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“Joonghyuk did you… take a shower?”
“A…shower?”
Joonghyuk was now angry again because of something the idiot squid in front of him said.
He wasn't wrong. He did in fact take a shower. But it was borderline offensive to think that was the only thing he did.
A shower, hair trim, moisturizer, toner, lip balm, cologne, new clothes and anything else he thought of to enhance his appearance (with the help of Lee Seolhwa and Yoo Sangah, the most well groomed people he knew.)
Why did he suddenly care about his appearance on this particular day? He was on a mission, a personal mission.
The scenarios were over and done with, peace had been restored to the world and everyone was living their happily ever afters.
Except of course him. Don't get him wrong. It was great that Kim Dokja had come back to them in one piece again. It was nice living in a big house together with the Kim Dokja Company. And it was nice that no one had to fight for their lives every hour anymore. And it was nice that he no longer had to regress a thousand more times to see Kim Dokja again.
But the damn fool was still as dense as the Fourth Wall that he no longer had.
Yoo Joonghyuk had long come to terms with his feelings for Kim Dokja, and after close observation he was almost certain that Dokja had the same feelings for him too.
Thoughts of living together with Dokja not just as friends but as lovers would give Joonghyuk the happily ever after he would be satisfied with.
And if he had turned out to wrong and Dokja didn't feel the same way about him then, well, at least he could be content with knowing he was still the closest person to his life and death companion, and that said companion knew he was loved.
-
This mission started when the company was having some drinks and chatting. Jung Heewon had allowed herself to let loose and gotten to asking invasive, but not unwelcome, questions to the group.
“Hey Dokja, how many people have you kissed in your life?” She asked curiously.
Dokja was noticeably stiff. “What does that matter?”
“I've already asked everyone in the room but you! Yoo Sangah was three, Han Sooyoung was seven, Lee Jihye was two, and Lee Hyunsung has only kissed me!”
The corresponding people looked over, visibly annoyed that their past was spoken aloud so casually, with the exception of Han Sooyoung who gave a thumbs up.
Joonghyuk had just come back from the kitchen to place a new plate of snacks on the table when he overheard the conversation. If he leaned a bit closer to hear Dokja’s answer no one noticed.
Dokja pretended to occupy himself with pouring himself some more non alcoholic cider when Han Sooyoung answered for him
“He's never had his first kiss.” She spoke as if she was explaining that the weather would be sunny the next day.
Dokja spilled the cider as everyone's mouths dropped open. Lee Hyungsung helpfully brought a towel to clean up the drink.
Jung Heewon pointed rudely at him with her chopsticks. “You telling me the only girl you've kissed is your mother?”
Dokja avoided eye contact as he sipped what was not spilt of his drink. “Do you think I was the type to kiss my mother even when I was young?”
Yoo Sangah looked at him with a pitiful smile. “We're not judging you Dokja-ssi, relationships aren't exactly a requirement in life.”
Dokja huffed quietly, Joonghyuk guessed he did so in offense.
“It's not like I don't want one…” He mumbled. The admission made Joonghyuk’s ears prick.
So did he have a chance?
This whole conversation led to a train of thoughts. One, Kim Dokja has never had his first kiss. Two, Dokja wasn't against having a relationship. And most importantly, three, Joonghyuk had a chance to seduce him.
-
Cut back to the present, Joonghyuk looking like a million dollars doused in honey and gold, Kim Dokja looked at him up and down as if he was wondering if it was the same Joonghyuk in front of him that he knew.
“I…did take a shower.” Joonghyuk spoke through gritted teeth, hating himself for falling in love with such an idiot.
Dokja still looked at him like he had grown extra arms, but he at least didn't look too uncomfortable. That was a good sign.
“Is there a special reason you…took a shower?”
Joonghyuk knew even Dokja couldn't be that dumb. He figured he was using ‘shower’ as a way to explain the grooming and styling he did. He took a deep breath to prepare himself for step two of his plan.
“Kim Dokja, there's a new park that's been made nearby. Come with me there.”
It was less of asking someone out on a date and more of a threat of kidnapping. Just because Joonghyuk was in love didn't mean he would swallow his pride.
Well maybe a little.
The confused look on Kim Dokja’s face had not disappeared. “Why?”
Joonghyuk clenched his jaw. Trying to get close to Dokja was like trying to pull teeth from a rat that keeps trying to bite off its own limbs to escape.
“You need some fresh air. You haven't left the house in weeks.”
“I just went to the convenience store with Sooyoung just last week.”
“That was only ten minutes and it doesn't count.”
Now Dokja made a disgruntled expression that was almost close to a pout. Joonghyuk wanted to squish the sides of his face from the cute aggression he was feeling.
Before Dokja could start protesting again, Joonghyuk grabbed a pair of shoes and a sweater for him.
