Chapter Text
Lee Jihye groaned, “Whichever stupid Constellation set this all up is gonna get it when Ahjussi comes back.”
“Right...” Jung Heewon gritted out through her teeth. “He’s gonna be sooo pissed that his valiant sacrifice didn’t prevent us from getting dragged into another linked Scenario. Don't we have our hands full with the upcoming War? This- This-”
“Heewon-ssi.” Lee Hyunsung interrupted quietly.
Her irritated expression vanished as she remembered the uncharacteristically panicked expression on Kim Dokja’s face as he slowly disappeared into the portal. She didn't think she'd ever seen such an open expression of horror on his face before.
She wondered what was on that system notification that would make him look that way.
“You’re right,” Heewon sighed. “It’s just…”
Then she frowned at what sounded like someone stumbling as they landed on hard ground.
“Sangah-ssi?” Han Sooyoung blinked widely at the woman who peered around with mild surprise.
“Sangah-ssi?” Han Myungoh echoed in surprise.
“Sooyoung-ssi.” She returned the greeting in her usual, respectful, if not bewildered tone. Yoo Sangah smiled and ruffled the heads of Gilyoung and Yoosung as they lunged at her with outstretched arms.
Heewon gaped at her but rushed over to give her an embrace as well. Sangah laughed as she greeted them. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“What’re you doing here?” Gong Pildu grunted, though his demeanour had softened into something fond.
“Well… I’m not sure. I was kept in Dokja-ssi’s ability.” Sangah explained aloud, if only to sort out her own confusion. “So, I’m not quite sure how…”
Then her words trailed off as a scenario window popped up. She spoke in an unnaturally short tone. It wasn’t rude; it was more strangled than anything else. “That’s not important for now.”
Seeing the usually composed woman shaking slightly, their eyes landed on the scenario window that she was staring at.
[<Hidden Scenario – Read It Again>
Category: Hidden
Difficulty: ???
Clear condition: Kim Dokja is trapped in his own memories. Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right and soothe his trauma, rescuing him from irreversible despair.
Time limit: ???
Compensation: Kim Dokja’s return and trust.
Failure: -- ]
“Ah… haha,” Jihye laughed awkwardly, first to speak. “Sooo we finally get to see the mysterious Kim Dokja’s past? I bet the Constellations will shower us with coins.”
There was silence. They could only focus on a few words- ‘trauma’… ‘irreversible despair’. It was unexpectedly descriptive and emotive for a scenario outline.
“Wow, the compensation is so stingy.” Sooyoung clicked her tongue. “Dokja’s return should be bare minimum.”
No one commented on how the compensation was Kim Dokja’s trust. They already knew he would die for them: he’d proven that, much to their collective chagrin. Yet it was all clear to them that Dokja did not trust them to care for him and accept him and love him.
“That fool.” It’s the only thing Yoo Joonghyuk said, with no further context.
Yoo Joonghyuk’s sudden disappearance and seemingly unintended reappearance had gone largely unaddressed asides from Jihye’s exclamation and some hesitant looks. Of course they all had their speculations, but… what happened between Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk could not be resolved when the man involved was not.
In the tense silence, Jihye kept talking nervously. “Maybe we’ll finally see the story behind Ahjussi’s cheongsam kink-”
“Lee Jihye.” Sangah snapped, tone stiff. “Please do not joke about Dokja-ssi now.”
“Ah… I’m sorry.” She looked admonished. “I’m just…”
“Jihye, it’s alright. We’re all stressed here.” Heewon pinched the bridge of her nose. “Okay, let’s think for a second. So, Kim Dokja did a Kim Dokja. He went around to do his mysterious activities then fulfilled some requirement which opened a Hidden Scenario for the Nebula and... some. Willingly or not, he became the subject of the Hidden Scenario and now needs rescuing. And this… suspicious-looking room is nothing I’d ever seen before.”
It was a blank room, nearly entirely empty and the boundary between the walls, floor, and roof seemed ambiguous. It had started off as a dark grey before shifting into a strange reddish-orange glow.
Seolhwa nodded. “This set up will probably act as an immersive theatre, presumably named ‘Domain of Memories’; I assume we are to…” Her face slightly soured in disgust. “…Voyeur his mentioned ‘trauma’.”
