𝗧 𝗜 𝗠 𝗘     𝗜 𝗡     𝗔     𝗕 𝗢 𝗧 𝗧 𝗟 𝗘

"WHERE'S MY MONEY, YU-NA?"

An ache rippled through the girl's spine - almost releasing a burning sensation — travelling upwards of the nerves beneath the layers of skin that connected to her brain. A matching pain rippled through the back of her head by the force of which her body had been pressed against the white-tiled walls of the train station. The grip around the collar of her tank top tightened as the man who had her pinned against the wall sensed her lack of seriousness given the situation she was in.

      Hyon Yu-na smiled despite the metallic taste on her tongue, her chest rumbling as she failed to hold back her laugh. She looked at the man who had her in his hands, and it was safe to say that she hardly felt threatened nor intimidated by a shorter man who stood on the tips of his toes to appear taller. His face was wrinkled — pushing his 50s — and his clothes were slightly ragged. Clearly not paying her debt left him unable to buy a new suit.

      Her laughing ceased as she leaned forward, towering over the man as a small stream of blood spilled from her nostril — trickling down until it met the cracks of her lips. "I already told you, idiots," Yu-na's gaze moved from the older man to the others who stood behind him like a shadow, "I don't have your money, okay?"

      It was now the man's turn to laugh as he jolted her back, forcing her head to hit against the tiles, and finally released his threatening grip. "You hear that, boys?" His hand found her shoulder again. "She doesn't have the money she's owed me for months."

      With a swing, his fist hit against where the two parts of Yu-na's ribcage met — knocking the wind out of her as she toppled over. The shadowing men laughed around her while her hand fought to cover the injured area. It hurt to laugh, but she did anyway. In their faces, her laugh echoed off the walls in the form of mostly air that her body couldn't catch up with.

      In the corner of her eye, she watched passer-by's stop for a moment at the scene but ultimately ignore the conflict. She knew it was best that none of them did anything to help her anyway — if anything, it would only make it worse.

      Through her eyelashes, her gaze fell on the man, "fuck you..."

      Just as she had begun to get ahold of her stray breathing, the heel of the man's boot embedded into her body. Her back hit the tiled wall again, the familiar burning ache returning as she slid down to meet the floor.

"You know... I wanted to have faith that you'd pay me back..." The man balanced himself on the heels of his feet as he lowered himself down to the floor to meet her level, "you were hard to find. I'll give you that. Thought maybe, just maybe, you'd been blessed with a miracle and fled the country... and yet," his arms spread wide as he looked around, "here you are. Without my money." His eyes travelled down her exposed arms, adorned in black, white and red ink as a snake ran down either arm, entwined with red spider lilies. "Though, I see you've used my money..."

Yu-na sighed as she gripped her ribcage in agony. She was stupid to have thought that she could run away from her debt in hopes that enough time would have passed for him to have just forgotten. In all honestly, she had nearly forgotten about it too. This wasn't the first time she had been pinned and held like this. Would it be pushing her luck if she tried her usual tricks?

"Look," Yu-na's teeth ground against each other, "just give me-"

"A day? Another week like we had agreed upon before you seemingly disappeared? Or better yet, another month?" He laughed in her face before rising from the floor. "Unfortunately I can't let you get away with it that easy again, Ms. Hyon. There's a high chance you might just go on the run for a second time."

She was left in a state of defeat, chest rising and falling at an uneven pace. Her gaze fell on the men around her all huddled in a group deciding what to do with her. Slithering her free hand down the length of her pants, she unhooked the button that closed off a pocket toward her thigh. Yu-na's thumb slid against the cooling metal of her "just in case of emergencies" blade.

She just needed to find the opportunity as she looked around to find her route of escape. Her train would be boarding any minute.

It was almost like her call for an opportunity had been heard, as the man opened up his palm to one of the others — exchanging a foreign metal object.

