[ the company really was. though he perks a brow at that mention, he can remember that story if he stops to think. even as his eyes remain on the vehicles- staring into the windows precisely as a starburst erupts and showers them suddenly. ]
[ The panoramic view of the cosmos could be seen beyond the pitch-black window. You rest your forehead against the cold glass and wordlessly stare at that dark world. You can’t tell how long it has been. You wanted to look back; if you did, then maybe, they would still be sitting in their seats even now, so you thought. ]
⸢Kim Dokja finally stopped crying.⸥
I didn’t cry, you dumbass.
⸢He lied, too.⸥
...Just for how long are you going to stay as the narrator? The story’s over now.
[ ( The 4th Wall ) cackled on. You feel slightly encouraged by that laughter and take another look beyond the window. The ones you wanted to see were no longer reflected on the glass. The planet Earth you used to live had grown distant beyond your reach. Of course, that didn’t mean you weren’t there.
[‘Avatar’ skill is currently active.] [Due to the separation of the world-line, the connection to the ‘Avatar’ has been cut-off.] [Your Avatar will continue to live his life with its own ego.]
The me of 49%.
[The applicable Avatar will no longer be under your control.]
That guy would never realize that he was an Avatar. He’d simply live the life of ever after along with the companions as Kim Dokja. ]
⸢W hy 49%, tho ug h?⸥
I was trying to divide exactly by 50% each, but it didn’t work out.
⸢W hy 49%, tho ug h?⸥
[ The exact same question again; it was impossible to hide anything from ( The 4th Wall ). ]
You already know why.
⸢N ot v ery li ke y ou⸥
No, it is exactly like me.
[ Something that the idiotic, immature, and selfish during the crucial moments ‘Kim Dokja’ would have done.
⸢2%.⸥
That number was the proof – and the lie – that you remember your companions far better than your Avatar.
Even if no one knew of this version of you existing here, even if the companions’ stories had come to an end like that... But, at the very least, you swore to yourself that you’d never forget about them. ]
⸢Y ou re gre tting it?⸥
[ A soft noise came from the clunking subway. You're treated to the view of a completely empty subway interior. The handles no one held onto limply shook about. ]
⸢Don t fe el so lo nely⸥
I’m not.
[ You slowly regulate your breathing. You had already experienced a similar situation before. It was also like this back when you became the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ and fell into the story’s horizon. In a way, your situation was better than back then. Well, you weren’t currently suffering from the penalty of leaving the scenario, after all.
If there was one thing different from back then, it’d be... ]
⸢I’d never be able to meet my companions.⸥
...Do I have to stay inside this subway forever?
⸢S t a y?⸥
I’m asking if I can go outside.
[ ( The 4th Wall ) remained silent as if to ponder what you were asking here, before making its reply. ]
⸢Th ere is no con cept of ‘access’ in t his p la ce⸥
What do you mean?
⸢T his p la ce is a sanctum. A p la ce whe re the ‘Most Ancient Dream’ sle eps⸥
[ After you heard that, it began to slowly dawn on you. Every world-line related to the ‘Ways of Survival’ was a dream of the ‘Most Ancient Dream’.
⸢All the worlds were dreams that were given life in this place.⸥
Along with a ‘Flash!’ all the windows of the subway transformed into display screens.
At first, you mistook them for the TAS advertisement installed in the special area within the subway network. Scenes from various scenarios were streaming past the windows. Of course, there was no way that you were looking at mere advertisements.
Tsu-chuchuchu….
A vague migraine assaulted you. The sights of the world-lines scattered around the universe were now streaming by. Only then did you gain a new appreciation of just what kind of an existence you had become.
⸢He was now the ‘Most Ancient Dream’.⸥
Your shaky steps took you closer to the window. The screen gently trembled like the surface of water, looking fragile enough to be broken at any time you wanted to.
⸢Kim Dokja was scared.⸥
You didn’t need someone to tell you that to know.
Every ‘story’ in this world existed only because a reader read them.
