(POV Gi-hun)

I woke up as sunbeams fell on my face – before I opened my eyes I knew something was weird, I hadn't seen the sun since we were playing Red Light, Green Light on the first day. But how could the sun even get in here? Had it all just been a bad dream? Finally I opened my eyes just to realize that it was cruel reality: I was still locked in a room and the man responsible for this just broke my heart. The sun came from a huge window hidden in the ceiling which could apparently open mysteriously. I sat up and removed the annoying strands of hair from my face just as it knocked on the door – since when are they knocking? - and someone came in. It was asquare-guard, perhaps a little slimmer than the ones I had seen before, carrying a food tray.

"I'm not eating", I said tonelessly; I clearly wasn't in the mood. The guard placed the tray on the table and turned to me. But instead of a threat he just answered.

"Thought so." I winced, I wasn't expecting the voice to be female. My surprise got even bigger when the guard casually took her mask and hood off, revealing a pale-skinned face and light hair. Her eyes were big and round and her nose narrow and pointed - the girl was definitely not from somewhere around Korea, probably not even Asia. "Those outfits really are not my thing, looks ridiculous", she remarked and sat down on the chair without hesitating. I was so confused Ieven forgot my broken heart for a moment.

"Who are you?", I asked, wondering why the hell a guard would unmask infront of me voluntarily. I had witnessed before that this was punishable by death.

"Lee Mi-na", the unusual looking girl answered, "In-ho's sister-in-law." I gritted my teeth, anger started to rise inside me.

"Did he send you? Is he to afraid to talk to me himself? You can tell him right away that I have nothing to say to him.", I barked and she smirked. "No worries, Player 456, he knows that. I was sent by no one; in fact I should hurry to tell you what I need to, before the other square-guards notice something." That statement of hers confused me even more.

"Why are you here? Did you break in? Or are you a prisoner?" 'Probably In-ho is even capable of imprisoning his own sister.', I thought bitterly. She sighed; in fact I wasn't far from the truth.

"Once I was exactly what you just said. Some years ago I found out what was happening here and it took a long time until I was ready to see the games as what they are: A matter of choice."

"Choice?! Do you really think all these people choose to die?", I snapped.

"They always have the chance to vote. Remember 4 years ago when you won? The games were stopped after the first game. But out of 201 players 187 came back by their own decision. They choose how they want to behave here and as you already witnessed the cruel ones always get punished. Are you aware what the majority of those people are? Criminals, even murderers. Not all of them but a big part. They know the risk and yet they choose to stay. For money. Human lives don't matter to them – and yet it's the game masters who are evil? Are you sure of that, Seong Gi-hun?"

I hated that she was partly right, I hated it with all my heart. "But he – Frontman – is pure evil. He is heartless and inhuman.", I hissed. "If the game masters are such good people as you claim, why did he murder my friend?" My voice was full of sarcasm. Mi-na sighed and shook her head.

"Because he is an idiot. He only saw the goal to get you for his thing. And with everyone watching he couldn't have witnesses. But he's aware that this has proven to be the biggest mistake of his life. As for the games, they were far more cruel before In-ho took over. There were even years where everyone died and nobody won in the end – but In-ho made sure that the money was shared and given to the families."

I snorted, I didn't want to hear any positive thing about the Frontman. But there was one question echoing in my mind: "Why me? Why did he choose me of all people? I won by luck and since then I'm not the same anymore."

"You didn't win by luck, you won by kindness. And that's what he finds to fascinating about you. He wants to make the games a better, fairer place and he needs your help to save the people who deserve to be saved, just like you back then."

I was speechless, out of all things I didn't expect this. The Frontman wanted me to help him make the games less cruel? What the fck? But the more I thought about it I realized that if I had some say in the games I could change them or maybe stop them once and for all. But first I had to get involved with it – that was the prize I had to pay. "So you say if I agreed to join the Frontman I could change the games?", I asked and Mi-na nodded.

"So I tell my brother that you're ready to join him and the VIPs watching the fourth game today?" I bit my lip and took a deep breath. I feared seeing In-ho again but I had no choice. I nodded and she got up to leave the room. Suddenly one last question popped up in my mind:

"Why did the police never find out? You said you found out some years ago and so did his brother Jun-ho, but how is it possible that the police never suspected something?"

Mi-na almost laughed when she answered: "Imagine the police, when every year roundabout 450 people go missing and suddenly one of them comes back with billions on his bank account. Imagine the police asks him about where he got the money from and he answers: 'I was held hostage on a secret island with 455 other people. We had to play children's games to win billions of won but if we lost we got killed.' And when the police asks him how did the people look like who are behind all those crimes, he answers: 'They were the same dudes from Casa de Papel – Money Heist with their pink overalls and machine guns, just with different masks.' How likely does that sound to a police officer? This whole thing is so absurd that no one would ever believe it, even if someone would tell."



(POV In-ho/Frontman)

I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that Gi-hun had agreed to watch the next game with me – me and the VIPs. I felt a little nauseous: the VIPs were dangerous and Gi-hun couldn't attract any attention. If they thought he was an intruder his life could be at risk. On the other hand... I knew exactly that I would kill every VIP who only thought about harming Gi-hun with my bare hands. Gi-hun was giving me a chance to prove that I was really willing to change something and I couldn't mess it up. I had spent the day by reconsidering the rules to make it easier for the weak and harder for the strong – I couldn't possibly let No 222 the pregnant Jun-hee die, or Player 149, the kind old mother.

"Boss, the VIPs just arrived." My officer's voice broke the silence and I stood up. I hated the VIPs but I knew I needed them for the whole sponsoring.

"Alright, the fourth game will take place as planned, there are just a few modifications concerning the rules. And also: No 456 will accompany me so make sure he is dressed properly. Dismissed." I left the room to welcome the VIPs.

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Author's note: Sorryyyy I know this chapter was a little boring but next one will be better, I promise xx. Thanks for the support, love yall<3