"I'M SORRY, SIR, BUT THEY ARE GONE."

Her father had crashed in the living room, throwing furniture around, groaning as an animal who was shot by a hunter. He wouldn't listen, he wouldn't speak, he wouldn't accept.

It happened too fast, the goodbye, the bullet, the news, the funeral, and when Tae-Ri realized, two coffins were buying buried right in front of her as she held tight to her father's hand.

The funeral event was canceled. None of them could have the effort to face fake apologies for their loss, no one knew their loss, no one cared.

No one mourns for a loved one as those who were abandoned, no one would understand how their own soul was ripped when in that single day their lives were changed.

So there she was, upstairs, listening as her father destroyed the living room, sobbing his eyes out until there was no water in his body anymore. It was violent, melancholic and most of all passionate.

Never, in her years, Tae-Ri expected to see a love story as her parents, and never she expected it to end that way.

She also couldn't look at her brother's room, 5 years. She only got 5 years with him, she would've give her life in exchange for him to grow in her place.

Attempting to go downstairs to spot her broken father was a challenge, indeed, but one she would try. Foot after foot, all the way down we go.

"Dad?" Her voice sounded like a whisper.

Soft cries as a baby echoed as she got closer, touching his back as he was curled up against a wall, hugging his legs.

"Dad-"

"She should've buried me." He mumbled, almost unable to speak. "It should've been me. Not her, not Mi-Sun...not my Mi-Sun..."

Tae-Ri sat next to her father, watching the spirals of their dark thoughts consume their minds with nostalgia and grief. That was a lovely, noble way to die, drown in their melancholia, soberly awake but never alive.

"My boy...my baby boy..."He whimpered, face scrunching and trembling. "His first words were papa...I held him in my arms..." He gestured. "and i now i put him in a box...under the ground..." His eyes were widen and vivid, stuck in a void. "Do-yun..." He called, almost stuck in a trance. "Do-yun...?" He rest his head on her daughter's shoulder, sobbing again. "I'm sorry Tae-Ri." He finally spoke to her. "I'm sorry I can't be strong for you."

She watched her father's tears roll down his cheeks, the house consumed by the morbid silence, as she observed her brother's toys still scattered on the living room just where he left them two days ago. She promised him they'd play after he got home with mom.

She swallowed down the tears, as a solid wall her father sobbed on. "It's okay dad. It's okay...just let it out." She tapped his back, as he continuously poured his soul out. She faced the ceiling, closing her eyes, hesd resting on the wall as she could feel life's shift embrace her. "I'll be strong for both of us."

...

There was a hand holding onto hers when she woke up. Wrinkled and calloused, holding so tight it could almost break hers apart. Shapes and sizes were once again gaining color as she stared back at a white ceiling, listening to beeping noises.

Almost asleep in a chair next to hers, was her father, his head lowered tired then raised again, in a repeating process. She felt her body in a bed, the sheets smelled like medicine, felt like plastic, snd the room was purely white as she realized.

"Did I die?" Tae-Ri mumbled.

Her father startled himself from his sleep, rushing at her, with a glad smile. "Oh thank God, you're awake!" He hugged her tightly, almost breaking apart the hospital equipment. "Sunshine! You scared me!"

"I think I'm alive" She gasped for air as he finally pulled away, he was pretty strong sometimes. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?" He looked at her surprised as he sat down, holding her hand with caring. "That kind officer brought you here, you fainted at the street!"

"Kind...officer?" Tae-Ri put the pieces together.

The dog, the fine, the officer. It was all coming back together like a tsunami, she felt embarrassment grow in her cheeks, heated and pink, as she looked back at her father.

"Quick dad, is he still -"

"Mr.Song I brought you some coffee.." The last person she wished to see showed up at the door, holding two cups of coffee in his hands, with a smile on his face until he saw her. "You're awake." He looked surprised.

"I...am..."She mumbled in shock. Why the hell was he still there?! "I'm...I'm sorry I didn't want to cause any trouble."

"It's my duty to help citizens." He said, back with that confident tone again. as he handed her father the coffee. "I'll call the doctor."

He exited the room that now smelled like the drink, Tae-Ri sighed, resting her head back annoyed, while her father stared at her with...oh, no.

"No." She snapped back.

"What?" He had that grin on his face. He knows that grin since she got her first boyfriend.

"You have that face."

"I don't know what you're talking about." He sipped some coffee, pretending to mind his bussiness.

"That face you make whenever you think you found the perfect match for me." She complained. "Forget it."

