THEY SAY THE SILENCE OF DEATH IS PEACEFUL. Similar to when you walk by graveyards, and there is nothing but the rustling of the trees and their leaves flying througgh the wind, stone cold graves staring back, completely motionless, quiet.

Tae-Ri never enjoyed the silence. Not the silence that was created in her home after her mother's death, neither the same she was experiencing now, in a room of strangers, encaged in a twisted carnage disguised as a children's playground, where she mourned the lives lost right in front of her eyes.

She thought she knew how to deal with grief, but through was, she has never been so traumatized in her life. No matter how many times she tried to think of something else, or even think of something to tell herself, nothing erased the pain.

Hyun-Ju seemed the same way, but more mature. She was silent, serious, not dropping any tears, almost as if she had already experience through this.

Speaking of experience, that man. If it hasn't been for 456 she wouldn't have made it out alive, where was he? She had lost him on the way back to the dorms, and couldn't quite distinguish through the many faces.

Once she'd spot him, she would nake sure to thank him, probably a thousand times, if necessary. She couldn't wait for it all to be over, as soon as the guards would walk through that door, she would promptly ready to go home and never leave it ever again.

Just as an answer to her prayers, the squad of guards appeared before them, coming througj the strong iron doors.

"Hyun-Ju, look" She shook Player 120's shoulder, making her notice their presence.

"You have successfully made it through the first game. Congratulations to you all." The square guard that stoo din the middle announced, as everyone turned silent to the masked people's presence. The first thing Tae-Ri noticed where the guns in some of the guards hands.  "Now, if I may have your attention, I will announce the results so far." The pannel just aboge them started to reverse the counting, the numbers horrified her. "Out of 456 players, 91 have been eliminated. Which means 365 players have completed the first game."

"91 People died." Tae-Ri mumbled to herself, hugging her legs in the bed as she stared helplessly at the pannel. "91 people..."

An elderly woman suddenly stepped forward, her voice begging "Sir, listen to me! Let us go, please!" She got on her knees, her son followed her lead. "Please! Don't kill us! I know... I know my son owes money. but I will pay it! Please!"

Other people followed, all on their knees, crying their hearts out. Tae-Ri couldn't stand herself, if that meant doing something, even if humiliating herself, she'd do it. She suddenly stood up.

"Where are you going?" Hyun-Ju asked. "Tae-Ri!" But she didn't go after her.

Tae-Ri walked from the back where she was sitting, trying to make way through the sea of strangers, heart aching with antecipation.

"Never be afraid to be humble." Her mother's words echoed through her mind. "Sometimes, the best way is to simply be yourself, be honest and ask for help."

Her joins and head were acting again, as a never ending reminder why she was there. But fuck it, none of it was worth that hell. God, her father, all she wanted was to see her father, what if those people have done something to him as well? What if she got him in trouble by taking his place?

"Excuse me...sorry, excuse me-" She tried to make her path in between, as more players gathered on their knees.

She felt a push, maybe not a push, but maybe just bumped onto someone with enough strentgh to almost throw her around (not like it was needed nuch strentgh, in her current state, a soft breeze could take her down), making her almost collide to the ground.

She needed to stop falling all the time, at the wrong place, and especially in front of strangers

"Sorry..." She mumbled, as she met someone's  wide back, her eyes immediatly fell to the number on the uniform.

001.

The masculine figure turned around, his semblant neutral but curious as he turned to her. "It's alright." He gave a brief smile.

Fine, it would be a lie if she said she wasn't immediatly taken away by that image. The deep and intense eyes, the marked cheekbones shaped as diamond, and chestnut hair falling like dominoes into place.

He was the sort of man that could take someone's breath away, either with those veiny hands or with the semblant that says "I'll ruin your life and you'll thank me later".

Serene but mysterious, the sort of image that it's hard to figure out and to forgive.

For a second she even had forgotten what she was going to do.

"Oh, right." She muttered to herself, snapping back to reality, shaking her head as she tried to walk forward, stuck in a barrier of people.

"Um...what exactly are you trying to do?" The man asked, his low voice was pratically symphony. There was something about him, like a magnetic field that pulled her too strongly, maybe on purpose.

