Thread > Status > Standings

                Total amount of players: 20 Citizens. 1 Police. 1 Doctor. 1 Killer

                Week: 8

                Seven weeks has passed and this was what happened:

v  Killer has succeeded 5 times.

v  Doctor has saved one life

v  One Citizen was given Forced Eviction

Citizens online: 13

Police: Online

Doctor: Online

Additions to the rules: Clues can be given by Killer’s prerogative.

This week’s clue: This Citizen loves to party, people adore this Citizen as well.

“I wonder,” she mumbles, chewing idly the rubber temple tips of her glasses. “Two days from now, who will live and who will ‘log out’ from this game.”

“Jin ah!” someone called out from outside the room. She turns at the mention of her name and fluffy caramel like-colored long tendrils smoothly swayed to the opposite direction as she did so.

“Yes?” the young model replied.

“Ready when you are,” the cameraman said.

Im Jin ah looks at her reflection one last time, fixes her fringe, and pats her cheeks lightly to give that natural blush appeal before walking off towards the studio.

Hm, what would be a good way to die? Would dramatic be better or is it boring the new dramatic these days?  She imagines while she flawlessly poses in front of the camera.

*~*~*

They were sitting across each other. Junhong kept his eyes downcast and amidst the soft quiescence of the garden café surprisingly found somewhere at the center of Seoul and it’s busy streets and towering sky scrapers a soft giggle vibrated towards his ear, which immediately perked up by the sound.

“Hm, I wonder if you’re just naturally shy or this is an act so any suspicions are erased,” Suzy said, leaning against the table with both arms folded at the round, glass coffee table, narrowing her eyes at Junhong playfully. “Mr. Killer,” she said in a secretive tone.

At the mention of the word ‘killer’ Junhong jolted involuntarily and defended himself immediately, flailing both arms. “No! I – I’m not the killer,” he stuttered.

“Oh, but your actions now are more suspicious,” Suzy teased.

“Really Miss Bae, I’m not lying,” Junhong vainly tries to reassure her.

Jongup who was sitting somewhat in the center, completing the invisible triangle they formed around the round table looked at Junhong with annoyance. Clearly this Bae Suzy, or most certainly Su Ji and just englified her name, was toying with Junhong. With just one look, anyone can tell that he is not the killer and he being the Police of this Killer Game is his first shot at some act of valor. I wonder how he was able to meet up with the other woman player, was she as pretty or prettier than this one? Jongup thought anxiously.

Suzy laughed lightly then takes a sip of her jasmine tea. “You know, if you’re trying to avoid eye contact for some reason, which I think is cute by the way,” she says trying to compose herself and be all business-like but still leave a comfortable air around her. “This is a glass table so I don’t think that’s possible Mr. Police, sir,” she said, teasing again.

Junhong blushed lightly. His eyes shut immediately as he spurts words of apology making Suzy laugh again. He was glad that he has found another player, another one to scrutinize over. He thought he was already prepared meeting another woman player after successfully meeting Im Ji Nah. Although he was lost for words during that time, he wasn’t stupid or desperate enough to unveil his character the first few minutes unlike what had happened moments ago.

“Is it wise to passionately move around the cities revealing yourself?” Suzy said pensively.

“It’s possible that he’d lie about it though,” Jongup stated, no longer able to take how Junhong was blindly crushing over this woman. Suzy readily accepted that possibility.

“I’m sorry I’m not used to talking with women but anyway,” Junhong clears his throat.

Suzy smiled sweetly at his innocence. Jongup clenches his jaw tightly. As Junhong raised his eyes, his and Suzy’s eyes met for a moment making him look away momentarily but decided to man it up.

Why was someone as beautiful as her dragged to this game anyway? I should hurry and capture that killer somehow. Junhong thought as he gathers his wits yet again. “For the past weeks since the game started, didn’t you notice anything strange, like any impending doom in the form of accidents perhaps,” Junhong starts interrogating.

“No, not really, although I admit I’ve been a bit jumpy lately.”

