Chapter Text
Kim Dokja was a normal B-class guide, reading away his life as he drowns his head into books. What people don't know is that unlike most guides, who were soft by heart and pure of mind; He was anything but that.
By heart he was a demon, his birth father may have been a human but his mother..
Like a wall trying to force out those memories, he couldn't remember anything about his birth mother. His foster parents, Hades and Persephone, were the only ones that came into mind as he sighed. He wanted to find out the truth, but it seemed like his mind didn't want to.
Maybe it was for the best, he doesn't want to awaken that unknown part of him. Considering the situation here in South Korea at least. In other countries, they allowed espers to have a secondary skill, like how espers are categorised into elements when they first awaken. But in Korea, you're only “allowed" to have one element. He read online that somewhere in Europe, an esper managed to wield both water and ice-like abilities.
Though of course, that was because here in his home country, they had more complex abilities. Like how hypnosis seems to be considered as such, though only one S rank esper managed to wield it. Fortunately he was a private hunter for an exclusive hunting association, so manipulating him to do bad things was rare. It also didn't help how it was born from the traumatic experience that caused him to awaken back in the gate apocalypse.
Things were slightly better now, at least enough to have a normal society running again since the gates were now kept in dungeons that hunters frequently visit to clear out. Maybe in a few more years, Kim Dokja can finally become an editor for some author if he was lucky. If not, he may as well just turn to some normal office job.
His thoughts were interrupted when a masked man with a cap went in, he was a bit confused, checking his phone to see if he had anyone scheduled on this time. Hm, maybe he was just recommended since he was certain the upper floors (which were S-class guides) were busy at this hour.
The silent man only sat down on the seat as Kim Dokja sighed, putting down his phone before putting on his mask before he sets his clock to 30 minutes, only for the man to speak;
“Can't you turn that into 1 hour?"
Huh?
“I'm sorry sir but most b-class guiding sessions are limited to 30 minutes, most espers come here for their daily check-up.."
And most espers that visit him are usually low-ranked. Meaning they'd need more frequent and short guiding sessions compared to S-rank ones. Which, he doesn't need to worry about singe his senior guides take care of that.
The man only grunted as he offered his hand, Kim Dokja noticed how it had small scars that already healed, huh, maybe this one is working on ranking up as an esper. Though, it was harder now since there are lesser gates and usually lower ranked espers are just stationed to be guards or construction workers.
The guide decided to use two hands to hold the rough hands, which made Kim Dokja shivered but he hoped the esper didn't pay much mind to that. Unlike most guiding sessions, he felt like this one was more nerve wracking since he had to untangle more wires that stopped him from reaching the esper’s heart, when he did, he noticed how he only had 10 minutes left. He managed to soothe the esper’s heart before the alarm beeped, it wasn't enough to make the hunter’s eyes to normal; But enough to heal any wounds and relief tense muscles.
“Sir, have you been skipping your guiding sessions?"
Kim Dokja suddenly asked, still holding his hand as he continued to guide him gently. This time, it felt easier, the esper grunted as the guide sighed. Normally,he doesn't feel much of a connection since it's rare to have high compatible scores between guides and espers. With the ranking stuff being there so espers don't have to visit the laboratory to find their “perfect" guide for more effective guiding.
Maybe…
“...Yes."
The esper gruffly replied, the mask muffling his voice but Kim Dokja can still hear the roughness in his voice. He feels ashamed, since he felt that in his nether regions.
“Visit tomorrow, alright?"
Kim Dokja said, he never often makes an esper come back to him since he never felt that needy desire to guide the same person..but for some reason something inside of him, a more demonic and inhumane voice at least, was yearning for the man in front of him.
How interesting, is this how people get crushes?
“Don't skip your guiding sessions, I'll try my best to guide you better tomorrow…”
Because I'm a B-class guide..he wanted to say but he didn't, he brought out a bracelet, one that he was wearing since last week, which collected at least a week worth of guiding. It wouldn't be enough if this guy was an S-rank, but it should be enough to at least relax his thoughts.
" Here…I.. don't want you erupting, your state seems to be too unstable."
Kim Dokja said, taking off his mask as the other only put on the bracelet silently. Hah, what was the parasite inside him even wishing for? Clearly the esper just wants to get out.
