Work Text:
Kim Dokja is having a rough day, but when is he not?
His boss yelled at him for almost three hours for slacking off, but that’s okay. He sent him to get a stupidly expensive coffee on the other side of the city, but that’s okay too. His day sucks, but he can take it. It’s okay.
It's not okay.
His day sucks. And, as if his headache wasn't painful enough as it is, the man behind him in the line was talking very loudly on the phone.
Finally, the woman who had been holding up the line for the last twenty minutes told the cashier her order. She had decided on "apple tea" and "nothing else, love." Kim Dokja felt like punching her. Who the hell comes to a Starbucks and asks only for an apple tea? Do they even sell those?
Deep breaths, Kim Dokja. Inhale, hold, exhale.
"Hey, hey. Kim Dokja." The cashier snapped her fingers in front of him. "I need you to order fast; the line is long enough already."
Fair, but the customer service could use some work. Wait, did she say-
"Kim Dokja, order."
"Han Sooyoung???"
The infuriating woman smirked. "Yeah, dumbass. Are you so sleep-deprived that you can’t even recognize me?"
"What are you doing here????"
"I’m returning a favor for someone. Anyway, I really need you to order."
Still a bit startled, Kim Dokja mumbled, "Two espresso macchiato and two cinnamon rolls."
"Name?"
"Han Sooyoung."
"Wow, you can read a nametag. Congratulations. I need your name."
"You know my name."
"Sir, give me a name, please."
Kim Dokja sighed and thought about it. Was he going to betray his principles by having his name written on a Starbucks cup? Was he going to create a secret identity? Was he going to stop overthinking and simply say his boss’s name?
Kim Dokja has the habit of making things unnecessarily difficult for himself. That's why he ended up saying, "Yoo Joonghyuk."
"Ha! Still with that? Man, this is gonna be so fun…." Han Sooyoung laughed and went to the employees' room.
Yoo Joonghyuk is such a cool name, though Kim Idiot Dokja. The protagonist from Ways of Survival is called that. And maybe a celebrity.
When Yoo Joonghyuk's story ended two years ago, Kim Dokja wasn’t sad. No, the right way to explain how he felt is heartbroken. Destroyed, depressed, unwilling to live.
Yoo Joonghyuk’s story has ended. But the world keeps moving as if nothing had happened. Eventually, Kim Dokja had to keep moving too.
Han Sooyoung helped him a lot during that time. Back then, Kim Dokja had no idea a discussion about self-plagiarism would turn into… friendship. Probably. They hang out pretty often. Surely that counts for something? Yeah, friendship.
Kim Dokja wondered how that person was doing. Even though he never met them, he felt a unique sense of companionship with the mysterious second view on every chapter.
"Here is your order. Come back soon." Han Sooyoung leaned on the counter and whispered, "Don’t come back soon. Two machines broke. We tried to fix them with tape, but it didn’t work. We’re currently selling instant coffee from the supermarket."
Overpriced supermarket coffee. "Sure. How much is it?"
"It’s on the house. You’re too tight on budget to-"
"It’s for my boss," he interrupted, trying to keep intact whatever was left of his dignity. "I can pay."
"And you’re going to give him coffee with ‘Yoo Joonghyuk’ written on it?"
He didn’t think about that. Damn it.
"Just take it."
"...Thank you."
"You're welcome. I also added a third cinnamon roll for you. Eat it. I will personally beat you up otherwise."
He rolled his eyes. "Thank you."
Another way Han Sooyoung has helped him is… being there. Han Sooyoung cared. Kim Dokja still had trouble accepting it, but she was there to drill it into his head when necessary.
And she paid for therapy.
"You’re welcome. Need help carrying that? You look like you do."
No kidding. Kim Dokja was trying to balance the two cups in one hand while holding the bag with the other.
"Don't worry. I've got this."
"Whatever you say. Stop holding the line and go away." He made his way to the exit. "Call you later this evening!"
After some curses and juggling, Kim Dokja managed to get to the door without spilling or dropping anything. Amazing, Kim Dokja. Keep it up.
He stared at his next challenge.
The door was pretty. Sturdy, crystal clear, in tune with all the decorations in the shop, and it had a sign that said: "pull." Indeed, a pretty door. Kim Dokja had seen quite a lot of ones like this. Like in that building beside his workplace. But that one has a different-
"Are you going to move?"
