[The constellation 'secretive plotter' is wondering what the incarnation 'kim dokja' is planning.]
"Hyung… how will you survive if the sooty bastard's sword takes the rest of your lives?" Lee Gilyoung asked shakily, and Kim Dokja had no words to tell him for a moment. He didn't know exactly what his future self was planning, even though he had theories.
With a sigh, Kim Dokja gently stroked the boy's hair. "Gilyoung-ah, it's not impossible to survive being exiled. There are ways to return to the scenarios, and I'm sure I've made preparations to be able to do that as soon as possible."
"You have to promise, ahjussi," Shin Yoosung whispered, burying her face deeper into the robe.
A promise, huh? He couldn't promise that he would succeed, especially without any kind of guarantee.
"I promise that I'll do my best to come back to all of you," he said instead, and made sure to catch Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze, holding it for a moment. Hopefully he would understand that it was the only thing Kim Dokja could promise for now, but also that it was a promise he had every intention of keeping. Maybe it would make what had to be done a bit easier on his conscience, somehow.
[the constellation 'bald leader of the peasant's army' is feeling emotional over the current events.]
"You really thought of all the excuses, didn't you?" Han Sooyoung muttered, tossing an annoyed glance in Kim Dokja's direction. "Though, it would really fucking suck if we killed you and finished the scenario, only for you to resurrect as the Demon King and cause all of us to fail out of nowhere later."
That wasn't likely to happen—not if the scenario was already marked as completed—but this was the Star Stream. Nothing was ever impossible, and something like that was certainly an outcome that Kim Dokja was hoping to avoid.
As Yoo Joonghyuk wondered if he had an idea, Jung Heewon let out a half-hearted chuckle. "He sure has a lot of them, but they aren't always good."
[several constellations are nodding in agreement with the incarnation 'jung heewon'.]
Yoo Sangah looked up suddenly, her eyes red-rimmed and wide in shock. Had she been crying already?
She took a deep breath, looking at Yoo Joonghyuk with an oddly anxious expression on her face. "Joonghyuk-ssi, you… expected to use it someday?"
Ah, so that's what it was.
"As soon as Kim Dokja told me what his resurrection attribute was, I would have known what this sword could do," Yoo Joonghyuk admitted after a moment. His voice sounded strained, almost as though even talking about this was paining him somehow. "That sword would have become a failsafe in case of betrayal."
Lee Jihye sat up straighter in alarm. "A failsafe!? But why? Ahjussi wouldn't…"
"I thought the same thing about that woman in my last regression too," he replied, venom lacing his tone. It made perfect sense to Kim Dokja—Anna Croft had ruined any hope of Yoo Joonghyuk completely trusting anyone in his current regression, especially anyone claiming to be a prophet. Honestly, he'd be more surprised if Yoo Joonghyuk hadn't considered the possibility of having to use it for that exact purpose someday.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is desperately reminding the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk' that his companion wouldn't betray him.]
Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze softened just a touch as he looked at Uriel's message. "I know that now."
Kim Dokja had to bite his tongue to prevent a full-body shiver that threatened to burst free after hearing those words. Somehow, over the course of ten scenarios, he had truly earned the protagonist's trust. It was strange hearing something like that, but it was equally pleasant.
He had also hoped that the sword would never be necessary, but Kim Dokja knew that his story would have its most poetic conclusion if the man who had kept him alive for over a decade was the one to lay him to rest.
"I trust you to finish the job, Joonghyuk-ah," Kim Dokja said as his future self reminded everyone—and himself—of the sword's true role in this Fate.
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is wondering if the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk' will be able to do it.]
He would, Kim Dokja was certain of it. From the beginning, Kim Dokja had given the protagonist his trust, and he knew now that Yoo Joonghyuk wouldn't betray him in this either.
Looking at the blade, Dokja guesses that he'll lose all of his remaining lives the moment that the sword cuts him. Glancing back at Dokja, Joonghyuk admits that he's not confident that his current attack power is enough to defeat him now that [Giant Body Transformation] can't be used any longer. Dokja tells him not to worry, his gaze drifting over to Yoosung, who is frantically shaking her head as she sobs.
Suddenly, a bright light shoots out of the sky and envelops her as her sponsor bestows a new stigma upon her. This stigma, [Sacrificial Will], increases allies' attack power in proportion to the desperation they're in since the stigma's master is risking his life for others. Immediately, the light extends to the rest of the group as they regain their energy. Though he thinks that this stigma doesn't suit him, Dokja knows that his death is now set in stone.
