𝑹𝑶𝑼𝑵𝑫 𝑺𝑰𝑿 (A squid game FF)

ONE DAY

Ask me how I'm doing,
Yeah I'm coping,
I said "I am coping"

Areum walked into her living room in her new flat which she purchased with the prize money. She stared out the window while sipping the coffee in her hand. She stretched her back, neck and arms and gasped in relief now that she can feel and move them properly. Her legs were still dressed but ofcourse better than before.

The Streets were almost empty. Areum got up and wore her beige over coat. She needed to get some groceries since she shifted here quite recently.

She has tried contacting the police after returning but they got no lead, she even asked them about Jun-Ho but the police station she went to didn't have any information about him. She tried contacting the national police station and they did go through a search to the island but found nothing. Areum was frustrated that they hid so well. She still hasn't moved on from that, not after just a tragic end.

She crossed the street and bought herself some fish buns as treat. "I haven't seen you since forever.." thee old vendor asked as she packed some fish buns for Areum. Before Areum joined the games, she was a regular customer at the old lady's fish store - which is now turned into a fish bun stall - and she always loved hearing the lady rant about the achivement of her son. It was wholesome for her. "Ahh I was busy with my job.." Areum nervously lied. She was waiting for her order when she heard a familiar voice. She turned and saw Gi-Hun but with a kid. She couldn't help but smile at the choice of hair colour Gi-Hun wore. Red.

"Areum?" Gi-Hun asked after seeing her smiling to herself. She came back to her senses and respectively bowed to him. She walked up to them and kneeled to clearly see the boy beside Gi-Hun, "Is he..." She started but Gi-Hun completed her sentence, "Yes, Kang Cheol, Sae Byeok's brother." Areum gave him a warm smile and patted his head. "I am sorry for everything you are going through, I hope you have a great life ahead." Her warm smile changed into a soft, sad one when she remembered about Sae Byeok's death. "You know where... My sister is right." Areum's smile fell and she just replied, "Somewhere currently out of our reach." "Oh my.. you must be hungry, take a seat here... Here, eat the fish bun." Areum felt relief that the old lady changed the subject.

"I left Cheol for her, I bet she can take care of him." Gi-Hun explained Areum. "May I ask who she is? I mean how did you know her.." Gi-Hun looked at her and then at the old lady who was giving Cheol more of her fish buns. "She is Sangwoo's mother." Areum went silent and hesitantly spoke again, "aren't you troubling her.. she doesn't even know where Sangwoo is and you gave her another child to care of..." Gi-Hun sighed and spoke, "I didn't find anyone better, besides I've asked her consent don't worry." Areum nodded and Gi-Hun took his leave, he was leaving to America the next day to meet his daughter. Areum walked to the boy and told him, "Take care. If you ever need anything you can call me okay?" She smiled softly and took out a pen and paper from her bag, noting down her number and handing it to the boy. He shyly smiled a little and accepted it.

"Oh my...!" The grandma spoke in shock as Areum went forward looking into the bag that old lady opened. Her eyes widen as she saw the money in the bag, there was a note saying 'This is the money I owe to Sangwoo.' After some time she couldn't say anything more and bid goodbyes from the boy and the old lady, asking for their address in the process.

-----

Areum brought some food and toys from the shops and walked her way to the old lady's house, this was the first time she is visiting her.

She took a train to the place. After she arrived at the station, she was walking towards the exit when she heard some people shouting. She turned to the sound and for the third time in her life, she saw the same man, playing ddakji with another poor person. The man who started this chaos for her. That was the very place where Areum first played. Her eyes widen as he turned to her and gave her a sly smile. Before Areum could walk near them a train arrived and the man hopped into it, Areum didn't even care following him because she remembers the last time she tried it and ended up as soldier.

After the man left Areum went to the person playing ddakji, whose cheeks were all red. Just like how she once was. She asked him for the card politely with some excuses but the man didn't give it to her. She snatched the card out of his hand and ran away as the man followed her but eventually stopped after she hid. She was careful not to let the gifts for Cheol fall down.

She turned the familiar card around and saw this time the number has changed. She put that in her pocket and walked off to Cheol's house.

She arrived there to be greeted by happy Cheol and the old lady watching TV together. "Oh my.. why did you take so much trouble coming here.." The lady softly asked Areum but she just smiled and her and said, "Why shouldn't I come.. I love this place." Cheol ran to her and hug her, they talked a few times on phone and Cheol really felt comfortable with her.

Of course no one could replace her sister and neither did Areum try it. She just wanted Cheol to be happy even if he is not her family. She smiled widely at him and show cased her gifts to him which he happily took. "Thank you!!" He excitedly said. They started playing as Areum became as silly as Cheol. The old lady joining them momentarily. Cheol seemed happy with Sangwoo's mother, she really took great care of him and Areum promised to visit them more frequently since Cheol enjoyed and felt comfortable with her.

It was evening now and she has taken her leave from the house, she was in the train, on her way back to the apartment now.

She took out the card and examined it before dialing the number. It rang for sometime until somone picked it up. "Hello?" The other line spoke. "H..hello? Games.." She was just speaking up when the voice said, "Soldier 30, player 457 Kang Areum." Areum looked at her phone and then at the people in the train, thankfully it wasn't crowded. "I'm so proud of you, you made so much money! Come back for the third year and I think they'll make you the frontman." The other line spoke as Areum gasped after she identified the voice.

"D.. Dad...?"

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And with this we have come to an end of this story! Hope you enjoyed the very last chapter of it. I hope I didn't disappoint you.

Thank you for reading this!

-Author 😁