"Just because I think that is a very kind man who brought you here and seems clearly interested in you, does not mean I think you should be with him."

"Oh, great." She relaxed.

"But in case you want to know, I asked and he is single."

"Dad!" Tae-Ri groaned, sinking her face in her hands.

The door opened again, as lab coated woman came, she had a sweet smile, glasses on her eyes, and a file in her hands able to change her lives. Jun-Ho wasn't with her.

"Hello, Miss Song?" The doctor called. "I'm doctor Shin Hana." She introduced herself. "I'm here to explain to you your current condition."

"Ah, thank you doctor." Son Jong-Su, rapidly greeted. "So, what my daughter has?"

The doctor paused for a moment, almost as if she was thinking wisely of what to say. "I'm sure it's nothing." Tae-Ri tried to laugh, and not worry her father. "Isn't that right doctor? The flu? Or just a headache?"

"You have chronic symptons of Systemic lupus erythematosus." The room fell in silence. "Also known as Lupus..."

"What?" Tae-Ri looked at her in shock.

"Is it concerning doctor?" Her father asked right away. "Does it have a cure?"

"Lupus can be treated, but not cured. It's desease you will have to learn to live with and manage." The doctor explained carefully, with details. "It causes the body's immune system to attack healthy cells and tissues, leading to inflammation and damage" She showed Tae-Ri's some paper with information, including what she has been feeling the past weeks. "You are starting to show rashes on your cheeks" She pointed to the pink in her skin. "Also, according to your father, you've been complaining about headaches, fatigues, and coughs..."

"That...that has to be mistaken..."Tae-Ri could barely believe her own eyes, her heartbeat speeded, never in her life she has felt so scared. "...but I fainted-"

"Stress and anxiety can also increase lupus symptons, which can lead to fainting." The doctor simplified. "I suggest you to begin your treatment immediatly, if you follow medical recommendations and begin a healthy lifestyle, your life will be less aggravated and without complications-"

"Yes, of course doctor." Her father promtply nodded. "We will do as you recommend. Anything so Tae-Ri feels better, right dear?"

But Tae-Ri's mind turned a hurricane. She asked for a job, not to be sick. She couldn't afford being in a bed or taking meds. She didn't chose that life, she didn't want any of this.

"H-How much would that be?" Were Tae-Ri's only words.

"Tae-Ri don't be rude-" Her father tried to speak.

"I will be honest, the medications are far from cheap, but also necessary for your recovery" Doctor Shin continued. "If you don't treat Lupus, it can cause inumerous health problems, such as kidney, heart, brain and central nerves damages" At each word Tae-Ri's father seemed more nervous. "Other complications include inflammation of the blood vessels and the tissue surrounding the lungs, bone weakness, anemia, high blood pressure or blood clots, osteoporosis..."

So many complicated words, so much to do in so little time. It took days for her life to twist, to turn into this mess it became. The more they talked, the more Tae-Ri faded away from the situation, taking herself to warm beaches in her mind, sunsets and birds flying in the sky, so free, so beautiful.

Life could be beautiful, but not to people like her.

She heard numbers after she left the room, many zeros, many spaces, many pills to take, many things to change, all inevitable and out of reach. This is a well known decease, you will get through this, or, be positive, all you need is to focus on your treatment!

In that moment, all Tae-Ri could focus was on her father at the kitchen table, notebook in his hands and a pen, calculating the prices to make it all work.

"Dad."

"Just wait a minute sunshine, I think I found the solution-"

"Dad, we can't afford it." She tried to speak.

"Shh, we will deal with this, calm down." He was wearing the reading glasses, the matter was serious. "We can reduce some spendings-"

"Dad I don't evem have a job, wake up." She said a bit more fiercely, making him stop writing.

Son Jong-Su was an honourable man, he respected and loved his family, lived for them, and at that moment all he had was his daughter. If he couldn't help her, what was he worth for? An old dusty book on a shelf that nobody would read? A broken toy a child once had forgotten?

He couldn't even look her in the eyes, pursing his lips in agony. Someone had cursed him, there was no other answer, it was too much disgrace upon a single man, more pain than a normal person could take.

"Dad..."Tae-Ri noticed her father's sadness, appraching him with a hand on his shoulder. "I...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be mean-"

"You deserved better." He lamented, looking down at the inumerous calculations, none of them answered his prayers. "A better house, a better job, a better father." He sighed, feeling his lungs ache with sadness. "I can't lose you too, sunshine." He looked up, eyes watery and filled with a past grief he could never erase.

"Dad I'm not dying... don't say that."

