C H A M P I O N O F D E A T H

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     THE AIR OUTSIDE THE BROKER' BUILDING WAS THICK WITH EXHAUST AND DUST, THE KIND OF BUSY HUM THAT MADE HER STOMACH CHURN with both nerves and impatience. Sae-bom kept her cap low and hoodie pulled tight around her face, hands shoved deep in her pockets, though her fingers never stopped twitching against the edge of the folded paper tucked inside her jacket.

    Every step toward the building only amplified the weight pressing down on her chest, not just from the thought of her mother, but also the shadow of the man at her sister's grave still lingering in her mind. That deep chuckle, the tremor in his hands, the purple flower, and her thoughts had looped around it a dozen times since.

     She forced herself to push it away. Focus, Sae-bom. This is for Cheol.

     The narrow stairwell smelled faintly of tobacco and damp wood, and when she knocked lightly on the metal door, the familiar creak followed. The broker appeared in the doorway, older than she remembered, lines deeper on his forehead, hair thinner.

     "You came," He said quietly, letting her inside as he held the door open, "I'm glad you did, there's stuff we need to discuss."

    The office was sparse. Papers stacked in organized chaos, the faint whir of a desk fan stirring the stale air. He gestured for her to sit, and she obeyed, pulling her hood back but still keeping her cap in place.

      "Any word?" She asked immediately, her voice tight, almost clipped as she crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing the shorter male in front of her.

     The broker studied her for a moment, then leaned forward, forearms resting on his desk, "Your mother... she was found."

     Her breath caught at the sudden news, shoulders stiff, as she breathed out in shock, "Found?"

    "She's alive," He clarified quickly, raising a hand as if to steady her before she could spiral, "But the camp she's in has had a tuberculosis outbreak, that's why the crossing was delayed. They're keeping her isolated until she's cleared. It could be weeks, maybe longer."

     Sae-bom's heart sank, her throat tightening as her mind painted too many pictures of her mother lying weak, struggling. Not after everything... She clenched her fists hard against her thighs, nails digging into her palms, "Is she safe?"

     "As safe as anyone can be in that place," The broker answered honestly. His voice softened as he added, "She's strong if she's like your sister, like you."

     The mention of Sae-byeok made her flinch, her eyes glassing over despite her effort to stay composed. She pressed her lips together hard, swallowing down the wobble in her throat. The necklace she wore, the one that once felt like a small anchor suddenly hung heavy against her chest, suffocating.

    "I can pay more," She retorted quickly, desperate to cling to anything that would secure her mother's passage, "If money's the problem—"

     But the broker shook his head firmly, stopping her from speaking, "No. This one... this one I owe. To your sister, to you." His gaze lowered briefly, grief flickering there, "When I heard she was gone, I... I couldn't believe it. So, let me do this. No money, no debt. Just... let me get her across."

    For a long moment, she could only stare at him, words caught in her throat. She hated how vulnerable she felt, hated how quickly her vision blurred again. But behind the ache, there was gratitude. Genuine gratitude.

     Finally, she managed a small, trembling smile, as her hands clenched into fists against her thighs, "Thank you. Really."

     She reached into her jacket, pulling out the small folded note she had prepared. Her hands shook slightly as she slid it across the desk, "If you can't reach me... if I don't answer your calls—it's not because I don't care, it's because I'm... busy." She avoided his eyes at the half-truth, "Call that number instead. That's where my brother is staying, make sure he knows first."

     The broker picked up the note, gave it a quick glance, then tucked it into his pocket without question. His understanding was quiet, knowing not to question the strong woman, "I'll remember."

    Sae-bom exhaled slowly, finally meeting his eyes again, "And if there's any change—if she gets worse, or if she's cleared... tell me right away, no matter what."

     "You'll know the moment I do," He reassured her, and nodded his head firmly as he glanced at the clock on the wall, then back to her.

    For a beat, silence filled the small office, only the fan whirring. Sae-bom's gaze drifted to the floor, her hands tightening in her lap as the image of her mother's worn face collided with the memory of her missing beloved. Two weights pressing against her chest, threatening to crush her.

     But she forced herself to breathe, to nod, to hold onto the fragile thread of hope the broker had just given her.

     When she finally stood to leave, she paused at the doorway, her cap shielding her expression, "She deserves to come home." She said softly, voice almost breaking.

    "She will, Sae-bom. You can trust me on this." The broker replied with certainty, standing up from his chair to meet her halfway, and held the door open for her again.

