Death Wish

Act III - Hidden Buttons, Rain Forest

Yoon Ho and Yoo Chan were brought to the most unusual place. Birds were chirping, the small droplets of water falling down from the leaves, the sound of gusting winds and the cold it brings. The soil was wet leaving their shoes dirty.Hundreds of trees can be seen in the place, they found themselves deep inside a rainforest.

"Where are we?", Yoo Chan asked.

"I think we are in some kind of a rainforest", Yoon Ho replied as he touched one of the trees.

Yoon Ho was feeling uncomfortable, he got dirt on his shoes and he isn't good with it.

"What's wrong, Hyung?", Yoo Chan asked. Yoon Ha cannot hide his face of irritation. He is not used to get his clothes or shoes dirty.

"Nothing, I am just not suited for this kind of environment", he replied.

Yoo Chan nods his head, "Haven't you been one before?", he asked him.

"It's my first time"

The place was cold, the winds blew like it came from a freezer. It was so cold that Yoo Chan started to shiver. Both of them wrap their arms to warm themselves. "Why is it so cold here?", Yoo Chan asked with a shaky voice due to cold.

Yoon Ho inspected around and replied, "By the looks of it, I think the rain must have passed by before we got here", he said.

The clouds were grey and the wind gushed like a turning fan. The air smelled like a petrichor and pine trees.

"You see, me and my little brother came to a place like this before", Yoo Chan said.

Yoon Ho decided to engage the conversation so they can feel less cold by talking to each other, "What did you do?", he asked.

Yoo Chan smiled, "We played hide and seek and cooked the fish we caught in the river", he was excited.

"What else did you do?", Yoon Ho asked.

Yoo Chan smiles bigger, it was his first time telling his story to somebody so he felt happy, "We build a small hut made of woods and make a fire then slept there for an hour", Yoo Chan remembers it so vividly."We swam on the river, played with crickets, trick shots on the surface of the water, made a wish from giant tree and-",

He was so excited that he couldn't stop sharing it with Yoon Ho.

Yoon Ho hears it all out, he listens and went along with him.

Suddenly, Yoo Chan's smiling face was brought down to the bottom. Yoo Chan suddenly became sad. "What's wrong?",Yoon Ho asked.

"Nothing, it's just that I missed him", Yoo Chan looks up to the sky.

Yoon Ho was curious, he couldn't help but asked him, "Did something happen?", he asked.

Yoo Chan looks down and picks up a stick then pokes the ground, "As you can see, my little brother is already gone", Yoo Chan said as he drew something on the wet ground.

"I see", Yoon Ho got even more curious, he really wanted to know what happened to Yoo Chan's brother, "What happened to him anyway?", he asked.

Yoo Chan drew a face of a boy resembling his little brother, "I'm sorry but it's hard for me to tell you", Yoo Chan became even more gloomy.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me", Yoon Ho went near him and sat beside him. He rubs Yoo Chan's back to comfort him.

"Excuse me", one of the wishers who was sent in the same place with them appeared in front of them. It was a girl who dyed her hair blonde. She was around in her twenties, she had the body of a model. She give this good aura, an aura where they can lift a mood whenever they are around.

"Yes?", Yoon Ho replied.

"Hi, I'm Ji Han Sul", she introduced herself smiling as he handed out her hand. She gave a charm that can attract people's attention. To be fact and exact, she was a beauty in one of a thousand.

Yoo Chan was surprised after hearing her name, he stood up with a stupefied face. His mood has turned up and changed all of a sudden, "Ji Han Sul?", Yoon Ho wanted to confirm her name, "Ji Han Sul from GirlBlues?", Yoo Chan asked.

The girl nodded and gave a charming smile, "Yes, that's me", she confirmed.

Yoo Chan couldn't help but be excited after seeing a real celebrity in front of him, he was so happy that he was smiling from ear to ear.

Yoon Ho on the other hand doesn't care about a thing to her but he was glad that she makes Yoo Chan's mood lift up under the sadness of the clouds inside him.

