Chapter Text
Seong Nuri has been called many things in their 18 years of life, a lot of which isn't true anymore, or at least only half true now. The ones that still apply stick hard to them, such as being stubborn as a bull, being too selfless for their own good, or being a slippery little bitch when it came to out running samchon's loan sharks. They like to think that only the good and true qualities and names stuck to them after all this time.
A sigh escaped them as they sat on the subway bench, fiddling with their dad's old hat. It's been another day without a single whisper of where their dad went, and with it almost coming to the two year mark since they started looking, three since they've last heard from him, they're starting to worry that maybe the cops had a point in their dad falling into a ditch somewhere. They didn't want to think that, especially because it would mean getting into debt, and messing with loan sharks to the point that other loan sharks heard about it and went after them on principal, was all for nothing. There's no way their dad would do that, even after...after everything that has happened, with them being forced to leave and halmeoni dying. That wasn't in his nature, and they know that because they have his nature, they've been told so.
They side eye what looks like a business man eagerly sits next to them, taking a breath. "Whatever you're selling, I assure you that I don't have the money for it, or for whatever payment plan you have."
They watch as he smiles, "I'm not selling anything, little. I'm wondering if you want to play a game. Win and I'll give you ₩100,000, loose and you'll give me ₩100,000, and we can play however many rounds you want. Sound fair?"
Nuri took a small breath, thinking about it. It'll take a few weeks to scrape up enough money to pay someone to try and find their dad again, the money won could be used to help bridge the gap...."What game? I'm not about to play Russian Roulette for ₩100,000, or Gonggi. Don't make me play Gonggi."
The weird Salesman let out a chuckle, "Neither of those games, I assure you. The game is ddakji. So, want to play?"
Another breath, before nodding. "Alright, let's play."
They watched as he opened the briefcase, eyes widening at the amount of money, and they picked the blue ddakji when the Salesman held the two out for them to pick one. The other on the floor, Nuri took another breath, it wasn't that long ago since they used to play this with friends, and they never lost against them-
They cheered as the red one was flipped over, jumping up excitedly and accepting the money as the Salesman spoke, "Good job, want to play more or are you content with what you have?"
Nuri, far too overconfident from making it flip the first throw, "Play more! I'm the best ddakji player I know!"
The Salesman nodded with a polite smile, picking up the red piece and throwing it down-
Nuri let out a small, high pitched noise as the confidence left their body as their piece flipped over. They just won the money they don't want to give it back.
The Salesman looked over with a smile, "What, don't want to pay?"
They shook their head, "It's not that, but I'm strapped for cash and I don't want to give this back, not trying to scam you I swear."
An almost empathetic smile comes across his face, "I understand, perhaps you'll be more willing to pay with your body?"
"My what-?"
Nuri let out a startled noise when they were slap, holding their cheek and looking at the Salesman wide eyed. There's no way they were going to play more, none, nuh-uh-
They left the subway station with more money than they've held in their hands in quite some time a cheek that is most certainly going to bruise ugly in the next few hours and days, a business card to call if they wanted to play more games like that and win more money, and talking to Samchon Jung-bae on the phone. "Dinner is on me tonight, Samchon! Just don't ask too many questions when you see my face, 'kay?"