A/N: If you have read my other fic:
'Help me escape this nightmare'
You'd know that Yoo Joonghyuk actually has mind reading skills too, as this work is a part of series I didn't bother elaborating it in the earlier chapter but Yoo Joonghyuk has a mind reading skill, a stigma Kim Dokja gave him when he woke up and was recovering in the hospital. Also I will be often using 'Dreamer' to refer to Plotter's Kim Dokja, and 'Reader' for 1864th turns Yoo Joonghyuk to avoid confusion. Anyways, enjoy!
Also trigger warning! For mentions of suicide and extreme ooc-ness?
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Kim Dokja wakes up with a groan, he feels weary. He rubs his eyes and glances at the window, the curtains are flowing quietly, cool air enters every once in a while, the star themed wind chime in the room makes a jingling sound effortlessly, from the little bit of space which allows Dokja to see the clear, dark sky outside, it's obvious that it's night, he assumes he must have passed out in the bathtub, he fumbles for his phone and squints his eyes to look at the time and it's only three in the morning. Kim Dokja blinks, he feels awfully empty for some reason, is it his another weekly depressive episode? He feels something warm tightening its hold around his waist and he turns his head to see his protagonist, sleeping soundly, arms hugging him tightly, circling around his figure. Is this the same man who is a beast in bed? Kim Dokja pats Yoo Joonghyuk's head, feeling the soft, smooth hair under his palm. He shuffles a bit to kiss the man. Yoo Joonghyuk is so, so handsome. Kim Dokja kisses his forehead, then his nose, then his cheek, then near his eyes and then his lips, he feels something trailing down his own cheeks and halts. He rubs his eyes and sees a teardrop. Why is he crying? He quickly rubs his eyes but a hand grabs his wrist, stopping him from doing it any further, he whips his head to look at Joonghyuk who is staring at him with a deep furrow between his brows, eyes filled with concern.
"Ah I am sorry, I woke you up." Kim Dokja smiles sheepishly, Yoo Joonghyuk doesn't say anything but frowns and gets up.
"Did you have a nightmare?" His voice is raspy, he must have been in a deep sleep, though he is a light sleeper. Kim Dokja feels awfully guilty for waking him up.
"Kim Dokja, tell me." He cups his reader's face, looking him in the eyes to find any uncertainty.
"No I didn't." Kim Dokja shakes his head. He really didn't have a nightmare. He doesn't know why he is crying either.
Yoo Joonghyuk nods, and then silently turns on his mind reading skill which Kim Dokja gave him when he was still in the hospital.
'Why would I cry? I even disturbed his sleep. Why am I like this?' Yoo Joonghyuk scowls, "Kim Dokja, don't worry about me." The reader looks surprised for a moment, "You read my thoughts?"
Yoo Joonghyuk nods hesitatingly. "Sorry."
Kim Dokja doesn't say anything but just shakes his head.
'Then can you just listen like this? I feel like it's hard to speak.' Yoo Joonghyuk looks at him for a moment before he nods and brings the reader close, Kim Dokja hugs him tightly, head resting on his chest.
"One of those days?" Yoo Joonghyuk asks quietly.
'Yeah. I guess, sorry for waking you up.' Kim Dokja hides his face in Yoo Joonghyuk's hold, the protagonist massages his reader's hair as he speaks.
"Did something trigger it? Was I too harsh earlier?"
Kim Dokja quickly shakes his head, 'No. I think maybe it's because something has been on my mind for days.'
Yoo Joonghyuk hums, "Does it have something to do with the other you?"
Kim Dokja pauses, then nods. 'I guess.'
He seems to take a deep breath, 'You know, I never imagined myself to look so carefree, smile so brightly and well, healthy. It's hard to believe that it was my younger self. I was anything but those things. It was hard... It was very hard.'
His tears are rolling down his face again, Yoo Joonghyuk presses his face further in his chest, letting the reader wet his shirt. "If I was there for you during those times maybe you wouldn't have been so lonely."
'I doubt you would have wanted to be my friend, I was a loner.' Kim Dokja chuckles.
"I don't care about those things." Yoo Joonghyuk says, voice firm.
