player 306

chapter 13

Yeona reached out and gently placed a hand on Gi-hun's shoulder. "It's okay to feel this way, you know," she said softly, offering him a reassuring smile. "We're just trying to do our best for those we've lost and those we still have."

Gi-hun looks at me, and he nods, then looks away, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. Yeona squeezes his shoulder before letting go and standing up after hearing a noise coming from her bedroom.

"I would like you to meet someone, Gi-hun." She walked over to the bedroom and returned with a small bundle cradled in her arms. "This is Hae-ri," Yeona said softly. Her eyes filled with a mix of love and awe as she gazed at her infant daughter. "I found out I was expecting after all the chaos, and somehow, she made it through with me." Gi-hun's expression shifted from surprise to joy as he looked at the tiny life in Yeona's arms, realizing that amidst the loss, new beginnings had quietly emerged.

Gi-hun's eyes softened as he reached out to gently touch the baby's tiny hand. "She's beautiful," he murmured, a genuine smile spreading across his face.

"Do you want to hold her?" I asked. With a deep breath, I offered the baby to him, wanting to include him in this precious chapter of my life.

Gi-hun hesitated for a moment, overwhelmed by a rush of emotions he hadn't felt in a long time. As he gently cradled the baby in his arms, a sense of peace washed over him, surprising him with its intensity. The warmth of the tiny bundle melted away the layers of grief and anger he'd carried for so long. Gi-hun marveled at the innocence and hope embodied in the tiny face before him. He realized that despite the darkness he had encountered, life still held the potential for beauty and renewal.

"That means you were pregnant during the games," Gi-hun said, his voice thick with emotion." He met Yeona's eyes.

Acknowledging the weight of his words. "Yeah," I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. My lips curved into a bittersweet smile as I added, "I think that's why they didn't kill me. I guess shedding a baby's blood was too inhumane even for them." A picture of In-ho flashed in front of me.

Gi-hun nodded, his gaze still locked on the baby with a newfound tenderness. "She's a miracle, Yeona, and so are you," He said softly, his voice filled with admiration.

Surviving the games felt like both a curse and a miracle to Yeona. On one hand, she was grateful for the chance to witness her daughter's first smile, her first breath of life, and to embrace the future they could share. Yet, memories of the games haunted her, reminding her that the love of her life wasn't there to share it with her. She carried so much guilt in her heart.

Gi-hun hands the child over to Yeona, "I also have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Yeona asked, her curiosity piqued, as she cradled the baby close to her chest. She could sense the seriousness in Gi-hun's tone and felt a mixture of anticipation and apprehension. Her heart raced as she wondered what revelation or confession he was about to share.

"I've been searching for the suited man." he starts off.

"Gi-hun please." I sigh at him.

"When we got those business cards last year, it was around this time of year. So if they're still hosting the game, then... he'll be starting to recruit new players." Gi-hun continues. "If I miss this opportunity, then that's a whole another year I have to wait."

"I don't know if I can handle any more of this," I admitted. My voice was tinged with weariness. The thought of uncovering more truths about the games filled me with dread, yet I felt a compelling need to understand everything that had happened. Torn between her desire to protect her newfound peace and the urge to seek answers, Yeona struggled to find a balance that would allow her to move forward without being consumed by the past.