Player 001 (The Frontman/In-Ho x reader

☆ ☆ Y/n POV ☆ ☆

By the time me and the rest of my group returned to the common area I was shaking and almost crying just out of fear. How much longer will we have to do this for? I want to see my mom again, I don't want to die in here. Gi-Hun, Jong-Bae and Jun-Hee all walked off to our usual spot when In-Ho pulled me off to the side "Are you doing okay?" He put his hands on my shoulders and I nodded trying to hide the tears forming in my eyes unsuccessfully. He grabbed me by the hand and started walking towards one of the side doors in the common area, knocking on the heavy metal door when we approached it. "We need to be let into the bathroom" without a word the triangle guard by the door unlocked it and let us in. In-Ho never let go of me as he walked to the only other visible door in the short hallway and pushing it open and pulling us both inside. "What's going on?" He let go of my hand and pushed the hair out of my face as my tears started to spill down my face. "I want to go home! I just want to see my mom again, even if that money can't save her life, I want to be able to see her again. I don't want to die in here." My voice cracked as I broke down and he pulled me into a tight hug. One hand around my waist and the other pushing my head into his shoulder. Once I recognized what was happening I wrapped my arms around his shoulders and just let myself cry into his jacket. God this is pathetic, I signed up for this. Technically. I didn't know the extent of it but I came here willingly all for some money. And now I'm sitting here blubbering like a baby about how I miss my mom. I tried to stop the tears at this realization but failed. "Shhh, it's going to be okay. You're not going to die in here, okay? I promise. I won't let anything happen to you as long as I live" In-Ho's voice was barely a whisper as he attempted to soothe me. After maybe 10 minutes my tears had stopped and I was just trying to make my breathing normal when he pulled away slightly to look at my face "Do you understand?" He questioned and I was just confused. He hadn't said anything in minutes "What?" I tilted my head slightly as i questioned him "What I said. You will not die in here. I'll make sure of it." He promised again and I just nodded. And he nodded at me in response and pulled me back into his body until I'd fully calmed down and then he let me pull away of my own free will, no longer holding me there. Just leaving his hands where they were casually. I pulled away after a minute or so and he looked at my face for a second before going over to the sink and pulling me with him by the sleeve of my jacket. He wet a corner of his sleeve and started to wipe the tears off my face and then changed the water to be cold and put me in front of the sink, rolling his sleeves up and cupping some of the cold water in his hands and holding it above the sink for me to put on my face. I took a deep breathe after splashing my face with the cold water a few times and he grabbed a paper towel out of the crappy school-like dispenser on the wall and patted my face dry "Thank you" I looked at him and he let out a small 'mhm' before turning to leave the room until I grabbed his arm. "No, seriously. Thank you. For everything you've done for me so far." He gave me a smile and said a quick 'of course' before we left the bathroom and rejoined our group in the common area and they all looked concerned. "Are you guys okay? What happened?" Jong-Bae questioned frantically as we sat down "I needed a minute" I admitted honestly. "Why did he go with you?" Gi-Hun questioned, obviously still not trusting In-Ho fully. "Because I wasn't going to let myself take a minute. And he made me." I admitted honestly again and that seemed to satisfy them. "Players, it is time for the next vote. We want you to feel comfortable to exercise your right to choose without coercion, starting now we will not tolerate any actions that could interfere with the democratic process." The guard spoke simply. We were voting in reverse order this time meaning In-Ho was first. He voted to leave and I let out a sigh of relief. The vote was pretty one sided to leave until the end when it became pretty much 50/50 with one more on the stay side and Gi-Hun was the only person left to vote. Shit. We're stuck here for another game. As Gi-Hun walked up to the buzzer I gripped In-Ho's hand like it was the only thing keeping me alive. At this point, it might be. Once the vote was completely 50/50 someone questioned what would happen now. "When the vote is split evenly, the players will vote again." The guard said. "When will the next vote be?" Another person shouted form the back of the room "In order to make sure you've all had ample time to consider your decision, the next vote will take place tomorrow." So after the next game. I felt In-Ho squeeze my hand, he knew what it meant too. We were all told to go back to what we were doing and that lights out would be soon and I just went and laid on my bunk. I assumed I'd be alone to rot in my sorrow but that wasn't the case after about 5 minutes. In-Ho came and sat next to my bed and started rubbing my head, slightly playing with my hair. "It's going to be okay. We're all going to make it out of here. And if not all of us, you are." He said in a very sure of himself tone. "How do you know that?" I questioned pushing back my tears again today "because I'll make sure of it. And there's nothing that is going to get in my way." He nodded to himself as he said it "who are you trying to convince?" I questioned. Doubting him. He looked straight at me and his hand stopped moving on my head "You. Because I know that I'll do anything to make sure you're able to get home to your mom." He sounded so sure and serious. I just nodded and took his hand off my head, lacing our fingers together again "I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me." I said it definitively "I won't. I'll sacrifice everyone else for you." He looked away immediately after saying it like it was a fact. "And what if I die anyways?" I questioned again, my brain refusing to accept it. "Then I'll kill everyone who had something to do with it. The players, the guards. Everyone." He looked at me with a side eye to see if I had processed what he said and nodded or any nonverbal response but I didn't. I just sat there and stared at him like looking at him would keep me sane. The intercom started counting down for lights out when I spoke again "You should get some sleep." I tried to push him but he refused "No." he was firm in his stance "Why?" I tried to get a reason out of him "Because I'm not leaving you here." He'd literally be sleeping right above me, he wasn't leaving me anywhere. "Please get some sleep." I pushed him again and he let out a sign "Fine, but I'm not going anywhere, move over." I realized this was the only way he'd even consider it so I moved over in my bunk. He slid in under the blanket next to me and had me sit up a bit so he could get comfortable. He put his arm under his head and had me lay my head over his arm so he could know if I got up for any reason and I closed my eyes to sleep, still a little worried. I felt him tracing random shapes onto my arm that I had laid across my stomach as he quietly whispered to me "I won't let anything happen to you. Nobody going to hurt you as long as I'm around, okay?" I fell asleep to his voice and the soothing feeling of his hand tracing across my arm.

Word Count: 1500