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“Yoo Joonghyuk have you seen- n-never mind!”
He didn’t even know who was asking him a question or what they wanted, all he saw was them scurrying off. Supposedly because he immediately glared at them.
And that one-sided conversation was enough to wear the man out for the day. He went about his usual plans, travelling, winning battles, then proceeding to not engage in any human interaction at all.
Normally those plans were thwarted by Kim Dokja, who always had something to say to him, always roping him into a dumb conversation. The two resembled an unstoppable force meeting an unmovable object. Technically he could walk away anytime, the only reason he didn’t was because Kim Dokja sometimes had useful information, that was all. Yes, even when the man rambled about his ice cream flavour ranking, it was very important for Yoo Joonghyuk to learn that.
This time however, the shorter man was deadly silent. Unusually silent. He didn’t look sad, he looked unnaturally calm, and maybe a bit tired.
Yoo Joonghyuk had watched him socialise with everyone all day, constantly wondering how Kim Dokja had so much energy. Not only that, the shorter also had to make sure he was up to date with everyone in the group. A few weeks ago Yoo Sangah mentioned wanting to try out different hairstyles and Kim Dokja followed her up on that this morning as he tried to give her braided pigtails. Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t feel jealous seeing him brushing her hair so fondly, of course he didn’t. And he didn’t consider growing out his own hair just to get the same attention.
Afterwards, Kim Dokja chatted with Lee Seolhwa, mostly asking her various questions about her profession. For someone so careless about his physical health, he sure was interested in her medical knowledge. The doctor was a bit like Yoo Joonghyuk, not speaking much to anyone until she was with the reader.
Then Kim Dokja would spend time with the kids, trying hard to equally divide his attention between the two brats to prevent them from crying about him having a favourite. Just watching it made Yoo Joonghyuk exhausted.
He hated kids. Someone bumped into him, causing a locket he always held to fall out. Before they could pick it up, he snatched it from the ground and scowled at them, causing them to scurry off. He opened the locket and stared at the photo of his smiling sister on her 7th birthday…
He hated most kids.
After playing with the kids, Kim Dokja would talk to Han Sooyoung for hours. Even if most of their conversations were arguments, he did spend the most time with her.
Besides Yoo Joonghyuk that was.
And that lead to the last thing on Kim Dokja’s day, talking to Yoo Joonghyuk. Except he wasn’t doing that, he was just sitting there mindlessly and dazed. It made Yoo Joonghyuk a little worried, but only for practical reasons. When Kim Dokja occupied his time, no one else bothered them. Which was good, because Kim Dokja was the only one he could half-way tolerate in the group besides Lee Jihye.
He approached the man and stood in front of him. Kim Dokja didn’t notice, staring at the floor.
“What’s gotten into you?” Yoo Joonghyuk asked.
It was harsh but if he had been gentle then Kim Dokja would definitely tease him for it. The man just silently looked at him. Yoo Joonghyuk saw the exhaustion in his eyes and felt bad.
“Are you finally tired out from galloping around with your friends all day?”
Kim Dokja silently nodded, which he didn’t expect. He looked like he really needed to rest but wouldn’t let himself. Before Yoo Joonghyuk could add to it, Han Sooyoung interrupted them. Saying something about how they have to go to a party. Yoo Joonghyuk sighed internally, that sounded like the most pointless way to spend the evening. He was just going to follow Kim Dokja around as an excuse to not talk to anyone as the other socialised for him-
Oh.
He stared at the exhausted man, who began to get up because of course he wouldn’t say no to anyone. And Yoo Joonghyuk guessed the man would push himself to socialise at the event, despite how on edge he looked. He could imagine Kim Dokja as a fragile glass bottle about to break, like he was going to scream if anyone else spoken a word to him. He was surprised the man didn’t attack him earlier when he barricaded him with questions.
He watched him walk off to his room before doing the same. Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t have to attend really, he could easily just announce he didn’t care and no one would argue with him (besides Lee Seolhwa.) Although a part of him did want to attend, to keep on eye on Kim Dokja. Like the man always did for him.
