Chapter 1: Before the Birth of the Omniscient Reader and the Oldest Dreamer – One Shot

A world came to life under a pen. As Han Sooyoung furiously scribbled, the intricate and elaborate world started spinning tales of its own—tales of people—of joy, sorrow, anger, peace, defeat, victory and disappointment. Yet, it was impossible for things to not spin out of her control. After all, even if this world commenced under her incitement, its creator, it was still hard for a single entity like her to control such an elaborate world.

Thus, in an attempt to gain control, she chose to focus on the shittiest character in the world:  an ex-pro-gamer with an eternal resting bitch face, Yoo Joonghyuk. His only redeeming factor was that he could cook. But, as a Bastard™, he only cooked for his sister, Yoo Mia. 

As such, Han Sooyoung started posting the elaborate drafts of the novel under the name "Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World". To her surprise, she had one steady reader who always made it a point to leave comments and suggestions on how she could take the story further.

However, she also had to feed herself so she started using her initial drafts and replacing Yoo Joonghyuk's name with Yoo Joonhyun and publishing them under the name "SSSSS-grade Infinite Regressor". It had the same plot as Ways of Survival but was better paced than the original. Han Sooyoung, as you can surmise, didn't believe in the stupid concept of self-plagiarism and didn't once think that the reader who left hateful comments on "SSSS-grade Infinite Regressor" was the same devoted reader of Ways of Survival. 

***************

Kim Dokja was always a lonely child. Sometimes he wondered if the play on his name was deliberate. That if "Dokja" was a manifestation of this cruel world, a poor excuse for others' entertainment, making it so that he was always an outsider peeping through the window.

But, in some sense, he was grateful to these people as well. He was so used to watching from a window now that he had no issues setting up a tent for himself between the spaces of words and getting invested in worlds so different from his own that he often forgot to go back.

This window to another world became his only solace so much so that one could always find him with his nose buried in a book, tuning out the noises from the outside world. However, on one such day, while reading a particularly intense scene from Ways of Survival, Kim Dokja bumped into Song Minwoo—a nightmare he wouldn't dare to forget even as he grew older.

Dokja quickly murmured an apology without looking up before moving past the person he bumped into.

Well, he would have if he wasn't blocked in his path.

"Hey, you little shit. Do you even know basic manners? Do you even know how to apologise? Well, I can't expect better from the son of a murderer now, can I?"

Dokja's fists tightened around his screen. He had to suppress his anger if he wanted to live his ideal low-key life...

"I'm very sorry, Song Minwoo-ssi. I really didn't intend to bump into you," Dokja apologised, trying to push as much fake sincerity into his voice as he possibly could and avoid possible conflict.

"Heh? Just because you didn't INTEND to bump into me doesn't mean you didn't. I guess your mom also didn't INTEND to kill your dad, am I right?" Song Minwoo leered. His little followers giggled mockingly right behind him.

Dokja clenched and unclenched his fist five times. Took three deep breaths. Chanted "I am Yoo Joonghyuk" in his head ten times.

Then, he took a stance he always imaged Yoo Joonghyuk took during his epic battles and punched this fucking bastard in the jaw.

******

Or, well, he tried to.

Dokja winced. It really was not a good idea for a lanky twig-like guy like him to take on a well-established school bully. Now, he also had to lie under the sceptical eyes of the school nurse.

"I really did bump into the lockers. I was reading! It was a really good book."

Dokja wasn't actually lying. There were many times he had actually bumped into walls, lockers and furniture while being deeply involved in a story.

"Well, if you say so," the nurse said, letting out a resigned sigh.

Dokja also smiled apologetically. They both understood what happened, but he really didn't want to move again...

He was glad that distant relative number 57473889 could give less of a shit about what happened to him, considering the fact that they had their own blood-related son. The lesser the attention paid to him, the safer he was. It was a belief that had been ingrained in his bones.

For him to pass the rest of his days here without being deemed a 'nuisance' by said distant relative and being moved to live in the house of another unwilling guardian would be the most ideal situation.

"Well, then, let's get you disinfected at least," the nurse said.

Dokja realised that this was a demand, not an option. Sighing, he turned his face to the side to provide better access. Dipping the cotton in some Dettol, the nurse started dabbing the antiseptic on the forming bruises.

Dokja hissed.

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"I am Yoo Joonghyuk."

"I am Yoo Joonghyuk."

"I am Yoo Joonghyuk."

"I am Yoo Joonghyuk."

"I am Yoo Joonghyuk."

"I'm sorry?" the nurse said. "Did you say something?"

Dokja smiled a polite smile. He didn't realise that he was saying it out loud. "No, nothing at all."

"Okay then, can you lift up your shirt?" I think I saw some bruises there earlier."

Dokja's smile strained but he did as instructed. He braced himself and as expected, the nurse let out a soft gasp.

Purplish-red bruises dotted his torso. But, he knew that was not what surprised the nurse. After all, his torso was also interspersed with cigarette burns and long scars that didn't fade with time.

"You sure you're okay? Are things tense at home?" the nurse inquired, concerned.

"It was a long time ago. My father is dead and my mother is in prison. You needn't concern yourselves with it."

Even to his own ears, Dokja sounded cold and robotic. It was no surprise that the nurse flinched. His reply was basically a hard no.

Still, as her job entailed, she finished wrapping the bandages carefully.

"Make sure to change your bandages today after your shower. Try to ice them as much as possible for at least ten minutes for the next seven days. Take care, alright?"

"Thank you," Dokja said. He was sincere this time. It was really not often that people chose not to dig into his past for the juicy details and respect him when he dropped hints out of compulsion.

"You can always talk to the school counsellor if it gets too hard. Or even me, if you're okay with it."

"I might just take you up on that offer one day," Dokja grinned. He limped his way out of the infirmary and into the nearest washroom stall before collapsing as soon as he locked the door.

"I am Yoo Joonghyuk. I am strong and powerful. I can make it out alive."

"I am Yoo Joonghyuk. I am strong and powerful. I can make it out alive."

"I am Yoo Joonghyuk. I am strong..."

"I am not Yoo Joonghyuk. I am Kim Dokja. I am weak and lonely. I want to die."

 

 

Note:

This is not edited lmao. I think the pacing is weird but honestly, I love this idea so much I just wanna continue. This is my last ditch effort in trying to continue this (been in my drafts for 10 months now). I hope the pressure of it being able to be seen by anybody will revive the mood I was in when I wrote this ;-;

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. Merry Christmas! ☃️

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