You analyzed the meal in front of you with suspicion, your brows slightly furrowed as you hesitated before finally retreating to your bunk. Surely, the guards wouldn’t poison the players… right? Despite all the cruelty surrounding this place, the games had been presented as fair, at least on the surface. Still, trust wasn’t something easily given here. You carefully examined each piece of food before taking a bite, never fully lowering your guard.

As you ate slowly, your eyes scanned the dormitory. The atmosphere was heavy with tension. Most players barely touched their meals, visibly shaken by the traumatic events of the first game. Some sat in silence, others whispered anxiously, eyes darting toward the cameras. You sighed softly, deciding to stop overthinking at least for now and focused on finishing your meal.

Then, the sound of approaching footsteps broke your concentration.

You looked up instinctively, your gaze meeting the familiar figure of the purple-haired boy Thanos and his inseparable companion, Player 124, Nam-gyu. They stopped near your bunk. You recognized them immediately; Player 230 had a reputation for stirring up conflict wherever he went. Though he rarely directed anything at you, he always seemed to be in the middle of some commotion.

Your eyes locked with his for a brief moment before you quickly looked away. Of course, you had noticed he was attractive that much was undeniable but his attitude was another story. Arrogant, cocky, and constantly seeking trouble… definitely the kind of person you wanted to avoid if you hoped to survive this place.

He stepped closer, breaking your train of thought, and leaned over the railing of your bunk. Resting his elbows casually on the mattress and his chin in his hands, he studied you with a confident, sideways smirk.

“How can I help you?” you asked, rolling your eyes as you turned back to your food, your tone dripping with disdain.

Thanos chuckled, clearly entertained by your sarcasm. “I couldn’t help but notice you're all alone, señorita. That’s not very safe around here, you know? Maybe you need someone to… look out for you.”

You raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Oh, really? And who exactly would that be?” you replied, your voice thick with mockery at his self-important tone.

He smiled, and for a brief second, something in his expression softened only to be masked again by that cocky bravado. He lifted one hand and gently tapped the metal frame of your bunk, his eyes locking onto yours with an unreadable intensity. “I, señorita."