After getting dressed, he met with the others. He didn’t really care about what they were wearing so didn’t pay attention, or listen to any compliments he had gotten. The only person he did focus on was Kim Dokja who finally left his room, wearing a suit that made him look- only factually, not that Yoo Joonghyuk was attracted to it- really good. Even with his eye bags and messy hair.
Yoo Joonghyuk knew something was definitely wrong when Kim Dokja wouldn’t compliment everyone’s attire like he usually did. Then he realised no one actually said anything to Kim Dokja either. He was surprised Yoo Sangah didn’t until he noticed she was busy complimenting Han Sooyoung’s suit, the other girl making a joke about how she will dance with her, causing Yoo Sangah to blush. Why did Yoo Sangah acting like a useless sapphic relieve a part of Yoo Joonghyuk? It didn’t matter.
He walked to Kim Dokja, who was standing at a distance from the group.
“You look good.”
Kim Dokja looked at him in surprised. He opened his mouth to either thank him or compliment him back but Yoo Joonghyuk stopped him.
“I know what you’re going to say. You don’t need to.”
He saw a very slight upturn of the corner of Kim Dokja’s lips. Except he didn’t actually because why would he be looking at his soft, pink lips?
Then one of Satan’s incarnates approached them, or that’s what Yoo Joonghyuk nicknamed her.
“Ahjussi, ahjussi! How do I look!” Shin Yoosung asked excitedly, twirling around in her dress.
“He was just talking to me about how adorable you looked,” Yoo Joonghyuk said, practically forcing the words out. He saw Kim Dokja look at him in surprise.
Shin Yoosung’s eyes sparkled. “Really?”
“Like the belle of the ball,” he muttered, trying to match Kim Dokja’s complimenting style.
She smiled brightly at Kim Dokja, who patted her hair with a small smile and she giggled. Then Lee Gilyoung grabbed Kim Dokja’s other arm, demanding attention.
“What about me? What about me?”
“He thinks you look like a prince,” Yoo Joonghyuk said quickly.
He held back a comment about how Lee Gilyoung’s cap did not match his formal attire at all, which was a good idea as Lee Gilyoung smiled happily, and clung tightly onto Kim Dokja’s arm like he just made his entire year.
“Actually?” The boy asked nervously, he wasn’t used to compliments. Kim Dokja nodded with a fond smile.
“Like…” Yoo Joonghyuk tried to rack his brain and settled on another book reference. “The little prince.”
Kim Dokja hid his smile at that as Shin Yoosung immediately disagreed, causing the two kids to bicker again. Before Yoo Joonghyuk could tell them to shut up, Lee Jihye chuckled at Yoo Joonghyuk’s odd kindness.
“What about me, master?” She asked just to mess with him.
“…Slay?” He tried. He didn’t really understand how to use that word but heard her say it all the time.
She cackled, and he didn’t know what to make of that. He noticed Kim Dokja with an amused smile from the corner of his eye.
“Wait- you guys are matching!” Lee Jihye pointed at the two, referring to their similar suits.
“We always happen to be.” Yoo Joonghyuk sighed, wondering how they always did that unplanned.
“Feels like destiny~!” She teased.
“You listen to too many love songs.” Yoo Joonghyuk rolled his eyes.
“You two should sing the tsundere song together!”
“I don’t even want to know which song you’re talking about,” he spat.
To his relief, the group began leaving for the function. Shin Yoosung and Lee Gilyoung clung to Kim Dokja like leeches as they always did, and Yoo Joonghyuk followed closely, making sure they didn’t force him to speak. They were mostly occupied in rambling amongst themselves as Kim Dokja listened to them. Yoo Joonghyuk internally sighed. Even listening to their conversations drained him, he couldn’t imagine Kim Dokja would be able to handle any more of it either. The man looked like he was going to collapse.
“You two should race to see who gets there first.” Yoo Joonghyuk suggested.
The kids being so easy immediately took up the challenge and finally let go of Kim Dokja. He gave Yoo Joonghyuk a thankful smile. They walked in silence, a bit further behind the group. It was odd. And Yoo Joonghyuk missed his voice, just a little.