“Yoo Joonghyuk."
The man suddenly said and Kim Dokja felt himself stop breathing for a moment, of course the name made him stop in his tracks how can he not recognize that name?
“I beg your pardon..?"
Kim Dokja subconsciously said, wait, he's just hearing things right?
“Kim Dokja, is that your name?"
The guide was now trembling as the man stood up and started to go closer to him, Yoo Joonghyuk - The guy he just guided earlier, was one of the S-ranks that had a phenomenal ability. He was rumoured to be the first one to awaken another skill which is why he was never seen much in public, that includes the infamous rumour of him not getting enough guiding and..
The hat dropped, revealing the glowing gold eyes staring at Kim Dokja like a predator sizing up their prey.
“Be my guide."
Kim Dokja must be dreaming right now when he picked up his hat again and started to drag him out of the center, unlike a regular day, it seemed that everyone was not willing to bat him an eye. That's when it hit him, when he went outside with Yoo Joonghyuk - He saw a black car and many others stationed outside of his workplace.
What date was it?! How could Kim Dokja forget?!
Today was the guide hunting day, where S-rank espers go through every guiding center to potentially encounter their compatible guide. Instead of the guides being happy about such a day, most decided to take a day off on that day since getting contracted to an S-rank esper…it just screamed prostitution. Since the more intimate you are with your esper, the most effective the guiding: Since most S-rank espers go through gut-wrenching experiences, they have to have more guiding than other espers.
Which is why they're mostly matched with S-rank guides, but if they ever find their perfect guide well..It triggers some sort of esper-instinct, at least that's how people theorize it since no one ever knew how higher ranked espers felt whenever they found a good guide. Seems like Kim Dokja is an unfortunate victim, he's getting the first live experience.
“Hey uh, I know that this might be too late but I'm actually a B-class guide and I-"
“I don't care."
Yoo Joonghyuk replied, making Kim Dokja sigh as the driver started the car. Isn't this technically kidnapping?
“Can we at least go to a lab first? To you know…get an accurate score of our compatibility..”
Kim Dokja tried to suppress a squeak when Yoo Joonghyuk glared at him as he turned away. Damn, he didn't wanna die so soon, he still had to catch grasshoppers..
" We are.”
Yoo Joonghyuk replied dryly, making Kim Dokja ease a bit since at least he isn't drilling questions into his mind. Which he'd rather not want, but the silence helps him recollect his thoughts. Okay, financially speaking this was the better option considering he only needs to guide You Joonghyuk exclusively,right?
It helps since Yoo Joonghyuk is attractive as well, which makes Kim Dokja worry about his own feelings towards the man but it was better than having to sleep with a creepy person for more effective guiding. Though,he does hopes that Yoo Joonghyuk only sees him as a guide, he doesn't know if his heart can handle the esper’s love. An esper’s feelings will never be affected by guiding,even in intimate activities, that's why he always hears about guides being heartbroken about just simply being a guide for their esper lovers.
That's exactly why Kim Dokja never danced with love, since he knew that his job was always placed in front of him before anything else. When the car finally stopped, Kim Dokja lifted his head up slightly before Yoo Joonghyuk opened the car door for him, he didn't realize the esper was already out of the car..
“I won't hurt you."
Yoo Joonghyuk said, Kim Dokja only ignored the gentleness lacing his voice, this is only for guiding,right?
No feelings attached, surely. Kim Dokja doesn't believe in love at first sight.
When walking through the hallway, he noticed how little people were also here, I mean, it is late afternoon,maybe the others already got tested at morning. That's when he noticed how one other person was already waiting in the testing room.
“Yo, muscle-jerk, you really took your sweet time, no?"
A tall handsome man said, he had a more soothing voice, a direct contrast to Yoo Joonghyuk's rougher voice. Ah, if he's also an esper then this must be…
“My name is Sung Jinwoo, you?"
He introduced himself first, offering a hand towards the guide. Which, itself was a romantic gesture since guides can just offer indirect guiding by just handshaking. So Sing Jinwoo was here too, Kim Dokja remembers him since he had a unique ability as the first necromancer, he was rumoured to actually be related to the underworld since it took the government years to properly rank him as an S-rank esper.
Didn't this guy already have a guide though…?
“Kim Dokja."
