Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dokja woke up with a jolt, stomach dropping and feeling like lightning was shooting through his body. He flailed on his bed, hand jerking out to steady himself. “What the hell?” He croaked out loud, rubbing his eyes to get rid of his bleariness.  

He looked around. This… was  not  his room. For one thing, Dokja hadn’t had a desk that shabby since the beginning of high school. It was wooden and worn, splinters near the edge and laden with textbooks. “Where am I?” Dokja slid off the bed warily, padding across the carpet and to the bookshelf, spotting a picture frame sitting there.  

He took it down and stared. There were three people inside, him and an unknown man and woman. Well, the boy was certainly him if Dokja had a happy childhood. A bright smile, hands clasped tightly in the couple’s, and no bruises anywhere on his skin… 

Dokja pushed down the brief feeling of envy and shook his head. There was no time for this, he had to figure out who kidnapped him and why.  

Ding Ding!  

He heard a soft pinging and a light pink box popped up in front of him.  

[Welcome, Player {KIM DOKJA}!  

You have entered the world of  ‘Love Between the Transfer Student and the Conglomerate Heir’  

Would you like to continue? 

■YES or YES■] 

Dokja stared. There… there wasn’t even an option to decline. “No.” He said out loud, trying to cheat the system. Why the hell would he want to be in this manga?  

Sure, he read all three volumes and religiously listened to the audio, but it was his guilty pleasure. The plot itself wasn’t even that great. A haughty heir falls in love with a strong-willed heroine and chases her without considering the repercussions or her feelings, who slowly wears her down and then they get together after a huge fight between her and the antagonist which forces the two leads to work together.  

Like he said, trashy.  

The system didn’t respond, simply hovering in place. Dokja gritted his teeth and turned around to sit back down on the bed, head bowed and fingers clasped in thought.  

So far, Dokja had been dropped into an impossible scenario. He was isekai’d into a manga with no way out. From what he could tell, he was just a mob character too. All in all, not a great situation.  

“…Can I at least know who I am?” He asked out loud, not really anticipating a response.  

Ding!  

Another pink box popped into view.  

[Host: Player {KIM DOKJA} 

Body: Mob Chara. Kim Dokja 

Age: 16 

Occupation: Murim High Student 

Background: Born to two commoners,  Kim Dokja  was raised with love until his pa rents died in a car accident at age 12, leaving  Kim Dokja  an orphan. With no relatives to take him, the  legal  system supplied hi m a temp. home until he reached 16, in which case his parents’ inheritance was allowed to him under the guidance of Lawyer  Jeon   Woochi . Until he reaches age 18, his spending is limited and he received enough allowance to survive. 

Extra: Currently in first semester of junior year. No known close friends.  

Reputation: Quiet, focused student. Keeps to himself, but open to conversation.  

• Teacher Affection: 60/100 
• Student Body Affection: 40/100 

Ending: To be determined at end of senior year.  

Would you like to continue? 

■YES or YES■] 

Dokja let out a defeated sigh. “I can’t believe I have to attend high school  again .” He clicked YES and there was a bright flash of light. When his eyes adjusted again, the box was gone and there was a phone floating in front of him.  

He grabbed it.  

[Title: An Ordinary Phone 

Description: An old phone owned by  Kim Dokja . At 81%.] 

He waved away the box in irritation. “Will this keep popping up for everything I touch?” He asked, a scowl on his face. “Disable it.” There was a small  ping!  and the box faded out.  

[To turn on Description Setting, simply ask “What is this?” on any object.] 

Dokja ignored the message and turned the phone on, checking the time and date. Thankfully it was 22:00 on a Sunday, though Dokja noted with despair that tomorrow would be the first day of school.  

“I escaped for ten years only to come back to this.” He said, letting out a dramatic sob. He stood up, plugging the phone into the charger and walking towards his closet.  

Loose shirts lined the hangers along with shorts in different colors. The original certainly didn’t stand out much, Dokja thought as he rifled through them.  

