snowfieldstories - Tumblr blog

snowfieldstories · 3 days ago

Text

In Life and Death (Chapter -2)

Kim Dokja x Reader (original female character)

In Life and Death Masterlist

A/N: Hello and thank you for reading! This is mainly a reader-insert but I don't like using "y/n," so I've named her/you "Choi Yeona."

Tw: canon-typical violence and gore, some language, suicidal thoughts (brief)

Summary:

In which a reader finds herself tossed into the pages of her favorite web novel after her untimely death. A novel within a novel within reality. It's a reader's dream, right? Well, this reader vows to bring the right ending to the one and only, Kim Dokja. She will give him the happiest of endings. Or she will die trying.

⚠️MAJOR SPOILERS FOR ORV WEB NOVEL AND MANHWA!!!!⚠️

Chapter -2 [Beginnings]

[As you wish, my dear. This will now be your story.]

“Choi Yeona.”

My hand shot up to my neck so fast that the passengers around me all flinched away—all except for one.

“Choi Yeona, are you alright?” said a woman with long brown hair beside me. The woman’s hand hovered over my arm, as if wanting to ease my mind.

We were in a subway car. Seoul, by the looks of it, though I couldn't remember if I was from there or not. Choi Yeona. I couldn't remember why that was my name. It didn't sound quite right, but my body had responded to it.

My hand dropped into my lap. The sensation of cold metal across my throat remained. And the shadow of a voice in my ears.

"Ah..."

"I'm good." I finally responded to the woman. "Just a little scare."

The woman laughed. "You were in such a deep sleep, I'm sorry to wake you. But our stop is next."

There was a blue lanyard around my neck. The ID on the front had a rather nice photo of me. I squinted. It was my face; of that, I was sure. Above the name 'Choi Yeona' was my title and the corporation. Minosoft. Something in the back of my mind itched at this name.

Behind the ID was a transit card. We left the subway and I trailed a few steps behind the woman. A few people spotted us, sporting the same blue lanyard. "Hey, new girl! And Yoo Sangah!"

My stomach dropped.

Yoo Sangah. That was a name I knew very well. My vision went white as memories poured in like a burst dam: late nights scrolling through chapters on my phone, pain in my heart at a certain pair of numbers, a thoughtfulness every time I rode the subway. And an odd (odd according to my friends, whose names and faces were just out of reach) preference for men wearing white coats.

A sick feeling crept up my throat. Sick dread? Anticipation? Elation?

This woman was a character from my favorite novel. So could that mean—?

A black Mercedes screeched to a stop nearby. "Yoo Sangah!"

Sangah's beautiful features pinched at once. "Mr. Han Myungoh."

"I told you I would give you a ride! I waited for you!" Han Myungoh pushed up his glasses with harsh fingers.

"And I said I didn't need them anymore," said Sangah icily.

"But I thought maybe today—"

"Because my bike was stolen?" I could tell Sangah was struggling to remain calm. "You have incredible foresight, Mr. Han Myungoh."

The man in question stuttered. Then, with a glance at the giggling coworkers around us, he huffed and drove off. My own smile slipped from my face.

"Yoo Sangah." The name was somehow both foreign and familiar in my mouth. "You said your bike was stolen?"

"Yeah. Terrible, isn't it?"

"Right," I swallowed. "Terrible."

I glanced at my phone as we approached the Minosoft building. 7:53. Today was the day Yoo Sangah's bike was stolen, it was the day she would take the train home, and, precisely at 19:00, the world would fall into ruin.

There were eleven hours until the apocalypse began. And I, Choi Yeona, would do my best to prepare.

I felt reassured to have knowledge of this world and its future. Especially in the wake of the hollowed out space where memories of my life should have been. So far, at least, bits of my previous life trickled back in. Mainly those that were attached to the novel I now lived.

My fiction had become reality and so I pulled together a loose plan. Three steps to prepare for a ruined world. As a fan, it's not like I hadn't daydreamed about this exact situation, anyways.

“Choi Yeona, are you sure you’re feeling well? You don’t look so good,” asked the angelic Sangah.

“Actually, no.” I pressed a hand to my temple. “My head is a bit fuzzy. I’m sorry, but you would mind helping me to my office?”

I felt bad preying on Sangah’s goodwill, but the first step was to find a quiet spot with internet so I could gain some information. And wandering to find my desk would take precious time. My feet dragged as we ventured deeper into the Minosoft building. I thought I played the part of a sick person well, or at least, Sangah didn't complain as she supported me with one hand on my arm and the other around my back. We stopped at a cubicle.

