clothing, but contradicting the metaphor ━ he was a wolf, ravenous and rancour, camping in the sweetness of a little lamb.

However his bones were growing too big, his hunger too powerful and anger too intense to keep hiding in the skin of somebody who he is not, and Minseo knew that the time where truth shall be told was soon to come.

She took a step back as the door opened on its own accord, abandoning the players behind her without so much of a first glance. The air in the room was different ━ the scent of death lingered heavier than before, but there wasn't a single glance of relief shared amongst the players. All were as equally scared, regretful and conflicted, and nobody had the answers on how to deal with such emotions.

Minseo's observations were cut short as her body was taken ahold of. This time, however, the touch was different. It was warm, soft and tender. Love itself poured from the touch of her holder, their fingertips grazed the skin under her shirt which had risen in the embrace, and even when coated in blood, she felt pure in their hold.

"You're alive," breathed Dae-ho, his words barely more than a rasp, thick with disbelief and raw emotion. His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, as if the weight of all that had passed still clung to him. The sound of her name had been a worrying echo in his mind, a memory he hadn't gotten to live long enough. But now, in his arms again, she was real. She was here.

His hands shook slightly, though he didn't let go. One hand cradled the back of her head, his fingers threading through her hair as if afraid that if he loosened his grip, she would vanish. The other was firm against her waist, pulling her impossibly closer, as though he needed to feel every inch of her, to reassure himself that she was solid, alive, and breathing.

Her face pressed into his chest, her breath warm against his skin. He could hear the faint hitch in her breathing, the soft sound of her heart beating as wildly as his. For a long moment, neither of them spoke. Words didn't seem to matter anymore. The world could fall apart around them, but all he could focus on was the woman in his arms.

Dae-ho closed his eyes, tilting his head slightly as the scent of her skin, the familiar warmth he had missed so desperately, washed over him. He had imagined this moment a thousand times, and yet nothing could have prepared him for how overwhelming it truly felt. Every part of him screamed with relief. She was here.

"Don't leave me again," he whispered hoarsely, the words slipping from his mouth without thought. It was a plea, a raw vulnerability that he couldn't contain. His grip tightened around her, as if he could keep her safe, protected from whatever dangers had pulled them apart.

He had lived with the hollow ache of her absence for a lifetime, not even knowing she existed but forever feeling a fraction of himself invisible. Now he knew she was real, he was never crazier for feeling a part of himself scarce. She was real, she was there, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing her, even for a split second.

Her hand came up, fingers brushing lightly against the back of his neck, grounding him in the moment. He could feel her warmth, her heartbeat against his chest, and slowly, as if to reassure him, she spoke.

"I'm not going anywhere," she whispered back, her voice soft but steady, a promise in those few words. And for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Dae-ho believed it.

She pulled away slowly, her fingers brushing gently over his forearms, her touch firm yet soft as if testing the boundaries between them, unsure of what to say, but knowing this moment couldn't last forever. Minseo, her eyes wide with both awe and hesitance, peeked around his larger frame, catching sight of her uncles standing behind him. Their presence seemed distant now, fading into the background, irrelevant in the face of this reunion. The world had narrowed to just the two of them.

And then, Gihun couldn't hold it in anymore. The tightness in his chest broke free, and the words spilled out, choked and raw. "Mimi." Her name, a lifeline he thought he'd lost, echoed in the air, the sound tinged with a tremor of relief, disbelief, and love.

His hands, rough and weathered, pulled her into a crushing embrace. The years he had spent in torment, thinking he had lost her forever, were compressed into this one moment. The emptiness he had carried ━ the hollow ache that felt like it could never be filled ━ flooded his chest, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, it started to ease. His body trembled as he held her close, pressing his face into her hair, the tears that had remained locked inside now falling freely.

The ache in his heart was deeper than he could have ever anticipated. She was alive. His daughter ━ his niece ━ he had lost her once in his mind, and it was a loss that had cut through him like nothing else. He had imagined the worst over and over again, all those years ago and now again, each scenario worse than the last. It was as if the pain of losing her had been etched into him.

He thought she was gone, forever. He thought he had lost her in the same way he had lost not only himself, but other close friends such as Sang-woo, so long ago ━ ripped from his life without warning, leaving nothing but the cold, unrelenting void behind.

But now, as he held her, he realized that the ache in his chest wasn't entirely gone, not yet. He was still grieving. Grieving for the lost time, the years spent in fear, the years spent watching from afar as his phone rang countless times with her contact, refusing for her own safety that he would not answer. He told himself maybe just once, but never did he dare, never did he wish to risk Minseo and the happiness she brought.