Yu-na's breath steadied as she pulled her own blade, flicking it open within a few seconds. Her eyes fell upon his denim covered leg as she surged forward. She lifted herself just far enough off of the floor to slash the back of his knee before making a break for it. His blood spilled through the material and coated the white floor. Her shoulder barged into one of the men that immediately ran to aid his "boss" of sorts. In reality, they all probably owed him some kind of debt and were just working to pay it off.

Her heart raced as she reunited with the general population of passerby's in the train station that all passed her a second glance due to the blood on her face — and tuning into the painful screams echoing from the way she had just come from with the evidence of the crime resting in a tight grip of her hands.

      "What are you idiots standing here for?" She heard the boss yell, "get her!"

      She whipped her head to look behind her, black hair hitting her in the face as a group of four men emerged out of the secluded area of the train station. They pointed a direct finger at her through the ground, "she's there!"

      "Shit," Yu-na whispered, slipping her blade back into the confinements of her pocket as she pushed through the public racing up the stairs.

      The cool breeze of the underground subway passed through her exposed and tattooed arms, making her feel a lot faster than she was. Unfortunately, she stood out like a sore thumb among everyone else as a result of her height — leaving her no option to just blend in with the crowd.

Her feet carried her fast down the steps toward the train's platform with a sense of urgency. Yu-na took the opportunity to look over her shoulder to watch as the men all followed in hot pursuit — skipping steps and shoving people out of the way to get to her. When she faced back to the steps, her shoulder caught onto someone holding their belongings.

Frozen in time and judgement of whether she should help, Yu-na paused as the woman shouted profanities up at her. In one quick scoop, she assisted the stranger, picking up stray bits of paper as she watched the men begin to catch her.

"Sorry!" Yu-na shoved the stack into the woman's chest, nearly knocking the woman back over. More profanities spilled from the woman as the taller girl met the end of the stairs.

Clutching her abdomen, Yu-na looked up at one of the nearby overhead screens until they moved around toward the current boarding train as the last person took their seat. She could make it, right? At least she had to try. The corner of her lip turned upward as she jumped on the balls of her feet — both a physical and mental prep to make it to the train.

She picked up the pace again, sensing the men were hot on her tail. Her eyes remained locked on the glass door of the train, watching as it slowly began to roll shut as the gap became increasingly smaller with each step she took. Her heart throbbed against its cage as she reached the door, slipping her tall and slim frame through the gap.

Yu-na stood still for a moment, her gaze falling on each individual on the train who looked up at her either in disapproval or confusion. After all, she didn't exactly look her best. She was battered and bruised, blood coating the outer corners of her lips and her nose. She couldn't blame them for their unwavering judgemental side eyes.

Once the door clicked, she sighed and turned on her heel to look beyond the glass as all four men began to hammer their fists against the glass. Their words travelled through, allowing the rest of the train to hear their profanities.

The heat of the situation finally caught up to her body, flowing through her face as her heart raced to match the pace of her breath. With a smile as the train began moving, Yu-na couldn't help the smile that made its way across her lips, flashing her slightly blood-covered teeth.

A cut on her dried lip split back open, tearing slightly from her smile as she tossed up her hand, showcasing her middle finger to the men who continued to furiously bang on the glass as they chased after the train.

The men passed by in a blur as Yu-na stumbled back, grabbing onto a nearby pole to steady herself. She looked manic, laughing to herself as she stood tall among the rest of the crowd.

Everyone in the area returned to their business at the bizarre interaction that they'd be able to go home and talk about over dinner whilst the dark-haired girl dragged a finger over her lip and nose, bringing it back into her sight as the red liquid seeped into the prints across her fingertips.

"Here," a small voice said followed by a gentle tap on the shoulder.

Yu-na turned, looking down at the smaller girl in the oversized jumper who fought to stand upright with a blank tissue in her hands. A dark cap covered her eyes, but her short black and blonde hair caught her eye. The unknown girl looked up, her eyes complimented by the piecing through her brow. She extended her hand up to Yu-na, offering the tissue as though she hadn't made it clear enough.

