Work Text:
[Sub Scenario - Pandora's Box]
Category: Sub
Difficulty: ???
Time Limit: 45 minutes
Compensation: 2,000 coins and return with a mythical story
Failure: Pay the hefty price by losing your memory.
Kim Dokja bangs his head the first thing after notifications pop up in front of his face. He rubs his head from the sudden sting.
God, what’s with this so suddenly?
The next thing he knows, he's opening his eyes up to the sight of white all around him.
Before all this, he was still sleeping in bed, having trouble waking up and just wanting more time to rest.
But it seems like the Star Stream had other plans for him this time.
Now here he is, transported to a new secluded space free from the usual noise and ambience heard around the Industrial Complex.
Judging from the surroundings, this was a scenario manipulated by one of the lower constellations. They kept finding ways to meddle and interact with the other incarnations of Seoul.
But much to Kim Dokja’s annoyance, he hated it when they tried to intervene in a story or some sort of narrative—they were clearly doing it with some sort of hidden agenda he was not aware of. The scenarios were barely scratching the surface of assisting incarnations with useful rewards anymore.
So he would always try to deny them when he was given the choice, which the constellations reluctantly obliged.
But here, he wasn't able to do any of that. He was physically taken away to a foreign place, trapped like some prisoner unable to escape this new predicament he's found himself situated in.
He looks around the confined space, trying to find any possible clues or hints as to what his objective is, because no one else was in the room with him.
“Hello? Is there anyone else here?” He calls. Nothing but echoes of his voice respond back to him.
Then he almost jumps out of his skin when he looks below his feet—an endless pit of darkness waiting for him at his wits' end.
It is only because of the two-inch-thick glass plane that separates him from his doom and safety, while the rest of the room is filled with white. Thank goodness for walls, he thinks.
And by the looks of it, it seems like he is stuck in a 6-dimensional box-shaped cube, a slight orange tint in color that reminded him of piss. Did it have to be in that color?
But of course, he wasn't alone. Some other person was also summoned to the scenario floor. He smirks as he recognizes the familiar stature taking shape towards him.
It’s none other than Yoo Joonghyuk himself.
Of course this bastard is trapped in here with me.
Unlike him, Yoo Joonghyuk lands swiftly onto his feet, unconsciously grabbing his sword against his waist like it was some sort of habit. He seems unfazed at first, until he quickly glances at the scenario given by the constellations and gives Kim Dokja one big glare and scowl.
This jerk really thinks it’s his fault they're stuck in this situation, huh?
He plays it off. “Would you look at that, it's Yoo Joonghyuk! Who knew we'd both be chosen for this scenario?” Kim Dokja pats Yoo Joonghyuk on the back before quickly pulling away.
All Yoo Joonghyuk does is frown at him. “Why are we here?”
Kim Dokja looks back at their penalty and scenario one last time for good measure:
[Clear Conditions: Complete the scenario by restricting your party to one; you aren't allowed to leave the confined space until a single incarnation remains in the box…
Failure: Pay the hefty price by losing your memory…]
“Don’t ask me,” he shrugs, “I have nothing to do with this scenario.”
The enclosure of the cube wasn’t too close for comfort; it actually had quite enough space between the two of them, which he was relieved to see once Yoo Joonghyuk came into the picture. It was a size you’d normally expect for a scenario like this to occur during this time of the apocalypse.
But despite that, it was also still too close in proximity that it was blatantly obvious that the latter had a more muscular and defined structure than him; now that he took a good look since they were alone together.
He was reluctant to even stand near the daunting man, not knowing what sort of action he might take at any given moment.
One thing he could appreciate, though, was the simplicity of the space. He was grateful they weren't taken to a vacancy vast beyond the sky, or a body of water deep beneath the ocean.
If it was anything else, he might’ve seriously given up on the scenario immediately, no matter the compensation. He would rather prefer a breathable place that didn't make him feel uncomfortable.