Kim Dokja looked up slightly and locked eyes with the most handsome man in the whole world. And the kindest too, because he was holding the door open for him.
Holding the door open for him, how… touching. He can’t remember the last time someone did that for him. He remembers having his hands full and struggling to open the door many times, but not someone helping him. Is this man an angel? He feels himself tear up a little.
Does he know how much this means to Kim Dokja?
He doesn’t, and he seems a bit annoyed. He looked at him up and down. His eyes stopped on the cups and returned to his face.
"Who are you."
Kim Dokja snapped out of his daze. "What?"
"Answer."
Some hush came from behind them.
"No way. Isn’t that the famous pro-gamer?"
"I think so!"
"Ahh, Yoo Joonghyuk-nim is even more handsome up close!!!"
Kim Dokja’s eyes widened in realization. He stared at the kind man in a different light.
Damn Kim Dokja’s luck. Of all days,-
"Answer. Who are you?"
This man, Yoo Joonghyuk or whatever, needs to stop interrupting his thoughts.
"Uhh, I'm someone buying coffee? As everyone else?" Play dumb. Pretend the cups you’re holding don’t have his name written on them. "How about you?"
Apparently, Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t find his answer as amusing as it objectively was. "Your cups."
"Oh, this? Yeah, I’m getting them for someone else, actually."
Yoo Joonghyuk wasn’t buying it. Quick, quick, Kim Dokja, think.
Kim Dokja gasped (fakely). "Wait. You’re that famous gamer! Aren’t you also called Yoo Joonghyuk?"
"...I am."
And now, Kim Dokja's best skill: Spouting nonsense. "Wow! Isn’t that quite a coincidence? My friend and I are big fans of yours. Did you know that you're even more handsome up close? Wait, how discourteous of me. You were so kind to hold the door for me, and I haven't said thank you. Would you like a cinnamon roll? I wouldn't- I mean, we wouldn't mind sharing." At one point during Kim Dokja’s bullshit, Yoo Joonghyuk’s posture relaxed. He looked less murderous too. Or maybe he was always like that, and Kim Dokja just misinterpreted something.
"No," he said and walked away.
That was a bit rude, especially for an angel.
But Kim Dokja couldn’t tear his eyes away from him.
Perhaps it was because he looked exactly like how he imagined Yoo Joonghyuk from the novel. Or because he held the door for him. Whatever it was, it’s making him feel light-headed. It was as if his mind cleared entirely, only to be stuffed again with cotton.
Even his walk to the counter was mesmerizing. Not only was he godly-shaped (What does that even mean?), but his movements were graceful and confident. The world's balance of beauty had tilted to one side when Yoo Joonghyuk was born.
And people just let him skip the line. Damn pretty privilege. Kim Dokja would be mad if he didn't feel the same as the people staring at Yoo Joonghyuk.
"Joonghyuk, long time no see," said Han Sooyoung smoothly. "If you’re looking for Lee Jihye, she'll be here in a bit. And if you’re looking for coffee, we don’t have any. The machine broke down. You could try seducing Kim Dokja into giving you one of his espressos, though. I bet it wouldn’t be that hard. He is looking at you as if you hung the stars in the sky."
Yoo Joonghyuk looked straight at him, and Kim Dokja flinched.
Alarms went off in Kim Dokja's head. What is Han Sooyoung thinking? And, do they know each other?
Wait…. If they knew each other… it would explain his similarities with the Yoo Joonghyuk from the novel…. Han Sooyoung... Does her plagiarism know limits?
Kim Dokja sent a glare of disappointment on Han Sooyoung’s directing, but it was blocked by a body approaching him.
Time to fight or flight. Fight? No way. He looks like he could snap him in half. Flight? Yes, please. But the door.
Crap, he was getting closer. Plan A, pretend to pass out. It would be embarrassing, but he's been through worse. Better than dying at the hands of... Dying at his hands wouldn't be that bad, actually.
He tried to come up with a plan B, but it was too late. Yoo Joonghyuk is in front of him.
"Does your offer still stand?"
"...Huh?"
"I said, ‘Does your offer still stand?"
...Huh? Huh? Huh, huh, huh, huh, huh?
On his way here, Kim Dokja was almost rolled over by a bus. Maybe, the bus did hit him. That it's the only explanation for what is happening. This must be some sort of in-the-brink-of-death dream.
Yoo Joonghyuk stared, a hint of concern on his features. "...What’s your name?"
"Yoo Joonghyuk. Wait, no. Kim Dokja."
