Thread by @KatsuChan3149

#joongdok + #kimcom rambling thread isekai au where the unloved kdj had reincarnated to a world of the adventure story game he had played for decades.

(TW: suicide)

He remembered after his mother was sent to prison, he escaped from the abuse but cursed to be alone. His

relatives barely bat an eye on him, willing to abandon him, and the people in his school are not much better. He always goes back to a cold, bleak house, bruised and battered, as he tries to shield himself from the world before leaping into the unknown.

He failed to do so,

although he had found comfort in the process.

A phone game of sorts. It doesn’t seem so popular, but it is cathartic for Kdj as he plays it every day, every night. He also noticed how the adventures seemed so endless. He played it for decades, noticing how the play

counts went down, all until he was the only one left playing the game. The characters seemed to know as well, as they always encourage and cheer for him. For them, he will try to live another day.

He may be delusional, but he wants to find a reason to move forward.

Speaking of the characters, he loves every one of them. Yjh, the hero in never-ending quests, may be cold and undeterred, but Kdj knows that he’s undeniably tired, seeing how his dialogues change throughout the years. Nonetheless, Kdj is his number-one cheerleader.

He always cheers for him, always telling him to keep thinking of happy thoughts, etc.

(He didn’t notice the character staring directly at him as he says this.)

He loves the rest of them as well. Hsy, the boastful yet charming witch, Ysa, her partner in crime and the best

librarian, Jhw and Lhs, the best knights in the kingdom that Yjh swears to save, Sys and Lgy, the best summoners at a young age, Lsh the well-known healer within the game, and a possible love-interest of Yjh (Kdj thinks), etc.

No matter what they do, and who they are, Kdj

adores them. He always puts them in his team's every quest, cheering for them in every way.

(He knew that he is already insane for treating the fictional characters as if they were real. It’s the consequence of being alone for his entire life.)

It was all going well until he

was forcibly kicked out from his job over a stupid mistake that wasn’t even his fault. It seems like his boss just wanted to find an excuse to get rid of him, even though the contract is only for a month. Kdj, dazed and destroyed, finds himself at the top of the bridge.

He stared at the sunset, tears already dried on his cheeks, clutching his phone. Closing his eyes, barely noticing a ping on his phone, he flew, like how he wanted to back then, but this time, it was successful.

__

..The bed is warm, too warm and soft to be his.

Kdj blinked,

opening his eyes, seeing a fancy red curtain on a canopy.

‘Wait,’ Kdj thought, ‘This isn’t my bed.’

There is no way that his salary could afford such luxury. He barely pays rent, and he sees this?

Did he get saved? Was it not real?

Before he could think more, there

was a knock on the door.

“Dokja-ya?’ A familiar voice rang out.

‘No way,’ Kdj thought, ‘That voice..’

“Are you alright, my dear son?”

‘That voice too, they’re the Underworld rulers..!’

Kdj’s eyes widened. He could barely remember them from the story when Yjh temporarily

fought against Hades to prove his worth to go beyond the Underworld to save his comrade’s soul. He knew that they were cold and unforgiving, but their voices were quite different. It sounds.. warm? It surely made his heart feel comfy.

As if he rightfully belongs here.

“Son?” Hades’ voice worriedly rang out.

“S-Sorry, I just woke up,” Kdj stuttered, as the door slowly opened, revealing the couple smiling at him. He had to blink because their smiles are so bright for him to comprehend. He blinked once more when they gave him much affection,

pampering him to prepare for the day ahead.

__

Kdj soon realized that where he is right now isn’t the same as his old life. For one, he meets almost all of his favorite characters when he explores the town and greets them as if he’s their oldest friend. Hsy wrapped her arms

around him in a friendly manner, laughing with him like they haven’t met each other for years, with Ysa smiling in the background at them affectionately. Jhw and Lhs bow to him when they meet, causing him to stutter throughout the day. Lsh ensuring that he’s doing alright, etc.

Everyone is pampering him, smothering him with affection. Kdj felt dizzy and overwhelmed by the affection he had experienced. They only met the MC through the quest, what’s going on? Is he at the part of the quest where he met most of them?

Kdj blinked, feeling a

sharp tingly sensation on his head before shaking it.

‘MC..? Quest..? What am I talking about..? I should be helping the hero, Mother said he’s coming sooner or later..’

He walked away, leaving behind a memory meant to be forgotten.

__

When he heard of Yjh, Kdj could faintly

remember his stoic personality and cold presence, his mind instinctively telling him that Yjh needs a motivation that involves some happy thoughts.

..He doesn’t know why his mind keeps telling him that. He could barely remember cheering him from the sidelines, but his head

would hurt trying to remember. When he turns around, he bumps into a muscular chest.

