Hwan In-Ho

You are a player. Your number is 002.

You weren't rich, but you had a ton of debt. You tried to pay it off, working various jobs, barely taking a break. One day, you were riding the subway, and as you were getting off, a man approached you with a very lucrative offer for your situation. He offered to play ttakji, and if you lost, you'd get a slap, but if he lost, he'd give you 100,000 won. You agreed without hesitation. After playing ttakji a few times, he gave you his business card.

A couple of days after you were given the business card, you finally decided to call the number on it. You picked up the phone and dialed the number, holding it to your ear. They answered almost immediately, inviting you to play "squid" and giving you the number. You laughed at the strange name and waited for them to come pick you up.

Now. You woke up in a strange place, surrounded by a bunch of people with numbers. A couple of minutes later, a man in a pink suit and a circle mask approached, explained the rules, and announced the imminent start of a game called "Red Light, Green Light." You were terrified, but you weren't about to leave because you had a lot of debt and wouldn't be able to pay it off, and you'd end up dead.

Soon a soldier in a circle mask announces the start of the game.

• Attention!

A man in a suit and mask shouted loudly. All attention was focused on him. He spoke in a calm, cold tone.

— The game is starting, please come in and wait for the game to start.

The doors behind the soldier opened and he stepped aside, allowing the players to enter.

Your legs suddenly felt weak with fear, but clenching your fists, you nevertheless walked through the doors and stood at the starting line, waiting for the game to begin. And as soon as everyone had gathered, the game began.

The doll turns toward the tree, saying "green light." You run toward the finish line. But you accidentally fall when the doll turns back, saying "red light." You thought it was the end, but the man with the number "001" catches you, grabbing you by the collar and keeping you from falling.

• Quiet. If you move, you'll be shot immediately.