“I see, have you thought about taking some precautionary measures, CCTV, brusque bodyguards something?”

“Brusque body guards,” Suzy gave it a thought. “That’s a good idea. Well, I mostly stay in the office, there’s ample amount of camera here and since the beginning of the game I try having people around me as much as possible. I’m still stunned at how the killer was able to identify the other players though but then again you’re able to find us out.”

True, Junhong thought, he also thought they were all dead until he started taking the game a bit seriously. But then again, as she has said ‘an act’, has she been acting like one of the Citizens so perfectly. Was she Cain or wasn’t she?

If she is… I don’t mind dying in her hands.

“You think the killer is doing all this on his or her own?” Jongup asked this time.

Suzy shrugged, putting a thoughtful thumb over her chin, rubbing it lightly. “That’s possible. When you watch a lot of movies you get several ideas, you know. That or the administrators are being ultimately unfair,” she pouts.

“How so?” Junhong wonders.

“Clearly the three main characters have privileges but then we don’t really know what they are. What if the killer chooses a deck of cards that has the faces of the participants?” Suzy suggests matter of fact.

If that was the case, Junhong pondered, then aren’t they playing a losing game already… well close to that.

The sun had already set when Junhong and Jongup left the café.

Don’t just give away your identity okay, Suzy has reminded Junhong sweetly that he continued to blush as she gave him an unexpected friendly goodbye embrace.

“Jongup,” Junhong started a bit too enthusiastic than what Jongup wanted.

“I don’t know,” Jongup answered crisply.

“I didn’t even say anything yet,” Junhong said, stunned.

“Well I still don’t know,” Jongup curtly said. Then turning around so they were face to face he announced, “By the way I volunteered us to a one-night part-time job as waiters for Jongin’s dad’s party this Friday.”

“What?! Why?” Junhong exclaimed, dumbfounded. “When?”

“His dad offered it last night, the pay’s good too, for something that is done overnight. It was your fault for sleeping early.”And Jongup continues to walk towards the bus stop, leaving a dejected, slightly lazy Junhong.

*~*~*

4/25/13: 9:56 am: Status

Card chosen: Citizen

Player: Baro

Update: Police has chosen a card

4/25/13: 5:00pm: Status

Card chosen: Citizen

Player: Starship

Update: Doctor has chosen a Citizen.

Junhong stares at his phone, praying, hoping that his strategy will work out somehow. For now, let them win this round again, at least give them another win. He quickly dials a number. It was a long run and probably useless but self-defense crash course wouldn’t hurt to try, right?

“Minwoo hyung,” he says as he crosses his fingers. “Are you free tonight?” When Minwoo hums that he was, he slightly pumped his fist silently. Though he knew Jongup would obviously help him, he didn’t want to be thrown off or punched or kicked around needlessly. Even if Minwoo was a bit callous with Self-defense 101 crash course, he didn’t waste much time belittling Junhong whenever he has the chance. Jongup would be furious and be dramatic again but it was the better option in these times.

*~*~*

Junhong felt constricted, choked up and just plain uncomfortable in a suit, actually just having all buttoned-up was uncomfortable for the high school student who was used to wearing comfortable and sometimes baggy clothes. His friends were so used to seeing him so laid back in appearance with a bit of hip hop feel that looking at Junhong all crisp and neat sent them rolling on the floor – with his hair practically combed back and gelled up, a cream white cotton shirt without any sign if creases, black denim almost fitting jeans and matching dark suede shoes which he borrowed from Jongin’s closet.

“This is all for a good cause,” Jongup reminds him, wiping off tears at the side of his eyes whilst taking in breathes.

“What good cause?” Junhong barked, flushed red from both anger and annoyance.

“The pay of course, again this is more than minimum wage, and a rare event,” Jongup answers plainly.

“Also, there are a lot of famous people around here, not just politicians,” supplied Jongin looking like a dignified influential man’s son that he is. For once, his seemingly detached but chivalrous behavior coincided with his looks. Unlike the rest of them, it was obvious that he was used to this sort of functions.