“No,” Sooyoung shook her head. “It says to ‘enter’ this Domain. That’s probably that random door there.” She pointed to a dimly glowing rectangle. “It’s hard to tell since everything here is like a void, but I think there’s also an exit.”
They all looked at the small patch of darkness, pulsing ominously.
“There’s no assigned failure for this task, so everyone who doesn’t want to do this can get lost. And the ones who shouldn’t be doing this should even more get lost.”
Sangah glanced at the kids in concern. They’d been silent for an awfully long time. Catching her look, they stared back defiantly and said- “We’re staying.” In perfect unison.
For all they fought like cats and dogs, they were always united for Dokja’s sake.
Sooyoung snorted. “Well, I never doubted your ardent loyalty. I’m looking at you, Han Myungoh, in particular.”
“H-Huh?” He smoothed down his clothes and cleared his throat. “Well, as the-”
“We’ll leave.” Gong Pildu, who’d stayed silent up until now, announced. “I don’t think I’d be able to help that brat, and just thinking about watching the sob story of some kid I don’t even know that well makes me feel sick. Even I’m not that low.”
Han Myungoh flinched.
“So, you’ll respect his privacy.” Seolhwa translated with a gentle smile. “Han Myungoh-ssi, what about you?”
“O-Of course, I will do the same.” The look of disappointment on his face was obvious though.
There was a short pause as everyone glanced at… “Jang Hayoung-ssi?”
“A-Ah… I think the fact that I was pointed out in the first place says enough.” She smiled sadly. “I was a bit surprised to be summoned in the first place, frankly. I’ll take my leave as well. Please save that stupid Kim Dokja.”
“Then it’s settled.” Seolhwa slowly trailed after the three. “We must protect Seoul after all-”
“Wait.” Joonghyuk stopped her. “Lee Seolhwa, you’re needed.”
Hayoung glanced back for a moment with a complicated expression.
Sooyoung shot him a suspicious stare. “Yoo Joonghyuk,” She hissed. “This is about Kim Dokja’s past, not yours.”
“Sooyoung-ssi is correct, Joonghyuk-ssi.” However, waiting for his elaboration, Seolhwa paused in front of the exit.
“You…” His expression was complicated, likely because he’d never need to request help on someone else’s behalf. “You’re a doctor.” Joonghyuk ended up saying. “You’re fitter than all of us to properly ‘help’ Kim Dokja.”
“Joonghyuk-ssi is correct.” Hyunsung said quietly. “A professional figure is most needed, especially since we don’t know much of what we’ll see. Dokja-ssi… He’s always had trouble with acknowledging how he has problems, doesn’t he? We can be his solution, but we can’t point out his problems.”
“No, that idiot knows he’s fucked in the head, but he always pushes it to the back of his mind.” Sooyoung interjected. “Hell like I won’t point out his problems-”
“You see?” Joonghyuk looked at Seolhwa solemnly.
“What do you mean ‘you see’? You bastard-” Sooyoung cut off at Sangah’s light grip on her forearm, and huffed, pursing her lips.
“…If no one objects, then I will remain.” Seolhwa said after carefully observing each of them.
The members looked at each other, but there were no further complaints.
“…By the way, when will the Scenario start exactly?”
“It’s already started. That dull sound you’ve been hearing…” Seolhwa tilted her head in confusion. When the scene seemed to shift a bit, she inclined her head in the other direction. “Yes, this is Dokja’s mother’s organ movement. And that is foetal movement.”
“…Foetal-”
“What?!”
Blurry light blinded them and it abruptly cleared to show a tired woman and screaming baby, covered in fluids that the nurses dabbed off.
Lee Jihye blocked her ears with a wince. “Do we really need to see this?”
Gilyoung and Yoosung stared in terror, looking like squeamish children for once. Heewon looked mildly disturbed and intrigued, and shuffled behind her, Hyunsung looked poleaxed in a mix of awe and fear. The only unbothered ones were Sangah, Seolhwa, and surprisingly, Joonghyuk. Then again, his face might as well be carved from marble, (both handsome and) stoic to the point of expressionlessness.
“Ahjumma…” Han Sooyoung whispered in horror. “Oh childbirth, I fear you.”
The expected quip of ‘Don’t worry, Han Sooyoung, it’ll never find you’ from a certain smartass didn’t ring out.