But he would also prefer a situation that didn't require much mobile work or thinking.
And here… this was quite the opposite of both of those desires.
There was only one solution to solve this, and taking the situation at full value, there is easily one simple answer. He takes a step back and slowly reclines his hands to his belt. If he wants to complete this scenario and get back to the complex, he will have to…
“Kim Dokja,” Yoo Joonghyuk takes a step forward toward him; his hand tightly grips the hilt of his sword. “Whatever you’re thinking of doing, stop.” His voice echoes a sense of caution across the room, with his eyebrows furrowed and his expression cold.
Kim Dokja simply scoffs at him. “Or what?” he crosses his arms to the side. “How else are we going to solve this scenario?” We can finish this scenario quickly, he wants to say. We can get this over with and go on with our day.
All Yoo Joonghyuk returns to him is a face full of hesitation and doubt. He loosens his grip on his sword slightly. “It doesn’t have to be like this,” he suggests.
Kim Dokja feels his veins popping from the constant resistance. “Why not? I’ve done this plenty of times—shouldn’t you be used to it by now?” he simply replies.
Yoo Joonghyuk observes his surroundings, like he was checking for any blind spots they might’ve somehow missed. There is nothing between the cracks of the walls or floors—just dust and air particles.
“There must be another way,” he says and walks towards the edges of the area. It was as if the man was hoping for another easy option out.
He seemed so persistent in refusing to follow the directions already given to them
“You think they would give us a scenario where we can manipulate the rules and change its clear conditions? Yoo Joonghyuk, you can’t be serious.” Kim Dokja deadpans towards him.
There was no way Yoo Joonghyuk, the protagonist, the man who doesn’t forgive others, the man who let his past companions die at the drop of a hat, is contemplating ways for both of them to survive a scenario such as this?
It almost makes him want to laugh. How hilarious.
For him to see the light of day where Yoo Joonghyuk cares for their well-being? He would love to see that spectacle right in front of him.
It seems like Kim Dokja is left with no other option, so he walks in front of Yoo Joonghyuk and lays his hand on one of his shoulders.
“Look, Yoo Joonghyuk, for this scenario to be completed, only one of us will have to die.” He puts his free hand on top of his own chest. “Let's just get this done with and let me do it, yeah?”
It wasn’t like he was already used to dying. He has demonstrated the action countless times, and it’s not like it was something foreign to him or anything, nor was it for his entire company. It had simply become the most efficient and fastest route to pass through each scenario time after time. And when did it not work? Sure, there are moments where he had to scramble his way through some difficulties during and after the 73rd Demon King Scenario, but he still managed to survive despite all of that.
Yoo Joonghyuk simply stares back at him, long and hard, and doesn't even blink once.
He stares with eyes that seem to carry some sort of weight behind them, almost as if he felt pity or worry.
If Kim Dokja could get lost in those eyes, he would. And with it, he would trace those wondrous eyes towards his handsome face against his snatched jawline and towards his beautiful arched eyebrows, and-
“Why does it always have to be you?” Yoo Joonghyuk finally mumbles, in such a quiet and delicate voice that it barely snaps Kim Dokja back to reality.
He continues, “Can it be anyone but you?”
Huh. For some reason, why did it feel like this guy was genuinely worried about him? A pang reaches his heart, one that makes his stomach do weird flips and gymnastics.
No, what is he saying right now?
He shakes his head with that train of thought and doesn't allow these random hypotheticals to enter his heart any longer.
“Let me be the sacrifice instead,” Yoo Joonghyuk prompts after a beat and shrugs off Kim Dokja's hand.
Those words rage something within Kim Dokja, like water surging up to boil. Sacrifice himself instead? What is this bastard thinking? He clenches his hands.
Why would he let Yoo Joonghyuk, the exact person he's been reading since the day he finally gained meaning to his life, be the sacrifice for him?