One corner of Yoo Joonghyuk’s mouth twitched. Kim Dokja prayed it wasn’t because his patience was running out. "A strange name."
"I get that a lot." He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Do you know what time is it, by any chance?"
"Around six o’clock."
Considering he left one hour and a half ago, he really should get going. But… Fuck it. His boss should take the hint and realize he’s not coming back.
Kim Dokja gattered all the already non-existent confidence he had and said, "Well. Turns out that I, coincidentally, have one extra coffee, and it literally has your name! So I was thinking that maybe…."
"I already said yes."
"Come on, let me ask you out properly."
"You’re not asking me out. And if you’re, you suck at it." Yoo Joonghyuk’s mouth twitched again. This time, it became a side smile.
Kim Dokja rolled his eyes in fake annoyance. Stupid handsome man and his contagious smile. "It’s my first time doing this. Not everyone has your good looks." Somehow, Yoo Joonghyuk's eyebrows shot up and furrowed at the same time. "Would you like to stay here or go somewhere else?"
"Here. I'm waiting for Lee Jihye."
Kim Dokja froze but recovered when he saw Yoo Joonghyuk questioning stare.
"Lee Jihye?"
"She's... my disciple."
No way. No way. Is Han Sooyoung plagiarism so great? How is this even possible?
"I'm helping her with school." Kim Dokja must have made a funny expression because Yoo Joonghyuk asked, "What?"
He waved his hand to dismiss the matter. "I never took you for a real teacher. I thought you taught her sword or something."
"What?"
Kim Dokja waved his hand quicker and blushed. "Dumb, right?!" he squeaked.
Yoo Joonghyuk stared at a cinnamon roll judgmentally. "No, it's not that dumb. I used to do kendo. We used a bamboo sword, though." He looked at Kim Dokja and smiled softly.
Kim Dokja's heart went doki doki. Stupid handsome man. Kim Dokja broke eye contact and chugged down half a cup angrily.
"Didn't that burn?"
Yes, a lot. "No, don't worry." He smiled. "Do you not like cinnamon rolls?"
"Not much. I don't really have a sweet tooth."
"Me neither, but I'm not against something sweet from time to time." And he was starving, but he wouldn't say that. "Don't mind if I eat one then."
"Go ahead."
Kim Dokja bit on the roll and let his mind slip away.
Yoo Joonghyuk's presence was very comfortable. And he was such an eye candy that Kim Dokja considered actually having a sweet tooth... Wait, no. That sounds too cheesy. Maybe Yoo Joonghyuk's presence wasn't comfortable. It was more like... brain rotting. Horribly brain rotting for poor Kim Dokja's brain.
And, surprisingly, Yoo Joonghyuk wasn't as moody as Kim Dokja thought he would be. Granted, he based his expectations on someone who went through the apocalypse many times. But still.
"Since when do you know Han Sooyoung?" Kim Dokja asked suddenly.
"Since high school. We met online. I've moved to Seoul recently."
"I see."
"Have you known her for long?"
"Ah... That's... Not exactly. I've been reading one of her web novels for years, but we've started talking two years ago." And because this man was causing him malfunctions, Kim Dokja continued, "The protagonist has your name, did you know? Therefore the cups. I really like the name. That story and its protagonist mean a lot to me. It's dumb, but I like to think it was a story meant to be shared only between Han Sooyoung, that mysterious reader, and me. It got me through many rough times in my life."
Shit, he was talking too much nonsense, wasn't he? Yoo Joonghyuk had a strange expression.
Just when he was about to apologize or bullshit his way out of an uncomfortable situation, something even weirder than Kim Dokja's monologue came from Yoo Joonghyuk's mouth, "You're really that Kim Dokja."
What?
He was about to ask what did he mean when someone interrupted him. "Hey! I finally finished my shift for today!"
Kim Dokja turned around and felt a bigger shock than when meeting Yoo Joonghyuk.
"Lee Jihye."
"Hello, Master! What are you doing with this ugly ahjussi?"
"Lee Jihye."
"Sorry. You're not ugly, ahjussi. Anyway, I bought my homework. Do you mind if I sit here?"
They stared at Kim Dokja expectantly.
"Sure... I don't mind," he mumbled.
"Sweet! I'll eat a cinnamon roll too."
"Lee Jihye."
"Right, focus. I actually asked the teacher about this exercise instead of making paper planes with it as usual. She said that I need to check if I'm using the formula right and...."
