Omniscient Reader

Unaware that a pair of cold eyes had been watching all the unfolding events from the sidelines since the beginning, the oblivious girl continued to stride forward until her figure became completely enveloped by the night. Although Yoo Jonghyuk was standing far away, all the words resounded very clear to his ears.

The cold breeze of the night harshly blew against that man while sending several strands of his dark raven locks fluttering in the wind. However, the tall figure remained rooted on the spot with his handsome features displayed through a blank face. The regressor slowly lowered his gaze while an unexplained and worrisome presage began engulfing his heart. He didn't know what was the right thing to do. The very rational and astute savant of Kim Dokja's favorite novel was having doubts for the first time...

No.

It shouldn't be for the first time. After all, since the initial moment his interest was piqued, the presence of that man has already inconspicuously crept inside his thoughts and unknowingly engraved itself inside his mind.

「 Should I speak or not? 」

He saw the young man showing a gentle smile while sending the latter off. Yoo Jonghyuk just couldn't explain the mysterious turmoil he began experiencing while watching the scene before him. Why did he felt his ċhėst tightening? It shouldn't have affected him in the first place, so why he was feeling this unsettling emotion?

Almost whispering the words that flowed out of his mouth, the usual cold voice resounded. "System... Show me the mission."

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[Side quest #3 - Compliments are good for the health.]

Category: Side

Difficulty: ???

Clear conditions: 25/100

Side effect: Indirect inclination towards the character 'Kim Dokja'. *Warning: Random activation.

Time-limit: 6 days

Compensation: ???

Failure: ㅡ

*No constellation interference allowed.

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That's right. The regressor realized again that he didn't belong here in the first place and it should be a given for him to not be meddling in other people's affairs.

「 The mission, that's all I need to care about and nothing else. 」

Many thoughts brimming with firm resolve roamed inside his head, yet there was still some reluctance left behind somewhere. In the end, the black-clothed man was left behind pondering alone as he began aimlessly walking on the lonely night streets. The silhouette of the regressor turned away from Kim Dokja's home, slowly distancing himself while pacing forward, and yet his heart still felt heavy for some inexplicable reason.

Amidst his wandering mind, Yoo Jonghyuk finally realized that the sun had already completely disappeared from the horizon. The streets were now shrouded in the darkness, only to be illuminated by the man-made lights while the cold northern winds have begun kicking up a little storm preluding another incoming downpour. With a clouded mind, Yoo Jonghyuk wasn't in a state where he could be easily bothered by the changing weather.

Suddenly sensing the presence of two incoming people, even if his mind was still dismayed and filled with confusion, the high awareness of his senses was already deeply honed inside the natural instincts of his body. The regressor made no delay as he hid behind a wall with a brisk movement without any second thoughts.

The image of two old ladies merrily chatting together could be seen in the distance as they both strolled over at a slow pace.

"This place isn't giving me good vibes..."

The much older looking lady beside her gasped in surprise before letting out a dry laugh at that statement. "You don't know yet? Hah, I guess that's because you are new here. There's a very famous story circulating behind that house right here."

The middle-aged lady had indeed just recently moved in the new house a few days ago and holds very scarce information about the lore inside this neighborhood. She felt the gossiping housewife soul inside of her igniting while being intrigued at the same time, she directed a curious gaze towards the older woman beckoning the latter to continue her speech.

"You know the author of that famous book, what was it called again? Underground... The Underground something. I don't remember it specifically, but the story wrote there is supposedly real and the woman who killed her husband is the author herself. The house depicted in the book is also the same house you see in front of us!"

The younger woman suddenly made a surprised sound and started to shake her head, chuckling as she reminiscences about the past. "Ah! I know that book, my daughter recommended it to me and my husband got very angry about that reason hahaha. He kept arguing with our daughter saying things like 'What are you trying to insinuate? That I treat you two womenfolks badly?!'. It was really a sight to watch hahaha."