The girl looked at him and smiled, "Aren't you, Lee Yoon Ho? Lee Yoon Ho from JLEE Group?", she was able to recognize Yoon Ho.

Yoo Chan looks at them, "Do you know, Yoon Ho-hyung?", he asked.

The girl gave a smile again. Everytime she smiles, the atmosphere becomes more peaceful. It's like she's calling the sun and a stormy night.

"Of course I know him, he is the eldest son of the JLEE group which is the one biggest corporation in the country", Han Sul grins.

"Yoon Ho-hyung? You mean Yoon Ho-hyung came from a rich family?", Yoo Chan was a curious cat.

Despite the glowing mood, the tension between the two was different, it's like raining on a sunny day. The atmosphere is hot and cold, going against each other. Yoo Chan was ignorant that he didn't know what was going on with them two.

"What is an opulent man doing here?", she bundled her hands and gave a residual look.

Yoon Ho stood up and looked down upon her, "What about you? How did such a popular person get here?", Han Sul was backfired in her own attack.

Yoon Ho doesn't want people getting over him, he looks at her with a straight face. Han Sul smirks and takes a step backward as she keeps wrapping her arms. "I have my reasons", she said and she seems proud of it.

"Han Suy-ah, do you know them", a guy wearing glasses appeared as he looked at Yoon Ho and Yoo Chan. He was the partner of Han Sul.

"No, I just know him", Han Sul said looking at Yoon Ho straight to the eyes, "But I guess he doesn't know me", she added.

Her partner was mad at Yoon Ho, frowning at him, "Eh? Who doesn't know our dear Han Sul?", he said. "Only uncultured people are the only ones who don't know our beloved Han Sul", he was praising her as if she was a goddess. He was an obsessed fan.

She grins at him without looking away, "Be careful of what you say to him, Lim Ko Shik-nim", she warns her partner. "Even if you get out of here alive, his family will make sure that you're dead", she said.

"Why would I be scared? Who cares if he has power? He is just a -", he couldn't finish what he was about to say as Han Sul glared at him, raising her left eyebrow, she was pissed at hin.

Her partner immediately looks away, avoiding her look. "I'm so sorry about that", she apologizes but it wasn't sir.

"Just go and leave us alone", Yoon Ho

stated with a warning tone.

Han Sul knows a little about Yoon Ho, he heard rumors that he has a temper. He is polite and perfect but if you lit him out of anger. He'll explode like a bomb. Rumors said he fired one hundred employees in one day because of a one mistake. They also said that Yoon Ho had beaten several employees and was sent to the hospital because of serious injuries.

Allegations were all turned down saying that it was all just a hoax, people believed that he was innocent, they see Yoon Ho as a prince with no flaws. Lots of his fans defended him and the cases were dropped. Yoon Ho's Family manipulated everyone with their money, they were blinded by greed that the justice in the country is for the lavish people only. That is why more and more people are joining the wishing game because they were oppressed by their own society.

"I guess, we will go now, good luck", she smiled and gave a wink then went back to their spots.

Yoon Ho's face was dead flat as they left, Yoo Chan can't just read him. Sometimes he is good but sometimes he just gives this aura that tells him isn't the person he thinks he is. Even so, Yoo Chan believed that he was a good person.

Yoon Ho sat back down on the log as he wrapped his arms. Yoo Chan knows that questioning him will make the mood worse. "What do you think we will be playing?", he asked something else instead.

"The game title is Hidden Buttons so I guess we will try to find them", he answered.

"Seems easy enough", Yoo Chan was relieved.

"I don't think so", Yoon Ho said.

"Why?"

"Look at the place we are in", Yoon Ho said with a poker face.

Yoo Chan looked around and he immediately knew what Yoon Ho meant, "Do you think finding some hidden buttons here will be easy?", Yoon Ho said.