    And though she wanted desperately to believe him, Sae-bom walked out with her fists clenched, her heart heavy, and the faint, haunting image of a purple flower still burned into her mind.

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     THEIR PLAN TO ATTACK FROM INSIDE THE GAMES WAS IN MOTION NOW, AFTER A FEW DAYS OF PLANNING AND GETTING EVERYTHING READY. Gi-hun had a tracking tooth put in his mouth where, hopefully, the guards wouldn't find, and so that the ones on the outside could track them. Woo-seok had located more man power for their team, heaps of ex-marine corps that now joined in on the mission.

     Soo-min and Sae-bom was busy trying to find where the card would lead them from the salesman with Jun-ho, but always ended up with nothing like they expected. The location was correct, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary yet, so that's why they waited till the date on the back to act properly.

     Everything seemed to be in set for the plan, the first bit being getting inside the club where the pink guards were meant to be. Sae-bom, of course, wasn't allowed to go inside alone, as the four male's wouldn't allow it. Not that she needed protection, more like helping in defending her.

     She did make a promise, well more like pact to Jun-ho, that if anything happens to her when inside the club, that someone would either find her or make sure her brother it safe. Soo-min quickly shut that idea down, as he promised he wouldn't leave her side.

   But for the plan to work, and for her to look like a regular club member, she needed to be alone when walking inside. Yet that didn't stop Gi-hun, Soo-min and Woo-seok from wanting to follow her, and watch over her from a distance, to make sure she was safe. Which is what they were currently doing.

    Currently, it was the night of the Halloween club party, which meant the guards would hopefully be inside. It was busy from what the group could see from the outside, and everyone who was around or entered, was wearing a dress up.

     And this included Sae-bom, who was made to wear a.... very friendly vampire outfit that exposed too much of her skin which she hated. Slits were on the side of the tight dress, that did well for her figure, but didn't make her feel comfortable whatsoever. The black boots she wore were her regular ones, but the red fishnet's on her arms and legs were not.

    "I look stupid and feel stupid in this." She grumbled more so to herself, gaining a chuckle from Jun-ho through the comms in their ears, as she adjusted the strap her of low laying dress, "I'm gonna rip through this, I'm telling you now."

     Soo-min rolled his eyes fondly from her left side, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "I think you look fine, Sae-bom." He reassured, squeezing her tight and pressed a friendly kiss to the top of her head, "Anything you wear suits you well, but don't worry, you can remove it soon."

     Her cheeks heated up at the comment, instantly being reminded of her beloved who would reassure her the same way, and sent a crooked smile to Soo-min, "Well, thanks for the confidence. I'm still gonna rip through this if I have to fight, though."

     This time he laughed loudly, making her try to cover up his mouth, shushing noises leaving her as it drew attention on them when they neared the entrance of the club. The closer they got, they more the eyes were on them and the more the music was hearable.

    "Guys, this way! Hurry up!" The duo heard Woo-seok call out from inside the entrance, his voice muffled from the green horse mask he had over his head, and behind him was a deadpanning Gi-hun, shaking his head at the male yelling.

    She smiled amused at the mask he wore, and then lopped her arm through Soo-min's beefy bicep, "Shall we, sir?" She spoke in a high pitched voice, and battered her eyelashes up at him obnoxiously, trying to fit in with the outfit she wore.

    "Yes, we shall." He answered in the same tone she did, gaining a snort from the woman. He squeezed her hand, and the two were walking inside the club, instantly being met with more eyes, and the craziness of the club.

    Electronic music was blaring loudly over the speakers, and pink and purple lights were flashing. People were dancing everywhere and on everything. Sae-bom knew she would get overwhelmed quickly, but found solace in her sister's necklace that she wore hidden under her dress.

   The five all packed together, and walked down the stairs that lead into the main rave room, trying to avoid bumping into people. Gi-hun gave her, and Soo-min a nod, a silent look of understanding passing through the male's about her protection, before he split off with Woo-seok to cover more ground.

    "Jun-ho! We're inside, don't know if you can hear me though!" Sae-bom tried her best to talk into the comms in her ear, hoping the speaker picked up on it over the loud music, "So far nothing has happened."

    A crackle sounded over the speaker in her ear, and her best friend's voice followed through next, "I can hear you, don't worry. Try to be careful, Sae-bom. You need to remember the guards will be after you more than the rest of us. Don't go acting selfless like you usually do."

    She grumbled to herself, freeing her arm from Soo-min's as he lead them through the pack of people, his hand still holding her back, "I understand perfectly, don't worry." She half lied, and Jun-ho knew that, since she rarely listened to instructions, "If I don't let you know when anything happens, one of the other three will."

