Laying on the bed, In-ho kept his hands laced together on his stomach. He was looking up at the ceiling and counting. He could hear noises coming from the bathroom and a string of expletives too. He could also hear thudding and jumping around too. He finally got to three hundred and seven by the time she came back into the bedroom. He kept still on the bed, closing his eyes for a moment before speaking as she walked around the room, opening drawers and closing them.

"You know, you said you'd only be a minute."

"And how long was I?" Elizabeth questioned him.

"Well, I only started counting when I realised that you'd definitely been longer than a minute," he said to her. "But I would say that you've been about eight minutes. I thought you were ready to go?"

"I was," she said to him and he propped himself up onto his elbows and saw that she was picking out another dress from the wardrobe. Shaking his head, he groaned and she looked at him, catching his reflection in the mirror. "What?" she asked.

"That's the fourth time you've changed your dress," he commented. "What's wrong with this one?"

She was currently in a green dress that was off the shoulders and nipped in at her waist before flowing to the ground. In-ho could see her holding a dark blue one up and against her body, checking her reflecting in the mirror. "I'm not sure if I want to wear this one. I mean, which one do you think?" she questioned, turning around and facing him as she held up the dress and motioned to the one she was wearing.

"Honestly? I think I might be going mad."

"You're being dramatic," she just said to him. "This is the big annual ball that the firm holds. I want to make a good impression. You know that I'm trying to make partner and I can't show up looking a mess. I need to look like I actually belong there…which I do because I work hard…but it's also based on if they like you too."

"They'd be idiots not to make you partner," he told her honestly.

"We both know that," she said and he smirked at her comment. He found that she had become increasingly confident as time had gone on, almost as if she knew her worth. He was glad that she had finally recognised it, but he also knew that she had moments of doubt, mainly surrounding their relationship. "But this is important to me…so…which one."

In-ho let out a deep sigh and he sat up fully. He'd dressed into his tuxedo almost an hour ago and had just been waiting for Elizabeth to finish off getting ready before they headed to the hotel where her law firm was holding its annual ball. Elizabeth had been fretting for the last few days, running around and trying to find the perfect outfit to wear. She'd bought seven dresses so far, but intended on returning at least five of them.

"The navy one," he told her and she flapped her arms by her side.

"That's what I thought," she said and he didn't want to ask her if that was the first navy dress she'd tried on. She managed to unzip the back of the dress and she let it fall to a heap in the floor. She slipped into the new one, the material ruffled on the bodice and the skirt coming out in soft swathes of fabric. It was strapless and simple, but there was an elegance to it.

"What do you think?"

"You look stunning," he assured her of that much and he slipped from the bed as she stood by the dresser and reached for her jewellery that sat on top of it. He watched her put some simple silver studs in her ears, peering into the mirror before she reached for a silver necklace with a simple flower dangling off the end of it. He moved towards her and clasped it for her, making sure her hair didn't get caught in the chain. "Are you ready now?"

"I think so," Elizabeth said with a nod, hands going to her waist as she looked in the mirror sucking her stomach in and standing tall. "And we're sure this doesn't make me look fat?"

"You're not fat."

"I've put weight on because you insist on feeding me too much."

"You needed to put weight on. You were far too thin," he said to her and Elizabeth knew he had a point. She hardly ate whenever she was with Jacob and during that month while she'd been living on the streets she'd hardly ate anything and was skin and bones. "And I don't hear you complaining. My cooking is very good even if I do say so myself."

"It is," she agreed with him on that and turned around so that her chest was almost brushing against his. "And you're sure that you don't mind coming with me tonight? It's just that everyone is bringing their partners and I wanted you to come considering, well, you know, we are dating."

"I am more than happy to come," he promised her of that much. "Anyway, we really should get going."

"Is there any chance you can look after my phone in your pocket? I don't want to carry a bag around with me…even though I should take some makeup in case I need to touch my face up."

