Chapter Text
It started out as a normal evening where Kim Dokja would go with his friends to get alcohol poisoning whilst hoping that they won’t wake up the next day in a hospital.
It had always been a tradition for him, Han Sooyoung and Yoo Sangah to head towards Jung Heewon’s bar on Saturday night, taking advantage of their free Sundays to bemoan their existence and regret their choices, but never wise enough to not repeat said choices. The fact that they repeat this weekly without fail only speaks to the fact that they were a trio of unrepentant alcoholics.
Yoo Sangah could hide it well with her gentle smile that looked like she was the poster-woman for innocence, but out of the three of them, she drank the most. She’d be completely fine the next morning because hangover was a thing that apparently never occurred in her whole lucky life.
Han Sooyoung was as terrible at hiding it as him, and she was his eternal comrade in crawling in the morning for a drop of water, and maybe, if they were strong enough, to the toilet to spit out everything they ate for the last three days.
The three of them had been friends since high school, and had been inseparable since. Kim Dokja used to get bullied because he was friends with two beautiful woman and with her mother’s not so stellar reputation, but those people soon learned that the ‘beautiful’ women were evil-incarnate, and so left Kim Dokja well alone prompto as they shook in fear and had crying jags in the toilet during lunch break.
Han Sooyoung retaliated with pranks stealthily and Yoo Sangah destroyed their reputations until they rolled down the social ladder none so stealthily, and by the end of the school year that Kim Dokja knew them, people learned not to badmouth or even get physically aggressive with Kim Dokja or else.
They’ve been thick as thieves since then and their weekly drinking session only happened when they got acquainted with Jung Heewon, and now, Jung Heewon’s parents, her little brother, her sixteen cousins, her grandma, her eleven friends, her sole best friend, her five enemies and her neighbor’s dog also became acquainted with them.
Kim Dokja could honestly say that his life was heading to a better direction, what with being forced to socialize and not be meek enough to be sneered upon. He’d learnt social nuances and body language, tells of people he never even wanted to know but became so obvious over time when his observational skills steadily improved; it was pretty useful for his job and for dealing with that cashier he shoves groceries to punch the price at 3 AM.
One of these days, that cashier will probably pull out the gun she kept bellow the counter and shoot him with it when he interrupts her naps again. It’s not his fault he gets waylaid by reading too much and only remembers that he has nothing to eat at 3 AM.
But the cash registrar was not the point—she was not even remotely important in this story. No, the REAL point was, in the middle of their weekly alcohol poisoning, Han Sooyoung at eight soju bottles dared Kim Dokja something that he absolutely cannot let pass if he wanted his pride as a reader be trampled upon by her sneaker shoes.
Kim Dokja had already decimated nine and three fourths bottles at that time and was absolutely maddened that her friend dared to question his reading speed.
“Kim Dokja, I dare you for a hundred thousand won that you won’t be able to finish reading Ways of Survival within a week.” Was what Han Sooyoung said if she hadn’t cut herself off multiple times to remember the next following words of the sentence, and if it wasn’t heavily slurred, ”I bet you can’t do it! Even I gave up half way!”
Mightily pissed, Kim Dokja slurred back at her and waved an errant fist in the air, “Oh yeah? Watch me! That hundred thousand won will be mine!”
When Yoo Sangah delivered him on his front step that night, Kim Dokja didn’t immediately pass out as he usually did, instead he shakily opened up a tab of the famous novels' site he daily frequents, and after twenty minutes of trying to remember the title, had finally given in and asked Yoo Sangah what the title was because Han Soyoung was probably passed out on her hallway.
What he got was a vaguely implied threat on his person if he doesn’t go to sleep, and so he did due to fear. By the next morning, Yoo Sangah had sent him the title like the angel she was, but Kim Dokja could hardly thank her with his splitting headache.
He only managed to start reading come noon when he was done perspiring and shaking like a leaf, and the rest of the week was a week of utter madness and despair and rage due to the atrocity of the novel seemingly written by a 5th grade schooler that watched too many Jackie Chan films.