“Hyung is…” Gilyoung’s mouth opened and closed a few times. “…Loud.”
“Ahjussi is so small.” Yoosung added, eyes wide.
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is screaming at the cuteness of constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’.]
[The constellation ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’ is cooing.]
[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is plugging his ears.]
[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is pondering on the gruesomeness of human childbirth.]
[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ is carefully observing the start of the constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’.]
[The constellation ‘Bald General of Justice’ is musing about the beginning of life.]
[The constellation ‘Supreme God of Light’ is amused.]
[The constellation ‘The Scribe of Heaven’ is...]
[The constellation…]
[The constellations have gifted…]
…
“-As in ‘only child’.” The man waved his bottle at the woman happily, or not; they couldn’t tell exactly. After all, this horrible family seemed to be filled with mirthless smiles and hidden meanings. “I want him to grow up strong, independent…”
Lee Sookyung looked up from where Dokja was dozing in her arms, swaddled in a blanket. She smiled. It didn’t reach her eyes. “Why not ‘Dokja’ for ‘reader’ instead?”
The man scoffed. “That’s ridiculous.”
Her smile twitched, looking completely plastic. “I think it’s a nicer name than that lonesome meaning. …And Daegun-ah, you should stop drinking so much.”
“Ahjussi should just change his name.” Jihye sighed. “Ahjumma’s meaning works better. Ahjussi is always glued to his phone.”
“Like he’d get sucked into it.” Sangah added, chuckling faintly. “Well, in a sense, he did. I think Sookyung-ssi’s meaning is kinder.”
“Dokja-ssi needs to be less independent and strong.” Hyunsung agreed with a frown.
Yoo Joonghyuk left out a scoff and it cemented the suspicions of the others who thought that perhaps the potential conversation about that novel didn’t go so well…
“Joonghyuk-ssi-” Sangah began before cutting off her words with a complicated expression.
Daegun tsked and threw the bottle- already empty- into the bin with a loud clang. Dokja woke up with a startle and began breathing rapidly as he launched into a loud wail.
Heewon scowled, “That son of a-”
[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ says he does not like this stinky alcoholic man.]
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ agrees wholeheartedly!]
…
Kim Dokja’s name ended up being the Hanja for ‘only child’.
They see it as Dokja shakily wrote it out under his mother’s fond smile. They watched him beam with a carefree happiness that’s so unfamiliar and adorable that they couldn’t help but feel endeared.
“If only Kim Dokja was as cute as his baby self.” Sooyoung grumbled from where she sat cross-legged on the floor.
“Isn’t he quite a pretty child?” Sangah smiled, slight and sad.
“You’re right.” Jihye frowned in consideration. “It feels like I’m seeing Ahjussi for real now.”
The strange comment was somehow not refuted, as others had the same feeling.
“Though it feels intrusive.” Sangah murmured absently.
There’s another shift and Heewon grumbled about the brevity of their cute Kim Dokja exposure.
Luckily for her, he only seemed a year or so older in the next frame.
They watched Kim Dokja, with plump cheeks and a shirt that slipped off his shoulder, poking out his tongue in concentration as he rustled through the large dictionary. It sat intimidatingly next to his illustrated children’s book. He was lying on his stomach on his bed, legs swinging childishly behind him.
“Can Ahjussi even understand the dictionary?” Yoosung said with fond exasperation, reaching out to touch his arm. It passed right through. She startled as sparks warningly crackled at her fingertip.
“Hyung is smart.” Gilyoung seemed to jump to his defence. “He’s prolly only six or something and he can already read so well.”
There was a muffled crash and the child’s hand froze for a moment on the page, the smile on his face dropping abruptly, before he continued to read.
He didn’t flip the page though. His eyes were not moving excitedly across the page like before.
“…What was that?” Yoosung asked nervously. “Is Ahjussi-”
Two voices started to crescendo and they were familiar. It was his parents’.
Kim Dokja was shaking. His small, chubby face began to crumple. His lips trembled and his eyes were brimming with tears.
Foreboding settled over the viewers as they slowly understood what the situation was.
Another reality overlapped the scene. It was Lee Sookyung knelt in front of Dokja. She spoke firmly: “You stay in there, okay? You should never come out until I tell you to.”
A past memory.