"No," he said, catching her round the waist before she could dash off and start looking for a bag. "We've just spent the last hour waiting for you to pick a dress, we're not spending another hour waiting for you to get the right bag to go with it. Besides, you don't need to do anything to your face…you look lovely."

"Alright, alright," she relented and she twisted the bowtie he wore to straighten it out.

They both got ready to go, In-ho pulling on his tuxedo jacket and heading to the living area to slip into his shoes. Elizabeth pulled her heels onto her feet, holding his shoulder for leverage before he helped her into her coat. They left the apartment and he insisted on driving them. The hotel was just across the road from where they'd had breakfast with her parents and In-ho could sense her looking at it. He moved a hand to her thigh, squeezing it in his grip and offering her, what he hoped, was a reassuring look. She smiled back to him and they finally came to the front of the line of valet parking.

Walking into the hotel, Elizabeth had to admit that she wasn't entirely sure why she had been so bothered what she looked like. She smiled and waved at people she knew as they made their way inside and she handed her coat over to the cloakroom. In-ho offered her his arm and she took hold of it, walking by his side into the reception room that was decorated with large round white tables, intricate floral centre pieces and candles adorning them. There was a string quartet on the small stage and a dance floor filled with people mingling, glasses of champagne in their hands and shrill laughs escaping them.

"You need to promise me something," In-ho said to her as he picked up a glass of champagne from a passing tray, handing it to her and then taking his own, bowing his head to the waitress.

"Hmm?" Elizabeth asked from him and he saw her craning her neck, almost like she was looking for someone she recognised well enough to talk to.

"Don't leave me alone," he said and Elizabeth gave him her full attention then. She arched her brow and looked at him with her head cocked. In-ho's gaze shifted around, looking at the people in the room. "I used to be law enforcement, Elizabeth, I never entirely got on well with lawyers, especially defence attorneys."

"You know that you're dating a lawyer, right?" Elizabeth said. "I mean, you managed to charm me."

"I consider you an exception to all my rules, you know that," he reminded her and he saw her smile widen. She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek, wiping off her lipstick from his cheek with her thumb. "But this is your domain, Elizabeth, not mine. I am here to support you, but truthfully, I don't think you need any support. You're able to handle this on your own."

"That might be true," Elizabeth said, "but it's nice having someone here. I've never had anyone come with me to these kinds of things. I've always been alone…had to dance with other people who'd come alone too and most of them always ended up with me either standing on their feet or them complaining about their dating life."

"Ah, I see, so I'm here to save you," In-ho said.

"Just like you always seem to do," she said and he moved his hand to cup her cheek tenderly, shaking his head at her.

"No," he said to her. "You don't need saving, Elizabeth, not anymore." This time he kissed her on the forehead and let his lips sit there until a loud shriek came from someone who had just walked into the room.

In-ho almost jumped at the noise before Elizabeth pulled back from him, but she kept his arm inside of hers. She introduced him to Seo-ah, her PA and someone she also considered a friend. Seo-ah was more interested in In-ho, questioning him about his intentions with Elizabeth and when he had first started fancying her. He answered the questions diligently, humouring Seo-ah enough for her to wink at Elizabeth before she slipped off and headed to the bar.

Elizabeth introduced him to more colleagues, but he felt like a silent partner, like he was hanging off her arm. He didn't mind though. He would much prefer not to be the centre of attention. He was delighted for Elizabeth to take that position and she seemed to thrive in it as well. She laughed and spoke with an air of authority that he hadn't heard from her before, but she commanded attention. She was the one in charge and he would be lying if he said that he didn't find it particularly attractive.

They sat down after half-an-hour for a meal before the mingling continued. It was getting late when In-ho felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. He ignored it the first time, but it rang again almost instantly after the first time. He looked to Elizabeth as the two of them sat around a table in the middle of the room. There was only the two of them and another couple who Elizabeth had been talking to, In-ho jumping in when necessary. He held up his phone in her direction.

"I need to take this," he told her.

"Is everything okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he told her with a nod. "I'll be back in a minute."

