Chapter Text
“Is it that bad?”
“Of course it’s bad. Can’t you leave me be?” Kim Dokja looked away from the inquiring gaze of the boy squatted in front of him.
“Why are you here all the time?” Fed up, he was. Truly, he had responded courteously at the start. The other boy who looked about his age was a stranger after all. There was no reason to get angry at strangers. But this one appeared to have too much time on his hands. Every day he would somehow wander upon a thoroughly bullied or beaten Dokja. Be it in the middle of the road or an alleyway, wherever they had left off, either roughened up or with food slipping from his head down his face. His unimpressed gaze did not feel like sympathy and there was little curiosity about the circumstances of Dokja’s appearance. He would just happen upon him and took a mild, yet persistent, interest in his state, regardless of how Dokja felt about it. Today, however, was the first time he had opened his mouth and acknowledged what he witnessed every single day.
“Why don’t you fight back?” The boy asked.
“You think I wouldn’t do that if I could see a solution in a brawl?” Their voices were far too calm as if they were discussing a summer project instead of their unusual daily encounters. Their dull tones felt like blunt knives. Their conversations were wads of dry cotton blotting out the true gravity of what was going on.
Today, the boy had found him laying on a patch of grass near the river. It might be so that their routes back home intersected or overlapped slightly. But he had seen Dokja again with some punks from a nearby school. The kid didn’t bother at first, Dokja wouldn’t know but this was strange in itself. He would usually at least yell something to stop these type of acts. But it was as if he was fascinated with seeing this sullen kid hit the curb despite himself. He was quick to adapt, however, and instead of dwelling on it, he had just accepted this was something he wanted to see. So he did. Actually, he didn’t even mean to engage him today - or ever for that matter - but, again, he just did. He was just always there.
“So, you’re too weak?” The boy was lazily leaning his head on his hand, his elbow had found support on his knee whilst his other arm was stretched out in front of him to keep his squatting position in balance. The boy’s uniform was pristine as was his appearance. Shit, was that uniform from that famous private school in the middle of the city? He looked like a teen actor. Dokja, in dull contrast, looked from every angle like one of those gloomy, nerdy extras. The ones fated to blend in the background of some event for the main character to solve. He was surprised he even had a face at this point.
“Hah, suppose I was strong enough,” Dokja started with a small cough, “don’t you think there’d be some trouble later on? They would just call more guys to bother me. I’m not exactly popular.”
“Just tell some friends.” The boy rolled his eyes.
“Sorry, not exactly popular was an understatement. Nobody likes me around.” He wasn’t feeling hurt by his own words. These were just facts.
“Then, teachers?” The boy persisted.
“The process would take too long compared to the increased severity I would have to endure until anything would change. Not to mention, I’m not good at explaining myself to adults.” Dokja countered.
“Police?”
“Idem dito.”
“Parents?”
“... what do you want from me?” Dokja was growing tired of it. Seriously, what was his deal? He couldn’t get a read on him.
“Just tell them,” the boy insisted. He had put down his bag and was sat on his vest. Somewhere along the conversation, he had made himself more comfortable.
“I don’t have any,” Dokja said after a small pause.
“Guardians then.” the boy didn't even flinch.
“I said I don’t have them. You’re really irritating.” Normally, people would politely back off if he said he had no parents. It was true that he no longer had a father, but his mother was alive albeit very absent and in no position to help. That is, assuming she’d care to in the first place.
“You live on your own at this age? Seems highly unlikely.” Was this kid for real? Read the atmosphere already. Dokja was feeling rather indignant now. If it were Yoo Jonghyuk, he would have cut this annoying kid’s head off after his second question. No, he would’ve killed him for glancing at him wrong, probably.
“Look, if this is you trying to help me out. I can assure you, I’ve thought about all possible ways out and came to the conclusion that in my current state, it’s best to endure it until middle school is over.” Dokja hoped it would dissuade the kid so he could carry on and play whatever game he was playing with somebody else.
“... current state. Why don’t you level up then?” The kid asked tilting his head.
“Level up… you think I’m playing a game?” Dokja was speechless. Was this kid an idiot?
