Chapter Text
Baek Saheon looked down at the Wish Ticket he had once desperately craved. Ever since he met that agent, he no longer needed such an item: he had granted it after all. The village he had resented was gone—and so was his wish. Since then, he had—for whatever reason—continued to work for Daydream Inc. with no clear reason in mind.
Now, he was faced with a tangible genie of sorts—a Wish Ticket.
What now?
He had been stringing himself along ever since that day: no true goal or purpose, just living and working. Ideas of ‘wishes’ raced through his mind: to be able to meet and thank that agent again? Yeah, but what if he’s dead? I left the paper boat so unless he’s stupid, he would’ve replied by now. To know if that agent’s still alive? As if, why would I spend the fruits of my 4 year long labour away for an agent I barely knew for 2 days?
And no matter how long Baek Saheon thought, it all seemed to circle back to that agent. Don’t be stupid, so what if he…saved you? You can’t even remember his face! Am I so pathetic that I’d go this far for some agent?
Then a small voice inside of his head spoke up: so what? Isn’t he the first person to not want anything out of you? With Noona gone, who else do you have?
“This is ridiculous.” Baek Saheon eventually scoffed, snatching up the Wish Ticket and drinking it.
Take me somewhere where I can truly be happy.
-
Once Baek Saheon opened his eyes, he found himself on the floor of…someone’s apartment? Did the Wish Ticket give me a new house or something, why am I here? He took in his surroundings: a humble apartment that wasn’t anything extravagant nor frugal; neat and tidy with personal items littered on counter tops—pens, mugs, post-its—and also a few picture frames of presumably family and friends.
Just as Baek Saheon was about to take a closer look at the picture frames, a rattling noise came from the entrance, shortly followed by a light thud. Baek Saheon quickly whipped his head around to face the person whose face never failed to plague his nightmares: an unwrinkled, pristine white button-up; black tie and blazer which cinched to his frame; slim fitting dress pants and formal, leather shoes. The person who Baek Saheon never wished to see in his life ever again: Kim Soleum.
All of a sudden, he felt all his forgotten fears come crashing down on him as he met the other man’s gaze. The man who had terrorised him all those years ago: alive and well. When he had disappeared, Baek Saheon just assumed he had finally bit the dust. Though disappointed his source of items had disappeared, it was also a positive as he no longer had to spend hours of his life agonising over how to not get himself killed around the crazed bastard.
Though despite the familiar look of his neat office attire, Kim Soleum looked different. It wasn’t the 3 years that had changed him, no. His eyes were slightly widened, black irises with those daunting red pupils that always seemed to pierce through Baek Saheon—but they didn’t. Though perhaps a trick of light, they seemed to tremble with unease as he stared at Baek Saheon: was it confusion or something akin to fear? But that’s not possible, it’s Kim Soleum we’re talking about, since when has that psycho ever felt fear?
In addition, the air of effortless confidence and nonchalance was gone; he seemed much more approachable and human—or perhaps that’s just how he was with anyone who wasn’t Baek Saheon but the current problem was that he was with Baek Saheon.
What do I even say..? Long time no see??? How do I explain why I’m in his house…what are the odds he’ll have my dead body in a ditch by 9PM even if I tell the truth? Throughout his flurry of emotion, Kim Soleum seemed to have composed himself to the point he appeared no different from his company days—unapproachable and phlegmatic. “Why are you here?” he asked, voice familiarly cool.
“Oh…Sir…I-I didn’t expect you to be here…it’s been a while…haha…” Baek Saheon replied meekly. Why am I still calling him Sir?! I technically outrank him now! Fuck! Despite 3 years passing, he still scares me shitless! But unless he was looking for an early death, Baek Saheon would never dare to voice his opinions.
“Are you trying to avoid my question? Have you forgotten all your manners whilst I was away?” If me and Kim Soleum got into a fist fight, who would win? He won’t seriously attack me, right? Am I going to die where I stand?