     Before Jun-ho could answer her back, she pulled the earbud from her ear, and handed it to Soo-min, who looked at her confused, making her clarify, "You keep it! I'm going to start walking around by myself so I look more approachable."

    His mouth parted in shock, wondering if he heard correct, and reached forward to grab her wrist before she walked away, "Sae-bom! I know you won't back down but, please, be careful. Stay where we can see you, alright?" His voice rose over the music, eyes holding a worried glint in them.

     With a strong nod, and a hand squeeze, she was turning away to drift into the crowd, her black dress trailing behind her like a shadow that followed her. Soo-min's eyes were instantly fixed on her, as he told the others where she was through the earpiece, the silent protection all three offered her inside.

     Her dark eyes were glancing around the club, trying to pick on anyone that looked somewhat similar to the pink guards, or even.... the Frontman at least. Someone whom she rather not meet again, not after the last encounter with him.

    Sae-bom's boots echoed faintly against the black tile, but even that sound was swallowed up by the pulsing rhythm around her. She tugged the hem of her tight black dress slightly lower, muttering under her breath at her own decision to go along with Soo-min's idea of blending into the crowd.

    Halloween gave her cover, but the dress clung too close, too restricting. If something happened, she'd be fighting at a disadvantage.

       And of course, something happened.

    The hairs at the back of her neck rose first. That feeling, someone watching, someone close. Her sharp turn cut through the crowd, and there he was, a pink guard.

The blank mask staring back at her made her inhale sharply. Her pulse spiked, but her stance didn't falter, eyes locked on his taser as he slowly angled it toward her.

     No one around them noticed, no one cared. The club moved like a separate world, drunken laughter, flirtatious screams, plastic fangs and fake blood everywhere. And here, she was in a silent, private war.

     Her mind raced. One on one, I could take him. The dress won't matter. I've trained for this. Just one hit to the mask—

     Then the presence behind her shifted the air. She half-turned, too late, an arm swung, something hard and heavy colliding against the back of her head.

White-hot pain lanced through her skull, her vision shattering into static. She stumbled forward with a groan, hand instantly flying to her temple. Warmth seeped between her fingers, blood.

    Her lip curled, scoffing bitterly even as her knees wobbled. "The Frontman... I doubt won't like that you touched me..." She hissed, glaring at them through blurred eyes.

    One guard leaned closer, the black mirrored mask reflecting her pale face back at her. His voice was muffled but sharp beneath the fabric, "Orders changed. You come with us, Kang Sae-bom."

      Her heart skipped. Orders? Changed? By who?

     She curled her hand tighter around the small knife hidden beneath her skirt slit, her jaw tightening as the blood still slicked her temple. She tilted her head slightly, buying time, eyes darting across the crowd.

    She knew Soo-min was watching somewhere, but without the comms in her ear, she couldn't signal him. Gi-hun and Woo-seok were too far gone in the maze of bodies. Damn it.

     The guard with the taser flicked it on, the electric snap and hiss nearly lost under the music but close enough for Sae-bom to hear it vibrate in her bones.

He angled it at her ribs, forcing her back a step. Her boots caught on spilled liquor, the leather soles slipping. She hissed softly, baring her teeth like an animal cornered.

    "You really want to drag me through this crowd?" She snapped, keeping her voice steady, low, "What do you think they'll see when your little masks come off?"

    A pause, a flicker of hesitation, just enough. She lunged, the knife flashing silver in the strobe lights. The blade slashed across the taser arm, sparks dying as the guard jerked back. Gasps broke out from a couple nearby dancers, but before anyone could make sense of what was happening, the second guard was on her.

    He shoved her hard against a wall, her skull slamming into brick. Her vision blurred, but instinct screamed louder than pain. She rammed her knee up viciously, connecting with his stomach, then elbowed his side until he staggered back.

     Across the dance floor, Soo-min had noticed, his tall frame cutting through the crowd, shoving dancers aside. His eyes were locked on her, wild with panic.

    The guards noticed too. The one with the taser lunged again, grabbing Sae-bom by the wrist with bruising force. She winced, trying to twist away, but he yanked her toward the back exit. She dug her heels into the sticky floor, twisting against him.

    She tried, god, she tried to push through. She clawed at one mask, catching it briefly before her arms were wrenched back. Her dress split along the seams as she kicked, teeth bared in defiance, but it was no use.