He kissed her again on the forehead and snuck out of the room, answering the call as he went. Elizabeth looked at the back of him as he strode with purpose, sweeping around the corner and out of sight. She went back to talking to her colleague and his wife, asking them inane questions to pass the time. They excused themselves after five minutes and Elizabeth looked around, wine glass in her hand. In-ho still hadn't returned. She frowned, wondering what was going on before she stood up and left the reception room as the string quartet struck up once more.

Her heels clicked on the floor as she came to the foyer, but he wasn't there. She ended up wandering around to the lounge and then to the corridor where the bathrooms were. She was about to give up and head back to the event, but then she spotted the terrace. It was empty considering the chill of the evening, but she could see In-ho stood by the water fountain, face illuminated by the glow of his phone. She headed out to him, arms folding over herself and she shivered in the cold night.

"Hey," she said to him and he looked up to her.

"Hey," he said back. "Look, I'm really sorry, but something has come up and I need to go…I just…there's been a development and I need to take care of it."

Elizabeth nodded, seeing that he was stressed. Something bad had happened. Stepping closer to him, Elizabeth moved a hand to his arm, laying her palm against his suit covered jacket. "Is everything alright?" she asked and he could tell that she was worried for him. He just nodded his head and moved his hands to her upper arms, rubbing them in an attempt to try and keep her warm.

"I'm fine," he promised her. "It's…the games," he confessed to her.

"I see," Elizabeth replied. "What is it?"

He hesitated to tell her, not entirely certain if he should. But then she took one of his hands from her arm and held it tightly inside of her own. She could see the hesitation flickering over his face. He didn't know how to tell her or even if he should. He was still treating her like she might break at the information he shared with her.

"I can handle it," she told him and he looked at her, the strong determination clear in those sea green eyes. "Just tell me."

"The Salesman is dead," he said and Elizabeth frowned.

"The guy who I met?" she checked.

"He went missing a few days ago after Player 456 tracked him down. I wondered if he was laying low, but they found his body this morning," In-ho said to her. "I imagine 456 killed him, but I don't know. All I know is that he won't rest until he's found me and I need to handle it…next week…before I have to go…I'll meet him."

Elizabeth knew that the games were due to start in another week. A part of her had been burying her head in the sand about it all. In-ho hadn't really spoken that much about it, only to tell her that things were progressing as they should. She didn't pry. Truthfully, she had been spending most evenings at work, staying late into the night to work on cases and get ahead of the game.

"You still think he'll go back into the games?"

"I think he'll try and trap me first," In-ho said. "He's going to do what he can to find me, but I'm one step ahead of him. I don't want you to worry, okay?"

"Hard not to," Elizabeth confessed to him.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I never meant to ruin your night."

"It's hardly my night," Elizabeth replied. "But you should go. If you need to go then I understand. I'll catch a cab home. I don't think I'll stay too late."

"You sure you're going to be okay?"

"I'm a big girl, I've got this," she promised him and he shrugged out of his suit jacket and draped it over her shoulders, tugging her towards him and pulling on the lapels. "I can't take your jacket. I have a coat."

"Humour me? Please?" he asked from her and Elizabeth did just that.

He bent down and kissed her sweetly, eyes closed and mind focused on her for just a moment to allow himself to escape. He would be lying if he said that he wasn't stressed. He always got a little more stressed as the games edged closer, but he bottled up. He never let things get on top of him because he knew that if he did then he'd be on the edge. He reluctantly ended the kiss and Elizabeth kept her eyes closed for a fraction longer. His eyes flickered over her face and he wished that he could stay with her for a while longer.

"I'll see you back home," he told her.

"Be careful," she urged from him.

He nodded and moved away from her, feeling cold without her body pressed to his. Elizabeth turned around and watched him go, tugging his jacket around her tighter. He walked away with his hands in his pockets and she wondered how they were going to handle the next few weeks.