Then there was a louder crash, and a muffled scream of a woman. The scene snapped back to its present reality. The child in front of them let out a whimper.
“Biyoo,” Sangah called out, voice strained. “That’s enough. Please turn off the channel.”
No matter how much Sooyoung pressed how little snippets of baby Kim Dokja was fine being televised for coins, Sangah would never let Dokja’s life be put to the public again and certainly not for some pocket money that they didn’t need.
Yoo Sangah would protect him. And Sooyoung understands: this sort of story was not one to be displayed.
A teardrop thudded against the paper. The boy started to cry.
[Many constellations are dissatisfied with incarnation ‘Yoo Sangah’s disruption.]
[The constellations who are interested in the past of Kim Dokja are protesting.]
[Some constellations are calling the constellations cold-hearted.]
Then a sense of nausea came over them and their vision shook, jumping erratically from first person to third over and over, like flickering lights, disorienting.
“Can this stupid thing stop shifting scenes abruptly like this?” Jihye complained, before she gasped.
Dokja had collapsed onto the floor, panicked gasps falling from his lips.
There was a heavy stench of booze, incomprehensible yelling, a trail of intense red dripping down the child’s terrified face. His cheek was starting to swell.
[Many constellations are shocked by this development!]
[Many constellations are intrigued by this past!]
[The constellation ‘Father of the Rich Night’ is frowning.]
[The constellations who favour Kim Dokja are looking upon the scenario with sad eyes.]
[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is stunned.]
Sangah could try to protect him, but the scenario would only continue to torment them.
Although being the least shocked out of them, Sangah could only watch in frozen terror as their surroundings collapsed and shook with ragged breaths too fast and an enraged roar that was incoherent no matter how loud the man bellowed.
It sounded like gibberish- words that Dokja no doubt was too terrified to comprehend at that age.
The man was merely a drunken mess, yet he seemed as terrifying as any apocalypse then, shaking the floors with each step and holler. They feared more because Kim Dokja-
This child of a soft face and heart was there, without them. Young, innocent, vulnerable- Crying.
They could intimately sense how the tears burnt in his eyes and how his throat closed and how his hands shook uncontrollably. The fear in his veins and his loud heartbeat and his twisting stomach. Yet their bodies themselves were motionless, almost cruelly so, shocked to an extent that they couldn’t even yell or cry for him.
“Don’t touch him!” Was the first understandable thing, jolting them from their shock. A curtain of brown hair that covered his vision, thin arms that embraced him, a haggard body that protected him.
Lee Sookyung was glaring, ice cold and near terrifying even with the bandage that failed to cover an ugly bruise on her jaw. “Not him! Not our son!”
A half-hearted cheer of relief rose into Sooyoung’s mouth before it was swallowed back, burning like bile.
The woman was tugged aside by her hair, then kicked into the ground beside her son. No matter how acidic of a glare she had, it meant nothing in front of that violence.
“Then that little shit shouldn’t try getting in my way!”
Wine splattered over Dokja as the half-empty bottle was smashed against the edge of a cupboard, glass shattering loudly. The room kept shaking under his screaming and his shadow swallowed the room whole.
Dokja hunched over with his legs folded underneath him, helplessly small, head bowed under volatile eyes and breaths that reeked of alcohol. He was tense, unmoving, and held his breath in fear. Tears dripped onto the stained floor below.
A movement of black snapped them out of their trance as Yoo Joonghyuk briskly walked towards the supposed ‘entry’ point, first to recall the scenario contents.
Joonghyuk reached towards it, only to recoil sharply when sparks crackled at the contact.
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
His brow furrowed and he tried again. The crack was louder and the man let out a tsk of annoyance.
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
“What.” Joonghyuk hissed, teeth gritted.
“Biyoo!” Sangah cried out desperately, still noticing the presence of the constellations.
[Baat!] Biyoo sounded in pain. Of course they knew she wasn’t the one behind this twisted scenario, but they held a hope that maybe she had the power to-
[Many constellations are wishing to watch the continuation of this Scenario!]
[The constellation ‘???’ has noticed this Scenario.]
[The <Star Stream> denies the attempts of Dokkaebi ‘Biyoo’!]
Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyes widened at the unexpected appearance of his sponsor.