He doesn't want that to happen. He can't let that happen. He needs Yoo Joonghyuk to live, or else everything would be for nothing.
He might sound desperate, but there is no way in hell he would ever let that transpire, not in a million years.
It's not like he's known that bastard for decades for nothing.
It would seem as if no one would understand this enigmatic regressor ever—but there was one anomaly: someone who read his entire story written in countless pages, all laid out for him to discover.
Kim Dokja has been reading, and almost as if he was experiencing, all of Yoo Joonghyuk's suffering alongside him for years on end.
He read chapter after chapter, word after word, as he had to silently read the man's every thought and agony and pain, over and over again, unable to stop his anguish. He's watched this lonely regressor grow, persevere, and never give up. For so much of his life, he wanted to take the rest of Yoo Joonghyuk's suffering and place it upon less heavy shoulders. He always wanted to help endure and take away the pain he's been tormented with for so long.
Only Kim Dokja will know this feeling because he is the only sole reader of this protagonist.
Only he will know the heavy burden that is Yoo Joonghyuk.
And this is what has saved him throughout his entire life. He sees Yoo Joonghyuk as his savior, his light in the darkness, the one who lifted him up again and saved his life. And after so much, he might as well save his life too.
How can he not? He owes him this much, and if all he can offer back is a sense of reassurance like he's received from all those years ago, so be it.
If no one is willing to save Yoo Joonghyuk, he will.
“No,” Kim Dokja objects. You deserve to complete this scenario the most, not me. You deserve to stay alive.
But he does not dare to speak out this truth, words afraid to spill out of his mouth and confront his own belief on the matter.
There was just too much to say about his feelings for Yoo Joonghyuk; he was his everything in every aspect, the good, the bad, the bravest, and strongest—he can't possibly summarize all of that into simple plain words.
He takes a breath. “Step aside Yoo Joongyuk,” he looks at the scenario screen, “Besides, it never said it was a permanent death. Maybe I'll come back to life right the next day and we'll forget that this ever happened.”
The one thing he was really uncertain about was the penalty for failing. The terms were very vague on this ‘memory loss’ statement.
Maybe they can somehow trick the scenario if odds were stacked against their favor, but that would also cause more risks in return.
And if they were to give up on the scenario, where will they be taken to after? Would they go back to the industrial complex? Will he remember who he is or where he is? Would he remember bits before the apocalypse started, or will it just erase everything beyond the story? What about his companions? It was just too ambiguous.
But he really couldn't risk forgetting all of his foreseen knowledge just like that; that was too dangerous, as the scenarios have gotten harder to complete. Even with the narrative slowly diverging from what it once was, it'd still be useful to know what type of enemies or constellations they'd be facing in the near future.
And something deep down in his heart that he'll never acknowledge was the fear of forgetting Yoo Joonghyuk. If his memory was ever forcefully taken away from him, just the thought of somehow forgetting the tragic past of the regressor made him utterly upset.
He'll never forgive himself if that ever happened.
How would he be so foolish as to forget such a viable figure during his worst? When he was stuck in shambles, with nothing else to do but read and read, how could he forget the comfort found within Yoo Joonghyuk's actions and words? For more than a decade, learning and experiencing regression after regression, facing challenges right up with him, staying by his side and rooting for him—you're going to tell him he somehow omitted all of those fleeting memories just like that?
No. He could never let that happen to him.
That's why he isn't willing to fail this scenario at all costs.
It's a lose-lose situation for Kim Dokja if he doesn't play his cards right.
[35 minutes remain until the scenario ends.]
He unsheathes Unbreakable Faith and draws it near his neck, with each passing moment inching closer to his skin. “This isn't anything new to us, Yoo Joonghyuk,” he says. “We’re running on a tight schedule, so-”
Before he can proceed any further, Yoo Joonghyuk grabs his Splitting the Sky Sword and swings Unbreakable Faith out of his grasp; the sword clangs on the glass floor.
