Work Text:
When he opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the gentle caress of the winter breeze on his cheeks. A few breaths in and out, then come the realization in that moment, he was alive in this world as himself again. As his vision became clearer, fuzzienies of his surroundings turned into sharper, concrete objects one by one, the UV on his arm, the heart monitor to his left, the chekered walls of the hospital from the couch to his opposite, papers were flying over everywhere, together with the wind peeking through the open windows, and his stories were humming with the desire to be heard again.
[Story, 'King of a Kingless World', has begun its storytelling once more.]
He couldn't contain himself, nor could he stop the tears welling on his eyes. His body started to move out of the bed before he could even think. He threw the blanket away, like he was drowning in it. He crawled toward the edge and dragged his legs along. The moment he stepped out, his knees gave out, finding himself on the floor. Out of his trembling lips, a silent 'huff' managed out, and tears were pooling up on top of his hands anchoring the ground. Meanwhile, his stories continued their reciting ceaselessly.
[Giant Story, 'Demon Realm's Spring', has begun its storytelling once more.]
[Giant Story, 'Torch that Swallowed the Myth', has begun its storytelling once more.]
He tried to move forward, he really did, but his body wouldn't listen, his stories were not complete yet.
[Giant Story, 'Season of Light and Darkness', has begun its storytelling once more.]
[Giant Story, 'Liberator of the Forgotten Ones', has begun its storytelling once more.]
How much time passed like that? Perhaps not even more than mere seconds. But sooner or later, he heard footsteps coming closer and closer, silence filled with shortness of breath, filled with murmurs of awe, sorrow, desperation, then the creaking of the door as the door handle moved down slowly.
As it opened, his companions and swarm of other people that knew him one way or another filled scenery of the hospital hallway, eyes searching and finally landing down on him on the floor.
Han Sooyoung let out the door handle with a loud thud, a grin filled with tears forming on her mouth, behind her Yoo Sangah grabbed Jung Heewon's shoulder to steady herself, she was also having trouble standing still, Lee Hyunsung uttered a unintelligble voice, Lee Gilyoung and Shin Yoosung pushed others to make their way to the front and stopped on their tracks as soon as they've seen him.
And the next moment, their movements accelerated, their limbs reaching him with a resolution so strong and so fragile at the same time.
His vision became fuzzy again. He was not sure who was holding where, but his companions were all around him, inspecting his arms, his legs, his everywhere as if to make sure he was one piece. No one uttered a single world for a long time, and they were oh so careful with every of their movements, as if all of this would vanish, he would vanish, the moment they tilted off the balance of silence, the moment they moved their heads away, the moment they took a one single mistep. Kim Dokja believed so as well. If he closed his eyes even for a second, he thought he would find himself on that subway train, metallic and cold, feeding off of his very own soul -
"Stop thinking unneccesary things." said Yoo Joonghyuk, like he read his mind. Despite his words, his voice had no bite to it. "You are here with us now. That's what matters."
Lee Hyunsung, very slowly and carefully, held him below his armpits and raised him back to the bed. His kids latched on him.
"Ajhusshi." Shin Yoosung choked out between hers sobs. She was holding Lee Gilyoung's hand with one of hers, and with others, she was holding onto him.
Han Sooyoung hugged him from the other side, whispered to him as she was a breath away. "You fool. You stupid bastard. We missed you so much."
Lee Jihye, still standing in front of the door, could only sob while wiping her tears with her sleeve.
Yoo Sangah stroked his hair wordlessly.
Biyoo landed on his ribcage.
"I-" His voice barely left his clogged throat. "I still don't think this is real."
His companions' eyes filled with sorrow, but Sooyoung, as an answer, resorted to pinching his arm and snorted as he let out a weak. "Ouch!".
For a long time, an eternity long, he was trapped in a subway train wandering ceaselessly, dreaming a
the distant worldlines, expending probablity in exchange for his soul, so that a certain man could reach his goal. Maybe all of their choices, from the beginning of apocalypse to 0th turn to finally here were for this sole goal to gain its ultimatum and the epilogue they all yearned for, brewed for an eternity to take it's final form here. Why, though, Kim Dokja wondered in daze, while it was the final chapter, he felt like he was finally moving forward.