𝖭𝖤Ԝ 𝖱ᝪ𝖫𝖤 ! ᵣₑᵥₑₐₗₑ𝓭 !

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐑 this black mailer can silence a player for the next day, meaning that the silenced player cannot talk, defend themselves, or even vote.

The Blackmailer does not know who the mafia members are but can unknowingly help them by targeting a civilian. The blackmailer role join the game as soon they reach 15 players 

Yoo-joong's wails still echoed through the halls, but Minji barely heard them anymore. All she could hear was the sound of her own heart breaking.

And Kyung-jun, standing there—unshaken, unbothered—like a monster she could no longer recognize.

The sudden blare of the speaker system sent a shiver through the already tense atmosphere.

"The Blackmailer has used their power. Player Kim So-mi will be unable to speak until the next voting session."

A stunned silence followed.

Minji's breath hitched. The Blackmailer? Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the new information.

Around her, the others exchanged confused and alarmed glances. Even Yoon-seo—usually calm and collected—seemed momentarily thrown off, her brows furrowed as she stared up at the speakers.

"What... the hell was that?" Mina broke the silence, her voice unsteady.

"Another role?" Na-hee murmured, clutching her arms. "But why are we just now hearing about it?"

So-mi looked around, eyes wide, her lips parted like she wanted to say something—but nothing came out.

"Wait—so she physically can't talk?" Yeon-woo asked, his face pale.

So-mi nodded furiously, tapping her throat with a panicked expression, confirming their worst fears.

"This is crazy," Eun-chan whispered, stepping back. "So this Blackmailer person can just... silence one of us? What kind of twisted game is this?"

"The kind that keeps getting worse," Jin-ha muttered under his breath.

Yoo-joong, still kneeling by Ji-su's body, barely seemed to register the announcement. His shoulders shook violently, his grief swallowing him whole.

Minji turned to Yoon-seo, her mind already working at full speed. "If there's a Blackmailer... that means the mafia have more power than we thought."

Yoon-seo nodded, her usual intelligent gaze now filled with worry. "It also means they're planning something. Silencing someone now could mean they're trying to control the next vote."

Jun-hee exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "So now we have a new problem. We don't just have to vote out the mafia—we also have to figure out who the Blackmailer is before they silence the wrong person at the wrong time."

A cold realization settled over the group.

The game was evolving.

And it was only getting more dangerous.

Minji swallowed hard, sneaking a glance at Kyung-jun. He remained quiet, his usual grumpy expression unreadable.

But she knew better.

This was another weapon in the mafia's hands.

And Kyung-jun... He already knew exactly how to use it.

The tension in the air was suffocating. The announcement of the Blackmailer's power had sent waves of unease through the group, but now—now it was something worse.

Something raw.

Kyung-jun and Minji stood in the middle of the hallway, facing each other like two forces bound to collide. Everyone else watched in silence, unable to interfere, unable to do anything but bear witness.

Minji's fingers curled into fists at her sides. Her chest ached, and she didn't know if it was from frustration, sadness, or the overwhelming sense of betrayal that had been growing inside her ever since this twisted game started.

Kyung-jun, as always, stood there with that unreadable expression, arms crossed, his posture as stiff and closed-off as ever.

But for once, Minji wasn't going to let him stay like that.

"How can you be so unbothered?" she finally snapped, her voice sharp, desperate. "Another one of our classmates just died. Again. Right in front of us. And you stand there like it doesn't even matter!"

Kyung-jun exhaled through his nose, tilting his head slightly. "What do you want me to do, Minji? Cry? Break down? That won't change anything."

"At least pretend to care!" Her voice cracked, and that—that—was what finally made Kyung-jun's expression shift. His jaw tightened.

"Imagine if it was us," she whispered, her voice now small, trembling. "Imagine if it was me lying there instead of Ji-su. Imagine if I was the one taken away, and you had to wake up to find me gone. Would you feel nothing then, too?"

Something flickered in Kyung-jun's eyes, something dark and dangerous. But he didn't answer.

"Say something," Minji choked out. "Say anything, Kyung-jun. Because right now, I don't even recognize you."

Still, silence.

Minji let out a shaky breath and forced a bitter smile. "You know... back in school, when you were mean to people, I always thought, 'That's just Kyung-jun. That's just how he is.' But now I'm starting to think that maybe I was just stupid. Maybe I just wanted to believe you weren't as heartless as everyone said you were."

Kyung-jun's fists clenched at his sides. Jin-ah and Seungbin, his so-called friends, exchanged glances but didn't dare say anything. No one did.

The weight of her words settled between them like a slow-burning fire.

"You don't mean that," Kyung-jun muttered, his voice lower than before.

Minji laughed, but it was hollow. "Don't I?"

For the first time, Kyung-jun looked... uneasy. Like something deep inside of him was unraveling, but he didn't know how to stop it.

Still, he didn't apologize. He never did.

Minji shook her head, wiping at her eyes before turning away from him. "I hope, for your sake, that you never have to know how this feels."

And then, she walked away, leaving Kyung-jun standing there—silent, frozen, and for the first time... maybe just a little bit afraid.

Not of the game.

Not of dying.

But of losing her.

Of really losing her.

And somehow, that scared him more than anything else.