She continued speaking while the older lady listened. "It's called the 'Underground Killer' and it's written by Lee Sookyung and the story... Yeah, it wasn't a light one at all. But you are saying that this place is where that household resided?"

Nodding her head along, the old lady couldn't help but let out a sigh. "I pity that kid, that son of such pitiful yet ruthless woman. A child born in that kind of family, he really had a hard life."

The younger woman suddenly realized something and couldn't help but inquire. "A son of a murderer... He isn't dangerous, right?"

"Who knows? He has long moved out that house and went to another neighborhood, I guess if you aren't hearing any news about it, then it means that everything is still safe." The other responded in a jokingly way, totally disregarding the gloomy atmosphere from before.

"Haha, you're right. He may be pitiful, but he is still a spawn who shares the same genes of that vile man, can he really be any better? It's good news for all of us that he moved away, I can't even imagine myself sharing the same neighborhood with a son of a crazy murderer." The middle-aged lady shuddered as she spoke, unsure if her goosebumps came because of the cold winds or the chilling scenario she had just imagined in her head. Surely, she felt the atmosphere surrounding that building turning eerier each time she looked at it.

Strong gusts of wind suddenly shot forward disrupting the quietness of the night, on the night sky the dark clouds began covering the pale moon while the few stars that had managed to outshine the city lights couldn't be seen anymore. The pair of women decided to head back as they resumed their night stroll while keeping the conversation alive.

"Enough of this. We should head back, it's getting pretty late after all."

After their laughter died down, the two old ladies soon disappeared as they turned over a corner.

The black-clothed man slowly clenched his fists firmly together.

「 Lee Sookyung... Wasn't she... His mother? 」

「 Is this Kim Dokja? Was he really that weak? 」

「 ...He was indeed very weak, but I had never thought of him as a fragile person. I refuse to acknowledge such a companion. 」

「 I refuse. 」

「 I refuse... 」

Yoo Jonghyuk remained unmoved from that spot while more conflicted thoughts invaded his wavering mind. Small droplets of rain started falling down from the dark sky, it was a light rainfall before the real downpour.

Then the regressor finally asked himself a question which plunged him even deeper inside his chaotic thoughts.

「 Have I really ever known him? 」

Kim Dokja seemed to understand him so well, but the same cannot be said otherwise. He had never bothered to inquire about the other man's background because all he cared was for no one to hinder his path. Kim Dokja was deemed as a very useful man in the regressor's eyes and that was the reason he became his companion. But was it really only that? Sometimes that person seemed to utterly despise his company, and yet, in the end, he sacrificed himself again for his sake. It wasn't because of his ability to regress either, his death wouldn't have compromised the conclusion of the story because his sponsor ȧssured him so. So why was he saved? Why does that man keep dying and reviving himself like a certain Christian figure?

Waves of confusion, frustration and many other stifling emotions surfaced on the sour expression he was displaying as he felt his ċhėst tightening once again. Just on what basis he was making his ȧssumptions?

Clink. Clink. Clank.

A person could be seen approaching that street, the sounds of footsteps accompanied by the crisp noise of a glass bottle constantly hitting the walls could be heard. A disheveled looking man staggered as he walked forward with unsteady steps while grasping in one hand the neck of a vodka bottle where he kept sipping from time to time. As soon as he walked closer, one could discern the tattoos on his arms while he swayed left and right under the lamppost's illumination. The rowdy looking man began making boisterous noises as he started cussing toward the clouded sky.

The rain kept falling as the temperatures started to drop down even further. An overexaggerated sneezing sound could be heard coming from that man, the latter then started to check his surroundings while rubbing his nose. He easily spotted the ominous figure standing behind a corner and directly confronted it while ignoring any common sense left inside of him that was telling him that something wasn't right.

"Hey, punk! Give me the coat!!" The man said followed by a hiccup.

Still receiving no response from the latter, the very distraught man furiously howled like a beast.

"Then lemme reason with ya... Using this!"

Swinging forward the broken piece of glass which he was holding from the neck of the bottle, the rugged man tried to stab the motionless figure, the poor man had naively thought that the latter simply didn't move because he was paralyzed by the fear.

