stonecrandall Chapter 59 : Chapter 59
Chapter 59 : Chapter 59
Chapter 59
Speaking of the East West South North Game, it was one of the nostalgic games.
After folding all the corners of a colored paper to meet at the center, turning it over and folding all the corners to the center again, folding it in half, and inserting four fingers into the gaps and twisting it, the flower-shaped paper model was completed.
Writing the letters ‘East·West·South·North’ on each side of the paper model and writing two penalties on the inner sides of East West South North finishes the preparation.
I, Lee Ju-seong, returned to the place where the group was waiting with the plastic box.
“They said to prepare the materials by tomorrow. It seems like a part that needs discussion, so let’s move to another place.”
It was still unclear whether it was team vs. team or if each team would participate in the game individually.
I would have to devise a strategy considering both possibilities.
Since we had to move together as a team, a team-level strategy meeting was essential.
Park So-yul and the student couple accepted without a word.
“To think they introduced such a peculiar system as a preparation material. In Round 1, didn't we just have to roughly run on a first-come, first-served basis?”
“The organization was trying various things while you were absent, So-yul. Now, nothing they do is particularly surprising.”
“Anyway, it would be better to move to a place where other teams can't hear us. I happen to know a suitable place.”
Park So-yul added that there was a pavilion at the end of the walking trail prepared on the east side of the Shopping Mall.
Her opinion was that it would be suitable for building friendship as it was one of the few places full of atmosphere inside this desolate game site.
Since we had overeating, which could be called the unwritten rule of a buffet, we also needed a walk combined with post-meal exercise.
Thus, we crossed the walking trail and took seats in a quiet pavilion where people rarely visited.
I sat down on the floor of the pavilion and opened the plastic box.
Click!
The lid was flipped back with a cute sound that felt like an opening.
Inside the box, there was a bud-shaped paper model and an A4 paper folded in half twice.
On the A4 paper, items describing what we had to do were printed.
[East West South North Game Preparation Guide]
-Write the ‘prize amount’ on the eight inner surfaces of the bud with the enclosed ballpoint pen.
-The prize amount can be written from a minimum of 5 million won to a maximum of 50 million won.
-Please write all prizes in units of 5 million won.
Originally, in the East West South North Game, penalties were usually written inside the bud.
However, in this East West South North Game within the Money Game, it said to write prize amounts instead of penalties.
I handed the A4 paper to the team members for them to look over and opened my mouth.
“Is there anyone who doesn't know the East West South North Game?”
For me and Park So-yul, who belonged to the generation that barely used colored paper or crane paper, it was impossible not to know, but there was a possibility that the student couple born in the late 2000s might not know.
However, unexpectedly, both of the student couple knew the game rules well.
“Of course we know. I played it a few times in early elementary school.”
“I haven't played it myself, but I remember it because I often watched my friends doing it.”
These days, everyone was thought to know how to play with electronic devices even in early elementary school, but it was said that wasn't necessarily the case.
Depending on the teacher's tendency, the parents' tendency, and the instructions of higher organizations.
Because they had to play well on their own with given materials within the limits set by adults, they didn't necessarily not know just because it was an old game.
I was quickly convinced.
“Indeed, even when I was a kid, if we had just one deflated soccer ball, we somehow made up a game and played.”
Since everyone knew the East West South North Game that served as the motif for this Round 5, the process proceeded rapidly.
The one who suggested an opinion first was, as expected, me.
“The content written on the inner surfaces in the East West South North Game is usually a penalty. In this Round 5 as well, it might just be a prize amount in name only, and in reality, it could be a penalty disguised as a prize amount.”
Park So-yul said.
“If my memory is correct, it was a structure where the risk increased as you got greedy, is that part still maintained?”
Sim Yong-hun said.
“Yes, it’s the same. It’ll be a method where the survival rate drops as you get greedy and write a higher prize amount.”
Seo So-hui said.
“But if we write a low amount because we value safety, the amount that falls into our hands will be small. The key will be to have an appropriate balance.”
The most important thing was balance.
There was no one who raised an objection to this part.