After an exaggerated groan, Dokja stepped into his shoes while Joonghyuk draped the sweater over his shoulders.
“I can dress myself, bastard.”
“I can also dress you.” He smirked at Dokja.
“...was that a joke? Who are you?”
Joonghyuk shook his head and brushed off the comment. “Let's get going, you fool.”
He grabbed onto Dokja’s wrist lightly, leading them out of the house, wondering if this could be considered holding hands. Dokja then squirmed his way out of the hold, which Joonghyuk found a little hurtful but he had already settled himself in for the long ride that was seducing Dokja.
“So you cleaned yourself up to go to the park?” Dokja questioned.
Joonghyuk felt his annoyance rise again. Why was it so unusual for Joonghyuk to want to look nice sometimes? It's true he had never worked on his looks in his entire life but it couldn't be that surprising.
“...If you don't like something about the way I look then just say it.” That way he could make the proper adjustments to suit Dokja’s tastes.
“It's not that it's not nice, it's just… different.” Dokja spoke wearily like he wasn't sure if he was being insulting or not.
Joonghyuks eye twitched at the vague answer.
“Kim Dokja, you spent all those years being able to read my thoughts, I want you to at least tell me yours sometimes.” Maybe he added a bit too much aggression into his voice because he saw Dokja’s face fall in guilt.
“Fine. I just…think it doesn't look like the usual you.”
Was Joonghyuk hearing things or did Dokja sound almost disappointed?
He felt a nice floating feeling in his chest when he realized Dokja might like his usual self more. It's not like he hated dressing up, but the thought that Dokja liked him more when he was himself was reassuring in a way that was foreign to him.
After some time, they had reached their destination. The park was as beautiful as something could be in a newly created world. Short green grass, tree saplings in the middle of circular patches of wet soil, and small areas of recently planted flowers gave a breath of fresh air to help clean the polluted air around it.
It was a surprisingly beautiful sight.
Joonghyuk took a glance at Dokja’s reaction which turned into a longing gaze at the former constellation's wide, glistening eyes and slightly parted lips. His face was no longer blurry and could be seen clearly enough for Joonghyuk to try and memorize every bump, hair, and pore on his loved one's skin. The more he stared the more his heart beat faster at the way he fell harder for this man.
In a moment of confidence, Joonghyuk allowed himself to whisper out his thoughts.
“Beautiful…” He hoped Dokja knew that his gaze was toward him.
“Hmm… Yeah, it does look pretty nice.” Dokja replied casually, keeping his eyes away from Joonghyuk, to his disappointment.
There were no benches in the park yet, and the trees were far too small to provide real shade for conversation so the next best thing was to simply walk on the thin trail provided.
“Kim Dokja…” Joonghyuk started the conversation, not really knowing what to say but not wanting to stay in awkward silence.
“Yoo Joonghyuk.” Dokja replied bluntly. It made Joonghyuk’s brain scramble for a conversation topic.
“What would…you like for dinner tonight?” He settled for a practical question.
Dokja lifted an eyebrow at him. “Why are you asking me?”
“Just answer.”
Dokja rolled his eyes at him. “It's not like I'm the only one eating dinner. Make something the others would like.”
“I want to make something you like.”
Dokja was silent for a second. “...why?”
Joonghyuk clicked his tongue. “Is it so hard to believe that I want to do something nice for you?”
“Yes.” Dokja looked at him like he was stupid. The way he didn't hesitate to answer made the others heart ache.
Was he really so mean to him in the past? Well, he did try to kill him a number of times and harmed him more times than that, but he helped Dokja out several times too.
A bitter feeling came over him as he remembered all the ways he had wronged the man who became the love of his life. Strangling, punching, kicking, throwing him all came to mind. He felt cold.
“I… I'm going to make it up to you.” He could barely get the words out.
Dokja’s face seemed to look surprised before relaxing into a slightly guilty look. “Look, I didn't mean it like that. It's just… you're not usually like this.” He squinted his eyes at him. “Just what are you up to, Joonghyuk?”
“I'm not up to anything.” Besides trying to win his heart. “Just tell me what I can do to…” show you how much I love you. make you like me more. Make you fall in love with me.
Dokja was staring intently at him now. He didn't know when he had gotten so close, but it was definitely doing many things to his heart.
“Joonghyuk, even when I was able to read your mind you still confused me.” Dokja’s face was unwavering. “Just tell me what you're thinking plainly. I'm a fool after all.” He smiled with his last words, and Joonghyuk felt like he could turn into a pillar of salt.
He wasn't supposed to confess today. He wasn't supposed to let Dokja know his feelings at all until he was sure that he had his heart like how Dokja had his. But Dokja was always known for messing up his plans.
“I lo-...I want to be with you, Dokja.” He was caught up in the moment, that was all. After all he and Dokja had been through together he had to take a chance and he had to do it now.
