"It feels like an eternity since the game started," Sakura whispered to Yuzuko. The path to the studio was simple compared to their fight for survival in the past few days. She didn't understand why Sakura needed to be discreet. The other six were trust-worthy. They were all online friends before they were dragged onto the chaos they branded entertainment.
Yuzuko could see Sook-Jo staring at her with disapproval. "Where did you get that gun from?"
She wanted to say that she just found it. But she knew that wouldn't sit well with the others. They would have found out she was lying anyway.
Yuzuko was sure that she already told them that Sia had given the gun to her. There should have been clips to back her up. The TV crew were thorough, but the fanbase vigilant. Yuzuko remembered the time where Sook-Jo and Todd got into a debate on Choco Donatsu group chat over which mascot was the best. Todd and Sook-Jo always had sharp tongues so it was surprising that no colourful language was used. Yuzuko smiled at Sook-Jo, hoping it would ease the tension. Sook-Jo lowered her head and held Todd's hand like a shield, bringing his hand to her heart.
Yuzuko thought that Sook-Jo and Todd were quick to pair up, but when she remembered their old banter on the chatgroup, she thought they were well suited.
"Tell the truth," Sakura pleaded, holding onto her blouse.
"Sia gave it to me," Yuzuko said. "I thought I told you that she gave it to me."
"Wait!" Aron cried out.
Rós glared at him, nudging his shoulder. "There's no need to be so loud. It's only us here."
"Sorry!" Aron rubbed his shoulder and looked at Yuzuko. "Yeah, you said that Sia gave it to you. So what's the big deal."
"The show's a fix!" Sook-Jo howled. They drew back the moment the curved blade of Sook-Jo's scimitar caught the rays of the sun. The blade that waved at all of them, but aimed more for Yuzuko. "The show is a fix. Sia wanted you to win from the start Yuzuko."
Todd widened his eyes, dashed behind her back and pulled her back. "What are you doing?"
"We have to kill the killer!"
"That makes no sense!" Aron roared. "Yuzuko couldn't possibly feel anymore worse for her actions."
Aron was right. Yuzuko felt capable of defending herself, but she was more worried about Sakura's welfare. She already lost Kiki, she couldn't bare losing the love of her life too. "Sook-Jo," Yuzuko wept. "Let's just go home. If we stay here any longer, we'll all go insane."
"YOU'RE NOT THE ONE THAT WAS RAPED BY SOME SLIMY DUDE!" Sook-Jo's screams echoed through the woods. "You weren't left to die by her twin brother."
Chang-Hoon stepped forward. "It's not like that at all."
"You left me to die for some fat whore!"
"I'm not fat!" Yanyu yelled. "And I'm not a whore!"
"The game's over!" Chang-Hoon shouted, hugging Yanyu. "We not fighting each other."
"If you're gonna kill Yuzuko, then you need to kill me and Aron too!" Rós dragged Aron in front of Sook-Jo's weapon.
"NO!" Sook-Jo cried. "I don't want to kill you. You're my best friend."
"We accidentally killed Nila and Hassin."
Sook-Jo lowered her weapon. "Eh? But you two are lovely. You're not capable of killing somebody."
"It was an accident," Rós insisted. The robot used Nila as a shield and Hassin tried to kill us thinking we did it on purpose."
"I'm so sorry!" Sook-Jo hugged Rós, tears still dripping from her eyes.
Yuzuko bit her lips. Seeing Sook-Jo so quick to forgive Rós and Aron irked her.
"We better get going," Sakura said, pointing to the pink limousine on the road. "There's a car coming."
The limousine came to a sudden halt by Todd's feet.
The front door swung open and Sia hopped out of the car. A dozen grey jeeps followed and stopped behind Sia's limousine.
"CHILDREN!" Sia squealed, her mink coat fell on the dry ground revealing a sparkling rainbow dress up to her knees. She looked behind and waved at her soldiers coming out of the jeeps. "Surrender your weapons. Let's put this foolish bickering behind us and let's rock and roll."