"Here you are," she said.

"Thank you, Yoo Sangah," I said with a sincere smile. It was nice to know that Sangah was just as wonderful as described. She lingered by the door. "I'll be fine once I sit down and get to work. Something to distract me."

"Ah, yes." Sangah seemed regretful. It seemed this Seoul was much like the one I knew of from my previous life. As a new employee, there was no chance I'd receive sick leave from the higher-ups, short of needing hospitalization.

This worked in my favor.

Sangah left for her own desk and I pulled out my phone. Swiping through the apps, I searched for social media. Nothing. "What kind of anti-social freak?" I muttered.

I tapped on contacts. There were two: Minosoft HR and Yoo Sangah.

There were no messages, no emails, no calls in the phone's history. Notes, photos, and even the damn alarm settings on the clock app were blank.

My back hit the cushioned chair, dumbfounded. Did Choi Yeona not exist?

Or was I really her? The idea of an unattached ghost of a person that was Choi Yeona should have concerned me, but in fact I felt a warmth spread through my chest. I liked the thought that I was still me in this world. Maybe our lives mixed or maybe I stole the being that was Choi Yeona, but one thing was for sure: my face was my own. I was free to be as much of myself as I wished without playing the part of a girl I didn't know.

I turned to my computer. Upon entering the password (0000, really?) I flipped through the email.

I, or Choi Yeona, had started at the company just over a month ago as a data analyst. Little human interaction, with most of my assignments and projects given via email. I also possessed a wealth of company knowledge at my disposal.

In no time, I had the Minosoft employee directory and a map of the building open on the desktop. I typed the hanja:

'Kim Dokja'

His profile pulled up and I paused at the company ID photo. Kim Dokja was handsome. Despite the unconfident slouch to his shoulders and unkempt hair that just brushed his eyes, he was much more gorgeous than I had been expecting. Average salaryman, my ass.

I checked his office number and corresponded with the Minosoft map. It was a few floors below mine. I grabbed my ID and phone, preparing to head down. Step two: find Kim Dokja.

There was a knock on the cubicle wall.

From the doorway, a man with black hair and a sweet smile on his lips popped his head in. He carried a steaming mug. "Choi Yeona, I heard you weren't feeling well?"

Oh.

Unlike with Sangah and Han Myungoh, I knew immediately who this was. The very same straight nose and grey eyes I had just been admiring. More than that, was the way my heart tugged forth, as though there were an invisible string tying us together and it had suddenly grown shorter.

Kim Dokja.

It seemed step two was unnecessary; Dokja had come to me himself.

At my non-response, he entered the cubicle and leaned against my desk, holding out the mug.

My fingers brushed his as I took the mug and sniffed. Green tea with honey.

"Kim Dokja," I said, testing out his name in awe. "Thank you."

A pleased expression settled on his face. "I know you don't drink coffee, and honey is supposed to soothe a sore throat."

My mouth dropped. "You know that?"

"I read online, the antioxidants in honey—"

"No." I shook my head. "You know I only drink tea?"

"It's all you drink when I see you." Dokja's words were soft, shy, as his lashes lowered. It was unfair how long they were. My chest stirred.

I took a sip of the tea. "It's delicious."

There were a hundred questions running through my mind that I wanted to ask this man, this character, that I had loved for so long now. Most of all, I was curious about our relationship in this world. Kim Dokja and Choi Yeona.

His gaze lifted and landed first on my computer.

Horrified, I realized his employee profile was still open on my desktop.

I spammed open a bunch of webpages before shutting the screen off. Dokja looked at me, speechless.

"Sensitive information," I finally choked out. I hoped the heat of my neck wasn't visible on my skin.

"...Right." His eyes were on me, as if calculating something. He drew near and placed a hand on my forehead. "You're very warm."

My skin burned hotter after that. What was this? I shook off my stupor and pointed a finger his way. My mouth moved before my brain could stop it. "Kim Dokja. Are you my boyfriend or something?"

Dokja jolted back and his face grew pale. The confidence that had possessed his body drained out quickly.

"No—no, sorry I didn't mean to—" he said, a weak laugh leaving his lips. "I'll let you get back to work."

And then he was gone.

Now I was especially confused. Kim Dokja had looked almost afraid of me.

Perhaps I had been too direct.

I sipped on the tea while thinking.

If I was being fully honest with myself, I was quite jealous of past-me. There was a whole month of Dokja-interactions that he seemed to have knowledge of. But, I remind myself, you could have a lifetime with him ahead of you if you can get through this alive. A small consolation, but it would have to do. And who knows, maybe memories of that month would resurface as time went on.

