CHAPTER 𝟎𝟎7

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

Choi Nabi's pov :

Choi Nabi's POV:

I swallowed hard, my palms slightly sweaty as I took a hesitant step forward, forcing an awkward smile.

"Uh… so, there’s something I need to tell you guys…" I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Sae-byeok raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. "We’re listening, Nabi."

Taking a deep breath, I quickly explained everythingβ€”the truth about Jun, his role as a manager, and how he had been secretly protecting me all along. As I spoke, their eyes grew wider with every word.

Ji-yeong suddenly blurted out, her voice louder than necessary, "HE’S WHAT?!"

Ji-yeong's voice echoed in the dimly lit hallway, making me shush her in panic. "Keep it down!" I whispered urgently, glancing around to make sure no one else had heard.

Sae-byeok crossed her arms, her expression unreadable. "So let me get this straight. The father of your child... is a guard? And not just any guardβ€”a manager?"

I nodded hesitantly, my fingers fidgeting with the hem of my shirt. "Yes… and he’s been protecting me this whole time."

Ji-yeong scoffed, running a hand through her hair. "This sounds like some messed-up romance novel. What if he's just using you? What if the Front Man finds out?"

Sae-byeok sighed, rubbing her temples. "This is dangerous, Nabi. If anyone catches on, both of you could be killed."

I swallowed hard, feeling my heart tighten. "I know... but I trust him. He promised he’d get me out of here."

Ji-yeong huffed, shaking her head. "You better pray he keeps that promise, because if he doesn’t, we’re all screwed."

Sae-byeok narrowed her eyes at me. "I guess that means you know what the next game is?"

I nodded. "Yeah… Jun told me it's called 'Tug of War.' Basically, we need to form teams of seven. We'll be tied to a rope and have to pull until the opposing team falls."

Her expression darkened. "Waitβ€”Nabi, that's way too dangerous for you!"

I sighed, gently placing a hand over my belly. "I know… but I’ll be careful. I have to be. At least until Jun finds a way to get us out of this hell."

Ji-yeong : " Let's go back to sleep you need rest"

I nodded and followed them to the bed

Lee Sang-jun's pov :

I navigated the endless hallways, my footsteps echoing softly as I made sure no one was around. Once I reached my room, I shut the door behind me and pulled off my mask, exhaling deeply.

My gaze flickered to the surveillance camera mounted in the corner of the ceiling. He’s watching. The Front Man was always watching.

I ran a hand through my hair, frustration bubbling beneath my skin. What a nightmareβ€”to stand by and watch my pregnant girlfriend suffer through these brutal games, unable to do a damn thing to protect her.

I lay down on the bed, staring blankly at the wall, my mind racing for a way outβ€”but nothing came. No matter how hard I thought, every plan led to a dead end.

But one thing was certain.

I couldn’t let Nabi play "Glass Bridge."

"Tug of War" was already dangerous, but at least she had a chance if she joined a strong team. Glass Bridge, though? That game was pure luck. The chances of survival were slim even for someone in peak conditionβ€”let alone a pregnant woman.

I clenched my fists, my heart pounding.

"No, no, noβ€”I can’t let that happen. I won’t."

Suddenly, an idea struck me.

If we took the stairs on the left side of the corridor, we would reach the Front Man’s office. But if we went even further... there was a barricaded door.

Could that be the exit?

It had to be.

If I was right, then after Tug of War, I would take Nabi and escape. No matter the risk, no matter the cost.

Even if I ended up dying... I would die protecting her and our child.

With that thought lingering in my mind, I finally closed my eyes and drifted into sleep.

TIME SKIP TO THE MORNING 

Choi Nabi's pov : 

The horrible music filled my ears when I woke up, the night had been rather painful, I hardly slept so we talked with the girls, they revealed their hard past to me

Sae-byeok was born in North Hamgyong Province, North Korea. She is the second of three children. When she was young, her older brother and grandparents died from a plague. She and her family defected from North Korea but only she and her younger brother , her father was killed during the attempted escape, and her mother was captured and sent back. Her brother stayed in a shelter, while she worked as a pickpocket and attempted to save enough money to buy a home for her brother and bring her mother to South Korea.

As for Jiyeong, she had been a victim of physical and sexual abuse, she was incarcerated after she killed her abusive father in retaliation for his murder of her mother.

That's when I realized that my life wasn't so hard after all, not to mention the fact that I was able to find Jun again.

We gave each other a group hug even though Sae-byeok had refused at first.

"Players, the next game is about to begin. Please follow us."

I let out a quiet yawn, exhaustion weighing heavy on me as I trailed behind the others. The moment we stepped into the new game room, a shiver ran down my spine. The space was vast, eerily white, and unsettlingly emptyβ€”it felt more like a morgue than a game arena.

