Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A baby brother was born to Kim Dokja…

At first, he didn’t even know what he felt about this news. His mother was at the same time happy and very nervous, not knowing what to do next… His father wasn’t very pleased that there would be another child, but it was too late for an abortion, so the baby was kept. And so, during those few months while his mother’s belly was growing, Kim Dokja waited more and more to find out whether it would be a brother or a sister, but honestly, he didn’t care much about the child’s gender — the main thing was that there would be someone he could take care of, read books aloud to, and give all the love he had.

As for his mother’s pregnancy, it went very smoothly, as she told him. The baby wasn’t very active, almost lazy, so there weren’t many times when it kicked her belly — there were such moments, but you could count them on your fingers. Later, they learned that Kim Dokja would have a little brother, which made him very happy. He was curious about what his brother would look like, whether he would take after mom or dad… he hoped the brother would be a copy of his mom…. When they found out the child’s gender, they started thinking about a name for him. His father wasn’t very interested in choosing anything, as he was clearly unhappy that another headache was coming Kim Dokja, without thinking, began to consider how he would calm his little brother and quietly sit in the closet or somewhere else so that his father wouldn’t touch either of them. So his mother allowed him to choose a name for his brother, which made his eyes shine very brightly for the first time in a long while, giving the impression that all the stars were in them.

He chose the name very carefully, reading many books and searching for the perfect combination of meaning and sound, and finally, he found it. He felt that it would be a wonderful name for his little brother. Even such a happy event in his life, like the upcoming arrival of his brother, did not stop the endless yelling and fighting of his father or the way his father abused his mother. Kim Dokja always worried about her and the baby inside her during those moments… What if something happened and one of them didn’t survive? Or both at once? He never wanted to think about it. But apparently, the stars or constellations took pity on them, and his mother and brother were alive, although his mother’s body was covered in bruises…

One day came the day of birth. Everyone started panicking except his father, who only got angrier at the shouting and noise. Kim Dokja was quickly allowed to go to the hospital with his mother, but he waited for her in the hospital corridor while she was giving birth. He tried not to sleep, waiting for his brother to be born, but it was in vain — sleep was stronger than him, so he fell asleep right in the corridor, though he woke up at sudden noises around him.

And so, on November 8, he was born… his little brother Kim Rok Su. When his mother gave birth and was in a somewhat normal state, he was called to her, where she held the tiny bundle in her hands. Then Kim Dokja was allowed to hold his brother for the first time… He was so small, such a little thing. He barely made any sounds, only quietly breathing, although he was a very healthy baby. Kim Rok Su had black hair like him, but for some reason, his eyes were red. Yet Kim Dokja thought even those eyes were very beautiful and suited his brother. Later, the doctors explained that it was a rare eye mutation, nothing serious, and it did not affect the baby.

He paid little attention to that because he was too busy adoring his little brother, who was so cute that it made him just smile, and his eyes shone like stars again. Then Kim Dokja promised that he would protect Kim Rok Su no matter what. But his mother didn’t want to return home because of his father, who could be drunk… yet the universe apparently took pity on them, and he got a serious leg injury and, because of programming, had to spend a few months in jail. So they returned home in peace.

This is how it started: Kim Dokja began reading books aloud to Kim Rok Su, and it seemed that his brother really liked them, often falling asleep while he read or even smiling at the stories. He loved his brother even more than before. Days and weeks passed peacefully. Kim Rok Su was a calm child and barely cried — he only ate and slept. Such peaceful moments were delightful to Kim Dokja because everything was good, without shouting, crying, or someone hitting someone else… Everything was so good.

But, apparently, all good things must end, and his father returned… and everything old came back around. This time, he wanted to harm Kim Rok Su, calling him a freak because of his eyes, which angered Kim Dokja, but there was nothing he could do. So he only hid with his brother in the closet, holding him tightly and keeping a backpack ready in case, as his mother had told him, they needed to run away… But even so, he and his mother could not protect his brother forever, and sometimes bruises would appear, causing his brother to cry quietly — he didn’t scream, only quietly, very quietly. In those moments, Kim Dokja tried to calm him down, telling him everything would be okay, and would read to him so he wouldn’t cry, which helped…

But what Kim Dokja feared most eventually happened…

One day, he rushed home from the library to his mother and brother to read them a new book, already imagining how his dear brother would smile while he read… But all his dreams collapsed when he got home and saw blood — so much blood on his mother and on his father’s hands… and then he saw… his little brother Kim Rok Su lying on the ground, beaten, covered in bruises and blood… not making a sound, not even breathing, just nothing… And then everything blurred in his memory. He couldn’t remember how his mother tried to calm him down to stop his screaming, how he wanted to reach his brother… how the monster cursed everything and he thought about what to do next… He remembered nothing from that day… everything just went like a veil over his memory.

