I KEPT MY head low, focusing on the bland taste of the food, trying not to meet the eyes of anyone around me.

Se-mi sat beside me, her presence quiet but oddly comforting. Min-su, on the other side, finished quickly and stood up to return his tray. 

''I think I'll go too,'' Se-mi murmured after a moment, her voice light yet tinged with nervousness. She started to rise but paused, turning to me. ''Do you want me to take your tray as well?''

I looked up, momentarily startled by her kindness. Just as I opened my mouth to reply, Thanos's voice cut through the murmur of the room.

''Nam-gyu! Take the trays from the ladies!''

Nam-gyu groaned but rose from his spot, grumbling under his breath. He made his way over, and I watched as he took the trays from both Se-mi and me. Thanos caught my eye from across the room and gave a small nod.

Breakfast was over too soon, and the guards began directing us toward the voting room. I clutched my hands, my knuckles whitening as I stared at the two options displayed on the screen: X to stop or O to continue.

My heart pounded as I hovered over X. I didn't want to be here—I wanted to escape this nightmare. But then I thought of Thanos, of the promise we had made, of the faint glimmer of hope we had shared.

''Just one more game,'' he had reassured me earlier.

With a deep breath, I changed my vote to O. When the results were announced, I wasn't surprised to see that O had won. A collective sigh rippled through the room, though it was tinged with dread. We had chosen this path.

The next game awaited. 

The arena was vast and disorienting, with a platform in the centre surrounded by small, numbered rooms. The guards stood like sentinels at the edges with their guns at ready.

As we stepped onto the platform, the guards explained the rules. I listened intently, my stomach twisting with each word. Form groups that match the announced number. Enter a room. Close the door within thirty seconds—or be eliminated.

The platform began to spin, a hauntingly cheerful song blaring from unseen speakers.

Dunggeulge dunggeulge (jjak) dunggeulge dunggeulge (jjak)
Binggeulbinggeul doragamyeo chumeul chupsida
Sonppyeogeul chimyeonseo (jjak) noraereul bureumyeo (jjak)
Rallallalla jeulgeoupge chumchuja

The movement was nauseating, and I felt myself wobble slightly. Thanos grabbed my hand without hesitation, his grip firm and reassuring. 

''Don't let go,'' he instructed, his voice calm but serious.

I nodded, grateful for his presence. The spinning slowed as the first number was announced: six.

Panic erupted around us as players scrambled to form groups. Thanos and I moved quickly, joining a group that fit the number. We barely made it through the door in time before it slammed shut behind us.

When the platform began spinning again, my pulse quickened. This time, the number was five. Chaos broke out as alliances frayed, and desperation took hold.

Ringgaringgaringga ringgaringgaring
Ringgaringgaringga ringgaringgaring
Sone soneul japgo modu da hamkke
Jeulgeoupge ttwieo bopsida

Thanos's grip tightened on my hand as he kicked Gyeong-su in the stomach, shoving him away. ''You! Out!'' he barked.

Before I could process what had just happened, he turned to the rest of us. ''Let's go!''

We found another door and dashed inside, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. The room was claustrophobic as the door slammed shut again.

The spinning resumed, and the next number was announced: three. My stomach dropped as our group splintered. It was just me, Thanos, and Nam-gyu. We succesfully found a room and locked the door behind us.

Dunggeulge dunggeulge (jjak) dunggeulge dunggeulge (jjak)

The platform whirred to a stop, and the final number appeared on the screen: two.

I barely had time to react before Thanos yanked me to the left, his grip like a vice. We sprinted toward the nearest room, but just as I reached the doorway, a body slammed into me with a force that knocked the air from my lungs. The impact sent me sprawling backwards, landing hard on the cold, metallic floor. Pain flared in my hip and elbow as I spun, disoriented and struggling to process what had just happened.

"Minji!" Thanos shouted, but I could hardly focus.

Before I could react, I felt a rough tug on my jacket. My chest tightened as I realised it was the man who had crashed into me. His grip was unrelenting as he yanked me backwards, dragging me toward the room. My boots scraped against the floor, but I couldn't stop him.

Terror gripped me. The thirty-second timer was counting down.

Suddenly, a blur of motion filled my vision. Thanos. He lunged forward, shoving me through the doorway with enough force to send me sliding across the floor of the room. My jacket slipped from the stranger's grasp as I tumbled in, coming to a stop against the wall.

I looked up, dazed, just in time to see Thanos grab the man who had pulled me away. Without hesitation, he slammed him against the wall, his fist crashing into the man's face. The sound was sickening—a dull, wet thud that made my stomach churn.

"Thanos, stop!" I croaked, my voice trembling, but he didn't even glance my way.

The man tried to fight back, weakly clawing at Thanos's arms, but it was futile. Thanos was relentless, his fists moving with a brutal rhythm. The man's head lolled to the side, his body limp.

Thanos didn't stop.

With a swift motion, Thanos grabbed the man's chin and neck, twisting sharply. The snap echoed in the small, suffocating room.

"Stupid bitch," Thanos spat.

I flinched instinctively, pressing myself against the wall as he turned toward me. My entire body trembled, my breath coming in shallow gasps. For a moment, the room felt unbearably small, the walls closing in around me.

Thanos's expression softened as he saw me, and he took a hesitant step forward. "Minji," he started, his tone gentler now.

I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. They streamed down my face. My hands shook as I tried to push myself up, but my legs felt like jelly beneath me.

He crouched down in front of me, his movements slow and deliberate, as if approaching a frightened animal. "Minji, listen to me," he murmured, his voice steady and calm. "I had to do it. He was going to kill you. There can only be two people in the room, and he wasn't going to leave."

I hugged my knees to my chest, burying my face in my arms as sobs wracked my body. "I'm sorry," I whispered, the words barely audible.

Thanos frowned, clearly taken aback. "Why are you apologising?"

"I made you do this," I choked out. "If I hadn't fallen—if I had just been faster—"

"Stop it," he interrupted firmly, his voice leaving no room for argument. He reached out, his hands gently cradling my face. I flinched at first, but his touch was warm and steady.

"This isn't your fault," he said, his gaze locking onto mine. "It never will be. I did this because I had to. Because I promised to protect you. Do you understand?"

Thanos hesitated before pulling me into his arms. I buried my face in his chest, clinging to him desperately.

I shook my head, tears continuing to spill down my cheeks. "But you—"

"If you don't stop blaming yourself," he said, a hint of a smirk playing at the corner of his lips, "I swear, I'll kiss you just to shut you up."

The words caught me completely off guard. My breath hitched, and for a moment, I could only stare at him, my sobs halting.

He leaned back slightly, watching my reaction with an amused glint in his eye. "There we go. Quiet at last."

The doors hissed open suddenly, the sound jarring in the tense silence. The game was over.

Thanos stood, offering me his hand. I hesitated before taking it, his grip strong as he helped me to my feet.

"We survived," he said softly, his expression unreadable.

I nodded. As we stepped out of the room together, the cold air of the arena washed over me, and I couldn't help but glance back at the lifeless body we left behind.

Thanos noticed and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. "You're not alone, Minji," he said firmly. "Not while I'm here."

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