Judging by how people were after the first game, it was easy to tell that not many of them wanted to stay. But the outside world wasn't any better. As soon as we returned back the sleeping area, I went to the bathroom, Sae Byeok followed me and helped clean the blood off of me. After that we entered the main room again. I wrapped my arms around her and put my head on her shoulder. I'm pretty sure that everyone was afraid to do anything. I wonder what they were going to do with all the bodies.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked me, we were sat on the ground because we didn't want to stand.

"Nothing." I said to her.

"I know when you're thinking about something, so tell me." She said to me, there was no point in lying. She would catch me out if I was.

"It's just, I wonder what they do with the bodies." I said to her she but a finger under my chin and moved my head to look at her.

"You don't need to think of that. Do you know why?" She asked me, I didn't answer. "Because we're both still here." She said to me. That was true for now. Who knows what might happen. The alarm then went off and we both started to stand up.

"You have all made it through the first game. Congratulations. You're moving on. I will now announce the results of the first game." The masked man said before the player count went down to 201. "Out of 456 players, 255 were eliminated, and 201 players successfully completed the first game." He said to us.

"That's a lot of dead bodies." I said in a whisper but I take it that Sae byeok heard. Instead of saying anything she just took my hand and held it.

"Mister, please. Listen. I'm so sorry. I swear I will pay what I owe. I'll do it, I'll pay it all. Please, sir. I have a child. Oh! So young, I need to register, and I still need to name my child, sir." A woman said while crying, I wasn't to bothered whether I stayed or not. "Please sir, let me leave." She said to him.

"Please. I'm so sorry. Sir, I'm begging you. Let me leave and I swear I'll find a way to pay it all. Let me go home." Another woman said to them.

"Me too. I can't keep going. Sir, please, I can't go on." Another woman said, soon people started begging over the top of each other.

"Please let me go home." A man said, I would rather stay here then go home.

"There seems to be a misunderstanding. We are not trying to hurt you or collect your debts. Let me remind you that we're here to give you a chance." The square masked man said, but they were killing us. So doesn't that technically mean they were hurting us.

"A chance? We play some kids games. And you shoot us. You want me to choose that? That's some chance." A man shouted. But wouldn't it be better than be shot rather than having to pay our debts.

"We may be in debt, sir...but that doesn't justify killing us all." A man said while crying. We technically signed our lives away so I don't understand why people were complaining.

"This is just a game." The masked figure told us, wasn't it games because we had to do multiple.

"Killing everyone out there was a...game to you, huh?" The guy from before asked, it was a sick game I'll say that.

"They were simply eliminated for breaking the rules of the game. If you just follow the rules, you will leave this place safely with the prize money we promised." The square man said, I wonder why the triangle guys didn't speak.

"Just keep your damn money. I don't care! Let me just go home. That's all I want." One man shouted. Everyone started talking over each other.

"Let us leave. Let's us go." I heard someone say.

"Consent form clause 1. A player is not allowed to stop playing." The masked figure said to us.

"Come on! You think you'll get away with this, huh? The police will come. They'll bust in here any minute now. They'll be here since we all disappeared." One guy started saying, I doubt we'd been reported missing.

"Yeah. And I bet they have everybody's phones tracked her already. Look at all your hostages. You're doomed if you don't let us go!" Another man shouted.

"We're all dead!" A guy yelled, we then heard a gunshot. We all got down, except I knew that bullet didn't shoot anyone.

"Consent form clause 2. A player who refuses to play will be eliminated." The masked man said, I looked at saw that all the guns were pointed at us.

"Consent form clause 3. If all the players agreed to stop playing, the games are allowed to end. Or am I wrong?" 218 asked them, he was right.

"You are correct." The masked man said to us.

"So let's vote on ending this. If the majority wishes to leave this place, then everyone gets to go home, right?" 218 asked, I was hoping the majority would want to stay.