“Ah, here it is.” A neatly pressed school uniform was near the end of the line, a classic light brown jacket with an ‘M’ embroidered on the side, white button up shirt, and light brown slacks – it was just like his old uniform. “Ugh.” He shivered, poking at it. “This brings back unpleasant memories.”  

He’d already made peace with his hellish high school experience, but seeing that color shot him back to the days where he was pushed around by his bullies looking for a power high.  

Dokja shook his head and closed the door. “No time for that.” He said, firmly locking those memories away again. “Lee Seolhwa transfers into Murim High during the beginning of senior year, so I just have to survive until then.” 

He tilted his head and tapped his chin with his index finger. “Yoo Joonghyuk… is going to be absolutely insufferable.” Yes, Yoo Joonghyuk might have been his favorite character and  yes , Dokja might have had a huge crush on his absurdly perfect face , but even he couldn’t deny the fact that  Yoo  Joonghyuk was a complete and utter  prick  until Lee Seolhwa changed him.  

“…Let’s just make dinner and deal with whatever comes after.” Dokja said to himself. He exited out of his room and went to the kitchen, looking through the fridge and sighing. It was practically empty, only a half-empty carton of eggs, water bottles, and a few things of meat sat on the shelves.  

Dokja decided to make a simple omelet using everything inside and made a reminder to go grocery shopping after school. He had already looked into his bank and saw there was a little more than 300,000 won – just barely enough for him to get by the month.  

Well, he certainly wouldn’t be able to indulge himself. It was like he was in college again, having to carefully limit the things he bought in order to not starve every month.  

As he ate dinner, sipping on water from the fridge, he tried to organize his thoughts. Since the character Kim Dokja didn’t have any screentime, Dokja wasn’t sure what class he was in or if he had ever interacted with any of the main characters.  

It gave him a headache. “This is truly what one would call ‘going in blind’.” Dokja sighed. Hopefully he wouldn’t make too much of a blunder.  

He wrapped up half of his omelet to eat for breakfast and went to wash up. The original seemed to like soft, subtle scents. Dokja stared down at a honey shampoo and white tea soap, the heady scents filling his nose.  

“I’m going to smell like a damn meadow.” Dokja said. He suppressed any feelings of despair so forcefully he entered a state of nirvana.  

Dokja mechanically went through the motions and slipped into bed, closing the lights and staring up at the ceiling in the darkness.  

“This is going to go awfully.” He declared.  

Chapter Text

Dokja woke up to the alarm blaring in his ears. “Ugh.” He said with feeling, hand slapping around the nightstand until he reached his phone. He fiddled with it closed eyed until the noise finally stopped and he laid there, trying not to pass out again.

High school. He had to go to school.

The thought itself made him want to hurl. He’d forgotten how early students had to wake up and sent a silent prayer to every high schooler as he reluctantly pulled himself out of bed. His hair was a mess and his mouth felt stuffy. Dokja smacked his lips as he went to the bathroom to wash up.

Looking in the mirror as he was wiping his mouth, he had to pause. Dokja… wasn’t too bad looking. Of course, it would never match up to the main characters of this manga, but for a mob character, Dokja would even dare to call himself cute.

He was pale and slender, face thankfully clear and eyelashes long and flattering. He still had some baby fat on his cheeks and they squished softly underneath his fingers. His hair was still a typical bowl cut and his bangs were a bit long.

Dokja liked his eyes the most. They were slanted at the ends like a fox and a striking grey, giving him a slightly mischievous look, as if he knew something you didn’t and found it amusing.

“Hm…” He said out loud, turning his head from side to side in appreciation. “Good job, whoever designed me.”

Ding!

[(/^▽^)/ (●´ω｀●)]

Dokja stared at the floating box. What. He reached out to poke it and the box fluttered, dancing out of his reach.

“D…Did you design it…?” He asked, feeling slightly stupid as he was basically talking to air. It bounced up and down in the air.

…

Dokja turned away, suddenly regretting complimenting it at all. He got dressed and resolutely ignored the box still trying to grab his attention. By the time he ate his breakfast, washed the dishes, and put on his shoes to go outside, the box seemed to have given up, fading out of view with a sad ding.