Time for step three.

I opened my phone and my thumb hovered over the 'books' app. If my hunch was correct, and whatever force that brought me here was benevolent, then there should be one book on the shelf. And if I was unlucky, then I would have to start writing. I pressed down.

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint by S■n■■■o■■

I cried out in relief. The title was overlaid on a solid red background, rather than the original cover art, but I was just grateful I wouldn't have to write down as much of the story as I could from memory.

My memory was not exactly reliable at present.

I had a lot of pages ahead of me, so I curled up in my seat and began to read, drinking Dokja's tea.

_______________________________

The end of the workday arrived all too soon.

Now, I stood outside Minosoft's doors waiting for Sangah or Dokja to leave.

I tugged on my collar, the athletic-wear under my work suit uncomfortably warm. Thankfully, a small shopping center neighbored Minosoft—close enough to visit during my lunch break. Work supplies had been replaced with survival essentials in my backpack, and I checked to make sure the bags of worms and insects were safely stored in each side pouch. It was a good thing Choi Yeona's credit cards worked.

My hand dug into the bag of lemon candies. They were supposed to be a peace offering for a certain plagiarist later, but one taste couldn't hurt. Sweetness burst on my tongue.

The sun dipped lower and my feet tapped on the sidewalk. I grabbed the shoulder of a young woman leaving the company. "Have you seen Yoo Sangah?"

The woman looked perplexed. Another lady stepped up beside her.

"Yoo Sangah left with Mr. Han Myungoh. I heard he convinced her to let him give her a ride home," said the lady with a sneer. "More like coerced her. Poor girl couldn't say 'no.'"

I think I mumbled out a 'thanks,' but I was shaken. Sangah took the subway home today. She was supposed to ride in the same carriage as Dokja.

An unsettling feeling rolled in the pit of my stomach. I glanced between the glass Minosoft doors and the time on my phone.

The time was uncomfortably close to 19:00.

Maybe Dokja had gone out ahead. After all, the few times we'd crossed paths since that morning, he had given me an awkward half-smile and kept his distance.

I took off for the subway entrance. It was a vague memory from this morning, but I remembered the subway line well enough to get on the right track going opposite. I searched left and right of those lining up to enter the carriage, but I couldn't spot Dokja.

The train arrived.

Already, the adrenaline was sending spasms to my muscles. I picked a spot in the center so I could move to the opposite side of the dokkaebi that would arrive soon.

18:55

This was train carriage 3607. Two over from Dokja, and directly next to Yoo Joonghyuk. The disappointment sunk in my chest.

18:58

There was no time to switch carriages. And at this stage in the regressions, moving to Joonhyuk's was asking for death.

18:59

I gripped the knife in my pocket.

19:00

The lights flickered and the train shuddered to a stop. "Attention passengers! E—everyone, run away—!"

When the dokkaebi arrived, I slipped to the back as a crowd of people surged forward in indignation.

Everything was playing out just as it had in the book.

_______________________________

[You have earned 8,600 coins!]

This was not like the book. No book could capture this.

My fingers were caked in bug guts and gore. Warm blood soaked the front of my suit. I hunched down, trying to stop the tremors in my body. There was a whimpering. But when I held my breath, the train car became silent.

[Well done, it seems we have a winner.]

The dokkaebi, Bihyung, popped into the air above me. The train shuddered and began to move once more. I paid no mind to the sea monsters outside the window.

[A lone victor. You're quite the vicious thing, aren't you? Had some little creatures to complete the scenario and yet, you still killed other humans!]

He spoke like I was a subordinate deserving of praise for going above and beyond at work. I fought to keep the sick down my throat.

"My rewards," I murmured.

[Sorry?]

I stood slowly with shallow breaths. "My rewards. My sponsor."

[How do you know about...uh, well, yes, let's move on to the sponsor selection!]

A list of constellations rolled out in front of me. Before I could get a good look, the blue screen glitched and then vanished.

I looked up at Bihyung in confusion.

[I'm deeply sorry my dear constellations, but it seems this incarnation is off the market! One lucky sponsor has claimed her already. But! If you look to the next few carriages here...]

I tuned out the rest of Bihyung's brown-nosing. I had a sponsor?

"Open attributes."

[Choi Yeona, Age: 27.]

Okay, that was normal. Well, actually, the age I wasn't sure about. But that didn't matter now. Aside from these two things, every section was noticeably censored besides one.

[Constellation Sponsor: Mother of Divine Desire]

"...What?"