"Thank you all for everything," Dokja says, looking at everyone enveloped in the warm glow of the stigma, before allowing the scenario to take control of his body once more. His face grows shadowed as his one visible eye glows, and he looks extremely menacing—a perfect villain to be defeated by the party of valiant heroes.
As Kim Dokja mentally explained what would happen once he got cut by the sword, confirming their earlier speculation, Lee Seolhwa let out a sigh. "It's unfortunate that things have to go this way, but I trust that you'll return somehow, Dokja-ssi."
The overall terrible situation aside, it was really unfortunate that all his remaining lives would just go to waste like that, along with the buffs he would have gotten as a result of resurrecting. The rest of the group would probably have lost it if he had tried to make full use of them before this happened, though.
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is concerned by the words of the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk'.]
Lee Hyunsung immediately looked nervous, glancing over at Yoo Joonghyuk with something that seemed like disbelief in his eyes. "Even Joonghyuk-ssi…? But Seolhwa-ssi healed him, so why isn't he able to fight at full power?"
"The fault is mine, not hers," Yoo Joonghyuk admitted through gritted teeth. "I acted recklessly earlier and failed anyway."
In his desperation to try and circumvent Kim Dokja's Fate, Yoo Joonghyuk hadn't held back. If Kim Dokja had been any less innovative, or if he hadn't been a constellation still being evaluated and therefore less bound by the restrictions of probability, then he would have failed and Yoo Joonghyuk would have been the Demon King instead. Even though it was a disadvantage now, in their final minutes, Kim Dokja didn't regret what he had done at all.
As Kim Dokja tried to reassure him that everything would be fine and looked over at his incarnation, Han Sooyoung's eyes went wide and she looked at him with an expression full of shock and disbelief. "You fucker, you can't be seriously doing this now."
[several constellations are surprised by the actions of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
"Ahjussi…?" Shin Yoosung asked weakly, finally glancing back at the screen only to see herself completely breaking down. "What's going on?"
"I'm giving you a stigma, Yoosung-ah," Kim Dokja replied, gently brushing her bangs out of her face. Hopefully it would be something good—normally they were linked to a fundamental part of the constellation's story, but he hadn't built too much of his just yet. What aspect of his budding story would the Star Stream decide was worthy of becoming the basis of a power that would give his incarnation and the rest of the group a chance at success?
Though she nodded hesitantly, Kim Dokja couldn't help but feel nervous as more information about the stigma began to appear.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation.]
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is flabbergasted.]
Jung Heewon stared at the screen in silence for a moment before letting out a heaving sigh. "I want to be mad, I really do, but that's probably perfect for the current situation. Damn it."
As the stigma [Sacrificial Will] stared right back at him, Kim Dokja honestly couldn't blame her for that. So long as Shin Yoosung activated it, then everything would be fine. After all, Kim Dokja was mere minutes away from death, and everyone was feeling incredibly desperate.
"This is a rather cruel stigma to give," Yoo Sangah admitted quietly, shooting a saddened look at Shin Yoosung. "The… current circumstances… aside, I can't imagine that she will get much use out of it."
That was true, but Kim Dokja hadn't chosen it himself. Perhaps it was the Star Stream pursuing some dramatic irony, or trying to get the last laugh. His future self was right, it really didn't suit him.
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is raising a brow at the baffling thought of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
"You can't be that stupid, ahjussi," Yoo Mia muttered with a disdainful glare that really didn't feel like it carried that much weight. "You die and make stupid sacrifices all the time."
"I don't get a choice in it either," Kim Dokja replied weakly, knowing he didn't have much of a leg to stand on in the face of her statement. Okay, so maybe he had done that more than a few times now, including the current situation, and that really didn't look good for him.
Regardless, as the stigma began to take effect and rejuvenate everyone, Kim Dokja couldn't help but relax slightly. Even as he did his best to soothe the two kids that had begun crying again once his future self acknowledged his imminent death, all he could do was hope that Yoo Joonghyuk would succeed here.
No, he had to believe, not just hope. Yoo Joonghyuk was the protagonist, and he couldn't fail at a moment like this. It wouldn't make for a good story, and he had the full force of the probability of three nebulae fuelling the Fate that would ensure that his sword would strike true.
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is looking at the incarnation 'kim dokja' with a complicated expression.]
[The incarnation Kim Dokja will be killed by the one he loves the most.]
As his body advances, preparing another attack, Dokja remembers the prophecy and can't help but think back to when he would sit alone on the subway, reading novels on his phone. '... I forgot. All prophecies are metaphors. It wasn't a specific person who would kill me.'
In the Star Stream, all 'stories' are considered living beings.
