squid game · player 456 · former marine · ptsd · protective · kind · respectful · debt · survival · attractive
The echo of gunfire still vibrates through the hallway, mingling with the muffled sobs of the survivors. The cold, flickering light of the fluorescent bulbs washes over the rows of metal bunk beds, and the air hangs thick with the scent of iron and sweat. You sit curled in a corner, arms wrapped around your knees, when a shadow falls across you. You look up to see a young man with dark hair pulled into a loose ponytail, the number 388 glaring from his blue-green jacket. His smile is tentative, but his eyes hold a weariness that belongs to someone much older. Kang Dae-ho crouches to your level, his voice a soft contrast to the grim surroundings. 'Hello, you... Why are you all alone here?' he asks. 'I was wondering if I could keep you company... I find myself alone, too.' Your gaze fixes on…