"Trying to join the others." She responded, not directely staring at him, trying to squeeze in between like a small insect, but being shoved back in return.

"Join?" The man followed her close behind, suddenly interested, he had that sort of crooked smile that was either finding it all genuily funny or stupid. "In...begging?"

"Yeah." She found a short narrowed path to enter "You comin'?"

Two blinks. 001 almost laughed at her question. "Do you really think that will work against those masked guards?" He tried to contain his voice not to sound too offensive, but truth is, it already was.

Tae-Ri stopped, turning around to him, making a face at his pessimism. That was something she absolutely despised, pessimism, giving up, now that was just being weak, and she wasn't raised that way. A tough cookie, he pictured.

"If it'll work, I have no idea. But I will damn well try." She established determined, curving her mouth as she finally crossed the little path she struggled.

Once she reached the dozens of people on the ground, Tae Ri didn't hesitate, she stood just next to the elderly woman and her son, kneeled on the ground, hair covering her face as she joined.

Player 001 only watched from afar, his eyes piercing and enigmatic, wondering how a person so determined ended up in that dark pit for hopeless people.

Either incredibly stupid or brave. It was hard to decide.

"Players, there seems to be a misunderstanding." The guard trying to speak, finding himself in an awkward situation. "We are not trying to hurt you or collect your debts. We are simply providing you with an opportunity."

"You are killing us!" Tae-Ri shouted, pointing to his face. 001 gave a surprised short smirk, raising an eyebrow at her attitude. Feisty little thing. "91 lives were lost today because of you! Innocent people are dead, and their blood is in your hands, now how is that an opportunity?!"

The elderly woman by her side gave a bittersweet smile, standing up with her, as some others also cheered, following that small rebellion. Others would just stare, thinking about the money still, and some...some just admired the situation over all and their participants.

"Consent form clause three!" The shouting stopped as he stood up, the mysterious man who had saved her before, 456. "If the majority of players agree to stop playing, the games will be terminated. Isn't that correct?" He decorated the clause on the contract.

"That is correct." The guard nodded.

456 stood next to Tae-Ri, chin held up high, that was a movement, an energy. For once Tae-Ri believed she was making something important for a chance, something she couldn't ignore. And she wouldn't stop now.

"Then we'll do that" She spole to the guard. "We'll put it to a vote. Right?" She asked the crowd, and it roared in agreement.

"If that's what you'd like. During these games, we will always respect your right to freedom of choice." The guard answered, still calm, but the others with him always careful, holding tight to their guns.

Tae-Ri watched as the guards prepared for the voting, people allied themselves in small groups, gossiping, as she sighed, anxiously, waiting.

"You're a very courageous young woman" The elderly woman complimented her.

"No you are, ma'am. You literally started it, all i did was support you" She smiled, as the elderly woman with the number 149 giggled in return.

She seemed simple, of poor origins, her eyes wrinkled and tired, cracked lips that showed signs of her advanced age, but still viguriously tried to fight back against it. By her side, her son stood, a bit numb, naive, curly hair standing high, wearing glasses that did not flatter him, as he glued onto his mother.

It could only made her remember her father, stomach twisted inside, in pain, as she recalled how desparate he must've been looking for her.

"What's your name, dear?" The woman asked.

"Oh, I'm Son Tae-Ri." She responded promptly.

At that moment she wa smore interested in finding Hyun-Ju or

"I'm Jang Geum-ja" She shaked her hand promptly, with both hands. "This is my son Park Yong-sik" She smiled, almost makimg propaganda. She turned to him, annoyed. "Be nice!"

"Uh...hi." The man child waved.

"Let me ask, Tae-Ri do you have a boy-"

"It worked." That voice again, Tae-Ri froze before she turned around, even Geum-Ja was surprised at the man behind her, 001 again. "It seems like I've underestimated the power of begging"

The elderly woman quickly excused herself wuth her son, leaving Tae-Ri now facing that stramger, God, what a charming stranger, she'd tell herself, but a bold one.

"It's not begging, it's just fighting for what's right" She shrugged. "You should try it someday"

"Ouch" he scrunched, with a grin, almost enjoying the snap back. "Okay, maybe I deserve that." He crossed his arms, step forward. "But do you really think people will vote against the games? I mean...everyone is here for a reason, you must know that since you're here too."

