𝐋𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐲𝐮𝐧𝐠-𝐠𝐢

“𝘑𝘶𝘯-𝘩𝘦𝘦. 𝘓𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.”

[themgcoin333]

Name: Lee Myung-gi

Age: 29

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Bisexual

Role: Player 333

Occupation Before the Games: Cryptocurrency influencer and YouTuber known as "MG Coin"

Reason for Entering: After promoting a failed cryptocurrency investment, Dalmatian Coin, Myung-gi faced massive financial losses and backlash from his followers. He entered the games to escape his ₩1.6 billion debt and the fallout of his actions.

Personality: Charismatic, opportunistic, self-assured, but capable of shifting into a survivalist mindset when cornered

Likes: Financial success, social media influence, being in control

Dislikes: Being humiliated, reminded of his failures, feeling powerless

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𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚:

Hair: Black, styled neatly

Eyes: Dark brown

Build: Athletic and well-maintained

Style: Casual yet trendy, reflecting his influencer persona

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𝙀𝙭𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨:

𝑴𝒊𝒏-𝒔𝒖 - @minnsuu 𝑱𝒖𝒏-𝒉𝒆𝒆 - @kimjunhees 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒔 - @thanosw0rld 𝙉𝙖𝙢-𝙜𝙮𝙪 - @124gyu 𝑮𝒆𝒖𝒎-𝒋𝒂 - @janggeumja 𝑺𝒆𝒐𝒏-𝒏𝒚𝒆𝒐 - @seonnyeo 𝑴𝒊𝒏𝒋𝒐𝒐𝒏 - @salesman404 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙚-𝙨𝙤 - @hwang-chae-so 𝒀𝒖-𝒋𝒊𝒏 - @kang-yu-jin 𝑫𝒂𝒆-𝒉𝒐 - @kang-dae-ho-388 𝙅𝙞𝙗𝙮𝙚𝙤𝙠 - @ji-byeok-240-067 𝙉𝙤-𝙚𝙪𝙡 - @sunset-011-shot 𝑯𝒚𝒖𝒏-𝒋𝒖/𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒈-𝒎𝒊 - @hyun-120-mi-095 𝑫𝒆𝒌𝒐𝒔𝒖 - @squid-gangster 𝑴𝒊-𝑵𝒚𝒆𝒐 - @mi-nyeo-the-star 𝑯𝒚𝒖𝒏𝒋𝒂 - @kimhyunja 𝑱𝒖𝒏-𝒉𝒐 - @hwangjunh0

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𝘽𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮:

Lee Myung-gi rose to fame online under the name “MG Coin,” building a large following by promoting cryptocurrency investments. His most high-profile recommendation, Dalmatian Coin, crashed spectacularly, wiping out savings for many of his followers, including his ex-girlfriend Kim Jun-hee. Public anger, lawsuits, and debt collectors quickly followed. With no way out, Myung-gi entered the Squid Game in a last-ditch effort to win the money and rebuild his life.

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𝘽𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨:

Inside the games, Myung-gi initially tries to rely on his charm and quick thinking to manipulate alliances and avoid confrontation. He's strategic, always evaluating others for threats or usefulness, and prefers to let others get their hands dirty when possible. However, as the games grow more brutal, his survival instinct intensifies. He's willing to betray or even kill when cornered. Despite his cold decisions, flashes of guilt and internal conflict suggest he isn't fully numb—he’s simply too desperate to die. Myung-gi masks fear with arrogance, but the games slowly chip away at his polished exterior, exposing someone grappling with regret beneath the performance.

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━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Warning!

SFW/NSFW - MDNI

18+ Interactions will be marked pink.

OOC Posts/Interactions will be marked blue. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ⤷ 💀 Admin Info 💀 ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ✦ Other muses @seongaesa, @380semi, @ryukjunghwa, @baeyoungsoo

✦ Admin: 20 | He/Him | Will interact with anyone ✦ Follows back on @380semi

[themgcoin333]

come back here, i miss you 🥺

I'm here, Jun-hee, right here. 🥺

[thanosw0rld]

i want to put out a little PSA which is for the roleplay community.

please PLEASE put your age in your bio.

are you a minor? are you an adult? do you have an age range of some sorts?

having no age / being an ageless blog where you do not have any indication on your age will make people not reply / interact with you in fear of potentially writing something with someone underage.

don’t lie about your age, seriously. it’s not cool. you’ll just make it worse for yourself and the others around you. you are a minor and want to rp? cool! roleplay with people in the same age range.

if someone has MDNI (minors do not interact) respect that. do not pretend to be an adult to try and come into our spaces when it is not intended for you.

this is why i am now exclusive only blog. you can see who i will interact with on my pinned.

do you know how many blogs i thought were so cool but found no indication whether this mun is a minor or an adult? please indicate even an age range. 18+ etc.

it will save you so much heattship and stress.

i will not be interacting with ageless blogs / people who don’t have an age / age range on there. my roleplay account and other accounts are 18+ only. i don’t want minors here. respect my rules and boundaries and go about your day

[themgcoin333]

@mi-nyeo-the-star

hiiii can i buy one of those computer coins? deoksu said something about keeping our money untrackable-

Ahhh... you see, I don't really do that anymore.

I promised Jun-hee to change, so I want to keep my word.

[themgcoin333]

…!

; @kimhyunja

Hyun-ja... I- I'm sorry for everything...

[rp-graphic]

[themgcoin333]

what are you doing here, myunggi?

Myung-gi freezes in place for a moment when he sees her, like a ghost he wasn’t ready to face, then scoffs, the old arrogance slipping into his voice like armor, even though it cracks at the edges "...What am I doing here?" He avoids her eyes at first, then forces himself to meet them. "I could ask you the same thing, Junhee. You shouldn't be here. Not you." He gestures vaguely to the brutal, gray walls around them. His voice softens for half a second, but there’s guilt buried underneath. "This place’ll tear you apart. It’s not made for someone like you." He swallows hard, his jaw tightening. "Look... whatever you think you came here for, to yell at me, spit in my face, fine. I deserve it. I know." His voice drops low, bitter: "That scam, the investment… I thought I could fix everything for us. I really believed it until it swallowed me whole. And I didn’t talk to you because..." He trails off, the silence heavier than the words.

Then, after a beat, quieter, more fragile: "I heard you kept it." He looks away again, eyes burning but refusing to cry. "Why would you do that, Junhee? After everything? I told you it wasn’t the right time. I told you I couldn’t—" He cuts himself off, shaking his head like he’s disgusted with himself. "You think this is what I wanted for our kid? For you?" His voice finally cracks, just once. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to be what you needed. Still don’t."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

how long had junhee spent staring at her phone, watching as it rung and rung, until his contact photo had gradually left the screen? how many ignored calls lingered in his call log? she’d imagined, wondered, what, if any, circumstances would ever force him to speak to her again, or if she’d spend the remainder of her life without hearing his voice, watching the ways his features would harden in concentration, or his eyes would soften with sympathy when she cried? at some point she’d accepted it. he was gone. maybe he’d went through with fleeing the fucking country.

and yet here she stands before him, both sporting a shade of green she despises and numbers that seem to overshadow their names. “i had no choice but to be here,” junhee speaks slowly, deliberately — careful not to let a sliver of emotion seep into her shaky tone. she had nothing. nothing but the baby. “it was my only chance.” her voice drops into something closer to a whisper, and she presses her lips together firmly as myunggi speaks, seems to avoid looking at her entirely. “it wasn’t your choice to make. it never was. of course it wasn’t the right time — but when would it be? you could have made it the right time. you could have at least tried. you just weren’t willing to. i was.”

[themgcoin333]

his eyes flicker sharply, a mix of frustration and regret burning behind them as he listens, struggling to keep his voice stead. "You think I didn’t want to try?" His jaw clenches hard, fists twitching at his sides. "I stayed silent because I was scared; scared of failing you, scared of failing the kid. Scared that if I spoke, it’d all come crashing down faster than I could handle."

He finally meets her gaze, raw and honest now, no more walls. "You’re right. I wasn’t willing. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be. It was because I didn’t know how." His voice softens, cracking just a little. "I thought running away was the only way to protect you both—from the shame, from the mess I made." He takes a slow breath, voice rough but desperate. "Junhee... I’m here now. I’m not running anymore."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“no,” junhee corrects swiftly. “i know you didn’t want to try.” she speaks, control of her voice slipping, allowing it to waver a little. he hasn’t changed in their time apart. all his mannerisms are the same, and just as much fascinating to her as they always had been. his eyes have always been the most extreme; he can hold his features any way he wants, but his eyes always reveal the truth of how he feels. and right now, it’s broken. junhee’s heart feels heavy.

she swallows around a lump that forms within her throat, and her hand raises to settle atop of her stomach, feeling the firmness of her skin beneath the tracksuit. despite it being oversized on her, it does little to conceal the size of the swell. “you’re here now, myunggi?” junhee questions, her lower lip trembling a little. she looks away until it stops, but when her gaze finds myunggi again, it’s blurred with tears. “only one person can survive these games. you know that.”

[themgcoin333]

his shoulders slump slightly, the weight of her words sinking in deeper than he expected; his usual sharp edge dulls, replaced by a raw vulnerability he rarely shows “I know,” he admits quietly, voice rough like gravel. His eyes flicker with pain as he looks down at her hand on her stomach, then back up into her tear-blurred gaze. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t fight harder before; because I knew... someone had to make it out.”

He takes a slow step forward, hesitating, then carefully reaches out, almost trembling, to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “I don’t want to lose you. Or this.” He gestures vaguely toward her belly. “I’m here, Junhee. Not just in these games... but with you.” His voice lowers, filled with a fragile hope. “We might be trapped in this hell, but I’m not giving up on us.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

she catches the way he glances to her stomach, and all at once it strikes her how much he’s missed — the appointments, the ultrasounds. how many times she’s sat alone in waiting rooms, listening as mothers-to-be chattered with their partners about the bright futures ahead of them. how does she even tell him she already knows the gender? junhee exhales quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

her heart skips a beat when he comes closer to gently brush a stray tear from her flushed cheek, his touch as careful as it always had been within her. their eyes meet, and junhee lingers in the moment, allowing herself to believe briefly that nothing has changed. “we have to be realistic,” she mutters softly. “i — i won’t make it through the games like this. one of the other players was a midwife, she… she said i could give birth any day now. if — if that happens…” junhee trails off, shaking her head.

[themgcoin333]

His face stiffens, like her words are knives wrapped in silk, soft, but cutting deep; he takes a shaky breath, trying not to let the panic show too clearly in his eyes. “Don’t say that.” It comes out harsher than he means it to, so he steps back, runs a hand through his hair, and forces himself to soften. “I mean, fuck. I just got you back, Junhee. I can’t…” He swallows, eyes flicking to her stomach again, then staying there, the full weight of what’s happening finally, finally sinking in. “I can’t lose you both.”

