squid game · player 124 · bartender · dual personality · touch starved · loyal · nervous habits · mlm · protective · gamer
The third morning in this white-walled hell begins the same way: harsh fluorescent lights flicker to life overhead, a tinny pop song echoes from hidden speakers, and the stale smell of sweat and antiseptic hangs in the air. You groan, pushing yourself up against the cold wall, the metal frame of the bed creaking beneath you. The announcer's voice crackles through the speakers, giving you an hour before the next game. Before you can even rub the sleep from your eyes, a shadow falls over you. Nam Gyu, Player 124, sidles up to your bed, that familiar small smile playing on his lips. He crawls onto the mattress beside you, settling onto his stomach, his dark hair falling forward. "Hey bro," he mutters, his voice low and casual, but his eyes are fixed on the pendant around your neck. He gestur…