"𝐒𝐢𝐫. 𝐖𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐚 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞?"- 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐧

"Excuse me," Joo Yeon said as she turned back to face him.

"Would you like to play a game with me?" he asked for the second time.

"Look mister, you people have all kinds of tactics. I don't have time for this," Joo Yeon said as she turned to leave.

"I'm sure you've played ddakji before, right?" he asked again making Yoo Jeon face him again but he continued.

"Play a few rounds of ddakji with me. And each time you win, I'll pay you a 100,000 won," he said with a mysterious smile etched on his face.

"Wait, so if I hit your ddkaji, and it flips over, I get a 100,000 won?" Joo Yeon asked cautiously not wanting to get mixed up in another scandal.

He nodded his head at her before speaking up again, "You can also be the first to play, but if I flip yours, I need the exact same amount of money," he said and Joo Yeon couldn't believe what she just heard. Repay him 100,000 won? Where do I have such money?

"Sorry mister. I don't think I can play with you. I don't have such money," Joo Yeon said as she turned to leave again only to be stopped by him again.

"How about you use your body to pay instead. You get one slap if I flip yours over," he offered.

Joo Yeon paused mid-step, her mind racing. The offer felt like a dangerous game, but the temptation of quick money tugged at her. She had nothing left to lose at this point, and the thought of an extra 100,000 won, even with the odd condition, was hard to ignore.

She turned slowly, meeting his gaze. "Fine," she said, her voice hesitant but determined. "I'll play. But this better not be some scam."

The man's lips curled into a smile, a glimmer of something mischievous in his eyes. "I wouldn't dream of it," he said, his voice smooth, almost reassuring. "I just like a good challenge. Follow me, we can play at the bus stop."

Joo Yeon nodded and walked after him, her heart pounding in her chest. They reached a bus stop just around the corner from where they were standing. The shelter was empty, the sound of the rain tapping against the metal roof offering a sense of quiet isolation. It felt like the perfect place for a game of ddakji, away from prying eyes.

He placed his suitcase down and opened it, pulling out a set of colorful paper tiles. They were sturdier than the ones Joo Yeon was used to, and they gleamed under the streetlight, catching her eye.

"So which color do you wanna play as?" he asked showing 2 ddakjis. One red and one blue.

"I choose blue," Joo Yeon said and he nodded his head at her before placing the red ddakji on the ground.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

Joo Yeon swallowed hard, trying to steady her nerves. She wasn't sure what kind of man this was, but he had made her an offer she couldn't ignore. The money could be a lifeline.

"Alright," she said, gripping the tile he had handed her. "But if I lose, I won't be paying you anything else. Just a slap, right?"

He nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "Exactly. Now, let's play."

They each took turns tossing their tiles with quick flicks of the wrist, their movements a blur of concentration. The game was simple enough, but the stakes made it feel much heavier. Joo Yeon focused intently, trying to push aside the feeling that something wasn't quite right. The cold, damp air of the bus stop seemed to wrap around her, adding to the tension.

Her first round was shaky, and she missed the flip by a fraction. The man's tile landed neatly, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips and without any remorse his hand collided with her cheek and Joo Yeon felt a bitter taste on her mouth.

"Your turn," he said, gesturing for her to go again.

Joo Yeon gritted her teeth, determined not to back down. She flicked her tile harder this time, watching with bated breath as it spun through the air.

The tile hit his, and with a satisfying thud, it flipped over.

She let out a small, victorious gasp. "I won!"

The man raised an eyebrow, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "I'm impressed," he said. "You win 100,000 won, as promised."

She felt a rush of relief, and for a split second, the tension in her chest loosened. But there was still something unsettling about the way he was looking at her, as if this was just the beginning.

"Let's go for another round," he suggested, his voice soft but insistent.

Joo Yeon hesitated, glancing at the money he had promised. As much as she wanted to take the win and walk away, something in the back of her mind told her this wasn't going to end the way she expected.

But she couldn't stop now. Not when the stakes were too high. She nodded, a tight smile tugging at her lips.

The game continued under the dim light of the bus stop, the rain pattering above them, as if the world outside was oblivious to the strange and dangerous game unfolding within the small shelter.

After a few rounds, Joo Yeon had won 500,000 won but she felt her cheek burn in pain.

"Thank you for playing ma'am," he said closing his briefcase.

"You know ma'am, there are other games like this where you can make even more," he said staring at her.

"Sorry I'm not interested," Joo Yeon said as she turned to leave.

"Ms. Lim Joo Yeon, earlier you signed away your physical rights. You name is Lim Joo Yeon. 27 years old. A struggling fashion designer with no solid career but drowning in debt. You owe 100 million won to creditors," he said without breaking his eye contact with her.

"Who.. who are you?" Joo Yeon stammered shock evident on her face.

"We don't have many spots left. Just think about it," he said handing her a card with three geometric shapes on it.

Joo Yeon stood frozen, staring at the card in her hand, her pulse racing. The feeling of unease washed over her as she tried to process his words.

"Wait what kind of business is this?" she asked looking up from the card to see that he had disappeared. She looked at the other way but he was nowhere to be found. It was like he completely vanished. She flipped the card around and saw a number etched in it. 8650 4006.

It looked strange. Everything looked strange. With one glance around Joo Yeon checked her watch. It was past 12. She wandered if that creditor was gone as she wanted to go back.

She stood there for a moment, holding the card tightly in her hand. The rain had finally stopped, but her mind raced with conflicting thoughts. Who was that man? What kind of game had she just gotten herself into? And what kind of games does she have to play?

She glanced at the number on the card again: 8650 4006. The more she stared at it, the more she felt a sense of urgency gnawing at her.

With a sigh, she stuffed the card into her pocket and started walking home. Her footsteps echoed through the empty streets as she tried to shake off the chill running through her body. She couldn't help but think of the money she had won - 500,000 won - and the way he had looked at her.

What kind of man plays a game like that, with the stakes so high? And more importantly, why had he chosen her?

As she approached her apartment building, Joo Yeon hesitated. She didn't know why, but she had the overwhelming feeling that her life had just changed in ways she couldn't yet understand.

The next day, Joo Yeon found herself sitting at her small kitchen table, the card still tucked away in her pocket. She couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, as if someone was waiting for her to make the next move. She debated calling her friend, Minji, but she knew she couldn't risk dragging anyone else into this.

Her fingers trembled as she pulled the card out again, the numbers staring back at her.

There was only one thing left to do.

She dialed the number.

The phone rang three times before someone picked up.

"Hello who's calling ?" a voice on the other end said, smooth and cold, much like the man's.

"Uh, hello?" Joo Yeon stuttered, not sure what to say. "Earlier you gave me your business card". And she felt foolish. He must be thinking that she's nuts.

"Do you wish to participate in the game?" he asked and Joo Yeon felt her heart skip a beat.

"If you wish to participate, please state you name and birthdate," he further said. I thought they knew my name and birthdate. Fine, whatever, it's just my name and birthdate.

"Uhh sure. My name is Lim Joo Yeon and birthdate is October 11 1997," she said and clutched her phone tightly in her hand as she pressed it to her ear to hear the next instructions.

"Okay, thank you," she said as she ended the call.

Geez, what was that. I don't mind, unless I earn money to pay off my debts. She thought.

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𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 & 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭!