Chapter 2 - Yoo Jonghyuk's side quest #1: The first meeting.
A man laid on top of a bed inside a silent room, with a thoughtful look on his face, he slowly faced the open window. Looking at the clear night sky full of shining stars made Yoo Jonghyuk think about yesterday events. He hadn't thought about dwelling in anyone's past, and he didn't even want to have anything to do with it. But that day when Lee Sookyung asked him to help her son, it confused the regressor.
Lee Sookyung, Kim Dokja's mother, just silently stared at him and slowly shook her head in denial. After some time she opened her mouth again, saying something that Yoo Jonghyuk still couldn't wrap his head around till now.
"You are the only one that can save him."
「 I...? 」
Those spoken words kept coming back to his mind no matter how hard he rustled in that bed. Left and right, he kept trashing around looking up at the ceiling, and in the end Yoo Jonghyuk that night couldn't even get an ounce of sleep. Getting out of the bed, he decided to go out for a night walk hoping for the cold winds to cool his head.
Everyone was already fast asleep by now, no matter how much grief a person is facing, sleep is something that couldn't be overlooked in any way. Yoo Jonghuk thought about the people who were following Kim Dokja, their expressions were filled with despair when they found out about his sacrifice. Some were crying, others were trying to deny the truth, but a common sense of loss was shared between everyone, included Yoo Jonghyuk himself.
The black-clothed man blended himself with his surroundings as the sky began to abnormally dim down even further. Caught by surprise the regressor immediately started to look for a way out. But then a strange light appeared out of nowhere followed by a message.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is urging the character 'Yoo Jonghyuk' to enter the portal.]
"What..."
Blinded by the light he felt like floating in the space, and shortly after the initial buzz, Yoo Jonghyuk was teleported in a dark alleyway appearing from thin air.
[Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' used 5000000 coins to unlock the special scenario for the character 'Yoo Jonghyuk']
[A special scenario has been unlocked]
[Side quest #1 - The first meeting has begun]
+
[Side quest #1 - The first meeting]
Category: Side
Difficulty: ???
Clear conditions: ???
Time-limit: One week
Failure: ㅡ
*There are additional clear conditions.
*No constellation interference allowed.
+
***
Before he could even realize it, small droplets of water were already falling down from the cloudy sky, and people started running around the street seeking shelter. Yoo Jonghyuk just stood frozen at the spot from that view, he remembered the Seoul of the past, a hectic metropolis that was only a distant memory for him. Each time the regressor started another run he would start on the day when everything started, so all he had seen in his past two lifetimes were only the barren lands of many deserted cities.
"This... Where I am?"
Slowly making his way out the dark alley, Yoo Jonghyuk started to 'admire' the scenery. Suddenly he saw a bunch of teens wearing some high school uniforms, running out the alley beside his one. They were swearing and running away from someone or something. Unfazed by what just happened, the regressor just wanted to let that sensation of the water falling from the sky hitting his face last a little bit longer. After some time, Yoo Jonghyuk stared to explore the area he was in. Watching the busy city streets functioning again as the old times left him with a strange bitter aftertaste in his mouth. Maybe this was all a dream, or a parallel universe, or the past, who knows? He just knew that this wouldn't last long for him anyway.
「 I just need to wait for the one-week deadline. 」
A small voice suddenly called from behind him. Turning around, Yoo Jonghyuk saw a young man with the same uniform as the ones from before, but this person was bruised around his left cheek, leaving a purple splash on his pale skin. The knuckles of both hands were scraped and his lips were also wounded, blood was flowing out of the various cracks and it was obvious that he didn't have a good time today.
"I saw you walking without an umbrella. So would you like to have mine?" he asked smiling, ignoring any pain he could have caused with that small act to his already bleeding lips.
His current appearance was indeed a very gruesome visage to see, but those pale white hands covered with small wounds were now offering a red umbrella toward the tall black-clothed man drenched under the rainfall. The regressor watched the offered object, and then he slowly lifted his view to look at the teen. The rain already made the young boy's black hair stick to his forehead, he looked tired and pitiful, but that smile on his face made him look livelier than any person surrounding them. A sincere smile was all he could see on that pale face. Uncaring toward his own state, the teen was offering his umbrella to someone else.
