Chapter Text
Chapter 1:
In Every Universe...
You Fall Into My Trap
"Fly me to the moon..."
"And let me play among the stars..."
His voice rung in the confines of the hospital room, the sound soft, almost hesitant. His hand covered hers, gently rubbing the pad of his thumb along her soft delicate skin. The familiar footsteps of a nurse broke him from his trance, forcing his attention away from his precious wife. The hospital door creaked open, a tired nurse running a nightshift appeared in the faint but somehow blinding light of the hospital. She held papers, a sympathetic look crossing her eyes.
"Mr. Hwang." She began, shifting from one foot to the other in almost a nervous manner. Inho immediately caught this detail, his fingers curling protectively around his wife's hand.
"What? Tell me." His voice came out harsher than intended, but then again, he could care less. Inho needed to know what the nurse had to say.
"We got back results from tests we ran on your wife." She paused, gauging the man's reaction before continuing. "We know for sure it is acute cirrhosis. It is severe and she needs a transplant preferably in the timespan of 3 weeks."
Inho sighed deeply, his body shaking involuntarily with fear. He looked down at his wife, finding it harder to look away; feeling as if she was slipping right through his fingers.
The nurse continued, her voice quieter. "She's also 5 weeks pregnant."
His eyes widened, his pupils unfocused as he stared at the nurse. "What... did you just say?" He almost didn't believe it. They only had attempted once, anyways; even though she was persistent on having kids.
"Your wife is also carrying your unborn child." She repeated, her voice less gentle and more serious. "If she doesn't get the transplant soon, Mrs. Hwang and her child will die."
Inho stood abruptly, glancing back at his wife as a silent promise as he strutted past the somewhat stunned nurse. He barely heard her confused questions as he exited the hospital room, walking with meaningful strides down to the lobby and out the glass doors. As he walked down the paths of concrete, the bright light of the illuminated hospital sign faded behind him. She was pregnant; he reminded himself, almost physically flinching at the thought. Memories crashed unwillingly in his already dizzying mind.
The talk of children came up way too often than wanted, Inho never wanted kids. Well, that's what he would tell himself; but taking care of his little baby brother might've cracked his hard shell. Chaeseong practically swooned anytime she saw a baby, Inho would often get embarrassed as she pinched the cheeks of babies whom belonged to mothers they didn't even know. It was comical, how much she wanted a baby boy, but would love the child the same if it was a girl.
He was so engrossed with his thoughts that he didn't even realize he was standing in front of the stairs down to the metro, his legs seemingly moving on their own as he came to a stop on a metal waiting bench in front of the subway station. Inho sat, his leg bouncing anxiously up and down while he stared at nothing.
Inho paid no attention to the business man who sat beside him, assuming he was just waiting for the subway to arrive. He gave him a quick glance and realized the man was staring at him with an unnerving grin.
”Hello there sir.” The man spoke, pushing up his thin wired glasses. He looked very professional, clothed in a fitted grey suit and tie, his hair fell against the sides of his face in a traditional cut. Despite his slight smile, he looked predatory.
Inho audibly sighed, shifting away from the stranger and looking away. “Sorry, not interested.”
He heard the man laugh briefly, immediately glaring up at him. “What? What’s so funny?”
The stranger composed himself in almost a mechanical way; turning to face In-Ho more clearly. “I haven’t even told you anything, so quick to assume, hm?”
Inho scoffed, nodding slightly. “Well, go ahead, tell me.”
The man perked up, grabbing his suitcase and opening it between them on the bench. Inside was stacks of won neatly wrapped, and ddakji. “Play a game of ddakji with me, and if you win, I’ll give you 100 thousand won.”
Inho raised an eyebrow at that, staring down at the contents of the suitcase. He was suspicious of this, but he was also desperate. “-and if I loose?”
“You have to give me 100 thousand won. Deal?”
”…Deal.”
He had used to play ddakji with his younger brother Junho. He would fold up his old school assignments and insist on playing with Inho. Though Inho never refused, he certainly was much worse at the kids game than his younger brother.
Inho reached for the blue ddakji, both men rising to their feet. The salesman allowed him to go first, setting down the red ddakji and stepping back. He took a breath; slamming the blue paper hard onto the floor. He was inaccurate, the red ddakji barely touched by his. Inho sighed, stepping back to allow the salesman to go. He watched the man lift his arm up, holding the red ddakji at an angle as he slammed it to the floor. The sound was surprisingly loud, echoing in the metro. The salesman had successfully flipped his blue ddakji. The salesman looked up at Inho, not quite smiling but with a pleased look on his face. He put his hand out, 'expecting' the 100 thousand won from Inho; but by his expression he already knew that he wasn't getting that money.
"Er.. um, about the cash-" Inho spoke pathetically as he glanced away.
The salesman hummed, nodding in understanding. "There's an alternate way you can repay me."
He raised a brow, his mind flickering through options of what the man meant, each one worse than the last. "-And what way would that be?"
Before Inho could react, he felt a palm slapping against his cheek, sending him backwards at the unexpected motion. His eyes widened slightly as he instinctively put a cooling hand over his warm, now red cheek.
Inho stammered before speaking. "What the hell-"
"Let's play again." The man spoke as if it was a question, but it sounded like a statement.
It didn't take many tries for Inho to win, and he breathed out a sigh of relief. He ran a hand through his dark brown hair; glaring up at the salesman expectantly. "I won, pay up bastard."
The salesman straightened himself out, adjusting his tie and glasses. He'd hand Inho 100 thousand won, snatching the stack out of the mans hand. He moved to walk past the man, but he put out a hand to stop him.
The salesman grabbed something out of his breast pocket, handing a tan business card with black shapes inked on the front. "If you would like to play more games like this, and possibly win much more money, call this number."
Inho hesitantly grabbed the card; flipping it to examine the number on the back. He had so many questions, but as he looked up and opened his mouth to speak; the salesman was gone. Inho glanced around for a moment before spotting the man through the window of the subway, the salesman giving him a small nod before fading out of view.
He started on his way back to the hospital, where he's been sleeping most of his nights. Inho stared at the card, the numbers taunting him. The most logical thing to do is forget about this crap and earn the money off of hard work, but how was he going to make enough money in 3 weeks? He came to a stop as the hospital came into view and leaned against a brick wall. He typed in the numbers; squinting to read it in the dark of the night. He put his phone to his ear and listened to it ring.
"Hello, who is it?" a man, sounding too casual came through.
"Uhm.. hi. You gave me a business card earlier?"
"Would you like to participate in the games? If you would like to participate, please state your name and date of birth."
"Hwang Inho, February 2, 1976."
I have no idea what I'm getting into, but I'd murder hundreds to save her.