For a reason...Tae-Ri was there for her father, and his reason was her. Would she fight against death to escape another one caused by her disease? Unlikely, she wouldn't stand seeing others get hurt, not for her fault.

"Are you always such a pessimist?" Tae-Ri teased back, he chuckled.

"I prefer to call it realistic." He tilted his head, eyes so stuck on hers that Tae-Ri felt her face heat up. "If you're such an optimist why are you here, Player 321?"

Tae-Ri opened her mouth to speak, but nothing left her lips, before she could, the huge piggy bank cascaded in the air, its' yellow glow marvelled the other players.

"But before we vote, we will reveal how much prize money has accumulated after the first game." The square guard announced. "A total of 91 players were eliminated during the first game. Therefore, 9.1 billion won has accumulated so far. If you decide to stop playing and quit the games now, the remaining 365 players will split the 9.1 billion amongst themselves. Meaning, you each leave with an equal share. Okay. Each player would get 24,931,500 won"

"All of this for 24 million won?" Someone shouted from the back.

"This has to be a joke!" Another yelled.

Complainments filled the atmosphere, making the room crowded by voices as Tae-Ri stared blankly at the shiny piggy bank above, one to raise spirits but also drag fights, all for its' money, who knows how long that single piggy bank had witnessed over the years, the wars it created?

While she staring at it, Player 001 stared at her, ignoring the fight, intrigued by her silence. "Makes you think about it, doesn't it?" He muttered, as a snake attempting to corrupt her.

Tae-Ri's, fragilr and lost, continued still. "24 million." she mumbled speecheless. "They kill, and we receive 24 million for 91 lives...this is hell." She whispered, horrified. "Those poor people, only worth 24 million each." Her hand landed on her chest, heart aching.

Player 001 only watched, as that woman was in the verge of tears for strangers. She was thrre for a reason, she needed money, then why mourn so badly over people who couldn't care less for her? People who were dead?

He couldn't understand that level empathy, neither tried, as the olayers continued to argue endlessly. The guards brought in a small pannel, where there were teo buttons with the synbols identical to those on the floor, a red X and a blue  O.

"If you wish to continue playing, press the blue button with the "O." "The square guard informed. "If you wish to stop playing, press the red button with the "X."" Everyone just listened, in tension. "You will vote in order of player number, from highest to lowest." He turned to Gihun, who had to stand up first."Player 456."

The crowd watched attentive to Gihun walking towards the center, where the buttons were displayed, although many were already convinced what his answer to that matter would be.

"I've found you" Hyun-Ju touched Tae-Ri's shoulder. "God, you disappeared!"

"Hey, I was trying to help." She answered, glad to see her. "We finally can leave this place once we get the voting over, I'm so anxious!" She declared, but still with a smile. "All we need to do is vote X, it should be easy."

But Hyun-Ju's eyes did not meet her, in fact, the touch on her friend's shoulder trembled, and she forced to agree, looking away. "Yeah...right" She only muttered.

By Tae-Ri's side, Player 001 instantly noticed the different opinions, while Tae-Ri was extremely certain of her vote, Player 120 walked on a tightrope between her goal and others' safety, a very thin, risky tightrope to walk and choose to stay in.

With a sound in the air, and the change in the wide screen at the wall, there was now 1 vote against the deadly games they were participating. Tae-Ri gave a little jump, excited, as she held Hyun-Ju's arm.

"Once you've voted, attach the patch you're given to the right side of your chest, and stand in the area marked with the corresponding symbol." The guard orirnted, as Gihun placed the X patch on his chest with pride. "Player 454."

"We are leaving this place! Yes!" Tar-Ri smiled, already celebrating.

"There are still many people left to vote" 001 commented, expecting a reaction out of her.

"They wouldn't be crazy enough to wish to be here."

At this exact moment, as she said thosr words, another player stepped forward, blue light covered their face, as suddenly another 1 showed up at the opposite side of the pannel.

Tae-Ri paralyzed.  "...what?" Her smile faded.