'I am sorry, I am being unusually whiny today.' Kim Dokja goes silent after that.
"You aren't." Yoo Joonghyuk shakes his head. There is comfortable silence for sometime until Kim Dokja takes a deep breath and speaks again.
'Hey... I never asked this but what was your first thought when you saw the once most ancient dream?'
He fidgets in Joonghyuk's hold, Joonghyuk's hand freezes for a moment before he starts caressing the reader's hair again.
"Does it matter?" He asks the reader, who nods in reply.
"I was angry." He says, Kim Dokja freezes. 'I am so-'
"Not at you." Yoo Joonghyuk cuts him off, "But at others, at people who drove the little you to that point where you had to find solace in words. I often think about what would have happened if the apocalypse never became a reality or if you weren't there." Yoo Joonghyuk feels a bitter feeling creeping up in his chest whenever he thinks about his reader's past where he was all alone, without any parent, friend, or companion to rely on.
"I was going to kill myself." Kim Dokja speaks, his voice cracks a bit. Joonghyuk freezes, a dark expression on his face as he listens to his reader.
"Once your story would have ended, I wouldn't have found any other story to rely on because none would be the same like 'TWSA'. It helped me survive the darkest days, your story was the reason I kept living day after day and I was not sure what I would do after the novel I had read for years ended, I would have probably-" Before he can finish, Yoo Joonghyuk lifts his head up, a dark expression on his face, his face is pale, his body is trembling faintly, his pupils are shaking and he looks so scared, "Don't." he says, breathless. "Don't say it."
"I am sorry." Kim Dokja gives him an apologetic smile. Yoo Joonghyuk gulps, his throat feels dry, his heart is beating at an erratic pace. He hugs his Dokja tightly once again, "I know those memories won't vanish away but I will make sure you can only see the progress you have made." His voice is low and wavering as he speaks. Dokja feels him giving a kiss on his head, once, twice, thrice, again and again.
"Do you think I deserve to be happy?" Kim Dokja asks, voice equivalent to a whisper.
"More than anyone." Joonghyuk replies without a single beat.
"Don't say more than anyone, you suffered much more." Kim Dokja's lips tremble as the words of the novel flash in his mind, 1st regression, 2nd, 3rd, countless suffering, unbearable pain and misery his protagonist had to bear. The man who had to die and exist 1865 times, exist because he never got the chance to live.
"You suffered with me." Yoo Joonghyuk whispers.
"I just watched." Kim Dokja shakes his head, he scrambles away a bit, pulling away from the tight hold to look at his incarnation.
"At-least you were there with me, every single journey of mine... at-least you didn't leave." Yoo Joonghyuk smiles warmly, eyes filled with something indescribable.
"I wouldn't dare, I know I am a shitty bastard but I wouldn't dare abandon the man whose the reason I survived all those years." The star shakes his head.
Yoo Joonghyuk flicks his forehead, "Whose lover are you calling a shitty bastard?" He scowls, yet his tone is fond, Kim Dokja gives him a small smile, "Yours."
Yoo Joonghyuk cups his face and kisses his eyelids, he kisses his salty tears away one by one, gently and slowly, the tears don't seem to stop yet but he patiently kisses them all away.
"It's okay now, Kim Dokja. It was all worth it. You are worth it." He kisses his reader on his lips, a kiss filled with emotions, passion and yearning. Kim Dokja's hand reaches to grab Yoo Joonghyuk's hair as they kiss. When they pull away, Kim Dokja stares at the man with a bunch of emotions. Love, fondness, envy, sadness, happiness and what-not.
"Thank you for being my protagonist." He says earnestly, giving him a wobbly smile.
"Thank you for being my only reader who accompanied me till the very end." Yoo Joonghyuk gives him a warm smile.
"Come here." The taller one lifts Kim Dokja up by waist, kisses him on his forehead and gets up.
"Where are we going?" Kim Dokja asks as he quickly crosses his legs around Yoo Joonghyuk's waist.
"Stargazing." Yoo Joonghyuk replies as he grabs hoodies for both of them.
