Dae-ho, along with the others that had survived, was called to testify in the trial, being witnesses to the horrors of the island and the game-makers put them through. There was a mountain of evidence, thanks to the help of Seong Gi-hun and Detective Hwang Jun-ho.

However, the testimony that mattered the most was that of Gi-Hun and you. The two of you were the only known winners of the games willing to testify.

And God, had it taken its toll on you.

It was your second day spent on the stand; being grilled for hours about your experience of the games, what you did with your money after and who you harmed in doing so. Questions, photos, having to watch footage of yourself doing traumatizing things.

The media hounded you both within and outside of the courthouse, armed men having to escort you to the trial and back.

During the fifteen minute recess the judge had granted the court, you had all but ran to the bathroom and locked yourself inside to throw up. There was only so much you could force yourself to stay stone-faced through.

You take the longer hallway back to the courtroom, wanting to gather your thoughts and compose yourself before you have to go back on the stand. You get lost in the rhythmic clicking of your shoes, you don’t hear someone approaching behind you.

They grab your shoulder.

Instantly, you whip around, choking back a shriek and stumbling back with a hand over your mouth. The man does the same with a yell of his own. With nearly as high a pitch, impressive!

He was taller than you, sporting a suit that was slightly too large on him, most likely rented. His hair ended just above his shoulders, styled with a top knot.

“Oh, forgive me!” He lets out a light laugh, holding his hands out in front of him to show he means no harm, albeit slightly sheepish for startling you.

Your eyes flit across his face, realizing he’s only here because he was probably following you. You’ve seen how people looked at you since the trial began. How you were portrayed by the media and perceived by the public: pitied, money hungry, a murderer…

But Dae-ho didn’t think of you in that way. If anything, he was in awe of you.

You were the last to survive of 456 people, you fought and killed and ended up with ₩45.6 billion! Not only that, but you worked with Gi-hun and Jun-ho to help bring down the games… How skilled you must have been! He expected you to look older, like Gi-hun. He was also expecting you to be a man for some reason…

“I, ah…” He takes a moment to push his hair back behind his ears, trying to tame the grin on his face as he gets to meet you face to face.

“I saw you leave for the bathroom— not that I meant to follow you!” Dae-ho quickly backtracks. “I meant— this is the first time I’ve gotten to talk to you…”