In Other Words ✔

On Jupiter And Mars

The writing structure might be chaotic...

word count: 1715

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"This guy here graduated from Seoul National University! Yeokssi, we could really count on you, eh, Sangwoo-yah?"

The tall man merely looked blankly at the greasy-looking man who was his senior during school days. Gihun laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling, his twinkling eyes seemed out of place in this hellhole.

Cho Sangwoo resented it. He resented how optimistic the guy was. Even at the threat of his life, Gihun could still laugh and smile like that.

And even more, Sangwoo resented how the guy easily trusted him, how the guys seemed proud of his achievements when he, himself, couldn't even look at the mirror without facing shame and humiliation.

How the mighty had fallen, he once thought bitterly whenever he got home in his pathetic rental room.

"I'll take the umbrella," Gihun's voice snapped Sangwoo from his reverie. His head whipped towards his hyung.

"U-umbrella? Why umbrella?"

"I always wanted one, my mum wouldn't give me one before."

Sangwoo felt a lump in his throat. He had difficulty swallowing it as he stared at Gihun's innocent, bright look.

"Come on, let's take our lines." Their little group dispersed as each one went to their respective shapes.

Sangwoo stood frozen in his place, still looking at Gihun, a heavy feeling slowly settled in his stomach.

"Hyung," Sangwoo suddenly called out, his hands twitching nervously as Gihun turned to give him a questioning look.

With every player dead, a hundred million will be added to the prize, Sangwoo suddenly remembered what those masked men announced before. It echoed in his mind. He couldn't get it out, as well as the nagging feeling in his chest.

"Nothing," he said in a smooth voice. The heavy feeling in his stomach intensified as Gihun smiled at him and gave him a thumbs up.

Sangwoo was relieved that he passed the game but still jittery the entire time. He couldn't get Gihun's smiling face out of his mind.

And Gihun almost died. Just because he trusted me.

Yet he still trusted him.

Gihun brought it up again. Him having graduated from SNU. Him being intelligent, resourceful, top kid in their neighborhood...

Stop it...

Smart Sangwoo. Such a good friend.

Stop it...stopitstopitstopit...

Such a brother to me, he is. He'll help us.

I'm not. You can't...

Fly me...

"Move three steps forward! We have to catch them off guard! Trust me!" He told them as his hands burned while holding onto the rope with every drop of his strength.

You can't trust me...

"It's thanks to this grandpa and ahjussi here that we survived. If you have to pray, pray to them," player 240 said to that religious lunatic.

Don't... don't thank me...

They'll regret it later.

...to the moon