Awakening to Chaos

Everybody in the large room was jolted awake by the piercing fluorescent lights and the ear-piercing children's music. The sweet, melodic voice of a woman chimed in, her tone radiating cheerfulness as she announced, "Good morning, players! Breakfast will be served shortly. Please prepare yourselves." Myung-gi groggily opened his eyes, wincing in pain as his battered body protested the sudden movement. The discomfort was worse than the previous night, his broken and bruised bones aching in unison. A low whine escaped his lips before he could stifle it. Young-il, who had been holding Myung-gi close, gently shushed the sound, his eyes scanning the room as the others began to stir. "Shh, it's okay," he whispered softly. As the room came to life, the conversations and murmurs grew louder. Young-il carefully disentangled himself from Myung-gi and sat up, taking a moment to allow Myung-gi's eyes to adjust to the harsh lighting. The granny, who had been watching Young-il with interest, raised an eyebrow as she noticed Myung-gi still in his bed. She turned to her son, about to ask him a question, but found him engrossed in conversation with the others. Her attention then shifted back to Young-il and Myung-gi. Young-il turned to Myung-gi, his voice low and soothing. "It's time to get up. I'll introduce you to the others on my team." Myung-gi's eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to protest, but a nod was all he could manage. Young-il offered his hand, assisting Myung-gi as he stood. The younger man's body sagged against Young-il's side, his pain evident in every step. As they approached the group, the conversations died down, and curious glances were cast their way. Junhee's eyes narrowed, her expression darkening with anger. "Who is this?" Gihun asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. Before Young-il could respond, Junhee interrupted, her voice icy. "Myung-gi, why are you here? Did you really think you could weasel into my group and I wouldn't realize?" Young-il's expression turned stern, a tone none of them had heard from him before. "Myung-gi was hurt last night," he said firmly. Junhee's skepticism was evident, but before she could press the issue further, the guards arrived with their breakfast. The players formed a line, Myung-gi still clinging to Young-il's side. Thanos and Namgyu, who had been searching for Myung-gi, finally spotted him, and their eyes widened in surprise. Myung-gi was holding onto Young-il, the only person in the room who seemed to command respect. As they waited in line, Young-il discreetly received a small package from one of the guards - a handful of pain pills. He tucked them into his pocket, his eyes locked on Myung-gi. Once they received their breakfast - a simple bun and carton of milk - Young-il guided Myung-gi back to their sleeping area. "Let's eat and rest for a bit," he said softly. Myung-gi nodded, still leaning heavily on Young-il. As they sat down, the others watched them with interest, their questions and suspicions hanging in the air like a challenge.