"Hold on, everyone! Wait a minute!" Gihun stepped forward, arms in the air, his face showed clear concern "Don't do this to yourselves. Can't you see what's going on?  If we don't stop this, they'll kill us all! We can stop this here and now." He insisted.

The elderly man with 10 billion in debt, Player 100, decided to go against the current. "And who do you think you are?" He snapped back against Gihun m. "Why're you trying to egg people on? What're you getting at? The game had just started, and you scared us shouting about getting shot!"

"And he was right!" Tae-Ri yelled at him. "Look at what happened, if he didn't warn us, we'd all be killed!

"Yeah, he pratically saved us out there!" A man agreed.

"No, Player 100 is right!" Another woman sided on the blue side. "456 Scares us, almost making us get killed out there!" She turned to Gihun, raising her chin challenging. "By the way, how did you know they were gonna shoot at us? You work for these guys?" She suggested, as the crowd boiled with doubts and opposite opinions. "You're the ones who put him in here to manipulate us!"

But it was to fractioned, divided, as peoppe started to fight within themselves over who had reason. "Hey, old man, you better watch yourself!" A guy challenged. "He's the reason you're not dead. If he hadn't told us what to do, then none of us would be alive."

It was lik e a storm starting to create a hurricane. The guards did not interfere, as more and more they shattered themselves into divergent sides, all for the money hanging in the air. For a moment, Tae-Ri was confident over the situation, now, she wasn't sure anymore.

The more importance people put over that prize starung back at them, the more she realized this would be a life changing voting.

All she wanted was to close her eyes, and see thr image of her house, her father waiting for her at the sofa, eating something he stole from the kitchen cabinet. That was all she could ask for, but no one could understand. No one in that room really cared for anyone at all.

"I've played these games before!" Gihun's voice cut tgrough the atmosphere, as screeching against a car window. Complete silence. "I said I've played these games before..." He caught the exact moment Tae-Ri's wide eyes met him across the room, some hint of fear reflected in them. "...I knew about the first game because I'd already done it. 'Cause I'd played the exact same one. I was here three years ago, and I played them all." He explained, carrying the grief in his chest as an anchor sinking in the sea. "And every single person who was there with me... They were all killed, every one!"

Gasps, except for player 001. Tae-Ri couldn't believe it, for how long did these games happen? And if they all died, meant...

"...So he's the winner?" Tae-Ri whispered to Hyun-Ju.

"I was the only one who made it." gihun declared, as more murmur erupted in the surface. " If you keep playing until the end, I guarantee every person in this room... will eventually end up like those players. We will all be killed."

"That's right!" Player 100 raised his fist in the air, motivating the crowd. "He's won this! There's nothing to worry about. We all can win! Okay, come on! Let's make money!"

Half of the crowd followed him, maniacs for the cash, yearning to end the voting with a positive result for their malicious greed, even if that was in the cost of hundreds of innocents.

"This is fucking suicidal!" Tae-Ri groaned frustrated, Hyun-Ju remained silent the whole process.

"Well, but 456 did win..."The mysterious 001 said in return, serene and attentive.

"Haven't you listen to him? All the people there died, he was the only one! We won't make it all alive!" She insisted, staring straight into 001's eyes, carrying intensity and concern. "I...I- can't stay here...I need to go back." She mumbled, nervous, feeling her chest speed up inside.

"...Maybe not everyone has a reason to go back." 001 muttered, watching as Hyun-Ju stared blankly at the pannel of voting, fist closing in conflict.

The voting continued still very divided and conflicting, as Tae-Ri felt her legs weak again, almost in need to just lie down, and wake up when it was all over, but no, instead, she called up for the trial, the fate she couldn't avoid.

"Player 321." The guard announced, as she took in a deep breath.

She looked at Hyun-Ju, still trying to be hopeful. "We can do this" She nodded. "I'll wait for you at the X spot."She asked her friend, who only nodded shy.  Then looked at the man still trying to get to her nerves  "You too." She said teasingly, as he chuckled in return. "Don't get yourself killed for this stupidity."

He raised an eyebrow, that smirk still managing to break any defenses. "Where's your optimism now, 321?"

Tae-Ri tried to ignore the flirty tone, forcing a straight face as she walked to the pannel, then stopping, when she coughed on her hand.

