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Kim Dokja spends the entire ten minute walk to Uriel's requested meeting spot cursing his utter bastard of a roommate. Why must he be responsible for Yoo Joonghyuk’s stubborn, brutish nature? Resigned because he knows exactly why, he prepares himself for a royal tongue-lashing.
It does not go the way Kim Dokja expects.
"He's honestly quite charming once you get to know him, your highness."
After being stood up once before by someone well beneath her status, Kim Dokja expected more… fury.
"So, you know him well, then?"
He's able to stop his brows from furrowing too much, but Kim Dokja's mouth twists in a confused smile.
"How could I not? We're roommates, after all."
「 Uriel 」
21%
"... that's right, they're roommates…" she murmurs. Uriel turns her face to the side, hand covering her quivering lips. As if that isn't enough, she fully turns away from him. He can't quite see her expression, but her cheeks and ears are red.
"You are a loyal… companion… for defending him. Even for roommates, you must be very close."
Close? If there were lockers in this world, Yoo Joonghyuk would be shoving him into them. Close isn't what Kim Dokja would call their relationship.
"Yes," Kim Dokja lies through his teeth. "I know him best."
When she whirls back on him, Uriel looks like she's discovered something wonderful. The eyes he thought had been shimmering with tears are actually sparkling with excitement.
"I still have my doubts. Perhaps you could tell me what else you like about—think is likeable about him, I mean!"
「 Uriel 」
23%
He has a strange feeling about this.
「 Lee Hyunsung 」
7%
"You're an excellent knight. One of the best. You should be more proud of yourself." Lee Hyunsung may have only a few hours left on his shift, but Kim Dokja's work is never done.
"He doesn't really think that."
"Yes he does! Kim Dokja assures him breezily. "He doesn't mean his harsh words personally. There's a lot riding on his shoulders, you know."
"What do you mean?"
"Think about where he's coming from! He was raised as a commoner. So many people are expecting things from him..."
Kim Dokja racks his brain for any lone wolf protagonist story trope he can think of.
"He can't show any weakness. People are looking to criticize his every move…"
Bullshit, bullshit, Yoo Joonghyuk is just a cantankerous old man in a hot young man's body. Still, as he speaks, Lee Hyunsung hangs onto every word.
"—and he doesn't have an easy future ahead of him–perhaps even a dangerous one. He's guarded for a reason… to protect the people around him!"
Okay, maybe he got a bit too exaggerated towards the end there… but when Kim Dokja looks at Lee Hyunsung, the man has a single tear rolling down his cheek. Brimming with a newfound fire, Lee Hyunsung clutches the shield in his hands.
"I… I didn't realize… He is lucky to have someone like you as his companion."
「 Lee Hyunsung 」
11%
If only Yoo Joonghyuk fucking knew.
"I want to help," Kim Dokja insists.
"Then switch rooms with me."
"What?"
"If I share the same quarters with Lord Yoo, then I will have more than enough chances to seduce him properly. You want to help, right? So switch rooms with me."
"Seduce? You're kidding."
Kim Dokja wants to laugh at the thought of anyone seducing Yoo Joonghyuk into anything but mild apathy. Kim Dokja isn't out here trying to work miracles, he's learned to keep his expectations of Yoo Joonghyuk's romantic abilities low—at this point, he just needs Yoo Joonghyuk to reach the damn end of the game without dying.
Nirvana's hands rest heavily on Kim Dokja's shoulders. Their unsettling gaze bores into the deepest parts of Kim Dokja.
"Uh," Kim Dokja starts. "He'll say no."
Nirvana scoffs derisively, releasing Kim Dokja with enough force to send him stumbling back.
For once not being forced to be the center of attention, Yoo Joonghyuk watches the appalling scene before him.
His skinny, idiotic roommate getting his ass kicked in the middle of the training grounds. Anna Croft is clearly better than him. Kim Dokja should be utterly disappointed with himself. And yet, from what Yoo Joonghyuk can see, despite his obvious disadvantage Kim Dokja is smiling. Smiling and talking, as if he's enjoying getting himself beat up.
"He's the one that asked her to spar," someone says. Yoo Joonghyuk nods his head in greeting, and Lee Seolhwa returns a smile as she stands next to him.
"Then he's a fool." And his stance is terrible.
"You're worried for him," Lee Seolhwa notes, sounding amused. Yoo Joonghyuk frowns. He isn't worried.
"He got himself into this mess. It's his own fault."
Kim Dokja is stubborn like that.
Crack!
Kim Dokja's sword is knocked sideways in a wide arc, spinning through the air as it flies from his hand. The blunted tip of Anna Croft's wooden training sword points down at Kim Dokja, flat on his ass.
Damn it, he'd been distracted by Lee Seolhwa's sudden appearance. He just… wanted to see the product of his efforts. Lee Seolhwa and Yoo Joonghyuk create a stunning picture when standing together, even towards the back.
"Does the little dukeling you live with fight as terribly as you?"
"Can he not be a lover and a fighter?" Kim Dokja sighs. Before Anna Croft retorts, something approaching catches her attention. Her eyes slide up and above Kim Dokja. A large figure blocks the sun behind him, covering Kim Dokja in shadow.
A deep, smooth voice speaks.
"You speak bravely for someone so incompetent."
Kim Dokja resists the urge to laugh.
Tilting his head back, he learns that Yoo Joonghyuk is just as, if not more, handsome upside down as he is upright. Sunlight frames Yoo Joonghyuk like a Renaissance era painting, his curls enchantingly falling into his scowling face, the angle making his eyes seem dark and bottomless—Kim Dokja should be justified in the strange skittering of his pulse and sudden dryness in his mouth.
When had Yoo Joonghyuk closed the distance? Nervously licking his lips, the quip rolls off his tongue almost half a beat late.
"I am simply telling the truth you are too shy to admit, your grace—"
A strong hand curls under his arm and effortlessly lofts him upright till Kim Dokja is standing on his feet. Without sparing Anna Croft a passing glance, Yoo Joonghyuk drags Kim Dokja away. What a rude bastard, Kim Dokja bemoans. His eyes glance cautiously behind them.
Anna Croft doesn't appear angry, but there's an ominous sharpness to her gaze.
「 Anna Croft 」
8%
…
「 Anna Croft 」
4%
Ah, shit.
「 +4 Recovery Potion has been added to your inventory! 」
"What is this?" Kim Dokja stares down at the small vial. It had not been in his room the night before.
"A potion," Yoo Joonghyuk deigns to answer.
"But why is it here?"
"I put it there." Yoo Joonghyuk's patience is truly magnanimous. Kim Dokja's voice continues to rise in pitch and disbelief.
"I said why, not how."
"Am I not allowed to gift you things?"
"No," Kim Dokja says, with feeling.
"Throw it away, then." Yoo Joonghyuk shrugs on his thick coat.
"Throw it away? And waste it?" There is nothing in Kim Dokja's character profile that mentions his family having financial issues, but that would be the only sensible explanation to his penny-pinching. With a distinct glare that translates to do what you want, I am finished indulging in your foolishness, Yoo Joonghyuk grabs his sword and baldric from the common area table.
As he makes to leave, Kim Dokja still stands by the window, vial held in the air to let the sun shine through as liquid sloshes inside the glass.
"This must be poisoned," he mumbles.
The vein at Yoo Joonghyuk's temple throbs as he slams the door behind him.