Yoo Jonghyuk couldn't help but scorn at such a mindless action, kindness can be considered a good trait, but to the regressor, that emotion was just pure garbage. Useless and a waste of efforts, it brought no actual value and the things kindness could have done, strength will do them better. The regressor's train of thoughts wasn't something over-complicated or anything else, for him, strength was just ultimately the best and most straightforward method to solve everything.
The teen was patiently waiting for a response, but when he saw the latter's brown furrowing, like thunder breaking through the clear sky, he made a shocked expression while hit by a sudden realization. He slowly retracted the red umbrella while sheepishly scratching the back of his neck.
"Maybe because this isn't a very manly color..."
But instead of taking back the red umbrella he kept pushing it forward towards the older man in a pressing manner.
"It's still better than nothing!"
Yoo Jonghyuk just silently stared at the boy before him, looking into those dark brown eyes he could see his own reflection.
「 It would be more useful to you anyway. 」
Looking down at his umbrella, the teen opened it and covered himself and the tall man with it. A bright red umbrella seemed to put so much contrast against the gray sky and the cold rainfall. But that moment was soon to be broken by the sudden arrival of some unexpected guests.
"He's still here!"
"Ah... That can't be good." said the teen.
"It's better if they don't see you with me ahjussi. It could be troublesome for you."
The teenager sightly bowed down and took Yoo Jonghyuk hand, then he swiftly transferred the hold of the umbrella from his hand to the latter. Smiling one last time toward that stone cold face, the youthful teen was preparing himself for another long run. But before he could even make a step, a big hand held him down. The regressor acted out of instincts, he felt like not wanting to lose something again. Unsure about his own actions, Yoo Jonghyuk asked for the first thing he could have thought of.
"What is your name?"
The teenage boy had a look full of surprise when he was stopped down to be questioned his name by the older man, but he had no time and mind to dwell into the situation right now because of the imminent conflict that would have come if he didn't escape. The distant screams and cusses were getting louder and louder and looking down at the hand tightly warped around his wrist, the teen was left with no other choice but to bring along that handsome stranger with him.
"Kim Dokja."
"A strange name." Yoo Jonghyuk softly whispered.
While running and dragging the older man with him, the teen just shrugged it off. He usually got a lot of people saying the same stuff the first time he tells them his name. Does he own really such a lame name? It is lame or just special? Kim Dokja... A 'solo reader'. Laughing to himself the young Kim Dokja just smiled and kept running forward.
"I've heard a lot."
Time passed quickly as the duo kept running. Finally, they reached a white flat and Kim Dokja started rummaging through his pockets to find the key for the house. The thugs who were behind them had long given up their chase, and now was the perfect time for Yoo Jonghyuk to stop and make out an idea out of this situation.
With a click the door was opened, still dragging the man alongside with him they both entered the cozy habitation, and as a good host, the teen brought out a pair of new slippers for Yoo Jonghyuk and invited the latter in. Asking for the black-clothed man coat, Kim Dokja retreated himself inside the bathroom to hang the wet clothes. He returned back in the living room with some dry towels. After passing one of them to the older man he just plopped himself down on the sofa beside him.
"Why did you help me?" Yoo Jonghyuk asked.
Placing the towel around his neck, Kim Dokja stayed silent for a few seconds before shaking his head chuckling towards himself.
"You can say, that I got curious."
"Why?"
"You seem to like watch the people around you very much."
"Haha... " a small dry laugh was everything Yoo Jonghyuk received as a response from the teen.
After a little awkward silence, Kim Dokja finally opened his mouth again, saying that if the latter would have accepted, sleeping over at his house to spend the night wasn't a problem at all. When faced with the dubious expression plastered on the older man's face, he waved it off by saying that some company inside this big home of his is always welcomed. Yoo Jonghyuk, after some thoughts, truthfully admitted he had no place to stay at the moment, and the young boy seemed strangely overjoyed to hear the news. The latter pushed the regressor towards the bathroom for a quick shower and gave him one of the oversized pajamas he had bought in the past on a whim, he couldn't remember the exact reason for this purchase and honestly saying, if it wasn't for Yoo Jonghyuk's sudden visit, Kim Dokja wouldn't even remember owning such an item.