"All right, as you wish. We will take a vote to decide on the termination of all the game." The masked man said to us, people started getting back up again. "Before we vote, let me announce the prize money for the game as previously promised." He added before clicking the button, the lights went out and money started going into the piggy bank. I then stood up and watched it all go in. After a while all the money stopped going in. "A total of 255 players were eliminated during the first game. A hundred million won is at stake per player.  Therefore, 25.5 billion won of prize money has been accumulated so far. If you wish to give up on playing, the 25.5 billion won will be sent to the bereaved families of the late players, 100 million won each. However, you will all return home empty-handed." He said to us, that would surely change people's decisions now.

"Uh, sir...so then, if can complete all six games, how much do we get?" The first woman the begged asked.

"Since there were 456 players, the total prize money is 45.6 billion won. And with that, we will now begin the voting." He said to us, they then started setting up everything. "As you can see, there are two buttons in front of you. If you wish to continue playing, press the green button with an O. If you wish to stop playing, then please press the red button with the X instead. After you finish voting, move to the other side of the white line and wait. Voting will be done in reverse order of the numbers on your chests. Player 456, please cast your vote." The masked man said explaining it to us. 456, went to the front and pressed the X.

"What are you voting for?" Sae Byeok asked me.

"I'm voting to stay. That way if we both win, we can use the money together." I said to her with a smile.

"As long as you stay, I'll stay." She said to me. "We can help our families stay safe with that money." She said to me making me nod.

"Player 453, please cast your vote." The masked man said, we waited for her to decide. When she did she pressed 'O'. We all waited for our turn to happen. Who knew how long this would take. "Player 218." He said, I would be next.  He decided to stay, making the vote 51:50. "Player 217." He said, I let go of Sae byeok's hand and went to place my vote on 'O'. I then joined the other side.

"Have you all gone crazy? We have to leave. We can't keep putting up with this insanity." A guy from the other side shouted.

"So what if we leave? Tell me, what changes? Just as bad out there as it is in here, goddamn it." A woman said, I agreed with her.

"She's right! If we stop right now, that only helps the ones who are dead. They'll get a 100 million won and not us. We made I through! They're out! That money is ours." Another guy shouted.

"Their right! We could use this money to help ourselves and our families. They can't use their 100 million won because their dead. We might as well try and win to help ourselves." I said to them all, did I sound a little selfish. Because I didn't mean to be.

"Please! Think about what just happened out there. Come on, let's go!" Another guy said to us, it couldn't get worse then that.

"Where am I supposed to go, huh? Out there, I don't stand chance. I do in here. No, I've got nothing out there. Come on, let's finish this thing! I'd rather stay and keep on trying in here than go back to the bullshit out there." The guy in front of me said, a guy then took him by the jacket.

"You jerk! You got some kind of death wish? Go die alone! Don't drag everybody else into this, you little shit! What the hell are you doing?" He shouted at him, one of the masked men came over to him and put a gun to his neck.

"What the hell are you doing?" The guy in front of me asked him.

"Who are you- -" The guy was about to ask until he felt the gun on him. The both then gasped.

"We will not condone any kind of act that impedes this democratic process. Now, let us resume and continue voting." The manager said to us, I was just waiting for Sae byeok, when she joined me I immediately linked our arms together. "It seems we're down to the last vote. Player 1." He said. It was currently at '100:100' player 1 had the deciding vote. He started walking forwards to the buttons. "If you wish to continue playing, press O. However, if you wish to stop playing, then press X." He said repeating the rule. The suspense was killing me. But the vote went to leaving. I looked at Sae byeok.

"No, this means that we're..." I started before looking down.

"I'll find you, I won't stop looking." She said to me, I would try as well.

"I can't be separated from you again." I said to her.

"The majority of the players have voted to terminate the game. Therefore, this game is now terminated." The manager said to us, why couldn't the remaining 100 of us play.

"Hey! Okay, anybody who wants, they can go. But let the ones who want, stay till the end, though. Half of us has died already! We can't just stop here!" A man said, he was right with what he was saying.

"He's right! Please let us stay! We'll keep playing the game!" 212 shouted.

"Yes! Let us continue!" Another man shouted.

"It truly is a pity that we must say goodbye to you like this. However, we will not completely seal the door of opportunity for all of you. If the majority of you wish to participate again, then we will resume the game. So, goodbye for now." He said to us before bowing. I turned to face Sae byeok. We both hugged each other.

