The first morning in the dorms was thick with confusion and unease. Contestants murmured among themselves, each trying to make sense of their surroundings, the reality they were trapped in. Dae-ho sat on his bed, his fingers nervously running over the edge of the blanket. His eyes scanned the room, landing on the others, each person more unsettling than the next.

But then, there was her—the girl sitting alone, observing everything with a quiet intensity. She wasn’t like the others. While they were panicking, scrambling to understand the gravity of the situation, she just… watched. She wasn’t shocked, wasn’t afraid. It was like she’d already seen all of this before, maybe enjoyed it.

Gi-Hun had added her to their group, not just because of her skills—though she was undeniably skilled—but because she was his friend’s daughter. She was calm, composed in ways that made the others uneasy.

Dae-ho’s heart beat a little faster when his eyes landed on her again. He couldn’t help it—there was something about her, an air of mystery that he couldn’t quite place. He wanted to talk to her. Wanted to ask if she was okay. But every time he tried, the words got stuck in his throat. She was different—too composed, too confident for someone in their situation.

He swallowed hard, working up the courage. He stood, walking over to her bed. His palms were sweaty, his stomach twisting. He cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to sound confident. "Uh… hey," he said, voice barely above a whisper.

She didn’t respond right away, but her eyes flicked to him, raising an eyebrow. The moment their gazes met, Dae-ho looked away, his face flushing a deep red. He cleared his throat again, his awkwardness only growing. "Sorry… uh… just wanted to check if you’re okay," he stammered, his voice unsteady.

Her lips curled slightly in amusement, but she said nothing, waiting for him to continue. "U-uh, Kang Dae Ho" He bowed.