■■■
The sky is clear, there are multiple stars shining in the sky but the star right next to Yoo Joonghyuk is the most beautiful star, the brightest and most eye-catching star ever. They are both lying on the grass in their lawn, the kids wanted a larger space to have picnics on so a lawn was made on their request, the men sit in comfortable silence, there is usual sound of crickets and cool wind blowing around, it's good that both of them are wearing hoodies right now since it's chilly, not that they needed to wear hoodies since they have the ice resistance skill. Kim Dokja is lying down, legs spread on the grass, hands intertwined with Yoo Joonghyuk who is also lying down on the grass, smelling the fresh scent of leaves. He was reluctant to lie down but it's not so bad, he muses. The companions are staring at the night sky, at the stars to be precise. The stars blink once in a while as if greeting the men.
"I looked for you in the sky so many times when you weren't here. I looked for a specific star, I longed for it to finally shine so I can know my reader is back." Yoo Joonghyuk breaks the silence, his voice is raspy and has a hint of yearning.
"It was hard, you did well." Kim Dokja says because he doesn't know what else to say.
Yoo Joonghyuk stays silent, Kim Dokja turns to look at the man, assuming he probably fell asleep when all of a sudden he is pulled into a tight hug, Yoo Joonghyuk buries his face in the crook of the reader's neck who is puzzled at the sudden hug.
"Yoo Joonghyuk?" He asks, he doesn't get any reply. He taps his protagonist's shoulder, "Joonghyuk?" The man doesn't reply, hugging his reader even more tightly. "Just... let's stay like this for a while." He says after a while.
Kim Dokja wants to ask what is wrong but for now he stays silent and quietly strokes his protagonist's pitch black hair.
"I am right here." He says instead, he feels Joonghyuk's breath hitch, "Yeah, you are here. You are right here by my side." He whispers back.
This happens often, Kim Dokja is still not used to this vulnerable side of Yoo Joonghyuk but it's only Joonghyuk whose each side no matter bad or good will Dokja accept wholeheartedly because it's not just anyone but Yoo Joonghyuk.
"I am sorry." The protagonist mumbles.
"For what?" No really, for what? Kim Dokja doesn't know.
"A lot." Yoo Joonghyuk replies quietly. Kim Dokja hums quizzically, allowing him to continue but Yoo Joonghyuk stays silent. Kim Dokja silently activates 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint' skill.
'...For not recognizing you when I finally met you after 1863 regressions, for not trusting myself to you sooner, for letting you die again and again, for killing you, for abandoning you in the subway and... and for letting the half of you feel rejected when his purpose was my, the companions happiness.'
Kim Dokja goes silent, it's still hard when 49 is the topic, it's a touchy topic for him. He coughs awkwardly, pretending as if he didn't just read the other's thoughts.
"It's okay, it's all in the past now." He says instead, because if they get in the depth of the past there are so many things both of them are guilty for.
"Kim Dokja don't leave me again." Yoo Joonghyuk says, he sounds out of breath, Kim Dokja frowns in concern.
"I won't go back to the subway." Kim Dokja replies earnestly. He has finally accepted that he deserves love, he deserves to be selfish too so call him selfish but he won't go anywhere again.
Kim Dokja raises Yoo Joonghyuk's head and kisses his forehead, again and again. Yoo Joonghyuk suddenly moves a bit, now the reader lays on the grass under him. Yoo Joonghyuk stares him in the eyes, the shine in Dokja's eye is equivalent to a star's, so mesmerizing that Yoo Joonghyuk thinks he can get lost in them, his gaze moves down to his sponsor's lips, which are slightly swollen because of their makeout session yesterday, Yoo Joonghyuk bends down to kiss his reader on the lips, softly planting a chaste kiss, his constellation who looks so, so beautiful in the moonlight stares at him with endearment. They shift a bit and now Yoo Joonghyuk lays on the grass with Yoo Joonghyuk's arm under Kim Dokja's head, the reader is using it as a pillow while he wraps himself in the taller male's embrace, listening to his thumping heartbeat as he snuggles closer to the broad chest. They stay like that, holding each other, hugging each other until the sun rises in a comfortable silence.