Yoo Chan accepted that statement from him, finding hidden buttons and a wet soil, moist air, dripping droplets. Playing the game in a place full of trees won't be easy. Even if they have something on their sleeves, they just can't ignore that the environment itself can hinder them.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

At the top of a tall building where reputation and rank matters, there sits a man who was sucking the life out of the people by making them work endlessly.

Behind this act is a man full of greed, who thinks the society is a pyramid of reputation. He thinks everything is competition. He was watching the Live Game outside his glass windows "Do we have some info about Yoon Ho's whereabouts now!?", he asked his assistant. "Is he really in there?", he added with anger in his voice.

"Yes, sir. The investigator we hired have found a lot of info about Young Master Yoon Ho", his assistant replIed.

"Is that right? Where is the investigator now?"

"He is in on his way here, Sir"

He nods his head as he spins his swivel chair to the front. His assistant went to open the door for the investigator. The investigators entered along with his assistants. He bowed her head to greet the chairman, "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir".

"Okay, are you the investigator, he asked straight to the point.

"Yes, sir. I am Choi Li Han, a five star private investigator of the LiSO Agency", he introduced himself.

"Oh, I know you, you are the best private investigator in the country right?", he wanted to confirm.

The investigator smiled as he let out an air, "Thank you for knowing about me, sir. It is such an honor for you to know me", he said, still looking down to show respect.

"Yes I know you. I saw you in the news before", he said pointing at the investigator.

"Yes, that is right sir, I am often in the news" he said. "Should we start our discussion, sir?, he looks at him and smiled.

"Ah, right. Okay sit down and tell me what you got", the chairman said. The investigator sat down on the sofa and put his case beside him. His two assistants went behind him.

"What did you find? Did you find anything out about my son?", the chairman asked as his assistant poured a glass of wine.

"Yes, sir. I have found the location of your son", he said.

"Really, where is he?"

The investigator opened his case and took a piecea of photographs and brought it to him. He puts the pictures on the table. It was all Yoon Ho and the people who were associated with him. "We have confirmed that Master Lee Yoon Ho is indeed a participant of the wishing game", he said as he taps on Yoon Ho's picture.

The chairman was so furious that a vein in his forehead was popping, he looked like a ripened tomato, "This insolent fool!", he yelled as he slammed the table causing the pictures to fly away.

The investigator's assistant immediately picks it up and gave it to him, "How did he even enter that game!? Isn't it only for the poor scu.ms?", the chairman said gritting his teeth.

"Please calm down, Sir Lee", the chairman's assistant said as he pours him a glass of water, "Please take this for you to be easen", he gave the glass of water to him. He took it from him and drank it in an instant. He then throws away the glass and pieces of shards scattered on the floor.

"Where is he now!?", the chairman asked.

The investigator's assistant gave him a laptop to show the live broadcast featuring Yoon Ho. "He is currently in the second round, it seems like they were bought in a dense rainforest", the investigator stated.

"Where can it be located?"

"His Live Panel is in the northeast of Gangnam and the east side of Busan, the current round divides them so different live panel of the wishers were broadcasted in random locations", he explained clearly.

The chairman regained his calmness after the investigator gave detailed reports about his son, "How is he doing in the game?", he asked.

"As of now, he is actually doing good. In the last game he had quick thinking and reflexes. He was more advanced than the other wishers", he stated and took pen on his chest pocket.

"I see, that's good to hear", the chairman said. "Call Lee Se Yoon", he ordered.

His assistant immediately called her daughter, she picked up and the assistant gave it to him, "Hello, Se Yoon-ah", he said.

"Appa, what is it?", her daughter replied and everyone can hear that she's in a place where there's a lot of people.

"Aren't you in WIC right now?"

"Yes, father, I bet you can hear the shouting and screams here"

"I see good", he smirked. "I want you to bet for Yoon Ho", he said.

"Yoon Ho-oppa? He's in the game!?", her sister was surprised.

"Apparently, yes"

"Waah, daebak. He really is in the game. What is this fool even doing? Is he crazy!?", Se Yoon saw his profile on the board after a worker stamped it just a second ago.