He exhales slowly, his voice quieter now, more like the boy she knew before all of this mess swallowed him whole. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be in a hospital. Somewhere safe. I should’ve—” He cuts himself off with a frustrated laugh, bitter and broken. “‘Should’ve’ doesn’t mean shit in here, does it?” Then, softer still, he steps toward her again. “If it happens… if you go into labor in here, then I’ll be there. I swear to you, Junhee, I won’t leave your side again. Not for anything.” His eyes finally meet hers again, wide, glassy, terrified, and his voice barely makes it out: “I don’t care about the money anymore. If I have to die in these games so you and that baby can live... I will.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“myunggi,” his name tastes familiar upon her tongue, something she’s spoken so casually countless times before. never in a situation so dire, never on the verge of life-or-death. she wishes she could turn back the time to when such minor things felt like the end of the world, hushed bickering over finances and lighthearted arguments over who did the dishes. junhee’s chest aches. “i have to say it. it’s something that we have to consider — if we’re really doing this together.”

she forces a breath past her lips, in and out, and holds onto her stomach a little tighter as she holds his gaze. “if it comes to it… if you have to make a decision… i need you to promise me that you’ll choose the baby, alright?” junhee speaks carefully, making it clear that she’s not going to accept any answer other than agreement from him. “they’re not going to make it out of here with two parents. but if the labour doesn’t go right, i need you to make sure that they still have one, no matter what.”

[themgcoin333]

His breath catches in his throat as she speaks his name like that, soft, familiar, almost sacred, and for a moment, he can’t respond. He just looks at her, eyes stinging, as if the weight of her words is pressing against every bone in his body. “…Junhee.” He says her name like it’s the last thing anchoring him to this world. His lips part to argue, to say no, to refuse to even consider it, but the look in her eyes stops him. That determined, steady fire. The same one that made him fall in love with her in the first place. His hands tremble slightly as he reaches out, brushing his fingers across her knuckles where she clutches her stomach. His voice is quiet, hoarse. “You’re asking me to walk through hell and leave you behind.”

He exhales hard, broken. “You know I’m selfish. You know I’d burn the whole game to the ground if it meant keeping you breathing.” He closes his eyes for a second, jaw tightening, fighting back the crack forming in his voice. Then, he looks at her again, and this time, there's nothing but surrender in his eyes. “…But if it comes to that… If I have to make that choice…” He swallows hard. “I’ll choose the baby. I swear it. I’ll get them out. I’ll give them a life. Even if I have to do it without you.” He pulls her gently into his arms, pressing his forehead against hers, voice trembling with every word: “But please, Junhee. Don’t make me. Don’t leave me alone in this world with just that promise.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

the words are heavy, but the weight upon her chest is so much heavier. junhee exhales, her breath shaky, and she quickly swipes at her cheek when a few warm tears begin to spill. “i know.” she mutters quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. only when she senses myunggi’s eventual agreement does she look up, taking in the sight of him, emotional and vulnerable in a way that feels all too much like her own fault. his fingers brush against her knuckles, and she welcomes the touch.

slowly, her fingers wrap around his, and she guides his hand to rest upon her stomach completely, replacing where her own had been. “thank you.” junhee murmurs, grateful for his promise. she can’t promise him anything in return; she doesn’t know if she’ll survive labour under these conditions. what’s important is that their child does, and that myunggi is there to take care of them. “i, um…” she trails off, finding herself in desperate need of a lighter subject. “i know the baby’s gender. do you want to know, or would you rather it be a surprise?”

[themgcoin333]

His breath hitches the moment she places his hand on her stomach, like everything finally becomes real in that quiet, trembling second. The shape of their child beneath his palm. The life they created together, growing in spite of all the pain. His eyes flutter shut, lips pressed into a tight line as he struggles to keep it together. “…God,” he breathes out, almost inaudible. “They’re real. You did this. You… carried them all this time while I was out there pretending I knew what the fuck I was doing.” He opens his eyes slowly, looking at her like she’s both the most fragile and strongest thing he’s ever seen. “I don’t deserve this. But thank you for letting me be here now.”

Then, she shifts the moment, gently, mercifully, and he exhales a soft laugh, one hand staying pressed against her stomach like it’s the only thing grounding him. The idea of a surprise makes something flicker in him, but he shakes his head gently. “No. I want to know.” He tilts his head, managing a faint smile through the storm. “If I’m gonna protect them… I want to know who I’m protecting.” His thumb brushes lightly across the fabric of her jumpsuit, just above the curve of her belly. “Tell me, Junhee. Is it a little you… Or a little me?”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

junhee’s careful about where she positions his hand; assures herself it’s where it gently settles where she feels most of the movement from the baby. maybe it’s silly to think that the child might sense the touch of their father and shift beneath her skin, but it seems a much more likely hope to cling to than anything else that might play out within this place. she hums, her fingers gently carressing myunggi’s knuckles. they’re bruised, and she recalls his fights with the rapper.

a small smile arises on his lips and eases her, further reminds her that beneath the grime of this place, the blood of those that had died, myunggi was still there. the myunggi she had fallen in love with, the myunggi that she had envisioned a future with. the myunggi that she had endlessly pined over, convinced that him being older than her implied he’d never find any interest. junhee releases a gentle breath at his phrasing, “a little me,” she replies after a moment, the ghost of a smile at the corner of her lips. “thank god, right?” she adds playfully, looking down to her stomach.

[themgcoin333]

His breath catches in his throat again, not from fear this time, but something warmer, something sacred. His hand stays still against her belly, reverent. Like he's afraid moving too much might break the moment. “A girl,” he murmurs, almost like he’s tasting the words. A little you. He huffs a soft laugh, eyes glistening, his smile crooked but real, the kind she used to tease him for in bed when they were tangled in blankets and morning light. “Thank God, yeah,” he echoes, the humor in his tone laced with something deeper, awe, maybe. Fear, definitely. Love, most of all. “This world already had enough of me in it.” He tilts his head slightly, eyes scanning her face like he wants to memorize it again, every freckle, every scar, every way she’s changed and stayed the same. His voice lowers, softer than before. “She’s lucky, you know. If she turns out even a fraction like you... She’ll be the strongest person in any room she walks into.”

His thumb moves gently in circles on the fabric between them, and his voice cracks, just barely. “I’ll keep her safe, Junhee. I swear to you. I’ll tell her every day how much you loved her. How much you fought for her, even in a place like this.” Then, a slight smirk returns, old Myung-gi flickering beneath the grief. “And I’m gonna teach her how to throw a punch. Just in case she meets a guy like me someday.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

it’s strange to consider the intimate moment the two share within a place that wants nothing more than to tear apart any sense of normality they could ever cling to, and along with it comes a sense of guilt. guilt for those that have died, guilt for those that will die. guilt for the baby girl, who’ll only ever know one parent. would myunggi show her photos, tell her of junhee’s mannerisms and habits, point out all her resemblances to the woman? the thought makes her chest hurt, so she quickly swallows it back the best she can, attention returning to the present; to myunggi stood before her, watching her, holding the swell of her stomach. weakness overcomes her swiftly, and she takes a gentle hold upon myunggi’s wrist. it grows in strength within moments, and her expression hardens. “do you mind if we sit down?” she questions softly.

[themgcoin333]

He watches her closely, too closely, the subtle shift in her breathing, the flicker of something heavy in her eyes before she forces it down. He knows that look. He wore it for months, every time he passed a mirror. And it guts him to see it on her. Her fingers curl around his wrist, and he doesn’t hesitate, not even for a second. “Of course.” His voice is already quieter, steadier. Protective. He shifts his body slightly, guiding her carefully toward the wall, eyes scanning the bleak room around them for any danger, even though he knows no one’s coming. Not yet.

Once they lower to the ground, he immediately shrugs off his jacket, even if it leaves him in just the thin undershirt they all wear. He folds it and places it behind her, supporting her back without asking; it’s instinct. “Lean back. You don’t need to carry everything right now.” He settles beside her, close enough for warmth but not enough to crowd, his hand returning naturally to her stomach, like it belongs there. A silent promise, again and again. “She’s strong. Just like her mom,” he mutters, glancing sideways at Junhee. And then, softer, more tentative, as if afraid to shatter the moment: “Do you… have a name in mind?” He doesn’t say for her, or for the baby. He says a name. Because she’s real now. Not a maybe. Not a problem. Not a mistake. She’s theirs.

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

junhee forces a small smile, nodding with his quick agreement. “thank you.” she murmurs, holding onto him a little tighter as he leads her across the room. the sleeping quarters have always been large, but they feel particularly intimidating now that the number of players have dropped significantly, and junhee can’t shake the sense of dread the knowledge brings along. she carefully settles down, rubbing her stomach.

she hums softly, heart stuttering with his caring gestures, reminscent of everything they’d used to be, how he’d used to care for. she gently leans back, tension that had worked it’s way throughout her easing. junhee gives another grateful smile, and rests her free hand atop of myunggi’s. “no, not really,” she wishes she could go back to her greatest concern being the name of her baby. “but… these days, i think i’d like her to be named after someone we lost in here.” her fingertips ghost against his wounded knuckles.

[themgcoin333]

His jaw clenches at her words, his free hand curling slightly into a fist against his knee. The mention of loss here always hits harder when said aloud. Even now, with her next to him, warmth radiating from the small life between them, death still lingers at the edges like a shadow that refuses to leave. His eyes flicker to her hand brushing his, to her fingertips, tracing the bruises he’s tried not to think about. He looks down at them too, then to her face again, as if grounding himself in her presence, in this moment. “Someone we lost,” he repeats softly. There’s reverence in the way he says it, like he’s holding the idea like a prayer.

A breath slips from him, slow, shaky. He thinks of the first friend they watched fall. The ones who came after. All the names they’ll never say again, except in whispers. The faces that blur, but the pain that doesn’t. “Yeah,” he says finally, voice low and sure. “That feels right. If she carries someone’s name… they’ll never be forgotten. And she’ll grow up knowing that even in a place like this, people meant something.” He lifts her hand slightly, pressing a kiss to her knuckles, one of the only gentle things left in him. “Tell me when you’ve decided,” he murmurs. “I want to say it with you.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

what does admin think jun-hee’s fate will be?

from what we know so far, i think it’s VERY unlikely that junhee is making it out alive. genuinely, how is she going to win jump rope? don’t get me wrong i Want her to but it is Nawt looking good i fear. it seems pretty beyond a doubt that her baby will survive and that whoever lives will ensure that

[themgcoin333]

Don’t worry, I will save her!