…

In-ho had gone back to the apartment after making some calls and wandering around Seoul doing it. The Salesman's disappearance and death had to be non-descript. No one knew him, not really, and he had to make sure that he couldn't be linked back to the games. He'd checked his phone when Elizabeth had text to tell him that she'd gotten safely home at eleven. He tried to be quiet walking into the apartment dressed in just his tuxedo shirt and trousers. The bow tie hung loosely around his neck and he found Elizabeth sat on the sofa, legs tucked up to her chin and head lolling back on the cushion. She was still dressed in her strapless gown, his jacket swarming her. She had a glass of scotch that was hardly touched on the coffee table. She was sleeping peacefully, despite her awkward position.

Despite the stress of the night and what was to come, In-ho's lips arched at the sight of her. He kicked his shoes off and moved towards her. He gently sunk down onto the sofa beside her, hand going to her shoulder. "Elizabeth," he whispered her name.

"Hmm?" she sleepily asked him, eyes flickering open and smile instantly forming on her face at the sight of him. "Hey, you're home."

"I am," he confirmed and reached for her glass of scotch. He took a large gulp of it and then set it back down. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"I wanted to stay awake to make sure you got home okay," Elizabeth said. "But I guess I couldn't help but fall asleep. Did you sort what you needed to?"

"It's all handled," he told her and Elizabeth nodded at him. There was a comfortable silence between the pair of them and In-ho raised his arm, Elizabeth collapsing against him and waiting for him to say something as he picked a strand of her hair up and started twirling it around his finger.

"Are you ever going to ask me?" she suddenly wondered.

In-ho frowned and looked down to her, but she had closed her eyes again. He kept on playing with her curly hair. "Ask you what?" he questioned.

Elizabeth exhaled a deep breath and moved from him, realising that they needed to have an honest conversation. She sat up and moved over him, a leg either side of his lap as she hovered over him and he took her waist in his hands before she laid her hands on his shoulders.

"The games," she said to him. "We both know that they start next week and you haven't asked me."

"And what is it that I'm supposed to ask you?" In-ho asked and Elizabeth wondered if he was playing dumb or if he genuinely didn't know. She just looked at him with arched brows and an expectant gaze on her face. He sighed softly and leant back even further into the cushions. "If you want me to be truthful, Elizabeth, I wasn't entirely sure how to raise it with you. You've been busy at work and the games…they're not an easy thing to witness…and I know what you've said in the past. I know what you've told me, but I don't want it to be too much for you."

"Why would it be too much for me?" Elizabeth asked from him. "You think that I care, In-ho? I don't. I'm not shrinking violet who is going to run away. I chose you, remember. I came back to you because I love you and this…the games…I want to help. I want to be there."

"I just…do you know how hard this is for me?" In-ho wondered from her. "The games take a piece of you. They can ruin you and change you. They changed me and I don't pretend not to know that. I'm not the same man I used to be and if you come with me, I can't promise that they won't change you either…seeing them…and I don't want you to blame me for what they could do to you."

"I wouldn't," Elizabeth told him confidently.

"You can't make that promise because you don't know what will happen," he said to her and Elizabeth just looked at him with a solemn expression. "A part of me wants you there because I want you involved in my life…everything about it…but another part of me likes what we have here. I like that you're here and separate from the games. You're my home now."

"And I do understand that. You're trying to protect me because all you've ever tried to do is protect me," she said to him. "But I don't need you to protect me. I don't care about anything but you and I want to be with you."

"Come with me this weekend while it's empty," In-ho said to her. "Come with me and see what it's like and if you still want to come after that then we can discuss it…you would need to stay hidden, of course, no one can know who you are."

"I can do that," she promised him and he didn't know whether to be amazed or alarmed at how eager she seemed. Maybe the Salesman had been right. Maybe there was something inside of her that In-ho didn't quite see for himself. She kissed him again and he moved his hands around her waist towards her thighs, slipping beneath them to pull her to him. He felt her reach for his shirt buttons, but he stilled her hands and she gave some space between them.