(Note: 'Daebak' is an expression used when something unexpected happens)

"Do you see his profile there?"

"Yeah, it just got posted. This crazy i***t face is on the board for betting"

"Good, now bet on him"

"Bet on him!? Are you serious, appa!?", her voice was so high that the chairman put the phone away from his ears.

"Yes, I am serious. Go bet ten million dollars on his head", the people inside the room were surprised silently. They just can't believe that he would throw ten million dollars at risk.

"Appa, you are kidding me right?", Se Yoon just couldn't believe what her father said.

"I am serious and no one can defy my decision, now go bet on your big brother and everyone in the family must watch the game together", he picks up the glass of wine and takes a sip then smiles.

"Fine"

"Sir, we are talking about ten million dollars, that's like 5% of our shares", his assistant tries to persuade him.

"Are you doubting my great son's capabilities, I know him. He will definitely win this one", he said confidently.

His assistant took a step back and bows.

"Take care of everything and find us a cinema where we can watch the game live, I want the most luxurious one, rent it for us only", he ordered his assistant.

His assistant bowed his head, "As you wish, sir", he then left the room and another assistant of his came in to replace the other one.

The chairman was smiling and noticed that the investigator was still there in front of him, "What are you doing, you can go now", he said as he scathed at him.

The investigator smiled seemingly, "Actually, I have other information that I am sure will surprise you", he said.

He showed a picture of somebody to the chairman and his eyes widened. He was shocked that this person had also joined the game, "Why is he here!?", he said as his hands were shaking, spilling bits of the wine from the glass he was holding.

"Cancel the bet right away!", he yelled at his assistant.

Then they heard a knock on the door and the assistant from earlier entered, "Sir, the processed is all done and we have successfully bet on Master Lee Yoon Ho", the assistant reported.

The chairman's soul left his body after hearing what he said, the act of regret can be seen in his eyes. It was all too late to alter his decision.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

A pillar has risen beneath the ground and every pair came to check it out, "What is it?", asked by one of the wishers.

"I don't know but look", his partner replied and pointed at the top of the pillar. They all saw three round black balls on the pillar.

'Please get one ball for each pair', the voice instructed.

Yoon Ho went to get one and came back to Yoo Chan, "What do you think, is it?", Yoo Chan asked.

"I don't know but it must be an important item for the game", Yoon Ho replied as he inspected the ball at every side of it.

'The given ball is a map, it shows where the buttons are hidden'

Yoo Chan looked at the ball and frowned, "This is a map?", he said.

''The map can only be activated when a two individuals held onto it'

"Give me your hand", he asked and Yoo Chan gave his hand with the palm on the top. Yoon Ho puts the ball on his palm and touches it with his finger. As soon as they touched the ball together, a holographic map appeared in front of them. Yoo Chan can't help but be amazed and Yoon Ho wore his deadpan face again.

'Each button from the map contains specific numbers, you can only press your own buttons', Then their profiles appeared under the gray sky. Their names and pictures were displayed in the open sky. There was a number on top of their profiles to show what number they have. Number two was assigned to them.

'Each team must pressed their specified buttons, the last button remaining must be pushed together with your pair'

'Pushing other buttons from a different team will result in duplication"

'Each pair must find and press the buttons before the given time runs out'

'Failed to do so will result in immediate elimination'

[Game: Hidden Buttons]

[Duration: Ten minutes]

'The game will begin in three minutes, please be prepared', the voice reminds.

Yoo Chan felt nervous again and couldn't help but swallow his own anxiety. Yoon Ho on the other hand was calm and precise, not showing any fear in his eyes. Yoo Chan looks at Yoon Ho, he wanted to be as confident as him, he wants to have the same connection with him, he is afraid that he will be a drag to Yoon Ho.

Yoo Chan copes up his fears and stands tall. He held a deep breath and let all the anxiety away. Looking at Yoon Ho makes him a little braver.

