Thursday, August 1st 2013
[COUNTDOWN: --:--:--:--.---]

Tao.

• Krystal
• Jonghyun
• Key

(/dazzled by the sun, he walks slowly down the street. he was all ready jetlagged, now he is blinded. at least it is a beautiful day. a beautiful day in South Korea during summer and a short vacation from both school and work, what can he ask more?) --(/continues to walk, and notices from afar his friend who has probably been waiting for a very long time, since she shows all the signs of impatiences. she turns her head, and sees him. she stares at him, annoyed. he can help and smiles) "You guys, don't know what's punctuality? The rendezvous was at 3PM, not..." (/she looks at her watch) "...not 3:30PM." They are not here. "I know that. I can see it." Relax, Soojung. (/she stares at him. he knows that she prefers to be called Krystal and always gets so annoyed when she is called so.)

(/the two others arrive side by side about twenty minutes later. Krystal does not even want to talk to them; she waited almost an hour for them to arrive.) "Miahn' Krys, but this guy over there is a real girl." "Just because I want to look fab when I got and take my time, it doesn't mean that I'm a 'girl", boo. You should have text me way earlier, Krystal. I mean a text at 2:30PM for a rendezvous at 3:00PM in Gangnam. You gotta look stunning." "Right. Just send a message if y;know you're going to be late." "Soojungie, don't be mad." (/Jonghyun attempts to pinch her cheek. she slaps his hand away, glaring at him.) --(/Tao sighs, and stops the baby fight) Alright, we should get going. (/the three nod, and they head to a little coffee shop near by.) --(/each orders their food: Krystal, a caramel macchiato and a brownie; Key, an iced cappucino and a strawberry shortcake; Jonghyun, an iced tea with a blt; and Tao, just a green tea.) --(/they sit down in the on the terrasse and starts talking about everything and nothing at the same time. a waitress comes and serves them. they continue to talk, when Krystal receives a text. it's her older sister. she ignores it, and they resume their conversations.) "Tao, how's your parents? you said that you were going to visit them while your little trip in China." "Yeah, right, how was it?" (/he thinks a little) Of course it was fun, but I would have preferred staying there one more week. Just a week is not enough, especially when you haven't seen your family for two years. "Man, I wonder how it would have been for me if I had to stay away like that." "You'll throw bunch of parties, become broke, and turn to a hobo." "Very funny, Soojung." (/she punches his shoulder, Jonghyun flinches) "That hurts, woman. Respect your oppa." (/Krystal laughs)

(/time flies so fast. they do not notice that they have been talking for two hours. suddenly, all four of their cellphones ring at the same time. it surprises them, and they check.) Uhm... "Lol, that must be some joke." "It's too creepy to be a joke." "Guys, this ain't right" (/Key shows the text that he has received.)

"That's so awesome!" "Bro, are you cray cray?" "Nope. It's just too cool." Haven't you watch the news? People died just recently. "There's like a death count over hundred right now. Only two people survived in NYC. We need to report this." (/Jonghyun looks at them, and rolls their eyes) "Wow, you party poopers. It's probably just a little friendly game. We don't even know if it's THE game. There are so many games at the same time. And the authorities did not mention any suspicious text messages. Usually you get invited for a game. That's how you play rounds. We all played. And I joined a friendly league, we all did. It' about time we get contacted." "I'm not about that life, bro. Im'ma go home." "Then again, maybe they will kill you once you go home." "What are you talking about, baby girl?" "When you played the game there was always that warning. If you decline, we'll come after you. Remember?" She is talking about the 'automatically' dead. You remember? You get like headshot, and you can't join a new round until that old round is over. "Right, and I don't want to wait another two weeks before a new round."(/Key laughs. Krystal nudges him.)  "I'm going to go..." (/Jonghyun is happy) "I'll go with you." I'm joining you. If it's the game, you'll better keep me alive. We never know if the maniac behind Live Death Toll is also plays with 'automatic death'. (/all three look at Key, who is finishing is shortcake.) "Alright, alright. If I die, I'll hunt your souls." "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's all reply, accept."