Kim Dokja tries to reach for his sword, but he is stopped.
“Don't even think about it,” Yoo Joonghyuk warns and points his sword straight at him, slowly walking towards Unbreakable Faith and picking it up with his free hand.
He grabs it and faces the blade towards himself.
Kim Dokja's heart stops.
“No! Stop! What do you think you're doing!?” Kim Dokja screams at the top of his lungs as he lunges forward to grab the sword out of Yoo Joonghyuk's hands.
Dammit, of course this was his solution instead.
He lands on top of Yoo Joonghyuk's chest, and they both fall onto the cold ground. “What if you regress again? No one wants to see that happen!” Kim Dokja hollers in his face. I don't want to see you disappear without an explanation.
He probably sounds dramatic right now, but of course he is. This is life or death for crying out loud. It's just a scenario—nothing is definite or set in stone for their failure, but he's still holding onto his stupid pride like a lifeline and trying to prove a point.
The point of what? The proof of what? Kim Dokja doesn't know, but he keeps on persisting.
He reaches for his sword, but Yoo Joonghyuk just keeps him secure under his arm, one hand on his back and the other extends out of his reach so he can’t take the weapon away from him. “But it's okay for you?” Yoo Joonghyuk raises an eyebrow.
Yes, he wants to say, but instead grumbles while trying to wriggle out of Yoo Joonghyuk's grasp.
“Why are you resisting?” Kim Dokja tries to shove away his muscular arms as hard as he can, but to no avail. “Come on, let go, you stubborn bastard!” Yoo Joonghyuk keeps perfectly still as he watches him struggle to get out of his embrace.
He is already claustrophobic from being inside this cube, but being this close to Yoo Joonghyuk is now too much for him.
“No,” Yoo Joonghyuk says in a stern tone. “Answer my question first.”
Damn, if only he could use one of his skills like Way of the Wind or Electrification. They'd really come in handy right about now.
“I'm a constellation now, Yoo Joonghyuk,” Kim Dokja says, trying to feign calmness. “I'm not given the same conditional penalties as incarnations anymore.” It's an excuse, but there really isn't any other way to persuade him.
He feels Yoo Joonghyuk frown again. “That doesn't mean it's any less dangerous,” he speaks softly. So soft that Kim Dokja forgets he is almost being squeezed to death by the latter.
He shakes his head. “If that's how you'll behave, so be it.” He pushes his hands against Yoo Joonghyuk's chest with as much force as he can and successfully breaks out of Yoo Joonghyuk's enclosure.
The force pushes Yoo Joonghyuk's back to the wall, making him lose his hold on Unbreakable Faith. Kim Dokja quickly grabs it before Yoo Joonghyuk can and runs to stand on the opposite side of him in the cube.
“We’re really gonna have to settle it like this, huh? That’s so in character of you,” he says in the most endearing way possible. “But I won’t allow you to die before me.”
Unbreakable Faith cries in agony as he holds it between his hands.
Yoo Joonghyuk regains composure and exudes a pretentious aura around him. He takes on a similar position as him from the other side.
“Try and stop me,” he glowers and points his Splitting the Sky Sword at him once more.
They swing their swords, and their weapons clash with one another.
Kim Dokja knows he doesn't have as much physique as the guy in front of him does, but the coinage on his body severely assisted him in resisting Yoo Joonghyuk's attacks.
He is grateful the scenario doesn't at least take that away from him.
Still, it is hard enough to even compare his abilities with Yoo Joonghyuk—he is much more capable and resilient in his endurance and technique. This is after the many years of training his body and mind in his past regressions, not just from pure luck and scenario boosts.
That is one thing that Kim Dokja will always be envious of.
But at the moment, his mind is racing, his heart is beating in his chest, and they are still at it after 20 minutes of pure fighting, sword against sword.
He doesn't think he can handle this much longer; his lungs are fighting against him, and he has no more strength to hold himself down.
