TS Squid Game – CH 30

[Clang-]

Opening the case, I saw a thick layer of grilled pork belly on top of rice.

Isn’t pork belly usually eaten on special occasions?

Normally, I’d be happy with the amount of meat, but now I was just reluctant.

More than anything, eating meat every day was starting to feel a bit tiresome.

“Mmm~”

Still, once I put it in my mouth, it went down.

Back in the basement apartment, I’d be lucky to eat this kind of meat once a year…

“Oh, you’re cute, Senior!”

I turned my head at the familiar voice from behind and saw Yujin.

Had she gotten over yesterday’s events?

More than that, cute? Yesterday’s trauma resurfaced, and it was just…

“Sorry, but the cute thing…”

“Ah, it just slipped out again… I’m sorry!”

Still, looking at her expression, it didn’t seem intentional.

“But… am I really that cute?”

“It’s a little weird to say, but… your expression when you eat is cute. Hehe.”

I’d often heard that I eat heartily, but…

Has it changed a little since I became a woman?

“Anyway… I’m really sorry about yesterday…!”

Looking at Yujin, she seemed to be sincerely apologizing and even felt guilty, making me, the victim, look worse.

“Don’t mention it again. I was at fault too.”

Still, she looked a little relieved after I said it again.

“Why are you both standing and eating?”

I turned my head again and saw Seongho.

“Anyway, I don’t think this game will be a team battle, at least.”

“Huh…? Why?”

“This might sound a little absurd, but… the third and fourth games were both team battles, so I think this one will be different.”

That was quite an absurd logic for Seongho.

But this was clearly our fault for not investigating properly.

At least this time, it seemed better to trust Sungho’s guess.

“Still, I’ve already formed teams of three and four in case it’s a team battle, so take it easy and eat until the next game.”

Even putting this together amidst yesterday’s chaos was a great feat.

If both Yujin and I had been modified back then, the entire plan would have been ruined…

Especially with Seongho’s personality, he might have abandoned the conversation and taken care of Yujin and me first.

“Ah…! And, Seongho Senior!”

“And the leftovers…” Hehe…”

Yujin handed Seongho the half-empty case like last time, reminding me of what happened then.

“Okay, and Jiyoon, don’t overdo it…”

“Ah… I’ll eat it all.”

Living in a basement apartment, leaving meat in front of me was a blow to my pride.

The rice in the case was only a little more than one serving, so leaving it would be a bit…

I had resolved to take care of my body first last time, but I couldn’t escape my habits.

“Tch…”

Still, since I’d only been eating meat lately, I felt both full and tired of it at the same time, making it harder to eat than last time.

…I guess I have to force myself to eat it.

[The fifth game will begin shortly]

[Participants, please move in order towards the door on the left side of the stage]

…

“Ugh…”

“You should have given it to me…”

As I walked towards the next game, which looked like a kids’ cafe, I repeatedly felt like I was going to throw up.

I only hurt myself by eating too fast after hearing the announcement.

The black-tiled stairs weren’t very steep, but I felt like my stomach was churning with every step.

Looking down, I could only see my chest bouncing, which made me feel even worse.

…I’m not in good condition today.

…

[Thud… Thud…]

As I approached the next game area, there was a large iron door.

And…

[Boom-]

[Bang!]

The inside of the building was quite large, even larger than the flag-stealing game.

The walls were filled with yellow rubber up to shoulder height, like a school gymnasium, and the ceiling seemed quite low, about 6 meters.

In front, there were about 20 baskets, spaced evenly apart, about the width of a person’s shoulders…

And a thick wire was connected above the baskets.

There was a small timer attached to the front of each basket.

[Participants, please stand at regular intervals in front of the red line and the basket containing the arrows in front of you]

Looking ahead, I saw red lines on the floor and circular baskets containing three arrows, spaced at regular intervals.

More than that… there seemed to be hundreds of baskets of arrows.

