"Letting you play the game is the only way for you to live."
THIRD-PERSON'S POV
"It may be a selfish thing to hold on to you, but I will never let go of you even if it kills me..."
"Letting you go is the last thing I would do..."
"I will become someone else to protect you..."
Heavien is dizzy. What a dream. How many times has this happened to her?
She learned something again about her personality and the people around her. She already knows who First and Trake are in her life. She has known them for a long time. All the puzzle pieces are gradually coming together. She keeps having dreams that seem like déjà vu—that all of these have happened before.
However, what's strange is that she has a stronger purpose for why she's here. I mean, all of them have been dragged here by their will to fight in life against the odds, but there's more to it. She knows that her goal to play this game is more than just to claim the tri-prize on earth. That reason alone is shallow when she thinks of it. She can't see herself getting killed by the tri-games in exchange for a tri-prize. There must be something more important than it… more valuable than money, time, life… life.
She shook her head from overthinking, but contemplating deeply like this might extract some vital information about the truth. The new player-no, the player who abruptly appeared out of nowhere after his hiatus, Thirzen, is making her curious about how he skipped the previous levels. She wants to stop thinking of how unfair it was, but it was his smart move, and they've overlooked it. If only they were aware of it, they could save more lives. Unbelievable, but he's still alive and kicking his pranks on them. He has a fresh claw mark scar on his left arm, which must be from Neinuko attack. She's glad he survived, but Eleventh woefully didn't. While in the castle, Thirzen was announced game over by Author yet he lives. He clarified that it only means he was considered 'game over' at that level and stage, but got cleared after it, making him eligible to play again in the next levels and stages to come, except on the last level. All are required to play with no escape.
What Nadine said to her before she died still haunts her. She's already aware of it, but she's making herself oblivious to that possibility. The way First treated her from their first day here until now hasn't changed. He's still kind, selfless, and mysterious. And she liked that about him. It seems he's near, yet she still doesn't know a lot of things about him. She doesn't deserve his kindness at all, so she should return the favor, but she's having hunches. She doesn't want to be suspicious and be afraid of First, but she guesses… it'll be inevitable. A choice for survival.
Heavien glanced at the clock before going down, and she jolted that it was 1:00 PM. She was too tired and sleepy because of the nights that she night watched. She went downstairs and saw everyone in the living area.
"Where's Thirzen?" she called out to everyone.
She needs to ask him for more information about the tri-games. Maybe he knows more since he stayed in the forest while they were playing.
"Thirzen, you mean Noman, Jecko? He might be in his room." Trake answered her. So, Jecko Noman is his name.
"What is he doing?"
"Who knows? Nobody should care for that jerk, anyway." Brenille retorted. It sounds like he's in a bad mood today.
Maybe some time, she can ask Jecko about some things. She went straight to the kitchen to eat.
Trake followed her. "How clever that one is! Who would've thought that what almost killed him would even save his ass?" He must be referring to Jecko, who survived Neinuko and simultaneously gave him the idea of skipping the games. "He must be the world's favorite."
She just sighed at the thought of it.
"Cy, you can eat this." Trake referred to the sandwich he made. He has become a nanny because of how he cares for everyone. He brushed his messy red hair and shaped it into a spiky one and patted his crooked collar. She can already remember him.
They saw First entered the kitchen holding a mug. It appears that he just woke up, and it appears like he just finished drinking his hot chocolate drink. The two gazed at each other as if there was something between them.
"Aight, Cy, just call me if you need anything," Trake left promptly.
And now that First, and she are left here in the kitchen, and the others are busy chatting in the living area. The surroundings have become more awkward. She sat in the dining area to gather her thoughts. First put his mug on the sink, indicating he had finished his drink. He stood opposite her chair.
"What's wrong?" First asked Heavien, then yawned.
"Nothing," she can't look at him directly.
"This is not so you, that's why I know there's something wrong with you."
He really knows her. "If I say so, will you answer my questions?"
"What's with the question?"
"Just answer me," She raised her voice a bit, so he kind of didn't expect that.
First sat across from her, and there was only a table between the two of them.
"Okay, I'll listen."
She sighed first. "I already know who you are…You and Trake in my life. I don't know why, but some of my memories are still missing. Why don't you tell me who you really are when all my memories aren't coming back yet?" Now she is glaring at him. She wants to see his reaction.
He grinned, but there was mixed sorrow in his eyes. "You already knew... I'm just afraid of losing you. Surely, you'll get mad when you know that I dragged you here."
That got her. She doesn't know how to react.
"So, that was you..." She avoided meeting his eyes.
He nodded and couldn't look at her either. "I'm so sorry. I caused you nothing but trouble," he apologized with a bow as he bent down and held her two hands on the table.
Confirmed. First was the one who dragged Heavien to the school's garden on the day of the moving-up ceremony, which got her stranded in the middle of the space.
A sudden flashback came to her. A brief description of how it happened.
He is the class president of their school, and he is her classmate. Many people at school like him because apart from being a cool, smart, and responsible leader. He is often mistaken for being arrogant because his vibe can be intimidating sometimes. They only talk once when there are group activities, so she doesn't know a lot about him.
Her impression of him became the same as others when one day she noticed in his eyes the reflection of sadness. He was sitting in the corner of the room. It was time to go home, and there were almost no more students in the school. Coincidentally, she left something behind in their classroom. She saw him. He just stared into the window with earphones plugged into his ears. Fingers drum on the armchair to the rhythm of the song he's listening to.
"Are you playing the piano?" she asked him promptly. He is still staring at the window.
She noticed that he was doing chords when he drummed his fingers. She doesn't know how to play the piano, but her friend taught her about chords, so she had some ideas. She thought he was a good pianist because of the speed of his fingers. Even though she doesn't know what song he's doing rhythmically, she can say that he feels every note that corresponds to his finger.
She was about to leave because he didn't seem to hear or even see her.
"How'd you know?" She turned to him and saw him looking at her seriously. He then removed his earphones. She was a little puzzled because he heard what she whispered.
"H-Huh? Ah, I just have an idea about pianos from my friend. Just continue what you're doing, President. Sorry to disturb you." And she ran out of the room.
She shouldn't have asked him that. But why the sadness in his eyes?
It is also puzzling to most why he went to a public school. He doesn't tell stories of himself, so no one knows. Everyone knew he was rich. His uncle or aunt often took his academic record during parents' meetings. His belongings are branded and expensive. He goes to school in a luxurious car. Those are the things that she knows from the rumors she's heard and witnessed. So, she can say, he is mysterious in some ways that no one could fully understand.
A few months after she asked him that question about him drumming his fingers, he started to spend more time with her. They talk and get together more often. He was a bit unapproachable at first, but he is a kind person. He became one of her close friends. Until their moving up ceremony arrived. The ceremony ended. Her mother and brother were the two people who took a photo with her. They were taking a picture of the class, and then she bumped into him. She was sorry, but instead of seeing a smile on his face, his eyes widened as if he had seen a ghost. He asked her, and they ran together. She asked him what was wrong, but he didn't answer. They stopped in the school garden.
"This is the only way to save you. Don't worry, I will protect you."
He held out a necklace to her, and it shone. She screamed. When she woke up, she was in space.
When she landed in space, the only thing she remembered was what happened at the ceremony. But now she is more enlightened with the truths that took her a long time to obtain.