C  H  A  P  T  E  R   T H R E E  :
" Red light , green light "
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    Yi-Seo woke up to the bright lights and upbeat classical music. She slowly sat up and saw that she was in a blue jacket, with the number four hundred thirty-five.

She saw many people confused and coming out of their beds,  looking around. She decided to do the same. Everyone had on the same blue tracksuit but different numbers.

Yi-Seo looked up at the screen and that there were a total of 456 players. Damn.

Her attention quickly went to the front once she heard a familiar voice. She saw Gi-hun trying to fight some thug. Yi-Seo couldn't help but slightly chuckle.

Once Gi-hun started yelling for help, the front doors opened. Revealing people with pink jumpsuits and masks. Some had circles and only one had a square. Similar to the game card.

Everyone got more tense and began to look at the guards suspiciously.

The square-masked guard stepped up, "I would like to extend a hearty welcome to all of you. Everyone here will participate in six different games over six days. Those who win all six games will receive a handsome cash prize."

But at what cost? Yi-Seo asked herself.

"How are we supposed to believe you?" A man shouted out, "You suddenly put us to sleep, took away our phones and wallets, and then dragged us here to this mysterious place. Now you show up and you'll pay us handsomely for a few games?"

He paused, "Do you expect us to believe that?"

"We had to enforce those procedures to ensure the utmost security in bringing you here." The guard spoke up. "We'll return everything once the games are over."

A lady spoke up as well, "How come you are wearing those masks?"

"We do not disclose the faces or personal information of our staff to the participants. It's for the sake of fairness and secrecy. Please understand."

"I don't trust a word you just said."

Wait.

"Enticement, abduction, confinement. After all that illegal activity, you give us these excuses without even revealing who you are. Give us one good reason why we should trust you."

Yi-Seo smiled proudly to herself; Sang-woo remembered what she taught her.

"Player 218, Cho Sang-woo." The guard said. Then used a remote to pull down a screen, "Age, 46. Former supervisor of Team Two at Joy Investments. Embezzled money from his clients, invested it in derivatives and futures, and failed. Current loss, 650 million won."

Yi-Seo cocked her head to the side, shocked to see what Sang-woo made his life out of. She couldn't be the one to judge, she's in the same position.

The guard continued and continued to play people's lives on the screen; trying to prove a point that each player was there for a purpose.

"All of you in this room have crippling debts and are now on a cliff-edge." He paused before continuing, "When we first went to you, you did not trust us either. But as you know, we played a game and gave you money as promised. And so you trusted us and volunteered to participate according to your own free will. You have one last chance to decide."

"Do you want to go back and live out your pathetic lives running from creditors? Or will
You seize the last opportunity we are offering?"

Yi-Seon looked down and thought to herself; that she didn't have any kids and husband to look after. Her business was corrupted either way. The only thing she will put that money towards is her sister and mother.

A man broke the silence and asked, "What kind of games are we playing?"

"For the sake of fairness, we cannot disclose any information before the games."

Before realizing this, Yi-Seo raised her hand and spoke up. "Excuse me, just how much is the prize money?"

This caused both Sang-woo and Gi-hun to look for the familiar voice. Once they spotted her, they both had a horrid look on their faces.

The guard once again, used the remote to pull down a big piggy bank, that lit up the whole room.

"The prize money will accumulate in that piggy bank after each game. The amount will be revealed to everyone after the first game. Those who do not wish to participate, please speak now."

The whole room went silent

———

Every player had to sign a consent form to play the games. Yi-Seo began to feel a bit sketchy about this.

After all the players signed the form, they were led into an aesthetically pleasing room with nothing but pastel colors. Yi-Seo admired the architecture of the room; reminding her this was the type of room she wanted as a kid.

Everyone in the room had to wait in line to take a photo of themselves. The brunette was confused about why they did they needed a photo of them if the owners knew their history.

She just shook it off since it was her turn to take her photo. The monitor said to smile so she did. Giving her best smile.

They were then instructed to keep going up the stairs till they reached big green doors. The doors finally opened, revealing a big doll at the front, with guards standing beside it.

Yi-Seon stepped out, the sun blinding her vision and seagulls flying over her.

"Yi-Seo!" Gi-hun yelled happily and ran towards her.

"Gi-hun!" She smiled back. "What are you doing here?"

"Real question is, what are you doing there? I thought you were perfectly fine."

"It's a very long story." She nervously laughed.

"Let's go meet up with Sang-woo." He grabbed her arm, pulling her. "Hey, Sang-woo!"

Sang-woo turned his head, automatically making eye contact with Yi-Seo bit the inside of her cheek and looked away.

"Oh my, it is you!" Gi-hun said happily. "What happened? Why are you here? I went to your mom's store recently."

This caused him to face all his attention towards Gi-hun.

