[ i got a 1 so that means joonghyuk doesn't even get a fish to reel in... sad panda. Instead, he tries to steal the one Dokja wants?? But the fish leaves.
[ Were he capable of having two hands to reel it in, he might feel the need to be smug about it. But Joonghyuk is left to help him (even if in the sore loser manner.)
Once the fish is successfully reeled in, he does preen himself a bit. At least Jin is puffed up with her head held high. Yes. ]
[ Your thoughts start to travel. It starts to drift. Everything was so difficult growing up. After all, when you were a child... things weren't good for you growing up.
When you blink, you're peering up at your mother, hiding slightly behind her as you tremble... as you shake. You're afraid. Looking at her, you can see the ever daily bruises marking her skin, and yet she still protects you, especially when you sport the same kind of bruises. Across from you both is y̶̦̻̐͒̍͐̄̅o̸̧̯̥̊̂̿̓̄͊̑̾ṵ̴̧̪̹̱͕̖̘̠̳͓̥̿͌̇͐̇̂̂́̊̀̒̂̕͠r̷̡̧͔̮̳̹̪̫̓͆͋̒̀͌̕͝ ̷̨̖̻͈̜̓̍ͅf̸̧̢̫̪̭̟͈̲̃̋a̶̙͔͓̞͚̳̦̱͜͝ţ̷̫̝̩̬̮̼̬̻̺͛̆̌̐̓̾̓̀͋̕h̵̛̝̺̰͕̱͚͓̠̠̓͛̈́̒̀̎͊̕ȩ̵̧̝͎͙͍̯̲̖͆r̶͚̖̬̝͎͚͚̺̠̄̐̀͆͌͊̉̓̎̐̒̀̇͝.
It's hard to make out his face, you're afraid, you're afraid, it's another bad day. It's an endless cycle, even if she tries to take the brunt of it... you can feel yourself slipping away. You need to stop this.
Someone like that doesn't deserve to live.
You both can't keep living like this. You have to.... you have to-
Your thoughts are a mess. You can't think. Everything happens so fast as if someone fast-forwarded your life just a bit- what's going on? Where are you?
Your mother is kneeling in front of you, face full of worry and she's trying to keep you steady. ]
Don't worry, Dokja-ya. I'll protect you.
[ Blood. There's blood. Some of it is on her, but not as much as you. You're covered in it. You're only a child, but you had to. Behind her, someone is laying there, a pool of blood beneath him. You know it's y̶̦̻̐͒̍͐̄̅o̸̧̯̥̊̂̿̓̄͊̑̾ṵ̴̧̪̹̱͕̖̘̠̳͓̥̿͌̇͐̇̂̂́̊̀̒̂̕͠r̷̡̧͔̮̳̹̪̫̓͆͋̒̀͌̕͝ ̷̨̖̻͈̜̓̍ͅf̸̧̢̫̪̭̟͈̲̃̋a̶̙͔͓̞͚̳̦̱͜͝ţ̷̫̝̩̬̮̼̬̻̺͛̆̌̐̓̾̓̀͋̕h̵̛̝̺̰͕̱͚͓̠̠̓͛̈́̒̀̎͊̕ȩ̵̧̝͎͙͍̯̲̖͆r̶͚̖̬̝͎͚͚̺̠̄̐̀͆͌͊̉̓̎̐̒̀̇͝.
There's panic in your chest, your heart racing so rapidly. You can't breathe, your mother holds your face and asks you to focus on her. You don't hear it, but she tries to steady you. ]
Give me the knife.
[ The light gleams off the blade in your small hands, bloodied and there's red everywhere and your mother just asks you to trust her, that everything will be okay.
Everything goes black. And the memory starts to fade as if it's being locked away, becoming fuzzy until you don't remember it anymore.
It's almost as if whatever happened.. didn't.
For some reason, all you remember is your mother being taken away.
You can hear your relatives talking; your mother is a murderer. How dare she slip her face into the newspapers?
There was a book about it. How she murdered your father.
Day and day again, news reporters hound, is the essay true? Did she really kill him? They ask again. And again.
Classmates would spit at you, they would kick you when you're down, and hurt you, but words you find hurt more; your mother made money by murdering. You're the son of a murderer.
You could bear to be the child of a murderer. However, it is different to be sold as a story. It is a different matter when your life was turned into money by someone.
You hated her for it. Should you forgive her?
And yet, it's as if you're remembering.
She didn't do it though. You know who did it. You forgot, shoved the memory so far away you forgot the truth.
But not her.
A mother will protect her child, no matter what.
Your eyes close again, and now you don't know what to feel anymore. ]
[ And immediately, Dokja is throwing up from the overwhelming emotions spinning in his head as he falls onto his knees and one hand that barely catches him from falling face first.
[ Gods, please don't pity him. Someone like him does not deserve pity. What he's gone through is so little in comparison to what anyone else- to what Yoo Joonghyuk has gone through. How many times will this week bring him to his knees? He has nothing else to throw up, so he's left puffing for breath and he at least listens to that. Breathe in, breathe out.
