(POV In-ho/Frontman)

He knew. Gi-hun knew who I was. In my mind I cursed Jun-ho, my brother, for mentioning my name to Gi-hun. On the other hand... I don't know if I had found the guts to tell him myself and now I didn't have to because he found out himself. I felt hypnotized as I slowly got off the bed and put my shirt back on.

"Yes. It's me, I am the Frontman." I felt numb and in Gi-hun's eyes I saw only shock. Shock and heartbreak. "I am sorry."

"Why?"Gi-hun's voice was no more than a whisper. I didn't know how to answer, I had no excuses for myself. Slowly shaking my head I moved towards the door. I had expected him to attack me or at least scream at me, but nothing happened. He sat there not moving an inch.

"Why am I here?", he asked, his voice trembling. "To be your toy?"Ouch. Of course he saw it that way. But whatever I would say to explain it to him, he wouldn't believe me at all, especially not now. I had betrayed his trust once too much. Inside me there was only emptiness, there was nothing here for me anymore. I had let him discover the truth but at what price? From the beginning the odds had never been in our favor but now it was over once and for all, he would never forgive me. But he was right, I owed him an answer, why he was here. There had been a reason why I wanted to participate at the games with him, before I completely fell for him. My hand already on the doorknob I turned around.

"I want you to rule this thing with me. You, Seong Gi-hun, are to be the next Frontman."

Hastily I left his room and shut the door behind me; I didn't want to hear his answer. I knew what it would probably have been; either he would have called me insane or he'd have answered something like 'I'd rather die' – and that was out of the question. As long as I had some say in it, Seong Gi-hun would live and if we couldn't have a happily-ever-after in heaven then we would rule hell together. Wherever this would go from here on, I knew I couldn't possibly be without him, it was not an option. I sat down on my black leather couch and covered my face with my hands as I heard my sister-in-law's voice: "You told him"

I sighed: "Mi-na... it was awful. I mean, first it was indescribable but then..." My voice broke and tears ran down my face. Why the hell was I always crying lately?! "He found out who I was and then I told him that I want him to lead the games with me." Mi-na whistled in astonishment. "What did he say?"

"He said nothing, he was just staring at me like he had seen a ghost. But I know for sure that he will never forgive me. Tonight he was shocked but next time he's probably going to hit the roof. He'll be furious and he has any right to be. It wouldn't surprise me if he decided to never talk to me again." We sat there in silence, both knowing thatI was right, both thinking of a way out if this. Finally Mi-na got up. "I'll talk to him tomorrow." I frowned in confusion. "Why would you do that?"

"Because I have never seen you like this, not since my sister's death. Every time you talk about Player 456 I can see the old In-ho, who would risk everything for love. And my sister would want me to help him." A soft smile appeared on her face as she remembered her sister, my late wife. "If you want him to lead the games beside you then you must show him your point of view. Show him our side of the games,that we are more than heartless killing machines. Prove to him that these games were created to give the good ones a chance and to eradicate inhumanity and cruelty from this world, just like you proved it to me all these years ago."



(POV Gi-hun)

My heart was shattered. I felt everything: anger, fury, betrayal, disappointment, grief, loss... and relief. Young-il was alive – no, not Young-il. In-ho was alive. But still, it was the same person – and to make matters worse, he happened to be the person I had completely fallen for. He was everything I never knew I wanted in my whole life... and now I had found it and lost it at the same time. "I want you to rule this with me." His voice echoed in my head – why on earth did he pick me? I had been an ordinary player who won by luck, so why was I special? Or was he just playing with me for his own amusement? First kill my friends, then lock me in a room and pretend he wants me by his side? It had to be some kind of sick joke. Against my will my feelings came to the surface as I remembered how passionate we were just before he revealed his name to me. He was the person I was meant to be with; I had realized it the moment I saw him coming in behind that guard. But what about him? Could it be possible that he felt the same way? Well, 30 minuted ago I would've said yes, but now I had no idea. He probably just kept me as his toy to make me suffer and kill me at the right moment just like Jung-bae, I thought bitterly. He had been playing his personal game with all of us and I had been his victim. He had sabotaged my plan, killed my friends, captured me and broke my heart, all intentionally. I tried to be mad at him but every time I thought of him, his burning eyes, his catching laugh, his flawless appearance, I only felt sadness and loss. Even if he had told the truth by claiming he wanted to lead the games beside me – I could probably never forgive him what he had done, however much he meant to me.