Love in the Shadows (Part 1)

The tension inside the dormitory was suffocating. The remaining players had dwindled to just a handful, and paranoia ran rampant. Whispers of alliances, betrayals, and desperate strategies floated through the dimly lit room like ghosts. Gi-hun sat on his cot, his mind restless. He could feel the weight of eyes on him-some filled with suspicion, others with calculation. But his focus was elsewhere. Across the room, Player 001-no, Front Man-sat quietly, his dark eyes unreadable.

Gi-hun's chest tightened. Their stolen moments of intimacy had left him confused, yet craving more. He had never looked at a man that way before, yet here he was, aching for someone who was once his enemy. He needed answers-needed to understand why this man made him feel things he shouldn't.

As if sensing his turmoil, 001 rose from his cot and exited the dormitory without a word. A subtle invitation. Gi-hun hesitated only a moment before following.

The corridors of the facility were eerily silent. Gi-hun followed 001 through the maze of metal walls, his pulse quickening. When they finally stopped in a secluded storage room, 001 turned to face him-his mask of indifference cracking just enough for vulnerability to seep through.

"You shouldn't have followed me," 001 said in a low voice.

"Then why did you leave like that?"

Gi-hun challenged, stepping closer. "You knew I would."

A tense silence stretched between them. The air was thick with something unspoken, something dangerous.

"You're getting too attached," 001 finally admitted, his voice devoid of its usual coldness. "And so am I."

Gi-hun swallowed hard. "Then why are we still doing this?"

001 exhaled sharply. "Because I can't stop."

Gi-hun's heart pounded. This was wrong -every logical part of his brain screamed at him to leave, to run. But his body betrayed him. He grabbed 001's wrist, his touch desperate, his breath uneven.

"You ruined my life," Gi-hun whispered.

"And yet, I can't stop thinking about you."

001's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile but wasn't a smirk either. "You're not the only one, Gi-hun."

And just like that, the distance between them vanished.

Their lips crashed together, all hesitation lost in the fire that had been simmering between them for far too long. It wasn't gentle. It wasn't sweet. It was raw-fueled by frustration, anger, and the undeniable pull between them.

Gi-hun pinned 001 against the metal shelves, his hands gripping at his shirt as if letting go would mean losing him forever. 001 let out a low groan, his fingers threading through Gi-hun's hair, tugging, deepening the kiss.

"You don't understand what you're doing to me," Gi-hun gasped against his lips.

"Then stop me," 001 challenged.

But Gi-hun didn't. He couldn't.

Their clothes became a hindrance, discarded carelessly to the cold floor. Skin met skin, and the heat between them was unbearable. Gi-hun had never touched a man this way before, but instinct guided him. Every movement, every breath was laced with desperation -as if they were trying to burn away the world outside, if only for a moment.

001's lips ghosted over his jaw, his neck, his collarbone, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. Gi-hun let out a shaky breath, overwhelmed by the sensations coursing through him. His hands roamed over 001's back, feeling the strength hidden beneath the suit he always wore.

"You're not the man I thought you were," Gi-hun murmured against his shoulder.

"And you're not as straight as you thought you were," 001 shot back with a smirk, his voice laced with dark amusement.

Gi-hun laughed breathlessly. "Maybe not."

The world outside didn't exist anymore.

Not the game, not the bloodshed, not the danger that lurked in every corner.

Right now, there was only them-two men who should have hated each other, tangled in something neither could escape.

TO BE CONTINUED

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***