His daemon's earlier confidence is gone, instead she's pressed herself to the ground in a heap of shaking white fur. Emitting short, whiny sounds and seems defensive- as if trying to protect herself against something. ]
The sooner we leave this city, the better. [ Ugh. His vision is still spinning a bit so give him a moment or two. ]
[ He's going to try his best here, to hopefully get Dokja to understand. Now that he knows how the other man feels with this link that opened up a door he never would have had, he tries his best to use words. It's the advice that Han Sooyoung always threw at them... To communicate.
Niah whines a bit, tail swishing, but then it touches some glass.
Your name is Yoo Joonghyuk. You are twenty-eight, a professional Esports player, and you're on your way to pick up your younger sister, Yoo Mia. It is busy on the subway, as it always is in Seoul. You're used to it and keep your eyes on your smartphone... Looking up the report the private investigator you hired has finally sent you. Your heart stills, shudders, and there's unease and anticipation as you stare at the file.
You have always wondered why you can't remember anything before twenty-eight. No memories of parents. No memories of childhood. Nothing. It's as if your life began at this age, as if your life started as an adult.
You have always wondered why someone randomly gave you an Esports job despite not having that much experience before. You have always wondered why you're good at it. You have always wondered how an infant, your little sister Yoo Mia, appeared at your doorsteps with a note claiming she's your sister. Everything about your life fell into place like written script. Some things aren't needed in a backstory and that is the only way you can possibly digest how strange it all is.
But you want clear answers.
Finally, you open the report and the investigator's results validated the disquiet. Your parents—if you had any—cannot be found. They might not even exist.
What is this? What is happening? How is this possible?
What are you? Who are you?
He ignores it, since he has already found his answer. ]
[ There's patience from his companion, easing his words, trying to level himself and yet here Dokja strongly believes himself undeserving. Eventually, he'll repay that favor. Eventually, he'll bring them the true happy end that they deserve. Eventually, he will do whatever is in his power to secure it. And maybe, just maybe he'll be there, and if he isn't... then that's fine too.
Even if deep down, he wants to be there. ...If it's them, he believes they can do it though. However, other than that lingering feeling of belief, that fading pain and overwhelming suffocation... he focuses on recomposing himself. Not that it's quick enough for Jin, who starts to chew at herself to get rid of that terrible feeling.
However, it lessens as they seem to get distracted by that new memory. It... sounds like the beginning. Has he ever read what Yoo Joonghyuk's life was before? Round 0? He shakes his head, moving to sit and sigh out. ]
I'm fine now. [ Sorry, he bites back, thanks, he can't bring himself to say. ] ..We still need one more fish, right?
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[ Yeah. ]
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[ YEAH? ]
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[ Squinting at the waters. ]
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[ And to add: ]
I will catch something before you do.
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[ Jin yawns loudly. ]
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[ how is this a fact ]
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[ stupid. ]
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[ There's a silence as their emotional connection vibrates with some doubt. Some curiosity? ]
... Unless you do?
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[ And in that moment, he gets a fish!
...But because I rolled a 5, the line snaps and the fish is gone. ]
...Shit.
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Ugh. Angy. ]
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..and then i rolled a 1 too. lmao. huh???? Apparently, all the fish are spooked and nothing bites after Dokja repairs his line. ]
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I will have to see what I roll next, but Joonghyuk looks smug? And Dokja can feel it. ]
You have to be careful where and how you cast your line.
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[ Smug bastard. Anyways, I also rolled a 12 which means some fish are also gathering around Dokja's line. Looking good so far.
Now, who will be able to reel in first? ]
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So he eyes Dokja’s line to see. ]
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..It's a bit harder with one arm. ]
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The emotions are ugh. Stupid. Also sore loser vibes. ]
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Once the fish is successfully reeled in, he does preen himself a bit. At least Jin is puffed up with her head held high. Yes. ]
Well, there's one.
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AS IF DOKJA CAN'T COUNT: ]
We are two people.
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Yeah, and?
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[ Suddenly it is his responsibility? Because he's the lucky one? ]
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[ Dokja shoots him a look, setting their freshly caught fish away and moving to try and replace his bait.
However, here comes bad timing. In his attempt does he accidentally step on some glass that was hidden. And to be expected, the music starts.
[ Your thoughts start to travel. It starts to drift. Everything was so difficult growing up. After all, when you were a child... things weren't good for you growing up.
When you blink, you're peering up at your mother, hiding slightly behind her as you tremble... as you shake. You're afraid. Looking at her, you can see the ever daily bruises marking her skin, and yet she still protects you, especially when you sport the same kind of bruises. Across from you both is y̶̦̻̐͒̍͐̄̅o̸̧̯̥̊̂̿̓̄͊̑̾ṵ̴̧̪̹̱͕̖̘̠̳͓̥̿͌̇͐̇̂̂́̊̀̒̂̕͠r̷̡̧͔̮̳̹̪̫̓͆͋̒̀͌̕͝ ̷̨̖̻͈̜̓̍ͅf̸̧̢̫̪̭̟͈̲̃̋a̶̙͔͓̞͚̳̦̱͜͝ţ̷̫̝̩̬̮̼̬̻̺͛̆̌̐̓̾̓̀͋̕h̵̛̝̺̰͕̱͚͓̠̠̓͛̈́̒̀̎͊̕ȩ̵̧̝͎͙͍̯̲̖͆r̶͚̖̬̝͎͚͚̺̠̄̐̀͆͌͊̉̓̎̐̒̀̇͝.
