Chapter Text
Inside a silent room, a man lay motionless on top of a bed with a thoughtful look. Moonlight bathed his face as he slowly turned to the open window. Gazing at the clear night sky full of shining stars made Yoo Jonghyuk think about yesterday's events. He isn't the kind of individual to dwell on anyone's past, and he doesn't want to have anything to do with it. But that day when Lee Sookyung asked him to help her son... He was unsure.
Lee Sookyung, Kim Dokja's mother, just silently stared at him and slowly shook her head in denial. He could see her tightly clenched fist trembling. After some time, she sighed, letting out the turbid air trapped inside her chest. At that moment, Lee Sookyung said something that Yoo Jonghyuk still couldn't wrap his head around and comprehend.
"You are the only one that can save him."
「 Me...? 」
Those spoken words kept repeating in his mind no matter how hard he rustled in that bed, trying to bury the thought. Left and right, he kept trashing around. In the end, Yoo Jonghyuk, defeated, looked up at the ceiling. This one was destined to become a sleepless night. The regressor made a quick decision of getting out of bed. He isn't the type to get caught up in inconveniences like this. Going out for a night walk and letting the cold winds cool his head may help.
By this time, everyone was already deep in slumber. Regardless of their grief, sleep remained an unavoidable need for the human body. Yoo Jonghuk thought about the people who were following Kim Dokja. When they learned about his sacrifice, their expressions were filled with despair. Some were crying, others were trying to deny the truth, but everyone, including Yoo Jonghyuk himself, shared a common sense of loss.
Clouds gradually obscured the moon, shrouding the earth in darkness. A lone figure wandered around the ruined cityscape. The dark clothing of the regressor allowed him to blend seamlessly with the shadows. Suddenly, a sound alien from this environment interrupted his thoughts. Startled by an unforeseen force, the regressor's body tensed and readied himself to face whatever was incoming. Then, a familiar blue light panel emerged, accompanied by a peculiar light with a message.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' urges the character 'Yoo Jonghyuk' to enter the portal.]
"What..."
But before he could even finish the sentence, a bright light blinded his visions, and his body began to feel weightless, as if floating through space. Shortly after the initial buzz, Yoo Jonghyuk was teleported into a dark alleyway, appearing from thin air. The first thing he did after recovering from the initial dizziness was to check himself, making sure that he was still all in one piece. After some time, Yoo Jonghyuk realized he couldn't even summon his weapon anymore, thus leaving him more vulnerable.
The regressor frowned, feeling angry and indignant about the constellation Uriel's mischief. Kidnapping could be a more fitting word, but it didn't matter. They were just entrainment for those cheap bunchs of stardust.
[Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' used 5000000 coins to unlock the special scenario for the character 'Yoo Jonghyuk']
[A special scenario has been unlocked]
[Side quest #1 - The first meeting has begun]
+
[Side quest #1 - The first meeting]
Category: Side
Difficulty: ???
Clear conditions: ???
Time limit: One week
Compensation: ???
Failure: ㅡ
*There are additional clear conditions.
*No constellation interference allowed.
+
***
Before even realizing it, tiny water droplets were already falling from the clouded sky. Slight panic interrupted the usual quaintness as people began frantically searching for any place to take cover. Yoo Jonghyuk just stood frozen, nailed at the spot from the view. The city of Seoul, filled with humanity's vibrancy, was a bustling city that existed only in his memory. Each time the regressor started another run, he would begin on the day when humanity's freedom ended, so all he had seen in his past two lifetimes were the barren lands of many deserted cities.
"This... Where am I?"
Slowly making his way out of the dark alley, Yoo Jonghyuk started to 'admire' the scenery. Suddenly, he saw a bunch of teenagers wearing some high school uniforms running out of the alley beside his. They were swearing and running away from someone or something. Unfazed by what just happened, the regressor just wanted to let that clear sensation of the water falling from the sky hitting his face last slightly longer. Let him enjoy the peace that common rain can bring just a little bit longer.
After some time, Yoo Jonghyuk started to explore the area he was in. Watching the busy city streets function again as in the old times left him with a strange bitter aftertaste in his mouth. Maybe this was all a dream, a parallel universe, or the past. Who knows? All he knew was that this wouldn't last for him anyway.
「 I just need to wait for the one-week deadline. 」
"Excuse me, ahjussi?"
Then, a feeble voice suddenly called out from behind him. Turning around, Yoo Jonghyuk saw a battered young man in the same uniform as the ones from before. This person was seriously bruised around his left cheek, leaving a glaring purple splash on his pale skin. Both hands had scraped knuckles, and his lips were also injured. Blood was flowing out of the various cracks, and it was evident he didn't have a good time.
"I saw you walking without an umbrella. Would you like to have mine?"
The young boy asked with a small, tentative smile, brushing aside the hurt that curled at the corners of his already bleeding lips.