[themgcoin333]

what are you doing here, myunggi?

Myung-gi freezes in place for a moment when he sees her, like a ghost he wasn’t ready to face, then scoffs, the old arrogance slipping into his voice like armor, even though it cracks at the edges "...What am I doing here?" He avoids her eyes at first, then forces himself to meet them. "I could ask you the same thing, Junhee. You shouldn't be here. Not you." He gestures vaguely to the brutal, gray walls around them. His voice softens for half a second, but there’s guilt buried underneath. "This place’ll tear you apart. It’s not made for someone like you." He swallows hard, his jaw tightening. "Look... whatever you think you came here for, to yell at me, spit in my face, fine. I deserve it. I know." His voice drops low, bitter: "That scam, the investment… I thought I could fix everything for us. I really believed it until it swallowed me whole. And I didn’t talk to you because..." He trails off, the silence heavier than the words.

Then, after a beat, quieter, more fragile: "I heard you kept it." He looks away again, eyes burning but refusing to cry. "Why would you do that, Junhee? After everything? I told you it wasn’t the right time. I told you I couldn’t—" He cuts himself off, shaking his head like he’s disgusted with himself. "You think this is what I wanted for our kid? For you?" His voice finally cracks, just once. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to be what you needed. Still don’t."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

how long had junhee spent staring at her phone, watching as it rung and rung, until his contact photo had gradually left the screen? how many ignored calls lingered in his call log? she’d imagined, wondered, what, if any, circumstances would ever force him to speak to her again, or if she’d spend the remainder of her life without hearing his voice, watching the ways his features would harden in concentration, or his eyes would soften with sympathy when she cried? at some point she’d accepted it. he was gone. maybe he’d went through with fleeing the fucking country.

and yet here she stands before him, both sporting a shade of green she despises and numbers that seem to overshadow their names. “i had no choice but to be here,” junhee speaks slowly, deliberately — careful not to let a sliver of emotion seep into her shaky tone. she had nothing. nothing but the baby. “it was my only chance.” her voice drops into something closer to a whisper, and she presses her lips together firmly as myunggi speaks, seems to avoid looking at her entirely. “it wasn’t your choice to make. it never was. of course it wasn’t the right time — but when would it be? you could have made it the right time. you could have at least tried. you just weren’t willing to. i was.”

[themgcoin333]

his eyes flicker sharply, a mix of frustration and regret burning behind them as he listens, struggling to keep his voice stead. "You think I didn’t want to try?" His jaw clenches hard, fists twitching at his sides. "I stayed silent because I was scared; scared of failing you, scared of failing the kid. Scared that if I spoke, it’d all come crashing down faster than I could handle."

He finally meets her gaze, raw and honest now, no more walls. "You’re right. I wasn’t willing. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be. It was because I didn’t know how." His voice softens, cracking just a little. "I thought running away was the only way to protect you both—from the shame, from the mess I made." He takes a slow breath, voice rough but desperate. "Junhee... I’m here now. I’m not running anymore."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“no,” junhee corrects swiftly. “i know you didn’t want to try.” she speaks, control of her voice slipping, allowing it to waver a little. he hasn’t changed in their time apart. all his mannerisms are the same, and just as much fascinating to her as they always had been. his eyes have always been the most extreme; he can hold his features any way he wants, but his eyes always reveal the truth of how he feels. and right now, it’s broken. junhee’s heart feels heavy.

she swallows around a lump that forms within her throat, and her hand raises to settle atop of her stomach, feeling the firmness of her skin beneath the tracksuit. despite it being oversized on her, it does little to conceal the size of the swell. “you’re here now, myunggi?” junhee questions, her lower lip trembling a little. she looks away until it stops, but when her gaze finds myunggi again, it’s blurred with tears. “only one person can survive these games. you know that.”

[themgcoin333]

his shoulders slump slightly, the weight of her words sinking in deeper than he expected; his usual sharp edge dulls, replaced by a raw vulnerability he rarely shows “I know,” he admits quietly, voice rough like gravel. His eyes flicker with pain as he looks down at her hand on her stomach, then back up into her tear-blurred gaze. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t fight harder before; because I knew... someone had to make it out.”

He takes a slow step forward, hesitating, then carefully reaches out, almost trembling, to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “I don’t want to lose you. Or this.” He gestures vaguely toward her belly. “I’m here, Junhee. Not just in these games... but with you.” His voice lowers, filled with a fragile hope. “We might be trapped in this hell, but I’m not giving up on us.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

she catches the way he glances to her stomach, and all at once it strikes her how much he’s missed — the appointments, the ultrasounds. how many times she’s sat alone in waiting rooms, listening as mothers-to-be chattered with their partners about the bright futures ahead of them. how does she even tell him she already knows the gender? junhee exhales quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

her heart skips a beat when he comes closer to gently brush a stray tear from her flushed cheek, his touch as careful as it always had been within her. their eyes meet, and junhee lingers in the moment, allowing herself to believe briefly that nothing has changed. “we have to be realistic,” she mutters softly. “i — i won’t make it through the games like this. one of the other players was a midwife, she… she said i could give birth any day now. if — if that happens…” junhee trails off, shaking her head.

[themgcoin333]

His face stiffens, like her words are knives wrapped in silk, soft, but cutting deep; he takes a shaky breath, trying not to let the panic show too clearly in his eyes. “Don’t say that.” It comes out harsher than he means it to, so he steps back, runs a hand through his hair, and forces himself to soften. “I mean, fuck. I just got you back, Junhee. I can’t…” He swallows, eyes flicking to her stomach again, then staying there, the full weight of what’s happening finally, finally sinking in. “I can’t lose you both.”

He exhales slowly, his voice quieter now, more like the boy she knew before all of this mess swallowed him whole. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be in a hospital. Somewhere safe. I should’ve—” He cuts himself off with a frustrated laugh, bitter and broken. “‘Should’ve’ doesn’t mean shit in here, does it?” Then, softer still, he steps toward her again. “If it happens… if you go into labor in here, then I’ll be there. I swear to you, Junhee, I won’t leave your side again. Not for anything.” His eyes finally meet hers again, wide, glassy, terrified, and his voice barely makes it out: “I don’t care about the money anymore. If I have to die in these games so you and that baby can live... I will.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“myunggi,” his name tastes familiar upon her tongue, something she’s spoken so casually countless times before. never in a situation so dire, never on the verge of life-or-death. she wishes she could turn back the time to when such minor things felt like the end of the world, hushed bickering over finances and lighthearted arguments over who did the dishes. junhee’s chest aches. “i have to say it. it’s something that we have to consider — if we’re really doing this together.”

she forces a breath past her lips, in and out, and holds onto her stomach a little tighter as she holds his gaze. “if it comes to it… if you have to make a decision… i need you to promise me that you’ll choose the baby, alright?” junhee speaks carefully, making it clear that she’s not going to accept any answer other than agreement from him. “they’re not going to make it out of here with two parents. but if the labour doesn’t go right, i need you to make sure that they still have one, no matter what.”

[themgcoin333]

His breath catches in his throat as she speaks his name like that, soft, familiar, almost sacred, and for a moment, he can’t respond. He just looks at her, eyes stinging, as if the weight of her words is pressing against every bone in his body. “…Junhee.” He says her name like it’s the last thing anchoring him to this world. His lips part to argue, to say no, to refuse to even consider it, but the look in her eyes stops him. That determined, steady fire. The same one that made him fall in love with her in the first place. His hands tremble slightly as he reaches out, brushing his fingers across her knuckles where she clutches her stomach. His voice is quiet, hoarse. “You’re asking me to walk through hell and leave you behind.”

He exhales hard, broken. “You know I’m selfish. You know I’d burn the whole game to the ground if it meant keeping you breathing.” He closes his eyes for a second, jaw tightening, fighting back the crack forming in his voice. Then, he looks at her again, and this time, there's nothing but surrender in his eyes. “…But if it comes to that… If I have to make that choice…” He swallows hard. “I’ll choose the baby. I swear it. I’ll get them out. I’ll give them a life. Even if I have to do it without you.” He pulls her gently into his arms, pressing his forehead against hers, voice trembling with every word: “But please, Junhee. Don’t make me. Don’t leave me alone in this world with just that promise.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

the words are heavy, but the weight upon her chest is so much heavier. junhee exhales, her breath shaky, and she quickly swipes at her cheek when a few warm tears begin to spill. “i know.” she mutters quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. only when she senses myunggi’s eventual agreement does she look up, taking in the sight of him, emotional and vulnerable in a way that feels all too much like her own fault. his fingers brush against her knuckles, and she welcomes the touch.

slowly, her fingers wrap around his, and she guides his hand to rest upon her stomach completely, replacing where her own had been. “thank you.” junhee murmurs, grateful for his promise. she can’t promise him anything in return; she doesn’t know if she’ll survive labour under these conditions. what’s important is that their child does, and that myunggi is there to take care of them. “i, um…” she trails off, finding herself in desperate need of a lighter subject. “i know the baby’s gender. do you want to know, or would you rather it be a surprise?”

[themgcoin333]

His breath hitches the moment she places his hand on her stomach, like everything finally becomes real in that quiet, trembling second. The shape of their child beneath his palm. The life they created together, growing in spite of all the pain. His eyes flutter shut, lips pressed into a tight line as he struggles to keep it together. “…God,” he breathes out, almost inaudible. “They’re real. You did this. You… carried them all this time while I was out there pretending I knew what the fuck I was doing.” He opens his eyes slowly, looking at her like she’s both the most fragile and strongest thing he’s ever seen. “I don’t deserve this. But thank you for letting me be here now.”

Then, she shifts the moment, gently, mercifully, and he exhales a soft laugh, one hand staying pressed against her stomach like it’s the only thing grounding him. The idea of a surprise makes something flicker in him, but he shakes his head gently. “No. I want to know.” He tilts his head, managing a faint smile through the storm. “If I’m gonna protect them… I want to know who I’m protecting.” His thumb brushes lightly across the fabric of her jumpsuit, just above the curve of her belly. “Tell me, Junhee. Is it a little you… Or a little me?”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

junhee’s careful about where she positions his hand; assures herself it’s where it gently settles where she feels most of the movement from the baby. maybe it’s silly to think that the child might sense the touch of their father and shift beneath her skin, but it seems a much more likely hope to cling to than anything else that might play out within this place. she hums, her fingers gently carressing myunggi’s knuckles. they’re bruised, and she recalls his fights with the rapper.

a small smile arises on his lips and eases her, further reminds her that beneath the grime of this place, the blood of those that had died, myunggi was still there. the myunggi she had fallen in love with, the myunggi that she had envisioned a future with. the myunggi that she had endlessly pined over, convinced that him being older than her implied he’d never find any interest. junhee releases a gentle breath at his phrasing, “a little me,” she replies after a moment, the ghost of a smile at the corner of her lips. “thank god, right?” she adds playfully, looking down to her stomach.

