starry night
cho hyunju x f!reader
your girlfriend fights to the death for you after an attempted attack
based off of the newest squid game season three trailer
warnings: happy pride month everyone <3 here's a fic for the doll herself :D this is super rushed (written in one hour) since I got excited to write after the trailer dropped, sorry if the writing is garbage. established relationship!
you’re trembling, your breaths coming in short gasps as you cling to hyunju’s strong arm.
your woman's steady presence the only thing keeping you sane in this shithole filled with homicidal maniacs that will do anything for the billions of won, and anxious players who make you more anxious than before.
the maze around you is a twisted mockery of beauty.
all of the walls around you and above you are painted with swirling blues, vibrant yellows, and deep purples, mimicking van gogh’s starry night in a uncanny way.
stars seem to pulse on every surface, their glow casting eerie shadows that dance across the narrow maze.
it’s beautiful, in a haunting way, but it only makes your chest tighten further.
as a child, you’d lie on your back in the grass, staring up at the night sky, feeling small but safe under the vastness of the stars.
now, those same stars feel like they’re mocking you, their painted brilliance a cruel reminder of everything these stupid games have stolen from you.
hyunju’s arm is firm around your shoulders. you look up at her, knowing that her longtime military experience is helping you by reassuring you about your safety... if there is any.
your girlfriend's eyes scan every corner of the maze, shes more alert than you could ever be. she’s always been the one in the relationship who’s always been stronger, braver.
120's dark hair is pulled back tightly, her face set in a determined line, though her eyes soften when they meet yours.
“you need to breathe, love,” she murmurs, her voice low but cuts through the panic clawing at your throat, “you need to tell yourself that we’re going to get through this.”
you try to nod, but the tears spill over anyway, hot and relentless, streaming down your cheeks.
you’re on the blue team, the hunted, and the red team is out there somewhere, stalking through the starry maze with knives and desensitized rage.
the thought of being separated from hyunju, of facing this alone, sends another wave of sobs through you.
you’re overwhelmed, the weight of these last four days crushing you.
this maze turns the stars you once loved into symbols of dread.
“i can’t do this,” you choke out, your voice barely above a whisper, “I can’t hyunju, i’m so scared.”
she stops walking, turning to face you fully, her hands cupping your face.
hyunju's warm thumbs brush away your tears, though they’re quickly replaced by new ones.
“hey,” she says softly, her voice a lifeline, “you are not alone. i’m right here. i’ve got you.”
hyunju's words are firm, but there’s a look in her gaze that makes your heart ache. she’s always been like this...fierce and protective over you, also gently.
you lean into her touch, your forehead resting against hers as you try to steady your breathing.
the maze feels suffocating, its starry walls closing in, but hyunju’s presence is a reminder that you’re not alone.
“i just… the stars,” you whisper, your voice breaking, “they used to mean something good. now they’re just… so hard to look at now.”
hyunju’s expression softens, and she pulls you closer, wrapping her arms around you tightly.
“i know,” she says quietly, “i know it’s hard. but we’re going to make it out of here, and when we do, i’ll take you to see the real stars. just you and me, okay? no mazes, no games. just the sky and nobody chasing us...”
hyunju's words are a promise, and for a moment, you let yourself believe in it.
you bury your face in her taller shoulder, her warmth grounding you as you try to push the fear away.
however, you can hear distant footsteps, faint shouts and sounds of knifes cutting through flesh.
whether they’re from your team or the red team, you can’t tell.
every sound makes your heart lurch against your chest, your body tensing as if expecting an attack at any moment.
hyunju pulls back slightly, her hands still on your shoulders.
“we need to keep moving,” she says, her tone gentle, “the key’s out there somewhere. we find the door, we get out. simple as that.”
she gives you a small, encouraging smile.
you nod, wiping at your tear-streaked face.
your cheeks are tight with dried tears, the remnants of the brown mascara you applied days ago now smudged and flaking beneath your eyes.
you think that you must look like a mess, but hyunju doesn’t care...she never has. your woman has always loved you for you.
your feet start walking again, hyunju's hand in yours, guiding you through the twisting paths of the maze. the starry walls seem to shift as you move, the painted swirls creating an illusion of motion that makes your head spin.
you try to focus on hyunju’s hand, and the strength in her grip, the way her fingers interlace with yours.
she’s scanning the maze constantly, her instincts keeping her on high alert thanks to the military.
you try to match her pace, but your legs feel weak, your heart pounding with every step.
“you used to tell me about the stars,” hyunju says suddenly, her voice soft but clear, cutting through the oppressive silence, “how you’d make up stories about them when you were a kid. remember that?”
you swallow hard, the memory bittersweet.
