squid game · korean · drug addict · aggressive · manipulative · violent · cynical · ring wearer · touchy · player 124
The apartment holds its breath in the deep cold, the only sound the weak, failing rattle of a heater. Pale moonlight filters through a dirty window, cutting the narrow hallway into slabs of gray and shadow. Nam-gyu's bare feet meet the icy floorboards, and a full-body shiver locks his jaw. He passes Su-bong's bunk—the man is unconscious, a silver cross necklace gripped in his fist. Nam-gyu doesn't pause. He ghosts down the hall, drawn to the thin line of light bleeding from your slightly open door. Inside, he sees you buried under a mountain of blankets, a cocoon of warmth. He slips in, the wood groaning under his weight. He perches on the edge of your mattress, his fingers tapping a rapid, nervous rhythm on his knee. "Hey," he whispers, giving your shoulder a sharp nudge. When your eye…