[themgcoin333]

His breath catches in his throat again, not from fear this time, but something warmer, something sacred. His hand stays still against her belly, reverent. Like he's afraid moving too much might break the moment. “A girl,” he murmurs, almost like he’s tasting the words. A little you. He huffs a soft laugh, eyes glistening, his smile crooked but real, the kind she used to tease him for in bed when they were tangled in blankets and morning light. “Thank God, yeah,” he echoes, the humor in his tone laced with something deeper, awe, maybe. Fear, definitely. Love, most of all. “This world already had enough of me in it.” He tilts his head slightly, eyes scanning her face like he wants to memorize it again, every freckle, every scar, every way she’s changed and stayed the same. His voice lowers, softer than before. “She’s lucky, you know. If she turns out even a fraction like you... She’ll be the strongest person in any room she walks into.”

His thumb moves gently in circles on the fabric between them, and his voice cracks, just barely. “I’ll keep her safe, Junhee. I swear to you. I’ll tell her every day how much you loved her. How much you fought for her, even in a place like this.” Then, a slight smirk returns, old Myung-gi flickering beneath the grief. “And I’m gonna teach her how to throw a punch. Just in case she meets a guy like me someday.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

it’s strange to consider the intimate moment the two share within a place that wants nothing more than to tear apart any sense of normality they could ever cling to, and along with it comes a sense of guilt. guilt for those that have died, guilt for those that will die. guilt for the baby girl, who’ll only ever know one parent. would myunggi show her photos, tell her of junhee’s mannerisms and habits, point out all her resemblances to the woman? the thought makes her chest hurt, so she quickly swallows it back the best she can, attention returning to the present; to myunggi stood before her, watching her, holding the swell of her stomach. weakness overcomes her swiftly, and she takes a gentle hold upon myunggi’s wrist. it grows in strength within moments, and her expression hardens. “do you mind if we sit down?” she questions softly.

[themgcoin333]

He watches her closely, too closely, the subtle shift in her breathing, the flicker of something heavy in her eyes before she forces it down. He knows that look. He wore it for months, every time he passed a mirror. And it guts him to see it on her. Her fingers curl around his wrist, and he doesn’t hesitate, not even for a second. “Of course.” His voice is already quieter, steadier. Protective. He shifts his body slightly, guiding her carefully toward the wall, eyes scanning the bleak room around them for any danger, even though he knows no one’s coming. Not yet.

Once they lower to the ground, he immediately shrugs off his jacket, even if it leaves him in just the thin undershirt they all wear. He folds it and places it behind her, supporting her back without asking; it’s instinct. “Lean back. You don’t need to carry everything right now.” He settles beside her, close enough for warmth but not enough to crowd, his hand returning naturally to her stomach, like it belongs there. A silent promise, again and again. “She’s strong. Just like her mom,” he mutters, glancing sideways at Junhee. And then, softer, more tentative, as if afraid to shatter the moment: “Do you… have a name in mind?” He doesn’t say for her, or for the baby. He says a name. Because she’s real now. Not a maybe. Not a problem. Not a mistake. She’s theirs.

[themgcoin333]

what are you doing here, myunggi?

Myung-gi freezes in place for a moment when he sees her, like a ghost he wasn’t ready to face, then scoffs, the old arrogance slipping into his voice like armor, even though it cracks at the edges "...What am I doing here?" He avoids her eyes at first, then forces himself to meet them. "I could ask you the same thing, Junhee. You shouldn't be here. Not you." He gestures vaguely to the brutal, gray walls around them. His voice softens for half a second, but there’s guilt buried underneath. "This place’ll tear you apart. It’s not made for someone like you." He swallows hard, his jaw tightening. "Look... whatever you think you came here for, to yell at me, spit in my face, fine. I deserve it. I know." His voice drops low, bitter: "That scam, the investment… I thought I could fix everything for us. I really believed it until it swallowed me whole. And I didn’t talk to you because..." He trails off, the silence heavier than the words.

Then, after a beat, quieter, more fragile: "I heard you kept it." He looks away again, eyes burning but refusing to cry. "Why would you do that, Junhee? After everything? I told you it wasn’t the right time. I told you I couldn’t—" He cuts himself off, shaking his head like he’s disgusted with himself. "You think this is what I wanted for our kid? For you?" His voice finally cracks, just once. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to be what you needed. Still don’t."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

how long had junhee spent staring at her phone, watching as it rung and rung, until his contact photo had gradually left the screen? how many ignored calls lingered in his call log? she’d imagined, wondered, what, if any, circumstances would ever force him to speak to her again, or if she’d spend the remainder of her life without hearing his voice, watching the ways his features would harden in concentration, or his eyes would soften with sympathy when she cried? at some point she’d accepted it. he was gone. maybe he’d went through with fleeing the fucking country.

and yet here she stands before him, both sporting a shade of green she despises and numbers that seem to overshadow their names. “i had no choice but to be here,” junhee speaks slowly, deliberately — careful not to let a sliver of emotion seep into her shaky tone. she had nothing. nothing but the baby. “it was my only chance.” her voice drops into something closer to a whisper, and she presses her lips together firmly as myunggi speaks, seems to avoid looking at her entirely. “it wasn’t your choice to make. it never was. of course it wasn’t the right time — but when would it be? you could have made it the right time. you could have at least tried. you just weren’t willing to. i was.”

[themgcoin333]

his eyes flicker sharply, a mix of frustration and regret burning behind them as he listens, struggling to keep his voice stead. "You think I didn’t want to try?" His jaw clenches hard, fists twitching at his sides. "I stayed silent because I was scared; scared of failing you, scared of failing the kid. Scared that if I spoke, it’d all come crashing down faster than I could handle."

He finally meets her gaze, raw and honest now, no more walls. "You’re right. I wasn’t willing. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be. It was because I didn’t know how." His voice softens, cracking just a little. "I thought running away was the only way to protect you both—from the shame, from the mess I made." He takes a slow breath, voice rough but desperate. "Junhee... I’m here now. I’m not running anymore."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“no,” junhee corrects swiftly. “i know you didn’t want to try.” she speaks, control of her voice slipping, allowing it to waver a little. he hasn’t changed in their time apart. all his mannerisms are the same, and just as much fascinating to her as they always had been. his eyes have always been the most extreme; he can hold his features any way he wants, but his eyes always reveal the truth of how he feels. and right now, it’s broken. junhee’s heart feels heavy.

she swallows around a lump that forms within her throat, and her hand raises to settle atop of her stomach, feeling the firmness of her skin beneath the tracksuit. despite it being oversized on her, it does little to conceal the size of the swell. “you’re here now, myunggi?” junhee questions, her lower lip trembling a little. she looks away until it stops, but when her gaze finds myunggi again, it’s blurred with tears. “only one person can survive these games. you know that.”

[themgcoin333]

his shoulders slump slightly, the weight of her words sinking in deeper than he expected; his usual sharp edge dulls, replaced by a raw vulnerability he rarely shows “I know,” he admits quietly, voice rough like gravel. His eyes flicker with pain as he looks down at her hand on her stomach, then back up into her tear-blurred gaze. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t fight harder before; because I knew... someone had to make it out.”

He takes a slow step forward, hesitating, then carefully reaches out, almost trembling, to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “I don’t want to lose you. Or this.” He gestures vaguely toward her belly. “I’m here, Junhee. Not just in these games... but with you.” His voice lowers, filled with a fragile hope. “We might be trapped in this hell, but I’m not giving up on us.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

she catches the way he glances to her stomach, and all at once it strikes her how much he’s missed — the appointments, the ultrasounds. how many times she’s sat alone in waiting rooms, listening as mothers-to-be chattered with their partners about the bright futures ahead of them. how does she even tell him she already knows the gender? junhee exhales quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

her heart skips a beat when he comes closer to gently brush a stray tear from her flushed cheek, his touch as careful as it always had been within her. their eyes meet, and junhee lingers in the moment, allowing herself to believe briefly that nothing has changed. “we have to be realistic,” she mutters softly. “i — i won’t make it through the games like this. one of the other players was a midwife, she… she said i could give birth any day now. if — if that happens…” junhee trails off, shaking her head.

[themgcoin333]

His face stiffens, like her words are knives wrapped in silk, soft, but cutting deep; he takes a shaky breath, trying not to let the panic show too clearly in his eyes. “Don’t say that.” It comes out harsher than he means it to, so he steps back, runs a hand through his hair, and forces himself to soften. “I mean, fuck. I just got you back, Junhee. I can’t…” He swallows, eyes flicking to her stomach again, then staying there, the full weight of what’s happening finally, finally sinking in. “I can’t lose you both.”

He exhales slowly, his voice quieter now, more like the boy she knew before all of this mess swallowed him whole. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be in a hospital. Somewhere safe. I should’ve—” He cuts himself off with a frustrated laugh, bitter and broken. “‘Should’ve’ doesn’t mean shit in here, does it?” Then, softer still, he steps toward her again. “If it happens… if you go into labor in here, then I’ll be there. I swear to you, Junhee, I won’t leave your side again. Not for anything.” His eyes finally meet hers again, wide, glassy, terrified, and his voice barely makes it out: “I don’t care about the money anymore. If I have to die in these games so you and that baby can live... I will.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“myunggi,” his name tastes familiar upon her tongue, something she’s spoken so casually countless times before. never in a situation so dire, never on the verge of life-or-death. she wishes she could turn back the time to when such minor things felt like the end of the world, hushed bickering over finances and lighthearted arguments over who did the dishes. junhee’s chest aches. “i have to say it. it’s something that we have to consider — if we’re really doing this together.”

she forces a breath past her lips, in and out, and holds onto her stomach a little tighter as she holds his gaze. “if it comes to it… if you have to make a decision… i need you to promise me that you’ll choose the baby, alright?” junhee speaks carefully, making it clear that she’s not going to accept any answer other than agreement from him. “they’re not going to make it out of here with two parents. but if the labour doesn’t go right, i need you to make sure that they still have one, no matter what.”

[themgcoin333]

His breath catches in his throat as she speaks his name like that, soft, familiar, almost sacred, and for a moment, he can’t respond. He just looks at her, eyes stinging, as if the weight of her words is pressing against every bone in his body. “…Junhee.” He says her name like it’s the last thing anchoring him to this world. His lips part to argue, to say no, to refuse to even consider it, but the look in her eyes stops him. That determined, steady fire. The same one that made him fall in love with her in the first place. His hands tremble slightly as he reaches out, brushing his fingers across her knuckles where she clutches her stomach. His voice is quiet, hoarse. “You’re asking me to walk through hell and leave you behind.”