On several occasions did his coworkers find him banging his head on the desk, which led to three letters recommending him to head towards the psych department and his boss screaming at him about the backlog of his unfinished paperwork that was at the brink of an avalanche, haphazardly sitting and tilting on his desk, clearly untouched.
Aside from his terrible work ethics, Kim Dokja had made considerable progress with figuratively consuming the novel.
Friday night and he had three chapters left and an impending doom that the novel would end in a cliffhanger or be so fast forwarded like he couldn’t believe, and ten minutes later confirmed his former suspicion of cliffhanger.
If he could spit blood or fire, he would. So many attempts of hurling his phone at something—anything-- but because Kim Dokja was a connoisseur of self-control nowadays (barring the constant choosing of his hobby against his paid job), he managed to dissuade himself that that would be a bad idea.
Angered, he went to bed so he could rant at Han Sooyoung about her awful reading materials, and perplexed, he woke up in a completely different room and clothes.
In fact, the bed was made of bamboo and his pillow was a hard block of decorated wood, and Kim Dokja reminded himself to not have a panic attack. He should know his situation first, and only when he could prove that it’s too dire, then he can proceed with his panic attack.
His clothes was a pristine white Jeogori paired with a dark blue Baji—a clothing which he most definitely does not own nor had any intentions of owning. The room was something a Goryeo dynasty fanatic would die to have or replicate and even Kim Dokja took the time to appreciate it, amazed by the tiny details he could find.
Hours later, he was examining the pillow wood thoroughly when the door slid open, and he was caught fondling it and raising it to the high heavens like it was a beloved child. Kim Dokja could see from his angle that the intruder was a woman with white hair, and she had a surprised expression so contained she looked like she was judging his very soul.
She probably is judging his very soul.
Considering that Kim Dokja was frozen in shock, the woman cleared her throat, and Kim Dokja slowly put down the pillow wood where it belonged and sat graciously as if no shameful display happened.
The woman smiled in amusement, her eyes twinkling, and Kim Dokja felt his face heat up in embarrassment, wanting so desperately to find a corner where he could curl up into a ball and hide from the world for the next year.
“I’m glad that you’ve awakened, Kim Dokja-ssi. How do you feel?” She started, smile dimpling, and anyone would probably bend seeing such a beauty turn their attention upon them, but he’s also known Han Sooyoung and Yoo Sangah for more than a decade, so he’s pretty much immune.
“I am fine.” Kim Dokja lied, a bit confused why someone who had presumably kidnapped him was asking him how he feels. Were her victims amendable to being kidnapped? Did all of them immediately develop Stockholm syndrome?
Maybe she was just an associate and was simply forced to comply? Wait, wasn’t that what kidnappers want for you to think to blanket you in false security?
“May I know who you are?” He followed up, because he was polite and lacking in self-preservation. He was a generally wary person, but he was very good at hiding said wariness, so she’d be the one blanketed by false security instead by thinking that he was okay with being kidnapped.
Take that Reverse Uno card!
Proud of himself, he belatedly noticed that she was looking at him like he grew two heads and maybe four extra set of limbs, her mouth agape and eyes wide.
“You—Kim Dokja-ssi, do you not perhaps remember me? What about your surroundings? Do you remember anything?” She burst out, her voice getting slightly shrill by the end of her tirade.
Was this the so-called “You have an amnesia” tactic?
A bit terrified by her superior acting, he decided to play along, “Ah, yes. May I ask where am I?”
She gasped, stepped back and gasped again, and finally seemingly tried to calm herself, or drop into a more sedate act of trying to calm herself, “My name is Lee Seolhwa. I’m a Peak Lord in our Breaking the Sky Sword Sect. We are currently in the 3rd peak, which is the peak you are a Lord of, and specifically in the bamboo house where you reside in.”
After her explanation, Kim Dokja involuntarily emulated a fish that landed on the dirt, because Kim Dokja knows a Lee Seolhwa that was a Peak Lord. In fact, he also knows that she’d be a lover to a certain someone, and she and her unborn child will die as hostages.