“Even with his status? And over this kind of scenario?!” Heewon asked angrily, instantly catching onto Sangah’s intentions. “I feel so disgusted, not being able to stop everyone from seeing such a private thing…”
Little mercy was knowing that it was far more detached watching from a screen than in person like this. They knew Biyoo loved Dokja too and would try directing the stream to hide as much as she could. Small mercies was that there weren't other Dokkaebi around who would take advantage of this situation.
“Wait.” Sooyoung gnawed on her lip before thinking about what Dokja would do. “…Biyoo, limit the amount of constellations. To as low as you can.”
[Ba-at!]
[Channel #BI-90594 has been restricted to accommodate 10 000 subscribers!]
[Channel #BI-90594 has been restricted to accommodate 5 000 subscribers!]
“Nice thinking, Sooyoung-ssi.” Sangah nodded with a hint of relief.
“Yeah, I know I’m a genius.” Sooyoung basked in the rare praise.
[Channel #BI-90594 has been restricted to accommodate 1 000 subscribers!]
[Channel #BI-90594 has been restricted to accommodate 1 000 subscribers!]
[Ba-aaht!] Biyoo let out a determined cry.
[Channel #BI-90594 has been restricted to accommodate 500 subscribers!]
[Subscribers in Channel #BI-90594 are sorted by descending subscription time!]
[Subscribers in Channel #BI-90594 must sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement!]
“Thanks Biyoo.” Sangah smiled warmly at the Dokkaebi.
Still 500… It wasn’t that small, but for the Star Stream, and for Kim Dokja’s notoriety, it would have to do.
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ feels guilty.]
[The constellations who favour Kim Dokja express their support.]
[The constellation ‘Goryeo’s First Sword’ agrees this Scenario is disgusting.]
Whatever scraps of relief they might’ve had got doused in an instant as a high-pitched shriek of pain ripped out. Grimaces broke out amongst the members.
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is outraged!]
“I’m sorry! Appa, I’m sorry-”
Lee Sookyung was nowhere in sight and Dokja was hauled up by his shirt, face contorted in abject terror.
Jihye whipped around, the closest to them, and automatically drew her sword, slicing through the man’s arm. It barely flickered and sparks threw her back stumbling a few steps. Heewon steadied her, eyes still trained on the scene.
“You good for nothing…”
“I’m sorry!” Dokja gasped out again between heaving sobs, voice reedy and strained. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Appa, please, please, I’m really sorry-”
“What- What happened? This motherfucker-” Jihye shouted, subconsciously trying to block out the sounds of the child’s sobbing. It wasn’t that children’s cries were an unfamiliar sound, but this was the past of a man that she always saw as unflappable, infuriatingly charismatic, and unerringly calm.
“‘Appa’?” The man mimicked in a high-pitched voice. He then snorted. “Appa?!” His voice rose dangerously. “So you know who I am then! Is this how you treat your Appa? You useless piece of-”
“Is this how you treat your son?!” Heewon thundered over the man’s next words, knuckles white with how tightly she was clenching her fists. “What kind of monster shouts at their son and- and says those kinds of things-”
That hit from the last scene, they’ll come to find out, was merely the beginning of the violence in the Kim household.
“-you mocking me? Fuck, you think I’m wasting all my money, don’t you? I’m a terrible father, is that it?”
Dokja let out a wheeze as he shook his head, still held up roughly. A violent purple was beginning to bloom over his face. “A-Appa…”
“Oh, you can’t breathe.” The man set him down, eerily calm all of a sudden. “So? How are you gonna pay for it?”
Dokja glanced at a broken beer bottle and the man stomped loudly, causing him to startle and whip his head back to look widely at him. “I- I didn’t mean to…” He said in a small voice.
Fury dominated the man’s demeanour abruptly and he drew back his hand to-
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is incredibly outraged!]
[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ advises the constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ to calm down.]
“Is… Ahjussi reliving this?” Yoosung asked in a trembling voice as another cry of pain rang out in the room. “The scenario said he was trapped in his memories, right? Do you think he has a clear condition too? Is- Is Ahjussi… there?”
Hyunsung swallowed, feeling nauseous.
[The constellation ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’ is appalled by the contents of this scenario.]
“Screaming for Eomma now?” The man roared, stomping again in what would’ve been a comical tantrum if it wasn’t for the very real violence he could inflict upon their Dokja. “Appa’s just the monster now, is that it? Appa’s so bad. Eomma’s the hero. Eomma’s gonna save you. Is that right?”
