Curate, connect, and discover
Oh I can just imagine the confrontation if/when they find Gihun and Gihun trying to push them away because he’s so convinced that outside of the games he’s absolutely worthless + he doesn’t want any of them to get hurt because then it’ll add to the already mountain of guilt he carries. And Sangwoo trying to get Gihun to realize that he’s worth everything to him but Inho’s gotten so into his head that he can’t believe it. Overall very angsty
For the AU where Ilnam takes Gihun off the game to keep him as a pet... I don't really have the words for this right now but please just imagine Sangwoo's POV for a second when he hears "player 456 eliminated" and how fucked up he'd be for the rest of the games and then getting out and going to check on Gihun's mom only to find her dead and he'd never even know what happened to Gihun (unless..?) aaaaaaa
(Unless he somehow also comes across the Salesman later on and actually has a semi convo with him where Salesman lets something slip that makes it sound like he knows Gihun and is talking about him in present tense. Nothing super obvious but something Sangwoo notices and puts together idk.. And then Sangwoo investigates?? Tries to infiltrate the games in his own way? (So imagine in a more VIP/insider sort of way) Maybe Saebyeok learns about this and also wants to help? Maybe they bump into Junho along the way and the whole merc Kim and co plot still happens but Saebyeok is on the water with Junho while Sangwoo is on the island confronting the Frontman and looking for Gihun)
(Nothing super dark/darker than canon is happening with Inho/Gihun in this AU so like I imagine he's not exactly kept there against his will.. Maybe at first, but then it's more that at some point he learned about his mother's death, and Sangwoo and Saebyeok got what they needed, and even with them being alive he's still traumatized from the games and Ilnam's betrayal and basically having to gamble with people's lives. They offered him enough money to pay off his debts and start over but he feels like he has nothing left to live for out there, like he wouldn't be able to talk to Gayeong and like Sangwoo wouldn't want anything to do with him especially after what they went through, so he just sort of... stays, and tries to convince Inho to stop the games, and when that doesn't work tries to at least keep changing them to give people the most chances of survival. Like the keeping the money change, or like a new change where people who vote to leave get to just leave and only those who choose to stay keep playing. No more 'special game' at nighttime.
And he's miserable but he really feels like he wouldn't know what to do with himself out in the real world, and he doesn't want to bring down his friends with him, so maybe it's better if he stays "dead". And meanwhile Inho is just trying to win him over and convince him that they belong together, that he can make him happy if he stays with him forever.)
-- sparks
I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS!!! 💖💖
gihun is so traumatized and insecure about his place in people's lives that he just remains in the island. gayeong is being taken to america, sangwoo will help gihun's mom he's sure, saebyeok has her life... in his head, he is of no use to anyone.
except inho. inho tells gihun that he is needed at the island. at inho's side. and also ilnam's but the old man isn't important here. inho can make him happy and fulfilled, can turn him from a man with no purpose into someone who betters the world by removing the trash from the streets. gihun is horrified by this of course, he won't be a willing participant in the murder of innocents.
so he tells inho that he needs to make changes to the games and gihun will stay. like you said, anon, the money being divided and the ones who want to leave being allowed out and the vote after each game.
unbeknowst to gihun, sangwoo and saebyeok and junho are trying to find the island.....