“yeah,” you murmur, “i’d pretend they were people, watching over me. heroes or something.”
you let out a shaky laugh, but it quickly turns into a sob.
“now they just feel like they’re watching me suffer.”
hyunju squeezes your hand.
“they’re not,” she says firmly, “they’re just paint on a wall. they don’t get to take anything from you. we’re going to get out of here, and you’re going to tell me those stories again under the real sky since we will make it back home... okay?!”
you want to believe her, andwant to believe that there’s an end to this nightmare, that you’ll see the real stars again with her by your side.
however, neither of you can predict that.
you’re so focused on her words, on the comfort of her presence, that you don’t notice the shadow moving behind you until it’s too late.
a hand grabs your hair, yanking hard, and you scream as you’re ripped violently from hyunju’s grasp.
the pain is sharp and throbbing through your scalp as you stumble, your vision blurring with tears and panic.
you catch a glimpse of a red covered torso... player 226, his face twisted with malice as he raises a knife to stab you in the neck.
“fuck!” you cry, your voice raw with terror as you flail, trying to pull free which makes 226's knife swing away, only missing you by inches.
the stars on the walls seem to spin around you, their colors blurring into a dizzying vortex.
you’re helpless, your body moving with fear as the knife glints in the dim light.
almost immediately hyunju lunges forward, her movements swift and precise, years of combat training kicking in.
she grabs your arm and yanks you away from 226, sending you sprawling to the ground in a small corner so you weren't in any red player's sight.
you hit the floor hard, your palms scraping against the cold surface, but you barely feel the pain.
all you can do is watch, more tears streaming down your face, as hyunju faces off against 226.
he’s fast, but hyunju is faster.
226 swings the knife, aiming for her chest, but she sidesteps effortlessly, hyunju's body missing his knife entirely. the blade slices through the air, missing her by inches, and she uses his momentum against him.
hyunju's hands are steady as she grabs his wrist, twisting it hard until he grunts in pain, the knife wavering in his grip.
“stay down,” she yells but 226 doesn’t listen.
he snarls, wrenching his arm free and lunging again, this time aiming for her face.
the knife catches her cheek, a quick, shallow cut that draws a thin line of blood.
you gasp, your hands covering your mouth as you see the red streak on her face, bright against her skin.
you're frozen, you don't know what to do.
luckily hyunju doesn’t flinch or react to the cut. you can tell, even from looking from behind and only seeing 226's angry face, that hyunju is pissed and overwhelmed.
in one swift motion, she ducks under his arm, grabs his shoulders, and flips him over her back with a force that sends him crashing to the ground.
the impact echoes through the maze, and 226 lands heavily, the knife skittering across the floor.
he groans, trying to push himself up, but hyunju is already on him, her knee pressing into his chest, pinning him down.
“don’t you fucking move,” she says, her voice cold.
226 had the audacity to attack you, and thinks hyunju is going to walk off?
he struggles for a moment, but it’s clear he’s no match for the ex-first class marine sergeant.
the fight is over almost as quickly as it began.
she stands, breathing heavily, her hand brushing at the blood on her cheek.
you’re still on the ground, your body shaking as you sob uncontrollably.
the sight of hyunju fighting, of the blood on her face, is too much.
you crawl forward, your hands trembling as you pick up the knife 226 dropped.
it’s cold and heavy in your grip, and you hold it tightly, your eyes darting to 226’s prone form.
he’s not moving, but you’re not taking any chances with him getting the knife again.
“hyunju,” you whisper, your voice breaking as you stumble to your feet and rush to her side, “are you okay? your face—”
she turns to you, her expression softening despite the blood trickling down her cheek.
“i’m fine,” she says, her voice gentle but firm, “it’s just a scratch but we can’t stay here. we need to keep moving, find the door with the key. we’re close, see!”
you nod as you look over to the door on the right, the door that you and hyunju stare at while trembling.
well, your tears are still falling but her words pull you back from the edge of panic.
you reach out, your fingers brushing against her uninjured cheek, needing to feel her, to know she’s still here.
“i was so scared,” you admit, your voice barely audible, “i thought—”
“i know,” she interrupts, her hand covering yours, “but i’m right here. i’m not going anywhere.” there’s an urgency beneath hyunju's voice.
“we have to go, love. no time for comfort right now, honey. we find the door, and we get out. okay?”
you nod again, your tear-dried cheeks catching the dim light of the maze, the old mascara smudged beneath your eyes.
you feel fragile, like you might break at any moment, but hyunju’s strength is enough for both of you.
she takes your hand again, her grip firm, and you start moving to the unlocked door with the knife still clutched in your other hand, just in case.
the starry walls loom around you.
with hyunju by your side, you feel a flicker of hope that maybe you’ll see the real stars again.
masterlist