His current appearance was indeed a very gruesome visage to see, but those pale white hands covered with minor wounds were now offering a red umbrella toward the tall black-clothed man drenched under the rainfall. The regressor watched the delivered object and slowly lifted his view to look at the teen. The rain made the young boy's black hair stick to his forehead. He looked tired and pitiful, but that smile on his face made him look brighter than anything else surrounding them. A sincere smile was all he could see on that pale face. Uncaring about his condition, the teen offered his umbrella to someone else.
Yoo Jonghyuk couldn't help but scorn such a mindless action. Kindness can be considered a good trait, but to the regressor, that emotion was just pure garbage. Useless and a waste of effort, it brought no actual value, and the things kindness could have done, strength would do them better. The regressor's train of thought wasn't overly complicated. For him, strength was ultimately the best and most straightforward method to solve everything.
The teen patiently waited for a response, but when he saw the latter's brown furrowing, just like thunder breaking through the clear sky, he made a shocked expression, hit by a sudden realization. He slowly retracted the red umbrella while sheepishly scratching the back of his neck.
"Maybe because this isn't a very manly color..."
But instead of taking back the red umbrella, he kept pushing it forward toward the older man in a pressing manner.
"It's still better than nothing!"
Yoo Jonghyuk silently stared at the boy before him. Looking into those dark brown eyes, he could see his own reflection. The regressor's furrowed brow twitched, slightly bothered by the unusual friendliness.
"I don't need it."
「 It would be more useful to you anyway. 」
Looking down at his umbrella, the teen opened it and covered himself and the tall man. The bright red umbrella created a stark contrast against the gray sky and cold rainfall. But that moment was soon to be broken by the sudden arrival of some unwelcomed visitors.
"He's still here!"
"Ah... That can't be good." said the teen while sucking in a breath of cold air.
"It's better if they don't see you with me, ahjussi. It could be troublesome for you."
The teenager bowed down and took Yoo Jonghyuk's hand, swiftly transferring the umbrella hold from his hand to the latter. Smiling one last time toward that stone-cold face, the youthful teen was preparing himself for another long run. But before he could even make a step, a big hand held him down. The regressor acted out of instinct. He felt like he did not want to lose something again. Unsure about his own actions, Yoo Jonghyuk asked for the first thing he could have thought of.
"What is your name?"
The teenage boy had a look full of surprise when he was stopped down to be questioned his name by the older man. A mix of confusion and urgency flashed across his face, but he quickly pushed those thoughts aside. The distant screams and cusses were getting louder and louder, and an imminent conflict would have been inevitable if he remained here. Glancing down at the hand tightly wrapped around his wrist, panicked, he made a spur-of-the-moment decision to let the handsome stranger tag along in his escape. He could have tried to shake him off, but even he knew it wasn't a realistic idea.
"Kim Dokja."
A deep rumble rolled through the air before the rain came crashing down with even more gusto. The wind and the rain were dancing together more wildly than ever, and it almost seemed to mimic the internal state of turmoil Yoo Jonghyuk felt when he heard that name. All of this reminded him of their first encounter.
"A strange name." Yoo Jonghyuk softly whispered.
While running and dragging the older man with him, the teen just shrugged it off. He usually has many people saying the same stuff the first time he tells them his name. Does he really own such a lame name? Is it lame or just special? Kim Dokja... A 'solo reader.' Laughing to himself, the young Kim Dokja just smiled and kept running forward.
"I've heard a lot."
Time passed quickly as the duo kept running. Finally, they reached a white flat, and Kim Dokja started rummaging through his pockets to find the key to the house. The thugs behind them had long given up their chase, and now was the perfect time for Yoo Jonghyuk to stop and reorganize his thoughts and try making an idea out of this situation.
With a click, the door was opened. Still dragging the man alongside, they both entered the cozy habitation. As a good host, the teenager brought out a pair of new slippers for Yoo Jonghyuk and invited the latter in. Asking for the black-clothed man's coat, Kim Dokja retreated inside the bathroom to hang the wet clothes. He returned to the living room with some dry towels. After passing one of them to the older man, he just plopped himself on the sofa beside him.
"Why did you help me?" Yoo Jonghyuk asked.
Placing the towel around his neck, Kim Dokja stayed silent for a few seconds before shaking his head and chuckling towards himself.
"You can say that I got curious."
"Why?"
"I saw ahjussi walking by, alone and without an umbrella under the rain. I watched as the other people started to run, seeking shelter, but ahjussi seemed very happy to be washed away by it. Ahjussi can call me a busybody. But I just like to think I'm curious."
"You seem to like watching the people around you very much."
"Haha... " a small dry laugh was everything Yoo Jonghyuk received as a response from the teen.
In reality, he had just wanted to distract himself from the pain caused by his wounds. Anything was fine. And out of pure coincidence, Yoo Jonghyuk got his attention by sticking out from the crowd like a sore thumb.