    The final strike came down. Darkness surged forward, swallowing everything, and her body gave out, limbs limp. A scoff from one guard, and the taser clicked off.

    They hefted her up like she weighed nothing, draping her over a shoulder as her head lolled, dark hair spilling like a curtain to hide her face.

A thin trail of blood dripped from her temple, staining her pale cheek, then pattered faintly onto the floor as they carried her through the writhing, oblivious crowd.

    Not one person stopped them. Not one pair of eyes saw her limp form for what it was. To them, she was just another girl too drunk, being carried out by her friends.

     Through the back door they went, the bass fading into a distant thrum as cold night air hit her skin. The alley was empty, the darkness swallowing the trail of crimson she left behind.

She dangled lifeless over the guard's shoulder, a sack of fragile bone and blood, her breath shallow but still present.

    Back inside, the music still pounded from the club behind him, a maddening contrast to the terror that was coursing through Soo-min's chest. He shoved through the final wave of bodies, stumbling into the night air, lungs burning.

     A trail, faint but clear enough, smeared along the glossy floorboards and onto the steel door that led to the exit, "Shit—" He muttered, panic striking deeper into his chest as he shouldered the door open.

     His shoes slammed against the pavement, his eyes catching the glint of white under the streetlights, the limo.

     It was already pulling away, sleek and merciless, tires screeching against the asphalt. For a second, the world tilted. His gaze locked on the back window, where he saw her. Sae-bom, slumped forward, her head leaning limply to the side.

     The blood across her forehead stood out against the pale wash of the streetlamps, a crimson mark that made his own stomach twist.  And worse, the shadow of an arm curled around her body, cradling her as though she were something precious.

    "No, no, no, no..." Soo-min's voice broke as he sprinted after the vehicle, his throat raw when he screamed her name, "SAE-BOM!"

    The wind of the limo's speed slapped across his face, taunting him. His legs strained, pumping harder, but the car was too fast, its taillights already burning like two red eyes disappearing into the night.

His chest heaved as his steps faltered, his hand stretching out in vain, fingers curling toward the empty air where she used to be.

     Static crackled in his ear. Then Gi-hun's voice, rough, and urgent, "Soo-min! What's going on?"

    Jun-ho overlapped, his tone sharper, panicked, "Where's Sae-bom? Did you find her?!"

     Soo-min didn't answer at first, he couldn't. His knees nearly buckled, his hands curling into fists so tightly his nails cut into his palms.

His eyes stung, not from the night wind but from the unbearable image burned into his mind, her unconscious body, taken, ripped away from him while he stood powerless on the curb.

    Finally, his voice came out low and trembling, "They have her... the guards, they took her. I saw her in a white limo. She—she was bleeding. There was someone holding her in the backseat like—" His words cracked, the edge of fear bleeding into them, "I couldn't stop them. I couldn't stop them..."

    A silence fell over the comms, the heavy kind that crushed down with grief and disbelief. Then Gi-hun's voice, low and grim, "Which direction did they go? We need to follow them. I'm following a guard now, they should take us to the games also."

     Soo-min's eyes darted across the street, trying to burn the image of the car's disappearing tail lights into his memory, praying for any detail he could use. He swallowed hard, pointing even though no one was near him to see, "North. Toward the bridge. I'm coming back inside now."

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THE HUM OF THE ENGINE WAS STEADY, ALMOST LULLING, BROKEN ONLY BY THE MUFFLED VOICES from the front of the limo. She stirred faintly, the sharp ache at her temple pulling her toward consciousness even though every part of her screamed to stay under.

     Orders... commands... The voices weren't directed at her, they were clipped, harsh, like someone in charge scolding another subordinate. Then came something unexpected, warmth. Not from a body, but from hands, methodical and careful.

     They brushed over her skin, pressing against the wound at her temple. There was no bare heat, gloves. Whoever it was, they were cleaning her up, tending to her, even though the strike to her head was never meant to allow such care afterward.

     Her lashes fluttered, a soft groan slipping past her lips as her blurry eyes blinked open. The interior lights of the limo dimmed everything to shadows and edges, but there, just a few feet away, was the unmistakable figure of a man in a black tailored suit.

     Broad shoulders, precise posture, and the gleam of a mask that turned his face into something unreadable. The Frontman. His back was turned to her, head slightly tilted, as if listening to the voices up front.

     Her stomach twisted. Fear? Anger? She couldn't tell, all she knew was that her pulse hammered as she fumbled clumsily at her side. Her fingers brushed something cold and familiar, the knife, her sister's knife.