But this setting though?
She looked, indeed, like a Lee Seolhwa come to life. The description of the novel about her was on point down to her features up to her clothes.
Were his kidnapper/s role-playing Ways of Survival irl? Is he in a live action or something and he didn’t know? Will he get paid for his contributions?
Or a wilder idea—did he, by chance, transmigrate? He was pretty sure no truck-kuns hit him while he was asleep, unless a truck-kun suddenly learned how to fly and crashed on his 3rd floor apartment. Maybe he died due to the overwhelming anger in his heart?
“Kim Dokja-ssi?”
Kim Dokja snapped out from his musing and was faced by Lee Seolhwa’s worried face. He forced out a reassuring smile, “I can remember now, but my memories seems to be rather spotty. May I ask what happened?”
She blinked, a bit puzzled and mostly astonished, “You had a cultivation accident. You have been sleeping for three days with high-fever. It broke out last night, however. How do you feel? Do you feel lightheaded? Nauseated?”
“I feel physically fine now. Thank you for taking care of me, Lee Seolhwa-ssi.” He said, mustering his gratefulness, “I will rest some more.” and compartmentalize the fact that I’m either kidnapped or isekai-d.
“Yes, of course.” She said benignly, placing two ornate boxes in the table near him, “I will leave your medicine here. Please take them thrice a day after your meal. Also, do not hesitate to call for me should your condition fluctuate. Well, then.”
When she finally left, he heaved a sigh and tried not to scream his head off.
Being transmigrated was something that does not happen in real life! Being kidnapped sounded more believable. But he wasn’t a fool as to wash the evidences down the drain because he didn’t want to believe them. Sure, he liked reading transmigration stories, but he never wanted for it to happen to him.
Reality was harsh wherever world you are, even if you have the advantage of knowing the plot beforehand. The fact that it could deviate anytime and you could possibly fuck it up more than it should have been would be a possibility that you couldn’t just shrug off.
And of course he was Kim Dokja. The Kim Dokja of the story.
Han Sooyoung probably read it in the first place because she saw his name, even though the spelling doesn’t quite match, and read it for the kicks to taunt him with it.
Kim Dokja was a Peak Lord of the Breaking the Sky Sword Sect and he was the protagonist, Yoo Joonghyuk’s Master. He was what you would call a “Scum”. He was neglectful towards his disciples and abusive towards Yoo Joonghyuk. He had a reputation of being lecherous, constantly heading towards brothels despite his status, and looked upon women like they were prizes to be won instead of being humans. He was rude and his words were akin to an acid spilled on flesh, sizzling and burning if you let it get to you.
Yoo Joonghyuk would eventually leave the sect and return to kill his Master. He would behead him and put his decapitated head on a spike, placing it on the Peak entrance for everyone to see.
The Sect Leader, Namgung Minyoung would confront him then, and after seeing his memories of being tortured, he would be forgiven and offered to be taught by the Sword Saint herself. Under her tutelage, he will grow more powerful, and would land himself a lover—Lee Seolhwa, after she patched him up many times.
Kim Dokja rolled on his bed to sulk, and remembered that his pillow wasn’t the soft, cottony pillow of his former home—his cheekbones digging on the sharp end of the pillow wood.
He hissed and sat up, glaring at the damned wood in betrayal, and finally decided to crawl out of bed to see what situation he landed himself in. When he got out, all traces of doubt that he was kidnapped vanished, seeing the 3rd peak sprawled out, and described exactly as the novel dictated. The bamboo house was situated on a higher level compared to the rest of the buildings in the 3rd peak, and he could clearly see children running laps or practicing martial arts.
Slowly, he stepped back until his back hit the door, and he slid the door open, stepped back twice, and slid the door close. He shut his eyes, went to a corner where several trinkets were piled at, curled up, and finally, finally, had a panic attack.
Yoo Joonghyuk, former Demon Lord and ruler of the Murim, was bewildered by the abrupt personality change of his accursed Master.