He shoved the boy, took a step forward, then hauled him up.
“Do you think Eomma can save you now?”
Dokja was hyperventilating, breaths choppy between his chants of apologies. He was tossed to the floor again and he collapsed onto his hands and knees, tears mixing with snot and saliva.
“Yell for Eomma again!” The man kicked his stomach and Dokja tumbled, curling in on himself. “Go on!”
“If only-” Han Sooyoung gritted out. “If only I get my hands on this son of a bitch…”
The man grabbed the largest part of the broken beer bottle on the floor and threw it towards Dokja. It splintered against the wall behind him. “You’re not even listening to me! You think you’re above me, huh? Do you want me to hit you for real?”
“‘Hit you for real’?” Heewon echoed incredulously. “This motherfucker. What is this motherfucker- I’m lost for words.”
Seolhwa had one arm wrapped around her waist and the other covering the lower half of her face. She wouldn’t be able to grasp how enraged Dokja’s closer companions must be because she herself was trying to stop trembling out of sheer fury. She glanced at Joonghyuk who was staring murderously at the entrance he still couldn’t bypass.
Dokja’s pleads began to die and his eyes slowly dulled. The noise of crashing and impact became muffled and the scene shifted.
The ghostly weeping of Sookyung bounced around the room. “I’m so sorry, my baby. It will not happen again. I swear, I swear, I-”
The room phased in and out of darkness.
“You’re the furthest thing from strong.” The man spat onto Dokja. “Why did Sookyung give birth to a pathetic, useless thing like you.”
“Why is it moving so slowly now?” Hyunsung whispered painfully. “He still looks so young…”
“Different wounds.” Seolhwa noted softly, looking over the bruises littered across his body as his excuse of a father pulled his shirt. Atop too prominent ribs was skin mottled in bruises, all in different phases of healing. “Less than a year has passed, perhaps…”
“I hate this.” Yoosung sniffed softly, tucked into a ball on the ground. Gilyoung sat next to her, feelings of murderous anger and debilitating sadness clashing against each other, leaving him silently observing.
“Why does Ahjussi always have to suffer? It’s not…”
‘Fair’. Was left unsaid. Yet nothing seemed to be fair when it came to Kim Dokja.
“Why won’t the scenario let us in?” Jihye asked shakily. They all wished they could take some of his pain away.
They’d all tried entering the Domain to no avail, so they watched as Dokja adapted with no one but his mother by his side. Like the Dokja they knew, he was a fast learner.
He learnt things that a child should never learn.
He slowly stopped pleading and remained silent. Then he learnt how to bite back noises of pain. He learnt to blink back his tears.
And his expressions became more acceptant and defeated. His eyes had a misery that didn’t belong on a child.
He learnt to hide and placate.
Slowly, his memories no longer featured him getting beaten, but rather his mother. Dokja would watch between the cracks of the cupboard as his mother would try and fail to calm down the increasingly violent man.
They all knew as well as they knew Dokja that he… at that time, had gotten used to getting beaten. He’d accepted it to the point where it wasn’t a worthwhile memory to feature because his shock and panic had plateaued into acceptance of a constant.
Seolhwa watched Sangah’s expressions carefully, already able to tell from her expressions alone that it would only get worse from here on out.
There was little respite: moments when Dokja and his mother read together. In that small moment, it seemed peaceful and happy.
Despite his constant silence, everyone could see Joonghyuk’s shoulder relieve of a bit of tension.
“Wait a second,” Sooyoung frowned, “This…”
“Yes,” Seolhwa confirmed with a nod, face in a similar expression. “Dokja’s younger here. It appears… this isn’t in linear chronology.”
“This… is the end?”
But, like how Dokja seemed to realise at this younger age, the chapters of happiness could close at any time.
“This is the end.” Sookyung replied.
Dokja struggled with his words, a strange sight compared to the silver-tongued Kim Dokja they knew.
“There… There isn’t anything that comes next?” He asked, a little desperate.
“There is no ‘next’.” His mother’s words were firm and almost cold, but not impatient. “However, just because it is the end, it doesn’t mean you’ve seen the whole story.”
The next words seemed to shake the entire Scenario.
“Read it again.”