The four other teenagers eyed him from head to foot with scrutinizing eyes that are ready to diss him.

“Eh, here comes the Lady killer,” Yoo Kwon whistles, giving up on any attempt to find faults at their friend.

“What the – I am not,” retorted Jongin, slightly embarrass by the commentary.

“Playboy then,” Jongup bluntly suggests. Jongin looked aghast.

“Fine a male siren,” Junhong complies.

All four of them continued to gang up on Jongin. The atmosphere around them as it was for the entire evening was light and joyous but then again, it was still too early, no one can tell what happen. And amidst that boisterous laughter, the continuous jests, two people were far more apprehensive than anyone because tonight something was going to happen and Justice Kim has just hosted the biggest party of the season, coincidence?

*~*~*

Officer Jinki had just finished clearing off his desk and was about to head out when Detective Yoo’s head popped up from his cubicle, making the officer startle.

“You don’t have any plans tonight, do you? A date, or anything,” Youngjae asked.

“Well I – ” Jinki started a bit awkwardly, his eyes shifty.

“Good, let’s go to a very important dinner function,” Youngjae cuts in, with a tone that signals Jinki that it was a statement, mostly an order not an invitation neither a question.

“Detective –” Jinki tries to argue.

“Hurry up else all we’ll get is leftovers,” ordered Youngjae. He was already walking out of the office, the car key twirling around the ring that he was twirling around a finger. Jinki jogs behind.

“Youngjae I – where the heck are we going?” Jinki gave up on making a point. “Do we even have an invitation?”

Youngjae slows down his stride and with a smirk says smugly, “Of course,” showing off his badge. Jinki sighed.

Defeated he silently followed Youngjae and slid in the passenger’s seat, since he didn’t know where they were going and Youngjae had the key. He took one last pensive look at his phone before stashing it back inside his coat’s pocket and buckling the seatbelt.

As Youngjae silently whizzed through cars Jinki finally had the answer to his question – where were they going?

“That’s a high possibility but how can you be certain that the target is at the Justice’s party?”

“Because the Justice is unusually paranoid even in these times, it could be him or someone of the same VIP position, who are inadvertently gathering in the same venue on the same night,” Youngjae stated.

“You could still be wrong,” retorted Jinki silently.

“You sound so serious and positive about it,” Youngjae scoffed.

Jinki folds his arms over his chest, “You’re not the only one with the right to be confident in one’s assumptions,” he retorted, puffing his cheeks indignantly.

Whatever it was that he had kept Jinki from doing would probably be almost as important as catching or uncovering the person behind all these seemingly natural deaths, Youngjae thought amusingly, because even though Jinki was naturally irritated by Youngjae’s petty actions, tonight he was a bit off.

*~*~*

Jongin was not joking. Almost anybody whose face is seen or whose name is heard in television or read in the papers was in the party. Aside from Jongin who was almost table hopping from greeting guests here and there, the other four – Yoo Kwon, Kyungsoo, Jongup and Junhong were busy walking with trays in hand and a smile plastered on their faces being courteous and amiable. Jongup and Yoo Kwon were the busiest, as their trays zero-ed in fast that they’d do two trips from and to the kitchen for refills.

Jongup was tempted to swat the trays on both Kyungsoo and Junhong’s heads who were caught figuratively drooling at actresses and models at the ballroom.

“Daydreaming is not good for a waiter,” someone whispered behind Junhong, a soft, velvety voice. Junhong jumped by reflex and when he caught sight of who owned the voice, he could feel his ears getting red.

“Jin ah-ssi,” Junhong gasped. Im Jin ah smiled, tilting her head slightly.

“I thought high school students aren’t allowed part-time jobs or something, I mean this is the point of your life where everything is hanging in the pedestal – college exams basically,” Jin ah said.

Junhong offers his tray of flutes of champagne. “My friend owns the place,” he shrugs. “And it’s more of like a once in a lifetime job though you’re right on one thing – this is the point in my life or rather our lives where everything is hanging in the pedestal.”