Dokja almost felt bad until he remembered his situation. ‘Am I really feeling for a floating box?’ He asked himself. ‘Have I fallen so low?’ He slung his backpack over his shoulders and started walking down the path to his school. Luckily, it seemed his character lived just a few minutes' walk from Murim High, which was convenient considering he didn’t know where the key to the bicycle chained outside his house was.

As he drew closer, he could hear the footsteps of students and chattering between groups of friends. He ended up having to dodge out of the way of some boys shoving each other all over the place, nearly getting spiked in the head with an elbow. “Sorry!” They called back to him before disappearing further into the school grounds. Dokja sighed, brushing his hair back and shuffling faster. He needed to find out what class he was in before he lost his will to continue and just headed home for the day.

As if the box knew what he was thinking, Ding!, it popped up in front of him.

[Player {KIM DOKJA} will fail the game if he doesn’t attend school!]

Dokja rolled his eyes and waved it away, muttering, “I get it. I was just joking.” He ignored the odd side glance of the girl next to him and shoved his way through the crowd of kids hovering in front of the wooden bulletin board, scanning for his name.

‘Well, I suppose I should have expected this.’ He deadpanned, seeing the 3-A. Placed in the classroom where all the action was happening. Wonderful.

The shoving got worse and Dokja immediately got out of there, weaving his way around the mass of wriggling bodies and hopping out to the side, near the trees planted around the yard and with barely any people.

He heard muffled voices coming from the side of the building and crept to the corner, peeking his head around and tilting his head. There seemed to be a group of around four or five upperclassmen surrounding a pretty girl, who had her head held high and was clearly arguing with them.

“Who is that?” Dokja whispered, not really knowing if the box had a character function but hoping anyways.

Ding!

[Character: Jung Heewon

Age: 16

Occupation: Murim High Student, Kumdo Club Member

Background: Not much is known about Jung Heewon. Born to an Accountant father and Kumdo enthusiast mother, an only child raised to follow in her mother’s footsteps.

Extra: Currently in her first semester of junior year. Only known close friends: Lee Hyunsung, Jang Hayoung, and Lee Jihye.

Reputation: Her bold and unyielding personality has earned her both the dislike and admiration of both underclassmen and upperclassmen.

• Teacher Affection: 50/100
• Student Body Affection: 57/100

Ending: To be determined by end of senior year.]

He could see Jung Heewon glaring at the upperclassmen with dark eyes and decided to step in before she launched herself at them to punch them black and blue.

“Excuse me,” he called out politely. The entire group paused before turning to him, the leader sending him an impatient look.

“What.” He snapped at Dokja, eyes clearly telling him to piss off so they could continue hounding the pretty underclassman. Dokja smiled blandly, hiding his irritation and disgust with practiced ease.

“The patrol officer is coming around the corner.” He said, tilting his head to the side. Their faces immediately changed and they scrambled away, leaving Dokja alone with a character only mentioned in passing.

“I could have handled that.” Jung Heewon told him, though still nodding to him in thanks. Dokja saw her hands ease up from fists and smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with his hand.

“You could have absolutely kicked all their asses in under five minutes.” Dokja complimented, looking at Heewon’s biceps that showed through the sleeves of the school uniform. “But getting in trouble on the first day of school because of a fight would be bad on your record.”

Heewon paused, looking at him silently before huffing. “I suppose you’re right.” She conceded grudgingly.

Ding!

[Character Jung Heewon feels less wary of Host Kim Dokja!

+5 Affection Points – Current Affection: 15/100]

“I’m Kim Dokja.” He introduced himself, holding his hand out and leaving it between their bodies. Heewon glanced down before looking into his eyes. After a pause, she accepted his greeting, shaking his hand firmly.

‘Wow,’ Dokja thought to himself, ‘she could crush my hand in a second.’ Even the brief mention of her strength in the novel didn’t prepare him for real life.

“Jung Heewon.” She replied back, letting go with a more relaxed expression on her face. “What class are you in?”

“3-A.” Dokja answered. “And you?” Despite already knowing, he decided to ask for the politeness of it all.

