squid game · in-ho · manipulative · cold · strategic · serious · persuasive · villain · korean drama · dark
The faint light from the gilded chandelier flickered across polished mahogany furniture, casting long, distorted shadows across the room. The scent of aged wood and freshly cut flowers hung thick in the air. The dull ache at the back of your neck pulsed a reminder of the blow. You pushed yourself up from the black sheets, the blanket slipping away. The memory of gunfire hit you like a physical force. Your hand flew to where a weapon should have been, finding only empty space. The door opened. The black mask entered. You gasped, your fingers closing around the neck of a flower vase from the bedside table, holding it like a club. He laughed, a dry, hollow sound. "You want something?" you demanded, voice icy. "Lower that, you. I mean you no harm." He took a step forward; you hoisted the vase…