“Wha-“ Kdj blurted out, looking out before gaping in shock. It’s Yjh in the flesh and he’s… smiling at him??

Suddenly, he feels like this isn’t a normal thing for Yjh in general. He had heard

rumors about him, and the fact that he golds a gentle gaze for him and he only feels..

He snapped out of his thoughts when Yjh brushed the rebellious hair on his forehead, tucking it behind his ear.

“Beautiful,” Yjh muttered, “Truly the beauty of the Undetworld.”

Kdj blinked,

his cheeks turning red at his statement. He’s pretty sure he hasn’t heard that term before.

“Sir, I’m flattered, but I’m not…” Kdj trailed off, chuckling nervously. Yjh shook his head.

“Nonsense.”

Yjh offered his hand.

“May you accompany me into the Underworld?”

Kdj couldn’t help but smile.

“Of course, dear hero.”

__

It wasn’t long until Kdj fell in love with Yjh. It may be due to his charisma, the way he treats him like he’s a queen, or he has a lingering feeling of.. adoration for him?

(He has some insecurities thinking that he

may not be enough for someone like Yjh, or his friends, or anyone in general, but he and his friends reassured that he is more than enough for all of them.)

Either way, Yjh reciprocates it, and it’s not long before he proposes to him one winter day. Of course, Kdj accepts it.

During their wedding, Yjh gazes at him with such love, just like everyone else, and it made Kdj tear up as if this is all new to him, and what he wanted for so long.

He doesn’t know why he’s feeling like this either.

Yjh wipes his tears away, kissing his lips as their friends and family cheered and hollered for the newlywed couple, who got the happy ending they deserve. Both pulled away, smiling softly at each other.

This is simply a beginning for them, and they will enjoy it until

the very end.

__

Bonus:

They were well aware of who they are.

Their identities, their roles, their codings, etc.

They hated it. Despise it, even. For their entire life to become entertainment to millions of people, to be forced into endless quests of death.

Until they met a player.

His voice was soft, weakened but encouraging.

“You can do it Han Sooyoung! Let’s defeat the dragon together so we can avoid more deaths…”

Hsy turned to the sky, astonished. She was one of the characters that are easily replaceable due to her

being “low-tiered.” Hearing how this player cheering for her and always having her on his team melted her heart.

It’s the same for everyone else, as they gazed at the sky in wonder and excitement whenever they hear his encouraging voice.

Yjh gazed at the sky, then back to his

own reflection on the puddle, thinking about the happy thoughts the player would always say for him.

Those happy thoughts consisted of his dear player’s decade's worth of cheers.

__

They had witnessed his life through his voice and his tone as it grows despondent and

tired whenever time passes by, but his affectionate tone directed to them has never changed.

They had grown to hate the world that he lives in, separated from their reality. They hate how that world treated him cruelly, turning him into someone they hear as of now.

__

“I have no one, except this damn game. I can’t help it, all of you are the only ones that stayed.”

Then there was silence, indicating that Kdj had left the game, leaving Yjh to stare at the bleak sky, then back to his sword.

“If only I could show my gratitude to you,

Kim Dokja, then I would. Till then, have happy thoughts, like you always tell me to.”

The field was only silent with his breathing and the crickets, the grass dancing around him.

__

He’s dying.

Hsy gritted her teeth as she heard the labored breaths of Kdj, his life trickling

away from his body and all she could do was to listen.

She felt helpless, kneeling in defeat until an idea popped into her mind. For the first time in her life, she gazed to the sky, desperate, and begged for the outer gods, or anyone, to hear her prayers.

An infinity of a

a minute passed for Hsy until a voice rang out, echoing in her ears,

“What do you seek, my child?”

She stared, shocked before her lips slowly curled into a smirk.

“I want to make a deal.”

__

Hsy and others gazed at the lovely scene of Yjh and Kdj, married and smiling

affectionately.

It was a successful trade, at the cost of Kdj’s memory gradually fading away the longer he stays within their world.

No worries, he doesn’t need to remember the world that had done him wrong, that discarded him like he’s disposable.

In this world, he will be

treated like he’s their blessing, their god, their most precious being.

As for this game from now on, is now wholly created for its sole player.

__

End :)

A/N: u may notice that it's messy because it's more of a brain puke/ramble than a proper thread. There is a chance it may become a full thread fic or ao3 fic in the future, but this is the best I can do as of now since this is a warm-up after having to be semi-ia for a bit due

to my mf sinusitis pain. sigh.

Anyways, shapeshifter au might be updated sooner or later whenever I start.

Thank you guys for understanding… ;-;.