I, Seongho, and Yujin stood in front of the red line in that order, making the already red line even redder.

“What is this…”

I had a rough idea, but I strangely couldn’t remember what the game was.

The distance to the basket in front was close enough to touch with just one step.

What is the basket made of… plastic?

Looking at the three arrows inside, I was briefly reminded of my school days.

Wait a minute… if it’s arrows…

[Welcome to the fifth game]

[The fifth game is ‘Pitch-Pot’]

I’m not in good condition, and I’m not good at throwing things…

[Participants, you must throw all three arrows into the basket in front of you to pass]

Listening to the broadcast, it didn’t seem impossible for me now.

No, it was actually quite easy compared to the previous games.

The distance to the basket in front was so short that I could hit it even if I threw it carelessly.

[The time limit is 10 minutes, and the basket will move further away each time an arrow enters it]

…Was this intentional?

“So… it’s a speed game.”

Hearing Seongho’s words, I could be sure again.

In the end, this wasn’t a competition to see who could hit the arrows well, but a game where the person who put the arrows in quickly would win.

More than that, I had to put all three arrows in…

Looking at it this way, the distance to the basket in front seemed quite ambiguous.

It was also questionable how far it would move each time an arrow was put in.

[Swish-]

Taking out an arrow, it felt similar to the arrows I used in school.

Was it to prevent accidents… the tip of the arrow was covered in rubber.

“Ugh…”

As I briefly took a stance to throw the arrow, the maid outfit tickled my armpit.

I didn’t expect this outfit to be a hindrance here…

I thought about throwing all three arrows at once, but it was impossible in this condition.

If even one arrow fell in the middle, I would be modified at that moment.

But at least it was relatively advantageous in that it wasn’t a game where you had to hit the arrows well.

[10:00]

Then the timer in front of me appeared, and I paused for a moment.

[Then let’s start the game]

[09:59]

[Thwack-, Thwack!]

[09:58]

In that brief 2 seconds, I heard the sound of countless arrows flying.

Because there was a basket right in front of me…

“Already…”

The basket, with dozens of arrows already stuck in it, was already far enough away that a person would have to lie down to reach it.

I still had one arrow in my hand and two arrows in the basket.

Even though the timer was running silently, I didn’t expect it to move this far in such a short time…

Still, I had no choice but to throw it.

In reality, it wasn’t really a speed game anymore.

I wonder if Sungho and Yujin are doing well…

First of all, as I did in school, I had to concentrate as much as possible now.

“Hoo…”

[Thwack-]

I took a breath and threw the first arrow with all my might, and I heard the sound of it catching in the basket.

The first arrow was successful.

I adjusted my clothes for a moment and picked up the second arrow.

Still, I had to try to think positively somehow.

Okay, if I can just succeed with two more…

“Huh…?”

Before I knew it, the basket was far enough away that even two people lying down wouldn’t be enough to reach it.

Come to think of it, I had been hearing the sound of arrows flying since a while ago, but I hadn’t heard the sound of them falling into the basket.

I looked around at the other baskets to find a way, and the positions of the baskets were all different.

But the only thing I could tell was… that the basket in front of me was better.

Looking at the front of the basket, there were countless arrows that hadn’t fallen into the basket.

“Ugh…”

It was more hopeless than I had imagined.

I looked up again, and the basket was even further away than before.

Perhaps because my body was relaxed, the second arrow was lying on the floor.

I picked up the arrow again, but… my body kept shaking, and I couldn’t move properly.

Even if I ignored the shaking, the anxiety that I wouldn’t be able to hit the arrow in the basket,

And the pressure to hit it quickly, seemed to be breaking my mind first.

If I can’t put the arrow in like this… it’s tentacle torture.

Perhaps because I was reminded of what happened last time, the despair was even more overwhelming.

I barely held the arrow and turned my head, and the basket was far enough away that even three adult men lying down wouldn’t be enough to reach it.

“Shit…”

Am I… screwed…?