⸢If he doesn’t watch, the world will come to a stop.⸥
Staring at the world and dreaming endlessly…
⸢….This was the weight the ‘Most Ancient Dream’ had to bear.⸥
You slowly closed your eyes. This was what you chose. And obviously, being able to watch was far better than not being able to. ]
[ This memory is hateful and Joonghyuk dislikes it intensely. The sound of the fourth's wall "voice," its sentences—it hurts, but he doesn't allow it to show. ]
... Time works differently on the train. [ ... ] How long did you wait?
[ I will give you memshares tomorrow because I am close to just sleeping
Without asking, he gently brushes away some of Dokja’s bangs, obviously worried. His fingers continue the movement, stroking his thin black hair. How long has it been…? It’s been four years? That is nothing to him and yet— ]
He jolts only briefly, surprised, blinking over but gives a reassuring look. It'll be fine. He leans a little into the touch and exhales quietly. Though, he takes a moment to think. The Fourth Wall... after spending all those years with it. ]
I.. think so. [ he isn't really confident in his memory. ]
[ And this is when Dokja will get a memory despite the calm moment.
When you grab Kim Dokja, the lights on the train go out. In your hands Dokja feels so small… And you realize something. The fables that were leaking—those earlier are Dokja’s. You begin to shake his small form, desperately trying to wake him. Your companions start to crowd him with confused expressions, though Han Sooyoung is quick to stop you from shaking Dokja more.
You all hear a voice… It must be from the very wall that protected Dokja.
⸢You don’t know what the reader really wants.⸥
⸢The ‘Kim Dokja’ you know has scattered to the rest of the universe already.⸥
“You… Just what the hell did you do?” Han Sooyoung accuses.
⸢This wasn’t my doing. It’s what he himself wanted. After all, he knew your group would do something like this.⸥
…
⸢You all have done something terribly stupid. The conclusion the reader wanted was the only conclusion. Why did you try to change it?⸥
……
⸢You shouldn’t have been greedy. No, y o u sh oul d’ve be en con te nt wi th a pie c e of Kim Dok ja⸥
………
⸢Y o u lot ha ve me ss ed up y o ur con clu sion, and y o u wi ll no w be com e mi se ra ble⸥
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spoilers for novel epilogue
[ the company really was. though he perks a brow at that mention, he can remember that story if he stops to think. even as his eyes remain on the vehicles- staring into the windows precisely as a starburst erupts and showers them suddenly. ]
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... Time works differently on the train. [ ... ] How long did you wait?
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[ yes, he is going to dodge a direct answer to that. (the memory yjh gets the next day will say it anyways. )
but mostly, he hasn't moved from where he's standing. like he's still a bit dissociating.
as if he's reading again. ]
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[ He tries to get his attention... Stop doing that. It even comes with a gentle shake by the shoulder this time. ]
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[ he's here, he's here. he's not on that train for another [redacted] years. ]
It's been a bit disorientating on and off but I didn't think I'd see that place again.
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Without asking, he gently brushes away some of Dokja’s bangs, obviously worried. His fingers continue the movement, stroking his thin black hair. How long has it been…? It’s been four years? That is nothing to him and yet— ]
Did you ever learn what is the fourth wall?
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He jolts only briefly, surprised, blinking over but gives a reassuring look. It'll be fine. He leans a little into the touch and exhales quietly. Though, he takes a moment to think. The Fourth Wall... after spending all those years with it. ]
I.. think so. [ he isn't really confident in his memory. ]
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[ And this is when Dokja will get a memory despite the calm moment.He grumbles. ]
They were an annoying guy.
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[ It's said as a joke, and he looks like he's joking but. it's the truth as well. ]
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[ He doesn't know about staying sane because of this wacky Fourth Wall who narrated their upcoming misery. ]
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[ but sometimes the distraction, the focus, the help in reminding him what he needed to do was... well, what he needed. ]
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[ Aside from Reading. ]
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I got used to it.
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[ Sure, it protected Dokja, but it's hard for him not to have ill will towards the previous Dokkaebi King. ]
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[ It really did protect and was good to him. So for that, he can't completely hate it. Even if overly obnoxious.
He looks around some more before gesturing. ] Let's continue exploring?
[ yea he's running away from talking about it too much. WE WRAP THIS THREAD UP ]