My mind reeled. I had never once come across such a modifier. I would have to consult the novel later. For now, at least—

Bihyung had vanished. I wiped my hands as best I could, then shed the business suit to reveal a thin athletic zip up. I swapped the skirt for the light cargo pants from my pack.

I slowly invested coins into strength until the subway door gave way.

I breathed in deeply. Though the end of the tunnel was damp, it was a sweet freshness compared to the thick scent of corpses behind me.

Up ahead, the silhouettes of three people could be seen. My blood chilled.

I stepped closer. Joonghyuk, certainly, stood tall above the rest. Next to him was a built man that could only be Lee Hyunsung. And between them was a spiky-haired high schooler.

"Dokja." His name came out hoarse from my throat.

The trio must have heard me approach and glanced back, but made no move to come closer. I backed away.

I found the carriage Hyunsung and Namwoon had come from. The door had been wrenched away.

My breaths were frantic now as I searched the bodies. The body of a small boy clutched a plastic box. The grasshoppers still leapt from its walls.

Nausea was rising too quickly. I forced myself to turn away.

Kim Dokja was nowhere to be found.

I poured more coins into strength and practically tore off the door to the next train car. I scanned the bodies. Nothing.

The next yielded the same result.

It was the third carriage down that I found a head-blown body with a blue tie.

My knees crumpled and the moment I found the ID with his name, I vomited. Blood and sick and stomach acid soaked my pants but I couldn't see through the blur of tears.

"You can't die. Kim Dokja cannot die," I said with a ragged voice. "Dokja you can't—I can't DO THIS—!"

My shouting devolved into dry heaving.

There was a ping sound.

[ < Sub Scenario — Escape > ]

Scenarios on scenarios. The world had just begun and already my second life's mission had failed.

I inhaled harshly and pushed myself out of the train.

The bridge was broken and Hyunsung and Namwoon had made it across. Joonghyuk was drawing his sword when I walked past in a daze. I think he spoke to me. I don't really know. My mind had numbed to sound.

On the edge of the broken bridge, I looked down at the sea monsters. Maybe if I fall slowly, it would be a quick death. Maybe, if luck would find me this time, I could return and try again. Or maybe I would have a final rest.

I tipped forward.

A hand gripped my waist and yanked me back. All at once, sound came back into sharp focus.

"Not yet. How did you survive?"

Yoo Joonghyuk. He was a regressor through and through; I couldn't even die when I wished. A bubble of hysteria broke from my chest. It tasted like bile.

"Tell me," said Joonghyuk sharply.

"You can't threaten me with death. Clearly it's what I want."

The tensed expression on his face told me I was right. He looked me over properly now, taking in the red, swollen eyes and mess all over my clothes.

"I don't understand how—"

"Yoo Joonghyuk." He startled when I spoke his name. "I've already failed. Please, I don't want to live with that failure."

I seemed to only be making the regressor more conflicted. He opened his mouth.

"Yoo Joonghyuk!"

He and I both slowly turned to the third voice.

A woman with short, black hair and a mole under her eye approached us. Even with my muddled mind, I could recognize the one person that could possibly be.

"Han Sooyoung?"

Joonghyuk turned back to me, bewildered. Sooyoung grunted. "Are you a fan, or something?"

My mind was becoming clearer and the life was returning to my body.

The first, and largest, mistake I had made after arriving in this world. I had assumed it was the false third turn, the 1864th regression.

But Hyunsung and Namwoon were with Joonghyuk. And there was no Sangah. There was no Gilyoung. And there was no Kim Dokja.

Han Sooyoung flinched as I thrust the opened bag of lemon candies at her. I smiled. A real, wide grin. I think maybe tears wet my cheeks once more, but this time, tears of relief. "I'll buy you all the lemon candies I can. I'll buy out the Dokkaebi Bag," I said to her, and I meant it.

Because Han Sooyoung coming here was proof that this was not the 1864th turn at the start of Omniscient Reader.

It was the altered 1863rd regression.

Kim Dokja would come here later. And so I must survive. To see him again, and to change his ending.

Next part ->

A/N: DON'T HURT ME PLS I swear we will be with our beloved Kim Dokja very soon! Well, soon for us. Maybe not so soon for poor Yeona/you. These parts -2 and -1 (a sort of prologue, if you will) are necessary to set the stage for the main part of the story.

#omniscient reader's viewpoint #orv #kim dokja x reader #Kim dokja x original character #orv spoilers #orv kdj #orv x reader #omniscient reader webtoon #omniscient reader novel #reader insert #kim dokja #yoo joonghyuk #sorry love is pain and I love some angst before the fluff

11 notes · View notes