When they arrived, the building was large and very bright. Yoo Joonghyuk realised he had no idea why they were even there, he wasn’t paying any attention at all to what Han Sooyoung was saying earlier. He hoped he didn’t need that information. The kids excitedly ran inside and Yoo Sangah panicked, chasing after them so they didn’t get lost. Yoo Joonghyuk went with his usual plan, follow Kim Dokja around. Except this time it’ll be different.
The lights were already bothering him, and there were too many conversations going on around him at once. He wanted to leave, he really wanted to leave. His mind changed when a woman approached Kim Dokja, and he reacted quickly.
“I’ve been looking forward to this for a while, what about you?” She asked him.
“It came sooner than we expected.” Yoo Joonghyuk interjected.
He had an hour long conversation with her on the most mundane topics, Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t even know how she had so many conversations ideas. He withheld the urge of telling her to leave him alone. The only reason he didn’t want was because if it looked like Kim Dokja was already engaged in a conversation then others wouldn’t try to speak to him. And this woman was easy to talk to at least.
The next one, not so much.
“Dokja~!” A cheerful voice said.
Yoo Joonghyuk groaned. He watched as Uriel gushed over the shorter man, complimenting his outfit and calling him adorable. Kim Dokja shrunk a bit, awkward by the attention.
“Are you having fun?” She asked happily.
“So much,” Yoo Joonghyuk tried not to say sarcastically.
“Dokja do you want me to get you some food?”
“He has a stomach ache,” Yoo Joonghyuk said without thinking.
“Oh no!” She looked like she just heard his death was announced. “You poor soul, you should’ve stayed home!”
“Yes… he really should’ve.”
He tried hard to engage in a conversation with Uriel, it was such a step up in difficulty from the previous woman. It felt similar to going from speaking a foreign language in class with your teacher to immediately being pushed out into the real world and speaking it with a fluent local.
“Do you have a dance parter?” Was the question that made him froze.
He watched Uriel look at Kim Dokja, like she wanted badly for him to say he didn’t just so she can take him away and dance with him.
“It’s me,” Yoo Joonghyuk blurted.
They both looked at him.
Uriel gasped. “R-really?!” She said with hearts in her eyes, weirdly happier about this situation over her getting a dance.
“Yes…” he gritted out. He ignored Kim Dokja’s smirk.
“You know, you two have been acting differently all evening…” Uriel mused.
The two looked at her wearily. She gasped.
“Is this a scenario penalty? Did you two swap personalities? I know how to fix it! You have to explore each other’s bodies!” She said loudly, causing serval people to look at the three.
Kim Dokja covered his face while Yoo Joonghyuk went bright red and scowled at her.
“We don’t need your advice!” He yelled.
She chuckled. “Ok, I guess you can just wait it out instead. I look forward to seeing you two dance~” she winked and finally walked off.
Yoo Joonghyuk turned to Kim Dokja, who was still hiding his face behind his hands. The shorter looked over at him and Yoo Joonghyuk was worried he’d be upset, until he let out a quiet chuckle and smiled, lowering his hands. Yoo Joonghyuk looked away so he wouldn’t smile back.
He noticed a couple of other people were near them and Yoo Joonghyuk panicked. He could handle a conversation one to one, but a whole group of people? Even if he was occupied with a few of them, the others would try to talk to Kim Dokja. Without thinking (something he hasn’t been doing a lot today) he grabbed Kim Dokja’s hand and led him to the centre of the ballroom, where other couples were around them dancing.
He looked over at Kim Dokja with a faint blush, the blush growing when he saw Kim Dokja’s smirk. He rolled his eyes. Kim Dokja let out a quiet chuckle and stepped forward, offering his hand. Yoo Joonghyuk sighed and took it.
He wasn’t amazing at dancing but he did know the basics, and was relieved the fool was on the same page. Otherwise if he fell over and embarrassed the both of them, Yoo Joonghyuk wouldn’t hesitate to immediately leave him there.
They spun around in circles completely off beat to the music and having a few awkward steps. It helped at least that Kim Dokja was having fun, as he smiled more and more throughout the dance. And the lights shining on Kim Dokja’s sparkling eyes was all Yoo Joonghyuk could focus on as his body automatically followed the steps.