      Cute, Yu-na thought.

"Thanks," Yu-na smiled crookedly as she took the tissue from the small girl, wiping along her lips and nose until the tissue came back clear of blood. "Hey-" When she turned to pass her thanks once more, the girl was out of her sight. Sighing, she tucked the tissue into the pocket of her pants, looking out the window as she thought about her near escape.

She certainly wouldn't be catching this train back. They'd be waiting there for her until her return.

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       THE TRAIN CAME TO A HALT AND THE PEOPLE INSANE FLOODED OUT THROUGH THR DOORS AS YU-NA MINGLED HERSELF AMONG THE REST IF THEM. She preoccupied herself with looking at the stained blood through the cracks of her skin, not paying attention as she crashed into a man of similar height.

      "Hey, watch where you're-"

      A handsome, clean-faced, and well-dressed man stood in front of her, a smile spread across his face as they remained at eye level. In his hands was a briefcase. His gaze was almost unsettling to Yu-na with his differently sized eyes, as was his awkward and uneven smile. "Could I interest you in a game?"

      Yu-na turned her head around, looking at all of the passerby's who seemed more interested in their next destination. She turned back and smiled at the man, "look, you're not my type-"

      He laid his palm flat and rested the briefcase against his hand, opening it with the other to reveal stacks of won in separate sections dedicated to their amount, and two simply folded bits of paper for a game of ddakji. Her eyes widened. If she wasn't already fighting against her soon-to-be bruised ribcage, she would have taken the briefcase and ran. But, there was something off about the man.

"You have played ddakji before, yes?" He asked, that smile still on his face.

Yu-na's eyes lingered on the money, "I have... why does that matter? What's in it for me, huh?" Her eyes returned to the man as she crossed her arms over her chest.

He pulled the two folded pieces of paper out from the case as the train's platform cleared and became empty. Setting down the briefcase by his feet, he offered either red or blue to her in his opened palms, "I want you to play a few rounds with me, and each time you win, I will pay you one hundred thousand won."

Skeptical, her eyes roamed his face for any sign of a scam. Yet, that smile remained. She knew he had the money, so it was less likely to be the scam that she thought it would be. Yu-na knew she had never been the best at ddakji despite her expertise in other children's games, but she was sure she could at least flip the man's ddakji over before she had to rush to where she needed to be. Considering her luck with the train, she just hoped it hadn't run out.

"But," he continued as Yu-na reached for the red paper, "each time I win, you must give me the same amount."

Yu-na retracted her hand at the sudden clause. It wasn't necessarily a scam, but rather a game to please this man considering all the money he already had in his case. Did he seriously need any more? She wasn't one for gambling, but, she did enjoy taking risks.

Tucking her lip between her teeth, Yu-na thought for a moment. It wasn't every day that such an opportunity came along. If anything, she could just play dumb after losing and promise to pay the man back before running away like she always did. Most debt collectors she had dealt with weren't the brightest.

"Fine," Yu-na plucked the red ddakji from the man's hand, "but you better hand that money over when I beat you."

She played into her confidence in hopes that maybe it would boost her ability to play. He allowed her to go first, placing his on the floor of the train station as he stood back to admire the girl who indulged herself in his game.

Her lips pressed against the red paper in her hands, offering it a lucky kiss before throwing it toward the one on the floor with no proper technique. Suddenly, it felt as though the harsh blow she suffered half an hour ago hadn't been the hardest hit she took. The blue ddakji on the floor remained in its original place. She knew it was stupid to have played this game.

Yu-na looked up from the ddakji pieces and ran her hand through her hair. The man in the suit seemed confident, and she cursed herself. He was probably sick and got off on the fact he was experienced at ddakji, therefore getting others further in debt than they already were.

The man simply brushed his black jacket, picking up the blue ddakji from the floor before tossing it toward hers. Yu-na cursed even further as the sound of success echoed off of the walls. The red ddakji flipped.