He exhales hard, broken. “You know I’m selfish. You know I’d burn the whole game to the ground if it meant keeping you breathing.” He closes his eyes for a second, jaw tightening, fighting back the crack forming in his voice. Then, he looks at her again, and this time, there's nothing but surrender in his eyes. “…But if it comes to that… If I have to make that choice…” He swallows hard. “I’ll choose the baby. I swear it. I’ll get them out. I’ll give them a life. Even if I have to do it without you.” He pulls her gently into his arms, pressing his forehead against hers, voice trembling with every word: “But please, Junhee. Don’t make me. Don’t leave me alone in this world with just that promise.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

the words are heavy, but the weight upon her chest is so much heavier. junhee exhales, her breath shaky, and she quickly swipes at her cheek when a few warm tears begin to spill. “i know.” she mutters quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. only when she senses myunggi’s eventual agreement does she look up, taking in the sight of him, emotional and vulnerable in a way that feels all too much like her own fault. his fingers brush against her knuckles, and she welcomes the touch.

slowly, her fingers wrap around his, and she guides his hand to rest upon her stomach completely, replacing where her own had been. “thank you.” junhee murmurs, grateful for his promise. she can’t promise him anything in return; she doesn’t know if she’ll survive labour under these conditions. what’s important is that their child does, and that myunggi is there to take care of them. “i, um…” she trails off, finding herself in desperate need of a lighter subject. “i know the baby’s gender. do you want to know, or would you rather it be a surprise?”

[themgcoin333]

His breath hitches the moment she places his hand on her stomach, like everything finally becomes real in that quiet, trembling second. The shape of their child beneath his palm. The life they created together, growing in spite of all the pain. His eyes flutter shut, lips pressed into a tight line as he struggles to keep it together. “…God,” he breathes out, almost inaudible. “They’re real. You did this. You… carried them all this time while I was out there pretending I knew what the fuck I was doing.” He opens his eyes slowly, looking at her like she’s both the most fragile and strongest thing he’s ever seen. “I don’t deserve this. But thank you for letting me be here now.”

Then, she shifts the moment, gently, mercifully, and he exhales a soft laugh, one hand staying pressed against her stomach like it’s the only thing grounding him. The idea of a surprise makes something flicker in him, but he shakes his head gently. “No. I want to know.” He tilts his head, managing a faint smile through the storm. “If I’m gonna protect them… I want to know who I’m protecting.” His thumb brushes lightly across the fabric of her jumpsuit, just above the curve of her belly. “Tell me, Junhee. Is it a little you… Or a little me?”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

junhee’s careful about where she positions his hand; assures herself it’s where it gently settles where she feels most of the movement from the baby. maybe it’s silly to think that the child might sense the touch of their father and shift beneath her skin, but it seems a much more likely hope to cling to than anything else that might play out within this place. she hums, her fingers gently carressing myunggi’s knuckles. they’re bruised, and she recalls his fights with the rapper.

a small smile arises on his lips and eases her, further reminds her that beneath the grime of this place, the blood of those that had died, myunggi was still there. the myunggi she had fallen in love with, the myunggi that she had envisioned a future with. the myunggi that she had endlessly pined over, convinced that him being older than her implied he’d never find any interest. junhee releases a gentle breath at his phrasing, “a little me,” she replies after a moment, the ghost of a smile at the corner of her lips. “thank god, right?” she adds playfully, looking down to her stomach.

[themgcoin333]

His breath catches in his throat again, not from fear this time, but something warmer, something sacred. His hand stays still against her belly, reverent. Like he's afraid moving too much might break the moment. “A girl,” he murmurs, almost like he’s tasting the words. A little you. He huffs a soft laugh, eyes glistening, his smile crooked but real, the kind she used to tease him for in bed when they were tangled in blankets and morning light. “Thank God, yeah,” he echoes, the humor in his tone laced with something deeper, awe, maybe. Fear, definitely. Love, most of all. “This world already had enough of me in it.” He tilts his head slightly, eyes scanning her face like he wants to memorize it again, every freckle, every scar, every way she’s changed and stayed the same. His voice lowers, softer than before. “She’s lucky, you know. If she turns out even a fraction like you... She’ll be the strongest person in any room she walks into.”

His thumb moves gently in circles on the fabric between them, and his voice cracks, just barely. “I’ll keep her safe, Junhee. I swear to you. I’ll tell her every day how much you loved her. How much you fought for her, even in a place like this.” Then, a slight smirk returns, old Myung-gi flickering beneath the grief. “And I’m gonna teach her how to throw a punch. Just in case she meets a guy like me someday.”

[themgcoin333]

what are you doing here, myunggi?

Myung-gi freezes in place for a moment when he sees her, like a ghost he wasn’t ready to face, then scoffs, the old arrogance slipping into his voice like armor, even though it cracks at the edges "...What am I doing here?" He avoids her eyes at first, then forces himself to meet them. "I could ask you the same thing, Junhee. You shouldn't be here. Not you." He gestures vaguely to the brutal, gray walls around them. His voice softens for half a second, but there’s guilt buried underneath. "This place’ll tear you apart. It’s not made for someone like you." He swallows hard, his jaw tightening. "Look... whatever you think you came here for, to yell at me, spit in my face, fine. I deserve it. I know." His voice drops low, bitter: "That scam, the investment… I thought I could fix everything for us. I really believed it until it swallowed me whole. And I didn’t talk to you because..." He trails off, the silence heavier than the words.

Then, after a beat, quieter, more fragile: "I heard you kept it." He looks away again, eyes burning but refusing to cry. "Why would you do that, Junhee? After everything? I told you it wasn’t the right time. I told you I couldn’t—" He cuts himself off, shaking his head like he’s disgusted with himself. "You think this is what I wanted for our kid? For you?" His voice finally cracks, just once. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to be what you needed. Still don’t."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

how long had junhee spent staring at her phone, watching as it rung and rung, until his contact photo had gradually left the screen? how many ignored calls lingered in his call log? she’d imagined, wondered, what, if any, circumstances would ever force him to speak to her again, or if she’d spend the remainder of her life without hearing his voice, watching the ways his features would harden in concentration, or his eyes would soften with sympathy when she cried? at some point she’d accepted it. he was gone. maybe he’d went through with fleeing the fucking country.

and yet here she stands before him, both sporting a shade of green she despises and numbers that seem to overshadow their names. “i had no choice but to be here,” junhee speaks slowly, deliberately — careful not to let a sliver of emotion seep into her shaky tone. she had nothing. nothing but the baby. “it was my only chance.” her voice drops into something closer to a whisper, and she presses her lips together firmly as myunggi speaks, seems to avoid looking at her entirely. “it wasn’t your choice to make. it never was. of course it wasn’t the right time — but when would it be? you could have made it the right time. you could have at least tried. you just weren’t willing to. i was.”

[themgcoin333]

his eyes flicker sharply, a mix of frustration and regret burning behind them as he listens, struggling to keep his voice stead. "You think I didn’t want to try?" His jaw clenches hard, fists twitching at his sides. "I stayed silent because I was scared; scared of failing you, scared of failing the kid. Scared that if I spoke, it’d all come crashing down faster than I could handle."

He finally meets her gaze, raw and honest now, no more walls. "You’re right. I wasn’t willing. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be. It was because I didn’t know how." His voice softens, cracking just a little. "I thought running away was the only way to protect you both—from the shame, from the mess I made." He takes a slow breath, voice rough but desperate. "Junhee... I’m here now. I’m not running anymore."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“no,” junhee corrects swiftly. “i know you didn’t want to try.” she speaks, control of her voice slipping, allowing it to waver a little. he hasn’t changed in their time apart. all his mannerisms are the same, and just as much fascinating to her as they always had been. his eyes have always been the most extreme; he can hold his features any way he wants, but his eyes always reveal the truth of how he feels. and right now, it’s broken. junhee’s heart feels heavy.

she swallows around a lump that forms within her throat, and her hand raises to settle atop of her stomach, feeling the firmness of her skin beneath the tracksuit. despite it being oversized on her, it does little to conceal the size of the swell. “you’re here now, myunggi?” junhee questions, her lower lip trembling a little. she looks away until it stops, but when her gaze finds myunggi again, it’s blurred with tears. “only one person can survive these games. you know that.”

[themgcoin333]

his shoulders slump slightly, the weight of her words sinking in deeper than he expected; his usual sharp edge dulls, replaced by a raw vulnerability he rarely shows “I know,” he admits quietly, voice rough like gravel. His eyes flicker with pain as he looks down at her hand on her stomach, then back up into her tear-blurred gaze. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t fight harder before; because I knew... someone had to make it out.”

He takes a slow step forward, hesitating, then carefully reaches out, almost trembling, to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “I don’t want to lose you. Or this.” He gestures vaguely toward her belly. “I’m here, Junhee. Not just in these games... but with you.” His voice lowers, filled with a fragile hope. “We might be trapped in this hell, but I’m not giving up on us.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

she catches the way he glances to her stomach, and all at once it strikes her how much he’s missed — the appointments, the ultrasounds. how many times she’s sat alone in waiting rooms, listening as mothers-to-be chattered with their partners about the bright futures ahead of them. how does she even tell him she already knows the gender? junhee exhales quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

her heart skips a beat when he comes closer to gently brush a stray tear from her flushed cheek, his touch as careful as it always had been within her. their eyes meet, and junhee lingers in the moment, allowing herself to believe briefly that nothing has changed. “we have to be realistic,” she mutters softly. “i — i won’t make it through the games like this. one of the other players was a midwife, she… she said i could give birth any day now. if — if that happens…” junhee trails off, shaking her head.

[themgcoin333]

His face stiffens, like her words are knives wrapped in silk, soft, but cutting deep; he takes a shaky breath, trying not to let the panic show too clearly in his eyes. “Don’t say that.” It comes out harsher than he means it to, so he steps back, runs a hand through his hair, and forces himself to soften. “I mean, fuck. I just got you back, Junhee. I can’t…” He swallows, eyes flicking to her stomach again, then staying there, the full weight of what’s happening finally, finally sinking in. “I can’t lose you both.”

