EGOIST (Sang Woo x Fem!OC) [COMPLETED]

29

"Odd, even, odd...even." 001 counts the marbles in hands, placing them in and out of his pouch with delight. Sixteen minutes in, though no one is winning yet. Sang-woo's state of mind, however, is hazy. Mixed with emotions of what he can only discern were regret, fear, anger, and a gaping hole somewhere there that needs to be filled. 001 is senile, though throughout the minutes, Sang-woo found himself out of touch with reality. It's not about death, it's not that. It was the emptiness, longing to be expressed.

"Hey..." 001 nudges him back to reality. "Are we not playing anymore?" He shows his marbles to the dejected Sang-Woo. It really isn't death he's worried about, it's like at this point he's accepted it already. Then what the hell is wrong with him?

He just wasn't in the mood to play anymore.

001 just basks in his silence, watching, observing the younger man. Though Sang-woo can feel his scrutinizing gaze, he decides to ignore it.

"What will you do with the prize money if you win?" Sang-woo finally breaks his silence, but not his gaze that reaches far out to the sunset-painted walls of the room. 001 just smiles, looking out and responds, "I haven't even gone that far to think about it."

"This game..." 001 continues, "I just want to be a part of it. I have got nothing else to live for."

Sang-woo scoffs. "That is one thing we have in common." He sighs, taking out marbles from his pouch, placing them in his hand. He turns to the old man, ready to get through this.

"Take a guess." He says. "Odd or even?"

***********

Her life story is like memorabilia stored in a box, tucked away in the deepest chambers of her mind collecting dust. It was a moment Hae Young had avoided for most of her life, yet somehow this very moment followed her into this place. She sighs, building up the strength to open that box up again. Though the funny thing is, it's been kept away for so long that she didn't know where to start.

She turns to Mi-nyeo, contemplating, comparing her story to hers; that the only thing that was different was that she got to go to school. "Do the details in between matter anyway?" She says nihilistically. "We're all going to die."

"If we've got enough time left, then I don't want to sit here thinking about how you're going to die." Mi-nyeo tells her. "So in the time being, tell me some things that will make me remember you."

Hae Young sighs.

"If you don't want to talk about your major life points, then don't." She scoffs. "I just happen to tell mine because I love oversharing and being in the spotlight." She gives her a watery smile that Hae Young does not reciprocate. She just couldn't, not right now.

"I worked at a coffee shop once." Hae Young tells her. That's where her story will begin. "I don't like mocha lattes that much, and I prefer my coffee black." She recounts.

"I worked there while studying in SNU to make money while I was in college, and I had to work hard to buy medication for my father."

"Your father is sick?"

Hae Young just nods.

"He suffered a stroke when I was in high school." She tells her. "And I guess the effects stayed. He couldn't walk properly, and I took care of him most of the time... Until I had to move out."

Those were the darkest years of her life, reminiscing every moment from then, but does not smile. They were all just too painful to remember, so perhaps that's why she locked it out in her mind.

Mi-nyeo sighs, a smile gracing her lips. "I wish I had fallen in love at some point." She turns back to Hae Young. "But you don't really have time for that when your first priority in life is learning how to survive."

Hae Young just nods. Right. They were all just trying to survive.

"What will you do with the money, then?" Mi-nyeo asks her this time, but she just shakes her head.

"That's an unnecessary question." Hae Young tells her. "I don't need it anymore."

Mi-nyeo scoffs. "Stop being a philosopher and just answer." She rolls her eyes. "Hypothetically, if you did get to win that money, what would you do with it?"

Hae Young sighs and thinks for a moment. "Get an espresso machine."

Mi-nyeo laughs. "What else?"

"Maybe... travel?" She adds. "And then get my dad to treatment."

Mi-nyeo nods, as if that was the answer that she had been waiting for.

They both look up at the timer. Five minutes were left. Hae Young stands up, stretching her legs as she prepares herself for her inevitable. "I'd want to stand before I go." She tells Mi-nyeo, who looked up at her confused. She just nods, standing with her. From up there, they get a better view of the playing field. It was still dusk and warm, and it was a relatively nice sight to die to.

"Alright," Hae Young sighs. "Let's just get this over with."