"Tch..." i kicked away one of the empty cans someone had thrown on the street while pacing back and forth...

'Fuck... fuck... fuck...' i tought to myselt already planning out my funeral.

I looked in all of my pockets but i just couldnt find it...

The fucking money... it was gone...

'Shit my dad is going to kill me...'

My father had a severe gambling addiction and was several million won in debt to loan sharks... my mother had left him years ago, i honestly couldnt blame her, but she shouldve at leats taken her only child with her...

Well, i wasnt a child anymore. I was 19 after all...

He had many health complications which is why he couldnt work and he was also not going to make it much longer.

As soon as he was dead, the loan sharks would come after me...

And i knew, i couldnt hide much longer... these greedy assholes wanted money, and they wanted it quick...

I was working in a local caffee to try and make a bit of money for food and shelter but i knew it wasnt even nearly enough to pay of my dads debt anytime soon...

I had gotten my paycheck that day... it wasnt little money since i put in so many extra hours, 750.000 won to be precise but on the way there i must have got pickpocketted...

I couldnt find my money anywhere... and rent was due next week, my dad already told them to wait twice and i knew they were gonna kick us out if we didnt pay up soon...

I sighed as i walked to the train station... humming in grief over my hard earned money...

I crashed down on one of the seats, still griefing...

I felt the presence of someone sitting down next to me but ignored it.

"Excuse me sir/maam?"

I glanced over at the person, it was some guy in a suit.

'Oh god...'

"Sorry, im not interested in buying anything"

"Im not trying to sell anything to you maam/sir."

I glanced over at him, "then what do you want?"

"I simply want to play a game with you" he smiled.

I narrowed my eyebrows at him.

He opened a suitcase, inside were two card-like thingies... and quite a bit of cash...

"Say sir/maam, are you familiar with the game Ddakji?"

I shook my head.

"Your not from here are you?"

"... im from europe"

"Ah interesting... well let me explain the rules then"

I paused to listen to him.

"Each of us picks a color, then i lay one of the cards on the ground. You will throw your card against mine and if it flips over i will give you 100,000 won."

My eyes widened a bit...

"A-And if you win?"

"Simple. You will give me 100,000 won"

I paused for a second... 'no i shouldnt get my family in more debt than it already is...'

"S-sorry i dont have that kind of money... i- i lost my paycheck..."

"Thats fine, you can pay with your body"

I whipped my head around.

"E-excuse me?"

I mean... he wasnt bad-looking... i was kind of considering it honestly...

"Oh im sorry, not like that. A simple slap is enough"

"O-Oh yeah of course! B-but a slap..? Is that all?"

"Yeah, for each slap i will take away 100.000 won"

I tought for a second...

"Yeah, sure why not?"

"Perfect... Here pick one"

I looked at the two cards...

I ended up picking blue, it just looked more appealing...

"You can go first maam/sir"

He put his card down on the floor.

Hesitantly i swung mine onto the floor and... it didnt flip it...

"Okay, my turn"

He did the same with my card... and well... he won..

"Shit..." i brushed some hair out of my face before feeling the stinging pain on my cheek.

'Y/n, your masochistic ass you better not smile right now...'

"Care for another round?"

"Tch... okay whatever..."

The next round, he beat me again.

"Fuck..." i groaned rubbing my cheek.

A few more rounds passed by...

"Aha! Finally..." i beat him.

"Not bad" he gave me the money...

'Nice, now i can at least pay the rent for a month!'

"T-thank you sir..." i bowed a bit.

"There are more games like this you know? Games where you can make even more money"

"Like what?"

"Y/n l/n..." my body froze up a bit.

"Your father is in debt, about 187 million won i recall. He is very sick and therefore isnt able to work, as soon as he dies the debt will be passed down onto you and the loan sharks will want their money. Right?"

"Who the fuck are you?"

"That isnt too important, y/n. You need cash more than anything, please take this"

He handed me a small brown card, there was a telephone number on the back...

I blinked in confusion as i stared at it for a while...

'... i should go home...'

I took the traim home as i walked trough the small alleys were my shitty little apartment stood...

I unlocked the front door before walking in.

"Y/n! Sweetheart your home! Did you get your paycheck?!" My father yelled.

I loved him honestly... he was my dad and i was sure he loved me too... but it was just so hard to live with him....

"100.000 won, it should be enough to pay for rent this month..."

"Huh?! Dont you usually get more?!"

I paused, considering if i should lie or not...

I looked over to the table, there were several cards and flyers for horse races... he had gambled away all the money i made last month...

"They... were just short on money... thats all, ill get the rest soon" i replied before putting down the money i won and entering my scrawny little room.

My bed was just a mattress with a hard pillow and a blanket that felt more like a towel...

It was so small i could touch the walls when i stretched out my arms.

I pulled out the card the guy gave me at the train station...

'There are more games where i can make money...'

I grabbed my phone and typed in the number...

"Hello?"

[Do you wish to participate in the game?]

"Yes... i need money"

[Please state your name and date of birth]

"Y/n l/n, (your birthday), 2001..."

I didnt know why i was doing this... i just needed to get that debt away somehow...

No matter what...