The Brightest Star in a Ruined World

[06]

Chapter 6: Into The Darkness
[☆]

A food penalty and survival penalty. Kim Dokja already knew about the former penalty. However, the latter wasn't in the original Ways of Survival. Maybe his contract with Bihyung had caused this development. It was a stream contract which the two of them had signed together after Kim Dokja successfully slayed a sea commander.

While Kim Dokja was thinking about this, Jung Heewon had already confirmed that the biscuit in her pocket had also disappeared.

"Dokja-ssi, did you perhaps know something like this would hap—"

"I did expect it." Kim Dokja nodded to Jung Heewon's question. "I thought about what the dokkaebis would do first to harass humans."

"I miss Bihyung." Park Hanbyeol muttered with a slight pout. After recieving the notice for a new scenario penalty, the surgeon became certain that she liked Bihyung more.

Kim Dokja heard her complaint and couldn't help but ruffle her soft ebony hair. She was so irresistibly adorable. The surgeon flinched and stared at him with wide eyes, shocked by the sudden act of intimacy.

Kim Dokja quickly retracted his hand when he realized what he had done. He coughed and avoided Park Hanbyeol's questioning gaze, utterly embarrassed by his mistake.

"You two..." Jung Heewon began, pointing her index finger at Kim Dokja and Park Hanbyeol. "Are you two a thing or something?"

Park Hanbyeol blinked. "What's a thing?"

Kim Dokja, on the other hand, was flustered and he covered half of his face to hide his blushing cheeks.

"Eh?" Jung Heewon was surprised at the innocent look she received from the surgeon. "You don't know what a 'thing' is?"

Park Hanbyeol tilted her a bit and answered, "It's an object. Something that can be owned. Right?"

Jung Heewon facepalmed. She didn't expect to hear such an answer from someone who was as smart as this woman. You really couldn't judge a book by its cover.

"I was wondering the same thing, Hanbyeol-ssi." Yoo Sangah immediately spoke up when the issue was finally brought up. "Are you two together? No, let me rephrase that. Are you two in a relationship?"

"Eh?!" Park Hanbyeol's eyes widened again in shock. What kind of question was that? "Of course not. We literally just met yesterday."

Kim Dokja didn't understand why, but he could feel his heart clenching at her immediate denial.

"But, I've been meaning to ask this since the moment we met yesterday..." Park Hanbyeol turned to look at Kim Dokja and she intently examined his face for a moment before opening her mouth to ask.

"Have we... met before?"

"Huh?" Kim Dokja raised a brow, confused.

"I feel like I know you." The surgeon said, amber eyes staring straight at his own pair of charcoal eyes. "And it seems like you know me too. Otherwise, how would you know about my suicidal urges and my strong resistance to loud noises?"

Kim Dokja inaudibly gulped down a lump in his throat. He knew this was bound to happen. Well, to be fair, he wasn't being discreet in showing his concern for the woman.

"Yes. It is true that I know you." Kim Dokja admitted before making a wry smile. "But I think, it's not possible for you to know me."

"Why?" Park Hanbyeol cocked her head to the side.

Kim Dokja stared at her deeply and answered, "Just because."

Yes, it would be impossible for her to know him for it was not possible for their paths to cross with each other before 'Ways of Survival' became a reality. Before, Park Hanbyeol was just a character from the novel. Someone whose life story he had only read from the screen of his smartphone.