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Yoo Joonghyuk stared up into the starry night sky, the vast blanket of countless stars filling his vision as he briefly wondered if one day there would be a time when he would be able to count the number of stars he could see in one night. His arms were folded behind his head, lying on the grassy banks of the Han river that once had bustled with people enjoying a picnic on a nice night out.
"Joonghyuk-ah"
Someone in a white coat sat down next to him, Yoo Joonghyuk only sparing him a glance before returning to his star gazing. This Kim Dokja was the avatar with 49% of his memories, everyone was aware of it and so was this clone, and as if understanding something that everyone had tried to hide, the avatar gave a small smile before tilting his head back to look up at the sky too. The twinkling stars were reflected in his brown eyes, long lashes slowly blinking as their wide eyes tried to soak in the beautiful sight.
"Isn't this okay, Joonghyuk-ah? Everyone was happy, the kids, Lee Jihye, Yoo Sangah-ssi, Jung Huiwon ssi-"
The regressor sat up and looked at the man beside him, brooding eyes icy and serious as always.
"Han Sooyoung was not happy. 𝘐 was not happy." He answered coldly in his usual short manner of speech. "You are not the companion I.. fought side by side with"
Brown eyes blinked rapidly as if to force away tears and pain from those words. The avatar's arms pulled in his knees closer to his chest, curling into himself smaller as if wanting to hide himself from the eyes of countless stars.
"I am still Kim Dokja. Even if I have only half of the memories.. if you cut a tomato in half it doesn't make one half of it 'fake.' " he mumbled which only seemed to annoy the other man even more.
Yoo Joonghyuk got up abruptly, a slight gust of wind making his coat ends flap in the air and strands of hair to brush over his view. The glare was intense and unforgiving, aimed at the avatar who couldn't bring himself to meet his eyes.
The Kim Dokja he knew would not have used tomatoes in his examples, he wouldn't have simply stopped talking about the Ways of Survival novel, he would not be acting so wary in front of his presence. He gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Tell me you fool, do you remember when I first told you to stay by my side forever? That I'll always find you even if you were just a single star in the whole universe." The regressor spat out before tilting his head back up at the sky. His blazing eyes closed briefly as he took a deep breath before speaking again, softly this time; "We were alone in your tent that night, just us."
At his words the bent head lifted up to look at the standing man, an unknown emotion flitting across his eyes. The avatar nodded slowly with a bite of his bottom lip, eyebrows furrowed.
"I remember." His voice trembled slightly as he pulled his coat tighter into him.
Yoo Joonghyuk's frame stiffened at his response, slowly looking down at him for a few seconds in silence before he smiled. That rare smile- it was twisted to be coolly amused rather than kind towards the clone who felt a cold shiver go up his spine.
"You lie just as bad."
His accusation was met with a lost gaze. The regressor looked away, turning his back towards the other as he stared hard out at the flowing river. The sun had begun to rise, warm orange and yellow hues shimmering against the reflecting small waves and onto their figures. 'How nostalgic' He thought to himself with a grim look.
"I said those words to him right on this very bank, as the sun rose over the river." He revealed the truth, bitterness in his tone.
At least Kim Dokja had held onto that memory for himself, wherever he was. Yoo Joonghyuk wondered what other memories they had together were missing from this avatar that sat next to him.
Speaking of which, the clone was silent as if unknowing what to say. Or perhaps to no longer expose himself on what memories he held and which he did not. The regressor looked down, holding a pocket watch in his scarred hand. His thumb brushed and traced over the intricate designs that decorated it, an action he found himself repeating every night as he looked into the starry skies.
"We will get Kim Dokja back." He stated firmly, combat boots digging into the ground as he trudged up the bank without a second glance back.
He did not despise the avatar, how could he hold such ill feelings? Those long lashes that cast shadows over his pale cheeks, his lips that pulled up into a smile when he was happy, those eyes that showed all of his emotions to him as if spilling out his truth. His stubborness in keeping everyone in their company safe, even to the extent of experiencing death one too many timesㅡ Yoo Joonghyuk had never known such a person and he had no desire to let him go.
The avatar of Kim Dokja's head snapped to the retreating man, soft lips parting in an effort to say something but the regressor spoke first.
"You may be 49% of Kim Dokja, but the man I love is 100% of Kim Dokja. Even if 1% of him was missing, I would travel across endless world lines to find that 1% and bring him home."
Kim Dokja stared at him, breath caught in his throat as his pained brown eyes widened at his words. He didn't know whether or not he wanted to see what kind of expression Yoo Joonghyuk had as he said those words. Slowly the sadness from his eyes disappeared, becoming twinkling moon eyes as the corners of his lips pulled up into a happy smile. The sun had now risen, the man in the white coat left alone on the warm grassy bank.
"Thank you, Joonghyuk-ah"