The Hunger Games

4. Survive

헤이미치

Did I miss dinner?

My tongue is twisted.

In an instant, he vomits all over the expensive carpet and collapses onto it.

에피 트링켓

"Just keep laughing like that!"

Effie says that and walks away to her room, dodging the vomit with her pointed-heeled feet.

For a moment, Park Jimin and I watch our mentor struggling to get up from the slippery, dirty puddle he had vomited up.

The stench of the vomit and the smell of alcohol make me feel like throwing up too.

We exchange glances.

It is obvious that Haymitch is a nobody, but it is also true that Effie is right.

For now, Haymitch is the only one we can rely on per game.

As if by unspoken agreement, Park Jimin and I each grabbed an arm on either side of Heimitch and helped him up.

헤이미치

Did I fall? It smells awful.

Haymitch ended up getting vomit on his face because he rubbed his nose with his hand.

박지민

I'll take you to your room. I should probably wash you up.

We lead Haymitch into his room, practically carrying him halfway.

I couldn't just lay her down on the embroidered bedsheet, so I pushed her into the bathtub and turned on the shower.

Haymitch doesn't seem to feel the water pouring down.

박지민

From now on, I'll do it by myself.

Because I really didn't want to undress Haymitch, wash the vomit off his chest hair, and lay him on the bed

I can't help but feel a little grateful.

이여주

"Yeah. I could call the Capitol and ask for help."

There are many employees from the Capitol on the train.

The people who cook for us and guard us. Taking care of us is their job.

박지민

No. I don't want to see those people.

I nod and return to my room.

I understand how Park Jimin feels.

I also find it hard to bear seeing the Capitol people.

But leaving Haymitch in their hands would be a small act of revenge.

So, while wondering why Park Jimin said he would do Haymitch's dirty work, I suddenly had this thought.

It's because Park Jimin is kind. A kind person. Just like when he gave me bread.

At that thought, I suddenly stop walking.

The kind Park Jimin is a much more dangerous existence to me than the mean Park Jimin.

Good people come into my heart and take root.

We shouldn't do that where we go.

Park Jimin must not be that kind of person to me.

The train stops to refuel

Looking at the flowers blooming in the field, I get lost in old memories.

The time I stayed up all night looking at the book my younger sibling and mom brought from the herbal medicine shop.

The first time I hunted alone without my dad.

The act of finding a new knack on one's own by visiting the back door of a wealthy house to sell goods.

The baker likes squirrels, but he only does business when his wife is away.

The market is crazy about strawberries.

Life gradually improved and Mom slowly returned to us.

Lee Yeo-jin forgave her mother.

But I took a step back from my mom.

I built a wall to protect myself so that I wouldn't need my mom.

Since then, the relationship between my mother and me has not been the same as before.

I guess I’m going to die without even being able to fix that.

As I think of home, loneliness pierces me painfully.

Maybe, if you fall asleep and wake up, you might find yourself opening your eyes in Zone 12.

As soon as I cover myself with a thick, fluffy blanket, I feel the warmth.

Leaving his body to the shaking of the train, he loses consciousness and falls asleep.

에피 트링켓

"Wake up, hurry! Today is going to be a really, really great day!"

Haymitch, whose face is red and swollen from drinking too much yesterday, is giggling.

Park Jimin, holding a roll in his hand, has a slightly shy expression.

헤이미치

"Sit! Sit!"

Haymitch gestured to me and said.

박지민

"They say this is called hot chocolate. It's delicious."

As I take a sip of the hot, sweet, and creamy liquid, a shiver spreads through my whole body.

I tasted a bite of every dish, and the portions were substantial.

It is only when my stomach feels like it is going to burst that I lean back and look around at the others.

Park Jimin is still eating.

I am tearing off small pieces of the roll, dipping them in hot chocolate, and eating them.

Haymitch is drinking a liquid that looks like hard liquor.

By the time you arrive at the Capitol, you will probably be out of your mind.

I realize that I really hate Haymitch.

It is understandable that the tributes from Zone 12 could not win.

