Jimin's eyes squeezed shut when the lights came on. He could feel his ears physically try to close as that damned classical music came on. He hid his face in Jungkook's chest, but the taller sat up.

"Fuck," Jimin groans. "Shit. Why the fuck am I here? I was in fucking Ireland I don't wanna be here."

"Ireland?" Jungkook questions.

"My dream," He sighs, sitting up with Jungkook and rubbing his eyes. "We were in Ireland. And sheep, and puppies, and fuck, for the first time in my life since I was probably eight years old I was happy. I've never had a dream like that before. I forgot what true happiness was. You sparked it and now it's gone so honestly fuck you-"

Jungkook kisses him.

And the heavy feeling in his chest is replaced by a much lighter one.

The taller reaches up to hold his face in one hand, telling Jimin not to pull away. He doesn't, his hand going under Jungkook's shirt to hold his waist. He just wanted to feel skin. This was 097, Jungkook, his Jungkook, in the flesh. He heard his breath, put his hand on his chest to feel his heartbeat, felt the boy's lips on his. He savored this moment, as if it were his last.

They pulled away, breathless. Jimin could barely speak. "Did you do that to shut me up?"

"Partially," Jungkook admits. "And to make us happy. Reality took our happiness away, I wanted to give back what I could."

"You selfless...well, adorable man," Jimin cupped his face with a bit of a giggle. "I...I really love you."

"I love you too Jimin," He stared softly, his face squished just slightly by Jimin's hands. "Let's get out of here. Today is the day."

"Yes it is," Jimin nods. "It'll be much better than yesterday. I promise you that."

Jungkook takes a deep breath. "I'm counting on it."

"The sixth game will begin momentarily."

"Fuck..." He mumbles. "Are you ready?"

"Ready to win," Jungkook's voice is shaky despite his words.

"Then..." He inhales. "Let's go."

Jungkook grabs his hand, and the two of them walk. Jimin's heart is in his throat, he feels his pulse in many unusual places around his body, that's how nervous he is.

They're led, the two of them, to a dark stone corridor, with an arched ceiling. A square guard, and two triangles are waiting at the end, in front of a door, the same color as the rest of the room.

When they approach the guards, they're told to face one another. Jimin looks at the younger's wide doe eyes. He knows he's frightened too.

"Player 097 and 136," Square mask speaks. "Welcome to the final game. "Before we begin, there will be a coin toss to decide offense and defense."

"What!?" Jungkook yells as Jimin's eyes go wide. "N-no no, you don't understand. We're a team, not competitors."

"That is not how the game works," Square's voice is as monotone as always.

"You're saying there can't be two winners?" Jimin clarifies.

"That is correct."

The pair look at each other. Jimin watches horror unfold on Jungkook's face. He's sure his looks similar. "N-no," He stares at Square. "There's gotta be another way."

"I'm afraid there is not," And there it is. Those words shattered Jimin. What were they gonna do? "Now, let's begin. Please choose triangle or square."

"I-I can't," Jungkook shakes his head. "Jimin? Please?"

"I...square," Jimin squeezes his eyes shut. He's very aware that failure to comply would result in both their deaths...but Jimin really didn't want to leave here without him.

Jungkook changed his life, filling up a spot he thought would forever remain empty. He has loved and been loved...how is he supposed to just leave after that? Without the only one who even made his life tolerable, not to mention possibly fulfilling?

Square flips the coin. It lands, and he sandwiches it between his hands. He reveals it...triangle.

"Please choose either offense or defense."

Meant for Jungkook, he closes his eyes. "Defense." Jimin barely hears him, so quiet.

"Player 136 will play offense. Player 097 will defend."

With that, the triangle guards open the doors, and they walk into a bright space. With a jolt of his heart Jimin realizes it's the place they played red light green light. The last place every player was alive.

The robot was still there, her face turned to look outwards. It looked like they had tried to rid the ground of the bloodstains, but some were still visible. Jimin looked over at the original three doors. Now those were shiny and clean.

For the first time in almost a week, Jimin saw the sky. He realized at this moment he missed the sky, being outside in general. Even though it was extremely overcast, the smell of rain in the air, Jimin was grateful for it. His lungs fill up in a thankful breath.

"Let's...play a fair game," Jimin feels a pair of lips against his ear. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Either I die or lose you," Jimin spits, he can't help it. "There's no winners here."

"There's money," Jungkook reminds. "Think of the money."