Inside the shower, only the sound of running water could be heard now and Yoo Jonghyuk almost forgot the reason he was here, the hot water felt very different from the cold raindrops. The white steam was slowly rasing up, damping the bathroom's walls. It all felt so surreal to him. He was taking a shower right now as if the man who was fighting day and night to complete various scenario in the past wasn't him at all. If this was a dream. He couldn't confidently answer if he wanted to wake up from it or not.
When the regressor returned back to the living room, Kim Dokja was already all washed up and changed. On the table, there were two mugs filled with fuming hot chocolate and not too far away from them, there was a closed first aid kit. His face was already patched up, two poorly banded hands were now loosely holding the warm mug and with a satisfied sigh, he sipped that drink with a smile, clearly enjoying that cup of warm goodness. Noticing his guest staring at him from the doorframe, the teen smiled and waved.
"Want to join me?"
Yoo Jonghyuk just silently stared at the young teen seated on the sofa. The patching covering that face couldn't hide that slight purple mark on his skin, yet he was just sitting there in a relaxed matter. The warm light surrounding his figure somehow made the boy look a little bit lonelier, a big house with only a person living inside. The young Kim Dokja seemed unfazed by that unwavering stare and kept a friendly smile.
"You know, calling you ahjussi seem to make you older. So, can I call you hyung?"
It didn't matter how he was called, so the regressor just silently nodded before slowly positioning himself beside the teen on the sofa. Looking at those loose bandages around his hands, Yoo Jonghyuk could help but feeling an itch on his own hands. The patchings on his face were done in a very skillful manner, in contrast to the poorly made work on his hands. Finally, when the regressor just couldn't restrain himself anymore form that urge, taking away the hot mug form those hands, he earned himself a cute angry pouting expression from the teen. What was he thinking? Cute? Yoo Jonghyuk quickly shook his head chasing away those strange thoughts.
"Hyung?"
Not concerning himself toward the confusion the young Kim Dokja was feeling right now, Yoo Jonghyuk tore away the old bandages and without uttering a single word, he started to warp them up again. Realizing how small and fragile those hands looked in his grip, the regressor started to reminisce about his companion.
「 So is this the young Kim Dokja? 」
「 It's completely different. 」
「 This is the life of a normal citizen, yet why does he seem so bruised? 」
Yoo Jonghyuk just kept his thoughts to himself, he still couldn't believe that the Kim Dokja he knew and the Kim Dokja he was looking at right now are the same people. The Kim Dokja everyone used to know is that stubborn man that kept making miracles, and now what Yoo Jonghyuk could see was just a hurt yet smiling teenage boy.
Seeing the focused look on the older man face, Kim Dokja felt a strange sense of guilt wash over him. Like a child who has done something wrong, he kept a downcast expression, the young teen thought about what happened in the alleyway. He somehow had always been the favorite target for all sort of bullies, so through the years, he learned how to bear with it. But that day, they wanted to hurt something more than just his body. It all reminded him of that memory when the same thing occurred, at that time his body was already too weak from all the beating received to respond his call. But this time, he didn't want history to repeat itself. He didn't want anyone to insult what he loved anymore. He didn't want anyone to defame 'his' name anymore.
"I usually don't fight back, so I'm not very used to tend bandages on my hands."
Looking up form those hands, Yoo Jonghyuk met with Kim Dokja's apologetic gaze. The regressor couldn't comprehend the reason for such an expression on that face, rather he felt more angry at the fact that the person before him just admitted his always passive reaction towards such situations. It shouldn't matter to him, but it does.
"You are Kim Dokja."
「 No matter what you are still my companion. 」
"Yes?" the teen answered looking up.
"Do you want to know my name?"