"You heard the doctor, it can get worse." He looked at her anxious, shaking his hands in the air. "You fainted in the street today, God knows what else might happen and I...I..."He gulped. "I won't be able to help you."

"Today was an atipical day, it can take years for me to get worse." She tried to tranquilize him, but didn't seem to work out.

"I'm useless." He mumbled, as the tears rolled down, burying his head on his hands. "I couldn't protect my wife, my son...and now my daughter...oh, God..." He sobbed.

"Dad...don't say that." She hugged him, as his tears soaked her shirt. "I'll be fine. I'll take care of this, I promise." Tae-Ri tooo the weight upon her shoulders again. "I promise"

But that was something she couldn't promise, after all, none of us know when the show ends and the curtains close.

But Tae-Ri was willing to bring on the second act to that spectacle.

...

Ignoring her father's demands to stay in bend, Son Tae-Ri wandered the streets once again, head up high, looking for a job. Spreading smiles even  when rejected, humble and sincere, always prompt to help.

The decease could take her health away, but not who she was. That was something her mother would say, or at least what she thought, and she prefered to follow that advice.

It was close to the same avenue again when she spot them, kneeling on the ground, petting the short fur. The annoying cop and the dog again.

"Now I get it, you're a scammer." She teased, as the traffic cop immediatly jumped, standing up and trying to keep a straight face. "You're the owner and tried to penalize me."

Jun-ho chuckled at the vision of that woman again, even the world seemed more bright when she spot her. "Looks like someone escaped from the hospital." He joked. "Are you ready to pay the 200,000 won?"

"In your dreams." She rolled her eyes, and by now he wouldn't even insist on the matter. "Thanks again, for yesterday." Tae-Ri now mentioned it sincerely. "You really did a good job, officer."

Jun-Ho only smiled in return, that glistening smile like a model. Single, her father said, funny, there must've been some problem with him. Single people so pretty had to have one, high standards, cheating compulsion, or simply non desire to be in a relationship.

Tae-Ri was an extra option, too fucked up to be chosen or wish to be chosen.

But in front of a guy like that, a girl could only dream what it was to be hold or cherished by someone like that, funny.

"So...are you feeling better?" He asked, and didn't seem like that obligatory question, but something actually genuine.

Tae-Ri shrugged, sitting down at a bench as the dog rest his head on her knee again. "Better is...a complicated term. I'd say I'm...aware."

Jun-Ho sat down by her side, curious. "Aware of...?"

She sighed. "Lupus."

A small gasp, almost impossible to be heard escaped his lips. "I'm...very sorry...but it can be treated, right?"

"If you're rich, yeah." She smiled bitterly, as he looked down frustrated. "It's the disease of the celebrities, I heard."

He shook his head, as their hands met while resting on the dog's head, the silent fluffy listener unaware of the cruelties of the world. People laughed in parks, talked on the sidewalks, bpught without worrying so much.

And there were them again.

"Sorry, you're busy with your work and I'm here spilling out all my miserable problems." She shook her head ashamed.

"No, it's alright, really" He reassured. "I know how hard an ilness can be...and how it affects everyone around..."He nodded. "My brother's wife...she died, and it changed him, all of us."

As he said that, his eyes trailed back to the sky, almosy like a movie passed through his mind, the mouth a straight line. Looks like the cute cop wasn't just a cop.

"All I want is for my father to be okay." Tae-Ri said. "He suffered too much already with my mother and my brother...I wouldn't forgive myself for making him depressed again"

"It's not like you can help it-"

"But I can keep it to myself." She looked at him confidently. "If...if I die I don't want people crying over me, I want...I want laugh, joy, music...!" She gestured grandiously, imagining the scenario. "I want to be pictured as a bright summer day, not as a grey winter, you know?"

Jun-ho seemed to be lost, admiring a hopeless woman put herself in last as her hair shaked to the breeze, her sad smile so tragically beautiful it could make anyone's heart speed.

"I get it." He muttered, still hipnotized.

The conversation faded, and he still kept wondering when was the best time to say it, to admit it, but nothing felt right. Not now, when she was so vulnerable, so worried over the future. He couldn't do that to that woman.

Jun-ho knew how to wait, and he could wait, for a woman like that he could wait a hundred years.

"Oh, look at the time." She took a glimpse of her phone. "I need to go home and prepare lunch." She stood up, looking back at the officer. "Have you had lunch yet?" She asked, unaware of  that courageous act that cane over her. "You could...have lunch with us, ut's the least I could fo after what you did for me."