"You don't want to?"

"Oh, I do," he assured her. "But firstly, I owe you a dance. It'd be a shame to waste that dress."

Elizabeth shrieked as he somehow managed to stand up holding her. Her legs slipped to the floor and she stood up as he took her hand and led her to the open space between the living area and dining area. With his free hand, he pressed some buttons on the turntable and then the soft music of Billy Joel filled the room. He took hold of her waist and she grabbed his shoulder.

"I hated the idea of leaving you alone to dance with someone who stood on your feet," he said to her and she pressed her cheek by his shoulder, her warm breath hitting his neck. "And so I wanted to make sure you had at least one memorable dance."

"This is just as nice," she assured him as he led them in a gentle circle around the floor. In-ho let his cheek drop to rest on the top of her head, content just to hold her for as long as was possible.

…

In-ho hadn't wanted to go to his wife's grave, but he had let Elizabeth take some flowers. He doubted anyone but his mother and brother would visit and she had said that if she saw them then she would simply move onto another area and leave as quickly as she could. She'd bought a small bouquet and had gone to the graveyard where In-ho said she was. He had been particularly melancholy, wondering just what his wife would think of his new lover showing up with flowers. A part of him hoped that she might be happy for him, but he tried not to dwell on it for too long. He knew that it wouldn't do him any good.

Walking along the path, Elizabeth made sure the flowers in her hands were in pristine condition before she saw him. She'd seen a photo of him before. In-ho had showed her. His brother was walking away from the row where In-ho's wife's memorial stone was. Elizabeth knew it would look suspicious to turn around and run away and so she took a seat on a bench and bided her time.

Hwang Jun-ho walked along the path and Elizabeth kept her head down, trying not to attract any attention. She'd dressed in a simple black shirt and skirt, a long grey coat over her shoulders and black bag in the crook of her arm. She was due to meet In-ho at the apartment to head out to the island in another hour so she didn't have much, if any, time to waste.

Jun-ho kept on walking, his eyes flickering down to the woman on the bench who had a bunch of flowers in her fingers. He did a double-take when he saw her and his brows furrowed together. "I'm sorry," he suddenly said. "I don't mean to pry, but you…are you Elizabeth Jacobs?"

Elizabeth wondered how he could possibly know that, but then she remembered just what had been in the news. She looked up, realising that it would look more suspicious not to answer him.

"Yes, do I know you?" she questioned.

"No," he said to her. "It's just that your husband…well…I had a few run-ins with him over the years when I was working as a detective…drunken brawls in nightclubs and betting shops…nothing ever seemed to stick on him though."

"Sounds like Robert," Elizabeth simply said. "I'm sorry you had to deal with him."

"I think I'm the one who should be saying sorry to you," he said and Elizabeth inwardly cursed as he sat down on the other end of the seat to her. "We should've tried to make something land. I read about what he did to you."

"It's not your fault. Robert's a slippery character," Elizabeth told him and she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Besides, I've moved on now. I try not to think about him or what he did. I'm happy letting the law deal with him."

"Well, I just wanted to say sorry," Jun-ho said and Elizabeth couldn't help but think how sweet he seemed. He had absolutely nothing to apologise for, yet here he was saying sorry to her. "Are you visiting someone?"

Elizabeth wondered what he was asking, but she realised just where she was. "Oh, yes, a client I worked with a while back…I always felt quite sorry for him. He was a widow, no children…and he was always so happy despite being so lonely…I just…I never liked the idea of him having no flowers on his grave."

The story came to her pretty quickly and she hoped it sounded convincing enough.

"That's really sweet of you," Jun-ho said.

"It's the least I can do," she said. "And you?" She didn't know why she was asking him. She wondered if a part of her just wanted to know more about In-ho's past life. She knew this was dangerous and she knew that In-ho would tell her to leave without another word, but she didn't. She sat there and Jun-ho leaned forwards, hands lacing together in front of him.

"My sister-in-law," he said to her.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "Were you close?"