The incarnations all recalled the Hidden Scenario title at those familiar words.
Kim Dokja, they realised through the little montages of his reading experiences (amongst blood and pain and lips bitten raw to stifle cries), was an emotional child.
It was strange because, again, the Kim Dokja they knew was not really so. He was kind, but it was with a detached sense. He was sympathetic, but he tells them, as if admitting, that his decisions usually had logical gain. It was hard to read their Kim Dokja. He was complex.
But now, they realised, perhaps, that complex surface was to hide his simple emotions. The ones that were associated with so much pain. So much childish empathy that it hurt himself.
They watched as he finished a story and reread the last few pages, staring as if betrayed.
“I don’t like it.” They heard him tell his mother. “They keep leaving me.”
They hear him thinking, sometimes mumbled, sometimes just in his head- Sometimes it was just written on his face-
I want to be with them.
This is so lonely. Why. Why-
Kim Dokja was an emotional child. He felt so much, so strongly that he’d cry for them, louder and messier than he’d cry for himself. He’d read about them again and again with expressions that never grew bored or tired. He’d stare at the last page with complicated emotions and would treat them like imaginary friends who had left him behind.
“She’s my favourite character. She’s really strong.” Kim Dokja smiled at his mother as he gestured at an illustration of what looked like a fairy queen. “Reminds me of Eomma.”
His mother smiled back. But she said with a gentle voice: “Life is not as kind as these fairy tales.”
“Kind?” They heard him echo confusedly.
Yoo Joonghyuk felt thoughts war and clash in his head. It had been like that since he heard of Ways of Survival. That tiny voice within him reignited with an indignant fury- that voice that yelled with a burning faith that Kim Dokja was nothing like the constellations he hated.
He was not nearly as heartless nor… as powerful.
“Those stupid kids.” Gilyoung muttered darkly as his classmates took a wide berth around him. “I would be friends with Hyung.”
“Ahjussi was surrounded by such cruel people.” Yoosung added quietly.
“How could the teachers not intervene?” Jihye snarled. “They’re surrounded by useless shitheads.”
“Teachers don’t have much authority and the police are useless.” Heewon gritted out. “When the neighbours reported to the police…”
The man had been let off with a warning, before the violence became worse.
[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ is outraged by this evil!]
It was a message they’d seen many times already. Most constellations have long since fallen silent, save for a couple of notifications here and there. Uriel was most outspoken and the members could not react negatively to her, nor the other constellations who have watched Kim Dokja for a long time and supported him.
“Useless…” Hyunsung mumbled an echo. “I’ve never felt so…”
No matter how hard they tried; no one could enter.
“Bring me more!”
They knew by now: Sookyung got hit whether she did or didn’t. And Dokja was always, always watching, or listening, tucked into a cupboard, or one room away, or even under the covers. Even if he tried to shut it out, it was still loudly audible. He wasn’t even allowed that privilege of escape.
But Dokja didn’t try to.
“Y-You,” Sookyung’s voice trembled. “Put down the knife, Kim Daegun. Let’s talk, alright?”
The room was stained with old blood and new.
Blood. They saw it often in this household and in the scenes.
Down Dokja’s nose or mouth or running down his face. On his finger where he pricked himself trying to clean up shattered glass. On his knees as he fell down hard.
On Lee Sookyung. On Dokja. On the fists of the monster that dares to call himself a man, let alone a human.
“No…” Hyunsung protested feebly. A small head peaked out ‘subtly’ from the door of his room.
“Dokja, go back.” Heewon breathed in terror as she saw what Hyunsung had.
The contrast of this child-like, naïve peeking method and the severity of the situation was almost laughable. Humourless and terrifying. She might just laugh from the panic she was feeling; it was so much worse than facing literal gods and mythical beings.
She’d never felt so helpless. And it was over a human embodiment of scum that she could kill in her sleep thousands of times over.
“Surely- Surely now…” She stumbled towards the ‘Entry’ and reached for it. Sparks. She cursed loudly and grabbed forward again and again, to no avail. Her arm stung as the repeated attempts began to burn, charring her skin.
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
…
“No, no, no, no…”
Hyunsung pulled her back, “Heewon-ssi, you’ll hurt yourself.”
“No… Why?” She grabbed onto Hyunsung’s arm as she stumbled back. “Fuck…”
Hyunsung reached for it, gritting his teeth in frustration as the same rejection occurred.
