˗ˏˋ SOMNAMBULIST [crossover] ᶠⁱᶜ 'ˎ˗

Doing Favors (1)

They arrived to meet a deserted station of Dongmyo. The place was eerily silent with no sign of a living person. The group could only hear the sound of their own breathing and occasional messages from the constellations.

This made Kim Dokja very confused.

He half-expected that he wouldn't meet the mysterious masked man, but for some unknown reason, he couldn't help but be disappointed. He was quite anticipating the appearance of someone strong who was never mentioned in the novel. Still, a small part of him felt relieved. Perhaps this meant they have successfully dodged a dangerous obstacle.

"What now, Dokja-ssi?" Jung Heewon asked the man in front of her.

He was momentarily silent before answering, "There's no one here so I guess we'll just leave."

As they turned around, a familiar stoic voice was heard from behind them.

"Without even saying hi? Isn't that just rude?"

The teenagers abruptly spun with wide eyes, and their chests tightened at the sight of the black-haired man slowly walking toward them but stopping before he could get close.

"Cale...?" Dokja called out in shock, almost whispering.

"That's me. Did you already forget my name? I've only been away for a week or so."

It was quiet for a while.

"KYANG!" Igneel was the first to leap towards him, flying and crashing onto his chest.

"Oof-" Cale wrapped his arms around the dragon upon receiving the impact. "You're getting heavier. Kim Dokja fed you well, didn't he?"

Igneel purred in agreement, crawling upwards to curl his body around the man's neck.

The group was still processing Cale's sudden presence, completely missing the way he had pulled something from his bag. He threw the purple flag, and it landed near Kim Dokja's feet.

Meanwhile, Dokja looked down. He didn't make any movement to take it. After a while, he blinked, snapping out of his daze as he lifted his head to look at Cale again. "... What is this?"

The other man smiled, it almost looked like a pleased smirk. "Payment."

"Huh?"

"For taking care of the children. Besides, didn't you ask me whether you'll get something out of it?"

Kim Dokja began to stammer, "Well, yeah, but this is-"

Isn't this too much?

Of course, Kim Dokja liked to reap benefits from others, but it was a purple flag. The moment he takes it, he would be able to complete the King's Road scenario, and it would make his plan much smoother. But at the same time, doesn't this mean Cale had claimed the other stations? He's not that heartless and greedy to take something that others worked so hard for.

"I can't take this."

Cale narrowed his eyes. "Why not?"

Kim Dokja sighed. "Because it's yours, you dumbass. Also, shouldn't you take my flag instead? You'd be able to complete the scenario and be qualified as the king."

However, the response he got was a small shrug. "That's too much work."

"... What?"

Dokja frowned and tilted his head in confusion. 'Then why did he-'

"Kim Dokja," Cale said apathetically. As they stared at each other, onyx starry eyes meeting brown, he spoke, "I did this for you."

He was rendered speechless.