Jin ah chuckled lightly, covering with the back of her hand daintily. “Don’t look so grim, a waiter must have a smile all the time, I think,” she says. She steps forward, replaces the empty glass in her hand with a new one. She tilts the champagne-filled wine flute lightly towards Junhong. “Stop daydreaming okay,” she says before heading off to some part of the crowd.

Youngjae was busy watching at everyone, at everything, slowly capturing everything or at least most into memory when he saw Junhong in conversation with one of the guest. He lets out a soft whistle. He knew who the woman was, and he was surprise that Junhong’s type were older women.

“But they look too friendly for first encounter though,” he mumbled absentmindedly.

“Who?” Jinki asked out of the blue startling Youngjae a bit, enough to flinch.

“Junhong and Im Jin ah,” Youngjae answered nonetheless.

“Im Jin ah, the model?” Jinki asked, incredulous. Youngjae hummed as he one shots the wine.

“By the way, where have you been?”

“Looking around, dinner, looking around,” bluntly replied Jinki who was literally enjoying taking in different delicacies from the buffet table and the food trays strolled around by waiters.

Youngjae almost scoffed as he remembers how Jinki looked uncomfortable and guilty at coming in to a party where they weren’t invited in. But as soon as Judge Kim and his wife saw them, saw Youngjae the color was back in Jinki’s face.

Youngjae felt a bit guilty at playing a prank at his partner but it wasn’t his fault that Jinki’s mind would sometimes zone out in some of the most important situations. He swore he saw Jinki throwing daggers with just his eyes at one point but good thing the same person has a soft spot for everything and anything delicious.

Jongup noticed the light mood Junhong was in and it was only moments ago that he was whining, grumbling and sulking until they were ushered to the kitchen. “I’m taking a break,” Jongup uttered as he tries to ease out of the crowd and toward the back door. For a moment Junhong looked lost and it made him chuckle.

With a comforting, reassuring pat on the younger’s shoulder, “Don’t worry Junhong, breathe, everything’s fine,” he says.

“But what if – I’m worried now, Jongup I don’t think there’s only one Citizen here tonight,” Junhong said with a grim look. Jongup shot up an eyebrow quizzically. “I mean, I just realized, some of the players of this game are high-ranking people in society. I haven’t met everyone yet so I’m not even if –”

“Even so,” Jongup cuts in. “If they value their lives if they fit the clue, the most logical thing to do would stay indoors.” He grips Junhong’s shoulder tightly but warmly with a reassuring smile. “See you in fifteen minutes I guess,” he said and finds his way towards the back door for employees.

Taking in deep breaths, Junhong finds his composure once again and tries to think in a calmer manner. First, he was going to search for Jongin, apart from anyone else he was the most likely targeted at this point. With a few turn he found his friend surrounded by women, immediately he walks towards the crowd and as he moves closer he noticed Jin ah was just a few feet away as well. Good, he thought. It was like killing two birds with one stone, or rather, looking out for two birds.

“Jong –” Junhong calls in what he hopes was formal and respectful in the position he was currently in until the lights went out. The room was immediately filled with sharp gasped and startled guests.

*~*~*

It had been quite a difficult task – to be creative while keeping things simple. But how can you keep things simple when you’re dealing with people governing this land? He thought. It had been some time since he had infiltrated the building, enough time to study the schematics of the area, enough to plan out a traditional sort of assassination.

“The great detective Yoo,” he muttered under his breath. He had been observing the people, their moves, their mannerism, the doors, windows, the target – everything. Because with such a basic technique, there were no rooms for error, any such thing would be shameful for someone like him. It came as a surprise when he noticed the detective but that was alright, even his presence was put into consideration during the planning stage. It was only in the matter of timing, finding that blind spot where the detective has his radar-like senses down.

But with more than one target in one venue, was like having his favorite meal served to him in a silver platter. Well, whatever, let’s see what happens tonight he thought excitedly.

“Three… two… one…” he says with a poor imitation of an Italian accent, “Then the real game begins,” he whispers with a smirk.

And every light bulb in the room was out.

The room was immediately filled with sharp gasped and startled guests.