At first, he was grateful that Kim Dokja chose him out of the many other disciple-wannabe that entered the test with him. Gradually, that gratefulness turned into hatred as his Master deprived him of his food, lodgings, and even turned a blind eye when the other disciples beat him up. Even though he was a disciple too, his time to train was swallowed by the time he had to do chores that were supposedly delegated to each disciples to split it up.
Embittered, he left, and learned of his demonic ancestry. For eight years, he trained to further his own Martial Arts, and returned to the Sect, and to the peak, to finally kill his Master. Namgung Minyoung’s choice to take him in was a surprise, and it had been a great boon to his abilities. If anything, Namgung Minyoung was his true Master, not that 3rd grade hack.
Achieving things and losing things, Yoo Joonghyuk finally managed to climb the pinnacle, but when he got there, he felt empty. There was nothing more to do, nothing more to conquer; people worshipped him and feared him in equal parts, and he had no one beside him. In his greediness for power, he had become alone, ruling a barren land that he found to be of no importance.
Eventually, he stepped down from the role and had a trusted subordinate take up his place, before he fled into some nameless mountain, and did his research to travel back in time. He thought at first that he would at least save Lee Seolhwa and their child. Maybe then, would he feel complete. But when he did manage to return and saw Lee Seolhwa again, there was no spark.
He knew then, for certain, that Lee Seolhwa wouldn’t be able to patch the gaping hole of emptiness inside Yoo Joonghyuk, nor will their child. So, he pledged to himself to not get acquainted with her more than necessary. It was his fault she died, therefore if she doesn’t associate with him, she’ll most likely live her life more fully and more happily, rather than be saddled with a lover that left her side most of the time.
It was the same for Namgung Minyoung who died for his sake. If she doesn’t make him into her disciple, then Namgung Minyoung will still survive and the sect will continue to flourish.
Yoo Joonghyuk had no more ties. He learned everything there was to learn about martial arts and will incorporate it in his body in due time, and he remained in his original peak to hash out his plans on where to go after he left the sect. He wanted to travel and sightsee, something he never got to do in the past.
Then his scum Master fell ill.
It didn’t matter to him; Kim Dokja was not a person he would waste even an iota of his feelings on. His deep hatred rooted by a rotten childhood had long past when his Master’s head rolled on the ground, severed by his very own sword. His satisfaction was met when he saw the horrified faces of the disciples looking upon their Master’s head in a spike-- especially those disciples that had once bullied him.
When his scum Master recovered however, was when things started to get weird. Kim Dokja had become exceedingly polite, and Lee Seolhwa had informed everybody in the sect that Kim Dokja had memory problems. Yoo Joonghyuk himself could observe that much too, what with his scum Master asking about things from his disciples that he should’ve already known beforehand. Kim Dokja recognized some of the disciples, and forgot the rest, so they had to reintroduce themselves.
Kim Dokja also didn’t descend the peak anymore to head towards the brothels he liked to frequent at, and Namgung Minyoung had to visit him twice, presumably to ask about his health, and went back to her own peak looking confounded.
His treatment towards his disciples improved too. He taught them better and treated them fairly, including Yoo Joonghyuk. Yoo Joonghyuk assumed that he was one of the disciples that Kim Dokja forgot, since the usual disdain on his Master’s face directed towards him was replaced by softness that he had never seen before.
He was more graceful, more social, and he smiled more often. In fact, his smile seemed to be permanently plastered on his face, and anyone could see that it was genuine, except when he’s thrown in a situation that made him uncomfortable. He didn’t ogle at women anymore, too.
The bullying slowed down until it completely stopped, and Yoo Joonghyuk loathed to admit it but he could guess that those disciples finally took a hint that this new Master hated for his disciples to beat each other up with the intent not of progressing their art, but for bringing another down. He even got an apology from them, something that Yoo Joonghyuk wouldn’t have dreamed of ever happening due to how unlikely it was.