With a swift move, the regressor managed to grasp the 'weapon' directed at him. Blood started to drip down as Yoo Jonghyuk tightened his grip around the sharp edges of the glass, he must admit that the sudden pain helped to uncloud his mind a bit, but now that his thoughts were partially cleared away, the cold-blooded war machine inside of him got released again.

Yoo Jonghyuk felt very angered from the provocation and adding on the fact that he wasn't in a good mood since before, the unlucky drunkard could only blame himself while he was being beaten by the poker-faced man.

There was a saying in which stated that the fox would behave like a king when the tiger wasn't around. Don't know about the tiger, but now there was an existence even more menacing than a tiger disciplining those cheeky foxes on its stead.

***

A group of people covered in bandages from head to toe walked through the desolate night streets and when the rain started, they began to search a shelter, but one of them stopped and tugged the sleeves of the man with a cast around his neck beside him.

"Boss, isn't that man over there from our gang?"

As they came closer, all of them instantly recognized the familiar handsome face of that bloodthirsty man who reduced them in this state. All the things they were about to say clogged inside their throats as the regressor slowly turned his emotionless gaze towards the group. A very bitter look appeared on each of those scrunched up faces as they all paled with fright. They wished to cry everything out loud but eventually, they were all too scared to even let a single tear out, let alone voicing out their cries! Apprehension started spreading amongst the shivering thugs while facing with such misfortune, their hearts couldn't help but sorrowfully wail like wronged ghosts.

They don't want to meet that devil incarnate again! Please! Don't!

One of them got so discouraged that he immediately lost all his composure and groveled down while pleading for his life, as for the others, they soon followed suit. The demise would eventually come even if they did nothing, that's why they all decided to kowtow down for their mercy.

In the end, Yoo Jonghyuk loosed his grip while letting that broken piece of glass, which he was still holding in his hand, fall towards the ground along with some small droplets of blood dripping down his wound.

"Scram... Wait, take this useless garbage away with you." He said while tossing the bȧrėly conscious body of that rowdy man in their direction.

"Yes! Immediately! We won't bother you any longer!"

Carrying their fallen comrade away, the group was forced to make a shameful retreat.

As they ran as fast as their body allowed them, the almost unconscious man squinted his eyes and bȧrėly recognized the same tattoos on the other men's body and managed to ask for vengeance. Such a statement really frightened the leader who looked back hoping that the crazy fellow wasn't close enough to beat them again. And only after making sure that they were indeed out of the danger zone, he immediately started lashing out against the brainless person beside him.

"You suicidal moron! By no means! We should ever mess with that crazy slaughter machine! That person trashed us like broken ragdolls!"

***

As the real downpour finally came down to earth, there was no soul left around that could keep company with the regressor as he began to turn back on the road with his heart filled with strange reluctance. Yoo Jonghyuk subconsciously walked at a much faster pace than when he had initially left, placing the wounded hand inside his pockets, he finally found the item he was searching for. The black-clothed man let himself drench in the rain as a complicated feeling rose inside his heart, he stared at that single key which laid at the center of his bloodied palm. The feeling of having a place where you can return to, but still harboring doubts about its authenticity.

And then after finally reaching his destination, he was standing across the street in front of the house which was filled by quiet darkness where there were no more lights left on.

「 It was already very late, would he be still awake at this hour? 」

Yoo Jonghyuk began contemplating over himself while the rain accompanied his thoughts as the only sound reverberating in the air. He raised his hand and looked at the water which gradually washed away the blood that had initially covered it, leaving behind only a silver key that gleamed slightly under the weak lighting provided by the lamppost.

Bang!

The sound of a door abruptly slamming open had disrupted the depressing atmosphere, a young man rushed out with all his might towards that lone figure. Quickly putting the key back into the pockets, the regressor remained motionless as the nervous teenager hastened his steps, rapidly closing the distance between them.