"and she said you were abroad on a business trip. And what was that about earlier? You're in debt?" He asked shock. "Cho Sang-woo, SNU alum, the pride of Ssangmun-dong?"

Yi-Seo noticed Sang-woo shifting uncomfortably which made her butt in.

"Gi-hun, give him some space. You're just rambling."

"Oh right, Yi-Seo is here too. Aah, the trio is back together!" He wrapped his arms around Yi-Seo and Sang-woo. "You're not going to greet her?"

"Hello Yi-Seo." Sang-woo sent her a tight smile and cleared his throat.

"Hi to you too." Yi-Seo bowed her head and looked up to the sky.

"Why are you two acting so awkward? Saying hello to each other should be the easiest thing."

"Gi-hun, please shut up." Yi-Seo muttered. She glanced at Sang-woo one more time, seeing him nervous and fidgeting with his jacket.

"Welcome to the first game. All players, please wait a moment on the field." The monitor said.

"We'll talk later." Sang-woo said and got out of Gi-hun's grip and walked to the field.

"Let me repeat. All players, please wait a moment on the field."

"Well, we better get going." Yi-Seo said and walked with Gi-hun to the field.

—-

"The first game is Red Light, Green Light." The creepy looking doll started to turn around, her back facing the players. "You can move forward while the tagged shouts, "Green light, red light." If your movement is detected afterward, you will be eliminated."

"Red light, Green Light?" A man questioned. "The game we played as kids?"

"I think so." Gi-hun replied.

"Those who cross the finish line without getting caught in five minutes pass this round. Then let the game begin."

The five minute timer went off, the doll started singing and the players started running. There was a duo, not taking this game lightly.

The blonde player, player three hundred twenty-four, couldn't hold his balance.

"Player three hundred twenty-four. Eliminated."

What sounded like gunshot filled the room, causing Yi-Seo to jump a bit and her breath getting stuck in her throat.

"Was that a gunshot?" She whispered.

The doll turned her head around and started singing. The blondes friend, went up to him to see if he was joking around. Blood came out the blondes mouth, causing player two hundred fifty to run. But since his motion was detected, he was shot; his blood splattered all over an older lady.

This caused the old lady to touch her face and scream but was then shot at.

Multiple runners started running towards the gate, hoping they could escape. But they all failed, the only thing they got was a shot in the chest or head.

Yi-Seo began to tremble, not by hearing gunshots but seeing all the dead bodies everywhere. She tried taking deep breathes but failed. She tried her hardest to stay stable and closed her eyes every time she heard a gunshot.

"Let me repeat. You can move forward while the tagger shouts, 'Green light, red light.' If your movement is detected afterward, you will be eliminated." The monitor then repeated herself one more time. "Let the game begin."

Once again, the doll turned her head and started singing.

Not a single soul wanted to move. Everyone was afraid. But an older man, player one moved.

Seeing him move confidently, other players started moving at a steady pace, following the old man.

Yi-Seo finally reached being near Gi-hun and Sang-woo. Her breath hitched once she saw Gi-hun on the ground with a dead body on him.

"Yi-Seo, Gi-hun, don't turn yours heads. Just listen." Sang-woo spoke up. "You'll die if you stay like that."

"I think that doll is a motion sensor." The brunette told them both.

"Yeah it is ." Sang-woo confirmed. "You won't get caught if you hide behind someone."

"Gi-hun, you have to get up once she turns her head."

More players got shot. Yi-Seo took Sang-woo's advice and hid behind him.

"There's no time." She looked back and whispered to Gi-hun, pointing at the timer. "So you better get your ass up before you die."

This made Gi-hun quickly get up once the doll started singing.

There was only two minutes left on the timer which made every contestant nervous.

"Do you think he'll make it?" Yi-Seo asked Sang-woo.

"Let's hope he does, he's running out of time."

The doll started singing faster as time was running out. More players were dying or falling.

Yi-Seo and Sang-woo were near the finish line. As they were running out of time, Sang-woo grabbed Yi-Seo's arm; pulling her to the finish line with him. Sang-woo fell on his back, causing her to fall onto of him.

They both breathed heavily, trying to catch their breathes.

"You know ..." Yi-Seo panted, "I never thought we would be in this position again, especially in this circumstance." She joked which caused him to shake his head.

"This is not the time for jokes."

Yi-Seo shrugged and got off him, allowing him to stand up. The old couple looked at the field seeing that Gi-hun was still there.

They both looked at the timer and began to worry. As Gi-hun was running, he stumbled on a body, causing him to almost fall.

Yi-Seo quickly stood up and gasped. A sigh of relief came out her mouth once she saw one hundred ninety-nine grip his collar. They both threw themselves, succeeding the game.

The rest of the players who didn't make it were shot.

Yi-Seo looked at the field, seeing all the dead bodies. This is what she didn't expect.