    Her grip tightened, knuckles paling, and before she could even process the full weight of what she was doing, she was on her knees in the seat. Her hair was a wild curtain across her face, blood dried stiff against her temple, her vision hazy but her determination razor-sharp.

    She raised the knife, poised and ready to strike, her lidded eyes glaring straight at the back of that black mask.

    But the Frontman didn't flinch, didn't even turn right away. It was as if he knew.

    Finally, his voice broke the silence, low and measured, carrying an edge that stopped her breath in her throat, "I knew a little hit to the head wouldn't keep you down. You're stronger than that."

    Her chest rose and fell rapidly, blade trembling faintly in her hand as she steadied herself. Her lips stayed pressed shut, she didn't trust herself to speak, not yet, not when she was still fighting the haze and the urge to just drive the knife forward.

    The Frontman turned slowly, the eerie reflection of her own disheveled form glinting off the mask. His gaze, or what she imagined lay beneath it locked onto hers. He didn't raise his hands, didn't make a move to stop her.

    "You should rest," He said simply, though his voice was softer now, almost coaxing, "You've bled enough for one night. I'm not here to hurt you."

    Her jaw tightened, "Rest? Bullshit. I don't need your care, or your games." Her voice cracked slightly, weak but defiant.

    He tilted his head at her words, as if amused. Then, after a beat of silence, he asked in distorted rumble, "And yet... you're still here. Why is that, Sae-bom?"

    Her grip faltered on the knife, but only for a second. She swallowed hard, her lips parting with a shaky exhale, "Because I have no choice. And neither do you."

    The words hung between them like a blade itself. He didn't answer, though she swore she felt something shift in the air around him, something tight and restrained.

    Finally, she lowered the knife just a fraction, "Put me back in the games," She said flatly, her voice steadier now, "I know those coward V.I.P.s you serve. They like me, don't they? They enjoy watching me." Her words cut like venom, "So put me back in, let them have their show."

    For the first time, something flickered in his stance. His hands curled into fists at his sides, the leather of his gloves creaking. Behind the mask, his jaw clenched so hard it hurt.

    To agree was to sentence her to more pain, more risk, more blood. The thought alone made bile rise in his throat. He would rather shoot himself in the head than let her continue being their entertainment, especially after the games took something so precious from her.

     But he didn't—couldn't—say that aloud.

    "...Fine, have it your way." He spoke at last, voice colder than he intended, masking the storm inside him.

    Sae-bom's expression hardened. She gave a faint, humorless laugh, as the knife still lingered near his neck, "Of course. Knew you'd see it that way."

    And then, like a serpent slipping into the space, they both noticed it at once. The faint hiss of gas spilling into the back of the limo. Sae-bom's nostrils flared as she tried to fight it, tried to stay upright, pressing a hand to her temple as her head swam.

    Her voice cracked as she weakly forced, her strength leaving her quickly that she didn't really have in the first place, "Cowards... can't even let me see... where you drag me."

    Her grip on the knife loosened, her arm wobbling before it fell to her side with a soft thud against the seat. She swayed, eyelids heavy, breath uneven.

    The Frontman stepped forward swiftly, catching her before she could collapse. She fell easily into his chest, her head resting against the black fabric of his suit. He pulled her close, one gloved hand instinctively cradling the back of her head to shield the wound from jarring.

     She looked peaceful in his arms, despite the blood smeared across her temple, despite the chaos she had endured. Stray strands of her hair stuck to his glove as he brushed them back, his masked gaze drinking in the fragile sight of her like a secret he couldn't afford to reveal.

    His throat tightened as he felt her last weak breath against him, her body going limp, surrendering to the exhaustion and the drugged air.

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❪ ✏️ ❫ 𝚆𝙾𝚁𝙳𝚂 : 4397
─►☆ AUTHOR'S NOTE :
YUPPP WE UPPP RAAAA!!! now we are officially heading to the games again which means one step closer to seeing in-ho and sae-bom back together instead of having something in the way to stop them ehehe , literally so excited guys you have no idea 😋😋😋

not ready for all the angst i have especially with the idea im going with for sae-bom and jun-hee, but im also excited to write more bonds with sae-bom and the characters tbh that's definitely something i love to write instead of just romance

gi-hun and soo-min will be back in the games too don't worry, i just wanted to focus on sae-bom and where she fits into the ep so i promise they will be in there when she wakes up back in the games 🧎‍♀️

anywaysss you all know the drill, vote, comment, ect mwah <33🫶