painkiller | kang sae-byeok

³ 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗲

chapter iii.

"Please stand behind the white line drawn on the field and await further instructions," a female voice boomed throughout the room, making each player make their way behind the line eagerly.

"Something doesn't seem right.." Mi-Kyong looked at the large doll at the other side of the room. Her gut was telling her that things were

Sae-byeok stood with her hands in her pockets and waited for instructions. She looked at Mi-Kyong out of the corner of her eye, sneaking quick glances here and there. "Hey, stay next to me." She muttered, grabbing the girl's arm to pull her closer to her taller figure.

"Here's the first game. You'll be playing red light, green light." The doll whirred, voice now seeming as if it belonged to her.

    "You are allowed to move forward when "it" shouts out, "Green Light," stop when "it" shouts, "Red Light." If your movement is detected afterward, you will be eliminated." The rules seemed simple, making the players put on their game face.

    "Red light, green light? Like the game, we played as kids?" Mi-Kyong questioned to herself, absentmindedly lacing her fingers with Sae-byeok's who stiffed but enjoyed the warmth that radiated off of her.

    "Doesn't seem too hard, right?" Sae-byeok heard from the other side of Mi-Kyong, making her drag the girl to the opposite side of her.

"What do you want?" She questioned, as Mi-Kyong played with their interlocked fingers.

"Woah, I was just making conversation. You know, adding light to all of this." The male laughed but cleared his throat in embarrassment when he noticed that he was the only one that found it amusing.

"Those players who cross the finish line without being eliminated within the five-minute playtime will pass this round. With that, let the game begin."

Everyone got themselves ready, willing to put their all, and hope to make it through the game without being eliminated.

"Green light," the doll called out and everyone took off jogging—stiffly yet quite quickly. Two seeming close friends had goofed around, the one in the back speed walking while the other ran, racing the other.

"Red light." The doll's head rotated to look at the players. Spotting the boy's sporadic movement, the overhead voice announced, "Player 324, eliminated."

    The one in the back smirked, "Dumbass got caught."

    Suddenly, player 324 had slumped down as a loud gunshot boomed throughout the room. Mi-Kyong gasped, unbelievably slowly tucking herself behind the taller Sae-byeok. "What..."

    The doll's head whirred back around while saying green light, making Mi-Kyong let out a sigh and get tugged along with the girl in front of her as they wearily started to proceed. "That was a gunshot, right?" Sae-byeok shook her head, keeping her eyes set in front of her but not letting go of the brunette's hand.

    "Red light," the doll's head spun back around to face the players and number 250 had checked on his friend, thinking his unmoving body was all a part of a sick prank. "Hey, you got eliminated, idiot. You can stop with the act."