"We were a close family," Jun-ho said with a nod. "But she got sick and nothing helped her recover…but…it's my brother I think I come here for…hoping I might see him…"

There was a silence then and Elizabeth glanced down to her lap. Jun-ho shook his head and stood up. He knew that In-ho wasn't going to turn up. He knew that there was no chance that he was going to see him and that upset him more than he cared to admit openly. Clasping his thighs, Jun-ho stood up and smiled down to Elizabeth.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to overshare."

"You don't need to apologise. I think there's something about these places that make us speak honestly…be willing to open up to strangers…"

"Perhaps," Jun-ho said. "Anyway, I need to go. It was nice to meet you, Mrs Jacobs."

"It was nice to meet you too," Elizabeth told him and he wandered off, leaving Elizabeth to wonder if the past really was just the past for him.

…

"And you are certain you didn't mention my name?"

"No. I think I happened to tell him that, funnily enough, I was sleeping with his brother and knew all about the games and how he'd infiltrated them."

"You know, there's a time and a place for your sarcasm," In-ho said to her, looking at her out of the corner of his eye as he kept her hand inside of his and led her along the corridor that led into the control room of the games. Elizabeth rolled her eyes and just shrugged her shoulders, coat flowing out behind her.

"I'm just saying that I didn't say anything. I didn't even ask his name or anything," Elizabeth said. "And you've been questioning me on this for the past hour since I told you."

"Because I don't want him linking you to me," In-ho said. "I just want him to stay away from what is going on here. I don't want him near me."

"I don't know," Elizabeth admitted, looking around the dark corridor that seemed almost never-ending. There were doors going off of it, but they were all closed and locked. "He misses you. I hardly spoke to him, but I could tell that much."

In-ho was quiet, his lips pursed. He didn't want to admit that he missed him too. He missed his brother more than anything, but he couldn't go back to that life, especially knowing what he knew now. He didn't bother to question her any further. Instead, he just walked forwards with Elizabeth, her hand inside of his and her strides long to keep up with him. Finally, he came to his office and he pressed in the numbers on the keypad. It beeped loudly and he opened the door, stepping into the room and letting Elizabeth go ahead of him. He nodded at her, urging her to move forwards into the space.

"This is where I work when the games are happening," In-ho said.

She saw the large brown leather seat in the middle of the room, a table next to it. There was a drink's cart off to the side that was filled with bottles of old spirits. There was a worktop next to it with a sink and a cupboard in the corner. A large flat screen sat on the wall across from the chair. In-ho let Elizabeth wander around the space, her eyes drinking in the details. The room was dark, the lights dim and he wanted to know what she was thinking. He reached for the remote on his table and turned the screen on, letting it fill with small boxes showing live streams of different areas of the facility.

Elizabeth looked to it, trying to take it all in. In one box there seemed to be dormitory, white tiles surrounding black bunk beds. In another there was a large open space with what looked like an electronic doll at one end. The middle one seemed like some kind of soft-play area. It was stairs and corridors with bright coloured walls and huts surrounding them, but Elizabeth imagined it was anything but a play centre. She stood behind the leather seat, her hands settling on the back of it. She tried to take everything in and In-ho set the remote back down, moving to the drink's cart and opening a bottle of scotch.

He poured a glass and carried it to her, hand skimming the small of her back. "Overwhelmed?" he wondered from her.

"It's just…it seems bigger than I thought it would be," Elizabeth confessed to him. "I mean, when you said around 450 to 500 people were here, I guess I didn't know what that would look like."

"It looks like this," he told her and he urged her to take the glass. She held it in her hands and In-ho kept on studying her, refusing to look away. "I understand that this is difficult to comprehend-"

"-No," Elizabeth interrupted him, taking a sip of the scotch before moving from his grip, wandering closer to the screen. "I mean, it's weird, I'm not going to deny that, but this…well…there's nothing here that makes me want to run away screaming."

