Posted this to Ao3 as "One Battle Over, A New One Begins" by Gray_Day, a continuation of "Reuniting With Your Brother by Sending a Military Raid to His Place of Work"
His heart was beating in his ears as he held pressure to Jung-bae's wound. He was vaguely aware of the police arresting the Frontman and his guards. It's what he's wanted since the begining, but... it didn't seem to matter very much in that moment.
He could feel himself speak more than he could actually hear. He could feel his mouth moving, the words scratching at his throat, his friend's name haunting the air around him. But for some reason, the words never reached his ears.
When someone tried once again tried to pull him away from Jung-bae, he panicked, ready to become violent. Until, he saw the police officer with a first aid kit.
The man who tried to grab him from behind apologized, introducing himself as an officer and a friend of Jun-ho.
He let the officer guide him to an empty corridor. He let his mind drift away for he didnt know how long, until officers once again escort him outside. The cool air hit his face like a cold shower. It felt difficult to move on his own, almost like he was a statue, watching, but never participating in the chaos around him. Military boats and helicopters surrounded the island. EMTs and soldiers rushed around him.
Up ahead was a makeshift prehospital, where he could see Jun-ho sitting on the ground. He looked pale and very out of it. Gi-hun couldn't blame him, he felt the same way.
Guards were being arrested and unmasked before being escorted onto boats in units. Most of them looked so young, all with a dull look in their eyes. They all looked like average people he would pass on the street.
His gaze floated around the scene before him with no particular destination, until it fell on the frontman, wrists cuffed, surrounded by soldiers, with no mask on.
"...Young-il...?" His voice cracked.
Young-il spotted Gi-hun as a soldier patted him down. He sighed, looking... defeated?
Gi-hun felt like he was about to throw up. His knees caved in and he fell to the ground. He began to dry heave and an officer rushed him to the prehospital. They sat him down with a bucket across from Jun-ho. They locked eyes.
"Young-il... He's the Frontman..." Gi-hun said faintly.
Jun-ho tilted his head, eyes squinting, "Young-il? Who is that."
He nodded his head in the direction of the Frontman, "He was a player... Or, I thought he was..." The nausea continued to swirl around in his head.
Jun-ho shook his head. "No. No, that's In-ho." He paused.
"That's my brother."
Gi-hun buried his head in the bucket as vomit began pouring out his mouth. Tears began to stream down his cheek.
This was far more than he was prepared to handle...
Young-il, player 001. This first person so approach him on the first day. Who changed his vote just for him. Who so quickly accepted Jun-hee into their team with open arms. Who laughed, mourned, fought with them.
This was the man responsible for countless deaths. The man that tormented his dreams. The man that lived with a silver spoon in his mouth. He could kill anyone he wanted with the snap of his finger.
This was the man who had both ruined Gi-hun's life and a tight grip on his heart.
After he was pretty certain he was done vomiting, he finally lifted his head up from the now disgusting bucket and wiped his mouth with a nearby cloth. He breathed in and out through his mouth. He closed his eyes and let the sounds around him cleanse his mind. Sure, the yelling of soldiers, static of police radios, and whopping of helicopters was loud, but the rustling of trees, the whispers of the breeze, his own, slowed breathing canceled all of that out so nicely.
"The man that was next to you," Jun-ho started, "the one that got shot. Who is he?"
Gi-hun shifted around. "Park Jung-bae. He's a good friend of mine."
Jun-ho nodded, not pushing for more details. "We spent a few days searching for the island, but we kept bumping into dead ends. They knew we were looking for them and sent us to a few traps. Turns out the fisherman who's been helping me the last three was working for them. He killed one of our men and tampered with our drone."
Gi-hun's eyes widened. "Three years? They've really been keeping tabs on us, huh..."
Jun-ho took a swig from a waterbottle. "Makes a lot of sense. The Frontman shot me and he was the one who found me." he said.
Gi-hun furrowed his brow, "You never questioned how he saved you from here and was never once able to find it again?"
The younger man paused before looking away, his cheeks now tinted a rosy pink. "What matters now is the mission is over. We can rest now."
Gi-hun nodded, but both men knew this wasn't true. The pain wouldn't go away anytime soon. They still have to deal with the government, the press, the trauma. The only thing that made what was to come easier than the last three year was the significant lack of death.
He hesitated before speaking. "Maybe, in the middle of all this... when we're both free... you would want to grabs some drinks? My treat."
Jun-ho looked at him, a bit surprised. "Yeah. That would be nice."