The situation of the peak became serene, and curious people showed up on their peak to take a look at his Master’s change. Most of them were renowned Martial arts practitioners, and most of them went home with flush high on their cheeks.
For some reason, he felt irritation when seeing that particular reaction.
He only made direct contact with his Master when everyone was so busy with spring cleaning that he had to deliver the meals he made himself. Ever since his Master’s change, he was saddled with the correct amount of chores, and was mostly put to work in the kitchen to cook his Master’s meals when his Master, for the first time, didn’t leave anything on his plate uneaten. He usually only ate half the portion of what was delivered to him.
When he arrived on the bamboo house, he greeted his Master who was hunched over his table, brush working fast and a pile of scrolls forming a small mountain beside him.
When he looked up and saw Yoo Joonghyuk, he looked momentarily taken aback before it was replaced by a gentle smile, and for the first time, Yoo Joonghyuk found himself fascinated by this man who had changed so thoroughly that not even a speck of his former self was left.
“Thank you for always cooking my meals, Yoo Joonghyuk.” He had said so gratefully, so sweetly, that Yoo Joonghyuk felt his tongue stiffening inside his mouth. Unable to reply, he bowed and strode out of the bamboo house as fast as he could.
When he was down the hill from where the bamboo house was sat at, he returned to the kitchen and was asked by another disciple if he had a fever, since his face had become red. He shot them a look of warning before they scrambled, and tightened his lips so much that it must have paled due to the pressure.
No one had rendered him speechless before, not like this. He had words he always wanted to say at any given moment, and it was up to him if he said it or stayed silent, but when Kim Dokja had smiled at him, it had been so beguiling that he found his words fleeing and his mind blanking.
Appalled by his own reaction, he decided to stay longer to observe Kim Dokja. To enact his plans, he cooked for his Master and delivered it to him personally, leaving no leeway for the protestors who originally did the job of serving said meals.
He saw him three times a day and after a whole month of spending thrice a day with the man who he had formerly held such great hatred of, he had found himself attached.
Too attached, even.
He had never been like this when he was with Lee Seolhwa—desire did not overwhelm him, his protectiveness of her was merely the right amount instead of stifling her. But now, observing Kim Dokja as he ate his meal appreciatively all the while still looking at some of the integral documents that was sent to the peak days ago, he admitted to himself that he could watch this man all day and never tire of it.
Those outsiders who went into the peak that had formerly only garnered his irritation were now in his list to watch out for. If they made any untoward advances, Yoo Joonghyuk was prepared to take them out secretly.
What he managed to gather from his observation was that Kim Dokja was oblivious of his own charm. He probably didn’t believe the compliments thrown on his way. There were no confidence issues in fact; it was merely that he saw himself as inferior to be the truth, and had fully accepted it and even embraced it.
Kim Dokja wasn’t as gifted in beauty as most top practitioners were, and even then, he barely met the qualifications to be a Master. Yet, Kim Dokja carried himself in a humble manner, knowing of his own limits, showing genuinity when faced with a situation, and that was enticing enough for anyone who lived in Murim which was muddled by false pretenses, greed and the epitome of evil.
Kim Dokja simply did not belong, and yet here he was.
A year after that found Yoo Joonghyuk borderline obsessed with his own Master. His Master’s lashes dipping down and fluttering when he reviewed his documents, his lean shoulders and slim hips, pale skin and silky dark hair that never fell into disarray, his fingers—by the gods, his fingers.
Yoo Joonghyuk only experienced such want when he wanted to gain power once upon a time, tired of being so helpless.
He wanted Kim Dokja—wanted his love, his body, his devotion, his very being—he wanted everything Kim Dokja could offer and more. He wanted to covet his smiles, his sadness, his joy. He wanted.
Yoo Joonghyuk wanted.
So, Yoo Joonghyuk stayed. Maybe he would finally get to that sightseeing plan when he finally wedded Kim Dokja so they could go together. Ah, but he was currently fifteen so he had to wait until Kim Dokja stopped seeing him as a child. Maybe he should get back half of his former reputation so he would be deserving to the public’s eyes and most importantly, to Kim Dokja’s, but he’s aware that Kim Dokja doesn’t particularly care about any of that.