It's hard to make out his face, you're afraid, you're afraid, it's another bad day. It's an endless cycle, even if she tries to take the brunt of it... you can feel yourself slipping away. You need to stop this.
Someone like that doesn't deserve to live.
You both can't keep living like this. You have to.... you have to-
Your thoughts are a mess. You can't think. Everything happens so fast as if someone fast-forwarded your life just a bit- what's going on? Where are you?
Your mother is kneeling in front of you, face full of worry and she's trying to keep you steady. ]
Don't worry, Dokja-ya. I'll protect you.
[ Blood. There's blood. Some of it is on her, but not as much as you. You're covered in it. You're only a child, but you had to. Behind her, someone is laying there, a pool of blood beneath him. You know it's y̶̦̻̐͒̍͐̄̅o̸̧̯̥̊̂̿̓̄͊̑̾ṵ̴̧̪̹̱͕̖̘̠̳͓̥̿͌̇͐̇̂̂́̊̀̒̂̕͠r̷̡̧͔̮̳̹̪̫̓͆͋̒̀͌̕͝ ̷̨̖̻͈̜̓̍ͅf̸̧̢̫̪̭̟͈̲̃̋a̶̙͔͓̞͚̳̦̱͜͝ţ̷̫̝̩̬̮̼̬̻̺͛̆̌̐̓̾̓̀͋̕h̵̛̝̺̰͕̱͚͓̠̠̓͛̈́̒̀̎͊̕ȩ̵̧̝͎͙͍̯̲̖͆r̶͚̖̬̝͎͚͚̺̠̄̐̀͆͌͊̉̓̎̐̒̀̇͝.
There's panic in your chest, your heart racing so rapidly. You can't breathe, your mother holds your face and asks you to focus on her. You don't hear it, but she tries to steady you. ]
Give me the knife.
[ The light gleams off the blade in your small hands, bloodied and there's red everywhere and your mother just asks you to trust her, that everything will be okay.
Everything goes black. And the memory starts to fade as if it's being locked away, becoming fuzzy until you don't remember it anymore.
It's almost as if whatever happened.. didn't.
For some reason, all you remember is your mother being taken away.
You can hear your relatives talking; your mother is a murderer. How dare she slip her face into the newspapers?
There was a book about it. How she murdered your father.
Day and day again, news reporters hound, is the essay true? Did she really kill him? They ask again. And again.
Classmates would spit at you, they would kick you when you're down, and hurt you, but words you find hurt more; your mother made money by murdering. You're the son of a murderer.
You could bear to be the child of a murderer. However, it is different to be sold as a story. It is a different matter when your life was turned into money by someone.
You hated her for it. Should you forgive her?
And yet, it's as if you're remembering.
She didn't do it though. You know who did it. You forgot, shoved the memory so far away you forgot the truth.
But not her.
A mother will protect her child, no matter what.
Your eyes close again, and now you don't know what to feel anymore. ]
[ And immediately, Dokja is throwing up from the overwhelming emotions spinning in his head as he falls onto his knees and one hand that barely catches him from falling face first.
Ugh. ]
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Oh, oh, no. Joonghyuk, again, is quick to support him... Though in this situation, he can only kneel down next to him with a hand on his back. ]
Kim Dokja. Breathe.
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His daemon's earlier confidence is gone, instead she's pressed herself to the ground in a heap of shaking white fur. Emitting short, whiny sounds and seems defensive- as if trying to protect herself against something. ]
The sooner we leave this city, the better. [ Ugh. His vision is still spinning a bit so give him a moment or two. ]
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[ He's going to try his best here, to hopefully get Dokja to understand. Now that he knows how the other man feels with this link that opened up a door he never would have had, he tries his best to use words. It's the advice that Han Sooyoung always threw at them... To communicate.
Niah whines a bit, tail swishing, but then it touches some glass. He ignores it, since he has already found his answer. ]
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Even if deep down, he wants to be there. ...If it's them, he believes they can do it though. However, other than that lingering feeling of belief, that fading pain and overwhelming suffocation... he focuses on recomposing himself. Not that it's quick enough for Jin, who starts to chew at herself to get rid of that terrible feeling.
However, it lessens as they seem to get distracted by that new memory. It... sounds like the beginning. Has he ever read what Yoo Joonghyuk's life was before? Round 0? He shakes his head, moving to sit and sigh out. ]
I'm fine now. [ Sorry, he bites back, thanks, he can't bring himself to say. ] ..We still need one more fish, right?
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