Heewon’s eyes widened. “Me too.” Her head tilted and she continued. “Want to head over together?”

“Yes, please.” Dokja said, letting relief pass over his features. “I have no idea where the classroom is.” Heewon smiled and slapped his shoulder, leaving behind a slight sting.

[Character Jung Heewon:

+10 Affection Points – Current Affection: 25/100]

“Good thing I do.” She said, starting to walk forward without looking back. Dokja scrambled to keep up with her, and watched in surprise as students got out of her way.

‘Was Jung Heewon so popular?’ Dokja thought to himself. Then he saw how one guy practically flew out of her way and then understood. ‘Or so feared.’

Though he got it. Jung Heewon was always said to be a physical person who didn’t hold back on her words, winning the national Kumdo championship in her senior year and going off to enter international competitions too. A woman like that was meant to be feared.

They arrived at the classroom and Dokja sat in the middle, next to the window. Heewon took the desk in front and sat backwards on her chair. “You’re a lot bolder than I thought.” She remarked, looking at him straight in the eyes.

Dokja blinked. “What do you mean?” There’s no way she found out already… right?

“Well,” she continued, “the other times I’ve ever seen you around, you’ve always been off by yourself and you don’t really talk unless someone does it first. You would’ve never gotten in the way of those assholes before.” Dokja cursed himself, he forgot the original didn’t like to draw attention and ended up already going out of character.

‘Well, might as well bullshit my way out of this.’ Dokja thought, deciding to throw his worries away. “I went though a bit of change over the summer,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Got more secure in myself, steadier. It’s like I’m a whole different person, you know?”

Heewon raised her eyebrow. “Quite a change. You can actually look me in the eyes now.”

Well, shit. Was the original really so timid? Dokja shrugged again, brushing off her curious glance. “Like I said, I’m more settled.”

Heewon nodded, an approving little hum coming from her.

[Character Jung Heewon:

+10 Affection Points – Current Affection: 35/100]

Dokja kept his eyebrows from furrowing. It seemed unusually easy to raise affection points, especially from someone like Jung Heewon, who was know to be – rightfully – wary of men.

Heewon seemed to come to a decision and said, “I’ll introduce you to my friends. One’s in this class too, but he hasn’t arrived yet. You might know him: Lee Hyunsung?”

Dokja’s jaw almost dropped open. This was way too easy! Someone close to the male lead already being introduced? Was this manga rigged or something?

“Uh, I think so? He’s one of the school’s best wrestlers, right?” Heewon nodded, looking proud.

“Yup. He’s super nice, so don’t let his appearance scare you.”

The door to the classroom slid open and they both turned their heads to see two figures entering the room. It was easy enough to identify them – both absurdly tall and muscular, one with a face of a model and the other gentle and friendly.

Heewon completely ignored Yoo Joonghyuk and called out, “Lee Hyunsung! Come here!” Hyunsung heard Heewon’s voice and perked up, immediately obeying like a puppy running to his favorite person.

“Heewon-ssi! Hello!” You could practically see the hearts flying out of him as he gazed at her and Dokja hid a smile. He’d always liked Hyunsung, even if he wasn’t Dokja’s favorite character.

Ding!

[Character: Lee Hyunsung

Age: 16

Occupation: Murim High Student, Wrestling Club Member

Background: Born into a military family and raised by their values. A gentle boy who takes after his mother’s personality, but his father’s physique. Expected to enter the Army after he graduates, but wishes to avoid it.

Extra: Starting first semester of junior year. Known close friends: Jung Heewon, Yoo Sangah, Yoo Joonghyuk, and Kim Namwoon.

Reputation: Very popular amongst the student body. A kind and obedient boy known to be very loyal and reliable.

• Teacher Affection: 90/100
• Student Body Affection: 90/100

Ending: To be determined by the end of senior year.]

“Remember Kim Dokja?” Heewon was saying, gesturing towards him. Dokja nodded when Hyunsung turned his gaze to him.

“Hello, Hyunsung-ssi. Nice to meet you.” Dokja said, waving at him.