"Does hyung like rain that much?!" Kim Dokja blurted out with a deep frown on his face.

Reaching both slender arms out, the teen trapped the regressor's arm in his hold and began to drag the latter away with him. Yoo Jonghyuk's body felt very cold to the touch, and this fact could only make the fussy teen worry even more. After entering the house, Kim Dokja ordered the drenched man to wait for him while sitting on the soft sofa even though that would make the water soak inside the material of the couch. But at this time and moment, he could care less about the state of his furniture.

Kim Dokja harrumphed as he dashed towards the bathroom leaving the drenched regressor stumped and frozen on his seat. Immediately after, the young teen returned with a bunch of towels in his hands and violently threw one of them towards Yoo Jonghyuk's handsome face. He wanted to avoid the object, but Kim Dokja's threatening glare succeeded in subduing him down. The towel then managed to land over and cover his face while the older man silently obliged the 'punishment'.

The motionless figure drenched in rain looked a lot like a giant depressed dog being scolded by its owner. Yoo Jonghyuk felt like a very tedious task had just befallen upon him. The emotionless man was indeed feeling guilty for making the already unstable Kim Dokja more emotionally and physically stressed. The young man disregarded about his recovering body and rushed out to drag the black-clothed man inside the house as soon as he spotted him under the rain.

Yoo Jonghyuk looked down on the floor, but soon he felt a pressure against the towel on his head. A pair of white hands were meticulously using the towel to dry off the drenched up man, the regressor wanted to lift up his head, but Kim Dokja kept ruffling Yoo Jonghyuk's hair down as he tried to avoid the latter's gaze.

As he kept pouting, Kim Dokja started muttering. "Stupid hyung."

Although the young man was complaining while roughly moving the towel, he was still diligently drying the regressor's hair off. However, as Kim Dokja lowered his gaze, he noticed a small puddle of blood forming on the floor and the source of it was none other than the loose hand of that irresponsible hyung of his!

Yoo Jonghyuk emotionlessly started at his wound and then lifted his face up to meet a pair of dark narrowed eyes. The dark look on the latter's face was the last thing he saw before being mercilessly scrubbed with another towel again.

"Wait here." Kim Dokja said before speeding toward another direction, leaving the regressor behind again.

Soon the latter returned with a familiar box, it was the first aid kit that Kim Dokja exclusively used for tending himself. He had never thought that there would be a day when he would use this first aid kit to treat someone other than him.

After a moment of hesitation, Kim Dokja boldly took the regressor's hand and began his treatment.

"Bear with it, the ointment will hurt a bit."

Those words were said with a stern voice as the young man tried to act all grumpy, yet when he saw Yoo Jonghuyuk's deep cut, the poor teen couldn't help but shudder. How did he even get such a wound? It would definitely hurt very much when the ointment touches the lesion. But contrary to his expectation, the regressor didn't even flinch when the contact was made. Thinking that the older man in front of him was trying hard not to show any reaction made Kim Dokja's heart soften as he decided to gently blow on the wound to alleviate the pain.

The feeling of that warm breath gently brushing over his 'scratched' hand was akin to someone tickling his stone-cold heart with a feather. Yoo Jonghyuk felt a strange feeling blooming inside him, but it wasn't something negative, on the contrary, it was a feeling that made him feel strangely at ease.

After a long moment of silence, words that the regressor had rarely ever said unexpectedly came out of his mouth.

"Thank you."

The movements of the teen stilled for a second before quietly resuming his task. One wouldn't notice if enough attention wasn't paid but Kim Dokja's lashes lightly fluttered while a small blush spread on his cheeks towards the tip of his ears.

[Target favorability raised: +15 points.]

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[Side quest #3 - Compliments are good for the health.]

Category: Side

Difficulty: ???

Clear conditions: 40/100

Side effect: Indirect inclination towards the character 'Kim Dokja'. *Warning: Random activation.

Time-limit: 6 days

Compensation: ???

Failure: ㅡ

*There are additional clear conditions.

*No constellation interference allowed.

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