C H A P T E R E I G H T :
"Desperate than ever."
———————————————————

The conversation with Jun-ho lingered in Yi-Seo's mind as she walked to her law firm. Yi-Seo mulled over her distorted memories of Jun-ho's brother. She had met him a couple of times before, but his face was a blur in her recollection. They'd crossed paths at events—brief encounters, really—but she couldn't recall ever seeing him at any of the games. Was he truly there?

She just sighed, grabbing her keys, and unlocking her office. As she opened the door, a bunch of papers came falling. She arched her brow in confusion.

As Yi-Seo examined the papers, her annoyance grew. These were relics of her past failures and successes—cases she had buried and moved on from. She had no time for this. With a huff, she shoved most of them into the shredding machine.

She started her record player right before she sat down at her desk. She looked at her work phone to see if someone called her but as expected, zero missed calls.

She sat back, looking at the window in front of her. Yi-Seo took a deep breath, wondering why her life was the way it was. From being her high schools valedictorian, earning a full-ride scholarship to SNU, being top of her class, being a successful attorney, to a woman who can't do anything. A woman who lost everything.

Yi-Seo felt disappointed at herself, this feeling was with her for over 10 years. Was she really a failure? All she wanted to do was make her parents proud, especially her father— the man that never gave up on her.

Yi-Seo's thoughts were interrupted when she heard a knock on the door. She turned around, looking at the clock. It was 9:30pm. The person at the door kept knocking and knocking until they started banging on the door.

The brunette quickly grabbed the pocket knife from her cubby and got up quietly. She slowly walked towards the door, holding the pocket knife.

She gulped before finally reaching the floor, but the banging stopped. The person on the other side of the door just began knocking softly.

Yi-Seo put the knife in front of her before opening the door. Once the door was open, there was no one to be seen. This made her curious so she walked out, turning the hallway lights on. But no one was there nor a trace that someone was here.

Yi-Seo looked down, seeing a business card. She kneeled, seeing the familiar card once again. She turned the card around, seeing another opportunity to join the games.

TIME: MIDNIGHT, JUNE 23
PLACE: SAME AS PREVIOUS

Will it be worth it?

——

    Yoon Yi-Seo had ten minutes. Each second felt heavier than the last. She had spent the day racing against time, tying up loose ends, running errands, and ensuring her family would be prepared for whatever came next. Even her will was written—a chilling reminder of how her life could end.

Nine minutes.

Her feet pounded against the pavement as she sprinted toward the hospital, heart hammering in her chest. She skipped the elevator, taking the stairs two at a time. Her lungs burned, her body begged her to stop, but her mind refused to yield.

Eight minutes.

She burst into the room, her eyes immediately falling on the scene before her. Her mother, sat at the table with Hwa-young and her young son, laughter dancing between bites of food. Yi-Seo froze for a moment, catching her breath. It felt surreal—so calm, so normal.

She straightened her back, masking the chaos within her. "Omma," she greeted, her voice soft yet steady.

Her mother's face lit up. "Soonie! Where have you been? You look tired."

Seven minutes.

Yi-Seo's chest tightened. She glanced at Hwa-young, her eyes silently pleading. "Can I have a moment with Omma?"

Hwa-young hesitated but nodded, scooping up her son and leaving the room without a word.

Once alone, Yi-Seo knelt by her mother's side, taking her frail hand in hers. "Omma... I love you. So much," she began, her voice cracking under the weight of her emotions. "I'm sorry I haven't been here. I know it feels like I've abandoned you, but I swear I haven't. Everything I'm doing—it's for you. For us. If I can pay off my debts and have a successful business, I'll make sure you're taken care of. And when it's all over..." Her voice trembled as tears spilled over. "We'll go to Jeju Island. Just like we always dreamed. We'll grow old there, together."

Six minutes.

Hee-Jin smiled faintly, her thumb brushing against Yi-Seo's hand. "Don't worry about me, sweetie. I'll be fine. Use the money for yourself. Live your life, the way you deserve to. I love you more than anything."

Yi-Seo's heart shattered. Her mother wasn't asking questions, wasn't pressing for details—as if she already knew.

"Omma..."

Her mother gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Go, my love. Do what you need to do. I'll be here when you get back. I promise."

Five minutes.

Yi-Seo wrapped her mother in a fierce embrace, memorizing her warmth, her scent, the fragile strength in her arms. She pulled away, giving her one last lingering glance before stepping out into the hallway.

Hwa-young was waiting, her expression filled with confusion and concern.

"Here," Yi-Seo said, thrusting an envelope into her sister's hands.

"What is this?" Hwa-young asked, her voice shaking. "Yi-Seo, what's going on?"

Four minutes.

"I can't explain right now," Yi-Seo said hurriedly. "But please, use the money wisely. It's everything I have left. And... if I don't come back within a month, look under my bed. There's a pink box. It'll explain everything."

Hwa-young's eyes widened, her voice breaking. "What are you talking about? Soonie, what are you doing?"

Three minutes.

"I love you, Hwa-young. Thank you for everything." She pulled her sister into a tight hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead before stepping back. "Take care of Omma for me."

Without waiting for a reply, she turned and bolted down the hall, the weight of her sister's worried gaze following her.

One minute.

The city unfolded before her as she arrived at her destination. She stopped, taking in the glittering skyline for what felt like the last time.

Her hands clenched into fists as she stepped forward.

Three... Two... One.

The van doors slammed shut behind her. The pink guard turned on the sleeping gas. Yi-Seo closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Once again, let the games begin.

Words from the author:
OMG GUYS, I came up with so many good ideas for this book 😭

I know I said that there would be a lot of flashbacks but, now I'm debating a bit on it. Hopefully I can make up my mind soon !!

But thank you guys for all the support, don't forget to vote :) 💕