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The elevator ride up was…quiet. The smell of metallic blood and unwashed hair drifted through the small space, going unnoticed by finalists.
Minsu looked around, nervously fiddling with his hands. He noticed Lee Myunggi, the boy who’d protected him in the bathroom. In the corner was the man from the very first game, who’d previously won. He was holding a wrapped up baby with a protective look splayed across his face. There were a few others. Random contestants he didn’t know the name of.
And then there was Namgyu.
He was shaking, pale in the face and blood streaked across it. He looked like he was going to throw up at any minute.
Minsu noticed the lack of necklace since ‘Hide and Seek.’
He hadn’t seen the greasy haired boy in that game. They only spoke before it, when Namgyu said he’d be lonely if he lost him as well. And then again in ‘Jump Rope,’ where he told him if he didn’t make it, he’d be the cause of his death from suicide.
They both made it. Minsu through the goal and desire to leave for Semi, who said to get out. Namgyu being led by some kind of hallucinatory Thanos.
The sound of the elevator doors opening brought him back to the sick reality. He still had one more game. A result of them losing the votes with only him, Namgyu and player 456 voting to leave.
As the rules were being explained, Namgyu began whining quietly, a distressed sound, hand carding through his hair. He stood beside the bowlcut boy, hand occasionally going up in front of him as if to protect him from nothing.
He felt safe and protected. He shouldn’t. Namgyu was insane, cruel and violent. But he knew that the taller one was living off of Minsu’s survival. He was codependent. Meaning he would stop at nothing to keep him safe.
“With that, let the games begin.”
The button was pressed, timer starting on the clock.
Instantly a small group formed, consisting of player 333. Minsu overheard them, they were talking about eliminating the baby first.
“Minsu.”
He turned away from the group’s direction, their conversation dying out in his ears as he looked at Namgyu.
He nodded to show he was listening.
“Just…just stay behind me, okay? ‘m g’nna protect you, yeah? We’re gonna get out.”
He didn’t sound too confident, sweat dripping from his head as he bounced on his feet. Though this was a one-up from nobody protecting him.
And then he noticed the group had turned from 456 and the baby, directing their attention towards them and quietly whispering.
“Which one? The weak one or the junkie?”
Minsu’s blood ran cold.
“The weaker one, he’ll be easier. More predictable than someone going through withdrawals,” Myunggi spoke.
“Namgyu…” he whispered, grabbing his shoulder.
The group approached calmly, trying to talk to them.
And then Namgyu shoved him behind his back, panic spread across his face as he shouted. “STEP BACK!”
They slowed, confusion setting in. Their relationship was confusing to outsiders. Hadn’t he killed his friend? Didn’t they hate each other?
“We’re not going to kill you, we just want the boy behind you,” player 100 said, as if that would make him stop.
“I SAID STEP BACK!” Namgyu repeated angrily, voice cracking at the end.
They didn’t let up.
“You don’t need him, it’s not like you two are going to live together after this. You only need to worry about yourself,” another calmly tried.
Namgyu’s eyes uncharacteristically welled, “I do need him. I can’t be alone again.”
“What do we do?” One asked.
“Just push them both!”
Minsu’s eyes widened, gripping onto Namgyu’s shoulder.
The elder grabbed his hand and pulled him closer.
Player 100 stepped forward cautiously, causing Namgyu to kick out his leg and scream at them.
He backed up.
The group reconnected, standing in a circle and whispering as they looked at them.
Player 456 gave an apologetic yet still stern look from his spot away.
“What do we do?” asked a finalist. “He’s not going to just let us kill the boy behind him. And we can’t risk taking out two at a time, we need the druggie for the next one.”
Myunggi considered. And then he spoke. “Take out player 124 first. 125 doesn’t care for him, he’s only using him for protection right now. Ask 125 to come towards us, and we’ll take the other out without eliminating them both.”
“How do we know that he doesn’t care, they seem a lot closer than expected.”
“Player 124 latched onto me in hide and seek the way he latched onto player 230. He survives off of someone else, and with the rest of his team gone, he only has that boy left. They’re not actually close.”
“Okay. 124 then?” A finalist confirmed.
They nodded.
203 approached this time.
“Hey, player 125, we’re not going to hurt you anymore. Just come join us.”
“Minsu, don’t,” started Namgyu, “they’re going to kill you.”
“We want 124, not you.”
The shorter’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “Not Namgyu…"
The man turned to Myunggi, “you said 125 was using him! Why is he protecting him!?”
“Just kill them both! We’ll kill 456 and the baby on the other two! WE DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!” shouted 100.
“What if they pull me on the way down!?”
“Just do it or we all die!”
203 walked toward them.
Namgyu let go of the boy’s hand, quickly throwing him to the side, in case he was shoved with the boy still behind him.
“JUST GO AWAY!” he cried. “WHY AM I ALWAYS LEFT ALONE. WHAT DID I DO WRONG.”
“SHOVE HIM!”
The countdown began ticking.
“15 seconds remaining.”
203 grabbed him, putting his body weight against Namgyu and trying to drag him off.
Minsu panicked.
Semi had protected him, and he watched her die. Namgyu’s voice played over in his head, “you just hid there and watched.”
Now Namgyu had protected him, and he was watching him die too.
He wouldn’t let this happen again. He couldn’t.
Minsu lunged forward, hands grabbing 203’s arms and trying to pry them off Namgyu’s shoulders.
And then the man kicked at his stomach. This had all been happening at the edge.
“8…7…”
Minsu could feel himself falling. He didn’t feel panic. All he felt was calmness. He’d protected Namgyu. He stood up for someone the way Semi had done for him. This time he didn’t just hide and watch. He closed his eyes.
“Player 125, eliminated.”
Namgyu shrieked. Face pale, hurled over like he was going to throw up.
He barely noticed being dragged across the bridge, barely noticed the button turning from red to green and a finalist speaking to him.
“He’s gone now, you can let go too. It’s okay, just jump,” player 100 spoke manipulatively.
He didn’t hear it, eyes glazed over as he stared past him at nothing.
“Should I just…push him? He doesn’t even look like he’s here.”
Myunggi shook his head. “No. We can’t risk him reacting abruptly again.”
“Then what do we do?”
“Thanos…”
The finalists all turned to look back at him.
Except Myunggi, who was grabbing a black pole.
“What did he say? The purple haired man?”
“Namsu, I told you you couldn’t handle it,” was the only voice Namgyu heard.
Thanos stood in front of him, holding the cross necklace.
“It’s okay, Namgyu. My death for you brought me peace,” spoke another.
He sobbed, staring at the two boys he would’ve done more to protect if he knew.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” he cried on repeat.
“It’s okay, just jump,” 100 said.
“Minsu, I’m sorry,” he continued.
“Hey, Namsu, it’s cooler here anyways,” the hallucinatory Thanos joked.
“Take my hand, Namgyu,” a soft voice began, belonging to Minsu, “let me show you you’re no longer alone.”
Namgyu slowly extended his hand, tears staining his face as they dripped down.
Myunggi approached.
He felt Minsu’s hand interlock with his. He looked up at him, the boy was smiling that soft smile he’d ruined. The one he wiped off his face with every remark in the past few days.
At some point he must’ve put his hand up for Thanos as well, feeling the weight of both in either palm.
And then he felt something pushing against his stomach. But he didn’t care. He just wanted to keep his eyes on the smile he’d failed to let shine.
And with the two boys staring at him with such fondness in their eyes, he didn’t feel alone for the first time.
“Player 124, eliminated.”