To put it another way, it could be said that the underlying tendencies of all four people were the same.
During the meeting, all four of us were certain.
That we had met the right team members.
I integrated and organized everyone's opinions.
“Let's aim for the average value, but let's set the prizes so that we can aim for both risk and safety depending on the case. Let's write the minimum amount of 5 million won and the maximum amount of 50 million won once each, and for the remaining six slots, let's put in amounts between 10 million and 35 million evenly.”
In that way, we held a heated discussion over which amount to write in which slot.
Since we were gathered with similar play styles to begin with, friendliness was added every time an opinion was put forward.
While the meeting was proceeding in a positive atmosphere, there was a person watching us from a slight distance.
A copper mask with a white gown.
It was the Doctor.
***
The Doctor was alone today as well.
Eating alone during lunch time has now settled as her daily routine.
Strangely, she couldn't get close to the nurses.
Even though the nurses were tightly knit and just got along well with each other.
Because she felt a sense of alienation every time, she took courage today and suggested having a meal together to the nurses.
However, what returned was a troubled reaction.
‘Ah... well... as long as you are okay with it, Doctor...’
Because they regarded the Doctor with the perception of an entity they shouldn't cross, a so-called boss, they seemed quite awkward.
In the end, out of consideration for the nurses, she made up an excuse that she had forgotten she had a meal appointment with some Dealers and left the medical facility alone.
Eating alone today too.
After taking out a sandwich and coffee from the restaurant, she took a seat alone in a corner of the walking trail.
A place where the wind seeped in appropriately, and it was quiet with few people.
It was her favorite spot for eating alone.
As always, she intended to fill her stomach lonely amidst the tranquility, but coincidentally, there were uninvited guests today.
It was Lee Ju-seong’s group.
“Let's write the minimum amount of 5 million won and the maximum amount of 50 million won once each and...”
Lee Ju-seong’s voice was heard from beyond the garden trees lined up like a folding screen with sparse holes.
The Doctor instinctively listened.
It was an observation closer to instinct rather than information gathering.
“I thought Lee Ju-seong was always alone too... I guess it was my misconception.”
Since she remembered the faces of the group, it wasn't that difficult to figure out who was by Lee Ju-seong’s side.
Park So-yul, Sim Yong-hun, and Seo So-hui.
Park So-yul was smiling brightly, and Seo So-hui was asking questions cheerfully.
Sim Yong-hun, the male student of the student couple, had few words, but he nodded seriously whenever another person spoke.
All conversations continued without interruption, like thread threaded through the tip of a sewing needle.
At some point, the simple observation began to change into a hint of jealousy that she herself did not even realize.
The trigger was a momentary contact.
“Ju-seong, your handwriting is terrible. I can't tell if this is a 5 or a 6 at this rate.”
Park So-yul reached out to take the ballpoint pen away.
In that process, Park So-yul’s palm covered the back of Lee Ju-seong’s hand.
Hands overlapped, creating a tender atmosphere.
Far from pulling his hand out, Lee Ju-seong turned it over so the palm faced upward.
“Instead of just giving advice, how about you try writing it yourself, So-yul.”
As the palms touched, it became a composition where they could interlock fingers and hold hands at any time.
Park So-yul held the ballpoint pen and bent her upper body as if kneeling on both knees and prostrating, then wrote something diligently on the paper.
“How is it? It’s become a bit easier to distinguish now, right?”
“Eh, it seems there’s not much difference from my handwriting?”
“Did your eyes get dim while I wasn't looking. Where does it look the same? My handwriting is much better.”
“Oh? Is this number a 0 or a 9~. I can't tell at all~.”
“We’re not trying to compete right now. Why are you being so cranky.”
Park So-yul raised her index finger and lightly poked Lee Ju-seong’s cheek.
The touching time was not even a second, and the prank between the two was merely at a trivial level.
However, the series of processes provided a significant sense of alienation to the Doctor.
The Doctor soon brushed off her seat and stood up.
“I’m really being like a fool. What do I care about the circumstances of the debtors.”
