Time has its own flow and in that its own beauty, for it cannot be commanded by wind as water can, yet only pass with unique divinity. Knowing this, Y/n still desperately wished she could control time.

The second game of honeycomb was painstakingly slow. Y/n had the easiest job she could've had and she had to be grateful. Y/n was merely keeping watch over the area, yet the effect of the game was not lost on her.

Every gunshot, every dying breath, every gasp of despair resounded in her ears and she flinched at the thought of another body in the incinerator. After the time was up Y/n watched as the last contestants were shot. She turned on her heels and went straight back to her room. Her duties for the day were over.

Y/n knew that a fight had been planned to break out with the players tonight but she had no part in it. Jun-ho had to clean up after the game and after the fight. Y/n only hoped that he could find a bit more information during his missions.

It was a noisy evening but soon enough the woman on the PA was announcing.

"Attention, staff, it's now time for you to go to sleep. Congratulations on a good day's work"

Y/n was quick to dive under her covers and pull out her phone. With a flash of regret she saw three missed calls from Ha-kun and five from her father. It pained her that she couldn't call them so she went to their messages.

She found Ha-kun's first.

Y/n

Where are you?

It's been two days.

Answer me!

Do you need help?

Just send me your location and I'll be there

SHIN A-YEONG

Y/n please, we're worried

Y/n's fingers flew across her keyboard as she typed a message to her brother.

I'm fine. Don't worry about me. It's a secret mission I can't tell much. Everything's going to be fine. I should be back home in a week or so. I love you.

Y/n hit send and she moved onto her father.

A-Yeong, when will work be over?

I know you're busy darling but I need to know where you are

Is everything okay?

Do you need help?

Where are you?

Is Jun-ho there?

A-Yeong its been two days, your brother and I are getting worried

A-Yeong, I'm giving you another day to respond or I'm filing a complaint.

Y/n could not have her father rushing to the police department. The entire mission would fail if Seoul's most well-known detectives were lost.

Appa, I'm fine. Can't call very busy. I will be home in a week or so, please don't worry. Jun-ho is with me and both of us are completely okay. Take care of yourself. I love you so much.

Y/n was quick to send off her message to her father.

 A part of her was desperate to hear his voice and feel his fatherly love, but another part knew that lying to him about her safety was better for his health.

If Shin Chan-Yeol even heard a whisper that either of his children were in true danger then he would stop at nothing to ensure their safety and happiness. That was just how he was.

Y/n pulled up a picture from a few weeks ago She couldn't believe how happy her family looked. Her father's arm was wrapped around Y/n in the picture and his eyes were wide with happiness. Ha-kun's face was twisted in a strange manner that was making Y/n laugh. Her brother's arm was slung over Jun-ho who looked highly confused yet he seemed to be enjoying himself.

The things Y/n would do to go back to that moment were endless.

Y/n was broken out of her thoughts by Jun-ho's message.

Are you alright?

Nobody knows who In-ho is.

Y/n just remembered that she had forgotten to tell Jun-ho how these players were recruited.

I'm fine.

Are you okay?

I figured out a little from players 067 and 212 last night

They told me they were recruited through a game of ddakji

The man was the same.

He was tall, dark hair, dark eyes, small face, business man, dressed nicely, and a suitcase of cash.

Jun-ho was quick to reply. 

It's a start

But it only narrows our suspects to about a fourth of Korea.

Before Jun-ho and Y/n could continue their conversation a distinct cough resounded  through the walls of the floor. Y/n could recognize the morse code in a heartbeat and she was sure that Jun-ho could as well.

The coughing came in short and long breaks until Y/n made out a clear message. Her heart stopped.

"Number 29"

"What the heck did you do?" typed Y/n as fast as her fingers could go. "Were you late to your assignments?"

"No. I was early" came Jun-ho reply.

"What! That's just as bad, idiot."

"Calm down. It's fine."

"I'm risking my neck here and you're showing up early. Jun-ho they are suspicious! I swear if you mess this up I'll haunt your soul for all of eternity."

"Everything is fine."

"It's not fine! You better sort this out. This is not my problem" replied Y/n before switching off her phone and flopping down to sleep under her covers.

She cursed under her breath about Jun-ho before drifting off into a dreamless sleep.

....

The third game was torturous for Y/n. She had ended up with the worst possible assignment. Cleaning up the bodies.

She watched each of the teams go. A part of her was glad when Player 456's team won but she knew that it was just a matter of time. It was a matter of time until every person died and Y/n could do nothing to stop it.

She desperately wished she could promise these people a better life and get them out of this hole. But currently she herself was stuck.

Y/n was by the incinerators. She was pushing bodies into the flames with a triangle guard. The room was dark.