"Damn it..." Yu-na whispered. It was okay though. She could just play another round, get it first try, and reset her debt back to zero before leaving.

"Let me assume..." the man started, stepping closer to Yu-na as he invaded her personal space, "you don't have enough money to pay me, do you?"

Looking through her lashes at the man, Yu-na calmly dug through her pockets, she did have some money to pay him back... but she needed it. So, her hand rested on the cool metal of the blade.

Due to her lack of response, the man continued, "well... that's alright. You can pay me with your body instead."

      Yu-na took several steps back as the man pulled back his sleeve, her hand tightening on the blade in her pocket, "I already told you, you're not my-"

      Slap.

      Her left cheek stung as the hit echoed through the empty halls of the subway station, her ear ringing as her hand found the burn against her cheek. Even when she looked up, the man continued to smile while adjusting his suit once more. It certainly felt personal in some way.

      Yu-na's teeth ground against one another as she moved her jaw around — now fired up. "The hell was that for?"

      "If I win, your payment is a single slap each time," the man informed her, raising his hand in demonstration despite it already being evident across her face, "but if you win, one hundred thousand won is all for you to keep."

      She was kicking herself, deciding whether or not she should continue playing. The man's smile almost mocked her, pushing her to make irrational decisions. She picked up the red ddakji and threw it with force towards the blue one. And yet, with such anger in her throw, it refused to budge.

      Loss after loss, and slap after slap, Hyon Yu-na's face had grown red and splotchy on one side from each hit. She was convinced this game had been rigged from the start — perhaps the man banked on people choosing red and therefore the blue was weighed down by something. She was all too familiar with gambling — the house always won.

      After each hit she suffered, a few causing a small pain through her lip ring from when he had accidentally it on occasion, she had begun to question whether any of this was worth it for just one hundred thousand won. But, just as those questions began to flood her anger-clouded mind, his ddakji flipped.

      Yu-na looked at the red and blue pieces before jumping around, pointing a finger in the suited man's face, "I beat you!" Despite how much her face stung on the left side, she still managed to showcase her crooked smile. She allowed a hand to run through her fringe, pushing her hair back as she watched the man retrieve the money she had earned.

      Two singular notes found themselves in the comfort of her palm, and she finally realised it wasn't really worth it.

      "Thank you for playing, Yu-na."

      Her blood chilled, her smile dropping as her hand fell from her hair, forcing her fringe to cling back to her sweat-covered forehead. His face was, yet again, riddled with that same annoying amusement and the same antagonising smile. "You know my name? What... are you buddies with those guys after me, huh?"

      He stood tall and at eye-level with Yu-na as he closed the briefcase, shutting it tight, "you are Hyon Yu-na, millions in debt, nearly a billion. Tired of running from your debt when there's nothing you can do about it?" His smile remained as his eyes roamed her numerous injuries despite his own inflicted ones. "Or, perhaps, there is?"

      His hand found his pocket before offering her a small business card — brown with a few shapes on one side, "the hell's this for?"

      "You can solve all of your debt issues with just a press of the button," he smiled, straightening his jacket as he steadied the briefcase in his hand, "limited opportunity. Best not to ruin your chances."

      By the time Yu-na looked up from the business card, the man had already started walking down the emptied halls of the train station. The heels of his clean and professional shoes hit the floor as she watched him walk away. She still had many questions, but if he was anything like her, he'd be hard to find again.

      The card flipped between her fingers smoothly as she contemplated the offer. But, upon looking at the time, she simply slipped the card into one of her pockets.

      She'd need some time to think about it.

──★ ˙ ̟. A U T H O R S   N O T E

╰┈➤ so i'm only really going to be writing shorter chapters for this fic compared to my usual 5k words just so that way i don't get burnt out 😭 so please forgive me — it just works out better for my mental and also y'all so i'm at least somewhat consistent.

╰┈➤ pls ignore any mistakes, ill read over it again tomorrow !! <3

★ vote 💬 comment — etc. <3