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Today is the day Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk are finally going to the N'gai forest. Though Kim Dokja is nervous he is also a bit excited, because he can't wait to meet the oldest dream and kkomas, 999 to be precise. Yoo Joonghyuk on the other hand is not so ecstatic, he looks glum, his voice is several degrees cold and he looks like he really hates this which he does, but three days, he reminds himself again and again. He will make sure this is worth it.
"Let's go." Kim Dokja says as they intertwine hands, Yoo Joonghyuk nods silently.
Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk close their eyes, Kim Dokja mumbles something and then all of a sudden their bodies feel something circling around their figure, a wave of dizziness rushes in and they are teleported to the N'gai forest.
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"You are here!" Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk open their eyes to see a tiny kkoma with rosy and flushed cheeks staring at them, chest puffing up and down, he has the number 666 written on his clothes.
"How are you?" Kim Dokja immediately squats down to pick up the kkoma who, for some reason, blushes. Yoo Joonghyuk looks at the 666th regression Joonghyuk and scowls. 'Look at him acting all timid.'
"Good. How are you?" 666 asks, he looks a bit solemn, it's been a long time since they met after all.
Kim Dokja nods, smiling. "Great, how are the others?" At this, 666 sighs.
"You will know once we reach. Follow me." He jumps down and waddles like a soldier proudly, Kim Dokja finds it cute and smiles. Yoo Joonghyuk notices it and wonders if he should have been a kkoma too.
"Welcome Kim Dokja!" The kkomas pop out of the grass, throwing sparkly glitter at the reader and some of the confetti falls on Joonghyuk, 'I am here too.' Yoo Joonghyuk rolls his eyes.
"Thank you." Kim Dokja beams, he can see so many of the kkomas, but one in particular catches his eye.
"999." Kim Dokja waves his hand at the kkoma who smiles gently. Kim Dokja bends down to pick the kkoma up who nuzzles his cheek, rubbing it on the reader's finger.
"Favoritism isn't cool." Yoo Joonghyuk deadpans.
"Jealousy isn't either." 999 replies to the 1864th regression Yoo Joonghyuk, smiling.
Before Joonghyuk can say anything, someone rushes in and hugs him tightly. He looks down to see the little Dokja hugging him, "Yoo Joonghyuk!" The dreamer beams, Yoo Joonghyuk feels his mouth tugging upwards automatically.
"...Hello." He hesitates a bit but ruffles the little reader's hair.
"Hehe!" He laughs cheekily and then moves to hug Kim Dokja, "You came!" Kim Dokja nods, giving the kkoma in his hold to Yoo Joonghyuk so he can hug the little one.
Yoo Joonghyuk stares blankly at the kkoma shoved in his face who stares back at him.
"So..." He coughs, "How does it feel to be the favorite one?" Yoo Joonghyuk asks blandly, 999 replies with a smirk and Yoo Joonghyuk is tempted to throw the little kkoma far away like a baseball.
"You are here." He halts when he hears the 'Yoo Joonghyuk' he detests the most.
"Secretive Plotter." Kim Dokja nods, the Plotter no longer wears the starry veil, but he hasn't abandoned the white coat either. He looks happier, the shine in his eyes has returned too.
"You made it." The Secretive Plotter looks at Yoo Joonghyuk and hums, Yoo Joonghyuk nods. The last time Yoo Joonghyuk met the Plotter was when he almost died in space when he was spreading the story for every fragment of Kim Dokja. If it weren't for Plotter, Yoo Joonghyuk would have died and at that time Yoo Joonghyuk accepted it. Even if Yoo Joonghyuk doesn't admit, he is grateful to the Plotter for saving him at that time or else he wouldn't be here with his Kim Dokja.
"Let's go, we can talk inside!" 666 says, motioning everyone to follow him.
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The Plotter, Yoo Joonghyuk, the reader and the dreamer are now sitting in a dining room, eating food made by 81 who is standing and serving them, he keeps filling both Kim Dokja's plate with various foods, "Tsk, you are so thin, does 1864 not feed you?" He points his spatula at Yoo joonghyuk who scowls in reply.