She was saying this now, but he wondered if she might think differently once the games actually began. He didn't bring it up, but he did see her raise the glass to her face, the rim of it tapping her chin as she folded her free arm over her waist.

And then she did something he hadn't expected.

Slowly, her lips turned upwards, a small smirk forming on her face and her eyes moving around on the screen. In-ho swallowed hard and wondered just what she was thinking. There were times when he wanted to do nothing more than crawl into her mind and see what was going on in there. She turned her head over her shoulder and glanced back at him.

"That's the doll, right?" she checked.

"Red light, green light," he confirmed.

"And is that going to be the first game still?"

"I think so."

"Makes sense," Elizabeth agreed. "Even if 456 does come into the game, it's a good idea to keep the first one the same."

In-ho took some cautious steps around the room, pouring himself his own drink as Elizabeth kept on sipping the scotch. She looked away from the screen and noticed the model in the corner. She headed towards it and crouched down, admiring the scene. It was a jazz club, a woman in a red dress in the middle with a microphone in front of her. She moved a finger to run over the bar in the scene and turned her head to the side, looking at In-ho's back as he poured himself a drink. She shrugged out of her coat and draped it on the back of the chair.

"You have a turntable here too?"

"I told you, I like music," he said to her. "And this place can be quite overwhelming. It's nice to have something that I can relax with…this…it's the only place I can be alone…take the mask off…it's one of the only places on the island that isn't surrounded by cameras."

Elizabeth nodded, understanding that he needed somewhere peaceful. "And where do you all sleep?"

"The guards sleep here," In-ho said. "They have their own dormitories and take it turn to keep an eye on things in the evenings. I tend to go to my private residence for a few hours to sleep…no one knows where it really is and it's fenced off."

"Makes sense," Elizabeth said and she stood up again, finishing her glass of scotch. "And no one knows your face?"

"It's important that no one sees anyone's face," he said to her. "That's why we all have masks…costumes…disguises so that no one recognises who we are. It allows for a sense of equality to take place, which I consider to be more important than anything."

"What's your mask like?"

In-ho took another sip of his drink and went to the cupboard by the door. Opening it, he looked at the mask that sat there. He had one on the island and another in his safe in his apartment. He pulled it out, looking at the black plastic and the ridges. He moved a hand over it. It felt so familiar yet so foreign at the same time. Carrying it towards Elizabeth, he realised that he was entrusting her with one of the most important pieces of himself. She took hold of it from his hands and glanced down over it.

"What about your voice?" she wondered.

"It has a voice disguiser," he said.

"I see," Elizabeth told him and he studied her intently as she held it up so that it was level with her face. "And you have to wear this all of the time?"

"Only when I am out in public," he said, "but I never go to the games. I always stay behind the scenes…entertaining the VIPs when they come…making sure things go smoothly…the VIPs…well…they're an acquired taste and if you end up staying then I would prefer for you to be nowhere near them."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want them leering at you," he said. "And, believe me, they would. No. I need you to stay away from them."

"Trust me, I don't intend on sticking around and letting men leer at me," Elizabeth promised and she handed him the mask back. He dropped it onto the table next to his chair. She just smiled at him and he put both of their glasses down too. Elizabeth took hold of his arms that were covered in a black coat. "You're handling this worse than I thought you would."

He looked surprised at that. "I'm handling this worse than you thought? What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly what you think it means," she said. "I knew that you would be on edge showing me all of this and hovering around me, worrying how I'd react, but the fact is that I'm fine, In-ho. Is this weird? Yes. It's weird as hell, but is it enough to make me want to leave you? Abandon this? No. I'm fine. I can handle this. I need you to accept that."

"And I don't doubt that you're strong enough, Elizabeth, but the fact is that this…none of this is normal and I don't want you to lose who you are to it."