We rarely get sponsors, and a big part of the reason is Heimitch.

이여주

"Hmm, you play the role of giving us advice, right?"

헤이미치

"Alright, shall I give you some advice? Survive."

Haymitch said this and then laughed wildly.

After exchanging glances with Park Jimin, I belatedly recall my resolution to avoid getting involved with him.

He is surprised to see the scary look in Park Jimin's eyes.

Park Jimin usually looks very gentle.

박지민

That's really fun.

Park Jimin suddenly slaps the glass in Haymitch's hand.

The glass that fell to the floor shattered, and a blood-red liquid flowed down to the back of the train.

박지민

It’s not fun for us, though.

Heimitch thinks for a moment, then punches Park Jimin in the jaw.

Park Jimin, having been hit, rolls off the chair.

The moment Haymitch reached out to grab the bottle.

I plunge the knife down between his hand and the liquor bottle.

I almost cut off his finger.

헤이미치

"Hmm, what is all this? Did two brawlers come this year?"

Park Jimin gets up from the floor, picks up a handful of ice from the fruit plate, and tries to apply it to the red wound on his chin.

헤이미치

"No, make sure your wounds are visible. If people see them, they'll think you had a fight with another tribute before you even entered the arena."

박지민

That's against the rules.

헤이미치

It’s a violation only when you get caught. Wounds are proof that you fought, and more importantly, that you fought and didn’t get caught.

Haymitch turns toward me and asks.

헤이미치

"Can you hit anything other than the table with that knife?"

My main weapon is a bow and arrow.

However, I also practiced throwing knives quite a bit.

Sometimes, if you have wounded an animal with an arrow, it is better to throw away your knife before approaching it.

He snaps the knife stuck in the table, grabs the blade, and throws it toward the wall on the other side of the room.

Actually, I just intended to make it go in hard, but the knife got stuck precisely in the gap between the two panels, making it look like I threw it better than my actual skill.

Come stand here, both of you.

Let's do as he says. Haymitch circles around us,

Sometimes, he pokes at them as if poking livestock, examines their muscles, and observes their faces.

헤이미치

"Hmm, it's not hopeless. I see potential. If he gets his hands on some stylists, he'll probably look pretty good."

The Hunger Games is not a beauty pageant, but attractive tributes always attract more sponsors.

헤이미치

"Alright, make a promise with me. Don't interfere with my drinking. I will always stay sober enough to help you guys. But you must unconditionally obey my orders."

박지민

"great"

Haymitch picks up the bottle of alcohol from the table and walks out of the dining car.

The train enters the tunnel and it gets dark,

While the train speeds along, Park Jimin and I just stand quietly.

Finally, the train slows down, and suddenly a bright light rushes into the carriage.

Park Jimin and I couldn't stand it anymore and ran to the window.

The Capitol I had only seen on TV. Its magnificent appearance was not a lie.

Rather, it seemed that the camera could not properly capture the magnificent buildings and shining cars soaring into the sky with rainbow-like light.

People who recognized that the tribute train had entered the city began to point their fingers at us.

I move away from the window, disgusted by the excited look on the faces of those who are eager to see us die.

However, Park Jimin stands firm in his spot, waving and smiling at the onlookers who are staring blankly at us.

Park Jimin falls from the window only after the train enters the station and they disappear from sight.

Park Jimin, noticing that I am staring at him intently, shrugs his shoulders.

박지민

Who knows? There might be a rich person among them.

I have been seeing Park Jimin wrong all this time.

I think about his actions up until now.

The way he held my hand tightly in a friendly manner.

The thing her father promised me he would give food to Lee Yeo-jin

Did Park Jimin tell him to do that?

He stepped forward to wash Haymitch, but when he realized that being nice this morning wouldn't work, he ended up attacking.

And the act of waving from the window just now, already trying to win the audience over to his side.

I get the feeling that Park Jimin is making a plan.

Park Jimin also has no intention of dying quietly.

They are already fighting hard to survive.

That is soon kind Park Jimin,

The child who gave me bread,

It also means that they are fighting hard to kill me.