He exhales slowly, his voice quieter now, more like the boy she knew before all of this mess swallowed him whole. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be in a hospital. Somewhere safe. I should’ve—” He cuts himself off with a frustrated laugh, bitter and broken. “‘Should’ve’ doesn’t mean shit in here, does it?” Then, softer still, he steps toward her again. “If it happens… if you go into labor in here, then I’ll be there. I swear to you, Junhee, I won’t leave your side again. Not for anything.” His eyes finally meet hers again, wide, glassy, terrified, and his voice barely makes it out: “I don’t care about the money anymore. If I have to die in these games so you and that baby can live... I will.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“myunggi,” his name tastes familiar upon her tongue, something she’s spoken so casually countless times before. never in a situation so dire, never on the verge of life-or-death. she wishes she could turn back the time to when such minor things felt like the end of the world, hushed bickering over finances and lighthearted arguments over who did the dishes. junhee’s chest aches. “i have to say it. it’s something that we have to consider — if we’re really doing this together.”

she forces a breath past her lips, in and out, and holds onto her stomach a little tighter as she holds his gaze. “if it comes to it… if you have to make a decision… i need you to promise me that you’ll choose the baby, alright?” junhee speaks carefully, making it clear that she’s not going to accept any answer other than agreement from him. “they’re not going to make it out of here with two parents. but if the labour doesn’t go right, i need you to make sure that they still have one, no matter what.”

[themgcoin333]

His breath catches in his throat as she speaks his name like that, soft, familiar, almost sacred, and for a moment, he can’t respond. He just looks at her, eyes stinging, as if the weight of her words is pressing against every bone in his body. “…Junhee.” He says her name like it’s the last thing anchoring him to this world. His lips part to argue, to say no, to refuse to even consider it, but the look in her eyes stops him. That determined, steady fire. The same one that made him fall in love with her in the first place. His hands tremble slightly as he reaches out, brushing his fingers across her knuckles where she clutches her stomach. His voice is quiet, hoarse. “You’re asking me to walk through hell and leave you behind.”

He exhales hard, broken. “You know I’m selfish. You know I’d burn the whole game to the ground if it meant keeping you breathing.” He closes his eyes for a second, jaw tightening, fighting back the crack forming in his voice. Then, he looks at her again, and this time, there's nothing but surrender in his eyes. “…But if it comes to that… If I have to make that choice…” He swallows hard. “I’ll choose the baby. I swear it. I’ll get them out. I’ll give them a life. Even if I have to do it without you.” He pulls her gently into his arms, pressing his forehead against hers, voice trembling with every word: “But please, Junhee. Don’t make me. Don’t leave me alone in this world with just that promise.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

the words are heavy, but the weight upon her chest is so much heavier. junhee exhales, her breath shaky, and she quickly swipes at her cheek when a few warm tears begin to spill. “i know.” she mutters quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. only when she senses myunggi’s eventual agreement does she look up, taking in the sight of him, emotional and vulnerable in a way that feels all too much like her own fault. his fingers brush against her knuckles, and she welcomes the touch.

slowly, her fingers wrap around his, and she guides his hand to rest upon her stomach completely, replacing where her own had been. “thank you.” junhee murmurs, grateful for his promise. she can’t promise him anything in return; she doesn’t know if she’ll survive labour under these conditions. what’s important is that their child does, and that myunggi is there to take care of them. “i, um…” she trails off, finding herself in desperate need of a lighter subject. “i know the baby’s gender. do you want to know, or would you rather it be a surprise?”

[themgcoin333]

His breath hitches the moment she places his hand on her stomach, like everything finally becomes real in that quiet, trembling second. The shape of their child beneath his palm. The life they created together, growing in spite of all the pain. His eyes flutter shut, lips pressed into a tight line as he struggles to keep it together. “…God,” he breathes out, almost inaudible. “They’re real. You did this. You… carried them all this time while I was out there pretending I knew what the fuck I was doing.” He opens his eyes slowly, looking at her like she’s both the most fragile and strongest thing he’s ever seen. “I don’t deserve this. But thank you for letting me be here now.”

Then, she shifts the moment, gently, mercifully, and he exhales a soft laugh, one hand staying pressed against her stomach like it’s the only thing grounding him. The idea of a surprise makes something flicker in him, but he shakes his head gently. “No. I want to know.” He tilts his head, managing a faint smile through the storm. “If I’m gonna protect them… I want to know who I’m protecting.” His thumb brushes lightly across the fabric of her jumpsuit, just above the curve of her belly. “Tell me, Junhee. Is it a little you… Or a little me?”

[themgcoin333]

what are you doing here, myunggi?

Myung-gi freezes in place for a moment when he sees her, like a ghost he wasn’t ready to face, then scoffs, the old arrogance slipping into his voice like armor, even though it cracks at the edges "...What am I doing here?" He avoids her eyes at first, then forces himself to meet them. "I could ask you the same thing, Junhee. You shouldn't be here. Not you." He gestures vaguely to the brutal, gray walls around them. His voice softens for half a second, but there’s guilt buried underneath. "This place’ll tear you apart. It’s not made for someone like you." He swallows hard, his jaw tightening. "Look... whatever you think you came here for, to yell at me, spit in my face, fine. I deserve it. I know." His voice drops low, bitter: "That scam, the investment… I thought I could fix everything for us. I really believed it until it swallowed me whole. And I didn’t talk to you because..." He trails off, the silence heavier than the words.

Then, after a beat, quieter, more fragile: "I heard you kept it." He looks away again, eyes burning but refusing to cry. "Why would you do that, Junhee? After everything? I told you it wasn’t the right time. I told you I couldn’t—" He cuts himself off, shaking his head like he’s disgusted with himself. "You think this is what I wanted for our kid? For you?" His voice finally cracks, just once. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to be what you needed. Still don’t."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

how long had junhee spent staring at her phone, watching as it rung and rung, until his contact photo had gradually left the screen? how many ignored calls lingered in his call log? she’d imagined, wondered, what, if any, circumstances would ever force him to speak to her again, or if she’d spend the remainder of her life without hearing his voice, watching the ways his features would harden in concentration, or his eyes would soften with sympathy when she cried? at some point she’d accepted it. he was gone. maybe he’d went through with fleeing the fucking country.

and yet here she stands before him, both sporting a shade of green she despises and numbers that seem to overshadow their names. “i had no choice but to be here,” junhee speaks slowly, deliberately — careful not to let a sliver of emotion seep into her shaky tone. she had nothing. nothing but the baby. “it was my only chance.” her voice drops into something closer to a whisper, and she presses her lips together firmly as myunggi speaks, seems to avoid looking at her entirely. “it wasn’t your choice to make. it never was. of course it wasn’t the right time — but when would it be? you could have made it the right time. you could have at least tried. you just weren’t willing to. i was.”

[themgcoin333]

his eyes flicker sharply, a mix of frustration and regret burning behind them as he listens, struggling to keep his voice stead. "You think I didn’t want to try?" His jaw clenches hard, fists twitching at his sides. "I stayed silent because I was scared; scared of failing you, scared of failing the kid. Scared that if I spoke, it’d all come crashing down faster than I could handle."

He finally meets her gaze, raw and honest now, no more walls. "You’re right. I wasn’t willing. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be. It was because I didn’t know how." His voice softens, cracking just a little. "I thought running away was the only way to protect you both—from the shame, from the mess I made." He takes a slow breath, voice rough but desperate. "Junhee... I’m here now. I’m not running anymore."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“no,” junhee corrects swiftly. “i know you didn’t want to try.” she speaks, control of her voice slipping, allowing it to waver a little. he hasn’t changed in their time apart. all his mannerisms are the same, and just as much fascinating to her as they always had been. his eyes have always been the most extreme; he can hold his features any way he wants, but his eyes always reveal the truth of how he feels. and right now, it’s broken. junhee’s heart feels heavy.

she swallows around a lump that forms within her throat, and her hand raises to settle atop of her stomach, feeling the firmness of her skin beneath the tracksuit. despite it being oversized on her, it does little to conceal the size of the swell. “you’re here now, myunggi?” junhee questions, her lower lip trembling a little. she looks away until it stops, but when her gaze finds myunggi again, it’s blurred with tears. “only one person can survive these games. you know that.”

[themgcoin333]

his shoulders slump slightly, the weight of her words sinking in deeper than he expected; his usual sharp edge dulls, replaced by a raw vulnerability he rarely shows “I know,” he admits quietly, voice rough like gravel. His eyes flicker with pain as he looks down at her hand on her stomach, then back up into her tear-blurred gaze. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t fight harder before; because I knew... someone had to make it out.”

He takes a slow step forward, hesitating, then carefully reaches out, almost trembling, to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “I don’t want to lose you. Or this.” He gestures vaguely toward her belly. “I’m here, Junhee. Not just in these games... but with you.” His voice lowers, filled with a fragile hope. “We might be trapped in this hell, but I’m not giving up on us.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

she catches the way he glances to her stomach, and all at once it strikes her how much he’s missed — the appointments, the ultrasounds. how many times she’s sat alone in waiting rooms, listening as mothers-to-be chattered with their partners about the bright futures ahead of them. how does she even tell him she already knows the gender? junhee exhales quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

her heart skips a beat when he comes closer to gently brush a stray tear from her flushed cheek, his touch as careful as it always had been within her. their eyes meet, and junhee lingers in the moment, allowing herself to believe briefly that nothing has changed. “we have to be realistic,” she mutters softly. “i — i won’t make it through the games like this. one of the other players was a midwife, she… she said i could give birth any day now. if — if that happens…” junhee trails off, shaking her head.

[themgcoin333]

His face stiffens, like her words are knives wrapped in silk, soft, but cutting deep; he takes a shaky breath, trying not to let the panic show too clearly in his eyes. “Don’t say that.” It comes out harsher than he means it to, so he steps back, runs a hand through his hair, and forces himself to soften. “I mean, fuck. I just got you back, Junhee. I can’t…” He swallows, eyes flicking to her stomach again, then staying there, the full weight of what’s happening finally, finally sinking in. “I can’t lose you both.”

He exhales slowly, his voice quieter now, more like the boy she knew before all of this mess swallowed him whole. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be in a hospital. Somewhere safe. I should’ve—” He cuts himself off with a frustrated laugh, bitter and broken. “‘Should’ve’ doesn’t mean shit in here, does it?” Then, softer still, he steps toward her again. “If it happens… if you go into labor in here, then I’ll be there. I swear to you, Junhee, I won’t leave your side again. Not for anything.” His eyes finally meet hers again, wide, glassy, terrified, and his voice barely makes it out: “I don’t care about the money anymore. If I have to die in these games so you and that baby can live... I will.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“myunggi,” his name tastes familiar upon her tongue, something she’s spoken so casually countless times before. never in a situation so dire, never on the verge of life-or-death. she wishes she could turn back the time to when such minor things felt like the end of the world, hushed bickering over finances and lighthearted arguments over who did the dishes. junhee’s chest aches. “i have to say it. it’s something that we have to consider — if we’re really doing this together.”

she forces a breath past her lips, in and out, and holds onto her stomach a little tighter as she holds his gaze. “if it comes to it… if you have to make a decision… i need you to promise me that you’ll choose the baby, alright?” junhee speaks carefully, making it clear that she’s not going to accept any answer other than agreement from him. “they’re not going to make it out of here with two parents. but if the labour doesn’t go right, i need you to make sure that they still have one, no matter what.”