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
“Dokja! I told you to stay in your room!” Sookyung snapped, voice frenzied and agitated.
Joonghyuk reached as well, then all of them followed, only to be rejected, the system message popping up again.
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
The man had dragged Dokja, who’d frozen at the sight of the knife. “I’ll kill you both then myself, how is that?”
The grossly familiar sounds of flesh and impact permeated the room again, but something was different. A shove sent him tumbling across the floor. A single kick made Dokja hurl up the contents of his stomach.
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
Sookyung was concerningly still where she laid collapsed. Dokja gasped into the vomit, wiping his mouth with a quaking hand. He looked up just in time for his pathetic excuse of a father to haul him up by the shirt and slam a fist across his face.
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
[Enter the ‘Domain of Memories’ when the time is right.]
“What is the right time?!” Sooyoung thundered as a loud zap sent her arm throbbing in pain. “That fucker is actually going to kill him!”
Dokja’s breath rattled out of his mouth as blood trickled out of his nose.
Jihye let out a terrified breath, “Haah, fuck, fuck,” She dug the heel of her palms into her eyes. “I don’t wanna watch this. Ahjussi…”
Yoosung and Gilyoung’s eyes were both transfixed onto the scene, eyes wide with horror. Seolhwa placed a hand onto their shoulders and looked away, staring blankly at the blood-crusted floorboards.
Sangah stared helplessly at the child. Perhaps the only thing she could do for Dokja now was bear the pain of watching because he had surely been feeling so much more pain.
The man dropped Dokja and he crumpled on the floor. Staring coldly down at the two, the man barked out a laugh. “Aren’t we all fucked up living together like this, huh?”
Sooyoung was silent, unreadable. Yoo Joonghyuk…
“Then let’s die together-”
Sookyung cut him off as she flung herself with reckless abandon at the drunk, sending them crashing to the floor, knife clattering out of his hands.
Beer stained the floor yet again, spilling from a rolling bottle.
They watched, hearts stopping and beating too fast as the child stared at the dislodged knife.
He grasped the knife shakily with two hands, too clumsy, too small, too innocent, and pointed it towards his father.
Tears were streaming down his mottled face, twisted with a mindless panic born from a suffering no child ever should have to go through.
“Dokja, no! Put that down!”
Yoosung’s hand clasped tightly over her mouth, stifling the shuddering sob she let out.
“Dokja!” His mother screamed again.
“Ahjussi!” Yoosung trembled, wiping tears from her eyes desperately. Gilyoung didn’t move to comfort her, knowing that it’d only be an insult to both of them.
Save the trembling hands and shaking knees, Dokja didn’t move, like his feet were glued, even as the man stumbled towards him, let out loud, ugly noises that sounded like a hyena’s laughter.
“Just kill him.” Heewon seethed. “Just kill the bastard- I don’t care- Fuck, I don’t care-”
“He deserves it.” Hyunsung whispered, enraged. “But Dokja-ssi- He doesn’t deserve any of this.”
The man stepped onto a bottle and lost his balance, falling forward onto Dokja, then-
He spurted out blood, and Dokja watched with wide eyes.
Dokja collapsed under the weight of his dying father, blood soaking into his clothes and staining his skin. The child’s face was blank and his shoulders were twitching.
His eyes weren’t seeing. Not anymore.
Lee Sookyung slowly pried the knife from the child’s fingers and pulled him out from under the man’s body.
“Dokja.” She gripped the boy’s shoulders tightly until his wavering eyes focused on hers. “Dokja, from now on, I will read all of this again.”
It was something about these words- this mother’s intentions that made Seolhwa’s heart ache even more. It made the foreign feeling of tears sprout to her eyes.
Sooyoung, who knew this story inside out and who liked Sookyung and Dokja, no matter what she said, was holding her own wrist with a white-knuckled grip. She had never felt so overwhelmed before, so angry that she thinks she might actually be seeing red.
“Your father did something wrong and died. This was self-defence. Understood?”
She spoke in a way that was non-negotiable, like she was trying to rewrite his mind, like a narrator dictating a story.
It was painful. They didn’t know why standing here and merely spectating felt so much harder than anything else they’d done before this.
“No matter what, you must not forget that you are the victim.”