That was all he wished in the world, but Jun-ho knew better than to respect her boundaries at that moment and continue later in a small and slow approach.

"I did. But thank you." He nodded, as the dog stood by side, mocking him with gentle eyes. "Have a good day!"

Tae-Ri chuckled. "You too!"

What was she laughing at? He wondered, and just then realized, pee all over his boots. Oh great, good dog.

He raised from the seat, bitter smile on his face, as the dog stared back innocently. "Helped me make a great impression, thanks a lot." He rolled his eyes, hands burying in hus pockets before gripping onto a piece of paper.

Took it in his hands, visualizing it better, an average fine valued in 200,000 won, except from the phone number written in the back, with the following "can I take you out on a date tonight?" on it.

She hadn't read it all, well, maybe another time.

If he ever had the chance.

...

Home was slightly strange. Tae-Ri's father had a side of his face slightly red when he sat down to eat that afternoon, and only disguised it as 'slept too much on only one side in bed'. His shoes and coat were still in the mudroom, indicating he had left that morning, and to her surprise, he didn't speak a word about her condition today.

In fact, he was mostly spacing out, thinking, which concerned her. What could've happened? Did he get mad?

She walked straight to the mudroom, observibg the coat and burying her hand in his right suit's pocket in search for any hint, until she found it.

A broen card with geometrical symbols and a phone number. Not any number, but 456-034. What could that be? Some bussiness, oh my God, what if he was going out with a woman?

No, impossible, he would've told her, worse, he wouldn't be able to keep it as a secret. Although if it was, she would allow him, after all Tae-Ri only wished his happiness.

If she were rich would be a bonus though.

Footsteps approached, and before he could see it, she stole the card and hid it in her jean's pocket, running out of the mudroom as he came downstairs.

"I scheduled your exam to friday at 9 a.m." Her father suddenly announced.

"What? What do you mean an exam?" She looked at him, he seemed strangely joyful. "We don't have money for that."

"I found some...today" He lied terribly.

"Dad...did you get borrowed from someone?" She asked.

"No!"

"Don't tell me you're betting-"

"It's nothing like that. I..."He looked up thinking. "I've met a friend at the train station today, and he recalled he owned me some money, that's all."

"And he gave it to you?" She looked at him skeptically, unable to buy it. "Right now, when we need it...dad you know I can't believe that"

"Believe in what you want" He waved irritated, walking away in his cane. "Exam friday, don't forget!"

And just as that he wouldn't mention the subject again, no matter how many times Tar-Ri asked, he would insist on the same damn lie.

At night, there was no other option, she needed to call that number.

Sneaked in her room, under the sheets, trying not to be loud, just as she used to do when calling boys in her teenage years, Tae-Ri dialed the number one by one, careful not to be heard.

"Hello?" A voice spoke through the line.

"....um...hello, you gave me your um...business card earlier..." She made it up, only so the person could speak.

The line changes abruptely as a distorted voice spoke. "Do you wish to participate in the game?" The haunting voice suddenly said. "If you wish to participate, state your name and birthdate."

Well now that was extremely suspcious, she couldn't let her father get into something like that...but then again, she wondered what was all of that about.

She could pretend to be him, if that was the case, just for a bit longer.

"Son Jong-Su, April 15, 1948"

...

That wasn't a good idea. Everything about that place screamed it wasn't a good idea. The phone call was ominous already only giving her an address and hanging up, now she was there, at where she was supposed to, in a random lonely street at midnight.

This definetely wasn't a good idea.

Arms crossed, waiting, to be a woman in a nighty street at this hour was pratically comitting suicide, the world is not a safe place, and we all know it. But Tae-Ri couldn't shake off her imagination, wondering why her father would lie about that card, or if he was supposed to call to go into this...game, that she had no idea what it was.

Everything was off, but when a van approached in the horizon, she knew it was too late to back off now.

"Isn't this next person born in 1948?" The pink guard on the passenger's seat asked. "Why is a young woman there?"

"I don't know. Keep an eye out" The one in the wheel warned.

The van slowly approached, a faint light in the horizon as it stopped just right next to her.

"Son Jong-Su?" The guard in mask in the passenger's seat asked, watching her confused.

Tae-Ri blinked, frightned by the situation, what the hell was that? Well one way or another they would find out, it was time to be honest "I'm his daughter actually..."She spoke, the guard remained still. "...he is very elderly, so I came to play in his place."

There was a heavy pause in silence, as the guards looked at each other, wondering if that was a good idea.

"This is against the rules" The one at the wheel whispered.