Scarlet prints staining as a Pollock's piece, reminding her of the haunting diagnostic she could escape and the price in order to survive.

The dilemma that brought her father to seek the games was contagious, if she went back home, she'd still rot in a bed, as her poor father would mourn and hate himself everyday for not being able to help her, and Tae-Ri would blame herself for worrying him so much after all he went through.

Both ways, she was still the stigma poisoning her home.

The question was, if she gained that money and saved herself, would she ever be able to sleep at night, wrapped ib the spirits of those dead around her?

Could she look straight in the mirror, without being able to hear the screams abd the gore, the people she met and even got friendly with, dying in front of her eyes because of her selfishness?

Could she put her life in a pedestal, raise it high enough to give it more value than others?

Her health screamed yes, her consciouness screamed no.

When she opened her eyes again, red lights iluninated the screen, another vote for justice, even in vain, she would know she did what she could, and this had to be enough.

If she died, this would be a noble death.

Tae-Ri walked to the X spot, where Gihun was. He seemed slightly nervous, but still hopeful, next to him was his friend from the previous game, Player 390, both with X badges.

"I know it's difficult, but you've made the right choice." He spoke to her as she approached them, that short sweet smile again, it could melt an igloo.

"So now we just wait if we're all going to die or leave?" She tried to be humorous, a characteristic her father always praised, to be funny even in a fight or fly situation.

"Yeah, kind of." He responded, trying to discover what was the exact shade of her brown eyes, very addicting. "Oh, and are you feeling better?" She blinked confused "You seemed a bit shaken by the game earlier...it can be a shock, I know"

That man's expression lines seemed marked by a troubling past, precisely  the trauma of witnessing death, the most marking episode of the human life. God knows how his sould was stepped on and crushed over and over until that very moment, where he still tried to makena difference. Many wouldn't be able to come back, yet he did.

"Oh, yeah, a bit" She nodded. "I was going to thank you, by the way, for what you did there...I wouldn't have survived."

"No, you don't need to thank me"He insisted, shaking his hands. "I just wish everyone could've made it...but really, I needed to help."

"Well, still." She tilted her head. "When we leave, let me pay you a drink to retribute"

Gihun's friend gave a surptised grin, turning to his side not to appear too surprised, still pushing his friend with his elbow, so he could respond.

"Y-yeah, sure I can...I can accept that." He nodded a bit shy, starry eyed, a faint blush across the cheeks.

Tae-Ri turned back to the counting, a bit proud of herself, never that boldness had come over her, but in a dead or life situation, maybe consequences to decisions like those didn't matter anymore, it was better to just enjoy the present and give in.

But what crushed Tae-Ri's heart was when Hyun-Ju walked forward, her number just announced, and as her friend prepared herself to cheer over another score to go home, Hyun-Ju swallowed dry, her hand landing on the button heavily, as she closed her eyes.

Blue. Circle.

Eyes widen in betrayal, Tae-Ri could only stare at her, in shock, as Hyun-Ju looked away, somehow ashamed, as she decided to stay on the blue side, with the others.

Tae-Ri couldn't stand that pressure, the more people voted, the more her agony continued, and by now the large gathering was pratically divided in half, almost equal.

When the voting reached the over  the last remaining 10 players, there was extreme cheering, and also loathing on both parts, depending on the result.

And then there was the last, the only player who would change their fates between 182 X's and O's, as a hallway of countless yellings and jumps was created, and he walked slowly, taking his time, as a soccer player who had just won a match and celebrated his victory.

There was a morbid pause before the grief and the roar, until his large hand strongly pressed the chosen button.

The minutes that seemed like a torture, were now over, as Tae-Ri felt her heart escape through her mouth when the sound of the button being pressed echoed in the air.

The show must go on.

And the clowns must perish.

Player 001 turned around, as one side of the crowd, blue as the patch the put on his chest celebrated, watching the chaos he just created.

"No..."Tae-Ri mumbled, as Gihun, by her side, had his hopes shattered once again.

Lost in her mourning, she couldn't spot the decision maker's eyes on her figure, a soft, intrigued and ominous smile across his face.

This should be fun.