"He takes care of me a lot." Kim Dokja smiles. 81 nods in reply, although he looks like he isn't convinced, he goes to check something in the kitchen soon after. The people in the dining room eat in a comfortable silence, Kim Dokja lets the taste of food melt in his mouth, he savors each bite. After he feels like he is full, he turns to look at little Kim Dokja, "Does Plotter take good care of you?" He asks the other.
"Hyung does! Everyone does!" He beams, Yoo Joonghyuk almost spits out the water he's drinking, "Why is he the hyung?" He asks bewildered and looks at the little one's ears turning red, the Plotter coughs awkwardly and Kim Dokja smiles, a menacing one because he can imagine what his own Yoo Joonghyuk's reaction will be if he calls him hyung despite being the older one.
"Do you want me to call you hyung too?" Kim Dokja asks playfully, enjoying his companion's ears turning red immediately, "Kim Dokja." He scowls.
"Hyung." Kim Dokja says and watches how Yoo Joonghyuk drops the spoon.
"Oh no, you dropped it hyung." He teases him again, earning a huff from the Plotter and laugh from the little Kim Dokja, Yoo Joonghyuk looks at him bewildered.
"Shut up Kim Dokja." He says as he stuffs the reader's mouth with food.
"...Sorry." Kim Dokja says after he swallows the food.
"Its okay, hyung." Yoo Joonghyuk grins, the Plotter chokes on his food and the dreamer laughs at the other, the reader's face is flushing red instantly.
"This is not funny, Joonghyuk-ah." His voice is wavering.
"But you are my hyung." Yoo Joonghyuk shrugs.
"You... You kinky bastard." He gets up and strides towards the little Dokja, picks him up and runs out of the room with a very red face and nape.
Yoo Joonghyuk huffs in amusement and then realizes, oh. Oh he's now alone with the Plotter.
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Kim Dokja, not paying any mind to his lover's misery, leaves with his other self who keeps laughing as they exit the room, they pass by several kkomas who just wave but don't join them, giving them privacy. They soon reach the garden where Kim Dokja met the other in a dream and halts.
"Do you recognize it?" The dreamer asks, the reader hums in reply.
"Will you accept my apology now?" He looks at the little one and asks all of a sudden.
"You never needed to, I also felt and still feel guilty for making Joonghyuk's misery a reality." He smiles ruefully.
Kim Dokja gets on his knees and hugs the other, burying his face in the crook of his neck.
"I'm sorry, it must have been so hard to be in the subway all alone." His voice comes out a bit muffled.
"...I didn't even know." The dreamer's voice cracks.
"I am sorry for so many things, I called you a monster when I met you, I almost killed you, I... I despised you so much, I am so sorry."
"If it weren't for Yoo Joonghyuk I would despise myself too." Kim Dokja, the one who was rescued by his incarnation and 999th regression turn, hums.
"It's okay now." Kim Dokja pats his back.
"How is... mother?" The other's voice comes out in a whisper. Kim Dokja pulls back to look at him and he sees his eyes containing the possibly brightest stars in the form of shine, glistening with unshed tears.
"Do you miss her?" Kim Dokja smiles, and the other hesitates but shakes his head.
"No... I just wanted to apologize." He lies.
"You don't need to lie." The reader says. He looks at the child's lips trembling before he breaks down in sobs.
"I can't face her, I am so guilty I- '' He gasps, "I killed him, I kill-" Kim Dokja puts his palm on his mouth.
"It was self defense." Kim Dokja's voice hardens, he removes his hand to let the other speak immediately.
"If he was good to us, do you think we'd be here?" His other self asks and Kim Dokja feels like it's hard to breathe.
"Maybe." He replies after some time. "But it's okay now, I never felt the need to yearn for that man. I have Hades and Persephone, we have them." He smiles gently, ignoring the tears rolling down his own face.
"You are a bad liar too." Little dreamer snorts. He knows what his other self is feeling, he knows the bitter feeling, the difficulty in breathing when he thinks about his biological father, he knows, he feels, he understands.