Dokja stared at him. “I'm right here? Next to you? What are you saying, Joonghyuk?”
The ex-regressor had to breathe deeply to not lose his cool.
Joonghyuk took both of Dokja’s hands in his own. The man of his dreams was an idiot so he had to make this clear. He had to leave no hole for him to misunderstand or try and blow him off. A dozen cheesy romance novels that Han Sooyoung had shown him and several K drama shows that he was forced to watch with Lee Jiyhe went through his head. He swallowed his pride that refused to let him act like some young maiden in love and said what he had been waiting to say for years.
“Kim Dokja, I want to be with you…romantically.” He gulped as Dokja’s eyes went wide, but he continued on. He most likely wouldn't get another chance to tell him how he felt, and if he was rejected then at least Dokja would know how precious he was to the man.
“Kim Dokja, I've long since chosen to live my life for you. Being by your side is my purpose for existing and to be away from you is like being torn away from my world.” He smiled softly, hopefully looking charming. “I love you, Kim Dokja.”
The silence following stretched on for an eternity, but it was an eternity where Joonghyuk held onto his star's hands.
Dokja kept that same wide eyed, surprised look on his face for who knows how long. He could see his eyes twitch slightly before filling up with tears that quickly fell down his cheeks.
Did he say something bad? Something wrong? Was Kim Dokja so horrified by his confession that he started crying?
He was beginning to panic when Dokja began talking.
“Th-that…” Dokja let the tears fall unrestrained and sniffled loudly. Joonghyuk placed a hand on his shoulder trying to comfort him. “That was..sniffle…the first confession I’ve ever gotten in my life…”
Joonghyuk was nearly taken aback. It was hard to imagine that no one had confessed to such a beautiful person before, but the memory of how alone he was throughout his life came to him and he felt like crying as well.
“D-Dokja, I…” He felt like he needed to apologize. For what though? That he had such a loveless life until now? That his confession was so pathetic?
His worry vanished when Kim Dokja smiled wide and looked at him with such soft eyes that it was Joonghyu’s turn to be surprised.
“That was such a cringey confession, you sunfish…But I’m so happy…”
Joonghyuk smiled softly at that. “Of course you would like a cringey confession, you fool.” The amount of fondness in his voice made Dokja chuckle with more realization that he was loved.
Dokja pressed his forehead to Joonghyuk’s chest, trying to hide his unsightly face, but Joonghyuk continued to stare down at him thinking he was the most beautiful being in the universe.
“I…me too…” Dokja tried to confess as well but the words caught in his throat as his face heated up.
Joonghyuk smiled. It’s okay, he could wait to hear those words from Dokja. Having him in his arms was more than enough right now.
He pressed a small kiss to the top of his head where he could reach and Dokja looked up at him, face still deeply red.
Dokja cleared his throat awkwardly. “S-so…does this change things between us?”
Joonghyuk frowned at the thought that Dokja still might not want to be in a relationship with him even after confessing to each other. “I was hoping…that we could be lovers?”
It felt like he was begging for Dokja to be his boyfriend which was not just incredibly embarrassing, but he also didn’t want to pressure him into anything.
If Dokja’s face could become any redder it would have. The nervous, but happy, look in his eyes was pleasing to see.
“L-lovers-I-I mean yes! I’d-” Dokja took a deep breath before continuing. “I’d like that. I’d like to be lovers with you, Joonghyuk-ah.”
The new way he said his name had Joonghyuk floating off the ground. He wrapped his arms around his now boyfriend and let out a sigh of relief.
“I had planned on taking a lot longer to seduce you, Dokja-yah.”
“S-seduce?!”
“But you always ruin my plans. I don’t think I hate it this time.”
“So, that’s why you got all gussied up.” Dokja laughed in a way that cured Joonghyuk’s depression. “You don’t have to change anything for me, Joonghyuk-ah. I didn’t fall for you all those years ago just because of your looks.”
Joonghyuk smiled at him teasingly. “And just how many years have you been in love with me?”
Dokja scoffed. “You’re not allowed to dig into my past right now. Can’t you keep the mood for a bit longer?”
Joonghyuk laughed, a thing he did much easier these days, and brought Dokja’s hand up to kiss it, making the other blush.
Dokja got him back with a surprise kiss to the cheek. Now they were both red in the face and giggling till Joonghyuk’s mouth met his own.
It was short at first while they both realized what they were doing, but soon Dokja leaned in with a smile, followed by the other.
Dokja’s first kiss was as sweet as the flowers that surrounded them, and as beautiful as the new world starting for them both.
It was the kind of moment that neither thought could ever be possible in their lives. Having spent hundreds of years through nightmares, they thought the most they could ever have was peace. This was more than anything they wanted, but it felt like everything they deserved.
This was their happily ever after.