Looking ahead at all his companions who are running towards him with tears, anger, and anguish on their faces as they move to attack, Dokja laughs. With the constellations all watching, he inwardly smiles as scenes of his companions throughout their journey together play in his memories.
Ah… the story that will spell my doom is approaching me one sentence at a time.
The scenes shift, going from the story they're creating to scenes of multiple regression turns from TWSA, the story that has kept him going until now.
The story that was once my parent, my friend, and my lover. Although it wasn't the TWSA that I knew anymore, it was a story far more fascinating than any chapter that I've read before.
Kim Dokja pretended that he couldn't see Yoo Joonghyuk's composure begin to crack as the prophecy appeared in his mind once more. It was nothing but a single sentence, but it had been haunting their every step from the moment it had appeared. It was strange that just a few words had so much power, and yet, Kim Dokja was completely unsurprised. All his life, he had learned the power of words strung together by punctuation and blank spaces, creating vibrant worlds and engaging stories. In a sense, it was fitting that it was nothing more than a sentence that was leading to his death.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is begging for the nebulae to retract the 'fate'.]
[several constellations are snickering.]
However, the moment that Kim Dokja began to think deeper about the Fate, Yoo Joonghyuk froze. He seemed conflicted, both relieved and deeply hurt, but what hurt more was how uncertain his voice sounded.
"Kim Dokja…?"
Ah, a metaphor. Why hadn't he thought of that?
Kim Dokja met Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze for a moment, feeling relief wash over him too. Maybe he had simply gotten too caught up in Lee Jihye's bullshit, or Uriel's gleeful appreciation of their companionship. Maybe he had allowed himself to be influenced by Han Sooyoung's crude words or Jung Heewon's teasing. Maybe it had never been a person at all, and maybe Yoo Joonghyuk would be able to live on without that kind of knowledge weighing him down.
"You have got to be kidding me," Han Sooyoung muttered in disbelief. "What kind of bullshit is this?"
[the constellation 'lily blooming in aquarius' is confused by the words of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Kim Dokja sighed, allowing a small smile to grace his lips. "I… may have overlooked some things. I'm sorry, Joonghyuk-ah."
"Don't apologize," Yoo Joonghyuk retorted firmly. "I should have realized that you wouldn't think that way."
It took everything he had to avoid sucking in a sharp breath at the stab of pain he felt in his chest, and Kim Dokja didn't know what to say. Wouldn't it be better for Yoo Joonghyuk this way, if the guilt wasn't on his shoulders alone?
"... Does this mean that Master won't be the one to land the final blow?" Lee Jihye asked, sounding utterly distraught. "What's gonna happen now?"
Kim Dokja didn't know. This was uncharted territory for him too—a world where stories were alive and had become the true essence of who someone was. Prophecies were nebulous at best, and untangling the nuances was nigh impossible. Perhaps this was always his Fate, rather than anything they had assumed.
Despite that, Kim Dokja didn't understand why his chest felt hollow and numb. He could feel his mother's gaze on him, intense and filled with sorrow, but he couldn't bring himself to look at anyone right now.
[constellations who like tragic romances are frowning at this turn of events.]
Perhaps what would kill him was the world itself—this story that had been everything to him for so long. In a sense, wasn't everyone part of it now, no matter who they were?
As Kim Dokja began to muse about TWSA and its importance to him, Yoo Joonghyuk had fallen completely silent. It looked as though he was glaring at the floor rather than at the screen, and he was biting his lip so hard that Kim Dokja worried he'd end up drawing blood.
"Dokja-ssi, how was the story all those things to you?" Lee Hyunsung wondered, breaking the tense and awkward silence that had enveloped everyone—punctuated by quiet sobs from various members of the group.
Exhaling deeply, Kim Dokja couldn't help but smile sadly. "TWSA filled all those roles in my life. It taught me and guided me like a parent, stayed by my side when I was at my lowest like a friend, and was the most important thing in my mind."
Honestly, Kim Dokja couldn't be confident that he'd treat any real lover better than the story that had been there for him when no one else was. He knew that there was an entire part of his heart that was reserved for that story and nothing else. However, he had to admit that this world wasn't the same as the one that had saved him anymore.
[some constellations are confused by the reasoning of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is clenching his hand into a fist.]
Suddenly, a brief flash of him and Asuka talking in Peace Land passes by as the words 'Where do stories go once they leave the author's pen?' plays across it. Looking up, Dokja smiles both in relief and sadness as he has one final realization.
It was my story.
He breathes out a laugh as he feels the stabbing pain of Joonghyuk's blade piercing his heart.