When the song was coming to an end, Kim Dokja had a mischievous glint in his eyes that Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t trust. One moment he was upright, the next, near the floor, Kim Dokja holding him in a dip. A hand on his lower back to support him up and the other intertwining their hands. Their faces were close, an annoying smirk on Kim Dokja’s face after he successfully caught the taller off guard. Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t even want to imagine what his red face looked like right now. Or what flustered expression he was making.
He knew a lot of people were staring at them. Uriel was screaming. He was too frozen to move. Until something broke him out of it.
Han Sooyoung, goddamn Han Sooyoung. A distant mutter where she said something along the lines of, “I bet everything in my wallet they’ll kiss in front of everyone.”
He pushed Kim Dokja away and stormed out the building in embarrassment. The air was colder outside which was good for his overheated face. He leaned on the balcony, it having a great view of the stars. It remind him of- he groaned. Why did everything have to make him think of him?
He heard footsteps behind him and didn’t need to turn around to know what it was. Silently, Kim Dokja stood next to him against the balcony, his hands fidgeting nervously, a guilty expression on his face that made the taller feel bad.
He opened his mouth but Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t let him speak.
“I know you’re sorry. You don’t need to be.”
Kim Dokja looked away embarrassed. They went silent for a while. And for once, Yoo Joonghyuk hated the silence, how awkward it was, and missed Kim Dokja’s teasing remarks and laughter. The thought that it will be like this between them from now on scared him.
“I didn’t hate it,” he added, not knowing why.
Kim Dokja looked at him again, the moonlight making his eyes look ethereal.
“I just hate being around so many people.”
Kim Dokja gave him a confused face, tilting his head a bit adorably.
“I only talked to everyone so they would leave you alone. You need a break but you’re a dumbass that won’t let yourself have one.”
Kim Dokja blinked, not expecting that.
“If you need to rest then just tell everyone, they won’t care. Otherwise you’re going to breakdown one day- I don’t know how you haven’t already. And…”
Kim Dokja stared at him and waited for him to finish, getting a bit closer.
“I don’t want a future where you’re like this forever, exhausted all the time and… not talking to me,” he mumbled, not used to being so vulnerable. He sighed. “That’s just selfish-“
Kim Dokja shook his head quickly, a worried look on his face.
“Don’t disagree-“
He was stopped by the shorter grabbing his hand, holding it tightly and staring at it desperately. Kim Dokja looked up and met his eyes. Then, a smile was on his face. Not like the ones from earlier today. A fully genuine, warm smile. For Yoo Joonghyuk. The other couldn’t help but smile back.
“If you take care of me then I’ll need to return the favour, because you obviously can’t take care of yourself.”
Kim Dokja let out another quiet chuckle. He leaned forward, pressing their foreheads together. Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t move away, and intertwined their hands instead.
“…Thank you.” Kim Dokja whispered.
Yoo Joonghyuk stared at his starry eyes. “I missed your voice,” he whispered back.
Kim Dokja smiled and cupped his face, caressing it. “You handled today pretty well.”
“I hated it,” he said flatly which caused the shorter to chuckle. “…Except for being around you.”
Kim Dokja hummed. “I wish you were always this honest.”
“And I wish you would take care of yourself.”
“That’s uncalled for!”
Yoo Joonghyuk let out a rare laugh. He put his arms around his waist and pulled him close.
“Next time, I’m dipping you.”
Kim Dokja grinned at the challenge. “You can try. Wait, does that means you want to dance again?”
“No what makes you think that.”
He scoffed at him. “You’re so bad at talking about your feelings.”
“Help me get better.”
His scoff turned into a loving smile. “I plan to.”
Neither knew when it happened, when they went from being inches away from each other to kissing so gently. Yoo Joonghyuk didn’t have as much as a flowery imagination as the reader, but he could tell kissing like this under the stars on the balcony was like a scene right from a romance novel. And he knew Kim Dokja wouldn’t shut up about it the next day. Not that he minded, he liked his voice.
They pulled away, and Kim Dokja hugged him tightly. “…Thank you.” He repeated breathlessly, either referring to the kiss or for earlier.
“I’m just returning a favour, you’re always my voice.”
He hummed. “I want to be your everything.”
Yoo Joonghyuk held him tightly in his arms. “You already are.”
Kim Dokja smiled. “You’re my everything too.”