"My name is Yoo Jonghyuk."
Then a sudden system message popped up when he uttered his name. The first mission was completed.
[Side quest #1 - The first meeting has ended]
***
[Side quest #2 - The solo reader has begun]
Lee Sookyung, Kim Dokja's mother, just silently stared at him and slowly shook her head in denial. After some time she opened her mouth again, saying something that Yoo Jonghyuk still couldn't wrap his head around till now.
"You are the only one that can save him."
「 I...? 」
Those spoken words kept coming back to his mind no matter how hard he rustled in that bed. Left and right, he kept trashing around looking up at the ceiling, and in the end Yoo Jonghyuk that night couldn't even get an ounce of sleep. Getting out of the bed, he decided to go out for a night walk hoping for the cold winds to cool his head.
Everyone was already fast asleep by now, no matter how much grief a person is facing, sleep is something that couldn't be overlooked in any way. Yoo Jonghuk thought about the people who were following Kim Dokja, their expressions were filled with despair when they found out about his sacrifice. Some were crying, others were trying to deny the truth, but a common sense of loss was shared between everyone, included Yoo Jonghyuk himself.
The black-clothed man blended himself with his surroundings as the sky began to abnormally dim down even further. Caught by surprise the regressor immediately started to look for a way out. But then a strange light appeared out of nowhere followed by a message.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is urging the character 'Yoo Jonghyuk' to enter the portal.]
"What..."
Blinded by the light he felt like floating in the space, and shortly after the initial buzz, Yoo Jonghyuk was teleported in a dark alleyway appearing from thin air.
[Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' used 5000000 coins to unlock the special scenario for the character 'Yoo Jonghyuk']
[A special scenario has been unlocked]
[Side quest #1 - The first meeting has begun]
+
[Side quest #1 - The first meeting]
Category: Side
Difficulty: ???
Clear conditions: ???
Time-limit: One week
Failure: ㅡ
*There are additional clear conditions.
*No constellation interference allowed.
+
***
Before he could even realize it, small droplets of water were already falling down from the cloudy sky, and people started running around the street seeking shelter. Yoo Jonghyuk just stood frozen at the spot from that view, he remembered the Seoul of the past, a hectic metropolis that was only a distant memory for him. Each time the regressor started another run he would start on the day when everything started, so all he had seen in his past two lifetimes were only the barren lands of many deserted cities.
"This... Where I am?"
Slowly making his way out the dark alley, Yoo Jonghyuk started to 'admire' the scenery. Suddenly he saw a bunch of teens wearing some high school uniforms, running out the alley beside his one. They were swearing and running away from someone or something. Unfazed by what just happened, the regressor just wanted to let that sensation of the water falling from the sky hitting his face last a little bit longer. After some time, Yoo Jonghyuk stared to explore the area he was in. Watching the busy city streets functioning again as the old times left him with a strange bitter aftertaste in his mouth. Maybe this was all a dream, or a parallel universe, or the past, who knows? He just knew that this wouldn't last long for him anyway.
「 I just need to wait for the one-week deadline. 」
A small voice suddenly called from behind him. Turning around, Yoo Jonghyuk saw a young man with the same uniform as the ones from before, but this person was bruised around his left cheek, leaving a purple splash on his pale skin. The knuckles of both hands were scraped and his lips were also wounded, blood was flowing out of the various cracks and it was obvious that he didn't have a good time today.
"I saw you walking without an umbrella. So would you like to have mine?" he asked smiling, ignoring any pain he could have caused with that small act to his already bleeding lips.
His current appearance was indeed a very gruesome visage to see, but those pale white hands covered with small wounds were now offering a red umbrella toward the tall black-clothed man drenched under the rainfall. The regressor watched the offered object, and then he slowly lifted his view to look at the teen. The rain already made the young boy's black hair stick to his forehead, he looked tired and pitiful, but that smile on his face made him look livelier than any person surrounding them. A sincere smile was all he could see on that pale face. Uncaring toward his own state, the teen was offering his umbrella to someone else.
