A deafening silence filled the theatre as even a pin drop can be heard from miles away. The information gained from the episode is too much for the Secretive Plotter, Dokja and Joonghyuk to bear. The reader cries in his seat comforted by Uriel who embraces him and Bihyung who dabs away his tears with the napkin. The Secretive Plotter and Joonghyuk stay silent, learning what exactly happened in the 0th round was… too much for them.
Especially the Secretive Plotter. He was… he was one regression away from meeting his sponsor? Just one more regression, and it would have ended all his regressions…
It is an awkward silence for the incarnations as they all look at Yoo Joonghyuk who seemed to be as silent as a mouse… They all gather and begin talking to one another.
"So…" Heewon begins as she starts thinking, "Can we all agree that the people involved in the loop are Joonghyuk-ssi and Dokja-ssi?"
They all nod their heads, "I have to say, finding out your husband in your past life is a bit uh… awkward," Seolhwa comments before getting serious once again, "But looking at the episode, they are the telltale signs of the three people involved in the loop."
Sooyoung hums as she glances towards Dokja as he cries into Uriel's chest, she softly lets him cry there and comforts him while she also cries herself just by watching the episode.
That episode was… Mind blowing to say the least, because what else can she say? That was how Dokja became Yoo Joonghyuk's sponsor. It was official that Dokja and Joonghyuk are people who are involved in the loop. So who was the other woman?
Dokja cries into Uriel's chest as she comforts him by patting his head softly. He couldn't believe it. Joonghyuk regressed because of him? Because he wanted to know who he was? And that Dokja was his Constellation Sponsor? Why… What exactly happened in the future for the past to become like this!?
As Dokja cries, the Secretive Plotter is speechless to say the least. He finally learned the truth of why he regressed, and it was because of the man beside him. He wanted to know who he was, where he came from and how he ended up in this world… So that was why… Why he had this inkling feeling that he had to regress so many times… He could feel his own tears start to pour out of his eye sockets. Strange. How long has it been since he last cried?
"Junghwa," Hades begins as he looks at the redhead, "Did you show this because of the current Yoo Joonghyuk's hatred towards Kim Dokja?" He asks as Junghwa nods their head.
"Yes, that's right. Normally I would've waited until everything is explained but… I made an exception because of how he treated my protagonist," they emphasises, "Now that you all watched the past of the very first regression, what do you think? Do you have any theories on the loop?"
Han Sooyoung frowns, she doesn't have concrete evidence but, "The people that are connected to the loop are Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk are they not?" she asks as Junghwa nods their head.
"That's right, you're finished from figuring out the people connecting to the loop."
"Then can I say this, Junghwa-ssi?" Yoosung says, "I notice there is a theme. A protagonist and a reader are the ones connected to the loop. The other is an author, are they?" she asks.
Junghwa smiles softly, "Smart, Yoosung-ah, that's right. The other one is an author. And I think she now knows…" Junghwa glances over to Sooyoung who widens her eyes as she points towards herself.
"Me!?" She asks, or rather demands, "I'm the only author here in this theatre!"
"Wait," Persephone starts, "Does this mean that Han Sooyoung is the author of the novel!?"
Junghwa smiles, it seems like their brains are braining. Junghwa can only nod as everyone else looks at Sooyoung, "Wait! I have no recollection of writing TWSA!"
"And there is a good reason on why, but as per usual, you must watch the episodes to understand," Junghwa says as Gilyoung looks at Yoosung before glancing over to the crying Dokja.
"Jungwa-ssi, you don't like us hating on Dokja hyung right?" He asks. Junghwa smiles sadly.
"I don't, Gilyoung-ah. Kim Dokja is my protagonist just as Joonghyuk is his protagonist. I'm trying to find a way to avoid the ending that I dislike very much with all of you, and prevent the unnecessary deaths like Hades' and Bihyung's… where everyone can live in one big house, happily."
Joonghyuk looks at Junghwa with teary eyes before looking away. What has he done to his reader…
Junghwa looks over to Dokja who is wiping his tears away with the napkin he got from Bihyung, "Dokja-ssi, are you alright now?" They ask as Dokja whimpers before nodding his head.
"It's… It's just so much to take in… The reason why Yoo Joonghyuk regressed is because of me… and me being his sponsor…" he managed to say.
Junghwa bites their lips as they nod, "I also know that you love Joonghyuk-ssi the most, Dokja-ssi. This is why I'm trying to avoid the ending that I read and find a happy ending for all of you, it's…" Junghwa takes a deep breath before sighing it out, "The least I can do as a Kim Dokja Fragment."
"Junghwa-ssi," Hyunsung begins, "What exactly is a Kim Dokja Fragment? You claimed yourself to be one, who exactly are you?" He asks.
Junghwa looks at the screen, "Again, if I explain it, you will not be able to understand it. Watching the episode is crucial because you get to see the future and the past, and perhaps help me escape this loop that traps you all."
The Secretive Plotter grips his hands tightly as he takes a deep breath, trying to calm down his breathing before exhaling.
"Secretive Plotter, are you alright?" Junghwa asks as the Plotter nods his head.