The image in the white field finally begins to move as Dokja looks at the group of people gathered around him, realizing that he's no longer alone. After a moment, everything around him seems to fade into the background as something in the distance catches his attention. The protagonist stands ahead of him, his hands resting in his pockets as his coat blows in the wind. As though noticing Dokja's gaze, Joonghyuk turns to glance at Dokja over his shoulder with an expression that's difficult to read. Smiling widely, Dokja steps away from the rest of the group to join him as the others watch silently.
The scene returns to the moment of impact, and as the constellation messages pour in—the gazes of countless stars in the sky all focused on this single moment—Joonghyuk grits his teeth, his expression shadowed, as he drives the sword through Dokja's chest. In the back of his mind, Dokja hears a small notification ring.
[Your Fate has been realized.]
As Kim Dokja was reminded of Asuka Ren and their previous conversation, he realized what it meant. Once a story was finished, the author no longer controlled it. The moment that the final sentence was on the page, the story would belong to the readers—the people who would bring those worlds to life in their minds, interpreting it as they wished.
Perhaps this was the true conclusion at which he was always meant to arrive. From the moment that the paid service had begun at 7 pm on that fateful day, perhaps TWSA had already become his story. If not then, then Kim Dokja had gradually made it into his own as he made changes and adjusted its direction.
Though he could hear everyone else's despair, Kim Dokja couldn't help but smile along with his future self at that realization.
[the constellation 'scribe of heaven' is contemplating this revelation.]
Lee Gilyoung sniffled. "... Hyung, we're all a part of your story, right?"
"You are," Kim Dokja replied, hoping that it would help. In response, the boy just let out another sob and hugged him even tighter.
Not even a second later, the sword plunged into his heart, and Kim Dokja hoped that this would be the end. It would be too cruel for everyone if even this wasn't enough.
As the scene changed to the field, where Kim Dokja was surrounded by everyone, he looked at their devastation with a heavy heart. "Thank you, everyone. I… we… couldn't have done it without all of you."
"You're terrible," Jung Heewon spat out as she cried into Lee Hyunsung's shoulder while he cried into her hair, and Kim Dokja couldn't blame her for it at all.
Everyone was affected, even Han Sooyoung—though she looked more irritated than anything else. Still, she had moved closer to Yoo Sangah and didn't seem to mind as the other woman slumped against her side for support.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is crying loudly.]
[the constellation 'lily blooming in aquarius' is attempting to comfort the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire'.]
Suddenly, Kim Dokja looked away from everyone else in the field, and their images faded into the background as a surprised expression found its place on his face. It looked as though something had caught his eye, and he couldn't look away. Before the scene revealed what he was looking at, Kim Dokja already instinctively knew the answer. There was only one being in the entire world who had ever been able to effortlessly grab his attention and hold it hostage like that.
Even now, it was impossible to focus on anything else when the entire screen was filled with Yoo Joonghyuk's flawless face. Though his expression was inscrutable, Kim Dokja felt his palms begin to feel clammy as he came to terms with the knowledge that even in this visualization of acceptance, Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze was just as powerful and addictive as always. It was difficult being the sole focus of his attention, and Kim Dokja couldn't help but feel that he never wanted the protagonist to look away.
"You fucking moron," Han Sooyoung muttered under her breath, "how do you even have the goddamn audacity to be in denial anymore?"
He couldn't bring himself to answer her. In fact, Kim Dokja didn't even know what he could say in his own defense. The scene vanished, and he could finally relax, no longer helplessly being drawn into Yoo Joonghyuk's orbit.
[many constellations are saddened by this turn of events.]
[the constellations of the nebula 'olympus' are smiling in satisfaction.]
Lee Jihye sobbed loudly as they bore witness to the full moment of impact, and Kim Dokja had to force himself to keep watching in spite of the conflict on Yoo Joonghyuk's face. From this angle, his eyes were covered by his wavy bangs, and Kim Dokja didn't know whether it was better or worse that he couldn't see the emotions that Yoo Joonghyuk wouldn't be able to hide.
"The Fate…" Yoo Sangah said weakly, leaning most of her weight on Han Sooyoung, "it's… it's over, isn't it?"
It was, and the notification confirmed it. In the end, Yoo Joonghyuk had dealt the final blow after all.
Suddenly, Kim Dokja looked over in surprise as Yoo Joonghyuk called his name. "Kim Dokja."
Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes shook and he looked desperate—for answers or something else, Kim Dokja didn't know—and he stared at Kim Dokja like he had nothing else to hold onto. "Tell me, what's the truth. You said it yourself—if it's really the story that killed you, then why… Why was it still me?"