Yoo Jonghyuk couldn't help but scorn at such a mindless action, kindness can be considered a good trait, but to the regressor, that emotion was just pure garbage. Useless and a waste of efforts, it brought no actual value and the things kindness could have done, strength will do them better. The regressor's train of thoughts wasn't something over-complicated or anything else, for him, strength was just ultimately the best and most straightforward method to solve everything.
The teen was patiently waiting for a response, but when he saw the latter's brown furrowing, like thunder breaking through the clear sky, he made a shocked expression while hit by a sudden realization. He slowly retracted the red umbrella while sheepishly scratching the back of his neck.
"Maybe because this isn't a very manly color..."
But instead of taking back the red umbrella he kept pushing it forward towards the older man in a pressing manner.
"It's still better than nothing!"
Yoo Jonghyuk just silently stared at the boy before him, looking into those dark brown eyes he could see his own reflection.
「 It would be more useful to you anyway. 」
Looking down at his umbrella, the teen opened it and covered himself and the tall man with it. A bright red umbrella seemed to put so much contrast against the gray sky and the cold rainfall. But that moment was soon to be broken by the sudden arrival of some unexpected guests.
"He's still here!"
"Ah... That can't be good." said the teen.
"It's better if they don't see you with me ahjussi. It could be troublesome for you."
The teenager sightly bowed down and took Yoo Jonghyuk hand, then he swiftly transferred the hold of the umbrella from his hand to the latter. Smiling one last time toward that stone cold face, the youthful teen was preparing himself for another long run. But before he could even make a step, a big hand held him down. The regressor acted out of instincts, he felt like not wanting to lose something again. Unsure about his own actions, Yoo Jonghyuk asked for the first thing he could have thought of.
"What is your name?"
The teenage boy had a look full of surprise when he was stopped down to be questioned his name by the older man, but he had no time and mind to dwell into the situation right now because of the imminent conflict that would have come if he didn't escape. The distant screams and cusses were getting louder and louder and looking down at the hand tightly warped around his wrist, the teen was left with no other choice but to bring along that handsome stranger with him.
"Kim Dokja."
"A strange name." Yoo Jonghyuk softly whispered.
While running and dragging the older man with him, the teen just shrugged it off. He usually got a lot of people saying the same stuff the first time he tells them his name. Does he own really such a lame name? It is lame or just special? Kim Dokja... A 'solo reader'. Laughing to himself the young Kim Dokja just smiled and kept running forward.
"I've heard a lot."
Time passed quickly as the duo kept running. Finally, they reached a white flat and Kim Dokja started rummaging through his pockets to find the key for the house. The thugs who were behind them had long given up their chase, and now was the perfect time for Yoo Jonghyuk to stop and make out an idea out of this situation.
With a click the door was opened, still dragging the man alongside with him they both entered the cozy habitation, and as a good host, the teen brought out a pair of new slippers for Yoo Jonghyuk and invited the latter in. Asking for the black-clothed man coat, Kim Dokja retreated himself inside the bathroom to hang the wet clothes. He returned back in the living room with some dry towels. After passing one of them to the older man he just plopped himself down on the sofa beside him.
"Why did you help me?" Yoo Jonghyuk asked.
Placing the towel around his neck, Kim Dokja stayed silent for a few seconds before shaking his head chuckling towards himself.
"You can say, that I got curious."
"Why?"
"You seem to like watch the people around you very much."
"Haha... " a small dry laugh was everything Yoo Jonghyuk received as a response from the teen.
After a little awkward silence, Kim Dokja finally opened his mouth again, saying that if the latter would have accepted, sleeping over at his house to spend the night wasn't a problem at all. When faced with the dubious expression plastered on the older man's face, he waved it off by saying that some company inside this big home of his is always welcomed. Yoo Jonghyuk, after some thoughts, truthfully admitted he had no place to stay at the moment, and the young boy seemed strangely overjoyed to hear the news. The latter pushed the regressor towards the bathroom for a quick shower and gave him one of the oversized pajamas he had bought in the past on a whim, he couldn't remember the exact reason for this purchase and honestly saying, if it wasn't for Yoo Jonghyuk's sudden visit, Kim Dokja wouldn't even remember owning such an item.