"By the way, say thank you to Han Sooyoung too, for saving us." He speaks again and Kim Dokja hums, "She's a witch though." He laughs, the other smiles fondly. "I am glad you are happy." Kim Dokja looks at him silently for a moment before he nods, smiling brightly. "Me too."
"Anyways, how are the kkomas? 999th regression turn companions?" Kim Dokja asks, he didn't see the 999th gang anywhere.
"They are on a trip too. The kkomas are good, they do so much for me but I haven't done a single thing for them." He looks glum all of a sudden.
"Me too." He hums. He also thinks he should do something for the kkomas... but what?
"Kim Dokja. I want to do something for the kkomas." The dreamer fidgets and moves to whisper something in the reader's ear.
"You..." Kim Dokja's eyes widened at the idea, he never thought about that.
"Please..." The little one pleads, Kim Dokja hums, thinking about the pros and cons.
"They deserve their own beyond life and death companion. Even 999 who has his other companions." The dreamer says and he sounds determined but also desperate.
"Let's do it." Kim Dokja says all of a sudden, he nods as he gets up, clasping the other's hand as they walk back to talk to their own companions, determined.
■■■
This is an awkward situation, Dokja went to talk to the little dreamer and now Joonghyuk is stuck with the other him, it's an issue because it's the Secretive Plotter, they are both sitting in the dining room alone, staring at each other blankly, its funny even though one of them is an outer god while the other is a transcender who ended the star stream they still don't know how to start a conversation.
"How have you been?" The Secretive Plotter asks eventually, Yoo Joonghyuk looks stunned for a moment but clears his throat to speak.
"Better than ever, you?" Yoo Joonghyuk asks the other who gives a small smile in reply.
"I feel like I have started living." He replies, his voice sounds calm and collecting, peaceful too.
"Weren't you living before?" Yoo Joonghyuk says but then shuts his mouth.
"You know what kind of living it was." The Plotter replies in a neutral tone but Joonghyuk can feel the heaviness laced in it. He nods silently and then there's another awkward silence.
"How is... Yoo Mia?" The Plotter asks, strangely Yoo Joonghyuk doesn't scowl when the being in front of him asks about his sister because he once had his own Yoo Mia in his own worldline too.
"She's well, growing up and thriving. Currently traveling with other companions." He says. Secretive Plotter nods, smiling sadly.
"I am glad, at-least the Mia in your worldline is well." He has a solemn expression on his face.
"If you desire... I will bring her to visit you someday, I'm sure she has an idea who you are now." Yoo Joonghyuk speaks before thinking and he watches Plotter's eyes widening, pupils shaking and lips pursed as if he can't believe this.
"You... can?" He sounds desperate, there is an urge, his eyes are filled with hope and despair.
Yoo Joonghyuk stays silent but nods, the Plotter lets out a heavy sigh.
"...Thank you." He clears his throat and says after a while, Joonghyuk whips his head in his direction, did he hear that right?
"...Yes..." He replies after a moment, awkwardly.
"You did well, you finally have your companion back." Plotter smiles, this time it's not a sad one.
The other nods, "I wanted to thank you... for not letting me die when I..." Yoo Joonghyuk's voice trails off but Plotter hums in understanding.
"I am glad I could do something for you two." He nods.
"You have changed." Yoo Joonghyuk says, bewildered.
"I guess." Plotter huffs.
"Are you the same Plotter who kidnapped Kim Dokja?" He squints his eyes.
"I won't apologize for that." Plotter shrugs.
"Bastard." Yoo Joonghyuk scowls.
"How is everything in your worldline?" The Plotter changes the topic. It's surprisingly easy to talk to his other self, he finds out.
"Returning back to normal." Yoo Joonghyuk replies, "I... don't think I have ever been happier than I am now."
"We deserve to be happy." The Plotter says and it surprises Yoo Joonghyuk.
"Are you saying this out of all people?" Yoo Joonghyuk asks.
"We suffered enough, it's okay for us to be happy." He replies as he stares at the ceiling.
"Can I ask you something?" Yoo Joonghyuk hesitates.
"You already are." Plotter looks at the man and raises an eyebrow.
"How did you react when..."