"Before we go, I want to do something that I never got to do before you left the first time." She said to me, I looked up at her.

"What is- -" I was about to ask before she cut me off with a short but sweet kiss. We really didn't care who was looking. Soon after that the knocked us all out again and dumped us on the side of the road. I heard bags hit the ground beside me.

"Oh, help! Help! Hello!" A man shouted. My bare skin was touching the cold hard ground. All I could tell was that I was in a bra and underwear but that was it. "Help over here! I can't see anything!" I heard a guy shout. I managed to work my blindfold off but my hands and feet were still bound together.

"Will you shut up?" I heard Sae byeok say. We weren't separated.

"Please shut up, I have a headache." I said, I truly did. It started since hitting the ground.

"Huh?" He asked before panting.

"Who are you both? The pickpocket? You're the thief. And you're her girlfriend?" He asked us while panting, I managed to feel behind me and take off Sae byeok's blindfold.

"Oh, shut up." She said to him.

"Is that you both, huh?" He asked us.

"Please be quiet." I said to him annoyedly.

"You plan on lying here all night? Come on now. Untie me, you moron." She said to me, I knew once she was free, she would help me.

"Huh?" He asked her, I take it he then got her free. "Hang on." He said to her. She then untied her feet before she untied me. Not gonna lie I blushed a little when I saw her in her underwear.  "Oh shit, where are we?" He asked us. Sae byeok helped me and we both got dressed. "Hey. Untie me now. Hey! What are you...oh, okay. Get dressed first. It's cold. It's freezing too. Oh! Oh, yeah. Hurry up now. Oh, that hurts. Hey. Hey, stop. Come on, it's my turn now. Huh? Hey!" He shouted before we started walking away hand in hand. "Wait! Wait. What are you doing? You gotta untie me." He said making us both turn around.

"Yeah, why is that?" She asked him, let's just help him so he will shut up.

"I just helped you so you could help your girlfriend. What the hell?" He said making Sae byeok scoff.

"Now aren't you a little old to be this clueless? I help untie you, then you're just gonna hassle me for your cash again." She said making me smile, I knew that would happen but we could easily ignore him.

"Of course, I'm gonna hassle you." He said before we turned round. "Okay, fine. Forget the money, okay? Untie me, I beg you." He said to us, we both looked at each other.

"Just help him, we can leave afterwards." I said to her.

"Seriously?" She asked him.

"Yeah. I swear I'll forget the whole thing." He said to her, I didn't believe him.

"How can we trust you?" She asked him.

"I swear it on my...on my own mother, okay? Pretty please. Oh, it's freezing. Goddamn it! That hurts. Shit." He said to us.

"Please just help him." I said to her.

"Fine but I'm only cutting his hands free." She whispered to me before walking over to him. She used her switchblade to cut his hands loose.

"Hey, you little...come here. Get back here. My money...give it back. Give it back now! Give it back! Give me my money! Give it back! Ow! Oh, shit. Give me back the money." He said while hopping towards her as she was making her own way back to me. After a bit of struggle he went back on the ground.

"That's all your mother means to you." She said to him.

"She must be so ashamed." I said before we both started walking away hand in hand.

"You little...hold on, you stop right there. Hey!" He shouted as we walked away. I put my head on her shoulder.

"How is your mother?" She asked me as we were walking.

"I don't know, dad and I were separated from her and Gyeong. But the last we heard, they made it to the USA." I said to her I hated. It being able to see my little sister. "How is your mom?" I asked hesitantly.

"I don't know. It's just Cheol and I." She said to me.

"Well, my place is close to here. You can stay with me tonight. Dad works night jobs and doesn't get him until the late morning." I said to her with a smile.

"You mean it?" She asked me, of course I did.

"Yes, I want to make up for lost time. And you can also wear some of my clothes if you want." I said to her as we stopped to look at each other.

"You know I would love that." She said to me with a smile. We then started walking to the rundown apartment building. By the time we got to the apartment we were both exhausted. So we headed to bed. I pressed my body against hers because I felt safer. She then put her arm around me.

"Sae byeok." I said to her before closing my eyes.