The reader shook it off, Cha Hae In was also an S-rank esper, but that didn't mean that she and Sung Jinwoo can't date, really. Though his thoughts was interrupted when he subconsciously held Sung Jinwoo's hand, unlike Yoo Joonghyuk,he immediately touched the esper’s heart, once again, it felt far too relaxing to be compared to regular guiding..
Yoo Joonghyuk seemed to not like it enough to push Sung Jinwoo away. But the necromancer only grinned at him as his eyes glinted purple, countering Yoo Joonghyuk’s already glowing gold eyes.
Ah, he needs to hurry up and properly guide Yoo Joonghyuk, it'd be game over of he ever errupted…A doctor interrupted their silent battle before it escalated though.
“Kim Dokja? We'll have to get your data first if that's alright? Unless you want to…be tested at the same time with Yoo Joonghyuk?”
Haha, no.
" I'd rather be tested individually until the compability test..”
Kim Dokja sluggishly admitted, yeah, just because he knew Yoo Joonghyuk a little amount doesn't mean he has the right to suddenly decide to be tested together.
The doctor only nodded before he took Kim Dokja away from the two espers, honestly he was nervous, everything is happening so fast yet for some reason he felt calm as a whole. As if he already met the two before, that's why he was just accepting it even if he should be panicking and pleading to be spared because he doesn't want to be an exclusive guide.
Weird.
Did the parasite inside him finally take over? He didn't have time to think that as the tests started to bleed into time.
Sung Jinwoo only let out a sigh as he leaned on the wall as Yoo Joonghyuk sat down on one of the seats in the waiting room, because of his high rank, they needed to take all sorts of test to make sure that Yoo Joonghyuk will not accidentally trigger guiding repression. Meaning, causing Kim Dokja trauma with guiding him since the ranking difference was too high.
Now, it seems that Sung Jinwoo is compatible with him too. But they'll talk about it later.
“Do you think he's the one?"
Sung Jinwoo finally asked, Yoo Joonghyuk wasn't stupid. Sung Jinwoo clearly had eyes for Kim Dokja as well, he can see why. The guide seemed to have that soft aura around him, yet Yoo Joonghyuk knew better than anyone..
“He hasn't changed one bit.”
Yoo Joonghyuk replied. He can't be mistaken, as a regressor, he can never forget his star..He finally found a universe where he does exist, fortunately,it was a rather calm universe but there were still some setbacks. Now, he didn't have lie detector to help him along the way. For years, he wished he had Kim Dokja attached to his hip, but that was wishful thinking.
"He's compatible with me too, you know.”
Sung Jinwoo said casually, which made Yoo Joonghyuk's blood boil. This was another one of the setbacks, for some reason, another protagonist other than him managed to know about his only reader. If he didn't ask Han Sooyoung to help him, he would have never figured that Sung Jinwoo was a protagonist and would have killed him back then.
Because in this universe, Sung Jinwoo knew Kim Dokja at childhood. Had experienced him growing till highschool,before the reader had to move into the underworld but clearly the world forgot about that. Hades and Persephone weren't royalty if not for their money and power after all. Unlike Kim Dokja, Sing Jinwoo remembers him from childhood, considering that Kim Dokja doesn't even recognize him. It was reasonable, they both haven't awakened that time and…
Sung Jinwoo definitely looked different from before.
“He was mine first."
“But in this universe,I found him first."
Yoo Joonghyuk clenched his teeth as Sung Jinwoo only chuckled at the response, honestly, at first, he never really understood why his fate was attached to the reader. Clearly in his past life he was destined with Cha Hae In, but this story seemed to direct his life into another direction.
“You…”
"Hey uh, who's the one I'm going to be guiding??”
Kim Dokja’s voice, a gentle soothing melody wiggled it's way into the cold air and warmed it up. Making the espers look at him attentively.
“The doctors said that I'm perfectly healthy, albeit, I need to put on some weight but it seems that my rank has been outdated."
Kim Dokja said as Yoo Joonghyuk stood up, Sung Jinwoo growled as he grabbed the back of the regressor’s coat, pulling him back making the guide take a step back.
What a wonderful display of a nice friendship!
“Hey, I don't want to get caught up in a fight."