He makes no effort to defend himself either. He can't concentrate or even keep his head straight.
Blood streaks both of their faces and bruises brutally stain their bodies. At this point, it probably looks like Kim Dokja is about to pass out.
Yoo Joonghyuk also looks exhausted. He puts a hand on his leg as he pants for puffs of air and balances his sword on the floor.
Having never seen the man look so fatigued, Kim Dokja caves in and silently sits down.
“Joonghyuk-ah, I can’t keep doing this with you,” he barely musters after feeling a sharp tinge on his torso and winces in pain. “How about you stop being so ferocious, and we take a break.”
He rubs his lower back and puts his sword to the ground.
[15 minutes remain until the scenario ends.]
Goddammit, he needs to finish this scenario quickly.
But he just can't move. His entire body aches, and his hands begin to fall out on him. His eyes are struck with weariness and start to close by themselves.
Through hazy eyes, he sees Yoo Joonghyuk discreetly creeping his way up to him, loud clanky boots striding towards him until they fill up his entire peripheral view.
He widens his eyes and scrawls backwards until he hits the wall. “Wait, wait!” He exclaims, more alert and aware. He definitely didn't like what he said about his feral tendencies.
He shoves his hands in front of Yoo Joonghyuk and looks away. “Don't come any closer!”
Yoo Joonghyuk ignores him and walks closer with his hands in his pockets. His face glooms over Kim Dokja's body and stares at him with glints of murderous intent. He sees how Yoo Joonghyuk clenches his hands, knuckles turning white.
“I surrender! You can stop fighting me!”
Does this guy ever give up? For once in his life, has he ever thought to just stop and relax for a minute or two?
And just like that, Yoo Joonghyuk leans in front of him, staring at the other man's eyes once, twice.
And punches him square in the face.
For a second, he thought Yoo Joonghyuk was about to do something else.
Kim Dokja looks at him appalled and harshly rubs his cheek. “What was that for, you bastard!?” He yells back.
It hurts like hell, goddammit. Curse Yoo Joonghyuk and his physical strength.
“Stop running away from me.” Yoo Joonghyuk shakes out his arm.
“I’m not running away from you.” With the little body strength still remaining in him, Kim Dokja somehow stands on his two feet, finding ground on himself and curling up his two fists into a ball. “If you wanna fight like that, then come at me, you stupid sunfish.” He takes on a fighting stance like in taekwondo (albeit he never took a class, just watched it), and waits for Yoo Joonghyuk to do the same.
It's not like they can keep fighting with their swords every time, or else their battle will never cease and only end in a stalemate. They can’t even summon their skills out of thin air, so what other solutions are there left for them?
“Stop your nonsense,” Yoo Joonghyuk replies coldly. “Do you really think you can win against me?”
Yoo Joonghyuk steps back and readies his fists.
Kim Dokja grins. Guess he wasn't backing down either.
But shit, it might've been a mistake to take on the challenge to fist-fight with Yoo Joonghyuk—his muscles are no joke. It's not like his training with his Master was ever wasted for even a split second during his last regressions. His power alone already came from what he accumulated in his past life.
He gulps. Okay, maybe he does regret saying that right off the get-go; now Yoo Joonghyuk might legitimately kill him right here like this.
Without even a second, Yoo Joonghyuk punches him right in the abdomen. Kim Dokja stumbles but somehow stays on his feet. He attempts to punch Yoo Joonghyuk in the head, waist, and neck, but he swiftly manages to dodge each coordinated attack given to him. In return, he hits Kim Dokja right back, each punch hurting more than the last.
Kim Dokja's several unsuccessful air punches get him nowhere, but he finally manages to kick him in the back by steering around, catching Yoo Joonghyuk by surprise as well.
They both freeze. And, okay, he has definitely aggravated him now. He might as well kill himself right then and there because it might've been better for them if he did so.