"When I found out you are the Punisher?" His tone is an amused one and Yoo Joonghyuk feels his eyes bulging out, "How do you-"
"The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is looking at you." He replies blankly.
"Does this mean Kim Dokja..." Yoo Joonghyuk feels his face morphing into an embarrassed one. The Plotter lets out an amused huff.
"If he did see your regressions as your sponsor then he must have seen it."
Yoo Joonghyuk bites his lip, ignoring his red ears. "He never said anything, was it that awkward?"
"I think he liked it a little too much, maybe that's why." Plotter grins mischievously.
"..." Yoo Joonghyuk raises an eyebrow at his sudden change in voice, it sounds playful, the Plotter has a sardonic smile on his face and as if something clicks in, Joonghyuk's eyes widen and he stares at the Plotter who nods in reply.
"Anyways," Joonghyuk changes the topic, ears red and a glint of mischievousness in his eyes, he finally knows what he's going to do when they are back home. "I wanted to ask you about something else... You, what made you change your mind when you met your sponsor. I thought you were going to..."
"Kill him? How could I kill my only reader?" The Plotter's tone is fond, "My little dreamer went through enough all alone."
"You really..." Yoo Joonghyuk is in a daze. The Plotter stays silent for a while but then starts speaking again.
"Don't you love your Kim Dokja too? No matter which regression it was, it was and would have always been Kim Dokja for us, and now that you have finally found him, cherish him." He smiles earnestly.
"But for him, it's obvious, his favorite one is 999." Yoo Joonghyuk says all of a sudden and at this, Plotter sighs.
"The same case here," He looks annoyed, "But it's us who have Kim Dokja, so it's okay." His voice turns a bit possessive but Yoo Joonghyuk understands where he is coming from so he nods.
■■■
"What." Both Yoo Joonghyuks say in unison at their readers' request.
"Yeah." Kim Dokja nods, "By the way, I am surprised, I thought you two would be at each other's throats the moment we left you two alone."
"...Don't try to change the topic, Kim Dokja." Yoo Joonghyuk scowls, Kim Dokja grins nervously and the Plotter is eerily silent, staring at his dreamer who is fidgeting.
"Why?" The Plotter asks after a long pause.
"I want to do something for them!" Little Kim Dokja, OD exclaims.
"You being here is enough." Plotter says and Yoo Joonghyuk surprisingly nods along in agreement.
"If you can have us, why can't they?" Kim Dokja raises an eyebrow and the two men groan simultaneously.
"Because Kim Dokja is Kim Dokja, you are mine." Yoo Joonghyuk frowns.
"If this Kim Dokja is Plotter's and I am yours then what about the others who didn't get to have a companion?" Kim Dokja reasons.
"There are so many of them all alone, why would they need company?" Plotter scowls this time.
"Then does that mean you don't need me since there are already many people around you?" OD asks this time, his voice is small and he looks dejected.
"That's not it my little dreamer, you are precious and I can't share you with others." Plotter caresses his Kim Dokja's hair.
"Then what about him?" He points at the 1864th regression Yoo Joonghyuk and the now most ancient dream, Kim Dokja.
"...They are an exception." Plotter clicks his tongue.
"Then make another exception." Kim Dokja shrugs.
"Why are you so adamant to get them kkoma Kim Dokjas?" Yoo Joonghyuk huffs.
At this, the reader and dreamer smile gently, "Don't they deserve to be happy too? They also saved us, we read their story too."
And at this, the two Joonghyuks go silent for a moment before Plotter speaks up again.
"It's not that easy... It will cost a lot of probability and-"
"Did you forget that the little kid besides you is older than you, Plotter?" Kim Dokja deadpans, Plotter gives him a look and sighs.
"We will do it ourselves, just don't stop us." OD shrugs.
"I don't like this Kim Dokja." Yoo Joonghyuk grimaces and Kim Dokja huffs, "Bastard I am not going anywhere, you can be possessive and selfish with me, the 1864th me. Unless I am not enough-" Yoo Joonghyuk shushes him by putting his finger on his lips.
"Fine." He grits his teeth, "But once we go back you are doing everything I tell you to." Kim Dokja shivers nervously and OD looks scared for a moment.