“Hello!” He replied, taking the desk next to Heewon, to absolutely no one’s surprise. His crush on Jung Heewon was almost as famous as Yoo Joonghyuk himself (though Heewon seemed oblivious to it).

[Character Lee Hyunsung feels friendly towards Host Kim Dokja!

+20 Affection Points – Current Affection: 30/100]

Ah, the power of love.

Class settled in and Dokja prepared himself for the first day of school. From the way it was already going, he would need all the mental prep he could get.

Chapter Text

Their teacher interrupted any further conversation, knocking on the podium to get everyone’s attention. “Welcome to Class 3-A.” Their homeroom teacher was a short, but intimidating man by the name of Kyrgios Rodgraim. Dokja released a quiet breath. Even the manga didn’t do this man justice. Brushing off the bright blue hair that wasn’t possible just from a genetic standpoint, his looks were enough to challenge the main character – and that in itself was just too ridiculous. Dokja didn’t even bother to listen before he murmured under his breath. 

“Stats?” 

Ding!  

[Character: Kyrgios Rodgraim 

Age: 28 

Occupation: Murim High 3-A Homeroom Teacher, Co-Sponsor of Murim Karate Club 

Background: Even from a family renowned in karate, Kyrgios Rodgraim was lauded as a prodigy from a young age. However, an upheaval in the family hierarchy caused him to turn away from them and start a new life at Murim High. 

Extra: Slightly sensitive about his height. Close friends with co-sponsor of karate club Namgung Minyoung 

Reputation: Stern about work, but lively when a topic interests him; popular amongst male students passionate about karate and female students who fawn over his looks.

• Teacher Affection: 68/100
• Student Affection: 87/100

Ending: To be determined at the end of senior year] 

To be honest, Dokja had been a bit of a fan while reading the manga, though his affection had never wavered from his main character, but still, seeing him in the flesh was exciting. He tried to hide his trembling, ducking his head down to peer up at his teacher through his bangs with shiny eyes.

The teacher kept talking, though Dokja did notice that he seemed to have glanced at him. ‘Oops,’ he thought sheepishly, ‘maybe I didn’t hide it as well as I hoped.’ He softly cleared his throat and sat up straight, trying to keep his face from flushing.

“I am your homeroom for this year, Kyrgios Rodgraim. You may call me Mr. Rodgraim. Do not approach me for any personal conversations outside of schoolwork or the karate club, understand?” He said this with a weary sigh, looking for all the world like he was tired of having to repeat it again and again. Dokja couldn’t blame him. Even Joonghyuk being there didn’t save the homeroom teacher from being swarmed nearly everyday by adoring female students who always tried to enact some kind of teacher-student romance like a romance novel. 

Dokja could hear murmurs of disappointment from around him, even from some of the male students. Heewon held back a small snicker and exchanged a humorous glance with Hyunsung, miming fake tears on her face. Hyunsung accidentally let out a light laugh and slapped a hand over his mouth when Kyrgios looked at him sharply, glancing away sheepishly and hunching down. 

Dokja honestly could not care enough to listen, he experienced high school once already and that was hell enough for him. He took a look around the room, trying to subtly glance at Joonghyuk from the corner of his eye. 

Ah… his protagonist really was stupidly handsome. Eyebrows seemingly drawn by a single, uninterrupted stroke of a famed artist's brush; a nose and a chin shaped in perfect angles that defied attempts to measure them through mere devices of men; a pair of deep eyes seemingly carved out of a beautiful jewel containing all the misfortunes found in this world. He was an astounding beauty among a sea of gangly hormonal teens.

Even other secondary characters couldn’t compare to him. Where Hyunsung was tall and stocky, with muscles like a bull and strong features softened by the gentle curve of his mouth and the kindness in his eyes; Joonghyuk was tall and built like a Roman god. His shoulders were broad, his muscles cut from marble and tapering into a slightly thin waist, and his features were a mix of handsome and beautiful. 

Dokja had to wipe the metaphorical drool from his mouth as he straightened up, murmuring quietly. “Stats.”

Ding!