"Mimi," he whispered again, voice breaking as he tightened his grip around her. His tears fell onto her hair, each drop a testament to the weight he'd carried for so long. This was the weight of a love he hadn't realized had never faded, of a father's heartache for a daughter he thought he would never see again.

She was here. And no matter what had happened in the years they'd lost, he would never let her go again.

The reunion between each player was bittersweet. Minseo was overjoyed to see them alive, smiling truthfully as she embraced every one of them. However she couldn't shake the overhead darkness which shadowed her movements, her eyes zeroing in on the blood beneath her nails as her hands wrapped around her friends so warmly.

The reunion was a moment of paradox, sweet yet stained with the bitterness of unseen burdens. Minseo embraced each of her friends, her joy radiant and true, yet there was a shadow that clung to her ━ a specter of what she had done, what she had become. Her heart was like the Prodigal Son's return, rejoicing yet never fully cleansed, never fully at peace with the weight of her actions.

As she wrapped her arms around them, there was a fleeting, silent conflict within her. Her hands, once pure, now marred by blood ━ an echo of Cain's curse ━ held them tightly, but each squeeze was laced with a reminder of the darkness that had taken root within her. Her friends, her family, had returned from the brink of death. But the woman who embraced them was not the same. Her joy was tempered by the stain beneath her fingernails, each mark a reminder of the cost of survival, the price of salvation.

Her eyes dropped to her hands, as if searching for absolution in the crimson under her nails. The blood ━ like the river that parted for Moses ━ separated her from the innocence she once knew. The warmth of her embrace contrasted sharply with the coldness that crept into her soul, an unspoken grief for the actions she could never undo. She had touched death to cling to life, and now it clung to her, silently haunting the joy she so desperately wished to feel.

The next and penultimate round was called upon.

The music swelled once again, a haunting melody that wrapped itself around the players like a tightening noose, pulling them into a game they never truly understood.

Minseo stood beside Dae-ho, the weight of the moment pressing down on her chest. Her hands twitched, an involuntary response to the rising tension that seemed to pulse with the beat. She could feel the thrum of the music deep in her bones, a pulse that matched her own frantic heartbeat.

Without a moment's hesitation, Dae-ho's large hand slid into hers, his fingers intertwining with hers, as if they could only exist together. The movement was swift, instinctual ━ something deeper than simple reflex, a need driven by fear. Fear that they might not survive this. Fear that the next breath might be their last. The world seemed to shrink, leaving only the two of them, standing in the midst of this deadly game.

His grip was firm, unyielding. The strength in his touch spoke of a man who had seen too much loss, a man who couldn't bear the thought of losing her too. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable, and Minseo could feel it with every beat of her pulse. He wasn't just holding her for comfort. He was holding her out of a need to keep her close, to protect her, to make sure she never slipped from his grasp again.

"I'm not letting you go again," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the rising music, but his words, heavy with raw emotion, cut through the chaos like a dagger.

Minseo met his gaze, her own heart hammering in her chest. She saw the silent promise in his eyes ━ a vow, not spoken aloud, but understood between them. There was nothing he would let stand between them, not even the death that loomed overhead. The blood that stained his hands, the guilt that haunted his every step ━ none of it mattered now. What mattered was her. What mattered was keeping her safe, no matter the cost.

He squeezed her hand tighter, as if to cement his resolve, and Minseo felt the weight of that promise sink deep into her chest. She clenched her jaw, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment as she steadied herself. She didn't need to hear the words spoken again, didn't need the reminder. She needed him, too.

"Please don't," she whispered, a quiet plea, her voice thick with the fear she was trying to suppress. The terror of not knowing what came next, of the unknown fate they would soon face, was too much to bear. She needed him to hold on, for both of them.

The call echoed across the courtyard: "Six players."

The countdown to the final round had begun. Minseo's heart stuttered, then raced faster. It was now or never. She could feel the intensity in the air, the weight of the players around them, the desperation as each person waited for their turn. But all she could focus on was Dae-ho, his steady presence beside her. She didn't know what was coming, what horrors they would face next, but as long as his hand was in hers, she had a sliver of hope.

He didn't let go.

And neither did she.

"Four women and two men," Gi-hun ordered immediately. "Go!"

"Wait," Jung-bae spluttered nervously. "Who?"

Yong-sik immediately jumped in, hands clutching to those of his mother. "My mum and I stay together."

Geum-ja looked up to Hyun-ju. "Are you with us?"

Hyun-ju blinked, hesitantly shaking her head. "I'm staying with Young-mi," the younger girl in question smiled timidly, eyes casted downward at Hyun-ju's words.

Dae-ho nodded. "I'm staying with Minseo," he pulled her an inch closer. "We'll find our sixth on the way."

Gi-hun nodded slowly. He didn't narrow his eyes nor snarl in Dae-ho's direction, but accepted that Minseo was protected.