Yoon Ho looked up to the sky and the clouds got thicker and darker. Rumbling thunder began to shout from the sky. The wind blew stronger and colder, making their noses stuffy. They were trembling in the cold as if they were in the middle of antarctica. They have thick clothes but it wasn't enough to keep them warm. Yoon Ho doesn't have a good feeling but he knows that in the next minute, an action of regrets, chaos and despair will soon be present.

Yoon Ho tries to observe the other teams, they feel the same cold as them. They know that they can't play well in this kind of environment. He saw Han Sul whispering to her partner through his partner's ear staring at him. Her partner was half naked, he gave it to Han Sul to keep her warm. He was showing skin in this cold weather and he isn't bothered by it. Despite having the face of a loser, his body was fit and rock. Her partner stared at him and smirks. Yoon Ho knows that they are planning something on him.

The place got darker as black clouds have tangled together to make a massive cover blocking the light of the sun. Thunders and lighting were clamparous and the sound of the gusting winds got louder.

"Hyung?", Yoo Chan called out to him with a shaky voice due to the cold.

"Yes", Yoon Ho can't hide the cold too.

"We're going to win this round right?", Yoo Chan asked with his puppy eyes shivering.

Yoon Ho smiled, "Of course, just believe in yourself", he said.Yoo Chan smiled and nodded.

Thirty second left and the tension has risen. All the teams have put their feets on the ground, getting ready to play the game. Yoon Ho controls his breathing.

"Give me your hand", Yoon Ho said. Yoo Chan gave his hand and he place the ball on his palm. He locked into it and the map shows again. They just need to wait for the buttons to appear on the map.

In the last seconds go running . . .

'3'

'2'

'1'

A loud bang has been shot and a clamparous thunder flashed the eyes of everyone blinding them for a moment. Millions of particles began to fall in the sky, the dark skies poured an aggressive rain.

Yoon Ho immediately adjusted his sight, he looks and memorize the location of their buttons. Suddenly a figure came running fast in front of them, it was Han Sul's partner. He was moving like a beast. This wasn't human capabilities, it was out of context. A human can't be that fast.

Han Sul just sat there and covered herself with cloth. Yoon Ho didn't mind and tried to think later. "Did you memorize it?", he asked Yoo Chan.

"Wait a moment", Yoo Chan wasn't as fast Yoon Ho in terms of memorization.

"Take your time", Yoon Ho said but he was feeling something else.

*ting*, a point has already been marked on Han Sul's team and Yoon Ho has grown restless.

"I'm done", Yoo Chan has finally memorized the locations.

"Okay, you go for the nearest and I will go to the one in the middle, we will find the last one together", he instructed.

*ting*, he had made another point again. They have no time to waste, they only have eight minutes left on the clock.

They immediately run in their assigned locations. As Yoo Chan was running to the direction on his given location, Han Sul's partner went pass by infront of him making him fall on his butt. The sticky mud have gotten on his pants. He didn't mind it and stood up. He continued to run.

Yoo Chan arrived and he immediately tries to find the button. He look everywhere, from the trees, from the grass to the old big rocks, he couldn't find find anything. The place was dark so it was harder for him to find it.

Yoon Ho arrived in his location and he immediately finds the button, the button was in an open area at the top of a big rock. He didn't waste any time and press on it.

*ting*, Yoo Chan looks up and saw they have gain a point, Yoon Ho have successfully pressed one button.

He continued to remember the location of the button again, four trees at the left and a big rock on the right. He was standing in the middle which the button was placed. A bliss of light have come through his mind. He had to take this chance, he started to dig the ground with his bared hands.

Yoo Chan keeps digging and digging until his nails began to hang, he hits his fingers with a stone underneath but he can't feel any pain, his perseverance have helped him to endure the pain

Yoon Ho runs to the next location near the cave.

*ting*, Han Sul's team have completed their game. Yoon Ho's priority right now is to find the next button, there nothing to be envious about them completing it.

Yoo Ho arrives in the cave and immediately tries to find the hidden button. The location wasn't inside the cave since the mark was outside of it. He looks at every corner, he didn't find it.