There was something in the darkness that was like a promise, like the world before dawn. Or maybe it was just Y/n's mindset. She was firm. She would get these people out of here. At least she would try.

She wouldn't let 455 people end in such fiery disasters. As Y/n continued pushing the boxes through mindless repetition, she felt eyes on her.

The triangle guard, number 063 was staring at her. The last body was pushed through the incinerator and Y/n started off back toward her room. But she was held back.

Y/n snapped her head back to stare at guard 063's gloved hand on her elbow. She met his eyes. Her heart rate was speeding up with fear.

This was not Jun-ho. This was someone else. Y/n couldn't have hoped for a worse circumstance.

"Guard 030, come with me" demanded the triangle guard.

Y/n knew it was over.

.....

"29, what happened yesterday? Where were you?" called guard 28 as Jun-ho entered the secret room of the dissections.

Jun-ho had figured out this elaborate scheme over the course of the day and had managed to make it relatively in time for the night's endeavor. He hoped Y/n would be satisfied.

"Sorry" replied Jun-ho quietly.

"Sorry"? chuckled guard 28. "I stopped the other guys from killing you because they didn't trust you. Since you saved my life during the last dive, we're even now. If you do that again, you're out."

Another triangle guard appeared and was verified. "Number 29. So you're finally here" scoffed the guard labeled 032.

"I gave him a warning" nodded number 28.

"We couldn't make the delivery last night" said number 32. "We can't let it slide with only a warning!"

"Then you can deliver this yourself" retorted number 28. "You think it's easy to find divers like us in this place?"

"Make sure tonight's delivery goes off without a hitch" said number 32 shaking his head.

"What? You aren't even done with one?" said number 28 checking in on the doctor's progress.

"The doctor is slow today. More so than usual" replied another circle guard labeled 015.

"Hey, quack. Hurry it up" yelled number 28 walking closer to the doctor. "This is all pointless if the boat leaves before we deliver."

"You come over here and try doing this, especially when you're sleep deprived. I'm just barely escaping death every damn day" retorted the doctor. His hands were covered in dried and fresh blood as he pulled out what looked like the liver.

....

Y/n had been dragged by number 63 into the nearest deserted room. It was only one hallway from the incinerators.

Her mind had tried to come up with any possibility that might delay the eventual revealing of her identity as well as her death.

Y/n could feel death clinging to every breath she took. It was a matter of minutes.

All hope was not lost however. Y/n was carrying her gun and she was ready to use it if she needed.

"Number 30, you are not who you claim to be." announced guard 063 once they were in a secluded room. Y/n's eyes glanced around the room for any cameras.

"There aren't any in here" noted the guard noticing Y/n's wandering eyes. He stepped closer to Y/n. Y/n could feel the man's breath on her face and she turned her face away slightly.

The man's gloved hand cupped Y/n's chin slightly and he turned her face back to face him. He stared down at her. Y/n glared up at him.

"Your eyes are beautiful. I can only imagine how stunning your entire face would be. I don't want to imagine anymore" and with that the guard reached to pull off Y/n's mask.

Y/n was surprisingly quick. She stopped the man's hand in a reflex motion.

"Trust me, you're about to make the worst mistake of your life. Think about it again. Don't touch me and I'll let you walk away."

The guard laughed. "Are you threatening me, woman? Yes, I know you're a woman. You can't hide a figure like that" muttered the guard his eyes raking over Y/n's appearance.

"Don't worry I'll keep your little secret. You only have to give me a little in return."

The man shrugged Y/n's hand off and pulled her mask off of her face. Y/n looked at the ground. Her anger was bubbling inside her and her heart was pounding against her ribcage.

The man whistled. "I think it's a felony to keep a face like this hidden from the male gaze."

The man pulled away to take off his own mask. He was not extremely old. Older than Y/n by a considerable amount, but still not too old. Y/n would expect mid-thirties to late-thirties. He had dark eyes that were very small on his round face. Dark hair clung to his forehead. He wasn't very handsome in Y/n's opinion.

"Let me treat you the way you deserve to be treated," whispered the man grabbing Y/n's shoulders and bringing her face close to his own. His breath was horrible. Y/n had seen enough. As the man leaned down towards her, Y/n bent her knee and kicked hard right between the man's legs.

He yelled and staggered backward. Y/n took the chance to pull out her revolver from the Seoul police. She aimed it right between the man's eyebrows. The man was groaning yet he was also whimpering. It was a pathetic sight.

"Look, we can work together! I won't bother you again. Please," begged the man. He was kneeling on the floor and sweat was apparent on his face.

"I'm afraid that time has passed" said Y/n. She stared into the man's dark eyes. "I told you not to touch me"

Y/n did not miss. In one clean shot the man was dead at her feet.

{1938}