"Y-yes… I'm fine now…"
"Why are you asking him when I'm the one that's deeply affected by this…" Yoo Joonghyuk finally speaks, his voice cracking.
Junghwa frowns and looks at Joonghyuk, "Because you hated Kim Dokja. Besides, he's also affected deeply by this, not just you."
Joonghyuk grits his teeth, "Then who the fuck is he!? He's just a fucking Constellation!" Junghwa looks at the Secretive Plotter as the Constellation sighs.
"Do you want to reveal yourself, Secretive Plotter?" Junghwa asks as as the Plotter thinks about it.
"Can we not… At least, not yet?" The Plotter asks as Junghwa sighs.
"Fine, but just know this Yoo Joonghyuk of the fake 3rd round. The Secretive Plotter is affected by this as well."
Joonghyuk curses under his breath but he decides to sit back down and wait, he will be revealed sooner or later anyway, "Why do you call me a fake third round when I am in my third round?"
Junghwa smiles at him, "You're already suspicious of your memories, are you not?" they asked as Joonghyuk widened his eyes at the comment.
How do they know?
He was suspicious of his memories because of what the episode showed him before. Then… are his memories cracked?
"Junghwa, can you give us more time before starting the episode?" Sooyoung raises her voice to ask them a question, "There's.. There's so many plot twists already that we need to theorize on how we're gonna continue forward."
Junghwa nods their head, "Of course you can. Please, have the food at the back to fill your stomahces and speak to one another. Tell me when you are ready to continue the episode."
With that everyone gets their deserved rest as the incarnations go over to where Kim Dokja was, "Dokja-ssi," Heewon called to him as the said man looked at them.
"What is it, everyone?" He asks curiously, his voice slightly hoarse from crying still before suddenly the children run up to him and hug him. Dokja widens his eyes at Yoosung and Gilyoung as Jihye comes up to him first.
"Ahjussi… I'm sorry we hated you, we didn't know ok?" She apologises.
Heewon nods her head, "I'm sorry too, we jumped into conclusions that we didn't know that you are also a victim, "Dokja smiles at them all.
"It's ok, everyone. But now it raises one more question, however…" Everyone looks at Sooyoung.
"You're the author of TWSA?" Hyunsung asks, afraid of her answer as Sooyoung places a hand on her forehead, "I don't know… I have no memory of writing the novel myself but IO swore I wrote a similar novel called something else, but…" Sooyoung looks at Junghwa who was happily playing in their computer, "If what Junghwa says is true then…"
"Then why did you create them, Sooyoung-ssi?" Sangha asks, her voice cracking as everyone from the novel flinches at her question, "And Joonghyuk-ssi too… He suffered for a millenia in your hands. He regressed for Dokja-ssi too, what does everything mean?" she asked.
Sooyoung for once, is speechless because she does not have the answer to her questions, "I don't know! I don't know ok!?" I have no memories of it!" She says before Junghwa interrupts them.
"Sooyoung-ssi, in the past, have you sleep walked before?" is their question.
Sooyoung tells them her answer, "Of course I had-," She pauses her words when she realises something… In the past she had a habit of sleepwalking to her computer, as if something was controlling her… As an author, her mind suddenly catches the answer as she widens her eyes in shock, "Don't tell me… When I was sleepwalking, I wrote TWSA?"
Everyone looks at Junghwa as they smile. That smile can only mean one thing. It was the right answer.
"Sleepwalking while writing?" Seolhwa asks curiously as Sooyoung nods her head.
"That's right, I had a habit of sleepwalking ever since I was young but… To think it would lead to something like this…" Sooyoung says, almost in a whisper.
Dokja looks at Joonghyuk who issilent ever since the episode ended because he senses the man keeps looking at him, "Joonghyuk-ssi… Is something wrong…?" Dokja askes curiously, not really knowing how to communicate with him ever since the episode ended.
Joonghyuk seems like he wants to say so many things to him as he opens his mouth but closes it again, as if he is hesitant to say those words to him. Instead, he looks away with an unknown expression. Dokja had never seen such an expression on him before. Is it guilt?
The Secretive Plotter glances at his reader as he grips his hands tightly. He too did not know how to communicate with him after the episode ended.
"Kim Dokja-," Both Yoo Joonghyuk and the Secretive Plotter begins as they glare at each other.
"Hands off," the Plotter threatens as Joonghyuk does not back down at all.
"You mean you should get your hands off of him. He's mine," Joonghyuk growls at him.
"Oh? I seem to have recalled you choking him and wanting to kill him, though?" The Plotter fights back.
By this moment, the Constellations and Incarnations walked away from the two people that seemed to be arguing as they snack on the drama. Hell, even Junghwa was eating popcorn while watching the two of them start arguing.
"Should we uh… Stop them…?" Sun Wukong starts as Junghwa shakes their head.
"This is a good opportunity for them to realise that they both need Kim Dokja," they say as Wukong looks at them suspiciously.
"Junghwa," Abyssal Black Flame Dragon begins, "Who exactly is the Secretive Plotter?" He asks.
Junghwa gives them an empty smile, "Someone who is tired of living, and is searching for death until this very moment where he realises the reason for his existence is non other than Kim Dokja himself."