First, though, he had to leave the sect. This was necessary. Sect rule states that intimate relationship between anyone from the Sect was strictly forbidden. Staying in the Sect wouldn’t bring him the reputation he needs either.
He struggled with it, because leaving the Sect meant leaving Kim Dokja’s side. What if Kim Dokja found someone? Yoo Joonghyuk would kill anyone who would take Kim Dokja for themselves but that would make Kim Dokja unhappy. He wanted Kim Dokja to be by his side, in his own accord.
He needed a plan.
Kim Dokja survived for the next four years faking it, which was very hard since he did everything he did looking like he breezed through everything, but inside closed doors, he desperately tried to catch up without looking too suspicious, and he only asked other people about things Kim Dokja should have known only after he’d thought it through and when he found no answers at all.
He treated his disciples fairly because they were children and they had the right to seek for his attention when they were troubled, and he favored no one because doing so was unprofessional. Yoo Joonghyuk, however, was a persistent teen.
Kim Dokja spent half of his day with Yoo Joonghyuk everyday unless he had somewhere he needed to be, and hoped to any god that was listening that that would be enough reason for Yoo Joonghyuk to not kill him. The fact that Yoo Joonghyuk was overstaying in the peak unlike in the novel when he left at fourteen, had Kim Dokja hoping that Yoo Joonghyuk wouldn’t leave at all to become the tragic hero that he was meant to be.
Alas, fate could not be subverted.
Kim Dokja sulked on his desk after he saw off Yoo Joonghyuk who had quit the sect. True, Yoo Joonghyuk was now eighteen and was probably aspiring to be something greater rather than a gofer in his peak, but he had hoped that Yoo Joonghyuk would stay.
Of course he expected Yoo Joonghyuk to return, and if it was to lop off his head then there’s nothing he could do about it because he’d deserve it. Just because he stole this role midway doesn’t erase the fact that Yoo Joonghyuk was abused by him. He could only repent, even if those actions were not his in the first place.
Namgung Minyoung, Lee Seolhwa, and the 4th peak Master Lee Hyunsung visited him in the afternoon, where they provided him with copious amount of alcohol and sweets that Kim Dokja liked.
Namgung Minyoung manhandled him from his desk, calling him a workaholic (transmigration truly did wonders for his work ethic) and almost murdered him by shoving roasted chestnuts down his throat.
After coughing out the offending food and regaining the functions of his air pathways, did their bingeing session truly commence. When the sun finally set, all of them were in states of drunkenness. Lee Hyunsung had been laughing non-stop for the past hour and smacking the wooden floor, Namgung Minyoung told her tales (that everyone in the room knew about due to it being repeated excessively) of her greatness, and Lee Seolhwa quietly drank her portion like it was water and stayed quiet.
“To think that your star disciple would actually leave—ha! I thought he was incapable of it!” Namgung Minyoung said, waving a skewer stick at Kim Dokja with a grin.
“He has a tough heart.” Lee Hyunsung nodded to himself.
Kim Dokja tilted his head in askance, “Why would he be incapable of it? I mean, Joonghyuk-ah is strong enough to set out on his own.”
Namgung Minyoung stopped waving his stick to goggle at him, and Lee Hyunsung stopped laughing to look at him incredulously. Lee Seolhwa’s eyebrows shot up to her hairline and Kim Dokja was utterly confused by their reaction.
“You—dear gods, you’re serious!” Namgung Minyoung exclaimed, still looking divine even with her spittle flying everywhere.
Lee Seolhwa had her hand covering her mouth now, eyes glassy, “Dokja-ssi, you…”
Lee Hyunsung laughed awkwardly, as if he didn’t know if it was even appropriate to laugh in this situation.
It was like all three of them knew something he didn’t know about. His brows knitted, “What? What is it?”