She tried to return to her workplace, rationalizing that she came to this island to work, not to socialize.
The moment she was about to leave while turning her back on the pavilion.
Lee Ju-seong’s voice was heard from behind her back.
“Oh? Isn't it the Doctor? I was going to go find you anyway, so this is perfect.”
Whether his meeting had just finished, he was coming down from the pavilion with the members.
Lee Ju-seong approached with a fast pace and naturally stood side by side with the Doctor.
As if to go to the medical facility together since they ran into each other.
The Doctor poked both hands roughly into her gown pockets and snapped in a blunt tone.
“I’m sure I told you repeatedly not to act like we’re close?”
It was a voice with a sharp edge, enough to surprise even herself.
It was a keen remark, but it was not enough to leave a scratch on Lee Ju-seong’s boldness.
Since he was originally a man with good boldness, it was no wonder.
“Then I will follow quietly half a step behind.”
“Haa, you call that a joke? It’s not funny at all.”
She turned her body fiercely to create a cold wind and walked toward the Shopping Mall front door with tap tap steps.
The footsteps of Lee Ju-seong’s group were heard from the rear exactly half a step away.
A few seconds later, Lee Ju-seong asked with a hint of a joke.
“Is it okay to stand next to you now?”
Why is this man in this shape?
Even though other people would likely be hurt and withdraw, he always approaches without caring.
While she usually didn't feel much, her feelings became restless as she was hit on a day like today when she felt exceptionally sentimental.
The Doctor stopped her steps and turned her body 180 degrees, putting Lee Ju-seong in front of her.
Tilt.
It was Lee Ju-seong tilting his head to the side to know the meaning contained in the Doctor’s action.
After staring at him intently, she raised her index finger and stretched her arm out whoosh.
The slender index finger poked Lee Ju-seong’s cheek, creating an artificial dimple.
Lee Ju-seong expressed a question with his cheek dented.
“Why are you doing this?”
“What business were you going to find me for today?”
“To replenish blood bags and needles. Both for me and that friend.”
“By that friend, who specifically are you talking about?”
“That would be Miss Park So-yul.”
“Heh, a friend...”
The Doctor felt an unknown satisfaction and removed her finger from Lee Ju-seong’s cheek.
And she turned her body lightheartedly amidst a much more relieved feeling than before.
The fact that her gait became noticeably lighter was a bonus.
“I figured you would come anyway, so I ordered a few new boxes of supplements. Follow me.”
***
Rest, negotiation, various preparations.
While each team performed diverse activities and spent a rest that wasn't a rest, a day passed in an instant.
The day after the rest period ended.
Through the announcement that flowed during the morning, the nature of Round 5 became clear.
[Players, please enter the Game Tower according to the Dealer's guidance, starting from the teams that have completed preparations.]
[In this Round 5, each team is scheduled to undergo an individual strategy session separately.]
[It is not a competitive structure between teams, so please focus on cooperating with each other and surviving.]
In that it was a structure where cooperation was prioritized, the feeling of a bonus game was strong.
As soon as I encountered the broadcast content, I headed to the playground and joined the group among the players who had arrived earlier.
While a Dealer was assigned one by one to guide them to the game site starting from the teams that joined first, a giant Dealer took charge of our guidance.
A height of 2 meters, upper body with inverted triangle muscles, the number ‘4’ engraved on the mask.
It was April.
“I am April, in charge of your guidance in this Round 5. Follow me.”
The journey toward the game site was the same as usual.
From entering through one of the many entrances of the Game Tower, to boarding the elevator with the Dealer, and hearing brief game rules during the movement.
However, there was one thing that was exceptionally different from before.
Before hearing the rule explanation, we could encounter unsettling news through the announcement.
[Informing the players.]
[During this Round 5, the nano-machine self-destruct function that was activated when attacking a person wearing a mask will be temporarily stopped.]
The temporary lifting of the rule that one must not attack organization members wearing masks.
It meant that this Round 5 would proceed in a structure of Player vs. Dealer.
At the same time, April’s developed back muscles bulged and wriggled.
As if he had been looking forward to a match with me all along.