Kim Dokja spoke, crossing his arms as he spoke firmly this time, making the espers stop before Yoo Joonghyuk cursed Sung Jinwoo.
“He's my guide."
“How humouring, clearly my ability would benefit this world more."
“How dare-"
“Okay, update the contract, what if I just guide you both?!"
Kim Dokja said, stomping his foot as he somehow managed to rip the two off each other's throats, making Yoo Joonghyuk widen his eyes as Sung Jinwoo grinned.
“You sure you'd manage us two?"
Sung Jinwoo said as he purred, feeling Kim Dokja's soft and gentle guiding coursing through his veins before Kim Dokja let go, feeling a bit of his energy depleting suddenly.
“Isn't there guide training?"
This time the necromance laughed, making the regressor scowl at him.
“You think S-rank espers know things like that?"
“Well, you guys are high in power…"
“How cute."
“What?"
“Nothing, nothing. You have to increase your stamina skills on your own through working out.”
Sung Jinwoo smoothly replied, making Kim Dokja groan in agony. This is exactly why he didn't want to go through with exclusively guiding a high rank esper, he actually had to work out but he considered the doctor's words earlier…About how he could help awaken Yoo Joonghyuk’s secondary ability if he guided him, it's not that he wanted to actually help creating a weapon for the government but he wanted to see Yoo Joonghyuk grow in a way.
He thought that he got over his idol crush but it seemed that he hasn't, maybe.
“I'll help you."
Yoo Joonghyuk said before he went into the room first, it didn't take long before Sung Jinwoo had to as well. It was a silent waiting game and Kim Dokja ended up not communicating with either of the espers in favor of reading Han Sooyoung's novels. His favourite author was suddenly back from her writing break, afterall.
That was, until, Sung Jinwoo snatched the phone away, making Kim Dokja pop a nerve as the esper only smiled innocently at him.
“It's not good ignoring your espers like that."
“You're making it sound like I'm in a relationship with you two!"
Kim Dokja shouted, Sung Jinwoo’s eyes darkened for a split moment before it went back to the usual purple tint. A grim reminder of the lack of guiding and Kim Dokja could only sigh at his impending doom. Still, there's that nagging parasitic voice in the back of his mind that's screaming in delight at how he found their mate again.
“They don't allow electronics in the testing room."
Yoo Joonghyuk casually said as he took off his shirt, making Kim Dokja cough as he looked away, he forgot that they had to be shirtless for this..
“Hey, you have to take off yours too."
Sung Jinwoo said as he disregarded his shirt in the testing room, the researchers were already attaching electrodes on his fine sculpted body- Okay, pause, Kim Dokja do not think of that. The guide reluctantly took off his coat then button up, which Sung Jinwoo glanced at as he put on his own electrodes, as if he already did this before.
Because in the past, he wanted to believe he was still going to be with Cha Hae In despite her being an esper as well.
Yoo Joonghyuk stopped a noise when he saw the familiar pale body, a story within him was growling as he closed his eyes, remembering the past nights they spent together back then. Fortunately,this time, he didn't need to worry about Kim Dokja self sacrificing or better yet; Scenarios or fates that will force Yoo Joonghyuk to kill him.
After all three were hooked up in the wires,they first decided to test out Kim Dokja's dynamic with Yoo Joonghyuk. The machine beeped and the numbers were being computed..
What the hell?...
“That's.."
Kim Dokja’s voice cracked at the high number as the researchers tried again, it still stayed the same.
“Okay…good start, it seems that you two have a 98% compability rate.”
The doctor said calmly which Kim Dokja snapped at since they shouldn't be so chill about this! This is too high even for a compatible pair!
"Surely there's an error?”
" Nonsense, we saw it real time, there's no error here. Everything was already tested before hand.”
The doctor said before they tried again.
98%
And again
98.5%
It got higher?!
"There's no fighting it.”
Yoo Joonghyuk sighed out as Kim Dokja only agonized his life. His life really is turning into some crappy romance novel.
Though,when it was Sung Jinwoo’s turn, Kim Dokja expected it to be significantly lower. Considering that at least with Sung Jinwoo,
the guide had no admiration towards the esper. Since compability rate was how much attraction they had towards their esper, though only for a small amount though, it also included how well the esper’s energy resonates with the guiding…
98.5%
“No fucking WAY-"