"Jun-hee," Minseo grabbed hold of Jun-hee. The pregnant woman nodded, shuffling closer to Minseo. "You're with us."

There was no time to waste. "Come on!" Dae-ho and Minseo led their team towards one door, opening it to reveal Player 100 and his team of men. They all shared a horrified look, rushing out as Player 100 screamed bloody murder.

"Over there!" Yong-sik shouted, finger pointing towards an empty room. The team wasted on time in piling in, their bodies collapsing under the pressure.

"We need our sixth," Minseo realised. "Fuck ━ we need six players."

She stepped out the room, arms flailing in the air as she called out loudly, "One more player! Please, we need one more player!"

All at once five different players began heading towards the room. All coming from different directions, each with the same desperation, they sprinted at full speed toward their ticket.

Dae-ho pulled Minseo back into the room, wrapping his arms over shoulders to keep her in his bubble of safety. One player made the cut, the rest falling over themselves and wrapping their fists into unnecessary fights.

The chosen player had been Myung-gi, or Player 333, or MG Coin. Many names for a mysterious man, and Minseo's perception of him only grew blurrier as he locked the door forcefully and turned to face Jun-hee.

Minseo's gaze followed his own, watching how his eyes softened at the sight of Jun-hee's pregnant belly. Jun-hee, on the other hand, did not look so happy. She glared at him with anything but joy, looking deeply upset at the sight of him not just being in that room, but alive at that.

Minseo couldn't help but smile at the interaction, the contradiction of it all proving to be mildly humorous. All smiles vanished, however, as one familiar voice echoed out in the open.

"Young-mi!" It was Hyun-ju, locked in a room with an unknown team, her cries stomach churning. "Young-mi!"

"No," gasped Geum-ja. Her wrinkled hand came to cover her mouth, eyes crinkled as tears pooled sadly within them. "Oh. . .Young-mi, no. . . She can't."

Yong-sik held his mother closer, his hand rubbing her hand smoothly in attempts to comfort her. Yong-sik himself looked deeply mournful, his glassed eyes unreadable with the mix of emotions whirling within them. One was for sure though ━ regret. Minseo could notice it immediately, because every player held that same look, simple regret.

The door opened again. Deja vu wasn't even a concept anymore, as everything just felt like a cycle, a simulation on repeat. Minseo didn't bother to look down, already knowing blood coated every corner, already smelling death in the muggy air.

"One more," Dae-ho whispered, his arms still around her as they walked together toward the podium. "One more."

Every player was silent. The music played again. The lights shone and the podium span. All once more.

Minseo turned in Dae-ho's hold, tilting her neck to try and catch sight of one person. Through the mass of people, which had significantly lessened over the hour, she caught sight of him. His purple hair, his hunched shoulder, and his still body, not dancing nor singing, just standing idly. Su-bong was still with Nam-gyu, who looked equally as empty, but they somehow looked relieved to be in each other's presence.

Su-bong must've felt her eyes, for he looked up at met her gaze. He smiled, not coyly nor arrogantly, but simply, softly. His eyes didn't hold that manic craze anymore, so Minseo assumed the drugs had worn off and he was stuck on ground level like the rest of them, and she liked that look more. He looked more human, more real, more. . . Su-bong, and not so much Thanos.

She reciprocated his smile, equally as tender, and she wondered if he could read the apology in her eyes. He must've, she thought, for Su-bong gave her a slow, steady nod, his fingers raising to form the shape of a little heart.

Minseo giggled, fixing her fingers to mimic the heart herself. How he made her laugh so childishly in a situation such as this she'd never know, nor she'd ever complain.

Jung-bae's anxious voice retracted Minseo back to her team. "What number do you think we're going to get next?"

Young-Il answered immediately, stare vacant. "Two."

"Wait," Jung-bae swallowed. "Why?"

Minseo watched with Dae-ho as Young-Il spoke. He refused to look at any of them, his voice almost robotic as he spoke. "We're at 126 people, they're 50 rooms," Minseo leaned further into Dae-ho as Young-Il's cold voice recited words that seemed to be from memory. "Even if there's two in every room, then there's still only enough for 100 of us. If you don't find one fast, you're done for."

His words were chilling, as if they were foreshadowing something they rest did not know about.

Minseo felt Dae-ho's touch tighten. "You're with me."

Minseo only nodded in agreement, wanting no other way.

The platform rumbled, stopping abruptly. Neon lights flashed down, darkening the room and the mood even more. Young-Il was right. "Two players."

Dae-ho wasted no time in grabbing Minseo's hand. "Wait," she stopped him suddenly. "My uncle."

Gi-hun was by himself.