(/they receive a new text. the location of the meeting, before the beginning of the game. Jonghyun is so excited like a little boy who receives a new toy. Key is shaking his head from side to side judging Jonghyun so hard. Tao and Krystal laugh.) "Where's that Shindong Karaoke, though?" (/Tao checks on Google Maps) Hongdae. "Let's catch the bus, right now." "Calm yo , Jonghyun. We're not in an hurry. The game will only start when everyone is there." (/they leave. Jonghyun jaywalks to the other side, just to make sure to catch the first bus.) Hyung, if you are gonna be reckless like this, we aren't teaming up together. I want to leave.

[-]

Miryo.

(/Miryo arrives first in the karaoke, alone. she was the only one of her group friends to have been invited. that was strange, but not the first time. nothing stood out of the ordinary in the message she received; it was just like all the texts she had received in her underground Death Toll league. however, in her league, there were no teenagers like the ones who are in the coner talking to each other. she is 24 [A/N: changed her age, because i felt like it.]) --(/she occupies herself by texting with her friends who are all curious. she has nothing much to say except for the 'babies' that have somehow infiltrated their league) --(/the last group, a group of four, arrive. one of them is so not acting his age. he is jumping around, and can't sit, because he just wants to play already. one of his friends is hiding his face embarrassed, another is judging him so hard. the girl joins someone else that she knows. Miryo is happy that she is not the only one who arrived solo in the karaoke.) --(/suddenly the lights are shut, and the illustrious winged skull symbol appears on a plain room of the wall. then, a video starts to play. Miryo wonders where it comes from, because she hasn't seen a projector anywhere when she entered.)

Hello, hello, hello, my little sweeties. (/they see a person with a big cute skull mascot head on. it makes Miryo smile. the one who is hosting this round is creative. it feels like any horror game series. Doubt is a bunny head. Saw is Jigsaw the puppet. Danganronpa is a talking teddy bear. The Ring is Sadoko the demon girl.) --(/he laughs madly) Thank you for accepting It would have been sad if I had to slay someone before the real fun begins, right? (/there's some laughter) We are going to head to the site. Alright? The world will be turning their heads. Kekeke~ Byeom~ (/the video is over, and the lights are turn on. the host is really good. he is not even in the room, and he can control everything.) "So, where's the address to site?" "Anyone got a text?" "My phone isn't vibrating." "No text yet." (/that is strange. Miryo frowns. she looks at her cellphone, and she notices that something is off.) ...I'm not getting signal anymore... (/she mumbles a few other words. everyone strats to check their cellphone. she is not the only that, and that's not relieving. some people start to panic. she tries to find a logical explaination, and suddenly she has an intuition. she is about to say something, but a tomboy girl beats her.) "Are we round 13?" (/many replies no. many starts to think so, but denies. a guy stands up to walk out, but he can't. they are lock from within.) "No, man, no. There's no way that this is happenin'" "It's probably a bad joke." "I don't want to die." (/panic rises. Miryo tries to keep herself sane. she has the host's voice in her head, and repeats loudly) The world will turn their heads. (/there's a big silence. everyone has an epiphany. what was just some game, became the game.) --(/a lone guy in the coner starts to laugh. delirium.) "welcome to round 13" (/he is laughs again.) "that ain't funny, homie." (/before they guy could retort, some kind of smoke or gas invaded the room. the panic wave came back, before chaos can rise, everyone was wiped out.)

(/she wakes up in a some small desolate room. for a moment she is confused, but then she smiles) We're in the site. (/she looks on herself for her "key", she finds her tattoo on her right shoulder. her qr code is on her left wrist.) he gave me my treatment while I was knocked out I see. I would have beat him up, if I was awake. (/she looks around the room, and sees a clock on a wall) ...he is giving us 14 days to survive. that's insanity. it has always been a week. why would it be 30 for us....(/she curses in her breath) round 13...such an unlucky number. people will realize that we disappear after one or two weeks. (/all of sudden, a laughter can be heard. it comes from the speakers. it's the same laughter as that madman, that host.) "hello, hello, hello, my sweeties. you have all awaken, right? it's August 2nd in one minute. this last minute, is your last minute before the countdown. Byeom~." (/he ends his speech with his signature laughter. to make matters worst, he counts downwards loudly. it is more stressing than anything.) --(/when the last second passed, a dorr on her left opened itself) Let the game begins.