"I-" Joonghyuk starts as the Secretive Plotter crosses his arms over his large chest, "I didn't know about the 0th round at that moment, it doesn't count!"
"At least I didn;t choke him from the start, I can probably take better care of him better than you do," Secretive Plotter begins.
Uriel is eating her popcorn as she munches on them with her eyes wide open, as if not wanting to miss any of this moment, "This is getting spicy!"
As the two regressors argues, Hades and Persephone goes towards Dokja as they examine the man from top to bottom, "You are Kim Dokja, yes?" Hades asks as Dokja nods his head.
"T-that's right… I'm sorry you had to see that side of me," he says as if sorry for showing his weakness,
Hades raised his hand before looking at him, "What do you thin k our relationship is is for me to sacrifice my life for a mere incarnation?" he asks as Dokja gulps down his saliva.
Persephone keeps a close eye on them as she giggles, "Don't be to stressed little Dokja, we're not here to kill you. We're simply… Curious," she says, "This Junghwa character those in this theatre are people who have a close relationship with you. In the future, we must've been really close with you if my husband died for you."
Dokja gulps as he looks over to Junghwa who keeps a close eye on them, "Jungwa, a little help over here?"
The fragment laughs before easing up his worries, "Don't worry about it, Dokja-ssi. They are your parents after all."
Both Hades and Persephone looks at Junghwa and then at Dokja who had a shocked expression in his face as the goddess chuckles, "I see, so that's our relationship with you," she says as Hades hummed.
"A son, eh? And heir to the throne… we must be incredibly close for that, interesting…"
Dokja just gapped his mouth, as if not believing Junghwa's words at all as Dokja looked at the pair pitifully cousin Persephone to chuckle even more. Dammit where was the Fourth Wall at this moment!?
"Oh how sweet, I've always wanted children," The goddess said as she softly patted Dokja's head softly, causing him to widen his eyes in shock for the nth time.
"W-what-?"
"In the future, we will adopt you," Hades reasoned out, "So why not start now when we already know that you will be our son?"
Dokja looked at the pair of Constellations in surprise as he could once again feel the tears coming out of his eyes.
Junghwa smiles as they look at the three of them before looking over to the list of names that they wanted to bring into the theatre. Sadly they couldn't bring Sookyung due to the lack of probability, thanks to a certain SOMEBODY LIMITED THEIR PROBABILITY USE *cough Oldest Dream Cough* .
They sigh, Probability was controlled by Oldest Dream's wish for a happy ending, and yet the original could only dream of a sad ending. Stupid Kim Dokja, not knowing the full power of dreams can have an effect in the real world.
Meanwhile the argument between the Secretive Plotter and Joonghyuk was escalating that Junghwa has to intervene by manifesting two pans before hitting both of their heads, "SHUT IT YOU STUPID MOLA YOU BOTH NEED KIM DOKJA!!!"
"OW!?"
The incarnations snorts as they look away from the pair of idiots as they both glare at Junghwa.
"Have you calmed down now?" Junghwa asks as the both of them look like children getting caught fighting by their parent.
"He started it!" both says to them as Junghwa sighs.
"Care to stop it because you're giving us a headache with your childish fights over Kim Dokja. Don't worry about it, once this loop ends, both of you will have your very own Kim Dokja. Hopefully…"
Both regressors looked at Junghwa with interest. Junghwa finally stopped them from fighting.
"Plotter, you know that another Dokja is waiting for you behind that wall, don't you?" thwy asked as the Secretive Plotter looked art them.
No, he didnt, but after watching the 0th round, he knew. His sponsor was waiting for him to save him, was it not? From whatever was trapping him inside…
"He should've been mine if I regressed one more time…" The Plotter mumbles as Joonghyuk rose an eyebrow at the inaudible voice.
"What did you say?"
The Plotter shakes his head, not saying anything as Joonghyuk frowned. It seems like he was out of the loop on all the important stuff… Why is that?
"So, do you have any theories on how to escape the loop?" Junghwa decides to change the subject so the two regressors follow along.
"None," Joonghyuk begins, "We only established the people that are involved in the loop. Kim Dokja, Han Sooyoung and…" He gulps, "Me."
Junghwa nods their head wisely, "Correct, but also… Not quite."
The Secretive Plotter narrows his eyes under his veil as he looks at Junghwa, "What do you mean?" He asks.
Junghwa gives them another hint, "I'll give you one last hint. Worldlines."
The Secretive Plotter narrows his eyes at the word worldlines, what did it mean? Joonghyuk is also in confusion about the hint. Perhaps they can discuss it with the rest of the Constellation and Incarnations?
Junghwa continues o watch them rest and eat their fill of food prepared for them and looks at the trime. Well they gave them a 30 minute break so it should be enough for them to continue right?
"Are we ready to continue the episode?" Junghwa asks as everyone nods.
"Please continue the episode, Junghwa, I can't let my husband die meaninglessly," Persephone says as Junghwa nods.
Junghwa searches for the episode where they left off, the atmosphere dark as most of the constellations stay quiet while also trying to figure out a way to escape the loop.