Yoo Joonghyuk staggers from the sudden attack and scowls back at him, like it is the only thing he knows how to do.
“Kim Dokja!” Yoo Joonghyuk chases after the man who was now trying to flee out of fear.
He was seriously gonna get his lights knocked out.
“I'm sorry, I didn't know you'd get so agitated!” He protests and makes a run for it.
He turns his back to check if Yoo Joonghyuk is still after him, and god, he was right up his tail. And with so little room in the confined space, it is inevitable that he would catch up to him.
Somehow, though, he manages to throw Yoo Joonghyuk off his game by running close to the edge of the boundary then towards the center, then back to the edge—like some sort of downgraded goose chase.
They kept it going for quite some time until,
Thud.
Kim Dokja slams his face headfirst into the glass wall.
Shit, that was not the most flattering way to go out.
He wobbles back a few steps. He touches his forehead to make sure he isn't bleeding off his mind—nothing but redness and swelling grazes his fingers.
But after a second, he feels dizzy, and his ears begin to ring loudly.
He massages his temple and sits down.
What was the point of doing this again?
“What the hell just happened?” He starts mumbling to himself, speaking incoherent words mainly out of confusion or just symptoms before he experiences a concussion.
Without knowing, Yoo Joonghyuk began running full charge towards him, like a bull enraged, seeing the color red; his ominous footsteps gradually get louder every second Kim Dokja's head pulsates.
But wait, he can't afford to let Yoo Joonghyuk win and admit defeat. No way. He needs to be the one to come out on top. Even in his unconscious state, he can still be victorious and win against Yoo Joonghyuk.
He takes his revenge by strategically sticking out his leg sparsely in front of him.
And Yoo Joonghyuk brutally trips on Kim Dokja's ankle, face flat onto the ground.
A loud beat of silence.
Dumb bastard. Kim Dokja stifles a laugh.
“What?” Yoo Joonghyuk says, voice hoarse. Did he say that out loud? Yoo Joonghyuk stays still momentarily until he pushes himself up from Kim Dokja's ankle and sits up straight.
And at the moment, all Kim Dokja could do was idly stare and allow himself to be enamored by Yoo Joonghyuk's presence.
Like this, Yoo Joonghyuk looks ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. His hair is messy and unkempt, the seams of his coat have been torn and ripped, and now his usually beautiful face is ruined by a couple of scars and small bruises that nestle around his cheek.
He has never seen Yoo Joonghyuk look so… frazzled. He is usually always so stoic and expressionless and never shows a hint of emotion.
Until now.
“Joonghyuk-ah, you-” Kim Dokja starts, but refrains after seeing Yoo Joonghyuk’s expression.
The man looks like he has seen a deer in headlights. He seems so stunned that he just simply can’t move anymore. It truly is a sight to behold that Kim Dokja can’t even believe his eyes.
And just like that, Kim Dokja falls apart and can't hold on anymore. After a pause, he bursts out laughing, and his voice rings in the space as he holds the sides of his stomach loosely.
"Kim Dokja..."
He never knew he could laugh so much before—what's so funny about seeing Yoo Joonghyuk in such an unprecedented state? He doesn't know the reason why, but he can't stop giggling to himself. He can't even see Yoo Joonghyuk's reaction as his eyes are filled with tears.
With so much shaking, he swings his entire body on the floor with a bang.
A hand reaches out for him. “What are you…” Yoo Joonghyuk's voice is heard, but he can't help but laugh even harder.
Yoo Joonghyuk sighs out of frustration, but Kim Dokja doesn't need to look at him to know he was also smiling.
Yoo Joonghyuk starts to chuckle and lies down beside him. They sprawl their arms and legs on the icy tiled floor like stars while they look at the white ceiling above them.
Look at them, fighting over some silly thing about who should die first, winning over who's the better Life and Death companion between the two of them. They are truly both stupid and idiotic.
They were both severely bruised from head to toe. Kim Dokja didn't even feel his stomach, but he couldn't care less.