Inside the shower, only the sound of running water could be heard now and Yoo Jonghyuk almost forgot the reason he was here, the hot water felt very different from the cold raindrops. The white steam was slowly rasing up, damping the bathroom's walls. It all felt so surreal to him. He was taking a shower right now as if the man who was fighting day and night to complete various scenario in the past wasn't him at all. If this was a dream. He couldn't confidently answer if he wanted to wake up from it or not.
When the regressor returned back to the living room, Kim Dokja was already all washed up and changed. On the table, there were two mugs filled with fuming hot chocolate and not too far away from them, there was a closed first aid kit. His face was already patched up, two poorly banded hands were now loosely holding the warm mug and with a satisfied sigh, he sipped that drink with a smile, clearly enjoying that cup of warm goodness. Noticing his guest staring at him from the doorframe, the teen smiled and waved.
"Want to join me?"
Yoo Jonghyuk just silently stared at the young teen seated on the sofa. The patching covering that face couldn't hide that slight purple mark on his skin, yet he was just sitting there in a relaxed matter. The warm light surrounding his figure somehow made the boy look a little bit lonelier, a big house with only a person living inside. The young Kim Dokja seemed unfazed by that unwavering stare and kept a friendly smile.
"You know, calling you ahjussi seem to make you older. So, can I call you hyung?"
It didn't matter how he was called, so the regressor just silently nodded before slowly positioning himself beside the teen on the sofa. Looking at those loose bandages around his hands, Yoo Jonghyuk could help but feeling an itch on his own hands. The patchings on his face were done in a very skillful manner, in contrast to the poorly made work on his hands. Finally, when the regressor just couldn't restrain himself anymore form that urge, taking away the hot mug form those hands, he earned himself a cute angry pouting expression from the teen. What was he thinking? Cute? Yoo Jonghyuk quickly shook his head chasing away those strange thoughts.
"Hyung?"
Not concerning himself toward the confusion the young Kim Dokja was feeling right now, Yoo Jonghyuk tore away the old bandages and without uttering a single word, he started to warp them up again. Realizing how small and fragile those hands looked in his grip, the regressor started to reminisce about his companion.
「 So is this the young Kim Dokja? 」
「 It's completely different. 」
「 This is the life of a normal citizen, yet why does he seem so bruised? 」
Yoo Jonghyuk just kept his thoughts to himself, he still couldn't believe that the Kim Dokja he knew and the Kim Dokja he was looking at right now are the same people. The Kim Dokja everyone used to know is that stubborn man that kept making miracles, and now what Yoo Jonghyuk could see was just a hurt yet smiling teenage boy.
Seeing the focused look on the older man face, Kim Dokja felt a strange sense of guilt wash over him. Like a child who has done something wrong, he kept a downcast expression, the young teen thought about what happened in the alleyway. He somehow had always been the favorite target for all sort of bullies, so through the years, he learned how to bear with it. But that day, they wanted to hurt something more than just his body. It all reminded him of that memory when the same thing occurred, at that time his body was already too weak from all the beating received to respond his call. But this time, he didn't want history to repeat itself. He didn't want anyone to insult what he loved anymore. He didn't want anyone to defame 'his' name anymore.
"I usually don't fight back, so I'm not very used to tend bandages on my hands."
Looking up form those hands, Yoo Jonghyuk met with Kim Dokja's apologetic gaze. The regressor couldn't comprehend the reason for such an expression on that face, rather he felt more angry at the fact that the person before him just admitted his always passive reaction towards such situations. It shouldn't matter to him, but it does.
"You are Kim Dokja."
「 No matter what you are still my companion. 」
"Yes?" the teen answered looking up.
"Do you want to know my name?"
"My name is Yoo Jonghyuk."
Then a sudden system message popped up when he uttered his name. The first mission was completed.
[Side quest #1 - The first meeting has ended]
***
[Side quest #2 - The solo reader has begun]
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