"Kim Dokja." He calls out, voice hardening.
Kim Dokja tilts his head and hums, then he realizes that maybe his Plot- no Joonghyuk isn't so aggressive and he got the wrong idea.
"It's nothing." Kim Dokja bends down, on knees as he speaks gently, he rubs the other's palm soothingly, Yoo Joonghyuk gives the Plotter a quizzical look who only snaps his fingers and sparks of probability flicker for a moment. Yoo Joonghyuk is in a sense of stupor for a while and then clenches his jaw, he really needs to work on his anger issues. Damn. He has some idea, he knows only a tiny bit of Kim Dokja's past, not the details but even he understands what just happened.
"I'm sorry." Yoo Joonghyuk apologizes immediately, Kim Dokja turns to look at him and smiles sadly. OD is almost calmed down now too.
"Thank you for agreeing, both of you." He says instead, his voice sounds a bit heavy for some reason. Yoo Joonghyuk wonders if he triggered some past trauma again.
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"Is this a prank?" 666 asks, bewildered.
"I am afraid, not." Plotter replies blankly.
"I don't need a Kim Dokja." 41 huffs, looking away.
"Then don't bother the others when you see their Kim Dokja, ungrateful bastard." Yoo Joonghyuk scowls.
"I also... I don't want a companion, I am thankful but I already have the 999th regression companions. It's only fair that the others get their own life and death companions." 999 speaks. It's obvious the way his eyebrow twitches when he says this, there's no way he doesn't want his reader too.
"We can easily get every single one of you a Kim Dokja though." OD sighs dejectedly.
"You do realize that it's not as easy as it seems and it might cost a-'' 81 speaks but Kim Dokja cuts him off.
"Plotter has you all roaming around here, you all have your own rooms and I am sure it's only a matter of a snap of a finger to arrange some rooms." Kim Dokja groans.
"Then... Let's just get it over with." 2 says, pretending to be unamused.
They all stand in a row, according to their numbers... 1...2...3...4...5...till 1863.
The dreamer and reader raise their hands, Plotter eventually joins in too for some reason. Yoo Joonghyuk stands there to witness the brilliant sparks flowing around the three, their bodies enveloped in light and frenzy sparks. He looks at his reader and Plotter's dreamer and feels something coming... no, separating from their bodies, one by one, a silhouette of Kim Dokja appears, one eventually reveals himself, a small kkoma slightly shorter than the Yoo Joonghyuk kkomas, he has 1 written on his white coat, he looks just like Kim Dokja but the kkoma version, he quickly runs towards 1 and stands there. Soon the number of kkomas increase, from 10 to 20 and so on and they stand with their matching number kkomas as they appear and after what feels like eternity every single one of the kkomas have their own Kim Dokja, their own life and death, no, beyond life and death companion.
1 looks at his kkoma stupefied, the Kim Dokja he got is fumbling around nervously and the kkoma Kim Dokjas look so cute that Plotter almost smiles.
"Will this be okay?" Kkoma Kim Dokja, 1 asks the ones who just created him, the two nod in reply.
"You can turn into your original size, right?" Kim Dokja asks 1 who nods in reply.
"We did it! I wanted to do something for you guys!" OD exclaims. He feels happy when he sees each Yoo Joonghyuk standing with each Kim Dokja, these kkomas possess the traits and characteristics of OD and the reader too just like the Yoo Joonghyuk kkomas, they have their own share of experiences and memories.
"...You should make yourself familiar with your Kim Dokjas." Joonghyuk suggests, at this the kkomas who are now doubled in number all look at him and then at their respective partners awkwardly and leave the room one by one but before they all leave, 999 turns to look at the Plotter and OD, "Thank you." He says as he clasps the little kkoma 999's hand and leaves.
"Except 999, the others don't look happy." OD says solemnly.
"They are shy." Plotter huffs.
"I wonder if they will get along well." Kim Dokja stares at the door as he speaks. Now everyone has left, it's just him and the other three in this huge hall.
"I am sure we will know soon." Yoo Joonghyuk replies, nodding.
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