(POV In-ho/Frontman)

"All remaining players are free to go, whether the VIPs approve of it or not.", I barked. My first officer stood in my office trying to convince me to keep the games going. "Sir, since it's them who pay for everything it wouldn't be wise to have them against us. We should continue the games to prove that we maintain our concept. No one would want if they called us weak." The annoying man didn't stop talking so I had to be more clear: "The concept is about giving the players a fair chance once in their lives. They chose to leave so they are all free to go, without any exception."

"What about Player 456. Since he technically got eliminated..."

"Like everyone else Player 456 is free to go wherever it pleases him!", I hissed. "I will hear no more about punishing innocent people when the rules were clear from the beginning. The workers are to be instructed to prepare the players for their departure. Dismissed!"

Once the officer had left I sank on my couch. So much stress because 49 players survived. It surprised me how bloodthirsty all these people were. And Gi-hun... if he wanted to go I wouldn't hold him back, now that the games were over, however much I wanted him to stay. But what about the next games? Would he try to stop it once more? No, I had to make sure that he wouldn't play a part in any of the games again. He should be able to find peace, I owed that to him. A knock on the door made me look up and my sister-in-law entered the room. "Not now, Mi-na", I sighed but she shook her head urgently.

"In-ho, something is suspicious. I heard the guards and managers talking...they know that there's something going on between you and Gi-hun and they think that he is the reason behind your sudden...weakness."

"Excuse me!?", I snapped but Mi-na continued: "I heard talking that someone wants to overthrow the Frontman, dethrone you,so they can continue the games. In-ho, if that someone gathers enough people for himself it can be very dangerous for you. You and Gi-hun as well. Apparently your first officer in charge isn't happy about you declaring Gi-hun to be your right hand. If you ask me we should get away from here as soon as possible." She was alarmed and I knew that if she was right, it would be more people in danger than just me. Self-confident as I was, I was sure that I could look after myself and I would do everything to secure Gi-hun's safety as well. But the surviving 49 players needed to be deported to the mainland instantly – as soon as they were gone from the island no rebellious guard could make the games continue because there were no players. I knew that the workers had already made the players unconscious and were dressing them now in the clothes they came with and giving them back their belongings.

"Mi-na, you are hereby in charge of supervising the players departure, you will lead the ship safely to the mainland. I don't know who I can trust anymore, so their lives are now in your hands. Will you be able to do that?" Mi-na nodded and put her mask back on. "Rely on me, brother." Then she took her machine gun and left the room.

Annoyed I exhaled and started walking up and down in my room. How could all of this happen? Was I really to expect a mutiny? Who dared to raise against the Frontman? Were the VIPs behind this? And was it possible that they found out about my weakness for Gi-hun? There was no point in denying that he in fact was my weakness; I didn't care about anything else than him, fck everything if I couldn't have him. But it meant that he was in danger, great danger. Immediately I left my room and hurried through the corridors, I had to forewarn him.



(POV Gi-hun)

The door burst open and on one else than the Frontman entered my room. "Gi-hun, come with me. It's not safe for you here." Without further explanations he grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him. "What the hell is it now?", I asked, trying to keep up to him. "Are you kidnapping me now because the games were canceled?" "That's not funny, I'll explain it to you as soon as we're somewhere we can talk freely."

I followed the Frontman through corridors, climbing dozens of small stairs until we arrived at a ladder leading to a hatch in the ceiling. He opened it and as we climbed outside I instantly recognized the smell of the ocean's breeze: this seemed to be some secret exit that led to the top of a rock on the island. The view was breathtaking: you could see the seaside, the ocean, other islands around us and at the horizon there was Korea's mainland. "What are we doing here?", I asked, still out of breath.

"The end of the games was just the start... Player 456, you need to prepare for a game far more ruthless than that." In-ho took his mask off, running his fingers through his hair to fix it. "Apparently the managers and the guards are talking. It seems like they found out about our little... agreement. The VIPs think I have grown weak and that this weakness of mine is...you." He looked me in the eye and sighed. "If it's true then no one is safe, neither you or me, nor the surviving players."

"The players?? Why? Are they in danger? They need to be evacuated at once, why are we still here?!" I was speechless; how could he be calm sitting here with me while those people's lives were on the line?! "Relax, Gi-hun, I already put Mi-na in charge, she will be on the ship with them to make sure they reach the mainland's port safely. Since she is Manager 001 and wearing the usual overall and mask she won't stand out and she has the authority. You can trust her.", he assured me and pointed down at the coast: "If you look closely then you can see the ship and the vans driving onto it." I calmed down a little, he was right. Down there there was the ferry and I saw about 10 silver vans which contained the unconscious players. "Why didn't you supervise it yourself?", I asked; he gave me a look as if I missed something obvious.

"As if I'd just leave you here alone with those bloodthirsty bastards. You will make it out of here alive, I'll make sure of it. Today the players will be saved and tomorrow you'll get out of here and I'm going to punish everyone who doesn't obey the rules." In-ho's words sounded final and I suddenly felt something cold running down my spine. "What do you mean, you'll make sure that I get out of here? What about you? Aren't you coming with me?" It was clear that if there would be another revolt he'd be even more in danger as me. In-ho looked so surprised like I had just declared that Father Christmas would come early this year. "Do you want me to come with you?", he asked, his surprised gaze meeting mine.

"Wherever you go, you need to be safe.", I said after a pause. "I don't want you to be harmed. I know that as your enemy I shouldn't care but I couldn't stand the thought of a world without you in it, no matter what you did." His eyes widened when he heard my confession and a soft smile appeared on his face. "I wouldn't mind to die you know", he said, "even if I would die now, I would die in peace knowing that in my life I did it all. I have been a horrible person and there was nothing good left in me – until you came along, Gi-hun. I could die a happy man because after all this time you brought me back to life."

Unable to fight it I felt tears coming to my eyes. I knew what he had done and that I should be relieved if he died, but the bare thought made my heart shatter. "I don't want you to die.", I whispered. "You need to live, you still have to prove to me that you can actually change. You said you wanted my forgiveness, right? I haven't forgiven you so don't you dare dying." In-ho hesitated, then put his arm around my shoulders as we watched the ship depart from the harbor. "I'm not going anywhere as long as you don't want me to.", he murmured, leaning his head against mine. "Gi-hun, if you really think you could give us a chance to start over, then we could talk as soon as all of this is over. Just know that you can take all the time in the world to decide, I'll be waiting." His words sounded so wonderful to me and for the first time in ages I had hope that all of this could actually have a good ending. We sat there for an eternity watching the ship heading towards the horizon, watching 49 lives actually being saved, talking about everything and nothing.

"Let's make a pact", I suggested. "However this may end, let's remember this moment every time we'll be on the seaside in the future. Not the bad times, only this moment." In-ho smiled and softly kissed my shoulder. "As if I could ever forget."