315 || Squid Game

Episode 1- Red Light, Green Light

Alicia POV-

I am sitting in my room, preparing my portfolio for university. I have my earphones on, songs playing in the background, eliminating the world. If you were in my room, the only thing you could hear was the pencil and the paper's sound. It was that quiet. No one is at home.

I kept working on my portfolio; I heard my rooms' door opening.

"Where's the money! I know you have it, bitch!" She starts searching my bag, no luck I guess. I could feel her coming near me. She grabbed my hair forcefully which lead me to drop the pencil and hold her hand. "I have it" I struggled to say. "where!?" "if you leave you I'll give you." she pushes me to the table and stomped out of my room. 

I look under my books, there's an envelope containing 10 million Wons. My 8-month salary as an editor. I take out only 500,000 wons because I know she will spend it on some shit. I go out of my room and see her sitting on the couch. I place the money on the coffee table in front of her and look at her. "only 500!?" Suddenly she grabs my collar and hits me hard on my face. I feel blood coming out of my nose. I push her off me. "At least be grateful," I yell and went to my room.

-later that day-

I'm all dressed up. I take my bag and leave the house to the bank to pay the money before my mother takes it. I could hear her voice demanding me to come back. And yea... she found out about the money but I can't let her touch it. Everyone around me is staring at my 'mother' and giving her dirty looks.  

I walk to the nearest train station. I paid for the ticket. And wait for the train to arrive. Until the train arrives, I sit on the bleachers. I am scrolling through my phone. A man with a suitcase sits beside me.

"Ma'am, is your face okay?" I look at him, it looks like he is faking it. "Why do you care?" I snap.

"Ma'am, would you like to play a game with me?" He asks I give him the deadliest look ever. Is this the time to play games? "No," I said monotonously. He doesn't bulge. "If you win, I'll give you 100,000 wons every time you win." "I know it is a scam." He opens his suitcase and shows it to me.

There is money inside. He takes out red and blue paper tiles, "would you like to play a game with me." "Alright," I finally agreed because of the money. "I am pretty sure you have played ddakji before. Every time you win I'll give you the money." he says while looking at me intensely. "but if I lose, I don't have the money to pay." I say and turn around, facing the other direction. "You can play with your body." I looked at him with disgust. "I mean you will be slapped every time you lose." I nod my head. "So which colour do you wanna play as?" "blue." He gives me the blue one and places the red one on the floor.

I try to hit the red one. But it doesn't flip. I looked at him. He takes his turn and he wins. He slaps me, hard. We did a few rounds. I won 5 times. At least I won. Now my face is like a tomato with all the slaps. He gives me 500,000 wons.

"You know, Ma'am. There are other games like this where you can make even more." "I don't want to get slapped anymore. And I have loads of work to do." I say. "Alicia Wag. Your father owned a company in Malaysia but failed. Came to Korea for a better opportunity. But your father died. Your mother is abusive. You are a student. And work as an editor in a magazine company part-time. Has 175 million won in debt. Now you are going to the bank to pay 10 million won." He says everything with that stupid smile on his face.

"Who are you? Are you one of those loan sharks?" I ask him, stuttering. Then he gives me a card. With 3 shapes on one side and a few numbers on the other. I take the card and just stare at it. "think about it." He says. Just then a train arrives; he boards the train. 'Good luck' he mouths. Then he leaves.