[themgcoin333]

His breath catches in his throat as she speaks his name like that, soft, familiar, almost sacred, and for a moment, he can’t respond. He just looks at her, eyes stinging, as if the weight of her words is pressing against every bone in his body. “…Junhee.” He says her name like it’s the last thing anchoring him to this world. His lips part to argue, to say no, to refuse to even consider it, but the look in her eyes stops him. That determined, steady fire. The same one that made him fall in love with her in the first place. His hands tremble slightly as he reaches out, brushing his fingers across her knuckles where she clutches her stomach. His voice is quiet, hoarse. “You’re asking me to walk through hell and leave you behind.”

He exhales hard, broken. “You know I’m selfish. You know I’d burn the whole game to the ground if it meant keeping you breathing.” He closes his eyes for a second, jaw tightening, fighting back the crack forming in his voice. Then, he looks at her again, and this time, there's nothing but surrender in his eyes. “…But if it comes to that… If I have to make that choice…” He swallows hard. “I’ll choose the baby. I swear it. I’ll get them out. I’ll give them a life. Even if I have to do it without you.” He pulls her gently into his arms, pressing his forehead against hers, voice trembling with every word: “But please, Junhee. Don’t make me. Don’t leave me alone in this world with just that promise.”

[themgcoin333]

ha-neul stared at the apartment door. it was the one the police said it was. she huffed , looking at her phone at the address and it matched. she didn't understand why her brother disappeared after his shitty investment. she also just wanted answers from myung-gi. also answers on why he left jun-hee. jun-hee was pregnant anyway! why leave her?  sighing , she brought her hand up to the door then loudly knocking on the door , then waiting for myung-gi to open up the door. hopefully he would , or if he didn't she'd just try again tomorrow..

— : ( @leehaneul . )

The door didn’t open right away. For a long minute, it was just Ha-Neul and the silence, no footsteps, no sound, nothing. But then, finally, a faint click echoed as the deadbolt shifted. The door cracked open just enough to reveal a tired, unshaven face. Myung-gi. He looked like a man who hadn't slept in weeks, eyes shadowed, jaw tense. His hair was longer than she remembered, messier, and his usual cologne had been replaced by the stale scent of isolation and ramen packets. "...Ha-Neul." His voice was hoarse, like it hadn’t been used in days. "You shouldn’t be here." He didn’t open the door any wider, but he also didn’t close it. "I know why you’re here. I figured someone would come eventually. But not you. Not like this." He glanced away, jaw clenching as if bracing himself. "Jun-Hee… she told you everything, didn’t she?"

Another pause. He looked down, then back at her, guilt etched into every line of his face. "I didn’t leave because I wanted to. I left because I had to. I messed up. The kind of messed up you don’t crawl back from, Ha-Neul. You think I wanted this? You think I wanted to disappear and hear from the police that my sister tracked me down like some ghost?" He opened the door just a little wider. His voice softened, but his eyes stayed guarded. "...She’s pregnant?" A beat passed. His breath hitched, almost imperceptibly. "I thought she got an abortion." He stepped back, just enough to make space for her to enter, if she wanted to. "...You came all this way. Might as well come in."

[leemunhee]

ha-neul frowned as she saw the door open. scoffing , she crossed her arms over her chest. ❝ fucking took you long enough , oppa. ❞ she spoke , the word ' oppa ' feeling bitter on her tongue , but she still used it anyway. “ you know what you fucking did. forcing me into your shitty bitcoin or whatever. ” she stated , not caring if she sounded rude or blunt. she just had to let this pent-up anger out. “ i'm in debt , myung-gi! you. it's your fault. and dont bullshit me with the ' you could've said no! ' crap. i did. but you didn't listen or care. “ ha-neul declared , taking a step closer towards myung-gi , slightly looking up at her older brother. running a hand through her hair , she shoved her hands into her pockets. “ sure. i suppose you can say jun-hee. but i also went to the fucking police! you know how worried me , mom , and dad were?! you disappeared without a trace! and you left a bunch of people in debt now too. even jun-hee , and my two friends. su-bong and nam-gyu! “ she claimed , a irritated sigh passing her lips before she roughly swatted at myung-gi's arm. not caring if it hurt at the moment. “ a abortion?! what is wrong with you , myung-gi? are you that of a pussy to take care of a kid , huh? one that is yours?! i thought you had enough training from helping mom and dad take care of me. i guess not , huh? “ she questioned , a brow raising before she stepped pass myung-gi , entering his apartment.

[themgcoin333]

Myung-gi flinched when she swatted his arm, but he didn’t move to stop her. He took the verbal punches like he’d taken so many lately, quietly, shoulders tensing under every word like they were knives instead of accusations. He shut the door behind her slowly, his back still turned, his jaw clenched so tight it looked like it might crack. He didn’t speak right away. Just stood there in the quiet of his rundown apartment, the space barely furnished. Dishes piled in the sink. Empty takeout containers on the counter. It smelled like stale air and guilt. "...You think I don’t know?" His voice was low, bitter. But it wasn’t defensive. It was tired. Defeated. "You think I don’t lie awake every fucking night remembering your face when I begged you to invest? Remembering Jun-Hee’s face when I told her I’d fix everything?" He turned to look at her now, eyes bloodshot, but not from crying; he looked like he didn’t even have the strength for that anymore. "You’re right. You said no. I didn’t listen. I didn’t want to listen because I was so goddamn sure I could turn it around. I was drowning, and I dragged everyone under with me. I know that."

He let out a dry, bitter laugh, running a hand down his face. "And now I’m the bastard who vanished, right? The guy who ran from everything: family, responsibility, the people he swore he’d protect." His gaze hardened slightly at the mention of the abortion, but it wasn’t anger; it was pain. Deep, hollow pain. "You think that was easy? You think I didn’t choke on that decision every second after I made it? I didn’t want to leave Jun-Hee, I didn’t want to leave anyone. But I thought—" He stopped himself, fists clenching. "I thought maybe... maybe disappearing was the one thing I could do to stop ruining everyone else’s life." He looked at her, really looked now. No mask. Just shame. "I don’t expect you to forgive me. I don’t even want it. But don’t think for a second I don’t know what I did to you. Or to Su-Bong. Nam-Gyu. Jun-Hee." He stepped aside, motioning loosely to the miserable apartment. "So go ahead, scream at me. Hit me again if you want. I deserve it. But after that... just tell me what I can do now. Because I don’t know how to fix what’s broken anymore."

[themgcoin333]

what are you doing here, myunggi?

Myung-gi freezes in place for a moment when he sees her, like a ghost he wasn’t ready to face, then scoffs, the old arrogance slipping into his voice like armor, even though it cracks at the edges "...What am I doing here?" He avoids her eyes at first, then forces himself to meet them. "I could ask you the same thing, Junhee. You shouldn't be here. Not you." He gestures vaguely to the brutal, gray walls around them. His voice softens for half a second, but there’s guilt buried underneath. "This place’ll tear you apart. It’s not made for someone like you." He swallows hard, his jaw tightening. "Look... whatever you think you came here for, to yell at me, spit in my face, fine. I deserve it. I know." His voice drops low, bitter: "That scam, the investment… I thought I could fix everything for us. I really believed it until it swallowed me whole. And I didn’t talk to you because..." He trails off, the silence heavier than the words.

Then, after a beat, quieter, more fragile: "I heard you kept it." He looks away again, eyes burning but refusing to cry. "Why would you do that, Junhee? After everything? I told you it wasn’t the right time. I told you I couldn’t—" He cuts himself off, shaking his head like he’s disgusted with himself. "You think this is what I wanted for our kid? For you?" His voice finally cracks, just once. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to be what you needed. Still don’t."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

how long had junhee spent staring at her phone, watching as it rung and rung, until his contact photo had gradually left the screen? how many ignored calls lingered in his call log? she’d imagined, wondered, what, if any, circumstances would ever force him to speak to her again, or if she’d spend the remainder of her life without hearing his voice, watching the ways his features would harden in concentration, or his eyes would soften with sympathy when she cried? at some point she’d accepted it. he was gone. maybe he’d went through with fleeing the fucking country.

and yet here she stands before him, both sporting a shade of green she despises and numbers that seem to overshadow their names. “i had no choice but to be here,” junhee speaks slowly, deliberately — careful not to let a sliver of emotion seep into her shaky tone. she had nothing. nothing but the baby. “it was my only chance.” her voice drops into something closer to a whisper, and she presses her lips together firmly as myunggi speaks, seems to avoid looking at her entirely. “it wasn’t your choice to make. it never was. of course it wasn’t the right time — but when would it be? you could have made it the right time. you could have at least tried. you just weren’t willing to. i was.”

[themgcoin333]

his eyes flicker sharply, a mix of frustration and regret burning behind them as he listens, struggling to keep his voice stead. "You think I didn’t want to try?" His jaw clenches hard, fists twitching at his sides. "I stayed silent because I was scared; scared of failing you, scared of failing the kid. Scared that if I spoke, it’d all come crashing down faster than I could handle."

He finally meets her gaze, raw and honest now, no more walls. "You’re right. I wasn’t willing. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be. It was because I didn’t know how." His voice softens, cracking just a little. "I thought running away was the only way to protect you both—from the shame, from the mess I made." He takes a slow breath, voice rough but desperate. "Junhee... I’m here now. I’m not running anymore."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“no,” junhee corrects swiftly. “i know you didn’t want to try.” she speaks, control of her voice slipping, allowing it to waver a little. he hasn’t changed in their time apart. all his mannerisms are the same, and just as much fascinating to her as they always had been. his eyes have always been the most extreme; he can hold his features any way he wants, but his eyes always reveal the truth of how he feels. and right now, it’s broken. junhee’s heart feels heavy.

she swallows around a lump that forms within her throat, and her hand raises to settle atop of her stomach, feeling the firmness of her skin beneath the tracksuit. despite it being oversized on her, it does little to conceal the size of the swell. “you’re here now, myunggi?” junhee questions, her lower lip trembling a little. she looks away until it stops, but when her gaze finds myunggi again, it’s blurred with tears. “only one person can survive these games. you know that.”

[themgcoin333]

his shoulders slump slightly, the weight of her words sinking in deeper than he expected; his usual sharp edge dulls, replaced by a raw vulnerability he rarely shows “I know,” he admits quietly, voice rough like gravel. His eyes flicker with pain as he looks down at her hand on her stomach, then back up into her tear-blurred gaze. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t fight harder before; because I knew... someone had to make it out.”