Jimin's not sure which one of them he's talking to. Is he encouraging Jimin...or psyching himself up to kill him?

He's not sure which one it would rather be.

"The sixth and final game is Squid Game."

Squid game? He's vaguely aware of that game. He's sure he was taught it maybe once...by some older neighbors back when he was about six. It was an old game, not popular anymore by a long shot. Would the two of them even be able to play it?

In front of them was many white shapes drawn perfectly into the dirt. Jimin had barely noticed it before, too overwhelmed by the familiar surroundings. A square was connected to a triangle, a circle at the top tip. Where the square and triangle met, were two long rectangles, almost meeting at the middle but not quite. It was huge.

"Let me explain the rules of the game," They continued to walk. "One, the attacker must enter the squid grid, run past the defense, and tap the squid's head with his foot to win. Two, the defender must push the attacker out of the grin to win. Three, if by any chance one player is unable to proceed with the game, the last one standing wins."

Last one standing...as if Jimin would ever hurt the man who's done so much for him in so little time.

"Let the games begin."

With that...he walks away. And Jimin and Jungkook were left to stand by themselves.

Jimin can't move, not yet. He stares at Jungkook, who's eyes are already on him. He grabs both of Jimin's hands, before pecking his lips. "Good luck Jimin."

The shorter's chest is heavy. He does not want to do this.

But he walks to the top. The rules were coming back to him. He turns around, hopping on one foot to the rectangles, where Jungkook is standing. Once he reaches him, he stops. They just look at each other.

"Go on Jimin," The taller mumbles.

Jimin doesn't break eye-contact as he walks. Down the rectangle he goes. Jungkook is supposed to try to stop him but...he doesn't move.

"What are you doing?" Jimin turns around, butterflies starting to truly form in his stomach. "You said fair game. Fight back."

"I..." Tears begin to form. "I can't."

"What?" No. "Yes you can Jungkook. Fair game, you same fair. This isn't fair."

"No," He shakes his head. "I give up." He turns to the pink solider. "I give up!"

"No you don't!" Jimin runs to him so he won't move. "Listen to me, what do you mean give up? You can't give up. I-I won't let you."

"Yes you will," Tears are streaming down his face. He pushes Jimin off of him. "You'll win the money, and forget about me. It's for the better."

"Jungkook no," He starts to tear up as well. Fuck he hates it. "How the fuck could you ever suggest I forget you? I love you, you're the only one I ever loved. God damn it Jungkook, fight!"

"Come on Jimin," Jungkook's look was almost pitying. Jimin hated pity. "You don't really believe you love me, right? Six days ago we were strangers. How can we love one another?"

Fuck that hurt. "You're just saying that Jungkook, so it fucks with me enough that I want you to die. I don't care! God damn it!" He's screaming at this point. "I fucking love you Jungkook! Look me in the fucking eyes right now and tell me you don't feel the same."

They make eye-contact, blurred through tears, and it's silent. Jungkook only sighs and looks away. "This could've never worked Jimin. We don't truly know each other. We're probably not even compatible outside of these games. You have to know this would've have worked out."

"Then why did you make me fall in love with you!?" He's sobbing at this point.

Jungkook sounds so helpless. "Why did you make me fall in love with you?"

That caught Jimin off guard. "I-I didn't mean to-"

"And you think I did?" Jungkook slowly walks back up to him. "I wanted a partner for the games. I saw a pretty face wearing a number that was important to me, and I thought we could help each other, maybe be friends. How were we supposed to know this was going to happen? Why did we let it happen?"

"I-I don't know," Jimin cried. "I was too happy someone cared. I just wanted to feel loved by someone I loved too. It's pathetic."

"You know why I can't do this?" Jungkook whispers. "The real reason? I can't watch another person I love die. Every person I cared about, died right in front of me. I can't do it again." He's completely broken down. "I'm not strong enough."

"I can't beat you in this game!" Jimin grabs his hands. "Did you really expect me to complete the game while you watched?"

"I-I thought the money-"

"Fuck the money," Jimin stared at him. "I want you."

"But you can't have me Jimin," He's breathing hard. "So win and take the money, please."

"N-no," The smaller squeezes his hands. "Th-there was a rule, where it said if every player agreed to stop the games we could. W-we could get out of here together Jungkook. Broke, b-but together."

"And have you running from those bastards the rest of your life?" That was the harshest Jimin has ever heard him speak. "Absolutely not! I won't let you be put back in that situation!"