Kim Dokja stared at the excited girl talking about her homework.
How?? How is this even possible??? This girl looks exactly like Lee Jihye from the novel. She has the same name, the same attitude—she even calls Yoo Joonghyuk Master, for god's sake! How? How?! She must be eighteen at most. Ways of Survival was first published fifteen years ago. Did Han Sooyoung predict (and plagiarize) the life of a baby?
Kim Dokja got up so fast that his chair almost fell. "Be right back!"
Ignoring Yoo Joonghyuk's and Lee Jihye's confused stares, he ran to behind the counter and slammed open the employees' room door.
"Han Sooyoung!"
"Hey, loverboy."
"Han Sooyoung, what the fuck-"
Jung Heewon entered the room. "Dokja-ssi, we can't keep allowing you here. Is Yoo Joonghyuk bothering you? Or is it Lee Jihye? I can beat them up both. "
Kim Dokja made an ugly face. "You??? You know him too?????"
"Uh, yeah? We went to kendo together. Seolhwa, him, and I used to hang out every day after school."
Brain overload. Kim Dokja does not compute.
What? What? What?
Han Sooyoung hit him. "Earth to Kim Dokja. What's up with you today?"
He stuttered. "What's-? What's up with-? Han Sooyoung, what the hell???? Yoo Joonghyuk, Lee Jihye, Lee Seolhwa-"
"Wait, you know Seolhwa?"
"Oh, I get what's going on. Jung Heewon, go work."
"What? Don't tell me what to do. You go to work."
Han Sooyoung pushed her out. "Yeah, yeah, in a minute. Go away." She closed the door and went to sit beside Kim Dokja.
"Han Sooyoung."
"Look, I started writing WOS when I was thirteen as a writing practice. It wasn't supposed to last more than twenty chapters. It got out of hand, and I wrote what I knew. A bit too literally."
"But what about Lee Jihye? How is that possible?"
"She's Jung Heewon's cousin. I used her name and imagined what she would be like when older."
"She calls Yoo Joonghyuk Master."
"That... I thought it would be funny and suggested it." Han Sooyoung laughed before declaring, "She took it seriously, not my fault."
"It is your fault."
Han Sooyoung ignored him. "Don't think about it too hard. They aren't the characters you know. Lee Jihye doesn't have a friend named Na Bori, Yoo Joonghyuk didn't go through the apocalypse, and Lee Hyusung isn't... well, he really is a military nerd, that is true. But they aren't the same. These are real people."
"...Sorry that I freaked out."
"It's fine."
Now that his brain stopped burning from overexercising, Kim Dokja felt embarrassed. He hid his face in his hands.
"I'm really sorry for overreacting."
"Kim Dokja, stop apologising. I know how much that story means to you. I understand why you would react like that."
"Still... I can't believe-" he snapped his head up and looked at Han Sooyoung with dispair. "I left Yoo Joonghyuk there!"
They stared at each other.
"Pfft-"
Kim Dokja was mortified. "Don't laugh!"
Han Sooyoung did not stop laughing. Kim Dokja hit her several times.
"Do you think Shin Yoosoung exits?"
Han Sooyoung inhaled deeply to calm down her laugher. "Man, you won't believe this. She does."
"Really?!"
"Yeah, she goes to the same school Lee Jihye does. She looks like Shin Yoosoung from the novel, and Lee Jihye told me she has a white and fluffy dog. I never talked to her, though."
"...What the fuck."
"Exactly what I thought."
"And Kim Namwoon?"
"No idea, but maybe. I mean, based on the Shin Yoosoung experience... Who says it's not possible?"
"What are the odds?"
Han Sooyoung shrugged and rested her head on Kim Dokja's shoulder.
"Get off."
"Shut up, pillow. I'm tired. Lee Jihye was the one that broke the machine. I've been trying to fix it all day."
"Is that why you're tired?"
"Mhmm."
Kim Dokja smirked. "It doesn't have anything to do with the fact that you stayed up writing till 4 am?"
"You know I had to-"
The door slammed open.
Jung Heewon pointed at Han Sooyoung and Kim Dokja. "There they are."
Lee Jihye shook her head and put her hands on her hip. "You're so rude, ahjussi. How could you abandon Master to... to...." She gasped and covered her mouth. "To cuddle! To cuddle with Sooyoung-unnie! How could you?! Unnie may pretty, but she is not Master!"
