**A Glimmer of Protection**

The lights dimmed again, casting a faint, eerie glow over the room, as if a silent warning for them all to go back to sleep or whatever they were doing beforehand. Gihun tried to talk to Young-il, to ask him why he took those men's lives, why he didn't seem to have any regrets, but Young-il kept his powerful stride as he walked back to Myung-gi's bed. A majority of the players were watching Young-il, even with the dimmed lights, scared that he might kill them next. Myung-gi, however, just stared with his still tear-stained face, Junhee next to him. Young-il made it to Myung-gi's bed and held his hand out, "Come sleep by us, I would feel a lot better if you were closer to us." Myung-gi looked at him for a second before nodding and taking Young-il's hand to help him stand up. He was in pain, sore in many places - his stomach from being kicked, his head from being bashed into the bathroom counter, and his lower back down to his feet from being raped. He winced as he stood, and Young-il gently shushed and reassured him that he'd be okay. As they made their way to their makeshift sleeping arrangement, Gihun anxiously stated, "I'll move a mattress down for you," before going to grab a mattress. "Put it by mine," Young-il said. Gihun nodded, aware that Young-il's mattress was the most secluded, while everyone else's was grouped together. He thought it was better for Myung-gi to have a bit of space away from most of the others. Junhee realized she should probably get to bed now and quietly excused herself to her floor mattress, which was next to Daehos'. She also made sure to tell Myung-gi that if he needed anything to wake her. Myung-gi didn't respond, but she knew he had heard her, so she went to her mattress to sleep. Gihun finished moving Myung-gi's bed and said, "You two should go to bed, Young-il, I'll cover both of our night shift tonight. I don't think I'll be able to sleep." Usually, Young-il would argue and try to find a way to bond more with the other man to ensure his plans were safe, but tonight he had something more important to watch over - his obsession, Myung-gi, that he was finally able to watch up close. Myung-gi and Young-il nodded to Gihun, and Young-il gently helped Myung-gi under the bed frame and onto the floor mattress that was pushed together with Young-il's. Myung-gi crawled onto his bed and curled under the covers, and Young-il did the same to his mattress. The two of them lay there in silence, Myung-gi's eyes fixed on Young-il's face, a mixture of fear and gratitude in his eyes. Young-il's gaze, however, was calm and reassuring, his eyes fixed on Myung-gi's face as he drifted off to sleep, his hand still holding Myung-gi's.