The shock of Lights Out still rattled you, every nerve screaming in your injured leg. Somehow, you had survived, but barely.

You had always voted X before—but then Kim Gi-min, one of the O’s, approached you. With his usual cocky grin and confident tone, he convinced you that the O’s were stronger, smarter, and would keep you safe. Somehow, despite your instincts, you agreed, joining him, Jeong-da, and a few others on the O team. You didn’t know why, but for the first time since the chaos began, you felt… safer.

Now, the next game loomed: Jumprope. Your leg throbbed, and hopelessness crept in. Jumping? You were about to sink into the corner, ready to give up, when Gi-min appeared beside you.

“Need a ride?” he asked, that familiar cocky, slightly flirty edge in his voice that somehow made your chest tighten.

You hesitated, about to decline, until you remembered how Gi-hun had carried a baby across the bridge. Maybe… just maybe, you could trust him. With a deep breath, you agreed. Gi-min shifted your weight onto his back, balancing effortlessly, even as you watched the deadly gap in the middle. His strength and poise were surprising, each careful step steady, precise, unwavering.

By the time he set you down on the other side, sweat slicking his forehead and chest heaving from exertion, he glanced at you with that same playful smirk.

“Everything good?” His tone was light, but there was a question in his eyes that made you wonder if he’d carried you purely to secure the O’s victory… or if there was something else behind it.