He tried to prod for answers but was met with non-answers as Namgung Minyoung devolved into guffaws, Lee Hyunsung covering his face and Lee Seolhwa sniffling.
What in the world was going on?
Yoo Joonghyuk’s plan turned out to be “Do everything as fast as you can and return to the Sect for your former Master’s hand in marriage” which wasn’t a concrete plan, but it motivated Yoo Joonghyuk enough. It took him half a year to gain back a fourth of his original strength and that was when he was attacked by a lunatic.
The lunatic was a woman, and she was currently stronger than him. She realized that and so did he, and now they were both locked in a deadly dance.
He called her a lunatic because she attacked him very angrily, as if he had killed her entire family and her pet dog, which he doesn’t remember doing in this life. He’s never even killed anyone, despite his threats against those who tried to pursue Kim Dokja and he couldn’t guess what pissed off this woman. Or how he managed to piss off a powerful woman at all.
He should be familiar with every top practitioners and she was most definitely one of them with her skill level, but Yoo Joonghyuk had never seen her even once in his two lives, or even remotely recognized her for that matter.
“Who are you?!” He growled, sword slashing forward and of course the woman avoided it effortlessly, feet nimble. She used two knives and was too fast for even the naked eye to see, but Yoo Joonghyuk had defeated enemies like her before so he knew what to expect.
“You don’t need to know.” She replied frostily, and unleashed a slew of attacks that had Yoo Joonghyuk stumbling backwards to defend himself. He had made the mistake of closing his eyes, and in that short second, a feet connected with his side and propelled him to slam into a wall.
“I’ve never done anything to you.” Yoo Joonghyuk hissed, blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. His ribs were definitely broken, and he hadn’t unlocked his demonic ancestry yet so he didn’t have self-regeneration.
“You will die before you cause him harm.” There was a manic look on the woman’s eyes, and Yoo Joonghyuk had to ask.
“Who are you talking about?”
“What the hell are you doing?!” Somebody interrupted, and Yoo Joonghyuk turned warily to the one who interrupted them, another woman, who grasped the lunatic’s wrist in an attempt to stop her.
“Killing him before he gets too strong. It’ll be hard to kill him if he does, after all.” The lunatic talked as if she was talking about the weather, and the other woman, presumably her companion, sighed in exasperation.
“He’s the child of fate! His plot armor is thicker than the Great Wall of China! His golden thumb will make him win this fight against all the odds and you’ll die instead! How many times do I have to tell you to not pick a fight with the protagonist?!” The companion shrieked hysterically, and the lunatic gave her a carefully controlled neutral look.
“And wait until he killed Dokja-yah? He needs to die, Sooyoung-ah.”
Yoo Joonghyuk perked up when she mentioned ‘Dokja-yah’, and he had to presume that she was talking about his Master. She seemed to be close to Kim Dokja, but he never knew her in his previous life. Nor the other woman with her.
“Why would I kill Master?” He said instead, because he would sooner kill himself than harm a hair on his Master’s pretty head.
The two women turned to him as one. The companion, called by the lunatic as ‘Sooyoung’, asked him slowly, “But don’t you hate your Master enough to kill him?”
Yoo Joonghyuk frowned, “No? I want to marry him. Why would I hate him?”
The women spluttered, looking at him like he was a pig who grew out wings. The Sooyoung woman was the first one to find her words, choking at him disbelievingly, “You want to WHAT?!”
The lunatic narrowed her eyes at him, “A marriage candidate? Show me your worth if you want to be my brother-in-law!”
“Oh my god, Sangah-yah, SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Sooyoung bellowed and slapped a hand on her companion’s mouth. She then turned towards Yoo Joonghyuk and said awkwardly, “Right, well, uh, tell Kim Dokja to send us the wedding invitations if he says yes to your proposal. See ya!”
Sooyoung dragged the woman with her, who had began to aggressively struggle to be freed. When they were completely out of sight, Yoo Joonghyuk had to rethink about the lunatic’s words.
Brother-in-law, she said…
Brother-in-law?!
Kim Dokja had a sibling?!