Quietness brews over the two as they settle their laughter, now only accompanied by their heavy breathing.
Who would've guessed they could share a moment like this? Kim Dokja would've never thought he'd be able to relax and sit down with Yoo Joonghyuk of all people. He can't help but smile to himself and relinquish this feeling of his. It was like a fleeting dream.
Then, a hand caresses his own, with small and gentle touches around his knuckles.
Ah. Kim Dokja freezes.
He holds his breath and lies still. Something twists in his throat as he suddenly feels too afraid to move. A slight blush moves up to his cheeks.
“Kim Dokja, I…” a delicate voice calls. Yoo Joonghyuk retreats his comment and keeps his eyes toward the ceiling while his hand remains on top of Kim Dokja's.
What? He wants to say, but that's when he realizes the situation at hand.
Wait… what were they fighting over again?
[5 minutes remain until the scenario ends.]
He pauses and clenches his teeth. Shit.
Before he can even move, Yoo Joonghyuk quickly grabs onto his wrist, with much gentleness. He must've seen how Kim Dokja reacted upon hearing the notification and stopped him from acting any further.
“Yoo Joonghyuk?” He lies back down
Yoo Joonghyuk turns his body to face him, still holding his hand. “Kim Dokja, will you listen to me?” he says sternly. His words sound desperate, like he doesn't want Kim Dokja to leave.
All Dokja can do is stare at him, dumbfounded. He doesn't know what to do, what to say, and for some strange reason his heart burns more than his out-of-shape breathing. It is strangely hard to look at Yoo Joonghyuk right now; his eyes feel like they are stinging, his eyes slightly shaking, and his breathing seems to fasten in pace.
Kim Dokja takes one glance at their swords. They remain untouched; both of them lay flat against the floor as they shine greatly with their steeled reflection.
“Yes?” he finally replies, his voice barely reaching a whisper.
Yoo Joonghyuk squeezes his hand. “Can you stop giving yourself to the world and let me take the responsibility instead?”
Kim Dokja shuffles in place. It wasn't much of an ask, but that in itself was already too overwhelming. The thought of letting Yoo Joonghyuk bite the dust for this godforsaken scenario was something he did not want to bestow upon him.
“Do you realize that I care for you too? Not just me, but the whole company?”
This can’t be happening, Kim Dokja thinks. This is not the talk he wants to be having right now. They're supposed to end this scenario swiftly, without any delay, but look where that led them.
Yoo Joonghyuk pauses for a second, then continues. “You struggle all by yourself. It doesn't have to be that way.”
Kim Dokja grimaces. He hates this feeling. The feeling of Yoo Joonghyuk confronting him on matters he’d rather die for than listen to. It twists up in his bones and makes his skin crawl in some peculiar way.
“It won't be good in the long run if you linger too close to me anyway,” Kim Dokja remarks weakly. He doesn't have the strength to argue with him any longer.
He's just a manipulative man who controls others for his own good, no one else's. A man who is selfish enough to oppress others for power to get what he wants, to get an advantage over them and use them later for his own personal gain.
He is undoubtedly not a good person.
“Then let me stay by you, and I'll see where you lead us.” Yoo Joonghyuk prompts.
Kim Dokja whispers, “What makes you so certain?” Why decide to stay with me?
“It's because I trust you, even if you’re by all means not perfect.”
And for the first time, Kim Dokja feels frustrated because of this. What made him so exasperated and exhausted to talk to Yoo Joonghyuk about feelings?
It feels unfair. It feels so unfair that Yoo Joonghyuk can see right through him, through all his parts that he tried his best to hide, like it was displayed as an art piece right for him to peek through for all its horrendous glamor. It made him fear things that even he didn't know about himself.
Suddenly, Yoo Joonghyuk turns one of Kim Dokja’s hands and plants a kiss inside his palm. “Allow yourself to trust me, just this once.”
