Chapter Text
“Who are you?”
The moment these words escaped his mouth, Yoo Joonghyuk felt as if his heart had been impaled by a thousand knives. The torrent of questions that had formed in his mind before had also dispersed completely, replaced with an indescribable emptiness.
“W-what?” Han Sooyoung stuttered, staring at Kim Dokja with wide eyes. “D-did I hear you wrong?”
“Ah, my apologies.” Kim Dokja smiled awkwardly. “But I’m afraid I don’t know who you all are.”
The children who sat besides the white hospital bed became teary-eyed. They recognized the fake smile painted on Dokja’s face, yet the person who had it was different from their recollections. The Kimcom stood in the hospital room in silence. Their minds in a complete mess. It had been three years since the end of the Star Stream, and just an hour before, everyone was thrilled with the news of Kim Dokja’s awakening. They hoped that with Dokja, they could live as a family once again.
Their dreams had been completely and utterly crushed.
“You're lying, right?” Han sooyoung teared up. “Say that this is just a prank, you ugly squid!”
“I… don’t think so?”
[The character “Han Sooyoung” has activated the skill “Lie Detection”]
[The character “Han Sooyoung” has confirmed that your statement is true.]
The air in the room became disturbingly cold. No one spoke a word, afraid that another response from Kim Dokja would deepen this nightmare-like moment.
Then suddenly, the wooden door creaked open. Yoo Sangah stepped into the white hospital room, panting, and holding a platter of apples. “S-sorry I’m late, I stopped by the store to buy some-“
Kim Dokja flinched. “Y-yoo Sangah-ssi?”
Jung Heewon gasped.
Yoo Sangah smiled widely, unable to hide her excitement. “Dokja-ssi! You’re awake!”
She put down the platter and rushed forward to give Dokja a hug. Kim Dokja accepted the embrace awkwardly.
“Uhm, Yoo Sangah-ssi, it’s nice that you came to see me and all, but… I don’t think that we were ever that close.”
Yoo Sangah pulled away and looked at Dokja.
“What do you mean?” She asked innocently.
“Oh, I don’t mean to come off as rude, but we have only had a few conversations here and there at the workplace.” Dokja scratched his chin.
Yoo Sangah froze.In her moment of bliss, she had completely ignored the grim faces surrounding her. But before she could react, Yoo Joonghyuk pushed her aside and grabbed Kim Dokja’s shoulders.
“Urg-“ Kim Dokja winced from the sudden action. “What are you-“
“Kim Dokja.”
Yoo Joonghyuk’s voice quivered.
“Why can you recall her, but not-“
“Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi.” Jung Heewon took the chance to intervene by grabbing his wrist. “Dokja-ssi is still recovering from being in a coma. Please refrain from applying too much force.”
Kim Dokja’s eyes widened. “Yoo… Joonghyuk?”
Yoo Joonghyuk scoffed and let go of Kim Dokja’s shoulders.
Yoo Joonghyuk? As in the protagonist of the novel Three Ways of Surviving an Apocalypse?
He knew that was exactly what Kim Dokja was thinking at the moment. Marveling at how a character from his favorite novel was standing in front of him.
Yoo Joonghyuk turned away from Kim Dokja, gritting his teeth. He didn’t want to see his face. He didn’t want to see those beautiful eyes looking at him like he was just a character from a novel. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t, he simply couldn’t face the fact that Kim Dokja now regarded him as a “character,” like he had before in the past.
“I’m leaving.” Yoo Joonghyuk spat.
No one uttered a word as he departed from the hospital room. No one dared to intervene. Amongst all the emotions that converged in his heart, Yoo Joonghyuk felt the indescribable pain of betrayal.
He wanted to be more than a measly character to that fool.