He takes a slow step forward, hesitating, then carefully reaches out, almost trembling, to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “I don’t want to lose you. Or this.” He gestures vaguely toward her belly. “I’m here, Junhee. Not just in these games... but with you.” His voice lowers, filled with a fragile hope. “We might be trapped in this hell, but I’m not giving up on us.”

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

she catches the way he glances to her stomach, and all at once it strikes her how much he’s missed — the appointments, the ultrasounds. how many times she’s sat alone in waiting rooms, listening as mothers-to-be chattered with their partners about the bright futures ahead of them. how does she even tell him she already knows the gender? junhee exhales quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

her heart skips a beat when he comes closer to gently brush a stray tear from her flushed cheek, his touch as careful as it always had been within her. their eyes meet, and junhee lingers in the moment, allowing herself to believe briefly that nothing has changed. “we have to be realistic,” she mutters softly. “i — i won’t make it through the games like this. one of the other players was a midwife, she… she said i could give birth any day now. if — if that happens…” junhee trails off, shaking her head.

[themgcoin333]

His face stiffens, like her words are knives wrapped in silk, soft, but cutting deep; he takes a shaky breath, trying not to let the panic show too clearly in his eyes. “Don’t say that.” It comes out harsher than he means it to, so he steps back, runs a hand through his hair, and forces himself to soften. “I mean, fuck. I just got you back, Junhee. I can’t…” He swallows, eyes flicking to her stomach again, then staying there, the full weight of what’s happening finally, finally sinking in. “I can’t lose you both.”

He exhales slowly, his voice quieter now, more like the boy she knew before all of this mess swallowed him whole. “You shouldn’t be here. You should be in a hospital. Somewhere safe. I should’ve—” He cuts himself off with a frustrated laugh, bitter and broken. “‘Should’ve’ doesn’t mean shit in here, does it?” Then, softer still, he steps toward her again. “If it happens… if you go into labor in here, then I’ll be there. I swear to you, Junhee, I won’t leave your side again. Not for anything.” His eyes finally meet hers again, wide, glassy, terrified, and his voice barely makes it out: “I don’t care about the money anymore. If I have to die in these games so you and that baby can live... I will.”

[themgcoin333]

what are you doing here, myunggi?

Myung-gi freezes in place for a moment when he sees her, like a ghost he wasn’t ready to face, then scoffs, the old arrogance slipping into his voice like armor, even though it cracks at the edges "...What am I doing here?" He avoids her eyes at first, then forces himself to meet them. "I could ask you the same thing, Junhee. You shouldn't be here. Not you." He gestures vaguely to the brutal, gray walls around them. His voice softens for half a second, but there’s guilt buried underneath. "This place’ll tear you apart. It’s not made for someone like you." He swallows hard, his jaw tightening. "Look... whatever you think you came here for, to yell at me, spit in my face, fine. I deserve it. I know." His voice drops low, bitter: "That scam, the investment… I thought I could fix everything for us. I really believed it until it swallowed me whole. And I didn’t talk to you because..." He trails off, the silence heavier than the words.

Then, after a beat, quieter, more fragile: "I heard you kept it." He looks away again, eyes burning but refusing to cry. "Why would you do that, Junhee? After everything? I told you it wasn’t the right time. I told you I couldn’t—" He cuts himself off, shaking his head like he’s disgusted with himself. "You think this is what I wanted for our kid? For you?" His voice finally cracks, just once. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to be what you needed. Still don’t."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

how long had junhee spent staring at her phone, watching as it rung and rung, until his contact photo had gradually left the screen? how many ignored calls lingered in his call log? she’d imagined, wondered, what, if any, circumstances would ever force him to speak to her again, or if she’d spend the remainder of her life without hearing his voice, watching the ways his features would harden in concentration, or his eyes would soften with sympathy when she cried? at some point she’d accepted it. he was gone. maybe he’d went through with fleeing the fucking country.

and yet here she stands before him, both sporting a shade of green she despises and numbers that seem to overshadow their names. “i had no choice but to be here,” junhee speaks slowly, deliberately — careful not to let a sliver of emotion seep into her shaky tone. she had nothing. nothing but the baby. “it was my only chance.” her voice drops into something closer to a whisper, and she presses her lips together firmly as myunggi speaks, seems to avoid looking at her entirely. “it wasn’t your choice to make. it never was. of course it wasn’t the right time — but when would it be? you could have made it the right time. you could have at least tried. you just weren’t willing to. i was.”

[themgcoin333]

his eyes flicker sharply, a mix of frustration and regret burning behind them as he listens, struggling to keep his voice stead. "You think I didn’t want to try?" His jaw clenches hard, fists twitching at his sides. "I stayed silent because I was scared; scared of failing you, scared of failing the kid. Scared that if I spoke, it’d all come crashing down faster than I could handle."

He finally meets her gaze, raw and honest now, no more walls. "You’re right. I wasn’t willing. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be. It was because I didn’t know how." His voice softens, cracking just a little. "I thought running away was the only way to protect you both—from the shame, from the mess I made." He takes a slow breath, voice rough but desperate. "Junhee... I’m here now. I’m not running anymore."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

“no,” junhee corrects swiftly. “i know you didn’t want to try.” she speaks, control of her voice slipping, allowing it to waver a little. he hasn’t changed in their time apart. all his mannerisms are the same, and just as much fascinating to her as they always had been. his eyes have always been the most extreme; he can hold his features any way he wants, but his eyes always reveal the truth of how he feels. and right now, it’s broken. junhee’s heart feels heavy.

she swallows around a lump that forms within her throat, and her hand raises to settle atop of her stomach, feeling the firmness of her skin beneath the tracksuit. despite it being oversized on her, it does little to conceal the size of the swell. “you’re here now, myunggi?” junhee questions, her lower lip trembling a little. she looks away until it stops, but when her gaze finds myunggi again, it’s blurred with tears. “only one person can survive these games. you know that.”

[themgcoin333]

his shoulders slump slightly, the weight of her words sinking in deeper than he expected; his usual sharp edge dulls, replaced by a raw vulnerability he rarely shows “I know,” he admits quietly, voice rough like gravel. His eyes flicker with pain as he looks down at her hand on her stomach, then back up into her tear-blurred gaze. “Maybe that’s why I didn’t fight harder before; because I knew... someone had to make it out.”

He takes a slow step forward, hesitating, then carefully reaches out, almost trembling, to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “I don’t want to lose you. Or this.” He gestures vaguely toward her belly. “I’m here, Junhee. Not just in these games... but with you.” His voice lowers, filled with a fragile hope. “We might be trapped in this hell, but I’m not giving up on us.”

[themgcoin333]

what are you doing here, myunggi?

Myung-gi freezes in place for a moment when he sees her, like a ghost he wasn’t ready to face, then scoffs, the old arrogance slipping into his voice like armor, even though it cracks at the edges "...What am I doing here?" He avoids her eyes at first, then forces himself to meet them. "I could ask you the same thing, Junhee. You shouldn't be here. Not you." He gestures vaguely to the brutal, gray walls around them. His voice softens for half a second, but there’s guilt buried underneath. "This place’ll tear you apart. It’s not made for someone like you." He swallows hard, his jaw tightening. "Look... whatever you think you came here for, to yell at me, spit in my face, fine. I deserve it. I know." His voice drops low, bitter: "That scam, the investment… I thought I could fix everything for us. I really believed it until it swallowed me whole. And I didn’t talk to you because..." He trails off, the silence heavier than the words.

Then, after a beat, quieter, more fragile: "I heard you kept it." He looks away again, eyes burning but refusing to cry. "Why would you do that, Junhee? After everything? I told you it wasn’t the right time. I told you I couldn’t—" He cuts himself off, shaking his head like he’s disgusted with himself. "You think this is what I wanted for our kid? For you?" His voice finally cracks, just once. "I’m sorry. I didn’t know how to be what you needed. Still don’t."

[kimjunhees-deactivated20251001]

how long had junhee spent staring at her phone, watching as it rung and rung, until his contact photo had gradually left the screen? how many ignored calls lingered in his call log? she’d imagined, wondered, what, if any, circumstances would ever force him to speak to her again, or if she’d spend the remainder of her life without hearing his voice, watching the ways his features would harden in concentration, or his eyes would soften with sympathy when she cried? at some point she’d accepted it. he was gone. maybe he’d went through with fleeing the fucking country.

and yet here she stands before him, both sporting a shade of green she despises and numbers that seem to overshadow their names. “i had no choice but to be here,” junhee speaks slowly, deliberately — careful not to let a sliver of emotion seep into her shaky tone. she had nothing. nothing but the baby. “it was my only chance.” her voice drops into something closer to a whisper, and she presses her lips together firmly as myunggi speaks, seems to avoid looking at her entirely. “it wasn’t your choice to make. it never was. of course it wasn’t the right time — but when would it be? you could have made it the right time. you could have at least tried. you just weren’t willing to. i was.”

[themgcoin333]

his eyes flicker sharply, a mix of frustration and regret burning behind them as he listens, struggling to keep his voice stead. "You think I didn’t want to try?" His jaw clenches hard, fists twitching at his sides. "I stayed silent because I was scared; scared of failing you, scared of failing the kid. Scared that if I spoke, it’d all come crashing down faster than I could handle."

He finally meets her gaze, raw and honest now, no more walls. "You’re right. I wasn’t willing. But it wasn’t because I didn’t want to be. It was because I didn’t know how." His voice softens, cracking just a little. "I thought running away was the only way to protect you both—from the shame, from the mess I made." He takes a slow breath, voice rough but desperate. "Junhee... I’m here now. I’m not running anymore."

[themgcoin333]

"Job applications sit around campfires telling scary stories about you. By the way."

Then, a pause. Hold on, Nam-Gyu is thinking for once.

"A job application is a form one must fill out. It typically focuses on critical job-related details, aiming to align candidate information with employer needs. Just so you know."

Myung-Gi blinks, then slowly turns his head toward Nam-Gyu with a look that’s equal parts amusement and disbelief. He adjusts his hoodie like he’s preparing for war, but it’s really just to hide the smirk forming on his lips. “…Did you just mansplain a job application to me like you’re Wikipedia with trust issues?” He leans back against the wall, stretching his legs out like he owns the ground under him.

“Also, if job applications are telling scary stories about me, good. I hope they piss themselves thinking about the typo I put in on purpose just to test their character.” He pauses, then looks at Nam-Gyu, deadpan. “You know, one time I got hired because I answered ‘big Capricorn energy’ under ‘What are your strengths?’ So maybe the real scary story is how low their standards were.” Another pause. He squints. “…Are you okay? You thinking this hard is giving the air brain damage.”