Yoo Joonghyuk frowned. "Han Sooyoung."
Han Sooyoung snuggled closer to Kim Dokja. "What? Mad I stole your date?"
Yoo Joonghyuk frowned more.
Kim Dokja ignored the weird sensation on his stomach (Surely Yoo Joonghyuk didn't consider him a date? Sure, they did joke about asking each other out, and, sure, Kim Dokja finds him attractive, but who doesn't? And maybe they were having coffee together, like a coffee date. Wait. Not like a coffee date-) and got up. He smiled with renewed energy at Yoo Joonghyuk. "Sorry about that. Let's go back."
"...Sure."
"Master, are you blushing?!"
"Go home, Lee Jihye."
"I'll go with her," said Jung Heewon. "Han Sooyoung, take care of the store."
"Ha?! I don't even work here! Jung Heewon, don't you dare-"
"Bye, Master and unnie! And bye to you too, ahjussi. Have fun on your date!"
Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk sat at their table again. Kim Dokja glared at the newly empty plates. Lee Jihye—that brat—had eaten all of the cinnamon rolls.
Yoo Joonghyuk's voice snapped Kim Dokja out of his thoughts, "Are you alright?"
"Ah, yes. I just freaked out because...." He trailed off. How should he explain it? And... Yoo Joonghyuk said something weird before Lee Jihye arrived, didn't he?
Yoo Joonghyuk followed his train of thought and nodded. "I know."
"Uh? What do you mean?"
Yoo Joonghyuk looked away and fidgeted with his cup lip. "At first, Han Sooyoung didn't tell me about Ways of Survival." Kim Dokja gasped involuntarily. "She mentioned once in a phone call that she was writing a new web novel. She didn't bring it up again until sometime later. She said it was going downhill, but... there was someone who kept reading, liking, and commenting on every chapter. And this went on for months, and I grew curious about such a person. So, I started reading it. Not so much for the story itself, but for those comments."
"So..." Kim Dokja mumbled, "that second view…."
Yoo Joonghyuk smiled softly. "You weren't reading it alone, you fool."
"Ha... Ha!" Kim Dokja covered his mouth in shock. "All this time... And you didn't tell Han Sooyoung! We've been trying to find you!"
"I don't need to inflate her ego any further."
"True. But you could have done it for me." Kim Dokja smirked. "It's hard finding someone with a stupid username like Secretive Plotter."
Yoo Joonghyuk's smile disappeared. "At least I don't use my real name like an idiot."
"In my defense, no one would think it's my real name. Hey, Jung Heewon told me you two went to school together. How old are you?"
"Twenty-eight."
"Haha, I'm two years older than you!" Yoo Joonghyuk looked seconds away from punching him. Kim Dokja's cheeks hurt from smiling. "Maybe you should call me Dokja-hyung-"
"No."
"So harsh, Joonghyuk-ah."
"Shut up."
"Are you annoyed or flustered?"
"Just stop talk-"
"Hello, fellow homosexuals," Han Sooyoung gracefully interrupted. "I'm afraid we are in closing time and need you two to take your flirting somewhere else."
Kim Dokja's smile faltered. "Right. Sorry." He got up and picked up his bag. "I'll get going-"
"Aren't you going to give me your phone number?"
Kim Dokja stopped dead in his tracks. Han Sooyoung whistled and whispered, "Atta boy."
Yoo Joonghyuk's stare didn't relent. He raised an eyebrow in Kim Dokja's direction.
Kim Dokja flushed tomato red and fumbled to get out his phone as fast as possible. On the other hand, Yoo Joonghyuk took out his phone in a calmer manner and passed it to Kim Dokja.
Once done the exchange, they said goodbye to Han Sooyoung and began their way back home.
The sun was almost gone, the streetlights were on. They walked in comfortable silence.
Kim Dokja recognized a familiar intersection. "Ah, my apartment is the other way...." Is it too foolish to admit that he was kind of hoping they lived in the same building and never realized? He has been reading too many romance novels lately.
At least Yoo Joonghyuk also looked disappointed. "...I'm going to that coffee shop every day lately."
"My my, are you inviting me to keep you company, Yoo Joonghyuk?" Kim Dokja teased. To his (not) horror, Yoo Joonghyuk nodded. Kim Dokja gulped and looked away. "I'll see you tomorrow then," he mumbled.
Yoo Joonghyuk smiled brightly. Kim Dokja couldn't help to do too.