Yoon Ho takes initiative, he looks up and tries to think where the button would be. A sudden flash of the thunder has lightened up the place. Yoon Ho saw something in that short time. On the top of of the cave, there lies their final button.

Yoon Ho immediately climbs the cave, as he was about to raised his feet, he was pulled under by someone causing him to fall. He fell flat on the sticky and dirty ground.

Yoo Chan had consumed four minutes just by digging, he had to dig much faster, he doesn't have enough time left. His clothes were covered in mud. He digs and digs, after a whole session of hard work, the button have finally shown itself.Yoo Chan took the button and pressed it.

Yoo Chan immediately runs toward the final location where he believes that Yoon Ho was already there.

Yoon Ho flicked his eyes as rain drops fell on his face. He saw a figure of a man, his vision was getting clearer. It was Han Sul's partner laughing at him, he was holding on big stick. He screams and tries to hit Yoon Ho with it. Yoon Ho was able to dodge.

*ting*, Yoon Ho looks up and another point was given to them.

He looks at the final button, he just needs to pressed that button and they will passed the round. "Do you think, I will let you pass this round", he giggled. He was being crazy.

"What do you want from me?", Yoon Ho asked staying on guard.

He laugh like a lunatic, "Goddess Han Sul wants you dead", he said smiling like the grinch.

Yoon Ho chuckled, "Bring it on", he then smirks at him. He decided to wait and let Yoo Chan instead as he tries to fend off the lunatic.

Suddenly, he ran to the direction of the cave laughing and climbs on it. Yoon Ho remembers that there was a uncertain rule. 'Pushing the other team's button will result in duplication', Yoon Ho knows what will happen if he pushed that button, they doesn't have enough time to search for an additional button again.

He ran as fast as he can and grabs him his right leg, he pulled his leg with all his might. He was kicking Yoon Ho's face and shoulders with his left leg as his hands were gripping onto the rocks. Yoon Ho tries to endure his kicks and keeps pulling him downward.

"Hyung!", Yoo Chan had arrived.

"Help me pull him down! We can't let him pushed our button", he yells.

"Let go of me, you persistent rat!", he shouted and keeps on kicking Yoon Ho.

Yoo Chan grabs onto his left leg and pulls himself together. The rock he was grilling to breaks causing him to fall.

Yoon Ho immediately suppress him, "Go!", he yells.

Yoo Chan immediately climbs on the slipery rocks as Yoon Ho struggles to hold him down. Yoo Chan slips but he was able to hang on and ignored the pain. His hands were full of bruised so every time he grips, it will hurt.

The struggle continues, the lunatic started screaming, Yoon Ho uses every bit of strength in him. All the struggling and rolling have lead them inside the dark cave.

Yoo Chan arrived at the top, he tip toed onto the slippery rocks. They only have ten seconds left. Yoo Chan slips and falls onto his chest, Yoo Chan got up and crawled for the button with his severely injured body. At the very last second . . .

*ting*, Yoo Chan was able to pressed the final button on time, they have successfully passed.

As soon as they finished their game, the rain have stopped also. Yoo Chan layed down smiling in relief as the clouds became thinner. He didn't hear anything anymore, all that leaves is the sound of swishing leaves. He then realize that th screams of the lunatic had stopped.

He went down carefully and checks on Yoon Ho, "Hyung?", he called out as he tries to look in the dark cave from the outside.

He can hear breathing and something is coming closer, he backed down and raises his hand bawled into a fist. He keeps his guard up despite his injuries.

Then the figure became bigger and Yoo Chan's eyes widened. He saw Yoon Ho came out of the cave. "Hyung!", he was relieve seeing him okay , but his smile suddenly turns to a downfall.

The sun have finally shown and sunlight shines on Yoon Ho. Yoo Chan couldn't believe what he is seeing.

Yoon Ho was holding a rock. A rock stained with a red. Yoon Ho was covered in blood.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

[End of Act III - Hidden Buttons, Rain Forest]

[Next - Hidden Buttons, Isolated Island]