"Yes, Haneul?" She asked me.

"I love you." I said to her, I felt her kiss the side of my neck.

"I love you as well." She said making me smile. We then fell asleep, it was the best sleep that I'd had in a while. When it got to morning I turned around in her grip, I saw that she was still sleeping. She looked like an angel as she slept. I managed to get out of her grasp and I changed and brushed my hair. Afterwards I picked out some clothes that she could wear. She was still asleep even after that she was still sleeping. I decided to make some breakfast. Halfway through I felt someone back her.

"Look who's finally awake." I said with a smile.

"I was tired. That was the first time I'd slept in a comfortable bed in a while." She said to me making me smile.

"That was the first time I ever felt safe." I said to her, after we ate we hit the road. She wanted to see her brother. We decided it might be nice if he saw me as well. Especially since he looked up to the two of us. When it came to nightfall. We slept where she sleeps. But as soon as it got to the morning we went to the kids home that Cheol was at.

"Hey, I got ice cream, everyone." The worker said to the kids, I kinda wanted one but I knew that they weren't for me. Sae byeok offered her brother the ice cream but he didn't take it.

"What? No ice cream for you, little man?" She asked him, if he didn't want it. I will happily eat it. "How did you get your face like that? Did you get into a fight?" She asked him, but nothing.

"If you did, feel free to tell me who it was and I'll happily talk with them." I said with a smile.

"If you're not gonna talk to us, I guess we'll just go." She said to him, we waited a second before going to stand up. She handed me the ice cream and I smiled.

"Wait. I don't wanna stay here, okay? Where's Mom? You said she would come soon. You told me that we'd be together, that I just had to wait a month." He said to her, she sat back next to him.

"Cheol. Listen- -" She started.

"All the kids told me you lied. They said I'd never leave and...they said I'd get abandoned here." He said, Sae byeok then hugged him. I sat the other side of him and hugged him as we.

"They're wrong. And mom and dad will be here soon. I swear, okay? I'll make sure that they do. Don't worry. Listen, we'll all live under the same roof next year, okay? I'm your big sis. I always keep my word, don't I?" She said making him nod, he hugged her again. And he went to join the other kids. But first I handed him an ice cream.

"I love your brother." I said to her as we walked away.

"I know you do, which is why I know that if I get eliminated, you would look after him." She said to me, I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Don't say that. You know I can't live without you." I said playfully hitting her arm.

"And you won't have to go through that again." She said to me, we started walking to the place that helped people like us over here. Mainly because she needed to speak with the guy.

"Southern Men, Northern Women." The sign said.

"I'
"I'll wait for you out here." I said to her with a nod.

"I'll be as quick as I can." She said to me, it wouldn't bother me if it took a whole day. I just wanted her to know where her parents were. When she came back out, something seemed off.

"What happened in there?" I asked her, wanting to know why her mood had changed.

"They lost my money." She said me.

"What kind of an asshole does that?" I said annoyedly, it takes an idiot to lose someone's money. We stayed together for the rest of the day. Before I had to head home. Luckily where she was staying it was a 20 minute walk. Who would've thought that we were so close together all this time. I saw a business card on the door. The exact same one as before.

'Time: Midnight, June 23
Place: Same as previous'

Looks like all I had to do was wait now, when I entered the apartment I saw dad in there. "Where have you been?" He asked me worriedly.

"I saw Sae byeok, I've been with her all this time. I'm sorry." I said to him with a smile.

"Sae byeok's here. Does that mean that Cheol and her parents are here as well?" He asked me, I looked down.

"Cheol's here but her parents are. Her mom is stuck in the North and her dad died." I said to him while looking down.

"Poor girl, she can always stay here with us." He said to me with a smile.

"She stayed her two nights ago while you were at work." I said to him with a smile. The days leading up to the 23rd were spent as me earning as much won as possible for dad to live off of while meeting up with Sae byeok whenever I was free. When it got to Midnight I'm the 23rd, I waited where I did before. I saw headlights approaching. This must've been it. I waited for them to open the doors, when I entered the vehicle I sat in the middle before being gassed out again. It was time to enter the game again.