"I know who I am," Elizabeth promised. "For the first time in a long time, I know exactly who I am, In-ho, and being here…these people who are here accepted their fate. They knew what they'd gotten themselves into and if they choose not to leave then more fool them. Trust me, after what I went through, I've lost faith in people…I've seen monsters…I married one of them…and why should I care about them? I'm out for myself now. So no, being here, if you think it was going to scare me away then you're mistaken. It'd take a lot more than this to scare me off."

In-ho let her drape her arms around his neck and he circled his around her waist, bringing her body tight against his. She kissed him sweetly, her mouth moving against his and taking control. He tried to fight her back for dominance, but he failed. His eyes widened as she pushed him in the chest until he fell into his chair. She bent down over him, hand going to grab his collar before she kissed him forcefully again. He tried to grab hold of her again, but she pushed his wrist down and he groaned when he felt her bite down on his bottom lip between her teeth just hard enough to make it pleasurable. She kissed along his jawline and towards his neck, still stood up and bent over him, one hand on his shoulder and the other pressed on the arm of the seat to steady herself.

She kissed along his neck and he wondered just what was going on as she shrugged his coat from his shoulders and moved her mouth up to his ear, nipping the skin. She whispered hotly against him, her voice making him shudder. "I'm not going to break," she told him. "So stop treating me like I will."

At that, he quickly grabbed her, giving her no time to fight against him. He stood up, switching positions and forcing her into the chair, an arm around her waist to protect her from hitting it too hard. He moved a hand up her thigh, dragging her skirt along with it and pressing his fingers into the soft skin there. He brought one leg up, moving it in between both of hers and keeping her pinned to the chair. She tried to reach for him, but he grabbed her wrists, pinning them by the side of her head as she remained slouched in the seat and he moved his knee in between her legs, hearing her stifle a moan.

"If you want me to stop treating you like you'll break then I am more than happy to oblige you," he said to her and she tried to lunge for him and kiss him, but he moved his head just far enough back to stop her. "Are you sure you want this?" his question had such loaded connotations and she knew it. He was asking her to give him everything. He was asking if he could take all that she had. And she wanted that. She wanted it more than anything.

"I want this," she confirmed to him.

"There will be no going back. You know that?"

"I don't want to go back," she said. "I never want to go back."

She tried to move her wrists out of his fingers. She managed to get one free, but he caught it before she could move any further. He put it back by her head, seeing how her fingers flexed. Shaking his head, he kissed her quickly. "Keep them there," he demanded from her.

He tested her to see if she would and, in the end, she did. He let go of her slowly and his fingers went to the buttons of her shirt, tugging them open and letting the material hang open around her. He kissed down her neck and towards the valley of her breasts, a hand running along the strap of the dark black bra she wore. She moaned beneath him, but she didn't dare move.

"Tell me," he urged from her, kissing along her chest and then down her stomach, fingers fiddling with the waistband of her skirt. "Tell me, Elizabeth."

"I want this," she panted, cheeks hot and skin feeling like it was burning from where he was kissing her. He pushed her skirt up her legs, tickling her skin with the movements. "I want this…I want you…please…"

"You have me," he assured her of that and she moaned as she felt him bite the inside of her thigh from where he knelt in front of her now.

"And you have me…In-ho…please…"

"Tell me again," he demanded from her, kissing up her thigh and grabbing her hips, pushing them down to stop her wriggling.

"I want this," she said to him. "I'm yours, In-ho…I'm yours…"

He stood up again, a hand going to his trousers and pulling at the fly. The noise of the zip echoed in Elizabeth's ears, seeming louder than it actually was. He moved to kiss her once more, her groans swallowed by him and he manouvered her until her legs were wrapped around him and she went to grab him by the back, but he shook his head. "Hands," he warned her and she moved them away from him and he smirked. "Good girl," he whispered and nipped her earlobe. "I can give you want, Elizabeth. I can give you everything."

He knew that he could hardly wait any longer. He needed her. And he meant what he said. He was going to give her everything. She would see that when she saw Player 289

...

We're coming up to the games now! Not too long to wait. Thank you all so much for reading. Do let me know what you think and if there's anything you want to see coming up!