The kid had taken something out of his school bag. It was one of those expensive consoles Dokja had coveted before but never gotten. If he had that console, he could’ve opened up an opportunity to share interests and create at least some allies in school. They might be mostly of the lower tier nerdy kind, but a group was a group. He wasn’t picky about the status. Anything was better than being completely on his own with no other redeeming qualities to make up for it. In Korea, if he had looked a little like that kid, he could’ve acquired the status of a ‘cool loner,’ at least. With his average features and stunted communication, however, the ball had rolled into an unfortunate place.
“Yes, a game.” The kid was holding up his console. “When you’re weak, you train the lacking stats to become stronger. You beat the obstacles in your path and win from the bad guys.”
Dokja was rendered speechless yet again. He might be dealing with a psychopath here. Who says that to a kid that has been suffering abuse like this. It was almost laughable in its absurdity.
‘But,’ Dokja thought ‘perhaps in this kid’s sparkling world, that was simply reality.’
Dokja moved, the pain in his limbs and chest was searing, but he didn’t plan on laying next to the river till the next morning.
“Sorry to spoil your fun, but I’m going home.” Dokja gently patted some of the dirt on his clothes off and started to carefully examine the extent of his bruises. This wasn’t too bad. As long as his opponents were of the same age and of the same school, thus identifiable, even he wouldn’t land in a hospital that quickly.
The kid had lost interest. He had started to play his game. Dokja stood up and hesitated.
“Don’t look for me again,” Dokja added as he turned away to leave. He took the silence as the kid either agreeing or not listening.
“Don’t appear before me again.” The kid answered in the same flat intonation after Dokja’s retreating form. He was still playing his game so he didn’t see Dokja clenching his fist. This… this sunfish brat. He had mentally whacked him in the head already, it wasn’t worth it. Dokja picked up his scattered belongings, turned and left.
—
“Ah, you’re here again," Dokja coughed. Two legs were in view, a foot length away from Dokja’s lashes. They were under the bridge Dokja had managed to crawl to when it had started to rain. The kid had apparently also sought a temporary shelter right in that place.
Dokja had an inkling who these body parts could belong to without looking up. After their encounter, he had made sure to stay around places he thought the kid might not be or see. So far, that had worked out despite not knowing the other’s schedule or route. But it seemed that on Thursdays, the kid had some late extracurricular activities, or perhaps cram school. Dokja clucked his tongue. Rats.
“You didn’t keep up our agreement.” The kid stated. He was staring at his stupid console again. When Dokja finally looked up, he wasn’t met with a full stare. What was that look for? It’s not as if he didn’t try to avoid him. Sorry for being a loser. At least after middle school, he’d make sure to harmoniously blend in so much he’d achieve the status of a rice cooker. He would live an unassuming, average life and not be noticed by anybody in particular.
“An agreement needs the consent of two people.” Dokja weakly retorted. Was this as much as he could manage right now? in his throbbing head, he sounded twice as cold and impressive. If it were Yoo Jonghyuk, he would’ve made an impossible comeback. He would’ve stood up and walked away without looking back and the kid would follow his eyes with a flood of admiration.
The kid stared again and slowly nodded as if he understood something.
“You didn’t level up.”
Was he still going on about that?
“- are you still going on about that.” Dokja bitterly smiled. What was this situation? No, seriously, for a moment… Let’s think about this. Was he simply enjoying this? Perhaps he was one of those cruel bastards, the ones who won’t dirty their hands but who would knowingly laugh through their noses. He hated those the most.
The noises coming from the kids’ game announced that he had cleared another boss battle and that the defeat was inexplicably brutal and flawless, or something along those lines. When it was over, the kid locked his screen and looked at Dokja. He appeared to be mulling something over.
“I could level you up,” the kid started evenly frowning through his own words as if he disagreed, “if you’re able to become my companion.”
Huh? Hold on, what was this. Dokja rolled his head to have a better view of the kid’s expression. There was nothing much to read from it, same as always. So evenly intense, it almost looked invincible.
“You’ll… Level me up?” Dokja repeated incredulously. That’s it, he was dealing with a crazy person. Best is to go along with it until he found a way to avoid him forever.
“And how would you do that? Also, what does becoming your ‘companion’ entail in the first place?” Dokja fired the most basic questions back. ‘At least consider the mind of the person listening to you. If we can’t keep up, we cannot even pretend to agree.’ he thought irritably.