"You have five minutes to form a team of seven."

Panic rippled through the crowd as players scrambled to form alliances, desperate to secure a strong team. Sae-byeok, Ji-yeong, and I exchanged uneasy glances as we scanned the room, but no one seemed to notice us. Anxiety crept inβ€”were we going to be left behind?

Just as doubt started settling in, a group of four men approached us. Their expressions were unreadable, but their presence alone made my stomach tighten.

"Hey do you mind joining us ?" 456 asked

"Sure !" I smiled , hiding my stomach before they notice something even though my belly wasn't swollen yet

"Hey I'm Ali Abdul." The player 199 said , I remembered him from the "Red Light Green Light" Game when he caught player 456 with one arm

"I am Sang-woo" Player 218 spoke in a neutral tone , "he don't seem really chalant..." I thought

"Hi..I.i..am..Oh-Il-Nam.." The player 001 , an old man spoke , but for some reasons he seemed weird to me

"Oh and I'm Gi-hun"

"You don't need to know my name." Sae-byeok said

"Don't mind her , I'm Ji-yeong by the way"

"And what's your name ?" Gi-hun asked

"Nabi , Choi Nabi" i replied with a smile when the counter finally stopped

Since every player had successfully found a team, the game proceeded without any eliminations beforehand. We were led into yet another room, and as soon as I stepped inside, my stomach twisted with unease.

At the center of the vast space stood a massive square platform with a circle inside it, acting as the divider for the two competing teams. A thick rope stretched across it, ominously connecting both sides.

My breath hitched when I noticed just how high up the platform was. The drop below was nothing short of terrifying. If someone lost, they wouldn’t just fallβ€”they would plummet to their death. A wave of anxiety washed over me, but I forced myself to stay calm. I took a deep breath, reminding myself that panicking wouldn’t help me or my baby.

"Players are requested to stand in front of the lines."

At the announcement, my team stepped forward, taking position at Line 3. My fingers instinctively curled around the rough rope in front of me, my heartbeat quickening as we waited for further instructions.

A guard stepped forward, drawing a random number from a bowl. The tension in the room was suffocating as he slowly read out the matchup.

"Team 2 against Team 4."

I felt my stomach drop. My breath came out shaky as I tried to steady myself, but my hands trembled uncontrollably. My heart pounded so loudly in my chest that it almost drowned out the murmurs of the other players.

Sae-byeok and Ji-yeong must have noticed my distress because, without a word, they each reached for one of my hands, squeezing tightly. Their warmth grounded me, reminding me that I wasn't alone.

As we stepped into the elevator that would take us to the battlefield, a suffocating silence filled the space. Nobody spoke. The only sound was the low hum of the machinery pulling us up toward our fate.

When the doors slid open, my blood ran cold. The platform stretched out before us, high above the ground with nothing but a deadly fall waiting below. The realization hit me harder than everβ€”this wasn’t just a game. This was life or death.

The guards moved swiftly, securing thick ropes around our waists, locking us into position. I wrapped my hands around the rough, thick rope, gripping it like my life depended on itβ€”because it did.

And then, with a loud clang, the game began.

I was sweating from the neck and from the forehead, I was exhausted, the two teams had been pulling the rope for a good 5 minutes now, my hands were burning with pain and turning red, my hair was sticking to my skin, my mind was a mess, I was about to give up and accept my fate, no longer able to bear the pain but Ali took advantage of the slight moment of inattention of the opposing group to pull on the rope and make them fall

I watched the players fall the sound of their bodies crashing to the ground echoed through the room, probably terrifying the players watching us as they listened to their screams.

We got back into the elevator to go down, remorse overcoming me.

As we stepped into the dorm, the room was eerily quiet. Most of the players were still out, either fighting for survival or recovering from the last game. The usual line for food was nowhere to be seen, giving the space an unsettling emptiness.

I sank onto the bed next to Ji-yeong, my body still trembling from the adrenaline rush, when Sae-byeok suddenly appeared in front of me, holding out another meal box.

"They won't notice that another box is missing, right?" she said with a smirk, winking at me.

I couldn’t help but giggle, taking the box gratefully. "Thank you..." I murmured, my heart warming at the small act of kindness.

Just as I was about to start eating, a loud, furious voice shattered the quiet.

"How the f*ck is there no food left for me?!"

We all turned toward the commotion. Player 101, Deok-su,

The guard's voice remained calm and emotionless. "I'm afraid that the food is finished."

Deok-su's nostrils flared in anger, his jaw clenching as he scanned the room. Then, his sharp gaze landed on me. His expression darkened as he stormed toward me, his heavy boots echoing against the floor.