The soldiers confiscated the weapons from them like a parent scolding a naughty child. However, they didn't take Yuzuko's gun. Not that it mattered to Yuzuko, there were no bullets left anyway.
~
The survivors were segregated and scrubbed up. Yuzuko had missed the feeling of being clean. The foundation and lips weighed before being summoned into Sia's theatre. Yuzuko found herself entertained by Arabian dancers, Korean pop-stars and Scandanavian rock bands, all backed with a grand orchestra. She and the other contestants were served by Indian Butlers wearing silk worth thousands.
Women posing as geishas came round serving tea. Yuzuko's grandfather took her to many geisha shows. An established geisha wouldn't dare display their bosoms or strut in high heels. Their purple wigs and silver lipstick was a homage to Sia Bucks.
Yuzuko wanted to spit out the bitter tea, but she swallowed. "This tea is nothing like the tea back home."
"They're just putting on a show," Sakura said, picking up a blue macaroon. "The food looks nice, but the cakes are stale and the meat is greasy."
"We shouldn't complain," Aron said, licking his fingers. "It's one of the best meals I've had in a long time."
"It's all right I guess," Todd butted in. "It's a shame they don't have any fish and chips."
"I've never tried it," Sook-Jo said.
One of the butlers placed a covered plate on Todd's table. "Fish and Chips, Sir Todd."
Todd and Sook-Jo's eyes lit up at the battered cod and thick chips overflowing on the plate.
"I hope you're sharing!" Chang-Hoon said.
"Thank you very much," Aron said, chuckling as he pinched a chip from the plate.
Everyone seemed to be coping. The ability to crack jokes and just be themselves again. Yuzuko didn't understand how. The clash of grand colours, loud noises and temptations of fame overwhelmed her.
After what seemed to be the biggest meal Yuzuko ever had in her life, Barry, who was back to being Fanny welcomed Sia back on stage praising her as the hardest working person on television. It had to be an act for the camera. She remembered Mariangela saying something on Youtube once that Fanny Bru couldn't stand Sia.
Fanny and Sia hugged each other denying the years of feuds. "Oh, Sia how can we make this moment last forever."
Sia shrugged her shoulders. "Take a picture it will last longer."
The audience composed of military and government officials and rich people in sparkly clothes burst into laughter. "Now I know you've all been waiting for a long time. The votes have been counted and verified. In fourth place with 12422.21 Tood and Sook-Jo. Third place with 17435.21... Chang-Hoon and Yanyu. This year's runner up with 19246.06... it's the monkey's favourites. So the winners, now billionaires with 19790.21, give a huge round of applause for my beautiful babies...Sakura and Yuzuko."
Yuzuko felt like a cheater. She refused to smile as Sakura waved to the cameras. She did not want to be a part of this game anymore. She didn't want to be associated was a blood relative of Sia Bucks.
She noticed Aron and Ros chuckling at the rumbling chandelier. When Yuzuko looked up, she saw a monkey popping its heads ready to cause a riot. One monkey turned into two or three which became a dozen. Before Yuzuko knew it, hundreds of monkeys came out of hiding.
Sia ordered her men to eliminate them, but they would not listen. Yuzuko noticed that the men looked at Sergeant Dust who only shook his head. The men walked away. "WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING?"
The closing ceremony had turned into a food fight to end all food fights. On any other day, Yuzuko would feel dampened with having cake. It was the most fun she had in ages.
Yuzuko ran behind Sia and pulled her hair which turned out to be a wig. She gave it to one of the monkeys.
"Hey, babe!" Seargent Dust smirked, puffing away at a cigar. "Like the new hairstyle!"
Yuzuko grinned seeing Sia struggle against the little monkey. There was no way it was going to give her the purple curls back. "SEARGENT DUST!" Sia roared. "Lock these filthy beasts at once!"
Seargent Dust stood still. "The only thing that needs locking up is you."