“...” the kid’s expression changed only every so slightly from his usual determined frown to a lighter, almost exasperated looking one. ‘Is he an idiot’ is what his expression was saying and Dokja felt like he was mirroring that same expression back at him. What was the point of all of this for either of them?``
“Companion is a companion, you’ve never heard of the word before? And levelling you up is exactly as I said. Raise your stats to overcome those guys.” it was as if explaining was painful for this kid, was he actually the taciturn type? Or did he just not enjoy dealing with people?
“Ah, I don’t care anymore,” Dokja said facing the underside of the bridge. “Let’s level up or whatever you say.” Dokja paused as he shifted through his thoughts.
“What’s in it for you?” he thought to ask. However, he regretted asking few seconds afterwards. The kid stared at him blankly for a moment, then shook his head. A small shift in his expression made for a thin smirk on the other kids’ face. The entire composition between that small, cunning smirk and his angelic appearance struck a nauseating chord in Dokja’s chest. Did he just make a deal with a demon or what?
--
"The details will fill themselves in eventually.” the kid seemed to be tired of the topic.
“That’s what you say and, I’m sorry but, it sounds like a huge scam to me?” Dokja finally had managed to sit up. The rain showed no signs of stopping yet so the two had laid down their vests and were sat next to each other, staring at the river bouldering past violently. If they got dragged in there it was certainly game-over. There was something thrilling about being near imminent danger without an adult’s approval.
“Name.” the other kid replied.
“Huh?”
“Your name,” he repeated impatiently.
“Why should I tell you that?” Dokja asked with a raised eyebrow. He wouldn’t be sharing any personal details with a lunatic.
The other kid quietly took a thick, dry branch laying near the side of the river, looked at Dokja, and without any sound or sweat, snapped it in half. Dokja suppressed a shudder. The kid had not been looking at Dokja at all as he continued snapping the rest of the thick branch into twigs.
“I’m…," his head was spinning, "I’m Yoo Jonghyuk.” Dokja finally said. He could go by a code-name nobody had ever heard of. The main character of his favourite webnovel would have snapped his neck - like that kid snapped tree-branches over there - if he knew he was hiding behind his name. However, he did feel slightly braver after he had said it.
The kid hadn’t said anything. He had all but frozen in place. He then turned to look Dokja in the eye with a cautious expression.
Huh? Had he read some of Ways of Survival? Was there somebody like that, of his age, so close in his vicinity? The webnovel hadn’t been particularly popular. There were about 10 million people living in Seoul alone. It could be considered a miracle if he had met at least one in half a lifetime in Korea, especially considering people wouldn’t be talking about such a webnovel so suddenly out in the open. He waited patiently until the kid would speak up.
“... That’s...” the kid shook his head and started snapping the branch down again, he kept his eyes on Dokja this time. As expected, nothing could be read about his response.
“You?” Dokja asked, shrugging the kids’ reaction off. If worse comes to worst, it would just be a little embarrassing to have named himself after somebody in a web novel. But as a code-name, it would do and it was not as if he was at an age he would have to feel particular shame for it. Maybe next year he ought to keep that to himself. But as a middle schooler, that was still socially acceptable, expected even.
“... Then, J.” he replied.
Then, J?
“... oh.” Was he feeling disappointed? This was embarrassing. He thought they both felt the same atmosphere so he seriously sought for a full name as a code-name. He thought the kid had wanted to know about him, maybe even sniff him out to come to give him a beating or laugh at him whenever he felt like it. But that seemed not to be the case. J looked at him strangely again before scraping his throat.
“The rain has stopped,” he said, looking at the slow dripping from the side of the bridge. The sky had cleared out and the grass was glistening under the rays of a sharp autumn sun. Dokja watched J stand up and move towards the sun.
‘I hereby swear that if he starts to glitter, I might actually jump in the river,' Dokja thought gravely. Before reaching the first patch of light, however, J turned and impatiently pulled on the strap of his bag to jostle it on his back.
“Hey,... Yoo Jonghyuk, you're slow.” J had deliberately left a small pause after the name. Dokja was certain of it. It felt mocking, he had previously convinced himself he would be fine with whatever reaction. But what he did not expect was the levels of embarrassment he felt right then. It didn’t help that his ears and cheeks felt like they were glowing. In fact, understanding that J might see made him feel so much worse.
For the first time, he didn’t think about what Yoo Jonghyuk would do, Yoo Jonghyuk would never find himself in this type of situation in the first place.
No, here and now, the teen named 'Kim Dokja' sincerely felt like he wanted to die and resurrect in another city…