After a little awkward silence, Kim Dokja finally opened his mouth again, saying that if the latter had accepted, sleeping over at his house to spend the night wouldn't be a problem at all. When faced with the dubious expression plastered on the older man's face, he waved it off by saying that some company is always welcomed inside this empty home of his.
After some thought, Yoo Jonghyuk truthfully admitted he had no place to stay at the moment, and the young boy seemed strangely overjoyed to hear the news. The latter pushed the regressor towards the bathroom for a quick shower and gave him one of the oversized pajamas he had bought on a whim in the past. He couldn't remember the exact reason for this purchase and honestly said that if it weren't for Yoo Jonghyuk's sudden visit, Kim Dokja wouldn't even remember owning such an item.
Only the sound of running water could be heard inside the shower as the white steam slowly rose, dampening the bathroom's walls. Yoo Jonghyuk almost forgot why he was there. The hot water felt very different from the cold raindrops. His entire body seemed to relax. It all felt so surreal to him. He was blissfully taking a shower right now as if the man fighting day and night to complete various scenarios in the past wasn't him at all. If this was a dream. He couldn't confidently answer if he wanted to wake up from it or not.
Kim Dokja was already washed up and changed when the regressor returned to the living room. On the table were two mugs filled with fuming hot chocolate, and a closed first aid kit was not too far away from them. Kim Dokja's face had already patched up his face, and two poorly banded hands were now loosely holding the warm mug. With a satisfied sigh, he sipped that drink with a smile, clearly enjoying that cup of warm goodness. Noticing his guest staring at him from the doorframe, the teen smiled and waved.
"Want to join me?"
Yoo Jonghyuk silently stared at the young man seated on the sofa. The patching covering his face couldn't hide that purple mark on his skin, yet he was just sitting there in a relaxed manner. The warm light surrounding his small figure made the boy look slightly lonelier in this empty house. The young Kim Dokja seemed unfazed by that persistent stare and kept a friendly smile.
"You know, calling you ahjussi seems to make you older. So, can I call you hyung?"
It didn't matter how he was called, so the regressor just silently nodded before slowly positioning himself beside the teen on the sofa. Looking at those loose bandages around his hands, Yoo Jonghyuk could not help but feel an itch on his own hands. The patchings on his face were dealt with very skillfully, in contrast to the poorly made work on his other injuries. Finally, when the regressor couldn't restrain himself from that urge anymore, he removed the hot mug from those hands, earning himself a cute, angry, pouting expression from the teenage boy. Wait, what was he thinking? Pouting? Cute? Yoo Jonghyuk quickly shook his head, chasing away those strange thoughts.
"Hyung?"
Not concerned about the confusion the young Kim Dokja was feeling right now, Yoo Jonghyuk tore away the old bandages and started to warp them up again without uttering a single word. Realizing how small and fragile those hands looked in his grip, the regressor started to reminisce about his companion.
「 So, is this the young Kim Dokja? 」
「 It's completely different. 」
「 This is the life of a normal citizen, yet why does he seem so bruised? 」
Yoo Jonghyuk just kept his thoughts to himself. He still couldn't believe that the Kim Dokja he knew, and the Kim Dokja he was looking at right now were the same person. The Kim Dokja everyone used to know was that stubborn man who kept making miracles, and now, what Yoo Jonghyuk could see was just a hurt yet smiling young man.
Seeing the focused look on the older man's face, Kim Dokja felt a strange sense of shame wash over him. Feeling guilty because of his ineptitude. Like a child who has done something wrong, he kept a downcast expression. The teenager thought about what happened in the alleyway. He somehow had always been the favorite target for all sorts of bullies, so he learned how to bear with it through the years. But that day, they wanted to hurt something more than just his body. It all reminded him of that memory when the same thing occurred. At that time, his body was already too weak from all the beating he received. But this time, he didn't want history to repeat itself. He didn't want anyone to insult what he loved anymore. He didn't want anyone to defame 'his' name anymore.
"I usually don't fight back, so I'm not very used to tend bandages on my hands."
Looking up from those hands, Yoo Jonghyuk met Kim Dokja's apologetic gaze. The regressor couldn't comprehend the reason for such an expression on that face. Instead, he felt angry that the person before him had just admitted his always passive reaction towards such situations. It shouldn't matter to him, but it does. His mind just couldn't accept the sharp contrast between that shit-eating grin bastard and this lonely, weak flower.
"You are Kim Dokja."
「 No matter what, you are still my companion. 」
"Yes?"
"Do you want to know my name?"
"Sure."
"My name is Yoo Jonghyuk."
Then, a sudden system message popped up when he uttered his name.
The first mission was completed.
[Side quest #1 - The first meeting has ended]
***
[Side quest #2 - The solo reader has begun]