Chapter Text
Nearly expired ramen is cheaper and it's not like he needs to stock up on food at home right now, since he’s rarely even home these days.
Reading the labels and dates on the cup noodles with the only light source being 9 dimly lit lights in a remotely small convenience store is probably not great for his eyes, and it’s not like he can get any more light around here. It’s 11am and his phone battery is at a low 3%, plus the weather is freezing outside. Well, at least his apartment is only 3 blocks away.
Damn it.
Even if the cup noodles are cheap, it’s still not cheap enough for him to keep empty stomach filled. His stomach now is distinctly protesting after he’s only been running on caffeine the whole day.
He can’t blame himself. The coffee from the office is free after all, so he couldn’t pass up the chance.
Slowly, as the cashier is scanning and ringing his order, Kim Dokja glances at the calendar they have hanging around the counter, with the photos being on the page above was a girl in hot red swimsuit bent forward exposing her chest leaving nothing to the imagination. Kim Dokja cringes a bit at that and quickly averts his gaze. His eyes land on the date.
March 31.
Oh, that means tomorrow is…
The birthday of a certain idiot who he used to be friends with. In fact, it was his only friend to begin with. Funny how their birthday is on April fools.
The cashier rings up his groceries, well, more like a late night snack to be precise. He’s planning on eating better, he swears. Just after he finished this one project at work that’s been crushing him and all other workers there for the past few weeks. At this point he really wouldn’t mind getting fired.
Sighing internally, Kim Dokja leaves the store and the thought of someone's birthday behind.
It was already past 12am when he finished his sorry excuse of a meal and is currently watching television, due to the rare occasion when Dokja’s phone really needed to charge and he had to put it away. He turned on the TV instead.
Flicking through the few channels mindlessly, he doesn't know what caused him to stop at the news channel. Maybe it was the name plastered on the screen in big white font or the significant blurring to scene that showed to the viewers.
Did Dokja's breath stop?
Even if he hadn't spoken to them all these years, he would still remember the name of his only friend from high school.
“At 12 midnight, famous author Han Sooyoung's body was found floating in a secluded river 2hr after her disappearance. Her friend and coworkers report...”
The rest of the report blurred out as he continued to stare at the screen unmoving.
Kim Dokja and Han Sooyoung were like a pair in high school. Sure, they were not classmates but through some circumstances they became quite close. Awfully close in fact that some used to call them a couple, but they knew best that what they had wasn’t romantic of any sort but hey — they got each other’s back.
That was until that incident happened and their bond severed. And they haven’t kept in contact since. But how can Kim Dokja forget about her when her face is plastered all over book stores and he’s someone who likes to read!
And hearing from his former classmate that she’s still trying to find the real culprit behind that day might have been the lead to her downfall.
“Han Sooyoung, you idiot…”
Shit, now he feels horrible.While she was out there risking her life to bring justice to someone who she was not even close with, he’s here wasting his time away and not once has he ever tried to call and check up on her. Maybe he could have helped her avoid her doom or maybe… even solve the case together? No no no… He’s just an ordinary man. What could he even do to help? This is all he is and is all he’ll ever be.
“Hahaha!! Dokja-ya… didn’t I tell you that if this time you forget your money there’ll be consequences? I’m hungry! What the fuck am I supposed to eat?!!” A boy towers over Dokja’s young little frame.
“Yeah, aren’t you such a bad person for making your friend starve~? Now what should we do to a naughty little boy like you? Hmmmm~?”
“I… I’m sorry… but I really don’t have it right now! I swear!”
Crash!!!
A bin came smashing right beside him, and all he could do was stare at it in horror when a shadow loomed in front of him. Suddenly grabbing his face harshly and lifting him to face the other boy. “Did I ask for excuses?”
Oh no- he’s done for! He’s…
“Teacher! There they are!!! Over here!!!” From a distance, a shout from a petite girl startled everyone, and was his savior.
Kim Dokja’s savior.
“Shit- someone caught us! Hey Minwoo— let’s go!”
“Aishhh- little bitch… I won’t forget this, Dokja” and with a growl, Minwoo dropped him down and turned to escape from the supposed teacher.
“Ahhhhhhh~ I’m safe today…” great, now his leg is shaking nonstop. But at least he’s still alive and mostly intact.
Soon the small girl caught up to him and stood there with a look that Kim Dokja was not sure what to describe as. She looked; worried? Is she? Well she did come to his rescue so isn’t she like his savior? An angel maybe?!
“Hey you dumbass, don’t you know how to call for help in a situation like this? What are you, 6?” And that image is immediately shattered. The once worried look was quickly replaced with a pitiful one in an instant
“Ah… Ahhhhhh……”
And young Dokja fainted right after he met his first savio– his first friend.