"Think about it, young people's organs sell better." The other one said back, making it impossible for her to listen. "No ome will find out, she might end up dead in the first round."

"Fine, but if this goes wrong, I'm blaming it on you."

The guard at the passenger seat turned to her again, as Tae-Ri trembled nervous, almost giving up, feet turned ready to leave. This couldn't be some sexual human trafficking right? Oh God, where did she get into...

"Password." The guard suddenly said.

"...What?" She gasped.

"The password, do you know what is it?"

"Oh...yeah" She nodded. "um...red light, green light."

The door to the backseat of the van opened, making her slightly frightned, Tae-Ri didn't move.

"Get in." The masked man said. "We'll take you to the games."

Tae-Ri didn't know what to do, if she was supposed to just stay there, and refuse, or find out what was this game for once and for all. She never liked to take such big decisions.

One deep breath, and slow steps until the back of the van, where other people sleeped in the backseat, actually, all of them.

Once she sat down, the door immediatly closed, her heart jumped to the sound. She picked up the phone, about to text her father she would go out. "Do you know how long this could take? Because I..."A soft sound spread across the van, she instantly looked around, a gas started to infect her lungs. "What? What is this??"She asked, then tried to open the door, locked.."Let me go!" She yelled, desperate, hands slamming the door. "I-I don't want to play anymore, let me go! Let...me...gooo...."

Her body became weak, and just as that, she was off to a new dimension.

...

Son Jong-Su could've had a heart attack if he meant to, his worries were heavy as he paced around the room, waiting for his daughter to pick up the phone, but he would only listen to the same pre-recorded message "Hii this is Tae-Ri's voicemail, if you reached it, that means I'm probably working or sleeping, hopefully sleeping, please leave your message after the BEEEEEEEEP"

He couldn't take it anynore. Had already walked the whole house, and nust then found the pocket of his coat empty. He hoped it wasn't what he wondered, but probably was.

He had no other choice but to reach for a new friend.

"Hello?" A young male voice asked, he seemed to be outside, the sound of birds and waves could be heard in the outside.

"Hello? Officer Hwang? It's Son Jong-Su, you gave me your phone number at the hospital"

"Ah..Mr.Son, how are you? Is everything okay?" Jun-Ho responded across the line.

"No, actually I'm very worried about Tae-Ri." He gulped. "I'm sorry to bother, but since you're an officer I thought-"

"Wait, what happened to her?"

"Tae-Ri...she left in the middle of the night, I didn't see her, and she hasn't come back, it's unusual of her to do this." He quickly explained. "She doesn't have anyone to meet, and she would never leave me without sending at least a message."

"Mr.Son I need you to calm down, okay?" Jun-Ho noticed the old man's poor breathing across the line, so desperate and weak. "Now tell me, do you have any idea where she could've gone?"

Son Jong-Su hesited for a minute. "I think she called the card."

"What?"

"The brown card I got in the train station." Jun-ho patalyzed at the words. "It had these...symbols in it and a number."

"Who gave you that card?"

"A man in a suit, he offered to play ddakji, if I won, I'd get money, if I lost he would slap me, I know it's horrible but you see, I need to help Tae-Ri with her treatment." The more he explained the more Jun-Ho felt sick, holding onto the boat's structure so he wouldn't fall. "She asked where I got money but I didn't tell her, I think she went through my stuff and found the card, I'm sure I put it in my coat's pocket but it's not there anymore. Officer Hwang, I'm worried...this whole thing is so weird."

"Was the card..."Jun-Ho swallowed dry. "...an invitation to play a game?"

"Yeah, yeah, how did you know?" He asked anxious. "Do you know where she is Officer Hwang? Please, just help me find her..."

"I think I know where she might be, Mr.Son." He sighed, holding tight to the phone. "Don't worry, I'll find her. Just stay where you are and take care of yourself until I contact you, okay?"

"Of course, thank you! Oh, God bless you, Officer Hwang!"

Jun-Ho turned off the phone, watching the endless sea in front of him and the team of mafia men recruited by Gihun while they followed the tracker.

This cursed game, his brother, Gihun, Tae-Ri...it was time to end it for all.

He would find it, even if that was the last thing he'd do.

...

Faint classic music echoed in her ears as her eyes adjusted to the bright lights. There was chattering, footsteps, whispers, anything a common crowded room would have.

The question is: what crowded room?

Tae-Ri sat on an unknown bed, in an unknown room, with unknown people and..."Who the fuck changed my clothes?!" She screaming staring at herself in panic, watching the green jumpsuit they put her on with a tag in white numbers.

Welcome to the game, player 321.