Chapter Text
[Scenario – Unfiltered]
Category: Sub
Difficulty: B+
Clear Conditions: Multiple constellations have expressed their dissatisfaction with the tension, hating the fact most of the team is clueless about the very prominent problem. Satisfy them by unraveling the deception within the company.
Time Limit: 5 hours
Compensation: 500,000 coins
Failure: Death
Members of Kim Dokja's company folded their arms almost in sync with one another, as they waited for some sort of response. They had been the ones who petitioned for such a scenario. Convincing the constellations to fund the plot was effortless, for they were frustrated too. Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk in turn, could feel the eyes shift in their direction and were not thrilled by the sudden attention.
Realisation overcame Dokja, apologising over and over again must have caused this reaction from his companions. They deserved the truth and he knew it, but would that guy be open to it?
Han Sooyoung took the initiative to start the conversation,
“The time limit is 5 hours right? So you two use half of that time to come up with some sort of explanation as to why you keep arguing with each other and then disappearing on us.”
Once done ordering the duo, Han Sooyoung ordered the rest of her companions to leave them be for the time being.
As Dokja watched the doors close, he pictured their return, faces filled with anticipation. It disgusted him more than it should have. Their scheme was baseless, things this personal had nothing to do with the worldlines issues.
“It has only been a week and yet they want some sort of answer today, I’m not ready Joong”,
In full awareness, he knew not to expect comfort from the other, but to his surprise, Joonghyuk tried.
“We have escaped death before, I can regress and you can use one of your many lives”, the sarcastic retort was a classic of Yoo Joonghyuk.
Why were they avoiding being honest with their companions in the first place, did it regard the fear of being judged? Dokja could not help but wonder.
Such thoughts caused his memories to be recalled, such as Han Sooyoung ordering them to come up with a solution. Yet they had failed to do so.
Wondering about intentions and the prospect of being criticized was useless, they couldn’t afford to waste more time.
Coming to a decision did not take long for Dokja, he was tired of keeping things to himself. The situation could not be changed, he did not like the idea of coming clean but he had to do it. If not for the sake of his companions, for the sake of the guy who stood beside him. Joonghyuk did not care whether they were public or not, Dokja did. Sneaking around was fun and he felt a sort of thrill, the thought of telling people scared him. He did not want to lose the only thing he could control in his life. Stripped of the choice, there was no other option. Instead of choosing to resent his companions, he chose to comply.
“We should tell them” he declared aloud.
Joonghyuk who had been staring fixated at the doors the companions had previously exited, pulled his gaze off long enough to let it land on Dokja
“No,” he managed.
“Why not?” Dokja questioned, closing the distance between the two.
“Me saying no is reason enough,” Joonghyuk responded, stepping back from the other.
“We are in a relationship and they have a right to know” Dokja demanded.
“I told you not to define it as that”
“Then what would you call this?”
Silence followed, typical.
Almost a week ago, Dokja had suddenly confessed which led to a weird tension between the two, nonetheless, the feelings at the time seemed to be mutual. why else would Joong be entertaining him? Realising he was not going to go anywhere with the conversation if the regressor continued to stubbornly keep his mouth shut, his hand was forced. Their lives were on the line for this absurd scenario, thus he should treat it like any other life-and-death situation.
The headstrong moron would never reveal his thoughts, that being said there was only one solution.
Sorry Joong I know I promised not to do this.
“[Exclusive skill, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint has been activated!]”
Thoughts came rushing into Kim Dokja's head at once. Each phrase merged with one another, this had never happened before.
Why was that guy thinking so much?
Trying to decipher what was happening seemed futile, so Dokja decided to cancel the skill-
“[Exclusive skill, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint is refusing to be turned off.]”
What?
Within the chaos, some thoughts could be interpreted, but Dokja refused to believe they were true because that would mean the reason for Joong's ambiguity was that he thought Dokja only viewed him as a character. According to this information he now was in a difficult position. First and foremost, misunderstandings needed to be cleared, without revealing how Dokja knew they even existed.
“Joong I confessed to you a week ago take this seriously. Our companions did us a favour by forcing this scenario on us. It would be foolish to sit here in silence. We should not let their efforts go to waste.” Dokja's words tore the tranquility the room had been enveloped in.
Joonghyuk faltered a little but remained quiet. This man agrees to be intimate with me but fails to express his feelings. It did not make any sense. Nonetheless, I must try harder.
Opening my mouth ready to spew a load of reasons as to why we should not waste our time in silence, I was stopped. By the pressure of lips on top of my own.
[The Fourth wall is shaking]
My difficult companion had realised the only way to submit me into silence. He knew I could not resist his advances.
In the back of my mind, I knew this was not the time nor the place.
Helplessly, I let desire take hold of me.
Regaining my wits a time later, I pulled away.
Joonghyuk stared at me with eyes filled with questions, my sudden detachment was due to the sudden courage I felt welling in my chest.
Kim Dokja blamed his unstable nerves for the words he said next.
“Joonghyuk-ah you are no character to me. In my eyes, you are the sincerest thing I have ever loved.”
“[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is satisfied with the clarification.]”
“[The constellation 'Secretive plotter' says it’s about time.]”
“[Exclusive skill, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint agrees to be turned off.]”
Joonghyuk stiffened at the words said by the other. Had he figured out the reason for Joonghyuk's hesitation?
His feelings for Dokja were as confusing as they came, but his biggest insecurity was finding out Dokja viewed him as a mere character. The love Dokja claimed to feel for
him, felt as though it stemmed from his obsession with the novel. Now he knew that was far from the truth, relief flooded his incarnation body.
“You fool,” he said before pulling Dokja into a hug,
“make it clearer next time.”
“Joong” Dokja said, “they have demanded an explanation from us, what do you want to tell them?”
“Everything”
“Everything? Surely not.”
“They have a right to know, those words came from you”
“But-”
“We will tell them together”
“Okay,” Dokja acquiesced.