Jimin just stares at him. "You selfless piece of shit." He grabs the collar of his jacket, shaking him, as if trying to knock some sense into him. Tears fall faster. "I hate you so fucking much."

Jungkook doesn't fight back. "I love you too Jimin."

Suddenly Jungkook's lips are on his. Jimin isn't really sure who initiated it, but he didn't care. He pulled him close, hungry. Their bodies pressed together desperately as if the world was gonna end. And to them, Jimin realized, it pretty much was.

Jimin, dazed, doesn't know how long their lips are together, but no one stops them. No time would be long enough, because he came to the lurching conclusion this would be their last. So he held onto Jungkook, terrified of what would happen if he let him go.

But it was all for nothing.

Jungkook quickly throws Jimin to the ground. This was the first time Jimin resented his strength, sending Jimin skidding to the floor, the wind knocked out of him. He gasps for breath, rolling over to the elbow that wasn't scraped up, watching Jungkook helplessly as he tried to force air into his lungs.

Jungkook rams into the square guard just as Jimin begins to stand up. He grabs his pistol while he's still on the ground.

"No!" Jimin screams, up and dashing as Jungkook brings the gun to his head.

"Goodbye my love."

Jimin reaches him right as the gunshot is heard. He catches Jungkook as he falls. "No, no no no," He shakes his head. The younger is unresponsive. "Jungkook!" His screams echo through the air. "Jungkook...not yet, not yet! We still had a bit more time...we still had more time."

He holds Jungkook close. 097 isn't breathing, his heart has stopped beating, those beautiful sounds aren't there! But...he's not gone. He's not. He's right here, sleeping in his arms. He'll wake up...he has to.

Jimin sobbed into his chest. How can Jungkook just be gone? Like that? It was such a short game, he had made the decision so quickly. He...he hadn't planned this before, had he? Planned to sacrifice himself for Jimin if the time came?

The thought made Jimin go cold.

He continued crying, holding onto him. He couldn't let him go, he was still warm and seemingly full of life. He cradled Jungkook's head, the taller's blood turning his palm red. He didn't even notice.

"What about the house?" He murmurs, delirious. "And the puppies? Did you just forget about that?" His voice cracked, eyes too wet to even see. "You promised me Jungkook. What about your promise?"

The pink soldiers come in with the black coffin topped with a pink bow, and Jimin yelled in protest, holding onto Jungkook tighter. They walk up to him, to retrieve the body. Jimin's grief gives him irrational adrenaline and he does his best to fight them off.

"No!" Jimin kicks and swings his arms frantically, the other planted on Jungkook. "He's mine! I promised him! I promised I had him! I promised I'd put my broken angel back together! I promised, don't you understand!? He's counting on me!"

Two soldiers grab his arms, pulling, but he still fights. He kicks as they drag him, hitting one in the shin with his heel. The dress shoe does a lot of damage, and he's able to yank himself free as the injured guard cries out in pain.

He runs back to Jungkook, but more soldiers come out, once again dragging him, by both his arms and legs. His throat is in burning pain from his screeching protests, loud and sporadic and desperate. The metallic taste of iron hits his tongue, having screamed so hard his throat began to bleed.

Jimin watches as they open the black box. Two pink soldiers take Jungkook, by the hands and feet, and place him inside. They close the box, and it was then, that Jimin stopped fighting.

He was exhausted. Jungkook...Jungkook was gone. He couldn't fight anymore. Jungkook was dead. Jimin couldn't bring him back. He has known him for six days.

But he feels his entire world has shattered.

They continue to carry Jimin away. He feels like all the bones in his body were gone, he feels he'll never be able to stand. Nothing was okay anymore.

His entire life has been shitty. Since the beginning, who he was, how his father was, where he lived...He was given a terrible combination of cards, and it spiraled into worse things than he could imagine.

For the first time in his life, even in an environment such as this, there was hope in his life. The prize money started it, game him a spark...but it was Jungkook who fed the fires of future.

Jungkook had tried to teach Jimin there was good in the world. And Jimin did learn that there was...in Jungkook. But now the good is gone...there was no good left.

Tears continue to fall, but now quietly. Jimin doesn't know how to stop them. Where was Jungkook's body now? Was it being treated well? What about his soul? Was it safe? Was he happy?

Jimin doesn't know. And that makes things worse.

Jungkook is dead. The only person he's ever loved is dead.

What is he supposed to do?