“No! I’m sorry, Sir. Well…I don’t know why I’m here either…truth be told I used a Wish Ticket and uh…” was telling the truth the right move? Fucking psycho…and here I thought he had changed, must’ve been my imagination…
“So what’s that got to do with me? Get out.”
Fuuckkkkkkk…
-
Luckily for Kim Soleum, he had finished all his work and hadn’t needed to work overtime for the first time that week. I’ll have a beer when I get home and watch some TV~ he thought happily to himself. So what the hell was Baek Saheon doing in his living room?
Upon entering his apartment, he was so startled to find someone in his house that he had dropped his bag. So imagine his shock when he realised that person was Baek Saheon. Cold sweat began to form on his back and palms: why is he here? I thought I left that world…Is he real? Is this a darkness…what’s happening? No, calm down, what if he’s the one that got sent to my world?…Then why’s he in my house? Fuck, how do I even act around him? Do I need to pretend to be MZ crazy again?! Aargh…screw it…
“Why are you here?”
-
Once Baek Saheon had practically sprinted out of Kim Soleum’s front door, Kim Soleum all but collapsed onto his couch. What was Baek Saheon’s wish then? It was never mentioned in the wiki… but to think that he also got transmigrated…is it a good idea to let a wild Baek Saheon out to the streets of a darkness-less South Korea? Can he even be considered a functioning member of society? What was his previous job before Daydream Inc.? I mean, he was rather young so I guess it was his first job…well God forbid he try working anywhere else after working at that crazy pharmaceutical company. Does he even know he’s in another world? I mean, he looked just as confused as I felt. Being stuck in an unfamiliar world, huh? I can at least relate to that much. Kim Soleum got up, about to crack open a cold beer to hopefully soothe is newfound worries when said newfound worry came knocking at his door.
“S-Sir…I apologise but could I have a word with you, I won’t take long, I swear.” Baek Saheon’s desperate voice came from the door.
Kim Soleum drew a sharp intake of breath before answering: “I thought I told you to get out.”
“B-but I did get out Sir, could you just answer my question…please?” It’s been a while since I’ve heard him so desperate…I guess I should hear him out, I know how he feels after all.
Swiftly, Kim Soleum made it towards the door and opened it: “Speak.”
“Thank you, Sir! W-well…is this place a darkness? I recognise street names but none of these buildings are familiar, not to mention how my phone has no service.” Baek Saheon rambled. He could feel cold sweat forming on his chin: fuck, that bastard looks pissed, or is it even him?! What if he’s part of this darkness? I’d use my special equipment but I left most of it behind and all my remaining ones don’t work for some reason…
Kim Soleum narrowed his eyes as he stared at the brunette before him. Do I tell him the truth? Well there’s not much point in lying now in any case… Oh whatever, screw it. “No, this is an alternate universe.”
“W-what..? But is that not the same as a darkness?”
“I thought you said you only had one question. No matter, I’m in a good mood since I’ve gotten to see your terrified face after all these years…Surely you’ve heard of employees getting sent to alternate realities after using the Wish Ticket. Your wish was just another instance of that. This alternate universe is one without darknesses so it’s relatively peaceful.”
Ignoring the psycho’s earlier odd comment about him, Baek Saheon spoke again—testing his luck to see how much information he could squeeze out the guy. “So how’d you end up here, Sir?”
“Are you that happy to see me? I don’t see how that should concern you.”
“Well I was uh, worried when you disappeared, you see. Haha…and Sir, if this is alternate reality then won’t that mean I don’t have anything in this world..? I-I mean I doubt my bank account will work here…”
Kim Soleum frowned: he’s sharp, that’s for sure. He’s completely right, unless his wish was something incredibly specific, he doesn’t even have an identity in this world. In other words, he has nothing here. He’s insane for sure, so why can’t I bring myself to tell him it’s not of my business and have him screw off? Is it because I understand the fear of being someplace unfamiliar or because of what happened in Jisan village? Having him near me won’t do me any good, it’s not like I don’t know how he operates. He’ll continuously weigh the pros and cons of every situation and exploit me with every chance he gets. “Stay with me. I’ve missed you.”
Am I fucking insane?