On that day, Kim Dokja lost his precious little brother, Kim Rok Su…

Chapter Text

That Day, Kim Dokja Clearly Didn’t Expect to See a Stranger

That day, Kim Dokja clearly didn’t expect to see a stranger in his apartment — a man in a black coat, holding a sword pointed straight at him the moment he stepped inside.

He had just returned from work and was thinking about what to cook for himself and his brother on the way home. He also wanted to leave his things at home and then go look for Kim Rok Soo, who clearly wasn’t at his club anymore — it had ended long ago. That meant his younger brother was probably working part-time somewhere to earn money again… These thoughts always bothered him — that his brother, instead of resting, kept finding some other job just to earn more. The only comforting thing was that no one was bullying him anymore — that gave Kim Dokja a sense of peace.

When he entered the apartment and glanced at his phone to call his brother, he saw the news. Strange phenomena were happening all over Korea and even beyond — sudden earthquakes, unpredictable weather shifting between snow, rain, and heatwaves. There were even clips showing the sky splitting into massive cracks for several minutes before returning to normal. He froze when he saw those reports, and dread filled him. Rok Soo… his brother could be anywhere right now, in this chaotic world.

Kim Dokja quickly tried to find his brother’s number, ready to rush out to look for him — when suddenly he felt something cold and sharp press against his neck, forcing him to stop.

 “Kim Dokja…”

There was a stranger in his apartment… and he knew his name.

Damn it. What the hell is happening right now…

Cautiously, he raised his hand and quickly turned on the light to see the person pointing that— a sword? Now he could see clearly. The stranger was tall, with a strong build, dressed entirely in black. The edges of his coat were stained with something dark red… it could have been blood. He held the sword so close that it touched Kim Dokja’s neck. Kim Dokja didn’t know what to do next — he had to find his brother, but if he tried to run, this man could easily stop him… or just cut his head off.

They stood in silence, the quiet inside the apartment growing heavier. The stranger’s gaze made him dizzy — he looked at Kim Dokja as if searching for something in his face, something familiar yet unexplainable.

“Kim Dokja…”

“Yes, I’m Kim Dokja… Who are you?”

The stranger seemed to snap out of his trance and withdrew the sword from his neck, letting Kim Dokja breathe more freely. But before he could even feel relief, the man suddenly grabbed his hand, pulled him closer, and started touching his arms and shoulders — as if checking something — before holding his face between his scarred hands. It felt like he was trying to confirm that Kim Dokja was real, alive, not an illusion. One of his eyes was black, the other golden.

Emotion flickered in those eyes, emotions that seemed ready to burst free and consume him, though he clearly fought to hold them back. Still, it was obvious the control was slipping — cracks appeared in his composure.

“He didn’t lie… You really are alive…”

 “And… am I supposed to be dead?”

The stranger frowned at that, and Kim Dokja felt the man’s hands tighten slightly on his face — not painfully, but enough to feel the strength behind them. His hands were covered in scars, large and small. Who was this crimson stranger in his home…?

The man released his face, but before Kim Dokja could process anything, he pulled him into a crushing embrace — so tight it felt like he might break something. Kim Dokja felt the man’s head rest on his shoulder… and then felt something wet drip onto his jacket.

The man was crying. His body trembled slightly, and his grip grew even stronger, as though he was afraid Kim Dokja might disappear if he let go.

Now, Kim Dokja really didn’t know what to do. He had to find Rok Soo — but he also had to deal with this stranger somehow…

“Mister…”

Before he could finish, his phone rang — the familiar ringtone playing. Rok Soo was calling him. Kim Dokja tensed immediately, which the stranger noticed. The man straightened but didn’t let go completely, only loosened his hold around Kim Dokja’s waist. Kim Dokja grabbed his phone, about to answer, when the stranger suddenly spoke.

 “Rok Soo… who is that?”

There was curiosity in his voice — and something else Kim Dokja couldn’t define. Should he tell him it was his brother? The stranger already knew his name, which was alarming enough. After quickly weighing his options, he decided to tell the truth.

“Rok Soo is my younger brother.”

“Your brother?... You have a brother…”

“I’ve always had one.”

The information seemed to shock the stranger — his eyes widened slightly. He didn’t know Kim Dokja had a brother, yet he somehow knew the name? What the hell is going on…

But he’d think about that later. Kim Dokja exhaled and answered the call.

“Kim Dokja…”

 “Rok Soo! Are you okay? Where are you right now?”

“I’m fine… it’s just… some weird stranger approached me. He knows my name — and yours. He’s saying some nonsense I don’t understand.”

