Chapter Text
Chap 1
Fireworks burst into the clear sky, symbolizing the start of something new. As the group looked at each other, they knew they were going to be alright. College meant that they would be separated and that was something they had to make peace with. But for today, for the last time, they were high school students, determined to spend every last second together.
Holding hands, the couple made a silent promise to one and other, no matter what the future holds for them, they would never allow it to taint the memories they made so far. When they would look back on this day, regret wouldn’t be the first thing that comes to their mind.
With a big bang in the sky, their high school chapter came to an end. And though not everybody got what they wanted the memory of this day would be etched in their minds replacing their emotions with fondness and longing.
Kim Dokja read the last paragraph of the web novel and looked around at his surroundings. There was no group waiting for him to celebrate their last day as high schoolers on their graduation. It was just Dokja and his phone, always has been, today, yesterday, and for the last three years of his high school.
There was no joy, no memories to look back to. Just a sad reminder of how life was unfair to him, even on this day. A day meant to celebrate with loved ones like your friends and family, Kim Dokja didn’t possess either of them.
Ignoring the sights and sounds of happiness around him, Dokja left the festivities and carried himself to his lonely apartment where the only thing that greeted him was a congratulations letter sent by his mother, who was off signing books to strangers rather than be in the same room with her son. Just like for the past three years of his life.
Kim Dokja would be lying if he said that he wasn’t a bit hurt with today’s events. Sure, his mother wasn’t very active in his life, but the least thing she could’ve done was show up for her only son’s graduation. Is that too much to ask for? Just because his name meant alone, doesn’t mean that he should be forced to play that part for the rest of his life.
Maybe that’s why he had grown too attached to the web novel. His only source of comfort. There was a character who shared the same name as him but that’s all. The Kim Dokja in the novel was everything he wasn’t in real life, but as fate would have it, his terrible choices soon left him to be forgotten. Novel Dokja became so unimportant that the author didn’t even bother giving him a proper ending.
Sometimes, Dokja would imagine himself to be a part of the narrative, reconsidering the choices Novel Dokja made and replacing them with his own. Somewhere along the line, he imagined himself to be a part of his friend group, but imagination could only soothe his loneliness so far.
He was tired. Too tired.
I don’t think anyone would notice if I disappeared. He thought as he resigned to a slumber hoping for his dreams to be kinder to him.