Before I could react, he grabbed my collar and yanked me up forcefully. My heart pounded in fear as his breath, hot and furious, fanned against my face.

"Hey, you! Why do you have two boxes?" he demanded, his grip tightening.

Before I could answer, Sae-byeok stepped forward, her voice sharp and unwavering. "It's mine. I gave it to her."

Deok-su scoffed, eyes narrowing. "I'm not believing this sh*t."

Without warning, his hand shot forward, slapping me across the face. A sharp sting exploded across my cheek as I stumbled back, collapsing onto the cold, hard floor. My vision blurred for a moment as I clutched my burning cheek, the metallic taste of blood lingering on my tongue.

A heavy silence settled over the dorm, tension thick in the air. Ji-yeong and Sae-byeok immediately rushed to my side, but I barely registered their worried voices. My heartbeat roared in my ears as I slowly lifted my head, locking eyes with Deok-su.

This wasn’t over.

Deok-su’s grip tightened as he yanked my hair back, his other hand wrapping around my throat like a vice. My nails clawed at his wrist, desperate for air.

Sae-byeok rushed forward, trying to pry his hand off me, but he barely budged. His strength was overwhelming.

"Le... let me g-go..." I gasped, my vision blurring, dark spots dancing in my eyes. My lungs burned, my body growing weaker by the second.

Just when I thought I might pass out, a sudden crack echoed through the room.

Deok-su staggered back, his grip loosening instantly. Sae-byeok stood in front of me, fist clenched, eyes blazing with fury. She had punched himβ€”hard.

I collapsed to the floor, coughing violently as air rushed back into my lungs. Ji-yeong knelt beside me, her hands trembling as she helped me sit up.

Deok-su wiped his jaw, glaring at Sae-byeok with pure rage. The tension in the room was suffocating.

"You b*tchβ€”"

"Try it again, and I’ll break your f*cking face." Sae-byeok’s voice was ice-cold, daring him to make another move.

"Thank you..." I gasped for air for a few minutes then finally sat back

Deok-su was held back by his friends and left saying that he would get revenge.

"This man is crazy damnit.." Ji-yeong said while caressing my back

TIME-SKIP TO THE NIGHT

As night fell, I quietly slipped away with Sae-byeok and Ji-yeong, making our way to the bathroom where Jun was waiting. The dim lighting cast eerie shadows on the walls, heightening my nerves.

The moment Ji-yeong spotted Jun, she let out a low whistle, nudging me playfully. "Damn, Nabi, you’ve got taste."

Sae-byeok, however, crossed her arms, her expression unimpressed. "Please. She’s way too good for him."

Jun raised an eyebrow at her, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Harsh."

Sae-byeok didn’t flinch. "Just saying it how it is."

I groaned, rubbing my temples. "Can we not do this right now?"

Jun let out a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Nabi is way too good for me…" He smiled awkwardly before suddenly pointing behind them. "Oh wow, look! A butterfly!"

Sae-byeok and Ji-yeong instinctively turned their heads, and in that split second, Jun seized the opportunity to press a quick kiss to my lips.

Ji-yeong spun back around, catching us in the act. "Tch… Are you two being serious right now?" she groaned, rolling her eyes.

Sae-byeok scoffed, arms still crossed. "Unbelievable."

Jun frowned and caressed my cheek

"Why your right cheek is so red ?"

"Player 101 , this asshole slapped her" Ji-yeong answered

"He did what ? Oh Deok-su I'm going to beat your ass up..at least if you're still alive when I found you" Jun chuckled

I shook my head and slowly followed Jun to where the exit was supposed to be.

We were almost at the door when suddenly we heard a gunshot behind us and a hoarse voice speaking.

"Where do you think you are going ?"

I froze in place, my breath catching in my throat.

That voiceβ€”it was unmistakable. Rough, authoritative, and laced with an icy sharpness that sent chills down my spine.

Slowly, I turned around, my heart hammering against my ribs.

There he stood, dressed in the same dark uniform as the other guards, a gun firmly gripped in his hand. His mask was slightly tilted, revealing just enough of his face for me to recognize him.

My eyes widened in shock

"Dad..?"

My voice came out barely above a whisper, disbelief washing over me like a tidal wave.

Jun immediately stepped in front of me, his stance protective, his entire body tense.

"Youβ€”you're part of this?" My mind struggled to process what I was seeing. "Why…? How…?"

My father let out a low chuckle, void of any warmth. "Nabi, sweetheart… Did you really think you could escape that easily?"

CHAPTER 007

to continue..(1 chapter left.)


You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net