Hearing that made Kim Dokja’s stomach twist. He wanted to run to his brother right now — but remembered the stranger still had him pinned. A stranger in his apartment, and now another one near his brother? What kind of cursed day was this…

“Rok Soo. Move away from him. Go somewhere crowded—”

“Hey, what are you— give me back my phone!”

 “I’ll give it back, my dear slacker. I just need to say a few words first.”

A new voice came through — one Kim Dokja had never heard before. It didn’t sound Korean, almost foreign. The moment the stranger in his apartment heard that voice, his grip on Kim Dokja tightened again. What is happening…

 “Good evening, Mr. Kim Dokja. You don’t have to worry about your brother. I’ll bring him home safely. Who am I? You’ll find out soon enough. But most importantly — Yoo Joonghyuk! I know you’re with Kim Dokja. Don’t tell me everything I did was for nothing. Now do you see? I wasn’t lying~ I made sure each of you ended up right next to your beloved self-sacrificing fool. How’s that? You believe me now, don’t you? I made sure both of you could finally be happy — and, most importantly, together.”

“You didn’t lie… that, I’ve confirmed.”

•☽────✧˖°˖☆˖°˖✧────☾•

Kim Rok Soo stood frozen, staring at the stranger who had literally fallen from the sky, leaving a massive hole in the roof of the abandoned building where he’d been resting before heading home. The man climbed out of the hole easily and dusted off his… armor?

He wore white armor with a golden sun emblem in the center. But no helmet. Instead, his face was hidden behind a white mask painted with a curved line — like a smile — and two shorter lines where the eyes should have been. His hair was brown with black strands mixed in, and his skin was darker than average.

The stranger said something incomprehensible before turning toward Rok Soo — and froze for a second. Even without seeing the man’s face, something told Rok Soo he should run — far, far away. But before he could move, the stranger appeared right in front of him and hugged him tightly.

The armor vanished, replaced by a red business suit with a black shirt, and a red top hat with a blue ribbon and bow appeared on his head. The stranger seemed overjoyed.

 “It worked! Haha! It worked perfectly, not a single flaw! How wonderful!”

In his excitement, he lifted Rok Soo off the ground, making him yelp in surprise. What the hell is going on?! Who is this guy?! Why is he so happy? And why is he hugging me?!

Seeing his confusion, the man set him down but still held his hands.

 “Don’t worry, my dear  Cale — ahem! I mean, Kim Rok Soo. Everything’s going to be fine now… I promise you that.”

“Who are you?!”

“Me? Oh!”

The man stepped back slightly and bowed deeply.

“Forgive my emotional outburst. I have many names, but only two that matter. One of them isn’t important right now, so you may call me Alberu.”

After saying that, he removed his mask and clipped it to his belt. Now Rok Soo could see his eyes — blue, deep enough to drown in. Alberu smiled and approached again, taking Rok Soo’s hands and pressing them to his lips.

“This time, everything will be happy… I promise. And I always keep my promises. You’ll finally have the lazy, peaceful life you deserve, my dear Rok Soo.”

At those words, Alberu’s eyes shone strangely, and for a moment, his playful expression vanished entirely. Rok Soo shivered as a cold chill ran through him. It felt like the man was swearing an oath — and that scared him even more.

Then Alberu’s usual cheerful aura returned. He smiled brightly, let go of Rok Soo’s hands, and allowed him to back away, clutching his phone. He started dialing his brother’s number again.

While the line was ringing, he saw Alberu summon a staff — a long black cane with a blue gem at the top, wrapped in gold patterns that rippled down the shaft. Just beneath the gem were two loops of ribbon — one red , one blue — tied together like a bow. Alberu tossed the cane from hand to hand, spinning it playfully. Rok Soo could only hope his brother would pick up soon.

When he finally did, Rok Soo began to speak.

“Kim Dokja—”

But before he could say more, his brother started bombarding him with questions — as always, acting like a worried parent. Once Rok Soo managed to explain he was fine and mention the stranger, Alberu quickly snatched the phone and started rambling nonsense before hanging up and returning it.

“Well~ that’s just perfect. I’ve done the best of the best! Now Yoo Joonghyuk is with his star, and I’m with you, my dear slacker.”

 “Who is Yoo Joonghyuk, and what is he doing with my brother?”

“Ah, you’ll meet him soon enough. Don’t worry so much — your brother’s safe with him. I doubt he’ll do anything reckless to lose his star again. Now, it’s time we head home! They’re waiting for us there!”

With that, he extended his hand — as if inviting him.

That day, Kim Dokja and Kim Rok Soo met two strange strangers… who already knew them.