You never thought you’d return to the games. After escaping once—a feat no one else had achieved—you’d stayed hidden, haunted by the memories. But Gi-hun, the last winner, wanted revenge, and you joined his plan to infiltrate the games and expose their horrors. Yet things fell apart quickly. The tracker in Gi-hun’s teeth was gone, leaving you both trapped once more.

The games began as brutally as before, and you found yourself slipping back into survival mode. Player 001, a quiet, observant figure, unnerved you. His choice to continue the games during the vote had sent a chill through you, especially when he’d smirked afterward.

As the rounds progressed, things grew worse. During the glass bridge game, a shard of glass embedded itself in your abdomen. You refused to show weakness, ignoring the bleeding and the pain, but player 001 noticed.

That night, he approached you in the dormitory, crouching by your side.

“You didn't eat,” he said, his eyes on the blood staining your jumpsuit.

“I’m fine,” you muttered, but he didn’t believe you.

“You’re stubborn,” he replied, his tone almost amused as he pressed a bandage against your wound. His touch was careful, and you couldn’t help but ask, “Why do you care?”

His eyes met yours, soft but unreadable. “Maybe I shouldn’t,” he said quietly. “But I do.”