[Main Character: Yoo Joonghyuk

Age: 16

Occupation: Murim High Student, Murim Karate Club Member

Background: Born into extreme wealth, his parents are mostly absent from his and his beloved little sister Yoo Mia ’s life. Ability to master any skill at once, no known faults aside from his personality ( SUBJECT TO CHANGE ). 

Extra: Currently in his first semester of junior year. Only known affiliations: Lee Jihye , Namgung Minyoung, Lee Hyunsung , and Yoo Sangah.

Reputation: His cold arrogance has earned him the ire of his male peers, while his startlingly good looks have him worshipped amongst his female peers. A star student and athlete, he has never dropped below first place. Known to only be kind to his little sister.

SECRET #1: Higher affection level needed to unlock. 

SECRET #2: Higher affection level needed to unlock. 

• Teacher Affection: 76/100
• Student Affection:
• Male: 42/100
• Female: 87/100

Ending: To be determined by the end of senior year.]

Dokja blinked. The student affections were split? And his stat window had a secret? Wow, truly the main male lead treatment… He shook his head lightly, and when he glanced over again, he clashed with sharp grey eyes. 

Oh shit! Dokja hissed in his mind, looking down at his desk with his arm blocking his face. Crap, what do I do now? Joonghyuk was known to be unforgiving towards the creepier population of his ‘admirers’, and now Dokja had been caught sneaking peeks at him. 

He closed his eyes and prayed for help when something soft hit his desk. He looked and saw a crumpled piece of paper, reaching out to open it. 

Are you good? Heewon’s neat handwriting appeared, You’re making sounds like you’re choking.

Oops . Dokja hadn’t realized that. He cleared his throat and wrote back. Accidentally got caught staring at YJH. I’m dead meat. He tossed it back to Heewon’s desk when Mr. Kyrgios wasn’t looking, and saw her writing back with a quiet snicker before it came to him again. 

Yikes. It said bluntly. What flowers do you want at your funeral? She drew a laughing face next to it and Dokja sighed helplessly. Just kidding, don’t worry about it. YJH has a sort of soft spot for Hyunsung, he’ll help you out. If he actually tries anything, the big teddy bear will stop him.

Dokja breathed out in relief. Right, that was one thing only very briefly mentioned in the novel before it seemed the author forgot about it - like he said, very trashy read. In a rather emotional scene between Lee Hyunsung and Yoo Joonghyuk, Joonghyuk actually revealed that Hyunsung’s sincerity and honesty was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. 

And then the scene changed and nothing ever happened with that. No reader ever brought it up either when there were fanwars going around about who paired better with Yoo Joonghyuk instead of Lee Seolhwa, like hello? No one thought the only person who could make him soft was maybe a good pairing? 

Dokja would never admit that he was in the YJHxLHS corner, especially not now when he was in the same world as them.

Please save me. He scribbled quickly, tossing it back just as Mr. Kyrgios turned around. The man’s eyes narrowed and Dokja looked out the window, admiring the bright sun and breezy day - he glanced back and his teacher was already moving on to the next subject. 

Time ticked on slowly, and as that blessed bell finally rang, all the students rushed out of the class like a school of fish, leaving only four people standing there. 

Joonghyuk got up from his desk slowly, every move elegant and calculated, like a dance in motion. “So?” He asked Dokja, his voice cold and annoyed. 

Dokja’s hackles immediately lifted. “So what?” He replied boldly, hearing Heewon and Hyunsung stand up in front of him. “A guy can’t look around a little in a new classroom?”

“When you hide like an ostrich after meeting my eyes, no .” Joonghyuk’s eyes glittered like a snake about to strike, his body coiled with subtle tension. Dokja suddenly remembered another thing about this main character - Yoo Joonghyuk had never lost a fight.

Dokja really wasn’t looking to have his new face rearranged on the first day and he tensed up before instinctively retorting. “What, you think everyone who meets your eyes is staring at you? There’s no room for coincidences? That’s pretty arrogant of you, Yoo Joonghyuk .” Dokja’s heart pounded in his chest as he prayed to all the higher beings that his bullshit worked. 

