Episode 1: Little AUs
Alt. Title: WHAT IFs
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Act 1: breaking the law
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"Do you need a ride?"
Kim Dokja almost threw his bag in fright when a car suddenly stopped in front of him. That night, the train had to undergo emergency maintenance and there were no buses left this late at night, so Dokja could only stand by the bus station. He wondered if he should get a cab but he didn't like riding on one.
The car that stopped in front of him belonged to a superior at Mino Soft. He was someone that Dokja barely interacted with but once had the luck to be assigned under his team. The window rolled down, revealing a pretty face that no words could properly describe.
It was Ahn Eun-Byeol sunbae.
...
"I see that your team leader has been making you work overtime, Dokja-shi."
Was the first thing Eun-Byeol sunbae said.
The reader felt dejected for a moment, putting on the seatbelt at the same time. The car's engine came to life and began driving down the road. "No, I'm just not very good at my work so I have to compensate for that by working more."
Silence brewed inside the car. Dokja ended up looking outside the window when his sunbae said nothing. Streaks of light passed by and Dokja appeared absentminded for a while. Every day was so monotonous that Dokja grew more and more bored every day. The only things making him wake up early were the webnovel he reads.
The car came to a stop and Dokja was just about to thank his sunbae for the ride when he realized he never even told Eun-Byeol sunbae his address. When he looked outside, it definitely was not his place!
"Uh, sunbae, where are we?"
"My place," Eun-Byeol sunbae smiled so bright that the moon appeared dimmer compared to him.
"... huh?"
"Dokja-shi, I think you shouldn't trust people so easily. Especially not someone like me who has bad rumors going around."
"Sunbae—"
And then, Dokja saw black.
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Act 2: business deal
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Kim Dokja wondered what went wrong.
He was simply accompanying his team leader to negotiate a partnership with another company but he never would have thought this would happen. Dokja, an ordinary worker, happened to have the opportunity to meet Ahn Eun-Byeol, one of the current reknowned computer scientist.
Did he happen to use up all the luck he had in this last time?
Surely not.
But with him pinned against the wall, with two arms blocking his path of escape, Dokja simply wondered if it was all his misfortune crashing down on him in one go. Never once had he met Ahn Eun-Byeol yet this person stopped him from leaving the room. His team leader has no choice but to leave him behind lest the deal they have with this company comes crashing down as well.
"Um, Ahn Eun-Byeol-nim, did you need something from me?"
"You're my type. Let's date."
"..."
"..."
"... ha?"
Before the scientist could say another word, someone pulled him back by the collar. Dokja almost had a heart attack when he caught a pair of murderous eyes looking at him. That's... Yoo Junghyuk?
"Byeol, I hope you're not forgetting that I'm your boyfriend. What are you doing asking someone else out?"
"Pfft— no one said I can't date two hot men at the same time. You don't let me top you, so I'm gonna look for someone I can~"
Kim Dokja, whose face turned red in embarrassment: "..." What the hell is this conversation?!
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Act 3: my neighbor
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"Hey, Kim Dokja, whatcha readin'? That same old shitty novel?"
Lunchtime came faster than Dokja expected. And as usual, Song Minu and his gang surrounded him just to pick on him. Dokja said nothing, only shutting off his phone and hiding it under the table. However, Song Minu was faster as he snatched the phone from him. The reader bit the inside of his cheeks, feeling aggrieved, but could do nothing against this bully.
"What, you turned mute? It's no fun if you don't fight back. Hey, c'mon, say something." No matter how rough they pushed him, almost causing him to fall on the floor, Kim Dokja remained quiet. Soon, Song Minu almost had enough and reached for Dokja's collar when the classroom's fromt door slammed open.
Everyone inside jumped in fright.
Entering the room was none other than the crazy school bully, who gave no shit to what others had to say and gave no shit towards even the principal. No matter how severe of a trouble he caused, this school bully always got away scot-free. Thus, no one dared to provoke him.
Kim Dokja, on the other hand, recognized the so-called school bully for a different reason. In fact, he didn't even know the 'crazy school bully' in their school. The person who had just come in was the new neighbor who arrived over two months ago. He lived in the apartment across his, and that person seemed to live with only his sister. Dokja never saw a parent visit them at least once so he assumed that their family was complicated like his.
This new neighbor was always smiling, always inviting him over for dinner, and he would even invite Dokja on an outing with his sister.
So, when his neighbor entered, he subconsciously greeted, "Ah, hello, Eun-Byeol sunbae. What're you doing in my class?"
And so, silence descended in the room.
Somg Minu and his gang grew stiff when they realized Dokja's familiar tone towards the school bully.
Ahn Eun-Byeol smiled, giving his juniors a whiplash. "Dokja, didn't I tell you last night? I'll be preparing yours and Binna's lunch today. I didn't manage to hand it over this morning though since you left so early." The beau approached his desk and placed the wrapped lunchbox on top. "You don't have to wash it either. Just hand it over when you get home."
"You really didn't have to but thank you."
"Anything for Dokja~"
The entire class watching those two talk to each other: "..." Are we still dreaming?
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A little theater corner that's longer than usual~
He's a man I swear 😭