Kim Dokja feels his body shake underneath the tormented weight of unease and guilt, suddenly resurfacing back to the tip of his tongue, fearing to spill out of his mouth.
Do I deserve any of this?
He lets out one shaky breath. His uneasy eyes rest between Yoo Joonghyuk's unwavering ones.
Not fully comprehending Yoo Joonghyuk's bold statement, Kim Dokja only offers a hushed voice.
“Okay,” he gestures with a slight nod.
I want to understand, he wants to say, (but I don't know what it all means).
Both of them stay still, neither of them moves, and they silently stare at each other. It's quite nerve-wracking to be stared at (from Yoo Joonghyuk, for heaven's sake), but he lets it slide this time only because he's doing it right back at him.
Then, Yoo Joonghyuk also gives a nod.
Satisfied by Kim Dokja's acknowledgement, he laces their hands together and closes his eyes.
“Let the scenario fail us,” Yoo Joonghyuk breaks the silence. “We can figure out how to deal with it later.”
Kim Dokja doesn't respond, but quietly resigns and eases his body.
With that, they both observe the world turn before them: they listen to the ominous noises whirring by the paneled glass frames, they look at the plain white void of existence with little interest, and most importantly, they feel each other's hands pulse against one another. The indication that both of them are still alive and real.
Yoo Joonghyuk holds his hand with such gentleness that it makes Kim Dokja's heart ache. He tries his best to ignore the tingling feeling that keeps creeping up in his chest.
Kim Dokja feels so vulnerable around him, like Yoo Joonghyuk popped the bubble of his personal boundary he set for himself until it was finally disturbed by such kind patience.
It almost seems like Yoo Joonghyuk was trying to grasp at something, trying to observe and put together the shattered pieces that made up Kim Dokja, and finally trying to come to a definitive conclusion of satisfaction. To have others care for his own well-being makes him want to curl up and-
Heavy breathing cuts Kim Dokja's thoughts as he realizes Yoo Joonghyuk is sleeping. Seriously, in a place like this?
He sighs out of astonishment rather than annoyance, because how could he get upset for Yoo Joonghyuk taking a rest? He had deserved every bit of it.
Instead, he focuses on their hands. Scars and redness covered the other man from their previous fighting, and Kim Dokja almost winces at the sight of it.
All he wants to do is ease his pain away and say, sorry that I’m like this, sorry that I’m a tattered-up person that can't face the sight of you, sorry that I’m incompetent and can't learn from my mistakes.
Was he truly privileged enough to have Yoo Joonghyuk care about him? Was he worthy enough to have all of this attention?
Kim Dokja gives one last squeeze of their palms and longingly looks at Yoo Joonghyuk one last time.
Thank you for saving me.
[1 minute remains until the scenario ends.]
Perhaps he somehow dozed off, but Yoo Joonghyuk finds himself alarmed by the sudden jolt in his body.
He's still trapped in the box; did the timer not run out yet? He checks the scenario.
[Time remaining: 0 minutes]
Then how can this be? Why are they still stuck here if they haven't failed the scenario? He definitely still retains his memory, or else he'd forget why he was here in the first place.
There was no trace of change or modifications that seemed prominent. Nothing has happened.
*beep*
His eyes widen. He looks at the notification.
[Rewards are currently delayed due to an error.]
What?
His eyes track toward one sword on the floor, in particular, Unbreakable Faith. It's noticeably closer to him than before, but how is that possible if…
He quickly sits up and turns to his side.
He notices how his hands are now empty and cold. There is not a single presence lingering around him, and the place has gone quiet.
No. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Why had it turned out like this?
All the signs were there:
Kim Dokja was gone. He had killed himself again. He lied to him, and he had trusted him.
Yoo Joonghyuk grits his teeth.
[Scenario: Pandora's Box is Complete!]
[You will be taken away from the Scenario Zone momentarily.]
He slams his fists into the wall.