[Main Character Yoo Joonghyuk feels conflicted!

-15 Affection Points - Current Affection: -5/100]

The negatives?! Dokja closed his eyes, pain radiating in his heart. His main character, his stupidly arrogant and handsome male lead-!

[Main Character Yoo Joonghyuk feels conflicted!

+20 Affection Points - Current Affection: 15/100]

Dokja paused. What . He slowly looked at Joonghyuk with trembling eyes. Joonghyuk’s eyebrows were furrowed and he looked annoyed, but not the same level of vitriol as Dokja would have expected from someone who hated the type of attention he got from his peers. Joonghyuk shook his head and huffed, sending another glare at Dokja. “Don’t let it happen again.” He turned on his heels and left with steady steps, and as the door slid close behind him, Heewon and Hyunsung came up to Dokja, twin looks of surprise on their faces. 

“I cannot believe you got out of that with nothing but a glare.” Heewon shook her head in disbelief. “Lesser offenses have ended with Joonghyuk’s fist in their face.”

[Character Jung Heewon is impressed by Host Kim Dokja’s newly acquired spunk!

+5 Affection Points - Current Affection: 40/100]

“Joonghyuk’s not that bad!” Hyunsung, the sweetheart he was, tried to defend his friend. “He only fights when they deserve it.” He turned to Dokja and smiled at him, sweet and gummy. “I’m more surprised at you, Dokja. The you I knew before the beginning of this semester… well, I think he would have dug a hole in the ground before confronting someone like Joonghyuk.”

Dokja made a noncommittal sound, shrugging when they kept looking at him. He couldn’t act the same way as the original body, okay? He’d already grown out of his insecurities and low self-esteem - he was even seeing a therapist! Well, not anymore now, what with the freaking isekai and all. But still, he wouldn’t be able to handle acting like a coward again. “I’m a new person,” was all he said. The same excuse he gave Heewon, but this time Hyunsung accepted it immediately. 

“That’s wonderful!” And he genuinely did seem happy for Dokja. Ugh, my heart. The purity of his emotions was a balm against Dokja’s old soul. “I’ve always wanted to speak with you, but I never got the chance.”

[Character Lee Hyunsung feels closer to Host Kim Dokja!

+15 Affection Points - Current Affection: 45/100]

Okay, wow. Hyunsung really was easy to get along with. Two direct conversations with him and Dokja was almost halfway full already?

But onto something more important, what on earth was with Joonghyuk’s affection points? Why did it suddenly fall and then rise?

Ding!

[(⁠人⁠ ⁠•͈⁠ᴗ⁠•͈⁠)¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ ͡⁠°⁠ ͜⁠ʖ⁠ ͡⁠°⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯]

Dokja stared at the floating box. Did it… want him to guess? 

[⁠(⁠>⁠▽⁠<⁠)⁠ﾉ<⁠(⁠￣⁠︶⁠￣⁠)⁠↗]

Well, if that was what it wanted - Dokja ignored the box. 

It flickered indignantly before disappearing with a [•́⁠ ⁠ ⁠‿⁠ ⁠,⁠•̀ (⁠ᗒ⁠ᗩ⁠ᗕ⁠)]. 

“I’ve always wanted to get to know you too, Hyunsung.” Dokja smiled, taking his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. “Do either of you have any club activities? It’d be nice to talk a little more.” Both of them shook their heads and joined him as they trekked through the school and made their way to the gate. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw more characters out in the fields.

Kim Namwoon was talking at a bored Lee Jihye, gesturing to a soccer net before attempting - and failing - to score a goal, to which she turned and walked away while he chased after her. 

Dokja even saw Yoo Sangah being surrounded by a bunch of male students a polite distance from her as she was replying to one of them, a tight smile on her face before Joonghyuk walked by and Sangah somehow teleported to his side and the male students dispersed while glaring at him. 

It was fascinating to see a world he’d only ever read about in the flesh, walking around with two of the characters he loved. And hey, this was already turning out better than his first run of high school.

…Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have some fun until he went back to reality.