Young-Il had taken Jung-bae without an argument, as did Myung-gi with Jun-hee. Yong-sik and Geun-ja were obvious, whereas Hyun-ju had been partnered with Gyeong-suk suddenly. Gi-hun stood alone.

"Fuck," Minseo cried. "What do we do? We can't leave him ━ I can't leave him."

"And I can't leave you," Dae-ho argued weakly. His eyes were sad, face flushed with worry and fear.

Gi-hun's chest tightened as he looked around at their faces, the heaviness of the moment sinking in. The others were paired, the air thick with their quiet panic, but he felt the sting of isolation ━ alone in a sea of uncertainty. He could hear Minseo's breath quicken, Dae-ho's voice faltering. A knot twisted in his stomach, the fear creeping up his throat. He wanted to say something ━ anything ━ to reassure them, but all that filled him was a hollow ache. What now?

"Minseo!" Shouted a distressed voice. "What are you doing?"

She turned to see Su-bong standing with Nam-gyu and Minsu. Her eyes widened, noticing their uneven number.

"We can make this work," Minseo turned to Dae-ho, her words rushed in a panic.

"No ━" Dae-ho shook his head, realising her conclusion. "I'm not leaving you again, Minseo. No. I refuse."

"Go with Gi-hun," Minseo urged. "Please ━ please, Dae-ho, go with my uncle. We're losing time!"

"And I'll lose you!" Dae-ho fought loudly. "I can't ━"

Minseo's breath hitched in her chest, her body moving before her mind could catch up. She couldn't hear the chaos around her, couldn't feel the trembling in her hands as she reached for Dae-ho.

His words ━ broken, full of fear ━ faded into a dull murmur as she pulled him toward her. She didn't give him time to think, to protest, as her lips found his, tentative at first, then urgent. There was no space between them, only the raw need to feel something, to remind themselves that they were still alive, still human in a world so far gone.

His lips were soft, but trembling, and she felt it ━ the weight of his fear matching her own. The kiss was both a promise and a question, a silent plea for something more than what they were facing.

For a moment, everything else disappeared. The heat of his skin, the way his hands hovered on her waist as if afraid to pull her closer, filled her senses. Her heart pounded ━ louder than the sounds of rushing feet, louder than the thudding of her blood in her ears. She could taste the salt of her own tears, but she didn't care.

When she finally broke the kiss, her hands lingered on his face, tracing the sharp line of his jaw, memorizing the feel of him. His eyes were wide, searching hers, but there was no time for answers. Her chest tightened, the weight of their reality crashing back in.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

She couldn't stay. She couldn't be the one to stay behind, to hold him when there was no time to hold onto anything.

Minseo stepped back, her gaze flickering to Gi-hun, standing alone in the distance. The thought of leaving him, of letting him face this nightmare without the one person who would never leave his side, was unbearable.

She turned to Dae-ho, pressing her fingers to his chest gently. "Stay with him," she said, her voice firm, though her heart threatened to break with every word. "You two are the only thing that matters now. Please."

Her words hung in the air between them, heavy with the truth she'd been denying. Dae-ho nodded, but his expression twisted with something like regret ━ regret she couldn't afford.

With one last glance at him, she turned on her heel, running toward the others. Her heart felt as though it were being torn from her chest, but the pull toward her duty, toward the two men she had promised to protect above all else, was undeniable.

She reached the group of three, her eyes scanning them briefly before landing on Su-bong. He caught her gaze, and without a word, they understood. She pressed her hand to his shoulder, squeezing tightly, before they both ran into a small room that had been designated for the fragility of their bond.

The door clicked shut behind them, and Minseo exhaled slowly, trying to steady her breath.

She never wanted to be in this position, always forced to make these choices. But it was the reality now. She'd make sure the two men who mattered most to her stayed safe ━ together. It was the only thing she could do in a world that kept shifting beneath their feet. The kiss, though brief, had closed the chapter on all the unsaid things between them. It wasn't the end, just the beginning of something clearer. Nothing had changed in the moment ━ he'd still be there when she walked out that door, but now there was no question about what they felt. And that made the whole mess a little more real.

━ author's note!
you ask for long chapter
and i shall give long chapter.

THEY KISSED HELLO?????

✶ PLS RESPOND ! I've been debating on
whether publishing the top 3-5 fics at once and
slowly go updating little by little...they feel pointless
just wasting away in my archives. should i?

⋆ the fics in question are:

⌗ SONGBIRD, Kim Taehyung
⌗ JAIL BAIT, Min Yoongi
⌗ SEA OF THIEVES, Bloodhounds [Geonwoo]
⌗ STONED, Kim Namjoon [Short Story]
⌗ Mother F#cker, Park Jimin

⋆ none of the fics apart from sea of thieves and
jail bait are exceptionally long but they feel wasted,
just rotting in drafts...should i post them?